Spring is Coming!!

A week ago, this was the scene outside of my house......

And today was 67 degrees.....

Spring is coming!!

{My Valentine's Day present from Arno - Tulips - my favorite flower}

Mr. & Mrs. Love (and a GIVEAWAY!)

There is always something really exciting about getting something in the mail, especially when it is a gift OR a surprise.

So last Tuesday, when a package arrived for me, I was THRILLED.

Now it wasn't a surprise, but it was a GIFT!

YAY!

Dayspring via (in)courage sent me the Mr. and Mrs. Love Collection.

And I couldn't wait to use the collection so I could tell YOU all about it!

I chose these items from the selections given because I wanted to contribute to my Valentine's Day events with hubby to give him a little surprise as well {except he saw the box when it arrived and was TOO curious for me to keep it a surprise until Valentine's Day--oh well!}.

We started our sweetheart day in the early afternoon so we could spend more hours together.

Hubby's idea. *swoon*

We took the fun to Ocean City {about 30 minutes away}, so, of course, the trip wouldn't be complete to Arno without a little venti latte for the road. As for me, I am still LOVING my lime water}.

We took a walk on the Boardwalk.

We played mini-golf and arcade games.

We actually WANTED to be spontaneous and didn't make reservations anywhere. So we drove around for a bit, and since grace & favor seemed to be on our side, we got a table at the first restaurant we walked into. It was beautiful, on the water, live music. PERFECT!

We, then, went to the movies and watched *blush* Justin Bieber's movie Never Say Never. We chalk it up to the years of being children & youth pastors. WE LOVE TO SEE KIDS/YOUTH/PEOPLE WALK IN THEIR DREAMS/TALENTS/CALLINGS. It EXCITES us!! It was really an inspirational movie to encourage people to never give up on their dreams.

And then we went home to savor our NEW GIFTS!

Yay!

The first thing that I loved about the collection is the actual design itself. The black, white, & red color scheme is so classy. I also love the contrast of the lines on the mugs and journal with the paisley pattern on the coupon book and gift bag.

Arno made us hot chocolate in our sweet mugs, painted red inside and detailed with a heart as you tip the warm liquid to your face as well as delicately displayed on the inside rim, "I found the one my heart loves. Song of Solomon 3:4 NIV"

We browsed through the coupon book and decided to let the other choose their coupon of choice for the day. My choice: a massage. His choice: {that's easy} a kiss {or two} hehehee.

We "planned" to write in the journal, set up with one side for HIM and one side for HER, but since I am a "words" girl, hubby did his rough draft on his computer {isn't he cute?} and hasn't transferred it yet. And, I, well...blogger, aspiring writer that I am.....have no excuse...! But I LOVE that idea, and we plan to utilize that for the years to come(AND still for this "past" V-day)to memorialize our heart song for each other.

We had a LOVE-ly night! I guess I can't give this collection ALL the credit, but it did seem to create an environment that gave us time to catch up, to connect, and to chat about our lives and our future.

I am looking forward to more evenings and connections JUST LIKE THIS!

Thank you, Dayspring!

YOUR TURN TO WIN!!

Would you like a chance to win the Mr. and Mrs. Love Collection OR anything of your choice from Dayspring?

I heard that YES!

Dayspring is sponsoring a giveaway RIGHT here on my blog. You could win a $20 gift certificate to use on any item of your choice. (shipping charges will apply)

So here are few ways that you can enter:

1) Write a comment below telling me what you and your "someone special" {spouse, boyfriend, kids, friends, etc) did for Valentine's Day. Please no generic comments like "Enter me!" or something of the sort.

2) Follow me on Twitter.

3) Follow me here {on this blog} via Google Connect.

4) Follow me {also here} via Networked Blogs.

5) Tweet, update your status, or blog about this giveaway. You can EVEN utilize the easy to use buttons at the bottom of this post.

You can do ONE or ALL of the above, but just remember, PLEASE enter a separate comment for every action you take including links back to anything posted on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog to have a BETTER CHANCE of winning.

This contest will be open until Thursday, February 24th @ 11:59 p.m. EST.

The winner will be chosen by a random number generator and announced on my blog on Friday, February 25th as well as contacted via e-mail.

