the reason it has been crickets around here...

Two weeks ago started Vacation Bible School at our church. 

And the nieces from out of town were here. 

So there was a lot of this.

And a little of this. 

{That's ice cream, btw.} 

And of course, purses from Aunt Sarah in the Philippines. :) 

Which, I think the purses are actually from China. 

Just go with it. 

 

Then last week was my trip to the beach. 

So there was a lot of this. 

And a little bit of this. 

 

And this view every morning. {Apart from the three that it rained.}

The complete lack of cell service and the whole watching kids thing kind of kept me from doing anything that took more than 2 minutes. Which means my poor Google Reader has 91 unread posts in it. 

91.

I think it may just attack me. 

:-/ 

But I have some exciting news tomorrow. :) 

Yay for that! 

Hope y'all have had a fantabulous two weeks. 

Full of fun things and sunshine. 

P.S. I normally take WAY too many pictures. An entire 7 days at the beach? 

I took 10. 

10!

Ridiculous! I think this may be an all-time low. 

Or actually that's probably the time I went to Disney World and took two pictures. 

Long story.

please be my strength

The words to this song just hit me like a ton of bricks when doing my Bible study last night. Through this entire ordeal, I've just felt like there are days where my faith is sorely lacking and I can. not. take another step, make another decision, or speak another word. When that happens, all I know to do is call out to God. Sometimes it sounds like this.  

I've tried to stand my ground
I've tried to understand
but I can't seem to find my faith again

like water on the sand
or grasping at the wind
I keep on falling short


please be my strength
please be my strength
I don't have anymore
I don't have anymore


I'm looking for a place
where I can plant my faith
one thing I know for sure


I cannot create it
I cannot sustain it
It’s Your love that’s keeping me


please be my strength
please be my strength
I don't have anymore
I don't have anymore


at my final breath
I hope that I can say
I've fought the good fight of faith


I pray Your glory shines

in this doubting heart of mine
and all would know that You


You are my strength

You are my strength
You and You alone
Keep bringin me back home

You are my strength

You are my strength
You and You alone
Keep bringin me back home

You and You alone
Keep bringin me back home

I think I might move to Canada

Not because it isn't a blazing 100 degrees there, although that'd be nice, but because I'm hoping if I do, I might somehow bump into Sarah Richardson and she'd instantly fall in love with my personality and want to hire me to work with her even though I have absolutely NO design experience whatsoever.

I knew when I moved in with Matt and Molly that I'd be watching a lot of HGTV. Mostly because Molly has a degree in interior design and I am totally okay with that. I love HGTV. Love it. And have I ever mentioned that they renovated their house when they bought it a year and a half ago and she has it designed in the most beautiful way ever. Every time I walk in, which is a lot lately, I feel like I've stepped into a design magazine or something. She is just so uber-talented. If I had a house, I'd totally hire her.

All that being said, I did not know that she would get me hooked onto Sarah's House.

I don't know if you've ever seen it, but the premise is Sarah buys a house that hasn't been touched by a renovator's anything, (seriously, there has been some TRULY horrendous rooms. Hor. ren. dous.) and then goes in and renovates the house to make it a house that she'd want to live in. Totally makes sense to me! I mean, when you buy a house (not like I know) that has been partially renovated, you're paying for those renovations, whether or not it's how you would actually do it or not.

So, I'm quite sure I saw part of an episode less than two weeks ago of Sarah's Summer House and since then?

I have watched approxmately 41 episodes in less than 2 weeks. 

That is more than slightly ridiculous.

But it's just so pretty and funny and entertaining.

You can watch full episodes of Season 2 and Season 3 online here.

The Master Bedroom in Season 3? I think it's my most favorite room that I've ever seen in my entire life.

 

I want to live there.

Apart from all the house renovation/design stuff I've learned, I've also learned some new words.

Pro-cess. Which, is what we in the U.S. call process. But they put the emphasis on the PRO part. I think it's funny.

Bang Up job - a really good job.

I think I learned bang up from my Irish friend Luke that I worked with in Dallas. He'd say that sometimes. I also learned "Bob's your uncle, Nelly's your aunt." from him. Which, I still don't know what that means. He'd just say it sometimes. I think it was to throw me off. ;)

But seriously, if you like design or home renovation stuff and you haven't seen it before? Check it out!

I'll be back later this week with more spiritual and holy stuff. I just had to share my new obsession!And by later, I mean, tomorrow or Friday. :)

Today is Wednesday y'all! {Way to go Captain Obvious!} Which means I'm only about a week and a half away from the BEACH!!!

WWWWOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

i'm having intermediate school flashbacks

Y'all.

I'm going to the BEACH!!!!!!!

For a whole week!!!!!!

I have never been to the beach.

Apart from 2 hours spent at Pensacola Beach when I was 16 years old. But...that's not really what I consider going to the beach. 

Anyway, I'm tagging along with the parents, and the kids I keep to help keep an eye on them and all that jazz and I really, am just so beyond thrilled that there is no possible way I could communicate it to you. 

I feel like I'm a character in this...

 

Please tell me you remember that? 

Oh goodness. We leave in 2 weeks and I'M SO EXCITED!!!!! 

I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!

And I also feel like Jessie Spano wth all this I'M SO EXCITED business.

I'm so...scared.

Now you understand why I feel like I'm in intermediate school.

:) 

Y'all have a super weekend!

song for my family

One of the things that's been on my mind.

This is a song for my family

outside the walls of Sunday morning from sung within.

This is a song to confess our sins,

lay it all out, and try to begin again.

To hope again.

Please forgive our ignorance in looking down on you.

Please forgive our selfishness

for hiding in our pews while the world bleeds

while the world needs us to be what we should be.

This is a song for my family who just can’t believe in the Jesus that you’ve seen on Sunday morning.

This is a song for the cynical saints.

The burned out and hopeless,

The ones who've been cast away.

I feel your pain.

Please forgive the wastefulness of all that we could be

But don’t forget, there’s more than this

Her beauty still exists.

His bride is still alive.

His bride is still alive.

His bride is still alive.

His bride is still alive.

His bride is still alive.

This is a song for my family

inside the walls of Sunday morning.

Be what you should be.

oh the thoughts.

I got a lot of thoughts roaming around in this old noggan of mine.

How ABC should bring back a season of that show, "The Mole".
How I watch a lot more HGTV these days than I ever thought I would.
How I need to paint my toenails.
How we influence people whether we realize it or not.
How one day we're going to fall at Jesus' feet and cry Holy, Holy, Holy.
How God is asking me to use my word of the year a lot more than I thought I'd have to use it.

It's "trust" by the way. I think next year I'm going to pick a word like, love, or joy or eat, or something that doesn't require as much "effort". 

And that was just like 15 seconds. Maybe. You don't even want to know the rest.

All these thoughts swirl around and and around until I'm sick of hearing them. Things I want to share with you.

Good news is I now have a computer. So, hooray for you people that read this. I'm not making any big flashy promises, but I promise to be here.

Consistently

Not once every 3 weeks. Because...you deserve more nonsense than that.

So...the end. You have something to look forward to? Maybe?

But seriously, dd y'all ever watch the first season of The Mole? Goodness I loved that show. And I knew the last few episodes who the mole was. She looked like a grown-up version of this girl I went to high school with. Bizarre!

Hope your Tuesday was grand :)