Be Kind

LOCATION: Old Colorado City

OUTFIT DETAILS:  Grey Tennies (similar) || Pleated dress (similar) || Tie Dye Shirt (similar)|| Jo Totes Camera Bag 

Happy Valentine’s Day sweet friends. I’m not feeling super festive today – which is kind of funny. I love all the holidays all the time. But life and work has been busy this week so I didn’t even have time to stock the house with Valentine’s candy 😉 Last night we took dinner to friends who just had a baby and we stayed all night chatting with them. I’m so thankful for friendship and community in the midst of the chaos of life. Work wise, this lady needs to figure things out. Our Etsy is taking off (YAY!) but also taking a surprising chunk of my time. Plus I’m a dreamer, so I keep thinking of fun ways to market it and make it better and I just really want it to grow because we are having so much fun with it! It is honestly all good things but trying to fit them in with the blog, behind the sense projects, photography, and life is not going very well. Plus I REALLY wanted to start working out and I haven’t made time for it yet. GAH.

This morning I was reading in my quiet times (which is another thing that seems to go first when I feel strapped for time) and I read this verse: “A false balance is an abomination to the Lord but a just weight is his delight.” The first thing I thought of was man, people have been struggling with/ faking balance in their life forever. I then realized that the verse is actually talking about weighing money on scales and not “faking” the balance to make more money. Not the balance that I struggle with every single day. But at the same time, it almost is. How often do I pretend to have my work/life balanced but actually spend more of my time working or worrying about making more money. Or even just blatantly having an unbalanced heart. A heart that carries more stress, worry, idols, than it needs too or can. This verse is more about honesty and attitude (contentment) than anything else and that is something I can relate to every single day.

Tonight we are going over to my parents for Valentine’s Chinese – where we will sit on the floor on the red table cloth and eat. It’s tradition and however weird it may be, is pretty unbreakable. I love that. I love tradition and the 5 year old in me who thought ordering take out and eating on the floor for Valentine’s day was something to be enforced year after year. I like that we have simple plans tonight with family and I’ve been soaking up more time with family (and not feeling guilty about it) than ever.

“A gracious woman gets honor” and “One who gives freely, yet grows all the richer” were two others verses from Proverbs 11 this morning. Honest, Gracious, and Giving. Those are things that I want said about me, known about me. Those are traits I want to pursue and seek not unbalance, stressed, and scroogey (which I can honestly fall into.) Valentine’s day or not, I’m just feeling a little different. Be Kind.

Today and tomorrow and each day. Be kind to myself and be kind to others. The simple things that speak so much. The heart attitude that overflows into my work and my relationships. Allowing grace and patience. Trusting that the Lord is my provider and holding onto things (and dreams) with open & flexible hands.

I also should point out that these photos were taking over the weekend. When Colorado was rocking 75 degrees and the wind was blowing in storm that would bring snow that night. #dramaticmuchcolorado?! I loved getting out my summer clothes but it just feels kind of wrong in February. Either way, Bruce and I strolled the streets of Old Colorado City eating croissants and holding hands. It was like it was summer but not. I’ll take those little gifts.