new couches

Justin and I finally, finally found some new couches for our family room. Our old couches were in serious need of replacement. Not only were they wearing through and sagging in the middle, they were made of cotton. We found out shortly after we bought the couches (and then a puppy) that cotton fabric cannot be cleaned with water. Water. What, you may ask, do you then clean with if you can't clean with water? The answer from the couch-store-man is special, expensive cleaner. The real answer is nothing. This being because the special, expensive cleaner is, of course, water-based and still leaves a water stain on the cotton fabric. Add children to the dog and we were pretty much screwed.

But our couches still served us well, were comfy and cozy, and we have many memories with them - from moving into our very first house to having children propped up on them to holding sweet friends to having beautiful women from my small group sitting on them and sharing their stories.

So it's with great joy I unveil the new couches and new pillows!! Yay!!

(Quick aside - I found pillows I loved at World Market and, budget wise, could not swing six new pillows. I found some fabric napkins there that I loved even more and my friend, Lianne, sewed them together to make pillow covers for the pillows that came with. And it was something like $15 for four new pillows! I did splurge on an embroidered pillow with flowers - could not pass that beauty up.)

There. You now have an update on the couch situation in my home. Can't wait to have you come on over and sit on them. (And, just to clarify, I mean those of you who read this blog that I actually know...this is not an open invitation to any crazies out there.)

beautiful things

Today is Ash Wednesday and Lent begins. I really love this time. It's hard and sad, so much of it/me feels broken and weighty but that's also what's so good about it. It reminds me of my need for a Savior, how mind-blowing the Cross really is. Lent also means that Spring/new life is just around the corner. (And you know how much I love Spring.)

This Lenten season finds me both with more anticipation and anxiety about the discipline I am taking on. The last few years of Lent I have been in utter survival mode with two young girls, in the dead of winter, barely holding onto my sanity. God, in His great mercy, never called me to give up caffeine or the television or chocolate...and, sad to say, I may not have even answered the call if I would have gotten it. This year is different. It's quite plain that I need to make more time, more space for God's voice in my life. I want to hear from Him and, now being in my mid-30's, I am realizing more and more how precious my time is. So...Justin and I are giving up television in the evenings after the girls go to bed. What will we do I have no idea...I guess read? Play games? Talk to each other? Crazy, I know! But I am anxious - my veg out time in the evening feels a bit like an addiction and I think it's going to be hard to give it up. But I am ready for this too. To be stretched and for things to be hard, for me to be uncomfortable. I am ready to sit in silence and listen. I want to hear things that are true and good. I want to be changed. And change doesn't come easy.

There is a great line in the Ash Wednesday liturgy that goes like this:

Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.
Turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ.
Repent and believe the Good News: God longs for you to be whole.

Out of this, I got a great Lenten gift in the middle of the night from the Holy Spirit (yes, you read that right). A reminder of a song. My song for Lent. A reminder that out of dust, the dust and death of my life and sin, things both seen and unseen, God is making something beautiful. I will believe it for myself and I will believe it for you. He makes beautiful things...that's just what He does.

i love butter

Truly I do. I love it on bread (Katie's is the best), I love it on muffins, I love it on veggies, I just love it. And it's got to be the salted butter. I read once that we get way too much salt in our daily diet so the least we can do it get the unsalted butter to cut the sodium intake. Big mistake. There is nothing like having a warm piece of sweet bread with a big ole' slab of salty butter. It's delicious. And life is too short, people.

So this is what you're going to get. Posts about butter, and God, marriage, and my girls...my little life, which feels big and good to me. Somewhere along the way I got a little wrapped up in how many comments I received, how many amazing other blogs are out there, what is was I was wanted to write about, blah, blah, blah. Now I realize that my lil' blog is one of the best ways I can stay connected to a handful of you. I'm not on facebook (gasp!) and so the things I share here, the pictures I post, are some of the only ways some of you, my dear friends, spread out across the land can see what's going on with me. And several of you have told me so and I have heard you.

So I love butter. I really do. And if you keep checking back, you will learn other fascinating facts like this about me as well. I bet you can hardly wait.

new eyes

Everywhere I look spring is happening. Beautiful white and pink blossoms, tulips and daffodils, fresh brand-new-green aspen leaves against white bark. Something wonderful is going on here...

As Easter approaches, I can't help but believe spring is creation shouting out that new life is happening all around us. That what once seemed dead, was actually being repurposed and reborn to something bright and beautiful. All of creation is blossoming and declaring: JESUS IS ALIVE! And that in Him we grow and blossom and are reborn with the seasons' change.

Can you see it? Can you feel it?

When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19:37-40)