As a bonus, for the month of love, Dayspring is ALSO giving 25% off everything in their online store with the code LOVE25.

I received the Mr. & Mrs. Love Collection free from Dayspring. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Proverbs 30:18-19 (New Living Translation)

¹⁸ There are three things that amaze me—
no, four things that I don’t understand:
¹⁹ how an eagle glides through the sky,
how a snake slithers on a rock,
how a ship navigates the ocean,
how a man loves a woman.

Wordless Wednesday: Downtown Retro Valentine

{Taken by my husband [of me] on Valentine's Day}

Linked up with Wordless Wednesday, My Life in Jenga, Live and Love Out Loud, A Beautiful Mess, Woven by Words, Better in Bulk, Be There 2 Day, Grammy Mouse Trails, Mommy Living the Life of Riley and Two of a Kind Working on a Full House.

We'll Be Okay! {Happy Birthday, Dad}

"Although, for a father there is no difference between a daughter and a son, still there exists something that makes the relation between a father and his daughter very special.

So many men and women have tried to imprison the essence of this relationship in words and the result was some very remarkable father daughter quotes and sayings.

A father knows that his mirror image i.e., son can, somehow, survive in the harsh world that exists on the other side of the doorstep. Father, being a man and once a child, knows through his personal experience, what is waiting for his son. However, he can not fathom and understand, being a man, how his little daughter is going to fare and face the realities of life. This makes him insecure and this feeling overshadows his relationship with the daughter. It makes him protective towards his daughter. For him, she never grows up and is always, the small girl who depended on him to fix a broken hand or a leg of her doll and fought with her brother to sit on his prized lap."

~Buzzle.com

Growing up in Haiti, the political climate there was always somewhat tumultuous. At the age of 8 years old, my understanding of that, albeit limited, was keen. We lived in Port-au-Prince just off of the main drag, close to the heart of the city and near to "the action" that often took place.

One particular day, there were boisterous demonstrations happening on that main road about a quarter mile from our house. Wanting to ensure our safety, my dad walked to the top of the hill to find out the nature of these demonstrations. We lived at the mission compound on the 3rd floor of the 3 story building, which also held a church & a school. The grounds were our personal playground, and we would often spend hours there. In the midst of our play, we became aware of the noisy demonstrations and that my dad was going to check it out, leaving the safety of the secure complex.

We ran to the gate of the property, but the security guard wouldn't let us past the gate because of course we WANTED to follow my dad and be where he was.

My sister was 4 at the time, and she was quite scared.

She kept asking me, "Where is Daddy? Where is he going? Why is he going up there?"

It's funny to me reflecting back on that memory because I can remember feeling NO fear in that moment.

Thus, putting on my big sister hat, I put my arm around her and said, with complete confidence, "Don't worry, Kasi! He'll be okay. He's Daddy!"

I think, like many little girls, I believed that my dad was invincible, like Superman.

As I got older and real life awareness kicked in, I still always knew that when my dad was around, we'd be safe. The reason I think that I knew this so well, is because my dad trusts in HIS Heavenly Dad for his life, my mom's, and for ours as well as the people God has called him to.

My dad knows that we'll be okay because HE {God} is the BIG DADDY!

Happy Birthday, Dad!

I love you,

The Love Bandit - My Favorite Valentine's Day Story

6 years ago, I walked into the office of the church where I was working. It was Valentine's Day, and I was STILL single.

Now, I was never one of those single girls to "sit around and feel sorry for myself."

What was the point?

What would THAT accomplish?

In college, I would get together with a couple of other girls, and we would plan elaborate schemes for our entire dorm floor -- balloons in the hallway, bags of chocolates by each door, and personalized heart-felt notes tucked inside, so that when our dorm mates woke up in the morning, before they walked into a lobby filled with candies & flowers WITHOUT their names on any of the gifts, they would know they were loved.

Those were beautiful memories that I cherish always.....

A few years later, at the age of 25, I found myself single AGAIN on Valentine's Day having experienced a heart-breaking break up 6 months before from an almost-3-year relationship.

There again, I had a decision to make.

Will I wallow?

