tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73263576995988826692024-02-24T01:46:53.619-05:00Playing Sublimelyliving and playing to please a KingPlaying Sublimelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09638497282763008097noreply@blogger.comBlogger220125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326357699598882669.post-85597593103248140892011-02-03T15:59:00.004-05:002011-02-03T16:07:10.954-05:00Playing Sublimely Has A New Web Address!<p>Hello you blogger friends of mine! It has been brought my attention that some of you are unaware that Playing Sublimely has moved! If you were a previous follower of mine here on blogger, I couldn't take you with me. You will need to resubscribe to my blog over at the new site. Beginning back on January 1st, I moved to WordPress! Come over, visit, say hello and get caught up at <a href="http://www.playingsublimely.com/">http://www.playingsublimely.com</a> . I have missed you!</p><p><img alt="Amy" src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee349/GDest07/amyheywood/amysig.png" /></p>Playing Sublimelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09638497282763008097noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326357699598882669.post-8525614521434276282010-12-13T00:00:00.002-05:002010-12-13T00:17:41.071-05:00Open wide your doors!<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHmRZ2_meFMKO3VzwTxkEGkvuflhSk-1NRYzbtthlyHK60uW7JSq-cjrckGHsAELaGnTXBHNQ09FVDaNvlnouK4BhE4FrVlqqtphfqBjnxzrkFifMl7Y5jpqT4Fc10aoKeo8cGr1kLbPM/s1600/Front+Doors.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 317px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550025801007863778" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHmRZ2_meFMKO3VzwTxkEGkvuflhSk-1NRYzbtthlyHK60uW7JSq-cjrckGHsAELaGnTXBHNQ09FVDaNvlnouK4BhE4FrVlqqtphfqBjnxzrkFifMl7Y5jpqT4Fc10aoKeo8cGr1kLbPM/s400/Front+Doors.jpg" /></a> <div>This Christmas, my goal was to keep it simple. I typically put up two trees, one with white lights and one with colored lights. But this year I gave myself permission to not...and it feels so good. I picked three areas to focus on, no more, no less. My front porch. Our family room Christmas tree. And my dining room table. That's it.<br /></div><div>My front porch was inspired from a store front. The minute I saw what the store owner had put over her front doors, I knew I would do it over mine. The ribbon reads "Open wide the doors, that the King of Glory may come in. Psalm 24:7". Don't you just love it...is there not a more perfect scripture verse in all the Bible?<br /></div><div><div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 312px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550013338139981122" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzg0VPFxsvbkv-e8RaXPT41aJcOFFjUwMXheNrlNrzINmqstpoeM8l2FpPGoi66hmJ5xaZvsGqM1TF_wyKNaMfQM1ldBa7RWHIwnmi40OI1Qjr1tTln5sZ1yp9VTeaXy92NcmCcZatPPs/s400/full+ribbon.jpg" />The store that inspired the verse, had embroidered the ribbon that read the bible verse. Well that wasn't in my budget, so I used a gold Sharpie paint pen and it worked just fine.<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 256px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550015252767829154" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhUY2uJ-R4iVWUZITQ83TLJUqnwsELzp7fRaOX0H6ASWQX-gBHJ-SlED7B5iiDR2i_De8HX2I6sbZY-aQQPoEL52VVRQAmGvaDbYO8L1ranv0MupmmIyT3K1CpEUdjWx9Bs38qJB_F9OA/s400/King+of+Glory.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 202px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550015255661278034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7RKAnrBcN_b4HPZbByPcvupWR-xWs2z94fXydxIDng2PrSkF0x3z3FHwb9uXOwZYu8FiHynE2F5xkBe3Jp-e0gTg1-IAldrNBgGUnuLpyr2Uxo3nB_8Lv_BKGsQfDBW8WXNKPF8xG7Lk/s400/Sideways+wreaths.jpg" /> <div>And with the "King of Glory" as my theme, the crowns were added to my wreaths. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 357px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550015252383272498" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-In9itLsIpnaXILR_XecXk2u77v8uVMZMdmB0hYYIztjocd2FODAcEI9-vI3p9sYGHQMpO7cdoShK9kFKfDQ5Xz_iaQV4JaqRBjJugyWHu4Y76v7mf0hiD2Ge2Usx0ZFKTmiWjuldkcs/s400/Closeup+wreath.jpg" /> <div><div>Our Christmas tree:</div><br /><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 255px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550028924689076658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDTFydd0SlUDX-PInxoQ8yI7kmkalLhwYKfW5F0awNdoO9zu10Vo8VyYiYdZ1fBjsffdjM3H12j-5zWm0JdrsGlx0B4qEWmP6uwO2X5v7vybRhcU6QGE18eqwRGtH57ZogMYYqGQeUzn8/s400/theone.jpg" /> <div>The only other space I decorated for Christmas was the dining room table. It is a collection of candles, plants, over-sized trumpet ornaments, and ribbon. Most of this I already had, and I just clustered it all up together and called it a centerpiece!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioJPTJ4n6LoLmsmBv0wYQshuuG1Ri80zOzRFQdicgWfE54x5Eh8RfPVNWxPb1vbkSdVVVAv96isjDbvVOk74HDw9sslPp5LePbKnYR2HeXVN7HAqEWKJcNioaa9d-qJROFh-WmuHe0AOU/s1600/Centerpiecebetter.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 252px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550013322631192626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioJPTJ4n6LoLmsmBv0wYQshuuG1Ri80zOzRFQdicgWfE54x5Eh8RfPVNWxPb1vbkSdVVVAv96isjDbvVOk74HDw9sslPp5LePbKnYR2HeXVN7HAqEWKJcNioaa9d-qJROFh-WmuHe0AOU/s400/Centerpiecebetter.jpg" /></a><br /><div><div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjs2wZK2TbnMBCFbZHA3TtcZtUaU_boxm3t67sSwaYMDY0rXwdqlQzS_Z9uWIiTsdqQ0GU0m9MF8PvFrCjGP3hWUZid758Kjj9sPH-7SIWQWHnUWSnsOqEE7T5m8QGhkVfXO3TUrkyOxY/s1600/tallcenterpiece.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 297px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550013321307271522" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjs2wZK2TbnMBCFbZHA3TtcZtUaU_boxm3t67sSwaYMDY0rXwdqlQzS_Z9uWIiTsdqQ0GU0m9MF8PvFrCjGP3hWUZid758Kjj9sPH-7SIWQWHnUWSnsOqEE7T5m8QGhkVfXO3TUrkyOxY/s400/tallcenterpiece.jpg" /></a>And finally, because these three darlings that are visiting Santa are mine, and because one of them is about to have a birthday this week, and because they are about to be out of school, and because I haven't bought the first Christmas present, Playing Sublimely is closing up shop for the rest of this year. But oh how I hope you will join me the 1st of January! <a href="http://my3boybarians.com/">Darcy</a> has been working her magic on some renovations and we plan to be up and running with a new look by the 1st of the year. There will be a few changes in store for us around here, and I can't wait get back into writing in 2011! <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 270px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550015673384107378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4pQavsoBU_Lw3w-UhTpgJ-kHumDwJL6NhES4FUDIUmCAc45cKSsRf2ESwrqD1rS0y-YPDY6abwuMDBFIH7py1AsTj_Hl87ZiDrY_uxTLZmol0yDgvU5wNp9vgAzohAoxGiM9Acr_kdlY/s400/santa.jpg" />Merry Christmas my sweet friends, and won't you open up your doors wide and let a whole lot of Glory come in this Christmas season! There is a sweet baby in a manager that I want to draw close to these next few weeks. I adore you all and will see you in January!<br /></div><div>Much love in Him,<br /><br /><p><img alt="Amy" src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee349/GDest07/amyheywood/amysig.png" /></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div align="center">Linking up with <a href="http://www.kellyskornerblog.com/">Kelly</a> and <a href="http://thenester.com/">The Nester </a>this year!</div><div> </div><a href="http://www.thenester.com/"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 250px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550023198687187250" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOFozxXlEMyK_yxOEIw63FLYHMzCqoEe6gmMZpf1H-GDcKhYJczB7G44vk9oS7u3J7iKilRkULgS22vI2GFh8RgI94yTo0zfOyAP2W88RpBklBHBDXSHyUMHrV97lwzmHjN-hnBPn0JFA/s400/untitled.bmp" /></a> </div>Playing Sublimelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09638497282763008097noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326357699598882669.post-27127345478394350002010-12-09T22:17:00.006-05:002010-12-09T23:33:01.058-05:00Handmade Christmas Tutorials: A "re-publish"As we approach this gift giving time of year, I thought it relevant to "re-publish" a few of my tutorials that I think make great gifts.<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 336px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548888945508985682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBBvx_qC3BB7GDHjZ9yLi1c9A9NDHKbNeQ86p77vjldxrS0F6Eukd027L9lY451Nj2fgfxNHuDBv5HaZOh7NutTVzoMcrytraht5IRlxx4JSRHaXvWmgsRWOMgnl9UlebJ74Z-3-pFaK0/s400/Edie%2527s+Blog+pictures+031.JPG" />First are my monogrammed candles, which are probably one of my most favorite things in my house. Edie at <a href="http://www.lifeingraceblog.com/">Life in Grace </a>(one of the coolest girls in blogger world) hosted a <a href="http://www.lifeingraceblog.com/2009/11/12-days-of-handmade-christmas-tutorials-day-12-christmas-tags.html">12 days of Handmade Christmas</a>, and these painted candles of mine were Day 8. Click <a href="http://www.lifeingraceblog.com/2009/11/12-days-of-handmade-christmas-tutorials-day-8-monogrammed-candles.html">here</a> to read the tutorial; but more importantly, check out all the other 11 ideas for a handmade Christmas.<br /><br /><br />The other handmade gift tutorial, was featured with Gina from <a href="http://www.theshabbychiccottage.net/2010/07/12-days-of-handmade-christmas-day-8.html">The Shabby Chic Cottage </a>over at her 12 Days of a Handmade Christmas. Click <a href="http://www.theshabbychiccottage.net/2010/07/12-days-of-handmade-christmas-day-8.html">here </a>to check out that tutorial. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 383px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548888129333811890" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7uxHqSBtiSOaUqe6aFb1aI66DkxO2zUERUh5bK6Ijh5n58iow65gTNRNk_SnBl-U3ixQT1bdKZ_Hv-bZHKQuqb4JJdC9iTlyKKUg5fGye2DEn-2vAmfJDdoI4HduYBdR5dSjtWwwYfUk/s400/zebra.jpg" />In other news, my oldest daughter told us yesterday that her class was "brainstorming" a list of treats that their moms are especially good at making, and ones that all the children would like to have as a part of their Christmas celebration at school. She oh so descriptively told me that some kid's moms made great sugar cookies, and others said that their mom made great brownies, and so on and so on. I should interrupt this retelling to inform you that as she was painting this charming little scene for us, my husband and I both knew where it was going, and he was already practically hyperventilating from laughter anticipating the punch line. She said that when it was her turn to share, she said (and I directly quote) "I couldn't think of anything that you make that is any good, so I just said you will probably bring in Krispy Kreme doughnuts...cause that's what you always do". In her defense, she didn't mean it nearly as awful as it sounded, she was actually being quite innocent and factual about the whole thing. And besides, home girl was right, there is nothing I could ever make for a Christmas party that would ever be better than just simply picking up a dozen hot Krispy Kreme doughnuts. The best part was my second child quickly came to my defense, and started listing all the things I make that are really good (all lies). Then my oldest daughter got upset because she realized that she had probably hurt my feelings (which she had not) and started trying to back pedal on everything she had just confessed. I haven't laughed that hard in awhile, and I can tell you my husband has not!<br /><br /><br />There are only two weekends left before Christmas sweet friends, happy crafting! And today, I'm linking up with these two crafty girls <a href="http://funtocraft.blogspot.com/">Stacey</a> and <a href="http://itsahodgepodgelife.blogspot.com/">Gay</a>, this tutorial was just too perfect not to.<br /><img alt="Amy" src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee349/GDest07/amyheywood/amysig.png" />Playing Sublimelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09638497282763008097noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326357699598882669.post-88337803659794336522010-12-08T00:00:00.001-05:002010-12-08T12:34:09.267-05:00Insanity on a Wednesday<p>My sister called from a store the other day to read me a sign that she was standing in line to purchase. It said "Chaos, Panic, Destruction...my work here is done". We laughed because it is the story of our lives. Do you ever feel like there is anything you ever really do where at the end of it you say, "well that was easy". Or is it just us? Are we the only ones that live life a little more on the "frazzled side" than the "put together side"? I do this in everything. When I paint, when I make dinner, when I write, when I drive carpool...even in bible study I tend to over analyze, over think, over struggle.</p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 278px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548363776573193186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg75GJoOsV4b_-hc9kdkzuXgreAWvv8D0Km6x-x8xawLHA61oVGYdbHAPPBrXVTqnIgBvsTOwvsaDN6Mh-wCcrvPNdmKWw6-7fi5QAalZC47oE_uxdZ1WOIMHHiTtafcjQxdb15bhUhG8s/s400/Blogart.jpg" /> <p>All this frazzledness leads me to painting. I've been painting a lot lately and I love it. I love painting kid's stuff, nothing fancy, nothing trained, just basic kid's room kind of art. I don't know why I love it, I just love it. I have no real reason to paint, I just so enjoy the creating part of it all. But then the time comes when I'm done with the painting. My husband always says, "so what are you going to do with it?". I always look at him with this bewildered look on my face as if that is a dumb question and say "I have absolutely no idea what I am going to do with it". Is that normal? Cause I kinda think it's not. In a perfect world, I would give my art away as gifts to people, to friends. But then comes the over analyzing. What if they don't like it? Then what are they gonna do with it? I can picture them stuffing it away in a closet somewhere, and then as soon as they see me walk up the drive way, they frantically run through the house to go hang it up on a wall as if it had been there all along. Isn't that the most horrible thing you have ever heard?!? That makes my skin crawl. I couldn't do that to people. They are innocent of course, they didn't ask me to paint anything for them. So instead I just stack them in a corner of my house and let them collect dust. Which is okay because the only reason I paint is because I enjoy it so much. But then the voice of reason starts saying, "this really is too time consuming of a hobbie for you to just stack paintings in the corner, there is just really no point". So then I do the practical thing and go through a period of time where I put my paints and brushes away, close the door to my craft room, and I paint nothing. But here is the problem...I really want to go back in that room and paint some more. Do you think I should check myself in somewhere? Do you wish you hadn't just spent the last three minutes reading this post? I so like all you blogger friends of mine on the other side of this monitor that keep coming back :). </p><br /><p><img alt="Amy" src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee349/GDest07/amyheywood/amysig.png" /></p>Playing Sublimelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09638497282763008097noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326357699598882669.post-28655661850785550202010-12-06T00:00:00.000-05:002010-12-06T00:00:05.279-05:00Just one more<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUEOPdN4O2pVhMmvl4UoSoTohqh2szLh5zqw7VorBgEEJFYZKfZ2R1D5d0F1DO56GiURASGldKScOZ0KFs1Cx-51a9xqR6xSteft-Yl26KvMyvtAO2cf6R7TDDQUC-38SG_orhrhZuP4w/s1600/nosefix.