My Living Room Inspiration Board

I love creating inspiration boards it helps me to see if all my ideas are lining up to create the perfect room.
I'm thinking of a eclectic / rustic living room. I don't want a log cabin or hunters retreat, just touches of rustic here and there.

There are also some difficulties to the living room in the house that we are purchasing there is really only one wall the flat screen can he hung (of course my hubby thinks this should be the focal point of the room LOL), there is a fireplace with an insert that is not flush, and on the opposite wall is the breakfast bar for the kitchen. I'm still not sure about what colors because I don't want it to be too dark and I love lighter/brighter colors as accents.

So here are some of my ideas:

http://traceryinteriors.wordpress.com

One of the other problems that you might be able to tell is my husband really likes darker warmer tones and I like things a little lighter. Combining these two is the goal.

So tell me what to y'all think?

Namesake Study

I have decided to delay the start to the Namesake Study until Monday August 4th so that those of you that would like to order the book and join in can.

Here is a link to Amazon so that you can order the book. Namesake on Amazon

I will be posting some fun ideas for our new house over the next couple days and some of my personal thoughts about my devotional time with God.

An Introduction to Namesake by Jessica LaGrone

I just received my copy of Namesake in the mail last week and I will be sharing my journey through this book with you, I hope you can follow along.

Namesake is a bible study aimed at helping us see God's dreams for us and helping us to make them a reality. Throughout this book we will read about the stories of Abraham and Sarah, Jacob, Naomi,, Daniel, Peter, and an unnamed women.

Each chapter of this book has two main themes, transformation and revelation.

Transformation - A true and remarkable change. God is a wonderful creator and so when things he has created (mainly Us) goes astray he gets down in the mess and does everything He can to transform the situation, and make it new. (Revelations 21:5)

Revelation - To have revealed something. God makes revelations throughout the entire Bible by showing himself and His character.

"When we know who He is, our understanding of who we are and what we are about shifts dramatically...to show us (reveal) who we are and change us into whom we are called to be." -Namesake

This study looks at the question "Who is God?" and "Who is God calling me to become?"

Each chapter there are five readings in the following segments:

Read God's Word

Reflect and Respond

Pray About It

Act on It

I hope that all of you can join along and get this book, it really is a wonderful read. The study can be done individually but is structured for as a group devotional study.

House Purchasing Headaches

When my husband and I purchased our first home almost 8 years ago I was a loan processor, we had our real estate agent and I did the loan work. There was very little stress in the whole process. I was able to check on it every day and knew where it was in every stage. Well...let me tell you what, this time around it's completely different. I have never been this stressed!!!!!

Our offer was accepted almost two weeks ago, pest and home inspections done and are clear, the appraisal is done and is good. We are going with a USDA loan and I have no idea where we are or how it looks. We talked to our finance guy and he said we won't even know until a couple days before we are to sign our final loan documents if the loan is good or not. WHAT? So that means we could get all the way to the end of this stressful process and potentially not get the house because of the financing. That is crazy, my anxiety is through the roof. Please someone bring me a zanax.

Meanwhile we are starting to look at kitchen cabinets, carpet, and paint. Am I crazy, going to get my hopes up? I hope not, I pray every day that if it we are doing the right thing and its God's will that we live in this house that He please please please let everything go smoothly.

Here are a few pictures of the house in its current state, changes will be made! There may be a slow down in my bible study posts to every other day for the next couple months as we move and work on the house.

If you like the daily devotion please make sure to comment or send me a quick email, so I can take that into consideration as I make plans for future studies.

House

Dinning Area

The largest laundry room ever!

Hope for the Weary Mom - Chapter 10

10. Let's Walk Together

We moms need to stick together. We cannot go through life alone, we need each other. God's whole design for us is that we join together and walk through life with others and not alone.

Many of us, I hope all of us have at least that one person, a best friend that they can call and talk to or visit with regularly. But we all have seasons in life where we will be alone. Whether it be life, or kids, or illness, or a move. I pray these seasons are short, and that we remember God is still there. In times like these God is more than likely molding you and working behind the scenes on our hearts, changing us in ways we will not release until we are on the other side. God has a plan for our hearts and we need to stop, smile, and remember all that He has & will provide for us. 

If you are in one of those lonely places - pray for a friends ask God to bring a friend into your life. Ask for bravery to step out of your comfort zone and meet other moms.

