Purpose Driven Life - Book Review

This is a book I read when I first came back to the Lord about 6 months ago. It is actually a daily devotional, you do each day for 40 days.  It was the perfect time for me to do this because every single day just spoke exactly what I needed each of those days.  A friend had given me this book back in 2004 but I just couldn't get myself to pick it up each day, it just wasn't the right timing.
A lot of you have probably gone through Purpose Driven Life, it was first released 10 years ago or more. Anyway, I really got a lot out of it. My favorite chapter was Ch. 16. Titled, What Matters Most.
This chapter is the chapter about love.
"No matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love." 1 Cor 13:3b    I feel the very first step with getting back with God is to do some major learning about love, after all, that is what Jesus was about, the love walk. The book says, "It is in loving that we are most like him... that's why we're given a lifetime to learn it."

Here are a few more of my favorite quotes from this chapter...
"Relationships, not achievements or the acquisition of things, are what matters most in life."
"Busyness is the great enemy of relationships."
"Love leaves a legacy. How you treated people, not your wealth or accomplishments, is the most enduring impact you can leave on earth."
"Your time is your life. That is why the greatest gift you can give someone is your time."

If you haven't picked this book up, I encourage you to do so. It really put me on the right track to get back in a habit of a morning quiet time again. The book also comes with a journal, so you can write down your thoughts and things God spoke to you as you prayed and read.

Jesus said our love for each other -not our doctrinal beliefs- is our greatest witness to the world. 

We could all use a lot more love in our lives.  

Winter Decor

I didn't go all out for Christmas decor this year, I sort of decorated more for winter than Christmas, that way, when I took the tree down, it wouldn't feel like everything was so drab with all the decorations gone. You know that feeling when Christmas is over and you put away all the decor? It can feel so empty.  Anyway, here are just a few shots of my decor this year.

The above photo is over my armoire in the living room.

The little plate with the painting on it was a gift from a friend.

These are the cutest little winter birds. I also keep my candle lights going in the windows all winter.

My front door decor I fixed up for Christmas, once again, 

just left it up because it fits with the winter decor.

I had red throw pillows thrown around the room on the chairs and couch. I just switched them out for blue.

Which leads me to the blue color scheme that is really growing on me.

For those that followed my blog, I had considered painting my kitchen cabinets blue.  I never took the plunge because something just kept telling me not to. Well, I am going to paint the cabinets back a pure white, but I've decided to paint the kitchen walls blue.  ~~I think~~

I'm really weird about color, I get tired of things quickly and always like change. That is why I have tried to keep my house so neutral but just use accents of color...  and that is why I have debated on this for so long.

Here are a few examples of some blue walls in kitchens that I like.

It just sort of gives an island-y beachy feel, no?

Being from Florida and having the ability to go to the beach anytime I like, I really miss being able to go to the beach.  The blue sort of takes me there, in a way.  Your home should be a part of who you are, and the ocean is part of who I am, so I am going to bring some ocean color into my home!

I've got a few paint swatches here and so far, I have only found one color I like.

Olympic VOC free

Kingston Aqua

It's much darker than I would usually go, but I think I need to go bolder to really enjoy it.  :)
Let me sit on this for a while and debate it over and over and then we'll see if I take the plunge!

Winter Weather

We've had a very warm winter this year. It's usually snowed by now, like back in November is usually our first snow. Here it is nearing the end of February and we finally got our first snow!  I'm not a cold winter fan, but I love the beauty of the snow all around me.

Here is how it looked when I woke up this morning. What a peaceful and tranquil feeling to wake up to.

Beautiful Dogwood tree.

My backyard.

Little Foot was all in his happy place, too, watching the snow fall. His favorite part is getting to go out and play in it. He LOVES the snow and acts like he's on crack when I let him loose in it. He just starts running circles all over the place and jumping around. It's so hilarious!

This photo is when it first started snowing yesterday.

Not much cold means not many fires in the fireplace either.  I got to get all cozy yesterday and sit by the fire and drink warm Rooibos tea while watching out the windows as the snow came down.  *bliss*

Hope you stay warm and cozy if you're experiencing this little cold front like we are.

A New Year 2012

It's a new year and new opportunities await! I am looking forward to some new changes that will be going on.  This is the last year I will be working at the telecommunications business, I am planning to go back to school this year to get a degree in Elementary Education. 


Also if you've followed my blog, you may know I rededicated my life back to God, our loving Father. I am happy to be back in right relationship with him and back involved with church again. 


I know I haven't been blogging much, I apologize. I've just been pursuing new things and not decorating much. I may post some book reviews soon, though.  I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and that you be blessed this new year.


