dear joy

dear joy,
please come easily today. I am praying for you to remind me of all the blessings in my life and for me to see the big picture of what God is doing in my everyday life.
amen.
me

You might have noticed the new layout (again)...sorry, I just can't help myself. And the new pic is the professional one taken a few months ago for work which displays how I look about 25% of the time. The rest of the time is like today when I am comfortable and in layers. The above prayer is a reflection of my prayer for today for each and every one of us. I was encouraged after spending some time yesterday checking out this site:

a group of women coming together to encourage one another in their walks and in their faith. sounds like something beautiful to me.

a week in pictures

this week has literally flown by and now that we are back at a weekend...here is the week in review. I have been trying to get better at taking pictures, even if I never do print any of them. Speaking of, I found out you can now have your blog printed in book form here. So, if anyone wants to do some early Christmas shopping for me...hint hint. On to the week:

Sunday night was our first small group night with the youth group girls and Leah and I are off to a great start. We kind of out number the seniors but are praying for them to bring lots of friends! Birthday Beads and a Tiara were present as we celebrated Courtney's big 1-8.



last night as part of small group we had a surprise shower for Randy & Dana who are expecting their first little one next month. Kate, whose house it was at was so cute, she got Baby Ruth, Sugar Babies, and Runts to go along with delicious lemon chiffon cake ala Costco.



Me, Kate, Dana, Jamie and Kelsey

Then came the adventure of the week...Suzy Homemaker attempt number 57. I have had this scone mix for about 6 weeks now, since Christina moved and gave me a present. Yes, you read that right, she gave me a set of tea and some scone mix in honor of all of the great time we have spent in coffee shops over the past year. Here is a pic before...and since I love fall so much I upgraded them to Pumpkin. An experiment all in itself. I also made peach crisp for when Emily & Dennis roll in tonight to spend a weekend here! Notice how small the scones are before baking and then the explosion they took on when they got huge! Maybe it was the pumpkin? Either way, I cannot wait to enjoy them with a cup of coffee tomorrow for the quintessential fall breakfast.

ArtPrize. in little ole' GR

So there is this amazing thing in GR that kicks off tomorrow called ArtPrize and we know some people that have entered art as well as heard about some INCREDIBLE pieces.

Basically, a bunch of local organizations and local venues opened up their space to artists, who then campaigned for space and the venues choose those they felt fit best. I am really excited about such a cool way to see different types of art for free and the chance to vote easily (via text) who will win cold hard cash. Up to $250,000. We are planning on heading down there this weekend with Dennis & Em while they are in town if the weather cooperates. Here is one of the artists than I know and cannot wait to check out:

Amanda Clark



She has created 18 foot tall trees on metal panels and check out her link above because my words can't do justice to what a masterpiece she has created. It is at Spectrum's Lemmen-Holten Cancer Center and it is definitely on my list of places to see @ Art Prize. very cool and just adds to my list of reasons I love living in West Michigan. amen and amen.

comings and goings

Finishing up a good weekend including grilling out Friday night with some friends on their deck, a much overdue walk with my sweet friend Allison, a 50th anniversary party for our great Aunt & Uncle and tonight, ooh tonight is definitely the icing on the cake as I am going to go out with some of the senior girls from youth group & my co-leader Leah. McLeah as we used to refer to each other when Grey's first came out because even though neither of us watched it, everything was McBekah and McYouth Group...you get the point. I don't think I have really written about yet that I am back in the youth group scene and I am so totally thrilled to be back.

Taking a step back last year was the right thing for the time being but man, I can't wait to dive back in with these girls. more to come on this as fall unfolds I am sure.

Other than that, I am trying to get back into my habit of cooking dinner...remember when I was planning meals monthly? Well I can't say that I am back at that point post summer meals of campfire food and ice cream and burgers. But I will say that I am attempting to use what I have creatively and here is the latest inspiration:

Rachel Ray's Quesadilla Casserole:

You need:
3 tbsp vegetable oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 29 oz. can black beans, drained but save 1/2 cup liquid
1 1/2 cup frozen corn thawed
3-5 flour tortillas (depending on how many layers you want to do)
8 oz Monterrey jack cheese


Preheat the oven to 400
Heat Oil in a skillet at medium heat & add onion and cook for 5 min. Add half of your black beans and mash into a paste and add extra bean juice :)
Grease heavy ovenproof skillet, I used my pie pan!
In a bowl combine corn, any seasonings to add flavor, and remaining beans
Place tortilla in the bottom of your pan, add a layer of your onion/bean mix and a layer of your corn mix, a handful of cheese and repeat
Your top layer will be filling & bake for 30 min.

* Next time I am totally going to add in some shredded chicken or beef because we just love meat. personal preference. I also served it with some salsa and sour cream... would be great at a tailgate party or fall bash with tortilla chips too. mmm..

if I were to twitter

these would be some of my tweets from the past 24 hours or so:

...what is @ryanwallace always doing getting up so early these days?

...coffee coffee coffee. vanilla caramel creamer is gone but class french vanilla is just as good

...life is good. walking to farmers market with brother on a fall day

...wish I could justify buying myself a bouquet of huge sunflowers, saving for mums and gourds. wow I sound old. @debmcintyre would be proud

...watching biggest loser clips and eating pasta, not sure @jillianmichaels would approve

To Ponder...Where do we hang our troubles?

