My Hands Float Up Above Me

In our backyard we have a little shed/house type of thing. I recently decided to turn it into a little art room/music room/quiet time/worship room.
It's been so good for me.
I've spent a lot of time out there and I've been creating a lot. The dreamer in me has come out even more.  I love sitting by myself with a good playlist on.  All of my different colors of paper, different colors of paint, my sharpies, the things that my mom & sisters have created on the walls, I love it. I can sit for hours creating things. Then I turn around & pick up my guitar and sing some songs & write down some lyrics & melodies.  I've even just gotten down on the floor on my face & prayed. I've stood up & twirled around & danced. I've raised my hands in the air crying begging God to change my heart so that it looks more like His. Begging Him for restored relationships. Begging Him for peace & contentment. It's just me & Him & I love it. It has filled me up so much this week.
Tonight I turned the lights down and was spending time singing and worshiping, with my hands up in the air and I looked over at a piece of art that my sister created for me and gave to me.  It was so sweet & I felt like God just gave me a little hug. Here is the piece of art:

Such sweetness.

Not For a Moment (After All)

This song is on repeat. SO good. Not For A Moment (After All) by Meredith Andrews

I absolutely love the vulnerability in these words. I have just worshiped through this song over and over again and I find my heart stirred, my soul broken down, head full of all the stuff going on in my little life...only to be reminded of God's faithfulness and His goodness that He has never left me, He won't ever leave me and He is always there no matter what is going on in me and around me. I have Him. I get Him. He is enough. He will never forsake me. Never.

You were reaching through the storm
Walking on the water
Even when I could not see
In the middle of it all
When I thought You were a thousand miles away
Not for a moment did you forsake me
Not for a moment did you forsake me

After all, You are constant
After all, You are only good
After all, You are sovereign
Not for a moment will You forsake me
Not for a moment will You forsake me

You were singing in the dark
Whispering Your promise
Even when I could not hear
I was held in Your arms
Carried for a thousands miles to show
Not for a moment did You forsake me
Not for a moment did You forsake me

After all, You are constant
After all, You are only good
After all, You are only good
Not for a moment will You forsake me
Not for a moment will You forsake me

Every step, every breath You are there
Every tear, every cry, every prayer
In my hurt, in my worst, when my world falls down
Not for a moment will You forsake me
Not for a moment will You forsake me

After all, You are constant
After all, You are only good
After all, You are only good
Not for a moment will You forsake me
Not for a moment will You forsake me

Earnest the Old Man

I just had the most hilarious conversation with an old man.
I was in Home Depot getting some wood to make some art projects, so I was walking around with two long wood boards. This is how the conversation went: (Imagine a man with a belly in his late 70's with no teeth.)

Man:   HEY!
Me:   Hi!
Man:   What are you doing with that?
Me:   I'm working on a project.
Man:   By yourself?
Me:   Yup! It's just an art project. I'm not building anything!
Man:   Oh! Are you married?
Me:   Nope! (I can tell this guy is a stinker & was just wondering where this was going to go.)
Man:   You aren't?! So you don't have a honeydoo?
Me:   (laughing) Nope I don't have one of those! (not really sure exactly what a honeydoo is)
Man:   Well let me tell you something...
Me:   Alright...let's hear it!
Man:   My wife and I have been married for 59 years and she is the most amazing, beautiful woman that has ever walked the earth. Let me tell you what works...
Me:   (oh goodness.)
Man:   You don't go to bed mad. You don't wake up mad. You do things together, you go places together. You laugh. You let the woman do the bills cause the man doesn't know what the hell he is doing. You have kids. You hold hands even when you are old. You don't marry a smoker, you don't marry a drinker, you wait for Mr. Right. Got it?
Me:   Yup! Got it!
Man:   You know you are just so beautiful...you just have this glow. You just seem like a really nice person....what's your name?
Me:   Well thank you sir. Thank you so much. My name is Emily ... what is your name?
Man:   Emily. I like that. That is beautiful. My name is Earnest. I don't like it though. You know? I didn't have a name until I enlisted in the army.
Me:   Really? Wow.
Man:   Yeah, I was Unknown Smith. People just called me Smitty.
(he then proceeded to tell me the story about how back in the day in Austin, there was a bad flood when he was born and something about leaving the hospital and his parents never gave him a name.)
Earnest:   So...do you want to get married?
Me:   Oh yeah! definitely someday!
Earnest:   So why aren't you married?
Me:   Well, I just haven't found the right one yet, I'm praying for him and trusting that God will bring us together when it's time.
Earnest:   That's good, that's good. You don't want to end up with a dud. Well you know...my son is a billionaire.
Me:   (ok...tell me more) Oh yeah?
Earnest:   Yeah, he is a good one. But he's married. He married a dud.
Me:   Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.
Earnest:   Where are you from? (oh here we go again with someone thinking I'm from somewhere exotic) Are you from Colorado? (Oh. NOT what I was expecting!)
Me:   No! I'm from Iowa. I moved to Austin about 6 years ago.
Earnest:   OH! Well, I'm so glad you are here.
Me:   Thank you so much Earnest.
Earnest:   You are just so beautiful.
Me:   Thank you so much! You are so sweet.
Earnest:   You know I'm getting my bridge fixed tomorrow for my teeth.
Me:   That's so great!
Earnest:   Yeah, I woke up one day and my teeth were gone. I looked everywhere for them and I couldn't find them anywhere and I figured I probably just swallowed that damn thing. Then a week later my beautiful wife yelled at me from the laundry room and said, "Ernie, what the hell is this?" And you know what it was...it was my teeth. She found them in the sheets!
Me:   HAHA!! that's great!
Earnest:   Well you have a super great day. You know when people ask me how I'm doing, I say "Super great". Sometimes people are surprised that I say that because I'm old and busted. But I've always lived by having a positive attitude and so I say "super great".
Me:   I think that is so good! I can tell that you enjoy life!
Earnest:   Well, I'll let you go...you know, you should remember me and maybe we'll run into each other again someday. You just remember Earnest Smith.
Me:   Earnest, I will never forget you. Thank you so much for talking with me and making my day!
Earnest:   Bye sweet girl.

