Deep & Shallow...

This post is two parts which may seem to not go together at all...unless you know me...and then you will find it completely normal because this is me...deep and shallow all at the same time :)...ooh, I feel another blog name coming on...


Anyways, FIRST:

Do you ever feel like life is going by so fast that you can't...keep...up?


I'm there. Yesterday I even wished I had a remote for life that had a pause button...so I could stop everyone else around me and "catch up" before pushing play again.


It's all good stuff. It just sometimes seems like I'm not enjoying it (enough) because of time crunches. I have lots of ministry stuff to get organized before everything kicks off again for fall...cramming all kinds of family fun into the last couple weeks of summer, and well, there's the house...which needs to be in some semblance of order to even find anything.


Interesting...as I typed these out, I had sort of a revelation. One: "Seriously, this is what I need to push pause over?!?" HA! It all of a sudden doesn't look so bad...totally do-able! Two: Who has become first in the busyness? *sigh*


Over and over and over I do it. Get distracted by tasks I need to accomplish, and place them in first place. It makes no sense...for I can tell you endlessly that this does not work...and yet I do it. The one and only person I should be running to first, Jesus, I instead remove from first place...set aside and replace with tasks, and then proceed to bash my head against a brick wall in frustration because all of a sudden I can't juggle all that's going on around me.


Hmmm...not too hard to figure out why frustration sets in. Today I'm going to stop trying harder...and start praying harder that this pattern STOPS!


I am so thankful that my heavenly father does not get annoyed with me...because I am seriously annoyed with me :)


And the shallow...(wink.wink.)

Last night as I was minding my own business (sort of) and reading blogs, I came across this post by my bloggy friend Kelly at Love Well (which, is not shallow...at all.) She happened to mention a list for the Starbucks stores that were closing...and I may have experienced my very first anxiety attack...ok, not really, but close.

I live in tiny-town. I have to go to bigger-town to get Starbucks. If they leave bigger-town...there is nowhere else to GO!

I found the list here. It is real.

And I held my breath....

and my 3 Starbucks locations are not on the list.

Pheeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwww.

Which reminds me...no, don't worry, I won't even begin to tell you my sad, sad, really sad story of how there were NO GOOD CLOTHING STORES around here when I was a teenager...then I got married and moved away and they FINALLY got a GAP...two in fact...and when I moved back....BOTH CLOSED. *sigh* Hard times my bloggy friends...hard times. But Starbucks...still here. Amen.

*smiles*

Happy Friday!!!

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Famousness...

Something has been rolling around in my mind for quite awhile now. And yesterdays post just fueled the fire for me :)



I've been thinking about the idea of celebrity. What is it that really makes someone a celebrity? It really just boils down to a celebrity being someone (with a little Charisma) that many, many people see or hear from or about all the time. Once someone becomes well known, it lifts them into this other realm of "famousness" :)

It even happens in the blogging world. When I started blogging I had no idea that within this community were sub-divisions...and among the Christian Mommy Neighborhood, there are some big-dogs...that everyone knows/reads/has on their blogroll. Who knew?!?


For the record: I'm not intending to talk Hollywood here. They of course have plenty of them...good and bad...and truthfully, it's the world, how else should they act?

What I've been thinking of lately is Christian Celebrities. Granted, generally we Christians don't like to call them that...sounds worldly ya know...but really...we treat our Christian Celebrities very similar to the way the world treats regular celebrities. And the more I think about that...the odder it seems to me.

When I start to think about it...as Christians we've probably got as many (or more) celebrities than the world does...hmmmm.



I should clarify: I am not blaming the Christian Celebrity. Whatever they have accomplished to bring them to that next level was undoubtedly great. They may have hit albums, huge blogs, write really inspiring books, Bible studies, or be an inspirational speaker, all using gifts God has given them. What I am questioning is our reaction to them.



It's one thing to admire and respect...but does it go further? Do we treat them differently than we treat regular people?



What is it in me that seeks to exalt one person over another based on celebrity or what they've accomplished? That's the heart of my thoughts, and the more I examine it the more I don't like what I see.



This past December Ben and I went to a Casting Crowns concert (they're one of my fav's.) Mark Hall, the lead singer, did a fantastic job of just being a regular person. No Hype. Just there to use the gift God had given and it was an incredible time of worship.



I left that night pondering how he did that. Because when he walked on stage that night, he had an arena full of people who would probably crawl over the person in front of them if it meant having a chance to chat with him.



Pride is a constant battle for me...in many areas. Pride can happen in the "little bitty" for sure. I have trouble even imagining what it must be like for the Christians that we have made into our own celebrities...with those of us always telling them how wonderful they are...paying money to go see them.



My own personal realm of influence is fairly small...which as I examine my heart today, is for obvious reasons :) and if I'm struggling with pride, I no-doubt believe those with much bigger areas of influence struggle with it too.

Your thoughts? (if you can understand my ramblings, that is ;)

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My Look-Alike?!?

MyHeritage - free family trees, genealogy and face recognition">



I got this idea from Mama Belle...I t-o-t-a-l-l-y copied her.

I did the look alike thingy several different times with different pictures. This was the first one and had the highest percentage of "match." It totally cracks me up!!! On the other pictures I tried, Sarah Jessica Parker was a match several times and Tori Spelling.


Utterly amusing to me...so if you do it (and you know you want to) please please please tell me so I can see!!!



...I really do have some meaningful thoughts going on in my head/heart...they're just more complicated to get in my post :)

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It's Like Hunting...

