• Beauty…


    If you’ve been following this blog any length of time, you know I’m addicted to pictures of sunrises and sunsets.

    They’re just something about them that makes me smile. So, I was “flipping” through my photo albums (on iPhoto) and found a few to share.

    View of sunset from my driveway!

    ~~~~

    Sunrise from Thunderbird Trail

    ~~~~

    Another from Thunderbird...I run this trail once per week!

    ~~~~~

    Our days fill up so quickly with places to be, people to see, and things to do, I hope you find some time this weekend to slow down and witness a sunrise or sunset. If you snap a picture, post the link here and I’ll go check it out!

    ~~~~~

  • Happy Anniversary


    We didn't see each other before the service, so pictures were taken after. . .

    ***Here is a repost of one of my favorites from the last Week of Love***

    When it came to choosing a person to do the scripture readings at our wedding, I didn’t hesitate–Lynn & RG Boeyink. That’s Charlie’s Mom and Dad.

    First, they’re awesome role models (married 43 years now!) Second, their faith continually astounds me. Third–well, there is no third, I just KNEW they were the people to do it.

    But when Lynn and RG made their way to the podium, I got a little nervous because I saw Lynn carrying a piece of paper.

    It was then that I knew she’d written something down.

    It was then that I knew, I would need Kleenx–lots of them.

    She just has a way with words . . . So, here is what she read.

    Not an eye was dry in the church.

    Enjoy, and be sure to stop by tomorrow, because my sweet hubby is breaking down his TOP TEN most favorite love songs. And he knows how to pick them, let me tell you.

    ~~~

    When was it Love?

    By Lynn Boeyink

    I wore my mom's wedding dress. My diamond is Charlie's mom's engagement diamond.

    Little did you two know that on the campus in Marshall, Minnesota, you would meet, eventually fall in love with, and today marry each other. As the months and years passed at Southwest State and the friendships came and went, you established yourselves there, chose your fields of study, worked and played, and the awareness of one another became more real.

    But when what is love?

    Was it a glimmer of in your smiles that set the world in fire or was it in the eyes that sparkle and light up a room?

    Perhaps there was something unique in that friendly manner and charm that seemed to be so natural. Or was it that confident style that told everyone you met that you could conquer any task or problem that came your way?

    Was it a sense of love on those first few dates when you were convinced that this is one very special person? Or, was it when the realization that your life goals and commitment to hard work were similar or when you realized that your enjoyment of the outdoors and sports were compatible?

    This is one of my favorite pictures of me and my dad on my wedding day

    Perhaps it was love when you learned of one another’s faith in Jesus Christ and that you both had a desire to be a part of the world around you but not to live by worldly standards. Maybe it grew to be real love as your time together became more and more cherished and your time apart more uncomfortable.

    It must have been true love when you looked into one another’s eyes and finally knew deep in your hearts that you wanted to be together forever.

    But you do know, don’t you, that it really was love long before you ever met, before your first date, even before you left home to venture out on your own to make your way in the world. Before you did any of these things—it was love!

    It was love because God says in his word, “Before I formed you in your mother’s womb, I knew you.” and He says, ‘I know the plans I have for you…plants to give you home and a future.”

    So you see, it was love for you when you committed to each other, but God loved you long before that, His love is eternal, and his plans for you stand firm forever.

    It was love for you before you were ever born, because God said so. He planned it that way. May you grow in this love for each other with time knowing always that your union is part of God’s divine plan for your lives.

    You may kiss the bride. Bonded for life now and happy to be.

    ~~~

    So, what’s your love story?

  • Movie Quotes–The Week of Love


    I know I usually do movie quotes on Wednesday, but I have a special post planned for that day…so here we go with a special sappy, love story, gushy version of Movie Quotes.

    ~~~~

    1. Brains stick with brains. The bomb could go off and their mutant genes would form the same cliques.

    2. You look good wearing my future.

    3. Oh no, come on, you don’t know that. Hey he asked you right? Maybe you guys could, like, um you know get a house together and, like, buy some diamonds and a horse. I don’t know.

    4. Wave good-bye to your buddies, Mayonnaise! Oh, I forgot. You don’t have any buddies, do you? Only customers!

    ~~~~

    Leave your guesses in the comments. If you have any sappy love quotes you want to share—please do! Let’s see if we can guess them!

    ~~~~~

  • Trust…


    This past weekend I got to hang out with my soon to be 11 year-old nephew, Luke. He flew in from Colorado all by himself.

    I love having him around. Such a great kid.

    But an 11-year old boy…what the heck will I do with him while he’s here?

    LOL

    No, he’s really easy going, but I met up with a friend and she suggested rock climbing.

    I’m like, “Um–NO!”

    Yeah, I’m kind of a wimp–I know my history of speed skating, road/mountain biking would suggest otherwise–but still…ROCK CLIMBING?

    I stepped out of my comfort zone and at least called. Turns out he was too young to Belay for me, so I was safe from having to scale the 30-foot walls, but then it dawned on me. I’d have Luke’s life in my hands.

    Literally.

    Silly Luke!

    I’ve never had that. I don’t have kids. I have a couple of dogs, yeah, but still…this was a HUMAN life. This cute, funny, awesome kid—–>

    I sucked it up and got all the waivers out to Luke’s Mom to sign and all that fun stuff.

    So, 1pm on Friday of last week we made our way to Ape Index.

    We got buckled up. We did our lesson and Luke had a little fun…

    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj_ELn9E1Nk]

    ~~~~

    And then…we were on our own.

    YIKES.

    He's nearly 30-feet up on this one!

    It took a few tries before we both gathered up our nerve but then he took off. Look at him go!

    The whole experience got me thinking about trust. Holy cow the trust he had in me to hold him steady should he fall or slip. I was both honored and scared. More honored than scared…the fear only lasted a little while. Then I thought about all the people I trust and I realized how truly blessed I am.

    Sure, I’ve been betrayed before. I think we all have, right?

    But just because one restaurant screwed up our meal, it’s not like I’d NEVER go out to eat again. Or, just because I went to one bad movie, it’s not like I’d NEVER go to a movie again.

    You just learn with each bump, right? You’ve heard me say that a few times on this blog before, huh?

    Anyway. We had a blast, and besides a few blisters on our hands, we arrived home in one piece.

    Who knows, maybe some of this will end up in one of my future novels….

  • Inspiration


    I usually do a “This Writer’s Journey” post here, but I decided to take a break from that today.

    No profound reason or anything, just…because.

    Instead, I wanted to share a bit of inspiration with you. We all have people in our lives who inspire us, and sometimes they do something that just makes you sit back and say, “Holy cow, I’m super lucky.”

    One day I sat at my laptop and opened up the cover to start up some writing. And this is what I found:

    ~~~~

    That’s from my sweet hubby. Sometimes we just need a little pick-me-up, don’t we?

    What’s something inspiring that’s happened to you this week? You might have just the story someone else needs to see today!