Playing at the Park

I know most everyone has those memories of going to the park as kids. Your mom pulls up to the curb and parks and you can barely wait to jump out of the car and go down the slide. My personal favorite was always the swings. the fact that you feel like your flying has always been something I just love.

I still love playing at the park. I've been made fun of multiple times in my life because people will say "What do you want to do?" and I'll say "Oooh! Lets go to the park!" :) I don't know why I love it so much. I am still a kid inside, and always will be. I don't believe I'll ever get tired of going down the slide, swinging, or crawling over the monkey bars.

And you know, being like a child is really not bad. As a matter of fact, when the disciples were trying to keep children from coming to Jesus, Jesus told them "Let the children alone, don't prevent them from coming to me. God's kingdom is made up of people like these." (Matthew 19:14, Message Version)

What does He mean when He said that "God's kingdom is made up of these"? Think about it.

What are the differences between children and adults? Children are innocent, young, curious, and trusting. They are satisfied with the simplest things. And just really enjoy spending time with those they love most. It seems that as most people grow older they seem to lose these traits. We've seen, heard, and done things that slowly chip away our innocence. Our bodies grow weak, tired, and stress can tear us down. We no longer are interested in the things around us, but only focused on the goals or tasks we have in front of us. And one thing that seems to be with so many, is we stop trusting others.... and God.

God created us to have a relationship with Him. He's our Daddy, He wants us to know that no matter what seems to be going on He'll keep a roof over our head, keep us clothed, and keep us fed. If we let him. If a child runs away from their parents house they are no longer under the care of the parents. Even if the parents so badly want them. The child has sacrificed their security. Are you living under your Daddy's roof?

I said that most adults lose childish traits because I know thats not the case with everyone. I truly believe that I still obtain most of the childish traits. Why? Because I trust my Father whole-heartedly. I know He has this all taken care of. I will continue to do as He asks me to do and know that He only has His best interests for me. I will play at the park (literally, and in life) knowing that I've not a care in the world because my Daddy has it all under control.

The First Snowfall

What is it about that first snow fall?

I'm not the biggest fan of snow... not after Christmas... but before Christmas? Yes. After living in a state where the snow seemed to fall a few days before Christmas came I now truly appreciate snow. It gets me in the Christmas spirit!

One of my favorite feelings after that first snow is the desire to curl up in a warm blanket in front of the fireplace with a book. Unfortunately, I've never lived anywhere that was actually possible. But now I am so excited because the house that my husband and I are moving into has a fireplace. My winter fantasy can come true!

I am sure that not everyone agrees with my thoughts on snow... but I really do think it is one of the most beautiful things. The fact that snow flakes are all different shapes, sizes, and designs... just amazes me. Our God is so cool. He puts so much thought into every snowflake, knowing that as soon as it hits the ground it will melt or freeze onto another one, losing all the beauty and wonder it holds.

The fact that He designs each one so special just makes me smile. Why? Because I know that I was designed special too. I have things that no one else has, I might have some personality traits that some others have, but mine are mixed with some that those same people don't have. I was designed for a specific purpose that no one else can do. I'm to be me. And even if its for a split second of beauty or wonder, it will all be for the glory of God. And that, my friends, is what my life is about.

Have a wonderful day. And enjoy looking at all the little things in life.

The Joy Comes With the Morning

*I obviously didn't take these today, I photographed these early October*

 I love noticing the little things. It always amazes me how the most simple things are usually the most beautiful things. One morning, when I went to take Joel to work I saw these leaves on the ground. It was one of the first frosts of the season and it was melting as soon as the sun began to rise. So as you can see, there are some droplets and some bits of frost.

Something that this reminded me of is that one worship song with the line "Though the sorrow may last for the night, the joy comes with the morning!"

Sometimes we go through hard things in life. Things seem cold, there seems to be something keeping us from getting warm, the life that we have seems to be running on low. But we can always know that the sun is coming up.

When the sun comes up the frost melts away. Our skin becomes warm and the frost can no longer cling to us. When we allow God to be our sun, to give us light, to give us direction, take care of us, and keep us warm the frost can't stay. I don't think people understand that there is no actual way for the frost to continue clinging if you're warm. 

Are you allowing God to warm you? To give you life? Are you letting Him be the sun in your life? I know you'll go through hard times, everybody does! But its your decision to continue being cold, frigid, and left in the dark... or look toward God and let Him melt the frost.

Have a great night! I'll be keeping up with this much more now.

:)

Tea Party!

It has been awhile... I know... but here we go! Things have been a little crazy lately! I don't have much time so I'm just gonna post these pictures from a tea party with my wonderful friend Sarah. Needed to take a little break from editing everything else. 

Have a wonderful night everyone!

Summer is ending....

I am writing this from my phone because I'm not able to get on the computer right now...

