Part of cultivating a good life

is knowing that no matter what happens today,

you have control of your outlook + attitude.

-Becky Higgins

I started the day behind. that's what happens when you wake up late. we signed the birthday cards that had to go in the mail today, ate a quick breakfast, then sped off to school. when I returned home, mark's cell phone was laying on the kitchen table...I called to see if he needed it delivered. this is a bit of our conversation:

"No, I can do without it today. How's your day going?"

"I'm going to Christine's to scrap my recipe book. I wish I could enjoy it. I feel like I should just stay home; I've got too much to do."

"Well, being negative about it should help, so do that."

and then this wise husband of whom I speak, sent me this sweet message later in the day:

"hey sweet, not sure where you are at the moment,

but hope you are in the moment wherever you are."

He keeps me looking for daily bright spots; today it's the creative time that started my Recipe Album. I hope you have someone who keeps you looking for bright spots. Happy Weekend Friends!!

forty two

for 161 days each year, he's married to an "older woman." then today he catches up with me. he had a few requests: egg bake and coffee cake for breakfast (check), chocolate cupcakes like these (check), and dinner at Baldo's (had to be carry out because of a sick little one, but check). I added a few extras along the way to make his day extra special:

he is my closest friend, my other half, the one I go to. he adores his children and genuinely enjoys spending time with them. he enjoys being at home. he's a great conversationalist and a talented writer. I am blessed to call him "mine." Happy Birthday Sweet!

a healing sting

last night when I had mark proof read my blog post, these were a few of his words:

"you can FEEL sad, but you can't BE sad."

ouch! that hurt!

I came back with, "yes... I can BE sad!" I didn't do much more listening after that.

I'm sure that's happened to you. there you are thinking you are so right about a certain issue...then wise counsel shares their wise counsel, and you realize you're not so wise. and you're not so right.

I'm so excited with where the Lord is taking me right now. in our Women's Bible Study on sundays, we're going through Charles Swindoll's book Releasing Worry and Finding Worth as a Woman. and in my monday night study, we're doing Biblical Womanhood by Cindy Hawks. both studies are challenging me, and what I believe.

truth.

where do you find truth?

I'm learning I may have been looking in the wrong places for truth. the Bible is our only reliable source of truth, and yet I have to be honest and say that I've relied on my parents, my friends, my husband, my pastor, the media and many books to teach me truth. while some of these sources can be used as my wise counsel, they shouldn't be my source of truth.

so today I created a truth book. a place to record all the scripture verses I want to focus on. (I'll be sharing that project along with a wellness journal in a future post.)

but for now, it was a really good day for me. I took a good walk, spent time in devotion study, put on a pretty outfit {even though I was staying home all day}, listened to uplifting music, took time to pause, and focused on not being sad. at the end of the day, many of my piles have been eliminated and many of my worries have been given to the only One who can do anything about them. it was a really good day.

so mark, thanks for stinging me last night. it was just what I needed to focus on truth.

together

it was 18 years ago today, that I married my sweet. oh the places we have gone! oh the moments we have shared! oh the dreams we have yet to realize! this is the man God had planned for me. he loves me so unconditionally, so completely, so perfectly. he completes me!

happy anniversary, my sweet!

congratulations mark!

a few weeks ago mark asked me to remind him about the upcoming deadline for photos for his company's employee photo contest. he chose the photos to enter; I got them developed into 8x10 size; and he submitted them this past week. today was the official judging.

mark has always had an interest in photography. he consistently takes many more photos than I, trying for that perfect shot. seems like he may have found one.

the first entry is of connor at age 2 using an electric bubble maker while we were in hilton head on vacation.
the second is of spencer in 2006 at rock mountain bible camp. this has been a favorite photo of ours since it was developed. and now we're even more in love with it, because it...drum roll please...earned FIRST PLACE in the people category and BEST IN SHOW!!

how awesome is that?? when mark called this afternoon to share the good news, I could tell he was in shock. so excited. so surprised. so honored. so I say awesome job sweet! I'm so proud that you stepped out and tried something new!

you can read mark's thoughts on his blog here.