Remind Me Who I Am

I could try and write you something profound and revealing here, but I believe the video does just fine by itself. Matter of fact, I believe it does so rather splendidly.

Remind Me Who I Am
by Jason Gray

When I lose my way

And I forget my name

Remind me who I am

In the mirror all I see

Is who I don't want to be

Remind me who I am

In the loneliest places

When I can't remember

What grace is

Tell me once again

Who I am to You

Who I am to You

Tell me lest I forget

Who I am to You

That I belong to You...to You

When my heart is like a stone

And I am running far from home

Remind me who I am

When I can't receive Your love

Afraid I will never be enough
Remind me who I am

If I am Your beloved
Can You help me believe it?

Tell me once again

Who I am to You

Who I am to You

Tell me lest I forget

Who I am to You

That I belong to You...to You

I am the one You love
I am the one You love
And that will be enough
I am the one You love

Tell me once again

Who I am to You

Who I am to You
Tell me lest I forget
Who I am to You

That I belong to You

Tell me once again
Who I am to You

Who I am to You
Tell me lest I forget

Who I am to You
That I belong to You...to You...to You.

Yes, Lord, in the loneliest places when I can't remember what grace is, when I can't receive your love—afraid I'll never be enough, tell me lest I forget who I am to You; that I belong to You...to YOU! That WILL be enough. You ARE enough. Always. Keep my chin up and my eyes on You, your beloved.

I constantly need to be reminded. How about you? Do you need to be reminded who you are? Who you are in Him? Just ask Him. God is faithful. He'll help you believe...for you are His beloved, too.

In His grace and love,

Summer

Warm sun rays beam down

Flowers arch upright, taking in her fullness

Summer, please stay for awhile
—  Amy M. Kinard

{30 Day} Photo Fun: Playing Catch Up!

I'm still plugging along with the {30 Day} Photo Fun challenge. I've gotten a bit behind here and there but I am continually learning that that's okay. It's about the journey, not perfection (which is impossible to accomplish, anyways), right? Right.

With that said, here are the photos/days I do have. Hoping to catch up completely by this weekend, as I'm still missing four: Day 15 - Action, Day 19 - Summertime, Day 21 - Macro {Close Up}, and today's Day 22 - Landscape.

{30 Day} Photo Fun: Day 12 - Sun Flare
Downtown Chicago
[Catching the moon was happenstance.]

{30 Day} Photo Fun: Day 13 - Reminds You of Childhood
The Game of Life
[Did you know The Game of Life, originally created in 1860, was America's first popular parlor game?
My Dad had received the 1978 version for his 50th Birthday. I was seven.
I have fond memories playing this game with my family.]

{30 Day} Photo Fun: Day 14 - Someone You Love
My dear hubby of 20+ years.
Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago

{30 Day} Photo Fun: Day 16 - Mason Jar / Jelly Jar
These Mason jars belonged to my Great Grandma Lahti from Finland.
A true treasure, to me anyways, to have.

{30 Day} Photo Fun: Day 17 - Bokeh
Reid, Murdoch & Co. Building Clock Tower over looking the Chicago River at the LaSalle Street Bridge.

{30 Day} Photo Fun: Day 18 - Eyes
Thank you, Stephanie, for being my model! ✘♡.

{30 Day} Photo Fun: Day 20 - Water
Austrian artist Hans Muhr's "Vienna Drinking Fountain" Dedicated to the Thirsty
Located in the park next to the historic Water Tower on Michigan Avenue, Chicago

Hope you enjoyed...

Blessings,
 

This is part of the {30 Day} Photo Fun challenge.
For more information: http://tinyurl.com/30DayPhoto

God IS Enough

(waving) I'm still here! It's simply been a busy week, and sometimes...not so "simply." Through it all, I'm focusing on remembering that God IS enough.

I shall return with an update or two at some point this weekend, hopefully including photos I've taken for the {30 Day} Photo Fun challenge. Until then...

God's Truth and blessings to you,

{30 Day} Photo Fun: Day 11 - Silhouette

Today's photo challenge was a silhouette. I wish one of two things — if not both — had happened differently for me tonight:

1. I wish I had a camera. You know...a real camera. Not just the one on my cellie.
2. I wish I had gone out on my adventure for today's challenge earlier in the day. Camera on said cellie does not take good pics in the dark. Besides, I would have liked a bit more light.
3. Ya know what, lets make it three things! haha I wish my original planned subject, a sailboat in port, would have worked out. But due to both #1 & #2 mentioned above, no matter what I did, it was just too dark to show up in the picture. So we drove down the Amstutz (where both Groundhog Day and Batman Returns were partially filmed), to head towards home, when we pulled over & I made one last attempt at capturing a silhouette.

