Let the countdown begin

Looking forward to this fun-filled family vacation!

Take Care

the blahs

winter is always a struggle for me.

i tend to hibernate.  not wanting to leave the comfort of my home. 

but rather sit by the fireplace wrapped up in a blanket, with a good book in one hand and a glass of wine in the other.

winter is hard.

as the days get shorter and the temperature drops, the darkness starts to wear me down and it’s not uncommon for me to start feeling …
what’s worse than the cold of winter, is the darkness.  even though the days are shorter they seem so much longer.  does that even make sense?

in the dull days of winter, i find myself wanting to stay in more, eat more and definitely sleep more.  i much prefer evenings sitting outside on the front porch.

i am not made for winter. from the middle of november until the early days in april i am cold… and no amount of layering can keep this girl warm.

okay… enough whining.  

i’m going to pour myself a glass of wine, and while i can’t sit outside on the front porch i can choose to enjoy this time...

what do you do, to chase the blahs away?

take Care 

February's Fantastic Favourite Fiction Five

I've mentioned it a time or two, I'm sure.  I love to read!  Here are just a few of my faves... 

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena, is an outstanding debut psychological thriller novel from author Shari Lapena, and one of the best reads I have read this year! This novel, a child-abduction case, races along at an amazing speed, full of twists and turns, totally gripping the reader for the suspense ride from beginning to end. I kept flipping the pages as I had to know what had happened. I loved it!

Among the Wicked by Linda Castillo, is a suspense series set in Amish country has been a favourite of mine. I am never disappointed when I get my hands on a Kate Burkholder., and while this is her 8th book, it’s just as good as the first in the series! Definitely a page turner and the ending?  I was stunned with such a great plot twist! 

The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens, was an intense book that kept me on the edge of my seat. It was well written and clever. Plus, I was instantly drawn into the gripping plot and the well crafted and compelling characters. If you like thriller/suspense books, you will enjoy this fantastic debut.  Let me just say that this book is awesome! I mean 5 Star! I am very confident his second book will be remarkable.

Only Daughter by Anna Snoekstra, is a fast paced paced, totally gripping psychological thriller. I went into this book slightly blind, and was pleasantly surprised as to where the plot  took me. I really enjoyed all the twists and turns. The ending at first seems like what we might have expected but then turns out to be something else again – always fun! I couldn’t put it down. 

Right Behind You by Lisa Gardner, is the 7th book in the “Quincy & Rainie” series. I’m a huge Lisa Gardner fan and I love all of her books. And this one? Ooohh, this one was so good! Much to my surprise, this wasn’t the dark and depraved story I was expecting. This story actually hit on the opposite end of the spectrum. Psychologically rich. Meticulously researched. Thought-provoking. Definitely an edge-of-your-seat thriller. Emotional. Gripping. Suspenseful. 5 Stars!  Absolutely 5 Stars!  

What are you reading these days?

Take Care

Note to Self

My journey over the past few years has been one of moving toward understanding and accepting that I am enough.

Whole. Complete. Nothing missing, nothing broken.

HE says I’m enough ~
even though I like to sleep in,
use pre-packaged cake mixes,
don’t really enjoy the gardens or flowerbeds,
love lazy Saturdays,
and have jiggly arms.

HE says I’m enough ~ 
even though I say stupid things,
fail at loving others well,
doubt, question, and swear,
don’t pray or read the Bible often enough,
and make mistakes {big and small}.

HE sees me and knows me and still declares me enough.  Actually, HE declares me good.

So it’s time to let go of this grudge I’ve held against myself.
And so are you, my friend.

Take Care

#flawless

Because sometimes, I still struggle...

and this awesome video/song, is a valuable reminder that I desperately need!

Take Care

Love it!

Take Care

Daughter of the King

For a long time I looked at the girl in the mirror with contempt. I was so angry at her for all of her mistakes. I’ve made so many poor decisions and errors in judgment. I’d done too many things wrong and made some enormous mistakes.

Some things I couldn’t even pretend were mistakes...I’d knowingly made bad choices and am living with the consequences to this day. 

Quite often, when I am in certain circles. I gloss over certain parts of my past, careful to omit things that I knew would raise eyebrows.  I couldn’t be a credible Christian if they knew, I told myself. 

It was is simply exhausting to live like that.

It took me several long years to come to terms with a simple reality: God loves me and forgave me the moment I asked. My past ~ as riddled with poor decisions and sin as it was ~ didn’t doesn’t define me. It’s simply the past. God tells us that we are no longer who we once were. The moment we ask for His forgiveness, He offers it.   Isn’t that a beautiful Truth?

How about you? Do you feel weighed down by your past? Do you feel like God can’t really use you because you’re too damaged? You’ve made too many bad decisions? You’ve sinned too much? You’re too far gone?

Let me remind you ~ You are not defined by your past... and just like me, you are a

That is how you are defined!

Take Care