Wishful Thinking...and Some Birthday Fun

Its my birthday and I'll collage if I want to...

Hi my name is Melissa and I am a Polyvore-aholic. If you haven't been to the Polyvore website or don't know what I'm talking about...save yourself the trouble! Don't even bother looking! You will become another addicted statistic... like myself. ;) I might as well make some good come out of my habit, right? I will share my collages... remember my other "bad habit"...assigning themes to everything? haha... yeah, no escaping that either today. ;)

Birthday Wish List by Huckleberry Prairie featuring Monsoon shoes

No surprise here... there is red and gingham and goodness all over the place. I incorporated a few "wish list" items... a red Kitchenaid (who doesn't what that?! And if you already have one...LUCKY!), a Pee Wee Herman bike (don't judge me ;) haha), a daisy bouquet and, of course, a donut!

Western Wear by Huckleberry Prairie featuring Prada sunglasses

I love all things Texas and all things western. You probably couldn't tell from my last tablescape, right? ;) I am kind of losing my mind for gingham shirt dresses. How cute would one be with a pair of boots? And red ranunculus? Melt my heart. And goodness me, I lose my marbles for turquoise jewelery. I will take a horse, too, please. ;)

Beach Days... by Huckleberry Prairie featuring Cath Kidston bags

Like I said in my I Love Summer Post... Cath Kidston has yet to design something that I don't like... I have my eye on her floral print swimsuit. How feminine is that? And goodness gracious, do you see that umbrella?? Oh...I need a beach day soon! Just a day to relax with some magazines and a book...listening to the ocean and the sea gulls...ahhhh. Soon enough I tell you, soon enough. ;)
I hope y'all are having a terrific Thursday...I'm hoping to convince hubby to take me to see Up tonight! Wish me luck! :)


Read All About It!

I LOVE SUMMER!!

Our Creative Life is having an I Love Summer Party! I thought I would join in and share everything that I love about summer, too. I hope your eyes are well rested; you are about to take a long pictorial journey through a whole bunch of summer goodness! Ready? Set. Go!!

I LOVE Patriotic Decorations!!
From Memorial Day to Flag Day to 4th of July... Summer is appropriately decorated with red, white and blue!

I LOVE Summer Fruit!!

I can't get enough watermelon, strawberries and cherries!
And summer berries makes for some delicious berry pies!
I LOVE Berry Pies!
And while we are on the topic of food... does it get any better than BBQ??
I LOVE BBQ with All the Fixins!

And you what better way to wash it down than with some delicious homemade lemonade and ice cold sweet tea??
I LOVE Summer Drinks!
And maybe, just maybe we are lucky enough to go on a picnic!
I LOVE Picnics!!
And a picnic where you can grill up a hot dog? Perfect!
I am so in love with this Cath Kidston picnic basket, too!!

You can't have a picnic without some fun outdoor games!
I LOVE outdoor fun!
Frisbee and kite are also Cath Kidston.
And if you get tired of playing Frisbee... take your bicycle for a spin!
I LOVE cruising around on my beach cruiser!

While you are strolling along, don't forget to take time to smell the flowers!
I LOVE Hydrangeas!
Hydrangeas are the classic summer flowers to me.
Lets head to the beach! There is no other single place that says "summer" to me.
I LOVE the beach!
Growing up in California, this is the one place you spent a good amount of time at during your summers... I love the smell of tanning oil (but of course I am wearing SPF 5000 now that I am older and wiser ;) ). Nothing beats reading a good book, sitting under the umbrella, smelling the ocean air to the sound of waves crashing. Ahhhh... RELAXING. And you are really missing out if you leave before the sun goes down!... Bust out the smores! Who doesn't love a bonfire on the sand??
You can't go to the beach without a cute bathing suit!
I LOVE cute swimwear!
I've been eying these retro suits...

All of this talk about the beach is making me crave a vacation! And summertime is the perfect time for that!

I LOVE going on vacation!!
And who doesn't love to travel in style?? I am in LOVE with these Cath Kidston luggage pieces!!
I LOVE cute Luggage!
And while I'm losing my marbles for Cath Kidston... might as well show you all the cute summer handbags that she has!! Click to enlarge photo...to see all of the bags.
I LOVE Cath Kidston!!
One thing that I lose my marbles about summer is wearing cute sun dresses!
I particularly love gingham prints...and florals and polka dots!
I LOVE Summer Dresses!
But my favorite is wearing your cowgirl boots with your dress!
I LOVE Dresses and Cowgirl Boots!!
(And I love Taylor Swift, too...How cute is she??)
Another "footwear" that is undeniably "summer" are flip flops!
I LOVE flip flops!

