To Live Beautiful

This is my Last Post!

2010-05-18T11:26:00.000-05:00

Sometimes we need to give things up so that we can move on.

This To Live Beautiful blog has been part of my journey of finding "beautiful." It became a public outlet for me to discover what Live Beautiful means (it took me about 3 years!) It also developed friendships with fellow bloggers - and I'm so thankful for some of them sharing their thoughts here!

I'm taking the idea of Live: Beautiful into a whole different medium. Writing doesn't come easy to me; I sit and stare at a blank page for too long and am never quite happy with the way things turn out. Photography on the other hand has always come so easy to me. It boggles my mind that I didn't get more involved with photography before. I tried to head down the video and editing path, but they have all led me back to still photography.

In order to bring some sanity back to my life, I'm letting go of this To Live Beautiful blog. This will officially be my last post here.

So let me leave you with this: Discover your life's passions, Create a way to serve others and Enjoy the benefits of true friendships. Go out and truly Love God, Love People.

October 2015 Update:

I'm still amazed at how many people find this "old" blog. It's been years since I've visited it - but as I read through some of the posts, it still connects with me today. And YES - I'm still Discovering, Creating & Enjoying something beautiful every day!

I've had TWO more kids since this blog - making us a family of 5: Dave (my hubby), Cali (2007), Owen (2009), & Truett (2013). We have also moved from our beloved Franklin, TN - to Edinboro, Pennsylvania, close to where I grew up. We'd love to live in Huntington Beach, CA, where Dave grew up... maybe we'll find ourselves out there some day!

Live Beautiful Photography has now turned into The Painted Square - where I continue to do portrait photography as well as voiceovers. Dave and I have also just begin the Square One Show podcast, helping people overcome their fears - and just START their own business.

Here's an update on some of To Live Beautiful's writers!! They continue to bless others with their talent of writing:

Wendy Paine Miller is now a published author who writes women's fiction! Get her latest book: The Short and Sincere Life of Ellory James. Like her Facebook Page - or visit her website WendyPaineMiller.com. Buy her books while you're there too!

Wendy Steele Mueller also continues to write and inspire others! Take the time to join the Facebook page of Wendy Steele Mueller - who continues to write and inspire others!

Mary Carver continues to write on her website and blog Giving Up On Perfect. She has also has a published book called Choose Joy: Finding Hope and Purpose When Life Hurts. Please follow her on Facebook as well!

Keep In Touch!

I would love to hear from you!

You can contact me here:

Jessica@ThePaintedSquare.com

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When God Speaks, Are You Listening?

2010-03-22T11:33:00.001-05:00

photo by SashaW

God speaks in many ways. Through his word, through prayer, through the Holy Spirit, through other people and through circumstances.

Sometimes God changes circumstances in our lives to move us along. Some of us willingly embrace new things, but others of us need pushed and some need shoved. One thing is certain: life moves on for everyone.

What areas of your life is God trying to change? Are you being stubborn or ready to embrace what God has planned for you?

Jeremiah 29:11 (New International Version)

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Your Purpose: What is It?

2010-03-14T13:37:00.000-05:00

photograph by Leland

Do you feel like God has a purpose for your life?

Ultimately, He wants us to love Him and love our neighbors.
So yes, you do have a purpose.

Matthew 22:37-40 (The Message)
^37-40Jesus said, "'Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.' This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: 'Love others as well as you love yourself.' These two commands are pegs; everything in God's Law and the Prophets hangs from them."

When you woke up this morning, what was the first thing you thought of? What is the most important thing on your list today?

Love God, Love People.

Let's begin this week's list with (1) loving God and (2) loving people and see how God uses it to bring us, as well as those we come in contact with, closer to Him.

*******

A New Look Coming Soon! It's Time to [Re: FOCUS]

2010-02-11T12:18:00.000-06:00

I can't tell you how much I appreciate our writers here. They have carried this blog the last - year? Has it really been a whole year? Thank you Wendy Miller for being with us and letting us peek into your little corner of beautiful. Wendy has decided to focus on family and simplify some things in her life. (Don't we ALL need to do that?) We won't be seeing her posts here, however, you can still catch her at All in a Day's Thought. Please add her to your blogroll!

Thank you Wendy Mueller and Mary Carver for all of your amazing posts too! I just love reading your personal stories and struggles. (Not that I love your struggles... just how you emerge from them...) Be sure to save Wendy Mueller's personal blogs: My Grown Up Christmas Wish and Odyssey of a Lifetime. You can also find Mary's writings over at (in)courage - a wonderful site to bookmark, as well as her personal blog - Giving Up on Perfect.

It's been a while since I've written here. We've had one heck of a year!

