thankful for my family

Last year for thanksgiving we were all together In North Carolina! This year we were all scattered across the US. My parents went to Oklahoma, my sisters, brother, and nieces were in florida and I'm in Oregon. Atleast we all had unique experiences.

I am so looking forward to christmas when we will all be together again!! God has really blessed me with such an awesome family. For that I am truly grateful for every moment we get to be together. Love them all!!!

Love is Waiting till were ready.. till its right

These lyrics have been playing in my head for months.. so beautiful and relevant

my day in a nutshell..

Today was another pretty fantastic day! I met rochelle on her lunch break.. at insomnia coffee, Talked with my super cute nieces on skype (lots of skype kisses ;) JOY is the emotion at that moment, dropped off 6 shoe boxes for operation christmas child, pizza for dinner, realized the cats i'm watching might actually like me, and ended the night watching my favorite movie "The Holiday" with friends! oh and did I mention its snowing outside!! :)

Just what the doctor ordered

Yesterday couldn't have been a more perfect day! I have been needing to take a drive for a while.. Just to get away for a few hrs.. preferably the outdoors, But didn't want to get stranded with my unpredictable car..

But then Grace came to my rescue as she always does! and was like.. "Hey, what do you think about going on a little adventure on Sunday?! I think it would be exactly what we Need!" She seriously read my mind.. And of course I said yes!! So we packed up our warm clothes and headed to Cannon Beach, with a few snow flurries on the way :) 

Dave Barnes - "Christmas Tonight" with Hillary Scott .

This just might get me in the holiday spirit.. :)

late night processing

So last night I stayed up once again till 3am.. but this time with my friend Grace. She is the perfect friend for me because she lets me process everything verbally.. which I need! seriously, sometimes I dont even realize what im feeling inside till i speak it out. Grace is the most patient, loving, understanding and truth speaking women of God. She has a sense of wisdom about her. All this said I trust her completely. I am so thankful for our friendship! She has been one of the many treasures that the Lord has brought in my life since living here.
 Here are a few words from the Lord that I received last night! hopefully they could encourage someone else as well. 
1.The way to peace is through conflict - not around, not blocking it but Through! 
2. Fix your eyes on Jesus. Not on the problems around you. (read Hebrews 12 - message version)
3. Sometimes Jesus puts signposts in our lives that point us in the right direction: anxiety, stress, rushing, confusion, being pulled in lots of directions are all signs that it's NOT of God. His signposts are peace, Joy and clarity (sound mind)
 
We ended the night reading some scriptures that completely helped my spirit feel renewed. It amazes me when I just put myself in the word which is TRUTH! My whole focus on life changes. Not so much focus on me but on Him who gives us life!


May God, who puts all things together,
      makes all things whole,
   Who made a lasting mark through the sacrifice of Jesus,
      the sacrifice of blood that sealed the eternal covenant,
   Who led Jesus, our Great Shepherd,
      up and alive from the dead,
   Now put you together, provide you
      with everything you need to please him,
   Make us into what gives him most pleasure,
      by means of the sacrifice of Jesus, the Messiah.
   All glory to Jesus forever and always!
      Oh, yes, yes, yes.
(Hebrews 13..The message)

Life

 So, here's a little update on my living situation. I am currently living in a four bedroom house with two guys and a girl in SW Portland. I moved here about four months ago from a one bedroom apartment ,in the pearl district.. This is an older house ,off a dirt road, in the suburbs. It may seem like a drastic change.. well it kinda was but somehow I fit perfectly here. :) 

God has always prepared everything for me.. He is just steps ahead leading the way and opening doors. Its crazy to think i didn't know any of my house mates before i moved in.. and It feels unlikely to have us all get a long so well, Like a family even! This was a definite God sent! 

Another thing I never thought I would do, is live with boys apart from my dad or future husband, but here i am chillin with the dudes drinking a beer. in my own house haha.. and I kinda enjoy it. growing up in a family of all girls apart from my dad, had its challenges (maybe a little too much estrogen) sorry dadio. :) but wouldn't change that for anything. All I can say is living with boys and my super cute introverted, movie lovin, hand clappin house mate Penney, has been great! I love how she gets excited about the little things in life like I do! :)  and how the guys are so easy going.. 
 I know i'm right where I should be at this very moment. So all in all this has been a new experience and another chapter in my life here in portland. Im not sure how long I'll be here ,but for now its been a blessing to come home to.. 

patience..

patience in knowing where im going to live?. who im going to marry? and who God has called me to be? these are all thoughts that have been going through my mind..We NEVER know whats going to happen. Therefore we are not promised tomorrow. So God take away my control in not knowing what the future holds.. You are my peace that surpasses all understanding and I need to find rest in knowing/ believing that! so for now im just going to love God and love others! because thats what he has called us to do :) and those are the two things that will bring him and us joy as we walk through this Journey called Life.

And the TRUTH Is I miss you soooo...

This coldplay song is currently playing in the cafe where I work. It just amazes me how music can effect you in such a strong way. It can be so relatable to the motion felt at the exact moment you hear the first note. God has always spoken to me through music. So therefore Its kinda like the unspoken lyrics of my heart...