What I Did During My Blog Vacation

~Witnessed God's providence as my man started a new job. We wholeheartedly testify to the truth of Romans 8:28.

~Read some great fiction. The Distant Hours, The Flight of Gemma Hardy, Hannah Coulter, and The Homecoming of Samuel Lake.

~Fell woefully behind in The Book Club at Desiring Virtue's selection of According to Plan: The Unfolding Revelation of God in the Bible. It's a great book, but I'm trying to read it slowly to soak it all in.

~Celebrated as our girl finished 8th grade.

~Enjoyed a few days at the beach with friends.

~Registered our girl for high school classes.

~A new start in high school deserves a new room.  Moved our girl into a bigger room and did an extreme room makeover while she was away at missions camp.

~Missed her like crazy while she was gone, but delighted in some alone time with my man.

~Listened eagerly as she shared her camp experiences.

~Realized (AGAIN) how quickly the years are passing. There's little time left to influence this young woman and to give her a firm foundation in the Lord. I am determined to make each day count.

~Stumbled into sin, time and time again. I am so thankful for God's grace and mercy!

~Spent hours in the car at field hockey practice (thus, the reading of good books) and on the sidelines cheering during games.

~Spent hours on the softball sidelines cheering for my man and our church's coed softball team.

~Created a guest room.  Visitors are welcome!

~Got inspired by redesigned spaces and fresh coats of paint to do even more simplifying.

~Pared down my Google Reader.

Nothing terribly exciting - just the ebb and flow of a life marked by tremendous blessings and a faithful God.

Thankful Thursday

Giving thanks for...

~the first fruits from the garden
~heart-to-heart conversations with my man
~household projects completed
~a good book - or two!
~thoughtful discussions with my girl
~hugs from my college girls
~breathtaking fireworks
~time to rest during a headache that lasted several days
~the end of a headache that lasted several days
~a girl who loves to help in the kitchen
~motivation to keep simplifying our home

A Woman's Prerogative...

I know, I know. I said I was calling it a blog. But I miss blogging. And I'm thinking that maybe - just maybe - I have a wee bit more to say. I don't know what it will look like, or how often it will be. But I'm just not ready to pronounce Breath of Life dead.

A girl can change her mind, right?

To be continued...