Things done and yet to do...

One of the greatest stress relievers in my life is to be creative!  Since taking this new job as director... it definitely comes with more stress but a bigger staff to dote upon regularly. 

Candy bouquet for staff appreciation week

with the label "You were MINT to be a teacher"

Something else I throughly enjoy is organizing and cleaning... pinterest has been a great help with ideas of how to organize all of the supplies in my office!

 In May I joined a group of ladies from church to work on pillowcase dresses to help those less fortunate.  They were fun and easy to make and it gave me a great opportunity to meet new friends.

I can't dote on everyone else and forget about the amazing man in my life that I get to spend our date nights cooking with and trying out new recipes!

These are some ideas that we have picked out while looking through model homes, art festivals, and home stores for furnishings!  So ready to try some of these ideas!!!

Last but not least... end of the year goodies for my staff that I have recently put together to say thank you and enjoy your summer!

Out of body transition

It has been 6 months since starting a "new" life back stateside.  It has been a whirlwind of a "new" job... a "new" face to face relationship... a "new" set of adventures... and a "new" set of opportunities.

There have been several opportunities where I have met new people that have asked questions of what I have done in the past.  As I start sharing with these "new" friends of what I have been doing the last couple of years... it seems surreal... like I am having an out of body experience... like I am a bystander telling someone else's story.  I struggle with the realization that this was my life in the past and getting others to understand this "new" normal.

Looking back to even a year ago... it seems like it was an eternity ago and a world away.  I was in China... teaching English with Disney... going on amazing weekend adventures to places like Sanya (the Hawaii of China) and Hong Kong.  Even though I lived the moments and was blessed to have these opportunities... it seems like a fairy tale now.

I chose many years ago to live intentionally and with a content heart in every situation.  This has been a new season in my life...yes there have been difficult moments... but it has been good.

I am blessed beyond belief that Christ came to make all things "new" ... we don't have to live in our pasts... whether good or bad... each day is a "new" gift from God!

How will you discover the things in your life that He has made new???

A glimpse of Hollywood

Slowly but surely... I am checking more things off of my bucket list with the assistance of an amazing adventure buddy!

Last weekend, despite both of us being sick, we had tickets to see Chicago and the 4th of July fireworks spectacular at the Hollywood Bowl.  My awesome man drove us the two hours through LA so that we could see some of the sights and an epic concert.

It was a memorable evening!

The invitation...

God does not require our assistance to carry out His plan.

Sometimes he asks or invites us to partner with him but he doesn't depend on us to fulfill HIS perfect plan.

He wants us to work alongside of him much like a father inviting their small child to work on a given project with them.

One of my earliest memories is when my brother was soon to be born.  I needed to vacate the crib, so dad came up with a plan to build a "big" girl bed.  He invited me to assist and being daddy's little girl, I wanted to assist.  I probably was very little actual help but the partnership grew our relationship as father/daughter and created great memories.  It grew my thought process that my dad would always be there when I need him.

He had included me on something that he could have done on his own.  He showed me through this invitation that I was useful... that I was treasured... that I may not be perfect but I could be helpful... that I was wanted... and through all of this I felt valued!

With every invitation ... we have the choice to join in or say no thank you.  What will be your response to HIS invitation???

"God's ways will frequently baffle us but God's will  is sufficiently clear to lead us in the meantime.  God's ways may not be clear to our childlike minds but our way is- at least enough of it to know what obedience requires."- Dale Ralph Davis