The sparest of rooms...

Welcome to our spare room!

After a year of living here, you'd think we would have had this done a while ago. For the longest time it held all our extra wedding decor and wedding presents until I could sort through it all. Now it is finally an office/ music studio/ extra bedroom.

Most of the furniture is from my college days. I'm pretty sure that the book case was given to me by a friend that was graduating and moving out...I was a freshman. I suppose you could call it vintage...or just old and falling apart! Ha! All the rest were hand-me-downs from my parents that I painted black. My bedroom looked exactly like this in college, except with tons of books and minus the desk. Oh the desk! I can't tell you how long it took us to find it. We searched for something inexpensive but still sturdy FOREVER. Well, many thrift stores and yard sales later, we got this one at Office Depot. Then my sweet husband spend hours putting it together. Needless to say, we are so glad to have it...finally!

We needed a place for all our music/ recording equipment. Call me a neat-freak, but I really didn't want it in our living room floor. I'm so glad we finally have a place for all our chord sheets and random song ideas.

I had to add a few feminine touches here and there, of course!

Oh, this room also serves as a storage place for all my jewelry. We should just call it "The Everything Room".

This is one of my favorite parts of the room: my vintage window and hymnal wreath. They compliment each other so well! I am happy just looking at it.

What office is complete without a bulletin board...and a place for headbands?

So there you have it. If you ever come to visit us, this is where you will stay. I hope guitars don't look scary to you in the dark...because we have several in there...in big black cases.

I still have a few more things to add, but all in all I am very glad to have a "finished" spare room that I might actually show visitors instead of hiding. Granted, it's nothing fancy or new but it's more than a lot of people have for sure!

So...what is in your spare room?

I am a music nerd

Yep, this is my favorite thing to do on my off days and in my spare time...

My dear husband has to work most holidays, including tomorrow. 

Take a wild guess at what I'll be doing for most of the day. If you said play a little music, you were right. Ah, it's going to be great. I have several things floating around in my head and I can't wait to flesh them out. 

Music is food for the soul, especially this one. I'm not really an emotional person, but I express a lot of those things through music. When I'm upset or frustrated, I play. I can be sad, happy, excited or any gamut of emotions...they call come out as melodies. Oh, and I love it.

Yes, yes...I know I'm a nerd.

Well, I hope you all have a great day tomorrow, whatever you do!

My summer reading list

I used to read at least a book a month in high school and college, not including my school books. I no longer do so and it makes me kind of sad. However, I am hoping to remedy that this summer. Here are a few books on my reading list:

Yes, it's true. I've been reading this book for several months. However, I never read through any Elliot writing very quickly. It's one of those you read for a bit and then put it down to write out some quotes and think about what you just read. (Or at least that's what I do.) I'm about half way through and I already have so many quotes highlighted. It's probably one of the best Christian biographies I've ever read.

Yep, this is another one I've been "reading" for quite a while. I'm on the last section of the book, but I can't seem to get myself into it again. It's not my favorite of Lewis’ works, but I’m determined to finish it. It is very thought provoking. Lewis delves into all the possible ways we can love. It's intriguing, but certainly not one that you are dying to get home to read.

I haven't read these since I was a kid. I know I'll enjoy them even more so now! I started “The Magician’s Nephew” the other day and I already finished it. Sometimes it’s just nice to escape the real world for a while. This time around I am scouring the pages for all the symbolism I can find. If you are at all familiar with the scripture it isn't hard to discover.I literally put on a Nancy Drew - like outfit and pull our my magnifying glass as I read these books. Ok, ok...I don't do that. I really put in a tobacco pipe and a Sherlock Holmes - ish hat. What? You don't believe that either? I'll stop now. Nonetheless, you should pick them up if you've never read them!

Oh my! I am so excited about this one! Has anyone read it? I read Radical last summer in just a few days. This one already proves to be very thought provoking. I love it when a book makes me want to put it down to read the Bible. I'm only on the second chapter and I have done so several times.

I read this in High School and it impacted my spiritual walk greatly. I’m excited about reading it again. It was very influential in growing my faith. It goes over lots of foundational theology. I love how he uses the term "ordinary" in this book. His "ordinary" Christian is just about equivelent to David Platt's "radical" Christian. It should be ordinary for us to be radical for Christ, to live in the Spirit and be used for the Kingdom. This is not a book for the faint of heart! It will be refreshing to once again turn the pages that helped me understand the Spirit and many other things.

