my morning cup

Thankful Thursday

2010-10-28T11:04:00.003-05:00

Today I am very thankful:

...for this face:

...and a good cup of this:

...that it is only 48 days until I see these smiles:

...and that this hotness comes home to me every night:

Mom Cave

2010-10-27T09:06:00.008-05:00

IF I ever have a space that I can keep all to myself, even if just a corner...
...and someone gave me a World Market gift card for a bizillion dollars...
(c'mon, a girl can dream, right?)

I would start with these:

and then add 3 of these vertically on the left side of the window (yes, I have windows).

and then plop this down at an angle in front of said window:

with this purty pilla'(the red, maybe?):

with this right beside, a home for my bible, journal, coffee and pen:

This is on the wall behind me, to house my other current reads, fabric, and other craft:

with this little number on the top left corner:

...and then paint an accent wall buttery yellow or apple green.

World Market doesn't sell sewing machines, so I guess I'd have to use my own. :) Or guitars...I'd have my guitar in there too. Oh, wait!!! I need an espresso machine! YES, NEED!
Of course, it goes against EVERY bone in my body to buy something new if it isn't on sale, AND it is very hard for me not to MAKE something for a space...I don't feel like I own it unless I make some measly thing! So, Momma's cave would probably turn out a bit different. But here's to dreaming up one little space where I can
simultaneously pray for my family, write songs, read books, drink lattes, and sew Christmas gifts! Woohoo!

as time and budget allow...

2010-08-23T09:03:00.003-05:00

Here are some "idea files" of ways I hope to beautify our home in the coming weeks and months.

1) This:

pottery barn

+ this:

(martha stewart)

...only with individual candle plate mirrors from hobby lobby (grouped together), and a grapevine wreath, so I can switch out decorations with the seasons.

2) Love this (from Home & Harmony), but will probably wait until the new year or we buy a home to start it. A lovely idea to document those who fellowship around our table over the years, and encourage us towards hospitality!

3) I'm working on these. We had vertical blinds in our apartment (eeew!), and who wants their home to feel like they are on the thirteenth floor of a downtown office building? Not. Us. Our previous livingroom curtains weren't wide enough for the ginormous window in our livingroom...and I was having trouble finding discount fabric that we liked and would block out the sun (a big priority for the Mister). Solution? Canvas dropcloths! At Lowes we found a 9' x 15' cloth for under 24 buckaroos -- which rounds out to less than $2.70/yd for thick cotton duck! Another benefit of these is that all 4 edges are hemmed, so as long as you have drapery clips, you are good to go! They are currently haphazardly slapped up, so as to block out the rays, and our whole house smells like...like we should be painting. We're not, but I need to wash and iron these babies. Drop cloths are my new best friends! Which brings me to:

4) Slip-covers! Check out this, and this and this! I have two (free-to-me) chairs that I've been covering up with throws for too long. They are in desperate need of some drop cloth love. However... I still haven't really figured out when to sew these days. When the little guy is napping, I am busy doing important things like dishes, tooth brushing and napping. :) So these may take a bit longer!

What home decorating projects are you looking forward to in the near future?

Test

2010-08-19T11:38:00.001-05:00

Thankful Thursday

2010-07-22T08:33:00.006-05:00

(taken Thanksgiving 2009, at my parents' house)

An exercise in thankfulness and contentment. Turning the frown upside down. Seeing the beauty.

Today I am thankful:

...for the excessive heat

because it helps me to 'love' my home more when we are stuck indoors.
its easy on the budget.
because the morning light is especially beautiful, peacefully waking us up.
because it makes me drink more water.
butter pecan ice cream. Nuff said.
because I dread the cold more than the heat, so I'll soak it up.

...that we don't own a washer or dryer

because its a nice excuse to see the in laws.
because my sweet mother-in-law and sister-in-law help me with inordinate amounts of burp-cloth washing.
because ironing is NOT my favorite chore.
because my clothes smell like the country air.

...that we live in a smaller space

there is less to clean, and frankly, this is all I can handle right now. :)
because it simplifies things, and helps us 'dare to dump' as my Momma would say.
because its really all we need right now.
because it keeps all three of us close, all the time.

"I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever."
Psalm 86:12

What are you thankful for today?