Where I live there are four seasons. During the long, LONG frigid winter, if you asked me my fav season, I would tell you spring. By the end of the hot, humid, mosquito infested summer, if you ask me, I will tell you fall. I think my love for the two is because they are both so fleeting. Once you realized they're finally here, they're gone.

I have never lived anywhere that does not have distinct season changes. I can't imagine life without the weather changing...drastically. My frame of reference revolves around the seasons. Which is part of the reason fall fashion is just so much fun! I enjoy it like a hobby...much like a man enjoys golf or fishing or hunting...it's kinda like hunting...except when I find the perfect shoe, I do not kill it.

Can I call myself an expert after reading just one magazine?!? Ummm...on my own blog...I think I can. Plus, my sharing of the in-depth knowledge I now posses from the study of this one magazine may save you $3.99...which could instead be used at Starbucks or something. Excellent.

Apparently the key to trends is to only pick the ones that work for you. And, there are certain things (like dark denim and patent leather ;) that are just classic and do not go in or out. The words in orange are just my humble *cough* opinion.

Here goes. In Bullet list form, naturally.

What's In for this fall: (according to my magazine)

• Ruffled and fitted jackets love
• Puffy sleeves cute
• A-line skirts cute
• Wide-leg trousers so cute with heels
• Dark prints undecided
• Lady-like trend of fitted (or belted) dresses, pencil skirts and ruffles YAY!
• Layered looks perfect
• Pleated cropped pants no thanks
• Skinny belt (over shirts) maybe
• Funnel-neck tops sure
• Dark plaids sure
• menswear flat-front trousers sure
• High-waisted skirts and pants this ones still new to me...adjusting
• Short shift dresses I do think these are cute with leggings
• Spectator heels (both in peep toe and with mary-jane straps) LOVE
• Drawstring bags (leather) not bad
• Peep-toe ankle booties ankle booties are growing on me...but the peep toe with them?
• In denim: distressed and hardware ok...still like the dark best
• Fringe (leather) I can't do this one...I'm not a fringe girl.
• Flat shoulder bags LOVE
• Purple one of my new favorites!

Well ladies, that's all I know for now. What I like about most of these trends is that they're not so "out-there." Much of that stuff I already have from past years ...woo hoo!

Now that I've bombarded you with my opinion, let me have yours!! What do you LOVE?

For more info you can visit www.peoplestylewatch.com

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Conflicted...

To all my non-blogging (and blogging) readers out there...I apologize...this post is going to be oh-so boring to you. But come back tomorrow because I'm putting all my fall fashion wisdom (from one magazine read) into a bullet point list...not to be missed ;)

I am having some major issues regarding my blogroll! Now that I've been blogging awhile (5 months) I read a lot of blogs...my google reader says 86 to be exact. I decided it was time to update my blogroll, but HOW?!?

Here's my questions:

• How many is too many for my blogroll?
• Is it rude to read someone's blog regularly and never add them?
• Is it ok to have my blogroll as a link rather than all alongside my sidebar?

Help. What criteria do you use to decide what makes the cut?!?

Tell me...what does your blogroll represent?!?

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Just Doing My Job...

When I got my very first blogging award I was amazed. Amazed that anyone would find my writing award worthy, and even more amazed that people would feel like they knew me just through reading my blog! Amazing! And so much fun.




Each subsequent award has been just as special. Although I decided if I went on and on about each one...ya'll might get a LITTLE tired of it ;)




There's a fine line between being thankful and showing off. *smile* Where that line is, I'm not quite sure...so I decided to make a link for them...and whenever I feel the need to validate my blogging, I'll go look at my award love...and perform my acceptance speech.


Down to business: I have some love to pass on...


MeMe Lorie and Muddlin' Thru Motherhood (go say hi...they're lovely!) both kindly passed this one on to me:

I just love that it says BRILLIANT, don't you?!? Morning by Morning, whose blog I absolutely ADORE also passed this one along to me:

I'd like to pass it on to two, new-to-me blogs that I am really enjoying: Cup of Jesus and Lisa Writes...Both do an amazing job and sucking me right in each time I visit!

Tracy @ My Cup Runneth Over gave me this sweet, sweet award:

SHE is the one who is oh-so kind! If you don't know her...stop by and say hello...plus, she is one of the sweetest commenters EVER. I'm passing the award back to her. I'm not sure if this is legal...but we all know I bend the rules a little anyways ;)

There are rules...but I think ya'll know the rules...accept the award, pass it along...simple enough :)

Is it just me, or does linking wear you out?!? I need a nap...

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Not Gonna Do It....

I woke up this morning and told myself (and my husband) that I would not be doing a post today....taking the day off.

And here I sit...writing a post.

I have been cleaning (like a mad-woman) all day. My adorable little niece, Maddy, is coming tomorrow and staying till Thursday.

Here she is:

OK, back to the story. I've been crawling around on my floors trying to pick up all the legos/marbles/junk. If ya'll could start praying now, that she doesn't find something to choke on at my house, it would be much appreciated.


On another note: We had a super fun time yesterday...pics for you below. After fishing in the morning we headed into the nearest town to eat, and low and behold I found THE cutest little shop (where I purchased an adorable dress and shirt for cheap!) If I had the money/time I'd open up one identical to it! I took pictures, because I just knew I'd need to share it with you. I did not take pics in the inside...I didn't want the owner to think I was a total wacko...just a little wacko ;)

First: The cute clothes from the cute shop...

And the other fun stuff...

Happy Saturday!


oh...one more thing...I have lots of fall fashion wisdom now...I fill you in this week :)

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