Dear Jesus,

Sometimes I'm afraid of letting you have complete control of my life. 

Just admitting the obvious, as you, God, smile and say, "I know."
and I smile back as if I could have even tried to get that past you!

I can be stubborn, determined and feisty. I know this is no surprise to you either.

Please open my heart and walk with me as I gently surrender it all to you.
I am hoping that won't take a lifetime, but sometimes surrendering even the simple things is challenging.
Or for me at least. Just keeping it real, God.
Help me to keep a sense of humor always, savour the amazing and simple moments,
be grateful and learn from challenges too and walk this life well.

Please show me how to simply trust, and be a "yes" kind of woman to you,

 and have the kind of faith that moves mountains. Please use me to be a solid light to
shine a reflection of you well by my actions and walk more than my words 

to help make this world and the souls within it somehow and in some way better.

Thank you for this life and allowing me the privledge to know you and serve you.

I stand grateful.

Amen

image via: tumblr

Just needed a giggle today....

"I am a ninja"

"no, you're not"

"did you see me do that?"

"Do what?"

"exactly!"

...big smile!

Hoping the rest of your day is wonderful!

via tumbler

{To FEED Another}

FEED 2 Kenya Bag

As I searched my soul to review 2011 and figure out a way to give myself, my money and my time differently in 2012, I started researching charities that would truly make an impact. Often concerning my heart is children. Be it children starving, sick or orphans thousands of miles away, or right here in America. The thought of a human not having food to nourish their body, or to know that someone cares about them and their well-being bothers my soul much. So, beyond being blessed through Compassion International to sponsor two girls, Evi Cici and Dainty in Indonesia, I want to do more this year, to be a part in some way of bringing Hope. So, here goes.

Soooo....

Enter into the world of Ralph Lauren. I have been so fortunate over 2011 to be able to spend many of my work hours putting forth effort along with a team towards making a few excellent products for Ralph Lauren. Prior to starting the project, I knew that beyond my total love for everything that Ralph Lauren represents in style, that it would help my work to research what the intricacies of the company were about. In that search, I found within this family a future member, now a member of this family, Lauren Bush Lauren. She is now married to David Lauren - Ralph Lauren's son. I found that she had gotten involved with United Nations World Food programme 6 years ago and had designed a bag reminiscent of the bags of food distributed by WFP. What makes this bag special is when you purchase one of these FEED bag products it in some way it helps feed one child, or more in school for up to two years. 

I thought..., I am so in and researched to find a bag to purchase! Certainly I would have to dig a bit deeper, but it mattered somehow then and does now, still.

You can read about her involvement here at Feed Projects.

So, I thought what a great way to bring a change not just in the world but in my soul too. Yes, I love beautiful things and I find all Ralph Lauren things in every way beautiful, but what I am about is loving people and if a thing like this can bring about some kind of hope, then I am sold!

They have many more bags, t-shirts and even bracelets for as little as $5 where that one came from at Feedprojects.com so you can get one too, if your heart is pulled in that direction.

Would you join in?

I pray this to be a year where I not only talk about change, 

but make some changes to be a part of helping this world be of good and great hope!

Have a beautiful weekend ahead!

Images via feedprojects and the web

These people above with me are just the coolest of people and I am blessed beyond measure.


My precious friend posted this verse today.


‎"my soul magnifies the Lord, for He has done great things for me!" Luke 1.46


It was given to her heart today, it's hers today, but I knew I needed to see it. 
As if God was like. "Hellooooo girlie, pay attention to this." So I did!
I knew I needed to speak this verse. I knew I needed it somehow to be laid gently and written solidly on my heart. I needed to be thankful and count my blessings one by one.


I see these people, my niece Gabrielle and my nephews Zachary and Jake and my heart somehow gets overwhelmed with how awesome I think they have turned out, but also what they mean to my soul.
That must be just an ounce of what it feels like to be a parent to a child.


I could easily sit and boast of their accomplishments which individually would be MANY, but as of late, kind of overwhelming in one good thing after another that makes me want to sing their praises! 


But....


It's not their accomplishments I delight in. It's just NOT.  Certainly I applaud their great accomplishments, but what I love is their souls and the cool people they have become. Not perfect people, but in every way, great people and I just love being around them.


So, I just wanted to say I am thankful for each of them and that I simply love them. They are my blessing and I am grateful.


Have a blessed and amazing day!

