thrifty thursday.

(you can find the background to this segment here.)

my grandmother has a lonnng history of loving nearly all-things vintage.

growing up, i would stay with her and my grampa for a weekend at their beautiful house in st. jo, and occasionally she would take me along to her little booth at the local antique mall. we'd walk around from booth to booth, and she'd let me rummage amongst all the antique and miscellaneous goodies.

she's always had so much fun stuff at her house that i've always admired, from vintage dress-up clothes, to antique Christmas decorations galore.

the sunday before thanksgiving, we went over to my gramparents' house. as i was walking through her kitchen, i noticed somethin turquoise peaking out behind a photo frame...it was this adorrrabllle tea pot!!

i asked her where she got it, and she said "oh, just one of my many finds!!" (haha.) and then was saying how she would probably sell it at her next "sale". (she always has these grand sales.) and i was all like "nuh-uhhh, gramma...i'm callin dibs on this thing if you end up sellin it." and she was like "you want it?? i'll sell it to you right now, if you want." i tried to tell her i could just wait, to make sure she really was sellin it...but she wasn't havin it.

SIX. B U C K S.

das right, yall. mmm-i love it so much.

(if only...i could thriftily find a new vehicle. that'd just be wonderful.)

sunday's lessons.

i haven't been to two services on a sunday in awhile...
this past sunday, i went to college church in the morning where pastor rick power spoke and my aunt and uncle (and cousin) led worship. and then i went to the gathering network in the evening where pastor jon shirley spoke and kyle blake led worship.

throughout that day, i was either taught-or had the realization that...

in this day and age, we need to make time for God.
there's  so  too many time-fillers...from every internet source (laptops, desktops, tablets, phones) to every gaming device (playstation, xbox, kinect, wii, handheld games, computers, phones) to the constant interaction and communication (phone calls, texts, e-mail, twitter, facebook, blogs) that is defined as "necessary" to participate in and "absurd" if you're not constantly available.
we have to consciously set time aside to make room for God. (very sad, but very true.) we're so distracted and consumed by worldy matters when He is so transcendent. i am reminded of nichole nordeman's song:: "oh, great God...be small enough to hear me now."

growing up, when we learned the Lord's prayer, it was only verses 9-13 of matthew 6...
"our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done--on earth as it is in Heaven. give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses--as we forgive those who trespass against us. and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil...for Thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory forever. amen."
but we skip the last part in verses 14 and 15...
"for if you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you...but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your's."
- NKJ

it is required by God that we forgive.

in order for God to forgive us, we must forgive others.

and in order for us to forgive others-and God to forgive us, we must repent and be sincerely remorseful.

i am too quick to forgive...and then trust again, that it has caused me much grief. it is imperative that we know that forgiveness and trust are separate ideas. it took me 23 years and a lot of heartache to finally realize this--to the point of acting accordingly.
it's too easy for me to forgive those who have sinned against me, but for those who have sinned against the people i love...it's a completely different story. because i know my own pain, i know my own tolerance, i know that i will eventually be fine. but i can never understand how people can treat such wonderful people so poorly. and how those wonderful people put up with it-over & over & over again. i feel so strongly about it that i can't even tell if it is a problem in my own life and walk with God-that i need to work on...or if it's simply the result of loving so deeply. (it is not hindering my own life-or even the way i treat those people i don't understand, i would like to think so at least...but it definitely changes my view of their character-and my opinion of their interaction with my loved ones. which seems to be that it is more about trust then. which Lord knows how limited i am in that category anyway.)

in the evening service, there was a call to action...and it was to come up with some sort of applicable goal. at this stage in my life, and based off the previous statements, it was actually somewhat difficult to think of anything relatable.
i find ease in coming up with reasonings as to why people are the way they are, why they do what they do, and i try to put myself in their shoes...
but in the heat of the moment (specifically with my family), i am not too merciful. i can get snappy. i can get impatient. and so i concluded that my initial reaction is not to show forgiveness and mercy...no matter how quickly it may come after the fact, it is still something to work on.

all of this to say...i am so thankful i can learn more about myself and my relationship with God every blessed day. what an encouraging thought in itself.

use your gifts.

long time, no post.
lo siento, readers.
got a little crazy here over the past week. (what-with...thanksgiving/family time, cleaning the heck out of the house to get it ready for Christmastime, photo editing out the whazoo, on top of getting sick.)

i have WAY too many projects going on at the same time...which i really need to take care of asap cause the holidays are here, yall!! (i haven't even gotten to thanksgiving week's wfd #4 yet. whoops.)

i have a deep-meaningful post for tomorrow, but until then...i'll preface it with this::
(i love the entirety of romans 12. but what i was wanting to get at with this post is this...)

