Thanksgiving in Texas!

I'm off bright and early tomorrow morning to Texas for Thanksgiving! I'm super excited and can't wait to see the people I'm getting to see!

I'll be spending this years Thanksgiving in Fredericksburg with Eric, Jennifer, Will, Susan, Carroll & my Dad.  I also get to hang out with Will all weekend while Jennifer and Eric work at their restaurant, Bejas Grill. I'm pretty excited about getting to eat there as well.

Also this week, on Friday - Will turns two! Or as he would say, "Dos!"

Chicken Will

Weekend in Denver

So this past weekend I headed off to Denver for the weekend - mainly to see the Elton John, Billy Joel: Face to Face concert.  However, on Friday - we learned the show has been postponed until February 22, 2010.  But, we went anyways.

It all started maybe a month ago when I was talking to Eric and he mentioned he was taking Jennifer on a surprise trip to Denver to see the EJ/BJ concert again.  I said that sounded like a lot of fun and he said, "Well, you should come!" So... I called Rachel and asked her if she wanted to come and of course she said yes.

Learning that the show had been postponed was a little upsetting but we still had a wonderful time in Denver, hanging out with each other.

Michael, Paula and the kids..(Kendra, Kalyn, Matthew, Hannah & Zachary) met us for dinner on Saturday night and brunch on Sunday morning.  That was also something Jennifer had no idea about! It was great to get to see everyone on a much unexpected occasion! 

Here are a few pictures from the weekend:

Michael, Jennifer & I

Downtown Denver, Larimer Square

Brunch on Sunday morning!

Jennifer & I at the Capitol

Rachel & I,  Saw'Em off! Whoop!

so fun, so fun, so fun!

Is that book good, I mean - really?

I often ask that question when I pick up a book teaching about anything related to the Gospel and wonder if what I'm reading is really sound and Gospel based...and not just merely an account of someone else's ideas.

It's never fun to get to the end of a book and think "man, that was a waste of time..."

So...I offer you:
Discerning Reader

Enjoy!

Be (Grateful)

B.E. (G.R.A.T.E.F.U.L.) For every breath. For sunshine on your face. For a child's laughter. For God's grace. For peace of mind. For joy of heart. For love. For the gift of life. For good friends. For sweet memories. For pink bubblegum. For silliness. For red shoes. For blue skies. For the kindness of others. For family time. For understanding souls. For kindred spirits. For true forgiveness. For good music. For dark chocolate. For a place to call home. For warm hugs. For quiet time. For the freedom to dream. For snowflakes on your tongue. For raindrops on your face. For colorful sunsets. For animal-shaped clouds. For a believing spirit. For a forgiven soul. For inspiration. For sand between your toes. For smiles. For tears. For mercy. For Jesus.

Oh Sweet Joy!

Taken from: Sit A Spell-----
Kim & I were in Hope Group for a semester together, and she's just an amazing person.  Please go support her through this ministry!  Also, check out the free giveaway on Heather's blog (Sit A Spell)! 
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I should have known this little community at Sit A Spell would come through with so many great companies making and selling products in a way we can all be proud of and support.

Every day this week I'll post about companies like the one featured here today. Hopefully we can all get the word out about these companies that care about labor issues and are giving part of their proceeds to kingdom minded organizations. Hopefully we'll support these businesses with our business and by doing some word of mouth advertising for them.

A sweet girl in my life, Kim Davis has an etsy shop called Oh Sweet Joy. Her work was recently featured in Child Style Magazine.

When I met Kim she was an unmarried college student sitting in the Her Hands class. I always loved to hear what was on Kim's mind. Kim went to church at Living Hope (and can sing so pretty!) She's a beautiful girl inside and out. Kim and her husband Chase are now living in Colorado.

