10 Day you Challenge: 7 Wants

Seven Wants

I was torn on this list. Should I list my spiritual wants such as wanting to lead a life worthy of the Lord. Or should I do my silly wants such as a beautiful kitchen. I couldn't decide so I made two lists.

Seven Wants: Important

1) Learn Greek

I already know Hebrew (although I need to brush up on it) and I deeply desire to learn Greek so as to better inform my reading of scripture and to better teach my children.

2) For my husband to trust in my and be proud to cal me his wife ~Proverbs 31:11

3) To memorize so much scripture that I cannot even count it all. I need to come up with a master list of all scripture I want to memorize...

4)To raise my children (Lord willing) up in the Lord ~Proverbs 22:6

5)To write a book.

My husband and I already have two ideas, we just need to start writing!

6) To homeschool my children.

This is a deep running desire that Lord willing I will get to one day fulfill.

7) To look back on my life at the end and to know that I did not waste it. I want to run the race well and finish strong (1 Timothy 4:7) not according to my own or the worlds standards but according to God's (Matthew 25:23).

Seven Wants: Less important but also Fun! 

1) A Kitchen Nook

I posted about this a few days ago, but would you look at that? So comfy!

{Photo credit}

2) To purchase our first home

3) To read one book a week (depending on length)

Not fiction books, but rather theological books that have a lasting impact. I'm averaging about 1 book every 2 weeks. I gotta step it up.

4)To launch my new website.

 I have already purchased the domain name and set up the wordpress. Oh it's very exciting. I'll give you a hint: It's geared toward Young Wives! I just need to finish it...

5) To travel to Israel, Italy, Rome and Egypt.

This is more important to me than visiting any vacation spot in the world. I would love to walk the streets that Jesus did one day.

6) To learn to sew well enough to make my entire wardrobe from scratch

7) To have 6 kids-Yes 6! :)

Hubby wants 4....we may have to compromise!

10 Day you Challenge: 8 Fears

Eight Fears

Hm...I don't like this one. I struggle with anxiety/worry. I was always prone to being a bit nervous about things i.e. heights. But in my old age I have been getting increasingly anxious.

I am battling this with Pray and the help of the Holy Spirit.

Let me explain.

I am a thinker. I ponder. I run things over and over and over again in my mind. And I have an over active imagination. All of this leads me to think about, dwell on and invent ridiculous situations. Combined that with the fact that I need to work on trusting the Lord with all things makes for one anxious lady.

And yes I do know that God is sovereign over all things. I know that He has a plan for my life and everyone around me. And yet, I so often forget/don't want to believe it. Over the last six months I have really identified this sin in my life and have been trying to release my grip on my life  so that I can trust the Lord in all things.

One thing that God has used to transform my thinking is memorizing scripture about worry and anxiety. Right now I am in the middle of memorizing Luke 12:22-31

"And he said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you."

Wow, did you get that? Christ was instructing his disciples that in the face of persecution, starvation, no earthly possessions, and even death that they are not to be anxious about it and instead, seek His kingdom. Wow, I have been focusing on the wrong things.

So with that being said and my hope and trust with the Lord I will attempt to identify 8 fears.

1) Snakes

Eeew. Everything about these things creeps me out. Yes, I'm like Indian Jones :)

2)Heights

I.do.not.like.heights. Never have, never will.

3)Boats

Yes, this one is thanks to Titanic. I saw Titanic when I was young and I still dream about it! My hubby has never seen it and has asked me to watch it with him....um...no, sorry!

4)Tornado's

Did I mention that I live in California? Earthquakes don't scare me, but every time a storm starts I get scared a tornado is coming. Don't ask.

5)Upside down roller coasters.

Wooden roller coasters are just fine. But I don't trust the upside down ones.

6)Airplanes

I used to fly all the time as a kid and I didn't care. But know I have to pray the entire flight. It might have something to do with the fact that I cannot understand how a multi ton metal thing can stay flying??

7)That I will be a bad mother.

