Happy Easter!

He Is Risen!

He is not here: for He is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 

---Matthew 28:6 (KJV)

"He lived and died to buy my pardon
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives!"

There are no truer words than those.

There is no greater love than that.

Nothing is more beautiful.

Google Images

Start off your blessed Easter morning with this beautiful worship song, "Because He Lives," performed by Matt Maher.

"I'm alive, I'm ALIVE because HE LIVES!
AMEN!"

For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through HIM. ---John 3:17 (NASB)

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Lately

1. It's National Don't Go To Work Unless It's Fun Day. Three cheers for that, I say! It's always fun at my job, and today my kiddos are making bunny masks for preschool story time. We're reading books, playing with puppets, practicing rabbit yoga poses, shaking eggs, and jumping and counting. All before noon, I might add. It's FUN. Yes, the library is a RIOT.

2. These past few days my afternoon treat has been a mason jar of iced coffee instead of an iced La Croix. Not sure why the switch; I guess my morning coffee isn't enough. I suspect it may have to do with my busy afternoons and coffee seems more filling than water when I can't grab a snack.

3. Who is ready for Spring Break? Hands waving over here!! I have dreams of sipping an iced beverage on my deck. Maybe weeding the garden. Praying for sunshine. Starting some spring cleaning. Possibly a day trip to who knows where. Ahhh, Spring Break. We get one of those in the adult world, right?

Wait. What?

4. Keith Urban and Eric Church. Love 'em. I'm hoping they perform their new song on the 19th at the ACM Awards. "Raise 'Em Up" is just perfectly wonderful. A beautiful song. The radio needs to play the heck out of this. ASAP.

5. I was super excited to see Brooke Boon featured in May's Yoga Journal. Actually, I squealed. Finally! I was so happy to see YJ highlighting various yoga practices that are available to yogis, like Holy Yoga. This practice is a combination of yoga and scripture, meditating on God's Word. And it's the way I've always practiced even before I was introduced to Holy Yoga last year. I get on my mat to relieve stress, to stay fit, to stretch my body, but mainly it's where I seek my Father. It's where I listen for that still, small voice. It's where I find peace and comfort. It's where I converse, relating my gratitude and fears.

"We practice with our minds set on whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy (Phil 4:8), not with our minds emptied. We meditate on the wisdom of God's Word (Psalm 119:9-16, 26-27), not on man's wisdom. We seek the transcendence and glory of God, not our own." (holyyoga.net)

6. Mr. B and I are in desperate need of a date night. And by date night I mean dinner and a movie. By movie I mean an actual theater and not Netflix. I need this because there are so many movies I want to see right now and I don't want to wait. Like Do You Believe? and Insurgent and Furious 7 and Cinderella and do I need to remind you it's almost AVENGERS time?!?!

Has anyone seen any of these?

7. And BASEBALL. Mr. B's Sports Illustrated arrived in the mail predicting the Cleveland Indians will win the World Series this year. Am I dreaming?! You better not have just jinxed our season, SI!

I will hunt you down.

I know people.


With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

My Beautiful Month

In case you aren't on Instagram, or don't follow me, here's a peek at my Insta-Life lately.
[*All photos are taken from my Instagram account.]

Received my first Creative Scripture Card in the mail this month. I love the idea of swapping scripture with women all over the country. Such a fantastic idea! It's a great way to bring the word of God to others and to meet Jesus-loving ladies :) #cscswap

Making Mr. Darcy his birthday puppy ice cream. (aka ---> frozen bananas with peanut butter and plain Greek yogurt)

We have chickens!! SIX of them. And, yes, I named them all. However, I'm sure Mr. B will never remember. I'll share details in another post. Eeekkkk!

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Virtual Coffee Date

Thank you, Jesus, for the sunshine!

I see many, many, MANY iced coffees before me. And I am in love.

It's been a bit since our last date.

Here it is March. Did anyone else think January and February dragged on and on? It felt like there was no end. Maybe it was the snow. Maybe it was the subzero temperatures. But spring is slowly peeking its head. Time for a wardrobe change. Time for spring cleaning. Time for spring vegetables. Time for walks through the park. Time for a change.... ?

Maybe.

