A Few Thoughts...

Before I get back to my regular blogging of how I seek to live simply, live in my freedom in Christ, and give out resources that I personally find helpful, I feel like I need to give a bit of closure or update or whatever to all of you who have left such kind words, prayed for us, and thought about us during the past two weeks since "the Miracle on the Hudson".

Mike arrived home on the Friday night after the crash after a long car ride in a big SUV :). It was a very emotional reunion and Saturday was a crazy rollercoaster of emotions. On Sunday after going to church, we decided to head to Florida for a week as a family...to rest, to get away from staring eyes and questions, to have fun, and to process. We had a wonderful week and enjoyed some fun times at Disney...it was so much more needed than we realized. We came home last Sunday and have been seeking to re-group our schedules and get life moving as smoothly as possible again.

I don't have any huge revelations to share with you about "what we have learned" or anything. All of the shock and the surreal nature of the accident is still taking time to wear off. It's going to take some time to think through all of this, and for now we are seeking to just focus on today and following Jesus in this day. I have definitely struggled with a sense of fear and panic at the thought of how close I came to being a widow, having four young children, and a fifth one on the way.

We are so grateful for God's grace in sparing Mike's life. I know that God could have just as easily taken Mike home to be with Him. I am thrilled to have every day that I have with him right now. All of a sudden all of the little things that as a wife I can nag about have disappeared. Who cares if Mike is addicted to 1/2 sweet 1/2 unsweetened tea? Who cares that he likes to buy packaged chocolate donuts from gas stations? Who cares if he leaves piles of receipts next to his bed or on the kitchen counters?? I have been learning not to sweat the small stuff. Let him be who he is and stop trying to micro-manage things that really don't matter. Enjoy who he is and value him as a person over my controlling ideals. That's a big lesson to learn.

The other thing that I have been seeing is how I really need to have God's Word ready in my memory for when the hard times hit....especially when it comes so unexpectedly. The emotions and the fears are very real and the only thing that has kept me grounded is to meditate on Scripture that has been stored in my mind and heart for years. The Holy Spirit can quickly bring verses to mind, and I am completely comforted and given perspective. When in a panic, I tend to open the Word and scour and feel so pressured to find hope and peace...but having His Word stored in my heart allows the Lord to bring exactly what I need to hear and when I need to hear it. This has relieved much "spiritual frantic-ness" lately. So my next post will be on the sweetness and comfort of meditation. I can't tell you how many times in the last two weeks I have repeated

"cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you"
I Peter 5:7

I am amazed at God's sovereignty in this situation...we don't know all the whys of His plan and may never know, but we do know that we can trust Him. He is mighty and powerful and does as He pleases.

And we are so grateful that He was pleased to give Mike to us for another day.

Grace on the Hudson River

That's all I have to say right now. My husband Mike and my brother-in-law David were in the plane crash in the Hudson River today. They are both doing well. Dr. Phil said tonight on Larry King Live in regards to the pilot and the crash and the miracle of it all...

"It's been a good good day."

I am in shock and shaky and can't wait until he can get home tomorrow. Mike said that he looked at a fellow passenger in the ferry terminal and said, "Today wasn't my time." And the passenger said, "It was your time...your time to be rescued."

How profound.

Pray for our peace and for us as we process all of this.

Thank you!

Simple Organization: Jars

I love jars. I really do. I found these with the cute gingham lids a few years ago at Kroger and I use them for storing just about everything in my pantry. Granola, pastas, raisins, beans, rice, nuts, grains....just about anything that I can quickly get out of the packaging! Everything is much more neat and orderly without random bags and boxes, and items stay fresher because of the nice fitting lids. Whenever people come into my home, one of the first things they comment on is my jar organization!

But over the years I have also developed the habit of keeping glass jars that once had condiments in them. Honey jars, baby food jars, spaghetti sauce jars, peanut butter jars, salsa jars, applesauce jars. If it's a glass jar, it stays.

Jars have become my go-to organizational tool.