Mug Shot Monday

2010-07-19T09:31:00.004-05:00

Hello. So, last week kind of got away from me; some weeks just do that. My sweet little mister cut his first tooth, and is working hard on a second. He's three months old today (already?), and I'm thankful he's starting early, so we can get this teething business off to a good start, and maybe finish early, too. He's such a joyful little guy, and he really tries his best to keep his chin up, but these teeth really messed up his sleeping pattern. Before the teeth he was sleeping through the night and taking 3 long naps a day (I'm spoiled, I know!)...but last week we were lucky to get a half hour during the day, poor guy. So, blogging was low priority compared to caring for my babe and trying to get some winks for both of us!
But last night he only woke up once, and is taking a nice long nap now! I'm so glad he's catching up on some of the rest he needs. We'll see how long we can keep this up, but I'll take what I can get!

Three months. THREE MONTHS! Three months? Boy, it has gone by quickly. Some of my goals for this week: updating his baby book, hugging him and kissing him and squeezing him and snuggling him, taking more pics, and trying to remember and document all those little details that we will cherish 20 years from now.

And maybe, with a full night's sleep, I can get this home back in order...after more snuggles. :)

balcony breakfast and a good talkin' to

2010-07-08T08:39:00.010-05:00

Breakfast just tastes better in pretty dishes. It was delicious on our balcony this morning. You know that 'after the rain' smell? And the birds! I used to be a night person, but oh, the morning is growing on me, it is.

I also used to prefer reading at night, but ever since I got pregnant with the little guy, I kinda prefer to read in the morning. Not sure what happened there. Hormone changes? Maybe. Turning into my morning-loving mother? Probably. I'd love to be more like her. Though I still enjoy curling up with a book on our big, old, decrepit mustard yellow chair at 10pm. These days, I mostly 'curl up' to feed the babe, which I cherish infinitely more than a good read, mind you.

Speaking of him:

Okay, you can stop drooling now. :)

This little guy loves books almost as much as his Daddy (which is hard to do). Whenever we read something to him, or show him any of his books, he just lights up! And if he's tired or sulky, we walk him by his Dad's library, and he looks at all the shapes and colors and calms down immediately. It must be genetic.

I am reading the above book (Womanly Dominion, More than a Gentle and Quiet Spirit, by Mark Chanski) with my bookish ladies this month, and though I'm only halfway through the second chapter, I'm already a fan. Here's a favorite quote:

"As men and women, we are to flex our abilities, and with the help of God, subdue the mutinous and adverse forces of the earth under our feet. We are to take into our hands the earth and its menagerie of operations, and through forceful and aggressive effort, compel them to do our bidding. In doing this we are imitating God, in whose image we are made. In the beginning, God took hold of a newly created earth with was a "formless and void" chaos (Genesis 1:2). God premeditatedly designed a plan for its creative development in the space of six days. Then He systematically and progressively put His plan into action. The result was an orderly world bearing witness to the genius of its Designer. And so, every image-bearing man and woman is obligated to imitate his/her maker in his own miniature world. Each is assigned a lifelong plot of wild earth that he/she is to stake out, cute down, plow up, plant and harvest. We must aggressively subdue, and not passively loiter. Every week of our lives, we are to reflect our Heavenly Father. Six days we labor to subdue the earth, and on the seventh day we rest, basking in the satisfaction of a job well done, restfully praising the Lord for the work He's enabled our hands to do. The completed projects act as gratifying and comfortable footstools for our feet. We're able to say "That week of work was good, very good." (Genesis 1:31)

Now if that doesn't make you want to go clean the kitchen, I don't know what will! This branches off from the book/quote a little, but I'm going to get preachy. Just because I need a pep talk myself. If you could see my heart, you would know. As women, we tend a little (or a lot) more towards a 'victim' mentality - at least I know I do. Now here's some hard words: the root of this "victimitis" is both selfish and fearful, grounded in a heart that doesn't trust the Lord as it should. "I'm scared" becomes "I can't" becomes "I won't ever be able to" becomes "I won't." We do this with our homes, until we are overwhelmed with the chaos around us. We do this with our time, and the hours swallow us up. We do this with our relationships, and they become stifled, stagnant, and self-oriented. This attitude-turned-lifestyle (all of them are, by the way) is not a response to or reflection of our loving, mighty, masterful Triune God! It is a reflection of our idol of fear. But guess what!? His perfect love casts out that fear! It conquers it! It calls us and enables us to take dominion in our sphere, so that it would bring glory to Him...so the Kingdom is built!

^"Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:37-39, ESV, emphasis mine.