Ok, last Cath Kidston item, I promise. haha But seriously, how cute is this tent? It has a western print on it! I've only been a few times but...
I LOVE Camping!
Especially in this cute tent!
While you are spending the night in the great outdoors... don't forget to make friends with the fireflies; they put on a spectacular show! I've only seen them once in my life (and I felt that I could die happy, haha)...but I would do anything to catch one in a mason jar!
I LOVE fireflies!!

Don't forget to appreciate the other "lights" in the sky! Summer always reminds me of watching the meteor shower in August. We used to sit out by the pool every year and watch a show of astronomical proportions. (pun cheesily intended). If you need a reminder of the magnificence of God, look up at the night sky during summer.
I LOVE the starry night sky!
And summer isn't complete without a good ol' fashioned, adventure-filled roadtrip!
I LOVE Road Trips!
Along the way, hopefully you will find a fair or carnival to attend! Something about the lights and smells of funnel cakes and fried everything... on a warm night.. just feels like summer.
I LOVE Fairs!
And even better than the fair... Disneyland.
I have many fond memories at Downtown Disney on warm summer nights...

Or another fun summer outing... Baseball!
I LOVE the Angels!!
There is something about a warm summer night... that makes you choose a restaurant depending on whether they have outdoor seating or not!
My favorite part of dining out during summer... is eating on the patio!
I LOVE dining on the patio!
Even though summer creates an exciting atmosphere...and provides so many activities to do... sometimes it is nice to just do nothing at all.
I LOVE Lazy Summer Days!
...just relaxing floating in the pool... or tubing down the river...or riding a ginormous swan. haha (Hey, who am I to judge? ;) )
I LOVE Floating!
Sometimes the only thing that will cool you off is a good popsicle or ice cream! Big stick, anyone? Show me a person who says they don't like Thrifty's ice cream...and I'll show you a person who isn't telling the whole truth. ;)
I LOVE Ice Cream!

And sometimes mother nature helps us out and cools us off with a summer storm. I love to watch a summer storm...I don't mind the rain at all when it is warm outside! And a good thunderstorm is exciting. (Just as long as no one gets hurt or nothing is damaged, of course) I think I used to appreciate summer storms a lot more in California. Now that I live in Texas, I am terrified of tornadoes... I'm always asking my husband (who is from Arkansas) during a storm... is this what the sky looks like before a tornado?? I always said that I would NEVER move to tornado alley without having a house with a basement... or one of those outside "batten down the hatches" things in the Wizard of Oz. And here I am. In Texas. With a bathtub. ;)
Nevertheless, as long as tornadoes are not spawn...
I LOVE Summer Storms!
I took the picture of that water tower in Gruene, Tx... with a summer storm rolling in. Torrential downpour and lightning/thunder lasted for 30 minutes... and then it cleared up again. What crazy, unpredictable weather we have in Texas!
And, best of all, some of the greatest joys of summer are the simple pleasures... listening to the sound of wind chimes blow in the summer breeze... seeing the wings spin on the flamingo yard stakes... or "accidentally" getting too close to the sprinklers and deciding not to get out of the way... remembering all of the times you would run through the sprinklers as a kid. Something as simple as being sprayed with water to cool you down on a hot day...never even leaving your own backyard... makes the best summer memories.
I LOVE Summer Simplicities!

I hope y'all enjoyed my tour of summer... and my favorite things! Welcome to the "unofficial" start of summer! And don't forget to get your rootbeer float at Sonic tonight (June 3rd, 8pm-midnight)!! They are giving them away FREE...talk about a good summer treat!

For more summer fun, check out all of the other I Love Summer Party participants at Our Creative Life!

Read All About It!

Our Daily Bread: Gossip

Proverbs 10:18-21 (New International Version)

18 He who conceals his hatred has lying lips,
and whoever spreads slander is a fool.

19 When words are many, sin is not absent,
but he who holds his tongue is wise.

20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver,
but the heart of the wicked is of little value.