{If I were to give my faith story...}

Peter Bourke's Faith Story from The 315 Project on Vimeo.

I don't personally know this gentleman, but came across this video through a friend of mine. As I sat listening to Peter, I thought wow if I were to give my faith testimony it would sound much like that of his. It was as if what Peter spoke were my thoughts in many ways. No, I don't travel for a fortune-100 company, I might given the opportunity, but I do squeeze every second out of a day/night in working as if squeezing blood somehow out of a turnip, but knowing all along that this life is about so much more! I am a AAA-type, goal-driven kind of woman after all who likes control of my world, my life and my future, but longs for peace, great smiles and God purpose in the midst of this journey called life. I too am a work in progress and at moments have compartmentalized God to fit into moments of my choosing instead of Him just being real in all my moments. Certainly my story would contain God's thumbprint of my life challenges, my control and fears that I want to release, rest in Him and use for His purpose as positives somehow and make a difference in the lives of His people. After all, He {God} has well proven that even in the darkest of valleys, that He is well more than enough and I owe Him everything for that fact alone. At any rate, I thought his testimony might be encouraging to more than just me. So, here you go, turn off the music at the bottom of the page prior to hitting play and enjoy.

Make your moments count and have an incredible and blessed day.

And we know that God causes ALL things to work together for good 

to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:28

The hero is the one who kindles a great light in the world,

 who sets up blazing torches in the dark streets of life for men to see by. 

The saint is the man who walks through the dark paths of the world,

himself a light.

Felix Adler


image: tine k home

{Ahhhh, this looks nice!}

I know I read in the good book that God rested on the 7th day, 

but I think I I must have missed that memo, {wink}!

So, this image might do me well to find a happy place today beyond this girlie that is just tired to the point that tears fall to the site of a tender Christmas car commercial at 3am. Never mind that I have lost site of how to dry my hair after pulling it up for two weeks to work in the trees. I laughed as I looked at my hairdryer with a question of how do you use this thing again? Ha ha ha... and seemed to find some humor with myself, so all is good. Christmas installation will be complete this coming Saturday. So very excited about this!!!!!!!!! Goodness, everyone stayed safe and that is no small task seeing that at any time we often find ourselves dangling like monkeys up in some tree lighting away at 1am to make the season merry and bright. Every property turned out beautifully and we are so fortunate to have this business. I returned to my real full time job Wednesday after this working-vacation of mine. I thought to crawl under my desk for a moment of zzzzzz's, but seriously it had to have been God alone that found a way to keep me awake even without a Starbucks fix. Is it me or is it so very hard to stop that little expensive addiction? It's my struggle. I love to start any morning by greeting those happy people in the green aprons with the starbucks logo and say "I would like a Grande Non-Fat Latte" to their reply..., Oh my, what is going on with you, "Kristin...are you OK? You usually get a Triple Venti bla bla bla"...(yes, they know my name and a few might add me to their bestie list, wink!). I have to giggle, but seriously people to have a cup of their coffee nestled in my hands and in my tummy...well, it doesn't get much better than that other than being in the company of the ones I love much.

At any rate, I am needing the beach and sunshine after we installed 78+ trees up to 30 feet in height and more lights, boughs and wreaths than I can even fathom to count. Who am I kidding...I might need one of those drinks too with the cute umbrellas! How can one install all that Christmasness, but still be trying to find that Christmas feeling? So, on Sunday I will take an intentional mind break, a place to sit for a moment and be thankful and breathe.... and find my own home fa la la and laughter this weekend and put up a real tree, hang some sparkly things and cozy up by the fire, play  Michael Buble Christmas music and just smile.

Today I am thankful that God finds me as his own and that there is actually a reason for this season beyond all the sparkly Christmas decor. I am thankful that I am strong and whole and well, can I add in ...full of energy too. I am thankful that my family and friends are healthy and safe. I am thankful for Faith. I am thankful for a sense of humor. I am thankful that I have been and am blessed and prosper even through hardships...yes, God has well done this for me and I don't have words. I am thankful that I am courageous and confident. I am thankful that I am capable and successful. I am thankful that beyond all of my weaknesses that God is complete, strong and pretty amazing if I don't say so myself. I am thankful that God has knitted me and my life perfectly together for His good and I pray to be a bigger giver than taker and blessed to give a glow, a smile and be a blessing. I am thankful that I am clothed in strength and dignity and can smile over the days to come. Oh, and so very thankful for the gift of laughter too. Amen.

