It is never too late to be what you might have been. 

- George Eliot (1819 - 1880)

Yummy Monday Image

Image via: Le Boudoir

Just a Yummy image for a Monday.  Have a great week!

"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, 

do and become more, you are a leader."  

John Quincy Adams

Home Sweet Home!

Image taken by Kyle Walker (I hope it is good with you that I posted.)

This image is from a sweet friend of mine that just moved to Colorado. Colorado is where I was born, my Mom was raised there, and Peyton Grace my niece has visited there and feels like it is home for her too, and it always has my heart. I love even how the dirt smells in the air if that is crazy enough. I love Fall when the aspen trees leaves get crisp and sound like wind chimes. My friend Kyle was gracious enough to send this to me to get a glimpse of his new world. I pray he continues to send me images as the journey so far is breathtaking. This image is as much for me as it is for my Mom and Peyton Grace. Wide open spaces, stars that you feel you can reach out and touch, sunshine sweetly falling on your face (snow or a gentle rain too), God at a whisper and just the sweet breeze the mountains have to offer there for everyone to experience and take a part in. So, the song "Wide Open Spaces" by the Dixie Chicks will always hold a special meaning for me because the song in words is what Colorado feels like and makes me feel home. Beautiful, freeing and yes, room even to make mistakes.

Have a beautiful and giggle filled weekend.

Convictions of my heart

We have very little, so we have nothing to be
preoccupied with. The more you have, the more
you are occupied, the less you give.
But the less you have, the more free you are.
-- Mother Teresa

Quite true. Before this home I honestly did not focus so much on me and the conviction of my heart over having something, some place to occupy my thoughts, words and time. Trying to move my focus. I often think, "What is wrong with you Kristin?" If one thing is true about me is the fact that I hate gloating and the..."Look at me, look at me, you should be looking at me and all I get and have." attitude.  I get so very ruffled when I see it in others and quite honestly, it has bothered me because I have seen hints of it in myself lately.  Yuck!
Forgive me as I learn to focus on others needs, but be quietly thankful for the talents and blessings you have given me and be a bit more lighthearted and openhanded with both. How I wish to use both for the good and delight of others.

Being a cheerful giver.
“Let each one give as he purposes in his heart,
not grudgingly or under compulsion,
for God loves a cheerful giver” (II Corinthians 9:7)

Just good for me to think about. I wasn't sure how I would be in this new home. Would I be territorial? Would I be all about making it beautiful since I have this insatiable appetite for architecture and home design and have saved articles and images in volumes of binders and on my computer as to how I would decorate for years? Or, would I keep it in a gently open hand for God to use as he pleases. I pray the last! I wanted to say humbly, blessed am I that God has been able to somehow get into my heart and kept those feelings a little at bay. I am so thankful for that and wanted to state my thanks out-loud. So thank you God for helping me keep a healthy perspective on what matters. Love pouring into people and just laughter that makes this home lovely. Thank you for convicting my heart and please forgive me when I fall on my face or desire to wish my house perfect and beautiful and get to navel gazing. Thank you for trusting me enough to make me a steward over your home. That's all. Just thanks.

Image by Cig Harvey (Reminds me of my just being quiet talking to God time in the bathtub at night. Okay, okay, I have cut bath time almost completely out because of our water situation! ). I also do not wear that pretty shower cap, but you get the picture....smile!

My own quiet whisper back to God. My precious Daddy/Father in Heaven, I come before you and work in diligence to give you all that I am. I pray that in the quiet of my heart that my thoughts, words and actions, be pleasing to you. May I be a cheerful giver and not reside in selfishness, but grow my passion for you to a greater cause for your world out of my love for you. I pray you to continue to work out in my heart to be a vessel that is used as an incredibly bright light for your kingdom and your people. I pray that the shine is on you. May my actions for you speak louder than any words I have to offer. Amen

Have a blessed and smile filled Wednesday!

Hotel Kiki and just some Couch Time

The couch at Hotel Kiki, as my family likes to refer to my home...Smile. No, that is not a dog on the couch, but a pillow. It seems to be a favorite that people like to cozy up to and well, we all need something that makes people feel warm and smile filled. Mine happens to be a pillow that people sit on the couch and just hold. Just comforting I hope.

I have not posted anything for what I see is over a month. Oh my. Where have I been? I am working hard to remedy my time lapse since moving and working long hours over the last while. In the meantime, I am just trying to keep a sense of humor about it all and flow around the rocks of life like a river and making sure I get some sweet talking time with my sweet heavenly daddy (GOD) in the morning and trust all will work it's way through.

Along the way and through the weekends I have been blessed by family and friends that have come to stay here. I LOOOOOVVVVEEEE THAT! There has yet to be a weekend that Hotel Kiki has been vacant which is exactly what I hoped for. I love it that people feel that they can come and just be. I love the cozy that I find in that place with people. Certainly many items are now out of boxes and have found their place neatly in their place, but much has not and I am so OK with that. Admittedly, I have this everything has to be neat and tidy attitude that Cortney Cox portrayed in the character Monica Gellar on the T.V. show "Friends" in me. I love the smell of clean and bleach like my life long kindred friend (You know who you are. She and I like things white and clean! What can I say? smile!). I love having this place perfect, but the company that is kept here and the laughter that surrounds is so much more important to me than of anything tangible or set perfectly. Hard lesson for me, but learning that people need a smile much more than perfectly folded sheets. They must be clean though! So, to all that have come over to share this place with me, thank you. Thank you for finding this place sweet enough in your souls to find a smile, laughter, or some solace here and sink into my couch to find a giggle about whatever with me and feel like this is your place too. Keep on coming because I love having you right here with me!