Rest (a long one)

(In case you didn't notice, I've decided to try out a "simpler" blog look for a little bit.  I feel like that's the theme of where I'd like to be right now - and I want my blog to reflect that.  Simple, thankful, still.  We may go back to Tricia Nae soon... because she's wonderful.  But, bear with me for now.)

Anyways, I've been wanting to write about REST for a while now.  Mainly because I feel like it's been coming up a lot lately in my life --- first, at my girl's bible study, at church, and then last week at our home-group in a discussion about the Sabbath.  You know how sometimes God just screams things at you?  He's screaming REST at me right now.  

Like most of America, it seems, I never feel like I get enough rest.  

(Not Me)

Last Sunday, our pastor started his sermon by asking: "Why do we live in a culture where so many women believe they can 'do it all' and should 'be everything,' but when asked 'how are you?' they almost always respond 'tired'?  This view comes at the expense of exhaustion and insecurity, not productivity and fulfillment."

Good question. It struck my heart, but I kept right on trucking away... Because that's what I do.  That's WHO I am.

Then, today, his message finally caught up with me - in the most unexpected of ways.

As I write this, Jeff is finally sleeping peacefully upstairs.  He was up (literally) ALL night with TERRIBLE back spasms.  I've never seen him in so much pain --- I literally had to help him even lift his head to take a pain killer....

And, so, this morning... Instead of meeting my parents at 8:30 for our planned "day trip" or showering and heading off to church, we are resting.  I am sitting quietly downstairs - alone, with my coffee, my Bible, and my computer - for the first time in a LONG time.  It feels good.

(Let it be known, I'm not saying that I'm glad Jeff has a debilitating back problem.  Obviously, I wouldn't wish that on anyone! But, I do feel like God works in funny ways.  He needed to get my attention.  Thanks Jeff for taking one for the team!)

(Not my feet)

So... here's what I'm learning:  Rest isn't about SLEEP.  It isn't about the five mornings a week that I wake up and WISH I was "Addy."  (Yes, I sincerely wish I was my dog.) So that I could stay in bed as long I wanted and had absolutely NOTHING on my "to-do" list.  (Heck, she doesn't even have a "to do" list.)  Rest, is about being still... And - maybe more importantly - trusting that God is in control.

(Not my dog)

And, again, I'm brought back to Moses and the Isrealites (which is wild for me, because before this year I never gave the Old Testament a second thought)... God promised them REST in the "promised land," freedom from bondage. BUT, despite ALL the ways God provided for them and showed Himself - umm... the parting of the Red Sea?  Manna falling from the sky?  Pillars of cloud and fire? Seriously people!- they still couldn't trust Him.  They still chose their own way of complaining, and effort, and tiredness.  

And... they didn't enter that rest. 

Can you imagine?  How stupid they were, I think!  But, then, I find myself over and over trying to take the reigns of my life, when time after time God has proven that His plan is good. 

(Also not mine)

In my her study Hoping for Something Better, Nancy Guthrie writes,  

"God does not intend for us to wear ourselves out with meaningless religious activity, filling ourselves with theology, working for him but never knowing what it is to ENJOY knowing Him and be known by Him... There is something better.  And, it's not working harder or trying harder.  It doesn't require more sacrifice on our part.  All it requires  is that we receive what he wants to give us -- that we enter into what he has prepared for us... God is offering us something better... and that something better is rest.  Real rest.  Rest from the weariness of feeling that we can never measure up to God's standards, rest from trying to be good enough or do enough to earn God's favor. The something better is resting in what Christ has done for us, resting in knowing Him and being known by Him. God is holding out to you the gift of rest, the kind of rest that only he can provide."

(...)

And, later...

"To enter God's rest means that we no longer have to depend on ourselves or our resources.  We can lean on God, confident that he will never fail us.  We can depend on him for everything we need, in every situation.  God's rest is for right now, as we choose to trust Him.  He invites us to walk away from fearfulness and worry and anxiety and enter into the rest that is only found in Him." 

This goes for selling our house, or looking for a job, or healing a bad back, or even getting all my papers graded and lesson plans posted before Monday.  How much freedom is in that?  How much REST?

So, today I rest.

