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Busyness and Disobedience

In college I could have majored in busyness instead of business. Keeping busy comes natural to me. Carving time out of my schedule and waiting on God does not come natural. Resting verses busyness is a discipline that I am constantly working on. Hebrews has almost an entire chapter on resting and what happens when we do not rest with Lord. A few years ago I came across Hebrews 4:1-13 and this scripture hit me right in my gut. I knew resting was good for the soul, mind, body, heart and even your spirituality. Yoga even teaches this concept. But when I dug into this passage, I realized being busy (not resting) and not being disciplined in waiting on the Lord is actually an act of disobedience.

This morning I was reading my devotional and this is what I read that reinforced this deep need to wait and rest on God.

Recieve My peace. It is MY continual gift to you. The best way to receive this gift is to sit quietly in My presence, trusting Me in every area of your life. Quietness and trust acomplish far more than you can imagine: not only in you, but also on earth and in heaven. When you trust Me in a given area, you release that problem or person into My care.

Spending time alone with Me can be a difficult disciple, because it goes against the activity addition of this age. You may appear to be doing nothing, but actually you are particitpating in battles going on within spitual realms. You are waging war - not with the weapons of the world, but with heavenly weapons, which have divine power to demolish strongholds. Living close to Me is a sure defense against evil.

John 14:27, Isaiah 30:15, 2 Corinthians 10:4

At Bayside Church, where I work, we are corporately "Waiting on God" this week. I know I need this in my own life.

My weeks goal: resting and being obedient.

#Bayside Church #Waiting on God #Resting #Yoga

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How I love gardening...

Growing up I spent a lot my Saturday's gardening with my Mom and the family. Recently I have wanted to build my own garden, going back to my roots. But it is rather difficult now knowing how long I will be living in my house.

So, I found the perfect solution while exploring vintage and consignment shops. Many of these shops have a variety of terrariums. The glass containers were so simple and I loved the succulents in them. After this I decided to research terrariums. There are some REALLY expensive ones out there. The more I read about building a terrarium, the more I realized they are really simple to build.

Step one:

Gather your supplies. Choose your glass container. These can be found anywhere really. I purchased mine at High Hand Nursery in Loomis because of the clay base. Clay bases provide better drainage then a glass base. Choose which plants you will be planting. I went with succulents because they only need to be watered twice a month and there are so many unique options out there. When picking out your plants, keep in mind how much space you have in your container. You will also need potting soil and rocks.

Step 2:

Place the potting soil in the base of the container. Arrange the plants in the container. Be sure to break up the roots so they will have a better hold to the soil. Take the rest of your soil and fill in the gaps between the plants.

Step 3:

The last finishing touches are very important. Press the soil down around the plants. Place the rocks throughout the container. Water.

Step 4:

Take a picture of your work and enjoy!

#terrarium #gardening #plants #flowers #dyi

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kevinconrad710:

Getting reading for Walking Dead Season 2. #zombies #thewalkingdead by Amber Conrad on Flickr.

#instagram app #square #square format #iphoneography #Sutro

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Road Trip to Oregon. Day 4

Shawn and myself had not visited the favorite Tillamook Cheese factory since we were very young we thought that would be a great way to start a nice day along the Oregon coast. We met our friend, Nick and his girlfriend Rebecca for lunch before we toured the factory. When we got to the factory, I was a bit surprised. I remember it being much larger. It amazing how things tend to get smaller when you get older. But none the less, we enjoyed watching them slice and package our favorite cheese. We went downstairs to their cheese tasting area. They had everything from extra sharp cheddar cheese to squeaky cheese. Squeaky cheese is Hannah's favorite. This cheese is the curd that they cut off the main part of these and when you chew it, it squeaks in your mouth! If you visit the Tillamook Cheese factory, which I highly recommend, you have to have their ice cream. Delicious.

-the Tillamook Cheese Stamp -

We drove up the Oregon coast. This was a beautiful drive. Great views of beaches, coastal cliffs and wild flowers. We pulled off the side of the road to soak in the views and take pictures of course.