So be of good cheer! Fear not, image-bearers! Go conquer your corner of the earth through Him who loves you! I'm going to go step on the neck of my kitchen (Joshua 10:24, Psalm 110), not that it's my enemy, or anything. :)

Love,
Sarah Marie

g'mornin!

2010-07-07T09:50:00.003-05:00

We've had some amazing thunderstorms 'round these parts lately. I love how storms simultaneously show our Creator's infinite power and intricate beauty. I also love that it gave some hope to my poor little verbena, who somehow hung in there during our heatwave the previous week. One, lonely little bundle of blooms among the chaff. Hopefully, she'll have a couple of friends joining her soon.

In other news, I snagged some cottons for the little guy yesterday. I think I may have too many projects for too little time...but I've just gotta make something for him! Hats, bibs, overalls...I'll keep you posted! I'm especially drawn to the dots on the far right:

Cheers!

Necessity is the Mother of Invention and, um... Immitation

2010-07-05T11:09:00.006-05:00

If you've ever been a nursing mom, you know that finding clothes that 'work,' is absolutely essential. Even with a fantastic nursing cover, it's so easy to have several wardrobe malfunctions in one sitting, especially with a hungry, energetic little babe...and this is NOT something you want to happen in the church lobby. NO. I've been weary of wearing the same two skirts to church for 10 weeks (and even slipped in some jeans, which I don't want to make a habit of). But I don't really want to spend big bucks on a whole new wardrobe either. So, I've been on the lookout for some patterns (well...not patterns, I hate patterns....more like 'ideas.') that would work well for this season of life, would be easy and cheap to make, and would sit nicely atop my nursing tanks. Then I saw this! I'm going to switch out the elastic part (elastic = nemesis) for a nice front tie that is easily maneuvered during feeding time, and I'll let you know how it works! I picked up some clearance fabric with these tops in mind a while back:

There is hope, nursing mothers! Now if I could only fit into my pre-pregnancy pants...there's time yet. :)

Flipbook Friday

2010-07-02T10:17:00.008-05:00

The Boppy Pillow :: Part 1
(posted in order, as taken)

"Oh, hi Momma!"

"Do you want some?"

"Well that's fine. More for me!"

"Momma, there's no milk in my hands!"

"So I'll do a little dance instead."

"Why aren't you dancing?"

"It's really fun!"

"Okay, you see how, now?"

"But I'm a little tired..."

"So I'll just clap my hands."

"Um, whoa. Where am I?"

Shimmy. shimmy...

"Momma, you're super pretty..."

"Could I maybe have some milk now?"

"Please?"

"PLEASE!!!??"

"Oh, the agony..."

"I'm asking SO nicely!"

The binky intervention:

"Now I'm really sleepy."

"Thanks, Momma."

"I'm back on top, baby!"

*Note* The Little Mister did get his milk immediately following this. :)

Adding to the Beauty

2010-07-01T12:39:00.008-05:00

"I want to add to the beauty, I want to tell a better story." If you haven't heard that song by Sara Groves, you need to go listen to it. Now.

Hmm. where do you start after an almost 2-year blogging hiatus? Here are a few things you've missed (unless, of course, you know me in real life!)

This:

and this:

and this:

My cup overflows.

The Mister and I were blessed with a Little Mister a couple of months ago, and we've experienced so much of God's providence and beauty through being parents. Wow. Understatement of the year!

I want this to be a space where you and I are encouraged to remember. Remember grace, remember beauty, remember God's redemption story, remember how we are actually included in it. And also to share in the details of the good life: the meal-sharing, the home-making, the song-singing.

"And this is grace: an invitation to be beautiful....Redemption comes in strange places, small spaces, calling out the best of who we are."

Let's add to the beauty together,

Sarah Marie

in celebration of the new month...

2008-09-02T00:02:00.000-05:00

...this little winged creature decided to light upon a red bloom, right in time for me to giggle and snap a shot.
Also, for your information, I've decided that autumn actually began about 2 weeks ago. Just because. Have a lovely first week of September. Oh... I know I will.

daisy, daisy...

2008-08-24T22:06:00.000-05:00

Hi, folks. I know, I know. It's been too long. I started working full-time again at the preschool... so I've adjusted the way I spend precious time accordingly. I'm confident I'll be able to carve out some now and again for blogging once I make the transition...

