I did something that I never thought I would do...

So, I did something this weekend that I've NEVER done before! It has always seemed to go against my nature in the past, but right now...it just felt right! Yep, I painted a room WHITE! Technically it was "Cotton Lent" but basically it was white & I painted that stark, bright color all over my bedroom walls!

I'm notorious for painting anything white a dark or bright color...up until this point in the two houses we've owned I've painted rooms purple, chocolate brown, red, and green. If there was white it was my mission to get rid of it!

But I noticed that as I troll decorating blogs I'm almost always drawn to the pictures of white rooms with white furniture and little pops of color. It feels refreshing and clean and peaceful. So, I decided this weekend that it was time for a change in my bedroom.

I wish that I had before pictures - but here is the run-down.
Walls - Green
Curtains - Navy & with a cuff of off-white floral
Accessories - a mix-mash of whatever I found that fancied me at the time.

My fabulous husband agreed to help paint (this was a serious sign of love because Josh loathes painting).

After painting I completely flip-flopped the furniture...I decided I wanted my bed underneath the windows - again wanting more sunshine in my life!


Then I decided to work on a cute bench I found at a garage sale - I painted the legs a black lacquer...

 ...and I finally put up some curtains that I bought about 6 months ago!

Here is where we are now...

 ...it makes me happy...

I still need a few more touches (it's still a little too bare for me)...especially over on this wall

Do you have any ideas for me?  Anything you would add?  I'm thinking about some art work that I saw on Etsy - basically I've decided I only want things that I really love...but would love any ideas you have!

Til next time ~ I hope you find something that makes your life feel a bit more refreshing!

ENOUGH

A few musings this morning...

Thanks to everyone who left a comment on my last post. Your words were comforting & full of wisdom...I agree with Brittany that the gift of our presence is sometimes all that we can offer and yet one of the greatest gifts we can give. Sarah, I agree with you too - this season is definitely a sign to me that most of all I need to get on my knees are pray - really pray for those I love and the pain I see in so many.

After reading my blog, my friend and fellow blogger Jennifer sent me a text about a response I had made to one of her blogs months ago. She was sharing that 2010 she was going to focus on one characteristic of God and asked readers if there was something we wanted Him to reveal to us about Himself. In one word - what did we want to know about God. She texted me that my word had been ENOUGH.

I remember responding to that blog - wanting to really know that He was enough. Needing to know that when all else fails He was enough...mostly because I rarely rely on Him with ALL that I am. So, I think He is allowing me to live this truth out - as 2010 closes...He is making it clear that when I come to the end of myself - my intellect, my answers, my theories on life, etc...He is still there and HE is ENOUGH.

Praying that He is enough for you today too.

On a lighter note - I'm loving this fall weather! Listening to Brooke Fraser...sipping peppermint tea...dancing with my girl...and trying to fight off a cold this morning...

Behind the Mask

I wrote the below blog last night...mostly to get my thoughts out of my head and onto paper. I debated whether or not to share my thoughts and felt like God gave me the green light...and yet, I want to preface these words with my thoughts the morning after - God is good. I still have questions...my heart is still heavy...my mind still does not understand...but my heart very clearly says - God is good.

I pray you find His goodness today as well...and with that, here are my night thoughts:

My heart is heavy…I mean really heavy. And I’m wondering – does anyone else sense this? In the midst of corporate conversation I hear talk of sports teams and babies…the mundane of our lives, and we talk prettily and say the right things and then we go on with life as we know it. But privately…in my office…and on the phone…and in my living room I have had so many heart-breaking conversations lately.

Loneliness and impending divorce. Tales of abuse and the subsequent havoc it has wreaked on lives. Multiple young people coming to confess one night stands and seeking healing to a bleeding heart in it’s aftermath. Diagnosis that seem hopeless and the deaths of parents – young parents…with weeping kids left behind.

Maybe this is just life but I’m not sure. ..maybe it’s different – huge storms across the globe threatening people who have given their lives for others…and a sense that there are other storms brewing in hearts and minds and lives all around me. So my heart is heavy and my emotions are exhausted.

I’ve stopped giving answers of any sort…I’ve stopped trying to say the right thing – and I’m just trying to be Paige. And yet I’m failing at that too – with so many people needing more than I can give I’m literally at that place of saying, “God, not only do I surrender my life, but here are all of these other lives that I often try to fix…I don’t know…I don’t know what to say…what to do…how to help…can you just show up. Can you be there in the tears and in the questions and in those hidden thoughts when smiles on their faces are nothing more than masks? And will you please…please give me wisdom.”

Josh and I preached at our church this past weekend. We told our story of financial failure and I talked for quite a bit about taking off the masks we wear. I talked about how exhausting it is the keep up the charade…I talked about how those masks keep us at arms length from God and those who want to be in our lives. And as I talked…as I shared from my own pain…there were eyes filled with tears…and afterwards I had more than one conversation where there was a longing to know what life might be like without that charade…to be vulnerable and honest…to have permission to speak freely.

Yet today, as I talked with a friend – she challenged me that the idea of taking off our masks is just that – an idea…a hope…wishful thinking that occasionally becomes reality with a close friend. But for the majority of the time the mask has to stay on firmly because people don't know what to do when they really hear of our pain or doubts. I realized that she was right. We don't know how to respond so we avoid asking the real questions - we feel we must have an answer or a quick fix so we content ourselves with talking about the superficial...So here is my attempt to not be a hypocritical pastor…here is what is behind my mask – a heavy heart.

I’m asking God a lot of hard questions this week…hoping He will answer one or two. I have a hard question for you too...am I the only one sensing this? Do see lives bleeding and crumbling around you too? If so, how are you responding? And if not, when was the last time you really tried to listen to what is behind peoples' masks?

November Is Here!!!

Nov. 1, 2010 - I LOVE November!  I love this time of the year - a slight chill in the air, the changing leaves (although in Lubbock there is not much of that), holidays around the corner, an excuse to pull out cozy sweaters, and drink more coffee!  I just love it!  I love that it is a time when we are encouraged to be thankful.  I've recently gone through a season where I was not thankful - mostly doing some complaining to God...and He basically put me in my place - not by telling me that I was wrong in my complaints but rather by making it obvious that there are so many wonderful people and opportunities in my life.

Here are a few things that I'm thankful for at the moment...

123.  Changing leaves

124.  Crisp Cool Air

125.  Knitted Hats

126.  Bright Smiles

127.  A reminder that I love running

128.  A fun race with fun people (Ran the Abilene Marathon Relay this weekend with Erin Murray, Leigh & Becca Archer)

129.  A fun day with my husband (we found that you can find some fun things to do in Abilene)!

130.  Growing Cousins who will one day be a sweet friend

131.  My cousin’s return home (we missed you, Dustin!)

132.  The simple joy of being obedient to Him

133.  Faithful friends and selfless volunteers

134.  Falling leaves (I see them right now out my windows)

135.  Baby Boots

136.  Orange Flowers

137.  Left over Candy

138.  Creative College Kids (our costume theme was "song titles")

 Annie was "Beauty School Drop Out"

 Andrea was "Purple Rain" & Marki was "Tiny Dancer"

139.  Large Crowds rooting on the Rangers

140.  Finding a few others to talk to who don’t really care about the game either

So happy that it is November!  Bring on the coffee, sweaters, and thankfulness!