Cut burlap into 6-8” long pieces and tie around wreath frame until completely covered. Monogram is made from wooden letters from Michaels that are hot glued together and painted with a gold shimmery color.
October
Complete our Pottery Barn/boat cleat inspired photo gallery projects in the staircase & upstairs hallway
Prep house and backyard to host a 30+ person rehearsal dinner/bbq for one of my best friends
Plan details of our next trip to Haiti
Celebrate 2 year wedding anniversary
November
Possibly start an exciting new opportunity – details to come
Celebrate B’s 29th Birthday!
Host Thanksgiving at our house
December
16th – Graduate from LSUS with my Masters Degree!
TRY my hardest to enjoy the holiday season – my FAVE time of year!
An owner of a U-Haul store in somewhere-ville, USA shared this incredible story with a radio DJ and it is one that I will never forget. The owner wanted to express to the DJ how much of an impact this Christian radio station has had on his life as well as many others. He went on to share that every morning, while walking around the U-Haul truck lot, he would inspect the vehicles & set the radios to play on the same station – every day. He said that he had been doing this for years always wondering if this small action would ever have an impact on someone. He had hoped that maybe the songs that played would give encouragement at the perfect moment or perhaps spark interest in someone’s heart who has never heard a song meant to inspire and build faith. The owner continued to tell the DJ how one day a man came into his store to pick up a truck but ended up returning after 30 minutes with tears in his eyes. He seemed to be extremely confused and panicked as he asked the owner what radio station was playing in the truck and what particular song he had heard. He described some of the lyrics in desperation of finding out more about these words and immediately the owner knew what song he was referring to. The song is called “Ships in the Night” by Mat Kearney and the lyrics describe the isolation and hurt that can be experienced in a broken marriage. The customer ended up sharing with the U-Haul owner that he had rented a truck because he was on his way to pack up his belongings and leave his wife and family. He said that as soon as he started driving away from the shop, that this song came on the radio and he ended up pulling over on the side of the road to listen to the words. It was the words of this song that brought him to tears and turn around to the U-Haul shop and give his marriage another chance.
What an incredible story of how our actions can have the most profound impact on a stranger’s life. When I first heard this story I felt so convicted that I don’t do enough. I felt guilty of knowing I am constantly passing by people in the office, at the store and in my very urban, downtown neighborhood who are in great need and that I am just not doing enough. It is difficult to know what we can accomplish when some problems can seem impossible to solve. But this story is a reminder that we can do something and that even the smallest actions can have the biggest impact. A small act of kindness to a stranger can be the exact action that someone needs to help get them through another day or choose between 2 routes that will forever alter the course of their life.
Ships in the Night
Mat Kearney
Like ships in the night You keep passing me by, Just wasting time, trying to prove who's right And if it all goes crashing into the sea If it's just you and me, trying to find the light
Like ships in the night, letting cannonballs fly, say what you mean and it turns to a fight Fist fly from my mouth as it turns south You're down the driveway, I'm on the couch Chasing your dreams since the violent fifth grade Trying to believe in your silent own way Cuz we'll be okay, I'm not going to wait Have you watched it 14 as it went down the drain, hip-hop stayed the same and your mom's moved away, how many of our parents seem to make it anyway we're just fumbling through the gray trying to find a heart that's not walking Away.
Turn the lights down low, walk these halls alone we can feel so far from so Close.
Like ships in the night You keep passing me by, Just wasting time, trying to prove who's right And if it all goes crashing into the sea If it's just you and me, trying to find the light like ships in the night, there passing Me by, there passing me by, like ships in the night.
I'm at the airport waitin' on a second plane had to pack you had cramps and I was late headed to a red carpet they won’t know my name right ridding in Silence all that we wanna say bout to bored when you call on the phone you Say I'm sorry I'll be waiting at home feels like were burning this out on Our own trying to find our way down a road we don't know.
Turn the lights down low, walk these halls alone, we can feel so far from so Close. like ships in the night they keep passing me by, just wasting time Trying to prove who's right and if it all goes crashing into the sea if it's Just you and me trying to find the light like ships in the night, there Passing me by, there passing me by, like ships in the night.
This morning as I was getting ready for work and conducting my normal stalking observation of the latest news on FB, I misread a status that ended up completely inspiring me! How did this happen? Well my klutziness exceeds far past just the physical acts of tripping, spilling, getting my hair caught in sweaters (all the time), etc. There are many times where that endearing ;-) klutz side will affect how I interpret misinterpret things people tell me/read a message all together which may be entertaining for an observer but super embarrassing for myself.
Lucky for me (not so much for you), this story is not an embarrassing one but I am positive there will be many of those to come.
So this status I misread ended up being the very well known quote:
However when I read it my brain somehow interpreted it as “So blessed to be stressed”.
I was in awe of my friend’s perspective as I had never EVER thought to view stress in life as a blessing. But as I continued on my way to work, I started reflecting on the things that have stressed me out this week:
The seemingly never-ending pile of cleaning that always has to be done. Dishes, laundry, vacuuming up endless amounts of dog hair from this creature:
It never ends!
Homework for grad school that is already sucking the life out of me
My full time job, my part time tutoring job. Why can’t I just go home after work and sit on the couch and watch trash tv… All. Night. Long.?
Traffic. Traffic. Traffic.
Yes, this past week was probably a 3/4 on the stress scale of 1 – 10. Not such a bad week but there were definitely moments of unhappiness and anxiety as little “problems” threatened to ruin my day. But then I think….How blessed I am to be stressed.
That never ending pile of cleaning that has to be done exists because we live in a gorgeous home that we never thought we would ever be able to purchase 2 years ago. Those dishes represent the groceries we are able to afford and the food that is keeping us alive. That husky fur that has become a part of our coffee, bedding, home decor? -- well that pup has her own miracle story and she brings us smiles daily!
The homework for grad school that is keeping up until 1 am every night is something I should always be thankful for. I never believed I would be able to attend grad school, much less be 2 semesters away from graduation with a 4.0 GPA.So thankful.
My full time job is a job. Period. So many would do anything to be in my position but yet I view it as a burden. So blessed to be able to be stressed about a job at all.
Oh and the trash tv part? Thank you God for creating humans that can develop such horrible television so that I can indulge for 2 hours a week in the latest crazies on the Bachelor.
And traffic. Ugh now that can be a real stressor. But so blessed to be stressed in my dream car, with air conditioning and music that calms my soul causes me to dance like a maniac.
I pray that I can remember to keep this perspective during the days/experiences that are extremely stressful and difficult to see the silver lining. Every stress or obstacle in our life comes from a gift and I want to remember to always be thankful for those blessings.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:6-7
