Forever loves

These people. So wonderful, for all my life, but especially these past few months. They have been inexpressibly helpful, and have done so much for me.

Encouraging embraces, wise counsel, running errands, completing tasks, making appointments, etc. I can't even count all the ways they have been gracious and fantastic during this busy season of my life.

Family is forever. Whether made up of good relationships, stressful, bad, intense -- family is forever.

For me, our four person unit is a rock, a safe place, an atmosphere for honesty and vulnerability, for help and growth.  Leaving and cleaving is a good, rich part of life, but this will always be my foundation, no matter how old or how far I go. And for that I'm thankful, that it was these specific human beings.

Legacy, learning the ways of life and love, being about to develop strong wings.

I am who I am because of these people, growing up with them, around them, being taught and impacted by their choices. Blessings. Lessons. Growth from trials.  Sharpening from conflict.

Fills me with joy when I reflect on this unit, and it breathes life and strength into my future steps.

I'm excited to celebrate my wedding day with them by my side.

An Unprofessional Photographer.

Photography is a craft unlike any other, and there are no limits to its virtuosity. Through selective composition, ordinary objects can become a photographer’s key to form and abstraction, exposure and lighting can illuminate mood and feeling, and ultimately, even the subject itself may guide the story within the frame. The photographs in this week’s selects are prime examples of how people deliberately reveal ingenuity and beauty, no matter what a scene may hold. It takes courage to search for and capture honest moments. A photographer’s intentions, obsessions, and convictions remain on permanent display through the images he or she captures. Playful images reveal a photographer’s aptitude for joy, beautiful scenes expose a photographer’s openness to surroundings, and profound images speak to a photographer’s poetic propensity. Sometimes it may seem frightening how personal and intimate photography can be; in the same way, photography holds no limits, because its power is held in the beautiful complexity that each and every one of us embodies. Bill Brandt, the renowned 20th century photographer whose aberrant style was all his own, alluded to the bounds of photography by saying, “Photography is not a sport. It has no rules. Everything must be dared and tried!” VSCO

I am an unprofressional photographer. I do have a cool camera with all the bells and whistles, because my parents sweetly gifted it to me one Christmas. I'm the family member designated to take photos. I'm the girl who sees the world differently -- that which others find trivial, boring, and uneventful inspire me since I have the opportunity to capture them. Technology today -- iPhone cameras and the ability to share photos almost instantly -- I am borderline obsessed.

In the age of Instagram it's easy to fall into a trap of "photography insecurity." This, in my definition, is not sharing a photograph or thought for fear it won't get that many 'likes.' Or deleting a photo after it's been up for a couple of hours, because it only received 11 likes. I have fallen into that trap before, and quickly became annoyed with myself.  If you've ever been there, friend, let me tell you this: post, share, document, photograph whatever fills you with joy. It's your space, do with it whatever you want. Ignore the number of likes you receive. Be careful to not allow that measure to hinder your desire to share what you see, moments you capture... your life. This full, abundant life God has given.

Hello, freedom. It's too wonderful.

I become genuinely excited over capturing an interaction, plant, winding path, piece of an old town. Sure, the exciting things as well, but especially the simple things.

"A good snapshot keeps a moment from running away." Eudora Welty

The beauty of Instagram is that if someone becomes annoyed with all my photo-sharing they can unfollow me. Right? Yes.

I am passionate about photography simply for the sake of photography -- capturing sweet and beautiful and fleeting moments. Leaving them raw or editing them to be even more unique that the moment itself.

Words are deep, and useful, powerful, and important... but a photograph just adds something extra.

Anyone else like me?

photo

Married in THREE DAYS.

Let's just say my inner being is almost at a melting point.

God has provided, emotionally + physically + mentally, and my heart is humbled and grateful. But this week is overwhelming.

Eight hours in the office, having a seemingly still growing list of things to do when I leave work... details with our future home, packing for the honeymoon, errands for the weekend, all the while trying so hard to find time for mental rest, focus of the heart.

The time has come to see how wise I can be with my time-spending choices, because my biggest fear is getting to Friday and being weary and numb.

On a happier note, I can hardly believe the time is almost here.