2009 was the busiest and most challenging year I've seen in a while.... if ever? We added Owen to the family back in July and Cali (2.5 yrs) continues to run around and entertain her now 7 month old brother. We have been in a life transition for the past few years it seems like. Last January, the band told us that they could no longer pay us what we had been earning; I was now out of a job and Dave wasn't on the road as much. To homeowners with a kid and one on the way, that wasn't very exciting news. Thank you to Dave Ramsey for helping us plan ahead, thank you friends and family for gifts of money and clothing, and thank you Tennessee for providing unemployment. It's definitely humbling to walk into the unemployment office and say, "we are trying, but if we don't have help, this is going to turn bad fast." But most of all, I say thank you to my God, who ultimately provided these things for us. He taught us trust, patience and grace this year.

One of the upsides to this year was beginning the Live Beautiful Photography journey. I've been struggling with what Live Beautiful really means - and how I can share my life experiences and faith through it. Photography has always been a hobby, but with the help of my dear friend Sara Harper (you need to check out her photography site! If you are in Nashville or Atlanta, she is THE girl to contact! She also does destination weddings...) -- I was able to turn a hobby into a business. Dave and I are in the process of moving back to northwest PA, where I grew up, and it's a fabulous place to begin a fresh, modern photography business. My friend Trish has also been instrumental in spreading the word and helping as a fellow photographer with Live Beautiful Photography. We are focusing on family & senior portraits and look forward to shooting a wedding in June and possibly one in July!

I love that I'm able to serve people by taking pictures. I invite you to follow the Live Beautiful Photography RSS Feed - to see who gets photographed next!

OK - so back to the [Re: FOCUS] and Re:Design here at Live Beautiful.

My plan is to integrate the photography site design with To Live Beautiful. You'll see the new logo soon - along with a new site design. I'm going to try to keep it simple here! But it will look different.

Our FOCUS: To learn more about who GOD wants us to be and to discover our PURPOSE. Michael Easley, pastor at Fellowship Bible Church always says, "Don't let the world teach you theology." So let's look at the Bible instead- and learn what God has to say about Who He is and who we are in Him.

During this to live beautiful journey, I have Discovered how much I love photography, Created a business model that serves others and Enjoyed doing photo shoots.

How about YOU? What does God have planned for you?

Are you ready to Discover, Create and Enjoy?

********

Godly Women

2010-01-22T12:58:00.000-06:00

Today, as I was thinking about what I wanted to write, I was browsing through some of my favorite blogs. Gina from Grace Anthem had this posted. I don't think that I could have come up with something better to express my thoughts today if I had tried. I hope you enjoy it.

---------------

In 1950, the great Scottish American preacher Peter Marshall stood before the United States Senate and he explained it this way:

The modern challenge to motherhood is the eternal challenge — that of being a godly woman. The very phrase sounds strange in our ears. We never hear it now. We hear about every other kind of women — beautiful women, smart women, sophisticated women, career woman, talented women, divorced women, but so seldom do we hear of a godly woman — or of a godly man either, for that matter.

I believe women come nearer fulfilling their God-given function in the home than anywhere else. It is a much nobler thing to be a good wife than to be Miss America. It is a greater achievement to establish a Christian home than it is to produce a second-rate novel filled with filth. It is a far, far better thing in the realm of morals to be old-fashioned than to be ultramodern. The world has enough women who know how to hold their cocktails, who have lost all their illusions and their faith. The world has enough women who know how to be smart.

It needs women who are willing to be simple. The world has enough women who know how to be brilliant. It needs some who will be brave. The world has enough women who are popular. It needs more who are pure. We need women, and men, too, who would rather be morally right than socially correct.

Sleep Well

2010-01-04T14:43:00.002-06:00

“There is no pillow so soft as a clear conscience.” – French Proverb

This is a great time of year to do a little self-evaluation. Sure, we make our lists, establish our goals and pile one hundred pressures upon our heads to be different this year than we were the last. But no matter how hard we challenge ourselves, nothing has the power to clear our conscience as well as some gut honest prayer.

God already knows. He knows where/when/how we’ve failed. He’s seen us at our worst and loved us at His best. I’m deeply thankful that I don’t enter into a prayer with timid reservation. I have a firm understanding that God is aware of my widespread weakness but He has decided to love me and remain faithful to me anyway. Armored with this knowledge I can go to prayer vulnerable, letting my confessions roll off my tongue, grateful for the ever-present forgiveness of my Father.

I love sleep. I generally don’t toss and turn at night. The only time I sit during the day is when I’m writing so I crash into bed by day’s end. Sleep greets me warmly. Recently we spent a week away on vacation visiting family. On our long drive home I kept envisioning our bed. I love our bed. There’s nothing like falling into the familiar comfort of your own bed after a time away.

