Finding my Prayer




Roy Lake, MN

 

This is my brand new day starting now
I let go the things that weigh me down
And rob me of the beauty thats to be found
And life all around

And this is my prayer without ceasing, the negative releasing
And as I rise above, my burden is easing 

Sure I get that, it makes sense. Or at least it use to before life started to really get hard. For some reason prayer was easier as a child and then as a youth. I remember the day I felt God's embrace. I was a small child at the time and had fears of the dark. My parents told me to pray for God to watch over me and "go back to bed". I did as I was told and only with the excitement and wonder a child can have ran back out to the living room proudly proclaiming that "I felt him!" I felt in that instance God's arms around me giving me the peace I needed. 



Red Rock Camp, MN

 

 I bring the pure flow like water around
The rocks of life won't pull me down
I bring the pure flow, drink so deep
The river of life, my soul at ease
I bring the pure flow like water around
The rocks of life won't pull me down
I bring the pure flow, rising above
The storms of life to live and love

But then came the ROCKS! Life with all of its Storms or burdens and distractions. I am always on the go with little time in between. Life has not been an easy road. I know that it could have been a lot worse, a lot. And maybe that is what stops me, my life has been wrought with rocks, not boulders. I have made bad choices and I have made some great choices. I know that some friends and family will  stick by me no matter what choices they are. Is that why I don't fall to my knees more. Do I replace God with my support network?

This is my brand new day starting now
Letting go of the ways that I fall down
The old can be made new, the lost can be found, the lost will be found

The Lost can found., really? Can I go back to the child like faith I had so many years ago? I go to pray now, sure I do.. at church, at camp, at times of great trial or those times when you are sure the car behind you is going to hit you and it doesn't... I say a quick prayer of thanks. But I know I need to go for the everyday stuff. The little stuff, the I am afraid of the dark stuff. And I have a lot of STUFF going on.

And this is my prayer without ceasing, the negative releasing
And as I rise above my burden is easing

 And there in lies the issue how do I make time to pray? And to pray with out ceasing for the small stuff and big stuff. Thankfully we have an all loving God that answers even when we haven't given a completely to prayer. I needed a new job for my health, for my family and for my self worth and he provided, even when all I did was send out a small prayer on a commute one day. Wow, think what he could do with my life if I really set time a side to pray again! If I listened and felt like I did as a child.  Would I be able recapture some of that excitement and wonder of God that I had?




Roy Lake, MN

 

My soul is at ease and I am free
My soul is at ease and I am free
This is my day, my soul is at ease and I am free
-Pure (lyrics) - Superchick

Masterpiece display

I hope you all were inspired by last Friday's post as I was. I have been busy making this child masterpiece display for our hallway.

This project was so easy! I found the back board out Michael's already sanded and sized to two feet. Then Mouse and I made a trip Home Depot and picked the trim piece to go on top of the backer. I then cut the trim to fit the back piece. Using a wood glue I connected the two pieces together.

Next I meant to sand the edges but I forget and painted the piece a chocolate brown. I also had bought this letter B at Michael's. I mod podged (that can be a verb right?) it with some scrapbook paper in pale blue. Then painted the edges with more the chocolate brown.

Once all these pieces dried I hot glued the B onto the back pieces and added the little pearl beads.

The final piece was the ribbons. I hung the board with little hangers I had then with double stick tape I hung the ribbon on the wall to get the right lengths. After words I took each piece and sewed the ring on to the bottom. The rings original use is to hang curtains.

And here is the final product, complete with masterpieces!

Inspire me Friday

As a parent you always bombarded with the next master piece. Between school, Awana, Sunday School and home we are constantly being given artwork. I, of course, love everyone! BUT, I don't necessarily want to keep every single piece. I had read an article once on making a space for the artwork that has a limited amount of spots and let the child pick which pieces get displayed and which ones will be taken down.
So now our daughter has been in some type of school for years and I have yet to make a space for her. But that is changing. I did an Internet search on some creative ideas to display her masterpieces. 

