The Intentional Life

Growing up, my family always made their way to Gateway Woods every August for "The Sale."  This giant auction spans 3 tents with all items being donated and all proceeds going to benefit the running of Gateway Woods.  I loved going and seeing all the different things that were being auctioned off.  Handcrafted furniture, electronics, handmade quilts, camping tents, canoes, trampolines, and the list goes on.  It seemed like a pretty big deal when I was a little girl.  And now having lived in the heart of it for 5 years I can tell you: It's a pretty big deal.  A few thousand people flood the campus on that day, enjoying seeing friends, eating delicious food, and knowing all the money they are spending is going to a good cause. Although we only see the physical aspects of preparation a couple weeks before the Auction, there are people who are preparing for this day months in advance.  In the last couple days we have seen the signs of the upcoming event.  As a housepa

Those who are authentic are relevant. Those who compromise authenticity to be relevant become corrupt. Author Unknown I think of myself as a fairly easy going person.  I don't get offended real easily. But I do have a few pet peeves.  A few strange ones, but the one that gets me most often? Fake people . I try to be as real with people as possible.  I will tell you like it is. I'll try to use some tact, but you are still gonna get the truth. Sadly, I come across fake people quite often. Like, daily. We keep preaching to these kids to be real.  Be real about your struggles.  Be real about your faults.  Be real about what you actually like, not pretending to like something because someone else does. Because you can only hold up the disguise, the fakery, for so long.  And either you get tired and it all falls down, or the truth finds you out in the end and there you are staring at a lap full of consequences. I think we can all fall into that trap, thoug

I'll have to ask my mom to get a better story, but I vaguely remember loving to put my own outfits together, and the thought that as long as the top and bottom were both stripes, it didn't matter what colors they were. I loved coming up with new outfits and would often change a few times a day just so I could try out all my ideas. Well, it seems I have bred a mini-me. I was going to take a picture every morning for a month to chronicle all the outfits, but some days I was delinquent.  But, I have still managed to capture a few doozies. Enjoy. *My favorite, by the way.*

 June, oh the lead in to summer.  It began with a graduation, a little soccer, led into a family vacation, a celebration of fathers, precious moments of enjoying friends,and finally falling asleep - exhausted on the couch. Catch your breath, because summer is just getting started... So hard to believe we have a 1st grader!  Final day of soccer - Owen was awarded the "Best Defensive Player" award  Vacation in the Smokies = Love.  Father's Day - they are all smiling...no crying...Yea!  The countdown continues on, and we tried to get as much time with the Wiegands as we could Summer is wearing her out.  She has done this multiple times while Owen is reading her a book.

A blog I follow put up the challenge. Here were the rules: Remove from your living space: Stuff that’s sitting on surfaces like photo frames, decorative bowls, stacks of books and magazines (unless I’m currently, truly reading them), vases (unless they are holding live, fresh flowers), baskets o’junk on the surfaces and floor, pillows, throws, random cute stuff that I have sitting all over. What you can keep: Lamps that I use daily, stuff my husband sits on his man-station, plants that might die if I pack them away. Books that are stacked neatly on bookshelves. Additional rules: Pack it away for a month. IF you realize you need something you can take it out and use it. For example, if you are having company over and want to light a candle, pull it out and light it. If you are cold, go get your cute throw. If your children need the jar of colored pencils, go grab it. I love to live with less anyways, so I thought this would be a fun thing to try.  It seems

This song has been going through my head today (click on the link, please.  Ignore the commercial and skip to the song. It's a good one!).  It began while I was out on my morning run.  I heard it on the radio and felt that it was a very appropriate song for today, a day we celebrate our liberty. This country isn't quite what it was when we first celebrated our independence.  In some ways we've improved, but in many ways we have fallen away. But God is not dead .  And He still has children left in this country.  May His church be "set on fire" and "win this nation back."  The atmosphere needs changed, the true Kingdom needs built. May His citizens show others who Jesus really is.  So that they too may desire to be a part of this Kingdom we are striving for. Today thank God that we still have freedom in this country, although at times it may feel like the noose of tyranny is closing in.  Thank God He is still in control and he has "determined

Well, he left this morning. He went to court and it's official. He is no longer a resident in our house. For two and a quarter years he has lived with us. Over 2 years. I'm sure you can understand that if someone lives in your home for that long they pretty much have become a part of your family. Although he was officially a resident at Gateway Woods, his personality, his life experiences, his approach to us, was more like a foster child. Our kids saw him as a big brother.  Owen actually told him once that his last name was Suvar. (My apologies on a not so great picture.  I can't show a full face picture, and this is the best I could find.) Now, he didn't leave here perfect, with everything figured out.  We weren't expecting that.  We never expect that. But he did leave here a more mature, grounded, respectful individual.  He isn't moving too far away and I suspect that we will be seeing him around. I sure hope so. So, right now I work