Listen to Kim's heart behind her business and her work:

"I started oh, sweet joy when I needed a break from apparel. I've worked retail for years and refurbished vintage t-shirts for a while, as well. I lost my retail job in early September and started nannying for a family in town. One of the boys, Ollie, had a birthday coming up, and I wanted to make him something unique. I bought some eco-felt, grabbed some of my designer fabric scraps and went to town on a cute little owl. I loved making the little owl, so I kept making more and sold a few at a local art studio tour. Little did I know the Lord had bigger plans for this little project.

I took everything out of one etsy shop and opened another with a new focus. My husband has been encouraging me to be more focused and gospel centered in every endeavor. I couldn't really figure out what that meant until I searched my heart and the Lord revealed and reminded me what He has created me for and what I am passionate about. It took me a while to figure everything out, but the Lord has laid on my heart to bring joy into homes by using my gifts and talents to further the Kingdom and bring children hope (as silly as it sounds...one owl at a time).

One way I am accomplishing this is donating a percentage of all sales to Compassion International and Love 146. 20% of everything I make (after etsy & paypal take their generous cuts haha) will go to truly make a difference in children's lives. I couldn't be more excited about this effort, and I am so thankful that the Lord has changed my selfish heart. He has turned something that started as me wanting to make some extra spending money to something that is so much bigger than myself. He is faithful."

Kim's owls are precious.

I also love the headbands. My niece will be getting one of these!

Kim does custom orders. She also sells an entire family of owls for only $25.

Owls are quite the "in thing" right now (as are any birds, really). Hey...if Anthropologie says owls are "in"...they are.

I also was impressed with Kim's November shipping special. Buy 2 products and get free shipping. Can't beat that.

Please take some time to browse Kim's shop. This would be a great place to buy gifts that are made right her in America and have peace of mind that women and children aren't being exploited in the name of consumerism.

I've placed a custom order with Kim, and I can't tell you how happy it makes my heart to know that some of the money I send her will go to help such great organizations that are out there fighting against so much evil in this world. I'm honored to get to play a small part of bringing God's love, light and truth into places that desperately need to know His peace, grace and strength...all while shopping.

Kim has also agreed to give away that cute owl at the top of this post! Get excited. Isn't that owl adorable? He's a medium sized, "Ollie" owl.

To enter the giveaway you need to have a US shipping address. The winner will be announced next Monday, November 23. There are many ways to enter and you can have up to 6 entries per person.

1. If you browse Oh Sweet Joy you can come back here and leave your name in a comment and say "I browsed".

2. Tweet about Oh Sweet Joy and then leave a comment telling us you did.

3. Become a fan of Oh Sweet Joy on Facebook then leave a comment telling us you're now a Facebook fan. Go here to become a fan.

4. If you post about this giveaway on Facebook, leave a comment telling us you did so.

5. If you post about Oh Sweet Joy and this give away on your blog you can leave your name in a comment with your blog address.

6. If you have an Etsy account and you "favorite" or "heart" Oh Sweet Joy then you can also leave a comment letting us know.

See...everyone gets a chance to have 6 entries each! I'm not good with math, but I think that really bumps up your odds of winning!

__________________________________

Thank you, Kim, for giving away this treasure. And thanks for the peace of mind you've given me while I'm shopping.

It wasn't long ago that I literally felt helpless. Can I buy anything and know for sure that the money God has given us isn't going to support things the Lord despises (like taking advantage of the weak and the poor?)

Slowly, God is turning my helplessness into hope. There are companies that care. This will be a journey like any other journey in our life. I can start slow, learn more and baby step my way through this.

I hope the readers here are having as much fun as we are buying from wonderful companies this holiday season. I pray we're spending less, being more purposeful in our gift-giving and honoring Jesus on His birthday (and every day).

Please help us support Kim, Compassion, Love 146 and fair trade by spreading the word about Oh Sweet Joy!

Count Your Blessings...

You always hear this.

It's on signs.

It's on keychains.

It's on picture frames and probably t-shirts too.

