it's been a while!

hello, friends!

it sure has been a while since i've shared bits and pieces of my life with you.
oh, how i've missed our chats!

so, basically, i just ran from the kitchen{after making my bed real quick}  to share with you my light bulb moment this morning.
it comes from a conversation{via  email} that i was having with my new friend, rachel, that i met on instagram.
let me just say that i love instagram and all the lovely friends that i have made on there.
i love knowing that God, in His sovereignty, uses even social networks to bring people together to encourage, inspire and bless people.

when i initially took a blog break, it was because i had been introduced to some amazing women and their blogs who truly encouraged me{in the Lord} to take a step back and reassess my priorities.
i know, i know, i've said that a million times, but it's truly something that i struggle with.
after reading posts here, here and here, i decided to take a step back and spend more time being intentional with my kiddos.
spending more time crafting, cooking, baking and enjoying those moments, instead of obsessing about taking pictures and posting on the blog and on, and on and on.

believe me, not a day has gone by where i didn't think about you all and how i wanted to share with you what we were doing and the ups and downs of life in general.
but whenever i would think of that,  fear would creep up into my mind.
fear of rejection.
fear of not being good enough.
fear of comparison.
fear of my posts not being worth reading.
basically any reason to not share with you the blessings that God has bestowed upon my family, and also, missing the opportunity to receive blessings from you all. {because you truly bless me!}
he{that nasty 'ol devil} had me at a stand still.
until today...

...which brings me back to my light bulb moment.
through sharing this with rachel, i realized that i have been living a captive to satan's lies.
what started out as an intentional break to do something good for my family, i somehow let him in and make me fear.
when i shared that with her, i realized my captivity and immediately this verse flooded into my mind...

 ^"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

2 Timothy 1:7

can i get an amen?!

i have nothing to fear.

how can i fear?

Jesus is near

He ever watches over me

worries all cease

He gives me peace

how can i fear with Jesus?

those are the precious words to a song by Ron Hamilton that my family loves.

the words flooded my soul like a healing balm.

so with that said,

i am full of joy this morning from this realization!

fear can grip us all in different areas.  

that deceiver is smart, you know?

God is so so so good to show us our errors and ease our uncertainties.

i am so glad that He uses friends, near and far to bless us with His TRUTH.

thanks, rachel!

and i can't talk about encouraging friends without mentioning amy.

she is a true encourager in the Lord and blessing to me.

thank you so much, girl!

take THAT! satan!

***i just received a knock at the door from one of my besties at church. she brought me the most beautiful basket of flowers.  seriously?  God is so good.***

now.

let me share with you some tidbits of our life over the past few days{because you know that i want to show you everything from weeks and weeks ago, but that just can't happen...get over it, mary!}

we have been trying to finish up home school

i have been honing my sewing skills

my great nephew was born

the kids and i have been reading in job

nathan and i have completed the couch 2 5K running program and can now run 3 miles straight

thank you, Lord!

i got to see my mama and sissy on mothers day

my sweet man took me out for sushi for mothers day

my biggest fan

#love

we{as in, my husband} FINALLY hung the ikea lights in my girls room
we've been slowly re-doing it{for a year now}.  totally worth the wait.
can't wait to show you the whole thing!

i found a hammock{brand new} at a garage sale for $10.00!!!
#fave

i have been experimenting with sweet treats since going on a raw food diet.
halvah is awesome! i hope to post the recipe soon!

what?   you're 13?!

i've been cleaning things up around here

elly and i have been making necklaces
guess who holds the key to my heart? :)

i had a lunch date with mama

we have been mother daughter banqueting

and....drumroll please....
we have been making donuts!!!
this is by far our favorite thing right now!
i don't buy my kids donuts{except on special occasions like babies being born}, so we make our own healthier version.
i hope to do a whole post on this, too{with recipes}!
it is so much fun and they are delicious{ummmmm...did i just say that i'm on a raw food diet and then mention donuts....ahhhh, yes i surely did!  i had to test them out}!  :)

here's maddie and i this morning secretly making donuts for the sleeping crew.  yay!

 

and there you have it! 

little bits of our very busy and very blessed life!

i'm off to spend time with the kiddos now.

i paid them to stay away from me while i wrote this.  {haha...kinda though}

we have piano lessons and it's dump day, too. 

boo. :/

you know what's good about dump day?

it's thrift store day, too.  

i DO NOT like going to the dump, but i DO like going to the thrift store!

i hope this finds you all well and savoring all of these fleeting moments that make up our story called life.

much love to you all.

xo, 

mary