Take Me Back In Time.

My aunt shared this with me last week..

I have been determined to make each day as beautiful as possible,

not allowing anything or anyone to steal away my joy!

So here is to a joyful spirit~

and not allowing the worries of everyday to steal your joy!

Let us live life to the fullest, taking advantage of each minute we have with those around us

and the ability to shed light in the lives of others!

I don't want to waste one single minute of my life...

As a reminder I keep this verse on my dashboard in my car.

Romans 15:13

May the God of hope fill you with all the joy and peace as you trust in him, 

so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Ok, ok, so I went overboard on the pictures below, but I could not choose just a few

from our trip to Jefferson, Tx this weekend...so I uploaded a bunch of my favorites!

My mother and I took my baby sister and her friend for a graduation present.

If you have never been to Jefferson, please put it on your places to see!

It is the cutest and most quaint town.

You feel like you are in a different world, like the twilight zone.

I never want to leave and am terribly sad when I do.

Do you ever just want to go back in time?

I do, and that is what happens when you visit here..

Did I mention, it is also haunted!?

Jefferson is in the top ten haunted cities in America!

We stayed at the Jefferson Hotel, which is know for their hauntings.

Do your research, I tell the truth!

But I just wanted to share through these pictures. the fun times we had!

Sight seeing, ghost touring, antique shopping, etc.

A weekend to remember.

In front of the infamous haunted Jefferson Hotel.

Mom had Aldyn and me stand in front of a door, and act 'casual'.

These huge doors were absolutely gorgeous~another attribute to Jefferson is the architecture.

I would live in the 50's, if possible.

We got super silly here, mom and I.

She cracks me up, just adore her.

In the staircase of the Jefferson Hotel.

My face, who knows?

 Mom talking about RM 19, the most haunted room..We stayed in the room right next to it!
Nothing happened that night, just sweet dreams for me.

My mom knows how to kick up her heels! Sister not so much, haha.

In front of such a beautiful old church.

Converse queens, my mom passed on this tradition.

In front of Diamond Bessie's grave, a woman's story you should google!

On the Haunted Ghost Walk in front of a "Haunted" house, I was scared.

Yep.

Looks like you've seen a ghost?

Our tour guide, Jodi Breckenridge, who has been on A&E's My Ghost Story and Fact or Fiction!

Good times at the General Store. Ice Cream float? Why yes, thank you!

Antique Shopping and finding great treasures like this hat from the 30's!

Sister love.

I am so glad I captured the beautiful memories of this weekend!

I hope everyone has an incredible Father's Day weekend!

Happy Father's Day to all the Dad's out there!

Our Hope ENDURES

This is for all of you who have ever lost hope.

My heart is broken.

As I write these words, I feel the aching pain of disappointment.

Loss.

I hate it.

A hole forms in my heart.

It is an inevitable happening.

Once a piece of our heart, then gone.

We wonder if it will ever feel whole again.

How can it be so?

What can ever be good enough to fill it.

Our understanding can be very small.

I have to realize He makes our hearts complete again.

He feels the holes that are made by

the spears of heartache.

But it is not easy.

Some days, like today,

we want to creep back into that hole.

The one that is filled with the

sorrow,

anger,

disappointment,

and loss.

But He doesn't allow it.

As He wraps his loving arms around us,

He holds our heart in his hands and

He gives us a hope,

that endures all.

The HOPE that wakes us up every morning.

The HOPE that lifts us to our feet.

The HOPE that tells us to keep living.

The HOPE that wipes away our tears.

The HOPE that fills us with joy.

The HOPE that assures us We are Loved.

The HOPE that shines light back into our life.

A hope that

brings us out from the hole,

to make us whole.

The HOPE that brings smiles to our faces.

Because we know,

Our Hope Endures.

Psalm 39:7

And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.

Life is a Blur.

It seems like the past week has been the busiest week of my life!

And it continues to get even more hectic as the days fly by!

Everyone seems a blur, as I ran from place to place!

Literally.

I just drove away after paying for gas,

and forgot to get the gas!

Every waking moment is filled with a to-do.

I blink and the day is gone.

I wish it wasn't like this right now,

but there's nothing I can do..

I just try to enjoy it, by taking a deep breath and smiling while I'm on this crazy ride!

I am hoping life will slow down, soon..

but for right now it is no where close!

This is just a future apology for the lack of writing I will be doing in the next couple of weeks.

I have been consistent the past month, but am about to break that.

