Finding my field of dreams in a painting.

I cannot believe it's been over a month since I've blogged!  Time.  Boy how it can fly!

As most of you know, we moved in February of this year and have been getting all settled in our new digs.  I've really been missing the unique little community we lived in so I thought I'd try to recreate it somewhat here.  Well, the ol saying  "Build it and they will come" just about sums it up.  It's amazing to me how if one person can find it in them to step out and say "Hey, let's be friends.  Let's connect"  how many others are wanting the same thing.  The Bible says it's what the human race was made for.... Connection.  So.  I was that one person.  I let my guard down, reached out, and connected.  And MAN!  Am I ever happy I did!  I've met some FABULOUS women!

So here's the story.

Our neighborhood had a Casino Night for us grown ups.  Thru our community fb page, I was able to sorta "meet" a few women that I really looked forward to meeting in real life.  It was loads of fun and I did, in fact, meet some great people!  {AND I won myself a lil iPad mini, ta'boot}  

A couple of weeks later I had an idea that I thought would be a fun Girl's Night out.  On our community face book page I asked if anyone would be interested in doing a painting at Painting With a Twist.  It had lots of positive responses, so I got to work looking for a painting we could all agree to paint.

I found this one! 

Yes.  That says HOES.  

Needless to say, we all had a great time razzing it... SO... There was our choice!  We would have our first  "Hangin with the HOES" party!  (you're super jealous now huh, because doesn't everyone wanna be a hoe?!)  ;)

But wait!  It gets even better!!  One of the ladies thought it was OUR genius to call our group the "Hoes", because she thought it stood for Housewives Of Eagle Springs!  People, that's OUR NEIGHBORHOOD!  HOW GENIUS IS SHE?!?!?!?!  (Kuddos all to you, Daniele!)

We had a BLAST!  And we wanted to keep getting together so..

 we made us a fb page

 and a drunko Bunco group

and now... it's not just the original 11 of us.... 

There are 62 of us!

In a week and a half time period...  

SIXTY TWO!  

Sixty two women eager to connect.  

Sixty two women so thankful to be making new friends.  

 Sixty two women!  

"Build it, and they will come!" 

I feel blessed!

Blessed because I stepped out of my box; I put myself out there;  and God showed up!  He answered my prayer for connections :)  

And I am grateful!

Little update:  We now have enough signed up to make not one, but TWO bunco groups!  

A couple weeks after our first Bunco, all us HOES are heading to a lil' hole in the wall, South American joint where we'll eat, drink and have us some SALSA DANCING lessons!  WHOOP  WHOOP!!

hugs,

k.

 

Body armor, heart armor, mind armor... bc it all takes a beating sometimes.

If there's one thing I have learned over the past umpteen weeks of not blogging ((truth be told there's actually A LOT I've learned, but let's highlight this one thing first)) it is that life is incredibly unpredictable.

I mean, there you are... going about your day... and then BAM!  A curve ball.  One you weren't quite prepared for.  One that didn't necessarily knock you down, but certainly made you stumble.

So, you grab a catcher's mitt and get ready for the next one.  Only the next one is not a ball.  It's a friggin 2x4.... and it done hit 'cha square in the gut.... took your breath away even.

But you manage to muster on.... now wearing your catchers mitt, your batters helmet, your nut cup cleats, your umpires chest/body guard pad thing; you know.. all the gear you'll need for curve balls and 2x4's.

Then it happens... again.  Only this time it's the rug that gets pulled out from underneath your feet and you go down haaaard... with a THUD!  Flat on your back.  The wind really gets knocked out of ya this time.  So there you lay.  Looking up.  Reflecting.  Praying.  Realizing....

You have survived.  You have survived it all.


And you are grateful.

Because in that moment, you realize how you survived.

It's stronger than that catcher's mitt, that batters helmet, those nut cup cleats, that umpires chest/body guard pad thing.  It's even stronger than the fibers of the rug that always gets pulled out from beneath your feet.

You survived because you have on you the full armor of God.
Without it...  you also realize, you could not survive a single day with even a morsel of peace.

And you are grateful.