Miss Daisy and I just wanted to offer a happy 'hello' from the front garden. So, hello there! And... goodbye. I'm sure we'll chat again soon.

for all those who love coffee and a good deal

2008-08-06T10:39:00.000-05:00

My husband alerted me to this sweet fact:

http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/022266.html

Enjoy!

mighty cute

2008-07-31T09:42:00.000-05:00

The perfect little hand purse, in my opinion.
I would spend maybe a tenth of the price...
I'm looking for beauty at a bargain...

after the sabbath

2008-07-28T11:07:00.000-05:00

What a restful Sabbath it was for us yesterday...especially for me, as I stayed home with this icky cold/cough/fever which was graciously passed on to me by one or more of my preschoolers. :) Oh, how I missed being among the people of God, worshiping Him together, remembering His covenant with us, learning His Word, singing praise to Yahweh arm in arm with Joshua. I was quite eager for him to return home with a Sermon summary, and news on how everyone is. (I suppose I will write soon about how much I love our church family at Heartland.) It's amazing how difficult it is to really rest sometimes, isn't it? Even though my body ceased to work and strive, I found myself really having to "take every though captive." I'm beginning to realize how much I stress myself out, really. My mind would wander from things coming up at work, to things I needed to do at home, to all of the many weddings I have to sing/play in soon, etc. His Word needs to speak more loudly than anything in this busy brain. "Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth." Col. 3:2 Thank God for that exhortation. I pray that I would more actively do that.

Yesterday I also got to try out my new Crock Pot! This really helps with keeping Sabbath rest, as the prep is so simple. I cut all of the veggies on Saturday night, and all I had to do was place the pot roast and all it's trimmings in the pot Sunday morning. It was perfect for this sick little homemaker yesterday. Joshua brought home a Shiraz, and we feasted on the goodness of the Lord.

For a few months now, I have been planning on having a second blog to journal my songwriting thoughts, and I'm almost ready to add a second blog about our journey toward Sabbath living. This blog here is trying to be to many things...and I think this may be the way to allow me to define and focus...and post more often!

I had planned on writing more, but I've got to put in a load of dishes before I'm off to work.
Have a lovely Monday!

Joyfully,

Sarah Marie

magenta + lime

2008-07-15T11:43:00.001-05:00

this weekend

2008-07-08T10:55:00.000-05:00

Looking forward to:

:: beholding these two beautiful brunettes
:: giving a big hug to the one on the right, who lives out of town :(
:: giving a big hug to the one in the middle, who's in the throws of wedding planning!
:: some good catch-up time over coffee.
:: praying together
:: cooking together
:: eating together
:: laughing together

The Almighty is so abundant in His grace, that He would chose to bless me with such faithful and loving friends.

'black brew'

2008-07-04T11:14:00.000-05:00

Good morning, all. We've taken it slow around here this morning, with some french press coffee and the sound of Josh's guitar filling our rooms. We're off to a barbecue later this afternoon, but for now we are just savoring this once-in-a-blue-moon morning together.

In keeping with the theme of my blog: look here for a little bit of coffee history. It made us chuckle.

Enjoy your day!

Blessings,

Sarah Marie

8 months.

2008-07-03T11:05:00.000-05:00

We are two thirds of the way through our first year of marriage. It has been wonderful, and I've learned so much -- much more than I could condense into a blog post this morning. I'm so thankful for this man of God, and for the daily joys that come with being his helper. Love you, Joshua!

In other news, yesterday I got to work on #21. We've had Women & Marriage for a while now, but it wasn't until yesterday that I pulled it out. I listened to two lectures of Nancy Wilson's while cleaning our kitchen. As is always the case when I listen to or ready anything by this wise and biblically-oriented woman, I was convicted, challenged and encouraged towards godly thinking and right action within marriage and womanhood. Our kitchen is very thankful as well! If you are looking for a good listen, I would also recommend The Pleasant Home.

I was also blessed enough to spend time with a dear friend (#11) yesterday, although the time was way too short. And tonight, we will fellowship with some beloved newlyweds over barbecue!

Have a lovely fourth,

Sarah Marie

31 things for 31 days

2008-07-01T22:34:00.000-05:00

I've been waiting for this month for a while. I'm not sure why, except that I know its a month in which I feel I can find a routine that works for us, and make some headway on a few things. We have no huge plans, no obligations, no performances. Just a good old chunk of time. After thinking about it a bit, here are 31 things I hope to achieve or attempt in this beautiful month of July (in no particular order).

