I Belize We'll Build A High School Together!

Hey y'all!

I just wanted to pop in and let y'all know that A&M UMC has a missions team heading out today to Belize. We'll be working on continuing building the Belmopan Methodist High School this next week that we started clearing the field for last year.

You can read updates from the field daily here on our missions blog.
Please be in prayer for us as we head out and fulfill the great commission.

Reading is Ridiculous...

One of my 12 for 12 goals is that I finish every book I've started in the last few years. I could think of a few book titles at the time when I wrote that down. I had no idea what I was about to find stashed away in plain sight on bookshelves waiting for me to rediscover them - all 24 books that I never finished. I'm not even sure that the number is capped there. I read a few excerpts from Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers but I think that's going to be rain checked for next year after looking at this list.

Okay y'all, here is the ridiculous amount of books I will try to read this year:

One Month to Live - Kerry and Chris Shook
I think I got to Day 2.

Vintage Jesus - Mark Driscoll
Read most of it, lacking a few chapters at the end.

Get Uncomfortable - Todd Phillips
I'm not even sure where I stopped...

Enfrente a sus Gigantes - Max Lucado
That's Facing Your Giants for those who thought this blog was in English. Yes, I only own this book in Spanish.

Wild at Heart - John Eldredge
I got slightly past page 10...

LiT - Dave Edwards
I can not tell you how many times I've started this and stopped.

Quitting Church - Julia Duin
I actually got through over half of this if I remember correctly.

A Call to Die - David Nassar
I always end up switching to something else...

Sacred Romance - Curtis & Eldredge
I can tell you where I was when I started Chapter 1, which was the last time I ever read it.

When I Relax, I Feel Guilty - Tim Hansel
There's a poem in the beginning of the book that I've read too many times to count. I at least finally started Chapter 1 this last semester...

Breaking Free - Beth Moore
I think I actually read about half of this one semester with ASC and stopped when we had to stop for Summer.

So Long Insecurity - Beth Moore
I actually haven't started this book yet. I'm hoping to read it in its entirety this spring though.

The Grand Sweep - J. Ellswoth Kalas
My church is doing this as a read the whole Bible in the year plan together. I'm way behind. I did get the book in February and it was supposed to be started in January. Excuse? Oh, yes.

Ragamuffin Gospel - Brennan Manning
I read the first chapter in a car once. I proceeded to carry it everywhere with me for awhile and never opened it again.

The Ultimate Field Guide to Photography - National Geographic
I started this and never really got too far into the book. I need to. I think its owner is missing it...

When God Writes Your Love Story - Eric Ludy
I think I may have read three chapters in this? That is probably an overestimate though.

Forgotten God - Francis Chan
I can guarantee that I only read the first chapter.

Scared, A Novel - Tom Davis
I have no idea how far I got into reading this, but I know that I loved it!

Dangerous Wonder - Mike Yaconelli
First chapter. I'm pretty positive on that guess. There is a bookmark at least in it indicating that I would return. That's a plus, right?

Blue Like Jazz - Donald Miller
I read a few chapters in the back of the book. I went back and read Chapter 1 the other day. I'm not so sure about finishing this one.

Redeeming Love - Francine Rivers
I read three chapters in this book! Then, I went to sleep and never went back to it again.

The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Down, Book 2 - Neta Jackson
I loved this book! I was reading the first book in the series at the very end of my study abroad in Costa Rica last summer. I started this book when I was in the hospital right when I got back. I got to page 123/422 which isn't too bad.

Confronting the Controversy - Adam Hamilton
My kindle says I'm about 11% into this book. That's not too bad, right? That may be the Chapter 2 start page, or not, that's just how I feel...

The Dating Blook - Matt Lantz
I've actually gotten pretty far on this. I have been reading bits and pieces out of order, but with my reading history, what's to be expected?

I think I just proved that either:
A) I'm a quitter when it comes to reading.
B) I finished an extremely low number of books in college.
C) I have a lot of reading to catch up on this year.
D) I need help; AKA all of the above.

Pink, Red, Adorable.