Design Sprout

I liked the industrial look of this one. We could probably use some more industrial aspects to our decor. But that is a lot of art on display. And the wall where this is going to go isn't that high.

Tahnivoelz

This one was a little more classic looking and less art work to display. With only one kid we don't get quite the masterpiece overload as some do. So I like the one line of art display. But this one still took up a lot of space or the spot I had in mind. 

Anyone know where I found this that would be great!

This was it. I loved the look of this. There was one line of work in a condensed space. I also liked the initial on this one. We have (OK really just me) been wanting to collect different styles of the letter B, which is the start of our last name. My idea is to do this in the hall and then above it will be all the different B's we find when out and about.

Sneak Peak

I have been hard at work lately for some much needed style and function pieces around the house.

Stay tuned to see what these two pieces of wood become.



The last part of our family

These are the last members to our house. Meet Frankie and Aspen two huge cats that run our home.

Aspen the white one is my husband's cat. She is going on ten years old. We got her when we got married to keep my cat company. Aspen was the runt of the litter (not that you could tell that now). She can growl like a dog and liked to play fetch. Now our 23 pound cat mostly sits and as she has aged finally likes to be pet.

Frankie is my daughters cat. And being a true Jellicle cat he has three names: Frankenstein Hunter B..(then our last name). Yep, you hear that right Frankenstein is her cats name. When she got him from the neighbor boy he named it Frankenstein thinking it would annoy her. No way, my monster loving child thought it was great! He has been the best thing for her. She wants to be a Vet when she grows up and would have a house full of animals if we let her. Those commercials were they show the puppies needing homes, has her in tears every time. So she got Frankie, this cat adores her. I have never seen anything like it from a cat. She will call his name at night when she goes to bed and he comes running to her room to sleep with her. When she is gone for the night, he will pace her room meowing. (this part is not fun for those still left in the house) We go to wake Mouse up in the morning and that cat will come running from the other end of the house and lay across her in a way that says let her sleep and she stays with me today.

So there is the last piece to our home

Bright Forest

Me in the woods sometime in the 1980's

 I thought I would share how this name came about. When I decided to start this blog, I wanted it to be more personal then the ones I have done before. Yes before, this is my third try at blogging. My first try was a food blog - fun but short lived. My second was when I was designing and selling children's clothes. That one lasted longer and was the cause of the first one to be neglected and closed. But once I quit selling clothes I shut that site down also. I knew this one was going to be different.  

I wanted a name that meant something to me and gave a glimpse of us. So I did a google search of our last name. And the second definition of our name said Bright Forest. Perfect! That was it, I knew that was going to be in the blog title. Now strange story, I have googled our name since then and it no longer comes up. I feel this was meant to be.

My Brother and I

Living in Minnesota forests are plentiful. Walking through the forest has always brought me the most peace. Growing up we went on many hikes, these pictures I look back on seemed to be the happiest times in our family. My brother and I were not fighting in them and the sun is shining down. And though the memories can see the look of contentment on my parents face. Which is rare thing to see on my Dad's face, he and I share the same nervousness about life that makes contentment is hard to find. But there for that brief time we are all content, peaceful and surrounded by God's beauty. 

Mom, Brother, one of our many dogs and I

I have noticed even on vacations, that I love the forests most of all. My Mom and I went to Mexico together and though beach was nice and pool pristine, it was the  forest that called to me. The hikes we took through the rain forest was the highlights of our trip. It was welcoming in way that I can't describe. I have come to realize I need the green canopy, the crisp air and cool streams.

