If Only.......

I recently commented in a reminiscent chat with one of my dearest friends that I seriously wished the biggest decision to be made on any given day was still which spice girl to dress up as at this weekend's sleepover. C'mon...that was serious stuff! To tease your hair, stuff your bra, pink vs. leopard print, ruffles or faux leather or my good old standby: a pair of umbro shorts and a sports bra? 

Like you're surprised :) I'll proudly admit my love for sweatpants started early! Anyway, it should be noted that there are some homemade music videos out there somewhere collecting dust in one of our childhood homes and let's just say I'm glad I was one era before youtube :)


My reasoning behind wishing for such simpler times other than a reminiscent morning mood swing? Nothing groundbreaking, just the plain old grownup rush of things. I am beginning to realize the decision making never.stinkin.ends. 


And really what "real world" decisions are truly worth the weight we place on them? All the stress we let them create, the haste we feel to figure it all out. The bottom line is, it's all temporary anyway. The job you have - temporary. The town you live in - temporary. The house you buy, the salary you make, the social scene you build, the material possessions you accumulate, the pinterest creations you slave over to perfect your little home, the worldly dreams you put on your list to pour your effort, time and money into - all temporary. Not that it's wrong or displeasing to throw your back into those things and that may be what God has for you in this very moment until further notice. But I wrestle. Wrestle with how the scope I find myself operating within seems so far from the scope my Savior had in mind for me when He rose from the dead, for in that moment we were made alive in Christ. 


Ephesians 2:2-5
All of us (sinners) used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God's anger, just like everyone else. But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. 


A life in which our sinful nature and worldly desires remain alive, but much overshadowed by the true life-giving sacrifice made in that moment. 


I want to live with my focus on the God-given glimpse of eternity instilled in me. Yes, pour myself into where God has me in this moment and the next. Yes, into my responsibilities. But always acutely aware of the weight to place on the things of this world and the ultimate priority of sharing that eternity with others through walk and talk, talk and walk. Oh, you know what I mean :)

Well Hello 2012!

Its always exciting to start a brand new year! No telling what it holds, what's in store. Happy New Year, everyone!

As for resolutions per say, we're planning on the most typical things - healthy living, amping up our physical activity, saving more money, bettering our sweet marriage, spending our time wisely, cherishing family and friends, getting more plugged in at Grace Church, praying for God's will and recognizing opportunities to be generous to people in need. I believe our motto will be something along the lines of making our twenties the years to look back on forever most fondly! They are shaping up like that already, but we really want them to shine :)

Feel free to hold us accountable!

Spirit

I would definitely say that Mike and I are officially in the Christmas spirit!

But really, this season's packing something extra. We're always so excited to stop what we're doing and soak up quality time gathering with family and near and dear friends, but this year's spirit has a different quality to it that I can't quite put my finger on entirely. 

Really, 2011 has been such a different year for us. The fact that we changed gears is an understatement. Our big trip out West definitely stands front and center as our highlight and flanking to both sides are really piles and piles of transition. Nothing quite settled. Beforehand we were transitioning out of Mike's job, out of my internship, out of Greenville, back to home, off of the path we were on. Afterwards, we're transitioning back into a path, new jobs for the both of us, back in Greenville, but in a whole new way. Hard to explain, but I think after a year like that we've got an end-of-the-year spirit to go along with our Christmas warm-n-fuzzies. 

And in the mix of transition, we're still mulling over things - roots vs. flexibility, to be career oriented vs. missions oriented, renting vs. buying, Greenville vs. home, general materialism that finds its way in vs. intentional simplicity and generosity. After a year of freedom, these decisions have seemed to pile up as far as figuring out how we feel about them. Their creeping in has put us in a reflective, analytical kind of mode these last few weeks. 

So on top of all the special things about Christmas I am so looking forward to, I'm also looking forward to curling up with my husband and talking these things over more, praying together and settling with a direction in some of these areas. 