**********************************************************************************

We are standing on our feet now, and getting settled into our new home.  Things are good and are moving a tad faster than a snails pace. So, soon... I'll snap some picts of what I've been up to in our house, what I've decorated and redecorated (and will still redecorate, I am positive) and share them with you all.

Til then....

Ephesians 6:10-18.... Rock on!

¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

hugs,

k.

LUCKY ONE HUNDRED!

 

Thank you, ALL OF YOU, for LIKING my blog and following me on facebook!!
Your support means so much to me!!!

THANK YOU!!!

hugs,

BIG, BIG HUGS!!

k.

BEING and BECOMING MORE!

Hey y'all!

I am in the process of spray painting shtuff between winds that die down long enough not to carry my paint away and rain drops that cease for short bouts of time.. but I AM slowly, but surely making sweet little things to share with you.



In the mean time, I have something to share that was quite profound for me today.  {This may get a little heavy so hold on to your boot straps!}  

Source: icanread.tumblr.com via Kristy on Pinterest

I came across an awesomely great project I want to do over at Little Bit Funky.  But as I began reading her past posts, I came across this. (click here~Little Bit Funky and when you're done reading,  please come back and read here. You'll not be sorry!) The reason I am sending you on a little goose chase is because of the conviction I feel after reading her posts.  An honest and well needed conviction!

Truth is, I want to be more like her.  

I want to live my life on purpose for Jesus.  To use my blog not just as a funny, crafty, bru-ha-ha, but as a way to be a vessel for God's greater good and purpose.
Hey... God knows me.  He CREATED me!  He knows I am quirky, and sarcastic and, Lord forgive me, He knows I swear on occasion (Ok, fine. More than that, but we're working on it, He and I) and I don't always share what's really on my heart. Not out of disobedience necessarily, but out of fear. Fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of loosing friends because they may think I'm weird and hokey.  But I was convicted in that area today.  If I loose friends for loving Jesus and sharing (when I feel led) then.. so be it.  I'll still have Jesus and at the end of the day, that's all that matters anyway. He is my one constant and I am content in that!

Source: southernpiphi.tumblr.com via Ryan Nicole on Pinterest

SO from now on, I will not let "fear of" stop me from living and being who God created me to be for the sake of others.  I will begin living my life on purpose! Not just float on by trying to conjure up little bits of joy here and there. I want to feel and long for PURE JOY!  Joy that just oozes from my words, my actions and connections with everyone... And then... I want to be so overflowing with it that I can't help but pass it along to YOU!  Don't worry.. I won't become a "Bible thumper" (zero discredit to the Bible!! It has gotten me thru some pretty hard times and gives me HOPE every day!)

I just want to BE more!  BECOME more!

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Let me know you're thoughts. I'd really like to know you all better!
(but please be kind ;)

hugs,
k.

Today is a wordless Wednesday for me.. well, sorta!

 


Just outside our bedroom door, hangs a pictureless frame.  Big Daddy and I use it to leave little notes to one another. We don't draw attention to the note we've left. We just say what we want to say and leave it for discovery.  Today, this was my discovery! ♥


{I apologize for the terrible quality. I snapped this photo with my iphone so I would have it with me always :) } 

I am Thankful on Thursday! {HAVEN 2012}

I am so so so excited to be going to HAVEN 2012!  I am getting out of the boat and "walking on water" people!  I am putting all my faith in God and going so far out of my comfort zone that I am shocking even myself!  (those who know me know I don't go many places by myself)
Since starting my blog and making this decision... I have met some really fabulous woman!!  Friendships are beginning to take shape and it's been so FUN!  Tonight, we all Tweet Chatted for the first time!  It was great~ one hour literally felt like mere minutes!  I can only imagine what the conference will be like!!   I hope to be so ingrained with these new friends that by the time June gets here, it will be like a little family reunion! I hope there will be more hugging going on than at an Environmental Conference!

So, are you going to HAVEN?  If you've not heard about it... follow the link! If you're on the fence about it.. Remember, YOU CAN'T WALK ON WATER IF YOU DON'T GET OUT OF THE BOAT so take my hand~ I'll walk with you :)

Dedicated to my girls, who are my ♥ heart ♥

There are so many things we want to teach our children! So many things we want to protect them from. Here are a few of my favorite quotes and life lessons! My girls will hold my heart FOREVER!

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