Inspired by . . . April - a look back

April began and ended with severe, hail-producing thunderstorms. Thankfully, there were a lot of of beautiful, sunny days in between.

A look back . . .

A few random things I learned last month:

Friendship is timeless: It's true what they say, true friends can be apart for years and years, yet the moment they meet again it's as if they never parted.

Most foods are naturally Gluten Free: You realize this when you're put on a GF diet. The trick (and expense) comes when you want to continue eating baked goods. My Nana couldn't tolerate gluten, and that was fifty years ago before the disease was even diagnosed. Back then, rice was the only GF option and it was difficult to find. Going GF now is a cake walk. (there's a pun in there somewhere)

I have a love/hate relationship with my Fitbit: I love that I found it on eBay for 1/2 price. I love all the information/data it records and the super easy app for my phone and laptop. However, after using it for a week, I'm totally depressed at how inactive I am! I mean, I knew I wasn't getting enough exercise, I just didn't realize how BAD it was! So now I have to think of creative ways to meet my activity goals and still get my {desk} work done. {deep sigh}

That being said, I'd better get out of this chair and get moving!

When you look back at

April, what do you see?

Blessings,

Sharing inspiration here:
Mona's Picturesque
Emily P. Freeman

Inspired by . . . March - a look back

Maybe it's just me, but March seemed to linger this year. It was a long month, {nearly} five full weeks. Easter gave us the opportunity to slow down and to take in the wonder and enormity of what Christ did for us on the cross, and to spend time with family.

All-in-all it was a good month, but I did find it difficult to pick just eight photos to highlight in my collage!

A few random things I learned this month:

March weather is unpredictable: even in south TX. I'm so glad I didn't plant my seedlings on the 20th. I woke up to frosty grass on the 21st! And yesterday, we had a hail storm.

I don't like the wind: technically I knew this, of course, but it bears repeating when I feel like whining about the weather. Which, coincidentally is whenever it's windy outside.

It doesn't take much to make me happy: my Dreamer tells me this, with affection, often. Usually, just after I've come racing inside to tell him about some new bird or butterfly I saw. I've learned to temper my excitement just a bit, lest he think we're under attack by aliens - - or something. 

Things mean more when you have to wait (or work) for them: I think we've lost the sense of this in our instant gratification society. My Dreamer and I have been wanting to fence our yard for awhile now. Mostly to keep out the deer, so we can have the plants and flowers we love. Well, the fence posts are up, and we are well on our way to achieving this goal! I'm dreaming of all the flowers I'm going to plant in the next few months!

One day is not nearly enough to absorb the enormity of what Christ has done for me: while Jesus' sacrifice should be celebrated daily in the heart of all believers, the reality and astonishment of His resurrection seems to be lost once Easter Sunday has passed. As Kimberlee Conway Ireton shares in her book, The Circle of Seasons, our forebearers in faith observed the Great Fifty Days, the time between Easter Sunday and Pentecost as a time of "sustained attention to the reality and joy of the resurrection." I think I will do well to follow their example.

I miss playing around in Photoshop: I used to participate in a photo art meme hosted by Bonnie Zieman. Sadly, Bonnie discontinued her blog a little over a year ago. I've missed creating a piece of photo art each week, and the fun challenges she gave us. If any of you know of a photo art meme currently running, kindly let me know in the comments, I'd love to participate!

That was my March.

When you look back,

what do you see?

Blessings,

Sharing inspiration here:
Mona's Picturesque
Emily P. Freeman

Inspired by . . . February - a look back

How fun to have an "extra" day this year! Especially for all those leap-year babies. Retailers are certainly taking advantage of the 29th, how about you?

February is a bittersweet month for me. It will forever be the anniversary of my dad's passing, as well as the anniversary of my Dreamer's birth. 

Today I'm sharing a look back in photos, and also a short list of what I learned this month.

Things are usually not as bad as we imagine them to be: Yes, I survived the dentist!

If you don't tell people your book is free on Amazon, no one will know: I scheduled a free giveaway of Act I of No Tomorrow in honor of my Dreamer's birthday, but forgot to announce it! So, if you're interested, mark your calendars for this Friday and Saturday, March 4, 5th. No Tomorrow, Act I will be a free download for two days!

Everyone loves spring: the post featuring our early blooming pear tree was a favorite this month!

Buffer makes it easy: to have a consistent presence on social media. Have you heard of them? You can check them out here.

The Lenten season is perfectly timed: For some reason this time of year is usually busy and rushed. Observing Lent this year has allowed me to slow down. To be intentional about how I spend my time. When we move more slowly through our days, it's easier to see the moments three dimensionally, rather than in a blur as we rush past. 3D moments are easier to grasp and hold onto, to examine and find the deeper meaning.

My favorite quote this month:

When you look back

at February

what do you see?

Blessings,

Sharing inspiration here:
Mona's Picturesque
Emily P. Freeman

Inspired by . . . January: a look back

I'm a couple of days late with my January post. I enJOYed participating in Mona's 'a month in photos' link up so much last year, I knew I wanted to continue.  But with the new year upon us, I also knew I wanted my month in review posts to be a little different.

Mona's fabulous new {free} template took care of my new look. Thank you, Mona! And Karrilee's enthusiasm over Emily P. Freeman's link up convinced me to include her 'what I learned' format into my monthly reminiscence.

So here's a {new} look back at what I learned in January!

Christmas doesn't have to be celebrated on Dec. 25th: Our family got together on Jan, 2nd this year. It was a time of sweet fellowship and laughter.

Pain affects every aspect of your life: Between my sciatic {or sacroiliitis, whichever it is}, my tooth pain, and my allergies last month I feel like January was completely wasted. I know for many of you, this is a constant struggle.

Prayer matters: Not only does God hear and act on our prayers, but knowing someone is praying for you has a positive, calming affect. Thank you for responding to me with love and prayer when I share in this space.

It's important to never stop learning: I'm so thankful for friends like Kim Klassen, and others, who offer online classes on a variety of subjects. Many of these lovely ladies {and gentlemen} offer both free and fee-based classes. Kim's Leap Into Lightroom class has been transformational to my workflow!

There is no where we can go that God has not already stood: I know this, but God impressed this truth upon me once again, in a profound way, last month.

When you look back at January,

what do you see?

***

And now, let's embrace

February, and all it has to teach us.

Blessings,