Highlights and gorgeous whites

Happy Friday everybody (almost)!! Another weekend is upon us - here are some of my favorite little bits from around the web from the last week or so. I hope they bring a smile to your face!

A fabulous birthday surprise! I can't wait to try it out on someone I love...

I can't get enough of this color combo right now. So fresh! So springy! (And I love those shoes.)

I laughed out loud at this funny post about Paris in the spring. It's dead on. Gotta love those too-cool-for-sunlight Parisians.

...and more proof that Jeff Bridges is the second most adorable man alive. *sigh* (Thanks to the most adorable man alive for passing it along :)

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How amazing is this room? There are individual elements that don't totally appeal to me, but the way it is put together is genius! A total feast for the eyes AND efficient use of space! Love the tons of built in shelves, and the adorable guest room up the ladder above the kitchen.

Pure genius from Black and Spiro. 

Gorgeous.

Prayer for my family

I just read this prayer on a precious, precious blog post and had to share it here. (It's not the first time I have directed you to Darby's page, and I'm sure it won't be the last...) The words are simple and so very meaningful. I love it and I have already prayed this prayer for you today, my family and loved ones!

O God, I cannot endure to see the destruction of my kindred.
Let those that are united to me in tender ties be precious in thy sight and devoted to thy glory.
Sanctify and prosper my domestic devotion, instruction, discipline, example, that my house may be a nursery for heaven,
my church the garden of the Lord,
enriched with trees of righteousness of thy planting for thy glory;
Let not those of my family who are amiable, moral, attractive, fall short of heaven at last;
Grant that the promising appearances of a tender conscience, soft heart, the alarms and delights of thy Word,
be not finally blotted out,
but bring forth judgment unto victory in all whom I love.

Spring is in the air

We had the most refreshing weekend - sleeping in, spring cleaning with the windows open, daffodils and more sun than we've seen in months. Ella loved it as much as we did - she smiled all morning and basked in the sun : )

 

 

Soyez toujours mon coeur

Be still my heart. I just stumbled upon the website for Marie Claire Maison. *j'adore*


Not only is it gorgeous and FULL of amazing photos, it is entirely in french! So. Fun. I recommend checking out decoration cuisine for kitchen designs such as these:

And jardin for amazing outdoor living ideas like these:

(Isn't this the most perfect spot for a dinner party ever??)

And salle de bains for more beautiful bathrooms like these:

(I'm not really a chandelier-in-the-bathroom type of girl, but in this room it looks amazing.)

And that's just the tip of the iceberg! There is so much more to see in chambres, salons, and petits espaces. Enjoy. Or rather, appréciez!

Daily dose of vitamin C

I'm afraid I have a nasty case of scurvy - I can't get enough of orange and yellow lately. All these dark cold days have me craving the citrus. It's just too delicious. See what I mean?...

P.S. I have a new fave blog: famille summerbelle! Check out their amazing pillows and prints. I can't wait to buy this gorgeous map of Paris.

When happiness equals thankfulness

It's been a rough week. There's no other way to say it. 


These days this corner of the world seems dark and perpetually rainy and cold. The culture is more often cold and unfriendly than warm or hospitable. Work, which is usually a source of great happiness for me, today completely humbled me and reminded me of how much I don't know. And although these disappointments are so very small compared to the hardships of others, I feel deflated right now. Is this what it's all about? Is this what I can expect from my adult life? Constant work with no guarantees of fulfillment or success? Disappointment by other people? Rain until the end of eternity?!? (I should clarify here: I AM BEING DRAMATIC AND A LITTLE HORMONAL RIGHT NOW. My internship is going fine, my instructors are excellent and they are great to me, and I'm doing a decent job for a student, but I am not living up to my own expectations and that is just painful.) 


At times like these, I seek comfort in our home. Cleaning it, organizing it, decorating it, filling it with people we love, music, conversation and good food. It's my instinct, and it feels completely indulgent and soothing. All week long I've been thinking about this thoughtful post from one of my favorite bloggers, Darby, and relating it to my own life. The post talks about how we tend to compartmentalize our lives into serving (helping people in need, teaching Bible class, cleaning the toilets, etc.) and all the other parts of living (cooking, having fun with friends, homemaking, etc.) In her post she poses the question, how can we glorify God even when we are doing the things that we love - things that we do for our own fulfillment? She quotes a devotional book by Tozer, "Paul’s exhortation to “do all to the glory of God” is more than pious idealism. It is an integral part of the sacred revelation and is to be accepted as the very Word of Truth. It opens before us the possibility of making every act of our lives contribute to the glory of God. Lest we could be too timid to include everything, Paul mentions specifically eating and drinking. This humble privilege we share with the beasts that perish. If these lowly animal acts can be so performed as to honor God, then it becomes difficult to conceive of one that cannot." 


Over the course of the week as I returned to my home, my refuge, each evening with gratitude in my heart, the meaning of these words has become clear to me. I'm so thankful for the sanctuary that is our home. I'm so thankful that after a disappointing day (or week) I can come here and cook and write and do laundry and be with my little family and our friends. And even though I know that I honor God by serving others, I believe that doing these things that I love is living to the glory of God too because when my comfort and happiness translate into thankfulness, God is glorified. May I always thank You, God, and acknowledge You as the source of everything good in my life.


And then there are these wise words from Ecclesiastes. They are completely candid, and speak directly to this hopeless feeling that creeps in when we (I) get too wrapped up in our own success and failure. I believe these words with all my heart. 

"A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without Him, who can eat or find enjoyment?"

--Ecclesiastes 2:24-25

The best of the best

In my short blogging career (four whole weeks!) my life has been so enriched by the blogs I have read. I follow about 26 blogs faithfully (see Hooked On at the right of my page). All are written by women. Some of the authors are family, some are friends of friends, some are complete strangers. Some are artists, some are designers, some are mothers, some are Christians (the best are all of the above, in my opinion!) Content ranges from funny stories about kids and pets, to original artwork and photographs, to deeply personal praises and thoughts about faith. All are uplifting to me, and every one is precious because these individuals are precious. So bright! So creative! So articulate! What a blessing for us all to take our best, distill it down into words and pictures, and share the blessing with others. Thank you for sharing, ladies!

Here are some of my very favorite posts from the last month. Enjoy:

This recipe is an excellent example of what I love about this particular blog. It's simple. It's wholesome. It's delicious. And, there are beautiful color pictures to illustrate every step. (The author and her family live on a farm!! LOVE it!)

This is one of my very favorite posts from one of my favorite bloggers. I was already a total fan of her interior design work and her writing, and then I read this post about the birth of her first child. It is a wonderful read - totally worth a few minutes. Have some kleenex handy!

This post, by another one of my faves (the twin sister of the previous one) has had me thinking for days now. It's a subject I've been thinking about a lot lately too - living to the glory of God - and I don't think it's any coincidence that the author wrote it and I read it! I'm sure God's hand was working in this! I'm still mulling it over - more to come on this post later...

The entire category of interior design on this blog is gorgeous. Colorful, whimsical, creative. Just plain fun.

And, speaking of fun, this post about hipster puppies had me rolling with laughter. Really good stuff.

This gorgeous, gorgeous blog is like an instant trip to Paris. I tried to choose my favorite post, but I can't. They're all amazing and the perfect antidote for anyone who is homesick for the city of light.

And finally, this little gem from A Cup of Jo. It's frivolous. It's completely impractical. It could very well cause accidents. But I just can't help myself - it makes me smile.