1. make a couple of floor cushions
2. purchase new (to us) coffee table.
3. decide which week or weekend to make a trip out to see family.
4. memorize this.
5. remember, play, and rework some old songs.
6. bake a flan.
7. fashion two more couch pillows.
8. get crackin' on some long overdue correspondence and thank yous.
9. take Joshua on a picnic.
10. determine our 1st anniversary plans.
11. spend time with my dearest friends.
12. get a head start (or at least some planning done) on Christmas gifts and/or decor.
13. spend more time outside in the morning hours.
14. get back in the habit and discipline of journaling.
15. drink less coffee. *sigh*
16. learn a few standard folk fiddle tunes.
17. help best friend plan her October wedding!
18. go on walks around our cute neighborhood.
19. go through our 3,008 wedding photographs and pick specific ones to order. oh my.
20. dust off scrapbooking materials and preserve some memories.
21. listen to lectures or sermons while doing housework.
22. be more intentional about hospitality.
23. finish two books I've started.
24. make more meals ahead of time.
25. pick a day to do a time stewardship inventory.
26. get up a wee bit earlier.
27. practice newer songs and refine.
28. fine-tune my morning schedule.
29. write husband 'why I respect you' letters.
30. begin narrowing down set list for planned fall tour.
31. donate at least 3 bags of clothes to goodwill.

I'll be updating you on some of these things throughout the month. Here we go!
What are some things you hope to spend time doing in July?

Love,
Sarah Marie

in the light of day

2008-06-30T11:47:00.000-05:00

good morning :)

livingroom update

2008-06-30T00:56:00.000-05:00

Just a quick pic before I'm off to dreamland:

(taken at night)

The runners and one pillow are completed, with two more pillow covers soon to come.
I'm very pleased with the colors. Hopefully I'll share more in a post tomorrow...
G'night, dears.

hush

2008-06-19T11:27:00.000-05:00

Hi friends,

Feeling rather quiet today. Yes...quiet and peaceful.

Praying you have a lovely Thursday afternoon,

Sarah Marie

happy windows.

2008-06-14T17:30:00.000-05:00

I just thought I would share a corner or two today. I put together these curtains panels a few weeks ago. They really tie together the rest of the kitchen...which I will have to photograph for you soon. It's funny. Lately I've been drawn to this cantaloupe color, which never really made it in to my decorating palette before. It's a happy hue.

Top detail:

(Sorry for the bad light. Curtains are tricky to photograph well!)
We have some neat curtain rods we still need to put up...
The curtains go to the floor, and have the same horizontal pattern at the bottom.

I made a corresponding little curtain/cover for a hutch/shelf we have in our kitchen, given to us by Joshua's parents. I pleated (or something) a bit at the bottom:

Then I saw these on World Market's site yesterday, and noticed some similarities...

...but I am thrilled to report that I spent 80% less making ours than buying these. I love a good steal, especially a handmade one.

wake up, sleepyhead.

2008-06-13T10:13:00.000-05:00

Our living room seriously needs some waking up. When we own a home, hopefully it will have more natural light, but this renter has got very little, and also is painted a dark oatmeal color. Ugh. The general color palette in there is brown and green, with some goldish touches. Because we have many different colors of green in the room, and mostly solids, I set out to find the best print to unify the look, while keeping it earthy, and hopefully, elegant.

Here is what I ordered last night, and I'm so excited to fashion a coffee table runner out of it, and maybe some pillows:

I'm sure it will function well as our living area's little dose of strong coffee. Pictures to come in 7-10 days, as I cross my fingers for a timely UPS ground delivery.

marvel

2008-06-11T08:57:00.000-05:00

"Oh, sing to the LORD a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory."

