Currently // v.2

Up with another currently post. These are so fun, and I love the link-up! 

It's a great way to get a small peek into people's every day lives.

Dreaming // of a blizzard. I just want a blizzard y'all. A real, northern, South Dakota, can't leave my house for fear for my life, white out. I've been wanting one all winter, but no luck. Though locals say March brings the best snows around here, so maybe we'll get lucky!

Planning // a trip to Harry Potter World. Maybe this belongs under the dreaming category too. But after this post about it, I sooooo want to go! Hopefully this can be a brother/sister trip because I need someone to nerd out with me and my little brother, Jordan, would be my first and best pick.

Making // Roasted veggies. I made them a few weeks ago and they are delicious. I love a recipe that makes vegetables enjoyable to eat. My husband, Adam, even mentioned how great they were.

Baking // If you don't actually put it in the oven, does that count as baking? I made some rocking s'mores bars the other night for youth group. Marshmallows, chocolate, and golden grahams - does it get any better than that? Plus you just have to stick it in the refrigerator for an hour or so and it's done. Easy.

Watching // Mmmm not really anything. Adam is fasting TV for Lent, so I've just been doing a whole lot of reading in the evenings. My parents brought all my boxes of books when they visited, so I broke out some Harry Potter and I've been working my way through them again. If I can't go to Harry Potter World right now, I can at least visit Hogwarts in my imagination.

Link-up with Dearest Love and In Residence

Thoughts | Failure & Pride

Do you ever have those weeks where God seems to keep trying to hammer the same thing into your head over and over?

That's been my deal the past few days. And it hasn't been fun. I'm so prideful. I don't ever want to admit that I'm wrong, or that I've failed. Failure is the WORST.

That seems to be something else that has followed me around this week. Failure. You see, I decided to participate in Lent this year. My first year, ever. I wanted to make a sacrifice in my life so that I might know Jesus better. So, I made a commitment.

I committed to waking up an hour earlier than usual in the mornings, and to spend that hour reading my Bible, praying, and listening to the Lord. Well, I think for it to be a commitment, you actually have to do it. So, maybe I didn't make a commitment. Really, I made an empty promise because I've only actually done it once. In two whole weeks. Once. And believe me, it hurts to admit that.

Now of course, I had plenty of excuses - my parents were in town, I don't want to wake my parents. We got a puppy, I don't want to wake the puppy. I don't want to disturb my husband, I picked something hard, the list continues. But that is exactly what they are - excuses. Excuses for why I failed. But I don't want to sit back and make excuses. I have to accept responsibility for my own actions.

In reality, I didn't want to wake up. That's the truth of it. My alarm would go off, already disturbing my husband (there goes that excuse!), then I would snooze it until I actually had to get up and get ready. Then after I was showered, dressed, make-uped, and fed, I would sit down with my Bible for the 20 minutes I had before I left for work.

No change to my schedule, no sacrifice, no extra time with my Savior. Failure.

And you know, I haven't wanted to admit that I'd failed. My pride wouldn't let me. I've just been sitting back and hoping the problem would solve itself. And that's what God's been hammering over and over into my thick skull. What's more important - my pride or my relationship with Him? To be honest, my pride has been winning out.

But no longer. I'm done allowing my pride to control me. I'm done hiding my own weakness and failure. I'm done sitting back and waiting to be saved. I'm repenting of my pride and I'm going to arm myself with His strength, and with His grace and wage some war on my own laziness and apathy.

Tomorrow is another day to wake up and fight again.

Lord, help me. Please, create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me.

So, if you find yourself in the same spot, battling your pride or failure, know you aren't alone. Repent, and try again. It's hard, but keep fighting. And know that God's grace is so much bigger than your weakness.

Also, a huge thank you to Amy for her inspiring thoughts. This post really woke me up. Thank you.

March Goals

Shew! It feels like February flew by! It was here one minute and gone the next. I had so many things to accomplish that I didn't even bother to write a goals list. I just wanted to get moved into our new house and stay sane.

So, I'm welcoming in the new month with a fresh attempt at meeting some goals. And here they are:

1. Meet my neighbors - Again, we just moved. I am terrible at purposefully meeting new people. And you know how after a while it just gets awkward to go introduce yourself? I mean, what do you say? "Hi, I'm your neighbor. I moved in a year ago, I've waved to you as I've brought my trash in a few times, and my dog may have pooped in your front yard once or twice. Nice to meet you." Really. So, this month I want to make some cookies and knock on some front doors. I've been called to this community, time to go and meet them.

2. Get all the empty boxes out of my house - If it doesn't happen now it never will. I can hear that captor from Taken's voice in my head, "Good luck." *Gulp*

3. Send my brother one rocking birthday care package - He's the best little bro in the whole wide world and I think his day of birth is one to be totally celebrated! Since I can't be there, I want to send him something awesome. So, I'm on the lookout for some cool stuff to add to his box of goodies. Got suggestions for a care-free 20 year old guy? Send 'em my way!

4. Plan out 5 meals each week - Meal planning is one of my (many!) weaknesses. I'll do it for one week, then the next we'll just be scrounging up whatever we can find around the kitchen - or worse, grabbing some fast food. Adam and I have been wanting to eat healthier and I really think that starts with actually deciding ahead of time what we'll be eating. And I'm going with 5 meals a week because we don't really eat dinner on Wednesdays (youth group night) and that gives one free night for leftovers/eating out/dinner partying.

What are you trying to accomplish in March?