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 286px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547391588182537842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUEOPdN4O2pVhMmvl4UoSoTohqh2szLh5zqw7VorBgEEJFYZKfZ2R1D5d0F1DO56GiURASGldKScOZ0KFs1Cx-51a9xqR6xSteft-Yl26KvMyvtAO2cf6R7TDDQUC-38SG_orhrhZuP4w/s400/nosefix.jpg" /></a> <div><p>It's Thomas' most used sign language: "just one more". One more M&M, one more book before nap time, one more sip of my coke. And because I am his mother, I delight in giving it to him. I love to watch him as I hand him that one more of whatever it is he is requesting, he usually squeals and runs in place with excitement, grinning from ear to ear. The most amusing part of the game is that we both know that he really doesn't mean it. I play the game with him because it's so stinkin' cute, but I know full well that as he agrees to only needing one more, he's gonna change his mind and think to himself "well maybe just one more after that". </p><p>In the midst of our ritual the other day, I started wondering if I do the same thing with God. Do I say and ask and pray too often for just one more? Just one more answer Lord. Just one more blessing Lord. Just one more victory Lord. Now before anyone thinks that I am for one moment implying that our God does not delight in blessing His children, that He is not faithful to always redeem His children, that He does not always hear and answer the prayers of His children, let me clarify. The Lord says in Malachi 3:10, "Test me in this, and see if I do not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it". God loves and is willing to pour out blessing; but I just wonder if He sometimes wonders when I am gonna notice the blessings that He has already given. Maybe He is thinking, "oh I can I pour out more blessing, but I'd kinda like for you to rest in the blessing that I gave you yesterday". Does that make sense, or I am delusional on this one? I do not have the slightest idea why that came to me the other day as my little man was asking me for one more, but it did. Maybe I just needed a Holy Spirit reminder that one more M&M might not be what my soul really needs. Maybe one more sip of coke is just one sip too many. And maybe my weary soul would do well to just be still and know that He is God, that He himself is enough, and I might just not need one more of anything after all. Just a thought...</p><p><img alt="Amy" src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee349/GDest07/amyheywood/amysig.png" /></p></div>Playing Sublimelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09638497282763008097noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326357699598882669.post-78267679615381753002010-12-02T06:10:00.006-05:002010-12-02T14:22:57.430-05:00A new world for me: cabinet and furniture finishesI've been at big girl "camp" this week, hanging out at <a href="http://www.fauxworksstudio.com/">Faux Works </a>doing the thing I love to do, but never have time to do. But this time I have been playing on cabinets and not walls. I met some great decorative artisans from all over the world (everybody wants to train with Barb). It is so exciting for someone like me who just does this stuff because I think it's cool, to hang around people like them. I have always been too overwhelmed to venture into the world of fine cabinetry and furniture finishes. Walls were all I could wrap my brain around, and even that was a lot to handle. But I have finally decided to stop thinking too much with all this stuff, and so I just registered to take the class...and now I wish I hadn't waited so long. <a href="http://www.fauxworksstudio.com/">Barb Skivington</a>, in all her awesomeness, put together a basics cabinet finishes class for all us first timers in the world of wood surfaces and it was anything but basic. These finishes are <a href="http://www.habershamhome.com/">Habersham</a>, <a href="http://woodlandfurniture.com/cabinetry.aspx">Woodland</a> quality finishes (actually, they are even better). They feel as good as they look. I wish you could see how excited I get when I finally start grasping how these surfaces are created, it's like "ohhhhhhhhh, now I get it". Just thrilling for me! All the below photographs are courtesy of <a href="http://www.fauxworksstudio.com/">Faux Works website </a>and Barb Skivington's masterful work. And yes, now I can do that! Oh how I love this stuff!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf05Jku7eAcQmRX7jS8s5qKjndgpsvfxgRwBg83xfrE_joMEWT6TFwenkT4k-SjzPCzh36tdu9ngXE12Q468VBNA-0wkKOOLFO3fet0rQGK3zpyiB21QxWyE5z2_dB5cWV9iu_W9H1OSU/s1600/cabbasic-2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 397px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546042435673748098" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf05Jku7eAcQmRX7jS8s5qKjndgpsvfxgRwBg83xfrE_joMEWT6TFwenkT4k-SjzPCzh36tdu9ngXE12Q468VBNA-0wkKOOLFO3fet0rQGK3zpyiB21QxWyE5z2_dB5cWV9iu_W9H1OSU/s400/cabbasic-2.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiinZLXbefSVVdj2w9vONiZq1h-_EebJtInHu8Y6FAI1jdOR0mAT1R71-9nmiiRmGGUnRvM5B7L0fk58E5aOI89cPZtCIgmDR4gdSEGYxT5x0hjflEobsavSMGk-qgfnOjQbA8MpVjW1fQ/s1600/cabbasic-1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 397px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546041239166291554" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiinZLXbefSVVdj2w9vONiZq1h-_EebJtInHu8Y6FAI1jdOR0mAT1R71-9nmiiRmGGUnRvM5B7L0fk58E5aOI89cPZtCIgmDR4gdSEGYxT5x0hjflEobsavSMGk-qgfnOjQbA8MpVjW1fQ/s400/cabbasic-1.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7dbFfhRRme09y5b3ke95jNhfEHFf8YWU1_vw6oBKFvWR9N4ejU1hHPjPN74oLKW56FDX4K0sEUxSePboBLxAssuneFydVRzMJxcAEzYHtq3RB2T399wR9BgBOw92lS6dr0qYYXSJnTEY/s1600/cabbasic-3.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 397px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546041226419214146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7dbFfhRRme09y5b3ke95jNhfEHFf8YWU1_vw6oBKFvWR9N4ejU1hHPjPN74oLKW56FDX4K0sEUxSePboBLxAssuneFydVRzMJxcAEzYHtq3RB2T399wR9BgBOw92lS6dr0qYYXSJnTEY/s400/cabbasic-3.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwEB78OUSpiz5QBQxlbT-eVRz-rVJcQyActXlTXNoSlY-gy4bXEYYp0Jnt0nXhtKPCo4Wct5_99avUt1hJBUX7xnrn6mVxVzxzqFWDTflF43swK2l965saZbEgty5PXypt_Ufc0xHouEM/s1600/cabbasic-5.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 397px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546041226882410258" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwEB78OUSpiz5QBQxlbT-eVRz-rVJcQyActXlTXNoSlY-gy4bXEYYp0Jnt0nXhtKPCo4Wct5_99avUt1hJBUX7xnrn6mVxVzxzqFWDTflF43swK2l965saZbEgty5PXypt_Ufc0xHouEM/s400/cabbasic-5.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivCHoR6pS0jGqQnA0oUnEpNVxSiTaVn9K-tMuLoq-hnhaf318mDf3fx8F-o3jUTp-3ag_FLDlekMRhdzVZyFrMatFqFpZm0WvsDRSnnYI89HinQcya30DVsvQYKpsMMwR3xUhQdetKh9E/s1600/cabbasic-6.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 397px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546041223991752994" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivCHoR6pS0jGqQnA0oUnEpNVxSiTaVn9K-tMuLoq-hnhaf318mDf3fx8F-o3jUTp-3ag_FLDlekMRhdzVZyFrMatFqFpZm0WvsDRSnnYI89HinQcya30DVsvQYKpsMMwR3xUhQdetKh9E/s400/cabbasic-6.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfj_GWrYyZcUO2lOP6A5844GsB0kZrgZLY5-8C-3IM8VfYmBuYfwyBYDbbqpS1YKCavudHll2FUT2JYl2RaM7IeD9ixMmbSre5R7KFg-zpGKrbExrP93GUfqJDN7lE_7u5g-Ic6C50pB8/s1600/cabbasic-8.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 397px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546041217468305618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfj_GWrYyZcUO2lOP6A5844GsB0kZrgZLY5-8C-3IM8VfYmBuYfwyBYDbbqpS1YKCavudHll2FUT2JYl2RaM7IeD9ixMmbSre5R7KFg-zpGKrbExrP93GUfqJDN7lE_7u5g-Ic6C50pB8/s400/cabbasic-8.jpg" /></a> <p><img alt="Amy" src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee349/GDest07/amyheywood/amysig.png" /></p></div></div></div></div></div>Playing Sublimelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09638497282763008097noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326357699598882669.post-47343867428486174222010-11-29T09:52:00.005-05:002010-11-29T12:24:17.336-05:00You have to go, if you want to see it<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYRnb9ecaPKvdJcflBX2O2m6-wpCkFOl11n-7dFQC2MRMU-tK89Vj8tTEno8Hb7mZzlZYyDRlQIx-d0HcLFhoUZWbcnILgZTV7lj075NgV6Oivcs0-EDU8BK0iU0uGB8An4Ktiu1MYBrc/s1600/reading+her+bible+for+blog.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 289px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544985735869716370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYRnb9ecaPKvdJcflBX2O2m6-wpCkFOl11n-7dFQC2MRMU-tK89Vj8tTEno8Hb7mZzlZYyDRlQIx-d0HcLFhoUZWbcnILgZTV7lj075NgV6Oivcs0-EDU8BK0iU0uGB8An4Ktiu1MYBrc/s400/reading+her+bible+for+blog.jpg" /></a> Sometimes the things you have to do are the tough things, the things that force you out of the comfort of where you are. Sometimes the thing that you are being asked to do, makes you start to wonder if you are really being asked to do it at all. Sometimes that thing, is the same thing that leaves you thinking for sure, "this can't be the right thing, I must have heard this wrong". Ever been there? I'm there right now.<br /><br />And then my sister called who is wiser than I am and said, "remember Lazarus, go back and recall what was happening with Jesus right before He raised Lazarus from the dead". And so I did. And now I wonder if you have ever noticed the same treasure. To fully appreciate the gift, you have to start back several chapters before Lazarus is raised from the dead in Chapter 11. Jesus is in Judea where He heals a blind man in Chapter 9. The religious leaders were getting fired up by all the controversy that Jesus was creating, and before the culmination of their hatred takes place on the cross, they sought to stone Him in the temple for His profession that "I and the Father are one" John 10:30. That is where they were with Jesus, ready to kill Him. And the last we hear in Chapter 10 is that Jesus "escaped their grasp" in verse 39, and left Judea crossing over the Jordan River.<br /><br />Chapter 11 picks up with us learning that Mary and Martha have sent word to Jesus that "the one you love is sick" (speaking of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">their</span> brother Lazarus). I love that description, "the one you love". It is such a clear reflection of Jesus' heart for us. The truth was, Jesus loved that whole family, and He was about to allow them to be a part of what I think is possibly the most significant event in His ministry, preceding the cross.<br /><br />Naturally, the disciples were not excited about going back to Judea. They were there when the Pharisees surrounded Jesus with stones in their hands. But buried between Jesus telling His disciples He wanted to return to Judea to see Lazarus, and Jesus actually raising Lazarus from the dead, is the part I had not noticed until my sister pointed it out. Thomas says one simple statement, that actually says a lot about the state of all the disciples at that moment, and can possibly speak a lot to you and I today, if we would allow it. Thomas tells the rest of the disciples (that were afraid to return to Judea because they might be killed) "Let us also go, that we may die with Him" John 11:16. Did Thomas understand at all why Jesus was going back to Judea? No. Did the plan make any sense whatsoever to him? Nope. And yet he was faithful and obedient and trusted the One that said, "Let us go back to Judea".<br /><br />How about you? Do you have a "Judea" that the Lord is calling you to? Does your Judea look anything like Thomas'? Are you asking God things like "Seriously? This cannot be what you want. This doesn't make any sense. This cannot be Your plan!". Don't you think the disciples were downtrodden as they made their way back to Judea, anticipating death. Obedient yes, but confused nonetheless. And don't you think the Lord had a smile on His face as He crossed back over that Jordan River knowing what His men were about to witness. And oh what they saw that day. They got to hear Jesus say "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whosoever lives and believes in me will never die". They got to see their God walk up to a cave and say "Take away the stone". And they got to witness the power of God when He said "Lazarus, come out!"...and they got to see the dead man obey.<br /><br />Can you imagine how the disciples would have felt if they had missed that? What if they had not gone to Judea because they were afraid? Would Jesus not have performed the miracle? Of course He would have, but His men would have missed the blessing of witnessing it. I don't want to miss the blessing. I don't want to not go to Judea just because I am afraid. God has a stone that He wants to roll away in your presence my friend, but you have to follow Him to "Judea" in order to see it. Rolling away stones is His specialty...you don't want to miss it.<br /><br /><p><img alt="Amy" src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee349/GDest07/amyheywood/amysig.png" /></p>Playing Sublimelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09638497282763008097noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326357699598882669.post-84838818731058613732010-11-21T14:25:00.006-05:002010-11-22T07:45:11.516-05:00The One within the pages<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtyuNe538NfxjthFsFELdo_pWNONL5ljMUzWoOUTR2dA2Jg-gLPT-wXPxj5Cja_LeAhPj9s3eZWIz_p6cAjLQG_pcwQyNZchXjmDfIOoaPontglpvHle9p17W2SSInUjR7Yhq0RmYOGY8/s1600/Bibleforblog.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542337511278367090" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtyuNe538NfxjthFsFELdo_pWNONL5ljMUzWoOUTR2dA2Jg-gLPT-wXPxj5Cja_LeAhPj9s3eZWIz_p6cAjLQG_pcwQyNZchXjmDfIOoaPontglpvHle9p17W2SSInUjR7Yhq0RmYOGY8/s400/Bibleforblog.jpg" /></a> <p>I wasn't kidding last week when I told you I was struggling. Oh how serious I was being with you...and I'm still struggling. My Mom called last week and said "I can tell you are about to lose it". She is a few hundred miles away, but she can still tell when her daughter is about to come undone. But there is something surprisingly therapeutic about writing (especially when you feel called to it), and I always feel a little less crazy after expressing my feelings here. Even more so when I hear back from someone that says they are in the exact same place. It's not a "misery loves company" kind of comfort, so much as it is a "you have a friend next to you treading water" kind of comfort. There is hope in that. There is comfort in not feeling like the only one. My girl <a href="http://woodsyivy.blogspot.com/">Jill</a> (that I have grown to adore through this world of blogging), wrote to me in response to my disturbing admission that I sometimes consider putting down my dog and said "if it makes you feel any better, almost daily I consider having my dog put to sleep and then strategically laying her in the road like she got hit by a car. You are not alone" . I laughed every time I thought of that the rest of the day. Tell me you do not love her! Her dog recently brought her the leg of a deer, and then she had to play tug of war with him to get it out of the his mouth. Now that is a woman who deserves to wrestle with thoughts of wanting to put her dog to sleep for bad behavior. </p><p>This comfort of "there is someone right next to you treading water", is what I love about the Word of God. There isn't a feeling that I am experiencing that cannot be ministered to somewhere within those pages. From start to finish, that Book is packed full of comfort and encouragement. I have been telling you in recent weeks that I am currently studying both the lives of Moses and Esther. I always fall in love with the characters that I am studying in the Word. The first time this happened to me was when I was studying Abraham. I went into that particular study, dreading it a little (because how exciting could Genesis really be), and I came out on the other side of the study unable to get enough of it. At that particular season of my life, I could so identify with the struggles in that first book; and at this particular season of my life, I can so very much identify with Esther and Moses. </p><p>And what I find time after time is that at the root of it all, when you trace the source of the comfort back to it's origin, I always find that the One in which I am actually identifying with, is the One that wrote the story. It's not necessarily Moses' screw up, and his fleeing Egypt that I find comfort in; but rather the One that He met when he finally collapsed in the desert at The Well (Exodus 2:15). It's not Esther's great dilemma that encourages my heart to trust, but rather the One that was in the heavenlies orchestrating the entire course of events above her. His Name is the One that brings the comfort through struggles. It's the way He faithfully ministers to the ones within the pages that illustrates His character, and begs me to come and rest, and to trust that time is in His hands.