joy

The only way to live in the joy of the Lord... is to believe that the

Lord only gives life for joy.

ann voskamp

"That's the truth I whisper when I look in the mirror on a Monday morning."

These are such wonderful quotes today on Ann's page. Her blog is one of my very favorites always offering such profound wisdom... ❤ ... Always giving me something new and insightful to think about! I just love the way she so apparently shares from her heart.

While I already keep a private gratitude journal daily I want to start keeping my own public list of One Thousand Gifts on Mondays. God loves for us to share his joy. Thank you Ann for sharing God's work in your life. ❤

*

How did Friday sneak up on me again?

*

Well, it's already here and I'm joining Stacey over at Midwife for Your Life for her weekly What Are You Appreciating? I started a new yoga class yesterday and it was from 3:30-5 so when I got on last night I realized I had completely missed the deadline! I shouldn't wait until the last minute ... as it's not like I have a lack of appreciation! SO Much to be thankful for!

This week as most weeks this time of year I so appreciate the signs of spring approaching!

Living up here in Ohio even more so! See I grew up in North Texas and spring? Well, it comes early down there... sometimes right after Valentine's day things are already happening! OK maybe that's a little optimistic ... but really - March rolls around and you are able to shed the jacket! ... not coats mind you!!

Anyway.. up here you're just excited to see the snow go away!

And these pop up!

Sure hope you're in a place where you can see the signs of spring!

❤

kindness really does matter

If you've never visited these girls over at kind over matter then you are missing out on something special! They lend encouragement several times a day... and it's all about the simplest of things! But things that can fall by the wayside with one bad moment!

Remembering others with a kind word, a card, a flower or just a smile... You can make a difference! And we need more kindness!

On the left side of their website they have tabs and so much they offer is free! They make it EASY to leave the house armed with kindness!

You can print out little cards to leave behind where ever your day takes you! Leaving just a word or two of encouragement in your wake! How easy is that?

what are YOU appreciating?...

Today I am joining Stacey from Midwife for your Life where she's asking "What are you appreciating?"

While I did not get my WAYA in on time I did want to comment:

"Oh so many things but to start with… this cloudy day with the breeze humming through the screened in porch just warm enough to allow me to sit outside to read… ❤"

Here's an image to go with that comment:

What a wonderful way to end a week...and begin the weekend! thanks Stacey! I'm going to make a note to try to get my post in before the deadline next week!

... my new epiphanie!

*

it's a camera bag ...

it's a purse ...

it's stylish....

and it's all rolled up into

one great idea!

It's an epiphanie!

Epiphanie! ~ stylish camera bags created by Maile Wilson

I ordered mine as soon as I saw it on the Shutter Sisters!

I knew from trying to 'fit' my camera into what ever handbag I was carrying at the moment at the moment ...

and wrapping it in whatever I had handy...

that this was a bag that would work for me!

It arrived in its own storage bag but I have a feeling I will be favoring this over anything that I currently carry!

I ordered Ginger which is a shade of brown but it's also currently offered in Red and Turquois! ... with more to come!

It's genorously padded ... AND has panels attached with velco to move around so that it's easily configured to your individual needs at any given time.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much room there was and easily fit my camera, extra lens, and all of my personal things from my purse w/ lots of room to spare... enough for another lens and/or flash!

and something that the pictures can't tell you is

how easy it is to access

your camera and everything else from cell phone to wallet!

AND it always stays 'balanced'! You know when you go to

remove something from a regular purse and

things always 'shift'??

Well ...

IN THIS

THEY DON'T!!

rating?

❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

5 out of 5

not too shabby!

All I can say is...

THANK YOU Maile!

... can NOT wait to see what styles you come up with next!

a humble realization...

This morning in the shower as the hot water poured over my shoulders I came to a realization... if God has forgiven me of all my wrongs then what right do I have to hold on to them?

Why is that such a hard thing to do? I can’t seem to get past all of the wrongs I’ve done in my life... there isn’t an event that I can think of that I can’t somehow find something that I did, thought or said that isn’t embarrassing or simply fills me with shame... and I’m so good at dwelling on these wrongs!

So what do I do?... live all of my memories over and over ... beating myself up for falling short in any given situation... something I could have .. should have done ... better or more upstanding ... than what I actually did. Why does my mind hover over all of my wrongs?? and worse- I allow it to every single day! It’s not like I need to relive them. They are past and there is no way to re-do them. What’s done is done! period.

So from this moment on .. this very moment forward I shall not dwell on my negatives of my past... I no longer want to carry that heavy load but will look back with gratitude on memories that make up a healthy - mostly happy and positive life. With the realization that mistakes made are part of being human and with the acknowledgment that as a human being we will always be imperfect... After all isn’t that what we all are?

imperfect beings...

only made pure through the grace of Jesus!

❤

...spread the word..

*

Spread the Word to End the Word Day! March 3, 2010.

It is being referred to as “the r word.” It includes the two words “retard” and “retarded.” The campaign is asking people to take the pledge to drop the words from their vocabulary.

I just pledged here:

http://www.r-word.org/

Please ~ won't you do the same???

Please see the following websites promoting Spread the Word to End the Word Day today.

http://www.specialolympics.org/spread-the-word-to-end-the-word.aspx

http://therword.org/

http://www.facebook.com/EndtheWord

thank you.

... when kindness comes...

❤

Thank you for this perfect title from mother may I ... when kindness comes is a right on the mark description of the last couple of days! We just had a wonderful weekend as family came and warmed our hearts and souls...

So these shots from yesterday make up my best shot monday:

❤