Tiny Prints Deal

Have you heard of Tiny Prints? Well they are a card and stationary site that has some really adorable cards, especially for the Holidays.  I know it’s only the end of October, but before we know it cards will need to go in the mail, so I have a coupon for you!

Before we get there, how cute are these cards for the Holidays:





Seriously adorable!  So here’s the deal.  If you click on this link over to Tiny Prints, you can save on your Holiday card purchase with a special $10 off coupon!  What a great deal for seriously adorable cards starting at just $.60/card.  You can even personalize the backs of the card, say with a holiday letter!  Here’s the link:

http://tinyprints.tellapal.com/a/clk/40R4V

Happy holiday shopping!

Come on in

Let me show you around.  Though she’s a little different than we imagined on the outside, in the inside she’s just right.  Created and built with love in 1960, she’s only had 2 owners.  We’ll be number 3.  Amazingly the interior has not changed much since then and to our excitement, she’s in wonderful condition.

We love the 1960’s charm.  From the hollow core doors and flat panel cabinetry to the copper-esque drawer pulls on the hallway closets.  We just wish at times, that she also had her original bathrooms.  Were they pink or blue or green?  Although she’s been lovingly updated in the bathroom realm so much of her history still shows.  Including carpet on the walls in the basement bedroom.  Really retro!

You may wonder, since we’re in the business of home remodeling and house-flipping, what we’ll do.  Well we’re going to live with her just as she is for quite some time.  Oh, we’ll paint walls and even put up some wallpaper to fancy her up, but no gutting.  We’re happy she’s in very livable condition and again, we love the 1960’s vibe going on.  Oh we have dreams for her for sure, but we’re happy to keep the projects small at first and live in her.  See what suits us.  Besides, we need to save up a bit:)

But here she is on the inside, almost half of the 2200 square feet.  Inside she boasts 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, more than I ever imagined we’d be able to afford, so we’re really reveling!  In the coming days or weeks I’ll give a little play by play for the rooms.  There’s much to be excited about so hopefully you will enjoy walking along. 

Starting things off is the 3/4 master bath off the bedroom.  It’s newly tiled and looking good as of right now.  Not sure what it is with beige, but these previous owners followed every HGTV rule of thumb to go neutral.

This is second bedroom across from the master.  We pray it will one day be filled with baby things, but we’ll see.  For the indefinite future it will be empty.
Third bedroom on the main level will be my “office”.  I scored a gorgeous custom wing back chair at work the other week for 97% off so it’s the jumping point for this room.  I’m sure it will morph into office/craft/dressing room.
The linen closet.  Seriously I wish you could see it in person.  It’s quaint and cute and more storage than we’ve ever had.
Dining room.  This for us, surprisingly was a must.  Many houses got nixed because they were without formal dining.  Who knows why, but it just seemed important.  By the way, the master and second bedrooms have windows like this as well.
That’s it for now, the rest will come later.  Be ready for the main floor bath, basement, kitchen and living room.  Just looking at pictures is getting me excited!

life giving

“One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they set out, and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. And they went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?” (Luke 8:21-25)

He is our anchor. 
Jesus.  Messiah.  Jehovah. 
Mocked, spurned, aching, tired. 
Weeping, rejoicing, loving, life-giving. 

Dirt stirred by ancient sandals tied, His feet walked, trickle of rain He felt.  Advocate, with voice great, “Forgive them Father, for they know not,” fighting for victory, so undeserved by me.  He must repeat, ten-fold those simple, powerful words, day after day, for me.  For who can stand before; not I.  And yet, I can.  And you can. 

I AM said come and I went.  Heart set on hope; not of one uncertain, but of one promised, long before time began.  His refuge is better than anything this life can offer; He commands the waters and the winds and they obey. 

Do you believe He can calm the storms today?

Welcome to 3224

Sorry for the lapse in posting but we’ve been busy.  Over the past week we fell in love with 3224.  She may not look it on the outside, but she’s incredibly beautiful on the inside.  Strong and sturdy, with aged bones, 50 years young.