Mexico 2008- My Mom and I our first big trip

I wish I could say I take more hikes through the forest. But I don't. Life is busy and hard and time always seems to slip away. We go a few times a year. We take our daughter camping and hiking. And I can say I feel that same contentment when we go. There is something about the leaves over head that just seems to drown out the buzz of life and instead you hear the quietness of the forest. You hear the crunch of leaves under the feet of those your with, give you subconscious knowledge that you are surrounded by those who mean the most to you. The warm of the sun filtering through the trees and the hand of child in yours lets you forget the cold, emptiness of the living each day in an office.  Maybe trying to recapture that feeling is why we have so many pictures of trees, mountains surrounded by forests around our house. As I am rushing through the house each day, I stop for a minute and stare at the picture and remember the warmth. 

Us

So please come walk among us in this Bright Forest.

Inspire Me Fridays

I have always decorated the inside of my house for fall. But it wasn't till the last few years that we have taken a look at the outside of our house. Last year S and Mouse made a scarecrow to sit by the door. This year I wanted something fancier. I told S that I would like to have a pumpkin topiary in the front. He immediately responded with what is that?! I told him I wanted to put three pumpkins together going down in size and then securing them with a stick through the center. I also said I might possibly want them in a planter. And for some reason with those limited instructions he still could not visualize my idea. (Really I don't know why)

So I found some great inspiration from the blog world.



Censational Girl

 I love the simplicity of this one. The contrasting colors, its just beautiful! This was what I had in mind when I first thought of this idea. But then we started at looking at all the different ideas out there. 

The Style Sisters

This one is soo fun and whimsical! And of course I would love anything with a cute little bird on top. But that would mean I would have to put one of my cute little birds outside. Not sure if I am ready for that. Not sure if I have the height for this one either. 



Front Porch Ideas

I really did want to put some type of words on the pumpkins like these last two. Liked the polk-a-dot planters for this one. But then we saw this one

The Party Dress

Yep, this is the one! I loved it. It was Halloween and fall mixed together. The black trees with the firefly lights are so beautiful. The swirly branches and the moon gives it the whimsy look I wanted. This will be the one we'll try. Look for a post later on our version of this 

Fall Decor

I love decorating for fall, it is probably my favorite time of year. When we built our house, the builder had this great big ledge put in above the front closet. I knew right away that this would be my holiday decorating location. And it has worked out perfect.
This year for fall, S came up with the idea to put all of our pumpkins in one location. It turned out great! Ok I might be biased in this decision since it was my husband's idea and my final touches but still I think it turned out pretty good.

I added books, jars and candle holders to give each of the pumpkins and gourds their own area. My favorite one is the twig pumpkins. The enamel pumpkin was a gift when we first got married, it has our name carved in it. Most people in S family have one. We always try to make that one the most visible. I need a few more white pumpkins I have decided to finish off the look.

Also have you seen the blue pumpkins? I love them! It is my goal to have a few out by our front door this year. They are so unique looking. I wish they made some fake ones that looked like this.

Happy Fall Decorating to you!

Calling for Compassion

I am one of those pickle jar people sometimes when it comes to following God's call. Please tell me, you have heard of the pickle jar! No.. OK let me tell you..

Someone shut the pickle jar way to tight. So you try and try to open it, then you pass it on to someone else to try. They turn and turn the lid but it won't budge. They pass it off to someone else and so on until, YES, the jar opened. People can be this way too. You might be the first person to tell someone something and you planted a small seed in the back of someones mind (or loosened the lid a little). The next person loosened it a little more. But then finally the idea sticks for that person. This doesn't mean you didn't have any help in the situation, everyone worked together to open the jar.

To get back to me (because this is my blog) I am such a jar sometimes. It was probably a year ago or so that I heard my Pastor (or maybe someone talking at my church can't remember) talk about having their child select a Compassion child to sponsor and how they used this to increase their child's awareness of the less fortunate and learn responsibility and finally a good dose of humanitarianism. I thought at the time that is great, I am going to have to do that.

