Reset.

Can you believe the weather lately? It's been absolutely gorgeous... I swear I was experiencing seasonal depression during the month of September, but these beautiful, blue-skyed, breezy days have certainly cheered me up! And we've made some real progress on the house lately - which is always helpful to my mood. I feel like the house is all I talk about here... but it really is the biggest thing in day-to-day life right now - and it's really something I've looked forward to since high school. For a while I had to check myself and make sure it wasn't becoming an idol, but honestly, it's so much fun to put my (our) hands to work and make, create something beautiful. Like our sanctification, the process is painfully slow, but I was telling a friend today (and I say it all the time) that living in this house, working on this house, is a bonafide blessing. Every single day, I think to myself - How on earth did we wind up in this place? By no stretch of the imagination have we earned or do we deserve this house - this neighborhood - this space... It doesn't make logical or financial sense that we should land here. And then I remember that the same is true of everything I "own." That every kleenex I wipe my nose with, every shoe I put on in the morning - every breath that I breathe is given to me by the Lord in heaven. I'm thankful that he would use something potentially superficial to teach me about himself and his grace. So here's an update.

Practice run for concrete countertops. Wasn't my first choice to put concrete countertops above concrete floors, but we found a kind that resembles limestone (not shown), so here's hoping. :)

Cabinets primed. Waiting to see countertop color before painting.

New bedding - verdict is still out on the pillow selection but it'll work for now.

We also went to the Mutemath show at the Palladium on Thursday. We haven't been to a concert in a venue like that in a long time, and I gotta tell ya - I've forgotten what it means to be a music enthusiast. Standing up for four hours right in front of the speakers and so close to strangers that it would be entirely inappropriate in virtually any other setting used to be at least a monthly experience for me. Now that David's not as much in the "scene," we don't venture out to Ellum as much - or any other "club" for that matter. But, while I felt a little fake hungover and temporarily deaf in my left ear, I had a great time. Mutemath always puts on a great show - and by NO means sacrifices the integrity of their music. I highly recommend.

This might be "Spotlight." I can't remember, though.

Andrea tweeted all week in hopes that they would read her posts and ask her to be their friend. She cracks me up.

This is what we felt like after the show. Totally worth it.

I've noticed the Lord lately bringing things back around again in what seems like an attempt to show me from where I've come. Examples. A friend of mine and I are going through a Beth Moore study together, and I'm really enjoying it so far. Now, the me from 05-06 would've sneered and said, "You legalist. Going through some daily study in order to feel like you've checked in with God for the day. Besides, Beth Moore is far too saccharine, and only 'cute Christian girls' go through those..." Because the me from 01-02 wanted desperately to be one of those 'cute Christian girls.' And since 'cute Christian girls' went through Beth Moore studies together, that's what I did. And God totally used it to change and refine me, but a walk through the desert left a bitter taste in my mouth for all things 'Cute Christian.' He's since, however, been leading me toward still waters where my bitterness wanes, and the thirst for genuine knowledge of and fellowship with him requires the humility to step back into a study format I unofficially swore off. And it feels really refreshing.

Part of the study encourages spending time daily with our faces physically on the ground before the Lord, praising him in prayer and thanking him for his mercy. Coincidentally, we sang a song at church a few weeks ago, "We will seek you first Lord... ... early in the morning...." A song that immediately jolted me back to freshman year at A&M, singing songs at breakaway on Tuesday nights. Another thing that "cute Christian girls" did. :) And I wept with joy as we sang at The Village, recalling what it felt like to sing it back then, and to feel what it feels like to sing it now, and to relish in the work God has done on me in between. Like hiking a mountain, reaching a peak, and looking down to find your starting point. And then the daunting, yet exciting part, is looking around the bend to see how much further you have to travel. Which is ALSO what the study has to do with... I well up even now to think about how, out of love and encouragement, He takes the time to remind us of what He can do with us - even if, sometimes, it involves kicking and screaming... or maybe even some sitting and sulking.

I'm overwhelmed with gratitude.

"...that we are blessed beyond what we could ever dream..."
(I'm pretty sure I've used that one before, but it's fitting.) :)