Cup 1/2 full ~ Sunsets

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It is no secret that I love sunsets. It’s not secret that they amaze me.
I love when I’m not expecting one, I’m just looking out the car window and my breath catches. I don’t even want to breath to ruin the moment. 

When I start to breath again & I’m just staring. Staring at the sheer beauty.
I want to cry, I can feel the tears and I push them back. I want to cry because I get to see this small glimpse of the beauty God creates. 

That he shows me something like a sunset to remind me to enjoy the small things. To enjoy the beauty of the world around me. To enjoy the beauty I can see. Sunsets — they are just utterly beautiful to me and I thank God for them. 


FindingBeautyintheOrdinary.com

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I wanna set the world on fire

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God’s love is amazing to me.
The way he talks to you.
The way he answers your prayers.
The way he doesn’t answer them.
The way that he knows your journey before you ever do.





The way he puts it on your heart to help others. To show them compassion and love. To show them that someone is there for them in a world of darkness. When I first found out the shine project was coming to Dallas, when I realized that I was going to be able to help bring warmth to those that are cold. My heart was filled with love.


I’m just one person. 
But I know I can help make a difference. 
Maybe it will be a word of encouragement.
Maybe it will be a blanket draped over the sleeping man in the alley because he has no place to go.



Maybe it will only be a smile to a stranger.
Maybe it will be a hand to hold.



I think it’s amazing how God gives you the ability to make your dreams come true. To give you the courage to over come your fears. 
To go forth with what your suppose to do.
Who your suppose to be.
God, you never fail to amaze me.



It breaks my heart to know there are people that can’t see the light.
To know that there are people suffering.
There are people hurting.
I want to reach out to them.



I know God has a purpose for everything, even If I don’t understand it. 
I just have to trust him. 
I have to do what I can. 
I have to let go & let him take me on the journey.
I want him to use me.


(The song i’m quoting on the picture’s is Set the world on fire by britt nicole)

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I have changed

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Have you ever felt your heart beat.
Just listened to that slow steady thump. thump. thump.
Was it ever because you finally discovered who you were?

“There is no satisfaction that can compare with looking back across the years and finding you’ve grown in self-control, judgment, generosity, and unselfishness.” – Ella Wheeler Wilcox


Its an odd feeling to look back on old posts and read to current one’s. Watching the change occur in writing. It’s another thing to feel it in my heart, to feel it in my soul. This beautiful contentment of who you are. 


“It is the individual who knows how little they know about themselves who stands the most reasonable chance of finding out something about themselves before they die.” – S. I. Hayakawa


I always lived life by everyone else’s rules. I acted how everyone expected me to. I did what everyone else wanted me to. I lived life, not knowing who I fully was, because of everything on the surface I was doing. Didn’t feel like me. A few months back I noticed the change start to occur. I was searching for answers more in my own heart, trying to discover who I really was. 


“If you don’t get lost, there’s a chance you may never be found.” – Anonymous


Last night, I found out. 
I found out when I listened to a song by Britt Nicole and felt the tears well up inside of me & slowly spill over. It was one of those songs that spoke directly to my heart. It’s amazing how God talks to you. I was sitting on the couch thinking, wondering really.. who I fully was. I was already beginning to discover it. But when I found that song, he told me. 


“You will recognize your own path when you come upon it, because you will suddenly have all the energy and imagination you will ever need.” – Jerry Gillies


I have a sensitive soul.
I’m compassionate & utterly passionate.
When I love it’s with my entire heart.
My heart breaks easily.
I care so much for others.
I’m gentle & kind.
I’m amazingly strong & beautifully weak.
I have a hard time trusting & an even harder time forgetting.


“Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.” – Carl Jung


I love life.
Everything about it. From the good to the bad.
From the triumphs to the struggles.
I love to laugh, out loud & quietly. 
I will smile at a stranger hoping to brighten their day. 
When I trust, it’s with everything I have.


“The only journey is the journey within.” – Rainer Maria Rilke


I believe in happily ever after.
I believe I can live my dreams.
I believe in taking chances.
I believe God is amazing.
I believe in helping others.
I believe that this life is meant to be lived.


“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” – Aristotle

I’m linking this up to poofy Cheeks for let’s do lunch! 

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God’s gift to me

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While God has given me alot of gifts. 
Really, I feel so incredibly blessed! Today I wanted to talk about a certain gift. 

He gave me the gift to write. 
To share what’s in my heart. To know when I put fingers to keyboard or pen to paper, the words flow right out of me. I have never had a problem putting words down about anything. 

I have a passion for writing. Anything & everything.
But today ladies. I want to tell you, I have a passion for writing novels. I have stories constantly bouncing around in my head and until the last few month’s I have done nothing about them. Way to slap God in the face huh?!
But the past few months I have been working on a book. 
Putting my gift to use.

55,000 words ladies. 55,000…picture that amount for a minute. Is your brain frying yet?! Yeah, mine was too when I found out that’s how long it had to be! But I did it, with alot more ease then I thought possible. Wanna know the only problem I ran into?!