Reflecting on this entire "Thankful" post - that is still moving, up until Thanksgiving...has made me realize a lot.  And do a lot of counting my blessings.

I'm often still amazed that the Lord brought me all the way to the DC metro area to do a work in me that He clearly needed to get me out of Texas for.  I'm constantly awed by His love and His faithfulness, and in times when I'm not sure if He's still got it all under control; ever so gently, He reminds me He does.

Yesterday, was one of the most beautiful days up here, and that's not including the trees (because the leaves are almost gone).  A few posts ago, I mentioned Lauren and I going on a bike ride - and yesterday, we did it again.  This time we ventured from Crystal City into DC via Memorial Bridge:

(Memorial Bridge is the one behind Lincoln Memorial)

The Bridge itself, looking towards Arlington Cemetery & Robert E. Lee's House

The view riding up towards Lincoln on Memorial Bridge.

(photo credit blogpourii.blogspot.com)

Absolutely beautiful, right?  I'm not sure how far we went, probably around 8-10 miles, regardless, it was amazing.  The trees along the reflecting pool on the left side, we road under those - it was like a scene from Anne of Green Gables.

We road up past Lincoln, past the Washington Monument, straight onto the mall. Both of us were pretty amazed...just looking at our lives right now - neither of us expected to be here, now.  We grabbed Subway for lunch and had a picnic on the mall.   To our left was the Capitol and to our right was the Washington Monument.  And to beat it all, it's November and not the best time to be a tourist in DC, so, there weren't a lot of people, and that was so great.

I love a good bike ride.  There is something about it that is refreshing.  I love it a lot when it's down a windy path with leaves falling and even better, alongside the water.   There is no music to turn up (unless you have your ipod of course, not safe) nothing to be distracted by.  I love that I'm not inside a car, just rushing to get somewhere, but that I can enjoy the beauty of this place in every way.

So in reflecting on these things I'm thankful for (which at times, is harder than others) I'm counting my blessings and thanking the Lord for this time - right now, right where I am, in the DC Metro Area.  Life being better than I could have ever imagined, and to think He's done all this in less than a year.

I pray I never forget the times and memories I've made up here.  How I've experienced a life and culture that was foreign to me.  How He's been faithful through it all, the highs and lows.

Make sure and Count Your Blessings.

Thankfulness

t . h. a . n . k . f . u . l.

I've decided to make a list of things I'm thankful for... one for every day up until Thanksgiving.  I stole this idea from a dear friend, but with it being such a good idea - I couldn't pass it up.  I mean, how often do we really sit down and realize how thankful we are for things? I'm certain I don't do it as often as I should.

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; His love endures forever! Psalm 118:1

1.  I'm thankful for God's sovereignty that is evident everywhere in my life right now.

2.  I'm thankful that He took me out of my comfort zone.

3.  I'm thankful for my family - something I've realized a lot since moving away from them.

4.  I'm thankful for sweet friendships that He has blessed me with.
5.  I'm thankful that I'm not the same person I was over a year ago.
6.  I'm thankful for growing up in the country.
7.  I'm thankful for Charlie's adorable laughter that I cannot resist.
8.  I'm thankful for good friends and sweet memories.
9.  I'm thankful that His plans are always better than mine.
10. I'm thankful for good music.
11. I'm thankful that His grace is sufficient.
12. I'm thankful for beautiful DC days and bike riding along the Potomac and the National Mall, how amazing it is to live in such a beautiful place.
13. I'm thankful that the Lord brought me to the DC metro area to teach me more about myself in a year     than I thought ever possible.
14. I'm thankful for my parents, that they love me, and that moving out Texas made me realize it more than ever.
15. I'm thankful for live music, especially Texas style...nothing like a little piece of home.
16. I'm thankful His love is redeeming, His grace is unending and His plans are way better than mine.
17. I'm thankful for dark chocolate  : )

becoming real

"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."

"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.

"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."

"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"

"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in your joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand.

-- The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams --