The Office (Installment #1)

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When planning for mine and Will’s new home my number 1 priority has been the office space. I’ve been laughed at, teased, and picked on because I literally OBSESS over this room.

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But now do you see why?!

I’ve dreamed of this navy blue room with a gold rug, my Duncan Phyfe sofa, a tripod lamp, a record player, and our guitars for months now. While it’s definitely not finished it’s off to a pretty darn good start.

Aside from it being pretty, this room is important to me for a pretty legit reason. Will and I have been dating long-distance for 2 years now and it was really important in my mind while envisioning the house to have a place with no technology, no distractions, and plenty of space to just be. Be together. Be silly. Be musical. Be whatever! The other rooms in the house will have thought put into them as well (don’t you worry) but the office will be unlike the rest because it is a room just for us. And our guests, of course. But it’s a place where we can make up for some lost time whether its playing our guitars together, reading books on the sofa, shuffling around papers on the desk, or listening to the sweet sounds of some of our favorites artists while playing with the pup… Okay, pup isn’t allowed in the office. That rug is too clean!

Future installments coming soon! As is that pup… :)

#25 – Memorize a Bible verse a week for 6 months. 14/24

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For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son. That whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. John 3:16-17

I love this verse. And every 5-year-old memorizes it in their Sunday school class. But here’s what I think we miss sometimes.

Verse 17. While John 3:16 can be recalled to memory by many, the verse directly following it is less often quoted but SO full of truth. I’m learning a lot and being reminded a lot about what it means that Jesus is my Savior. Savior of the world! The reminder of my salvation and the grace that He freely gives is so comforting.

New verse!!

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  1. Galatians 2:20
  2. Philippians 2:2-3
  3. 1 Corinthians 10:13
  4. Philippians 3:7-8
  5. 2 Corinthians 3:18
  6. Hebrews 13:8
  7. Proverbs 23:17-18
  8. John 1:5
  9. 1 Peter 3:3-4
  10. 1 Timothy 1:7
  11. Ephesians 6:10-18
  12. Ephesians 6:10-18
  13. Ephesians 6:10-18
  14. John 3:16-17
  15. Matthew 11:28-30

MOVING DAY!!!

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And so begins a new chapter…

Life in Athens (aside from a summer class) is pretty much done for now. School is wrapping up. Work is over. And now I’m transitioning into nomad-mode.

Well… kinda.

IT’S MOVING DAY TO THOMASVILLE!!!! While I won’t really live in Thomasville officially until after the wedding, our hope is that the house can be put together for the most part this summer so that once we are married it’s just a matter of putting the clothes in the drawers and starting life together!

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You just don’t realize how much JUNK you have until you pack it into a car… But I am SO excited to get settled in (at least a little) and start making our nest a little more comfortable and a lot more US.

PS… Upon arrival in Thomasville, there was this.

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I’d say it’s a good start to a good life!

#21 – Ask my grandparents to individually tell me their testimonies. 1/2

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This blog post wasn’t actually intended to meet a goal, but then when I remembered that I had set this goal it was just perfect!

Yesterday I got to spend a really special day with a really special woman. My Ooma. If you don’t know (or at least know about) Ooma then you probably don’t know me very well haha. We always tease her about talking about me a lot since I’m her only grandchild, but the truth is I talk about her a lot too :)

We started the day with my mommy at a fabric store in Covington. I always love it when it’s the three of us. There’s something really special about mommys and daughters and the fact that while we’re three generations, we’re all really close friends too. After we split ways with mom, I took Ooma to Athens. The trip there was great with both of us sharing stories. Then I got to take her to one of my favorite spots for lunch… Mamas Boy! We giggled and laughed all through lunch, but then Ooma also shared some memories with me that I don’t know I had ever heard before. We talked about her faith journey.

Apparently in Ooma & Grandaddy’s Sunday school class recently they were challenged to think about their faith journey (aka. testimony/spiritual path/”story”/etc.) Ooma said she hadn’t written hers out but I asked her to tell me some bits and pieces. It was so sweet to hear about how my great-grandparents raised her in church, how she became a leader in her college ministry because of the loving trust of a mentor, and how she and Grandaddy built their relationship on their shared faith and continue to grow with one another and challenge each other after 50+ years of marriage.

