More about the birds

Monday, October 31, 2011

10,000 reasons


      In light of all the loveliness that is Follower Fall Fest Party, I did try to think of something fun and crafty or warm and yummy to whip up and serve, electronically, to the potential viewers of my post....but nothing would click! Truth be told, I'm not the craftiest or the most able in the kitchen...I'm learning and doing what I can, so I guess what I DO have to offer is the best thing I can whip up this Fall...figuring out how to be thankful.
     We all have things, many things, to be thankful for! The trick is to start small: like being thankful for that parking spot right in front of the grocery store so you don't have to walk in the rain, or that text you received from a friend with encouragement for that moment. These little things may seem small, but you'll soon discover thousands of reasons to be thankful for the life you have.

     Toby and I have had it rough with the demands of work and ministry and sometimes find it hard to think of positive things when we feel so bogged down with what we have to do. It happens to EVERYONE. We run and gun all day, week, or year and then feel totally drained! However, in this season of harvest and plenty, it's time to turn our eyes to where our help really comes from and thank our good G-D for all He does. We may be stressed, but we can pay our bills. We may hate our jobs, but we're being provided for. We may feel empty, but G-D is ready to pour life back into us. It's a beautiful cycle of being broken and built back up; each time we are more whole than before. So even though it's not quite Thanksgiving and not quite time for the "Things I'm Thankful For" list, I will make one anyway because I NEED to remember His goodness so I don't forget the hope that comes with faith in Him. :)

1. The G-D of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. Without Him, I would be worth nothing. Without his provision I would be dead, Without His grace, I would surely never do anything right. Without His mercy, I would not be forgiven. Without His son Yeshua, I would have no way to the Father. Thank You, G-D for all that you are and for all the seasons you bring me through.

2. My beautiful, handsome, heart-of-gold husband, Toby. You are truly my soul mate and the reason to my rhyme. I love you so much and love walking our G-D's plan for our lives with you!

3. My family. I have an amazing, strong mom who I love so dearly and my aunt, uncle, and cousins are the best thing in the entire world! My NEW family (Toby's family) are the best in-laws anyone could ever ask for. Such a hilarious, tender, crazy, G-D fearing family...like my own!

4. My amazing congregation Beth Yeshua International. I am learning so much and growing so tremendously in my faith there. G-D truly put me here miraculously and I am so thankful everyday to be part of this place!

5. My sweet little life with my husband. We don't have too much, but we never lack for anything. We have a little apartment, a little TV (for real, our big one broke and now we have a little bitty one!), a little couch and a lot of love! We just celebrated our first year of marriage and I am SO thankful that G-D provides for us the way He does.
So thankful for this man :)

Me and mom

Me and my cousins :)
Here's to our little life!

     These are the things that encourage me. G-D is ALWAYS good, even when things seem bad. As this song by Matt Redman says, there are always "10,000 reasons for my heart to find".


What are you thankful for today?

Keep smiling today,

~B~





Thursday, October 27, 2011

Interview with an Umpire

Ok, so not REALLY an interview, but the title was too catchy I just had to keep it!
Toby's Dad umpires a lot around a town called Griffin in Georgia so in a sense, the title is still truthful!

Anyways, last weekend we traversed down 475 and spent our Sunday touring Toby's old stomping grounds in Griffin and visiting his Dad and Stepmom. We always have a fantastic time when we go and this time it did not disappoint. We visited Toby's old high school, elementary, and middle school and various other happy and crazy memories around town. After the trip down memory lane, we went to Dad's and had a good 'ole time! We had a fantastic dinner of Tacos (Hallelujah for Mexican food!) and then we watched AMC's The Walking Dead.
I do not normally condone zombie stuff, but this show is CRAZY good. The reason it has so much appeal is because the ensemble cast is excellent. Good script. Good actors. Great plot. It's two thumbs up.
    Oh, and bonus, scenes from this show were shot mere minutes away from Griffin! Special little town :)

Tornado damage off the highway near Griffin

Top Left: Griffin sign, Bottom Left: Fall prettiness in Griffin, Right: Beaverbrook Elementary
Hopscotch!
Drop and give me 20! Reliving old ROTC days :)

Getting artsy at Beaverbrook!
Fun day with my sweet husband!
                         Love you Ted and Lisa and Mally Mal! We had a blast with you on Sunday!

