Community...

Just feel the need to share my love for this coworker of mine...

It was her birthday yesterday, so we spoiled her with Spongebob goodies and star crunches!

Simply fun times.
♥

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first... -Hebrews 3:13-14

Apple of His eye..

 

Someone recently blessed me with the words "you are the apple of God's eye... He is for you" etc...

And it brought tears to my eyes and encouragement to my soul..

But still in the back of my mind I wanted to chalk it up as nice; I was really tempted to think she was just being nice.

Then I came across this...

"Come, O Zion! Escape, you who live in the Daughter of Babylon!" For this is what the LORD Almighty says: "After he has honored me and has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye- I will surely raise my hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them. Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me. -Zechariah 2:7-9

How encouraging is that??

It's actually scripture.. not just human encouragement, but scripture... all that's left to do is let it sink in!

Mark Batterson says Balance is a Mirage...

Another faith-hero...



Batterson's Blog and on Twitter...

Last week he wrote about balance and how it's a mirage...

...I know that some of you are getting depressed, but this shouldn't be depressing. It should be incredibly liberating. Leadership is all about making the right adjustments. When you get out of balance, you know how to recalibrate. ...

My point? Embrace the imbalance. Such is life. We've got to continually evaluate the tensions in our lives and recognize where we need to recalibrate. For me, it's been family. I'm scaling back my travel because I sensed an imbalance. So I don't know where you're imbalanced, but I know you are! ... ... keep reading...

Honestly this rocked my boat a little as I first started reading, only because I just adore balance. It's just so desirable and seemingly attainable!

But I get it, and I know there's a lot of truth in this wise post.

I'm going to have to give it some thought though, and maybe keep my responses between my journal pages for now, but I know it's wise to consider any/all imbalances and act on them, so here's to recalibrating... ♥

PS- another blog post from today about knowing your themes... Great stuff.. I thought this one through a little earlier.. Maybe I'll share another time.

PPS- One of the best books I've read happens to be by Mark B: In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day... I have it for lend, but Claire already has first dibs :)

Beach Visits... and a new signature!

Oh the glorious beach... Determined not to take this place for granted! ♥

Finally added my signature too!! (Thanks to my savvy husband!)

I've been oogling over everyone else's for some time now... 

like Mary's...

and Happy Together's...

and Courtney's...

  and most photographers I know :) 

Love it, love it! thanks for the inspiration, ladies!! ♥

Downtime reflection... (via Flickr)

JK Beach-visit 9/18 Originally uploaded by kimalford

Just re-discovering that I can blog straight from flickr... kinda cool. (I realized this once before when I had a Teach My People photo stream going, but it didn't stick)...

Enjoying a little more down time.... it's been a crazy week with Dad in the hospital. But as of today, three days and two stents later, he's home and healing!!

And Jeremy's been gone to Asheville all week (since Tuesday AM) for the Vineyard Worship Leaders' Retreat .... Miss him like crazy, but as he said on the phone last night, loving each other is so sweet, but it's nice to 'get it from the Source!' .....it sure is!! And I couldn't be more thankful for that!

I've been forcing allowing myself some good quiet / downtime this week, and it has really been excellent!

It's so easy to fill our days with what feels like love ... (for me it's messages, texts, conversations, and anything resembling a hug or a snuggle!).... not bad, but not what ultimately satisfies either.

This week I've been reminded of the importance of setting down the phone, iPod, computer, etc. and being still. listening. journaling. breathing. dreaming.......

It's kind of difficult to let God's love soak in sufficiently at 90 MPH. Truly, it's impossible.

And I really don't want to continue trying.

It's good to slow down.
Give, serve, cook, clean, work, play... and REST.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. -Matthew 11:28-29, NIV

Pretty sure it's the secret ingredient ...to Peace and Joy and knowing True Love (God's Love)!

Jesus said it Himself: Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. -John 15:4, ESV

......thanks for listening/reading as I reflect, if you made it this far ;)

Pray you enjoy some downtime too...... ♥

Not about us...

Last night...
Kayla: What does Jeremy do all day anyway?
Me: He designs and builds websites..
K: *blank stare
Me: Like stjameselementary.com... He puts it all together and makes it work.
K: Oh, because he knows it's for me??
Me: Well, no, he didn't actually do the SJE site, I was just using that as an example...

...So easy to forget it's not all about us.. But it's not.

Love that child.. and that web designer... Thankful for their love. Sometimes it feels like it is just for me, but that's not the point, huh?

Jordan-outing...

