Lately...

True Life: I am a Lee*

Hey...when did it become July?! I've been unemployed for two months now (woohoo!) and have appreciatively embraced the role of "stay-at-home" without the 'mom' part (unless you count my first born, Baxter). I am learning that patience means "waiting without complaining" (see above photo), and that maybe - just maybe - this time of 'nothing' is really for me to do 'something' with my free time (and a lot of it!). Through many conversations with dear friends, this summer has been affectionately called "the summer of thoughts", where I am left to my own vices and my own times of quiet to calm my heart, tune my heart, and stay open and aware of where God leads me every day.

Sometimes it means I get the opportunity to bless my husband with delicious home-cooked food, or to simply enjoy his presence! We had been separated for three weeks, and now we're reunited (and it feels so good).

Sometimes it means I can paint my nails pastel colors and wear fun, bright-colored shorts just for funsies. Or it means I have time to slowly ease back into the world of academia and crack open those books for my impending doom licensure exam.

How fortunate am I that I have a husband who loves me, a house over our heads, a place to call home, and God who redeems me everyday! What a great lesson to learn during this season of waiting!

*"TrueLife: I am a Lee" backstory: My husband's life has always been filled with times where things consistently don't work out the right way the first, second, or third time. Usually it involves freak accidents, strange periods of circumstantial events that cause delays, forgetfulness, and the disappearance of important documents, conversations, bills, etc. I was warned that I would be inheriting this 'gift' when I married into the family. I wasn't sure if I believed all this pish-posh...until it started happening to me too. I've had to send my transcript four times to the same place because it keeps getting lost/misplaced/printed out wrong. Our debit cards took 4 weeks to get to us when it should have taken 1. Our oven keeps shutting off due to a faulty temperature sensor, and we've already fixed it once. Our fridge needed 'de-icing' and 'de-clogging'...our appliance fixer-man used a hairdryer. What I have learned as a Lee - the Lord has a great sense of humor, and thankfully has given us an appreciation for his humor too! Patience...waiting through life without complaining. Now that's #truelife

Weddinstagram

Remember my obsession with instagram? Well my friends are obsessed too. Which means I get to do a wedding photo post filled with instagrammed photos taken at my absolutely fabulous wedding!!

Entry-way decor

The awesome beverage napkins my mother-in-law found!

Bikes, bikes, bikes! (WAIT until you see the bike tire chandeliers!!)

The happy boaters who honked and waved and shouted in joy from the river at the discovery of our wedding

Two of the awesomest people in all the world

Finger-print guestbook, complete with tandem bike theme! (Shout out to PERSONALIZEDprints on Etsy!)

Dancing our way down the aisle and through life!

It was so much fun to see all these photos on our honeymoon. Look out for a 'real' wedding photo post soon! (We got the web-link earlier this week, waiting anxiously patiently for the dvd to arrive in the mail!!

#SheReadsTruth

A couple of days ago, my dear friend tweeted: "@jnc should follow #shereadstruth through @Mama_Pea and @eatliverun on twitter and instagram"

...I love Twitter, and I also equally (that's a lie, probably more) love Instagram - girlfriend's tweet got me hooked. I quickly got on the internets and used the Google machine to do some research.

#SheReadsTruth is, as they put it simply, "women reading His truth together." It started with two friends who wanted to pursue the Lord together through His word. They started tweeting about it, people started asking...and then #SheReadsTruth was born.

Fast forward to today. They are starting a new plan called "Living The Surrendered Life" through YouVersion (accessible through app for your smartphone or online). Women all over are reading through the same passages of scripture and reading through the same devotional for the next 21 days and, as my friend put it in her email, "going to go for it and see where it takes me". Then, they are using social media to tweet and/or Instagram their journey, using the hashtag #shereadstruth to share what they're learning/what they believe the Lord is showing them.

I joined the adventure with their new plan today, and just in the first two lines of the devotional I was already convicted. I can't wait to see how the Lord continues to challenge me in the next couple of weeks.

Are you looking for a different way to be challenged in your growth this summer? Are you seeking fellowship with other women but don't know where to start? Join me and #shereadstruth and leave me a comment so I know you're doing it too!