I use them for storing colored pencils and crayon rocks. Staples and erasers. Paper clips and rubber bands. Paintbrushes, buttons, pins, and threads. They become temporary homes for bugs the kids find outdoors. And they are the perfect vases for freshly picked wildflowers from nature walks. They are under bathroom sinks for hair ribbons and bands and little random things. They are a great storage solution for left-overs either for the frig or freezer...and even to keep some extra green smoothie for sipping on later in the day. And yesterday I realized that I could use them as a simple solution for soaking grains during the day or night for a later meal.

Many of these jars have also become our drinking glasses...I love to drink some sweet tea from a Mason jar :) And large baby food jars are the perfect drinking cup for toddlers...and if it drops and breaks? No biggie! No more plastic cups in the home or sippy cups...just a fun assortment of little jars to drink from.

So for low investment but high organizational and aesthetic value, look no further than the humble jar. It's a long-time icon of simple living and as basic and frugal as it comes.

And I love them.

January Inspiration

Here's some good ideas I have been thinking about lately. Maybe you will find a bit of January inspiration in here too! Things to make you think or to create or to just enjoy looking at.

• The Noticing Project. Daily photos along the same lines as A Year of Mornings.
• Becky's Blog. Tune in here for great ideas for photos while doing Project 365.
• This is a great sorting project to do with young ones if you are running out of ideas on how to spend these cold winter days.
• Here is a free pattern for a darling apron. This might make a great handmade birthday gift and is worth looking at!
• Here are some easy looking recipes for making your own cleaning supplies. I particularly was impressed with her labeling.
• Andrea posted a great read that I keep coming back to. Don't play church, be the Body.
• I love this quote that Kelli shared.
• And Skip to my Lou always has fabulous ideas. I always feel inspired when her posts show up in my inbox. I particularly love these free thank you notes that you can click on and print. She had awesome Christmas Gift Label links that I used as well.

Have fun clicking around!

Stuff I Have Done

I had fun reading Prairie Chick's list of things she had done in life. Lots of other bloggers have been tagged to do this in the past...should you feel inclined, do it too!! The items in the list in bold are some of the exciting and not-so-exciting things I have done.

1. Started your own blog (is that what this is!? :)
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world (50 times in one year...we lived in Orlando :)
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo (no way, never.)
11. Bungee jumped (in Florida in 1992)
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance (in Eastern Europe...um, scary)
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater (Monetta, SC..."the Big Mo!"
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies (does starting next week count?)
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone (tailbone)
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club (love it!)
93. Lost a loved one (Dad when I was 18)
94. Had a baby (uh, yeah)
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone (same one for 4 years!)
99. Been stung by a bee (by 10-15 of them at once when I was 5)


photo by sascha buehner

When All Else Fails....Worship!

There have been dark times in the past in my relationship with the Lord. Times of searching and confusion. Too many Christian living books with conflicting messages. Too many respected leaders who love the Lord yet disagree with each other. Too many interpretations and opinions. I felt lost and disillusioned and wondering what Truth is. I stopped searching for Truth as theology and found Truth as the person of Jesus...His life, His words, His character. But I digress...

In those heavy times I felt tossed about all day...tossed about in my thinking and in my emotions. I felt adrift and scared and alone. I prayed for clarity and deliverance and eyes to see Him for who He really is. I cried out for grace and mercy and to get back to a simple faith. When did it all become so hard? When did I lose my relationship with a person and replace it with lifeless religion? Why was I trying to "do Christianity" when I was called to "be" in a safe, settled relationship with Jesus?

The Lord Jesus met me there in that desolate place. And it wasn't in books or in people or even in the Word (because at this point, even the Word was a confusing place for me). He met me in worship. I would turn on Sara Groves and weep and say "yes Lord, you are real and you are my God". She put words to my heart and lifted my eyes to Jesus over and over again. I would turn on Valley of Vision and the Truth of who I am in Christ and His Grace would shine brightly on my dark heart and I would be encouraged that all is well with my soul. Because He made it well on the Cross. And I believe it.