After our day together I was again reminded how special my family is to me. My parents and grandparents have really ALWAYS been there for me, comforted me with love, and taught me how to do the same for others. I just wonder how I got so lucky :)

#25 – Memorize a Bible verse a week for 6 months. 13/24

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For the past 3 weeks I’ve been working on memorizing Ephesians 6:10-18. While 8 verses might not sound like a lot, they are power packed full of good news that I felt like I couldn’t just memorize and move on with. I wanted to soak it in, understand it, and even apply it daily. Here’s some of what I’m taking away from this 3 week study of Ephesians 6:10-18.

  • Put on the full armor of God – Just from the first verse alone it’s clear that we are being defended by a powerful God. One who can equip us with armor to face our daily lives. But WE have to take action too. It’s not “God will put his armor on for you”. It clearly says, “(Implied YOU) PUT ON the armor of God.”
  • Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms - Well that’s intense… It’s easier to think about fighting a war when you can see who you’re fighting, touch who you’re fighting, even kick who you’re fighting. But we aren’t in a fleshly battle. It’s unseen by the world but VERY real. I think another part of this verse that jumped out at me was that it doesn’t say that we’re fighting demons or spirits or whatever. It just says that we’re fighting against the RULER of all things that are spiritually dark. It’s kind of like we’re battling an actual disease, not just the symptoms of that disease. And the fact that with our armor we can do that is pretty darn cool.
  • To stand - Two words. Again a command. “To stand.” But how?! Well….
  • Belt of truth - At our very core we must have truth to extinguish any lies that the evil one tries to make us believe.
  • Breastplate of righteousness - We must protect our hearts and everything else that is vital with righteousness, honesty, purity, and justice.
  • Feet fitted with readiness - Where we calls we have to GO. Without question. And quickly. I think that the concept of being at the ready of a command is lost to us because we are so consumed with a day-to-day schedule. We have to be okay if that schedule is broken though.
  • Gospel of peace - The good news of Jesus that keeps our mind at ease in the storm. It’s all about a focused mind that has no room for Satan to enter!
  • Shield of faith - The fact that our faith in Christ is such a HUGE protection is amazing. Literally, it is described as a shield that can block off the flaming arrows of the evil one! Belief and trust in our Savior seals up all the holes that Satan would like to get in. Wow!
  • Helmet of salvation - Again, the knowledge that we are safe because of our Savior and what he did for us. Having that surround our brains. Our thoughts. It’s just so powerful!
  • Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God - And while all of the previous defenses have been just that… defenses. THIS. This is our weapon. Now we’re playing offense and it’s time to cut up some enemies with a sword. What is that sword?! The Word. The living, breathing Word of God that is active even now. It’s not a dead book. The Bible is just as God-breathed today as it was when it was written. And this one little piece of a verse made me realize why this 6 month memorization goal is so important (and why it should go on for a lifetime, not just 6 months). Because by memorizing God’s word we are ACTIVELY FIGHTING the evil one and darkness that is in this world. When the Word gets inside us, WE become the weapon. WE are God’s offensive team ready for action. WOO! Just gets me fired up and ready for battle :)
  • And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people - The power of prayer as our weapon. With any kind of prayer or request… because not only does he fight, but he also listens.

Yeah. That’s good news alright :)

Now for this week, something well known but not a bad thing to reflect on.

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  1. Galatians 2:20
  2. Philippians 2:2-3
  3. 1 Corinthians 10:13
  4. Philippians 3:7-8
  5. 2 Corinthians 3:18
  6. Hebrews 13:8
  7. Proverbs 23:17-18
  8. John 1:5
  9. 1 Peter 3:3-4
  10. 1 Timothy 1:7
  11. Ephesians 6:10-18
  12. Ephesians 6:10-18
  13. Ephesians 6:10-18
  14. John 3:16-17