Tuesday, July 27, 2010

365.

dear Colin,
i like when you break into spontaneous dance, complete with arms flailing and/or black girl ghetto booty dancing. it truly doesn't matter if anyone is watching or cares, and i like that.
i like when you call me names according to what i'm wearing in the most endearing voice ("hey, loose jeans!")
i like the way you ask me, "how's your heart today?"
i like the way you love Jesus, and talk about Him with reverence as well as familiarity and closeness. i like learning from you.
i like the way you ask me to scratch your back with the most urgent voice, like your life depended on it. then again 1 minute later.
i like how adamant you are when you tell me that i'm beautiful. and that you won't let me get away with thinking otherwise.
i like that you're still excited to see me every single day, and get a ridiculous grin on your face when you do. i am so blessed to be the reason for that smile.
i like waking up in the morning knowing that there is a text message from you in my inbox, reminding me that i am loved by both you and the Lord.
i like hearing you talk about our future family. i like to think of you being my baby daddy, and sharing your tenderness and passion with little beings that we create together.


today marks our first full year of marriage.
the past year being married to this man has been, hands down, the best year of my life.

i still look over at him sleeping at night or in the morning and get chills and my heart leaps, because i'm so happy to see him there and to know that this is real.
it's weird how you can love someone more and more everyday..
and scary that we thought we were "in love" last year (and the year before that, and the year before that). compared to what we have now, that was just silly talk!

i love you, Colin Kiser.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Table Time.

1. Colin and i have recently created something that we call "Table Time". we have realized that, in the craziness of the work week with him working two jobs and with his early bed time (he has to be up at 5:00!), dates are going to be a little more sparse. so, during Table Time, we sit at our little kitchen table after he gets off work around 3, a drink each, and talk until our drinks are gone. no phones, no getting up, no bustling about preparing for dinner/nightly plans/to-do lists, just conversation until our glasses are empty. our first Table Time was yesterday and it was so refreshing. two bottles of Yuengling, me and my best friend, enjoying our little carved out time of the day to just communicate and love one another. so good.

2. this tattoo is absolutely lovely. the placement, the reminder, i love it. it makes me want to get another one.

via Jasmine Starr Photography

3. i'm going to repierce my nose. end of story. i'm sick of debating back and forth about it. i know, i've had it pierced 3 times now, but i finally don't have a job (right now) where i need to take it out, and it's time. i miss it. i have a lonely little gold hoop that's just waiting to be placed back in my nose!

4. Heat index of 110? really, Columbia?

5. i know it's kind of old, but i love this song. how cute are they? love the video, too.


grace and peace,
the wife.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

spices, eyebrows, spoons?

1. can you even believe this kitchen pantry? i mean, HELLO. i've always had a thing for jars. and spices. and spices in jars. this is absolutely wonderful.
via designsponge

2. speaking of spices, indian grocery stores. go to them. first off, everything ethnic that you buy at publix or elsewhere is wayyyy overpriced. you can get a 10 lb. bag of basmati rice for $14 at the indian grocer. at publix it's something like $40, not even kidding. they have bags of spices that will last you years, and they're authentic. not any of that mccormick's curry powder crap.

3. speaking of cooking, i wish that i could have an herb garden SO badly. we get no sun in our yard and have really rocky, rooty soil. i can't count the amount of money i've spent on bundles of cilantro and basil at the grocery store, or the number of times i've come crawling to Caroline's front door asking for some fresh herbs. ridiculous. i can't use dried basil after knowing how wonderful it tastes fresh. if i had potted herbs, i would make
these. how clever!



via shrimp salad circus

4. i was totally annoyed yesterday by how poorly shaped my eyebrows are, also. i know that sounds petty, but i love when people have pretty eyebrows and i've always hated mine. i decided to grow mine out (so when you see me looking like a cave woman, move along), and then i'm going to get them threaded. apparently it's the best way to get a well-defined arch, more painless than waxing, and doesn't leave those annoying little bumps. if anyone knows of someone good in the Columbia area, please let me know!

grace and peace,

the wife.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

m-m-my heart like a kick drum!

1. i really do have great friends.

2. the bronze ring, with matching skinny bands to put around it. a girl can dream. i love that it's cast from the mold of an actual river rock. ah, etsy.

click picture to go to Colby June's etsy shop!

2. i want to be discipled by someone. i know that is a huge undertaking for that person, but it's biblical and i would love to have someone to pour into me, help me to grow, help me to be a better wife and lover of Jesus. also, i want to disciple someone. i saw the awesome power of a godly, loving woman in my life in highschool, and would love to (try to) be an encouragement to someone now. i'm praying for both of these things and for God to do them.


3. this song is so fun. i love the Avett Brothers unashamedly, despite how extremely trendy it is right now. there's something so consistently beautiful about family members singing together.


4. i wish that i could hang out in this tent all day and read my books.


5. last night i got up to pee in the middle of the night. from the bathroom i hear Colin talking, so i come back into the room to find him standing right in front of the door. he laughs out loud and says, "oh! hahaha, i thought that you were hiding somewhere and were going to jump out and surprise me! hahaha!" and gives me a huge, long hug, which is kind of more like him hanging on me than a hug. then he turns around and plops back into bed. he was asleep. he remembers nothing of it this afternoon.

6. i think that i lead a beautiful life. not because it's devoid of hard things, pain, or things i would change, because it's definitely not. but God is beautiful, and life is full of commitment and exploration and growth. i will choose to take pleasure in small things and (try, although it's hard) to cherish this time.

grace and peace,
the wife.

Monday, July 12, 2010

God is good, all the time.

life is full of themes. i can say that most times in my life are marked by style of dress, a particular CD that i loved at the time, and during the latter years of my life, what God has been teaching me. this past almost year, without a doubt, my theme has been God's goodness.

i want to be someone who confesses God's goodness in all situations and at all times, regardless (and in the midst of) life's circumstances. i'm tired of our tendency to exclaim, "God is good!" when we get what we want or feel like we deserve, but to remain silent or even complain when life is hard, uncomfortable, or painful. when i see this happen or see this inclination in myself, i have come to inwardly cringe. we are so wrong. this sense of entitlement is wrong.

Psalm 145 says, "The Lord is good to all, and has compassion on all He has made. the Lord supports all who fall, and lifts up all who are bend over..Everything looks to You in anticipation, and You provide them with food on a regular basis."

from what i can tell, the term goodness in Scripture in reference to God is used to describe His upright nature at times and at others to mean His benevolence-- His kind and loving giving of good gifts to His children. God delights in this, and we are commanded to make known to Him what we desire. He is a Father who is overjoyed to give good things to His children. God is always good. God is always good. He is good all the time. He is the same, never-changing One who is endlessly righteous, loving, compassionate, and just. God is unchangingly and necessarily good. He is consistent and stable. we are not and have never been worthy of His benevolence.

How dare we look at the Cross of Christ and say to God that it's not enough, that we deserve more. We have always been undeserving of His benevolence, but He extends it freely and to all without reserve. Thank you, Jesus.

I'm sure a lot of you have seen this video and heard this message, but Piper is so dead-on. his passion is correctly placed on this matter. this, the prosperity gospel, is the sickening end of this sinful mentality and proclamation that i'm talking about.




grace and peace,
the wife.