one month since the cut!

Hey, y'all.

Considering most of you marvelous people follow me on Twitter, keep up with my few & far between posts on Facebook, and/or see me on a regular basis {lucky you! ;)} you know that I cut my hair - a month ago today to be exact.

Because I was so busy partying it up with some besties on my birthday weekend, I didn't have the time or energy to officially make the announcement. However, Studio D did so for me with these before & after pictures!

It was a looong day, but so worth it in the end! 

Here I am in the middle of the ombre process with my patient stylist!

Do I regret it? Overall, no. It was a really big change. It hasn't been a hard adjustment - I love my hair - but it's still weird. Today I was itching to make a fishtail awfully badly, but not because I'm sad about temporarily not being able to do the fishtail braid justice - I just didn't want to take time to do anything else. We all have those days, or months, amen?

Days after I made the cut, so did Taylor Swift. She must've heard about the big change going on in the Great Plains & followed suit.




Have I mentioned that I love her? I may love her cut even more than I love my own.

Are you one of my friends that are still heartbroken over my inches lost?  The one that is slow to forgive?

Look at this picture, because these still look like the long hair is there! Also, be comforted that it will bless someone else. Whomever receives it via Locks of Love, they needed more than I ever did!



S/O to my mop of hair that just got a whole entire blog to itself. Beside's Taylor's.

It might have something to do with the fact that I worked hard straightening it this morning, only to be hit by the flu bug an hour later. So sad.

Sidenote: you might not yet know what I am giving up for Lent, but know that it involves this: more writing. Yay!

Peace out, my peeps!

Sincerely,
Emilee

Lent: giving up & waking up

Ash Wednesday will be here soon.

The Lent season, even being later this year, inched up on us quickly, didn't it?

I've never given up anything for Lent. Every year I contemplate what I could give up, what I should give up...

This morning I read these words in Isaiah 58. Just last night I had been asking the Lord what He would have me give up for Lent, because I really wanted to do something. This passage of Scripture is about fasting and I found it to be extremely applicable to how we approach Lent.

"...Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist..." 

With a clenched fist. Whatever you are thinking about giving up for Lent, don't let your knuckles grow white while you're deciding. Give it up - and then give it all UP.

"...Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high. Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? 

...

Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the LORD?"

Don't commit to these days for yourself. Give all of your days in hope of being acceptable to Him.

Here is what this season, and every season, should be from the Word of the Lord:

"Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily;  your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard."

It's a heavy order - to loose the bonds of wickedness, to let the oppressed go free.

Years ago, Eugene H. Peterson was frustrated with his congregation. They were sipping coffee and joking about the Sunday school table. None of those things are wrong, of course, but they were in desperate need of revival. They needed to be shook up in a brand new way. They needed to think about what they were doing in a fresh way.

Standing in a worship service makes me feel a little like he must have. Eugene H. Peterson was struggling for them to see what he saw. Wanting all of them to see the enormity of our God in the way that we can on earth, together. We all need to wake up from our spiritual slumber. We need to get down to business. We need to stop taking ourselves so seriously and our God so lightly. 

As many of you know, Eugene H. Peterson wrote The Message. A translation that is frowned upon by the Christian community in many different settings. Up until a few weeks ago, I would have been cringing at the translation myself. Now that I've read "Eat This Book" by Peterson himself, I will never look at The Message the same. He never intended to translate the whole Bible. The Lord carved the way so that he had no choice in the matter. I still don't believe we should only use The Message by any means, but by all means, you need to read it. Eugene H. Peterson began this project because he had a righteous anger. He wanted his congregation to see the Lord in a new way. That's what we need to be craving this Lent season. Here is a portion of our Scripture we read above in the ESV in The Message:

Do you think this is the kind of fast day I’m after:
    a day to show off humility?
To put on a pious long face
    and parade around solemnly in black?
Do you call that fasting,
    a fast day that I, God, would like?

        “This is the kind of fast day I’m after:

to break the chains of injustice,

get rid of exploitation in the workplace,

free the oppressed,

cancel debts.

What I’m interested in seeing you do is:
    sharing your food with the hungry,
    inviting the homeless poor into your homes,
    putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad,
    being available to your own families.
Do this and the lights will turn on,
    and your lives will turn around at once.
Your righteousness will pave your way.
    The God of glory will secure your passage.
Then when you pray, God will answer.
    You’ll call out for help and I’ll say, ‘Here I am.’

I don't know what I'm going to give up in this season in particular. I don't know if I will give anything up. I will, however, be sure to serve something UP to Him. The one thing that He keeps impressing on my heart is some grudges that I need to replace with grace. I encourage you to think about what the Lord would have for you in these next 40 days, in this next year, but make sure that it is not to 'show off humility'. It's so easy to fall into that pit. The first step for all of us will be denying ourselves. Trust me, when you do it for One & share your experiences with others only with a pure heart: you will be blessed. Don't give anything up without giving it all UP. 

Here is something for you, friends, whether you give up a material thing or not: 

"And the LORD will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong..." (all Scripture quotations from Isaiah 58)

Let's go - encouraging one another to wake up & give it all up. 