I’ve heard people discourage prayer right before bed. The notion is that you might drift off to sleep during the prayer and not give your full attention to God. I see the point, but I have a different spin on it. I can imagine no greater way to fall asleep than in prayer to the creator of sleep and every other thing.

Sweet dreams.

Dear 2010

2010-01-01T07:37:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the world. I have to admit that I did not really think that you were ever going to get here when I was a girl. With all the trouble in the world, I was sure that life as we know it would have been over long ago. But God is gracious and allowed us to enjoy some time with you. I don't know how much time we will have together, so I want to tell you a little about my expectations and desires for the year.
First and foremost, I want my life to honor and glorify my precious Savior. Without this, there is no reason for me to be. This desire has been long in coming, but the peace it brings was worth the wait.

Second, I want to live my life simply. I don't really know what that means yet, so we will be pursuing it together.

Third, I want to honor my husband and children. I want them to have a high priority in my life, not just to meet their needs, but to enjoy life to the fullest with them.

Fourth, I want to honor my body. Now this is a challenge for me. I have never made myself a priority before. This year, I want that to change. I want to make conscientious choices for myself and my health. Even if everyone else around me is making different choices, I want to make the best choice for myself that I can. This means that I will eat things that are better for me, move my body more, and take time for myself. This may cause a bit of an adjustment for everyone else around me, so we may face a bit of a challenge here.

Finally, I want to be more giving, not only of my resources but also of my time. Included in this, I want to start teaching my children to be more generous and considerate of others. You will see that they are already beginning to learn these lessons, but my desire is that it become so ingrained in them that generosity and compassion are the norm.

I look forward to spending time with you, 2010, and discovering all the things that we will weather together. I know that there will be storms to face, but there will also be days of beautiful sunsine.

Sincerely,

My (new) morning routine

2009-12-22T05:02:00.000-06:00

My disdain for housecleaning has been well-documented, so it's a little odd that my daughter loves to clean as much as she does. But give that girl a Clorox wipe, and she is one happy camper.

Given her gotta-get-it-clean-Mommy tendencies, I haven't been surprised to see how much she loves brushing her teeth. But what has surprised me a bit is her love of my entire morning routine.

From the minute I step out of the shower and crack the bathroom door, Annalyn is fascinated by every step I take to get ready for my day.

"Panties, Mommy?"
"Umm, yes, baby. Those are Mommy's panties."

Thankfully her interest doesn't stop at my underwear. Because that would be weird. After she "helps" me get dressed, then we move on to our teeth.

"Remember, Annalyn. When I'm finished brushing, you're finished brushing."
"Okay, Mommy. Pft!"
"No, you don't need to spit, baby."

And then it's time for makeup, although Annalyn's Daddy kindly says we're beautiful without it.

"Some. Some, Mommy."
"Okay, baby doll. Here's some chapstick for you. Go like this: MWAH!"
"Cheeks! Cheeks, Mommy!" "Lotion! Lotion!" "Eyes, Mommy! Eyes!"

My new morning routine takes a bit longer to get through, but it works for me. What does your morning routine look like?

Snowfall & Faith

2009-12-14T11:51:00.002-06:00

At first my faith came to me like a fresh snowfall. Down from the heavens I received a pure Spirit. Renewed life. I’d been made white as snow. And just as every snowflake has its own unique pattern, I have my specific purpose for being on this earth. A brilliant snowstorm. Whitewash of promise. The sheen of hope.

Somewhere along the way my faith muddied. It took the appearance of a street curb the morning after the snowfall. Dotted with clumps of grass and dirt. I battled. I struggled. I feared. Without meaning to I allowed my belief to become marred by things of the world. The snow was still there, it just didn’t look the same.

But God is teaching me He is the king of new. What once existed as a pile of slush and dirt can transform into the purest snowfall again…and again.

Falling from the heavens as a gift of grace. As God’s gift to me.
And His gift to you.
Descending snow.

Hello

2009-12-11T05:12:00.004-06:00

Hello, friends. As I sit down to write today, a song goes through my head. I don't remember all the words, although it seems that it might be an old country song. And as usual, the wondering made me search a little harder for the words to fill in the gaps. I finally found it and realized that, of course, if would be Lionel Ritchie.

Lyrics | Lionel Ritchie - Hello lyrics

I say, of course, because as a teenager, he was without a doubt my favorite artist. His words and haunting melody would follow me wherever I went. I felt the loneliness that they conveyed, and it seemed like for at least a little while, someone understood what I was feeling.