And months go by.. I put the idea away. To add one more financial bill to our house, my daughter is too young, this will be a long term commitment,  all these things gave me doubt and excuses to put it off.
Then this summer my friend Sarah tells me about how she went and visited her Compassion child in Honduras. Again there is that Compassion thing getting brought to the forefront. But again I put up excuses: Sarah is a Pastor's child she is always more giving, she is single without a mortgage and etc... I push God's voice away again.

Then my friend Kandi starts a blog. I know nothing about Compassion here, right? Wrong. I feel immediately led to start blogging again, something I haven't done in a year or so. I tell her I am starting back up because I feel more accountable if I have to write about it for the world to read. Then through reading her blog list I find Nester. Oh she has a beautiful decorating style, but wait she is apart of this online group called (in)Courage. So I checked it out. What do I find an online community of Christian women working towards their life goals and supporting one another. And wait you guessed it Compassion is there to. Two of the woman are just finishing up a trip to a Compassion site and blogged about here and here.

It's done the jar is open! No more excuses no more push backs. I went home and told S and Mouse about this idea that God put on my heart over a year ago. Mouse is all for, she has figured out how she will divide up her allowance so $2 will go towards the sponsorship and she can keep $1. Then Mouse tells me how she has to write letters in school each day and the teacher said she can write to who ever she wants. She says she will write to the child we pick everyday. She is already planning what she wants to send for Christmas. Her enthusiasm is so contagious. God, why was I so hesitant? Her and I discuss locations, at first we wanted to do Bolivia since we have friends that are preparing to move there as missionaries. I wanted to look at Brazil also since that is where I went on a mission trip. When we start looking at the children, Mouse wanted to choose all of them. She asked what the little heart on their picture means. I tell her that means they have been waiting over 6 months for someone to sponsor them. Mouse is adamant that we choose one with a heart. "Why should they wait any longer" she asked. Good question, sweetheart. We looked for a girl who is the same age as Mouse. I want her to feel like a sister to this child and have commonalities to show her that poverty, language and foreign country doesn't mean you have nothing in common. Then we see her, she is 8 and helps takes care of her families animals (just like Mouse) and she loves swimming and singing (just like Mouse).

Meet	Zaida!
Age:	8
Gender:	Female
Region:	Central America and Caribbean
Country:	Guatemala
Program:	Seguidores de Jesús Student Center

Personal and Family Information:

Zaida lives with her father and her mother. At home, duties include caring for animals. Her father is employed as a farmer and her mother maintains the home. There are 6 children in the family. Swimming and singing are Zaida's favorite activities. In primary school her performance is average and she also regularly attends church activities.

Please pray for her.



I have never felt so proud of my own child as I do today. She is learning that there are children out there that need help and that she can make a difference. She is adding one more person to her prayers at night, we all are. And maybe next time it won't take quite so long for the pickle jar to open, when God calls.
Do  you feel the call towards Compassion? To sponsor? To write a letter? Really it can be as easy as just writing letters. We all know the importance of positive feed back is to a child. Do you have what it takes to make a child's day? If so become a letter writer today, click here!

“When He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd” (Matt. 9:36).

Fall is here...

This weekend my husband and I went to a resort in a location known to us Minnesotans as Up North. It was not quite as relaxing as he hoped it would be. Mostly that was my fault I love the shops! The resort was so quiet and peaceful, we really should have taken more time to enjoy it. The resort we went to is on a thin strip of land between two lakes. The one had no motor policy it was so serene.

One of the things we liked most was the changing of the leaves. It is just starting to change seasons here, so there was bits of yellow and red in amongst the green. The air was cool and crisp, just made for long walks. Even if those walks are really just between shops. But I did score some great deals. We bought a few pumpkins, candle stick, a postcard and etc... One of my favorite purchases was this thing, not even sure what it is, but it was exactly what I was looking for.

My only regret for shopping was that I found the perfect paned window for the hallway but the antique shop it was at refused to move on the price. And I just didn't have budget for it this time around.

Stay tuned for more pictures later this week on how we worked our new pumpkins into our fall decor.