<br /><img alt="Amy" src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee349/GDest07/amyheywood/amysig.png" /></p>Playing Sublimelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09638497282763008097noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326357699598882669.post-36292418461990186572010-11-18T10:17:00.005-05:002010-11-18T11:14:55.204-05:00Some days...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbE-__j0Uc_I4E7BOJwMfRIlmrc8WvIfJMjo_LqOeK41y8SGItlqSuM961UmQAYFBPjm1C1qnVsh416UjhwjfwNE6ybeEB9vVOmxBMLmOvNq6frpMAH1X7yRg5OhJmAsFWSc70uKueEjw/s1600/fall+tree.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 287px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540909396192732258" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbE-__j0Uc_I4E7BOJwMfRIlmrc8WvIfJMjo_LqOeK41y8SGItlqSuM961UmQAYFBPjm1C1qnVsh416UjhwjfwNE6ybeEB9vVOmxBMLmOvNq6frpMAH1X7yRg5OhJmAsFWSc70uKueEjw/s400/fall+tree.jpg" /></a> Some days I feel my blood pressure moving in a direction that is not healthy. In the midst of the everyday, the pouring coffee, the waking up sleepy children, the carpooling, the doing homework, the making dinner, the fall leaves changing colors...I feel my heart beginning to race. Some days I feel as though keeping my head above water is all I can do, and then I hate that about myself because I didn't even do that well. And then I think how pathetic it is that I cannot even keep my head above water, when there are other people in the world that are living in orphanages in Africa, that care for hundreds of children everyday, and probably do not yell nearly as much as I do. Some days I just wonder how I got to such a fragile place in life that when the Starbucks guy tells me they are out of pumpkin spice latte syrup, and that they will not get in anymore this year, that I walk away crying. Yes crying. Or I wonder how I got into such a place in life that for a brief moment I thought that if our dog knocked my son over one more time, the only reasonable solution would be to put him to sleep. I am being dead serious with you. Some days I even surprise myself with the levels of insanity I am capable of reaching.<br /><br />Some days the small, little everyday changes of life are too much for me to handle. I find myself obsessively watching the leaves falling from the trees, sad because I know they will soon be bare and lifeless. There's no joy in that. There is no joy in behaving like the miser Scrooge counting his stacks of coins on his desk, and I do that too often. I may not be counting coins, but I do count the years. If a miser is someone who hoards money, then I suppose you could call me a hoarder of time. I watch my 5 year old walk into school with her backpack on and I sometimes cannot even get out of the parking lot before I am sobbing. Or there are those nights when I place my son in his crib that he is soon to outgrow, and I think to myself why is everything changing so quickly! Stop changing! <br /><br />But then I wonder if that is all part of the plan. If all this changing is supposed to force us to find the One that will never change. The One that has remained the same from the beginning, and will still be the same in the end. I wonder if we were created to need something or <em>Someone</em> that never changes, and then intentionally placed in a world that always changes, so that we will never stop seeking and grasping for The Rock of which to place our feet firmly on...The One that promises to never change. <br /><p><img alt="Amy" src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee349/GDest07/amyheywood/amysig.png" /></p>Playing Sublimelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09638497282763008097noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326357699598882669.post-58703571950811775072010-11-17T00:00:00.001-05:002010-11-17T06:06:24.753-05:00Anthropologie for Kids and Headband LoveWhen I have too much to do, and I start getting overwhelmed by life, I sew. For some reason it seems therapeutic to me, but I think it is really just a glorified method of procrastination. It drives my husband insane! So since I have been busy recently, I have also been sewing. And since I love <a href="http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/index.jsp">Anthropologie</a>, and since I love making my kid's clothes, I kind of combined the two for a a few kid friendly Anthro looks. I'm weird.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQAuaiBkiqDQRcv1ZkJfIGYW9vgr-n_MZ-vI1DzRUwGQj6Z9CWf1imNSmZyOqGyt3uxqhdeJ6X8TD5wR73nWFUrbNTPvD1ciM4gjLtpBJzCXk0tJ4ID27va-PtPzkRigrx184aST_v8Ww/s1600/19202712_005_b.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 179px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 269px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540353929106158866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQAuaiBkiqDQRcv1ZkJfIGYW9vgr-n_MZ-vI1DzRUwGQj6Z9CWf1imNSmZyOqGyt3uxqhdeJ6X8TD5wR73nWFUrbNTPvD1ciM4gjLtpBJzCXk0tJ4ID27va-PtPzkRigrx184aST_v8Ww/s400/19202712_005_b.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilUJ6BGLusTbuzL0ZMfBiAqLm0sFVQ5N7TbqiaKmHr0HYM1W8_BVfp-q5_TampEaJfAorrg-ebNHiNes21qZw4r6YYsHUodd-1GcbuahWg-Y9gFFmPulJSNN60jrJACFT1m1t_ekuSu7k/s1600/1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 248px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540353926027048546" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilUJ6BGLusTbuzL0ZMfBiAqLm0sFVQ5N7TbqiaKmHr0HYM1W8_BVfp-q5_TampEaJfAorrg-ebNHiNes21qZw4r6YYsHUodd-1GcbuahWg-Y9gFFmPulJSNN60jrJACFT1m1t_ekuSu7k/s400/1.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOaNGEPIU_kMkJz0Q1v-6aAGOIybMeHnn1fHCzpS0_72UxRG-XqDk21KJfmLfH7h8SLJ4Pi6nDbSlAo4fRbLTJbsBUawb44GKM_qLMASVwpHOSg93TrutKmP_qJt13ZdUhJ1qaCmq3UHA/s1600/19211655_050_b.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 179px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 269px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540353558435786066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOaNGEPIU_kMkJz0Q1v-6aAGOIybMeHnn1fHCzpS0_72UxRG-XqDk21KJfmLfH7h8SLJ4Pi6nDbSlAo4fRbLTJbsBUawb44GKM_qLMASVwpHOSg93TrutKmP_qJt13ZdUhJ1qaCmq3UHA/s400/19211655_050_b.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7knLlVgm4P1dAYGVXxojENfLpZCXpFK_7bXbVoFOuZDLXv7A-bIcjT_ap09oe9kQio6ltYj1rPR0qkuuO40S4OXouDAlf9NmHclBatc_fLpdKqN_yCNUx0iKNPFSXGWlS7cRdHRzB-kE/s1600/2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 282px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540353561973598722" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7knLlVgm4P1dAYGVXxojENfLpZCXpFK_7bXbVoFOuZDLXv7A-bIcjT_ap09oe9kQio6ltYj1rPR0qkuuO40S4OXouDAlf9NmHclBatc_fLpdKqN_yCNUx0iKNPFSXGWlS7cRdHRzB-kE/s400/2.jpg" /></a>OK, so this one doesn't have any <a href="http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/index.jsp">Anthropologie</a> inspiration, I just kind of winged it. It might be my favorite though.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtqmbVOboWxKnKSMqp4xVqlbueZ7og0X2ksOOavX9jsVK-THMOkLqElkDgX7VCmXDobtr2OBeM0OM1FkNCdLf6zOswaMdcUmaOpZmN6WXcIcwuCN0J2WO6sYkeUTncqSlzlYlDXYEwEY0/s1600/3.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 275px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540353557117897986" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtqmbVOboWxKnKSMqp4xVqlbueZ7og0X2ksOOavX9jsVK-THMOkLqElkDgX7VCmXDobtr2OBeM0OM1FkNCdLf6zOswaMdcUmaOpZmN6WXcIcwuCN0J2WO6sYkeUTncqSlzlYlDXYEwEY0/s400/3.jpg" /></a>And in other news: have you been noticing those fantastic headbands in my girl's hair? I just so happen to know the very talented and cutest Texas girl walking the planet that makes those headbands. Her name is Samantha (aka: <a href="http://craftytexasgirls.blogspot.com/">The Crafty Texas Girl</a>) and she makes "ridiculously cute" gifts for children. My girls are "headband kind of girls", so I had her whip up a few for them and oh my goodness are they great! Aside from how cute they are, I have to say that the best thing about them is how well they fit the girl's heads, not too tight, not too loose. These make great gifts and are my most favorite accessory for the girls!<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeh7mNLIcf_yktzmIhCmspgtuiL6rWllmfIwIQ4bO9HejhJKGGTGBTZD6ZnX43-QmODE9R0OW-MTncxWC3dQ0rL3kFio-pI9Vj_esFEfaxaA6PZSaO9QGwkrzoaS17ghgWaJS3YkhVt84/s1600/black+eyes+%2526+anthropologie+025.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 324px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540353548235390514" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeh7mNLIcf_yktzmIhCmspgtuiL6rWllmfIwIQ4bO9HejhJKGGTGBTZD6ZnX43-QmODE9R0OW-MTncxWC3dQ0rL3kFio-pI9Vj_esFEfaxaA6PZSaO9QGwkrzoaS17ghgWaJS3YkhVt84/s400/black+eyes+%2526+anthropologie+025.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf2lO-7qM_xozheaCh86BHtyqJqNyZkfJEtWsg_HHL62VWhW_NFl_YwxENZ6_YBgfrvK5QP5kHAZEENvvjPfIaQa5xEjPonH_nYwEfjRBFwpQPMOfFQATlDGSOoYUXUP5zOv2yHKQJtbY/s1600/black+eyes+%2526+anthropologie+031.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 351px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540353543058995634" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf2lO-7qM_xozheaCh86BHtyqJqNyZkfJEtWsg_HHL62VWhW_NFl_YwxENZ6_YBgfrvK5QP5kHAZEENvvjPfIaQa5xEjPonH_nYwEfjRBFwpQPMOfFQATlDGSOoYUXUP5zOv2yHKQJtbY/s400/black+eyes+%2526+anthropologie+031.JPG" /></a>Click <a href="http://craftytexasgirls.blogspot.com/">here</a> to go say hi to Samantha. You know you have some Christmas gifts to buy!<br /><p><img alt="Amy" src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee349/GDest07/amyheywood/amysig.png" /></p></div></div></div></div></div></div>Playing Sublimelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09638497282763008097noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326357699598882669.post-42106498528657464252010-11-15T00:00:00.000-05:002010-11-15T06:17:44.260-05:00My master bedroom: A before and after<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 269px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539603869892117026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnuDUclSWs7wGlAxVNtnGulUDQ5piPI_2JtVgm0OBFQn-SRRe6Fb1jDE-72p6Sq23AqpmPcBpKDi4tnBQdyySdvzk_p7ft1SZNMBQX0TfUgzYLF5z4gThkYUX1S9gZIbrc345vAuZAkKM/s400/Master1.jpg" />We haven't been <a href="http://playingsublimely.blogspot.com/search/label/My%20House%20Tour">house touring </a>in awhile; partially because my attention span is so short, and partially because my house is never clean and orderly enough to photograph. But my master bedroom remodel is finally complete, so I forced all the humans that live in my house out of the room for 10 minutes and I took pictures. And though it is already messed up again, and clothes are once again piled on the floor, she is still a lovely room.<br /><br />Here was the before:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgFSYFQ4vDQLEBZlWp8t3b_WLTQU_ZDR6nELCfaJz4X5fj5PkwKZ3KIxmpmcJdWBm7210F7ZAvpT5Zbng6aJW2aeC3n_auGpyMofARrhKCFqe0BRw66v1MpFvJ3iN734D3oPoLLIrWkgA/s1600/Image0001.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 256px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539605117915788130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgFSYFQ4vDQLEBZlWp8t3b_WLTQU_ZDR6nELCfaJz4X5fj5PkwKZ3KIxmpmcJdWBm7210F7ZAvpT5Zbng6aJW2aeC3n_auGpyMofARrhKCFqe0BRw66v1MpFvJ3iN734D3oPoLLIrWkgA/s400/Image0001.JPG" /></a> <div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIeTG2D9clyRN9y7vfTYdlcIgGoCjIMzu7o9vVG6TW7HiK4Pvl_m2b2lHDhBVqh0sJr7Q-pLx1_nZUOA9lGDP7zW8uXiUNQRH160NVUv4IahIpma1nVsHIZd7AJ9siEY0ofd6olsVcNEc/s1600/Image0002.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539605117934463042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIeTG2D9clyRN9y7vfTYdlcIgGoCjIMzu7o9vVG6TW7HiK4Pvl_m2b2lHDhBVqh0sJr7Q-pLx1_nZUOA9lGDP7zW8uXiUNQRH160NVUv4IahIpma1nVsHIZd7AJ9siEY0ofd6olsVcNEc/s400/Image0002.JPG" /></a>My cute carpenter and I gutted the previous master bedroom, office, and master bathroom, to create the our new space:<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDZT4Dl0oNHm-M6kqPGv-aUjik6iCjvibYdcUYG2nMUiYWujfe_V-lGsAeoKS0vdL-lDyKyR0lmLM1XK4BgPZt5iUHqs-HIKWW7jdA4j96KxTMZjnbTvCyh_RyA_wGaGv4mGujNESdcAM/s1600/Master+Bedroom+Remodel+033%255B1%255D.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539605113176510930" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDZT4Dl0oNHm-M6kqPGv-aUjik6iCjvibYdcUYG2nMUiYWujfe_V-lGsAeoKS0vdL-lDyKyR0lmLM1XK4BgPZt5iUHqs-HIKWW7jdA4j96KxTMZjnbTvCyh_RyA_wGaGv4mGujNESdcAM/s400/Master+Bedroom+Remodel+033%255B1%255D.JPG" /></a> <div><div>The walls are my most favorite decorative finish that I have done in this house. They are subtle and soothing, it is a great look for a master bedroom.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDNVcw9UmMjfjnpt2IiWLR2g1BXxF0DKIFh0ylWk15gub6jH866m_dikO4XwCFKupO1DIDZeThn3jHhDPFUgwh22dSoeihbVmEkeNgF_uMERjAWGMT4zaHH6v0Je9DFQYUAHwGceICFkk/s1600/Master2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539603871161847778" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDNVcw9UmMjfjnpt2IiWLR2g1BXxF0DKIFh0ylWk15gub6jH866m_dikO4XwCFKupO1DIDZeThn3jHhDPFUgwh22dSoeihbVmEkeNgF_uMERjAWGMT4zaHH6v0Je9DFQYUAHwGceICFkk/s400/Master2.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKqgCFQqyhwZGq3iLS2KZ2vhyK3gkHFhDBfIOcM-M8GYjQsep0M7CPOzhtjtHGONHc951mCNi2wtG88b7qVLn7rJfKIgZOgUMfy4T8DGQP20F1BotFnECOxBvyJh3zC_iqNN8WvPHlASA/s1600/Master3.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539603866908875810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKqgCFQqyhwZGq3iLS2KZ2vhyK3gkHFhDBfIOcM-M8GYjQsep0M7CPOzhtjtHGONHc951mCNi2wtG88b7qVLn7rJfKIgZOgUMfy4T8DGQP20F1BotFnECOxBvyJh3zC_iqNN8WvPHlASA/s400/Master3.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSwt9Ar76LusO2Ce5jSjZ6ImPL25B5TGuxwZox-WIKPhXCohTaf8D82XLJsGalw7s9fFdNP3kYacyvt1qGBjauMJhDQGJtC7DkgHpSYf2NeLcC06k1-4IP7T8p0mIiU4MuePz5ql3c-ok/s1600/Master6.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 279px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539603127362633762" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSwt9Ar76LusO2Ce5jSjZ6ImPL25B5TGuxwZox-WIKPhXCohTaf8D82XLJsGalw7s9fFdNP3kYacyvt1qGBjauMJhDQGJtC7DkgHpSYf2NeLcC06k1-4IP7T8p0mIiU4MuePz5ql3c-ok/s400/Master6.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO_-bVw3D7RAi_c9xnQIXm7WBfr4G9fvykh5p4OQB0BdpbbcCMkQ9PkkClUVsUI91_rfQ_rGjio1RzmPSWrr-NugAv082X9nQ5ROgum2i9zaPzmMZ3PHLUB3dJlZpmD8zOjGQ7ZLOV8VI/s1600/Master4.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 310px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539603123966116418" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO_-bVw3D7RAi_c9xnQIXm7WBfr4G9fvykh5p4OQB0BdpbbcCMkQ9PkkClUVsUI91_rfQ_rGjio1RzmPSWrr-NugAv082X9nQ5ROgum2i9zaPzmMZ3PHLUB3dJlZpmD8zOjGQ7ZLOV8VI/s400/Master4.jpg" /></a>Do you like the way I am "storing" all my fake jewels? My husband says it's weird. It certainly isn't conventional, but it adds color and a bit of bling to the room, and that makes me happy.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9p5y_6jjxvChLS_p4RTJadudi84GCEqSBXDSnjqat0dAvRXv6o0ise2Z4JUKjhn6dlsfg5LxKyeRNVYlFMf60AausFdWu8S-8QdB0LIGHNjh6eI0O50zb93GPIXv0Okuv12NYouBiVao/s1600/Master5.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 278px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539603109691508466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9p5y_6jjxvChLS_p4RTJadudi84GCEqSBXDSnjqat0dAvRXv6o0ise2Z4JUKjhn6dlsfg5LxKyeRNVYlFMf60AausFdWu8S-8QdB0LIGHNjh6eI0O50zb93GPIXv0Okuv12NYouBiVao/s400/Master5.jpg" /></a>Another mention: My "set" of bedroom furniture was boring me. A little too matchy matchy for what I wanted, but replacing a perfectly functional bedroom set is of course not practical. So since new furniture was not an option, I instead just changed out my end tables for antiques, and all my matching mirrors were switched out for unique consignment store finds that I painted. A much more affordable and reasonable alternative indeed. This mirror was originally green, but I changed her look by painting her ivory and gold, then I aged her a bit by sanding. It is my favorite piece in the room.