There are many other artists (including country music singers...God uses anything to speak...Martina McBride and Carrie Underwood at times!) whose music seemed to reach into the depths of my weary heart and lifted my eyes to Christ. The Lord used music as a safe means to whisper to me, to love on me, to speak truth to me, to woo me, and I responded. I worshipped at His feet and looked at Him and all my spiritual strivings would slip away.

I found a new CD today and put in an order. Come Weary Saints looks to be another worship CD that will speak loudly of God's character and put life into perspective. I was able to listen to samples of a few of the songs and my eyes puddled immediately. Check out Sovereign Grace's other wonderful music offerings while you are there...they are powerful and I appreciate the low prices and free shipping to boot :) And do take time to go listen to some Andrew Peterson...your soul will be soothed and comforted.

Have you found music to be an intimate part of your walk with the Lord? Which artists have lifted your eyes to worship?

Share the worship wealth!


photo by now I'm always smiling

Domesticity in the Movies

With all of the fatigue and nausea as of late, I have become a bit of a movie junkie. And I am one who rarely watches TV and only views an occasional movie. But not now. Our Netflix subscription has now been upped to three movies at a time, and I keep those movies moving quickly in and out of the house at top speed!

Two movies I have enjoyed a lot lately are Mamma Mia! and The Secret Life of Bees. I love the carefree fun and feel-good music of Mamma Mia! and I appreciate the rich relationships and themes of The Secret Life of Bees. But you know what I have enjoyed the most from these movies?

The wonderful vintage textiles and clothes and decor!!

I love Greece and spent a lovely week in Santorini once. When I watched Mamma Mia! the colors of the white buildings with the bright blue accents and lush happy flowers make me just that...happy! And the red and white bedding and all the tablecloths blowing on the clotheslines...and the clothes! I longingly watch for glimpses of those beautiful background fabrics and don't mind rewinding to catch just one more glimpse.




And in The Secret Life of Bees, I love love the sisters' vintage dresses, the accents of jewelry, the aprons...their drinking from Mason jars and enjoying the simplicity of being together rocking on the front porch. The kitchen is a cheery yellow with some red/white gingham accents on white open shelving with stacks of orderly dishware. I even start missing the conversations of the characters because I am making mental notes of color schemes, the fit of a dress, or how I want to organize something!

Movies that add a background warmth through lovely domesticity really grab me. I feel inspired and uplifted and encouraged in keeping my home fresh and alive and appealing. Full of life and color and beauty. And seeing women in pretty gingham dresses and cheery aprons and peasant skirts just makes me long for Springtime and sunshine and dressing again in a more feminine way...not flashy and trendy but pretty and girly.

What movies inspire you in living a lovely domestic lifestyle? Please do share!

Project 365

As I have been enjoying A Year of Mornings, it has inspired me to seek to take daily photos of my own life. The everyday things that don't usually seem important enough to capture on camera, but are important because all of those little things together make up the beautiful fabric of our days.

This morning as I was reading Kim's blog, she mentioned that she was doing Project 365. I jumped over there to see what it was and I was immediately thrilled by this project. The basic premise is take a daily photo of your life in 2009 (with leeway for also memorabilia in lieu of a photo) combined with a bit of journaling all tucked into easy page protectors throughout the year. No adhesives, no major page layouts, no time consuming scrapbooking...just simple photos with simple captions. A year in the life of your family.

And this really pairs well with my word...awareness. This project will cause me to really see meaningful aspects of our daily lives and to take it all in. I love these really inspiring ideas of what to look for as I am living my life quietly at home.

So even if you don't have "the kit", it's still totally inspiring to begin taking daily photos and tucking them into a folder in your computer called "365". And I can only imagine that this will lift our hearts and minds to greater levels of gratitude for all the goodness we have. So much daily goodness. Like warm fires and cozy knitting on the 1st day of a new year!

Here's to our seeing the goodness and capturing it!