So that's my reading list for now folks. Do any of you have some great summer reads you might suggest? I’m always on the hunt for a good book!

Our first Anniversary

Ah, the long awaited vacation finally came this past weekend! It was so good just to get away for a few days. To make a long story short, we had a bad turn of events and almost didn't get to go. However, it was all worked out at the last minute. We ended up in a different place, but as long as we were on the beach and together we were perfectly happy. We had quite a few interesting things happen to us. Just let me tell you...

This is the view from our place! We were on the second floor and literally steps from the pretty white sand!

This is the best way to start the morning - with coffee, your well-worn Bible and...

...your stud husband playing a little guitar. :)

After sleeping in, a little breakfast and some serious chilling out, we headed down to enjoy the beautiful outdoors. Jonathan has family in Panama City, so he's been spoiled by this beautiful beach for most of his life. I however have not had such a privelege, so I love it when we come here. The Panama City/ Destin area is just gorgeous.

 This is the life folks! In the background of this picture, you can see some yellow caution tape. They were filming a commercial. You might see us on TV. Just sayin'. Shortly after this picture was taken, a guy almost drowned in the ocean. Two random guys went to save him. The poor guy got sucked out into the currant and didn't have the strength to get back to shore. It was an exciting morning to say the least. We also decided not to venture into the water. It was a smart move.

After a little clean up, my Boo took me to a nice restaurant close by. It was called "The Boatyard" and was in a boat yard. Clever right? I thought so!

This is how we feel about being married. Just kiddin'! Nah, we're in love. 

I'll give $10 to whoever can guess who's cup this is. Mine or Jonathan's? Ok, I don't have $10...just guess for fun.

The food was so good! Mmmmm! However, the photos of Saturday stop here. Just as I was finishing the meal I got horribly sick. We had to cut our evening short and go back to our condo. (This kind of thing would happen to me!) Oh well! We did get to watch our wedding video later on. I had forgotten some of the funny things that happened on our wedding day!

Sadly, our trip had to end! It was wonderful while it lasted. Our kiddies will probably look back on these photos and think "Mom and Dad were so boring! All they did was sleep, eat and lay on the beach?" Yes, oh yes. Still, the days of sand toys and floaties will come. For now we are cherishing the days of "just us". It is fun to be able to selfishly sleep until 10 and eat at a table just for two. It has certainly been a fun 1st year of marriage for us!

I am very much looking forward to the rest of my life with this man! 

sometimes dreams need breaking

Empty.

My soul is empty.

I just got back from an amazing anniversary weekend with my love. I should be refreshed. I should be rejuvenated. I should be ready for this week.

But I’m not.

Instead I lay my head down on our couch and close my eyes for the last few moments before I head out the door. My Bible is at my finger-tips…but it remains there. Unread. My journal sits next to it. Unmarked. My prayers remain within me. Unspoken.

Why? It’s because I have rested, but I have not rested in Him. I have let my dreams creep back into my heart without being surrendered. Dreams that have not been broken to submission to the Lord are dangerous. They can take over the mind and torture. They brew impatience and boil with the urge to rebel. My soul is wild and reckless – it needs a bridle.

What is my dream? It is to pick up the guitar and sing - to compose new songs of praise to my Creator. I yearn to go and sit at my desk and write – write until my fingers are numb and my creative juices have nothing left to be squeezed. I long to be a voice in this generation – I voice that cries out for justice for the oppressed and mercy for the needy – for faith without works is dead. Good things are they not? Still, I know that good things are often the enemy of the best.

For now I am beckoned to silence. “Be faithful in little, My daughter” I am told. Deep down I know that my heart is proud. My very will needs breaking. My soul needs purging from its desire to do something great for the Lord. I have more clarity than ever, but it seems that vision is so far away at the same time. Is it not enough just to have Him, O heart? Though He withholds an answer, is He not still worthy to be praised?

And so I come yet again to surrender. I let Him break me, my dreams and all that I hold most dear. I cannot put my desires above Him. Life is too short to waste in mourning for broken dreams. Nothing is worth holding onto except for Him.

May my heart say evermore, “You alone, O God, are enough.”



“The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;

You hold my lot.

The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.”

 – Psalm 16:5-6

One year down...many more to go

One year ago today, I woke up early morning by this revelation: "It's our wedding day today!"

