2013, a life of purpose

(a little late...)

I can't believe 2013 is here!

It always sounds so glamours to have New Years resolutions, but they don't have a very good reputation
& so often they are not based in reality. We forget about the real work that it takes to reach the rewards.
 However, I do think that it is very important to have goals through out life. We should always be striving for
 growth & joy in life... And I have always felt that the start of a new year is a good time to plan for new goals
 & evaluate past goals. Sometimes in life we quit before we should. Sometimes we fail. Often goals need to
 be changed or re-set... And I think that's OK, because that is reality. As long as we don't give up
& we keep taking steps forward!

So... over the past couple of days I have been making a little list of a few goals that I have for this year...
 Truthfully, most of them are pretty typical goals, for me. They are similar to the goals that I have had years
 before. I think my goals are often the same, because they are very important to me & I don't want to give up
 on them, even if I have struggled in the past. I want to live with them every day of my life, not just for a
period of time. And I need yearly, monthly & daily reminders to strive after them! It is less about making
"New Years resolutions" & more about reminding myself to strive after my "Life Goals"!!

My most important goal is to "live with godly-purpose in all things"! I have seen many people chose a word
 for the year. A word that they will focus on. I thought a good word for me this year would be PURPOSE.
I want to face all of the goals on this list, all of the goals I haven't shared & even everyday tasks with godly
 purpose. I want to be intentional when I pray & read God's word. I want to take care of myself to honor
& bring glory to God, not for vanity's sake. I want to wholly trust God with my life & be used by God!
In everything I do, I want to make sure that I am doing it with pure motives & that it will please God!

So, there are my goals for 2013 & beyond...
They will be easy sometimes & hard other times.

If I mess up one week, I will try again the next!

I love that every new year brings hope.

Every New Day Brings Hope!

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord,
“plans to prosper you and not to harm you, 
plans to give you hope and a future.”
{  Jeremiah 29:11 } 

out in the country & 12 goals...

here are few more photos from my weekend, when I went apple picking! it was a beautiful 

fall day in the country! don't you just love the feeling of country air? there is something 

special about it... i definitely wouldn't mind living in a place like this! :)

&

i got inspired by this list, to make one of my own...

1. find a better way to organize all of my photos.

2. finish reading "emma" & start reading "the hiding place".

3. completely finish my current study of Revelation, doing all of my homework on time!!

4. take vitamins & drink plently of water, everyday.

5. work out 4-5 times a week. (pilates, yoga, walk, bike, etc...)

6. clean out my closet & give or throw away things i don't wear or use.

7. be more intentional about showing the love of Jesus!

8. bundle up & play in the snow, with my family & doggie (once it snows)!

9. i have always wanted to bake scones... maybe these, these, or these!

10. be better about budgeting my money, especially with Christmas coming...

11. learn to knit a hat, in the round.

12. just to not worry about things &  TRUST GOD'S PLAN! :)


Do you have any goals for the rest of this year?

early morning...

i love the feeling of early mornings. they are so quite & the air feels crisp & new. plus, it's a great time to take photos. these shots are from wednesday morning, i got up & took my kodak duaflex & canon digital slr out for a mini photo shoot! it was amazing...

the last photo is a part a new project that i have recently started...

lately, i feel like i have been in a bit of a photography rut, so i decided to start a "365 photo challenge"! after seeing some inspiration from laney butler's 365 on flickr (i always love her photos), i decided that it would be a good idea! so this is my goal... i want to try to push myself for creativity & maybe learn more photo skills along the way. i have always wanted to do this before, but it's a lot of pressure to take/post a photo everyday... to be honest, i am afraid i may not be all that great at it... BUT i am going to try anyway... i will be posting all of my photos here, & sometimes i will share my favorites on my blog...

i hope you all have a lovely weekend!

:)

project: the "brightside" journal.

i went to barnes and noble today....... & i can never resist their cute journals! haha! i have three other journals, but for some reason, i still felt like i needed another one... i am not even all that good at journaling, which is sad. i would like to be. i guess maybe i figure if i get a fun new journal it will encourage me to be better. we'll see.... ha!

but anyway, i have a more specific plan for this particular journal! i loved this design because when i first saw it i felt like it represented hope and optimism & i feel like that is how i try to live my life. {i really have to try on a daily basis...} that whole idea is why i decided to use the term "brightside"!! i love the idea of always looking on the brightside. always finding hope in life, no matter the circumstances. & all of that comes from faith in my Savior & it means a lot to me. so... i decided that i wanted this to be my "brightside" journal. where, at the end of my day/week, i look back, and no matter how good or bad it has been... i write all of the beautiful things, the blessings, the gifts from God that i can think of. sometimes it may be harder than other times, but i really think that if we are searching out God, he will reveal himself to us, in amazing ways. SO, that is the plan!

here is what the journal looks like:
{it reminds me of the story of Noah's ark, too}
















& the inside looks so fun to write in... i can't wait!

dreaming of a european vacation...

i would love to be able to say that i took all of these photos, but i didn't. haha! they were all taken by natasha, in her travels. maybe one day i will make it to each of these places & get to photograph scenes like this for myself, i hope... but even if i don't, these photos are so beautiful, that it's like a *virtual* dream european vacation! i am imagining it all right now... ahh... silly, i know! but aren't they so beautiful?? venice is my most favorite!!

venice.

tuscany.

rome.

florence.

paris.

london.

greece.

new project:

to make a pinhole camera!
























{pinhole photo by pin-apple}

a pinhole camera is a really simple, homemade camera! more info here... after looking at the process and seeing some of the photos, it definitly looks like something fun to try!! there is going to be a tutorial all about it on "a beautiful mess" blog! here is part one. these cameras can be made of so many things... the blog showed photos of cameras that were made from a coke can, legos, & even a mr. potato head. haha! and they take really fun and interesting photos!

here is a site with detailed instructions on how to make one out of a matchbox... so fun & it looks pretty easy... i think!! :)
http://www.matchboxpinhole.com/