~B~

Thursday, October 20, 2011

The trouble with troubles



"I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind.
Some come from ahead and some come from behind.
But I’ve bought a big bat. I’m all ready you see.
Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!"
-Dr. Seuss

     This could possibly be the most responsible answer to trouble I have ever read! Honestly though, this is a rather true little poem. Trouble, anywhere from a stubbed toe to getting laid off, seems to lurk around most corners these days. I wish it were simple, like swatting a fly,  but getting trouble to go away just is not. However, our G-D DOES equip us to give our troubles troubles! Maybe not with a bat, but with a sword! Which, in my opinion, does a lot more damage. This world can get mean and nasty, sometimes by accident and sometimes on purpose. They trick is, to KNOW with whom you stand. We, as believers, aren't just sissy little things that sit with their arms crossed and wait to keep turning the other cheek. NO! We are invited, no, REQUIRED to stand up and boldly live the lives we've been given! If the enemy is hot on your heals and giving you a run for your money in this life, you just might be doing something to offend him...which is a very good thing! Be encouraged, you're gaining ground for the L-RD! But, don't back down. Do as Dr. Seuss, and give the troubler some trouble. Just keep giving G-D the glory! That's a whooping enough for the enemy.
     Just wanted to send a little encouragement your way :)
 On another note....


       ....the Autumn weather is FINALLY kicking in! I wore long sleeves and a hat to work and was full of sheer delight! I am preparing some more yummy recipes for Autumn so hopefully more to come!


Also, hubs has been taking lots of Fall photos so hopefully there will be lots of odes to Fall coming soon!

Have a good one and enjoy the day!


B

Monday, October 17, 2011

Chag Sameach! (Happy Holiday)

Well, that is your Hebrew lesson for the day! "Chag Sameach" (pronounced chag sa-may-ach) means happy holiday, and OH what a happy holiday it has been! Sukkot, or "feast of tabernacles" started last Wednesday night and it goes until this Thursday. It's one of my favorite holidays! G-D's people have been celebrating it for generations and it will be celebrated when Yeshua returns and tabernacles with us once again! It's like a pre-anniversary of His coming. WOO! So exciting.
    We had a big party at the synagogue on Saturday with food, music, dancing, and even CAMPING. How cool is that? It was really cool seeing everyone come together to celebrate. I took some not so amazing pictures to somewhat document the merriment.



Campers at the Sukkot party!
The masses coming together for prayers before eating!
Some hottie saying a prayer :)
Toby and his mama

Our synagogue banner. It means house of Yeshua (Jesus)
We're actually onstage taking this picture haha.

Rockin the guitar.

Lovely sunset over the trees and synagogue. Laila tov! (good night)
     

                                                      We had ourselves a good time!


Friday, October 14, 2011

A ten and some fives

     Now, I know we all remember these kinds of things from ancient social medias past, but to me the trend is certainly NOT outdated. I remember a time when wearing cowboy boots or, heaven forbid, skinny jeans were not cool but look at us now! We wear them together!
 So, in light of this out-of-style-but-brought-back-in-style thread we've got going here, let's do a little survey :)


10 Years Ago...

     I was 15, a theatre addict, an a cappella choir fiend, and felt a lot older than I really was.

5 things on my to do list...
     1. Do the laundry, which is currently sitting in my dryer and wrinkling as we speak...
     2. Pick my outfit for tomorrow and gear up for a loooong but fabulous day. SUKKOT!
     3. Put ingredients for white chili in the crock pot at precisely 11:00 so it can cook all night          and be ready when I wake up :)
     4. Buy a flat iron that doesn't suck for my thick, amazon, jungle hair.
     5. Snuggle with the husband before we go to sleep...that's my favorite one :)

5 snacks I enjoy...
     1. UTZ CRAB CHIPS. Yes. They are kosher (no crab, just old bay seasoning) and they                are number one.