"we have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. if your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. love must be sincere. hate what is evil; cling to what is good. be devoted to one another in love. honor one another above yourselves. never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."
- romans 12:6-12, NIV.

THANKSGIVING WEEK'S what's for dinner #3.

HAPPY THANKSGIVIN, YALL!!
may today be filled with family, friends, food, and football. (all the best things in the world.)
(and SPEAKING of the best things in the world...)

today, i give youuuuuuuuuu...

SOUTHERN SWEET TEA!!
(makes about 24oz. we drink this year-round, 24/7. it's my favorite.)

the recipe calls for:
- four regular-sized tea bags. (we use luzianne or lipton.)
- white granulated sugar. (and lots of it!!)
- water.

directions:
- bring 12 oz. of water to a "roaring" boil in tea pot and remove from heat.
- let four tea bags set in hot water for about 15 minutes. (aka: let it steep.)
- fill pitcher up halfway with water, fill other half up with tea.
- sugar to taste. (this calls for more sugar than you'd think is right, while you're pouring. we do about 1.5-2 full cups.)
- serve over ice.

you can find #1's recipe here...and #2's recipe here.

THANKSGIVING WEEK'S what's for dinner #2.

happy thanksgiving week!!

continuing from yesterday's post...in all it's southern-ness.

today, i give youuu...

CROWDER PEAS!!

(makes about five servings-worth. kansas-version of this southern dish; use all fresh ingredients when possible.)

the recipe calls for:

- *a pressure cooker.
- 2 bags frozen crowder peas OR purple hull peas.

- ham hock (can use 6-8 bacon slices, but preferably ham hock.)

- 1 can italian beans. (optional...this is my mother's substitution for the fresh snap-crowder peas in there.)

directions:
- put peas in pressure cooker, add water about a cup over the tops of the peas, and put hamhock in.
- pressure-cook for ten minutes.
- (optional: add italian beans here, and cook on medium for five minutes.)
- add salt to taste. (pepper optional; none for me, please.)
- drain a tad. (we like em to have a little juice in there still.)
- annnd serve.

yum.

THANKSGIVING WEEK's what's for dinner #1.

this week i'm going to do four separate WFDs!!
and maybe it could even be a help for those folks who might not know what to make.
over here in the foster-mullies family, we've grown up on southern-homecookin. aka: comfort foods. so thanksgiving/Christmas dinners are basically the types of meals we eat year-round anyway. ha.

today's is literally my favorite dish ever. (and one of the only things i will eat left-over.) my aunt joyce makes these every-blessed thanksgiving and Christmas, and so this past friday i wanted to share the wealth at our very first friendsgiving peace feast.
at this stage in our lives, our friends are realizing it's a lot harder to get together; everyone's getting legitimate jobs and getting married, so our schedules aren't exactly the same anymore. so events like these are starting to become more scarce, but much more significant because they are so intentional.
my great friend-becky held the event at her house, where we each brought a dish and the girls dressed up as native americans while the boys were pilgrims.

it was super fun and delicious...and interesting sharing all the different dishes that folks are traditionally used to.

I GIVE YOUUU...DUMPLINS!!
(i made about 20 servings-worth. disclaimer: this recipe is basically a three-hour process.)

the recipe calls for:
- *pressure cooker.
- 2-3 chicken breasts. (i used three.)
- 2 bags Reaume egg noodles.
- 4-5 cans of chicken broth. (i used five.)
- 3/4 tsp chicken bouillon.
- 1/4-1/2 tsp poultry seasoning. (i only like using 1/4.)

directions:
- pressure-cook the chicken breast. (don't fill up the pressure cooker too full with water; you're going to use the broth later on. filling it up so it stands just above the chicken should do.)
- remove chicken from pressure cooker and let cool.

- leave the chicken broth in the pot, and add 2-3 cans of chicken broth, and bring to boil.

- once boiling, add 2 bags of noodles.
- broth will stop boiling when added; bring back to a boil, and then turn down to medium heat.
- here's when i shredded the chicken. (you can do so anytime throughout though.)

- stir often (more of a folding motion rather than mixing), and add more chicken broth as needed. (when they start to have fully absorbed the liquid. you don't want the noodles to be sticky or soupy.)