<br /><div><a href="http://playingsublimely.blogspot.com/2010/09/black-french-doors-and-linen-chairs-on.html"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 260px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539603102953711490" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdpLKeKQ5FXYkExdhj2oTgroWvZiZ5MS8UI_95mKkWRNIrpHEFYyd1XTpywL7yVfSn7G_4-NOLJLVJcXy7-hMJhRApJrGot5lVnANc9YBqjTdvKpH0EOTjX5MlSjaLsUQ7i95owVKUtpM/s400/Master7.jpg" />My chairs</a>...oh the love for my chairs.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjat0Wjv48QNCaqqWFfZa2qt_jBaBxupD4_ZKn5_f6WNiL0yIRpe4zWIDWaBb24nSFHlAdmV-7OlqmEpaNRdkBldMpyBpTDQQ8VRY6lDrKGuWQPYK3VjuaThFvUmV9_UrhbQ65Iv-0IhCw/s1600/Master10.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 290px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539603101670393186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjat0Wjv48QNCaqqWFfZa2qt_jBaBxupD4_ZKn5_f6WNiL0yIRpe4zWIDWaBb24nSFHlAdmV-7OlqmEpaNRdkBldMpyBpTDQQ8VRY6lDrKGuWQPYK3VjuaThFvUmV9_UrhbQ65Iv-0IhCw/s400/Master10.jpg" /></a>Another painted antique mirror.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCRQlUoDH-g86vDk7yPH0LO6EJ3idKA-kPvenAqosRG7fK4fSwabkzDyIS1QJWW7rlD9VldhrvshZ7xJfqLH_s-lVzfRB7ce8b5whA9XnHzG1vrIleNtToXjVSUz5fV-TUE3Sx-Iy5G3s/s1600/Master13.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 294px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539602064663203970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCRQlUoDH-g86vDk7yPH0LO6EJ3idKA-kPvenAqosRG7fK4fSwabkzDyIS1QJWW7rlD9VldhrvshZ7xJfqLH_s-lVzfRB7ce8b5whA9XnHzG1vrIleNtToXjVSUz5fV-TUE3Sx-Iy5G3s/s400/Master13.jpg" /></a>Some details:<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0tcGqY0trEq4tmApqB45ZL2WPLKpY7M3sShw1ni9ahycIws2v0rNevyMcMwkhSg0GMMpo2DXjpCAvcyMkimT3HXz-rqONfBbbfOCnlH8Fy9-kXNbBnCgCx8rFbe7AQbazz1HhNddEtNU/s1600/Master8.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 274px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539602060933461346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0tcGqY0trEq4tmApqB45ZL2WPLKpY7M3sShw1ni9ahycIws2v0rNevyMcMwkhSg0GMMpo2DXjpCAvcyMkimT3HXz-rqONfBbbfOCnlH8Fy9-kXNbBnCgCx8rFbe7AQbazz1HhNddEtNU/s400/Master8.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ZIIndjk-ayD8li89ijPO3zVzpaWXzDFwjXfLZAw3iR17WHLQhLxHxceNZSTtZFtD0iGClvw2dqKAyMDmI-wWVbBjp3p_0PYgWtXfd78Vm8eiIJtHAPhIq1IGLTsxiKlCrNElxMOn5DM/s1600/Master9.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 277px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539602058052175042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ZIIndjk-ayD8li89ijPO3zVzpaWXzDFwjXfLZAw3iR17WHLQhLxHxceNZSTtZFtD0iGClvw2dqKAyMDmI-wWVbBjp3p_0PYgWtXfd78Vm8eiIJtHAPhIq1IGLTsxiKlCrNElxMOn5DM/s400/Master9.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4X7OGYnxUJDSukcdDUQfPXyJv6hCHRETjYRctRtydnHoaR54APbvNZQjBofEOs2UaGtiDc35X9VNXHcIKWGlyCMddYG1Kg_ltMxhABZr0blp12w3eAwZcvc9mjWq4sdWzs6V1b9Ipius/s1600/Master11.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539602054759804258" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4X7OGYnxUJDSukcdDUQfPXyJv6hCHRETjYRctRtydnHoaR54APbvNZQjBofEOs2UaGtiDc35X9VNXHcIKWGlyCMddYG1Kg_ltMxhABZr0blp12w3eAwZcvc9mjWq4sdWzs6V1b9Ipius/s400/Master11.jpg" /></a>This picture is of my husband pouring table wine while at a street cafe in Montmartre, France. It will always be one of my favorite photographs.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjstqm4GRGWyYID1JtKmYsiGcu5jMsRfRagpqtcOncGv7MhwC5opUSJWTiKJ7mhkfCwQLvKNIlYuV99lk43PL2LdYO5lSmRWsO5usZZzNLH9_eCaQ0OSS8B_WoRgh3bRxR05vThWnkVj7s/s1600/Master12.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539602049061416882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjstqm4GRGWyYID1JtKmYsiGcu5jMsRfRagpqtcOncGv7MhwC5opUSJWTiKJ7mhkfCwQLvKNIlYuV99lk43PL2LdYO5lSmRWsO5usZZzNLH9_eCaQ0OSS8B_WoRgh3bRxR05vThWnkVj7s/s400/Master12.jpg" /></a>And because I love before and afters, I'm linking up with <a href="http://itssoverycheri.com/2010/11/14/its-so-very-cheri-party-time/comment-page-1/#comment-9829">Cheri</a>, and also Roeshel today over at <a href="http://thediyshowoff.blogspot.com/2010/11/vintage-window-mirror-and-diy-project.html#more">The DIY Showoff .<br /></a><p><img alt="Amy" src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee349/GDest07/amyheywood/amysig.png" /></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Playing Sublimelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09638497282763008097noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326357699598882669.post-59260827154540299102010-11-10T00:00:00.002-05:002010-11-10T06:43:14.440-05:00Mighty to SaveThe folders come home from school with my girls every Monday. If I'm being real, I kinda dread them a little. I can expect to park myself in a chair for about 45 minutes every Monday and read, and read, and read; and then pray, and pray, and pray that I will not forget all the information I am supposed to know after all the reading. These folders always come bursting with artwork as well; and from time to time a masterpiece emerges from the monotony, and this overwhelmed heart of mine stops and smiles. It happened this week with Caroline's art...<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 280px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537772916932308194" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYO_lhqPAyCK3-GZA1WD3Yp1VpVJ6rIJsBd7mFEmzRKoLA_8XtuTeNn0GUUaKGuBXPAp5WQN2qZjlNMcKtX_eIJN4mB72qzQmEHf5gvVl4vebaHnqzetKwJV5GkQV7ohQMCwl68UxxLo/s400/mighty+to+save.jpg" />Did you know <em>your </em>Daddy is mighty to save too? He is the author of your salvation, He wrote the story. He knows the beginning, the middle, and the end of our lives. He knows all the ways we mess up and fall short, and He knows how desperately we need a mighty savior. We tend to think we are only worth saving when we are like my Caroline, young and innocent and drawing pictures about how her daddy is her hero and saves her. And then we grow up and start thinking that God sees us differently. We start believing that He sees us like we see ourselves: shameful, guilty, less innocent adults that have wandered from our daddy's side. We start believing that He is mighty to save all the others more deserving of His strength. We forget what He has done for the prodigal son...or in my case, the prodigal <em>daughter</em>.<br /><br />If a girl's life can have a theme song, then this song is mine. I need to know that I do not have the one mountain that my God cannot move. I need to be reminded that He rose and conquered the grave, not for a few elite, but for those like me, and for you. For "The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing" Zephaniah 3:17. Oh how He adores you sweet friends...<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/sR8rlTIU8_Y?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><br /><br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sR8rlTIU8_Y?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br /><p><img alt="Amy" src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee349/GDest07/amyheywood/amysig.png" /></p>Playing Sublimelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09638497282763008097noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326357699598882669.post-11284572934637516302010-11-08T06:50:00.009-05:002010-11-08T15:44:32.934-05:00Lucky at Lucketts<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3FDbDROdmaZH4CPJByKEZLWeejtjLoBI2rX8tKXmxuL35OoVVlaJS0q4luiqDDlVjvBjm90WVsRxbN_rMXCAEbUwuYJpWQ8g5t_xHw0wl7h8HiPUMep5B7ZJhwsczH7dEAExcUgN-_7Q/s1600/Luck1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537157335871881490" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3FDbDROdmaZH4CPJByKEZLWeejtjLoBI2rX8tKXmxuL35OoVVlaJS0q4luiqDDlVjvBjm90WVsRxbN_rMXCAEbUwuYJpWQ8g5t_xHw0wl7h8HiPUMep5B7ZJhwsczH7dEAExcUgN-_7Q/s400/Luck1.jpg" /></a>I knew my weekend was going to be great when I woke up to a grande pumpkin spice cup of heaven. Did you know you could experience a glimpse of heaven here on this earth for only $5? You can. And it comes topped with whip cream and cinnamon...of course it comes topped with whip cream and cinnamon. It wouldn't be heaven without it. My friend marched her sweet self into Starbucks in pajamas, no bra, and slippers just because she knew I would love it...because that's just what friends do. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 308px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537158515740345682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoObfDZeDEcUHz-fsYxzlcZXh3CFMeFmsSdnACWQ65sOsIirf11KAR6scObQKB6x96fbJNzLEERd5zQcfmNdqIMKfHJjGv8ui1Gx2WrYVDQffGQHzU6Qjclipgw8N1MYsTt7I2JvxeERo/s400/Pumnpin+Spice.jpg" />I'll get to the loveliness of Lucketts in a minute, but I just can't help but make this post more about being lucky with friends than being lucky at Lucketts. I know a thing or two about not having friends. If I'm being honest, I've lived the majority of my years on this earth without friends. Oh how I know the hurt of mean girls! Do you? I know what it feels like to be alone. I know what it feels like to be talked about. I know what if feels like to be pushed around and afraid to go to school. And the sad thing is, adult girls can sometimes look a whole lot like the young girls from our past. Oh their ways of hurting are disguised differently, but it creates the same wound. I mention all these things for only one purpose, to tell you that the found treasures of the weekend weren't at all the stuff I saw, but rather the girls I got to see it all with. I think because I spent some much time without girlfriends that would love me despite myself, I cherish that much more my girls today. They are the kind of girls that know all about your junk, and love you anyway. The kind of girls that are the hands and feet of Christ to you. I have such a great group of girlfriends, and though I only had a few of them with me this weekend, I couldn't help but love all of them even more after being away with a few of them for a couple of days.<br /><br />And now for the stuff. All I'm gonna say about Lucketts is if you ever have a chance to go, go! It's dreamy. The store is strategically positioned by God in the exact place where He most certainly calls home on this planet, it is without a doubt where God gets His mail. The drive reminded me of driving through the countryside in Paris...yes, it was really that lovely. And the fall colors of autumn certainly helped with the view.<br /><br />Here is a sampling of what we saw:<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh60A00HETCr0CKoKEVj9Cn-AHFI2hkDPNlIr0mORIwOg92Tuau1OndCOpxkunXdqFrkOPiREi60muOdMLyThLCHVaQF8fRif4BN2HYOscoJmjudPq4fBskQiSqOTLFoKxOnMq_MoFleZM/s1600/Luck2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537157331730253266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh60A00HETCr0CKoKEVj9Cn-AHFI2hkDPNlIr0mORIwOg92Tuau1OndCOpxkunXdqFrkOPiREi60muOdMLyThLCHVaQF8fRif4BN2HYOscoJmjudPq4fBskQiSqOTLFoKxOnMq_MoFleZM/s400/Luck2.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4gAutdvB9XlUwIMzJnuSpfil7JPp4wSER0tqthY8iLDGS_uqNzqL7wG_uuSFiMpKqpKk-wPQaqqJ2pEt68L4kOinwuszd6qw9nr632XtywAzXRh0qwFY99qB8-dYR7R_hvM-ECmK1Q94/s1600/Luck3.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537157322253353602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4gAutdvB9XlUwIMzJnuSpfil7JPp4wSER0tqthY8iLDGS_uqNzqL7wG_uuSFiMpKqpKk-wPQaqqJ2pEt68L4kOinwuszd6qw9nr632XtywAzXRh0qwFY99qB8-dYR7R_hvM-ECmK1Q94/s400/Luck3.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkwewJDnSS23Xyx-gLDCvMs792LlFMHiJp_Cj0yBhTB7xieKGGWqC4x_Ms5oM5DRhsIQA9164OEGnEXI62yxidg_h90HKPAPbDlNNW76RnjftgDlNQtXVALFodAQNBF63tQ8bUhVN2pj4/s1600/Luck4.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537157323811644370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkwewJDnSS23Xyx-gLDCvMs792LlFMHiJp_Cj0yBhTB7xieKGGWqC4x_Ms5oM5DRhsIQA9164OEGnEXI62yxidg_h90HKPAPbDlNNW76RnjftgDlNQtXVALFodAQNBF63tQ8bUhVN2pj4/s400/Luck4.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7azU8QQXjMr3_tfsqbzJUIYBy-j15WGxaM5HXQXxoE-Y1R6rxxnQT6DspRSwiTWcI5vCFt-CjpZFLTDFyiEjEZh5R-RuRzwMvULZI4vLhpr0LCo8OzRel7iwdUmCuTN12Nu7gVOx_IUY/s1600/Luck5.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537156615798082418" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7azU8QQXjMr3_tfsqbzJUIYBy-j15WGxaM5HXQXxoE-Y1R6rxxnQT6DspRSwiTWcI5vCFt-CjpZFLTDFyiEjEZh5R-RuRzwMvULZI4vLhpr0LCo8OzRel7iwdUmCuTN12Nu7gVOx_IUY/s400/Luck5.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLahNM8godj6GmrOGPOpWI-4b2_CoCrde8SIIvHkmyatuBtAH5hsj2p4CUq2Mn32CTpC5cbnpWzg63T_Sb9_v_AAjzmR5deBBXQxx6fQTTBz_0wDFse-u6uNvtznwoiLGOi_yfEDs4kKY/s1600/Luck6.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537156609544814322" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLahNM8godj6GmrOGPOpWI-4b2_CoCrde8SIIvHkmyatuBtAH5hsj2p4CUq2Mn32CTpC5cbnpWzg63T_Sb9_v_AAjzmR5deBBXQxx6fQTTBz_0wDFse-u6uNvtznwoiLGOi_yfEDs4kKY/s400/Luck6.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxnHvUcf3zVuFuPQSS8LqBT9cleLS-BHtIaugpaAKjs4zOop0N2XoiwdXBtGFvNhq3XQxT4E_Ra1seqTdOq8L_b7OBA7qzMEF3s6s-Gr2oL5DYqLYss4EL0Xe6wr3JqAn55AnsoURAhV4/s1600/Luck7.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537156602610630354" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxnHvUcf3zVuFuPQSS8LqBT9cleLS-BHtIaugpaAKjs4zOop0N2XoiwdXBtGFvNhq3XQxT4E_Ra1seqTdOq8L_b7OBA7qzMEF3s6s-Gr2oL5DYqLYss4EL0Xe6wr3JqAn55AnsoURAhV4/s400/Luck7.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUhx5L-Q-fPXR8aIj0QwH-clpGoBml_GSQR6lmTu3hH1_5CalQUMzrWv0AQ-WykSRM7e7C5Vd14IZkyIYTtF1K78qnMeMsHExY7NOcCgo5mpph3wt02JIGA183fsMmJff0YowY_JnXK4E/s1600/Luck8.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537156592987191762" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUhx5L-Q-fPXR8aIj0QwH-clpGoBml_GSQR6lmTu3hH1_5CalQUMzrWv0AQ-WykSRM7e7C5Vd14IZkyIYTtF1K78qnMeMsHExY7NOcCgo5mpph3wt02JIGA183fsMmJff0YowY_JnXK4E/s400/Luck8.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinnHh9dbCvY-XDjQ5GuqVPf53nlhNwBEGykIFLOmGYwaBiAHm7Q7CIpuBTVq5b6SXnFC-CXUHNqa6ceMq4N56qmkGiPLtWPUrypDoOaQ_9xTKIBRABwmumoOO8MZt1sVzygVQ8YRFSTPE/s1600/Luck9.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537156587950943586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinnHh9dbCvY-XDjQ5GuqVPf53nlhNwBEGykIFLOmGYwaBiAHm7Q7CIpuBTVq5b6SXnFC-CXUHNqa6ceMq4N56qmkGiPLtWPUrypDoOaQ_9xTKIBRABwmumoOO8MZt1sVzygVQ8YRFSTPE/s400/Luck9.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhntfycnYh5QJb7HZwIc8J5aur9x8S-XimxV8zXNdSkKG2TemPhBaCpFbc35xEZS0ZXSuMtCOMIDo7ovWZWpYq6R0jbssjpsAY1j1OG-GDSNgc3YFOtBNMKZumXQ2PZ76OHQ11HqxrVHxE/s1600/Luck10.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537155872820949746" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhntfycnYh5QJb7HZwIc8J5aur9x8S-XimxV8zXNdSkKG2TemPhBaCpFbc35xEZS0ZXSuMtCOMIDo7ovWZWpYq6R0jbssjpsAY1j1OG-GDSNgc3YFOtBNMKZumXQ2PZ76OHQ11HqxrVHxE/s400/Luck10.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjmWQL5j2cLitpAsd3nL7l7dc7KblItBf272Cv2vhArHizx58n8_rSR3BqhSfwM7Wi2gXMFHiiqWlVjKbFYS8zvV-q7b1iTF4lLkwECcwooWrohpiOJwTou656hZhY9y_pC99x-bD2StE/s1600/Luck11.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537155871675999234" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjmWQL5j2cLitpAsd3nL7l7dc7KblItBf272Cv2vhArHizx58n8_rSR3BqhSfwM7Wi2gXMFHiiqWlVjKbFYS8zvV-q7b1iTF4lLkwECcwooWrohpiOJwTou656hZhY9y_pC99x-bD2StE/s400/Luck11.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij2kIolWoJvVfmPJui9UndwFsnqBE5xz76nLM9AxDrrDZLbzgPVdUB3tG6tVUBTgl_1Ezv1ChKeCDXwThBtRFl-CrLvWJLaX9FtMQjFlmyQaKhYl8PrnAtrbPcZ5Jvg7oPI9RJbxKHGpo/s1600/Luck12.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537155861479914002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij2kIolWoJvVfmPJui9UndwFsnqBE5xz76nLM9AxDrrDZLbzgPVdUB3tG6tVUBTgl_1Ezv1ChKeCDXwThBtRFl-CrLvWJLaX9FtMQjFlmyQaKhYl8PrnAtrbPcZ5Jvg7oPI9RJbxKHGpo/s400/Luck12.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1LOd3FiShOuEvGu3oPeDEYwCsEo6HONqV_TBJ2Em2yhF6rxZysLWgX6UlwF-h8ih7LpRxvW2pWAdNtFxF9WDYpT-yLqjTQe5MtxIBuqI8w8Au2qALS-espJ6QZy_npfrwT5Qgf7mnliQ/s1600/Luck13.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537155858212093714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1LOd3FiShOuEvGu3oPeDEYwCsEo6HONqV_TBJ2Em2yhF6rxZysLWgX6UlwF-h8ih7LpRxvW2pWAdNtFxF9WDYpT-yLqjTQe5MtxIBuqI8w8Au2qALS-espJ6QZy_npfrwT5Qgf7mnliQ/s400/Luck13.