Important Note: Friends don't complete your life, only God can complete your life and make it whole. Friends are there to compliment you and add laughter o your life.

We need to come together as women, wife's and moms. Join hands and walk a lifetime together. Encourage, enrich, and inspire one another!

From my Journal,

I have shared before that after I had my youngest Cloe (who is now 3.5) that I was alone. None of my friends at the time had small children. After the 1st couple weeks no one wanted to slow down and spend time with a newborn. I felt ditched and excluded. Shortly after my little turned 1 I lost all my friends and was truly alone. For months I cried and felt betrayed and angry. But I kept busy and turned to God. I started attending church reading the word. He repaired alot of brokenness inside me, molded me and put my priorities back in the correct order. I AM BETTER BECAUSE OF THAT LONELY TIME.

The whole purpose of my blog is to share my life and my stories to with women, wife's, and mothers who are like me. To try to create a place where others can share their stories too, where they will be hugged and supported, NOT judged.  

"For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them." Matthew 18:20

I forgot, I am going to start reading Namesake by Jessica LaGrone on Monday the 28th. I think this is going to be a really good one. If you want to read along make sure to pick this one up and the companion book Six Keys to a Transformed Life.

Hope for the Weary Mom - Chapter 9

9. When the World Presses In

I am not going to go very in depth on this chapter, since deep hurt and loss have not hit my life yet. I have had people close to me die, but I have not had anyone in my immediate family pass. I give my sincere condolences to those have.

During the hardest of times please remember that God does walk away from us we walk away from God, but all we have to do is turn around and He will be there waiting.

Her are some tips for preparing for and getting through when the world presses in on you.

1. Build your foundation now 

-Build your life on the rock and on the word of God. 

-Don't wait for tomorrow to give your life to God, build an intimate relationship with God.

-Build, Build, Build

-Find a church and surround yourself with people that have a strong relationship with God. 

-Find time everyday to pray and read the word

-Say "Yes" to God, commit to obey His word.

2. Try hard not to walk through life alone

-Meet your neighbors

-Join one of the groups at your church

-Stay close to your family

-Invest in relationships with others outside your household

3. Keep talking to God

-Tell God how you feel

-God is big enough to handle all our feelings, so let him have it all

4. Refuse to let go of hope

"There is life beyond the tragedy It's hard to see that or accept it when you're tight in the middle." - Tracey Hope for the Weary Mom

Tomorrow is the last chapter of this study so make sure to check in tomorrow for that and info on what I'm reading next.

Hope for the Weary Mom - Chapter 8

8. When You Want to Give Up

Mothering requires all of a woman. From the time you conceive you have to give your body, soul, mind and heart to your kids. Its a great thing that women-child bond, but it can sometimes seem like a curse.

When we have given it all and are then pushed, pulled, and tugged plus our coaxing, begging, and praying - and then nothing changes. We are often left empty, worn out and exhausted.

Wanting to give up

During times like these we can enter into a season of faltering faith. We don't want to hear God's voice. God might be answering your prayers by changing your heart not your circumstance. Sometimes God is outside the mess, but speaks to the mess before he sits down next to us in our mess.

A great story about being exhausted and God asking for a little more is Peter and the fishing nets - cast out your nests. Luke 5:1-9

(questions 1 of the chapter questions) Trying one more time is kind of what parenting is all about. Not giving up on our kids, but trying again through all the pain, anger, and frustration. My husband has always told me to try again tomorrow, it doesn't have to be completed today. And its true - potty training is not done in one day there are very little thing that we teach our children that can be taught in one day. "Holding out that flicker of hope, enough to propel your feet forward one more stop of faith, matters to God." - Hope for the weary Mom

God provides our salvation, we can't earn it and there's nothing we can do to earn our kids salvation. 

From my journal,

I have to remember that it's God plan and even with all my obedience and prayer that following God doesn't bring instant change for me and my family.

"Salvation doesn't come by the work of our hands."

This is really hard for me because my husband and oldest daughter are not very religious and are not strong believers. I pray almost every day for God to speak to their hearts so that they will be able to enjoy faith like I do. So that we can be a closer family in our common faith. "Because God created our hearts He knows the best way to reach them." - Hope for the Weary Mom

4. I proclaim to the world and to God that I will NEVER give up on my family and my girls. I know that God will reach the hearts of my family when the time is right. 

God - 

When I become weary and have nothing left. 

Please remind me that I have the strength to go on and not give up. 

- Amen