Do not be too sad,

I am going to try my very best to fit in a post when I can!

I need some advice on how to slow down!

Here is a verse I'm trying to remind myself lately.

Jeremiah 2:25, from the message,

Slow down. Take a deep breath. What's the hurry? Why wear yourself out? 

From The Dust.

From the dust,

it was created.

He takes something small.

He works it and molds it...

..into a masterpiece!

I read this story in the book that first inspired this blog!

GOD LOVES BROKEN PEOPLE.

...You have to read it below.

I'm pretty sure I have shared this before, but it is so good that you won't mind reading it again!

...................................................................................

THE THREE TREES

Once upon a mountain top, three little trees stood and dreamed of what they wanted to become when they grew up. The first little tree looked up at the stars and said: "I want to hold treasure. I want to be covered with gold and filled with precious stones. I'll be the most beautiful treasure chest in the world!" The second little tree looked out at the small stream trickling by on it's way to the ocean. " I want to be traveling mighty waters and carrying powerful kings. I'll be the strongest ship in the world! The third little tree looked down into the valley below where busy men and women worked in a busy town. I don't want to leave the mountain top at all. I want to grow so tall that when people stop to look at me they'll raise their eyes to heaven and think of God. I will be the tallest tree in the world.

Years, passed. The rain came, the sun shone and the little trees grew tall. One day three wood cutters climbed the mountain. The first wood cutter looked at the first tree and said, "This tree is beautiful. It is perfect for me." With a swoop of his shining ax, the first tree fell. "Now I shall make a beautiful chest, I shall hold wonderful treasure!" the first tree said.

The second wood cutter looked at the second tree and said, "This tree is strong. It's perfect for me."With a swoop of his shining ax, the second tree fell. "Now I shall sail mighty waters!" thought the second tree. " I shall be a strong ship for mighty kings!"

The third tree felt her heart sink when the last wood cutter looked her way. She stood straight and tall and pointed bravely to heaven. But the wood cutter never even looked up. "Any kind of tree will do for me." He muttered. With a swoop of his shining ax, the third tree fell.

The first tree rejoiced when the wood cutter brought her to a carpenter's shop. But the carpenter fashioned the tree into a feed box for animals. The once beautiful tree was not covered with gold, or treasure. She was coated with saw dust and filled with hay for hungry farm animals. The second tree smiled when the wood cutter took her to a shipyard, but no mighty sailing ship was made that day. Instead the once strong tree was hammered and awed into a simple fishing boat. She was too small and too weak to sail to an ocean, or even a river, instead she was taken to a little lake. The third tree was confused when the wood cutter cut her into strong beams and left her in a lumberyard. "What happened?" The once tall tree wondered. " All I ever wanted was to stay on the mountain top and point to God..."

Many days and nights passed. The three trees nearly forgot their dreams. But one night, golden starlight poured over the first tree as a young woman placed her newborn baby in the feed box. "I wish I could make a cradle for him." Her husband whispered. The mother squeezed his hand and smiled as the starlight shone on the smooth and sturdy wood. " This manger is beautiful." She said. And suddenly the first tree knew he was holding the greatest treasure in the world.

One evening a tired traveler and his friends crowded into the old fishing boat. The traveler fell asleep as the second tree quietly sailed out into the lake. Soon a thundering and a thrashing storm arose. The little tree shuddered. She new she did not have the strength to carry so many passengers safely through the wind and the rain. The tired man awoke. He stood up, stretched out his hand, and said, "Peace." The storm stopped as quickly as it had begun. And suddenly the second tree knew he was carrying the king of heaven and earth.

One Friday morning, the third tree was startled when her beams were yanked from the forgotten wood pile. She flinched as she was carried through an angry jeering crowd. She shuddered when soldiers nailed a man's hand to her. She felt ugly and harsh and cruel. But on Sunday morning, when the sun rose and the earth trembled with joy beneath her, the third tree knew that God's love had changed everything. It had made the third tree strong. And every time people thought of the third tree, they would think of God. That was better than being the tallest tree in the world.

.............................................................................................................................

When my plans don't turn out the way I plan, 

I get frustrated and sometimes question God.

But this story really makes me see the bigger picture!

God is constantly building and working on us to one day

use us as tools in His masterpiece!

It might not be the what we envisioned...

but probably much greater that what we had ever imagined!

Ephesians 3:20
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably MORE than all we ask or imagine,
according to his power that is at work within us...