Let Go of Your Grip

"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

 Kevin and I had a great conversation last night.  I really wanted to write, but budget night won priority for the computer.  :)  As I was driving home from work, (once again doing my deep soul searching in the car :] ), I was thinking about the things that have plagued me with anxiousness lately.  In the last couple years, as I have gone through some significantly major transitions in my life, I have struggled with times of some serious anxiety.  Yesterday I was thinking about some changes that are coming for me at school, and I was playing out all the scenarios in my mind.  Then I started wrestling with why in the world I would spend so much energy and time trying to figure out something I have absolutely no control over.  My obsessing over this particular situation will do absolutely nothing to change it.  Lately, God has quietly convicted me over and over that he is consistently calling me back to simply trusting Him.

In the bible God calls us to "be still."  He asks us to have a "gentle and quiet spirit," one that has an unwavering faith in He who promises to take care of us.  A few years ago, my brother preached a powerful sermon in which he talked about the Hebrew translation for the term "be still" in the bible.  It literally  means, "let go of your grip."  I love this because it's been so painfully accurate in my own life.  Isn't it true that the times we feel most unsettled, most anxious, and most filled with worry are the very times or circumstances we are most desperately trying to control?  God of course knows what we really need is to literally "let go of our grip," and lean completely into who He has promised He will be for us.

While Kevin and I were talking last night, we started focusing on what joy really is in the midst of a life often filled with stress, sadness, and circumstances that are entirely impossible to understand.  We talked about how true joy actually translates into complete peace.  Real joy ultimately reflects a relationship with Jesus that is so surrendered, so intimate and sweet that it is not easily shaken.

Kevin was sharing with me a conversation he had yesterday with a small group of some seriously God-seeking men.  He said in the midst of their conversation about how God doesn't really need us, an illustration suddenly dawned on him.  He thought of the example of how a father will invite his son to participate in an activity with him like washing or working on the car, taking care of the yard, or assisting him in grilling out.  Why does the father allow his son to help?  It's certainly not because he needs him.  It's because the father loves his son, he longs to connect with him, and he treasures the time they can spend together.  And he knows that it is primarily through these every day parts of life they are able to share together that he can most effectively teach and train his son.  Most importantly, through these times he is able to cultivate a powerful level of trust between he and his son.

It makes so much sense that this would be the very way it is between us and God.  It is an absolute privilege that He allows us to participate in His plan on this earth.  It should be our joy that He invites us to share in the fruit of following Him.  He doesn't need us; we are merely vessels that He chooses to use, yet He absolutely delights in us as His creation and those that He so passionately loves.  He longs to share an intimate joy with us that produces a powerful peace.  He constantly communicates that we can absolutely trust our loving and life-giving Father.

So my challenge to you today is to "let go of your grip."  Be still.  Be silent.  Refuse to insist on getting your way and demanding to be in control.  Get to know your heavenly Father.  Ask Him if you can participate in the plans He has for His people and surrender your life to doing so.  He will lovingly and with great joy allow you to join Him.  You cannot know the fruit before it is time for the harvest.  But you can absolutely trust the Gardener.

Nothing But Blue Skies

Oh, what a beautiful weekend we had this past weekend!  I love the way the sun has felt so life-giving and renewing.  At one point on Sunday I stepped outside and was loving the blue skies and puffy white clouds, so I took these pics.  I am totally one of those people who feels so close to God when I am surrounded by the beauty of his artistry throughout the seasons.  Right now I'm loving this one, and I'm looking forward to green grass, leaves on trees, and flowers in bloom!  Happy Spring!

Birthday Blessings for My Big Bro

Today is my older brother Darin's 31st birthday.  I'm not exactly sure how he would feel about me making him the center of my blog for a day, but I know he reads it, and I choose to love him by wishing him happy birthday this way! (Unless, of course, he asks me to take it down.) :)

Darin and I are great friends, and grew especially close when I lived with him for 5 years.  He graciously agreed to take me in as a roommate after I graduated college and we were both "living the dream" single and in a city far from home.  My brother has a kind and gentle spirit, and is one of the most generous people on the planet.  He does not bat an eye to give what he has or be the first to meet a need.  If I ever needed anything he was always willing without hesitation to help me out.  He never made me feel bad for being in a tough place.  He would probably literally give you the shirt off his back if you asked him for it. Partially because of his amazing generosity and partially because he really has no need in the least for materialism.  And it would probably make him feel a little more than awkward that you were asking for it.  Besides, he'd enjoy the shock factor.

