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Saturday, 31 October 2009

Friday, 30 October 2009

  • Finished Shawl!

    I finished my shawl. It took 3 days because I didn't understand the pattern properly... but once I was doing it correctly, I was done in a couple of hours! (I am realizing I use exclamation points a lot, perhaps excessively. ! )
    (If you're interested in making one for yourself, here is the wonderfully easy beautiful pattern. I guess you should learn to crochet first, knowing who reads this blog... :D)

    I'm not sure Sage was the best color to do this with... it came out really pretty but it's definitely more of a spring color (or maybe I just can't pull off green). I will be making more of these in fall colors so I can actually wear it this year.







    Actually, I think it looks pretty good on Tare. :D

    Got some new ankle boots from Payless because of Oprah's 50% off, thank you Oprah (did you know you can get $3 off when you ask the sales associate to look up inventory for you at other stores? It's on the printed receipt they give you; used that too because I had to go by 2 stores)! I had to settle for black though... no brown! It makes me a little sad. But I made up for it by getting some new belts. I love the little boys section at Target, those belts fit me perfectly.

    Tomorrow I will post Aji in her costume. :D You won't want to miss the cuteness!

Wednesday, 28 October 2009

  • Hello Pretties!

    The packages I have been waiting for have all arrived!

    My Sephora friends&family sale buy is the Urban Decay 24/7 Super Stash eyeliner set which is amazing!

    I love all of the colors although I'm not quite sure how or when I'll be wearing the green or bright blue.


    Had to get these boots from DSW! They are super comfortable and cute and I love the bow in the back.


    And finally, my goodies from Joann!


    8 skeins of blue sky which will become a pretty afghan (throw/blanket):


    One skein of sage which will hopefully become this shawl/scarf:


    It looks very pretty in different lights and I think it will look great with the pattern I have.



    The most true to color picture seems to be the middle one.

    I also got a little punch!


    Guess what it's for!


    YES, ROUNDED CORNER! Yes, I am really excited about it because rounded corners are nasty to make by hand and now I can just punch punch punch them out.

    & I was supposed to receive my red thread, but it is not here. Had to call customer service and suffer through a very long and boring and awkward call. The lady kept not finishing the phone call and there were long silences where I think both of us were confused if we're supposed to keep talking or not. Or probably just me since I was waiting on her to say that's it. And on my order sheet it said I ordered "chili red" but she said hers said "brick red" and she said "chili red" doesn't even exist, so ? What is this weirdness?
    Bleh, whatever, it is coming to me now, hopefully soon! I need it to make a bag that will be bright red so I need red thread! I can't wait to go back to my mom's store and raid her threads for some more colors. Black, white, and cream just aren't cutting it for me now. Need some color !

    The best thing about these purchases is that they were all sale+coupon+cashback purchases! LOVE IT. My eyes have been opened to promo codes in a new way along with ebates and bing cashback. Alas, the drawbacks are wanting to spend whenever there is a great deal but I'm handling it. Sort of. I did give in to AE with a 20% discount code and free shipping (don't know how I got that since it's for orders over $100 but I only spent just under $50?) but I had to for those bow earrings, tights, and button leggings. I'm slowly acquiring some wardrobe basics that I want... I'm really aching for more bags and shoes though.

    But since I need to wait until November, my time will be spent crocheting like a mad woman. I really need a new blanket since Aji has taken over my first one and it is unusually chilly this week.

Wednesday, 21 October 2009

  • "In his book God Is the Gospel, John Piper

    essentially asks whether we are in love with God:

    'The critical question for our generation---and for every generation---is this: If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there?'

    How many of you will read those words and say, 'You know, I just might be okay with that'?"

    p. 101 from Crazy Love by Francis Chan

Monday, 12 October 2009

  • Currently
    Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God
    By Francis Chan
    see related

    Since I've been gone

    I've been in Bakersfield for five months now. Time seemed to be dragging when there was school but it's literally flying by me this year. A week now feels like maybe 3 days then weekend, 3 days then weekend. It has been on repeat since I've been here! I guess that's what happens when you float along & enjoy the ride with time instead of trying to grab onto it like it's a lifeline when drowning in a sea of busyness.