If we were having coffee right now, I'd tell you how I feel God is laying a change on my heart. A change to do more and be more to people. More to my church. More to my community. More to my friends. More to my family.

I am struggling with this.

If we were having coffee right now, I'd tell you I'm struggling because I am an introvert. I know, you're shocked. So am I. I truly am. More often than not I'd rather be at home. With my husband. With our dog. I'm a homebody, and although I love having people over at my house, playing the hostess, and love visiting friends and family, I don't want to put doing more for others over doing more for my husband and our home. Right after God, my family is first. I don't want to give up my time, yet I feel God is telling me to do more with it.

How do I accomplish this without risking time with my hubby?

We could do things together, you say. Our schedules are quite different. It can be hard. My homebody side doesn't hold a candle to Mr. B.'s. He loves being home. And I love that he loves being home. I love that we wouldn't choose anyone else to spend time with if asked. But....

But I feel this is very important to me. Friends have said it's much easier to get involved with fellow church members, neighbors, and the community once you have kids. I see there's truth in this advice.

While contemplating this, I heard these Hillsong United lyrics:

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders.

Let me walk upon the waters

Wherever you would call me.

Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander

And my faith will be made stronger

In the presence of my Savior.  --- "Oceans (Where My Feet Fail)"

And then later on that night, amid my late-night Bible study through the YouVersion app, I read, "Resolve to tune your ear to the Holy Spirit's voice and when He asks you to do something that makes you nervous - step out and do it!"

I am hearing you, Father.

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. --- James 1:22 (KJV)

Any suggestions on juggling both? What community services, if any, do you all do with your family, spouses, and/or friends? How are you doing more with your time? I'd love to hear from y'all!

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Wishing You a Christmas to Believe In

I pray y'all take time to cherish today, count your blessings, hug your loved ones, and remember God loves you....so much so He sent His son to save you. Jesus. The most perfect gift.

Matthew West's Christmas song is my new favorite this year. I just cannot stop listening to it, and I tear up every time.

Please take a few minutes to listen to it this Christmas Day, and have a very Merry Christmas

But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,  "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."  ---Luke 2: 10-14 (NIV)

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Merry CHRISTmas Eve!

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.  ---Isaiah 9:6-7

Wishing you a very Blessed Merry Christmas!

LOVE. One of my all-time favorites :)

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Grandma's Green Beans

When I think about my daddy's mother, Grandma Bays, and I think about the food I remember her for, I think about her homemade southern green beans probably the most. About how she had a huge pot going on the stove almost every day during green bean season. The whole house smelling of fresh, bacon-y goodness. I think about her sitting out on the back deck, surrounded by family, while she snapped off the ends of each bean, employing us grandkids to help. Gospel music coming from the stereo beside the back room's open window, her bare feet tapping along to the music, and a cigarette hanging out of her mouth while she was singing the Lord's praises or telling us hilarious stories involving our parents or her childhood in Kentucky.

Over seven years ago, breast cancer took my grandmother away from my family all too early. With October being Breast Cancer Awareness month, I think about her even more than I normally do. Instead of a couple of times a day, it's with every TV ad hoping for a cure, with every pink shirt I spot, with every little ribbon pinned to a shirt collar, with every heart-wrenching survivor's story, with every commercial reminding women to get annual mammograms. Seeing all this pink gives me hope and enrages me all at once.

Oh, Grandma, how I miss you more than I can find the words. More than words can explain the emptiness in my broken heart.

There are no words, so I'm just going to fix a big ol' pot of green beans and wrap up in the blanket you made me, while I seek out comfort in Jesus.

Sing for joy, O heavens! Rejoice, O earth! Burst into song, O mountains! For the Lord has comforted his people and will have compassion on them in suffering. --Isaiah 49:13 (NLT)

Grandma's Green Beans

Adjust to serve however many mouths you need to feed

1 lb fresh green beans, ends snapped off and washed
water (sometimes I add some chicken broth to give it added flavor)
1/2 c uncooked bacon, cut into chunks (lately, I've been using pre-cooked bacon so there's not as much grease)
salt and pepper, to taste
[Note: for every 1 lb of green beans, I use 1/2 c chopped bacon]

Grab whatever size pot you need, and toss in the washed green beans and bacon chunks (if using uncooked). Add in a couple dashes of salt and pepper, then add enough water to cover the beans and bacon by about 2-3" and place on the stove over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally and adding more water if needed, until beans are tender, about 1 hour. After this hour mark, check the green beans until desired texture is reached. (If using pre-cooked bacon, add in with about 10-15 minutes left, and cook until heated through.) Add more salt and pepper, if needed. ---> I like mine with quite a bit of pepper.

