SUNDAY STILL // 8
Surely the righteous will never be shaken;
they will be remembered forever.
They will have no fear of bad news;
their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear.
-Psalm 112
OUR HOME // LIVING ROOM (BEFORE)
Well hello there! It's about time I showed you some pictures of our home!! Today we're going to start in the living room. The living room is a very important room for me. When we were looking for a home I knew that we needed one with a good sized living room because I love to have people over!!! This is the first room that we will focus on decorating.
So let's dream shall we. I'm all about the bookshelves hugging the fireplace in the above photo. I'm not all about the bright colours.
Now let's look at what we have to work with.
I took that photo the first time we viewed the house in November. At first glance I could tell this house had a lot of potential. The living room is connected to the dining area and in those spaces are two very large windows aka lots of light aka my bff. I also liked the fireplace and oak floors are always a win.
Here are some more photos from the mls listing.
It's so crazy looking at these pictures because SO MUCH HAS CHANGED. We got the house December 15th and the very next day, James started working on it. You can't really see from the photos but all the walls are a crazy texture. We (and by we I mean James, my dad, his dad and all the other amazing people who helped) got rid of the texture first (in the living room, dining room, hallway and entrance). NOW THAT WAS A JOB and deserves its own post so watch for that one soon...I'm pretty sure James could start his own reno business after all the crazy work he has done!
I took the above photo a couple days into the reno...what a difference smoothing out walls make!! I don't even think it was even painted at that point!!!
Now let's get on to the dreaming!!!
So what I envision for our living room is a cozy, calm, and inviting environment....
Now the planning...! My amazing friend Amy is coming over Saturday to help plan and measure. She has an incredible eye so I'm excited to hear her ideas. James and I are not ballers so we'll be slowly working on these rooms but we're hoping to go to Ikea at the end of the month to find a few pieces.
James has also painted and redone the floors (SUPERMAN, I KNOW! I'll show you soon.)
Here are the next things to do for the living room:
- Find a rug. A BIG RUG.
- Get curtains...people we know keep saying, "I drove by your house and saw you in the kitchen." ha. Our house is at a fairly popular shortcut for many people I know and we have massive windows that give you a good look in...it could get awkward so curtains are a priority!
- Bookshelves to go beside the fireplace? I really like the bookshelves in the first photo, but now it's just to find the right ones.
- Mantle. We (and by we, again, I mean JAMES) ripped off the old mantle. We're going to replace it with a cedar beam or something along those lines.
- New chair eventually...not a massive priority but definitely on the list.
- Plants!! I really want to be like every other blogger alive and own a fiddle leaf fig tree....fingers crossed I won't kill it like I've done to almost every other plant (except for the avocado plant that my dear friend Becca gave us!)
So there you go! Those are my plans! But I'd love your feedback as well. Got any home design blogs that you love? Send them my way!
oh and HAPPY FRIDAY! Hope you have the best weekend :)
xo,
s.s.♥︎.
PERSONAL HIGHLIGHTS OF 2014
Okay, one last post on 2014...I promise! I just couldn't leave 2014 without looking back on the BIG moments. 2014 was a wild year. Here are my personal highlights...
I RAN MY FIRST HALF MARATHON
It has been a long time goal for me to run a Half Marathon and last May, I DID IT!!!! I was hoping to run the Good Life one in October but things didn't pan out. I'm hoping to run the Goddess one in June though! I talked a lot about running last year, and I plan on running just as much. Now that we're all moved in, I have NO EXCUSES.
CLICK TO READ MY HALF MARATHON RECAP
I WAS A BAND GROUPIE IN REDDING
Last Summer I travelled down to Redding California with James and some others on our worship team. The team all did Bethel's School of Worship. I went to a few sessions but mainly sweated my face off, ran, swam at the local ymca pool, did summit homework and hung out alone at the house we rented. To be honest, it was a lonely time for me. But it was a REAL GOOD time for me. I looked back on posts and realized I never did actually candidly shared about my time.
