B E L I E V E

Here's our 2012 Christmas Card! I had so much designing this — and it was quite easy when you're working with such a sweet & scrumptious subject :) Chelsea Francis took the photo, and she did a wonderful job capturing our little Calder-bear!

I wanted to incorporate this card for one of my Wednesday Words of Wisdom posts because I love this verse on so many levels.

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen,
but on what is unseen.
For what is seen is temporary,
but what is unseen is eternal.

Luke 2:14

Merry Christmas everyone!

John 15

 

I like to think I'm in control.

Most of us struggle with this, right? Or maybe I struggle with this more than others. I mean, I know I need to give everything to God, but do I really do that? When something bad happens, do I go to God or do I reach for my phone to call my husband or my mom. I'll admit it, I typically grab my phone.

I just got home from our Bible Study and we're studying the book of John. I was so tempted to miss it today because of my busy workload and how I can barely form complete thoughts at the moment, and because I needed to run some errands before I picked Calder up from Mother's Day Out, etc. etc.—you know, the typical things that seem more important! But then I thought...Hadley, just GO. It's ONE hour. You need this more than anything. Those things can wait. 

So I turned the car towards Maribeth's and I'm so glad I did. Today we went over John 13-15 and God was definitely speaking to me the entire time, especially in Chapter 15. It's SO easy for me to loose perspective and begin to take on life by myself; and as a result, I begin to live in this illusion that I'm in control. I forget that God is the vine and we are the branches. Apart from Him, I can do NOTHING. 

I could go on and on because I think it's a struggle for all of us. We all wanna be the BEST mom, wife, friend, daughter, (fill in the ___); meanwhile, maintaining the BEST job, cleanest house, best homemade dinners,  (fill in the ___). And then we realize we can't do it by ourselves. We need GOD.

It was the best hour I could have spent and that to-do list can wait.
I arrived stressed and left refreshed and at peace. 

Wednesday Words of Wisdom

I saw this on Pinterest today and it made me stop and think, and ask the question—what really matters? Am I focusing on those things? Always good to have a reality check.

This quote is from one of my favorite books Crazy Love by Francis Chan. We did a Bible Study on this book last year, and it definitely makes you think about life from a new perspective. Here's the intro from the Crazy Love website:

Does something deep inside your heart long to break free from the status quo? Are you hungry for an authentic faith that addresses the problems of our world with tangible, even radical, solutions? God is calling you to a passionate love relationship with Himself. Because the answer to religious complacency isn't working harder at a list of do's and don'ts — it's falling in love with God. And once you encounter His love, as Francis describes it, you will never be the same.

Because when you're wildly in love with someone, it changes everything.

Wednesday Words of Wisdom

This has always been one of my very favorite verses. So simple but so true. Happy Wednesday everyone!

Quote of the Week

What a wonderful verse to start off the New Year!

Quote of the Week

May you BURST with thankfulness and joy this Christmas Season!

Quote of the Week

Amen!

Wednesday Words of Wisdom

AMEN!

Wednesday Words of Wisdom

Amen! What a great reminder. I need to print this out and frame it somewhere so I see it all the time...

Alleluia!

good housekeeping

vibrant table

poppytalk

 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.John 11:25-26

Christ, the Lord, is risen today, Alleluia! Happy Easter everyone!

Wednesday Words of Wisdom

A simple quote this week, but always a good reminder...

Also, I receive these amazing devotionals every day from Miss Janey, and thought I'd share one that hit home for me:

"The closer you live to Me, the safer you are.  Circumstances around you are undulating, and there are treacherous-looking waves in the distance.  Fix your eyes on Me, the One who never changes.  By the time those waves reach you, they will have shrunk to proportions of My design.  I am always beside you, helping you face today's waves.  The future is a phantom, seeking to spook you.  Laugh at the future!  Stay close to Me."

PHILIPPIANS 4:7; MATTHEW 14:30: HEBREWS 12:2

For the People Project

I recently saw For the People Project featured on one of my favorite blogs, Urban Grace, and I couldn't not share this. What a great way to help others, and I love their handmade verse cards.

From their website:
For The People Project is part of a non-profit organization that employs recovering drug and alcohol addicts to individually hand paint and hand stamp its Hand Made Card and Journal lines. We not only provide a job for those working to overcome life controlling addictions, but we also teach life skills that our employees will use as they transition back into society following addiction rehabilitation.

For The People Project gives 100% of the profit from the sale of its products back to non-profit organizations that work with recovering drug and alcohol addicts.  We partner with multiple organizations that share our vision to see men and women completely restored from addiction and we want to support their programs that are changing lives.

Check out their adorable handmade journals!

Wednesday Words of Wisdom

 This is one of my VERY favorite Bible verses and it was read in our wedding. It reminds me to slow down, take a deep breath and be thankful for all of my many blessings.

Whew...what a week it has been! I got in a small car accident Monday morning on my way to work (no worries, I am fine), but it definitely scared me since it was on the Bayway...which is not the place you want to get into a wreck! Since then, I've been dealing with insurance companies, rental cars, etc. etc.. Thankfully it wasn't my fault, but still a pain to deal with. With deadlines piling up and the busy chaos of life in general —  I need to remind myself of this verse every day!

I hope you REJOICE in the Lord today and always...

xoxo