whatshouldwecallslpeeps:

This:

And this:

whatshouldwecallslpeeps:

Congrats Lalo and Nichole!!! (at Wellesley Community Center)

whatshouldwecallslp:

I’m like,

                                                  

Where do I begin..

The past few weeks have been strange, emotional, and completely wonderful for me. I have been settling into my marriage, including moving into our new apartment and it took more getting used to then I imagined. In my mind, I waltzed in, pulled my things out of boxes, set up camp, and everything was woooooonderfullllll.

But that simply isn’t how it went. 

I’ve still got a box of clothes just chilling out in our living room. We’ve discussed multiple times already how small this apartment really is. I have scrubbed the bathroom more times than I have ever scrubbed a bathroom in my life. Living with a boy, when you’ve never done so before is hard ya’ll.I thought it would be the same as before I moved in, I mean, I spent all my time there anyways. But there’s a huge difference between living there and when you get to go home to your own bed at the end of the night. 

It’s so much better than going home at the end of the night. 

Although I think this adjustment is the biggest reason for me being a little emotional lately, there have been a lot of things going on in my heart and mind. I have been so overwhelmed at times. Overwhelmed at how much I love my husband. Overwhelmed at how much my God loves me. Mostly, overwhelmed at the blessings I have been given. At the end of the day, when I lay my head on my pillow, I am just so thankful. As Thanksgiving and Christmas are drawing closer, I have been trying to make a point to say thank you to God for all the things He has provided me with. I have been attempting to pay better attention to my blessings and consciously be thankful for all I have. Thankful for my family, my home, provisions, His love, my church, forgiveness, and His steady, unchanging nature. The fact that He wants me, always, as I am, the fact that He fiercely desires me emotionally stirs me lately. 

And then I think of how underwhelming I am. Because so often, I have to remind myself to be thankful for my blessings, that a lot of stuff, I don’t even acknowledge as a blessing. I take credit so often for the things God blesses me with, choosing instead to think that it was something I did for myself. I’m underwhelmed by my lack of faith. I think I do these things for myself because whenever  there is a crisis, I refuse to sit back and let God take control. I think I need to fix things myself. And then I pat my self on the back when I come out the other side okay. I’m underwhelmed by my complete lack of passion for the God who wants me to badly, that I can so easily brush Him off without a second thought. And lately, I have also been emotionally stirred by these things. 

But then it comes around full circle. Because the underwhelming attitudes I have remind me of the fact that my God wants me anyways. That He forgives me for my apathy and my refusal to give up control. And then I chose to be thankful for that, choosing to be aware of my sin, so I can remember just how much a of blessing it is that my God completely overtakes me and allows me to start over again. How overwhelming. 

#mermaid #scales #nailart

10blankcanvases:

10 Blank Canvases’ Giveaway

My first giveaway! Follow the link above for more details on the prizes and how to enter. Good luck!!

But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them.The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, “ He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court. Straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “ I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.” John 8:1-11 (NASB)

Quick Recap: a woman, caught in the very act of cheating on her husband is brought to Jesus by the religious leaders in order to trick him. They ask him what they should do, thinking he will give one of two answers: either, stone her, and lose the respect of the people, or let her go, and break the law. They thought it was fool proof. 

Now, this woman…she was caught in the very act. In my mind, that means they pulled her right out of bed and into the center of this crowd. She must be naked, if she’s lucky, she thought to drag the sheet off the bed along with her to cover up. But, where is the man she was with? The law says that both parties caught in adultery should be stoned, but for some reason, only the woman made it in front of Jesus. 

I imagine her standing in a circle of people, embarrassed and scared. The religious leaders and Jesus in front of her, the people in the crowd already with stones in their hands. They’re ready to throw. However, Jesus is taking His time to answer their questions. And when He finally does? The people slowly drop their stones and leave one by one. She must have breathed a sigh of relief, realizing she wasn’t dying that day. 

What stand out to me the most? Jesus’ answer to the religious leaders. “If you’ve never sinned, go ahead, be the first to throw your stone.” Well, of course, after that, none of them could throw anything. But Jesus could. Jesus was the only one in that crowd who would have been able to stone that woman. Yet, He was the only one who offered her forgiveness. “I do not condemn you.” And neither does He condemn me. The only one who has the power to find fault with me is the one who ultimately absolves me of fault. 

Instead of sinful people judging me, another sinful person to guilt, I only have to answer to the One who has never sinned, and because of His love and grace, He will always announce me innocent.