Lately, I've been in that same place. Everything seems to be tumbling around me, and I don't know where to turn for support. All the pillars that I thought I had have crumbled around me. Where I thought I could find support and comfort, I find criticism and judgment. And I question everything around me. I've prayed and begged for an answer, and finally this week, an answer came.

I have expected support without ever expressing that I had a need. I had spent so much time trying to focus on everyone else's needs that I didn't share any of my own. In my desire to put others first, and focus on privacy, I had kept many things to myself. No one knew that I needed help, all they saw were the crumbling walls. They jumped to conclusions and criticized what they saw. I reacted by drawing even further into myself. But I cannot live there.

I am learning each day a little more about being real and open. This is a new area for me. I have always protected the deepest parts of my heart, so much so that many people have no idea that they are there. When I am accused of being shallow, I laugh a bitter laugh inside knowing that there is so much depth to me, but I am too afraid to let it be seen. There are too many walls inside me. It is not the bottom of the lake they find when they throw rocks at me, it is simply the first of many walls that I have erected to keep my fragile heart safe.

Today, I am making a choice to take down a wall. I am saying hello to being more real and open. But I need your help. I am weak and clueless. I don't know how to walk down this road. It is new and scary and I have avoided it for many years. Will you pray with me that I can see the footsteps leading me and have the faith to follow them? Perhaps you could share with me how you've faced a similar problem. Have you found a way through?

When she isn't getting lost in the '80s, Wendy is homeschooling her three young sons and blogging at either My Grown Up Christmas Wish or Odyssey of a Lifetime.

Half full or half empty?

2009-12-08T05:02:00.000-06:00

Photo by Jenny Downing

When I was in high school, I sang a duet at our spring concert. The song was called "Heart Half Empty," and it has been stuck in my head since I started writing this post.

Anyway.

Sometimes I hear people say things that are just annoying. Things like, “I don’t have time to watch TV.” Or, “Oh, I can’t eat fast food anymore. It upsets my stomach.” Or perhaps, “I just can’t go a day without exercising. I get cranky!”

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that these things are bad or even untrue. No, they’re annoying statements because, sure, I’d love develop an aversion to fast food and television and spend more time working out. But that’s just not real life. At least, it’s not my real life.

And so I get annoyed.

But you know what I found myself thinking the other day when a co-worker mentioned that she doesn’t like water? “Really? Wow. Sometimes I crave water. I can’t get enough. I like water.”

I almost became one of those people with my annoying, self-righteous, good-habited statements.

But, just like those folks who hate fast food and love to exercise (and somehow don’t make TV watching a priority), I meant it. It’s the truth. I drink a lot of water. And I like it.

Does that make me weird? Maybe. But it's my one good habit, and besides, we all know the benefits of drinking more water: weight loss, better skin, live to 100. (Just kidding on that last one.) So perhaps I can offer some helpful hints on getting more water in your day. (More, as in six to eight cups, of course!)

If you’re a fan of bottled water (because, yes, I realize some of you probably are not in favor of disposable plastic bottles), buy a 24-pack and keep it in your car. Then you can drink a bottle on your way to work, while running errands or on the way to drop off the kids at school.
If you are opposed to those landfill-filling bottles, then get a good thermos. That way, you can keep your “car water” cold. And save the earth. (Serious side note: I’m all for non-disposable things. But in the interests of full disclosure, I often drink water from plastic bottles.)
If you work at a desk – or in the kitchen or in a classroom or, you get the point – keep a cup for water there. That’s what I do – I keep a giant plastic cup at my desk at all times, refilling it a few times a day.
If you can’t stand the flavor of water (really?), use the sugar-free mix-ins. I know Crystal Light makes lots of flavors; so does Great Value at Walmart.
Drink with a straw. If you need to, a colorful, twisty one. I can’t promise this will make your water taste like Diet Coke, but it might making drinking it a little more fun.
Add ice. Personally, I like cold water with no ice. But my co-worker swears that drinking water with ice speeds up your metabolism. Or at least makes the water colder.

Okay, how about you? Do you drink water? I know I have more trouble getting my water in over the weekend, when I’m on the go – or at least not at a desk all day. When do you find it harder to drink your six to eight?

Celebrating Differences

2009-11-30T13:55:00.003-06:00

We recently returned from a trip to Florida. We packed in a visit to Disney World. While meeting the fairies I kept thinking of one thing. I repeatedly thought I sure had to bend my shoulders and drop my pose in order to be in a picture with them and my children. Of course all of the fairies were shorter. Women come in all shapes and sizes. We simply can’t be shoved into cookie cutters. And this is something I find to be beautiful.