As a person grows up, 'somedays' are created.  Someday, I'll be a business woman. Someday, I'll have a house full of kids. Someday, I'll take this trip, or I'll build that house.

A major someday for me is almost here. Days away! A gift from God; He who knows me best, loves me most. Another way to glorify Him, to deepen my relationship with Him. My wedding day, to celebrate and rejoice in Him. With J, with family and friends.

Underneath all the frazzled and overwhelmed is a heart that is singing. Joy, thanksgiving, praise, love, anticipation.

So, I do my best to cling to these: The true love of a good man, the support of family & friends, the presence of a faithful and holy God. 

Edible Art

This is what happens when a designer develops a sweet tooth!

Super cool Jackson Pollock-inspired chocolate bars. Can't decide whether I'd rather gobble it up or frame it to put up on the wall. Check them out at UNELEFANTE!

Conditional Confidence

You know, I have been fighting the urge to post this one. Because so many people preach this stuff -- striving to go against what culture screams. Sometimes they have lived it and truly mean it, other times they're trying to make up their own minds and find some freedom. I don't want to be the person who loses sleep over what someone else thinks over a sharing of my heart, here or elsewhere. There's wisdom and tact, yes, but then there's also being honest and open. From this place this post comes.

Getting married... Intimacy on a new level, lots of people staring at you. There's a lot of room for the Enemy to make tiny insecurities as large as mountains, but I don't want that. For me or for you who reads this. So here we go...

"I’ll love my body when I lose weight. When my skin clears up. When my thighs are slimmer. When my stomach is flat."

Everyone has been there. Everyone has had a conditional love for their bodies at one time or another. Human nature is often 'we want what we can’t have,' and we refuse to love our bodies until they’re in whatever perfect state our twisted minds want them to be in.

It’s a messy situation, and to be honest, a little wearying. Is it wrong to want to look different? What does it mean to really love my body anyway? Is it possible to love a body that isn’t the way I want it to be? These are the questions I've been pondering in my spare thought life lately.

First things first, what about wanting to look different? We live in the age of comparison, so tendencies to get discouraged are high and frequent. There's this notion that if you aren't like this, you're lacking. It's easy to glance at the "grass on the other side." We each have a certain size and shape that we’ve been entrusted, designed by the Creator of life, and we can’t change that. However, I believe the desire for beauty is something everyone is born with, and there is no shame in desiring to be or making ourselves more attractive physically. The key to keeping these changes within healthy boundaries is to stay true to what makes us unique (i.e. wearing clothes that flatter our figure, rather than going on an extreme diet to lose weight). Remember: there’s nothing special about being a copy of someone else. Like I wrote the other day, here, God created me with a genetic makeup unlike anybody else. Family genetics combined with what I value in life combined with a large batch of personality and desires and how I choose to be. This large umbrella of genetic makeup obviously includes my physical body. As it does you.

Mind you, as a woman and former collegiate athlete, I sometimes feel like I preach this to myself 23 hours of the day. But with every fiber in my being I want to fight for awareness of what I treasure most in life: is it knowing Christ, or idolatry of self-image; is it loving people well or obsession with food? Whether I'm running everyday or not, Jesus wants to be my focus, my number 1 affection, my most consuming desire. And life is far better and fuller that way.

So then, what does loving our bodies even look like? The best way I’ve heard it said is,

“Treat your body like you would treat a friend.” This could include some or all of the following:

-Feed your body nourishing food and be true to your real hunger.
-Buy and wear clothes that fit your body as it is today, not as it was five years ago or will be in a few months.
-Use positive language when talking about your body–regardless of if it’s in your head or out loud.

And then this, how can we love our body if we actually hate it? It’s a paradox, indeed, but if we ever want to have healthy body image, we have to learn to accept the way our bodies look as they are RIGHT NOW. If we can’t love our body today, we won’t love our body when it’s “perfect,” because that idea of perfect will always change. 

Look in the mirror today and delight in what you see, even if it’s not the reflection that you wish you had. Look at your eyes, your smile, your skin, your hair, your legs. Thank your body for what it does for you and spend this week delighting in the joy of your beauty. This body allows you to move and breathe and experience all the awesomeness of life -- Baskin Robbins ice cream, a canoe ride down the lake, shopping for a new outfit, playing tag with your kids.