Finish your week strong, friends. Stop wishing for Friday & love the day you're in! 

Talk with you soon,

Emilee

bistro bliss inspiration

Hey there, beautiful.

Or handsome.

“You'll need coffee shops and sunsets and road trips, airplanes and passports and new songs and old songs, but people more than anything else. You will need other people and you will need to be that other person to someone else. A living, breathing, screaming invitation to believe better things.”

I'm at a coffee shop - at Bluestem Bistro in a lovely little corner of Aggieville.  If you don't love to just come sit in a place like this, I don't understand you.

For me, it is beyond inspiring - the perfect place to study, write, and people watch.

The coffee steam, the rattling keys, everyone listening to their own playlists, job interviews in one corner, someone smiling at their phone at the other.

The sweet guy that took my order...

The girl that was dishing dirt on a homeschool boy she and her best friend knew. I grimace at the words.

Across the way one girl asked, "Have you read Kisses From Katie?" and my heart smiles. Just this morning my long lost sister sent me a text about that book that I just lent to her.

As I type these words, there is a cute couple waiting for their lattes. I will soon find out that they ended up sitting close on the couch in the foyer of this little packed bistro. They are reading the Word together. You can see that she respects him & I bet that he really loves her.

Earlier a girl sat next to me and the only thing inspirational I have to say about her is that she taught me how to not study. She scrolled facebook with her book open & studied for a total of maybe five minutes. It was pathetic. End of story.

People walk briskly by & some people sit back & take it easy.

I may be listening to Mumford & Sons, but Brandon Heath's message in his song "Give Me Your Eyes" is reminding me to look at these people and not only see their shell, but to be aware for their soul. Where are they going? How can I be a light to them today? How can I show them that someone loves them? We need these people to challenge us. Challenge us to become more like them - or to challenge us to never become like them. Whether they are a close friend or a total stranger, we need to be sharpened by all of them, whether we like them or not. Especially when we don't like them.

What is inspiring you to be a better Light today?

“And he will give rain for the seed with which you sow the ground...”         -Isaiah 30:23

Be someone's screaming reason to believe better things today and take heart, friends.

Sincerely,
Emilee

valentine's schmalentines

Hello, Treasures!

My birthday has gone, details may be in line about that later, but now -

the dreaded time has come.

You know what I'm talking about.

Valentine's Day.

You weren't expecting me to just let it pass, were you? Surely not. :)

Last month on one of Glory & I's sweet coffee dates she very seriously said, "If we can get you through Valentine's Day, maybe it will all be smooth sailing from there!" Yes, there is a reason it's worse this year...& no, I'm not going to tell you in full. I will tell you this, however, last year was good.

Jenna Lucado Bishop just wrote a Valentine's Day post about healing, about why this week might hurt or just stink for some of us. I loved this quote, "It could be that this Valentine’s week only brings you pain because you haven’t met him or you miss him." 
To read the rest of this powerful post, click here.

This day will most likely be miserable for me. I wish it was over. I have to try to make it good in whatever possible way I can, whether I want it to be tolerable or not. By the end of the day, I will crawl into some comfy corner of my house probably looking something like this:

Speaking of which, somebody needed to purchase this card for me:

One of my favorites. 

Time to turn right. ;) 

Classic Anti-Valentine's card. 

Found this at Target a month or so ago, but I went back to find it more recently & it was gone. Bummer. ;)

This lovely shirt was spotted in Aggieville in early January. 

Personal favorite: drink hot sauce. 

If I had a brave enough soul, I would carry around this bag on Friday. 

Remember my mistletoe forever alone picture? This is my different season version of that picture. I took it in Estes Park after a very long day of altitude sickness & watching Netflix instead of seeing the sights. 

Preferably, of course, that someone is me. Just sayin'.

High five to whomever is in charge off this beautiful store front. This sight was also found in Aggieville, the outside window of ACME gifts where I found MANY wonderful cards. 

Here is one of the cards I enjoyed:

What's the point? I might hear you asking. Did I write this post to just get attention or to have a public pity party?

Well, there are two 'points'. 

Number one is this - I have been called to be real. In this shape & form, it might look a little messy. It might seem like a pity party to you. Think whatever you'd like, but I can't lie to myself & encourage you to love Valentine's Day. 

When the Lord wants me to be closer to Him, especially when I've been hurt, He doesn't ask me to pretend like I am okay. He gently asks me to tell Him everything. To put away all of my acting & to be Emilee - the Emilee that He died for, not Emilee the hypocrite. 

So, here I am. 

Secondly, somebody needs to know that even if this week or this life is just plain hard right now - you're not alone. 

I know that you don't want to hear this, but I'm going to tell you anyway.

YOU'RE LOVED. 

Don't forget that, okay?

I may listen to sad songs & write super sad journals, but I always know that He loves me. That won't change. It never will. That's what matters. 

Whether or not this Valentine's Day rocks my world, the Rock won't move. His Word and His love is our only security in this life. I can't ask for more when I have Him. 