With that said, here is my picture for Day 11:

{30 Day} Photo Fun: Day 11 - Silhouette
Transmission Towers

You'll notice added layered textures, in hopes of hiding a bit of the flaws. For me, it's just ohhh kaay. I'm sure if I find myself out & about tomorrow shortly before dusk, I'll take another go at it. Can you blame me?! Until then...

Good night, God bless & sweet dreams,

This is part of the {30 Day} Photo Fun challenge.
For more information: http://tinyurl.com/30DayPhoto

{30 Day} Photo Fun: Day 10 - Animal

We have a guest in our home. She's been visiting since the summer of 2009. Most days, I feel in my heart that she's become a permanent part of our family. On other days, I wonder when our visitor will be returning home. The days of the latter would be when I see my shredded living room furniture or hear her trying to start in on my hard-worked, reupholstered dining room chairs.

{30 Day} Photo Fun: Day 10 - Animal
K.C. — Our feline guest

Of course, I'm referring to our feline guest, Miss K.C. She can be quite the character, what, with her own version of musical chairs and all. It can be quite comical, this game she plays. Seriously, she could be quite comfy right where she's at...until you get up...or walk into the room to sit down. She literally races you to your spot. And if, at the last second, you decide to sit elsewhere, you got it, she leaps to her new found love of utter comfyness — YOUR SEAT! And then there's the moments when our entire family is sitting down together to take in a family movie or TV show. While all spots (the good ones, anyways) are taken up by us humans, you'll find Miss K.C., sprawled out nonchalant-like in the middle of our living room floor looking as if she has not a care in the world. DON'T. LET. HER. FOOL. YOU. She's alert and quicker than a fat kid after an ice cream truck!

But with that said, what else can I say, other than: WE LOVE THE BEAST! [Yes, beast. Don't judge. Oh...didn't I share that we're pretty sure she's a Maine Coon Cat? She came to us weighing approximately 24-lbs. Yes. Twenty-four pounds. She's now down to a healthy 16-lbs. Still...a beast of a cat, indeed. But — for the most part — a lovable one.]

Blessings from a cat lover (visitor or not),

This is part of the {30 Day} Photo Fun challenge.
For more information: http://tinyurl.com/30DayPhoto

{30 Day} Photo Fun: Day 9 - Fresh Fruit

{30 Day} Photo Fun: Day 9 - Fresh Fruit

Fresh Mangoes [Posterized]

Just a short & sweet post for today. Actually, looks like I missed "today" i.e., Day 9, by a half-an-hour. Such is life, or at least mine. ;P

Anybody else enjoying the fruit of their labor from today's challenge?! Mmmm...sweet, juicy mangoes.

Sweet, sweet dreams y'all,

This is part of the {30 Day} Photo Fun challenge.
For more information: http://tinyurl.com/30DayPhoto

{30 Day} Photo Fun: Day 8 - Sunset

Last night we headed to the beach in hopes of a hint of a sunset. Due to the tumultuous storms headed our way, gray blankets of clouds filled the sky, thus, no visual on a beautiful sunset. So...I improvised. I found a smooth rock, brought it home, & painted a sunset on it. We headed back this evening, hence the day late in posting, (and it was still dark, gloomy, & WINDY--look at those waves [some were 5-6 feet!]) and I took pics of said rock. This is what I ended up with. 

{30 Day} Photo Fun: Day 8 - Sunset
Lake Michigan

I'll take it...for now, but I must say, summer sunsets on the beach with 70+ degree nights sounds much nicer then a mere 48 degrees.

Sweet summer lovin' to ya [or dreamin' on days like these],
 

This is part of the {30 Day} Photo Fun challenge.
For more information: http://tinyurl.com/30DayPhoto

{30 Day} Photo Fun: Day 7 - High Angle

I'm very pleased with how today's high angle photo challenge turned out. Of course, how could I not, seeing as my dear daughter, Sammi, was my model! She was very sweet in helping me out. Original plans were to head to the beach with all three of my kiddos, but in their defense, it was 100° out withOUT the heat index. [We'll just have to head to the beach for a different day of the photo challenge.] So Sammi & I headed to the backyard for a few quick shots.

