Thursday, March 31, 2011

Thankful Thursday (25)

"And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."  ~Colossians 3:17

This week, I'm thankful for...
  1. Robbie at AT&T for being super-helpful! :)  No new phone yet, but I'll have the cheaper version of the iphone 4 in June/July.  Yay!
  2. Warmer weather returning tomorrow... so ready for that!  Ha, not sure why I chose this picture, but it looks fun, right!?
  3. Malori is closing on her house today... very exciting!!
  4. These vintage ads that crack me up attempting to make sweets sound healthy... :)
  5. Project TGO... CoGro meeting outside [the weather was great, and Sarah and Ryan talked about their mission trips and God's heart for the nations], LaFortune with Laura [pic is of her slapping the blue marker when she reached the "finish line," and my favorite tree!], dinner with Sarah [me and Sarah, then Bobbi and Chet, who happened to be at Cosmos that night too!], etc. 
  6. Dentist Neil and Gina, for just generally being an awesome couple! :)
  7. This verse, and for God helping me to recognize the lies I've been holding.  "Such a person feeds on ashes; a deluded heart misleads him; he cannot save himself, or say, "Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?" ~Isaiah 44:20
 
Songs of the week (these two are for you, Laura) = Baby by Justin Bieber, and Rolling in the Deep by Adele.  Both AWESOME, but in totally different ways. lol

"You know you love me; I know you care!"
I love his attitude and that that's his opening line when so many people hate him to such an irrational degree.  Makes me laugh.  And hilarious video... ahh, ridiculous bowling alley fun.  I so love that he rolls across the pool table to get to her. lol  Precious.  And I now think of Jeff any time I think of Justin Bieber. :) NOT a Ludacris fan, but at least he keeps it clean in this song.

"Don't underestimate the things that I will do!  There's a fire starting in my heart, reaching a fever pitch, and it's bringing me out the dark."  LOVE it, and love her voice and the beat!

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Thankful Thursday (24)

"Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and THANK HIM for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."  ~Philippians 4:6,7

A bit of a rough week, but this Thursday, I'm thankful for...
  1. Captivating (by John and Stasi)... re-reading it now and God is waking me up/opening my eyes in some areas.
  2. Timely messages from God, like the lesson on prayer today.
  3. MyFitnessPal.com
  4. The resilience of hope!
  5. God's presence and peace... that He is able and willing to heal all spiritual wounds.
  6. That God wants truth in our innermost heart... getting there is painful, but I have much reason to believe it will be worth it.
  7. "God is not a man, so He does not lie. He is not human, so He does not change his mind. Has He ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?" ~Numbers 23:19
Song of the Week = Goodbye to You by Michelle Branch

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Quotables

"Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me." -Micah 7:8

"I want adventure in the great wide somewhere!
I want it more than I can tell...
And for once, it might be grand
To have someone understand,
I want so much more than they've got planned."
~Belle, Beauty and the Beast

"I spent about three hours and forty million dollars at Whole Foods today. That place is a wonderland of weirdness, and I LOVE it!"  ~Laura :)

Everything nourishes what is strong already. But if it be only a slight, thin sort of inclination, I am convinced that one good sonnet will starve it entirely away.” ~Elizabeth, Pride and Prejudice

"Attention all Creepers, Go to the Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market right now. You all are having a convention of sorts at this time." ~Amanda Wille

“Max, I can’t ask him to be less than he is.” ~Maria, Sound of Music (LOVE it!)

“There comes a time in everyone's life when all you can see are the years passing by, and I have made up my mind that those days are gone..." ~Moving On, Rascall Flatts

Me: “They cut down my tree bridge last week!!”
Laura: “....They what??”
Me: “Ugh, no one understands my terms.”
*A "tree bridge" = majestic tall trees that stretch out over the road on both sides, creating a beautiful bridge-like effect over the road. I've always loved driving under them.  And now, Main Street is just a bunch of tree stubs and construction crews. Boooo! :( 
“You can’t top this brilliance right here.” ~K-Lamb, of Tara Lynn :)

“Think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure.” ~Darcy, Pride and Prejudice

“All I’m saying is it’s a good thing I haven’t been on a date in four years, because my four-year-old clothes are all starting to disintegrate… sooooo, thank God I don’t date!” ~Tara Lynn

“There are few people whom I really love, and still fewer of whom I think well.” ~Pride and Prejudice

“I’m baaaaaack!” ~happy status update from Natalie Lovenburg, who has made it safely back from Japan! =)

"It’s like all the handsome men with calloused hands coming out of the woodwork!” ~Sarah, of the Home Builders Association

“Wow, I forget how skanky girls are, you know… because I don’t hang around skanks.”
~Laura, watching some girls make fools of themselves before the Hero Factor concert lol

“I find that irritating for a number of reasons!” ~Malori :)

“Revelation this evening while at Wal-Mart: the most fertile people...shouldn't be.” ~Chet Lee