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtvxlFSV5__FUoVL7S_xSLSm3X-B5cD7GkJn9yBGfAOK3y-6x-5I6Q5deS8LY59TvQ2U29TxuXsgVxJF9hE9kBPMuax8PCx85ETDylZ2MgQ_EUyXP_3QCBdHX-vUZwcGprrosmTFOoqdM/s1600/Luck14.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537155853656643842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtvxlFSV5__FUoVL7S_xSLSm3X-B5cD7GkJn9yBGfAOK3y-6x-5I6Q5deS8LY59TvQ2U29TxuXsgVxJF9hE9kBPMuax8PCx85ETDylZ2MgQ_EUyXP_3QCBdHX-vUZwcGprrosmTFOoqdM/s400/Luck14.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAs3NkZzhtDIP5C7m3uSmEetCmd00UcCiAU2bLfDAT07BqbnRpX8iFtEI51fQfo6pGJ780esM2G6jlLPkP8qQ_HVV4LWQ8_sSVBIO9bUHkBWfbmSVMeVkuWxUyUPc5-df-D3NP11Hl7OA/s1600/Luck15.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 292px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537146795429910802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAs3NkZzhtDIP5C7m3uSmEetCmd00UcCiAU2bLfDAT07BqbnRpX8iFtEI51fQfo6pGJ780esM2G6jlLPkP8qQ_HVV4LWQ8_sSVBIO9bUHkBWfbmSVMeVkuWxUyUPc5-df-D3NP11Hl7OA/s400/Luck15.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu2j45iEakzgGO2ZTWyHthuHdfvKAVmXF-zfhgd8cFi3JT-UwkRYwsZa-d2ZZZHkW8jx72JgqpYcUFSukHZUql9v_kKsh2RxSThBRQYwErO_DDXjCG5fffEsXC_XxwRJrjQcSJIvtqB0k/s1600/Luck16.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537146790728178242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu2j45iEakzgGO2ZTWyHthuHdfvKAVmXF-zfhgd8cFi3JT-UwkRYwsZa-d2ZZZHkW8jx72JgqpYcUFSukHZUql9v_kKsh2RxSThBRQYwErO_DDXjCG5fffEsXC_XxwRJrjQcSJIvtqB0k/s400/Luck16.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie8J-fPxH9dyFy508CcMHSAhX-1MWXgiUtHDRxSI5kyWA0qBi1Ph_Fnps2EPzk9L9A7uuBjsgj9Vh5JiEDoWNfJ4CNm6wcdw0QOHzJtjYdYKK1aOXGsie0V88sB8UU3MkB-cDz4hyphenhyphena9cY/s1600/Luck17.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 274px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537146788157325874" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie8J-fPxH9dyFy508CcMHSAhX-1MWXgiUtHDRxSI5kyWA0qBi1Ph_Fnps2EPzk9L9A7uuBjsgj9Vh5JiEDoWNfJ4CNm6wcdw0QOHzJtjYdYKK1aOXGsie0V88sB8UU3MkB-cDz4hyphenhyphena9cY/s400/Luck17.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1a5u67WezhmKrcaJ7_viPELsqcvwhLVBflLktvKgPFaXy4k7lKmy1TasFM2odzToUrL4ITXpdDWhxEVEKAJ1jOBmf6KHIlcEw5DHDK1xGelgKUqdiJlffzm3Mxlk7-GJt1XZdgF0DYTc/s1600/Luck18.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537146780285008274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1a5u67WezhmKrcaJ7_viPELsqcvwhLVBflLktvKgPFaXy4k7lKmy1TasFM2odzToUrL4ITXpdDWhxEVEKAJ1jOBmf6KHIlcEw5DHDK1xGelgKUqdiJlffzm3Mxlk7-GJt1XZdgF0DYTc/s400/Luck18.jpg" /></a>I am ashamed to admit it, but we left our trip without one piece of furniture. I think it was the cheapness in each of us that prevented us from pulling the trigger on a purchase, it certainly wasn't the absence of deliciousness. It just seemed wrong to buy something that was already lovely, we are more the type that picks it up off the side of the road and then makes it lovely. You think I'm kidding? I spotted these 4 pretties on the side of the road while driving 70 mph. Did we stop? Yes. Is there possibly a litter of kittens somewhere inside these chairs? Absolutely. Did we pay $20 for all four? Yes. Did one of us not think they would all fit in the car? Yes. Did they all 4 fit in the car? Barely. Are they going to look phenomenal painted white and recovered in linen? You bet they are.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI_CWCWEYnYwmt36J23Z2Se0acR4gGEGRd9hyphenhyphenpyyPOvMYzozzwZ1Fz-YPiRAWJ3NiJwoGqr-C2oHV67roHfIJMk2ZtGs44DeYHKbCqbEYECmstRpsfH8XGCO8z-q0QDQ_iiwIxhQGVemI/s1600/Luck19.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537146775708933330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI_CWCWEYnYwmt36J23Z2Se0acR4gGEGRd9hyphenhyphenpyyPOvMYzozzwZ1Fz-YPiRAWJ3NiJwoGqr-C2oHV67roHfIJMk2ZtGs44DeYHKbCqbEYECmstRpsfH8XGCO8z-q0QDQ_iiwIxhQGVemI/s400/Luck19.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglKy3AJo-iWpJEv14RbJ5BQOse3NMVVD4nC1LTzJwzNf0T0ZkDmi4xdqj06JApUsQTCF20iL-CdGlTJXSSaYtP7VxMTcXlg55ziA3o0AZEPH-W1XblaodKZY2H34kZOcdVnhyphenhyphenb2xsu8NM/s1600/Luck20.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 244px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537145833658186978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglKy3AJo-iWpJEv14RbJ5BQOse3NMVVD4nC1LTzJwzNf0T0ZkDmi4xdqj06JApUsQTCF20iL-CdGlTJXSSaYtP7VxMTcXlg55ziA3o0AZEPH-W1XblaodKZY2H34kZOcdVnhyphenhyphenb2xsu8NM/s400/Luck20.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ZUEIH7w16CtyPlm7gjOtjqxwPYLj65lSqR8hEWy2ZLUm3F9wm362RY9TxtgcJp-R2UhJaR9EX-21WznFhwMTvEbc72_hXY0ieJuFYkB33xnjO0d01QqVUJ8tksaTOXqOjotHq2MlA_o/s1600/Luck21.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537145820924062082" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ZUEIH7w16CtyPlm7gjOtjqxwPYLj65lSqR8hEWy2ZLUm3F9wm362RY9TxtgcJp-R2UhJaR9EX-21WznFhwMTvEbc72_hXY0ieJuFYkB33xnjO0d01QqVUJ8tksaTOXqOjotHq2MlA_o/s400/Luck21.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFo88XIjAU_oosRrVEDMVQHi2kO3FaPWlv32JiZARd9HtERYEIK9WkdUugkEYTrut1YvYr9zE6L-IWZped8PG0_eZwhqPSGkBVG4fJGry6b_-oRhuYmhPXz7MMk4Q2lv3SPSMKR1pTjkQ/s1600/Luck22.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 273px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537145818516757714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFo88XIjAU_oosRrVEDMVQHi2kO3FaPWlv32JiZARd9HtERYEIK9WkdUugkEYTrut1YvYr9zE6L-IWZped8PG0_eZwhqPSGkBVG4fJGry6b_-oRhuYmhPXz7MMk4Q2lv3SPSMKR1pTjkQ/s400/Luck22.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrb8WBOeZSVKapgGzBGv7SODARlhKHBrStV9ihk6qbBy-1nU-sQVWlLITwZ2XlPw6bl7M13sJkq595Iw-NNrFfi5AaYpFIfT4dO-O8aQled5mixLuC3yYV-LRP9uWweostaSdmdJdPJZ4/s1600/Luck24.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 271px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537145813368689202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrb8WBOeZSVKapgGzBGv7SODARlhKHBrStV9ihk6qbBy-1nU-sQVWlLITwZ2XlPw6bl7M13sJkq595Iw-NNrFfi5AaYpFIfT4dO-O8aQled5mixLuC3yYV-LRP9uWweostaSdmdJdPJZ4/s400/Luck24.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeoi1VEfAjbhULG2oUhAw710R6x_4LKdQZ9Z4-Og1MharILb4dOJbdyzIQ6VzG9EeJFXfRZOpa8PRWFC3oComNMraSksjWYJgZaBBlOpVG7dk9jotcHvfbxWe2dbMIjDyfm1rdlJEuUh8/s1600/Luck23.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 231px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537145808766194610" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeoi1VEfAjbhULG2oUhAw710R6x_4LKdQZ9Z4-Og1MharILb4dOJbdyzIQ6VzG9EeJFXfRZOpa8PRWFC3oComNMraSksjWYJgZaBBlOpVG7dk9jotcHvfbxWe2dbMIjDyfm1rdlJEuUh8/s400/Luck23.jpg" /></a>I love these girls.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfBxu4MfSxLENROEPdr1MCDeQ7tzmijzO99q7dxFkY_gGPTLe7skIKYTHv3PpYKtJUQ21yRa0St0GjwIFR1pM3h5M7YJuYOhZ7DpzPk1QN-aZxQhNnn3nJHbyWr6p0nOWkeTOu63wi78c/s1600/Luckgirls.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 307px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537157623226519490" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfBxu4MfSxLENROEPdr1MCDeQ7tzmijzO99q7dxFkY_gGPTLe7skIKYTHv3PpYKtJUQ21yRa0St0GjwIFR1pM3h5M7YJuYOhZ7DpzPk1QN-aZxQhNnn3nJHbyWr6p0nOWkeTOu63wi78c/s400/Luckgirls.jpg" /></a> <div><div><div><p><img alt="Amy" src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee349/GDest07/amyheywood/amysig.png" /></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Playing Sublimelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09638497282763008097noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326357699598882669.post-72280988932923991742010-11-04T00:00:00.002-04:002010-11-04T00:00:02.645-04:00Lucketts anyone?<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535411724940315554" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga5vyAr2ZZFzIa4sCOgKDBfOmu2bw948aKNmsj8lryYY1PmO9rFsQcBahqRw7upYLFWkb5QoIWt7qB7Bd1yaRtJNXFylQOf4unFbm5Y-QsuSSO8K3mm6rYMpB6ihnjjCJz3VSm33BDkV4/s400/L1.jpg" /> <div><div><div>I'm <a href="http://luckettstore.com/design-house">Lucketts</a> bound. I am finally going! I have wanted to make the trip north for about a year. I swoon over their stuff all too often, and the weekend is finally upon me. A few of my girls and I are jumping in the SUV with a Uhaul hooked to the back, and we are off! I mentioned wanting to go to Lucketts awhile back and I had several emails from people telling me that they would like to go too. So if you are local to the DC area and are up for a trip, let me know. I will be there this Friday. If you are a murderer, please do not come and find me. I would not be fun to murder because I would scream loud and pull out your hair. And if you want to kidnap me or my friends for ransom, you really should know in advance that my husband has seen the Mel Gibson movie <em>Ransom</em>, and he says that if he was ever in that situation that he would play hardball just like Mel Gibson's character, and he would never pay a dime. But if you just want to come and hangout with cool girls and buy great stuff, then send me an email...we will meet up! Here is some of the stuff that I intend on buying...<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 407px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 272px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535411716101900626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhONiIecNAQaxzM4CT782zaHQarVrTENgBA3jQNViC2gX7ldFxlCiPsrZnrX92gVBpFqV5tRYlVykLJqrIN15ikmjR7iY-hxyW5WBrQJOmKDTzduVewL00Bn2JhIssaVCteb7kCTWizp7U/s400/lucketts1.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 268px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535411707838975394" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQkOQcKe2eBRYTUjWTeSk3HRMq84tpUPZnKULKfV3JYg7a1Irn3RMKbmmngSubHvUzD5ObAhkKOwr7zo0v7ZMOS2Utz_v2DkJQBc7jce9tJnJbTDEHgJ-0quzafYGXYh2MDNOhkSHEUI8/s400/L2.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535411702986632786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfoxq4f2Yy3GEOKLAAPF0pmVMdAikAxvMAcUWaJFI2kut5DhbNs09rs1qzvuS5va3hpKD54wbROMefMoKZdLGOPhWL-szvtKwIOUMugUrT6lN_CsqXFoEyTZ8RvX28hrlfzcgqq_n_-t8/s400/L3.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535411691876472658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuzRtozidKFJzs-kS0Ol85FbDWDcbp11S7p5LRm2pqQJFgRFC2gkIdfhSuc4L-UxM9cLGhpsbzJFoWWkCyBUf1uTBZwCtAX0JoRDBlhOHPQeEaJsPT7rBiIQLaY_1f5mkOhmA12XqiI1k/s400/L4.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 268px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535411368746840274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXvSszyZwNlFzXIZ8GMQGCOE2H1cySRMXZY0EnRtKk-0nPQnh3TuyExibfLEZukX87_gAILivRw3DlIRBvf2LSK-knzvSafw_DFDUAKKZfPaxsAT6X0Cb7Ok95PtgjyffF-D5sKSIQOtg/s400/L5.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 268px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535411357526702466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9NY8p6DT8K49JJ5EOE7Q2xXsPv_P8MyRloO8m_Jh-s22oGFJxGhj4Hu5KuMNUAVYyIcRQPSnrICvZn_BAgM3cDhfAYlWmVkmA3RqE8bZ2zvKFTf4dNPJBX3ERAXrxhjHLrAi1fQOa0Qs/s400/L6.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 394px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 264px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535411358486139826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKh9I_CZKJaM6R3yjRFMol-uDjts0RMt7T0jqm1MUKC_hc8IGwI0H36RJKqvuxIJkH9gks1Zd9pLbAMpqYz0y-ApDXf5LQ3HGG3riwCZe5G5xHHgotL6j4EKklOdLJcjT0tOPUA7EjbIs/s400/L7.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535411347353355778" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD3A71mIXdBceJ7CXgBy4rhl9xVIT4WWsxVYWv9gafZnoc_cwdS0K-3S5asK9Pty9_fNLiedArmMp_KvKtgqnLyPSkFvbB2wWT9EXhikIAQev6wDESJpRS16rfOvITsePtTH57C2BVONU/s400/L8.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 268px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535411337459212578" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWtXYIc1A70boiwME5kHcX62dLHCRX4RSw6Msricc2RYEr3V1jXCg2bH6hrCXs40Cr94UKxJLEoJqq_Gk8gHwGeOyA8szxohZncdiP9SUmOJ8TKqmzZ9Z_GiWHVNI5Jt0xOWSwjRqDMiw/s400/L9.jpg" /> <p>I'm just kidding honey, I'm not really buying all of that stuff...at least that is not my plan.</p><br /><p><img alt="Amy" src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee349/GDest07/amyheywood/amysig.png" /></p></div></div></div>Playing Sublimelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09638497282763008097noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326357699598882669.post-34075550510336517032010-11-02T13:49:00.007-04:002010-11-02T20:40:18.681-04:00The Voice of Truth is telling you to Shout!<p>The more I read of biblical giants, the more I stand in awe of my God. For none of these characters that I have been studying started out as giants at all. Moses wasn't born a leader, Joshua wasn't born a courageous conqueror, and David wasn't born a king. There is a common rhythm to which each of their hearts beats, and God doesn't want you and I to miss the tempo. Each of these men stepped into a life they never dreamed they would live. They were born anything but what they became. God does that with the willing, He creates in us a heart more like His, if we will allow Him. These men were called to extraordinary circumstances and through faith, they fulfilled their calling. </p><p>I was reading the beginning of Joshua's story last night, and I couldn't help but catch something that I know was very intentional, something God meant for you and I to cherish as a gift. The scene is this: Moses had died and Joshua had been selected by God as the new leader of the Israelites. He had an enormous task ahead of him...finally leading God's people into their promise land. So what does God repetitively say to Joshua three times within the first chapter: "be strong and courageous". That tells me something about the state of Joshua at that time...he wasn't feeling strong and courageous. He was getting ready to lead an army into a land occupied by "giants". Joshua was among one of the spies that Moses sent to explore Canaan, he had seen the men that occupied that land, he had experienced 40 years of wandering in the desert, and 40 years can do a lot to a person's confidence. Though he and Caleb were the only two spies that were trusting in God's ability to deliver them into the promised land, 40 long years had gone by at this point. And after all, Joshua was only human. Those 40 years had to have created in him doubt and fear. I wonder if he was starting to question the task at hand. I can't help but think he was, because God doesn't waste words, and 3 times He told Joshua to "be strong and courageous". </p><p>We know that God's word is alive and active, it is as relevant for us today as the audible words of God were to Joshua while he was standing outside the promise land preparing for battle. That is so very encouraging to me in my daily walk toward my calling. I am not expected to in my own strength be strong and courageous. God understands fear, He understands doubt, but He also very clearly understands who He is. He knows that the battle we face is already won. He knows that the enemy we are up against has already been defeated. God is confidently sitting on the other side of the tomb telling you and me, "I promise, you can trust Me, believe me when I tell you that <strong>I</strong> can do this". </p><p>God has taught us through Joshua that we are called to faith in the One that is capable. We are called not to our own strength, but rather to trust in His strength to knock down the walls at Jericho. All God is looking for is a few good men and women who like Joshua will say "Get your supplies ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving to you for your own." Joshua 1 :11. Won't you be one of those women that bear His name and march into your promise land with confidence! I speak to myself as much as I speak outwardly to you. I don't want to keep wandering around in the desert, not when I know my God is handing over to me a divine land that He has set aside for me. </p><p>There is a young mother of 4 at my children's school that was recently diagnosed with cancer. I do not know her personally, but I think and pray about her often. And through the communication of others that do know her, they have told me that she is fully trusting in our God to bring her through this. I am so impressed with that. It is one thing for someone like me that is not being faced with an immediate <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Canaanite</span> army staring me down to say "trust God and be strong and courageous", but when a mother of 4 that is fighting cancer can confidently make such a claim...it is worth listening to. Don't you just know that God is looking down on her saying "That's my girl!". She, like Joshua, has been met on the battle field by the One that is capable of winning the war. They were met on the edge of their promised land by the God that has already delivered the land to them, and by the God that is still promising us today that He will never leave us or forsake us. It's His voice of truth that we are called to listen to. Tune your ears to His voice dear friend, He is telling you to march into your Jericho and "Shout! For the Lord has given you the city!" Joshua 6:16. And then watch as your God does amazing things, for He has given you a front row seat to watch the walls of your Jericho tumble to the ground.