Anyways, I went down to the Detroit Lakes beach today while the sun was setting... soooo beautiful. Very interesting to see this beach empty. During the summer the sand and grass is filled with children playing, people tanning, and families & friends laughing. I love the activity that goes on every summer.

I am not gonna type anything too long... because for some reason when you write this on the phone it just seems to take so much longer. So goodnight everyone. And sleep good. :)

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Lazy Afternoons...

My favorite day of the week is the day that my hubby has off & we don't have anything planned... This doesn't actually happen every week... but when it does its my favorite day.

This afternoon was beautiful... the weather perfect... the sun just right. So what do we do? Go play Yahtzee in the backyard of course!

We had coffee...

And just enjoyed our time together... and we're still enjoying our time together. And that is why this post is so short. Loves!

Loyalty. Love. Dogs.

I thought that I would take pictures of one of the most loyal companions in my life... my dog.

I got Brindy when I was in 9th grade. She just turned 7 this last summer, and she's amazing.

One of the things that I so admire about my dog is her loyalty, her love for me, and the fact that she always wants to be with me. I am reminded of God's love for us...

No matter how many times we ignore God, do things on our own, or shrug Him off... He so appreciates and loves every moment we spend with Him! My dog follows me around the house, wants to go everywhere I go, and just loves sitting with me. 

I don't think people realize how much God just wants to BE with us. To be included in our lives. So often I hear people say that they've messed up a lot lately so they have some cleaning up to do before they can go to church. WHAT?!?! How backwards is that? And its not even about GOING to church... its about going to God. He doesn't give us a list and say "Here, stop smoking, drinking, swearing, having sex outside of marriage and THAN we'll talk." No. He loves us JUST as we are. Wants us to be His friend. We were created for RELATIONSHIP. 

God will always rejoice over every moment we spend with Him. He doesn't lecture us... He loves us. He wants to be our friend. And He wants to be included in our daily lives. :)

So, from Brindy and me, have a good day! And include God. He just wants to spend time with you.

Milk & Cookies

One of my favorite snacks... MILK AND COOKIES!!

Whenever I have milk and cookies I am ALWAYS reminded of my Grandma Huff. She makes the BEST chocolate chip cookies ever... and even though she has given me the recipe, it never tastes like hers do! 

Secret ingredient: Grandma Love. Meaning.... my cookies will never be as good until I have grandchildren.

Anyways, nothing too inspirational today, just thought I'd brag on my grandma. :D

Have a wonderful day! 

The Beauty of Rest

So much for 365 huh! I started and already missed two days. Haha. Guess I'll just have to make up for them. It was a busy weekend... but anyways, here is some of what I have been able to look at for the past two weeks...

I guess Autumn just reminds of how amazing our God is... (doesn't everything?!) I know that many areas around the world are not able to experience Autumn as this Minnesota girl is privileged to. But this is what it reminds me of....

Autumn is a time for the trees to rest, to rejuvenate themselves. According to sciencemadesimple.com the leaves turn colors and begin to fall because winter is coming (obviously)... During the winter it is too cold for photosyntheses to occur. There is not enough water or light. So, the trees begin to pull back on their "food" supply to the leaves. The trees REST and eat off the "food" they've stored during the summer. 

Going through life we come up against times when there is just not enough to keep us going at the rate or in the way we have been going... thats when REST comes in...

Psalm 116:6-9 (Message) says 'God takes the side of the helpless; when I was at the end of my rope, He saved me. I said to myself, "Relax and rest. God has showered you with blessings. Soul, you've been rescued from death; Eye, you've been rescued from tears; And you, Foot, were kept from stumbling." I'm striding the the presence of God, alive in the land of the living!'

Psalm 37:7 (Amplified) says 'Be still and rest in the Lord; wait for Him and patiently lean yourself upon Him'

Do you see anything similar in these two verses? There are so many other verses to go along with this as well. God doesn't want you to be struggling and working and laboring through life. He wants to take care of it! He wants you to be resting in Him. The amazing thing is... the more you rest in Him, the more you can get done!

Think of it this way; When you are told you HAVE to do something, how willing are you to do it? Are you looking forward to doing it? Or are you just excited to be done with it. BUT, when you are doing something that you DESIRE to do, or that you are doing FOR someone, than you are generally pleased in doing it, knowing what the outcome will be. 

God created us for relationship. He did not create us for working. Yes, there are things that He has in our path for us, things to achieve and do. But what I'm saying is when you are RESTING in Him, you feel happy to do things FOR Him. 

One of the dictionary's definitions of rest: be placed or supported so as to stay in a specified position

We are being supported by God! He is holding us up when we're resting in Him! It doesn't mean that we're doing nothing and laying around all day. It means we are stable in Him.