He has such an eye for art, and quite  an amazing and authentic taste in music and movies.  Many fun times from our childhood include some seriously classic soundtracks.  He used to spend hours recording cassette tapes of our current "greatest hits" for our 30 hr. bus rides on mission trips.  He is absolutely hilarious with such a quick wit and keen sense of humor.  I love to see and hear him laugh so hard he can't hardly stand it.  This often happens when he's with a few of his closest friends.

Darin is a friend of EVERYONE.  If you know him, you like him.  If he has met you, bought coffee from you, or knows you personally, he has been intentional in noticing you.  If you need to talk to him, he will listen.  Even if he'd rather not.  He is a master of empathy and is practically getting his doctorate in it.  He has a veracious appetite for a wide range of great books...both deep and funny, convicting and controversial.  He is incredibly wise, and extremely intelligent.  He loves and is devoted to his parents, sister, and brother.  And we all to this day love the times when we can be together.

He is highly competitive, and very often wins.  You better swallow your pride before you get into a game with him.  I still remember the one time I beat he and my brother in a game of flag football in our basement when we were kids.  Certainly a sweet victory for me.  He also used to spend hours practicing basketball in our driveway.  Which was why he was so good.  He was committed.  My brother follows through on what he starts, and if he says he will be there, he is certainly one you can count on.  He is loving life right now in the midst of March Madness, and you better believe he is making it a blast for everyone else who's loving it too.

My brother is a master of pointing out the simple, yet powerful moments that fill up every day, and a pro at exploding the big moments of life and making them special.  He officiated my wedding ceremony and it is one of the sweetest memories I have.  It was an awesome expression of his love for his little sis, and it was such a wonderful moment for which he had faithfully prayed for me for years.  His selfless joy was so great because the desire of my heart became true.

While Darin is an incredibly faithful son, brother, grandson, friend, and pastor, he is first and foremost a faithful follower of Jesus Christ.  Throughout the year he has several opportunities to preach at his church.  And he is good.  I have loved watching him grow over the past several years in his unique ability to deliver a message that consistently communicates the core of what Jesus was and is all about.  Loving the one.  Serving even just one.  Sacrificing for many.  My brother lives this out on a daily basis and is one of my heros for doing so.  He genuinely works to learn about people and love them where they are.  He is great at preaching on a Sunday, but his life is his message.  He passionately serves and loves the thrill of making someone's day by surprising them with kindness.  He loves to serve those who make a life of serving.  He is an awesome gift giver.  And he sacrifices more than many will ever know, in so many different ways.

So happy 31st birthday Darin!  I respect your humility, I love your creativity, I admire your wisdom and desire to learn, and I love how God made you.  Your devotion to Him for all these years is the message of your life, and it speaks volumes.  It is easy for most people to see that you are a great man, but you are an even better man than any of them know.  Thank you for listening to me all those nights I stood in your doorway, thank you for loving my dog who loves you right back, and for dreaming with me and helping me through all these crazy years.  Thank you for loving and praying for my husband, and for trusting him with me.  God is doing an amazing work in you, and it's awesome to have a front row seat.  I will always be thankful for the friendship we have, I will always be one of your biggest fans, and I treasure the memories we have made.  I am praying for you, I believe in you, and I am so very thankful for you!  I love you big bro!  Here's to an un-be-lievable year!

Song for the Sabbath

I love this song.  I hope you have had a restful, peaceful Sunday.  Most importantly, I hope you have spent some time "tasting a love so wide that it blows your mind."

Monkey Bread Bliss

Today is the day to share one of my mom's most loved recipes.  More times than not, when my brothers and I go back home, my mom always treats us with "monkey bread" for a special breakfast, and we love it!  It's become a New Year's Day favorite, and it was also one of the first things I ever made for Kevin to win him over!

Now, while he and I are in our pre-kid days, we occasionally have the joy of babysitting some delightful kids from different families we love, and who are great examples for us when it comes to how to lead and grow a godly family.  Monkey Bread has become a fun favorite for the times we get to do this.  This weekend was one of those times, so this morning was blessed with the cinnamon scent we have come to know and love.

