Pensive Procrastination

I suddenly have this deep desire to go on a canoe trip. While I realize that this might be a leetle silly right now, because I would freeze my butt off and I kinda like being able to sit (and let’s be honest I just like my tush)... I really want to go on one next summer. I love canoe trips.  I love the excuse to be dirty and not shower for 5...or 7... days. I love making my own fire and perpetually smelling like campfire. I love being TIRED at the end of the day because I just canoed for four hours and portaged two 1 km portages a few times each. I love just being tired cause I’ve been out in the sun. I love the feel of jumping into the cool water, clothes still on or in a bathing suit (though the former can be more fun), and feeling my skin sigh in relief. I love how disgusting food tastes amazing and how it is totally acceptable to eat s’mores for dinner. I love watching the sunset and hearing nature’s noise change with it.   I also love the stars...oh my goodness.

So, I've started this post about three times. Every time I start off with a certain point I end up realizing that it's not really what I think or that it doesn't really convey what I've been thinking about. So I'm going to do this in a list kind of format. 1. Words are powerful. They have an impact to tear down and to really build people up. The Bible talks A LOT about being careful with our words, taming our tongues and watching the words that come out of our mouths. When we were little my mom always said, "If you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all." We called it the Thumper rule. It can be hard to figure out what this means for me as I blog. I love giving words of encouragement to people, it's probably one of the ways I really express to people how much they mean to me, that and gifts. I love giving gifts. It's so fun! I think that I get this from my mom. She always gives the best, most thoughtful gifts. Words of

I've been noticing this trend lately on Pinterest (don't judge me) of pins that seem to raise the bar really high for what women (and perhaps men in turn) expect from weddings and proposals and marriage in general. I look at all these engagement video posts where guys do these insanely elaborate things to propose to the women that they love...which is SO awesome, but not the norm. I think women have begun to think that this is what is the rule, that this is what they should demand and that it is reasonable for them to expect this. Women have begun to accept that if their future fiance does not do this elaborate proposal that their fiance somehow did not live up to this invisible standard that Pinterest and the wedding industry has been putting in place for them. I say this as a woman who loooveesss weddings, and cute proposals and wonderful marriage stories. So, I will just add this little disclaimer in. I have nothing against a guy who wants to do something wonderful for

I heard the following song for the first time in church this Sunday. I was blown away by the power of these words. The chorus just knocked me flat... and I know it's a chorus so it's supposed to be repeated but I think the power of the song comes from the repetition of this chorus. It is like this constant reminder that even when things are not "going well" for us that we should give thanks to God. Our response to life's circumstances should be praise because it refocuses us on the bigger picture of God's purpose and plan. It reminds us that we serve an awesome and powerful God. I know that this response is much easier said than done. I do know from experience that when I have responded in praise instead of anger and bitterness I have learned some amazing things about the peace and presence of Christ.  Please, take a moment. Click this link  and read the words below and let it sink in. Let is touch that part of you that you've ignored for a while. I pr

Is anyone else excited for fall?! The trees are beautiful and there is that particular smell in the air that makes me go, "Ahh..." While I am definitely a summer girl, I may have a wavering dedication to summer because of fall. Fall is beautiful, fall means pumpkin pie, fall means sweaters, fall means cozy homes filled with wonderful smells. Some of you know that I'm down in Toronto three days and two nights a week. Honestly, in some ways this has been wonderful for our marriage! But it doesn't change the fact that I miss being around Rob, and our home.  Side note: Do any of you find you have an addiction to exclamation points? I always find myself having to restrict my use of them or using :)'s to show it is a happy exclamation and not an angry one. I was going to write this post about this coming (and by coming I mean past) weekend, which for us here Canadians was all about Thanksgiving. But by the time I got around to actually writing this blog the Th

Friends, I know you've been sitting on the edge of your seats, waiting for this post all weekend long. I'm sorry for the wait, I hope that you can forgive me for my indiscretion. I've missed you all as well and have been looking forward to continuing this post! I've realized that as I've thought about this post and what I'm going to write that a lot of what I've learned about this has come from watching other couples interact, specifically those that I respect and admire. I'm blessed to know some great married, and dating couples, who are great examples of Christian marriages. I've learned that it's important to hang out with other couples that you respect and admire and that model the kind of marriage that you want or value. Spending a lot of time around people with destructive or unGodly marriages can, I believe, have a negative impact on your marriage. This does not mean to stop spending time completely with those who have marriages that are