-Hannah, Shawn and myself -

Once we got into Astoria, I immediately loved it. It's such a cute beach town. Its not the largest town but has everything someone needs and is not too far from Portland. Nick is stationed in Astoria lives in a older home that has great character. While I was in town, I learned Kindergarten Cop was filmed there. Thought it was an interesting fact.

-Left Side: Oregon. Right Side: Washington-

Nick is in the Coast Guard and he was able to give us a tour of the ship he is assigned to. Between Shawn and myself we must have asked 50 questions about the ship alone. It was pretty cool. We went on the bridge and of course I wanted to see how it was to control the large ship we had just toured. So many tools, instruments and gear that looked foreign to me. That was the first active military ship I have ever been on.

-I'm on the bridge -

#cheese #oregon #tillamook #coast guard

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Road Trip to Oregon. Day 3

Our third day in Oregon we packed a lunch, headed to the park to have a good'ol picnic. Hannah, Shawn and I packed a very eclectic lunch including hummus, carrots, turkey, brie, crackers, cucumbers and our teas of choice. Kind of a hippie lunch, so I thought it would be appropriate to drink a new kind of tea. Peace tea. It was actually quite delicious. If you can get your hands on it, try it.

-Me and my "Peace Tea"-

After enjoying our picnic, we decided to do the next best thing at the park and swing on the swings. I really felt like I did when I was in elementary school. Swinging as high and fast as I could, competing against my fellow swinging companions. And of course getting to the point of the swing where you have built up so much momentum, the chain gets an extra amount of slack and and you come down on the swing in a not so graceful way. Such a freeing feeling it is to swing.

-Swinging: Jordan, Shawn, Hannah, Hanna-

In the afternoon we headed for the pool. We went to the Dallas Aquatics center. If you are ever in the area, you should definitely check it out. It was not a normal Aquatics center. It had 4 different pools, hot tub, a water slide, a floating river, a rope swing, diving board and pipes with water spilling out. We swam until our hands were prunes.

-All of us in the pool-

And if that was not enough to wipe us out, we took the ATV's out for a run when we got back to the house. Oh boy was that fun. Shawn took dear Hannah out on a ride. I let my 15 year old cousin, Jordan take me on a ride. I was terrified at first. Probably due to the fact that I remember when he was born, now seeing him as a teenage and putting my life in his hands is a little scary. Ok, I might have overreacted in my head because he took me on a great ride. The right balance of safety and adrenaline.

-Shawn taking Hannah for a ride -

#picnic #swings #park #oregon #family #ATV #swimming #pool

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30 before 30 list

Do you have a bucket list? A 30 before 30 list? I do. This list was created when I was 24. There is quite the variety of items on this list but am excited for each and everyone of them.

sky dive

get my scuba certification

visit new york (working on it)

visit Italy

visit London

get married

go white water rafting down the Colorado River

parasail

own my car

be debt free

make homemade mint chocolate chip ice cream w/ Andes mints

grow an herb garden and use the herbs

learn to play an entire song on the guitar

play a round of golf (working on my skills)

drive the 1 down the west coast

learn to drive a Motorcycle and own one 

get a dog

stay at the Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay

buy an iPad

get a tatoo

go on a hot air balloon ride  - Napa

perform a kind deed anonymously to at least 5 strangers 

take a cooking class

learn wine appreciation

own a road bike

open my own etsy shop (in progress - busy creating)

go on a blind date

knit a scarf

volunteer at an organization with a cause i am passionate about

fly first class 

What's on your list?

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Road Trip to Oregon. Day 2

Day Two of the Road Trip:

We stayed at my Aunt and Uncle's where four of our cousins live. Their ages span from nine to fifteen; very fun ages. The twins (the youngest of the four) were celebrating their birthday on Monday. So we walked down to the local coffee shop and an we all enjoyed a hot drink. Because after all it is Oregon, so the weather was pretty cold.

-The twins drinking their birthday hot chocolate-

After this, we loaded everyone up in two cars and headed down to the river. Once we got there we walked to the ferry to take it over to the state park on the other side.

-the ferry-

At the state park we took a little walk along the river. There was this cute bridge that went over a branch of the river. It was such a beautiful area.

-my Grandma and I on the bridge -

After exploring the state park we went down to the river to skip rocks. My brother instigated this adventure and the cousins loved it! It took me back to when I was their age and our parents would take us down to the same river so we could skip rocks. We would do it for what felt forever. Guess it was good cheap fun.

-Shawn and the four cousins skipping rocks at the river-

Overall, it was a very fun day. As much as my cousins got excited about the small and simple outing, I did too. I suppose I am still young at heart.

#Oregon #Road Trip

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Road Trip to Oregon. Day 1

Don't you just love when you decide to go on a road trip at the last minute and its a blast? That exactly what happened in the beginning of August. My brother, Shawn, his girlfriend Hannah and myself decided to head to Oregon. Our grandparents, aunts, uncle and cousins live up there and we have not visited for sometime due to our busy schedules.

Day One of the Road Trip:

We left very early on Sunday morning, 3am to be precise. Shawn was a champ and drove the whole way. Hannah and I conveniently woke up in time to cross the California/ Oregon border and eat breakfast. We stopped at the Black Bear Diner, in Grants Pass, Or. Apparently they are all over the West Coast. So, if you are on a road trip and looking to eat something other than Denny's, Black Bear Diner is highly recommended.

We made very good time and got to our grandparents house by 1pm. We got to surprise my grandma by showing up early. This was especially fun since it was her birthday. We celebrated her birthday by giving her a card, flowers & gift card, the famous Taco family dinner, kicking back and catching up.

#Oregon #Road Trip #Family #Summer

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Sewing Class

This past weekend I was able to spend some time with a friend of mine. We planned to have brunch, go to a sewing shop and catch up. We went to have brunch at High Hand Nursery. As we drove up, we realized the sewing shop, The Tin Thimble that we were planning to visit was located at High Hand. She had purchased a Groupon for sewing classes at The Tin Thimble so we wanted to check it out.

Turns out I had been there before and loved it. It's a cute family run shop. Their passion is sewing, but they work a lot with felt and silk materials too. The fabric they have is higher quality then you would find at Joann Fabrics and they even carry vintage fabric that was sold back in the 40's, 50's and 60's. This sparked my interest because they actually have unique fabric which is one of the advantages of sewing.

Something that also sparked my interest was the fact that they offer sewing classes. I grew up sewing with my Mom, Grandma and Great Aunts. I was even in the 4-H sewing track and showed my work at the Santa Clara Fair. But, it has been quite sometime since I have even worked with a sewing machine. Since my Mom and I used to sew it was something special that I shared with her. Fortunately, my Grandma and Great Aunt sew very well. So I can always call them with my various questions that sewing projects always seem to come up. But my biggest obstacle in sewing has been space, time and inspiration. These classes seemed to be a great solution to get me back into my love of sewing. I decided to sign up for the pennant making class. A simple project but one I have never considered sewing before. Can't wait for the class in September!

#sewing #crafts #DYI #The Tin Thimble #Sewing Class #Loomis #High Hand Nursery #Groupon

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My Book List

I have always enjoyed learning, seeing different perspectives and getting challenged intellectually. Because of this, I enjoy picking up a good book, digesting it, discussing it and applying to to everyday life. Unfortunately as a direct result of this cycle, I am a pretty slow reader. It seems that my book list is constantly growing. My hope is to make time in my life to really work through my book list. I have been able to discuss these books on a weekly basis with a small group of people which is helping me get through my vast book list.