If anyone had a reason to wallow on THIS Valentine's Day, it was me right? I mean, I thought I was going to marry the guy. I wasn't in it for 3 years for NOTHING!

But again, what would that really accomplish?

Sorry. Angst. Feeling-sorry-for-myself.

NO, THANK YOU!

I called up my girlfriends and cooked up some plans. We decided to book a table at a fancy restaurant, dress up real classy & elegant, and celebrate love in friendship. We did that for a couple of years, and I think we often had MORE fun than lots of couples seated around us!

So 6 years ago, I walked into my office with my girlfriend plans in place, but with a longing that had grown that year. In fact, that morning, I had wrestled with God, "Have you forgotten about ME? Some of my 21-year-old girlfriends are finding the love of their lives, and here I am, serving you, being obedient, and NO PROSPECTS IN SIGHT!!"

And then just the quietest of whispers.

That still small voice.

He's coming soon....

No qualifications. No details. No timeline.

So of course, I say, "What does THAT mean? 1000 years are like a day to you! THAT could mean anything!"

I tried to squash hope, but I could feel it growing in my spirit in spite of my heart & mind's attempt to suffocate it.

Soon....

Soon....

Soon....

So I walked into that office with hope that day.

Hope in what I could not/did not/would not see with my natural eyes.

Hope had FAITH eyes.

My pastor's wife/aunt walked into the office that day and handed me a stuffed raccoon, with a Zorro type mask in the shade of red over his face, called The Love Bandit, and she said to me half-joking, half-serious, "The Love Bandit is coming to get you soon."And much to MY surprise these are the words that popped out of my mouth.

"Yeah, by this time next year, I will be engaged or married!"

What? Did I just say that out loud? Oh, no! I am not one of those CRAZY RADICAL FAITH people! Why did I say that OUT LOUD??

Knowing ME, she looked surprised, but then HER faith kicked into FULL GEAR and she said, "Okay, then. I am going to stand in faith with you."

2 months later, the man who was to be the love of my life flew from Africa to fill the children's pastor position at our church.

A little over a month after that, he asked me to marry him.

And 6 months, 2 weeks, and 6 days from the MEMORABLE Valentine's Day, I said, "I DO!" to that beautiful man.

When God says to trust HIM, to believe in HIM, to have faith in HIM, why would I doubt? I wish I could say that because of this radical work that God did in my life that I NEVER doubted Him again, but that would not be true.

All I can say is "His grace is sufficient for me, and His power is (and continues to be) made perfect in my weakness."

Today, I want to say THANK YOU to my GREAT BIG AMAZING HEAVENLY DAD for bringing me the MOST AMAZING MAN.

It is MY pleasure to KEEP saying "I DO" to him each day for the rest of our lives.

You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because

reality is finally better than your dreams

~ Dr Seuss

In His Grip,

Five Minute Friday: Imperfect yet Redeemed

To take 5 minutes{and then some--maybe?}...to write about "my week"......to share "my story".....to open a window into my soul....in just five minutes.

This is my mission.

GO.

I am scared.

Scared to share this week, this crack in my armor, this season of my story.

Oh, yes! I write here, but I filter that story. I write when I HAVE learned the lessons {mostly}. Yet, to share when I have nothing revolutionary to share, to open up when my words are not beautiful and precious and thought-provoking and life-changing......

This scares me.

"I am cerebral," I say to the man who holds my heart these 5 years now.

He chuckles at me, not to mock or to malign my heart, but because he knows that I MEAN every word and my word choices ALWAYS amuse him. And yet, he knows....he gets me. He SEES me and I feel safe.

Yet, if I let others {you} in, what will the reaction be? Will there be the side-long glances full of "I-know-better-than-you-but-I-won't-tell-you-because-you-wouldn't-listen-anyway? Or will there be grace?

STOP.

AND THEN SOME.....

That smooth-flowing, heart-healing, soul-renewing grace that says, "I know you are hurting. I can see your pain. I may not understand it all, but I will love you in spite of my understanding. I will look inside of you and remind you of who you are even when you forget. I will reach into your heart and life even when you seem to close the door. I will not be afraid because I know the ONE who loves you best and I will remind you of that. I will just BE there to hold your hand or to hug your neck or to pray His words over you."