As if all of the stores haven't thrown up pink and red hearted adorable-ness lately, here's some wedding fun for y'all to check out on this romantic holiday:

Nerdy love notes. You fog my spectacles. Genius.

Travel themed engagement photos are quickly becoming one of my faves.

There's something organically beautiful about ribbon streamers.

Cute little animated proposal.

How fun is inviting some flamingos to enjoy your big day?

Loving options for different stationary papers. So cute, elegant and fun!

Muppets + Proposals = Loving both this couple and their fun attitudes!

Super colorful and cute bachelorette party.

 Backdrops of sheer genius.

With all of the Will & Kate hype long gone, I still think this picture is pretty neat.

There's something about graphic designs on walls like graffiti that I just love.

A terrifying way to take the plunge into marriage.

Not sure where I am on the long vs. short wedding dress debate, but I would say 'I do' to the skirt of this dress.

Happy Birthday To Us!

Happy Birthday To Lori & I!
Enjoy this birthday video. It kind of cracks me up:

Cardboard

For years, I've loved cardboard. There's something about the texture and the endless possibilities. It must have started in my childhood with Mrs. Powers' classroom being turned into an airport with a huge life-size cardboard airplane. Best Teacher Ever!

My friend, Hanna, sent me this video a few days ago and I finally got the chance to watch it just now. I love it. These short testimonies written on cardboard say so much with so few words.

Fashion Venture

My friend, Sarah, told me out of the blue the other day that I should start a fashion blog. She had no idea I was already a blogger which is totally okay. I'm taking her advice though and letting y'all see what I'm wearing. It can be part of my 12 for 12 as it goes under Blog and Create. (Hey Sarah, thanks for the fabulous idea!)

This is actually the outfit I wore the day that Sarah let me know what new venture I would be starting with. Sorry about the picture quality - the lighting in my house is not exactly that great which explains why the first two pictures are so blah.

 

Keep in mind that some of these items as well as future items have been in my closet for awhile and I may not always know where they are from. :)

Denim Shirt: TJ Maxx?

Sweater: TJ Maxx

Belted Skirt: Dillard's

Leggings: Target

Boots: Shoe Rack?

Pocket Watch Necklace: Urban Outfitters

It's Never Too Late to Change - Delve

Hi, I make New Years Resolutions on the 26th of January instead of the 1st. This year, I said that I wasn't going to do any New Years Resolutions. In the last few weeks though, I've changed my mind. In fact, I may have made twelve resolutions...

Reading all the beginning of the year blogs and talking to my friends, Andrea and TeeJay, about all the options of the new year made me desire to actually do something. I've ended up combining a few of my favorite New Years Ideas including Jon Acuff's Finish Year with Words of the Year (Up, Grow, Delightful) and Andrea's sister-in-laws Twelve for Twelve - Twelve Resolutions for the year 2012. 

I'm kind of excited about this. I mean, it's all still new. It is still January. I know making a New Years resolution-ish blog post so close to February is a little iffy, but that's okay!


Twelve for Twelve
They are: Books, 5K, Quotes, Blog, Create, Learn, Gratefulness, Minimize, Handmade, Intentionality, No, Word.

1. Finish Year: Books I've Already Started.
I am positive that I am not the only person with a reading problem. I used to devour full books in a day, now I can't even stumble through reading a full book in a year. I have a knack that no matter how much I am enjoying any particular read, I will stop at Chapter 3. Okay, that's being way too lenient. I usually stop after Chapter 1. I made it to the first page of Chapter 4 on Redeeming Love so in my mind, all the books I've ever started that ended up in piles of books on my nightstand or in my car were all immediately jumped to that first page of Chapter 4. This is exactly how I missed a full half of one of the Harry Potter books. (For the record, I figured it out because of the confusion my mind was in during the movie.) For Finish Year: Books, I will attempt to finally finish all those books that got left behind after that first chapter or so.

2. Finish Year: Work Out More - 5K.
I ran a half marathon once. Okay, okay, I sprinted about 5 minutes during a half marathon that I walked. That does seem quite different now that I think about it. My goal is to run a 5K in its entirety by the end of 2012. I'm going to start slow by walking the majority of one next weekend, but we all have to start somewhere.

