a winner, unrelated images & my thoughts

wishing each of you a happy friday!

since this post seems to go south after a series of completely unrelated, yet never posted images,

i'll go ahead & share the winner from the Vintage Tea Collection.

thank you again jen!

 

Lesliesaid...

What fun!!! I would love anything from her!!

9:24 AM, October 26, 2011

 congratulations leslie!

~thursday evening journal entry~

this has been one of those weeks where i've been humbly reminded i can not possibly do all things well in my own strength. but He does meet me right where i'm at & His mercies are new every morning.

i stayed up late last night & woke at 5:30 to be at the breast center at 6:30 for my mammogram.

usually that would be enough to have me frazzled all day. despite myself (being a nurse) any trip to a doctor sends me down the road of what if's. it's ridiculous really. but it's true.

however i forgot about that appointment as soon as i pulled back onto the highway with all the morning commuters. i was immediately lost in thought. my mind is a little overloaded right now. i've been trying to make some work decisions, trying to come up with lovely destinations for photo sessions, financial concerns, trying to make sure i don't forget a friends birthday...you know how it is.

i popped in my new david crowder christmas cd. yes i did. & actually i'm a little late. i usually crank up whatever the latest christian christmas cd is early october. a couple years ago it was the casting crowns cd. followed by the chris tomlin christmas cd & now this year, david crowder.

i thought to myself how i would love to enter the holiday season with a peaceful expectant spirit.
to enter the holiday season with a new focus on where the Lord is leading me both spiritually and professionally. deep breath. 

later, i grumbled at my husband when i got lost trying to find a pretty park today. yes, google map landed me smack dab in the middle of a culdesac. 

noticed that today might just have been the peak day for the glorious leaves here in atlanta. pure beauty.

snapped at a retailer (via email of course) for giving me what i thought was poor customer service only to be humbly proven wrong. i had the dates wrong in my head of a transaction i thought they'd messed up. gosh i hate being wrong after i've been the goob. humbling moment #478.

i ran into jcrew looking like a farm girl. a total mess. baggy cuffed jeans. oversized shirt. toms. ballcap. the sales lady looked me up & down. no lie. i'm certain she was dying to tell me that old navy was across the street & they were probably more my speed.

she sweetened up when i purchased something.

on to williams sonoma where i was reminded that at age 45 i've never cooked my own turkey for thanksgiving but would love to give a try this year. wish made me miss dan's mom. sigh.

( do you feel like you're in the middle of  reading "if you give a mouse a cookie" ?)

had a conversation with someone who i think is one of the most amazing positive lovely women i've ever not met in real life. follow? she humbled me with words of love & affirmation. i hung up thinking, gosh if she saw me today or heard my negative thoughts she'd never had said all those blessings. kind of a divine appointment really.

came home & snapped at emily. poor kid. can't win for losing. clenching mom of the year title. again.

ran 2 miles. should be running much further at this point.

asked my sweet husband who's glass is always half full to take me to dinner. i begged for caffiene as i about fell asleep on the ride over. i rambled. he listened. he smiles. he tells me he thinks the world of me. i don't deserve him. really i don't.

i'm real deal kinda girl who has days where i'm humbly reminded i can't do it all. i like to think i can but reality loves to slap me back in to my place. i fail at much. i drop the ball. i don't volunteer enough & i forget to respond to emails. i work best when things are in their place. preferably clean and tidy. 

& today things were not clean & tidy.

i made two beds at 5pm.and i am ocd enough to tell you, that alone can completely undo me.

i left laundry in the washing machine. wet. for hours. i know right?

but here it is,

i know that i know that His mercies are new every morning. 

i know that i know He is faithful & true.

i know that i know His name is a strong tower.

& i know that i know that He still loves me even when i fail....

Jesus still loves me.

this i know.

 

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
   where does my help come from?
 My help comes from the LORD,
   the Maker of heaven and earth.

psalm 121.1&2