So I am scared. And yet, today, I still write. Heart-pounding. Chest-thumping. Anxiety-driven.

Am I safe? Are these words that say nothing and EVERYTHING, are they safe in your hands, your screens, your hearts, your thoughts?

Can I be imperfect and flawed....and this is really.......OKAY?

{sigh}

{breathe}

I pause in this story. I re-read my words. I wonder at their impact. I grieve in this veiled honesty.

And then I am reminded by the ONE who truly loves me best and longest and eternally.....

YOU ARE REDEEMED!!

Rest.

(I want to edit this so desperately....to explain....to qualify....to quantify.....but I will not! I am giving this to faithful hands to sift the chaff and keep the grain....)

{What is your story this week? What are some fears

-- transparent or veiled --

that have overwhelmed you this week?}

In His Grip,

Linking up with:

Settled

May today there be peace within.

May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others.

May you use the gifts that you have received and pass on the love that has been given to you.

May you be content with yourself just the way you are.

Let this knowledge settle into your bones.

—Mother Teresa

In His Grip,

Wordless Wednesday: Blue Eyed Wonder

Visiting with my best friend, Alison, and her precious little girl,

Macy - my goddaughter who is almost 2 months old....YAY!

Join me at Wordless Wednesday!

"I WANT IT NOW!!!" {stomp, stomp, stomp....SLAM!!}

Sharing a little wisdom from my pal, Oswald C. ;)

Spiritual Dejection

We were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened —Luke 24:21

Every fact that the disciples stated was right, but the conclusions they drew from those facts were wrong. Anything that has even a hint of dejection spiritually is always wrong. If I am depressed or burdened, I am to blame, not God or anyone else. Dejection stems from one of two sources— I have either satisfied a lust or I have not had it satisfied. In either case, dejection is the result. Lust means “I must have it at once.” Spiritual lust causes me to demand an answer from God, instead of seeking God Himself who gives the answer.

What have I been hoping or trusting God would do? Is today “the third day” and He has still not done what I expected? Am I therefore justified in being dejected and in blaming God? Whenever we insist that God should give us an answer to prayer we are off track. The purpose of prayer is that we get ahold of God, not of the answer. It is impossible to be well physically and to be dejected, because dejection is a sign of sickness. This is also true spiritually. Dejection spiritually is wrong, and we are always to blame for it.

We look for visions from heaven and for earth-shaking events to see God’s power. Even the fact that we are dejected is proof that we do this. Yet we never realize that all the time God is at work in our everyday events and in the people around us. If we will only obey, and do the task that He has placed closest to us, we will see Him. One of the most amazing revelations of God comes to us when we learn that it is in the everyday things of life that we realize the magnificent deity of Jesus Christ.

Multitude Monday - #121 - 140

Gratitude - a feeling of thankfulness or appreciation, as for gifts or favours; the state of feeling grateful

#121 - bonding with my aunt over her new potential baking business

#122 - having an uncle who believes in me to recommend me for job possibilities

#123 - people who have a heart for Haiti giving up their time and money to go and serve this week

#124 - my parents who continue to be like Jesus and shine His light to their world in Haiti {and beyond}

#125 - my husband's diligence with his studies

#126 - my RE-newed love of photographing

#127 - the realization of new loves/direction/interests from the Father in this transitional season

#128 - spending time with my bestie and her baby girl, Macy

#129 - Macy falling into a sound sleep at the sound of my voice {SO COOL!}

#130 - making connections with my counselor friend; she is a God-send in this season

#131 - wearing my new {GREAT SALE} 60's mod coat this week

#132 - taking pictures of my family at my 2nd cousin, Meghan's, birthday party

#133 - watching her not only open presents, but kindly read ever card

#135 - playing stomp rockets with Vincent & Nathan (Meghan's brothers)

#136 - catching up with my childhood bff, Wendy, their mom, as we folded laundry

#137 - phone call with my college bff

#138 - using Gilmore Girls quotes to spice up our conversations -- they TRULY make us laugh

#139 - new wisdom from Mr. Oswald Chambers, "Lust means 'I must have it at once.' Spiritual lust causes me to demand an answer from God, instead of seeking God Himself who gives the answer."

