rock of ages

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure;
Save from wrath and make me pure.

Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law's demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to the cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.

While I draw this fleeting breath,
When mine eyes shall close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.

hymn by Reverend Augustus Montague Toplady written in 1763

As I was singing in church on Sunday, this hymn really got to me, to my core, thinking as I sang about running to Him for comfort because I cannot do it on my own. I worshipped at the thought {last verse} of being able to run for safety to the Rock Who, get this now, is on the judgment throne. How powerful is that! Why would I run to my ultimate Judge for comfort & safety? Because He is Jesus. In His beautiful eyes, I owe nothing, He took care of it all.

perfectly pressed

...this makes me want to do a little ironing.

via papertissue

eat fat, lose weight

My latest endeavor is to research the concept of eating healthy fats...or fat in general and thinking of my food as fuel. To begin, I've applied my own meager knowledge to my grocery list, and have accumulated an array of fresh veggies, some fruits, & a variety of meats. No bread or pasta, as I've got plenty of that on hand, and should be eating far less of it anyhow.

I have also been trying to get over this media-induced fear of eating fat! So far, it's been quite interesting. I've noticed that eating foods with naturally occurring fat, actually keeps me satisfied longer, & provides sustained energy. As opposed to when I was eating what I thought was healthier, but would end up pulling out my hair after a week because of hating being hungry all the time! I feel and am starting to look better, energy, glowy skin, etc...and it has only been a matter of a few days. The fear is subsiding.

I have found a couple of books on the subject to check out the concept more in depth: Eat Fat Lose Fat by Dr. Mary Enig & Sally Fallon Morell and Eat Fat, Lose Weight: The Right Fats Can Make You Thin for Life by Ann Louise Gittleman. The concept is very intriguing, albeit a little scary. Balance, people, balance. Right? Well, my curiosity is definitely piqued, and my battle of the bulge could use some sign of victory! If nothing else, I'll spend all my time reading instead of eating, ha! I'm psyched.

inspiration for a new beginning

The overwhelming fact that we are miles from "home" is starting to sink in. Ah, 'debbie downer' you say. Well, give me a second...I've decided to let that develop into brighter thoughts by making THIS our home, and using it as an opportunity to reinvent anything and everything about myself and my surroundings. Looking at the situation in that light makes it new and exciting instead of drab and depressing.

The books pictured are the start of my personal design library (which, can I even call it that yet? I don't know...). two of them were gifted me by my sister-in-law, Betsy, and her husband, Alex, at Christmastime. And the other was given as a ruse to fool me by Jon at our engagement--throwing me off the scent of the ring. The books are a wonderful jumping-off point for reinvention!

Not only am I interested in making my house aesthetically pleasing, but to anyone who cares, I'm also working towards self-betterment (perhaps, aren't we all). Freedom on the inside, and of course, as any girl longs for, beauty on the outside too. Sigh--always work to be done in both respects. A never-ending beauty regiment so to speak. For an over-analyzing maniac such as myself, there is a constant struggle to keep it all in balance and still achieve the desired effect in all categories. In all this striving, I ask myself, where is the fun?

For me, herein lies the spice: Turning my inwardly-focusing, stay-at-home mom-ness into the ultimate advantage! Taking all that business in the head and putting it to good use--either get off the topic, or hang onto it and make it a reality! Each little project I finish will add a piece of me and my style to my small yet enjoyable world. Be playful and adventurous. Take more risks. Try something new. Get out of the same old rut and start fresh!

Let the fun begin!

Special thanks to Jon, Betsy, & Alex for the objects of inspiration!