{30 Day} Photo Fun: Day 7 - High Angle

Thank you, Sammi, for being my model! ✘♡

Sammi made the picture beautiful indeed. Don't you agree? Hard to believe she just finished her last day of her Junior year today. Only one more year of high school until she joins her older sister at college. Eventually, this girlie will be Dr. Samantha, no doubt about it.

I'm truly enjoying this photo challenge. It's lived up to it's name: fun & challenging. It's been fun to break out of the daily routines & be a little more creative. (Now I just [eventually] need a real camera, as I've been using my cellie.) Thank you, Abby from A Feathered Nest, for starting this challenge! I hope everyone else participating is finding much joy in this challenge, too! Remember, as you go about creating your daily photo masterpieces, you are God's masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for you to do. [Ephesians 2:10]



Here's to the Creator of all things!

This is part of the {30 Day} Photo Fun challenge.
For more information: http://tinyurl.com/30DayPhoto

{30 Day} Photo Fun: Day 6 - Books

{30 Day} Photo Fun: Day 6 - Books

Books on my list to delve into during the summer months.
Some, obviously, to appease the appetite for delicious food...
others to nourish one's intellect & feed the soul.
[Note the Patrick Henry College mug to help quench my thirst with good drink.]

A day late, but hopefully not a dollar short! At least I took the picture on the actual day it was due. That should count for something, right? Especially after the long day I had yesterday.


Today, for "Day 7 - High Angle", all three kiddos are willing to be my models. We're headed outside in the 100 degree weather for this shot. YIKES! Maybe I can convince them to head to the beach for a beautiful backdrop to get lost into. I'm envisioning standing on the edge, looking down at them sitting on the large rocks by the shoreline. Oh, I hope they don't mind heading out in this excessive heat! [Kids these days, spoiled by the a/c. We would have LOVED to drop everything & head to the lakefront in our day. Of course, besides the garden hose/sprinkler, that was the only way to cool off! And my dear kiddos, I'm just razzing ya. MommaBear22 {hearts} ya!!! hahahaha]


Blessings,
 

This is part of the {30 Day} Photo Fun challenge.
For more information: http://tinyurl.com/30DayPhoto

{30 Day} Photo Fun

My, oh my...it's been slightly over a month since I last posted. It surely has not been intentional. Well, at least not consciously. Maybe subconsciously, seeing as I didn't even begin Day 1 of the 31 Days to Clean Challenge. [Fail!] You know, the challenge based on Sarah Mae's book, 31 Days to Clean: Having a Martha House the Mary Way, that brought me to blogging again [outside of my Spark People blog & FB Notes]. To my defense, the week the challenge began coincided with me working a full work week. Normally I only work three days a week, but, um...yeah...

I will say, I like the idea of not worrying about doing the 31 Days to Clean Challenge on consecutive days. Just plug along and keep going. Sure takes the pressure off & helps eliminate sudden paralysis. So my new goal will be to concentrate on my days off, which normally consist of four days each week, and if my schedule allows me to get in more days = BONUS! But I'm not going to beat myself up over it. I do believe that's a huge accomplishment in & of itself. Of course, I'll actually START the challenge, too. (snort) That would definitely help in the means of being successful!


I will post once a week, probably sometime during the weekends, on how I'm doing--successes, struggles, failures & all. I mean, that's all part of life, right? Right!


I'm also going to be posting daily for the {30 Day} Photo Fun Challenge. I can't remember whom it was, but someone this weekend posted on Facebook about the challenge. I must say, it does sound like just that: a FUN challenge! I wish I had known about it before June had started, but many are just jumping in at the current day's challenge. Some are also playing catch up, but that appears to be optional. 

This is the {30 Day} Photo Fun Challenge schedule:

So who else is up for a FUN challenge?! Oh come now, join me, won't ya? You don't have to have a blog to play along, either. You could create an album on Facebook OR share through Twitter (it appears people are using one of two (or sometimes both) hashtags #30DayPhoto and/or #30DaysPhoto OR join the {30 Day} Photo Fun Flickr account here & upload your photos. Another words, there's MANY OPTIONS to join in the fun! All the SIMPLE rules can be found HERE at Abby's "A Feathered Nest" blog. 


