Monday Mantra + Simple Words

Today I am bursting with things to say. But my words are not enough right now, it seems.

After an impromptu absence last week, I've had lots of things brewing. Good things. And while I still can't talk details just yet, my heart is full and my path is led.

Speaking of, I've been reading a somewhat unconventional devotional book by Beth Moore in hopes of qualming my sometimes oppressive perfectionist thoughts. I really dug deep this weekend, and felt the message moving me almost immediately. I'm going to say very little more about this read right now, in hopes of discovering more before I turn you that way. But the moral of this short Monday story is that I was reminded how lucky we all are that our imperfections don't separate us from His grace.

Sure, most of us have known this quite some time. But this simple little fact is oftentimes so elementary to our faith that, though it is a cornerstone of who we are, we rarely take the time anymore to reflect on it. And I'm not sure about you, but I am so glad to remember it. And I thought you might be too. So because of that, my mantra for us all this week:

Sometimes simple words are the best.

Here's to another inspired week!

Daily gratitude: moving messages.

xoxo

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Happy Monday + Alone Time

Whew, I spent a lot of time alone this weekend. And I can always tell when I do that because I begin interpreting myself (which is hardly ever the best idea). So this weekend I sat down with myself for a while to explore the fact that I am a chronic decision maker. I suffer from literally agonizing over decisions, and even once they are made—whether they be wrong or right—beating myself up over the one that I made. And trust me, I've made my fair share of both. I'm also guilty of trying to make them alone, but working on that one day at a time. Because I need a lot of help in making them—big help, from Someone that sees more than my immediate situation. You see, us chronic decision makers view every decision as a big deal—we also have a hard time digesting how even the worst decisions can line up for good. Which is sometimes, if we're being really honest here, why I have such a hard time reading this when it pops up every so often:

Nothing? That's a hard idea for me to digest. No matter what happens, nothing can stop His plan if I'm walking in His light—no matter what's been done or what's escaped. No matter what I do, if He is my light then nothing can interrupt that plan. Repentance, forgiveness, and grace.
And guess what? It's not even an idea. It's t.r.u.t.h. The truth.

So there's no reason to hide behind your have-nots, should-havs, what-ifs, regrets, and guilt. Once they're done, they're done, and if you keep looking up, you're headed in the right direction. Because nothing can stop God's plan for your life.
Happy Monday!
Daily gratitude: Persistence in Grace.

Monday Mantra + The Search

Often when I'm selecting my Monday Mantra, I really have no earthly idea what it is I'm looking for.

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I'll scroll through my Mantra Pinterest board, my journal, wherever I feel led to look, and just browse and browse and browse all the beautiful words that touch me during my curating throughout the week. And then all of a sudden—there it will be. Words of encouragement, whether to inspire me, or give rest to a weary soul. And that's how I found myself repeating this a few times this morning:

He is never far, though distance may seem present at times—He is here. He is here when you are weary and tired, content and joyful, sinning, repenting, rejoicing, worshipping. He is here, there, everywhere.
Happy Monday, friends. He is with you.
Daily gratitude: Through good and bad, He is with me.
xoxo

Monday Mantra

Well that was quite the weekend, ladies and gents.

And living life joyfully on the fly continued this weekend. I hopped into town, literally, an hour before the rehearsal dinner and did not stop running from that moment on-- to the rehearsal dinner, to the after-party, to a sweet wedding shower for another dear friend, to a late lunch date, a quick break to get ready for the wedding, then off to the ceremony (complete with a full orchestra) and the grand finale reception (featuring the same band that played at George W's daughter's wedding). We ate, drank, and twirled merrily to Motown on the dance floor among many of my favorite people. But somehow, my favorite moment of the entire time was the early Sunday morning "breakfast party" spent lazily among fifteen or so of my closest girls and guys-- piled up on top of one another, in pajamas eating pancakes, telling stories of the old life and the new life and loving and missing each other all at the same time.
And when I returned to work today, a customer told me my eyes were brighter. It's surely the sign of a full heart.
Changing gears, sort of, it saddened me to hear of the passing of Lilly Pulitzer today. Her prints and love of color were an influencing factor in developing my sense of style at an early age. So when I ran across this quote, I knew it would describe nicely the light heart I've been sporting as of late:

Here's to a week of keeping summertime in your heart and a smile on that face.
Daily gratitude: reasons for light hearts and bright eyes
xoxo

(photo source)

Monday Mantra + April 1

I can not tell a lie. Last week was a bummer sort of week.