Who wants a world where everyone looks alike, dresses alike, or styles their hair the same way? Certainly not me. I like variation. I enjoy watching other women dress to fit their unique style or personality. It’s thrilling for me when I see women of all weights, heights and boisterousness come together. I think because too often this is not what happens. Instead of coming together or celebrating our differences, we scrutinize. We judge. We evaluate and hold ourselves up against the differences, qualifying ourselves as better or worse. What an ugly way to live.

I enjoyed bending to fit in the pictures with the Disney World fairies. Do you find that you’re able to bend a little in order to appreciate others’ differences?

~ Wendy

“I learned more from the stains than I did the paper.”

2009-11-24T05:02:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I planned to run a few errands over my lunch break. Annalyn’s birthday party is on Saturday, and this was really my last opportunity to pick up a few things without having her along for the ride.

(You might find this surprising, but most errands and chores are easier on the rare occasion I find myself alone.)

I told Mark that I wouldn’t be coming home for lunch, and that was that.

Until lunchtime. When Mark and Annalyn showed up at my office. Reportedly, that little girl had spent the last hour saying, “Mommy? See her? Mommy? See her?”

So being the good dad that he is, Mark brought her to see her mommy.

Okayyyyyy. Off to Target we went. We swept through the baby section, searching for a birthday party outfit and hurried over to the candy section to look for candy bananas to put on the cupcakes. Then as I paid for a shirt, a pair of pants, some small black shoes and a stuffed Elmo that I’d hid behind my back for 10 minutes, Mark got Annalyn buckled into the car. I ran out of the store (okay, I walked briskly, let’s be real here), and we sped off to McDonald’s, where we snarfed value meals and begged Annalyn to eat something other than our fries.

And where I found myself saying, “Stop! Don’t touch me with those hands! Here, use this napkin. Yuck! Baby girl! Those are my work pants!”

I know, I know. Somehow, I let my errands and my work pants become more important than spending time with my daughter. I focused on not getting to the other store and the thought of stinky ketchup on my sleeve. And I almost missed that sweet girl just wanting to be with her mommy.

“Mommy? See her?” How could I think anything else was more important than that?

Reba McEntire sings a song called “Is There Life Out There?” and the video makes me cry every darned time I see it. It’s more of a mini-movie, really, about a mother who goes back to school and earns her college degree.

At the end of the video, her teacher returns a paper with an A but suggests she not submit stained work in the future. Those pages were stained because her daughter accidentally spilled coffee on her typewriter-typed report, an incident that reminded Reba’s character what was really important.

Reba tells her teacher, “I learned more from the stains than I did the paper.”

As I fussed at Annalyn about the ketchup on my sleeve and my pants, I thought about that scene.

I don’t want to be too busy to love on Annalyn. Time goes too fast and she’s already growing too much. I know this stage of Mommy-love and more hugs and one more kiss won’t last.

When we got back to my office – with a few minutes to spare, even – Mark told Annalyn to say goodbye.

“Buh-bye!” she said with a smile.
“How about a hug?” I asked.
“Okay!”
"I love you!" I said as she and Mark walked away.
"Wuv. Ooo."

Turns out I had plenty of time to do my other errand after work. And I’m pretty sure nobody noticed the ketchup stains on my clothes. Although it wouldn’t have mattered if they did. One day not far enough from now, I’ll be the one saying, “Annalyn? See her?”

So I’m taking all the hugs and kisses and unexpected lunch visits I can get.

What's Your Motivation?

2009-11-19T17:36:00.002-06:00

The holidays are fast approaching and I'm finding that I'm already eating more than my share of sugar. I'm eating Dave's share, Cali's share and Owen's share... as well as the neighbor's down the street share. I'll admit: I'm a sugaraholic, if there is such a thing. I love chocolate; it's hard to motivate me to love running or exercising more than chocolate.

The K-LOVE Music Cruise is coming up (going with the Downhere Family!) and I still have about 10 pounds of baby weight to work off. That gets me down to pre-baby weight... but I'd love to go 5 more beyond that, to get to my 1st baby pre-pregnancy weight. Don't laugh. It can be done.

But What's My Motivation?

I'm thinking of hanging up some pictures of beaches - and women who look really good in their swimming suit. Maybe I should just stick with beaches; I don't want Dave staring at other women in their bathing suits.

But hanging up a picture of a beach may not be enough motivation for me. I'll still just as easily eat a chocolate chip cookie.

I think this shows lack of discipline. I lack discipline in practically all areas of my life right now. After having baby #2 (who is 4 months old now)- I really see its effects. I'd love for things to run smoothly around the house and I'd love to do all the things I want to do in a day: 3 mile run/walk, catch-up on laundry, read my Bible, work with Cali on her ABCs & 123s, relax while feeding Owen, hang out with Dave (although he's in Norway at the moment), continue to research and organize my growing photography business, read a good book... (reading Donald Miller's "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years") - totally recommend it....

