Thankful Thursday

Happy Thankful Thursday friends!

Today I am thankful for

the ways in which the Lord uses people to touch our lives.

For the ways in which He uses people in our lives to point us back to Him.

It's always one's you never expect who sneak into your life

and change it without you realizing it.

I look back on moments in my life.

Moments of brokenness, impact, restoration, change,

moments where I am pointed back to Christ.

There was always someone the Lord provided to be there with me

who was spurring me on in some way.

 I recently met someone who did just that.

Someone I thought was just one of those people you meet 

and 3 seconds later forget their name.

I had no idea when I shook their hand,

the things the Lord would teach me through them.

I didn't know it at the time,

but my heart was in need of some realigning with the Lord's

and my prayer life was nothing to ride home about.

I then met this person,

and my life slowly began to shift.

Through my interactions with them,

the Lord reminded me of the uniqueness and beauty of a person's story.

No matter how messy or hard it may be everyone has one 

and God shows up in them all,

the Lord peruses us whether we see it or not.

The Lord desires to be in relationship with every single person He created.

I was reminded when the Lord puts someone or something on your heart...

to pray, and pray, and pray some more.

And finally, 

I was shown that the Lord places people in our lives for a purpose.

God used this person to change me.

Someone I hardly know, 

someone I may never see again.

Someone who has no idea the impact they have left on my life.

Maybe one day I'll be able to tell them how God used them,

but for now I'm extremely thankful for where the Lord has it all...

 in His hands.


Thank you Lord,
for the people you bring in our lives
who point us to You.

What are you thankful for today?...

Horticultural Tendencies

You know you're a Horticulturist when...

you need to get out of the house,

you hop in your car

and make your way to the nearest garden center. 

Where you spend time walking up and down the aisles

checking out the quality of the plants,

critiquing their care and maintenance,

 watching what people are buying,

and seeing what the current trend in gardening plants are.

And finally,

spending time dreaming up the garden you hope to one day have.

And let me tell you,

after today's garden center adventure

I dreamed up a pretty phenomenal garden.

Sigh.

Maybe one day...

nerdy

geeky

quirky

weird

call it what you may.

But I am a Horticulturist,

through and through.

The One Where I Admit I'm a Coffee Addict

You know you have a problem when

you miss your mornin cup o' joe

and you're completely out of commission for the day.

When your head pounds relentlessly, 

your brain is fuzzy,

you can't funtion

and when you're just a plain grumpy pants.

You know you have a problem when

you get home from being gone all day

and the first thing you do is run to the kitchen to make coffee.

You know you have a problem when

it's 6pm and you have to run across the street to the super market 

to buy this...

because after ravaging through your cupboards

 you can't find coffee anywhere in the apartment.

You know you have a problem when it's 6:30 pm

and you brew yourself a full pot of coffee.

Enough for a cup now...

and a cup for later.

You know you have a problem when you start sipping on a cup of coffee

and suddenly your raging headache begins to disappear,

you're no longer a grumpy face

and you can finally start functioning like a normal human being.

Well shoot,

I have a serious problem.

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thankful Thursday to you!

I'm sorry but today

I can't think of just one thing I am thankful for.

Sounds totally cliche,

 but God's blessings have been abundant.

Last week I got to be a part of something very special.

My friend Christina who I met 4 years ago on a summer missions trip,

married a great man.
And I got to stand up right beside her as it happend.

Their wedding was wonderful,

{despite Christina being sick}

she was absolutely stunning and radiant.

She literally took my breath away....

every single time I looked at her.

It is so clear the Lord was AND is at work

 in Christina and Bryant's

 {the new hus}

 relationship.

When I arrived in Utah,

 it was the first time I've seen Christina in 3 years.

 I've never had the opportunity to get to know Bryant.

But throughout the week,

I learned the bits an pieces of how the Lord brought them together.

And through that,

 all the ways the Lord used both of them together and separately

to impact the people around them

{including myself}.

It was a great reminder of the Lord's faithfulness,

His power,

His perfect timing,

His great plans, 

and His desire to know, love and

  be in relationship with His most precious creation.

Us. 

Now, I've been in my fair share of weddings

{well on my way to 27 dresses}

so I went into this past week thinking

I was heading off on a little vacation,

to hang out with a good friend,

to be in another wedding.

Little did I know God had other plans.