You are a woman, and you are beautiful. Done and done. Measure yourself in contentment, joy, and laughter, because those are the things that last longer. It's difficult to transition your thinking, to change your mindset, but it's so wonderfully possible. I know this to be true because I walked/am still walking it also. I can strive to love the person God delights in. To focus on the love and growth of the heart that people encounter every day.

I want to be fit, and that's completely great and wonderful! I want to go on long runs to relieve stress, and take fun spin classes at the Y, and go on hikes with my soon-to-be husband. But, I also don't really want to compromise the chance for my love and joy and passion and kindness and relationships to deepen and expand .. at the expense of a lesser number on the scale. For me, it's more of a mental game than anything else, but the mind is just as powerful than anything physical. I fight for the beauty of my thought life, the rest for my soul, the confidence of my heart, when the Enemy tries to get in and distract me.

"We have to dare to be ourselves, however frightening or strange that self may prove to be." May Sarton

Find your freedom, dare to be all of who you were created to be, widen your scope of vision, who is your true audience? Enjoy life, treasuring wonders that are intangible. Be happy with what you have while working for what you want. It's different for everyone.. and that's how it should be. I'm doing the same, so let's chat.

"Eternally thinking.."

Last night was the last night it was going to be "just the four of us," before I get married, because my sister leaves for college tomorrow. We all went out to dinner and came home to watch a movie -- super fun, familiar activity for us. Afterwards we all stood in the door to our separate nighttime rituals and talked about the upcoming days. Mom shed some tears, my sister cracked some jokes to lighten the mood, I felt my own eyes get pricked with emotion, Dad was reassuring and encouraging. It was a sweet moment. We talked about our family, all of the love and relationship and excitement over new seasons of life, how faithful God is. I almost wanted someone to write a story about it so I could keep it with me. An underlying sense of a changing of winds.

Later, it was just me and Mom, and I had an opportunity to share some things that had been heavy on my heart lately. She eased anxieties, set perspectives straighter, and downright comforted my soul. Hallelujah for moms (and dads!) in whatever season of life you're in. She reminded me that their tears come from how excited they are for me, how proud, and how much they love me, and are happy I'll still be in the same town. :)

I went to sleep feeling more at rest than I have in days, but in my mind's running, reflecting on memories past, wanting to cling to them and absorb them in my heart, I heard the Lord...

"These are all wonderful things, but my child this is still not your home. You are only passing through."

"For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come. Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God." Hebrews 13:14-16

These days are good, so good. My life up until this point has been blessed, and while sometimes it is easy to be sad because childhood is over, or sleeping in my old room is over, I will spend eternity with Jesus and all of these loved ones. I believe this life is a long walk to life in heaven. I don't have to fear the passing of moments, the changing of times -- I have the freedom to embrace today and the newness of tomorrow, because I'll be enjoying these people, these loves, in eternity. Life with them there, joyfully worshiping the One we all call Lord, will be a trillion times better than here. (and here is pretty alright!)

It's like He was encouraging my soul, saying,

"Do not mourn the passing of yesterday. Keep the right perspective. Make the most of today, love the socks off people, anticipate the good of tomorrow. But always remember that a day will come when you will all be present with Me."

So.. I share this to challenge and encourage you as I have now been, to think eternally.

Happy Friday, friends.

Creating A Working Closet: Assess

The closet is purged, right?  Or in the process of purging? Of course! What else were you doing over the weekend? (I say that teasingly, because my spare time to do room maintenance is scarce)

Step 1: Purge. Step 2 is assessing your closet's needs. Not your needs, your closet's. Your needs are simple: to be clothed. Your closet has a responsibility to clothe you every single day. Don't hear this as needing to spend a ton of money on new clothes, this is just being smart. Learning what fits your personality best, what you feel confident in, and what is helpful for your daily tasks.

1. Take inventory of what you have. This could just mean figuratively or literally, however your brain works. I take a mental inventory of everything in my closet every once in a while; it's a nice reminder of what I have. Items tend to get lost in the process of laundry, so believe it or not I often forget about particular items.