Yup. I'm terrified of that.

8) That God will call us to live far away from our family forever.

See, I'm really working on trust. Hope this encourages someone. God does take care of us. We just need to trust and meditate on His word.

10 Day You Challenge: 9 Loves

Today is day 9 of the 10 day You Challenge

9 Loves

I will just start off by saying that I will be leaving The Lord off of this list.

What?

I am leaving Him off of this list because He is so much bigger and more glorious than this insignificant list can capture. This is a fun list to post about and let you all get to know me a little bit more. So just know,

"God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him." 1 John 4:16

"In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us." 1 John 4:10-12

And most importantly for this discussion, we are commanded by Christ to love the Lord,

"And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." Mark 12:30

Now on to my list:

1) My Husband

After the Lord, my husband is my biggest love, my greatest source of joy, my comfort, my protection and my supporter. Love him with my whole heart!

2) My Family

This is like "Duh! A no brainer!" But some people really aren't close to their family. We are and it breaks me heart that we like about 8 hours away from them all! One day, Lord willing, we will live close again! :)

3) History

I really love history. I majored in Biblical studies and History in college and one of my biggest passions lies in study Biblical history and the church throughout of centuries. Understanding the historical Israel and their surrounding neighbors makes the Old Testament and the New come alive in a way that is not possible without that understanding.

4) Hebrew {And one day Greek}

I studied in Hebrew in college and I absolutely love it. It is a beautiful language and to read the Psalms and Proverbs the way they were meant to be read is a wonderful thing. Knowing how the original languages work again makes scripture come alive in a whole new way. I dream of one day learning Greek as well, and while I'm at it I need to brush up on my Hebrew!

{Source}

5) Crafting

If you have hung around my blog the past couple of years you know that I love to craft!! I haven't done as many projects on here lately as I would have liked but I have been very busy. I love to Scrapbook, sew {I'm still learning}, and make all kinds of fun home decor things. I am a DIY kind of girl and I love it!!

6) Cooking

I sincerely love to cook! Sometimes it feels like a chore but usually I am very happy and content in the kitchen. Cooking soothes me and I really enjoy using my creativity so that my husband and family can enjoy it.

7) Baking

This is a more recent love of mine. I have always loved to bake but I recently started making cakes and I can't stop! I love it! I need creative outlets or I get bored and making fun cakes is the perfect way to let that out!

8) Entrepreneurship

It is no secret that we plan on having me stay home when we have our first child. So I am always on the look out for skills I can acquire and things I can do now so when/if that time comes (Lord willing), I can still help out and contribute to my family as the Proverbs 31 wife does. "She considers a field and buys it; 

with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard" Proverbs 31:16. I really have a passion for starting up something (maybe making cakes on the side:) )
 

9) Homemaking

Homemaking is a fierce passion of mine that really combines all of my loves. It benefits and shows love to my husband and future family. I plan on homeschooling our children and we are commanded to, "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it" Proverbs 22:6. Giving my children a firm Biblical grasp of this world is very important to me. And Crafting, baking, and cooking all benefit my household and I will prayfully depart these skills to my children. And of course finding ways to be good stewards and help support our family is always on my mind.

10 Day you Challenge: 10 Secrets

Okay, I am jumping on the band waggon for the 10 day you challenge. It sounds like fun :)

I apologize, but I do not know how originally started this challenge...I just keep seeing it pop up all over the place. Please let me know if you know who started it!

The first days challenge is: Ten Secrets



1) I like change

Yup. I crave it. I get bored with out it. If things are going the same way for too long, I'm ready for a change! My husband thinks I'm bizarre.

2) I don't really like chocolate.

It's not that I hate it, I just don't crave it or really care about it.

3) Dairy makes me sick.

I don't know if you would call me lactose intolerant but I can't drink milk or too much cheese without feeling very queasy. And yet I eat ice cream anyway Haha

4) I wish that I could write better.

I'm trying to improve my writing skills. I just don't know where to begin!