Since I've been struggling with discipline and organization, Dave recommend I listen to a sermon from Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle. It's on his series in Proverbs. This is part 4 : Planning. I STRONGLY urge you to listen to this if you need a little kick-start. I bought my "mole skin" aka notebook as a result and have been doing really well keeping a better handle on things.

Here's the sermons' description:

God is sovereign—he is in control of every person, every thing, and every outcome that ever has been or ever will be. Yet, Proverbs has much to say about planning for the future. We should plan open-handedly, meaning make plans that honor God yet be willing to change when God calls you to something else.

Back to motivation. What is my motivation? Honestly, it's still hazy to me. I need more motivation than to just "be in shape, be more healthy, look good." Those are great things - and I want those for sure.

So while I think of something to motivate me, I'll go walk on the treadmill while Owen takes a short snooze.

What motivates you to be more disciplined? What areas do you feel you need help in?

The Journey

2009-11-16T10:54:00.002-06:00

Are you enjoying yourself on this journey? Early morning as you yawn in bed listening to the sound of your ankles crack, are you filled with gratitude for the life you’ve been given?

The road may stretch ahead like a sleek black snake flanked by lined trees or dimly lit street lamps.

You might drive all night, weak and delirious from the exhaustive trip.

Focus may elude you and the only thing you manage to envision is dotted white and yellow lines.

But look there.

Do you see that?

It’s a soaring hawk. And would you look at that. Have you ever seen a more majestic or regal mountain?

Hear the laughter of your children. Wait for it to sink into your soul like a medicinal balm. Life is happening. The road remains, but you move, you move on.

Are you delighting in the setting sun, the wild turkeys chasing each other in the brush, the miracles sweeping the earth?

Is there joy on your journey?

Or are you too busy yawning and paying attention to the sound of your ankles crack while distracted by thoughts of aging, debating whether life is too long?

The road remains. But you move. You move on.

~ Wendy

Someday . . .

2009-11-10T05:02:00.000-06:00

Someday, little girl, you won't want to hold our hands anymore. We'll have to grab you before crossing the street or walking across the parking lot; we'll have to holler, "Wait for me!"

Someday, sweet baby, you will be so adept at walking that it would not occur to you to drop to your knees and crawl. We'll have to run after you and shout, "Slow down! Be careful!"

Someday you won't need us nearly as much as you do now.

We won't have to serve ketchup with every meal and change diapers and run bubble baths and pick up toys and walk slowly and put socks on your feet and cook chicken nuggets.

And we won't get to hear, "Mommy! Help! Buckle me! Milk! Walk, walk, walk, walk! Daddy! Do that! Toys! Out! Up!"

Someday you won't want to hold our hands. Someday . . . but today, I'm glad you still want us to hold your hand and help you walk.

Sleeping Beauty

2009-11-02T13:58:00.003-06:00

What’s Beautiful?

I’m sitting here trying my best to think of what is beautiful. I glance over at my toddler child tucked under a Peter Rabbit blanket on the couch. She cried for hours for me to hold her just before she conked out. I’ve held her for about 27 hours in the last day and if you’re good at math, you understand just how much holding that equates to.

So her sleeping is beautiful to me right now.

What else is beautiful? The tiny rubber duck smashed into her cheek is. And, okay I’ll go for it; my toddler’s ever so slight two-year-old unibrow is beautiful. Now you might be scrunching up your eyes, audibly saying, “Huh? What is she talking about?” And of course, I will tell you. The duck and unibrow represent one powerful message. This message is often lost on teenagers and those weeding through life and society wanting to impress and craving to be liked. I won’t make you sit and try to guess where I’m going with this. My toddler is in her element. She isn’t worried about what her face will look like when she wakes up with the imprint of a duck on her cheek. She also doesn’t beg me for tweezers so she can pluck those little innocuous hairs that have sprouted between her eyebrows. She’s unconcerned. She is the true definition of natural beauty.

She’s sleeping. She is at peace and right now at this moment, I am too.

~ Wendy

Clean

2009-10-19T13:19:00.002-05:00

The word of the day is clean. Writing sucks up my time. Loving on my children sucks up my time. Cooking sucks up my time. About one hundred other things suck up my time. Cleaning, however, cleaning has not been sucking up my time and my house is the proof.