2. Make a list of closet needs. Let's say you went through your closet and you discovered that you don't have a black pencil skirt that fits any more, but a black skirt would work perfectly with what you already own; this would be a basic closet need. Create a list of items that would really tie your wardrobe together.  Everyone has their own list of primary basics, but mine includes:

black pencil skirt
khaki + brown linen pants
a handful of solid color cardigans
flats

This may sound ridiculous, but put that list in your purse, or type it in your phone's notes -- it helps give direction when you're shopping. Misguided shopping leads to a random closet.

Make sure that everything on your need list fits into current wardrobe. Remember, you want a working closet -- a closet that you can walk into and create an outfit by simply choosing a few items. If everything works together, then this is possible. (Working together doesn't mean everything has to match. It just means that you don't throw something random into your closet that you'd never wear but you bought because it was one sale.)

3. Now make a want list. Treat it like a splurge list. Maybe there's a new trend I want to try or maybe I just want something that isn't a direct need. That goes on this list. My current want list looks like this:

a bright colored high-waisted skirt
fall/winter wedges
oversized soft sweater

Once you acquire the basics, you will find that your wardrobe is easier to build upon.  I like to think of the want list like the frosting on a cupcake. "It's the first thing you taste but the last thing you need."

4. Set your two lists aside and step back into your closet. Since you've assessed what you want and need, now look at what you have. Put your mixing skills to work and start creating outfits.

5. Wear some of your experiment outfits that you put together. You'll quickly figure out what you like and don't like to put together.  Maybe you hate linen pants after all. Mark that off your list and figure out a new style. Maybe you love them and want more. Mainly get to know your closet and figure out what you expect from it. Soon you'll be on your way to figuring out your style and telling your closet exactly what that is.

Best of luck on the assessing, organizing, and creating. Let me know what you come up with!

{image via tumblr}

A Quick Heart Spill...

Last night I spent two hours talking to a woman who has known me since birth, who loves Jesus and people well.  We talked about marriage, the wedding day, relationships, family, life changes; a little bit of anything that came to mind. I left feeling at rest, encouraged + inspired, soul facing the Lord, refreshed. Reminds me once again of the wonder of shutting out all the noise and trading heart stories with someone. Gaining wisdom, help in processing, a new perspective.

11 days to marriage. That's where we're at. I told someone this the other day, that if asked I probably wouldn't be able to describe all of the thoughts, emotions, processing, growing, learning  going on inside me during this season. The things that have touched my heart, the fear then through prayer turned into faith, the conversations I've had, the way I've grown, the things I've learned. The beginning of summer to where I am now.. in just two months I feel like a new person in some regards. Not only preparing to be a wife, but working full-time, learning about relationship changes, graduating from college. This summer has been a rich one.

So here's a heart, soul, mind spill....

Boundaries are important. 

“Boundaries define us. They define what is me and what is not me. A boundary shows me where i end and someone else begins, leading me to a sense of ownership. Knowing what I am to own and take responsibility for gives me freedom. Taking responsibility for my life opens up many different options. Boundaries help us keep the good in and the bad out. Setting boundaries inevitably involves taking responsibility for your choices. You are the one who makes them. You are the one who must live with their consequences. And you are the one who may be keeping yourself from making the choices you could be happy with. We must own our own thoughts and clarify distorted thinking.” Henry Cloud

A wedding day holds a great deal of emotion. Keep it in perspective.

A few days ago I had a small shock about this particular reality about that day. I realized a small fear had developed: fear of the sadness that comes with that day. It is expected, for tears to be present, on my dad's face and on my face, on my mom's face... it's a bittersweet reality, giving your daughter away. But, I was prompted by my friend to keep it in perspective. Yes, both my parents will cry, but I need to remember that they are happy for me and that they want this for me! Also, I have reason for so much gratitude since I'll only be minutes away from them. It'll be easy to get swept up in the emotion of the day, but I want to be aware that it's the right emotion -- thanksgiving to the Lord, joy over John, humility because of the people who come to witness us get married -- not anxiety over whether my parents are okay. They will be, because God's got us. And I fully believe this is His plan for me, and for them. The joining of these wonderful families, my parents gaining a great son-in-law, and future grandchildren. :) I have been challenged not to allow the Enemy a chance to steal my joy in this time, but planting fears or false thinking. "Chelsea, change your thinking. These next two weeks, change your thinking. Take those hindering and negative things off your plate."