(Similar view... but not mine either)

 "The promise of entering his rest still stands." - Hebrews 4:1

"Anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his." - Hebrews 4:10

(Definitely not my baby)

Say a little prayer for Jeff's back... and, thanks for listening to me ramble/preach.  (I'm going to talk "fashion" tomorrow... so have no fear - I won't go totally sermonish on you!)

Happy Sunday!

Decorating an Apartment

I could easily win the "worst blogger" award right now.  Sorry about that.  No excuses really, just lazy and busy.  (Can you be both at the same time? I'm pretty sure I'm doing it.)

Anyways, I have a major decorating itch, but since we are (hopefully) moving in the semi-near future, it seems silly to do anything major at our house.  Besides, my itch is mostly just for a new space to play with... 

I'm loving these colorful kitchen bar stools from CSN Stores.  (Because, everyone knows a loft apartment doesn't have room for a kitchen table.)  How fun are they?

I'm also obsessed with the "gallery wall" right now.  The PERFECT solution to un-paintable walls.  Emily Clark (another blog I love) posted about this recently.  She suggested printing pictures from the internet to frame.  I'm going to take a different twist on this and use pictures from the Anthropologie catalog.  Have you seen the most recent one?  It is FULL of entire page prints of animals doing cool-trendy things. ART I tell you!! (Jeff just rolled his eyes when I told him this idea.  Direct quote: "I looked through that catalog yesterday and it made me HATE Anthropologie. It is ridiculous.  Who advertises clothes like that? And, who pays 50 bucks for a squirrel lamp."  Clearly, I have a ways to go on this idea. Haha!)

 Is it just me, or would this look ah-mazing on my living room wall.  Who doesn't love a llama?

AND, I'm day-dreaming about this beauty from my friend Nikki's new Etsy store, 3 Blooms.  I hesitate to even show it, because someone might buy it... But, she's my friend, so I can just have her make me another one!  (Right Nik?) Again, I feel like painted furniture with color and cute details are a GREAT addition to an otherwise "bland" space.  (Btw, she's having a 3 Blooms giveaway on her blog NOW. Go.)

Oh, my brain is going to EXPLODE!  I love it!

"For Sale" sign is going in the yard today... Ahhh!

For Sale

Do you remember this post about my dreams of a new loft apartment instead of our house?  

Well, be careful what you wish for!  That might just become a reality sooner than I thought...

Jeff and I are officially putting our house "on the market." By "on the market," I mean that we will stick a For Sale By Owner sign in the yard and begin praying that we get just the right offer at just the right time. No hurry, no pressure... But, taking steps toward selling.

This is a bittersweet thing for me.  There are many different factors surrounding this decision.  One of which, of course, is flexibility as we look for a new job for Jeff and think about our next "big adventure."  But honestly, that aside, we have really learned that home-ownership isn't the best fit for us right now in our lives.  We are tired of even the most basic up-keep, and my standards for cleanliness/ organization are too high for a house this size and this age.  I TRULY get so excited thinking about living somewhere smaller and newer.  Plus, I get giddy about a "fresh start" and new challenge for decorating. Getting rid of the furniture we don't like, but need to take up space, and keeping only the pieces we really love, for example.  Literally, my mind is bursting with fun ideas for our new space - where ever that might be.  (You can look for LOTS of posts on that soon!)

All that said, it will still be hard/sad to leave our first home.  

When we bought this house, I figured we'd live here forever. (Or at least until we had too many kiddos for the one full bath.)  And, as we have been taking pictures and putting together a "sale flier," I've realized how much we really have done to make this place reflect US.  I LOVE the old charm to our house.  I LOVE the colors.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE how many friends we've had come through the doors for a party, a Bible study, or a cup of coffee and a good cry.  We have, quite literally, seen lives changed here.  This old house will always hold a special place in our hearts and our story.  :)

May 2008

But, it is just a house.  And, I've come to realize that we can (and will) make anywhere we live a home. *Not to mention, I'll always have this blog to document every.single.room of this house.  (Click here for more pics.) Haha!

So... there's some big news for ya.  (Nope, not pregnant. ;)  Just giving birth to a new chapter of our lives.)

I can't wait to share this journey on my blog; and, more importantly, some of my fun ideas (and fears) for decorating a new space.

Let the fun begin!