RE: Garbage, Hippie-Type Prayer, Running and Gravel Roads

I'm experimenting wrapping presents, Etsy orders and goodies with garbage repurposed items.  Old return bill envelopes, tea bag sleeves, leftover paper doilies from a party I went to, extra sewing trim, miscellaneous notebook scraps, CD sleeves, random string and garage sale beads, and sticky file folder labels.  So much fun!

The only problem is that now I'm displaying small hording tendencies.  I just went to Starbucks and saved every napkin and sleeve and scrap that should have gone in the garbage.  This could go badly, friends...  Save me from myself.

Today I ran 1.10 miles.  It's not much more than a mile, but it IS progress, folks.  Watch out.

Mark and I went on a little country drive today, too.  Gravel roads are therapeutic for the soul.

In Hippie-Type Prayer news, prayer today looked like...

• Asking the Lord to help me understand a passage in II Samuel.  I gave up and asked for His guidance as I researched stuff on Google.  The Lord can work through Google.
• Processing the passage more in the shower.  I turned the shower on really hot because I like it that way. In the midst of it feeling awesome, I told the Lord that I would like more anointing in life and ministry.  I got this picture of Samuel anointing David's head with oil...of Psalm 23 and David saying that the Lord anoints his head with oil and his cup overflowing.  "Yes, God.  That is what I would like," I told Him.  I pretended the hot shower water was anointing oil and that the Lord was dumping it all over me.  
• On our gravel drive, I invited the Lord along, and in my head, I rejoiced with Him in cute little trees, a pretty silhouette of a church on a hill, the sound of rocks crunching under our tires.  I told the Lord thanks for all the little happy things.  He is so nice to bless me with beauty all around.
• In talking to Mark, I said something nasty about somebody and felt a little gut check.  I took it as the Lord telling me to knock it off, so I stopped, breathed a quick sorry, and moved on.

I believe prayer is communication, consciousness of the Lord's presence, tuning the radio dial of our minds into what He's doing around us, what He's saying.  It is so much fun to invite Him into the everyday moments.  He likes spending time with us, even in the little things.

Happy Wednesday night, friends.  

New Prints in My Shop!

Check out my shop, friends!  I have some cute new prints that are perfect for wedding or baby gifts!  Full details and true colors are available here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/byellejay?ref=si_shop

Busy Highlights

I've been a busy lady.  Highlights include...

• Mustering up the courage to order geeky classes online.  Hopefully it will be the most fun $10 I've spent in a while.
• Running a mile without stopping even once.  That is a big deal for me, folks.  It's taken a while to get to this point.  Praise the Lord for His faithfulness.  I still hate running with a passion, though.
• Reading a great book called Desperate for His Presence by Rhonda Hughey.
• Cheering on the Roosevelt Rough Riders at state in Rapid City and watching my crazy talented husband coach the guys.
• Dear Lord - You are so hilarious to make me a coach's wife.
• Experimenting with my potentially green thumb with some more cuter-than-all-get-out succulents.
• Spray painting 7 frames, 4 candlesticks, and 1 miscellaneous treasure from Goodwill in my basement garage.  I may or may not be responsible for most of my apartment neighbors getting mildly high as they park their cars.  It was worth it.
• Accidentally starting to like the show Friday Night Lights.  I promise that my enjoyment is for semi-deep reasons besides the ridiculous drama.  I have actually had a few profound ah-ha moments.
• Fighting off a couple of colds.
• Watching the news, listening to NPR and reading Joel Rosenberg's blog and asking the Lord about this next season in history.  Things might get crazy, folks.  Oh, how we need Him in this hour.
• Traveling to Castaway Camp for a weekend with our Young Life Committee
• Designing some more stuff for Young Life and looking forward to Adobe software soon!!
• Discovering my new favorite (natural!) skin care product.  You'll never guess...
• Rejoicing as a couple of dear friends from Sioux Center recently moved to Sioux Falls.
• Loving Matt Redman and my gal pal Christy Nockels's tunes on the Passion album.  
• Dear Chris Tomlin - We're so over.
• Deciding that my spring and summer will be filled with skirts, dresses and leggings.  NO. SHORTS.
• Falling in love with Paper Source.  If I had a million dollars to spend frivolously...  
• Having a large amount of fun packing a big ole care package for my delightful new friend Sara who just went on a mission trip.  
• Dear Five Love Languages Book - I have finally come to grips with the fact that I am a gift giver.
• Singing Katy Perry, Justin Bieber and the Beatles covers at Young Life Club.  Did you know that Hot and Cold is actually a really fun song to sing?  Who knew.  
• Dear Dad - You would be proud of me for our rendition of I Wanna Hold Your Hand.
• Rediscovering my love for rubber stamps.

Phew.  I'm not sure if that's it or not, but that's all I can think of for now...  

Hope your week's off to a great start, friends!

A Late Bloomer

My Christmas cactus is finally blooming.  

It is March.

Talk about a late-bloomer...

...On second thought, does that mean that the Christmas season is NOT over and I can still have my tree up??

Pottery, Paper and Piano Keys

My mom bought a potter's wheel and kiln on Craigslist.  Last time I was home, I tried my luck at throwing a little bowl.  Although this picture makes it the process look fun and awesome, it was not the greatest.  

Clay is stubborn; I am impatient.  Clay is messy.  I hate cleaning up messes.  Clay is high maintenance.  I like simple.  For me, it just wasn't worth all the trouble.  I am suddenly more thankful for the sweet man that made one of my favorite speckled coffee mugs.

I'll stick to paper and piano keys.  How I love them both!