Paper & Glam

Sunday

 Guess what? I'm a puppy's mom now.

Under the Christmas tree this year, was this little girl...an eight-week-old, six-pound mini American Eskimo puppy. 

I asked God what her name was, and He said "Sunday." 

Sunday was born October 15, 2012, her favority color is pink, and she came to earth to give Hello Kitty a run for her money. Sunday's hobbies include stealing shoes out of my closet (especially the pink ones!), spreading toys out so there's one in every crevice of our home, and running a morning 5K on the trail by our house. She's softer than the softest cashmere sweater and so precious it hurts. 

Her first month at home, Sunday woke up crying at midnight and 3 AM every night needing to relieve herself on her indoor lawn and fearing the defilement of her bed. Sunday's potty-training schedule collided with my 5:30 AM gym schedule and the eastern time zone of corporate life. I've felt like one tired, messy, hairy, puppy-momma.

Becoming Sunday's mom required a lifestyle adjustment. My schedule now revolves around her walks, potty breaks, play groups, and vet appointments. Like most single twenty-somethings, pre-Sunday I spent all day at work and then I'd go out for the night to dinner, small group, or out with a friend. I still do those things, but Sunday forces balance in my life.

Sunday is a big part of my life, but I am Sunday's entire life...the only person in her life. She waits for me to wake up every morning. If I ignore my alarm and sleep past 5, she cries. We get up and she waits for me to finish quiet time so we can go outside. She waits for me to get home each night, and she's excited to see me no matter how long a day it's been. I can't disappont this little girl.

"A dog is the only creature on earth that loves you more than he loves himself."
{Josh Billings}

Now Sunday is fifteen weeks, ten pounds, and sleeping through the night! As of February, and a successful puppy potty training mission, I've hit my stride in 2013. I'm back to early morning Jesus dates, trail runs, and writing; and it feels good to be back in a routine!

Thanks so much for meeting Sunday!

Love wins,
Lisamarie

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The Secret of Winter

Perfect Faith

  

This Christmas I was reminded of what it looks like to have perfect faith. Perfect faith is written into the Christmas story, and in some ways it's more encouraging than the actual birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Mary had perfect faith. Mary was favored by God more than any other woman. She was chosen to be the mother of God's son. And yet, there's a lot in her story that I tend to romanticize. An angel appeared to Mary, and said "the Lord is with you."

And here's what unfolded...

1. She endured a pregnancy outside of marriage that could, and probably should, have resulted in her death.
2. When she arrived in Bethlehem on a donkey ready to give birth, she was turned away at the inn. 
   If I were Mary, I'd be wondering why it was too much to ask for God to reserve a room?!
3. After His birth, she was forced to flee her home for Egypt to protect Jesus from a jealous king seeking his death.
4. Then she lived with the reality that every male child under two was slaughtered by the king in pursuit of her own son.
5. 33 years later, she watched her son die the most brutal death imaginable.

If you're like me, you want everything to work out in life and also make sense along the way. But things didn't exactly "work out" for Mary the mother of God, or the Son of God Himself. Things worked out for the purpose of God's will.

 

As I go into 2012, and reflect on 2011, I need to reevaluate how I view the outstanding prayer requests in my life. I need to put those requests in the context of a perfect faith. I need to tell the Lord what Mary told Him, and what Jeremiah told Him. 

"I am the Lord's servant, may it be to me according to Your will.'"

{Mary, Luke 1:38}

 

Andy Stanley put it this way: "Perfect faith does not move God. Perfect faith is the faith that moves us to trust God...when it doesn't seem like He's going to be moving."

Daily Grace #64. {Perfect Faith}

Perfect faith says:

"As for me, I am in your hands—do with me as you think best."

{Jeremiah 26:14}

 

The greatest meetings of heaven and earth were the birth of the Son of God...and His death. These two events took place in a barn and on a cross. And God...was there.  Christmas is not just a celebration of the birth of Jesus, it's also a celebration that "God is with us." No matter the circumstances or the disappointment, God is with us. He is with us: perfecting our faith, perfecting our love, and calling us into His perfect plan. It's not always the way we want it to look. It's better. It's the best plan. 

December's daily grace, in a perfect plan:

65. {Jingle Bells}

66. (Decking the Halls}

66. {Chocolate}

67. {Communal Cookie Bakin}

68. {Oh for Cute!}

69. {Love Wins: The Cookie Set}

70. {In Style}

71. {Santa Mary Jane's}

72. {Finishing Strong}

73. {Pink Presents!}

74. {Baking Christmas Cookies...Frosting and Sprinkles!}

75. {Cupcake Station}

77. {Glittery Presents}

78. {A Snack for Santa}

79. {Christmas Breakfast Pie}

80. {Christmas Day: Jammies, a fire, and a football game.}

mad Hope,
Lisamarie 

Merry Christmas!

At Christmas, we celebrate the day Jesus was born to a teenage girl, in a barn, on tax day. For anyone who's had a rough start in this life or a tough year in it, today we can be encouraged. The Son of God was born in the humblest of settings, to a teenage mother, and the king was seeking his death.

Yet, God the Father, had the greatest victory of all on the books for His Son. He's got a win in the deck for you, for me, for love, for hope, for faith.

True love was born in a stable. With God anything is possible (Luke 1:37).

with Love,
Lisamarie