Guard your time. Be generous with it, but be intentional about it.

I instagram'd this the other day, with these words attached: "Growing up means being honest about what matters to you, what you love, what you're living for, and how all of those are connected." I think this is so true. I never would've thought this, but growing up is really a lot about honesty. We can't read people's minds, so communication is key. I can't always worry about what other people think; if it's important to them, they'll share it with me. Relationships are a two-way street. Being wise and intentional about time is something this engagement season has brought to light for me. It's okay to guard your mental, emotional, spiritual, physical health by saying 'no.' If I'm always stretched super thin to attend everything, or please everyone, I'll crumble. And I won't have energy for things in life that God has entrusted to me: my job, my future marriage, my family, etc. Sometimes I may not want to say no to something, like an early morning gym class. But if it makes me tired earlier in the day, and enhances a flustered attitude, maybe it's not the best thing for right now. 

God created me with my own specific, unique genetic makeup... and in Genesis it says that everything He made was good.

"God designed a world where we all live "within" ourselves; that is, we inhabit our own souls, and we are responsible for the things that make up "us." Henry Cloud 

He has given me responsibility for myself, no one else (although J would jokingly add, "except me"). There's something freeing in knowing that I have a responsibility to protect myself, to engage in things that help me thrive, that I enjoy. I think it makes God smile when I'm being myself, because He designed me the way He did. He wants me to own it, to embrace it, to treasure my individuality, to share my heart and soul with others. Exactly how I am, how He made me and designed me -- there's no one else on this Earth exactly like me -- is GOOD. So why do I put limitations on myself based on others' opinions? Why do I not express myself, or share my heart + life with others, for fear of rejection? Another's rejection is not a sign that I'm wrong; it may have nothing to do with me, but with them. God has given me this body, this heart, this soul, this mind.... this specific one! I think my Heavenly Father delights in me when I'm my truest self, plain before Him, desiring to be more like Him, interacting with other people and enjoying life. And be thankful for how you are. Last night, my friend said this, "You have a lot of wisdom for your age, especially for this season of life - be thankful for that. Ask Him to continue to reveal Himself to you, and be aware of how you can reflect Him with that."

PS - We received our engagement photos back the other day, and I can hardly get enough. Love laughing and spending time with him. Rarely being in front of the camera, I also think they are special and sweet to have. 

currently crushing on.

This round of crushes was prompted by this different but fascinating phenomena called dipped lace. Artist  Tulianna Garces, from Colombia, handcrafts these beautiful things.

"Each piece Tulianna and Alejandra design, whether it is made of vintage lace, Agave or the Tagua seed plucked from the rainforest, is an impassioned labor of love that has passed through many hands and is dedicated to the idea that all citizens of the world deserve to live safely and at peace."

So cool. Someday I would love to own a piece of this.

Other discoveries as of late...

As vintage as vintage goes, for decor + knickknacks, Three Potato Four.

This unique shop, Her New Tribe.

This mug.... it will be mine one day.

Not sure where I get this from, but I'm a sucker for anything taco-related, and this recipe looks too good.

Whenever I have kids in the house, this will go up somewhere.

Food and photography and passion... yes. Here.

Wonder if I could talk J into purchasing this piece of wood for our home.

the adventure of faith

This week has been.... a WEEK.

Overwhelming to-do lists, physically not feeling 100%, hardly having a free + relaxing minute until Thursday night. (Even then my chill time was an open rebellion to tasks I should've been doing)

There was many a flash of impatience, rooted in weariness or selfish attitude. Phew, sometimes I was just not a pretty person. But... alas, His Spirit is faithful, Jesus is Redeemer, and God is good.

On the way home, I was in a state of discouragement, impatience, flustered... and Francesca Battistelli's Strangely Dim came on, and the line that redirected my heart.