If you've never made it before, grab the ingredients and begin to bless your family with this delightful deliciousness!

You'll need:
4 cans Pillsbury buttermilk biscuits
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar
1 stick of butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 bundt pan

Cut all of the biscuits into 4 pieces each.

Next, mix the sugar with the cinnamon, then roll each biscuit piece in the mixture.  Place the sugar-coated pieces in a bundt pan sprayed with non-stick spray.

Here's Abby and Emily doing a super great job of making their first monkey bread!

After all of the pieces are evenly placed in the bundt pan, cook 1 stick of butter and 1 cup of brown sugar in a pan over medium heat, until it is melted and comes to a light boil.  When it does come to a boil, remove it from the heat and add 1 tsp of vanilla.

Pour the brown sugar mixture evenly over the sugared biscuit pieces in the bundt pan.  (I don't know how I forgot to take a picture of this part, but I did! :] )

Bake it in an oven preheated to 350 degrees, until it puffs up and looks like this.  Next, invert it onto a plate or round tray and enjoy!  Yum!

Belated Birthday Blog Love

I am dedicating this blog post to my friend Cait at The Blessed Life, because her 24th birthday was yesterday!  

Cait is my "partner teacher" at school, which means she teaches her own group of sweet 3rd and 4th graders, and does so in the room next to mine.  It also means she is a life saver and a huge encourager for her new first year teacher friend!  Her first year was last year, so she has much wisdom to share.  My favorite thing about Caitlin is that she is also living with the purpose and goal of seeking after God with her whole heart, and glorifying Him in everything she says and does.

We are so blessed to have the opportunity to support and encourage one another's God seeking hearts at work, especially on the days when it feels most difficult to shine our light and stay positive.  She is always reminding me that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and the second year is an entirely different ball game!

So thank you, Caitlin, for allowing God to use you and work in you, and for staying the course with me!  I hope you had a wonderful birthday and have a super blessed year being 24!  I can't wait to see what the years ahead will hold for you.

Cait's blog is also a wonderful place for godly encouragement and a great resource for money-saving tips and home decorating/organizing advice!  She is one gifted girl.  Check it out by clicking on her button:

Happy Birthday Caitlin - I hope the celebrating continues through the weekend!  :)

It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

According to my brother, this definitely is the most wonderful time of the year.  March Madness time, that is!!!  Where I'm from, (the great state of Indiana), basketball is the big deal sport.  My dad and both my brothers are quite the athletes, and I cheered for many basketball games during my high school years, so I come by my excitement for this time of year quite honestly!  My brother runs quite the fun bracket pool, (for fun and bragging rights rather than money), and I love his enthusiasm...as well as the quick witted dialogue or "trash talking" he spurs on among our family and friends.  I've never done so well, but my mom had her "one shining moment" a few years ago!

Trust me, if you've never tried it, at least take time to enjoy the first round of games this Thursday and Friday, then the continuing drama on Saturday and Sunday.  What a weekend!  These first games are always guaranteed to be a good time filled with upsets and nail biters.  But it's definitely more fun if you participate!

My one possible faux pas - I married a die-hard UK fan.  (Just to clarify, not the married part...the UK part!!!)  Something I certainly have never been.  Right now he's actually having quite the serious but hilarious conversation on the phone with a friend breaking down UK's chances.  They seriously talk about the team like they're family!  :)

I like to play it by ear, taking it one year at a time and going with the "best story," or "nicest athlete," or "biggest underdog," or even "coolest team name."  That last reason is why I was all Gonzaga all the way for quite some time.  Until that one sad year when they broke my heart in the game against UCLA, so I just had to break it off.  Who will get my passionate and loud cheering support this year?  Well, considering I've been almost too swamped to remember to make my picks, the few moments I can find to spare in the next couple hours will decide.  Usually it takes me several thoughtful and overly analytical days to make my bracket picks, but this new career of mine just won't allow it.  So we shall see.

If you want to join in on the fun, follow this link to www.cbssports.com and sign up!

Let the games begin!

