techno-crisis

I'm having a little blogger crisis over here.  After 3 years of blogging, I've maxed out my g**gle photo storage space.  So I'm trying to figure out how to get more and how much more??  Looks like the only way is to cough up a little dough.  I really prefer not to do this, but it would be nice to have an online "back-up" for photo storage.  Sorting through all of the options...any suggestions or advice on how to keep blogging for free (or for very little?)

Living and Active

Mulling over Psalm 94 and 95 this morning.  These passages are interesting and thought provoking in light of current events. I got to them by searching "vengance" and "revenge" in Bible Gateway.  Evil is God's to avenge, and I'm wrestling with all of this today. 

I realize that many Americans and many in the world feel relief knowing that this notoriously evil person has perished.  Honestly,  I'm not overwhelmed with relief as much as I am with growing concern, and an urgent desire to pray for God's will to be accomplished.  I just can't imagine that this person's demise will lead to a more peaceful world?   My heart is also overwhelmed with grief for those folks who lost loved ones in 9/11 and in this long awful war.

Dan and I were in Jamaica just 9 months after 9/11, leading a group of teenagers on a mission trip there.  I will never, ever forget some of the images there.  It was my first time to travel "abroad", and what an eye-opener.  Sentiments like like "Go *sama!" and "D*wn with the U.S." and other such anti-American rant were scrawled across car windshields, storefronts, even outside of the tiny shanty dwellings where many Jamaicans abide.  This blew my mind.  Why?  For the first time, I was able to witness and consider the impact we Americans have on other countries.  We spent almost the entire trip cleaning mounds and mounds of cruise ship waste from the otherwise beautiful Jamaican beaches.  On the second day of cleaning up bottlecaps, plastic flatware and other junk that literally overtook these local beaches,  it hit me.  Is this what the global community thinks of us Americans?  As consumers who "use" others for our ends?  I hope not.  One thing I do know.  I want to hold all of these events in tension with God's Word.  How can I truly "love my neighbor"?

We can take comfort in is God's Word.  It is truly living and active.  (Hebrews 4:12)  I'm reminded of this as I run to scripture for peace and truth.  Here are a couple of verses that stood out from Psalm 94.

20 Can unjust leaders claim that God is on their side—
leaders whose decrees permit injustice?
21 They gang up against the righteous
and condemn the innocent to death.
22 But the Lord is my fortress;
my God is the mighty rock where I hide.

My heart is grateful for the protection God's provided in our military and special forces as they physically put their lives on the line to protect our freedom, day in and day out.

These passages from scripture are a stark reminder to my heart that ultimately, God alone is our fortress, he is our hiding place in times such as these.  Whether the battle is for freedom from terror, or the battle is one waged in our hearts to overcome struggles, the LORD GOD is our mighty fortress, our place of help and hope for life beyond this earth.  What areas of my heart need to be surrendered in order to fully enjoy his protection and peace here and now?

Anniversary Gift

Dan and I are not big "gifters" when it comes to expressing our love to one another.  I mean we love each other, but I know that "gifts" does not qualify for a major love language for either of us.  But this year, I was inspired to make (yes make!) something special for Dan for our anniversary.  

I love the Nester, this is no secret.  I love that she is so resourceful and decorates by shopping her house and is thrifty and makes curtains out of random textiles without sewing them and.....well, you get the picture!  Plus, her yard sale rocked.  But sometimes, once in a blue moon, she features something really cool, something I think I want to incorperate in our home that is WAAAY out of my price-range.  So what does this have to do at ALL with our anniversary? We (like Nester) have moved quite a few times in our married life.  Not all of these residences are by any means amazing, beautiful dwellings, but one thing each abode had in common.  Our family loved and grew there.  Something like This typography seemed like such a neat way to commemorate these places where we once called "home". 

Only one tiny road block to my must-have-one-of-a-kind-custom-typography.  A 12x12 piece was out of my budget.   Time to get those creative juices flowing!  

I gathered up:

• a $7 print I found at Target, it was the perfect sized frame for what I needed.  (Approx 9"x9")
• tiny alphabet stampset that I picked up months ago on J*Anns $1 aisle
• white, red and black cardstock that I already had
• pop dot adhesive stickers that I had in my stash

That's it!  Here's how I did it.