Grandma's green beans are that simple. Made with love, they're the best thing you'll ever eat.

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Photo an Hour

8 AM

9 AM

10 AM

11 AM

12 PM

1 PM

2 PM

3 PM

4 PM

5 PM

6 PM

7 PM

8 PM

9 PM

10 PM

Yesterday was my first (and last for awhile) day off without plans in quite some time, and I spent it at home with Mr. Darcy. I was busy cleaning, organizing, and packing for our upcoming vacation to Maine. I was supposed to have book club later that evening, but it was pushed back a week, so Mr. B and I enjoyed a dinner of Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken and a movie. The chicken was tasty, the movie, Noah, was awful. Love me some lazy, me-time days, which are few and far between but readily welcomed.

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

A Little Wednesday Inspiration

Because I need a whole lot of Jesus today. And maybe someone else does, too.

Newsboys' "We Believe" came on the radio today as I made my drive into work. There's no better feeling knowing God is bigger than whatever difficulties, struggles, differences, annoyances, hurts, or dilemmas I may be facing. No matter how copious or trifling.

Hebrews 12:2  says, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith,who for the joy set before endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (NIV) There are no truer and comforting words, my friends.


With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Currently

I'm currently....

Watching....movies with the family. Mama came up to visit this past weekend, and we watched August: Osage County. Julia Roberts is my absolute favorite actress of all-time, and when the movie became available on Netflix, it shot straight to my #1 spot. If anything, this movie will leave you with thoughts that your crazy family is actually not that crazy. And Meryl Streep. Oh, Meryl Streep. How she did not win an Oscar for her role of Violet is beyond me. I mean that character is phenomenal. Phenomenal-ly crazy.

This morning we received the movie Out of the Furnace, with Christian Bale and Forest Whitaker, but it will have to wait. The next few days will be consumed with The 2014 NFL Draft. And, yes, it starts tonight, my friends.

Eating....strawberries and blackberries, and I am LOVING this time of year. When the berries are cheap at the markets and actually have flavor.When my baskets are full with about eight or nine containers [each]. When I can't wait to rush home and make protein smoothies or toss a handful on top of some plain Greek yogurt for a healthy dessert. The only thing better than this is peach season.YUM. Then I can make this beautiful tart. But for now I might indulge in this Strawberry Tart.

Planning....this coming week's dinner menu. I'm OCD and love to make lists, and if I don't have lists then I pretty much have no idea what I'm doing. I plan dinner menus every week, and I probably follow it four out of the seven days. Either we've run out of ingredients for the planned dish, something came up and we're unexpectedly eating out, or Mr. B decides he's hungry for something I didn't suggest. So, why do I plan a week full of meals? Because I need to know I know what's going on. Lists help me feel like I have it together when I sometimes don't. Lists make me happy. This week the menu includes my nacho tray (for consumption while Draft watching), possibly my mother-in-law's favorite must-now-have-for-every-event cake because, you know, we're celebrating our Mamas this weekend, some chicken on the grill since it's supposed to be so nice out (hitting 80s today!), stir-fry veggies over brown rice, and maybe some spinach and mushroom omelets.

Reading.... I'm working my way through a couple of this year's and last year's Newbery winners. As a Youth Services Librarian, I'm often asked a lot of reader's advisory questions. While I'm usually caught up on all of the new picture books that cross my desk, the juvenile titles take a bit more time to get through. I don't mind suggesting titles from other librarians' (or award-winning) lists, but I really like to familiarize myself with the titles I recommend to my patrons. This takes a lot of time, and I'm not as caught up on this as I'd like to be. NO, I have not read every.single.book. on my shelves. GASP.