"Nature is not primarily functional. It is primarily beautiful. Stop for a moment and let that sink in. We’re so used to evaluating everything (and everyone) by their usefulness that this thought will take a minute or two to begin to dawn on us. Nature is not primarily functional. It is primarily beautiful. Which is to say, beauty is in and of itself a great and glorious good, something we need in large and daily doses." ~Stasi Eldredge

"I've found that I can't retain a spirit of peace in the present by relying on a relationship from the past."  ~Beth Moore

Me: “Well, the shape is cute, but I’m not loving the fabric.”
Malori: “Oooo, I really like this fabric!!”’
Me: “It looks like something you’d see in the Brady Bunch house.”
Malori: “Exactly!” :)
*Discussing what is now her future couch! Lol

"Prepare yourself for some pasty paleness. I bought SHORTS today!"  ~Laura, before our LaFortune walk!

"Authenticity without integrity is lethal." ~Erwin McManus

"'I watched the sun rise today... Take that, Devil!!  I took a walk on the beach!'  You think that will stand up to the attack of the serpent?  You ain't got you no bullet to shoot!  No, you get in God's Word, you put that bullet in your pocket... and you blow his head to oblivion!"  ~Beth Moore (on the importance of actually reading God's Word as opposed to just connecting with Him in nature!)

“A faithful friend is a strong defense, and he that hath found him hath found a treasure.” ~Louisa May Alcott

“That used to just freak me out, the thought of Jesus coming back to take us out of the world before I’d really gotten to live in it. But now, I’m like, ‘Let’s wrap this sucker up! What else needs to happen, God!?’” ~Tara Lynn =)

“Never mind, I'll find someone like you.  I wish nothing but the best for you two!"  ~Someone Like You, Adele

"At times, life is wicked and I just can't see the light. A silver lining sometimes isn't enough to make some wrongs seem right." ~Creed

"Some of you have been keenly aware of this fact since junior high, but now it is official: I am The Biggest Loser!"  ~Laura, after being officially declared the winner of the competition! =)

"What if you have a genuine and captivating beauty that is marred only by your striving?"
~Stasi Eldredge, Captivating 

Monday, March 21, 2011

Memory Monday ~ Austin Trip

Trip to Austin with Kristin and Tara Lynn ~ March 2009
The lookout point at Chapel Dulcinea

K-Lamb and Tara walking to Wizard Academy's Tuscan Hall in the rain...
LOVE this picture!

Roy H. Williams (founder of Wizard Academy) teaching on living with purpose!

Breakfast at Malaga's in downtown Austin... Tara's friend, Justin, and his wife, Cynthia, joined us that day! =)

After stopping at a bakery by the lake.... pretty!

Love it!

How cute are we!? lol =)

Dinner at Trulucks... (made sadly memorable by getting the post from Megan that Malori had been in a bad wreck that day - I don't remember much else about that night.  Thankfully, she was okay!)

Finally back home... in the yellow Jeep Kristin rented for this roadtrip!  As soon as we walked up to it at the rental place, Kristin said quietly, "Yeah, this was a terrible idea." lol 
Turned out to be a lot of fun, though! :)

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Thankful Thursday (23)

"I will thank the Lord because He is just; I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High." ~Psalm 7:17

 Today, I am thankful for...
  1. All the Bradford Pear Trees!  Apparently, they stink like fish to everyone else, but I can't smell it - even when I get this close, and they're so pretty in the Spring! =) 
  2. My new "Marching On" ringtone, thanks to Kristin Lamb!  Awesomeness!!
  3. Forcing myself to get out of my routine a bit with Project TGO and the TLT Challenge!
  4. Army Wives being back, and that my question will finally be answered this week.  Ahh, the drama and suspense...
  5. "Spring Break" -- being totally caught up and getting a couple days off work this week!!
  6. Hanging out with great friends at the "Kevin Gauger: Employee" celebration! =)
  7. Pastor Alex explaining the Catholic cross symbol, which has strangely helped with my 'fear' of praying out loud in a crowd. (I can explain that better in person.)
Song of the Week = Cruz by Christina Aguilera
"As I'm driving, I'm captured by the view... so much beauty, the road becomes my muse."
Love Christina's voice, and this is my favorite of all her songs!

Finally, Happy Saint Patrick's Day!! =)

Monday, March 14, 2011

Winning!!

"It's oftentimes 'Unknown' but occasionally a giant marquis name comes through on your Caller ID and it's like...winning!"  ~Charlie Sheen - love it, and love his expression as he says that!
*I'm totally thinking that to myself when someone I want to talk to calls me now! :)

"I like you, Lindsey.  And I'm excited about being friends with you. ..... I know I may not EXUDE excitement, but it's in there." :)  ~K-Lamb

"You have gilded the lily of your own passion!"  ~Steven Tyler to an American Idol contestant

"I assumed there would be a corner for the new people to learn what's going on, but no, they just turn on the music and suddenly everyone starts in to, like, advanced Zumba!!"  ~Kevin, explaining his first and only Zumba experience! :)

“Where did you get those lips!?  You had me sold from the second you laid eyes on me!” ~Steven Tyler again lol

