Bringing blogging back?

Of course I realize instagramming (+journaling - see previous post) finally smothered my blog habit, but yesterday I was looking for a particular post from so many years ago, and it made me miss the daily documenting I had going...

So, some highlights...

(left to right, row by row)

• Looks like Sweet Girl loved her week at Look Up Lodge! Can't wait to see her face-to-face and really hear all about it!!

• Cade with glasses!! 😍👓🎉 <--(hearteyes,glasses,partypopper:)

• Jeremy finally relented and pushed me on the cart through Sam's club. Buying toilet paper has never been so much fun! ;)

• Prov30 - when I don't have a reading plan in action, I default to Proverbs. Always craving more wisdom & this book never disappoints.

• Reading & snapchat - yeah, snapchat. It's a love-hate thing:) Kayla's on there which makes me love it - & now @jessaconnolly which makes it better - and sometimes I post things too.. // Also almost finished with #DoOverbook. Realized yesterday I've been reading the same three or four authors for a few years now (Jen Hatmaker, Donald Miller, Mark Batterson & obviously Jon Acuff) - all good, definitely some of my faves, but also makes me think it's time to mix it up a bit. Started When God Comes to Church (by Raymond Ortlund) this morning - and yay it's good! Plus, refreshing to have a new voice in my reader head! (ps- this is our 'church read' at the moment too. bonus motivation.)

• Saturday Sabbath date-days - best act of obedience ever: six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. Why in the world did we wait so long to get onboard with this one?? It's work in progress - resting. Sabbath-ing. But it is glorious and life-giving, and I pray we never go back!

• Run-walking- still alive & well over here. Posting fewer #kimarieruns on insta, but still working to stay consistent and diligent - and the goal of 10,000 steps a day sure doesn't hurt! (Yay, Fitbit! Yay, Skleber, for passing me her old one!:)

• Prek! - honestly didn't think I'd see another year of you. And here we are. Fully staffed (finally!!!!!:) and only six on our roster to start with!! It's been a sweet couple of days getting back into the routine. - I can't help but be a little nervous about the workload revving up / becoming unmanageable, but for now I'm thanking God for a sweet start!

• And finally CLUBS + missions talk - loved talking about South Africa & Clubs in the City to some VBS kiddos last week. (Honestly didn't realize Miss Sheri posted this story until just now - pretty much sums up my missions talk - kinda:)! ♥

...I don't anticipate such lengthy updates to continue - but it's Sunday and the mood struck, so there you have it!♥♥

public vs. private

No shortage of words here - just been writing them on paper and in private places lately - lovetrenches.blogspot / @lovetrenches

writing privately allows me to not strive
to really think and pray
and dig deeper for the truth and hope within me

it alleviates the people-pleaser in me
- reminds me my value is not tethered to others' thoughts or opinions of me


In the book First Things First, Stephen Covey talks about the importance of private victories before public ones - that's what I'm going for - to build these habits into my character...

"The first three habits, 1. be proactive, 2. begin with and end in mind, and 3. put the first thing first, are grouped together in a category called private victory. Private victories are personal and relate to you as an individual person." (Seven Habits, source)

"Public victories are built on the private victories of the first three habits. To be publicly successful in a deep or real way, you should first build the first three habits into your character. To try to do things another way is building on a false foundation and will bring about only short-term results." (Seven Habits, source)

Happy New Year + reading through the bible

flipagram

As this new year begins, the word resounding in my head and heart is HABIT. 

I feel like my reading, thinking, & social habits -or non-habits- are what colored last year most. The past several years I've seen my husband develop the habit of reading through the bible in a year. And I've never had the guts to join in - until now.

This year I hope to develop important habits for important reasons - 

READ to sharpen & renew.

RUN to gain strength & endurance.

EAT to nourish.

WORSHIP to connect.

LOVE to connect & restore.

REST to refuel.

TAKE PHOTOS to celebrate & remember.

celebrate, remember, nourish, refuel, connect, restore, sharpen & renew
yes, those are the things I wish to characterize my years.

Word(s) for a new year...

Well, it's getting a bit late in the month of January to be talking about new-years-stuff, but because my track-out expands late into the month, I get three weeks of new year's dreaming! And I'm so glad! For Christmas I asked for Lara Casey's #Powersheets and they've really helped me get a handle on some long term thoughts and monthly goals.

So one of the exercises there - and out here in blogland is to choose a word for the year- to guide and inspire... my first was glean. hence the image of books and journal. but I couldn't stop there. After going through the pre-work in the Powersheets, my word is ask -applying to both physical asking and prayer. As I continued to think and pray and consider years past and the ones ahead, I had a few other words I couldn't shake: possibilities and invest.

So instead of one word for the year, I have four. :)

possibilities- are endless. pay attention & seize the best ones.

invest- love, listen, serve, spend yourself on behalf of others.

glean- read, pray, journal, repeat.

ask- dream big. pray hard. think long.

about the books- 

The top book, The Greatest Gift, is actually a December (advent) devotional. I didn't quite finish it in December, but it's so life-giving, it stays on the list.  