21 The lips of the righteous nourish many,
but fools die for lack of judgment.

As I was reading along in my bible this morning, I stopped to reflect on these verses. My goodness, isn't this the truth? How often does our tongue get us in trouble... usually from the lack of brain to mouth filter. Mama was right when she said, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all". Sure, there are exceptions... sometimes the truth needs to be said and often, the truth hurts. These verses, however, address the poisonous indulgence of gossip. Oh, you know you love a good morsel of gossip; we all do. Some of us just learn to control it better than others. I'm not sure why it is that we are so attracted to gossip... perhaps the hunger for a good story? Reassurance that someone else isn't perfect either? Camaraderie with another secret-sharer? Being privy to information that no one else knows about? Having the means to question the credibility of an otherwise upright person? Stew on it. What attracts you personally to gossip?
It is always fun to be on the offensive end of gossip... but anyone who has been the subject of gossip and discovered what was said about them (and the subject always finds out...if nothing else, high school should have taught you that), it is damaging, hurtful, embarrassing and shameful. Why would we ever want to make another person feel that way? Regardless of the "validity" or your "justification" of the gossip...what good will come out of it? And regardless of your intention, as innocent as you would like to believe it is...NO good will come out of it...for you, for your secret-sharing buddy or for the subject involved. We all know that no one truly and intimately trusts a gossip, for you fear that if they find out about your imperfections, you will be the next topic of discussion. As a rule of thumb, if the matter can't be discussed directly to the subject's face...then keep your lips zipped. Bring the matter before God...He will give you the strength to overcome the temptation to call your girlfriends and spread a little morsel of destruction.
Think about never calling up your best friend and saying, "You will never believe what I just heard." Oh! Those are the best kinds of calls, aren't they? A big juicy secret that you aren't supposed to know about! And, before this I genuinely believed that I didn't have a problem with gossip! Not that I partake in it often, but when I do... I LOVE it. And my feelings of opposition toward turning my ear or nipping gossip in the bud when someone is trying to share information with me, have made me realize my very nature of being a sinner in a fallen world. But God has overcome the world and has called His children to live a life that is "not of this world". If you feel like you are in a battle against yourself, fighting against things that feel very natural...then congratulations. You are. And the realization that the gratification of partaking in gossip is momentary while the effects of it could very well last a lifetime...may be one of the biggest life lessons of all. Gossip destroys trust, ruins friendships and is the absence of grace and mercy.

Another destructive (but often acceptable) form of gossip plagues our church groups. "Oh my goodness, did you hear so-and-so did this? I can't believe it... Bless their heart. They need prayer." Nothing is more despicable then wrapping up a big piece of slander or gossip in a pretty "prayer" package and thinking that gossip is acceptable because you are discussing it with a fellow believer. Search your heart; examine your motives. 9 times out of 10 we are just looking for an acceptable way to gossip, either to show the faults of another believer or to put your "spiritual resistance" on display. If accountability and sincere concern are your genuine motives then speak to the subject directly. Most of the time, gossip is a rumor that you hear and pass along. However, if a legitimate offense has been committed against you, and the offender does not respond to you as an individual, then it is appropriate to bring another believer into the situation. Matthew 18:15-17, "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. "

Going to another person before you have confronted your offender is wrong. But it is so much easier to collect support from other people before a confrontation. It is always easy to take the coward way out...but Jesus gives specific instructions on how to handle this particular situation. As hard as it may be, it will build your character and give honor to God by obeying his commands.

The commentary in my Quest Bible hits the nail on the head:

"Can my mouth ruin my life? Yes! Our mouths have the potential to make our lives miserable and affect our destiny. A chattering fool, says Proverbs, comes to ruin (v. 10). The more we talk, the more likely we are going to stray into areas of gossip and slander (10:19). Slander is the spreading of false and damaging information about another person as if it were true. Only a fool does that, because sooner or later truth wins out and the slanderer will be discredited and punished. (v. 18). Gossip, which is the sharing of rumors or information of an intimate, personal or sensational nature, ultimately destroys friendships and creates friction. (Proverbs 16:8 says, " A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends")
The wise person, however, speaks frugally. The tongue rightly used can nourish or feed others. A compliment or word of encouragement can brighten someones outlook or motivate a person to pursue a dream. Sharing the Word of God is another life-giving use. Our tongue doesn't affect only our destiny; it can also change the destiny of those we bless or curse.
That's why Proverbs advocates an economy of speech. It's a wise person who bridles his urge to blurt out everything on his mind. Even fools are thought to be wise when they keep their mouth shut. (Proverbs 16:28: "Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.")

I challenge you to really contemplate on how you deal with gossip and to take responsibility of your desire to partake. It is something that the majority of us struggle with but, with God's gracious mercy and strength, we can overcome. Pray about it; I certainly am. ;)

Philippians 4:8
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things."

Philippians 4:13
"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."


Read All About It!

What Have I Gotten Myself Into??

I DID IT! I signed up for the Disneyland Half Marathon! Now I should probably make one thing quite clear... I am by no means a runner. It is something that I have always wanted to do, but never believed I could do it. After watching the Biggest Loser this season, I have been inspired to be a "better" me... to finally stop thinking about doing it and wishing I could... and just get out there, train and give it my best shot...
To read the rest, click here. I will be tracking my marathon training progress on my personal blog Melissaisms.blogspot.com. If any of you live near Southern California... or would like to take a trip out to the Magic Kingdom... come out for the 1/2 marathon! It should be a hoot!! :) More Disney Marathon info here.

Read All About It!