On a Happier Note

at 03/16/10 10:54AM

My God is so BIG
So strong and so mighty
There's nothing that my God can't do!

And its true! =D

Not too much exciting news to relate... just living, loving, doing, and being. Not a bad gig, if I do say so myself!

There's a (relatively) new Christian music song by Needtobreathe... and the chorus goes like this:

Hey now this is my desire
Consume me like a fire, 'cause I just want something beautiful
To touch me, I know that I'm in reach
Cause I am down on my knees
I'm waiting for something beautiful
Oh, something beautiful

SOOOOOOO with that said, I would like to begin a list of my "somethings beautiful."
Ahem...

- Heaven
- The smiles on the faces of God's family when someone is baptized
- Love at first sight
- the holding of hands
- Fresh flowers
- Someone coming to the knowledge of the Truth
- a baby's laugh
- Weddings... especially the "you may kiss the bride" part
- A hug between friends who haven't seen each other in a while
- Your 3 year old nephew running into your arms every time he sees you
- treats from the "candy lady" at church
- Sweet communion
- Freshly baked bread
- Butterflies! (not flying butter)
- A shared milkshake
- Chocolate dipped strawberries
- BIG, FULL trees
- the love shared between sisters
- Naturally curly hair
- Engagement rings
- An old man helping his loving and fragile wife with the fruit of the vine
- New shoes
- Aprons
- The works of Norman Rockwell
- Balboa Park
- the Longwood Gardens
- Train rides through canyons
- Saguaro cactus flowers
- Daddy's oil-stained hands
- A mommy playing "house" with her little girl
- Salvation- full and free!

Any additions?

I love you list!! I'll have to add "Violin music played by Itzhak Perlman"...beautiful!

by desi at 03/16/10 11:08AM
Thanks! I am glad to hear that everything is going well with you guys. :)

by jjorangeswirl at 03/16/10 3:21PM
Being a mommy!!!

by saundrasigns at 03/17/10 3:26PM

Fake it till you make it

at 02/17/10 5:41PM

I've said this to I don't know how many people. And today I get to take my own medicine. I didn't wake up on the wrong side of the bed... but I sure felt like it by the time I left the house for work at my usual 6:45am.

Nothing big and bad really happened. Just the dogs barking... the father-in-law loudly shushing the dogs...the fact that I live with my inlaws... the tv going way too early in the morning... and my neatly organized Sunday paper all ready for coupon-clipping MIA. In the dumpster, actually... thanks to my oh-so-helpful father-in-law... which I discovered upon futher investigation. : /

I am usually an optimisitc, up-beat, happy-go-lucky type of person. Just not lately. And not just because of one single instance either. But rather, because of many unexpected trials piling one on top of another.

Therefore (remember, good Bible students, if you see a "therefore" make sure you find out what its there for) I am going to "fake it till I make it." Smile and act happy until the joy within me takes over.

Has anyone else had to do this at any point in their lives?

Yeah...life is sometimes rather more challenging than other times. Hang in there!

by engelishgentleman at 02/17/10 7:57PM
I tell my students to fake it till they make it all the time. Its actual effectiveness is yet to be determined... :)

by dwatkins at 02/17/10 10:45PM
Sometime I find that a good cry resets my attitude and I can continue a happier person. But when you can't have the cry you sometimes do have to fake it in the mean time. Sorry you are struggling a bit. Love you!

by haileybaileyboo at 02/17/10 10:49PM
Yep, quite a bit recently. But I'm not good at faking. People read me like a book. Things usually look better the next day so hang in there and it will all work out...just before it gets all messed up again. Hope you have a better day tomorrow! :)

by stephiblair at 02/18/10 12:56AM
For all those greek students, watch out for those "hoti's" too ... ;)

by prtbone at 02/18/10 10:46AM
This passage always helps me in times like this:

Philippians 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. (5) Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; (6) do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (7) And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

by prtbone at 02/18/10 10:47AM
Remember the imperatives in Philippians 4: (v1) -- stand fast in the Lord; (v4) -- rejoice; (v5) let your gentle spirit be known; (v6) do not worry...let your requests be made known; (v8) think on these things; (v9) do these things.

by prtbone at 02/18/10 10:49AM
I've always wanted a good punching bag for times like those. It's a great way to let out the stress building up inside. Instead I just went running or rollerblading around the neighborhood. It helps to get those happy hormones going. YaY endorphins! That, and dark chocolate. yum

by azuresky42 at 02/18/10 3:22PM
Yes Ma'am! Lean on God.. He understands and WILL HELP YOU!

