Busyness should not be your badge of honor.

Halfway through our Myrtle Beach vacation and I'm sitting in the water as the waves are crashing against the shore. I wonder why we only make the attempt once a year for this type of break in the reality of our lives. I can't help but sit here and think of the busyness that awaits me at home. I once heard someone say "Rest is not a guilty pleasure that we have to sneak, but a command from God. We need to quit wearing busyness and tiredness as a badge of honor." I hate the word busy, even though I use it often and it is a word that could easily be used to fit my life. I have been contemplating these words, busy, tired, and even yes and no, over the last few days and have decided that busy and tired are gone from my vocabulary and what is going to make that easier for me is to reevaluate what I say "yes" and "no" to! Giving my best to the things that deserve my "yes."

Louie Giglio said: “Whenever you say yes to something, there is less of you for something else. Make sure your yes is worth the less.”

Rest should be a reminder that we are dependent on our much stronger God.

Check out Lysa Terkeurst's new book The Best Yes for more inspiration on this topic!

Paper Anniversary

We decided to go with tradition for our first anniversary as husband and wife. The first year is PAPER. You would think this would be easy but you really have to get creative. I decided to make a post about what we got each other because I searched the internet and had the hardest time finding any ideas!

David got up super early on a Sunday Morning and decorated our whole house in homemade heart garland and dug out all of our old notes to each other, written on paper, and spread them throughout the house. I love flowers, so David tried his best at a bouquet of paper ones!

I was able to get the audio of both of us saying "I do" and turned it into a sound wave to have printed and framed. I thought this was something different. To make the rest of this year interesting I wrote down 52 surprises (one for each week of the next year) for David to pick from each week. I also was able to find a nice Marvel poster for his man room that he thinks he is creating in our basement.

We also were able to spend a nice, relaxing weekend at our favorite resort, Nemacolin Woodlands, where we got engaged and spent many date nights prior to that.

A Letter to my Husband-Our First Anniversary!

David Cole,
I am always at a loss for words when it comes to expressing exactly just how I feel about our love. As our first anniversary has come and gone so fast, just as this past year has, I can’t help but think what you have taught me about love, instead of what has been felt. You love me just the way God created me, with every imperfection that you have never tried to change. You see past my outward flaws into the depths of my heart and you love me just the same. Just one look from you and all my anxieties turn to nothing. Despite decisions I’ve made in the past and uncertainties we will face together in the future, you remind me how BIG our God is and to trust His plan. You lead our marriage by putting God first and us second. You are dedicated to integrity, just as I spoke in my wedding vows, you are a man whose integrity shines like a diamond in the dust. You are always there to greet me with a warm hug after a long day and a night never goes by without a good night kiss. Our first year of marriage has been full of many mountains and valleys but in those challenging moments we are reminded of the vows we promised each other that beautiful summer afternoon on August 10th, 2013.

I love you forever and always.