Last weekend Wellspring Church had their first movie night at The Market Common... and since our friend-cousin was working, we decided to see if we could get his lovely wife and kiddos out of the house. Clearly, it worked! :)

I even got to help feed the babies! :) :)

...not kiss them (because their immune systems can't handle it just yet)... but I got to hold and help, and it was wonderful... :)

♥♥

More about the Jordans'

...and more pics..

Chicken Pot Pie recipe..

This is like a 60 minute, $12ish meal... and will last you a few days (or serve at least 6 people) if you make a large one like this...

Layer ingredients:

2 cans chunk chicken breast, drained

2 cans drained Veg-all [or something like it]

1 can cream of mushroom soup

Make Crust & Pour over other ingredients:

2 cups slef-rising flour

2 sticks margarine (softened)

2 small cans evap. milk

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes or until top is brown.

Serve hot. mmmm.

Notes:
*This is the recipe doubled because we love leftovers [and this particular recipe is better reheated.]
*I realize as I type this out that I didn't use 'self-rising' flour and, in that case, I should add a tspn of baking powder.
*I also halved the crust ingredients this time, so it's a good bit thinner than this recipe would make. (still tasted awesome & we took in less flour & margarine... not a bad idea if you ask me. :)

Hope you try it. And hope you ENJOY! ♥

Studying John...

I've recently started studying the Gospel of John with a few girls, and it's just plain great!

Tonight we drew out The Navigator's Bridge Illustration. (Basically a pictorial view and Scripture-trail through the message of Christ)

Good stuff...

Thankful for these ladies to journey and consider such things with!

Saturday sewing...

It isn't often that I have the time (or is it a lack of courage?) to engage in this sweet craft on my own [apart from my teacher's availability during our Tuesday-sew-nights].

But recently, I actually made the time, and mustered enough courage, to put my skills to the test.

(I found & watched some tutorials earlier in the day and went for it based on those... It worked all right, but there were some 'issues' with my seam allowances and the width of the flap being more than the body once it was hemmed... [ugh] I would show you an interior picture, but it was just too messy; I'd rather solve the problem and then post the redo. :)

Speaking of redos...

I did keep going long enough to get started on my second try...

It was fun to finally play a little and have to figure some things out for myself!

Can't say it's better than having a teacher nearby though. ;)

*Addendum: I updated the sewing projects album :)

Ada and Tuller...

We finally had our first home-visit with our cousin-friends! ♥

(we're pretty fond of their parents too :)

Ministry or Manipulation? [Big difference...]

J and I had a extraordinary time catching up with friend and mentor Chip Judd yesterday...

Some food-for-thought from our conversation:

Manipulation is giving for the sake of getting one's own need met... But Ministry is giving for the sake of meeting another's need. [period. No strings attached.]

Tshirt apron...

I want to make one of these super-bad.. Maybe tomorrow on my day off!! :)

Here's the How-to: Ruffles & Stuff blog

My husband, the graphic-designer, launched his own site...

Of course I'm impressed, but I'll be quiet now and let his work speak for itself... :)

http://jeremypalford.com/

Love Does...

This is not my motto -officially- but I would have to admit it's a great one...

I recently started following Bob Goff (on twitter & here in blog-land) and I noticed he often ends his tweets with 'love does'..... for a while I was pretty confused [love does... what?? what does love do? why not finish the sentence?]

Well after reading a little more over at bobgoff.com I realized what in the world he was getting at.... Love DOES... as in Love is not stagnant or still... it speaks, it listens, it heals, it comforts... it DOES whatever is needed and beneficial... [kinda like love is a verb]... it's in motion and won't be still as long as need exists!

one of my favorite recent-tweets/quotes by my newest hero Bob Goff:

Decide to do one thing this year that would be heroic for you, and then don't tell anyone; instead, do it. Love does

SandS update...

 

It's been a while since we've posted on our J&K Sunsets and Sushi site, but finally, our 5-month recap has been posted...

Hope you enjoy! :)

beach visits & dreaming...

We've had some sweet weather, and sweet chances to enjoy the beach this season.....

We thought the moon was full when we went kite-flying the weekend before, but just a few days later, we got to see the real thing!!

This glorious view wasn't even the best part....
The really good stuff happened as we laid on the blanket and watched the day fade and the stars begin to show, and we talked and dreamed and considered what to do with our fleeting time and brief lives... 

I love feeling small like I do at the ocean
-and especially under the big night sky!

Life goes so fast. 

It's priceless to slow down and consider the days and options ahead...

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." -Ephesians 2:10

And thankfully (Ephesians reminds me) it's more about 'listening' then planning... 

Here's to slowing down, dreaming big, and following wherever He leads... ♥