It's a marvelous morning. It's one of those mornings when I feel His new mercies, when I look up. The air is crisp, the soil is moist, and I'm ready for some good plowing, tilling, and planting and watering. Last night we met with a wise friend-mother in the faith from our church about a certain ministry in which she's involved. And it was all very encouraging, interesting and inspiring. But what really brought joy to my heart was how much the kingdom of God was on our hearts, on our lips, in our hands, in our midst. It was so uplifting for Joshua and I to spend time in conversation with a fellow saint, specifically in dialogue about what we can (or should) do to build the Kingdom. There is a great need for those in the body to be having these conversations. And it's even more imperative that our words become our deeds, so as to exhort oneanother to actually do the hard work, rolling up our sleeves to join in the victorious labor of building that Garden-City. Joshua and I often find ourselves sitting in his study (usually with our mugs of coffee) exploring what God has to say in His WORD, examining what we are called to do, and how we are called to do it. Thinking, dreaming, loving, praying, and seeking...often it all comes down to just being faithful. My dad wisely challenged Joshua before we were married to be faithful in discerning his calling. My dear mom always says, "Be faithful in the little things and the big things will come." And as I sit there at Joshua's feet (literally and figuratively) I marvel at what God has done. I marvel at how he brought this godly man and I together for the glorious covenant purpose of filling, subduing and beautifying the earth, and how blessed I am to be lead in this endeavor by such a faithful husband. I marvel at how He fashioned our hearts with a desire to fulfill that purpose together, carefully using both the similar and unique gifts he so graciously gave us. I marvel that His grace is sufficient and how his WORD is living, active and powerful. I marvel at how I am humbled by the joyous task before us.

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." - Deuteronomy 6:4-9

"All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD,
and all your saints shall bless you!
They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom
and tell of your power,
to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures throughout all generations."
-Psalm 145:10-13

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. -Ephesians 2:10

"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." -Hebrews 4:10

"For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building." -1 Corinthians 3:9

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." -Matthew 6:33

May His Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven!

why, hello!

2008-05-27T09:44:00.000-05:00

Well, my patient friends...

I do apologize for my absence!

I'm alive and well, 'cept for some persnickety cottonwood allergies! These past few months have been sort of a blur, as we've been playing for multiple weddings, the last of which is this weekend. After that I'm free until the end of June. Phew.

But here is the really great news. For the summer (at least), we've made the decision for me to reduce my hours at school to part-time! (Our school is both a preschool and a full-time childcare facility.) My new schedule is 1:00pm-5:30pm. Today is my first day, and I'm loving it! I imagine I'll be blogging more often. :)

This morning has shaped up to be quite a nice one so far:

Woke up husband. Check.
Made coffee. Check.
Sent husband off to work with a prayer, bagel, mug of coffee and kiss. Check.
Put an old hymn to new music for Communion this Sunday. Check.
Drank, um, 3 cups of coffee. Check.

Some more things to do this morning:

Read a Psalm.
Shower.
Finish tab-tops for new kitchen curtains.
Fold laundry.
Start dinner.
Load of dishes.
Call parents and wish them a belated anniversary (oops!).

Looks like I've got my next two hours cut out for me! I'll check back in later.

Blessings,

Sarah Marie

cute brother.

2008-04-13T18:28:00.001-05:00

feeling very...

2008-03-29T14:12:00.001-05:00

...lonesome for them:

I miss my family. A lot. All of their true compassion, unbridled silliness, thoughtful wisdom, and...um...
sameness. Lord, comfort me.

The Lord's Prayer

2008-03-23T18:32:00.000-05:00

He is risen! Let us be filled with joy as we celebrate the resurrection of Christ!

I thought this was an absolutely perfect and heartfelt recitation of the Lord's Prayer. The Lord be with you!

It's a good man

2008-03-21T09:53:00.000-05:00

...that brings home Gillian Welch for my ears.

...that pulls me in close when I'm fearful and tells me with confidence that God has overcome this world.

...that takes me out for coffee and a good read.

...that listens attentively to new songs, knowing how close they are to my heart.

...that makes me giggle, even when I'm trying not to.

...that has the guts and love enough to correct me when I'm wrong in thought or deed.

...that loves me because I am his.

He's a good man, and handsome too. :)

pears & projects

2008-03-12T23:02:00.001-05:00

Hi there, lovelies. I hope you all have been able to enjoy a spring preview similar to ours here in the Midwest! It was short-lived, but glorious. All I can say is that I've had naked toes for three days straight, and that's the way I like it! Our kitchen table has benefited greatly from the sunshine as well. I just had to snap a shot of the light streaming in on my little lunch-pear! I love how the green in the pear accents the airy colors of the cloth. It's a bit more 'floral' than I've been keen on lately, but I very much like the leaves.

It always gives me a grin when I see similar themes, colors and patterns pop in my life...can you tell I'm done with winter? So. Done. Anywho, the above shirt was actually a former reject of Sir Joshua's, which I snatched up in a jiffy for some (way overdue) repurposing!. I'm posting the 'before,' simply so I have some accountability to eventually post an 'after.' I'm excited (and a wee bit scared) to see what will come of it!