     2. Pretty much any left overs we have in the fridge...if I'm desperate.
     3. Tea.

     4. Oatmeal cream pies. So bad for me. but so gooooood for me.
     5. Anything sweet. Can't get enough sugar. not good haha.


5 favorite things...
1. My husband :)
2. My bible
3. my iPod touch and all it's accessories.
4. instagram
5. my new bangs

5 places I have lived...
1. Tulsa, OK
2. Garland, TX
3. Macon, GA
4. Macon, GA again...but our new home together!
5. That's all I got.

5 things most people don't know about me...
1. I once lit my hair on fire when I was five, thus leaving me with a set of "bangs" which             were really just singed curls that looked like a bail of hay.
2. I make up characters around the house with Toby that are probably clinically insane.
3. I'm a total homebody. I love our home. And the lovers in it :)
4. I don't like Cod fish.
5. I really like owls.


That's all for now!


- B

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Anniversary Day!



If a picture is worth a thousand words,
then I have millions of words for ya!

Toby and I celebrated our very first anniversary last weekend. We have looked forward to it for a long time and it was really nice celebrating the big and small wonderful things about each other.
Toby,
I love you more than words can say. You are my partner in all things, my best friend, and the love of my life. Thank G-D He sent you to me!

And now, for your photo journey of our:
"DAY IN DAHLONEGA"
Our little picnic!

Husband taking Fall pics
Smile, bebe :)

Ready to go a-wine tasting!
mmm...here we come!
A glimpse of our experience!
Walking (and joking) through the vineyard!
Perfect day! We love cloudy skies.
GIGANTIC pumpkin in downtown Dahlonega
Best day to walk around with the husband :)

     Important details that these pictures DO NOT include are: the random and quite dead boar strapped to a car on the way to Dahlonega, the creepy dirt road that led to a sketchy park we decided NOT to picnic at, to avoid being potentially murdered, the funny man at the winery we overheard bragging about how he had been to EVERY winery in the area, and many more things that would take too long to explain.
We have a good time, me and the husband. I like him a lot. Glad I married him :)

- B

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Feelin' pretty good tonight!

     With another beautiful Yom Kippur past, our first anniversary coming up, and Sukkot coming soon, I just don't have a lot of complaints right now! Today was fabulous, even when it was stressful. The enemy LOVES to try and make un-special what is special to G-D and His people. But, if we press on and press in, that little bully never wins. During the fast today I got really weak and shaky. This happens sometimes when I don't eat, but it was different today. Call me crazy, but something in me enjoyed it. I need my flesh (and by flesh I mean the icky parts of my sin nature that try to cling to my spirit) to waste and away and feel faint so that the spirit G-D has breathed in me can flourish! The key about Yom Kippur is to deny yourself and to rest. It seems a bit contradicting but I have never rested so well but on these days. As a believer, it is our MISSION to deny ourselves, to take up our crosses daily and follow Him. Getting refined hurts, but man is it worth it when Yeshua Himself sees more of Himself in us!!


    We had a lovely break the fast with our dear friends and ate til our hearts content. Also, we had a fire pit that our friends so cleverly crafted in their backyard. I love Georgia :) We just got to hang out around the fire and talk and laugh and just enjoy each other's company. I suggest everyone do this every once in a while. No TV. No movies. just people. HANG OUT for crying out loud!

Well, I am off to go and do fun anniversary things so I hope you all have a fabulous day and enjoy!
Post-Yom Kippur fire pit!

Pretty Pumkins at Kroger

Mmm! S'mores with kosher marshmallows!

