2727Love is not ever being able to keep a straight face when arguing about nonsense, no matter how mad we are.
I am not what I ought to be. I am not what I want to be. I am not what I hope to be. But still, I am not what I used to be. And by the grace of God, I am what I am.
John Newton
this, a thousand times over.
(via eternalunfolding)
(Source: radquotes, via unworthyofhisgrace)
(via unworthyofhisgrace)
Woke up to a surprise snowfall this morning and no school! Then the sun came out and my excitement melted into familiarity like the snow. This is what it is like to live in the desert with all its beautiful but momentary affairs. I love it and resent it for those very same reasons, but I am definitely ready for the upcoming change. Lord, help me have joy for the familiar things while I have them!
This month we are searching for a venue for the wedding! And after some long, grueling, convincing and arm wrestling, I was finally persuaded to get married in a chapel. Now don’t get me wrong! Us Christians love cute little chapels, but I always pictured myself getting married outside in the forest with birds chirping and the wind blowing through my hair in slow motion. Apparently family tradition for Jonathan’s family in India points to chapel weddings, and I wouldn’t want to mess any of that up so I gave in. Now I have to admit that looking into chapel weddings hasn’t been so bad after all and I am really quite excited for it! I recently visited Edwards Mansion in Redlands, CA and it changed my opinion completely. Even after planning extensively on an outdoors wedding I can actually picture myself walking down that aisle. The nice thing about doing it here also is that they basically do everything for you including set up & tear down, catering, and music. Also, the reception area is literally right next to the chapel. All of that = less stressed out Arielle & Jonathan which = less stressed out everyone and that sounds pretty darn good to me. PLUS! If you book your day before the end of the month you get the wedding ceremony for free, which means you save $995! It’s tempting to just dive right in, but it is only the first place that we’ve seen so far so I’m trying to calm myself down about it until the end of the month. But come on, lets just be real, it’s a stinkin’ cute chapel. Anyways, so with Edwards Mansion in mind, we continue on our quest to find the cutest wedding chapel and reception area this side of the Inland Empire. Please let me know if you have any suggestions! :)
| white girl: | *goes to gym* *runs on treadmill for 2 minutes* *opens instagram* *takes pic of her stomach w/ sports bra showing* what the gymm does to youu <333 #working #out #gym #skinny #highwaisted #love #healthy |
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Oh yeah, and I got to spend some time with 2 of the best people in my life before they both move :) What the heck am I going to do without them?
Pictures from the last few weeks! Got to babysit an angel baby, take a random trip up to the snow, and spend some much needed mountain time with my man since he’s come home from India. We went antiquing, watched the snow melt, and took a drive to nowhere. Aaaand now that he is back WE CAN START PLANNING OUR WEDDING! :) This year until March 2014 will consist of plenty of planning, changing, and arranging traveling visas for family in India. Hopefully we have spaced things out enough to get everything done with little to no stress, but I am anxious and know that this year will go by fast. I think I’ll start to finally put this blog to use (talk about something other than India) and write as we prepare to do this thing! I have a strict budget that I am adamant about sticking to, but I literally have no idea what I am doing so we’ll have to see what really happens. Stay tuned :)
Isaiah 55
“Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And let your soul delight itself in abundance…”
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.”
Sometimes instead of saying “I want what God wants for my life” we are really living from the thought that “God wants what I want for my life.” One seeks for the glory of God, while the other seeks for the glory of self. If we admit God knows best but we are unwilling to yield to Him how can we expect to receive the best? Why do we wage for what ultimately will not satisfy, or what isn’t God’s best for us? His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts! They are higher and better than anything we could come up with on our own.
Daily reminder to myself:
“Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who had been reclining at table close to him and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” John 21:20-22
Don’t be like Peter in this passage. Mind ya bidnezz, and keep your eyes on the Prize.
“I was a hungry child
A dried up river
I was a burned out forest
And no one could do anything for me
But You put food in my body
And water in my dried bed
And to my blackened branches
You brought the springtime
Green of new life
And nothing is impossible for You”