-Jolie






:)

Vacation in Georgia

I just spent some time down in Georgia visiting relatives on my dads side of the family. We visited where my dad grew up, the lady that raised him (my 89 year old aunt) still lives here. It's an old farm and has a bunch of old barns all over the property. Most of them are not in use anymore and just used as storage, but I still love old barns.

The house below is the  house my dad grew up in back in the 40's. The house is over a hundred years old now. Noone lives in it and it's sort of abandoned, but it is sentimental to me.

When my dad was little, they use to pick cotton. He has a lot of cotton pickin' stories,  just glad to say that I don't! The only cotton pickin story I have is this one...

I went out into the field and picked some cotton

and made a pretty arragement in a vase with them to decorate my living room.

The end.

There was also a pretty peacock there that I was going to get some of the feathers from it that they collect, but I forgot to bring them home! (They don't pluck the peacock, they fall out naturally.)

And have you ever seen white peacocks?

Mule

From the butterfly garden.

It was really nice visiting all my relatives. I was raised in Florida so I didn't get to grow up with them. My dad left Georgia when he was in his teens, moved to Canada, then to FL where he met my mom.  My mother grew up in Louisiana, I would love to go visit there some day.

The trip was really nice, I had country viddles, rocked on a rocking chair on front porch with family, reminisced about the good ole days and got lots of hugs goodbye until we visit again!  :)

Got A Bistro Set!

Remember how I liked this bistro set and wanted to find one like it or similar to it?

I found it!!!

I had been to every place I could think of in town that would have a set like this, but found nothing. Plus, a lot of the stores have already put their patio furniture away I guess to prepare for winter already, so much for fall. lol
I went to Lowe's and I didn't see anything there either, so I never thought to look on their website since I had been there already, but something made me check anyway. I was getting desperate. A search turned up this exact set on the Lowe's site and it said they were in stock at my local store. I called and the guy there told me it showed they were in stock, but must have sold them all because he couldn't find them.  After hanging up with him, I kept thinking,  how could they still show they have 6 in inventory, but not have any. So I called back in my persistence and talked to a girl this time. I asked her to look for me and lo and behold she found them! Yay

If your gut is telling you something, always be persistent.  :)

Here is the netting I got to drape over my umbrella. 

Now maybe I can enjoy my deck instead of being chased away by all the mosquitoes!

The deck floor dried nicely. It actually darkened after it dried instead of getting lighter like I thought it would.  I'm glad though, I love the color.  I still have more work to do, paint the railings white, get lounge chair, etc.

Here is my list of cross offs and what I still need to do.


1.  Stain the deck floor. I'm using Olympic Maximum stain in the color Oxford Brown. It's a dark stain almost the color of walnut. From Lowe's. It's the stain and sealer in one to save money.

2. Paint the privacy fence and the rest of the railings around the deck white. I'll use Olympic exterior white.

3. Attach a shower to the deck, since I don't have a pool and can't jump in the pool, it's the next best thing to jump under the cold shower outside to cool off on these humid days. It's the AquaSource Chrome double handled outdoor shower from Lowe's.

4. I got the mosquito net I said I wanted, to put over the umbrella because of the horrible mosquito problem I have here.

5. Find and purchase a bistro set. I've been looking everywhere and can't find one I like for a decent price. I checked all the thrift, furniture and antique stores around town and nothing. I checked Amazon, Overstock, and some department stores and still nothing. If anyone knows of a nice little bistro set please let me know!

6. Put towel hooks on the privacy fence.

7. Thinking about attaching a shelf to the fence to put plants on, but still not sure about that yet.

8. Get a lounge chair.

9. Paint side table for lounge chair white.

10. Make a wood shower mat for the shower area.

Finished Staining the Deck

I tackled staining the deck today. What's funny is I was told not to stain it using a paintbrush by a couple of people because it would be too hard to do it that way and would take forever. Well, once I got started, it seemed to go along pretty fast and I was actually done before I knew it.  One of the rare times it took me less time to do than I thought.  I decided to use a paintbrush because I just didn't want any weird streaks or blotches from a roller or sprayer, so I was stubborn and used the paintbrush anyway and am glad I did. It turned out wonderful.

I used a big bulky cheap paintbrush I got from Big Lots for $2.00.

They have really great prices on all their painting supplies if you want to save some $$ in that area. Paints and stains alone can already cost so much as it is. 

Oh and I bought 2 gallons of stain and I only used a little over half of one can.  It's non-refundable so I messed up there. I'll just save it to use some more on it next year if it needs it again.

It will most likely dry lighter, but so far I love it!

I have a surprise about the bistro set so I will post that tomorrow! :)