I absolutely loved the first Sunday we were at Bethel. The worship was incredible (obvs) and then Kris Vallotton spoke on empowering woman to be leaders and preachers...come on!!!! I was over the moon. During the week I spent a lot of time by myself. Now we need to get one thing straight..I am an extrovert. I am a people person. I can spend time alone but I don't love it. I love being with people. I love talking with people. I LOVE PEOPLE. Extended alone time makes me go crazy. Thank goodness I listened non-stop to the Divergent audiobook to make me think I was with people. The crew was at school almost all day and night that first week. That was hard. They were experiencing so much and I barely had time to debrief with James.
And the conversations I did partake in (with James and others), I didn't really find myself agreeing 100% with. I was frustrated!! I wanted to relate, but I couldn't. And then the next Sunday came. Martin Smith led (amazing OBVS!) and this Ray guy preached. I totally did not relate to his message AT ALL. And at the call (which I can't remember) I found myself as one of the few who did not stand up to respond. But then he makes a statement where I had my "Thank You Jesus, I'm not crazy" moment.
He shared an analogy that some people are like boats and some people are like buildings. He didn't say being one was bad and the other was good. He said how the church needs both buildings and boats. I would go on to quote him more but I would totally get it wrong....but let's just say artsy/creative/musician types tend to be the boats and non-artsy/more analytical/I guess a bit more consistent? (ahhh, I'm really not trying to offend anyone!!! Sorry if it sounds offending!) types tend to be the buildings. I had a revelation right there. I WAS A BUILDING IN A ROOM FULL OF BOATS!!! No wonder I wasn't relating to anything.
It made me realize two things: 1. I missed my building people. 2. Our churches need a lot more of them boat people in leadership because often it is the building types who are in leadership.
Once I realized how differently I was programmed than everyone I was surrounded by, I enjoyed myself a lot more. We are all unique and that is a good thing.
We had a ton of fun on that trip and God showed up in massive ways. I'll never forget it.
READ MORE ABOUT MY TRIP TO REDDING HERE
I LEARNED ABOUT BLOGGING AT ALT SUMMIT
My assistant/encourager/bestie aka Courtney and I travelled to Salt Lake City to attend ALT (I attended and she explored). Never have I ever had a desire to go to Salt Lake City. The city was kinda blaaah in my books but ALT was amazing!!! I learned SO MUCH, heard from Oh Joy! and MARTHA FREAKING STEWART! Ate amazing food. Met amazing other bloggers (like miss Annie Reeves!!) and just had a really fun time.
READ MORE ABOUT MY ALT EXPERIENCE HERE
WE BOUGHT A HOUSE
And of course, as you've heard a ton, we bought a house....all because of God's amazing grace!!! THANK YOU JESUS!!!
READ MORE ABOUT OUR HOUSE BUYING PROCESS HERE
Other incredible highlights of 2014 include
- My Nana's 90th birthday
- She Loves Conference
- Our 2 year anniversary at the gorgeous Point No Point
- Speaking words of life to pre-teen girls
And oh so many more adventures. 2014 you were grand. 2015, you got big shoes to fill!
Can't wait to chat soon about 2015 goals and one words!! Can't wait to hear from some of you!
xo,
s.s.♥︎.
ONE WORD 2014 RECAP // SARAH
Hello again! Yesterday I shared my reflections on my one word for 2014 and today I have my amazing friend Sarah (and it also happens to be her BIRTHDAY TODAY!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARAH!!!!) sharing her reflections on her two words for 2014. You can read Sarah's post from last year here.
Take it away Sarah...
FAITH & COURAGE [the recap]
2014 was the first year I have embraced the one-word concept, and I found having the frame of reference for the past 12 months so beautifully life-giving. I travelled throughout Europe for three months, and found some hard moments where massive faith was needed. There were times (I admit to crying alone inside an Irish Mcdonalds one Saturday night!) courage was needed to dust myself off and keep going. While travelling was breath-takingly beautiful at times, it was also one of the hardest things I have done in the last few years. From cycling 300 kms to facing my quiet thoughts, I needed to embrace the good and the bad and make intentional choices to keep moving forward.