Oh my heart. I should have taken his picture. I hope that I run into him again. I should also tell you that he told so many other stories. I'm pretty sure we sat on the plywood for a good 45 minutes. I love old people.

I'm a World Traveler

It's been a crazy couple of months. LOTS of traveling and fun! So thankful to have this time before I start my nannying job in September.

Here is a short version of where I've been:

I went back to my hometown in Iowa for 10 days. Lots of good family time. I just love Iowa. It's beautiful.

Then when I got home from Iowa I housesat for my friends who have an AMAZING house! It was a week of feeling like I was by myself at a resort. I loved every minute of it.

After I got back from housesitting I went to Chicago for my friend Christy's wedding. I was so sick before I went and was nervous I wasn't going to be able to make it...but I survived! It was so so good to be there and she was absolutely beautiful!

As soon as I got back from Chicago I got in the car with my friends and we headed to our girls getaway trip to the beach! Port Aransas got a good taste of us crazy girls! So much fun!

After getting back from Port A, I drove to Mexico. One of my best friends and her family lives there and it was so so so so good for my soul. We laughed, we cried, we had fun. It was SO needed for both of us. I loved getting to spend time with her sweet boys too. They are the cutest kids ever. Guillermo, Cisco, and Silas. Love them so stinking much.

Now back to real life. boo.

New Music

I LOVE music. I'm always looking for good music to add to my playlists. I spent several hours today watching youtube videos, listening to samples of music on itunes.
My tastes range from folk/singer-songwriter, country, pop, rap, hip hop, worship.
I love what music does to my insides. It's quite magical. Melodies, lyrics, beats, harmonies.
Love it so much.

So what songs are you listening to over and over again that I need to add to my playlist?
Leave a comment and let me know some good music that I must have!

It's Friday. Get Excited

I have quarantined myself to my room for the past week. In the midst of all my travels this summer I have caught pink eye and tonsillitis. boo. I was supposed to fly out to Chicago on Wednesday to be with one of my best friends who is getting married on SUNDAY! I postponed my flight and I leave TODAY! I figured it would be better to be at home in my quarantined room resting instead of infecting the bride and the whole bridal party.

My friend Jamie just posted about what she is excited about today and I thought I would join her in sharing in some exciting things. 

1. I feel SO much better. I'm not completely back to normal...but definitely better. I'm so thankful. I've had some peeps praying hard for healing in my body and I'm thankful that God answered & is quickly healing my body. He is so kind. 

2. I fly out TODAY for Chicago! I absolutely LOVE Chicago. Being from Iowa, this city was our vacation city growing up. I'm excited to be in the city but most of all that I will get to be with 2 of my best friends! Mich (Christy) is getting MARRIED!!! My other friend AJ is the maid of honor and I'm a bridesmaid. It's going to be so much fun. I have shared so many fun memories with these girls and I can't wait to spend the weekend with them!

3. I get a massage tomorrow. We are having a spa day with the bridal party and AJ got me a massage! When I was at the dr. this week she said that I needed a massage, so this is perfect! I can't wait. This summer has been a rough one and I think it's all building up in my shoulders and neck. This massage will be wonderful! 

4. Monday when I get back into town, Jamie is picking me up at the airport and we are heading to Port A with 15 of our other girlfriends for a week at the beach! These girls are some of the best girls I know and I'm so thankful for each of them. I'm excited to have a fun & memorable time with them. What happens in Port A...stays in Port A. 

5. My August 2012 playlist. I get made fun of for my playlists. I have one for each month of songs that I'm listening to over and over that month. I have to say that my August 2012 playlist is pretty amazing. 

Here is what I'm reading that you should get on board with (you can click on the pic & it will take you to amazon): 

Jesus Calling: 

A Place of Healing:

The Calvary Road:

Made to Crave:


Here are some songs on my August 2012 playlist:

Lovely - Sara Haze

Winter Song - The Head and The Heart


We Are (Live Acoustic) - Kari Jobe

Here - "I will rest in You"

I have been listening to this song over and over. So. Beautiful.
I love when music gets to the depths of my soul, it is only because the Spirit goes there first.
I've been wrestling and all out fighting the war in me with my thoughts, with my feelings, with the outer pressures of different things weighing on me. It's exhausting. When I first heard this song, I feel to my face and cried.  I had been trying so hard to carry all of this myself. I'm not quite sure why I quickly forget that God wants me...all of me...all of my burdens. Every single one of them. He wants me to come and lay them before Him. There is rest in Him. There is peace in Him. There is healing in Him. I want to breathe Him in and breathe Him out. Just breathe.
Hope this encourages you.

Come and rest here
Come and lay your burdens down
Come and rest here
There is refuge for you now

You'll find His peace
And know you're not alone anymore
He is near
You'll find His healing
Your heart isn't shattered anymore
He is here

Breathe in
Breathe out
You will, you will find Him here

I will rest in You
I will rest in You
I will rest in You
I will rest in You