<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/KwsvqVmFV6Y?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/KwsvqVmFV6Y?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /></p><p><img alt="Amy" src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee349/GDest07/amyheywood/amysig.png" /></p>Playing Sublimelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09638497282763008097noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326357699598882669.post-15958863209478496582010-11-01T10:33:00.007-04:002010-11-01T11:27:01.183-04:00Friday Night Lights<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixlbEouzuRDg5_IJj5lqcXv1coKsVfX9dsCBsH2VHDuQzF9S08N6AR2jt4ruQn9vFeDcSXpMmFj8kOU2wuTkTGdU0uvf5SbO-3QAUBMgh-YoFTG7RuMcXHwEs4T13zk59A0rT2CvUN_Is/s1600/Charlottesville+%26+Halloween+042.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 270px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534590668717921762" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixlbEouzuRDg5_IJj5lqcXv1coKsVfX9dsCBsH2VHDuQzF9S08N6AR2jt4ruQn9vFeDcSXpMmFj8kOU2wuTkTGdU0uvf5SbO-3QAUBMgh-YoFTG7RuMcXHwEs4T13zk59A0rT2CvUN_Is/s400/Charlottesville+%26+Halloween+042.JPG" /></a>My sister and her husband live the real life version of the television show <em>Friday Night Lights</em>. My brother-in-law was just named the head football coach in a small town that is serious about their football. Our entire family traveled to his game this weekend so we could watch him in action, and oh what a sight it was. He is the kind of coach that you would want your son to play for. He is intense, enthusiastic, encouraging, and just plain fun. He is the kind of coach that all football coaches should be, and we loved watching him. I had no idea he could jump that high in the air, that many times!</div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 242px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534601437524317522" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9rO_3bt2uasEzRIhwqLJ0GZn5N6wPVXXax7H_lYPTAxpxncRSj1sRagw70-znf3iotk_PeVfTFOujFByWUZIJm4M9zVswQgt1J5r5VP_Qa8nFndNSWJUKIiapK-nEGYix3rBSsLlXhoA/s400/Charlottesville+%26+Halloween+052.JPG" /> <div></div><div>And when our family decides to do something, we do it right. We had shirts made for the event, the girls were "Barnett Babes" and the boys "Barnett Bubbas". It was so much fun.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOLr6V-u_jaiI7S1BE6WZTWrfUzvG1aL2Sl8Y27Iokr4rJ6Ly_g_IysoqWak18kNR02KPhBE8fjxD4h2FROcN2M_1XUujkayMLJsW2CtAnuwPpdo2Q9zzF2NLTmpMwRxkV-ATDMdYlDSw/s1600/Charlottesville+%26+Halloween+035.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534590662856654498" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOLr6V-u_jaiI7S1BE6WZTWrfUzvG1aL2Sl8Y27Iokr4rJ6Ly_g_IysoqWak18kNR02KPhBE8fjxD4h2FROcN2M_1XUujkayMLJsW2CtAnuwPpdo2Q9zzF2NLTmpMwRxkV-ATDMdYlDSw/s400/Charlottesville+%26+Halloween+035.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0BiNdeQre8t2XgOo5MhI-BtrAAQceHAel1wemiOWTGJ2JVwhePoxi1AF4lLlvqK5pwu-_bB1UX5eO7MItLOwU8B1sYp4ezqRayyaFeoU5aN53tkiBWyrDsNoqf_vCt_x7hRLONZKspeE/s1600/Charlottesville+%26+Halloween+011.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534590653204855106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0BiNdeQre8t2XgOo5MhI-BtrAAQceHAel1wemiOWTGJ2JVwhePoxi1AF4lLlvqK5pwu-_bB1UX5eO7MItLOwU8B1sYp4ezqRayyaFeoU5aN53tkiBWyrDsNoqf_vCt_x7hRLONZKspeE/s400/Charlottesville+%26+Halloween+011.JPG" /></a>And because it was Halloween, and because I made their costumes, and because they are so stinkin' cute, I just can't post this blog without showing you my pirates.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2z_873Knpz4tF4PUvKGkslZZ1Eb-otraMzRqbDNXsheRYqR6SWO-SentX6T3GUN37zHE83QaY-YPH09Y92TNlMPDrnzU4HszZ6eTy5w3HTSdSeayCDqpLwFcTPkBXwnvmsFFVhbx5dz4/s1600/Blog+halloween.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 258px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534590649241985618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2z_873Knpz4tF4PUvKGkslZZ1Eb-otraMzRqbDNXsheRYqR6SWO-SentX6T3GUN37zHE83QaY-YPH09Y92TNlMPDrnzU4HszZ6eTy5w3HTSdSeayCDqpLwFcTPkBXwnvmsFFVhbx5dz4/s400/Blog+halloween.jpg" /></a>One more thing. We have the coolest friends of anyone I know. Have you ever seen a better "Mary Poppins and crew" in all your life? They all looked their part perfectly (the baby was a "spoonful of sugar")! I mean really, can you deal with that?!?!<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 272px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534593402241284578" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhEMAkeVbCaAURMy12jji6rn6p3keH0LPnzo15QhSLgrwRpaB28gNv4NPJr6x_V0oBgP96Ud17O2faFwgxAje2rv4hCMc52unmNjYm24eTYLk6zPz_kpYuwVIuhWnoR2IETmalSUCT-7c/s400/Charlottesville+%26+Halloween+096.JPG" />And then this friend I just have no words for...love it! If you have preschoolers that watch Noggin, then you know who he is.<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 186px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534593398036418338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCDbzuJwXoAdzsUGtQFmIpXIDEQJAoov0FXDGWdd3qC3a3NraI_gyESItHvJgCsp_Er8N32aVtGIbGVJeb4bPfaAzy7xkPHtH3wOILA04TM8XXwc7ZMscaaJULWuBpFqg94evp6Ribk_8/s400/Charlottesville+%26+Halloween+098.JPG" />Happy November 1st friends.<br /><br /><p><img alt="Amy" src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee349/GDest07/amyheywood/amysig.png" /></p></div></div></div></div>Playing Sublimelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09638497282763008097noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326357699598882669.post-28486435652390680142010-10-27T00:00:00.002-04:002010-10-27T15:27:34.376-04:00For such a time as this<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZKjPk6DtNtFdiAG3ALF24sEgwc-oEBjfNALkIchs67ziFQf9aTkszn4PjfqCFGJljDn4USOAzwXrMdyvp_GEzaQdsJgy9_HtNeNKDryXXMJSjf6PNXgJ99tMlOu2UnoTtahlGxDWr70/s1600/mountains,+garage+remodel,lollipops+149.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 250px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531995100457019762" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZKjPk6DtNtFdiAG3ALF24sEgwc-oEBjfNALkIchs67ziFQf9aTkszn4PjfqCFGJljDn4USOAzwXrMdyvp_GEzaQdsJgy9_HtNeNKDryXXMJSjf6PNXgJ99tMlOu2UnoTtahlGxDWr70/s400/mountains,+garage+remodel,lollipops+149.JPG" /></a>One of the most compelling evidences to me that the Bible is truth, is the people themselves that make up the stories. Have you ever really stopped to consider the characters whose lives are lived out on the thin pages of this book we call God's Word? We cannot make it out of Genesis before we have met more people than we can count that make really bad choices. And these are not <em>small characters. </em>I'm talking about major names: Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, Moses, and so on and so on the stories go. Failure after failure, and disobedience after disobedience. You would think if the authors of the Bible were being untruthful, if they were attempting to tell a false story, that they would make themselves and the others around them look a little "better". Do you know what I mean? What good is it to make up falsehoods that paint such an unflattering portrait of ourselves?<br /><br />I have been spending much of my bible study time these past few weeks around two such characters. One is Moses, and the other is Esther...and oh how I have grown to adore these two people. For now, I would like to throw out something that the Lord is pounding into my heart right now. So often when something starts weighing on my heart, I think of you, and how I want to share it here. And here's the point: God can use anybody He wants to fulfill His will on this planet. It doesn't matter their circumstances, their background, their family, their health, their financial situation, their past sin, their nationality, etc. His will, will be done. Period. Moses was born at a time when all male Hebrew babies were being murdered. Then Moses himself became a murder and was living as a fugitive when God called him to <em>lead His people out of Egypt</em>! I think that is kind of a big deal. I think Moses' past is relevant for us today. I think his background is significant to us understanding our purpose here today on this planet. And then there is sweet Esther. She was an orphan, a child with NO parents, was being raised by her male cousin, and then finds herself married to a king who also has hundreds of concubines and has just signed a death warrant for all of God's people...her circumstances were less than ideal. And yet both of these characters were used mightily by God. And I dare say that if we could have asked either one of them 5 minutes before their pivotal calling if they were in a position to be used for God's glory, they would have laughed at the mere suggestion. And yet God allowed Moses to fellowship intimately with Him and to guide His people, and He allowed Esther a role of radical importance in Hebrew history. God can use anybody!<br /><br />So I will throw the question out, do <em>you</em> struggle with whether or not God can or ever will use you mightily for His kingdom, for His glory? Do you ever struggle with whether or not you blew your chance? That's the thing about sin, it has a way of hissing lies to us while we lie in bed at night. We try and rest in the Truth that we are forgiven, that He already paid the debt, but we sometimes feel as though we cannot escape the suffocating darkness of our past. And so we believe the lie. The lie that we are too damaged to be used, too screwed up to be straightened out, and too unworthy to ever wear white. But then enters Grace, and picks us up with two pierced hands and says "who knows, but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this" Esther 4:14.<br /><br />What position do you find yourself in? Will you dare to believe that God may have you strategically placed right where He wants you? What lie might you be believing that is keeping you from humbly allowing God to use you? Our father desires to pick you up and walk you right into the light of your destiny, into your promise land, and eventually into His glory. You have been born into "such a time as this" to do great things in His mighty name. Get up on your two feet my friend, and get walking into your promised land that He prepared for you long before you breathed your first breath of life.<br /><br /><p><img alt="Amy" src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee349/GDest07/amyheywood/amysig.png" /></p>Playing Sublimelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09638497282763008097noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326357699598882669.post-18816809652212345332010-10-25T00:00:00.000-04:002010-10-25T00:00:06.026-04:00A cowboy without a horse<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAvh5ILAOe1w3Y3pGiqe70jobH_FQEYb6wnkTcCGynO9Rigwv-l9rr_U8T7DG6bVvVe84VYuYioxmOMpjDSYHjmTRYqXULUAwV5hQaKuS3vYmtZccD5fFxWdAJT0dtNlxzadFxi2nSZd4/s1600/mountains,+garage+remodel,lollipops+214.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 313px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531805331267082402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAvh5ILAOe1w3Y3pGiqe70jobH_FQEYb6wnkTcCGynO9Rigwv-l9rr_U8T7DG6bVvVe84VYuYioxmOMpjDSYHjmTRYqXULUAwV5hQaKuS3vYmtZccD5fFxWdAJT0dtNlxzadFxi2nSZd4/s400/mountains,+garage+remodel,lollipops+214.JPG" /></a> If you are visiting here from <a href="http://www.remodelaholic.com/">Remodelaholics</a>, then your timing is impeccable. You know trouble is brewing when you catch your husband outside with house plans, a tape measure, and red flags. It hasn't been 6 months since I called this house remodel "complete". I suppose deep down I always knew we were not really finished. There were too many things left lingering, a few things not all that ideal, a few things left "with room to maybe add on one day". And now that one day has come, sooner than I thought it would for sure. My cute carpenter husband wants a garage, and I want my linen closets back. It is such a strange thing to tell out of town company that the extra towels are in the closet at the top of the stairs, right next to the air compressor and compound miter saw. We have tools oozing out of every spare space in this house. My man needs a garage, 'cause he's kind of like a cowboy without a horse. <br /><br />So here we go again. Only this time it's going to look a little different. We will not be living in a remodel, but rather watching an addition happen on the outside of our house...not nearly as stressful. And though remodeling is not the heart of this blog, you know that there will be some great stories along the way that I will simply have to share here. And who knows, there might even be a dreamy screened porch in those plans that that carpenter of mine is holding.<br /><p><img alt="Amy" src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee349/GDest07/amyheywood/amysig.png" /></p><p>Thanks Cassity for featuring our remodel. Click on <a href="http://playingsublimely.blogspot.com/search/label/My%20House%20Tour">My House Tour </a>over on the left hand side to view all the rooms in our remodel.</p>Playing Sublimelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09638497282763008097noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326357699598882669.post-26761732329160012222010-10-22T00:00:00.000-04:002010-10-22T06:24:02.075-04:00Oh how He loves you<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/k3JBdi6fWSU?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/k3JBdi6fWSU?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />We took our girls to see and worship with the David Crowder Band last night. Though Caroline fell asleep halfway through the concert, it was still a sweet time. And so as I needed reminding last night, I wonder if you too could use reminding today. Do you know that He is jealous for you? He sees all that we too often fill our time with, and waits and longs for you to draw near to Him. Do you know how great His affections are toward you? Greater and more powerful than that of a hurricane. Do you know that you are <em>His portion</em> and <em>He is your prize</em>? <strong>He is </strong>your great reward! And if His grace is an ocean, then my friend you are sinking in it.<br /><br />Oh how loves you! Happy Friday sweet friends!<br /><br /><p><img alt="Amy" src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee349/GDest07/amyheywood/amysig.png" /></p>Playing Sublimelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09638497282763008097noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326357699598882669.post-49175902454074238462010-10-20T21:11:00.004-04:002010-10-20T22:28:49.760-04:00The randomness of it all<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhruU0YzWE4QnP96yZH5jd_wn7sXFCo5QdKmdi07WFnkKmGBPdSQZOwqKR4MfgaWZfa8ZWbxg18yWL7DRLx5MjMT46i8aRFJnH4A8VC0fqZ1COpzKFuc0Gl0-sGLeMoK2ElKVl5_KluNgU/s1600/railroad+tracks.