Towels, New Towels, I got New Towels

I am sure others are not as excited by new kitchen towels as I am. We have needed new towels for the kitchen for ages. When it comes to the basics towels, socks, flip flops... I am sooo cheap. I will buy the cheapest and let them completely run out or get holey before buying new ones to replace them.
But then I found these two beautiful place settings with embroidered birds on them. Two place settings doesn't really work for a family of three, so here are my new towels!

So instead of two place settings that would do me no good, I made towels. Which I did need. How did I make such beautiful towels I am sure you are asking your selves. (Ok it wasn't that hard but humor me please) I cut the bottom 3 inches off the place setting and added it to store bought hand towels, then added some ribbon to the top and bottom. I know, you were thinking this was going to be hard but it was so easy. But, I didn't stop there:

Then I made more towels out of the place settings! I cut squares out of more of the burlap style place settings. Then I embroidered some birdy designs on them. I bought some muslin and cut that into a dish towel size. Do you call the dish towels or drying towels? I always go back and forth on the term. But anyways then I added more of the ribbon to this one also. I do hope these dry as good as they look, a little worried about that. But I googled dish towel material and muslin is what came up for choices, then I called Grandma just to make sure google was right, and she said the same thing. Oh and I didn't stop with four towels, I was a towel making machine this weekend.

I made one more drying or hand towel. Again the same process as the other drying towels, just this time I added it to a store bought hand towel. So my sweet clearanced out place setting became 5 new towels for my kitchen. I think I did quite well.

Inspire me

I am completely inspired by some of the designs I see out on the web. I mean just look at the three I show there. Each so different and yet inviting and personal.

The Nesting Place

The Nester is so great at her picture groupings and causal cozy feeling to her rooms. If you are not a follower of her blog you should be. What I learned from this picture and the rest of her blog is I need more dimension and textures to my space. I have accomplished that in the pillows and curtains but I need to apply it to my walls also. By adding the small shelf and dish she managed to achieve that depth. The dish and chalkboard also add more textures to the space. I also love how the black of the chalkboard and the coffee table play off each other, it just draws your eye in. I also love the corner couch to me it just screams "come read a book here".

The Design Diva

The Design Diva, isn't a blog but it does have some ideas that are easy to follow. There is also a list of design books on the site if you are looking for a inspirational read. What I love here is the over sized picture, the bird catches my eye. Ok one thing you should know is I love birds in decor, please don't go buy me a real bird! I reality their squawking, messy cages and not sure what to do with them does not interest me at all. Sorry to all pet bird owners, you will find my two cat house probably just as nerve racking as I find live birds. Ok, back to the room. I also love the red tables, they are highly functional and the color is great! The walls here are great but not an option I am considering for my space.

VNBonsai

This website seems to be more of a gallery of ideas. I really like the vintage feel of this room. Again this room has the "come read a book" calling.  The pops of color from the coffee table and the cabinet are so appealing. I would love the window bench and bookshelves but I also want that in my office space, and I think twice in one house might be too much. Thoughts on that? The furniture placement in this one is what I hope to have once I get new furniture.

Living Room, Familly Room, Sitting Room

Whatever you may call that room in your house that everyone uses. We call ours the living room, it is where we doing the majority of our living. At this time we only have one living room, so it holds the couch, chair, ottoman, TV, tables, toys, etc... everything for our daily lives. Once the basement is done and we have a new living room the TV couch. chair  and ottoman will be moved to the basement. This space will then become the sitting room.

I am so excited about that. But until that time comes I still want to love this room when I sit in it. There are few things in this room that I love. Starting with the curtains, I love the two layers gauzy blue and chocolate brown silk.

My next favorite about this room is the pictures on the wall, I love the mix of pictures. My favorite print is the Lady Shalott. The big tree picture brings the colors of the room together and lends its self towards the natural elements I want to bring in.