#140 - knowing that His grace is relentless for my heart, even when I waver

I have joined The Gratitude Community -- a place to be inspired by others and what God is doing in their lives, a chance to share my own journey of gratitude, and an opportunity to REMEMBER to be grateful in ALL things. So on Mondays, I will add to my list of 1000 gifts of all the graces God has provided in my life. Would you consider joining me? Even if you don't blog, you can join the gratitude community by starting a gratitude journal, mentionning your gifts on Facebook, or sending e-mails to your friends. Let's work together to help in creating a more thankful, joyous world!!

The Habit of His Presence

Google defines a habit as "an established custom." The psychological definition is "an automatic pattern of behavior in reaction to a specific situation; may be inherited or acquired through frequent repetition."

My cats have some habits.

In the morning, if I move significantly, "speak" to Arno, or just open my eyes all while still lying in bed, their habit it to CRY MEOW repeatedly.

Patches' favorite room is our bedroom, but if I leave and go to another room, during the day, for a significant amount of time, she usually follows.




Morris LOVES to go outside, but if I keep the main door closed, not just the screen door, he will usually lie contentedly for quite some time, but if it is open, he goes in and out, and in and out, and in and out REPEATEDLY!!!

{Okay....lest you think this post is ALL about my cats......IT'S NOT!!

Just go with me for a minute....}

You see their habits are really connected to ours -- when they eat, when they sleep, when they are happy or sad, when they get touched & loved, when they can go out and play, etc. I have had Morris for 11 years and Patches for 8 years, and they really know MY habits. Their feline lives have become BETTER due to my attention and time and love that I have poured upon them.

This made me think about my habits in connection to my relationship to God. The more I know Him, the more my habits should revolve around WHO HE IS. And yet, because I am a human being with free will, I often choose habits that keep me from having that true revelation of His grace and mercy. However, my life COULD be BETTER due to time spent receiving His love, His time, His attention.

Joseph Prince said recently in a podcast that the more he exposes his soul & spirit to the revelation of grace in the Word, the more grace and kindness become who he is, but when he is away from these revelations, the ugly side comes out.

I get that. I really do.

I want to walk, to live, to breathe His grace, not only in how I view MY OWN relationship with the Father, but also in how I connect to others and in turn how I connect others to the Father.

I want to be aware of HIS PRESENCE the same way my Patches is aware of mine.

Funny what you can learn from a cat, right?

Five Minute Friday: You've Got Mail!

Just 5 minutes to share a thought, a concept, a memory, a glimpse into "my" world.....

Today's prompt/topic/thought-provoking concept - Recent Mail from a Loved One
{Mine is not so recent...but it is about a time in my life when letters meant SO much to me.}
GO.

It's Saturday.

Mail Day.

I am 16, growing up in the bright, sunny, balmy, tropical island of Haiti.

Yet, I am far from my family...far from my friends....far from my crush :)

Each week, I painstakingly make lists of those whom I have written to, prioritizing those who write me back. Like Santa, I make my list and check it twice.

I sit and I write each one, thinking of their personalities, answering their questions.

And then Saturday comes.....

...and I wonder, "Will they write me back?"

In the hustle and bustle of the American life, will they remember their friend? The little missionary kid in Haiti...longing to be connected to my "other" home so many miles away.

Then the plane arrives. The packages are unloaded. The mail is sorted. And I SEE the "Brumbley" pile.

There are no e-mails at 16.....just beautiful precious letters....letters from family...from friends....from home.

And I hear my mom say......



And my heart sings!!

STOP.

Linked up with Lisa-Jo @ The Gypsy Mama.

Wordless Wednesday: Can I Go Out, PLEASE?

Morris LOVES to go in & out, in & out, in & out....and IN & OUT, especially at night!

{But he is SUCH a gorgeous cat, right? Look how patiently he is waiting!

He is SUCH a picture poser!! Ha!}

Linked up with Wordless Wednesday, Live & Love Out Loud, A Beautiful Mess, and Two of a Kind Working on a Full House

Open the Door to A Different World