Hoping your day is perfect in every way. Hoping you find smiles in the smallest of details and praying you peace beyond measure!

Happy Weekend to Ya!

image via//botib

{Just WOW!}

I Believe I can Fly ( flight of the frenchies). Trailer from sebastien montaz-rosset on Vimeo.

Let's see....how does one describe this video?

Invigorating
Amazing
That's a whole bunch of CRAZY
Breathtaking
That could leave a ouch-mark!
Seriously?!

Beautiful

Wow

...did I say Wow?

Eeeeeek
Oh My
Perfect
Of course, a girl like me that loves adventure might be tempted.
Free...to say the least!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

....and well, what is that saying that parents tell their children?

No, just because so and so asked you to do that doesn't mean you should.
"I mean, if they asked you to jump off a building, would you?"

I guess with these flying frenchie people, the answer is simply, yes.

Just praying you have moments in your day today that make you say, 
"Wow - that moment was and is so very awesome!"

via//sprk

{Just A Thought...}

So Shine Please!

via//tumbler

{Let me introduce myself...}

Hi there! My name is Liberty.

I would wave but having hooves and all it's a bit difficult if you know what I am saying {wink}.

So, I thought I would go this route of a closeup for ya using my owner's iPhone to take a self-portrait while she went to get me some sweet feed. So, hurry smile and wave back please

before she gets back!

Let's see what is there to know about me?

I was born on 9/11... Hence my name.

My Mama and many others saw me and immediatley said I looked like a Liberty.
Plus the name Liberty would hold meaning, being that I was born on 9/11
and just what America stands for in honor and freedom.

I mean, I am all about the wind in my hair while I run across the field. 

It's a freedom kind of feeling that I love and do often, very often.

My Mama calls me, "My Sweet Liberty".

I kinda like it. soooo I think I'll keep letting her call me this! 

 That Mama is a person {So very confusing to me, as I have a real Mama with fur that looks a lot like me...the person, Kristin, not so much, but we share the same love for adventure type personality. Yes, she possibly needs more timeouts than me because as sweet as she is {Kristin} can have a rebellious-feisty side beyond her sweet side, however, I am trying to tame her of this. Really I am! 

See the image of my person-Mama {Kristin} and I {Well, part of me.} below.

Someone might need a photography course. Just saying they might, wink.

So, I guess a picture of my neck will have to do.

Oh, and below this is me and both of my Mama's.

This is my person-Mama {Kristin} letting me lick the remnants of 

the sweet feed she just gave my Mama {Maggie}.

How could you not love someone that gives one sweet feed?!

Which is like a candy bar in human speak! 

Mmmmmmmmm!

Awe, below is on 9/11 my first day experiencing the world. I loved that day!

Here are just some images of me and my Mama, Maggie.

Yes, my Mama is big boned, but don't tell her I said that, smile!

I still think she is very beautiful.

She is a Belgian, which from what I hear is very much like one of those Budweiser horses

minus the bunches of fur on the feet. My Daddy is a Haflinger, which if Fabio was a horse

well, he would look just like my Dad.

Which gives no premises for my curly tail and mane.

This was the day {above} I learned about gnats {yucky}. I really don't like those things. Can you tell? 

I hear humans don't like them either. Or, was it watching my owner quickly running across the field away from them that gave that away? It was kinda funny to watch her.

At the end of the day some horse-bug-type spray came my way! 

Yay me....so sad for the gnats. 

Lastly, below is a family video. Kristin thought we were coming to see her,

but seriously, we are all about that stuff called sweet feed! Just saying we are!

Gotta run, I see my person-Mamma coming back.

Bye for now!

Yes, all kind of silly in Liberty's words, but

I feel like I won some sort of out of the blue, once in a life time chance

to own a new unborn, site-unseen baby horse. I am smitten with her and feel blessed.

I am kinda the adventure type and love horses, so off we go, a city girl like me, 

with a bit of country and adventure in my soul to say yes to caring for this sweet and funny girl.

I don't want to claim her as mine. I want to just facilitate many being able to just enjoy her much.

I mean, I was considering getting a dog for a long while now, but who needs a dog, right?

I'm certain to post more images. All of these images were taken off my iPhone.

Hopefully, I will get down there and use an actual camera, but having too much fun 

just running in the field along side her, or sitting in the field watching her. 

Just a very peaceful and free feeling.

Have a great day ahead.

Make your moments count!