Loving It



There are several many MANY things that I LOVE about this life here on earth!!

Included are:

Cooper My (oversized) Puppy
         

This little DARLING represents my WHOLE family..... My Niece Peyton!

These are so my FAV!

AFRICA and all of my MANY memories from my time there!

Starbucks Mocha Fraps

   My Daily Devotional Book

 Boots Boots!!

I can't write with anything else now!

Urban Outiftters Bags (They are the softest things ever!)

Sometimes when I just need to be made Happy... Target is the thing to do it

Curling up in bed on a Rainy Day

Two of my FAVORITE performers ever...

Jigga Jay and Chris Martin

Scentsy Candles have changed my life and the way it smells

Do it yourself Crafts have quickly become how I like to spend my free time

 SCARVES!

But as much as I love all these things it doesn't compare the LOVE that God has for us! I was reading yesterday and came across this scripture

"How wide and long and high and deep is the LOVE of Christ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of god" Ephesians 3:16-19

To put this more in perspective, as a reflection an author wrote this... If you were to experience the full LOVE of Christ now, you would be overwhelmed to the point of feeling CRUSHED. But you have an eternity ahead of  you, absolutely guaranteed, during which you can enjoy his Prsence in unrestricted ecstasy. For now the knowledge of his LOVEING Presence is sufficient to carry you through each day.

I can not imagine a LOVE that is that strong but I am so glad to know that I am loved that much and can for eternity experience the fullness and beauty of such LOVE. I know that it is his LOVE alone that sustains me in my everyday life in my search for purpose.

Wednesday Dumps

Wednesdays just seem like hard days... it is right in the MIDDLE of the week and I always feel more tired on Wednesdays than other days... my vitamins don't even work on Wednesdays. Therefore I start to fall into the Wednesday dumps. I sit around looking at people and judge them and become envious of them . Something about Wednesday's cause me to get into the "I'M NOT WHERE I WANT TO BE BLUES" This causes me to be unhappy in my job (which is really a good job for me but not at all what I dreamed I would be doing... I know I am not the only one!) wishing I had a bigger house that I owned, feeling  like I have it harder than everyone else or wishing my life was just plain more stinking together. Somehow my Wednesdays always consist of this same mind drowning routine.

Today I read in My Jesus Calling and it seems that God was telling me to SNAP OUT of my self-pity party because this is what it read

"There are several ways to protect yourself from self-pity. When you are occupied when you are occupied with praising and Thanking Me, it is impossible to feel sorry for yourself. Also, the closer you live to Me, the more distance there is between you and the pit. Live in the LIGHT of My Presence by fixing  your eyes on Me. Then you will be able to run with endurance the race that is set before you, without stumbling or falling."

So today I am giving Thanks to God for some of the many many blessings in my life!!

Will, Kate, & Francine

I am really trying to make myself read more. I really enjoy reading I just don't make enough time for it, especially since there is The Bachelor to watch and Teen Mom and all sorts of other ridiculous shows.

For Christmas my Nana gave me this book on the HOTTEST couple in the world right now



I wanted to read it before their big wedding in April. I get really fascinated by the tales of real people. I dove right into this book and was intrigued by their love story and their lifestyle... however I have officially decided I DO NOT want to marry a prince... I don't care how many times he asks :) And I am honestly not quite sure why Kate has stuck it out with him this long and put up with some of Will's shenanigans except to say it must really be LOVE.

In trying to decide what to read next I am following my Nana's book patern (sort of.) Nana is and has always been a very avid reader. She like to alternate between fiction and non fiction and mixes up her political, biography, religious, books in between. Since the book I just read is not biographical but is essentially non-fiction as well, atleast I am calling it that. I am moving on to Francine Rivers book Her Mother's Hope which is a two-part series.



I have become a big fan of Francine Rivers since reading The Mark of the Lion series (I wrote a lil about it already)  I also loved Reedeming Love. I highly reccomend both these books! I am also really wanting to read her book Lineage of Grace. That may be next who knows!

