{March Goals}

Spring is getting closer. I can feel it! Although by the looks of the snow-covered tree tops outside & blankets of white covering the ground, it seems like we may have taken a step back toward winter. But here we are, in March 2014! Whew, I was just looking back over my goals for last year & it's awesome to see how much growth I've gained & discipline I've learned along the way. 

If you're wanting to set goals for yourself but are unsure if what things offer a worthy focus, try asking yourself these questions:

1. Will this goal help my life vision?
2. Does this goal also help other people?
3. Why would I spend my time on this goal?
4. Does this goal align with my core?

By testing your goals this way, you'll ultimately be getting at the WHY, the reason for doing it. So thankful to Lara Casey for her incredible gift in making goal-setting for others happen! 

March Goals

>> Look over past prayer journal entries & reflect upon God's faithfulness
>> Finish reading The Meaning of Marriage (carryover from February)
>> Celebrate 1 year of LMP! More details on that to come!!
>> Chat with designer about LMP logo & branding
>> Price insurance & accounting with our agent
>> Encourage my SG ladies toward God's truth
>> Hang & display photos, Scripture & art in our home
>> Put our prayer chalkboard up (I picked the spot, just need to put it up!)
>> Aim to be in bed by 11 & up to by 6:30
>> Set aside one day to truly rest
>> Take walks
>> Review Scripture memory verses/weekly
>> Work on being the first to admit to wrong & apologize in all relationships

"There is no great with Thee, there is no small, For thou art all, & fillest all in all." Amy Carmichael

February Gratefulgrams

"You can't be fearful & be grateful simultaneously." Tony Robbins

I love when I can take the opportunity & sloooow down. Really sit still, sip on a big mug of caffeinated goodness & reflect on life. Y'all, how can we be grateful for things we didn't even recognize happened? How many wonderful blessings have I received or answered prayers that just passed me by?

But not today - I'm not allowing comparison to be a joy stealer & I'm not allowing a hurried day to get in the way of practicing contentment. "Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, & we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food & clothing, with these we will be content." {1 Timothy 6:6-8}

1. Learning to say YES & NO to things in my life. / 2. Receiving the sweetest mail from dear friends. / 3. Reflecting upon God's Word. / 4. Celebrating love with my love. / 5. The opportunity to share beautiful stories of love. / 6. Our church turns 7! 

What I'm saying yes & no to

"Live in grace where the journey is the destination."
Lara Casey

Sometimes goal setting can be really frustrating. Like the times you don't hit the deadline or finish that certain task when you had hoped to, it can feel pretty crummy. Being a recovering perfectionist doesn't help matters. Hi, my name is Lorin & I really like things to be done perfectly.

This is not something I've always been aware of. Growing up, I procrastinated as a way of not dealing with the feeling that something had to be done 100%-completely-to-perfection. If I only had 30 minutes to do something, then I couldn't feel like I was failing or letting myself down because, well, that's all the time I had. Pretty silly when I look back at it. All that rug sweeping. Just push all those thoughts & feelings under this humongo area rug & it's like they've disappeared.

Not quite. But I spent much of high school & college with this mindset. Over the past couple years, the Lord has put so many different influences in my life that have helped reshape how I view the life He's given me, time, resources & perfection. Spending each morning in the Word really helps me deal with the perfection problem. Hello, imperfect people that God used all the time! Seriously it's so humbling to be reminded that I can't do anything to save myself or even get to the point of perfect but that's where Jesus stepped in. His perfection covers my flaws & sets me free to live in grace.

Surrounding myself with godly friends like my Small Group ladies is a huge blessing. Being real with each other about what we're dealing with & struggling to get through is how the Lord intended His body of believers to live! Being married to a God-fearing husband who constantly challenges me to seek the Lord's approval is the best. So thankful for the times he brings me down from cloud perfect to reality & reminds me that it's OK to make a mess. And not reaching every goal doesn't mean it's quitting time! Keep on keepin' on, trusting the Lord with each & every endeavor. Working for His glory & not allowing my self to get in the way.

Lara Casey's PowerSheets give you space to work through the whats of how you'll reach said goals (see more from Lara about this - Steps 8 & 9 - here). What you're saying YES to. What you will be saying NO thank you very much to. Creating a Making Things Happen Pinterest board was a huge visual aid to piecing together vision for this year. 

What things do you need to leave in the dust? And what do you want to do more of, be more about this year? 