Not for any particular reason, I was just... down in the dumps. Not sad, not mad, just sort of blue. I did everything in a hurry. I sprinted left and right and up and down and it all just felt... off. But then today, I woke up, stretched my arms, and knew it was a new week. There was rejuvenation in the air. And maybe it was the from a weekend praising that He had indeed risen. Or perhaps it was the dawn of April I've been anticipating for quite some time. But for the first time, I was glad this Monday was here (who says yay to Monday? I guess me, this week). And with a new spirit, I was reminded of this verse, our mantra for the week. Because His promises are so, so good:

So much joy in hope.
Happy Monday!
Daily gratitude: feeling refreshed and rejuvenated for no obvious reason. 

Monday Mantra + Some Love

The theme of this week is love.

Obviously I realize it's nowhere near Valentines Day. But I have a precious friend tying the knot this weekend and between that and the new engagement, I'm pretty fuzzy and sentimental right now. 'Tis the (wedding) season, after all.
So back to love. When was the last time you stopped to consider all of it in your life? Just this morning, I thought of my sweet sister, texted my brother's girlfriend, and responded to an email chain with my best friends—all in about ten minutes time. That's a lot of love. A lot of love I'm surrounded by and blessed with on a daily basis. A lot of love that I often times take for granted. A lot of love that is unending, through good and bad, through still or troubled waters, at first sight and last sight, always deep and meaningful and real.

As a twenty-something, we have a tendency to be a pretty self-obssessed generation as we navigate our "new" adulthood and find our path, making our way in the world.
The ambiguous world tell us, reach for the stars, if you dream it you can achieve it all, never quit, watch out for yourself, motivation motivation motivation.

But what about the loved ones doing the real motivating? Do they know their impact? I hope they know it. Every. single. one of them. But just in case, my mantra this week:

To the moms and the dads and the brothers and the babies and the sisters and the soulmates, whatever the kind.

And to our bride, Mary-Crosby—its your week, girl.
Happy Monday!
xoxo

(Photo creds)

Monday Mantra + Inside, Outside

Monday, Monday, Monday. You and I are beginning to resolve our relationship.

Perhaps it's the sunny blue skies and these new springtime sounds I can hear through my balcony. Perhaps its the new month stretched ahead like a blank canvas that seems so promising. Or, perhaps, it's simply the sense of change running through my veins that is invigorating as I stretch my legs for the first time in a while, beginning to create something a little different this time around.

Here's to the inside and the inside this week, my friends.
Happy Monday!
xoxo

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Monday Mantra + Change

No excuses for my perpetual absence as of late, except for there have been big changes happening this way.
Well, I guess I'll give you a little about that...

Every so often, I'll flip flop back and forth on what From Ainsley, with Love is. If you visit my About Me, I quickly state that this is where I document my daily inspirations—whatever they may be. Because this is the place I come to write—and write, I do. And write I do now.

More truth be told, I've been uninspired lately. I've noticed lots of writers feeling that way. Meg here discusses regaining her creativity after the holiday season is over and the new year begins in a whirlwind—that sounds true. Liz points out how getting from point A to point B to point C is nearly impossible at times, and inspiration falters—true, again. But for me, the days have been so muddled together in chaos that I fess up to not seeking my daily inspiration as I usually do—which is why I gave the blog a breather rather than pouring the bipolar sense of emotions I was experiencing onto my precious (web) pages.

You see, I made a big leap of faith this month, an interesting feat for a girl who likes all her ducks in a row, her life packaged up prettily with a lovely red bow. All good things time out eventually, as new challenges are necessary and new room to stretch and grow is desired. And as this time in life has dawned upon me, I made the big decision and finished my last day in my old position two weeks ago.
Nervous? Check.
Excited? Yep.
A little scared out of my mind? You betcha.

To desire to evolve and better yourself is a positive thing, and a quality I can whole-heartedly say I do not lack. And, for me, this is my time for it. It's a strange feeling—knowing in your heart you're on the right path, Him leading all the way, headed in the right direction, but not one hundred percent sure what that end result may be. Except that, there may not be an end result. Maybe this path is a continues path of evolution and self-betterment. In which case, I'm not scared of that—my eyes are focused, my passions my focal point, and my options limitless—but I am scared of being uninspired. Because an uninspired life, lost in the monotonous have-tos and obligations of the day or the chaos surrounding, isn't beautiful and exciting. What's beautiful and exciting are the deep breaths, the lingering moments to notice, the tiny details that make this life so worth living. Which is why, as I bid co-workers-turned-great-friends adieu, these words spoken to me by a special office friend stuck with me:

Where I am right now is a place for growing, evolving, challenging myself, and exploring. So here comes the next big adventure. And I write these words now to keep this space right here as authentic as possible—knowing that the unknown in life is often just as beautiful as the one with ducks all in a row.