    So since I've been gone (from school, from Colorado), I've:
    -Read more books than I have in the past 4 years
    *Did ANYONE read for recreation during school? If so, I'm sure it was sanity vs. textbook.

    -Volunteered/served more than I have in the past 4 years
    *There are so many events here through Tare's company and I just started volunteering as a helper in the                 children's ministry. Three-year-olds are so darn cute and I have filled the void of weirdness while I wasn't                   involved at church.

    -Been healthier than I've ever been
    *I am eating properly and preparing most of it myself, exercising regularly with both cardio and strength, feeling more energetic and definitely in the right state of mind with zero lapses or doubts.

    -Met more people and gone to more "social" events than I have in the past 4 years
    *I was a sort of hermit in college and unsure about it, a sort of hermit in grad school and sure about it, and then a sort of hermit coming here but having the chance to meet new people in a different atmosphere that makes me feel less anxious and actually enjoy myself. Honestly, I'm still wary of being very open personally with people but my attitude has changed and is still changing positively. I've met several of Tare's coworkers that are around our age and we are involved in a community group that is just a great group of people. Oh, and I think we go to every single event that goes in Bakersfield like every other person in this city because there's not much else to do!

    -Been experiencing true married life
    *It's like a fresh start all over again and it's done so much good for our relationship. Cleaving is oh so totally necessary. :D

    -Nurturing my creative side
    *The options I have of filling each day with whatever I want to make, see, read, plan is so freeing. My weathered cords of worrying and hurrying are unraveling into just a beautiful mess. Like I said, I'm floating along with time.

    -Been fed satisfyingly by the Word of God
    *While it was great serving in the CM, missing out on the sermons was just not the best way to keep going and being refreshed for my own walk. There was no other way there, but at my new church there are several services so if I want to take a class or serve the CM, we can still get to worship and hear some teaching at another service. I love the emphasis on biblically based teaching at Riverlakes Community Church and the messages are a blessing to hear and be challenged by. Right now we are going through a series called "Rethink Truth" which examines what we believe, why, what is the truth, etc. on different topics such as God, Man, Ethics, Family, Government, etc. http://www.riverlakeschurch.org/teaching/ There are video podcasts of the sermons if you're interested. The teaching pastor is very easy to listen to and he does a very good job.

    -Been content
    *I have to admit that during college, I was unhappy because I was envious of other people. I wanted what other people had---not materialistic things, but relationships and what they had socially. Coveting is a sin and that sin brought me to the lowest point of my life. I didn't realize it then, but looking back it is so obvious and sad.
    I count my blessings and give thanks often for what I have now and what I experienced then. It's how I met Jesus in the most intimate way and when I finally got it, got that He loved me and I loved Him with everything and wanted Him in my life in every way.


    I think it's weird that I feel weird writing about how joyful I am and that I want to praise God for all of it. It's because it's rare that someone joins in with equal happiness for someone else's happiness and they share it together for a special moment. It's because even though I have mostly Christian friends, I've never really heard them talk about God when they talk about their successes or shortcomings. Is faith such a personal thing? It shouldn't be, because where it starts being personal and stops being shared and lived out is where it is limited and maybe even nonexistant.

    I'm convicted these days reading Crazy Love (we are doing a study on it in our small group). We're on Ch. 5 now and if you've read it, you would know this is where it starts to get really ... personal? convicting? challenging? I mean, it's where Chan hits you in the stomach with the truth that isn't really declared these days with so much "love" and all in churches these days. It humbles me and makes me think hard about my life. Only God and I know where I stand and it's the most important thing in the world to consider---this is eternity we're talking about.
    What really gets to me is what he says regarding the parable about the different kinds of soil. "Do not assume you are good soil." "Jesus' intention in this parable was to compare the only good soil to the ones that were not legitimate alternatives. To Him, there was one option for a true believer." Does that not change how you read and understand the parables? I wish I could share so much more of what Chan says in this book but then I would copying pages upon pages and I don't think that's quite legal or practical. I highly recommend this book--highly enough that I might even buy it for you to read if you refuse.