- add chicken bouillon and poultry seasoning; continue to stir.
- check often until noodles are tender.
- do not add salt. (pepper's optional. however, i'm practically allergic.)
- *when eating as a leftover, (cause like i said...one of the only foods i'll eat as one,) you might need to add more chicken broth or bouillon dissolved in water, in case they've hardened up a little.

*stay tuned this week, yall, for the four dishes-in four days WFD. :)

2 Corinthians 9:12-13

the importance & significance of serving others::

"this service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else."

- NIV.

sentimental.

-what's for dinnerrr...??

sooo...i realized something about me & cooking.
i really only like making sweet things. ha.
is that typical of a beginner-cook...?? they're better at baking...?? or at least gravitate towards it more??
anyhow...that is definitely the case with me.

i have been eyeing this "treat" for a couple of years now and finally got around to making it; needless to say, i will definitely be making it this Christmastime. it-is-delicious. salty & sweet and eeeasy-peasy, just what i like. (disclaimer: very rich. be warned.)

SALTED-CARAMEL PRETZEL BARK!!
(makes about a bowl-full; great to combine with a couple other treats/snacks for a get-together this holiday season.)

this recipe calls for:
-2 sticks butter
-1 c brown sugar
- 12 oz. chocolate (i used half milk-chocolate bar, half semi-sweet chocolate chips.)
- sea salt (optional.)
- 1/2 bag mini pretzel twists (i used regular-sized pretzels though.)

directions:
- preheat oven to 350F.
- line a large jelly-roll pan with tin foil, and lay down one layer of pretzels. (at first, i had forgotten the tin foil after painstakingly placing each pretzel, broken ones and all, evenly along the pan's bottom. i remembered, then painstakingly placed them onto the tin foil from there, managed to cradle the pretzeled foil back into the pan, and readjust the pretzels that had gone askew. oy.)
- in a medium saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar. bring to a slow-boil until it thickens into a smooth caramel.
- pour caramel evenly over the pretzels, and put pan in oven for five minutes.
- remove from oven and cover the top in chocolate. let the chocolate melt. (spread, if need be.)
- sprinkle salt across the top. (again, optional.)
- let cool for a couple of minutes, then let it sit in freezer for a couple hours.
- once chilled, break into pieces and serve.

love it.

- keep your head up.

"it's better to feel pain than nothing at all.
the opposite of love's indifference...."
- the lumineers.

(for some reason...i hate when bands i love, whom no one else knows, suddenly become popular. i am happy for their long-earned success, but i just love listening to them as a secret. however, seeing as how they are now on the radio...i am no longer capable of keeping them to myself. but they should definitely be congratulated on reaching this great milestone; please don't let the radio/fame&fortune go to your heads...nor your music.)

count your blessings.

"it is not happy people who are thankful...it is thankful people who are happy."
- anonymous.

source.

my mother has always encouraged me to keep a grateful journal, a journal of every blessing i have...of every, single thing i am thankful for.

one of my favorite songs when i was young was 'count your blessings' by the martens. it's about the story of job in the bible, and how he literally lost everything but never doubted God-and kept thanking Him for what He did have. it is an amazing story. seriously, go read it if you haven't. and if you have, read it again.

a blessing can be anything. it doesn't have to be a characteristic you are glad you have...it can be the fact that you have a warm house when it's below freezing out...or food to more than fill your belly...or that one day you get to sleep in...or the fact you have a job in this economy...or even just that ONE person you know you can go to about anything.

"rejoice in the Lord, always; i will say it again: rejoice!!"

- phillippians 4:4, NIV.

source.

(we got a design event goin down tonight for mission church. :) come on out, yall, and see what we're all about.)

i wanna leave a legacy.

- been somewhat of a roller coaster of a weekend.
these lyrics have SO much meaning to me...for SO many different reasons.
here's to Jesus, my papa, kelsi, and all those who have served our country. i am so-very grateful & at a loss for words in response to the great impact (very different as they may be) each has had on my life.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"i don't mind if you've got something nice to say about me,
and I enjoy an accolade like the rest, 
and you could take my picture and hang it in a gallery of all the who's-who's and so-and-so's that used to be the best at such and such...
it wouldn't matter much.

i won't lie, it feels alright to see your name in lights;
we all need an 'atta boy' or 'atta girl',
but in the end I'd like to hang my hat on more besides the temporary trappings of this world.