One year ago today, I drove to the church where we were to get married. I was giddy with anticipation.

One year ago today, I got ready for the most amazing day of my life.

One year ago today, I donned the most beautiful dress I have ever tried on.

One year ago today, I read the sweetest card from my love. He said that I was making him the "luckiest" man in the world that day.

One year ago today I met the love of the life at the alter - it was our wedding day. All the stress of planning was over. I was finally at home in his arms.

One year ago today, my dad walked me down the isle to meet my love and gave me away.

One year ago today, we made a commitment to each other for the rest of our lives.

One year ago today, we became man and wife.

This has been the best year of my life by far! I am so happy to be with my man. He is everything that I hoped and prayed for - and more! Even after a year, I still can't get over how lucky I am to wake up next to him every single day. My heart still melts when I look at him. (Well, he is just so handsome that I can't help it!) He is the best husband any girl could ask for. Sure, he is human. He makes mistakes, but there is no doubt that he loves Jesus - and because of his love for the Lord, he loves me with an amazing selfless love. I am blessed indeed!

Happy Anniversary Husband!

I love you with everything I am.

Love,

Your wife ~ Jennifer

All photos are by the amazing duo of T2 Photography. Check 'em out!

Faith Spotlight: Salvation Story

Saturday, May 21st is the 16th anniversary of my Salvation. In honor of this very special day, I want to tell you all the story of how my relationship with Jesus all started…


As I child I knew that I loved God. I grew up in home with Bible verses taped on the windows and on the back of doors, scripture read in the morning and most nights. Spiritual things were commonplace in our house. My ears were filled with verses from the Bible and prayer as soon as they exited my mother’s womb. I even memorized the whole of Psalm 23 as a 2 year old and made up songs about ‘Jesus coming down’ at 4 or 5.

Even though I knew that I loved God, I didn’t know Him.

One evening I was singing as I swung on my new swing-set from my Dad. I was singing a song I learned in Sunday School about telling the Devil to leave me alone because he had no power over me. My mom overheard me and said, “Jenny, you shouldn’t sing that. You don’t have that kind of power because you don’t know Jesus yet.” However, I did what most 6 year old kids do – I ignored my Mom and kept singing and swinging. As darkness fell, I was taken back to something that had happened earlier that day….

“Jenny Bubbles (that was my dad’s nickname for me), Go put your money in your piggy bank.” My Dad instructed.

“Yes Daddy!” I said without any intentions of obedience.

I stuffed my money in my beloved doll house and ran outside to play.

In that moment I realized what sin was and that I was a sinner. Fear gripped my little heart as I thought of what might happen to me if I was to die on my swing-set. I knew the answer – Hell. I had always known these things, but in this moment I really knew them. I had not a moment to lose, so I ran in the house and knelt behind my doll house – the very place I had hidden my disobedience.

I can’t tell you exactly the words I prayed, if I folded my hands or said “Dear Jesus”. But I can tell you this, I can remember that moment in time like it was yesterday. As a little 6 year old girl, I came face to face with my need for Jesus…I came face to face with Jesus. I realized what He did through his sacrifice on the cross, I realized why He came to earth, and I realized exactly what I needed to do. I told Him that I needed Him to forgive me, that I wanted Him to take over my life so that I could have Him and be with Him after my life on earth came to an end.

This may seem foolish to you, but I was changed after that moment. I remember running into the kitchen to find my parents. I was so overcome with joy that I could hardly speak! My parents were quite astonished that this had occurred and promptly took me into their room to make sure I understood what I was talking about. Somehow everything that I had been taught made sense in a new way.

"I'm a new woman now!" I said to my parents with elation. "The old Jenny is gone and now I'm a new Jenny"

Ever since that day, I have never doubted that I now belonged to Jesus. Sure, there have been lots of times that I have struggled, especially in high school. But no one ever said that it is easy to follow Christ. I've made mistakes, and I haven't always been completly devoted to the Lord, nor will I ever be. However, knowing God is the most amazing thing. I wish I could explain it in words, but I can't even grasp it fully myself. I am just in awe that the Creator even cares about knowing me! It really is a crazy kind of love!

This is one of my life verses:

"But I count my life as no value to myself,

so that I may finish my course with joy

and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus,

to testify to the gospel of God's grace."

~ Acts 20:24

What is your experience with Jesus? Is faith in Him even on your radar? I'd love to hear!