I Forgot to Wear Green

So, today, as you probably know, is St. Patrick's Day.  It might very well be my least favorite holiday for some crazy reason.  Come to find out, it actually might have an interesting spiritual background...so perhaps I should dig a little deeper before I judge!  It could be I just don't appreciate it, but I've just never really been all too fond of the commercialized side of it abundant with leprechauns.  (Um, maybe that has something to do with it...)  Where's my playful spirit, right? :)  I will say, it was so very cute to hear a kindergartner after school get really excited about how the leprechauns had snuck in and destroyed their room!  So sweet.  When I was student teaching I helped the kindergarten teacher I was working with do the same thing and they loved it.  Everything seems sweeter through the eyes of a child.

Regardless of my silly opinions, there still seems to be no excuse as a teacher to forget to wear any green at all!!  Oh, how this crazy job affects my once fairly decent memory! :)  Kevin and I even had a bit of a discussion last night about whether he should wear green shirt or not.  (He opted to not).  Oh well.
In order to avoid the "forbidden" pinching, I did find a random bracelet with green in it on my no longer clean desk.  :(  (Do everything without complaining, do everything without complaining...)

On my way home today I heard on the radio that this holiday has a Christian foundation, and the three leaf clover was actually intended to represent the Trinity...the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  That part I find quite intriguing and definitely appreciate.  If you would like to read the rest of the history about this day, which might be quite fun for you (if you make mint brownies or something delicious like that!), check it out here.

Hope you had a cheery and festive green day!

Sweet Sixteen

Today Kevin and I have been married for a sweet 16 months!   We were married on November 16, 2008, in a beautiful, powerful ceremony, and have already enjoyed quite a crazy and wonderful ride.  It is amazing how God brought Kevin and I together, as we were both individually stepping out on faith for Him, and now He continues to love, challenge, and refine us through our love for one another.  

We have learned that marriage definitely serves as a reflection of our greatest strengths and weaknesses.  (Whether we want it to or not!)  Because of that I am learning what it truly means to receive and experience God's grace as He uses this unique unity to make me more like Him on a daily basis.  While this can often be painful and humbling, it is also my deepest desire.  

To commemorate this special day, we also celebrated our new healthy lifestyle plans by enjoying this beautiful spread for dinner.

Kevin loves to eat salad out of these big bowls, so I decided to join him!

We have been planning on keeping a sort of "salad bar" in our fridge for quite some time now, (probably  about 16 months!), so today was the day.  I am so thankful to have a husband who loves to eat beautifully bright and healthy food!  The delicious vegetables definitely made me think of summer....come quickly! :)  And we made the chicken fingers using the recipe on the Bisquick box - we love them!  It was a wonderful dinner with my sweet "Honey-love."  I loved talking to you tonight Kevin.  Thank you for leading our family to pursue God wholeheartedly on a daily basis!  And thank you for speaking quiet, gentle truth to my heart...I love you!  Happy 16 month anniversary!

"Hachi"

Okay, hold onto your heart.  If you have a furry little friend that you love as a member of your family, you have got to see the movie Hachi: A Dog's Tale.  Kevin and I just watched it, and I was a crying mess.  It is the sweetest, saddest movie ever, depicting a beautiful story about a man and his ever so loyal dog.  It is actually based on a true story that took place in Japan, which makes it even more powerful.

If you know me, you know I absolutely adore my little Chai, and have loved the sweet relationship we have had for almost 6 years.  He has been with me through some crazy amazing times, and brings my heart great joy on a daily basis.  There is nothing like the loyalty of a dog that's your very own.

So grab a box of tissues, gather the family, cuddle up with your own faithful furry friend, and check out this flick.  Two other bonuses: it's rated G and it's at the Redbox!

Song for the Sabbath

Jared Anderson led worship at Southeast this weekend.  He wrote "Oh How He Loves Us."  This is a great song too...  (Especially about 3 minutes in...love it!)

My Sweet Soulmate

Check out this sweet treat my husband surprised me with Thursday night.  (I bought these super cute plates for super cheap at Target after Valentine's Day!)

I love you honey...thank you for loving and listening so well!!!

(You are SO cute!)

A New Day

"Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, 

       for his compassions never fail.

 They are new every morning; 

       great is your faithfulness."