What's it Worth

I believe I'm going to start a 365 PhotoBlog. Alongside my small thoughts. So, photos everyday, usually with some form of inspiration. I'll be trying different editing techniques, if you are ever interested in any prints or products of my photos please feel free to contact me! :)

On Wednesday my AMAZING husband brought me the most beautiful roses. 

What is it that makes a rose beautiful? I mean... why can some places charge hundreds and hundreds of dollars for a dozen roses, or you can run down the street to Walmart & buy a $10 bouquet? I understand that there are some things that are better... but hundreds of dollars worth of a difference better?!

What I'm trying to get at here... is that we do to roses what we do to people. We give them a price, a worth. And for what reasons? Because one person has grown up in a better city than another? Because this person grew up going to an amazing school, while that person had to drop out to help take care of their mom? What gives one more worth than the other?

When God created us He didn't put a price tag on us! When Jesus died on the cross for our sins he didn't have to pay a larger sum for one person and a smaller sum for another. He died for our sins as a whole. Paid the whole price. Covered everything. Nothing lacking, nothing missing. Our God does not hold one person in higher esteem over another. Our Father is just and fair. The Bible says in Acts 10:34 "... God is no respecter of persons." He does not give one person more value than another. Why do we?

The thing that gets me the most... is that the people that we deem "useless" are the ones that God seems to have gone for in the Bible. Look at all the major "heroes" of the Bible: Moses - major stuttering issue, not to mention he murdered a man. David - avoided going to war with his country (that he was king of...) saw a naked (married) woman on a roof, committed adultery, then killed her husband by putting him on the front lines of a battle they were bound to lose. Peter - had no idea when to shut up, was considered an idiot of his society, denied Christ. But you want to know why I think these people did the most amazing things for God? BECAUSE THEY TRUSTED HIM! They knew there was no way they could do it on their own. They had failed time and time again, and here comes God, and He says He has a plan for them. They realize they have worth!

I'm not saying that if you are an amazing person who has achieved much that you have no chance doing anything for God, oh it is quite the opposite. What I am saying is that we need to realize that we cannot do anything without Him. Sure, we can accomplish goals and maybe get somewhere in life. But all for what? Lets realize that God has a goal for us, He has a certain road He wants us on. And we need to realize that the road He has picked for us isn't a road that leads to destruction, but a road that leads to LIFE. :)

A rose is beautiful, created by the Father, worth so much. So are you. 

Life... Before Death.

As I was driving home today from Detroit Lakes after dropping my husband off at work, I was listening to the local christian radio station. They were going through their little "Thank You for your support" thing and mentioned the folks that were supporting today's programming. It was a family that had lost some loved ones in a car accident and had been encouraged by the radio station in knowing they'll see them again, and looking forward to that day.


Now, this got me thinking... Not saying that I don't look forward to seeing my loved ones that have gone before me... but how often do you hear people talk about how excited they are to go to Heaven? I myself am extremely excited... but I've always felt kinda like I wasn't "Christian" enough because when people would talk about how excited they were to go to Heaven I was always like "YEAH!" but at the same time I'm thinking... but I know I'm too young now... I'm excited to be living life here!  Today I was having a conversation with my amazing God... and I realized that I'm not waiting to go up and be with Him when I die. I spend my time with Him now! 


I read a book by Shane Claiborne called The Irresistible Revolution (which I HIGHLY recommend to anyone not exactly pleased with the state of the church) which has an amazing statement in it. Here is an excerpt (I've made some quotes bold for emphasis):

'If you ask most people what Christians believe, they can tell you, "Christians believe that Jesus is God's Son and that Jesus rose from the dead." But if you ask the average person how Christians live, they are struck silent. We have not shown the world another way of doing life. Christians pretty much live like everybody else; they just sprinkle a little Jesus in along the way. And doctrine is not very attractive, even if it's true. Few people are interested in a religion that has nothing to say to the world and offers them only life after death, when what people are really wondering is whether there is life before death.                    'As my teacher Tony Campolo used to ask, "Even if there were no heaven and there were no hell, would you still follow Jesus? Would you follow him for the life, joy, and fulfillment he gives you right now?" I am more and more convinced each day that I would. Don't get me wrong. I'm excited about the afterlife... And yet I am convinced that Jesus came not just to prepare us to die but to teach us how to live. Otherwise, much of Jesus' wisdom would prove quite unnecessary for the afterlife. After all, how hard could it be to love our enemies in heaven? And the kingdom that Jesus speaks so much about is not just something we hope for after we die but is something we are to incarnate now. Jesus says the kingdom is "within us," "among us," "at hand," and we are to pray that it comes "on earth as it is in heaven." No wonder the early church was known as the Way.' (pg. 117)

Honestly, I'd love to type that whole chapter, but I know it would get too long. I really encourage you to buy the book and read it and apply much of what he says to your life. 


