10 or 11 Things I've Learned This Month

Since relocating to a friend's house after an unexpected move last month, 

I am feeling ever inspired to share what the Lord has been teaching me. 

Here are 10 11 of the most profound things I learned 

{or relearned}

 in the past few weeks.

 11.) I have a lot of crap. 

There is nothing like moving to make you realize that you are a hoarder.

I'm making major strides in this arena, but geesh.

10.) I am really a country girl.  No bones about it.

Since moving here,

we've had a little adventure with a turtle who showed up in the driveway

and one morning while walking the dog,

I saw this:

Not one.  Or two.  But three beautiful, majestic owls.  

Can you see them?

How about in a close-up? 

I've mentioned before that I'm a little looney for animals 

and I really believe that the Lord uses them to speak to me.  

This just doesn't happen much in urban locales folks.

This country girl is at home in the woods.

I'm at my best when I'm one with the creatures.

And it appears as though my little one 

is following in Momma's footsteps.

 9.) A girl needs her accessories. 

I packed my house up pretty quickly

and managed to separate things in to a "store" and "take with" pile pretty well.

Except for my jewelry.

I cannot find it anywhere.

Good thing I managed to keep my Noonday pile visible.

I guess that means I just get to wear all Noonday all the time,

until my storage unit is unpacked sometime in the future.

Inca steps necklace

Not a bad problem to have, I guess.  :)

 8.) cooking is excellent therapy. 

When life is chaotic, we tend to go for the easy route, right?

For me, that means Chic-fil-A and pizza and boxes of Kraft mac n cheese.

But, truth is, I'm a domestic woman at heart.

I love to cook.

I love to know that I have made something healthy and nutritious for my girl and I.

And when that actually happens, it feels so good.

Cooking, like crafting, is much cheaper than therapy, people.

And speaking of cooking.....

 7.) cast iron skillets are the bomb. 

When you move in with a friend that already has everything,

it does wonders for a weary soul to just use someone else's stuff.

I've been lucky enough to inherit some cast iron skillets to try out and I love them.  

I was reading up on it and it turns out that cast iron 

is not only the best route to well-seasoned food, 

but it also adds healthy traces of iron to what you are cooking

and lacks the toxins that  are a part of most modern cookware.

Once we do move, I'm in the market for some new pots and pans.

Guess what I'm gonna buy?

 6.) the love and prayers of dear friends sustain me. 

This has probably been the worst month of my life.

I don't say that for sympathy, but simply as fact.

There has been spiritual attack from all sides.

I read and reread the Psalms and share in David's lament.

But somehow, here I sit....

I'm not dead yet.

                                                                Source: carolleeweijun.blogspot.com via Ramonas on Pinterest

That, my friends, is a testament to the goodness of God.

He has shown me that goodness through the intentionality 

and love of amazing friends.  

Their prayers, phone calls, and encouragement 

have propped me up and allowed me not only to survive this month,

but to delight in the sweet moments and hold on to the hope of my future.

                                                                Source: spiritualinspiration.tumblr.com via Melonie on Pinterest

5.) I have the most amazing, beautiful child. 

I marvel at the precious gift that she is to me.

At her silly little personality.

At her soft and caring heart.

At her appreciation of the simple things.

I could not be a more fortunate mother.

 4.) It is not an option not to rest. 

Along with cast iron skillets, 

I have recently learned the upside of recliner chairs.

If you were to be a fly on the wall here,

you would often find me curled up like this...

I am notoriously bad at resting.

Like, super bad.

My mind is always racing and my body is always

making me feel like I need to produce something.

So, lately, I've been trying to be intentional to rest more often.

I have found that a recliner chair is the perfect place for this.

I say it's not an option not to rest,

because choosing to push through and work will eventually kill your spirit.

And I like my spirit too much to continue to kill it.

So, on to the recliner chair I go...

3.) you can nest anywhere.

I have this little planter that I hung on the front walkway a few weeks ago.

Immediately, a bird began building a nest in it.

That little birdy was teaching me something.

As I work through this displaced feeling,

this sense of oh my goodness, 

I can't believe that I don't have a more stable living situation for my daughter and I, 

it dawns on me that I don't need to own a home to be at home.

That my home is where my daughter is.

That all it takes are a few toys, some clothes, and my kid to create a sense of home.

I could go anywhere in the world,

and as long as she is there,

it feels like home to me.

2.) time is so fleeting. 

In the chaos of the past few years,

I feel like I blinked and time moved at warp speed. 

If I am not intentional to live in the moment,

to really just be present to my surroundings,

then soon it's just a faint memory.

Or even worse, 

I don't remember that time passed.  

This past year, I have been so fortunate to go on a few trips

and enjoy quality time with my loved ones.

I haven't even taken the time to post or print most of those photos.

Oh father time, could you help a sister out and slow the heck down?

 1.) God is so faithful.

 If it were up to me, 

I'd be working like crazy so that I could have enough money to be comfortable. 

We wouldn't have had to move.

I would know what my future holds so that I could plan accordingly.

But, since God sees the big picture and knows exactly what I need,

I think I'll let Him run the show.

Because had I had it my way,

I would be working so much that special moments with Selah would be limited.

I wouldn't have moved to a new nest,
where owls and turtles live

where little is required of me and rest is possible.

And I won't have to be disappointed when my plans for the future don't come through.

I can just simply have hope in this moment of the goodness that is to come.

                                                                               Source: google.com via Myron on Pinterest