I’m having a gathering of friends over tonight. Since 7:00 AM, I’ve been mopping, dusting, vacuuming, straightening, and rearranging (throwing a lot of things in drawers). My toddler has helped me rearrange as well, which as you know means I’m doing a lot of doubled duty rearranging. And I just discovered toddler got an eraser stuck in the handle of our dishwasher. If you’re mom, you know this is a small thing. Am I freaking out? No. It’s going to take more than that (which is simply a statement, not a challenge, God). You get my point. I’ve wiped myself out cleaning. I’m going to have to drink twenty Red Bulls to get my energy back for company. I could do that.

Or I could pray.

Prayer for restoration, for wisdom not to leave all the cleaning until the last day, for laughter, for light-heartedness, for a servant attitude and for a night where I can exude His loving kindness.

Before I pray, does anyone know how to get an eraser unstuck from inside a dishwasher handle? Didn’t think so…and now for prayer.

Only One You

2009-10-05T15:00:00.001-05:00

Short post today because my stomach has taken a turn and I’m not feeling all that well. Might I add that taking a bath is not all it used to be? Toddler standing over me chucking toys onto my legs and belly, flinging washcloths my way and eventually stripping out of her Pull-Up in hopes to join me…Makes me miss days when taking a bath wasn’t quite such an action sport.

Anyway, today I’ll write a bit about you--the uniqueness of you. There will never ever be another that has that exact tint in their eyes, the mole right where yours is located, that silly grin, the twittering laugh, the robust voice, the tender touch, the boing of curl in their hair or confident step. There will never be anyone who knows just the right thing to say, writes notes with that special signature, or who sneezes every time it rains…you know all those little things that add up to you. They are part of your makeup--part of your existence here on earth.

For those of you who were born today, Happiest of Birthdays to you. And remember, your fingerprint is yours alone and there will never ever be another you. Oh, Happy You!

Beautiful Intentionality

2009-09-28T13:18:00.001-05:00

My husband and I are taking a marriage class at our church. Have we learned groundbreaking things about how to keep our marriage alive and how to reignite that age old flame? Not really. But are we demonstrating to one another our commitment and loyalty by attending the class together? We sure are.

The word intentionality came up about a dozen times in our class. Are we intentional about spending time together? Marriage demands time and attention if you want it to thrive, as does anything really. Some of the talks my husband and I have are time spent hashing through deep and ugly issues. Then again, some of talks we do little talking and instead find ourselves laughing most of the time at ourselves.

There are so many things we choose to be intentional about. I know my list includes, writing, making sure my children feel loved and develop a spirit of resiliency and faith, reaching out to loved ones, delving into creative projects, healing from the past, etc. I show intentionality in many areas of life. My marriage is one area that has the potential to reap the most rewards. There’s nothing like having a best friend and romantic partner to laugh with and to go through life with. When we allow this relationship to slip away as a priority, we put our core relationship at risk and the rest of our life can suffer because of it.

So when I wrote that we aren’t necessarily learning groundbreaking things, I was mistaken. We are being reminded of how essential it is to live with intentionality in our marriage. Hearing that reminder shakes things up a bit and it’s good to be shaken once in awhile.

Painted Cans by Kate Mulherin

2009-09-27T00:08:00.000-05:00

This is the latest post on the Live Beautiful Photography blog -- and I just had to post it here too!

What defines beautiful artwork? These painted aluminum cans. Kate Mulherin would never, in a million years, consider herself an artist or crafty in any way. A few of her children (nine total!) admitted that they never knew their mom to cook or bake. They would often find a butter and lettuce sandwich for lunch. One daughter remembered enjoying another classmates lunch while he was left wondering how he ended up with lettuce between two pieces of buttered bread.

Kate is my husband’s grandmother; we traveled to Knoxville, Tennessee to visit her this weekend. Dave’s mom and two of her sisters flew to Tennessee to see their mother for probably the last time. She is dying of cancer, all the while suffering from Alzheimer disease and dementia. But her illness does not shadow her spunky personality.

Dave’s dad Sam tells the story of one of the first times he met his future mother-in-law: Some kids were writing curse words with chalk on the sidewalk outside of her house. Sam witnessed Kate coming out of the house, shooing the kids away and sternly shouting, “That’s not very damn funny!”

Kate would probably consider these cans just pieces of aluminum with paint, but to her daughters and son they represent something they rarely saw in their mother. It is a gift that each one will cherish.

view more photos of Kate's painted cans on Live Beautiful Photography's flickr photostream

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Precious Gifts

2009-09-21T13:19:00.000-05:00

What is your gift?

You may be sitting there frowning, bunching up your eyebrows while thinking to yourself, “You know I really don’t know what I’m gifted at…”

I went to a U2 concert last night. Clearly that band has been gifted. Sometimes though, our gifts aren’t so evident. They aren’t as vocal.

Maybe your gift whispers silently.

I believe we all add certain uniqueness in this world. So I’m going to provide a list of gifts you might not have ever thought of before.

Are you an intense and focused listener?
Do you enjoy talking with the elderly?
Does rocking a baby to sleep make you melt?
Do you wake up thinking about craft projects?
Are you fantastic with numbers? Memory? Photography?
Are you a superb ironer?
Is there always just the right amount of cream cheese on the bagels you prepare?
Do your daughter’s French braids stay in all day?
Are you a skilled phone talker?
Do people smile when you’re around?
Does the idea of cooking someone a meal get you out of bed?
Are you the most interested in collecting things on your block?
Are you kind?
Do you have an unusual amount of patience?
Can you plan like a pro?
Do you have game?
Are you the best shower singer you know (hopefully you don’t know too many or that might be strange?)
Do crossword puzzles fear you when you reach for a pencil?
When others laugh at your jokes does something zing alive inside you?
Do animals gravitate toward you?
Can you sew?
Do you know how to amuse teenagers?
Can you set a mean table?
Can you cry with the best of ‘em?
Soap carving?

Okay, you get my point. Sometimes we diminish the importance of things we do. We strip the value and meaning behind things that God intended for us to do with flare and finesse. If you are truly concerned about not being able to identify one specific gift, take comfort in this verse:

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not
for men…” Colossians 3:23

Meaningful Messages

2009-09-14T07:55:00.003-05:00

I’ve decided to be intentional about what I have around my home. The way I look at it, I could have a clean orderly home (which of course it always is) that says little about what I want my children to know. I could also have a cluttered, distracted home (which oddly enough it also always is) that remains in such disarray; specific messages can’t be easily deciphered.

So, my solution: I have two wooden signs in my living room, easy to read and simplistic in style. One says, “Giggle.” The other says, “It’s A Wonderful Life.” And you know what, I’d have to admit those are two of the most powerful lessons I’m trying to teach my girls. Laugh and laugh often. Life is hard and messy and unpredictable. Laughter is medicinal and a rich gift from God. Also, it is a wonderful life. We have one but one life. I long for my children to seek out the blessings all around them, to adopt a half-full attitude of thanksgiving even in the midst of hardship. Most of all, I hope they discover both of the messages originate with God, the creator of laughter and life.

There are all kinds of messages to place around your home. I’ve seen “Live, Laugh, Love.” I’ve seen calligraphy signs stating, “Family is Everything.” There are lots of messages out there to choose from. Which ones do you invest in? What are you decorating your home with and in turn, what messages are you teaching in your home?

Do You Make Jewelry? Want To Make A Global Impact? Read This:

2009-09-10T21:36:00.001-05:00

Do you think that a simple bracelet can impact thousands of men, women & children in a third world country?

I do.

My friend Josh of Watermelon Ministries has been to a dozen third world countries; his travels have ignited a passion for reaching their widows and orphans. His latest project provides wells to communities who desperately need clean water.

Together, we are looking for someone who has a passion for making jewelry - specifically bracelets. These bracelets will help raise money to build wells. Each bracelet would be sold for around $30. Thirty dollars will provide one person clean drinking water for their entire life. Only $30!

The goal is to build 100 wells within the next year; that's a lot of bracelets !

Please contact me if you would like more information about this amazing project! I'm excited to be a part of it -- and I will keep you updated on the progress! Once we get the project going - I'll be asking you to tell your friends about it - blog about it - tweet about it - just spread the word! It's a very tangible way to support our brothers and sisters in third world countries.

If you would like to read more about Josh and

how Watermelon Ministries began, you need to check this out!

"Where It All Began."

Living Without a Computer :: It CAN Be Done!

2009-09-09T09:43:00.001-05:00

My computer decided to just quit working. It was giving me problems starting up before, and I knew that one day it would quit working. But I was hopeful. Until last Wednesday. I took it into an Apple re-seller (not the Apple Store's Genius bar - which I TOTALLY recommend over any re-seller) and the technician said it was most likely the logic board -- aka - the MOST expensive part of the computer. yea.

Last Wednesday was also the day my husband was leaving for a week to meet up with the band . That meant no computer, no video Skype with Dave while he was gone, no checkings of the emails, no googling on the world wide web, no Lightroom (photography) or Photoshopping.... oh the list goes on.

But I made it !

I find myself so attached to this stinkin piece of technology. It was nice to get away from it for a while.

How about YOU? Could you use a break from your computer? I don't recommend breaking your computer - but maybe just shut it down for 3 days straight and take a REAL break.

Learn how to Breathe Again!