And the second- Conscious Discipline LIVE is actually a set of DVDs borrowed from a special ed teacher at my school. It's excellent and so many of the strategies will even work in PreK. 

The one I'm in the midst of is The Circle Maker. It is not your average book on prayer. It is severely expanding my mind and infusing my prayers. Thankful for this one. 

fourth- A Million Little Ways. The subtitle is 'discover the art you were made to live' -  really looking forward to reading it. 

fifth- Shark Tank book. No business yet. Just gleaning. :) 

sixth- Shiny red moleskine, still in the plastic-wrap! Oh yeah! ;)
This info-gathering will certainly be gradual, but here's to some good reads for the weeks/months to come.

Storyline book...

Storyline by Donald Miller.

Second book of the new year!
(Winter track-out time is certainly on my side!)

This one is rocking me in a different, more personal way than Love Does.

It's a workbook and therefore a process that takes time and is best not shortcutted.

I highly recommend it for helping focus dreams, ambitions, and aspirations!

Love Does.

http://bobgoff.com/lovedoes/

Best book I've read.. Maybe ever.

Love-filled adventures from a kind soul with a heart of gold!

Blogland, Let me know if you need a copy! 
Don't miss this treasure!
♥ ♥

so many favorites...

2012, like any year, had it's share of bitter and sweet, lovely and difficult moments.

Just wanted to capture a bit of the sweet...

My goals for the year were simply focused on photography & reading... 

Here's to more reading, more photoing and more goodness in 2013...
Happy New Year! ♥

July goodness...

Enjoying the beach, soaking up time with friends and family, catching up on reading, and even getting in a few photo-shoots...

What a sweet month it's been...

Just a few more days and we'll be back to Raleigh and back to work... and before long, back to the grad school grind!! :)

autism connections

This book was so great to read as my first real introduction to autism. From a therapist's point of view, the gamut was covered from savants to extreme cases. Thankful for the wisdom imparted and even for the questions that remain.

If I learned anything at all it's that working to form connections with these little ones is the most important thing we can do for them. (As I learn more and more, I also look forward to working with their parents so they can feel all the more equipped and supported by us as partners in their children's development.)

My little class comes back Wednesday and I am surely looking forward to diving in with them some more! ♥

Heaven Is For Real book...

Finally picked up this little treasure yesterday. And wow. 

By bedtime, I was already half way through.

I was off work yesterday, so I don't know if I'll get through the second half as quickly, but wow. A Bookland customer told me last fall, "If you read this book, it will bless you." True story.

It is certainly blessing me and increasing my faith in a way I crave more than chocolate or even coffee. Definitely recommend this true story of life, death, and resurrection.

(Day 16 of the Beth Moore Bible Study I'm working through was all about Heaven, so I have to give her the credit for pushing me over the edge in finally picking up this read... Verses that spurred my Heavenly curiosity: Hebrews 12:18-24 and Revelation 20:11-15)

Anybody want it when I'm done? ... I'll send it to ya!

Dose of Encouragement...

This devotional: Streams in the Desert by L.B.Cowman.

I have it in book form.

But here it is, written like a blog, for all the world to read. (It's the old-English copy vs. the updated book version.)

It's encouraging and life-giving, and scripture-full.

Even though it's not labeled an 'advent'-anything, it has certainly helped me worship and grow this season. Just wanted to officially recommend it! ♥

Dec.16th was about prayer...

If a person believes he can become powerful in prayer

without making a commitment to it,

he is living under a great delusion.

... 

We must pray to pray, 

and continue in prayer 

so our prayers may continue. 

-Charles H. Spurgeon

Challenge to be Thankful...

In June I read One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp...

You may or may not remember me going on about the wonderfulness of this read...

So, during that time, I
-started this wonderful[ly messy] gratitude journal
-made it to 500!!
-felt a milestone had been reached
-and [amidst the move & transition of life in August] I lost the journal... :|
(For now anyway... I still have hope it will turn up... deep in the bottom of a bag, in the car... somewhere... and if it doesn't, I have it's twin on standby:)

Well, Marie has inspired me to uncover this lost treasure and get going again... Every day in October is the challenge...

at least one thing you're thankful for

-write it down
-facebook it
-tweet it
-blog it
whatever you do...

Want to join us??

Since it's already October first, I'll go first...

My first thankfulness is going to be you. 

...blogland... encouragers.... friends...

I'm thankful for this space 

and you who tarry here 

and comment/text/call 

with your encouragements... 

thanks for all the love! 

Pray you're blessed this day!

♥♥

online reading...

There's some good stuff out there...

a few things I've found enjoyable & beneficial recently...

Love146's love story. Do read this if you have a minute.

I can't tell you how many times I've read it and cried.

What to do with this sorrow? How can I respond? 

(I did send in two images for the 146 Poems of Love project... but my heart is not satisfied... I'm still thinking and praying for more ways to take action.)