“Atomic Co-Ray [Core]!  Let’s see what this so-called button does!”  ~Conspiracy Brother Jones :)

"The fact is, sometimes it's hard to walk in a single woman's shoes. That's why we need really special ones now and then - to make our walk a little more fun."  ~Carrie Bradshaw ;)

"Sometimes in the midst of these fits I feel like a crazed artist, like in the passionate scrawling of revised budget categories I might inexplicably slice my ear off because my own genius just blew my mind." ~Ashley (my cousin, blogging about her love of budgeting)

"Whenever I start to feel sick, I just stop being sick, and I be awesome instead!"  ~Barney, How I Met Your Mother

“You can’t process me with a normal brain.”  ~Charlie Sheen

"It's set up like a Russian stockade in there."  ~Kevin, of the gym showers

"That literally blew my mind!" ~Robin
"Figuratively." ~Ted (How I Met Your Mother)

"Ahh, I've missed that smell.  That's the smell of CLEEEEAN livin' right there!"  ~Laura, entering the smoke-filled Van after a long period of absence :)

"After that, we all sat down to have our deep man-time."  ~Kevin, talking about a men's retreat... hilarious!

"Kids, you may think your only choices are to swallow your anger or throw it in someone's face, but there's a third option: You can just let it go.  And only when you do that is it really gone and you can move forward. And that, kids, was the perfect ending to a perfect love story. It just wasn't mine. Mine was still out there, waiting for me."  ~Ted, How I Met Your Mother

“Dawg, you had all the -isms jumping off!” ~Randy Jackson
“And none of the was'ms!” ~Steven Tyler
=)

Memory Monday ~ Ice Skating

Ice Skating!!  
This was sometime in December 2008... so much fun!  (These pics are what made me wanna ice skate in Central Park, but the wall-to-wall crowd would've made that far less fun.)
Bobbi, Marci, Me, and Tara Lynn...
I adore this picture and that we're all wearing hats and gloves, and I adore being pulled around by people who can really skate! :)

Aww, wintery cuteness!
Marcy, Me, and Natalie Lovenburg -- they were roommates at the time, and always the life of the party!! :)
(Sidenote:  Natalie is currently living in Japan, and she survived the major earthquakes last week, thank God!  She was on Tulsa's Fox News via skype talking about her experience.)

One of my favorite pics of K-Lamb! :)

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Thankful Thursday (22)

"But thanks be to God, who gives us the VICTORY through our Lord Jesus Christ."  
~I Corinthians 15:57

Today, I am thankful for...
  1. God's faithfulness - always there, but lately, I'm feeling it more than normal!!
  2. Big needs being met or desires being fulfilled in my own life and the lives of several friends!  Yay God... and generous friends and family! ;)
  3. My friend, Kevin, getting a job (without even having to interview)!  Pic is our celebratory Freckles night! :)
  4. Engagements and new relationships for a few of my friends... seeing strong, God-centered relationships refreshes my hope! :) 
  5. Two fun party nights in a row this week (Jeff's party for Jay & Bethany and then Travis' Mardi Gras Party)!
  6. Finally hanging this Gilmore Girls pic with my TV pictures in the exercise room.  I love it... it really is the little things. :)
  7. Sweatercoats and cardigans!
Song of the Week = Amazed by James Durbin
(Really not his biggest fan so far - a bit of an Adam Lambert wannabe, but thought this was awesome last night!)

*I love how all three judges are bobbing their heads along with him at the 1:13 mark. :)



Sunday, March 6, 2011

Memory Monday ~ Garage Remodel

The Great Garage Remodel of 2009!  :)

My awesome friends Chet Lee and Malori (who was also my roommate at the time) helped me clean and paint my garage, then acid wash and Quik-crete my garage floor!  Yes, I'm now the "envy of the neighborhood." ;)  (What the Quik-crete video promised us.)  This was a couple weeks before Thanksgiving 2009... during Chet's "No-shave November," Malori's last month at TU, and right before I ran my first Half-Marathon! :)

Step One:  Deep Clean (this and the painting was supervised by my Mom)

Step Two:  Paint!! ...Or pretend to paint for a posed candid shot with the cute mini-roller. ;)

Step Three:  Watch Video and Gear Up! :)  (...for Chet at least - we were just there for moral support on the acid washing)

Step Four:  Acid Wash entire floor -- a more intense process than you might think!

Step Five:  Stop for a fun dessert break at Melting Pot!! =)

Step Six:  Quik-Crete the floor in small square segments...
Pour on flakes as you go!  (Or "frolic with the flakes" as Chet called it. lol)

Step Seven:  Take a cheesy "after" photo!
In a strange way, I'm actually looking forward to repeating this process next month at Malori's new house! :)

Side note: That Saturday morning was also my last day at FT training with Levi and Danny... :)

And somewhere during the craziness of that day, Chet also managed to plant some flowers for me.  In a heart shape bc I thought that'd be fun! lol  ❤
Love it!!  =)