I'm gonna fix my eyes on all that You are
Til every doubt I feel
Deep in my heart
Grows strangely dim

Fix my eyes. The minute that challenge filled my car I felt a couple tears on my face.

Faith in Jesus is an adventure, a real adventure. And it's the sweetest, best part of this life... knowing Him.

So when things are dim or overwhelming, or I'm impatient and feeling stuck.... I will fix my eyes.

Because Jesus and all He is, is constant. Never-changing. And He's worth fixing my sights, movement, and efforts always toward.

Because there is always hope. Hope for a better outcome, a better attitude, a strong help, joy, rest. Always hope. And there is always forgiveness and redemption. Found in Jesus, and nothing else.

Michael Frye once wrote these wonderful words all about Jesus being the center, with our eyes, thoughts, hearts and minds fixed upon him.

Jesus, be the center, be my source, be my light
Jesus, be the center, be my hope, be my song
Be the fire in my heart, be the wind in these sails
Be the reason that I live, Jesus, Jesus.

So....

"If not now, when?"

Think this is going to be my #1 cling-to truth for this year, the beginning of this new season of life: Fix. Your. Eyes. On. Jesus.

Creating A Working Closet: Purge

Transitioning from graduation to full-time job held a lot of changes and new possibilities. A big one? Wardrobe.

I'm not a frumpy person, I'm not the girl who wears baggy t-shirts all the time, but being an active person and a creature of comfort, my wardrobe was relatively simple. Same jewelry everyday, same sandals or boots, etc. Sure, I have some funky shoes, and the occasional saucy outfit, but it was pretty low-key. I have the creativity in me, and the desire, I just hardly ever wanted to spend the time, and/or money, on smaller accessories or specific clothing items. I tend to buy things that can be multi-functional: a necklace that goes with just about everything, nude wedges (which every female should have, in my opinion), or neutral colored cardigan. Not a bad thing, but still... wardrobe is something to have fun with, right?







Working closet, defined:

A closet that works for you so that you don't stand in front of your closet and feel lost.  A working closet is one in which you can remix what you own into infinite cute outfits. A closet that doesn't scream "go shopping now!" at you every time you walk in.

I'd like to think the sequence went (and is going) like this: purge, assess/organize, shop, remix.

What would have been a goal for the rest of the year got bumped up to "finish before you get married and move to a new house." And let me be honest, my home closet is crazy. High school stuff now mixed in with all the drab I had in my college apartment? Snap. It's busy, and not really in the best way.

Hardly being able to stand the clutter, I set to work purging it.

I tried on all the randoms that looked remotely like items I would want to keep. I made multiple piles: give-away, attempt to sell, keep, let Kendall look at, etc. So... I'd like to share my process, in case anyone needs inspiration or motivation to do such things to their closets.

How I Purged My Closet 

• Go through the closet with a fine-tooth comb. Take inventory of everything you own and start evaluating. Here are a couple guidelines to see if it's worth keeping or it's ready leave my closet.

It no longer fits.

You don't like it or you've worn it less than once.

It has unrepairable holes or tears in it.

You haven't worn it in 6-12 months (within the appropriate season).

Your last memory of wearing it was younger than 15.

You're not quite sure how this item got in here.

If yes to any and all, the item goes. Friends, sometimes our inner hoarder comes out and it can be a little sad to see it go... that's probably normal, but it still needs to go. If you simply cannot part with it without some serious thought, see number next..

• If it's a genuine struggle to throw a few things out, start a "maybe" pile. Allot a box under the bed, or deep in the closet, for items you're unsure about. If it an item still there in a month or so (meaning you haven't missed it), then maybe donate it, sell it or swap it with a friend. If you pull something out and it fits, see if there's anything to pair it with in your closet, then keep it. If it doesn't, purge and move on.

• Next, take a look at the clothing you've decided to give away.  If you can't wear them, someone will. Here we have trendy stores that take in gently used clothes and for either money or store credit for them. They only take what still looks nice, isn't falling apart, and still in style. This is where I have deposited most of my purged goods, but I then donated the rest to either Goodwill or friends or friends' friends. Donating creates a great cycle. See? Who knew that cleaning out your closet could do so much good?