What I'm saying NO to:

> regret
> too much PC time
> what ifs
> doubting the Lord
> FEAR! the enemy's lies!
> procrastinating
> striving for perfection
> unnecessary apologies
> assuming the worst
> SELF
> anger
> anxiety/failure
> jealousy/comparison
> too many sweets
> CONTROL
> random spending
> trying to earn love
> people pleasing 

What I'm saying YES to:

> taking risks!
> being present
> listening well
> 100% reliance on God
> FAITH! God's truths!
> setting myself up for success
> doing the best I can with what I have & leave the results to God
> speaking life-giving words {Psalm 19:14}
> assuming the BEST & asking the Lord for discernment
> OTHERS
> creating a peaceful home
> contendedness
> the peace of God & true rest
> encouraging others
> more good-for-you foods
> SURRENDER
> budgeting well
> giving more
> resting in God's love
> GOD-pleasing 

Advice for Brides: The Top 5

Hey y'all! This is the first post of my Advice to Brides series & I am SO excited to be writing about all the helpful hints, inspiration resources & other wedding related deets that helped us plan our wedding last November. (You can photos from our rustic barn-filled day here & here!).

So he asked for your hand, you said yes, now what??

First of all, congratulations!!! Engagement is such a sweet, joy-filled time!! What an amazing experience to find the one whom your soul loves, as Song of Solomon so beautifully says it :) After you've called your family, texted all your friends & toasted to your upcoming day, I think it's so important to take a few moments & think about you & your fiance's top 5.

What are the top 5 things that are most important to you about your wedding?

For Dean & I, we were tremendously blessed to have done this pretty early on in planning. Once you can actually visualize what you value most about your big day, it's SO much easier to budget, plan & invest your time! If not, and if you're anything like me, the reality is I would just be pinning my little heart out & find myself frustrated, pulled in so many different directions. Handcarved save the dates! Letterpressed seating cards! Sequined tablecloths! (Yes, I actually would've considered the last one if they had been more within our reception budget!).

Our top 5 looked a little something like this:

1. Honoring the Lord & celebrating the true meaning of marriage
2. Ceremony - Sharing the Gospel with our guests
3. Guest list - Being able to invite all of our family & closest friends
4. Photography - duh ;)
5. Venue - Finding an outdoor ceremony location & spot for an indoor barn reception

So, what are your top 5? Another way to think about it: When you look back at your wedding, what do you want to remember most? Take some time to sit down with your fiance & talk through the aspects of the day - location, music, food, time of year, photography, entertainment, decor - that you want to prioritize. If you want to write your own lists & then share it with each other, that works, too! You may find that 3 of your 5 match & the other 2 will give you the opportunity to practice communicating & problem solving :)

Happy planning!

Advice for Brides: Making Decisions

Advice for Brides: Get more sleep

Advice for Brides: Seeing your groom

Advice for Brides: Your bridal party

Advice for Brides: Putting the wed in wedding

Advice for Brides: Creating your registry

Love and grace

Happy Valentine's Day, friends!

Over the past few days (maybe even weeks!), I've been wrestling with negative, ugly thoughts. Specifically not being _______ enough. On & on in my head the lies spin, leading me to believe that's right, I'll never be _______ or _______ so I'm done trying, Lord. Instead of running the race Christ had put before me with perseverance, I was more like, "Yeah, how about I just sit for awhile, maybe crawl a few steps?"

At church on Monday night (yes, we meet on Monday nights. Come check it out!) right before we took communion, I had bowed my head & was confessing my heart before the Lord. As I was really pouring it all out - my doubts, frustrations, sin - the Holy Spirit recalled this verse to my mind:

"And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, my strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Corinthians 12:9

Bam! Just like that & I was filled with the overwhelming sense of God's grace. He doesn't love me because I'm the best friend, wife, photographer, neighbor or daughter. Friend, the same is true for you! His love isn't dependent upon what we do or don't do. God is love (1 John 4:8) & He loves us because that's His nature. It's who He is. Yes, we should strive to do & live everything - our work, our resources, our time, our relationships - for His glory, like it says in 1 Corinthian 10:31. But that doesn't mean we just call quits when the journey we're is difficult or we don't think we're enough.

As followers of Jesus Christ, He made us His workmanship & created us for many good works that He prepared in advance for us (Ephesians 2:10)! As Ruth Bell Graham so eloquently put it, "We are to take care of the possible & let God take care of the impossible." I love that! There's so much freedom when we live our lives the way the Lord intended them to be lived. We're to do our best, for His glory & honor, & leave the rest up to Him.

"You're love more than you'll ever know by someone who died to know you."
Based off of Romans 5:8