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 268px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530318993045512402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhruU0YzWE4QnP96yZH5jd_wn7sXFCo5QdKmdi07WFnkKmGBPdSQZOwqKR4MfgaWZfa8ZWbxg18yWL7DRLx5MjMT46i8aRFJnH4A8VC0fqZ1COpzKFuc0Gl0-sGLeMoK2ElKVl5_KluNgU/s400/railroad+tracks.jpg" /></a> <p>I cannot tell you how many times I sit to write at my computer and I think to myself "don't write about that, that just seems random". I generally never really know what my next blog post will be, I'm not organized and "together" like that. But then a new day comes with fresh thoughts and ideas and so I sit and type. Sometimes ideas come in the midst of a project with my husband and sometimes it is while I am doing my bible study. I am an emotional person and I tend to swing from one extreme thought to the other very quickly. This blog has so many times reflected that. I bounce around a lot around here, and in the spirit of keeping it real, I feel as though I should acknowledge that reality. This blog is indeed random. If you have ever cared enough to wonder if I am aware that I tend to be all over the place with my thoughts, the answer is <strong>yes</strong>. I am very well aware! This space has become a random snapshot of the days that are making up my life. It has evolved into something that I never expected it to, and I wonder if it will eventually become something I never thought it would.</p><p>Playing Sublimely has provided a safe place for me to write out my heart. The computer screen between you and I has become somewhat of a security blanket for me, for better or for worse. Any of my girlfriends would tell you, social interaction is not where I thrive...I tend to be guarded and a little awkward in social situations. It is not that I am different in real life than I am on this blog, it's just that here at my computer I have the freedom to express myself in my own way, and on my own time, as I type out my thoughts...a luxury we do not have in daily life, in face to face relationships. </p><p>So I guess what I am trying to say is "thank you". Thank you for being you! Thank you for visiting me here, for reading, and for commenting. Thank you for taking your precious time to listen. You have become a great friend. </p><p><img alt="Amy" src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee349/GDest07/amyheywood/amysig.png" /></p>Playing Sublimelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09638497282763008097noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326357699598882669.post-23204798181558938162010-10-18T00:00:00.000-04:002010-10-18T00:00:00.578-04:00A Pirate Looks at Two<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif0s2K-NNvnVXP0EnvtJYkw6BvMLAO05rYEikRvE1_JXV80sfyNNkXdWxeqh_M6zNfpKNjUa9QYm9a8ETr_vZQCFzLyuxtlRvJv0mfBBQ5jrK_LTa1PMuDXmOa0ZJbyHRJTIgTpkGRAFE/s1600/Pirate+Party+075.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529202565836190530" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif0s2K-NNvnVXP0EnvtJYkw6BvMLAO05rYEikRvE1_JXV80sfyNNkXdWxeqh_M6zNfpKNjUa9QYm9a8ETr_vZQCFzLyuxtlRvJv0mfBBQ5jrK_LTa1PMuDXmOa0ZJbyHRJTIgTpkGRAFE/s400/Pirate+Party+075.JPG" /></a> <div>I wasn't going to wait until my boy was turning forty before I threw him a pirate party. His pirate party came this past weekend to celebrate birthday number two.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnehir6gUQN0ELVRQnOBiSrXA8WBuer-wNsTZ9BNRgmpYo6Ue2pH8_cqkK4MG863HsXpyeF-s3ivnV2WsGWl2KyxLAGh6A5M0JMNRNaYxoZMBk-z2wrGts7kYtK6zB4g9oirAstnZAwc/s1600/Pirate+Party+002.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529201333397537234" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnehir6gUQN0ELVRQnOBiSrXA8WBuer-wNsTZ9BNRgmpYo6Ue2pH8_cqkK4MG863HsXpyeF-s3ivnV2WsGWl2KyxLAGh6A5M0JMNRNaYxoZMBk-z2wrGts7kYtK6zB4g9oirAstnZAwc/s400/Pirate+Party+002.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTQKL8BlgmT-ZgS-5IR3bv_vzoWx8vjG6BAsRpA1-XRigBb82Db96LhYvVkt2JcMnVkvDHpBMktEpa39L7QM3qvELDCc1IIY4lwkUcavYFLAEIL8smgtdwaPyUmmxDYfdydJLYwenMkPI/s1600/Pirate+Party+018.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 260px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529201330260387554" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTQKL8BlgmT-ZgS-5IR3bv_vzoWx8vjG6BAsRpA1-XRigBb82Db96LhYvVkt2JcMnVkvDHpBMktEpa39L7QM3qvELDCc1IIY4lwkUcavYFLAEIL8smgtdwaPyUmmxDYfdydJLYwenMkPI/s400/Pirate+Party+018.JPG" /></a> <div><div><div>He was Captain Thomas, of course.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5a2vIVc1SEtXw_AUjPN8glGJ69hj6SVikBHkUQfTmotpmB_vsybq9ZqV9ZDSGr_BWuFJtRT_uO3Zb6Ye9Gq39-6wRwFTq2ftJYzamnxnT6EH3l69GnjyU8d4wX0NlIoquuEKyvuxAPgM/s1600/Pirate+Party+010.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529201316594789346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5a2vIVc1SEtXw_AUjPN8glGJ69hj6SVikBHkUQfTmotpmB_vsybq9ZqV9ZDSGr_BWuFJtRT_uO3Zb6Ye9Gq39-6wRwFTq2ftJYzamnxnT6EH3l69GnjyU8d4wX0NlIoquuEKyvuxAPgM/s400/Pirate+Party+010.JPG" /></a>Other pirates were there too. Some Landlubbers. Some Buccaneers. A Scurvy Dog or two showed up. And then there was Thomas' Me Hearty.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisweGssYjrEUXeqcoilyejZnfCr5zWTdM58Kr41Nu80dL5p5n0G3RejEH0DstscONYzTTmRLhXc5xHDmm075O52cjp63jOaqMvA6FQSw_RxYZNKJPFRZquZehAE3ZLDazqwoFQVfvBQK8/s1600/Pirate+Party+032.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 268px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529199968961121618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisweGssYjrEUXeqcoilyejZnfCr5zWTdM58Kr41Nu80dL5p5n0G3RejEH0DstscONYzTTmRLhXc5xHDmm075O52cjp63jOaqMvA6FQSw_RxYZNKJPFRZquZehAE3ZLDazqwoFQVfvBQK8/s400/Pirate+Party+032.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9YMEk3Mp_ggaoMLP-lYkKYtLBWXLsIniNCx3CvteGo-l-zkd3TCJnZcPGABWvUqTZ1mwVFWI1xX2JJfcYH0yf4FKcPH4RSvoGmKjRW5_A1bmDlvoxPzaUtQMdjMcA5Aa-K2o7D217IRI/s1600/Pirate+Party+040.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529199963222372514" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9YMEk3Mp_ggaoMLP-lYkKYtLBWXLsIniNCx3CvteGo-l-zkd3TCJnZcPGABWvUqTZ1mwVFWI1xX2JJfcYH0yf4FKcPH4RSvoGmKjRW5_A1bmDlvoxPzaUtQMdjMcA5Aa-K2o7D217IRI/s400/Pirate+Party+040.JPG" /></a>Adult pirates: <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 288px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529201327562997010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgawP8arQYiLf48t_A20fkq2-w37UtV-b2XE6zCznJN_JrW9Ft5OutvQ8TigT_MMY6El-S3PvMf8CPS-BemxB8kEA2NI16N3RIul-e7bOY4XgykNZ-KaB0vboAfWlF-YH3sKOKYyx2MxxM/s400/Pirate+Party+022.JPG" />Young pirates:<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 273px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529201320467856418" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Qx3JI3QKLb1QpcWchzSCQqciuDLEIQU_4xkSRbiyeX_gZMu_MuTvISTsCSKOC1hLcKFrFCfBTQkuntPv8ncECtwcCLwqZFu6-2G2tSmN4HZOLJxTzMmScUVAbrn5T9s-KdazeqkU4gw/s400/Pirate+Party+025.JPG" />Mommy pirates:<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglvOXFdD1AssTLZ3TTU88HFknBGCC37-q0zogmHoC2q_vSz2JJ5NX74SFBby3URFGwXM3vM9F1D7lta2W_hm5tLluLIVQcgD4NE3j3FMqxYHy-xqcw9vd0ADrtzonxpjaIqHagpHyCoLI/s1600/Pirate+Party+044.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529199959206123346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglvOXFdD1AssTLZ3TTU88HFknBGCC37-q0zogmHoC2q_vSz2JJ5NX74SFBby3URFGwXM3vM9F1D7lta2W_hm5tLluLIVQcgD4NE3j3FMqxYHy-xqcw9vd0ADrtzonxpjaIqHagpHyCoLI/s400/Pirate+Party+044.JPG" /></a><br /><div> <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 271px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529202563166350274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWDXp6uen0V3CvBz2aZjghzhAjWVWZ-O4v_j53n6cS-fpLb_LECf8GaS37qZABku2lK5QKBSlX0K5t_8sqx-LOJuyXShME4YhVat1Q5uvUza07lXEjJBamrbsrXieuo-VGVhrlAKpi-aY/s400/Pirate+Party+063.JPG" />Pirates that were getting into Captain Thomas' rum punch:<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5IkoT9cBThIty0slcODoZ583JwFU_y2dvHD0Oj5BBtkX0K7bR2uO32xfAdnF-GVaLtuxhEREayPROlHS6Cnq2Xducv2ip_PSCaM_QvF6ZRfymKkbcI_8sJzcRaV9oIdYZjKRYGtkqiM/s1600/Pirate+Party+072.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 280px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529199946910120050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5IkoT9cBThIty0slcODoZ583JwFU_y2dvHD0Oj5BBtkX0K7bR2uO32xfAdnF-GVaLtuxhEREayPROlHS6Cnq2Xducv2ip_PSCaM_QvF6ZRfymKkbcI_8sJzcRaV9oIdYZjKRYGtkqiM/s400/Pirate+Party+072.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTc_MO6y8iRlsijSUg8jqVb9RQt_kYgcS2Uekoli2WVbvow3Cv0kCJ_t2b5u3a4RgqVbXuGBX78ZA7oX0V9GXzIMjPRI77IVOSJy-Iu2j82_haqFFw2tDt1Xt81AGVWtiiar85aePQiW0/s1600/Pirate+Party+083.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 292px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529198377776662850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTc_MO6y8iRlsijSUg8jqVb9RQt_kYgcS2Uekoli2WVbvow3Cv0kCJ_t2b5u3a4RgqVbXuGBX78ZA7oX0V9GXzIMjPRI77IVOSJy-Iu2j82_haqFFw2tDt1Xt81AGVWtiiar85aePQiW0/s400/Pirate+Party+083.JPG" /></a>Pirate ship cupcakes:<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH37dZvnwI5P3Elg4g1RVphD-01Cwu5uEfutmD56JAZ59q7Ebvyyl7a_2m3w2L6I4dmJO9Ou0H7L6f9Ml3dkkVx-Qr3zXJVZgxTr8gkiodzXEVmc815bE_LCszp5xnVdI5NhFFRS4qZ80/s1600/Pirate+Party+087.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529198372263418258" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH37dZvnwI5P3Elg4g1RVphD-01Cwu5uEfutmD56JAZ59q7Ebvyyl7a_2m3w2L6I4dmJO9Ou0H7L6f9Ml3dkkVx-Qr3zXJVZgxTr8gkiodzXEVmc815bE_LCszp5xnVdI5NhFFRS4qZ80/s400/Pirate+Party+087.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwgJPU_XoRc0zp8uZ6qQznVzmXBccrGI9rWoQOhnts309x77sxX0gfbdmYzKlv6l62FGGnYJrdBij_L86clInGXSqOgTFtnkMcLsZ-RJWDcITh1YgD1bucwHLYgDRByWVc2uq_VOoegro/s1600/Pirate+Party+096.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529198362973956514" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwgJPU_XoRc0zp8uZ6qQznVzmXBccrGI9rWoQOhnts309x77sxX0gfbdmYzKlv6l62FGGnYJrdBij_L86clInGXSqOgTFtnkMcLsZ-RJWDcITh1YgD1bucwHLYgDRByWVc2uq_VOoegro/s400/Pirate+Party+096.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMatuLFhmTyrB2YCGIsbobTJtqxmJ8XRtBQBsUWNK61JZw2ZZo-9da8VHZI5n2rKbL4ux562gTVqtwpAr_Mo-5-Ib-2Pt2uYJIH6J1coBJ1ezI5NKaithTO54Uatu7UhrgRIaxJTyzE8g/s1600/Pirate+Party+104.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529198351923977186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMatuLFhmTyrB2YCGIsbobTJtqxmJ8XRtBQBsUWNK61JZw2ZZo-9da8VHZI5n2rKbL4ux562gTVqtwpAr_Mo-5-Ib-2Pt2uYJIH6J1coBJ1ezI5NKaithTO54Uatu7UhrgRIaxJTyzE8g/s400/Pirate+Party+104.JPG" /></a>All the pirates left with booty, their very own treasure to take home.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZGuYFYP-Xn00Oumy0_DLjS9n_a-tWtKSrADDHEk946pe6lBYQy8j7D22Ef5tIeza8nRlqTKkj_nm6VdCq_W8EsKZRDtRJWlrFylJWEdrqfIjtpjlC6YA-fOb6kW3KqJ9_za-UKzbsS2U/s1600/Pirate+Party+140.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529198339721209842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZGuYFYP-Xn00Oumy0_DLjS9n_a-tWtKSrADDHEk946pe6lBYQy8j7D22Ef5tIeza8nRlqTKkj_nm6VdCq_W8EsKZRDtRJWlrFylJWEdrqfIjtpjlC6YA-fOb6kW3KqJ9_za-UKzbsS2U/s400/Pirate+Party+140.JPG" /></a>My treasure was hanging from around my neck, and I'm not talking about the gold coin necklace.<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529199951305964754" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ9tUveghmm84LmXL5bdMr330zIcIp5iCLdhNmim_R5FFDglbq4jOX7QKVSOrN9xJDEszLSWjU2egOPipzLTUMPAtFO1Qeon1xb_gd9S9qjhn7xPDmqDHnSK0Umbbr6P9JavLFoVKvu3c/s400/Pirate+Party+045.JPG" /><br /><br /><p><img alt="Amy" src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee349/GDest07/amyheywood/amysig.png" /></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Playing Sublimelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09638497282763008097noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326357699598882669.post-24705837414190782312010-10-14T09:34:00.005-04:002010-10-14T14:27:10.661-04:00Stop Doubting and Believe<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz778JLhYNZU-YoSejuqesMWCIENRpSx7szEUduCQZiwKusxL_f-Z6O53vsgA-ar9biNYPHy5tGyae5Xlpw7Um-0bMaUkYl15Z2sZI9aVHqE0efkgWGoNmS1Lox19fdSt4Sk_9H4tAYsA/s1600/IMG_5871.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 259px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527894929298889778" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz778JLhYNZU-YoSejuqesMWCIENRpSx7szEUduCQZiwKusxL_f-Z6O53vsgA-ar9biNYPHy5tGyae5Xlpw7Um-0bMaUkYl15Z2sZI9aVHqE0efkgWGoNmS1Lox19fdSt4Sk_9H4tAYsA/s400/IMG_5871.JPG" /></a> His story really starts many years before he was born, because his story started with my story. I was wrestling with disbelief and fear and depression. I was wrestling with all things in the world that are horrible like 9/11 and cancer and suffering. I went to church and <em>tried hard</em> to have the blind faith that I was <em>supposed</em> to have. Because believing was supposed to easy, right? Those that really believe, those <em>real Christians</em>, never struggled with blind faith. It was easy. So where did that put me? Because I was struggling.<br /><br />And then one week the struggle was overwhelming. I remember crying and wondering what if we are all just wrong? What if He really never did raise up from the dead? What if I really am not redeemed after all? What if there still is a record of all my wrong? What if? I walked through my church doors that Sunday with all my "what ifs". And in case no one has ever told you, that is exactly where God loves to have you. God delivers the broken and the disheartened. He meets the needs of his people that cry out to Him.<br /><br />That Sunday my beloved pastor preached on Doubting Thomas, on that Sunday my God met me right where I was and told me to stop doubting and believe. He is a personal God, who desires a personal walk with you. He doesn't miss or overlook the sufferings of His people.<br /><br />Fast forward many years later to when we found out I was pregnant with a son. I knew his name would be Thomas. He is my personal reminder of the grace and patience and love and deliverance of my God. It is rare that I say my son's name and do not think of that Sunday when God stood before me with holes in His hands and said "Put your fingers here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." John 20:27<br /><br />Today my Thomas turns two. What a blessing his life has been to us! One day our God will stand before him with the same proposal he had for me that Sunday, a proposal of rest if only I would believe. He stands before all of us at some point in all of our lives with that proposal. May our responses be that of the no longer doubting Thomas who responded with "My Lord and my God". Won't you stop doubting and believe.<br /><br /><p><img alt="Amy" src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee349/GDest07/amyheywood/amysig.png" /></p>Playing Sublimelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09638497282763008097noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326357699598882669.post-42885376053282964542010-10-11T05:36:00.007-04:002010-10-11T10:58:25.462-04:00He chose you<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1O2OXpoVDS46egIwVgtGty_5i0aH6P8JhpC0B9A7EyG3UywfvKAFaFUKuvGCD7z3_vW3fRPhXAPQLxes0QSfTH-tGhCFsZk08eghZXSZuCHZnUM4P6jQU7ou_nm0CC4Du-919OVusbgA/s1600/DPP_0009.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 280px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526795932463537714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1O2OXpoVDS46egIwVgtGty_5i0aH6P8JhpC0B9A7EyG3UywfvKAFaFUKuvGCD7z3_vW3fRPhXAPQLxes0QSfTH-tGhCFsZk08eghZXSZuCHZnUM4P6jQU7ou_nm0CC4Du-919OVusbgA/s400/DPP_0009.JPG" /></a> <p>The further along I get into the mothering of young children, the more I hear similar stories and struggles from other preschool moms. There is something about raising children in the early years of life that seems to create in a young mom a sense of insecurity. Something takes place in these mothering years that causes us mommas to question who we are and what we are doing on this planet. There seem to be two struggles that surface time and time again for me. The first is, I am not good enough to do that which I have been called to do. The second is, is this <em>all</em> that I have been called to do? Perhaps it is all wrapped up around our culture. We walk out our privileged lives in a country that speaks little of the importance of our job as moms. Oh there are some that hold a politically correct microphone in their hand and speak of the value of mothering a child; but I dare say there are but a few secular communities that wave a banner of support to the stay at home mom. </p><p>But there are moments along the way when God reveals a bit of His plan, and it comforts a weary heart like mine. Caroline prays every night for "poor people". I can't remember when or why this ritual began, but it has become part of her prayers every evening. Last night her prayers for the poor grew in specifics. She asked God to "give all the poor people cell phones so they could call their mommies". If I was smiling, then I am certain beyond certainty that God was roaring with laughter and joy. I will not at all be surprised if one day I hear of a cell phone provider that felt randomly prompted to give away free cell phones and service to the homeless; for God loves to honor the humble requests of His children. Aside from the focus on providing cell phones to the poor, did you notice who Caroline wanted them to be able to call? <em>Their mommies</em>. Do you see the significance? Do you see how one statement can reveal the heart of a five year old little girl? Who does she view as necessary and important? Who would she want to be able to call in her time of need? Do you see the banner of importance that your heavenly Father is waving above your head?