Danielle's Take Heart blog: Series of guest posts on adoption (Sept.5-10)

& now her one sweet love adoption fundraiser-giveaway.

Jessi's  FREE monthly home goodness. You can download the goods for free: a September calendar printable, week plan page, aaand a 1Peter2:9 print. Soo lovely!

Truly, I recommend Naptime Diaries all together. Shocker. I know. :)

Robin's marriage post: just... breathe... [at incourage.me]

Bob Goff's tweets: I basically love everything this guy writes. It's full of hope & life & truth. 

He has a book in the works I think. Looking forward to that one.

And I've got to thank Kara [at just1step.com] for the inspiration for this post. 

She's my blogland-Raleigh-friend that I'm hoping to get to know in real life. :)

{her link loves}

Happy reading!

Any favorites to share?

Quitter...

Jeremy & I made it through Quitter this weekend.
(For me at least, this is a testament to the ease of the read!!)

It was not only easy to read, it was quite hilarious and extremely helpful!

I kinda loved every minute of it... (& it's one of only two books I've ever read in so few sittings/days!!)

Whether you like your day job or not, whether you have a big dream in your heart or not, whether you're married or single, employed or unemployed, I'd recommend this book. It's that good. ♥

turning the page...

Finished this beautiful book last night before sleep.

Thankful for this sweet Ann, full of grace, and for the journey of One Thousand Gifts.

As a result of this read, I'm still going strong on my own gratitude journal. It's small and wonderful, and I keep it handy at all times... (It's especially helpful when I'd rather complain.. It daily reminds me of all the great [and ugly-beautiful] things I have to be thankful for...)

With July being our last full month here at home before heading to Raleigh, I'm excited to be starting Quitter by Jon Acuff! (Jeremy's already half way through and continues to encourage me how much I will love this read. --Being the often very reluctant reader that I am, this is a great blessing!:)

Looking forward to closing the gap between my day job and my dream job with Jon Acuff- who works for Dave Ramsey, by the way... (Yep. That puts him waaay up in my book!:)

Happy Friday, Blogland!
♥

It's Not Okay...

Of course lots of things going on in this crooked world are not okay, but whenever this issue arrises, it hits a nerve, and I really just need to get this out... (so thanks for listening/reading along!) ♥

It's not okay that children are trafficked.

It's not okay that little girls -or any girls- are forced into prostitution or pornography.....

that they're abused and used and degraded.

This grates against my soul like no other evil.

I have been torn about how to get involved, what to do, how to help.....

All I can think is that
the problem is too big
and I am too small.

I can't actually see the victims
or recognize them,
nor the perpetrators,
and if I could...
What could I do?
I am untrained.

In his book Primal, Mark Batterson says,

Don't let what you cannot do keep you from doing what you can. (p.46)

How many times am I stopped in my tracks because I can't do it all??

I can't fix the whole problem
so I guess I'll just do nothing.

Why do our brains do that to us??
(or is it just me?)



Rescue Her is one of many organizations already fighting for these little ones.....

I may not be able to do it all, but I can certainly do something.

We sure do drink a lot of coffee around here.

Every morning.

What if I bought Zoe Coffee from Rescue Her instead of the stuff we normally buy?

$10 at a time doesn't feel like much, but it's a start.

What if I talk to my friends who own a coffee house and see what they think about buying Zoe Coffee??


Any causes grating at your soul??
Do they seem too big?
Have you done something anyway?
♥

Lessons in Photoshop...

So, now that my Photography class is done, I'm having the sweet privilege of taking Photoshop (CS3 -not the newest version available)! I always knew the program was cool.. and something I'd like to learn, but seriously, this class has been GOOD!! (twice a week for a month is kind of a lot-- and making me feel busier than I like-- but I can honestly say it's already been worth it!)

So, a few highlights/favorite lessons from the past two weeks...

Our textbook (bought it used..comes w/a CD)

Changing color within a selection! :)

Auto-Align Layers feature:
Before: grandpa and the girls are a little off & After: much better!!
(DOES THIS KINDA BLOW YOUR MIND A LITTLE, OR IS IT JUST ME!?)

Vanishing Point Perspective:
Before: 3 windows and a wreath & After: 4 windows and no wreath!
Umm, Wow.
That seriously just happened!

And then we got to play with our own images/portraits...

Crazy green hair for Sister... :)
Not realistic, but so much fun, & kind of amazing!!

Glad to get to soak it all in..... look forward to fixing up some more of my photog-class pics....

Happy Saturday, Blogland!! ♥

April-read: Primal...

Primal by Mark Batterson

Some of my 'Bible First' inspiration (1% change #2) came from Chapter 5 of this book...

You are what you read. p.75

...the goal of meditation is to get the Bible through us. p.78
(Fuel for my meditation-walks!)

Sweet (cousin) Haylee

The Bible is God's way of initiating a coversation with us. p.82
(if that doesn't make you want to read it, I don't know what will..)

...the goal of knowing the Bible isn't Bible knowledge. The goal of knowing the Bible is knowing God p.83

Those are good words.. Spurrs me on for sure!!