We’ve been looking for at least a year and finally felt at home here, within her walls.  She reminds me a little of the house I grew up in mixed with my grandparents home.  Very similar to our last house love on Abercrombie.   Although we haven’t signed the papers yet, not until the end of November, all contingencies have passed so essentially she’s ours.

Now our heads are filled with floor plans and paint colors and room layouts.  Grand plans for years and years down the way…but for now we plan to embrace her just where she’s at.  Sit with her in the wee hours of the night and let her speak to us.  Showing us how to preserve and honor and love her well.  We’re in love with 3224.  Our home to be.

I’m hoping you’ll enjoy walking along with us as we embrace our new home and watch it change as the months go by, little by little.  Maybe even stop on by, we’d love to have you!

When Life is Busy

A whir of minutes turn to hours and before I can glance up, the day is over.  One glimpse back over my shoulder, regaling moments clipped on the pegboard in my mind, registered as memories, helping to remember.  These days have been filled with life, with joy, and finally with the crisp air of the season changing…crimson and ochre.

I’m not sure where the weeks have went or when the words slowed…but I’m anxious to be back here…writing, living, communicating.  I’ll be back, famous words re-spoken.  So many things are on my mind, ready for a day of quiet clarity to sort through it all.  It’s coming and until then, enjoy a memory unclipped from August at the fair.



until then…

beautiful day

The fields heave with fruit abundant, for the harvest is ripe.  All around the threshing floor is full, sheaves fallen.  For He knows the time and hour, the day and season are in His hands.  We are satisfied, hearts full in quiet trust.

 

"Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.” 

John 4:35

Crops are gathered, work hard and toilsome, but the reward sweet, like honey.  Silos overflow, not due to human hands but evidence of the Grower.  How quickly we forget, laboring day in and out, in vain.  With human hands, building up, mouths speaking from human hearts.  Rooted down deep, there lies within, the spirit of the living God.  Yahweh.  Jehovah.

In our midst He lives and moves and has His being.  Let us not grow weary or faint, for He, like an oxen great, dips down beneath, our yoke bearer.  Our arms are weak, burdened by pride, emptying to Him who on our behalf, makes us strong.  The harvest is ready, white and beautiful.  Who will sow,  who will reap?  Non the matter, for if we take open hands, calloused over, and offer to Him, He will bring in life abundant.

”This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Psalm 118:24

Book Review: When the Hurt Runs Deep

All around us, day in and day out, people come and go and I’m certain so many are hurting.  This world, fallen and broken, does not reflect Eden, where hurt was swept away.  We live with hardship, pain, doubt, denial, and deep, deep hurt at the things our eyes have witnessed.  From famine and tsumani, suicide and cancer, to the day by day aching's, as we wait, wonder, and ponder.  Our hearts often question, “why me?”, “why now?”.

One of my favorite bible study authors Kay Arthur, faces these wonderings, ponderings and questions regarding hurt and pain that surround us in the world in her new book When The Hurt Runs Deep: Healing and Hope for Life’s Desperate Moments.  She offers a fresh, straight forward approach to helping us answer these questions in a way that not only glorifies the Lord but offers healing for the heart.  Divided into 18 chapters the  book begins with a glimpse at a few biblical lives as they faced trials and hurt that came their way.  She has not only seen and witnessed hard times but has walked this road personally, and it shows within the book.  Her wisdom is biblical, personal, and applicable.

The book walks through anger, suicide, the question of why, and suffering among others and throughout the book nuggets of wisdom abound to not only comfort the heart but to bring the readers mind to Christ.  She mentions in the beginning that the “soveriegnty of God…is the very key that unlocks and heals our hearts (25)” to which I firmly say Amen.  And she spends the rest of the book walking through hard issues to which she continues to go back and rest in the place of our Sovereign God.

As someone who has walked through hard things and had my eyes witness hurt and pain firsthand, like so many of you, this book was a great reminder of who I trust in, why I do, and how redeeming and good His love is.  I would definitely recommend this book to anyone.  It’s a great resource and the appendix offers a great study guide for two or more.

Disclaimer: I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group as part of their book review program Blogging for Books.