Coming back to Canada I had to step out in both faith and courage to re-establish myself. New house, new car, new office... and then take a risk and head off to Bethel for school of worship with some of my band. To be vulnerable and honest and have courage to try again in relationships. Looking back, those two words (I am going to claim that since it was my first year of the one-word challenge, I decided on TWO words that go together perfect!) I can see how many times I was required to use them. I've been pondering my 2015 word for the last few weeks and looking forward to what framework it will bring as I continue to step out in faith & courage.
Thanks so much for sharing your recap Sarah! Loved seeing God move so incredibly in your life. He showed up big time :) Can't wait to hear your word (or words!) for this year!
Happy Monday everyone!
xo,
s.s.♥.
REFLECTIONS ON MY ONE WORD FOR 2014
Well it’s that time again..the time when I look back on my one word for 2014.
This has been the third time I’ve chosen one word for the year. (Check out the previous one words here- 2013 & 2012)
My word for 2014 was LOVE.
If I told you it was a easy word for the year, I would be lying. The Lord took me on a journey this year, that is for sure.
Here’s a few things I learned:
1. YOU GOTTA START WITH LOVING YOURSELF
Loving yourself is important. And no, I’m not talking about being weirdly obsessed with yourself. I’m talking about having a healthy view of yourself. As you read in my post, BIKINI BRIDGES & KICKING SELF LOATHING TO THE CURB, 2014 was the year that I experienced true freedom from self loathing. It’s been one wild ride and I owe all the thanks and praise to Jesus. I always thought that I would live with body image issues my whole life, that it was something that every woman had and that was normal.
Let's get this right- it may be the “norm” but it’s NOT how we ought to live.
Thank goodness, God convicted me of not loving myself how I ought to. His truth set me free (and it can set you free too!!!!!) and I am happy to say (or sing Bif Naked’s 90s hit…) I love myself today.
2. LOVE KEEPS LOVING
So much of my 2013 word (walk) was about persevering, about keep on keeping on. And I faced that once again in 2014. A lot of my prayers sounded like, “Oh Lord, help me to love today…as hard as it is, I choose to love.” I took a lot of deep breaths in 2014, breathing in His selfless love and breathing out my selfishness.
And don’t get me wrong…there were many times where I failed at love. There were times where I resorted to my natural selfish state. I’m in need of His grace so much. It’s only through Christ that I can love others above myself and that I can keep on loving through circumstance.
3. LOVE IS ALWAYS THE RIGHT ANSWER…EVEN WHEN THE HATERS HATE, YOU KEEP ON LOVING
I’ve shared with you before that I’m the “glass is half full” type of girl. I’m a big fan of positivity and when negativity approaches, I usually run for the hills. This year I was faced with some negativity. Something was going on and I was the victim. In this situation, a very wise person gave me some very wise advice. My natural reaction was to become hardened, to become weary of others, to respond with spite. But this wise person told me what I needed to do was to be like Jesus. Love with humility. Respond with love and a humble heart, not with a proud and arrogant one.
That advice saved me from so much unwanted negativity. I learned that people are people. People will hurt you, they will say mean things, often these things are done from a hurting heart but oh, how things turn around when you respond with love and humility.
Love is always the right answer.
Just the other morning I read Romans 12 (in the Message). WABAAAM! It was like my whole year was summed up in the passage.
Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.
11-13 Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.
14-16 Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they’re happy; share tears when they’re down. Get along with each other; don’t be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don’t be the great somebody.
17-19 Don’t hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you’ve got it in you, get along with everybody. Don’t insist on getting even; that’s not for you to do. “I’ll do the judging,” says God. “I’ll take care of it.”
How amazing and practical those words were to me. 2014...the year of love.
Have you got a word for 2015? I would love to hear it! I will be sharing my one word for 2015 later this week! Please email me if you would like to share yours! laura at ssheart dot com
xoxo,
s.s.♥︎