by adeline at 02/18/10 4:36PM
i appreciate the fact that this is not an entirely true statement. because when anyone actually tells someone else to fake it til they make it, they are in essence admitting to that person, and to themselves, that they aren't really faking it, they are actually struggling, and they're aware of that.

acknowledging your struggle, dearest abbey lou, is the least fake thing you can do.
therefore, i am quite certain you will make it, through the most genuine means there are,
holding God's hand and chugging along like the little you that could...and shall.

i love you.

by chooselove at 02/18/10 11:22PM
The Wednesday night class here in Gettysburg was on Ecclesiastes and the teacher made an excellent point with Ecc. 2.24-26, 3.12-13, 3.22, 5.18-20, 8.15, and 9.7-9. The teacher mentioned how we are commanded to enjoy the same things several times over -- eating, drinking, and our labors --for they are all gifts of God... and then brought up another gift: the gift of enjoyment. And I thought to myself, how lovely and sweet it was of God to create within us the ability to see the goodness in the basic things of life... and be able to enjoy those. We don't have to have everything or do everything in order to be joyful.

I'm sorry things are tough right now. Sometimes the hardest trials are those when it's a bunch of little things that keep piling up; would be so much easier(?) if it were one big thing because than it would all be over at one time. Makes me think of Luke 16.10: He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unfaithful in much." I think that's one my favorite verses for encouraging me to tackle the little things one by one.

Love you! And will pray for you. :)

by laurar209 at 02/19/10 8:32AM
I think I know pretty much exactly what you are going through...because i've been facing the same sort of thing for quite some time now. I've found a lot of solace through prayer, bible reading, and as has been pointed out already, particularly Philippians. ALthough I have been focusing on the fact that Paul learned to be content while facing trials in prison. I remind myself of that every day. I also remind myself of Joseph's example, because he went through a ton and was in prison for like ten years, but he was still strong. I've also found a lot of comfort in a song by the christian group Fireflight. It's called "unbreakable" and the whole point of the song is that we are "unbreakable" when we have faith in God. I love it. Sometimes when I wake up I think "Remember Holly, you're unbreakable!"

by beccaswife at 02/19/10 12:34PM
LOL. :-) I have to confess, while my blog name is clever, the cleverness is not mine. She suggested it. :-)

by engelishgentleman at 02/24/10 7:48PM

Anniversary Trip!!!

at 01/20/10 10:08AM *

Heeheeheehee... =D I'm SO excited!

Tomorrow night, Lord willing, my wonderful husband and I will be heading up North ... Sedona and the Grand Canyon... for our 2nd year anniversary celebration!

We know the weatherman keeps threatening "3 big storms!" to be entering the area this week.... but please, keep in mind that (1) the end of the 3rd storm should be passing as we begin our journey (2) we will be traveling main roads that I'm sure will be kept clear (3) We know how to drive in bad weather (4) We have tire chains (5) The weatherman is not always accurate and (6) We will asking our Lord for safe travels.

So please, all of you worry-warts out there.... DON'T WORRY! ;)

I can't wait to have a wonderfully relaxing and exciting time with just myself and Morgan. Thanks to one of our elders and his wife we will be staying in a wonderfully cozy timeshare suite with FULL KITCHEN! I plan to show off my "domestic" skills O:-) It will be so good to be just me and him... as that NEVER happens. Ever. I can't wait till the time when we can begin our own family and have our own home... But all in God's time, right? Currently we are needed in the "senior" Nichols household... so that is where we will be until God sends us elsewhere. But I say all that to emphasize: I am SOOOOO happy to go off and be ALONE with my husband! =D And in SNOW, nonetheless! =D

So much happiness and excitement!

Maybe we'll post pictures when we get back! No promises, though ;)

Love,
Abbey Lou

have fun darling!!!

by singandbehappy at 01/20/10 10:34AM
Congratulations! Happy for you. :-)

by engelishgentleman at 01/20/10 10:54AM
Have a great time!! That's so exciting!

by desi at 01/20/10 12:32PM
Oh FUN!!, have a wonderful time. :)

by kayliesmomma at 01/20/10 5:03PM
i would love that!

by singandbehappy at 01/20/10 5:04PM
I'm so stinkin' happy for you =) There's nothing like a couple's getaway to refresh the relationship. You should bring a bottle of bubbly...stuff. hehe

by azuresky42 at 01/20/10 5:17PM
aww 2 years! HAPPINESS!

by adeline at 01/20/10 8:33PM
Fun! Will you be taking highway 89? The stretch between Sedona and Flagstaff is beautiful, especially in the fall. I won't say have a safe trip since you have already assured us you will be safe, haha. Have fun! :)

by stephiblair at 01/20/10 11:37PM
Be careful sis and have fun!!!

by saundrasigns at 01/21/10 11:43AM
Excited for you. :)

by laurar209 at 01/22/10 11:21AM
thank you so much! I miss you and your beautiful, smiling face on campus! Hope you're doing well!

by trefe_something at 02/11/10 3:23PM
did you make it for your trip?

by snoopy at 02/12/10 7:58AM

Happenings in Abbey's life

at 10/28/09 3:28PM

The Scene: My sister's house- her daughter's bedroom

The Characters: Abbey (as herself) Carrie Sue (the sister) Jonathan (the 2 year old nephew)

[Jonathan throws a ball and it hits Abbey's face]
Jonathan: Sorry Abbey.