{as He usually does}

Never was I expecting what He had in store...

I was challenged in my relationship with the Lord,

in stepping out in faith and letting the Lord lead.

I met really awesome people,

made great connections and have begun fun relationships.

Even my prayer life was rocked, a lot.

My life was impacted.

Things are still making their way out of it all,

and I've been back home since Monday.

Now that's a wedding folks!

Lord, Thank you 

for the ways in which You used this past week to work in my life.

Thank you for the testimony of Bryant and Christina's relationship.

Thank you that 4 years ago Stina and I met

and 4 years later we are still growing together 

with a relationship that is centered around You.

.

Top: London and Israel, summer 2008
Bottom: Utah, summer 2012

What are you thankful for today?....

Waiting for a Plane...

What a whirlwind of a week.

I'm currently killing time in the Salt Lake City Airport,

trying to get work done.

But clearly, I'm not entirely focused.

For good reasons though...

I honestly just had one of the greatest weeks of my life.

Spending quality time with an 

extremely dear friend that I haven't seen in 3 years,

connecting with old friends,

making new friends

and celebrating a truly awesome marriage.

I think it's safe to say,

sparks were flying all over the place this week!

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thankful Thursday to You!

Today,

I am thankful to be here...

In beautiful Utah,

among groves of gorgeous aspen.

All to celebrate this beautiful woman

{Christina}

as she walks down the aisle to marry the man of her dreams.

I can't wait for Sunday!

Honestly, 

this place is breathtaking.

I am thankful for the beautiful outdoors,

wonderful friends,

and wedding celebrations!

What are you thankful for today?..

Thankful Thursday {Friday}

Today,

I am thankful for new running shoes.

A birthday gift from my three, wonderful and thoughtful roommates

who I think the world of.

My feet {and knees}

haven't been this happy in a while.

What are you thankful for today?...

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thankful Thursday!

Today,

I am thankful for time spent at home.

I have spent no time at home this past year.

And I was getting super antsy down in the OC.

I needed to get away,

I needed some closure from this past year.

I threw my stuff in my car,

and headed home to the valley.

Since I've been home...

I'm thankful for 

all the snuggles I've had with my pup.

I'm thankful for 

the time I'm getting to spend with my brother.

Catching up on the past year and just hanging out.

I made it home in time to watch him off to prom,

he has grown into such a handsome young man.

Next week he is graduating! 

I'm a proud sister.

I'm so thankful 

that I have a place to go when I need to escape and get away.

God has been so gracious.

He has provided a real

"home sweet home".

And a family that welcomes me home happily.

Lord thank You for my home,

a place where I can be restored and rejuvenated.

Thank You for the time I get to spend here,

and for the people (and pups) that fill this home.

What are you thankful for on this beautiful Thursday?...

I Love...

...California.

I don't want to brag,

but it's pretty wonderful!

I love

that one day I can go running on the beach

with waves crashing next to me.

Taking in the sights, sounds and smells

of the California coast.

And then the next day be able to

 run alongside a creek in the mountains.

I Love 

being surrounded by beautiful, bright wild flowers

and taking in the fresh mountain air,

sweet with scents of pine and maple.

I love 

all that I get to see while going on my runs.

and I love

how awesome and beautiful my home state is!

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thankful Thursday to you!

Today I am thankful for 

spontaneous outings.

 Involving delicious food....

Views of the LA skyline....

 Hanging with these two goofs...

  The Dodgers....

Laughing tons with this lady...

Eating a ridiculous amount of peanuts...

 and taking in the sights and sounds of the ball park.

Thank you Lord 

for little adventures 

that can turn my day and week right around.

For delicious food,

great company

and of course my boys in blue!

What are you thankful for today?

We'll run wild, we'll be glowing in the dark

Tuesday night my dreams came true.

I got to watch Coldplay put on an awesome show

at the Hollywood Bowl.

The first time that I saw Coldplay perform

was six years ago.

I can't believe it's been that long,

that makes me feel slightly old.

This concert was a blast.

Beginning with a lovely picnic dinner,

hanging with a wonderful group of friends, 

of course there was awesome music

and we even got to be a part of the show!

We all got some pretty sweet wristbands

that lit up during certain points in the concert.

No doubt,

 sitting in the second to last row gave us the best view.

It was pretty spectacular.