I also love the bookshelf, I designed it and my Father-in-Law built it. Now on to what I am not fond of... The color of the walls is not my favorite. I will admit this is the color I chose and it is growing on me. I feel I should keep it, it is bright and I think it is welcoming. I am also not please with the way the pictures are laid out. They need something just not sure what. My other goal is to replace the sconces. I like that these fade into the wall so the pictures are the main focus, but the other part of me says some visually appealing ones would be nice to. Furniture wise I am looking at getting two dark brown leather chairs and then a couch in beige. The pillows will stay from this set to the next. Any ideas, thoughts, on ways I could make some changes, to make this room more inviting would be great!

Starting over..

I am starting a lot of things over this fall. Starting with blogging again. I have realized that while blogging I seemed to get more done. The accountability I had to the readers (though few) made me get my projects not only started but finished.
Those projects lead to my other piece of starting over. We have lived in the house we built for five years now and I need to make changes. Most of the finished rooms have the basis of what I want but still are not quite right. Then there is the basement we are finally finishing. Then get to decorate, though most of this area will be S's to decorate, I get some say. My goal is to use this blog to document my successes and failures in making this the house I want it to be.
My another area of starting over is that I have just recently started a new job as a Regional Operations Specialist, this is after five years at my last company. Though the blog will have little to do with this part of my life, it is worth mentioning.
The final area that is starting over is with Mouse. Today she is starting a whole new school year and in away she is starting over. Mouse and a few girls have been in class together since pre-school, except this year. For some reason the school put Mouse in a class without any of the girls from before. I am sure the school had a good reason for it but it is still hard to for her. I am trusting God and the teachers to show Mouse what the plan is for her this year.

Introductions

Welcome to my blog..

Lets get to know each other. My name is Cassi. I am a wife and mother, you will meet my family shortly. My domestic loves are cooking, decorating and sewing. I am pretty sure I have enough cookbooks and food magazines for three people. But I use them all the time, or at least that is what I tell my husband when I buy a new one. I also work full time as Regional Operations Specialist, meaning I look at company procedures and make sure they are efficient and are followed by employees. I am one of the few people who love their job. One of my life goals is about to be accomplished in May of 2011, I will be receiving my Bachelors degree! It has been a long, long process and I am so glad to be almost done. Part time college student has been wary but rewarding. In my free time I like to travel, take photos and read. I am an avid reader with very eclectic tastes in books. One of my favorite quotes: "The habit of regular reading awakens something inside a person that makes him or her take their own life more seriously and at the same time develops the sense that other people's lives are real." - NEA chairman Dana Gioia. I truly believe this. Well enough about me for now.

My family consists of my husband, I will be calling him S for now. He is the rock in this house, he is mellow and thinks everything through, so much more than me. To give a good example: Our daughter was three and had gotten a hold of a pen which she proceeded to break in our living room. We had been in our house for maybe six months at this time, the pen went everywhere new carpet and new ottoman. My husband freaked for about two minutes then moved our daughter to the bathroom and then googled how to get ink out of carpets. By the time I got home all was back to new. She is so lucky I wasn't the one home, not only would I have freaked for longer then a few minutes, I would have ruined the carpet and ottoman. It would never have crossed my frantic mind to google it. My husband works as IT guy for a hospital group. He is a sports guy and avid music fan (all kinds). He will be the one letting me know I need to make grammar and spelling changes to the blog.

The other cuter and funnier part to our family is our seven year old daughter. I am going to call her Mouse. She came up with the name today. We were doing a Mommy / Daughter lunch at a local Mexican restaurant, while sitting there eating chips with cheese she called herself a mouse. I loved it immediately. She is small for her age and zips all over the place and she does love cheese. She is a mystery fanatic; Nancy Drew is her hero.  Her babies and the final members of our family is our two cats: Frankenstein (hers) and Aspen (my husband's). Both are enormous and hairy and loyal to her.

So welcome to our blog.