Carrie Sue: [spoken in a hushed tone directly into Jonathan's ear] AUNT Abbey

Jonathan: Sorry Abbey.

Carrie Sue: [spoken in a hushed tone directly into Jonathan's ear] AUNT Abbey

Jonathan: Sorry Abbey.

Carrie Sue: [spoken in a louder, but still hushed voice] AUNT ABBEY.

Jonathan: Aunt Abbey??

[Jonathan looks at Abbey with a shocked, confussed, and yet enlightened face]

Jonathan: That's YOU?!

I guess he never really knew who this "Aunt Abbey" person was they referred to. Aunt Abbey..... Abbey.... definitely can't be the same person, right? ;)

LOL! Surprise!

by engelishgentleman at 10/28/09 3:35PM
:D !!

by desi at 10/28/09 4:01PM
lol! I love it

by azuresky42 at 10/28/09 5:40PM
hahaha! that is too funny!

by laurar209 at 10/28/09 6:29PM
This hilarious!

by haileybaileyboo at 10/28/09 7:19PM
;)

by saundrasigns at 10/29/09 3:00PM
Cute! Kids are hilarious.

by kayliesmomma at 10/29/09 10:24PM
haha. That's funny.

by bugaboo at 11/01/09 12:08AM
haha how cute!

by mre at 11/02/09 10:35AM
it's funny how when you are kid you have no clue what the grown ups are saying and you just wish they would make sense, haha

by stephiblair at 11/16/09 12:32AM
Sorry if this is the wrong place, but I seem to have misplaced a desert flower. I don't suppose you'd know where it is?

by The_Hulk at 11/27/09 10:43PM
That's so cute. I can just picture his little face.

by justjen at 12/10/09 9:58PM
why hello!

by adeline at 01/06/10 1:12PM

Moving

at 09/23/09 10:00AM

It seems to be the season for moving. My co-worker, Saundra and Tony, Heather and Brandon, and Morgan and I are all moving at the end of this month. (which is coming SOON!) There's much to do, and yet I don't feel all that stressed =D Yet.

I'm glad we're moving because we can save more money and help others save money too. We can therefore pay off more debt (Debt= ewwwwwww). And it will be a good opportunity to us to grow and help others grow spiritually.

However, I'm also sad that we're moving because that means less independence and less privacy. I also LOVE our apt complex and the set up in our apt. Plus, we're moving to our new home for only an indefinate period of time. We have NO clue where we're going afterward or even when. So I guess its the feeling of uncertainty that I don't like. Oh well. My husband loves me and I love him. God's people will continue to surround us, and most importantly, God will not fail us.

So, everythings gonna be alright! ;)

I suppose this is an opportunity to learn to be content in all situations. I hope I pass ;)

Be strong! We're all praying for you.

by spellgage at 09/23/09 10:04AM
Moving certainly offers challenges. Where are you going?

by engelishgentleman at 09/23/09 10:23AM
Where are you moving to?

by desi at 09/23/09 12:07PM
why would moving mean less independence and less privacy? are you moving in with parents or inlaws?

by chooselove at 09/23/09 1:07PM
I think all of the questions I could ask have been previously queried.

by thelostprophet at 09/23/09 4:09PM
I just want to say that you and Morgan are such a Godly example of a married couple and as a loving son and daughter for us. God bless you two :)

by azuresky42 at 09/23/09 7:10PM
oh i have two jobs. i work at kohl's part-time and i work at bellewood home for children in residential as a youth counselor (hence getting paid to play football and get grass stains), which i'm hoping will turn into a full-time position if i prove myself worthy :]

that's the dream job.

by chooselove at 09/29/09 2:21PM
Well don't worry about not stressing it is probably a good thing. You can always come visit us if you want even less privacy :D I agree with Heather you guys are an amazing example.

by haileybaileyboo at 10/03/09 3:23PM

209-213 of 213 entries « prev 1 2 … 39 40 41 42 43 next »

On a Happier Note

Fake it till you make it

Anniversary Trip!!!

Happenings in Abbey's life

Moving

thatonegirl

links

groups

friends