In this season the Lord keeps engraving these words on my heart day after day, "I will do what I have promised." 

He is faithful. I believe I know what He has promised, but even so, "The God of promises of Scripture is faithful, but faithfulness does not imply predictability." -Beverly Roberts Gaventa

Someday, I believe that I will love Valentine's Day no matter how much I cringe at the thought. 

You know why I will love it? Because I just might have a guy to stand at the side of the road with gazing at the mountains in Estes Park and my hand will rest along his side. Because someday all of these butterflies & heartbreaks in all of our lives are going to make sense. We have to believe that if we're going to survive another Valentine's Day.

That desire, for my man, may not be fulfilled for many years. If you're older than me you are cringing at that last sentence because you're thinking that my life has been nothing but simple so far & that I know nothing of what hard waiting looks like.

Again, my friend, think whatever you'd like, but the Lord's words to me will remain stronger than anyone's doubt:

I will do what I have promised. 

Grab yourself some depressing love songs if you must, pop in a sappy movie, eat some chocolate, and... in the way that you know how: hold onto hope & all of His lovely promises in this messy life. 

Peace out,

Emilee 

P.S. Happy birthday to Austin! My nephew is turning 7 on Friday. I was 8 when he was born. Wowzers. Love that little man & I can't believe how much he's growing up. Excited to celebrate with him on Saturday, on the best day of the year, February 15th!

just a lil' randomness of 1.14

Well, hey there, treasures!

How are my lovely friends doing?

It's January. It's the month of crossing out that darn 2013 and writing 2014. A month of crossing out all the grief and the bad habits of the year before and starting fresh.

I kick-started this month with a day in bed with the flu. Whoop whoop! It wasn't a picnic by any means, but I got to lay in bed & complete season one of Grey's Anatomy. Which brings us to my list of fun facts about January!

• Grey's Anatomy. Judge all you want, but it's pretty darn fantastic. It's actually pretty sad how much I'm tweeting about Grey's (and nothing else most days). Between writing a brand new story centered in Mississippi, reading my new books, & Grey's - my free time is very happy! 
• I may have spent new year's day sick, but I spent new year's eve with my long lost sister and her hubby feasting & watching The Help. Of course, she's not actually my sister, but she might as well be! These newlyweds just moved to town this fall & I'm so very thankful they did! 
• I'm the new church librarian! Much excitement, adrenaline, and plans are underway. I believe there is a great ministry opportunity in filling & tending to those bookshelves.
• I am working on a new story (as I mentioned above) that I am very excited about. I do my best at trying to be writing in it between 11 & 1 every night. That's the best case scenario, however.
• I didn't recover from Christmas denial until around January 15th. 
• Judy Howard Peterson came to our church earlier this month for a retreat. She has been here three years in a row now & we have become pretty good friends throughout the different year's activities. Every time she comes I'm inspired in a new way. This year she talking about 'In Christ'. It was good stuff that I still find myself chewing on every day. 
• A few days into this month I started working through the book of Isaiah. A lot of my favorite Scriptures are there & I wanted to read the book in it's entirety. My devotional book last year had rich truths, but I'm so happy to be back to this sort of daily study! 
• Finals... they happened the second week of January. The end. 
• I'm beginning a new obsession with Audrey Hepburn. I haven't watched a lot of movies yet, but every one I've watched, I've LOVED. 
• I made a new year's resolution to be less sarcastic. NOT! 
• On the 2nd I was introduced to a store I fell in love with: The Dusty Bookshelf. It's perfection and I could go on for days.

I used to dream about the places I would blog in this house of mine - when it wasn't yet. I'm sitting here now pondering on another month soon to be over, another year behind me, soon to be another teenage year to begin. There are flowers on the counter that a dear friend brought me when I was sick last week and the scent of tea & honey is whirling before me. I dread the morning when I'll have to wake up early, but it's all for good reason. It's the Sabbath tomorrow. 

Maybe January has been full of a lot of sadness for me - there were days this month when I couldn't stop crying all day long. It was a month brimmed with tears, but for every tear there was an embrace from God & the gift of laughter. When I wanted to crawl into a hole, He brought the exact people to me at the exact perfect time. Time? It's His thing. Not mine. That's what I need to remember, what I need to trust. His timing? Also not mine. I know that all of us are probably waiting on the Lord for something today, any kind of answer. I know that this is the very last thing you want to hear, but guess what? You're not alone. Other people may break you, but the Lord will do what He has promised. It's our turn to wait. Waiting? It's supposedly my thing, but I'm not very good at it. Take heart, dear soul. 

January 29th is coming up. Last year at this time, we had just heard the news that the cancer had spread & that Grandpa's last days were soon to be flashed before our blurry eyes. I can't believe it's been a year without him. When I still find myself asking why, we can be comforted simply by the fact that if we could see Grandpa - that would be the last question on our minds & lips. 

Treasures, it was good to catch up on just a little bit of news in my little corner of the world with you!

Let's talk soon. 

In Christ, 

Emilee

"I don't make resolutions. I dream." -Robin Jones Gunn