i’m the worst blogger ever

but seriously, i’m the worst blogger ever. expect this to pick back up in the next week or so…or don’t. a little suspense never hurt anyone, right?

love

janet

prayer

lord,

provide me with the humility to recognize my desperation for your grace, the compassion to bestow it upon your people; the peace to accept your plans in my life, the empathy to pacify the turmoil in others’; the truth in areas of my life where i’m blinded, the strength to convey your truth to those in darkness; the mercy where i am too proud, and the grace to be merciful with others.

the ground at the foot of the cross is level.

amen.

JILLIAN.

short post, i’ve been doing jillian videos with my sis for the past few days and have decided that even though i think she’s rude and abrasive and has a freakish alien man bod, she’s a kick-a$$ trainer. point being, me and my new bff jill will be suffering together to lose my college weight by the end of the semester/beginning of the summer. for realz this time. i also bought two books about weight loss including bible verses about the importance of treating your body well. see, i’m serious about it. wish me luck, i definitely am going to need it, but i’m 22 (on friday but we’ll say now for the sake of my dramatics) and it’s time to be a healthy adult with healthy habits (seen in this post).

see, freakish alien man bod.

janet&jillian togetha 4eva (or for the next six months-ish)

love

janet

wait.

sometimes i feel like i’m sitting still in a sea of unknown like this chick (but much less glamorously), particularly at this point in my life where much really is unknown. the end of my college career is within reach and i have no idea what or where god wants me after this chapter of my life is over, yet i have unwavering confidence that the lord of my life is in control and that his plans for me are far greater than anything i could have dreamed up for myself. so even though much is uncertain and i may feel as though i’m at a stand still, i’ll patiently wait, calm and collected knowing that god’s timing, not mine, is perfect. 

love

janet

betrothed

i can think of about five friends of mine that have gotten engaged in the past month…and there are quite possibly more than that. i’ve said before that at this point in my life i’m totally unprepared for marriage, and i still stand firmly by that statement but with all the wedding hype around me i’ve become a little bit obsessive looking at wedding blogs, engagement ring photos, etc. (i feel the need to clarify that i’m not one of those girls who have this vision of what their wedding will be regardless of the fact that they are not in a relationship. that’s pathetic a waste of time. i have no absolutely no idea what i want the details of my wedding look like and do not spend time thinking about that far-in-the-future date.) that being said, i have really enjoyed looking at photos of different wedding venues, floral arrangements, dresses, and table settings and all of my creepy snooping has renewed my obsession with (for lack of a better word) “pretty” photos and how valuable it is to be able to use a camera beyond my point-and-shoot nikon coolpix…(i’m cool, i know) so, i thought i’d share a few “pretty” photos i’ve seen on different wedding blogs and a new fave of mine, mary ruffle’s website. 

(again, why i’m growing my hair out. can’t wait to sport the side braid.)

peonies…my fave flower. 

more peonies

hanging lights for an outdoor reception

flower girls in matching dresses

uniform pastel bridesmaid dresses and beautiful boquets

love this picture

i know this isn’t a wedding photo, but i’d like to be this girl. seriously. 

side note: my birthday is coming up and i’m thinking i’m going to ask for the canon rebel t1i camera and lens kit… if anyone has any other suggestions for a beginning photographer they would be much appreciated!

love

janet

asylum

i love looking at interior design blogs…i’ve chosen not to face the reality that i really may not be any good at it and instead have opted for the “i have a really great eye” route. so, apart from the stark white walls (which to me are not relaxing, they make me feel like i’m in an asylum…who knows what that says about my perception of my mental health), i LOVE the decorating in these rooms! simplicity at its finest but with accent colors and pieces and all the while still very practically arranged…gorgeous!

beautiful :)

love

janet

new years resolutions…

new year, new ways. i’m determined. i’m not really much of an analytical thinker but i really wanted to do new years resolutions right this year…i’m often guilty of setting unrealistic goals and because of my “all or nothing” mentality end up telling myself that i’ve fallen off the bandwagon and am now perma-stuck in my old unhealthy habits. rant. anyways, i’ve really thought about what i want to change this year, after all, i’ll be out of college in the next year, year and a half and it’s really time that i start acting like the adult that the world’s going to eventually force me to be. 

so, while i’m almost matronly responsible in many areas of my life, here are some in which i’d like 2k11 to bring change:

1. exercise/eating

i’m not going to do these super strict “you can’t eat sugar EVER” or “NO CARBS, THEY’LL KILL YOUR WAISTLINE” kinds of things because a) i like sugar too much and b) my waistline is already shot…i’ve decided to go about a very moderate (and attainable) plan of limiting portions, cutting out soft drinks, and cutting out late night/fast food eating. (while still allowing myself a cheat day…moderate) and scheduling a time each day (mon-thurs right now) that i have to exercise. i know each day won’t be perfect and learning healthy habits is certainly a process, but it’s past time to make those changes. 