Happy Monday, old friends.
xoxo

{Images via here}

Wordless Wednesday: Leap of Faith

Big things happening over here. Taking chances. Leaps of faith. And lots of trust.

Navigate those unknown waters with class, faith, and a whole lot of style...

(Photos via here)

Monday Mantra

Let’s get right to it. This week’s Monday Mantra:

I stumbled across this during the weekend, and it blew my mind.

I’m pretty cautious to making big life decisions—as I’ve said, I like options to be all spread out in front of me. But, we can’t blow ourselves away with our own potential if we’re constantly making the safe decision.
Settling into the mundane or something that is good enough won’t illicit your utmost potential. What do you want? Where are you going? What do you love?
Make a decision towards it. Blow your mind.

There’s something that lights a little excitement in my toes thinking of the possibilities of taking a huge leap towards getting what you most want. And it may just be a good lesson in learning who is there to catch you.

Bon Lundi, mes amis.
xoxo

(Photo creds here, mantra here)

A Monday Mantra—>Words on a Wedneday—> Just a Plain Thursday

I'm ignoring the fact that I have the worst writer's block I may have had ever.
I'm also ignoring the fact that I'm a bit discouraged right now.
And the fact that this is my first post in I don't know how many days.
In case you didn't know, life as a 25 year old is hard. And sometimes, among the singleness and champagne and beautiful friends and family around you (it sounds so terrible, right?), life seems lonely, in a crazy sort of way. But when you read things like this, everything gets pulled right into perspective. And you're reminded that even if you don't have the words to tell your readers and friends and family where you are, someone else did. And this girl—she did (and I thank you!).

So because of Whitney, I started thinking today about outside circumstances that might affect my ride (seriously, read it here) and, more specifically, my happiness. Because I talk a lot about happiness. Joy, inspiration, thanksgiving—those are all very important things in my daily life that also happen to be void without happiness. Those are the importance things. Those are the things that we can, if you're like me that is, judge our happiness by.
But who are we to determine our own happiness?

I was talking with my best friend today and something interesting came into our conversation. She mentioned she was scared to pray about a situation she needed peace about because she was scared of the answer.
Scared of revilement.
Scared of absolute clarity.
Scared of the consequences and the loss that comes with being absolutely happy.

Isn't that strange, that the utmost thing we seek may be brought to us through the utmost thing we are most afraid to lose? Losing comfort. Losing security. Losing the known to embrace the unknown. I found myself agreeing whole heartedly in a way I didn't know I felt. We are both, you see, plan girls. I like to see all my options, my future, my choices laid out in front of me with a clear pro/con list beside them all debating what the most logical decision is. And while hope is a key to my day, oftentimes I find myself hoping without absolute trust. Without asking, what if? And if not, then? But then what?
But what happens when you choose trust with absolute abandon?
What happens when you choose the very most thing you are scared of because that is where you will find the most honest answer?

Happiness happens, my friend. Joy. Clarity. Contentment. All the things that are most desired to live a fulfilling life happen when we choose to trust Him to navigate the way. Oh captain, my captain.

I write more freely write now than I have written in weeks. Not about fashion, or food, or entertaining—none of the things I am "good at." But about life, the most unclear circumstance of them all, the most unstable path in my future, made completely safe because He says "I will show you the way." And that is a confidence like no other.

And I write with utmost confidence because I believe what I seek has been put in my heart by Someone who knows me better than I know myself. He has put my hope in me, He has formed my dreams, and given me my aspirations. Being able to enjoy the ride that is life on the way to these things is a gift we have from above—a perk, a benefit to enjoy uncertainty that, really, only those that trust might experience. Because happiness comes from trust. And the little things that make us happy—the things that make each normal day worth enduring—those things are in our hands to recognize while He does the rest.

Seek trust. Seek happiness. Find contentment. Find joy.
Happy Monday Mantra on a Thursday, kids. I think this may just be a new beginning.
I promise I'll stop getting deep on you one day and return to your regular scheduled programming. But until then...
xoxo

Monday Mantra

There is good news and there is bad news today.

The good news is—I’m all moved in my new carriage house! It is the coziest little new home, and I’m obsessed with the floor to ceiling windows that allows a flood of natural light in at all times. I may never leave—if you can’t find me, check my balcony for me posted up with a cup of coffee.

The bad news—I’m now exhausted. So my words are few today, but the week ahead needs a little extra encouragement in my neck of the words. A few sweet words to remember:

Happy Monday!
xoxo

(Sources found here)