We are anxious to hear God's response, move forward into a new year and live inside His will and purpose. It could mean more piles of transition, it could mean waiting, it could mean working steadily, plowing the fields as Elisha (1 Kinds 19:19) until we are called into something else He is doing or could mean something drastic. The point is not to figure out what we want, and truthfully, that changes nearly everyday for us. Whims come and go whether we're feeling particularly bold or drawn towards comfort and security. But we know a God that can absolutely wreck lives as they've been carefully planned, based around perfectly pleasing dreams to accomplish what He's doing - Mary and Joseph, anyone? Virgin fiance gets pregnant, Joseph doesn't call things off, makes it look like he had something to hide, ruins his reputation, her's is most definitely shot, they make the decision to stay in a different city probably to escape all the gossip, have the responsibility of raising God's only son...I can't say that I would have been the first to raise my hand for that. But whatever it is, we just don't want to miss out on it by getting caught up in what we want. 

Anyway - a little life reflection never hurt anyone I suppose. And I'm so excited to celebrate Christmas - the birthday of a Savior who gave up his deity to live this life as I do, with all these other distractions, temptations and responsibilities, with a thirst for truth and to live out the purpose His Father intended.

Lots to celebrate. Lots to celebrate, indeed! Merry Christmas y'all!   

For all you twentysomethings out there :)

Thanks to my dear Fuge friend Cassie Hill (with whom I share the exact same wedding anniversary - fun fact) I happened upon this article. The whole website has some great substance to dive into, but this particular article she shared strummed some heart strings. 


For all of us twentysomethings looking to get a handle on all.things.life check it out for some food for thought about the essentials :)


11 Things to Know at 25-ish!

Can we just have two Fall seasons? Back-to-back, all smooshed together?!

I can hardly believe that my dearly beloved September has come and gone and we're already on the fringes of sweet, sweet October. For us, September still lingers with a few unpacked trinkets not yet decidedly placed into our new nest and the still sweet warm-and-fuzzies from another anniversary celebrated. We kept it simple this year, which was just perfect. A ride up in the mountains, digging around some antique stores...always a no brainer for us. Add a good, solid heart-to-heart about allthingslife. You know you have it good when you long for a simple life - when your essentials are.just.THAT.good. Anddddddd my soul sighs. 


Talk about big shoes to fill, but October never disappoints. Work has done its job (chuckle, chuckle)...which is take over life during the week, but our weekends have been so refreshing. We keep checking back up on our mountains, making sure the leaves don't peak without us and slim but quality time with family has kept gas in our tanks. And we carved out some time to run our first 5k which was a fun day with some of our best friends getting some exercise for a good cause. And back on the home-front, thanks to Pinterest the decorating may.never.end, amen ladies?! There's just so many ideas! Anyways, you'll have to give me a break cause I'm not quite ready to dish out a virtual tour of our new home yet, but I am willing to share some of the details...and some other October happenings :)

Sully Bink enjoys a good mountain ride about as much as us

Run for Hungry Children 5k at Furman University

And in honor of compromise, Michael agreed to refinish our bedroom furniture to make me happy :)

And Sully's always such a good helper :) 

The dresser, all finished! 

The weathered, crackled detailing that I just had to have

Some vintage National Park postcards I found near the Grand Tetons and put in an old barnwood frame from my Dad.

My new (actually old) earring hanger! PS. I spy earrings that aren't mine, I'll return ASAP :)

My antique medicine cabinet from one of my favorite antique stores, Warther's Originals in Walhalla. Their store was actually my very first job :)

Our foyer filled with goodies - my antique igloo metal cooler, some old banisters from my Dad's stash of junk and an old hearty pine bench, also from Warther's. 

Its coming along. Maybe by the end of October...

