One....

Hi friends!!!!!!

Let me first share with you that my entire last week was AMAZING!!!! Never ceases to amaze me that God can speak "order" over our lives and it happens. Pure, beautiful order. I LOVE BOUNDARIES!!!!! That is where the freedom is friends!!!! I am still just praising Him for calm classes, real opportunities to teach deeper and more personal, and I can truly say that the JOY OF THE LORD WAS MY STRENGTH. I just love Him so!!!!


Over the weekend, I began to see that I have a blog break this week and so I thought I would use it to answer questions that I get weekly and to also show you my home. I have done the home tour but I think it was back when I first moved in. My guest rooms and master bedroom have changed some. I will post different parts all week.

I am currently studying about Islam (D.E.E.P....hahhaha and heavy and in no way ready to share hence this tour/question posts) and my brain might explode. I have also been studying about prejudices in my quiet time and really look forward to sharing what I learned at the end of this post!

In the mean time.....

welcome to my home! Entry, Dining Room, Kitchen....

Entry...

what you need to know about me....

1. i love gaudy.

2. i love gold and gaudy.

3. antique furniture rocks my world.

4. i love to collect art/pretties on my travels.

5. i love things in my home that belonged to grandparents...great grandparents. I love a good story with things.

when you walk in this painting is on the left. Some people ask me why i hang lots of my paintings in my home. My response "because it's free...DUHHHHHHHHH". ha!

you have seen most of this before. My beautiful buffet that my Dad refinished for me.

i have a deep love for blue china!


I have a small wall between the kitchen and dining room. This bookshelf was one of the very first pieces my Dad refinished for me. He did it the summer I was in New York as a camp counselor. I was moving into my first apartment, alone, my sophomore year at UNT! It has been with me since ha!



a few of my favorite things.......i bought this tea set the Christmas Laura and I visited Amy in China. It was from a village we spent time in! sweet memories.

I got this one in Tokyo!


and I LOVE THIS OOOOOLLLLLDDDDD photo of Laura and I. Yes, i had long hair for a long time. Laura had black hair here. We have been friends a long time which means lots of hair drama and changes! This was taken the August before I started blogging.


Dining room.






my cute little table. Mom's china cup and saucer and my China Doll.

another view

opening to the kitchen.


my dad also redid my dining room table!!! I LOVE IT! and i love the material they used on the chairs!


ok..now lets turn around and head into the kitchen.

i know my OCD friends will die over my fridge but...........as you know, I heart- heart- heart christmas photo cards. You will not even believe how many times I have looked at certain families/friends and just prayed over them right then and there. SUCH a great prayer reminder. Messy but encouraging ha!


I heart this littler dresser in my kitchen!

kitchen table

a few of my favorite things....... my Aunt Chris and Uncle Scott gave me this Tiffany Lamp when i graduated from High School. I have had it ever since and I have loved it dearly. My first piece of furniture (hope chest) also came when I grad High school. Doesn't seem like people give/get long last gifts like that anymore. Interesting really. Anyway, it was a perfect gift for me and 10 years later I am still using it!!!!

These apples belonged to my great-grandmother...my mother's grandmother. They were on her table as long as I can remember. I always thought they were cool!!! Now they are in my kitchen and that is special to me.

Now on to a few questions from blog readers....


1. how do you organize your prayer life?

cautiously......I must tell you that I have a notebook and dividers and it is all organized. BUT....I have learned to pray before "praying". if that makes any sense. Sure, I have a list of prayer requests and I have certain things to pray for each day, BUT I let the Holy Spirit organize my prayer time..... So that the things that are the most important (that day) are brought to mind first.

Just because I have a list of prayer requests under "Monday" doesn't mean I become a slave to those requests only. NO! As women, we can so easily turn our bible time, prayer time into pure, ugly legalism. We set up a routine/system that works for us and then me become so enslaved to that routine we can get angry with the Holy Spirit should He try to move us in another direction or have us break our routine.

The greatest freedom for me, in prayer, is to just yield to God first and listen to what He wants me to pray over. On a day I am not hearing much then I cover my list of requests. Some days, one person gets all my attention. Either way, i am being obedient and that is what makes prayer time truly fulfilling.




2. why is your grammar soooooo bad?

HHAHAHHAHHAHHAHAHHAH yall don't even know how many times a week I hear this. Truth is...i don't care about it. I type like I talk. Maybe you should pray for me and my grammar skills to improve. ha!


3. what is the one major thing you are looking for in a spouse?

Well, besides the obvious....(Man of God, Character, and Purpose) I know God is preparing that man with all those qualities as we speak. I have to say that I really just want a man that I can serve with. I have full confidence that God is preparing a man for me as He is preparing me for that man. I'll be 30 in August and the older I get that less I need to "list" the qualities out. I want a husband that has a heart to serve and I want to serve with him. but....I do love to laugh and NOT selfish with my loudness..... so if he just so happens to be funny too then I will count myself a very blessed woman!


4. what are your thoughts on seeking advice from others?

ummmmmmmmm, well i was one that called my mom or best friend before I ever talked to God about my issues or troubles. Several years ago, God was in the middle of stripping away all my worldliness and mind set. During that time I had to deal with some of my ugliest secrets totally alone. Just me and God. I found during that time that it was SOOOOOO way better to talk with Him first before seeking counsel from every one else. He began to train me to run to Him before running to others. I still have to keep myself in check with it but it is worth the battle. The truth is.....we naturally don't tell the WHOLE TRUTH when we share our problems/issues with others. We may leave things out, glaze over feelings, or share our hurts as if we are the victim and in reality we are the bully.

But when I talk to God first....I can share every feeling (ugly or pretty) freely and as I share He is already working it out in my heart/mind. I also find that God doesn't tolerate my craziness and brattiness. He will call it like He sees it and I then have the opportunity to confess and repent right then and there. It is pure freedom friends!

After talking with God, I think you will know if you need to seek advice from another strong believer. Sometimes we need to keep our mouths shut and other times we need the encouragement of others. Again, if we are yielded to Father's authority then He will show us what to do. Isn't that great! I don't have to make the decision! HE will!!!!! AMEN!


last but not least.....

5. make-up?????????????

i don't spend lots of money on anything. ....minus vacations. I am a budget girl....funny to say that because growing up I never saved!!! i was such a spender. Another God thing. He can make us so much better! ha! Anyway, if I can't buy it at walmart i probably won't buy it. every once in awhile I will splurge on a great lipstick but honestly cheap makeup works for me. I like the way it looks on me and that is all that matters. I could care less about labels. I am a painter which makes it natural for me to wear several shades of lipstick to get the right color. I heart liquid eyeliner and blush. Mascara and I are bff's because my lashes are blond. That pretty much sums it up! ha!


wow... that was long. hope it didn't bore you to death. Several readers say that I do't share enough about me personally?????? I thought I did with sharing my heart and my walk with the Lord. Maybe this will make them happy! ha!


I will leave you with this from "Paul..90 days on his journey of faith" by Beth Moore....

"You know it's forbidden for a Jewish man to associate with or visit a foreigner. BUT GOD has shown me that I must not call any person common or unclean." Act 10:28


...then she asked us this.....

If you knew that prejudice was one of the things blocking your free flow of communication with God and His Word, how much importance would you place on removing it?



wow, i know. chew on that question for a day or two. I love you. I am so grateful you choose to stop by. What a blessing and joy it is! Tomorrow will be the rest of the house! See you then!

Night...