Love.

“I confess that I love him, I rejoice that I love him, I thank the maker of Heaven and Earth that gave him to me. The exultation floods me.”

-Emily Dickinson [my favorite poet]

My husband is amazing. He is truly my best friend, and has seen me walk through my darkest moments. I don't know how he keeps loving me some days, but I am forever grateful that he does.

Even more so, Jesus is the lover of my soul. There are parts of those dark moments that Matthew will never know about, the parts that happened in my mind and heart and soul. Jesus knows all of them, and loves me completely. I have hurt Matthew many times in the ten years we've known each other, but it's nothing compared to how I've betrayed Jesus - and He loves me. He loves me so much that He comes after me when I run away.

It's mind-blowing. It's beyond undeserved. But He gives it freely. I can't begin to understand it.

How, then, can we not love other people? The second greatest command from this Man who adores us is to love others. We stop loving people [or never start] over such petty things. Jesus has given us everything and we killed Him in return -but He LOVES us.

?!?!?!

John 13:35
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

Ephesians 4:2
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

1 Peter 4:8
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

BH&G Post for February

**This one will probably be my favorite. I love love love going through the kitchen/dining room and clearing stuff out!**

February Storage Projects: Kitchen

Sort and Label. Evaluate all pantry items. Toss everything that's expired and give away everything you didn't use in the last year. (Write today's date on every item so you'll know next year if you actually used each item.) Put items back in pantry and label shelves.

Outfit a Drawer. Double the storage capacity inside a cabinet by adding freestanding wire shelves. Measure your cabinet interiors before heading to the home center or choose expandable shelves. Include riser-style inserts for small items such as spices or glassware.

Utilize Cabinet Doors. Evaluate the interior of every cabinet door and determine whether you can use the space to store spices, loose recipes, paper towels, or utensils. Add shallow shelves, racks, wall-mount pouches, and magnetic or cork boards.

Add Hooks. Install a utensil bar or metal grid above or beside your stove. Dangle five to eight frequently used utensils from S-hooks. Include a small wire basket to hold salt, pepper, cooking spray, and oil.

A Good Reminder...

**I didn't write this, but it popped up in my Google Reader and I wanted to share it. You'll have to forgive my laziness, but between the sinus infections being passed around in this apartment and being in what Michael Scott calls "the terminal stages" of my pregnancy, this is as good as it's going to get for a bit. :] **

5 Key Secrets to Making Marriage Last

from Simply Stated By RealSimple.com by erinkane

What are the five key secrets to making marriage last? According to British author Catherine Blyth (The Art of Marriage: A Guide to Living Life as Two) it's fairly straight forward:

1. Prioritize pleasure and laugh. Often. Remember that your marriage is something you create, together, day by day.

2. Seek the best, and keep actively noticing each other.

3. Minimize stress on your bond.

4. Embrace change.

5. Cultivate gratitude, never forgetting to praise your beloved, out loud.

Seems easy, right? Yet in practice we all know it can be quite hard. In all seriousness, how do you minimize the stress on your bond when there are bills to pay, car repairs to make, kids home sick from school, work deadlines, and mountains of snow piling up outside your door?

How do you actively notice your partner amidst the daily chaos that is married life?

I guess by paying close attention and keeping the home fires burning. Blyth suggests it takes "time, novelty, and awareness."

"Marriages can grow stale if we assume that we know each other too well. But do new things, take a few risks, see new sides to each other, and you'll experience again the surprises that jolted your heart when you met."

Kind of reminds me of that episode of Modern Family when Claire and Phil try to spice things up with a romantic getaway and role play. It's one of my all-time favorite episodes. Hilarious!

With Valentine's Day around the corner, do you have any special surprises planned?