i wanna leave a legacy,
how will they remember me...??
did i choose to love...??
did I point to you enough to make a mark on things...??
i wannna leave an offering:
a child of mercy and grace who blessed Your Name unapologetically,
and leave that kind of legacy.

i don't have to look too far or too long awhile to make a lengthy list of all that i enjoy;
it's an accumulating trinket and a treasure pile where moth and rust, thieves and such will soon enough destroy.

not well-traveled, not well-read,
not well-to-do, or well-bred...
just wanna hear instead,
'well done, good and faithful one'.

i wanna leave a legacy,
how will they remember me...??
did i choose to love...??
did I point to you enough to make a mark on things...??
i wanna leave an offering:
a child of mercy and grace who blessed Your Name unapologetically,
and leave that kind of legacy.

i don't mind if you've got something nice to say about me."

- nichole nordeman.

through the eyes of a child...

let's put a little joy back in everybody's life 

after this election-fiasco.

(source.)

this video makes me cry-laugh.
(i stole this from my friend amanda. who is also hilarious.)

what's for dinner...??

does anyone else ever buy a brownie mix just to eat the brownie batter...??
i am so guilty of this.
and today is one of those days.
so much for wfdw...better luck next week, folks. (or maybe tomorrow, if you're lucky.)

today is also one of those days that i am inspired to create.

- continuing my FP knockoff jean-project. (they're already so fun, yall.)
- stripping, distressing, and re-painting my dresser.
- continuing my pmf.photography branding. (i am just in love with my new paper, stamps, and twine.)
- editing more of my landscape photography to form a separate, more-diverse portfolio.
- brainstorming/planning out my future blog posts. (super excited for december.) :)

i will leave you with this quote that i adore...

"to practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. so do it."
- kurt vonnegut.

tis me.

my friends are talented.

this might be my favorite segment.

it's just so true.

and warms my heart so much.

(you can find the background on it here.)

today's post is dedicated to my dear-dear friend, stefanie morgan.

stef and i grew up together at college church of the nazarene.

we've spent looootsss and looootsss of time together, from caravans to wigby, to His kids choir, to holiday parties, to retreats, to church camps, to mission trips...and not to mention nearly every sunday.

then come second semester, freshman year of high school, she went back to her roots and joined me at blue valley.

this was definitely a blessing. (for many reasons.) most everyone at church went to the same three schools...or at least had one other person. i had had no one for almost ten years, and i always yearned for that affirmation and accountability. just to be able to make eye-contact with a person, knowing you share a deeper bond and more-significant meaning for life than those many searching-high school kids. (not that we had it all figured out as adolescents, but you catch my drift, right??)

stef and i both did choir throughout high school, and were privileged to be in its traveling show choir, chambers. we went all over the kc metro area, LA, and NYC. (stef also got to go to orlando because she made it the year before me. but i'm getting ahead of myself; i'll show you how amazing she is in a minute here.) stef almost always got the solos in our kids' choir, she was on the praise & worship team in junior/senior high, she almost always got the lead in our high school musicals, she almost always got the solos in our choir/chambers numbers, and she always did ridiculously well at competitions...we always knew we could count on her to get a 1.

since the age of ten, stef had incessantly impressed me with her musical ability, (she's an amazing pianist, as well,) but i don't think it was until our spring show, senior year of high school had i heard her sing and play a song she had written. the song was "love won't."...which i'm pretty sure is still, to this day, my favorite. (i know you'll think that is funny, stef. but it's true!!)

she not only has the raw musical talent and ability, but she has the passion, and emotion, and ability to relate that song writers long for and need.

stef recently wrote this song and performed it at the uptown arts bar for "MBird's writer's showcase". (sadly, i could not attend this time around...but i have had the privilege of attending similar performances.)

source.

you can listen & watch her in these videos too!! (courtesy of: kathleen dunn.)

Black and White. (circa 2008.)

Rainy Days. (circa 2008.)

she also has her own etsy account: unlock the creativity. check it out!! (i tollld you...talented.)

God has blessed me with stef's friendship and her ability to inspire and brighten up any-and many-of my days.

psalm 139:23-24

"search me, Oh God, and know my heart;
test me, and know my anxious thoughts.
see if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting."
- NIV.

these are a few of my favorite thinnngsss....

source.

starting last month...i started this segment where first friday of each month, i share ten of my favorite things/moments/traditions that occur every year, as well as what i'm looking forward to specifically during the next 22-31 days ahead.

- n o v e m b e r -

i'm ready to start servin with mission church!!

source.