I've decided to post my pics to my blog. I'll then post a link to both my Twitter AND Facebook accounts, along with creating an album on Facebook.


I'm jumping right in for today's "Day 5 - Breakfast Today".

{30 Day} Photo Fun: Day 5 - Breakfast

Spinach, Cheese, & Onion Omelet
Whole Wheat Berry Toast
Hazelnut Coffee
Grapefruit [not pictured]

I do believe a month of fun photos is a wonderful inspiration to much needed creativity. How about you...COME JOIN ME/US?!! Would love to do this together!

Creative blessings to you,

(in)courage

Hey ladies, have you seen this video from (in)courage? Beautifully done! 

They have a great online presence. 

They're latest book review, done by Robin Dance, consisted of reviewing not one but seven books in — are you ready for this — a Haiku format! One Haiku for each book reviewed. Talk about getting creative! You can find that post right here: A WHAT kind of book review?!

If you like what you see and are on Facebook, don't forget to "Like" them over there, helping you to stay up to date with their posts. If you're a woman who has a heart for God, you'll find their site to be a valuable tool in your spiritual walk.

I'll leave you with one of the Haiku book reviews:

Life Together

by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Deep calling to deep

Living in community

Other-dependent

[Haiku by Robin Dance. Click HERE to see all of their contributors to the site, including but not limited to Ann Voskamp, Lysa TerKeursyt, Melissa Michaels, and Lisa Leonard.]

Blessings to you,

Oh, Oh, Oh, Ooh, Ooh, Ooh...

During the past few days I had pondered dusting off this blog (that I started almost three years ago), mainly because of the 31 Days to Clean Challenge, based on Sarah Mae's 31 Days to Clean: Having a Martha House the Mary Way. I desperately need this challenge. My family & home desperately need this challenge. Obviously,I caved decided it was a go. 

Saturday found me reacquainting myself with all things Blogger. It was time to take things down — my header consisted of our family pic from 2007. Really? Wow! Yes. Definitely time to freshen things up around here. A virtual start to the cleaning challenge I'm about to embark on? i. think. so. 

Well, things have been prettied up around here, & I even decided to come up with a new blog title this time around, too. I went back & forth with a few...and then decided on something completely different. Hah! Of course! Out of the blue, Aqualung's lyrics, "This is the beat, beat, beat of my heart...", from their "Fingertip" track on Magnetic North, kept swirling around in my head. And just like that, I thought, "Yes! I want this to be about all things that are the beat, beat, beat of my heart!" You know, all the things God has placed there...Him, family, friends and all the ways I may [learn to] serve Him/them. [After the challenge, will cleaning be a part of that "beat, beat, beat of my heart"??? If so, that would most definitely be a God-thing! ;) ]

After heading over to picnik to design a new header with the aforementioned blog title, I came back here & uploaded it. I then made my first post back about a verse I read earlier in the day, after all, as I'm cleaning & spiffing up my blog, it needs to be not just a Martha thing, but a Mary one, too! So I gave thanks to my Lord — could there be anything better than that? NO!! =))) — with Psalm 92:1-2. There. I'm back up & running. Feels good.

There was just one more thing I wanted to do before closing up the the laptop: head over to YouTube to see if there's a video of Aqualung singing "Fingertip." After all, I wanted to hear that song that had those lyrics running through my head while updating my once-long-forgotten-blog. [Okay, more like once-long-ignored-blog. There is a difference.] To my great surprise, the first video I came across was one that someone put together for a short clip of Castle. Ohhh, they did a sweet job putting it together. It's not set to the whole song, but the part it was put with was, well, yeah, see for yourself...

I {heart} Castle...and I {heart} Aqualung...which leaves me with, well...a lot of hearts! Sounds good to me! ♥ ♥ ♥

For those that are interested in the song in it's entirety, you know...with the "Oh, oh, oh, ooh, ooh, ooh...beat, beat, beat of my heart..." ;) here it is:

Share Fingertip by Aqualung

Hope you enjoyed both video AND song! I'm looking forward to balancing the Martha & Mary parts of the 31 Day Cleaning Challenge & beyond. I know if I'm obedient, God won't leave me where I'm at. Super excited for that!!!

In Christ's love,

Psalm 92:1-2