3. Finish Year: Quote Book.
I started a quote book when I was in high school. This is really just a green journal that I wrote down a few quotes I liked and has now expanded to a huge list including sections of books that challenge, inspire and make me laugh. I want to fill up the whole thing with quotes from the books I read for Finish Year, scriptures that are near to m heart, favorited tweets and other quotes I've heard or seen around Pinterest.

4. Blog More. Regularly. Intentionally.
You agree on this one, right? I wish I had gotten paid this last semester for every time someone asked me when I was going to update again. I don't want this blog to be a place where I update when I feel like I have the time. I want it to be intentional. I stink at journaling because my hand cramps up, but I can type all day plus I have things to say to the world, whether I always believe it or not. Here's to blogging more regularly!

5. Create.
I was really good at favorite-ing food items on Foodgawker last semester. I was really good at adding blogs to the bookmarks on my computer to come back and look at, cook the recipe of, or craft from, etc. Now after having held out for almost a year, I am finally on Pinterest. (You can follow me here.) It's dumb to have all these great ideas and recipes at my fingertips and not utilize any of them. That is what I will strive to do, whether it's a recipe, craft or whatnot as often as I can.

6. Learn.
Confession time. (Although, my whole 12 for 12 may be one big confession really). I have an awesome camera with access to a ton of great resources and I don't utilize these resources nearly enough. I have a desire to speak Spanish even more fluently yet never practice. I want to be able to tell you what wrong with my car but I just never read up on it. I want to be able to do ________, yet I just don't. For all those things I need to practice or learn, this is their spot in my next year. Can't say it will be perfectly done, but I want to at least put forth an effort.

7. Minimize & Organize.
I have a bunch of stuff I don't need or even have the desire to still have as well as things that are silly but I still want to hold on to. Jeans that don't fit? Yeah, it's time to part ways with you. Piles of ticket stubs in drawers? Let's get you in a book or something. Every card I've gotten in my life? The full drawer is nice, but let's find you a better home. I need to give away and declutter. I need to organize and repurpose.

8. Gratefulness.
'Hi I'm American!' seems to be synonymous with 'Hello, I'm ungrateful.' I want to use up a bunch of thank you notes this year not only so I can get new ones, but because there are a ton of people that could use the encouragement, gratitude and even a Sunday funnie in a letter to brighten up their day. I wan to give that to them.

9. Handmade.
Ever go into a friends house and you can practically see the store layouts of where they got them and which of your other friends also owns it? No? It may just be me and my problem with noticing things at stores right after seeing them at a friends house. It's like individuality has gone out the window with all these brands (Sorry to rag on you Target. You know I love you as I have my fair share of Target buys littering my home). The favorite gifts I've given these last 2 years have been homemade gifts. This is the year I want to try to give as many homemade gifts as possible (although there will be some exceptions!)

10. Intentionality in Relationships.
You can say I'm good at this. You can say I'm terrible at this. Both statements are true. How? I'm really good with being intentional in some relationships and not so intentional in other ones. Why can't I just be intentional in all of them? Its ridiculously hard for sure, but their are definitely some friends that I have allowed to be stranded by the wayside during tough crunch times. (Also, shout out and thank you to all of those whom were more than willing to change our coffee dates into picking out diploma frames, running errands, etc. You know who you are and you are amazing!) This year though, I want to try my best to be fully present during hangouts and opportunities I have with family, friends and strangers. This will be a work in progress, possibly forever.

11. Say No & Relax.
This is for sure going to be the most difficult thing to do. I think it's pretty self explanatory but do more downtime rather than running at 97 miles per hour just because I can. All the running, chaos and last minute plans cause burn out and that's not good to cope with. Why not forgo all that and just rest some before the burn out? Brilliant. This is going to be so hard. 

12. Word.
Delve into the word. This one is also pretty self explanatory, but I really want to get inside the stories of the Bible and really develop not just a relationship with God, but truly a deep intimacy with the scriptures to go alongside of it.

& The one word that sums it all up for me? Delve

 Also, if you've made it this far, enjoy the 2011 Twitter Timeline Review.