The query letter. 
I was so nervous & so sick to my stomach. I was over thinking it, not sure it sounded right. My best bloggy friend Skye, bless her heart, was there for me throughout this whole process and I can’t thank her enough. 

When I had re-read it atleast fifty times (The query letter that is). My fear made me stick to my stomach, literally I felt like I was going to throw up. 
But I’m here to tell you that I had Walk on The Water by Britt Nicole on repeat and saw this message on my personal facebook. 

Hello perfect timing. 
I didn’t throw up, but I did hit send & off it flew through cyberspace today to the publishing house. 

I feel like I should pop open a bottle of champagne. I haven’t heard a response (it will take awhile). I don’t even know if they will want to see the manuscript. But I did it. I stepped out of my shell of fear and sent it! 
I’m pretty excited about it but at the same time nervous. 

Wish me luck!! :)
P.s. I’m already in the process of writing another book. Because even if this one doesn’t get accepted, I’m not going to give up. I have too many stories to tell. :)

Happy Saturday loves!


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Seeing is believing

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People say. “seeing is believing.”
I know people that don’t believe in God because you can’t see him. “They don’t believe everything they read in a book.” They just straight up don’t believe in him for one reason or another. 


This is something that has been on my heart lately. 
Because if they just opened their hearts to him, they would see him
They would see him in every time their child laughs.
Every time the sun rises.
Every time the sunsets.
Every time the Moon rises.
Every time the stars shine.


They would see him in every time their husband looks at them with that look that says “i love you.” without having to say it. 
Every time they step outside and see fresh fallen snow on the ground.
Every time they played with their pet.
Every time someone laughed.

They would see him everywhere & in everything. Because he is everywhere. Open your hearts & see the world as God wants you to see it. See it through his eyes. 

(source)

I’m linking this up to:

(on my heart)

Cassie

Coffee anyone…or maybe hot chocolate?!

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Good morning. I’m linking up with Amy @ Lucky Number 13 for virtual coffee. 

I’m having hot chocolate this morning. 

(I took this picture last nigh while drinking my yummy hot chocolate and relaxing) :)


If we were really meeting for coffee I would ask you how your weekend was? Did you do some last minute Christmas shopping? Maybe just spent a relaxing weekend at home because your all done with Christmas shopping? Or maybe you went to a Christmas party? I would tell you about our weekend.

If we were really meeting for coffee I would tell you…
It’s chilly here in Texas today.
I’m still waiting for snowflakes.
It’s a long shot, I know. 
But we got snow last year. 
So I’m hoping for the same thing this year. 
We’ll see though. 
These two pictures are from last year!



I would tell you I did two paintings this weekend that I’m super proud of. Like, really. They are my all time favorite. I can’t wait to reveal them in January. Here is a sneak peak for now. :)



If we were really meeting for coffee I would tell you…
We just now put Christmas lights up outside. Not around the whole house, just little areas. Why we didn’t do the whole house..well take that up with my husband. :) I would tell you that I can’t wait for Christmas. Oh & I’m showing the rest of our Christmas decorations tomorrow, including the lights.

The family time. The food. The meaning of Christmas. The sense of togetherness. I love everything about it. 

If we were really meeting for coffee I would tell you…
That Jay can now tell you that Jesus birthday is on Christmas. That we will be baking him a cake. He also told me that Jesus’s mom was pretty. Which kind of left me stunned into silence because he has never seen a picture of Jesus’s mother. It melted my heart though. 

If we were really meeting for coffee I would tell you…
That I’m in search of a church. The church I was going to I just can’t get there in enough time for the early service which is the service I like. I’m hoping to check out one that is right down the street. Which would be perfect. We’ll see how it goes. 

If we were really meeting for coffee I would show you my outfit for..

Day 11
Not even going to lie. I cheated. This is an old outfit from a WIWW post. But It’s one that makes my heart go pitter patter.



Red & white for Christmas..well of course that works!! Throw this on with some cute white boots! Oh yes…perfect outfit! =D


Well…until next time friends. :)

Cassie

Those late night, unscheduled posts where you get a glimpse into my heart

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It’s amazing when God tugs on your heart. 
When you hear him calling you.
To say a few words.
To help a friend in need. 
To pray for a loved one. To pray for someone you don’t even know.
To read his word.
To listen to him.

(source)


Lately he has been on my heart. 
More than usual. Trust me I look at this as a good thing.
I’ve always had faith. I have always been a believer. 
There have been times I was close to him & times I wasn’t.
I’m only human.
But when he starts tugging at my heart.
I miss when I was close to him. 

(source)


It saddens me that I ever drift away.
It actual makes me cry to know I drifted away. 
But he’s pulling me back. 
He’s always there, just like I knew he always was. 
I have found myself listening to more Christian songs. 
Talking to my children about God more. 
Saying passages out loud and to friends. 

(source)


It calms me knowing that I’m coming back to him. 
I love knowing that he wants me to be just as close to me as I want to, to him. 
Faith is an amazingly beautiful thing. 

God made me a very passionate person, a very compassionate person, a person that sees beauty in everything. A person who’s heart breaks for others. 
A person who loves entirely. A person who is sensitive. 
& I am forever grateful for that. 
He made me exactly who I am today. 
Exactly who I want to be. 

