eatery and decor

It's been such a good weekend so far!! 3 of our roommates have been gone vacationing and such, so it's just been me and caitlin chilllaxin... holdin down the fort for the week! we hung out with friends and ate and enjoyed all glorious 2 minutes of rain one night! saw a lot of people i havent seen in awhile- it was good!! last night we had a spontaneous dinner night. we are going to make a lot more of those happen in the future because it was so cheap and fun. Lauren decided to bring some things, Ryan brought some other things and we used what i had in my fridge and combined it to make this!

Of course we had dessert...

I have been wanting to make this amazing Sunburst Mirror all summer for a wall space in our living room and finally went for it. Shout out to Ryan Russell for making the templates and being the hot glue king!!! i am in lovvve with how it turned out!

I painted the petals with some pale yellow to brighten up the room a little and go with a color sceme i've had in mind for a long time!

So pretty and warm- I LOVE IT. I got some other really great deals yesterday for the house!

On a final note, this is what I will look like if I keep eating ice cream every day:

7th grade smile attttt best....

LOVE YOU ALL! enjoy your saturday night. thanks for reading my pointless posts!!!

upside down world

Hi friends! My life has been a little bit of a whirlwind lately and the Lord has been working in my life and it ROCKS and gosh... im still so bad at starting blogs but as promised... more pictures to show yall. Went to the Tanglewood Resort with some of the girls a few weekends ago and it was AWESOME and so relaxing.

dying for my own pair of chacs... one day, one day

Alright so... somtimes I subconsciously think I drive a truck... when I really (used to) drive a small 2-door Saturn coupe. So like I would purposefully try to run over things sometimes because it's fun, but really my car can't handle it- poor Ellie. Speed bumps were the worst. I think we both almost died. Well, this summer Ellie has left me stranded alone on the side of the road twice during long trips and it has really not been too fun! This last time was the final straw. She was 14 years old anyway and we were starting to spend more money on repairs than she was worth. Soooo..... TAAA DAAAA!!!

I truuuuuuuly could not contain my excitement. I am so thankful!! It is beautifulllll and basically my dream car. The Lord is GOOD. He works all things out for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). I have been wanting an SUV for awhile, but I realized there was no way it was going to happen until MAYBE after college and I was just convicted that I really needed to be content and thankful that I even had a car that was my own, even if it was old and kept having problems. I had been through SOOO much with my Saturn and God taught me things through those awful times on the side of the road, trying to figure out why my radiator kept dying, wondering each time I got in my car if the battery would be dead, and learning to check my oil level before I went anywhere. Then... this happend:) And we got an amazing deal! I am blessssed.
I finished some little projects the other day- nothing big, but i'll share them:

Printed out some recipes I've been keeping and wrote out some others and put them in a photo album! Recipe book- finallllly in progress! Can't wait to try them out. I am not a good cook.

Put a bunch of old pictures from high school and beginning of college, in a picture album too. I think it is impossible for me to scrapbook anymore because I take SO many pictures of everything- ask anyone who knows me. I love it, but im just going to have to have a million albums... on my computer... because it's too expensive to print them all!

Simple little dry erase board project! Love it! There is definitely an ongoing to-do list on it at this point though:)

Tried a new recipe that Mom just kinda made up for me to use some of the things I had around the house and it turned out very yummmmy- my roommate thought so:)

First, you just boil the noodles in one pot and brown the sausage with some extra virgin olive oil in another pot.

Pour can of sauce over noodles, in a pan and add sausage and cheese over it

Cook at 350 for just 10 minutes, basically to melt the cheese

TA DA! so good. so simple. my kind of dinner. WIN.

Summer school finally ended! Came out with two A's and a B- I'll take it! Don't know how that happend actually haha. So now it's time to get back into hardcore workouts, crafting, laying out in the sun, and watching multiple episodes of Big Brother on hulu... per day. I haven't actually been very consistant with those "hardcore workouts" quite yet. It's a little hard when you don't have a gym to go to yet, but I will soon. In the meantime I'll keep leaving myself sticky notes to "eat healthy today!" and "workout!... or else your muscles with atrophy and youre just getting older and fatter" It really isn't working that well, seeing as I've bought a gallon of Mint Chocolate Chip icecream one night, and made excuses to go to cvs for really a candy trip the last two nights. Oh boy... such fun. Other than that, I've been back doing Defensive Driving. I'm really surprised I don't know all the answers by now.

I've become very obsessed with Adele's "Someone Like You" recently and my best friend is actually trying out for The Voice right at this moment and singing that song:) She's incredible. Praying she makes it! She has such a gift.

I really love these pink pants and would love to have some. Just bought some army green ones like them and wear them like every day to work. My manager probably thinks I'm crazy.

This necklace is fantastic!!!! and the shirt. i be ALL about those flowy tops. eat as much as you want! YESSIR.

Anddd once again, I really just want to be singing with them right there, right now.

Lastly, I just want to praise God for the things He is doing in my life and teaching me. I'm just at kind of a growing period and a WEIRD time in my life and just feel kind of stuck in a rut, doin the same ole things and I'm ready for a breakthrew of something crazy and radical. I always like to change things up. I change my hair every few months, rearrange my furniture, give up reading one book and start another one- I get bored doing the same things! God is everyday, CONSTANTLY reminding me that He is in control and His will is greater. He know the desires of my heart and knows the difference between what I NEED and what I just waaant. I need to be patient in the silence and not try to figure out a new path myself just because IIIII feel bored and IIII want something new. God has something for me HERE, at this point in my life, IN nacogdoches, as a single person, in the ministries I'm involved in, at the new job I have, knowing the people I know... for a purpose MUCH greater than I can see. Kyle, the pastor at my church here in Nac had such a simple, yet extravagent challenge for us on Sunday. To PRAY about why God has you HERE- at this point in your life, with the people that you know, the job you have, etc. He said:

"God's will as we look forward often appears uncertain. God's will as we look back is unmistaken."

Isn't that the truth? When we look back on our life, God's plan really was always better than ours anyway. I didn't know all those SUPER annoying and frustrating things were happening with my car so that I could get another one that i ADORE. Just so thankful, He knows better than I do and need to constantly remind myself of that in various areas of my life, EVERYDAY. "Just know what you know to do and God will make the rest clear."

Psalm 62:5 "i wait patiently, for my hope is in HIM."

Psalm 84:11b "No good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless."

Psalm 62: 1-2 "My soul finds rest in GOD alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my Rock and my Salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken."

Praising God that He wants to use me for His mission, even though He doesn't need us. We make a mess of things anyway, but He wants to BE with us.

 

This is an amazing picture of God's FIGHTING love for us. Embrace it.


Jealous
by Emily Riddle

I am the Judge
and I hold justice in My hand
I am the King
and My people don't go hungry
I am the Maker
and idolatry makes Me angry
and I am jealous
I am jealous for your attention

I could have anything I want to
oh but I want you
Yes I want you My Bride
You took one step to Me
I took two towards you
But I guess it seemed to you like eight
'cause it scared You away
I want you because I love you
Why can't you just return the affection
Affection that is bursting out of Me
I made you for only Me but it seems to be that
you have found others
And it's made Me very jealous
Oh I'm so very jealous

Darling why wont you speak to Me
Oh please just speak to Me
I love Your voice
It's not that I need you
It's just that I made your hands so soft
So I could hold them
up against My face
You and Me it's plain to see that
we've got some sort of chemistry
if we could only try it out

Oh dear can't you see I'm longing for you
to look My way
Just glance My way
I gave so much to you and I'll give you so much more
Just speak My name
because i want to be famous
in your eyes

I am the Judge
and I hold justice in My hand
I am the King
and My people don't go hungry
I am the Maker
and idolatry makes Me angry
and I am jealous
I am jealous for your attention

go into all the nations...

A good little morning song to start the day is always wonderful:) Worship is even better. Shane and Shane will forever and always be what I love worshipping to. Their lyrics are straight from scripture and I love that! Right now "For The Good" just came on my itunes and goodness, it's SWEET stuff. The lyrics come from a verse that is the testimony of my life (which I'll soon be getting tattooed :))) - Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose."

I want yall to know that I discovered a freckle in between my toes and i think that is so cool HA!

I started my new job at Carrington's and I love it! Cutest childrens clothes I've ever seen in my entire life. They're also more expensive than what I even spend for MYSELF, but it sure is fun and I'm so blessed to have a fresh new job and one that I enjoy.

I'm going home this weekend to hang out with my parents and go to the lake with my girls! Can't wait for a relaxing weekend and to see my sweet punkinnnhead

I was reading some awesome stuff this morning in David Platt's book "Radical" and I'm dying to share with yall some things that stuck with me. The whole book is about "taking back your faith from the american dream. it's BLOWN my mind and changed my heart and challenged me in several ways. I've journaled for pages about convictions and challenges and a lot of asking God to change my heart to yearn more for the glory and the gospel of Christ to be known in this world rather than me focus on my silly little life and all the things in my world and what I want to accomplish. We are called to something SO much greater. One thing that I've taken away from the book thus far is that Christ COMMANDED us as Christians and followers of Him to go to all the nations proclaiming His love. It's not a choice or an option. It's a call and a command for every single believer, not just the awesome radical missionaries or people who are more gifted in that area or called. It's for ME- little tiny me who is not good at teaching and can't remember all the books of the Bible in order and who just wants to love on others. God has chosen me to be an ambassador for Him! CRAZY! What an honor. So, anyway, a few things I want to share with y'all that I read this morning. I pray that they are a blessing to you. They struck me.

"If more than a billion people today are headed to a Christless eternity and have no even heard the gospel, then we don't have time to waste our lives on an American dream. Not if we have all been commanded to take this gospel to them. The tendency in our culture is to sit around debating this question, but in the end our goal in not to try to find an answer to it; our goal is to ALLEVIATE the question all together."

"The will of God is for you and me to give our lives urgently and recklessly to making the gospel and the glory of God known among all peoples."