5) I really dislike talking on the phone.

I will email or text all day long. But the phone? No thank you.

6) I don't pray nearly enough.

I go in and out. Some days are better than others. God is convicting my heart that I need to be in constant dialogue with Him.

7) I only have a handful of scripture passages memorized (if that).

God has been convicting me of this for years. I try and start and then nothing ever happens. I am trying (With the Holy Spirit's help) to change this. I am currently memorizing Luke 12:22-31 and I have about half of it down now.

8) When people put scripture in their blog posts or books, I have the terrible habit of skipping over them.

 I have been really working on that one for the past year!

9) I struggle with Pride.

Oh yeah! Anyone agree with me on this one?

10) I would rather sit at home with my husband any day of the week than go to a party.

I'm a home body.

Okay maybe we should call the last few 10 confessions not secrets. I have been working on being more up front with the areas I struggle in.

We all need to be open with out brothers and sisters in Christ to help each other walk this straight and narrow path we are called to walk on (Matthew 7).  

My Dream Kitchen

As I dream of one day owning my own home, I have started collecting pictures and ideas what my "dream" home would be...and it is so fun! I know that one thing I will be the most concerned about will be the kitchen. I spend so many hours in there how could I not be!

The kitchen in my house growing up always seemed to be the hub of everything going on. We would all hang around the kitchen island while my mom made her famous chicken and dumplings. I dream of my kitchen being the same sort of place for my kids and family.

Recently I was on Pinterest, as I usually am these days, and came across these adorable kitchen nooks! And I know that I want to make this a reality in my future home. It doesn't have to be fancy or amazing, but rather cozy and warm for my family. 

Lord willing I would love to build one of these in a corner of my kitchen. Where my husband could have his eggs before setting off to work and regular conversations could happen. We would of course need a larger dining room table around the corner but this would sit right in the middle of everything. I could be at the stove while  the kids read me their stories from this comfy little corner. Sigh...one day...Lord willing...one day.

Now on to the pictures!!!

This is the first nook that I came across that took my breath away!

{Photo Credit}

Oh and this one made me go from dreaming about it to wanting to make it a reality! In our future home shopping I plan on looking for a home with a spot for my kitchen nook! 

LOVE these colors!

{Photo Credit}

Dreaming of my dream home helps me to save so much money!!! :)

Lavender Bridal Shower Cookies

I posted the cake yesterday that I made for the lavender bridal shower. Now here are the promised cookies. 

I love love love making royal icing cookies! I am still fairly new to making them but they are so fun! 

Lavender Bridal Shower Cake

I made a cake and some cookies for a bridal shower where the theme was purple. The top tier of the cake is yummy white velvet cake with a black raspberry filling and the bottom layer is chocolate chocolate. The lighting was really bad in the room so I apologize for the pictures :)

I will post the bridal shower cookies tomorrow :)

Baking Time with my Sisters

I have been so busy the past few weeks. I started a new job and as a result I have been so wiped out when I get home at night. Something about my brain being on overload or something.

A few weeks ago I shared a couple posts from when my sister's came to visit! We got a lot of sisters bonding time in and went to an awesome tea place for lunch! During this fun weekend we also baked some cakes and had so much fun!

Mixing fondant!

We had so much fun and make some very yummy cakes!

Kitchen Themed Cake

I am starting a new job on Monday and have been trying to wrap up everything for my current job. So I've been a bit busy and my blogging has fallen off a bit. However, I plan to jump back into full blogging again :) I miss it dearly!

This past weekend I entered a cake into the L.A. County Fair Cake competition. I entered into the novelty cake division  I will find out on Saturday if I placed at all. I made a kitchen themed cake and had so much fun!!

Click on the picture to make it bigger to see more details

This is along the outer edge

My favorite part of this cake is the little electrical outlet! :) (And the kitchen aid!)

Thanks to all the lovely ladies on CakeCentral.com who gave me wonderful inspiration on this cake!!