 

Here's the frame in all of it's original glory.  Sorry, I only like you for your outsides.



After I ripped the back paper off with an exacto knife. 


I stamped letters onto the paper, hand cut them, and stuck each letter on with a pop-dot, which added a little dimension, even under the glass.  Very scientific.  :)  Then I framed her up!



The finished product, it's not perfect...but I think I like it that way!

 

On our way out for a quiet meal for two.  A rare and treasured occasion!  :)

He has risen!

In CHRIST we have the hope of eternal life!  Hallelujah! 

Happy Easter, dear friends and family, we love you!

13 months

Random fun fact: Yesterday's post marked my 200th post!  :)  And this month marks 3 years of  blogging.  I love having a little spot to record for posterity and to share a bit of our lives with you, our friends and family.  {tap, tap, tap}  I'm talking to you!  Anybody out there?  :)

I picked up this basket at T*rget about a month ago.  It came with the little chalkboard paint tag on it already, I love that!  So far it's been a hamper, a blanket basket (current use) and now it will double as a photo prop.  My favorite stuff is stuff that can be used lots of ways.  (Wasn't that a profound thought?!  :)  ha!)  But seriously, if it's gonna take up space and collect dust that I have to clean off, it better be a useful dust-collecting-space-taker, right!? 

I thought it would be fun to have a monthly photo "prop" for Camille's 2nd year of life. I started this with our silver chalkboard-painted platter when she was teeny. At 3 months, we packed up and moved...and I still can't find that dern platter! I continued to take monthly photos, but without a prop.

She was so cute posing in the basket. After updating the chalkboard label thingy, I opened up the slider doors to let the sunlight pour in.  Then, I draped the blanket you see in the basket over the back of the sofa for a little make-shift backdrop and plopped my baby in the basket.  The end. :)

Nine Years!

Who is this young, fit, well-rested couple?  It's been nine years since I tricked Dan into marrying me our wedding day. 

I'm so grateful that Dan loves me with GOD'S love.  This is a good thing because I'm not always a lovable person!  At the heart of our love is a realization that we could never humanly meet each other's deepest felt need for unconditional love.   We are two imperfect people relying on God, the source of all love.

 

Here are some highlights of this ninth year of marriage:

• moved back to Florida
• bought our first home
• remodeled (still in progress, and probably will be for the next 9 years  ;)  said home
• Dan graduated from seminary
• oh yes, and surviving the above 4 events all while raising 3 small children  :)

Thank you, Lord, for leading us through the last 9 years of marriage and for going before us as we look toward the future.  We love and trust you!

 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.  This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.  This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.   No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

1 John 4:7-12

Growing

Lately Camille and Graham can't get enough of two things, FOOD and SLEEP...and we all know what that means.  Growing!  I love watching Camille deliberately choose which morsel of food she'll put daintily into her mouth to enjoy.  Some of her favorite foods to eat are small cereal bits, black beans, cooked carrots, tiny diced apple, chicken, cereal bars and yogurt.  The funny part is that when she doesn't want something, she pitches it over the side of her high chair and her personal clean-up crew (Charly) devours it sometimes before  I even notice. 

She nurses about 3 times a day now (we've gone from 6 to three just in the last month!)  and takes two solid naps and ~mostly~ sleeps through the night.  The sleeping through the night part is still hit and miss, but we're getting closer! 

I wish I had my baby book close by to scan a picture my mom has of me with my hiney up in the air like this.  :)  Camille has attached herself to Graham's moose (from when he was a baby!) and of course, blanket is always a necessity at bedtime. 

Camille crosses her ankles like this when she is sleeping, and when she is in the high chair.  It reminds me so much of my Grandma.  I remember her crossing her ankles like this when she would sit down.  I wonder if she would do this because she was so petite that her feet didn't fully touch the ground in their oversized furniture!  :)   I miss her so much.  I often think about how our little people would be a source of delight to her heart, I can almost hear her laughter sometimes when I think of her seeing the cute things that we see every day!  :)  It is so neat to see how traits from those we love carry on in our children.

"I will sing of the LORD’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations."  Psalm 89:1 (NIV)