Lamentations 22:23

Yay for a new day.  Not free from stress or fatigue, but another new day with the past behind it.  Shortly after I published my post yesterday about my less than wonderful week so far, a sweet friend from my home town in Indiana (and the best massage therapist ever!) sent me a text reminding me that tomorrow would be a new day.  Thanks for the thoughtful encouragement Jamie.  I am so thankful that God's compassions never fail, and his mercies are new every morning.  Sometimes it feels like it's all we can do  to just make it to the next morning.

The drop of joy God gave me in the crazy of today came through the words of one very delightful little girl in my class.  We were on our way out to recess, ("wellness"), and the very brief but wonderful conversation went like this:

Sweet Student:  "What is your favorite thing to do in the whole wide world?"

Me: "Hmm...that's a great question.  What's your favorite thing to do?"

Sweet Student (as she's picking up speed and running off ahead of me): "My favorite thing is praising God!"

Me (shouting after her so she can hear me): "That's mine too!"

Clearly no better timing.  

"Thank you Lord for loving me and reminding me why you have me exactly where you want me.  Even though it's often painful and difficult, you give me crazy joy.  Sustain me so that I may persevere.  Great is your faithfulness."

Today I Feel Like Dirt

Warning:  This post might be somewhat cheesy, but it's all I can do to try to make lemonade out of lemons...or flowers out of seeds and soil in my case.  Read on.

So today was a bit of a bummer.  I'm not going to bore you with the details, but at the heart of it, as I was driving home from work, all I could think was, "Today I feel like dirt."  Exhaustion has reached its peak, physically I feel disgusting, and to top it off, my nerves were totally shot when a certain situation at work today pushed all my hot buttons.  I literally spent the rest of the day praying my guts out that God would erase my boiling over pride, and seriously help me do exactly what He would want me to do.  SO tough.  

That said, as I compared myself to actual dirt I realized it just might not be that bad of an analogy.  I mean, really.  Dirt, or better yet, fertile soil, is what the best, most beautiful flower or delicious produce actually grows out of.  Fertile soil coupled with a great length of time being cared for, watered, fed, and weeded. And who are we kidding?  How many times does God have to teach me and remind me that He is in control?  He is doing a great work in me.  His plans are better than my plans even when and especially when I don't understand them.  To top it off, He is for me.  He loves me because He made me.  He wants to grow me until I am in full bloom as the unique creation He intended for me to be.  Until my fruit most closely reflects His glory.

Of course, tonight after I finally had a chance to sit down at home, and was headed towards the computer to share these very thoughts, the Holy Spirit prompted my heart to read my Bible instead.  I knew that's what I really needed after a day like today.  Did I obey?  Um, no.  When will I learn?  I picked up the computer, moved the mouse, and the screen became gray.  It said the computer had to be powered down and restarted.  At least I'm a quick learner.  I shut it off and picked up my Bible.

The verses my study led me to were no coincidence either.  First was, "If my people would but listen to me, if Israel would follow my ways, how quickly would I subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes!  Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever.  But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you."  Psalm 81:13-16  When my pride threatens to boil over into stupidity and gross ungodliness, I need only to listen to God and follow Him.  He will take care of justice and peace in me.  I know I need to obey Him and pray for my enemies (or those who seem so because while lost and broken they do hurtful things).  He will take care of it.  I have to trust that.

The other verse was equally fitting and where I'll end my thoughts for this very long day.  "We are God's masterpiece.  He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." Ephesians 2:10  God knows how we feel, how we hurt, and what our hearts desire.  We are God's masterpiece.  He is proud and thrilled about His creation, which is why He longs to have our hearts, so that we would glorify Him by enjoying a relationship with Him forever.

I don't know where you are today.  Maybe in the dirt, slowly sprouting, feeling overwatered or underfed, or just waiting for the sun to bathe you in warmth and fill you with hope.  Either way, hang on and make the next right choice.  (As Andy Stanley would say).  God is doing a good work in you...work He has planned long ago, and will see until the full fruit is produced.  Remain faithful and trust Him.

Oreo Truffles

The promised Oreo truffles at last!  Friday night Kevin and I went to a "Marriage Night" at Southeast, for people who have gone through the "DC" discipleship training program and their spouses.  We needed to bring a dessert, so we opted for the super simple and inexpensive Oreo truffles!  They were a hit!  Seriously, these are too easy and too good not to try!