(source)


But I do think I have one person in particular for my new found close faith again. That is Casey. Her faith is inspiring. I believe she could make someone who has no faith, believe. She has reminded me that I need that faith in my life, that I need God in my life, more than just when I want or need him there. I need him there constantly! Thank you Casey for being such an inspiration, thank you for being so open on your blog, thank you for being you.


Cassie

It’s okay to ask for help, so why is it so hard?

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that it’s ok to ask for help.
Message from God
You are not here to do it all alone. That would be crazy! Do you know how to grow rice, spin yard or make electricity? No one does it all alone. That’s why people have each other. Relying on and supporting each other is what makes the world go round. Don’t be shy about asking for help.

On my personal facebook. I have this app called “God wants you to know.” It’s just inspirational stuff for each day. 
& some days it’s right on target, exactly what I needed to hear. 
Like today.
I have such a hard time asking for help. I hate it as a matter of fact, maybe because it makes me feel week, I don’t know. 
Oh But there are days where sometimes I just want to beg for help, grovel on my knees for someone to help. 
Because as a stay at home mom, shop owner, blogger & wife. 
I walk a very, very thin line of balance. Some days I’m barely holding on. 

Somedays I just want a break. An hour, maybe two. Not to clean or work or cook or do laundry or wipe the next runny nose. No I want to relax, read a book, enjoy a bubble bath. 
But, I don’t ask. Because well, these are my kids. This is our home. That is my husband. 
I took on this responsibility when we had children, so I don’t always feel it’s right to ask. 
So 9 times out of 10 on those days, I’m in a bad mood and it shows. 

I ask my husband for help on occasion and anytime I ask he is more than willing to help, but then I feel bad because he’s been working all day. 

Sigh,
and the sad part is. This is how it’s been just as of lately. I have even given advice to some lovely ladies to take a breaks for themselves. 
Yet, I can’t take my own advice.
Why in the world is that?!?!

Do you ever have these days, where you just want a couple hours of quiet time? A couple of hours to yourself?
Cassie

Who Am I?

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“Who Am I? That the lord of all the earth,
would care to know my name, would care to feel my hurt.
Who Am I? That the bright and morning star, would
choose to the light the way, For my ever wandering heart.”
Do you ever feel like this? What makes me so “special” that God cares so much about me? How can he love me so much, when I’m human, a natural born sinner. What did I do to deserve his love?

“Not because of who I am, But because of what you’ve done. not because of what I’ve done, but because of who you are.”
I sin. I try not too but I’m human. There is time’s that I question him when i know I’m not suppose to, but I can’t help it. There are times when I have a hard time trusting where he is taking me. Does that make me awful?

“I am a flower quickly fading, Here today and gone tomorrow. A wave tossed in the ocean, a vapor in the wind.”
That’s definitely how I feel sometimes. But He loves me regardless. I am his child. I wish I was closer to him, I wish I trusted him more, I wish I just went along with what he has planned instead of worrying. But he catches me, he listens to me. He knows me.

“Still you hear me when I’m calling, Lord you catch me when I’m falling, and you’ve told me who I am. I am yours.”
I am yours. I pray that I start trusting more and not worrying as much. 

“Who am I? That the eyes that see my sin, would look on me with love and watch me rise again. Who am I? That the voice that calmed the sea, would call out through the rain, and calm the storm in me.” 


Cassie

I love to love

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First Happy Labor day!!! Second, it’s time to continue the fun little challenge Holly is having. (if you missed day 1 you can see it here) I’m going to share three songs that go along with my first three loves. Oh & I will be posting the weekend recap tomorrow, because today was still the “weekend” for us. =D

Day 2: Nine loves

1. First and foremost, God. He has brought me up when I was down, healed me when I was sick, comforted me when I was afraid, he gave me strength when I was weak, he gave me a voice when I couldn’t speak, He blessed me and put me through trials, he tests my faith and makes miracles happen. He has had my heart for awhile now, but he has fully had it for about four years.


2. My husband. This man, I can’t even begin to explain how in love with him I am. He knows me, he knows everything there is to know about me. He knows my goals, my achievements, my flaws and loves me regardless. He is my best friend. I turn to him for anything and everything. 


3. My children. I never knew such a love existed. My boys bring me an extreme amount of happiness. They make me remember to capture every moment, take the time to play, too look at the world from a child’s point of view. They have taught me what it’s like to love unconditionally and enjoy time together. I love everything about them.


4. My family. I seriously just love them, all of them!


5. Boots. I really can not wait for cooler weather so I can dust my boots off and put them on. =D


6. Designing. It rocks my world, it really does.


7. Cherry coke from sonic. I’m addicted to them, not even gonna lie.


8. Dancing. I started dancing at about 9 years old and haven’t stopped yet. =D


9. Laughing. Seriously I love laughing and I love the sound of laughter!


10. Last but not least, I love to love. I do, I love everything about being in love, loving my children, loving my family and friends and I love loving everything that I love. Ha, that’s alot of love ain’t it? (yes I just said ain’t)


What do you love?
Cassie