But we won't be tackling any interiors this weekend - we've got a wedding with so many of our closest friends from home Saturday night, and it'll be extra special because the venue is at Table Rock where we got married 2 years ago :) And we'll be looking for another Tiger win against GT to add to the Shock the World Tour! And then, and then, and then...perfect icing on the cake is an offroad trip up to Bear Mountain and Jumping Off Rock at Jocassee with the old small group crew on Sunday! Ahhhhhh - and my heart singssssss :)

My plate as of late :)

Hmmm...to fit it all into one adjective. You could still describe our life as busy. Yep, I would say it still fits into that category. But we are settling in, settling down and establishing a new routine. 


Currently our typical week includes Mike's Bible study on Monday nights, my Bible study on Tuesday nights, keeping Sully entertained and active after we get home from work everyday, getting back into cooking a balanced dinner spread each night (after living with our in-laws who so graciously took care of the dinner portion of life), helping our dear friends, the Martins, renovate their new house, stepping up our workouts and running regimen, checking out different gyms to see what fits us best, gearing up for our very first 5K in a couple of weeks, always keeping up with family and friends, and work. Can't forget work. And new opportunities at work, which is stimulating and exciting.


So settling down with that plate full does feel good. But part of me inside still clings to an aversion towards the "rat race," uninspiring, typical pursuit of the American Dream, although there's another side of me that is really happy where I am at, even at the start of a budding career. 


Really and truly, at the root of it all, I just want to live in balance. I want to live freely, not ruled by the weight of my progression down a path culture pushes me towards. I find myself tailoring my decisions and effort around that progression, and I want to instead tailor myself around purpose. Like the true purpose. His purpose. His purpose that always stays the same but can look so differently from day-to-day. I want to live intentionally, be missional, operate on an awareness that life is just a blip and the inconsistencies don't matter, only the constant does. 


This is my season now. And I don't want to get lost in it, but I want to live it out the best I can. 

Finally!

So I just want you to know...I just now at 9:47pm put my feet up to unwind from my work day. Deep breaths all around. I am spent! Needless to say, we're back into the swing of things in full force, contributing to society by way of employment. No longer enjoying funemployment in which I woke up when I pleased and had no regard to what day of the week that it actually was. Monday was the same as Friday as the same as hump day as the same as Saturday. You get the picture. And if you're having trouble visualizing it, it doesn't really matter because my life no longer looks like that anyways! :)


So, jobs are keeping us busy, but we love 'em and are glad to have 'em. Andddd - we're finally moved back to Greenville! In a cute little upstairs unit of an old house in the North Main area of downtown. I'm still unpacking and decorating, but I'll get some pictures soon to share. Sully is adjusting well as the lucky stay-at-home component of our little family. He gets taken for a run just about every day since we no longer reside on the edge of the ghetto, so he's loving that. And we're getting plugged back into our church and Bible studies and our amazingly awesome group of friends and each other. That calls for a lot of happiness. 


And we ARE really happy! You know, life speeds up into a whole other gear sometimes and things are always changing. I read a quote just recently that says, stop in your tracks and love where you are. How profound! In hindsight of our traveling sabbatical, I believe my pause from my little strategic, uninspired path in life helped me discover a healthy balance of remaining aware of where it is I believe I am headed at any certain time but also taking the notion to enjoy where each moment has me. Which may be being new at my job, unsettled in a new house, busier than I've been in a long time, with less money in the bank, not yet buying or building or renovating a house like many of our friends, back a little farther away from my dear family. Its a balance I've really struggled with before, but is no longer such an overwhelming theme in my life. Gloriousness that is. 


And speaking of time flying by - our TWO year anniversary is coming up in 5 little old days. Happiness and loving where you are and enjoying where each moment has me - all of that applies. I ADORE being married to my husband, I just love him to pieces! What a blessing to have such a true constant! He's just the best there ever was and I'm so looking forward to celebrating together this weekend! 


Actually, I do believe I am feeling quite unwound and will promptly go snuggle up with said husband right now. :)