After service at home:)


Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Atonement

     No, I am not talking about the incredibly depressing,early WWII era movie, haha. I'm talking about ACTUAL atonement. Yom Kippur (or the day of atonement) is coming up soon...this Friday night and Saturday actually, and as with any of G-D'S appointed times, He makes it special and intense. Each year the high holy days come around I (as well as many others I know) experience some sort of trial or test leading up to the day. I hate it, but it's G-D's way of preparing our hearts and let's face it, unless there is a discontent of where you are at, you'll never want to move forward. For me, that definitely happened this year.
     I have always had trouble with acid reflux and it's always been a pain in the butt, but something totally snapped in me in August and it was worse than it's ever been. Anything I ate made me have terrible heartburn and nausea and I couldn't sleep because it would flare up in the middle of the night. I took Prevacid. It made me light-headed and dizzy. I went to the doctor and got Nexium. It didn't work. I took Omeprazole and it helped, but I was still miserable. This went on for about 2 months. It was really horrible. I prayed, I sought the L-RD, begged for healing, asked if I had done anything or if this was just a trial. G-D stayed quiet until literally this week. He revealed to me that I wasn't seeking HIM for deliverance. Medicine and herbal remedies yes, but His healing, no. So I asked Toby to start anointing me and praying over me at night, so that I could get some sleep. I was truly believing for healing, and even if it didn't come right away, I could feel His purpose rising. So we prayed, and that night and every night since I have slept soundly and the pain has gone almost completely away.
     The L-RD used what I struggle with, a fear of serious illness, to sharpen me and purify me just a bit more than before. When I get sick, I genuinely have to wrestle with my head to not think I have something serious. It's just something that I grapple with. But, the L-RD doesn't remove your fear because you are afraid. He brings your fears into your face to fight them because you're afraid. It's kind of like the kid that is afraid of a monster in his closet. He'll stay up all night fretting and fussing over the hairy, many-eyed, evil creature that he believes is lurking in his closet. So what do mom and dad do? They come in and do the unthinkable; they open the closet door  and reveal that the only thing to fear was what he created in his mind. That's the story with most of us. G-D, our sweet daddy, has to open up the closet door sometimes and SHOW US that there is nothing to fear. Do you really think your heavenly Father would let something like that sneak into your room without Him knowing? No. Our trials sometimes feel like the L-RD abandoning us, but really, He is just in the process of opening up the closet door to make us face our fear. Our G-D always dispels the nightmare and always rocks us back to sleep.
    Long story short, Yom Kippur is a time of asking G-D to search our hearts and get out whatever is not of Him. He is purifying His people because He is coming back for us to establish His kingdom. Now is the time to listen to His voice and turn your heart toward Him. You can never be too serious about G-D. You can never get enough of Him, and thankfully, there is more than enough to go around :)

     Keep your head up and enjoy the day! G-D is good!

B

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Autumn is here!

     After a brutal summer, the first and crisp signs of Autumn have FINALLY appeared! The leaves have begun to change, the air is cooler, and the high holy days are here. Yom T'Ruah (or the Day of Sounding) has just passed and it was wonderful.  It's so amazing to celebrate the feasts of the L-RD because it's not just some fun recreational thing that we do; it's a time that G-D Himself appointed for us to be near to Him. When the Shofar sounds, it's like a wake up call for us to get over ourselves and start focusing on the L-RD. It's kind of like, when you set an alarm and you keep hitting the snooze button and then someone either gets you up or you're late! G-D sets an alarm for us, to remind us to wake up, but we just keep hitting the snooze button because we know that once we get up, we can't go back to sleep. G-D, however, loves us so much that he keeps sounding the alarm, and if He has to, yanks off the covers, because he doesn't want us to be late for His party :) What a sweet and loving G-D we have!

     Well, in light of Yom T'ruah, one of the seasonal holiday treats is honey-cake. I made some the other day and the apartment was filled with the delightful smell of cinnamon and cloves...it was amazing. And I'm getting better at the challah-making so I'm quite excited about that. My other big endeavor has been switching from coffee to tea. It was scary at first and I was quite resistant to the fact, because I LOVE coffee with a burning love. But, it aggravates my acid reflux so...I switched to Earl Grey Tea...and I love it! I boil some water, stick some Earl Grey in my little teapot, and I've got a lovely morning set out for me. Also, I have bangs now, which is VERY new for me, but I quite like it. It's kind of edgy!

Well, that's all for now. Have a good weekend!

B
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