Friday Favorites

I only worked 4 days this week, but whew, I'm exhausted.  And I'm beyond excited that it's Friday!

Without further adieu, here's my Friday Favorites!

Favorite Craft Tutorial: Simple Christmas Art for the Artistically Challenged

This tutorial from JUST A GIRL and her blog makes me think that even I can could do this!  I can't wait to try it out sometime soon.

Favorite Design Idea: Candles Above the Bed

I'm loving this idea from Golden Boys & Me.  The candles above the bed.  Ahh....it's just perfect.  I think I may need to try this soon.

Favorite Quote: Don't Compare

We've all done it in life.  We compare ourselves to others.  We ask others for advice.  It's easy to not want to be different, but sometimes being different is the best thing you could do!  It leads to much better endings!

Favorite Bible Verse: Proverbs 31:25

How hard is it to go through life fearing the future?  We all do it.  But when we let it go...like really let it go...and allow God to guide, that fear of the future is gone!

Favorite Adoptable Dog: Sophie

Sophie is being fostered through Southern Cross Boston Terrier Rescue.  Her foster mom is awesome!  Poor little girl, she's tested positive for heartworms again.  I hear that she's one sweet Boston who would love an amazing family.  If you think you would like to open your heart and home to Sophie, please consider filling out an adoption application at Southern Cross Boston Terrier's website.

Favorite Song: Sunny and 75

It's no secret that I'm a big Joe Nichols fan, but my goodness...I cannot get this song out of my head.  It's so catchy and so good.  Have a listen.  I'm sure you'll be hooked to!

How's your week been?  Anything exciting happening in your life?  Any favorite things you'd like me to discover?  Leave me a comment!

Happy Friday ya'll!

Monday Motivation

I saw this on Pinterest the other day.  I couldn't help but to pin it!

It's not exactly the context of the verse, but it's perfect to apply to every day life.  It's true.  If God is within you, you will not fail.  

We all have set backs.  We all have hard days.  We all struggle.  We all give in to peer pressure sometime in our life.

But if we keep God first in our life, our struggles are no where near as bad.  We are never alone because God is with us.

Philippians 4:6

Do you worry like I do?  I'm constantly worrying about things that I can't control.  Things like, how is someone going to feel if I say something they don't like or is the boogie man going to break in at night and harm me or is my house is going to catch on fire when I'm not there and my poor dog will be stuck or if my job can handle things if I have to go to a doctors appointment or if I'll have enough money to take a vacation or better yet, enough money to pay every bill I have.  Yes, I worry way too much.  And it's obvious.  But if I can learn to heed this verse, my life will be so much better!

"Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." ~ Philippians 4:6

Think about that.  If we give all our worries over to God, He lets what should happen happen.  We don't need to worry about it.  If I'm worried that someone won't like what I have to say, let me take that worry to God and not keep worrying about it.  If I'm afraid the boogie man is going to break in, let me pray about it and let God protect me....and maybe get an alarm system!  That's just it.  If I'm worried I shouldn't dwell on it.  I should give it over to God and let him protect me from those things.  This is what He wants from us.  It shouldn't be that hard to do either.  Just pray and believe that God will protect you.

This is my struggle.  And I'm going to focus on giving my worries to the Lord instead of letting my worries rule my life.  I hope you can do the same thing!

Proverbs 4:23

I guess I needed a Bible lesson today.  Because right after that last post, I received another daily devotional that spoke to me so loud and clear and I wanted to share it.

"Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts." ~ Proverbs 4:23

What's so crazy about this verse is that I just had a conversation with a friend the other night about how thoughts can affect an outcome.  He said to think and dwell upon happy thoughts and you'll be a more positive person.  And it's true.  I've been doing that the last few days and wow...I'm surprised how much happier I've become.  I have something coming up in my life that I never even thought I'd get a call about.  But I did.  If I were to think I wasn't a good fit for this or that I couldn't do all that would be asked of me, I'm putting negative thoughts into it and it probably won't happen.  But if I look at it as if I was called because I was qualified and because they think I could do the tasks, I can see the positive.  If I keep looking at the positives in it, I could will this into happening by the power of positive thinking.  I can't sell myself short.  I have to realize that I am capable of handling great things in my life and by thinking positive, great things will come to me!

Proverbs 29:25a

Every day I get a few e-mails that are devotionals.  The one I received yesterday hit me like a ton of bricks.  All I had to do was read the verse.  Forget the whole devotional.  The verse spoke for itself.  They used the Good News Translation and  boy was I glad they did.  This verse took on a whole new perspective for me.  It was a wake up call.

"It is dangerous to be concerned with what others think of you." ~ Proverbs 29:25a GNT

It's so hard to get stuck in a rut where you want to please people and have everyone like you.  But this verse is so true.  I've had someone telling me this for months now and I keep putting it off.  But it's time to face it head on.  I don't need others approval of me.  I need my own!

Favorite Bible Verse

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord.  "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you.  Plans to give you a hope and a future." ~ Jeremiah 29:11

In the crazy world, it's easy to wonder why you go through what you do.  It's easy to ask why.  But if we think about this verse and realize that it really is the Lord that has the plans for what we go through, we'll be able to realize that even the "bad" in life is a purpose in God's will for our lives.  He never wants to harm us, He just wants us to go through certain things so we can see Him.

I've watched a good friend heal after being shot in the head.  How can someone believe that God had that planned and that God wasn't trying to harm him?  It seems impossible.  And how, as a child, was I to believe that through my parents divorce and watching my dad put me right in the middle that God wasn't harming me?

I think it takes getting through the situation and looking back and seeing where God has you and all the blessing you now have in your life after what you've gone through.  I've learned so much from my experience.  I learned what parent was really there caring for me.  And I've learned how I can use my experience and be there for others.  It was as if God had this in the plan all along!  He has a way of surprising us when we least think He can.  Out of nowhere, we can see what His plans for our life are and we are blessed for all the trials and tribulations He had us go through to get there.  He gives us hope for brighter days and a plan for the future that we may never see coming.