2. sleeping

i have the worst sleep schedule ever. part of that just comes with being a college student, but that’s become more of a justification than a reason for me at this point so i’ve decided to make some changes. i still want to get my 7-8 hours of sleep at night, but rather than my current schedule of sleeping from around 2-3 until 10-11ish, i’ve decided to move that to a 12-1 until 8-9ish. my classes start every day this semester at 11 am, so i’ve decided to get up at 8:30-9 and shower, eat breakfast, have my quiet time, and be able to get ready for the day in a not-so-rushed fashion. 

3. quiet times

years of experience tell me that i’m super incapable apart from jesus yet still i find myself arrogantly trying to go things alone. this year i’m really going to make an effort to have a scheduled time with the lord of my life each morning and each evening. clearly, i want my entire day (and entire life) to be a constant walk with jesus, but i need scheduled time in the bible and in my journal each morning and night. period.

4. procrastination

procrastination is pretty wide-spread in my life…it applies not just to schoolwork but bills, phone calls, responding to emails, spending time with jesus, etc. i’m SUCH a procrastinator and i think setting intense rules here would not be helpful for me but i am going to have a scheduled time each day to take care of those necessary things that i find myself putting off..specifically school work. wish me luck here, this (next to exercise and eating habits) will probably be the most difficult long-time habit of mine to change.

5. spending my time productively and (mostly) selflessly

not sure exactly how this one is going to look yet, but i’d love to volunteer somewhere in tuscaloosa once or twice a week. i’ll keep you posted once i have more of an idea as to where that’s going…

6. be more passionate about where jesus has me currently

i’m a very futuristic thinker and i love to get excited about all the opportunities that the future holds. i’d really love to be as excited about the present (tuscaloosa, college…) as i am about the future. really i’m just asking for christ to help me have a thankful, humble spirit. obviously, i’m going to mess up, but each day i’ll remind myself of how much of a blessing it is to be where i am and to have the privilege of going to school and being in a city with so many great friends! god is good…

there are many other things in my life which need change but these are the main ones i’m focusing on right now! there is such grace in recognizing the need for growth and i know that god is supporting me 100% of the way!

hope that everyone is having a great start to 2k11! i know it’s going to be a GREAT year!

love

janet

slacker

whoops. again. i’ve decided that rather than making false promises about being a religious blogger, i’m just going to say that i’m going to try harder..which is the truth. 

a quick bit about what you’ve missed in my month-long absence from tumblr:

1. pretty much all of november. whoops. not too much happened other than slave labor in the form of schoolwork. 

2. thanksgiving. it was great. 30+ people at my aunt’s house = one crazy time. but super fun. what a blessing family is…thanks, jesus.

3. december…back to school and exams. yuck. but not too bad. 

4. home alone on repeat at my sorority house. i could tell you almost every move that young macauley caulkin makes in that movie. literally.

5. coming home…beauty and the beast on broadway…because i’m five. it was super kid friendly, but i’d be lying if i said i didn’t tear up when the beast turns back into a prince in the end. and that yellow gown…geeeez louise, i’d spend the rest of my life in that thing if it were mine.

6. justin bieber in concert. no joke. it was awesome, minus the fact that a girl a few rows back decided that in the middle of my personal jb fave “one time” was the best time to start yakin’…her vom got all over the stairs and everyone in the aisle seats…including both of the girls i babysit for and was there with. ironically enough, neither of them came down with the stomach bug, but I caught it in middle of the night on the 23rd. awesome…which brings me to…

7. i caught the stomach bug from some little jerk at the bieber concert (dramatic…whatever). it put me on the sidelines for all of the christmas eve festivities, including last minute gift shopping, church with my fam, and while my entire family feasted on roasted duck, grits and veggies, i grimaced at a saltine (yes, just one) and a sprite. my life is a joke.

8. christmas day! (thank goodness that nasty bug was only a 24 hour deal) we were up and at ‘em by 7:30 am tearing into presents with our new pup (oh yeah! we got a new dog! her name is lucy, aka sugamuff..pictures to come) who really enjoyed the wrapping paper…me and the sibs all got great gifts and our parents loved what we got them as well…overall a very successful christmas. happy birthday, jesus!

9. lots of down time and sleeping late. this changes with the start of the new year…

so not too much missed! but i am going to try and be better about my blogging…it’s time to be responsible again. fun updates about things less boring than my mundane life coming soon! hope you all had a very merry christmas :)

love

janet