I'm also in the process of acquiring more of these to sew curtain panels for our kitchenette. I'll post pictures when they are hung!

Blessings, dears!

after all, I am part kansan

2008-03-08T13:25:00.000-06:00

Hello, readers. I do apologize for my two-week absence. My excuse is simply that my first priorities are husband and home, and blogging just doesn't make the list some days! The retreat was even better than I expected. I'm not really in synopsis mode currently, but I'll most likely be sharing bits and pieces of things learned in posts, here and there.
One great quote the speaker brought to mind: "Through persistence, even the snail reached the ark." -Charles Spurgeon. Sometimes I feel like that snail...inching along towards this huge, terrifying and exciting embarkment, wondering just how long it will take me to get there. The analogy helps me in big and small ways, reminding me that every labor I undertake is kingdom work -- dishes, songwriting, correspondence, laundry, cooking, reading stories to the wee ones at work... it's all participation in the building of the city and the plowing of the soil. Hopefully that sends a bit of encouragement your way. (Besides, we humans do move a bit faster than those snails!)
As the weather changes (at the speed of that snail, mind you) into spring, I'm reminded of my love of all things sunny. Spring is coming, bringing blooms in tow! And although sunflowers aren't in season for a long time, they've been coming to mind lately.
Kansas will be full of them later this year, and it really is a sight to behold. I love Van Gogh's Sunflowers (pictured above), and Georgia O'Keefe's is also quite lovely.

Our beloved Etsy is bloomin' with sunflowers for the picking. Here are some of my favorites:

This wallet will brighten any purse.
Notecards, sure to bring a smile to the recipient.
Flowers to hang from your ear.
And who can resist this simple tee?

Have a sunny Saturday,

Sarah Marie

off to retreat

2008-02-22T08:51:00.000-06:00

Howdy, folkies. I'm still under the weather with something-er-rather, so I'm finding myself at home again (I'd rather be there than anywhere, though!), but I think I'm on the mend. One of the reasons I'm resting is because this afternoon I leave to go to our annual women's retreat. This is the third year that I have been helping out with worship, and I need to be up-and-at-'em to do that! So please keep my feeble fingers, voice and spirit in your prayers, would you? The topics and speakers at our retreat have always been wonderful. Last year the message was about the Kingdom. So good. The year before that it was about women mentoring women - a beautiful and biblical mandate and privilege. Tonight and tomorrow we will be studying peacemaking and reconciliation. I am particularly excited about this subject because I am realizing how much I need to grow in this area. (Marriage is like a mirror, isn't it!? Especially with such a godly husband to hold up to your face.)

May God be glorified in all that we say, learn, sing, think and do this weekend.

hello, flora

2008-02-20T10:15:00.001-06:00

Good morning, all. Today I'm out with a nasty headache and scratchy throat, so I thought I would peek in while I had some quiet moments. I think that my Maker is reminding me that I need to slow down. I have to admit that this long and lingering winter has got me a bit on the sad side. And I'm oh so ready to put some fresh-picked flowers in the vase below, but alas, there are none for the picking. But the Lord is good. He made the snow. He made the rain, and He makes them both fall. And if my God decides that be a long winter, then I will joyfully put on my wool socks, sweaters cover up with my blanket, remembering His faithfulness, and the way that He covers me with something far better than blankets--- His blood. The forecast is a minute thing in perspective of the mercy and grace of the Almighty.

I do have a bit of sunny news, though! Monday afternoon I sat with my p.m. dose of joe at B &N, browsing through my favorite magazines, and I happened upon a picture of my first cousin, flora, in Domino! I did a double-take, and sure enough, it was a three page spread on her 'green' gardening and products! She is a palm broker with a green thumb to boot, and very successful in her trade. Turns out, she's actually had multiple articles in other publications like Dwell, Garden Design, and others! I was happy to see her beautiful face, as it's been years. (I have about 40 first cousins spread all over the U.S., did I mention that?)
So here's my shameless plug for you to all go check out the march issue of Domino. Flip over to the 'nesting' section, and you will find Flora Grubb (her real name, I promise)! Check her out here. And by all means, if you live in California, go and visit!

So hello, dear Flora, and wonderful job! And, if you have any suggestions, cousin, on what to do with the yucky yucca in my front garden, do tell.

oh, yum.