1 Peter 5:7
Cast all of your cares on Him, for He cares for you.

the hard truth

I just got home from what seemed like any other night of coffee with the girls. With one exception. Tonight they told me the good and hard truth that I needed to hear. Yes, the same girls who confronted me senior year in the bathroom, cornered me and told me I was in the wrong. And I have never felt more loved because even then, 8 years ago, I knew they cared enough to tell me the good and hard truth.

Again tonight, it was straight up; no telling me to let God and let God, which is good and Biblical advice, but sometimes we need to just call a sister out . And there it was, the truth statement. "Bekah, You just need to stop. You need to stop planning your life and trying to organize everything. It is your greatness weakness and your greatest strength." Truth, just laying out in the open and it felt so good to hear what I already knew but needed someone else to say.

Thank you to my truthful friends, who speak what they hear when we talk over my lunch hour and are ok with me talking about anxiety; when we sit over dessert and coffee at Applebees and you know where I am at so you don't beat around the bush or let me do the same, when we go for walks and you ask hard questions. Thank you. You make me know I am loved too much to let things slip by.

a relaxing read

Last week while we were up North, I curled up in the sunshine on the couch and shamelessly took in this book:

It is the second installment in the blogging for books group that Waterbrook Multnomah allowed me to join in and I have to say, when I saw the book included dogs, I was thrilled. This is a sweet story about one woman's journey through a hard life growing up and the way that her love for animals threads itself all the way from her childhood to life to healing that takes place in her adult life. To hear a little bit from the author herself, go here.

PS. fun fact, my friend Kelly works for this compay, how fun is that?!

and the winner is....

drumroll please...Marcie from Our Days is going to have a chalk bunting all of her own to enjoy with her kiddos and for celebrations! Marcie, you may email me at bekah_wallace@yahoo.com for more details and thank you to everybody who voted, I always love hearing what you would choose.

If you didn't win over here, remember to jump on over to Daisys and Dots until Sunday and enter a giveaway featuring yours truly! Enjoy the weekend friends! I am up early and off to a craft show, my new second life I suppose. I will post pics soon of some of the fun things I have been working on and debating with Ryan about keeping. I guess he is right, that kind of defeats the purpose.

don't be shy

I sense some lurking going on around here...and I love it! According to Google Analytics, alot more of you are visiting here than entering giveaways and I say, what do you have to lose?! Just a little reminder, you have until Friday night to pick something out in hopes that it will be yours! Read below for details...

back to school giveaway!

I don't know it was the extra night we spent up North prolonging summer or the rows of pencils and notebooks at Walmart that put the back to school spirit in my step, but I am feeling it. And as much as I would love an excuse to hang a new bulletin board in my entry way and line up my Trapper Keeper just right on my desk, I will refrain.

However, in the spirit of back to school and fall goodness, I am pulling out a giveaway that has been in the works via facebook emails since early August. I was waiting for the right time and today feels like it has come. So, without any further ado...here is your opportunity at some very fun and crafty goodness.

I think I first came across Daisys & Dots through the wonderful world known as ETSY and from there, began following her work, dreaming of ways to celebrate with her designs. Head on over there and check some of them out yourself here:



AND...AND...AND...Daisys & Dots made the Modern Bride Top 100 Things We Love List in the Aug/Sep edition! So the lovely Trish, the heart and hands behind "Daisys & Dots" has invited us to be part of that celebration, to have her cake and eat it too. hehe. forgive the pun (Kelly, Bethany & Emily are giggling right now I am sure).


What does all of this mean for you? Head on over to Daisys & Dots Etsy this week and check out all of the goodies. Let me know what your FAVORITE thing is and one lucky reader will win any ONE thing up to a $30 value. You have until Friday night at midnight to enter so have fun.

Here is my current fave for inspiration. I know, I know, Christmas is FAR away but I think these would look so cute as little party favors at a brunch or any little table setting.

birds

Sometimes I think about time in essence of weeks. But more and more lately I find myself challenged to only think about the day in front of me. Because really, no matter what intentions or plans I have, today matters and the rest will take care of itself.

I love what it says in Matthew 6, that the birds of the air and the lilies will be cared for so we shouldn’t worry. I don’t see the little blue jays and hummingbirds, the tulips and the roses craning their necks so to speak, crying out for their food and their sunlight. They know it will come and it does.

This week has been really good living this way, trying my hardest to start my day reading my Bible which was a 2 for 4 effort in the past few days. I found myself challenged to pray instead of worry after facing head on the reality of my continued desire for control in my life and the lives of those I love.

I will say, the last few months in this transition have been harder than I imagined, bringing adjustments and changing of roles that have thrown me for a few curves. But I want to fight to have a prayerful heart because if I am honest, worry and control come a lot easier.

Praying with this heart for my dear friend who just delivered her first baby and is waiting for the results of some tests today on his heart. Praying with this heart for my own attitude towards all of the transition going on in our life; the need for me to work hard in this season to support Ryan as a student and that my response would be gladness rather than burden. Asking for reminders that if the birds are ok, I will be too.

my red door

remember a few days ago when I wrote about this?


Well here is the finished product and I am loving the new updated look of our house! I can't believe the difference a little sand paper and paint can make and it inspired me to get the fall decor rolling on the inside as well, which as we know from last year, is quite an event to me.

I just have to brag on my hubby a little bit more in that it was almost dark by the time he realized that the border on the garage would look better matching the door and jumped right in to make it happen. I ran inside to grab the star that I had in the basement, got the ole spray paint out, and we got the job done.