The first couple chapters of Her Mother's Hope  has been very good and I am anxious to get to the point in the book where I hate to put it down... coming very soon I am sure.

Mishaps, Pictures, and Country Music

This past weekend did not go AT ALL according to plan! I left Friday to ride with my Auntie Tammy and Kelbell for ABILENE. The plan was to get hook up with my Momma and Nana and head to Midland to celebrate the precious 1st BDay of little Paisley Schmidt. Unfortunately Saturday morning Nana woke up feeling really sick and could barely walk so Mom and I went with her to the Walk-In Clinic and missed going to Midland. Sooooo Sad to miss the party!

It was a looooooong day, especially for Nana. She got some shots and slept for most of the day so I helped my mom with some of her photo projects. She had wanted to make copies of some old pictures so we headed to Walgreens for a wonderful experience scanning and croping photos... YEAH!

She was BORED and therefore I did all the work..... but isn't that smile just precious!!!!

It turned out to be a really GREAT weekend despite the change of plans and mishaps... I got to spend some good ole quality time with my Mom. We drove around town listening to 90's country music and this little gem came on the radio...

I used to be the BIGGEST Reba  McEntire fan and this was one of my FAVORITE songs of hers!

Mom has been going through ALOT of old photo albums and came across this special lil photo from 1986

Sweethearts aren't they! I wish I still had the little dress and Ryan is rockin the plaid!

Sunday afternoon this was the scene...

As the three of them tried to figure out who was in each picture and reminised about short shorts, pouffy hair, shoulder pads, and big colors... those pictures are worth a THOUSAND words!

And thats how I spent my weekend! Hope you all have a GREAT week!!





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Gleek

Ok I have a confession to make... I am a total GLEEK. I first watched the show with my cousins a year and half ago at their house, I thought it was going to be majorly corny but LOVED it and have watched it ever since. I have been envious of my cousin Kelsey who has been rocking out to the 4th CD now since Christmas, stupid I know because I could have just gotten one myself. Finally yesterday I broke down and bought it... LOVE IT! I have been cruising around town with my windows down thinking I am something pretty stinking cool now.



Aside from their awesome voices I love the way the show takes old or new songs and makes them very different from the originals. This morning I was driving to work and the song  One of Us came on... it was featured on the Glee episode with Sue and her mentally impaired sister. This episode touched me for many reasons but I never paid attention to the song. I never liked the original version of this song, I always thought it was poking fun. The Glee version allows you to hear the lyrics so vividly that I was for the first time impacted by this song this morning. I never expected to be singing "God is good, God is great" listening to glee.

"What if God was one of us , Just a stranger on the bus, trying to make his way home, back up to Heaven all alone." I began to think, well God was one of us, he sent his son to walk among us and be of the flesh just like we are and he was crucified. I wondered if this day in age Jesus was sent to walk among us, and teach us the good news, would we believe him?

Having been raised in the Church of Christ I have always had the belief in Jesus as my savior and the bible to strengthen my walk, but what if we didn't have any of that to guide us. Sadly I am sure that if Jesus was testifying the same things now he did back then he would be rediculed just as he was and sacrificed as a false prophet.

Just a glimpse into my thought process this Thursday morning.



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National Champs

As I mentioned before this past weekend I went to Ft. Worth for Kelsey's Cheerleading competition. She is part of a special needs squad that Cheer Texas has put together for kids of all ages in this area to be on. Kelsey has always wanted to be a cheerleader... she is perfect for it... she keeps a smile on her face at all time and is so happy and sweet to everyone. She is truly a miracle and angel to all that know her. God knew what he was when he created her. She touches so many peoples lives with her sweet spirit.

It is such a truly touching site to watch not only Kelsey but other mentally imparied children get out and do their best at performing for pure joy. The whole audience stood to watch their cheer.



Their squad all got trophies and National Champion jackets. She was so happy and I was soo proud of her!

A little celebration on the streets of Ft. Worth was more than appropriate!

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Love.