Ingredients:
8 oz. cream cheese
1 pkg. Oreos
1 pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 pkg. white chocolate chips





First, finely process the Oreos in a food processer.  (I have a stick blender with attachments that is also awesome for making smoothies!!)

Mix together the softened cream cheese with the Oreos.  Honestly, I used my hands.  It was much easier.



Melt the semi-sweet (or white) chocolate in a double boiler, (or in a glass bowl sitting on a pot of boiling water), stirring continuously.

Roll the mixture into 1 inch balls, then dip or roll a few of them at a time in the chocolate.  There is just no easy way to do this.  I am determined to work on the aesthetics of dipping chocolate!



Melt a small amount of the white chocolate for a minute or two on MED in the microwave, taking it out and squeezing the bag every so often to blend it.

Cut a tiny tip off the end and drizzle the truffles however you would like.  Obviously the variations are endless...either way, these are delicious!

Enjoy...and don't forget the milk! :)

A Song for the Sabbath

I love this song. It is one of my favorites. And its truth has been 
real for me often in my life.I used to sing this song to the little girl I babysat for, and my mom used to sing it to me. As you enjoy the 
sunshine and the birds singing today, I hope you 
will see and hear Jesus in

it all, and be encouraged that whatever you are going through, He remains the same...and 

He is faithful.

Happy Sunday!

Red Love

My favorite time of day lately has been in the afternoon when I am able to come home from work at a decent hour to a quiet apartment, be greeted by my sweet little Chai, make some coffee, then sit down on my favorite spot on the couch to read my Bible.  I take a deep breath and just soak up the peace and quiet for a moment.  One of the things I have come to appreciate while I'm reflecting on my day and God's word is the view from here.  I have come to love looking out the window at the quiet corn field, and I have also come to find great comfort in the glimpses of "red love" all around me.  Here are a few examples.

         First, there's the teapot.  Oh how I love this teapot!  I am so excited about it this whole post was inspired from this cute little thing.  Let me give you some background.  I have wanted a red teapot forever.  I love tea, and my mom always had a teapot on the stove, especially in the cold months, ready and waiting to warm up water for hot chocolate.  I registered for one at the time of my wedding, but did not receive it.  Of course we had Bed, Bath, and Beyond gift cards that we could use for me to purchase the one I had chosen, but that was just the problem.  Now I couldn't decide which one to get!  And we have been married for almost 16 months! There are just too many cute and different red teapots!  My indecisiveness seems to have reached its limit.

So a couple weeks ago I was making tea at Bible Study and this conversation came up.  My so sweet sister-in-law Gina said, "Oh, I have two red teapots that I'm not using and I would be happy to give you one."  Needless to say, I was so excited!  I would have a teapot and wouldn't even have to choose it!  Thank you Gina!  It makes me so happy just sitting there, every time I walk by it!  She also threw in this super cute dog treat canister as a bonus!  Major love! :)

     Then there is my beloved KitchenAid mixer.  Oh, how I love this mixer!  I am a long time baker, and always had the luxury of using my mom's KitchenAid mixer while I was growing up.  She trained me well on the fact that this was any cook's best choice of equipment.  So I was incredibly excited when I graduated from college and she gave me this mixer as a gift.  What an awesome gift.  Thank you for this bit of love mom.  It has been faithful for 6 and 1/2 years, and I look forward to its faithfulness for many years to come.  I will continue to try to use it to share my own love!

     Next there is this great print hanging in our kitchen that is in my perfect view from where I sit on the couch.  This was a wedding gift from our registry at Target, and remains one of my favorites. Unfortunately, it is the one gift that did not have a tag on it and I still don't know who it came from or whose card it belonged to!  If it was you, thank you!  I would love to tell you how much I love it!

The view from here:

     Finally, there's this.  It's a great piece of art that Kevin and I bought at Home Goods in Cincinnati.  It's the first piece of art we have purchased together.  I absolutely love paintings or natural scenes, especially trees with color.  It is so calming and inspiring to me, and this hangs right in front of me from where I sit when I study my Bible.  I love to look at it when I'm thinking and pondering God's word.  Good purchase Honey!  I'm so glad we were finally able to commit!

My view:

Here's to appreciating the "love" you feel when you look around your own home!