</p><p>Have you struggled with the feeling of importance in your daily attempt to keep your head above a pile of dirty diapers? Do you ever wonder if there is any significance to spending a quarter of your waking hours in carpool? Do you ever wish you could spend at least one trip to the bathroom alone, not having to also entertain a 1 year old that is sitting at your feet (or in your lap)? Do you ever think to yourself "if I have to have one more imaginary tea party I might be forced to start spiking the pretend tea"? I get that. I understand that struggle. I also understand the guilt that accompanies the struggle. How dare I feel anything but grateful joy at the privilege I have to raise these precious kids! It is the kind of guilt that suffocates a mother and then breeds more guilt.</p><p>Friend, hear me for a minute. When God was writing out His story for all of time, He looked among the masses, pointed His finger directly in your direction, and said "I chose <strong>you</strong>" to raise that child. He chose <em>you</em> to care for and teach and raise your child. He didn't choose your next door neighbor who is all perfect, with her perfect hair and her perfect orderly schedule and her perfect Christian background and her perfect life and her perfectly behaved children (she's fictitious by the way)...He chose <em>you</em>. Not by accident, not by chance, but intentionally so. <em>You</em> were chosen for <em>that</em> child. He didn't do so to prove to you that you are not enough; He did so to prove to you that <em>He</em> is enough. He chose you for a mighty role so that you would know that you have <em>intentional purpose</em> in His kingdom. Your role was not an afterthought. He didn't pass out all the important career cards and then say, "give the rest of them mommy cards, that's all they're good for". </p><p>I have so many times felt unimportant and unworthy as a mother. And if that is where you are too, then consider this perspective. God has given you a child to raise and care for. A child that He values enough to send His Son to die for. Flawed, inadequate you, has been called to a role of amazing importance. To care for someone that your heavenly Father thought of while He hung on a cross. He has given you someone that He values enough to die for! And it wasn't just that child He died for, but also the momma holding that baby. His desire is to accomplish in you the work that He has called you to. He comes full circle in this mothering walk, graciously meeting all of our needs. He doesn't choose the capable to accomplish His work, He chooses the broken. He chose you just like He chose the orphan Esther to save His people, just like He chose the fugitive Moses to lead His people, just like He chose 12 vagabond disciples to spread His message. He chooses the weak, and then makes them strong.</p><p>Know with great certainty that you have been called to the highest of privileges. No one but you can be a mother to your children, and God knew who you were when He chose you. </p><br /><p><img alt="Amy" src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee349/GDest07/amyheywood/amysig.png" /></p>Playing Sublimelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09638497282763008097noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326357699598882669.post-51220258692289109842010-10-08T06:00:00.009-04:002010-10-08T08:34:57.643-04:00The sick and the injured<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIW-Q8pwZaqKjX-enpVNyrsl1xSGTNCl5FekiNpiOnLrjTmiAEBUHf0I44QHpCRkqNdBTVHflVDNYkkjg2W7llR9Gq3z3IRxiYKIT-ZjDiNKQbF_dXKjW6ZAbpOty6WP7GkhUBD1xNeLE/s1600/IMG_5875.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525621454157715858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIW-Q8pwZaqKjX-enpVNyrsl1xSGTNCl5FekiNpiOnLrjTmiAEBUHf0I44QHpCRkqNdBTVHflVDNYkkjg2W7llR9Gq3z3IRxiYKIT-ZjDiNKQbF_dXKjW6ZAbpOty6WP7GkhUBD1xNeLE/s400/IMG_5875.JPG" /></a> <p>The little man had just fallen asleep. We were on day three of a fever, and he was taking an unusual morning nap. The phone rang at 11:00 am. It was Caroline's sweet teacher telling me that she had fallen off the monkey bars and landed flat on her back. The general consensus was that she was okay, the fall had likely just knocked the wind out of her and she was sore. So because she is five, and because she was very upset, we picked her up and brought her home.</p><p>Then the phone rang at 1:00 pm. Ella had fallen off the monkey bars and landed on her arm. I said "no, you mean Caroline, and I already picked her up". They said "no, we mean Ella". I said "seriously"? They said "yes". So I said "okay my little wounded battalion, back in car, another soldier is down". Later I called the doctor because Ella's arm did indeed seem legitimately hurt. I spoke with the nurse who asked me a series of 8 questions. The last question was "are any of her limbs severed?". As I answered "no", I wondered why that was question 8. Shouldn't that have been question 1? I really should have answered "yes" just for fun, but I wasn't presently in the mood for such games.</p><p>We spent the next day in the orthopedic office, only to find out her arm wasn't broke. For the most part I was relieved it wasn't broke; but I will not deny that there was a small part of me that was sort of hoping there was a legitimate reason for all the time, money, and arm strength I was exerting while wrestling Thomas in a doctor's office much of the day. The good news was that she would be fine to return to school tomorrow, and after a long week of sickness and injuries, the next day would calm down. I really should know by now that the next day never calms down...Ella woke in the night with a fever. And so the saga continues, and I am in the process of learning to be grateful. For each day is a day that the Lord has made, even the sick and injured ones.</p><p><img alt="Amy" src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee349/GDest07/amyheywood/amysig.png" /></p>Playing Sublimelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09638497282763008097noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7326357699598882669.post-31418446554910217112010-10-06T00:29:00.008-04:002010-10-06T01:24:42.483-04:00Outdoor Living<center><a href="http://www.remodelaholic.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/ab229/remodelaholic/Smallbutton125x125.jpg" /></a></center><center>Are you visiting from <a href="http://www.remodelaholic.com/">Remodelaholic</a>? If so, it is so very great to have you here! Welcome to Playing Sublimely. Drop me a note and say hello, I would love to make your acquaintance. And Cassity, thanks for the shout out my friend. I am honored you liked my chandelier!</center><p align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsvMwFGTbr_3ndq25XrBLnUCWek22PPmwJBprKdrq7hSZc9ZgXyUTCCZD6IU9G9wsLkzoaAnsd5KuKFIKR1p3COxJPcWt26jISCX0aPxhITdMroYBgd9uAgOURbq6r_6kvzQPIAB2uufI/s1600/DPP_0031aad_JPGlargethumb.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524788120046239890" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsvMwFGTbr_3ndq25XrBLnUCWek22PPmwJBprKdrq7hSZc9ZgXyUTCCZD6IU9G9wsLkzoaAnsd5KuKFIKR1p3COxJPcWt26jISCX0aPxhITdMroYBgd9uAgOURbq6r_6kvzQPIAB2uufI/s400/DPP_0031aad_JPGlargethumb.jpg" /></a> Paris. This is the very moment that my love affair with outdoor living began. My husband and I, along with my sister and brother-in-law, spent a picturesque week in Paris last fall. The weather was beyond beautiful, and the outdoor spaces at the chateau where we stayed were as beautiful as the weather. There is just something so lovely about a beautiful space created outdoors. Oh cute carpenter of mine, I feel a project comin' on.<br /><br />The courtyard at <a href="http://www.chateauvilliers.com/en_content/presentation-accueil.php">Chateau De Villiers-Le-Mahieu</a>: </p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoIWUJs1Z3rVVqi2ezloV3bH_ILh9JVFoHinrcAoldLhbImFxFIV5LBn4LKwsP2fcz6-UzHVIl7zmCrkjI3TGbxNRMNM5GjxLg6anYzaQUQR7tUm-xjyHjqnbvm_GQHeg89BtC3iCfz2c/s1600/DPP_0034aac_JPGlargethumb.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524788120805157762" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoIWUJs1Z3rVVqi2ezloV3bH_ILh9JVFoHinrcAoldLhbImFxFIV5LBn4LKwsP2fcz6-UzHVIl7zmCrkjI3TGbxNRMNM5GjxLg6anYzaQUQR7tUm-xjyHjqnbvm_GQHeg89BtC3iCfz2c/s400/DPP_0034aac_JPGlargethumb.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjua8EROwR9ISS5SE_CFWpGwiIoQv-UrDcZpjU8xd9Bk560tyYCWGXfmmEZebX-gt57NsjjqheAsAm4KAUpkYFZ-sb-5EOSPF8fcxFXMU-r_29K23BcNyWCQVF4h2fSZSXGE46egeLlRVw/s1600/DPP_0035aab_JPGlargethumb.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524788118156571586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjua8EROwR9ISS5SE_CFWpGwiIoQv-UrDcZpjU8xd9Bk560tyYCWGXfmmEZebX-gt57NsjjqheAsAm4KAUpkYFZ-sb-5EOSPF8fcxFXMU-r_29K23BcNyWCQVF4h2fSZSXGE46egeLlRVw/s400/DPP_0035aab_JPGlargethumb.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifkiaqirhu9VPXJ_EOn_XLf5XRTfenXjJqDKLwcQphpF6iIFD1JCDE6B3NhgsoIzvT7frFBWMMimG9pH2Nr6Iv06P-ibX-oPz5rz0YyvGklgRfUghzPMN4IsvJB4Y69o4dI5B7Ece_JTw/s1600/DPP_0037aab_JPGlargethumb.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524787678887372610" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifkiaqirhu9VPXJ_EOn_XLf5XRTfenXjJqDKLwcQphpF6iIFD1JCDE6B3NhgsoIzvT7frFBWMMimG9pH2Nr6Iv06P-ibX-oPz5rz0YyvGklgRfUghzPMN4IsvJB4Y69o4dI5B7Ece_JTw/s400/DPP_0037aab_JPGlargethumb.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9NHvrlURwEGGkR0BDUkaHujjqcImL2TL7GZ5h2fMyHBMj5DyNW9dbiEc1tw2CxHmM8LVo58HA4PCSJvGNf8O2vfCjmz-rctbG2EEFK6MvDOrAiQl-6bC-lzeA9k-1-_RMZFy-ksckXAQ/s1600/DPP_0043aac_JPGlargethumb.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 266px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524787672733137298" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9NHvrlURwEGGkR0BDUkaHujjqcImL2TL7GZ5h2fMyHBMj5DyNW9dbiEc1tw2CxHmM8LVo58HA4PCSJvGNf8O2vfCjmz-rctbG2EEFK6MvDOrAiQl-6bC-lzeA9k-1-_RMZFy-ksckXAQ/s400/DPP_0043aac_JPGlargethumb.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDx5-ZdByv_dSljVJSbZkfMsrsh-x1BgLm3SzmfYksgMIti1f0oRPRZDXKFE49Ognc5oh71S-Lj6ieBBmAlsgYzUSStfpjmIZob4cNFt5jk1yVYlvMkJq-NpcL-pT1N2zIFIUx-iTcO-Y/s1600/DPP_0051aaa_JPGlargethumb.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 266px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524787668064332002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDx5-ZdByv_dSljVJSbZkfMsrsh-x1BgLm3SzmfYksgMIti1f0oRPRZDXKFE49Ognc5oh71S-Lj6ieBBmAlsgYzUSStfpjmIZob4cNFt5jk1yVYlvMkJq-NpcL-pT1N2zIFIUx-iTcO-Y/s400/DPP_0051aaa_JPGlargethumb.jpg" /></a>And in case you are saying to yourself, "yeah, but that was Paris, everything is beautiful in Paris"....ummm, think again. Check out my girlfriend Karen's backyard. Her outdoor space is as heavenly as she is, and she doesn't live in Paris. Every girl should have a friend like Karen. She is indeed a girl after my own heart, always seeking a thrifty buy, but at the same time never sacrificing style. Don't you just love what she has created outdoors:<br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjCDeylFeaH34jhvFRsCXLYcj7LHKw1HaJDtCeZRT40dyWC6CHm9btXsnAa3aPWEF4QiCMIyKxktSTzKyT9OwoYK_Tl_r2fFTQ30DVAmzg7bNl5Eu9LjFHzw4-tuonrh83TiJXiNtI5Ck/s1600/Fall+soccer+023.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524787664227661026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjCDeylFeaH34jhvFRsCXLYcj7LHKw1HaJDtCeZRT40dyWC6CHm9btXsnAa3aPWEF4QiCMIyKxktSTzKyT9OwoYK_Tl_r2fFTQ30DVAmzg7bNl5Eu9LjFHzw4-tuonrh83TiJXiNtI5Ck/s400/Fall+soccer+023.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Pytd3JWblzQ8VErkF6HOek7MPCapyYHt8oxTV3HlRyxmGCElJdKp_gckCkGM73YBk0raCup4FqL5xZH46tAXPLBlicuJ1Esf94fUKqwfmTP8ERCxSB2NP60j2fti5nSLr8V4UC5bOK0/s1600/Fall+soccer+014.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 299px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524786582125831826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Pytd3JWblzQ8VErkF6HOek7MPCapyYHt8oxTV3HlRyxmGCElJdKp_gckCkGM73YBk0raCup4FqL5xZH46tAXPLBlicuJ1Esf94fUKqwfmTP8ERCxSB2NP60j2fti5nSLr8V4UC5bOK0/s400/Fall+soccer+014.JPG" /></a> <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524787668649693186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtw7OBpwLJ0Yo95ne6SaQTtdp9IhzFsJDufRmFgnAkmVcJDswVQsFqfZFZEiRzeFje9fB89ufOE8hen3gNlDn5Nkig6I7WiC-Z3BoekKLSBqVZQbiOocaE5so2NGCuUbDG4XRazaPR59s/s400/Fall+soccer+012.JPG" /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie_7VK0tNuEt4XidZWPBwUuW_tt27AOUPyl0VBwOl80ZOiIqcdAsPeHnggrF6r2gnxU2XALs15eNAAeCch4TMY7sEa97jfF4XQ8Jbhy8LR6hma0cKqG8BNj8ea4jseSxppjfQGpVep3_4/s1600/Fall+soccer+015.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524786575064214402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie_7VK0tNuEt4XidZWPBwUuW_tt27AOUPyl0VBwOl80ZOiIqcdAsPeHnggrF6r2gnxU2XALs15eNAAeCch4TMY7sEa97jfF4XQ8Jbhy8LR6hma0cKqG8BNj8ea4jseSxppjfQGpVep3_4/s400/Fall+soccer+015.JPG" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNipkA5qL3ux9zOCvdQf_XO_9qdd6AulJqq51PeXFq_D1DW1Npx-1o9o49bAhwjeb8mTzdRqGJKOr7IZytG5rTPVMdhGNfYXSOMn9O8WIznTBtaXcksCZzClZpaZmYuslDbtohgghBQaQ/s1600/Fall+soccer+020.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 267px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524786569508489762" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNipkA5qL3ux9zOCvdQf_XO_9qdd6AulJqq51PeXFq_D1DW1Npx-1o9o49bAhwjeb8mTzdRqGJKOr7IZytG5rTPVMdhGNfYXSOMn9O8WIznTBtaXcksCZzClZpaZmYuslDbtohgghBQaQ/s400/Fall+soccer+020.JPG" /></a> <div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikPYxU-P3J6Zxr68hyphenhyphen8MHxXZR-pnBcN8Oqj0uxrZYDQl45pySfRlf4sTxlreEWPBiyko9VOwpR4CnAk9N29uOZfhN3KX47MbLCG2VWG8mNbUzTcFwPh821XwmA0sZYQo9vP4amG7x-yZM/s1600/Fall+soccer+025.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 276px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524786561278977282" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikPYxU-P3J6Zxr68hyphenhyphen8MHxXZR-pnBcN8Oqj0uxrZYDQl45pySfRlf4sTxlreEWPBiyko9VOwpR4CnAk9N29uOZfhN3KX47MbLCG2VWG8mNbUzTcFwPh821XwmA0sZYQo9vP4amG7x-yZM/s400/Fall+soccer+025.JPG" /></a> <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524786566660997026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlBeBF4PfYnwEupaNpMY5da0jm2bSCZtD56U9wxhVyie5uqrMTT77zPuELtjhPzODmSugzoXlL_-2Vx2FbDe9QoN9qooGafCdEIdcB7Fw3kYs_eSSCX1v6Bl3Ks2fEY_raGu4Z9HapXy4/s400/Fall+soccer+024.JPG" />Did you notice this red chair in the last picture? She has four of them, and they came from <a href="http://luckettstore.com/design-house">Lucketts</a>. Do you know about Lucketts? If not, stop whatever you are doing (feeding children, changing a diaper, working to earn a living, whatever it is it can wait) and go check out their website. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 262px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524788112546357954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1GYL34nx4QWvh9qA3Q9YxEFZYRz_0VNpF2htxMQOr3vUxGjK_8fAeFRrelZjiaRjdM7JsATWLm3g4zMthvi2mfGF1b4I4l4_3guSPq-PcBiJdAdSTEZX4nBrQTjQdKlfqSbZal5HTixg/s400/Fall+soccer+011.JPG" />Lucketts' next design house opens the first weekend in November. How 'bout a road trip?<br /><p><img alt="Amy" src="http://i534.photobucket.com/albums/ee349/GDest07/amyheywood/amysig.png" /></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Playing Sublimelyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09638497282763008097noreply@blogger.com10