"Because Your love is better than life, my lips will glorify You. My soul will be satisfied with the richest of foods." Psalm 63:3,5

ice cream, convictions, thankful heart, and shuttle remains

HI! today was so great. so full. big list of to-dos and i can PROUDLY say i got every one of them done and completed well;). so many things on my heart tonight so they might just splat out at you, but i hope you can somehow be blessed by it. Let me just tell you a couple things about today: I had icecream with my sweet friend Katie

I would just like to say that Ben Rector, Bon Iver, Iron and Wine, and Mumford and Sons are sounding so gooood to me right now.
No matter how hard I try, I cannot quit biting my nails. I try to paint them a color so that when i bite them the chippings get in my teeth. I try painting them with miracle growing stuff. Telling myself it's bad. Nothing works.
I am ready to play my violin again. One day I'll be playing and singing in an indie band, so... just look for me.

Those guys are my favorite right now^. The Head and The Heart.
I also want to dance right now. ballet and lyrical.
My best friend Bethany just told me she is going to start training for a half marathon and i MIGHT just join her! Why not? Push yourself beyond what you thought you could do, right? Another thing on my bucket list is to do a triathalon, but why not a half-mary too! Cool! Stoked.

Well, a piece of debris from NASA's space shuttle was found in Lake Nacogdoches here today... took them 8 years. Kinda cool it was found in Lake Nac of all places.

An inspiring quote I read today on The Weigans:

"When a woman has a kingdom heart, she has an active understanding of what matters most to the heart of God. She lives in the balance of passion and contentment. She learns to love well, give without regard to self, and forgive without hesitation. The woman with a kingdom heart may have a duffel bag full of possessions or enough treasures to fill a mansion, but she has learned to hold them with an open hand. Hold everything with open hands. I don't think we are ever allowed to grab hold of anything or anyone as though they matter more than the kingdom of heaven. When you hold relationships with open hands, then people come in and out of your life as gifts of grace to be cherished and enjoyed, not objects to be owned and manipulated. And then when you hold your dreams with open hands, you get to watch God resurrect what seemed dead and multiply what seemed small."



Today God convicted me about how INFLEXIBLE I really am. No, I'm not talking about doing the splits, but real talk... I have gotten so set on MY time schedule and MY list of to-dos that I forget to slow down and enjoyyy conversations and these opportunities to love on others or just listen to others. To do something that I don't expect to get something out of. To just serve!
Man, I am getting so hungry. Blogging is more effort than I realized! I just want to praise God for the ways He has blessed my life. I was reminded today of how MUCH I have to be thankful for. Parents who love and support me and want to see me succeed and encourage me in the Lord; brothers who are growing up, who have the LARGEST servants' hearts, who inspire me to reach my dreams and to glorify the Lord, and who are currently doing work for the Kingdom in Lampasas at this very moment; amazing best friends who would drop anything to be there for me and who allow my walk with God to be stretched and grown more than ever, who are silly, and inspire me; awesome awesome roommates who are an answer to prayer, who challenge me, and who live lives glorifying to God and to further His kingdom. I'm thankful for the struggles and the times I strayed because God has used that now, four-times as much as anything He could have during that stage of my life. I'm thankful that God has chosen ME to share His Gospel through loving others. I'm so ready to go wherever He wants me next. If I could drop out of school right now and go serve in some crazy far away country and wear the same clothes for like 4 days in a row and eat rice and chicken 3 times a day every day just so I can LOVE on children and tell them how much Jesus LOVES THEM.... that would bring the most joy to my heart. I'm ready, Lord. Just let Your will be done in my life. I've already realized that my tiny world in Nacogdoches has so much need and I want to FULLY jump on those opportunities and search for them and not question them or be afraid. But I also know that as Christians we are CALLED, not given the option, to take the Gospel to ALL NATIONS and tell them what Christ has done! I'm ready for that. I'm letting go of my dreams and my plan for my life, Lord. Have Your way in me.

"God will take you where you haven't intended to go, in order to produce in you what you could not achieve on your own."



feelin peachy!

Well, HELLO! This is so exciting- my first post! At least for me it's exciting. I have been wanting to start a blog for a couple years and now I can check it off my list. I'm the biggest list person, so I'm sure I'll be posting some of those on here. I'm planning on having a ton of fun with this! Not sure if it will be a journal (because I already keep one), but i will post my tiny adventures, fashion stuff, DIY projects and crafts, inspiration, quotes, favorite recipes, and those of you who truly know me... lots and lots of pictures! thanks for following me, guys! heres a tid bit from today:
Today was fun because I took a test.... then had a chance to get some sunnnrayyys and drink a delish smoothie (i pretty much make them daily now and its so great!) The one I am dying to try is the Green Monster Smoothie

An encouraging verse from today that was an excellent reminder with some things i'm facing- Jeremiah 29:11

My two latest crafts:

Well, this is it for now! Busy week ahead so I'm sure I'll be posting more. I already don't feel like I'm very good at this... or that people will actually read it. Oh well it's gonna be fun!:)