my recent Pinterest finds

today we had a major snowstorm!  i loved every minute of it.  i called myself a snow day (as i was supposed to work), did some laundry, cleaning, made some yummy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (and yes i added the ground cloves), took a nap and did lots of Pinteresting. :)
as i pulled up my blog, i couldn't help but notice my last post.  Winter Snow.  as this is a bit irrelevant, i did smile because today, the 4th of February, was our first actual snowstorm of the season!  no complaints here!  
anywho, i just wanted to share a few photos i've found on Pinterest lately.  i've added these photos to my pinboard titled "lovely photos" because i think they're absolutely lovely!  hopefully you enjoy them as much as i do!

wouldn't it be fun to live on this street?  even just for a bit?

i would go to this Starbucks ALL of the time, just because it's so pretty!

take me here!

 who wouldn't die for these flowers?

lovely.

just by looking at this photo i can smell the fresh air and the flowers!

 pretty! 

i mean, i know this isn't realistic but i'd love to have this set up in my house!

i want to be at this party.

 God is such an amazing artist!

 i want it to be summer so i can do this!

take me here!

 this takes me back home!

one word: summer.

i wish this were in my backyard!

awesome!

God is good.

 is this real?  take me there.

Winter Snow

this song is so moving, the lyrics so touching.  during this crazy season, this song is such a great reminder of the real reason for the season; Jesus leaving the perfection of heaven and coming to earth as a humble baby to live a life on earth.  wow!  i am so thankful for this reason to celebrate!  i encourage you to take a minute to listen to this song and read the lyrics as well.  i hope it touches your heart like it did mine.   Merry Christmas!

Winter Snow

by Audrey Assad and Chris Tomlin 

Could've come like a mighty storm
With all the strength of a hurricane
You could've come like a forest fire
With the power of heaven in Your flame

But You came like a winter snow
Quiet and soft and slow
Falling from the sky in the night
To the earth below

You could've swept in like a tidal wave
Or an ocean to ravish our hearts
You could have come through like a roaring flood
To wipe away the things we've scarred

But You came like a winter snow
(Yes, You did)
You were quiet
You were soft and slow
Falling from the sky in the night
To the earth below

Oh, no, Your voice wasn't in a bush burning
No, Your voice wasn't in a rushing wind
It was still
It was small
It was hidden

You came like a winter snow
Quiet and soft and slow
Falling from the sky in the night
To the earth below

Falling
To the earth below
You came falling
From the sky in the night
To the earth below 

Luke 2:13-14

my top 5 favorite Christmas movies!

i couldn't resist posting my favorite Christmas movies.  there are so many to choose from but narrowing it down to 5 wasn't too hard for me as i tend to get obsessed with one in particular...see if you can guess which one that is.  :)  feel free to comment below with your top 5!  

5. HOME ALONE 

"Guys, I'm eating junk and watching rubbish! You better come out and stop me!"

4. CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS

"Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!"

3. NATIONAL LAMPOON'S CHRISTMAS VACATION

"Clark, I don't want to spend the holidays dead!"

2. ELF

"The best way to spread Christmas Cheer, is singing loud for all to hear!"

1. THE GRINCH WHO STOLE CHRISTMAS (with Jim Carrey)

"The nerve of those Whos.  Inviting me down there on such short notice!  Even if I wanted to go my schedule wouldn't allow it.  4:00, wallow in self pity; 4:30, stare into the abyss; 5:00, solve world hunger, tell no one; 5:30, jazzercize; 6:30, dinner with me-I can't cancel that again; 7:00, wrestle with myself-loathing....I'M BOOKED!  Of course, if I bump the loathing to 9, I could still be done in time to lay in bed, stare at the ceiling and slip slowly into madness....BUT WHAT WOULD I WEAR?" 

"You don't have a chance with her, you're 8 years old and you have a BEARD!"

"One man's toxic sludge is another man's potpourri....I don't know, some kind of soup."

"Saving you?  Is that what you think I was doing?  Wrongo!  I just noticed you were improperly packaged, my dear!"

"Blast this Christmas music!  It's joyful AND triumphant!" 

"Hate, hate, hate.  Hate, hate, hate.  Double hate.  LOATHE ENTIRELY!"

"Down a size and a half!  And this time, I'll keep it off!"

"Give me that!  Don't you know you're not supposed to take things that don't belong to you?  What's the matter with you, you some kind of wild animal?  Huh?"

 

"There'll be no sad faces on Christmas!"

"I'm the Grinch that stole Christmas....and I'm sorry."

"So they wanna get to know me, do they?  Spend a little quality time....with THE GRINCH!"

"That's what it's all about, right?  That's what it's ALWAYS been about!  Gifts, gifts, gifts, gifts, gifts, gifts!  Do you know what happens to your gifts?  They all come to me...in your garbage!  Do you see what I'm saying here?  IN YOUR GARBAGE!  I could hang myself with all the bad Christmas neckties I found at the dump!  And the avarice...the avarice never ends! "I want golf clubs!" "I want diamonds!" "I want a pony so i can ride it twice, get bored, and sell it to make glue!"  Look, I don't wanna make waves here, but this WHOLE Christmas season is STUPID! STUPID! STUPID!  There is however, one teeny, tiny, Christmas tradition that I find quite meaningful....mistletoe.  SO PUCKER UP AND KISS IT, WHOVILLE!"

give thanks.

i'm so blessed.  so so so blessed.  i have so much to be thankful for, it's ridiculous.  as i sit here and think of all the "things" i'm thankful for, i'm reminded of a song i sang in Sunday School growing up.  here are a few of the lyrics:

I will enter His gates with THANKSGIVING in my heart,

I will enter His courts with praise.

I will say this is the day that the Lord has made,

I will rejoice for He has made me glad.

He has made me glad, He has made me glad.

I will rejoice for He has made me glad!

what a wonderful, yet simple, reminder.  how about a couple verses which remind us to be THANKFUL:

GIVE THANKS to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.

Psalm 136:1

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, GIVING THANKS to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:17

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us BE THANKFUL, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.

Hebrews 12:28

Enter His gates with THANKSGIVING and His courts with praise, GIVE THANKS to him and praise His name.

Psalm 100:4

i could go on and on and list a hundred more things i'm thankful for but i'll spare you the details and only list a few....

• i'm thankful for my salvation.
• my hilarious, caring, loving, devoted, faithful husband.
• i'm blessed to have such fabulous family members, both immediate and in-law.
• my material posessions such as food, a warm house, a comfortable bed, clothes to wear, etc.
• i'm thankful for my job in this not-so-wonderful economy.
• i'm blessed to have been raised in a Christian home and having been introduced to Christ.  i'm thankful to have been taught the importance of doing what's right and having morals.
• my loyal friendships.
• i'm thankful to live in a country where i'm free to worship.
• my wonderful church family and lifegroup.
• i'm thankful for the friendship i've developed with my parents as i've entered adulthood, and also for the friendships i have in my siblings. 

THANK YOU Lord for my blessings, both material and intangible.  i am so GRATEFUL.

* side note, i'm pretty excited to host Chris' family for thanksgiving and cook the traditional feast!  i'm also pretty excited to try my new 'Champagne Turkey' recipe!  wish me luck!  i'll post the recipe if it turns out a success! 

makes perfect sense...

bible.