1. this tuesday, november 6th, instead of mission church meeting for our weekly prayer, we are rallyin our troops to assemble crisis care kits to contribute to heart to heart's hurricane sandy operation. (you can get more info about it here.)

2. tuesday, november 13th, mission church is having our second design event.

3. sunday, november 18th, mission church is serving at the spofford home for children. (check it out here.)

4. i am ready for this election process to be over...and for our country-as a whole and as individuals-to stop being so hateful, and discriminated, and segregated...and for the outcome to be the most beneficial it can be.

source.

5. my friend-becky is hosting the"first thanksgiving feast" where all of our friends will bring a food item and dress up in their designated indian or pilgrim costume. :) (i'm crossin my fingers for indian. obviously.)

source.

6. of course, THANKSGIVING. family, food, and football. (in the fall-for the fosters.) (i like alliteration.)

source.

7. and THEN...bring on the Christmas-time. (but only after thanksgivin.)

. i have this really great idea i am starting this month that is a complete secret, but i am SUPER excited about. and will share with yall when i am finished.

source.

*8. above all, i love november because it is such a reflective month to me. i am constantly reminding myself of the many blessings in my life, of which I cannot thank the good Lord enough.

(pee-ess: ask me about mission church!!)
(pee-ess-ess: i will make a new playlist this weekend. don't worry.)

MOVIE REVIEW: eat, pray, love.

i am a relator.
in every situation-on every level, i try my best to relate.
when people are excited, i get excited. not because i am actually excited myself...but because i am emoting and am excited for them.
when people are sad and crying, i tend to get sad and cry right along with them. because i try and put myself in their shoes. i try and imagine how i would feel if that had happened to me.
etcetera.

because of this, i enjoy movies probably more than the next girl.
however, not very often do i feel many movies necessarily inspire me.
my regular review segment will only consist of the movies (and books) that do so.

EAT, PRAY, LOVE.
(adapted from the book by elizabeth gilbert.)

reasons to love this movie::
-inspirational and motivational. when the main character doesn't like something, she changes it. she wants to do something, she does it. she wants to go somewhere, she goes. she realizes the only thing to hold her back is herself.
-beautiful. between italy, india, and indonesia...the sights she sees, the history, the natural allure. it's breathtaking. (did i mention i have severe wanderlust...??)
-empowering. the story makes you feel like OF COURSE, you can pick up and leave on a one-year international trip by yourself. she's alone...?? doesn't matter. she's a woman...?? doesn't matter. she's emotionally and psychologically unfit (and potentially borderline unstable)...?? all the MORE reason to go.
-selfless. the journey teaches her to appreciate. to be thankful, and accepting, and loving. in each country, she exudes selflessness through an act of altruistic giving.
-simplicity. besides the fact one needs money to travel and eat, she completely immerses herself into the cultures, leaving america's materialism behind.
-spiritual. it is so rare these days to find any remotely-big blockbuster movie that is spiritual on any level...let alone encouraging it. this alone, makes me love this story...and obviously relate on a deeper level.
-philosophical. make me think!! i adore philosophical beings, and i am drawn to those with extensive vocabularies. "liz" being an international journalist resulted in both.
-informatively useful. the story teaches you not to go looking for love...that when you are searching to try and better yourself, the truest, most-deserving love will eventually come to you.
-attention grabbing. the title alone consists of my three favorite hobbies...eating, praying, and loving.
(-and of course, every clothing item she wears throughout, i want.)

favorite quotes::
"we all want things to stay the same...
settle for living in misery because we're afraid of change, of things crumbling to ruins.
then i look around at this place, at the chaos that's endured...the way it's been adapted, burned, pillaged, and then found a way to build itself back up again.
and i was reassured.
maybe my life hasn't been so chaotic.
it's the world that is, and the only real trap is getting attached to any of it...
ruin is a gift.
ruin is the road to transformation.
we must always be prepared for endless waves of transformation."

"the holy truth of the holy venture here in India is in one line:
God dwells within you, as you.
God's not interested in watching the performance of how a spiritual person looks and behaves.
...God dwells within me, as me."

"the rules of the quest of physics goes something like this:
if you're brave enough to leave behind everything and comforting,
and set out on a truth-seeking journey...either externally or internally...
and if you are truly willing to regard everything that happens to you on that journey as a clue...
and you accept everyone you meet along the way as a teacher...
and if you are prepared-most of all-to face and forgive some very difficult realities about yourself...
than the truth will not be withheld from you."