This past weekend I ventured to Dallas/Ft. Worth with my family to see Kelsey's National Cheerleading competition (more to come on that later.) But I spent the weekend in the company of people I love so very much and celebrating one of the most precious angels walking this Earth. It was very fitting to have Kelsey's big weekend prior to Valentines Day when so many years ago we almost lost her on this day. But let me tell you she is fully alive and LOVING everyone around her.

I am so blessed on this day and everyother to be surrounded by AMAZING family and friends in my life. Valentine's Day is not just for celebrating the love in a marriage or boyfriend/girlfriend relationship but every relationship and the love for everyone around you!

LOVE: A deep, tender, ineffable feeling of affection and solicitude toward a person, such as that arising from kinship, recognition of attractive qualities, or a sense of underlying oneness

Of course the ONLY selfless unconditional love is that from Jesus Christ so our efforts to show love to each other even in our best attempts will always fall short of his amazing sacrifice.

With that being said I recieved some of the most beautiful flowers today and wanted to share....

From My mom and Gary

From a Special Someone

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY TO ALL!!

Also for anyone planning a wedding, or attending one, or just want to be super stylish this spring the company who is responsible for such amazingness as Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie have come out with BHLDN. It is amazing!! Check it out for yourself

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SNOW DAY

Amarillo FINALLY got hit with the snow that everyone else has experienced. We were so excited to have a SNOW DAY! Neeley and I pretty much stayed inside all day watching Lifetime movies but I did find time to get a little crafting on.

 

As we were preparing for the snow day we hit up the store and they had a cheapo frame that had been broken so they gave it to me at a discount. I wrapped it in book paper and glued on some rolled flowers. Turned out to be a cute little frame for our front door.

 

 Then I took Cooper out to play in the snow because it is his 1ST Birthday today!! He has never seen this much snow before and he loved playing in it. 

 

Hope Everyone had a WONDERFUL Wednesday!

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Roadmap to a Lasting Relationship

On Monday nights it has become a tradition to have our friends over to watch this season of The Bachelor. I have not gotten into this show in a long while but probably the lack of something else to do on Monday nights has gotten everyone (even our guy friends) into it. Tonight  I was watching all these girls who have had barely any quality time with Brad, confess true feelings of love towards him as He in return is telling the ladies that they have they have all the qualities he is looking for in a wife. I am not nieve enough to think that there are not many many conversations that happen behind the scenes or that this show is completely scripted. However I noticed tonight that none of the woman nor Brad seems to be in pursuit of the characteristics I as a Christian would be looking for.  None of them seem to put religious values as a major priority in their potential life partner not to mention many other qualities that are on the top of my list.





Coming from a broken marriage I feel that the importance of finding the perfect mate has been made more critical than if I came from parents who were still happily married. I would never trade my upbringing for anything else but my search for my soul mate is continually interrupted by reflections of my parents marriage. I have learned many many lessons about love and marriage from experiencing the divorce of my parents and aunts and uncles.


I was taught and am continually reminded to NEVER SETTLE! To not think that you are not worthy enough to get everything that you want for in a husband. I am reminded that you MARRY THE FAMILY. As I would expect my future mate to jump right into my family and love them as their own it is hard for me to embrace thinking of doing the same with his family, especially if they are far different from what I have known. It seems almost like a calculated game that I will never reach the end of.


As I have dated and loved throughout my life, suffered breaking hearts and my heart being broken I have gathered a list of my own characteristics in my future husband. The number one thing would be sharing my faith with him. I want a man who is a spiritual leader for me and my family to be. That trait is a non-negotiable.