Inspired by....today's Bible verse. "You haven't done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy." --John 16:24

Excited about....our new Corgi puppy!!!!!! Mr. B and I will be picking up the little guy over Memorial Day weekend. I CANNOT WAIT. This puppy has been discussed for years because we couldn't agree on a breed, and now that day is almost here. Sixteen days to be exact. I don't think Siamese knows what she's in for :)

I promise to share photos. And quite often. You have been notified. It will be Corgi Nation over here.

For now, let's start with these cuties I found on Pinterest. (Just in case some of you are scratching your head and asking yourself, "What the heck is a Corgi?" like my father-in-law did. P.S. I'm hoping you can actually pronounce it, unlike my father-in-law.)

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Mid-Week Inspirational

Hope has been weighing heavily on my heart this past week.

Why? I have no idea. I can't say for certain. But I do know the hope filling my heart is for this world we wake up to every day. For my hometown, my state, my country. For every country.

Maybe it's because the last few weeks Mr. B and I have been watching the news every night. (Actually, he watches the news, it's just I can hear it from the kitchen. And I'm not sure if he's actually watching; he's the kind of person that needs background noise while doing something else. I prefer silence.) I know it's important to watch the news, to know what's happening in my community and in the world, but I don't like it. It's one bad story, one negative view, one complaint, one terrifying possibility after another. And it's the same disheartening segments night after night. I don't want to watch the news. I know bad things are happening all the time. Bad things happen because we live in a fallen world. Because we have free-will. Because people make bad choices.

But here I am, waking up morning after morning for several days now with nothing but hope. Hope. Hope for...I can't even explain it. Hope that we're not all bad? That today nothing catastrophically devastating will occur? That tonight's news might feature more positive stories than negative ones? That there's the slightest chance there is more good happening in this world, if only we'd look for it and focus our evening news on those deeds...?

Hope. I have it for the big and small. For struggles within ourselves and our community. I found the following image on Pinterest and printed it out. I keep it in my Bible so I can go directly to the scripture I need when I'm at a loss for words, reason, understanding, when I'm confused or hurting. Imagine this world if we turned to God's word first, if we remembered his promises.

I found this prayer on understanding, as well.

The Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 was the first time I realized I lived in a big world. I was 8 years old and, on April 19, I became fully aware that the news is for more than just weather updates and school closings. A big world existed around me and it's not nice. It's hard. It's mean. It's selfish. It's judgmental. It can be downright awful (leaving me screaming and crying for Jesus to.come.back.right.now. <--- I understand why he hasn't; that's a whole other post and would require a lot more of your time and patience). In case many of you can't remember what happened that day, here's a snippet from the Oklahoma City National Memorial web site:

On the morning of April 19, 1995, Timothy McVeigh parked a rental truck with explosives in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building and at 9:02am, a massive explosion occurred which sheared the entire north side of the building, killing 168 people...Following the investigation which resulted in the execution of Timothy McVeigh and the sentence of life without parole for Terry Nichols, the surviving structure was demolished with explosives on May 23, 1995. The entire 3.3 acre site subsequently became home to the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, a place to honor the victims, survivors and rescue workers, and to learn the impact of violence.

We come here to remember those who were killed, those who survived and those changed forever. May all who leave here know the impact of violence. May this memorial offer comfort, strength, peace, hope and serenity.

After, I remember vividly Garth Brooks' musical tribute to this devastating event. Click here to watch his heart-wrenching video, The Change, and have your tissues handy. It's here to remind us to look for the good when tragedy strikes. There is always good. There is always hope for change, for more good.

As long as one heart still holds on then hope is never really gone.

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

My Beautiful Month

In case you aren't on Instagram, or don't follow me, here's a peek at my Insta-Life lately.
[*All photos are taken from my Instagram account.]

This winter we made time to brighten up our basement walkway with a beautiful and cheery Lemon Ice...however, I think it looks more like lime. LOVE IT.

I love being surrounded by books all day. It's the best job in the world. Yet, finding the time to read them, or peruse through them, is another issue altogether.

My parents new puppy dog, Gibbs. He's a rescue, part mini pin and a few other breeds in the family pool.

Bought myself a few treats for Valentine's Day.

I figured since I started the post with snow it's only fitting to end with more snow. That's this winter's theme: More Snow. And, no, I do not have a problem with that :)

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi