Monday, August 31, 2015

Simply Tuesday by Emily Freeman

 
Every year, in the Fall, I like to host a small group at my home.
What is a small group you ask?
Great question!
It's a tool that my church and many other churches use to help get people connected that share similar interests.  It's not just for church members.  The person hosting the "small group" can open it up to whomever he or she would like.
 
In the past I've hosted a small group on:
the 5 love languages by Gary Chapman (great book by the way!)
Scrapbooking
Pinterest Inspired crafts (huge hit and lots of fun!)
Various marriage studies, etc...
 
This fall I decided to base the small group on the book called Simply Tuesday by Emily Freeman.
 

Here's a little excerpt from her book....
 
Let's take back quiet conversation with friends, whispered prayer over sick babies, belly laughter around the dinner table.
Let's take back the honor of small donations, small care packages, and small movements toward fellow image-bearers, because love isn't measured in inches, grand gestures, or dollar amounts.
Let's dare to take back that time when someone's words made us feel stupid, but instead of wallowing in the shame of it, we'll push through to the other side because directly after that painful conversation you saw a glimpse of strength and courage within you that wasn't there before and you have her to thank for it.
 
Let's take back the long days and the short years and all the months that come between them, because this is where our real life happens.  And we won't be so naïve as to try to make the hard times beautiful, but we will have faith that the hard days are making us, remaking us, and forming us into the likeness of Christ.
 
Let's take back moments that are lovely even if they are imperfect, words that are powerful even if only one person hears them, company that is meaningful even when we don't say any words at all.
 
Let's take back fame, the kind that comes from being born in a stable and teaching on a seashore and feeding up lunch to thousands from just a few loaves and fish; the kind of fame that comes from loving and saving the whole wide beautiful world.
 
Let's take it all back, these moments we've given away, thrown out with the leftovers and the papers we didn't think we needed.  We left them behind in our pursuit of bigger and better and we've forgotten what's best.
 
To say I'm excited is an understatement.
God placed this in front of my face so blatantly that I KNOW it is what He wants my small group to be about.
If you're reading this and live in my area please come.  I don't believe it's an accident that God placed this message in front of you.
 
 
On amazon.com the blurb about the book says;
 
Our obsession with bigger and faster is spinning us out of control. We move through the week breathless and bustling, just trying to keep up while longing to slow down. But real life happens in the small moments, the kind we find on Tuesday, the most ordinary day of the week. Tuesday carries moments we want to hold onto--as well as ones we'd rather leave behind. It holds secrets we can't see in a hurry--secrets not just for our schedules but for our souls. It offers us a simple bench on which to sit, observe, and share our stories.
For those being pulled under by the strong current of expectation, comparison, and hurry, relief is found more in our small moments than in our fast movements. In Simply Tuesday, Emily P. Freeman helps readers

· stop dreading small beginnings and embrace today's work
· find contentment in the now--even when the now is frustrating or discouraging
· replace competition with compassion
· learn to breathe in a breathless world

Jesus lived small moments well, slow moments fully, and all moments free. He lives with us still, on all our ordinary days, creating and redeeming the world both in us and through us, one small moment at a time. It's time to take back Tuesday, to release our obsession with building a life, and believe in the life Christ is building in us--every day.
 
That spoke to me!

If you're interested in attending my small group, message me for more information or you can visit my church's website at
http://thefellowshipchurch.com/connect/
and sign up there!
 
If you'd like to purchase the book it's on sale right now
 
The author of the book, Emily Freeman, also has a blog if you'd like to follow it just click on the link below!
 
Have a blessed day!
Delilah
 
 


Friday, August 28, 2015

Friday Faves ~ 8/28/15

 
I have a fun weekend planned so I'm especially excited it's FRIDAY!
 
Tonight is my daughter's first football game of the season (she's a cheerleader remember?)  She's in a cast at the moment so she will not be cheering but she will be out there in her uniform supporting her team.  Let's do this Heritage High!!
 
Then on Saturday I have my friend's 40th birthday bash!  I'll be sure and take lots of pictures.
 
Sunday is church and my son's football jamboree!
 
A fun filled weekend for sure!
 
Ok, let's get to my Friday Favorites!
Enjoy!
 
Favorite store front

 

Favorite painted piece

 
Favorite dinner party


Favorite backyard
 
Favorite hallway

Favorite picnic setting

 Favorite kitchen
 
Favorite den

Favorite ceiling

 Favorite playroom
 
 Favorite curb appeal
 
Favorite dining room
 
Favorite quote!
 
Have a wonderful weekend!
Delilah

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Decorating for a 40th birthday!

One of my sweet friends is turning 40 this weekend!
 
Her husband is planning a little party for her and asked if I could help with the decorations.
There was truly no need to ask!  It is my joy to help decorate for the birthday bash!
 
I scoured the Internet and Pinterest for some ideas and I wasn't really finding much.....
 
Here are a few finds that I did like:
 
(of course the budget doesn't allow for this but isn't it beautiful?)
 
 
 
 
 
 
(The party is in the backyard so I liked this space for that reason.)
 
 
This is a picture I was given for inspiration and for the color scheme.
 
Isn't it beautiful!
I love the color scheme!
 
I can't wait to show you everything that I came up with.  All under budget!
 
Here's a sneak peek!
I pulled a lot of stuff from my own stash of décor to load the tables with.
I didn't want to use your typical birthday party decorations.
My goal is to provide something a little more elegant.
 
The party is Saturday!
 
I'll take lots of pictures and share it soon!  :)
 
Have a blessed day!
xoxo
 
Delilah
 
 
 
 
 
 


Monday, August 24, 2015

Motivation Monday ~ Don't terminate your miracle

Last week my friend shared this story on Facebook...
 
Tomorrow I will be 6 months pregnant!
My doctor has called my son, "A miracle baby!"
It has been a roller coaster ride with this pregnancy. The fact he came into the world was a miracle within itself because my husband and I never went to a fertility clinic, etc. Our pregnancy was a complete surprise. The doctors told me years back I could never have children. What's even more miraculous is the baby's will to stay in my womb!
 
 
The doctor first told me it was a tubal pregnancy, then later said it was a molar pregnancy and to prepare myself to let him go, but later they found a heart beat and said I had several large fibroids that were hiding him. However, the fibroids could prevent his growth, etc.
 

 
I was immediately classified as a high risk pregnancy because I'm 42 years old with pre-existing conditions. For the past 1 1/2 months the genetic doctors from Kaiser said he would have Klinefelter syndrome because his blood test results came back 99.9 percent positive. We were given the choice to terminate our pregnancy or continue with the pregnancy and prepare ourselves for his disability.
 
 
Instead, we chose to pray over our son and just declare that God would not have brought him into our lives, after these past 14 years of being barren just for him to be disabled. We decided to continue with the pregnancy, but we just knew in our hearts that God was going to perform a miracle- that the 2% chance they had given us that the results could be wrong were already in our favor.
In fact, for my employee password I used "100 false" for every time I logged into my computer. With every key stroke I was telling the enemy he was a liar. I was declaring day in- day out in my mind that those results were going to be a false positive. God was for me and my son... He already had His miracle for us. I just needed to be Still and wait upon the Lord.
 
 
Last week, I got my amniocentesis test results back and it was officially confirmed my son will be normal. There was NO extra chromosomes! My OB doctor, who is a non-believer, was amazed because she really thought the results would still remain the same, but I told her that my husband and I still believe in miracles and that the Lord always has the last word.
 
 
Although, it has been a physically challenging pregnancy and definitely an emotional one, I've come to realize that God is just using me, and my soon to be son, Brandon Luke, to testify to others about God's greatness and that He is still able to do the impossible!
 
 
I was so blessed by my friend's post.  How many times have we looked at our surrounding circumstances instead of trusting in God.
 
 
Many would have terminated the pregnancy after hearing the prognosis but she and her husband chose to cling onto God's miracle.
 
 
 
 
Don't terminate your Miracle!
 
Your marriage may look shaky,
Your job may be draining,
Your finances might look bleak,
Your health might be deteriorating...
 
whatever the case may be,
Your Miracle just might be right around the corner!
 
 
Have a blessed day!
Delilah
 

 

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Be a Cheerleader!!


I have to admit
five years ago when my daughter said she wanted to be a cheerleader
I was not thrilled.

A cheerleader?

The feminist came out in me and I started to protest.
You don't want to be cheering for the kids playing sports...
you want to be the one playing the sports!

However, I didn't want to be one of those parents!
You know the ones,
the parents who live through their children.
Yeah, we all know them.
Some of us have even been raised by them!



 So I agreed to let her cheer.

I though it would be a phase...

And here we are 5 years later and she's now a Freshman cheering on the Cheer team for her High School.

She loves it!
Go figure!


And believe it or not I love it too!
Alright, don't get me wrong...
I'm definitely not your typical cheer mom.

I love it because she loves it.


I had a thought the other day.
Just a random little thought.
It's not life-changing or anything but..
this is what I think:

In this life we need cheerleaders...

Someone to encourage us.


Someone to motivate us.


Someone to lift us up.


Someone to catch us when we fall.


Someone that believes in us
even when the scoreboard of life says we're down by six!



Someone to provide a shoulder to lean on.


Someone to be silly with.


Someone that we can feel safe with.



and sometimes 
someone to just sit quietly and be there.

Be a cheerleader in someones life today and everyday!
Our world needs more of them!

xoxo
Delilah





Friday, August 14, 2015

Friday Faves ~ 8/14/15


Haha!!! 
Yay!  We made it!
 
I recently took this My Style Finder Quiz and was a little surprised by the result.
If you were to ask me what my design style is
(and it changes all the time....)
my response would be
 
it's Traditional
or
French Country 
or
Eclectic
or
Classic.
 
And as you can tell, I really don't know what it is because I'm still deciding!  :)
 
Anyhow, according to the quiz my style is...
 
 
You know what?
I think I kind of agree!
I love almost everything about this space.
I love the planked walls, the wood beams, the curvy glass lamps, the warm throw on the chair, the wiry baskets and even the books stacked nicely on the sofa table!  It is lacking a little splash of color but not bad, not bad!
 
Take the quiz people!  I'd love to hear what your design style is!
 
Alright, here are this weeks favorites!
Enjoy!
 
Favorite Family Room

Favorite Backyard

Favorite Cabinet

Favorite Candle Stand

Favorite Light

Favorite Coffee Table

Favorite Dresser

Favorite Flower

Favorite Curb Appeal (I'm really missing green grass!)

Favorite Kitchen

Favorite Nightstand and Lamp

Favorite Bathroom

Favorite Photo Op

Favorite Wall Color
 
 
 
Have a wonderful weekend and stay in your bubble!

Delilah