I admit though that I am struggling with the rules that follow. It is hard to think that if a guy comes from a family who is not as strongly built as my own he is not made of Megan marriage material. Or if he were to struggle with his future ambitions does that mean he will not support me and give me the life I deserve. When do you allow the possibility that  someone has changed? Or do you hold their past against them expecting them to fall back into the patterns or their parents/siblings? Will anyone ever be good enough that my family will look at them and think... oh yeah he is absolutely good enough to marry her. Ultimately I know that I have to give it all up to the Lord and he will deliver his perfect mate to me.
As I was reading tonight I came across scriptures in Ephesians 5 where Paul tells the Ephesians how to live their lives: no sexual immorality, no obscentity, foolish talk, or coarse joking. No one should decieve you with empty words therefore do not be partners with them. Be careful how you live not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity. Do not get drunk but be filled with the spirit. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 


 I have read this passage before and recognized the lifestyle that I was supposed to lead based on this guidance but the part, DO NOT BE PARTNERS WITH THEM struck me. Not only is this passage telling me how to live but it is instructing me of what to look for in my mate.
I have always known that I wanted to marry a man just like my Grandy. This is a catch-22 though because I believe that he is a complete one in a million. Although my direct marital influence in my life was that of divorce, the most powerful marriage I was ever a witness to was that of my Nana & Grandy.


Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. Husbands love your wives juas as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way husbands ought to love their lives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself... For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife and the two will become one flesh. Ephesians 5:22-33

There is absolutely NO question that Nana and Grandy followed this scripture to the max! Their love for one another shone above everything but their love for the Lord. They respected one another, they held each other up, and cared for each other as if their own persons. Their love was a direct imitation of God's love for his church.


In this world of broken marriages I am so thankful to have a solid relationship to look towards for guidance and hope. Having god lay out not only who he wants us to be but therefore what our partners should be is a roadmap to a lasting relationship. I know the rocky road I have suffered in finding my partner to raise my family with would be far far more bumpy if I did not have the references I did.


I couldn't help but think that part of the reason that none of the Bachelor's and Bachelorette's seem to find lasting love is because like the rest of the world they put the worldly desires above what we are called to be as a partner and what we are called to look for.



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55 Days

It is amazing to me that it has now been 55 days since my sweet Grandy went to his glories in heaven. It still doesn't seem real to me at all. I keep waiting for it to set in and my grieving process to start. I always expected to go into an immediate black hole and not come out for weeks, months, years maybe. It has been 55 days and we have had a Christmas, New Year, many Birthdays and he has not been here for any of it. I know that he is in a much better place, but on days like today it hits me again that he is not here with me. He is not sitting in his green chair watching Fox News, He is not getting geared up for the Superbowl this weekend, He is not eating dinner with Nana.

I desperately am needing a hug from my Grandy today. I wish so badly I could sit with him in the living room holding his left hand while he directs the 101 Strings orchestra with his right one and as Nana yells from the kitchen to turn it down, he turns it up giving me that mischievous look with his raised eyebrows. I want him to tell me that it is all going to be OK. I want to hear from him to trust in the Lord. I want to hear his deep voice singing "You are my Sunshine" to me. I want him to tell me how proud he is of me.

I know that for so many who knew him and especially those of us lucky enough to have his blood in us have found it extremely hard to find a better walking example of Jesus Christ. Grandy lived his life embodying everything God asked of us and of the sacrifice Jesus made for our sins. I feel there could not have been a better example of how to life a Christlike life than the one my Grandy led. The moment Grandy passed I felt for the first time excited to go to Heaven for I knew that was where we would be reunited.

I read this passage yesterday and it made me think of my Grandy up in heaven looking down on me...

I am with you and for you. You face nothing alone-- NOTHING!

On days like today when I want him to be here with me, I was comforted by the thought of Grandy always with me and always looking down on me.

One night about a year ago when Aunt Tammy and Kelsey were in town to stay with Grandy ( I dont remember exactly where Nana had gone) and I was so blessed to be staying with Nana and Grandy at the time. We were all sitting around the table and had just finished eating. It was such a normal night, but for some reason Grandy was so tickled and who know what he was laughing about now but I had never ever seen him laugh that hard. He was crying he was laughing so hard. I tried to get a video of it on my phone but inded up with just this picture. 

It's not the best picture at all but it represents such a special memory to me of another wonderful night with him!

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