• When you're finished, go through your closet and start pairing items together without the unworn clutter clogging your creativity. Brainstorm and hang them in their own groups. This can make it easier to shop for items you'd like to add to your working closet.

These are all based on the past 2 months of being back in my middle/high school bedroom. Check back next week for my write-up about assessing and organizing my closet.

Any closet purging tips you'd like to share?

Petal Dresses

In a mood for something lovely? This. Such a sweet series of drawings + flower petals. So creative.

The series began when the artist made a birthday gift for her grandmother. “I pressed some rose petals and made her a bookmark with a painted girl wearing a petal dress," explained Wei. "That’s how the floral works started."

Find more of Lim Zhi Wei's work here.

See my other curated creative things here.

Wisdom in Age

I read an article a while ago that stated this,

"In the face of our youth obsessed culture we often forget that there is a special kind of wisdom that can only come with aging; that the older generation can offer the younger something so invaluable."

And this stuck with me. Our culture fights against aging. Aging is considered a thing to try and avoid at all costs, because after a certain point there's no more beauty.

So far from the truth.

The women of our grandmother’s generation, and even our mother’s generation, are in such a unique position to speak into our lives in ways that our peers simply cannot. I am quick to forget that they’ve been exactly where I have! They’ve made and lost friendships. They've had tough decisions to make, they've lived joy and sadness and regret and gratitude. Many of them have had successful careers. They have experiences under their belt that we, the younger generation, only daydream about at the moment. And often, experience is one of the best teachers.

They have experienced triumph and tragedy, joy and pain. They are living examples of the hope that while a circumstance may be hard now, it can and does get better. They have overcome heartache and fears. They may even have regrets, yet they know better than anyone thatlife goes on. They have an amazing sense of what is truly important in life.

I feel challenged and encouraged to take advantage of the wisdom of those who have gone before me. I mean, when I reflect on the tremendous strength, grace and beauty that they possess, I want to make room for the voices of the elderly in my life, for their stories and experiences and wisdom. I want to give space to the generations that are before me, to share their stories. I want to laugh and cry and do life with them, understanding that getting older is not a negative thing. It’s a beautiful thing. 

I have a new perspective about aging. When the Bible speaks about inner beauty, a powerful gentle spirit of a woman, I have to believe that that only increases and deepens with age and living. So, in reality, as I get older, I'll be even more beautiful. Notice I said be, not get. I believe beauty to be a thing that deepens and grows and radiates, not something that is only surface level.

I'm thankful for the older women who have influenced my life, who have lived in a way that honors the Lord, in grace and kindness. Those who have counseled me, held me, cried with me, encouraged me, prayed for me, questioned with me. My mom, my friend's moms, older women, grandparents, etc.

We had two wedding showers this past weekend, both hosted by a handful of couples who have watched both me and J grow up, people who have been influencers and like second families. The way they prayed for us, over us; the way they encouraged and inspired and shared experiences with us; the way they challenged us... it was amazing to be a part of. Their passing along of all that they have learned in their lives and marriages, their true desire to see us do well, to love well, to live for the Lord. Humbling.

Life is too rich not to soak up all the wisdom that comes from experience and age. Then we have the opportunity to go forward dreaming about the future, living our choices, together.

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Sweet Storage

Small/BIG update: we've found a place to live and we're signing the lease this weekend! Hallelujah!

With this happening comes new wandering and daydreaming, since I now have a literal space in my mind to imagine about.

Combining both mine and J's stuff is going to be an adventure. It's not like we have a ton of stuff, but I feel inspired and challenged to come up with creative ways to avoid clutter. This small desire has developed in me to see just how many things I can make multi-functional for our home. For example, a sweet piece of decor could also double as storage; or my organizational efforts to double as adding more color to a room. As I discover more creative ideas I find a mental list growing. Here are some of my latest crushes...

The Broken House pantry box (shown above) | The Design Files storage unit | Handmade Charlotte fun storage for kids | Bobvila recycled organization | Bargain Hoot for the pantry | Door handle jewelry organizer | Apartment Therapy mason jars