around here

I'm learning to be brave, put myself out there. Having the new neighbor girls over for coffee. Initiating conversation when I would be more comfortable watching from a corner. Applying for jobs that I'm afraid to apply to. Volunteering for things when staying home with a book in my hands sounds so much more tempting. And I'm finding that it's making life so much more rich, that I'm able to see God move and hear Him speak so much more clearly in those scary, uncomfortable moments. He's stretching me hard core and I think I like it.


We're getting ready for a camping trip to the Outer Banks this weekend. Gathering our camping gear, making lists, dreaming about an afternoon of sailing. Praying our air mattress is still in working condition (we tent camp, but in a very cushy, caffeine and chocolate-fueled kind of way.) Nothing like an end of summer camping trip.


I'm still writing my book, still loving and hating it. Plowing through, ignoring the voices that say, "Now, this is just dumb. You actually think you're writing a book?" Sometimes you just have to tell that voice to shove it. I'm starting to get distracted, however, by other artsy endeavors. Watercolor, art journaling, photography, scrapbooking. But it's all fun.


Loving that this is starting to feel like "our" church, like we're not in the "Hi, my name is ______" stage, we're actually becoming friends with these people. It's such a good feeling. We had baptisms in a nearby lake on Saturday, the first crisp day of the season, and it couldn't have been more perfect.


Dreaming of a new direction for this blog in 2014, which I know is still a ways off, but I'm already excited about where I want to take it. Thanks for reading, friends. xo