The books I am currently reading:

Next on the book list:

#books #summerreading #booklist #quitter #insecurity #Jesus Calling #The Tender Heart #Hipster Christianity #In a pit with a Lion on a snowy day #C.S. Lewis #A Gief Observed

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Collaborative Inspiration

If you admire collaboration, look for inspiration, long for creativity, wired to network, and capture life through images -  Pinterest is website you need to check out. A friend of mine introduced me to this website a week ago. Let me just say, I have been addicted. You create boards based on your own interests, then you pin images (with or without short descriptions) and add the image to your collection on one of your boards.

I am inspired creatively in many ways.  There is a time and place to sit on a rock 10 times the size of you in the forest. Other times, get swept away by the breath taking waves that crash on a beach shore. Or maybe catching a glimpse of a design, article, or blog that inspires you. But there is something to be said to collaborative inspirational. Pinterest is exactly that for me.

The tug and pull of my personality lies between creativity and organization. A combination that you do not generally find in most people. But God has gifted me with both of these attributes. At times one dominates the other. Thankfully there are tools out there that embrace both of these attributes.

Pinterest covers many categories some include: Food + Drink, Travel, Art + Architecture, Design, Photography, Apparel, Home + Furniture, Products, Film + Music + Books, DIY, Tech, Wedding + Events, Science + Nature.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

P.S. There is a Pinterest App. It's free. 

#DIY #Food #Travel #Art #Inspiration #Wedding #Events #Creativity #Photography #design #pinterest #personality #organize #nature

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Trust me and don't be afraid, for I am your Strength and Song. Do not let fear dissipate your energy. Instead, invest your energy in trusting Me and singing My Song. The battle for control of your min is fierce, and years of worry have made you vulnerable to the enemy. Therefore, you need to be vigilant in guarding your thoughts. Do not despise this weakness in yourself, since I am using it to draw you closer to Me. Your constant need for me creates an intimacy that is well worth all the effort. You are not alone in this struggle for your mind. My Spirit living within you is ever ready to help in this striving. Ask Him to control your mind; He will bless you will Life and Peace. Isaiah 12:2 Romans 8:6

Jesus Calling

by Sara Young

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I have been saving glass bottles for months now. My idea was to cut them and add decorative elements to the glass bottles. But I could not find the best way to cut the bottles. I was a bit intimated working with glass. There are many techniques out there, this one seems to be a good fit for me. First line of action is to buy the kit on Amazon. Second is to start cutting my collection of bottles! Can't wait!

#craft #DIY #Glass bottles #Wine Bottles

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An old rusty train. (Taken with instagram)

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Song Therapy

Do you ever hear a song that speaks to your soul and emotions? There have been seasons in my life when I am going through something and a song speaks to me. Quite often it’s a song that I have listened to time and time again but surprisingly catches my attention. Once my attention is peaked, the lyrics put words to the emotions that are in my heart. Then, at least for me I utilize my repeat option on my iPod. The song is repeated and repeated until I have “felt out” all the emotions in my heart. Either I get tired of the song or I lose my voice – then I move onto another song.At times it’s a therapy session through song.

What song have you heard that speaks to you this way?

The song for me this past week:

Leave The Pieces by The Wreckers

#music #therapy #song #The Wreckers #iPod

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I am with you, watching over you constantly. I am Emmanuel; My presence enfolds you in radiant Love. Nothing, including the brightest blessings and the darkest trials, can separate you from Me. Some of My children find Me more readily during dark times, when difficulties force hem to depend on Me. Others feel closer to Me when their lives are filled with good things. They respond with thanksgiving and praise, thus opening wide the door to My Presence. I know precisely what you need to draw nearer to Me. Go through each day looking for what I have prepared for you. Accept every event as My hand-tailored provision for your needs. When you view your life this way, the most reasonable response is to be thankful. Do not reject any of My gifts; find Me in every situation. Matthew 1:23 Colossians 2:6-7

Jesus Calling

By Sarah Young

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At the mall #withoutshoes (Taken with Instagram at Westfield Galleria at Roseville)

#withoutshoes