Anyways, back to the reason I wrote that part. How many of us are truly living at peace? The "Kingdom of Heaven" is to be at true peace with ones self. Not just in Heaven... but here on Earth! God is showing me daily what it means to 'abide in Him'. I truly allow Him into every area of my life. And I can HONESTLY say that if there were no heaven or hell, I would choose to accept Christ as my Lord and Savior and live every day walking in the steps He's set before me. Because HE is the reason that I am at peace. HE is the reason that I'm not concerned about finances, living situation, or anything else that this life throws at me. I live through Him, He lives in me; A contradiction that makes more sense to me than anything in the world. 


So that is my [not so small] thought for the day. And you can be expecting these much more often... daily hopefully, for it is becoming a part of my devotion time with my Father.

Our Beautiful World...

If you've never heard the song by G.S. Megaphone called "Beautiful World" I highly suggest doing so. I can't play music on this blog so instead I'll write out the lyrics for you to read.... The song is such a great expression of the love the artist has for what God has done here for us...

"I'm lying in bed, but I can't sleep.
It's like I'm locked in this bed
On the greatest night you've made so far.

I take a walk outside beneath the stars,

And as I look all around me,

I remember how in love we are.

It's a beautiful world. What a great idea.

Your beautiful song is all I can hear.

I see the wind moving through the trees,

And it reminds me of how your spirit moves in me.

I lie in the grass, and stare at the sky,

And thought I've seen it a thousand times

It looks new tonight.

It's a beautiful world. What a great idea.

Your beautiful song is all I can hear.

Your beautiful colors surrounding me.

Your beautiful art is all I can see. It's a beautiful world.

Good night my prince. I'm going to try to rest.

Oh but here comes a sunrise too beautiful to miss."

After thinking about this song I decided to go through google and get some photos of our beautiful world... The true beauty that we take in everyday...

Now obviously if you live in Minnesota... you will indefinitely see things like this... this winter scene is just so peaceful... so beautiful.... so.... God. To think that He created this! To think that He created the snow to fall just so... the wind not to blow... just for our viewing pleasure... wow....

Have you ever looked at the moon and really thought about it? The other night Joel and I were driving and I was just amazed in looking at the moon. I thought about the fact that the moon is there... practically every night... but not many of us put true thought into what goes on. Sure we learn it in school... but who actually uses that stuff anyways? ;) As I was looking at the moon the other night I just really thought about how God set it up so that even in the evening... there would be light for us. He set the moon and sun up just so the sun would reflect off the moon. That just floors me... Christ said there is no dark where light is... and I think its pretty cool He used the moon as an example we look past everyday... something that seems so simple and ordinary to us is really way way WAY more complicated than we ever choose to think! God is so neat.

These flowers just make me smile. First because my mom's favorite color is lavender... so she first pops into my mind when I see them. And second because in their pure simplicity.... they're so beautiful! And whats even better is the more there are... the more beautiful of a scene it creates. Do you think God was possibly showing us that when we come together with others... when we join hands with people.... when we have similar visions and dreams... that we create something breathtakingly beautiful?

Ah... the rainbow... something God placed on this earth as a reminder of the promise He made to Noah and all mankind. I think it goes so much deeper than that though. I think that a rainbow has so much more significance when you think of where it comes from... It comes from moisture in the air.... the sun reflecting off the the water droplets. Think about what this requires... Rain has fallen... the earth is now drying up from the light of the sun... and a beautiful rainbow appears. We may go through some very damp things in our life. Sometimes we may feel so "soaked" that we'll never dry and there is no real chance of anything looking on the upside... then all the sudden... the rain slows... the sun comes out... and a rainbow appears. Its like a sign from God saying "Look! I know what you've been through seems crappy... but I've got a plan... I'm bringing you out of this! And I'm using what you've been through to make something beautiful!"

Oh do I look forward to the day when I can see something like this first hand... We in Minnesota definitely don't have the privilege of viewing this on a daily basis! Seems so right though... the life that surrounds the water. The fresh green... the colors so vibrant. Kinda like when we hang out by the Living Water... We thrive! We are vibrant in color and health! We dwell in the place with Him... and our fruit shows it!

The sunrise... There is truly nothing to describe a sunrise. I guess I so often see it as God getting out His canvas every morning and saying... "Alright... this one is just for you... and its more beautiful than the last.... I've been working on my strokes." Every morning the sky is painted with hues of pink and yellow... orange and purple... a little more of some and less of others... but always vibrant and beautiful. I think in a way it shows us that our lives are never to be the same thing day after day... but instead the hues will change... there may be more of this in our lives and less of that. But there is still a sunrise... still a day that is dawning... and we get to live it for Him.

This blog was really such a mixture of so many different things! But I love the song and I needed pictures to go with it... Here is a music video of this song... I highly suggest watching it and thinking about all God has done... GS Megaphone - Beautiful World

Til next time!