2008-02-14T21:55:00.000-06:00

I love cooking. Everything from the initial search for a good recipe, to that first taste of the final product....ahh, I'm just a sucker for all of it. When I was about knee-high, I would sit for hours and look through my grandmother's pastry and dessert books. The pictures almost made me drool. As I tried my childish hand at culinary things, my blessed momma would patiently endure all my confectionary experiments. She always sweetly reminded me that I would have to eat the end result, no matter how it turned out. I, altogether too confident for my little stature, thought that whatever I whipped up would be delectable. One time, that 'end result' was a glass of milk with a whole tablespoon of vanilla extract (would not recommend it!) and another time it was a muffin-tin full of flour, cocoa powder and oil. Yeck. But after all of that, I dearly appreciate how much time mom allowed and encouraged me to spend in the kitchen. I'm still diverging from the recipe these days, only not quite so far off! Lately I've been into salads. And this one shall be made again soon. Real soon.

(This is after we got to it, of course.)

The 'recipe:'

lots of lettuce, of course (include raddichio)
a handful of dried cranberries
a handful of finely diced walnuts
vinaigrette: olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sugar, raspberry preserves, pepper, and a teensy bit o' mustard.

on the present

2008-02-05T22:29:00.000-06:00

"We must try to take life moment by moment. The actual present is usually
pretty tolerable, I think, if we only refrain from adding to its burden that of
the past and future."

-C.S. Lewis

so good to me

2008-02-02T12:56:00.001-06:00

This produce hanger was only part of my birthday gift from Joshua in December. While I was out of the kitchen, he rigged a way to hang it up where I could see it. In the bottom tier was a 1 lb.bag of delicious sumatra coffee beans (he knows me well). In the middle, he placed a book he knew I wanted, and on the top tier was a dainty little bottle of shea butter soap. Pretty well rounded gift, wouldn't you say? A girl needs nothing else with something pretty and useful in her kitchen, a cup of strong coffee, a good read, and clean, sweet-scented hands. Good job, dearest.

springing forward a little early

2008-01-31T10:45:00.000-06:00

My phone rang at 6:00 this morning, with the happy news that school was closed due to the blustery weather. So... I've been happily taking my time, greatly enjoying what our home actually looks like in the sunlight of daytime! Yep, I'm sippin' my cup(s) nice and slow, taking some photos, playing my guitar, and getting things knocked off that list with a smile.

The white world out there really is breathtaking. But I much prefer being on the inside looking out. Today I'll be lighting candles and baking bread for Mr. Luper, looking forward to a season that's warm enough for these little porch dwellers to visit us again. Doesn't he just warm you up?

Taken in November.

Stay safe and warm!

a Sabbath cup

2008-01-27T19:24:00.000-06:00

We had a joyful weekend, full of meals with new friends and old friends ("one is silver and the other's gold" -- remember that song?) There is nothing like preparing a meal in one's kitchen with dear friends. But what's even better is sitting around the table together, gratefully breaking bread (pita, in this case!), drinking wine, celebrating the holy Sabbath. I have a feeling that I might be blogging about that restful day quite a bit in the future, so be warned!

In the meantime, one of my other favorite things to do on the Sabbath is, of course, partaking the the bounty of the bean: coffee.

monday's 'cup'

2008-01-21T22:54:00.000-06:00

"You need your coffee before you speak, I remember you telling me so."

-Riley & Maloney

I grew up listening to these guys. Actually I grew up listening to my parents sing their songs together (beautifully). The above line meant so much more to me after I realized that I really do need my coffee before I can speak, let alone do anything else. Making the coffee is the first thing I do. Every single morning, yep.

rest & remember

2008-01-20T16:46:00.000-06:00

Well folks, we've been buzzing around doing all sorts of things lately...and this next week is shaping up to be quite a flurry-scurry as well. But today I am resting, resting, resting. This day has been one full of beautiful worship, potato potlucks, snuggly socks, strong coffee, doubled blankets, earl grey, a good scrabble match, leftovers, and remembering. Here's one of very sweetest memories:

I pray you are resting as well.

Sarah Marie

hello there

2008-01-12T12:05:00.001-06:00

Hi, folks. After more than a six -month blogging sabbatical, I think it's time for a reboot! To catch you up a bit, in November I was joined in marriage to the most wonderful fellow. You will hear more about him, I'm sure! For now, though, I'll just share a couple of photos from our honeymoon in the Ozark Mountains.

There are more here.

It will be a while before my site looks and feels like 'me,' so please bear with me during the transition.

Blessings,

Sarah Marie