Pondering

"I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received." Ephesians 4:1

This verse has weighed heavy on my heart...am I living the life I was called to live? Am I using my gifts and talents that are 100% God given for His glory, or am I just wandering around "dabbling" in this and that, and missing God's best for me?

I often tell Brad that I want to live with no regrets. I don't want to look back when were old and wrinkly and go thru a list of "should-a, could-a, would-a's". I want to live every day "worthy of the calling we have received". I don't want to always play it safe and do what seems to be the logical thing - I want to take leaps of faith, even when our choices to everyone else seems crazy. When I get overloaded with what the world tells me I should be doing and I'm stressed out, unhappy, and overwhelmed - I have to remind myself of what Brad and I were called to do - to serve Him. To minister to His children, teach His Word, and live a life of worship. THAT'S our calling...THAT'S our purpose...THAT'S when Brad and I are "living a life worthy of the calling we have received".

A few years ago, I was at a Beth Moore conference and she talked about how we are to know what we are supposed to do with our lives. She said God gives every one of us a passion for something. For her, that passion was teaching His Word and writing...and, that's what she does - and, has taught and encouraged MILLIONS of people about Jesus by doing it. She said that her advice to anyone trying to see what God's will is for their lives is to do what you are passionate about doing - God wouldn't give us that passion unless He wanted us to use it for something.

So, these are the things that I find myself pondering - what IS my passion? What's that one thing that breathes life in to me when I do it, talk about it, think about it? Am I using it for God's glory and "living a life worthy of the calling I have received", or am I too busy spending time doing what the world tells me is safe and logical?

Sorry for the random, scattered thoughts today....

O Happy Day!

I have waited for the day to get to share this for soooo very long. My cousin, Lori - who I mention often - is MUCH more like my sister than cousin...and, we are SOOOO much alike, it's a little scary sometimes! HA!

Well, after much anticipation and waiting on the Lord for His perfect timing....I got to watch this happen Sunday afternoon...
YAAHHHHOOOOOO!!!!!!!! Lori is engaged! To her Prince Charming, I might add. He is the perfect fit - so sweet, genuine, loves Jesus, and is absolutely smitten with Lori...and, all those things make me love him!

Lori and Brandon, I reached a new level of happiness on Sunday! I am BEYOND WORDS ecstatic that the Lord chose to put you in each other's lives, and am so thankful for His perfect timing. I love you both, and can't wait to hear you pronounced "Mr. and Mrs."!

Summer Harvest

One of the many, many reasons Summer is one of the BEST times of the year...

I have "put up" as we say here in the South (translation: canned or froze vegetables for winter) okra, squash, green beans, bell pepper, and some of the most fabulous Gourmet Pickles you've ever tasted in your life...they'll make you slap yo' mama, and I'm not even kidding! Canning and freezing food makes me feel so domestic and wifely :)

Unbelievably, I've not made a single trip to the Farmer's Market this year - which I typically visit at least once a week during the summer. Brad's parents have a garden this year, and have graciously shared LOTS of veggies with us, and several sweet families from church have brought heaping bags filled with fresh-picked produce for us to have. I'm so thankful for the family and friends that have shared their wonderful garden goodness with us!!! We have enjoyed it soooo very much!

Just a side note - "Learn how to can food" was #3 on my 30 by 30 List and, I'm proud to cross that one off the list :)

Sweetness

Yesterday, I went to eat lunch with my mom, sister, and the kids at one of our favorite lunch spots. When I came in, Carolyne was bouncing with anticipation to give me this:

(It says: "From Carolyne and Sam", and in the heart at the bottom: "I Love Ellie")

I opened it to find this:

Carolyne has been very troubled to find out that Ellie Jane broke her little pink bow that the groomer had put in her hair last week. So, Carolyne decided she must do something - because Ellie NEEDED another hairbow - and pulled this bow out the hair of a stuffed dog to give to Ellie. So, of course I had to put the bow in Ellie's hair... which stayed in a total of 3.4 seconds - just long enough for me to snap a picture!

Thank you, Carolyne for being such a sweet "cousin" to Ellie :)

To Infinity and Beyond

Friday, I went with Leslie and the 4 Favorites (Kailey, Kenedi, Carolyne, and Sam) to see Toy Story 3. With popcorn and Coke in hand, and the ultra cool 3D glasses on (HA!!), they were so excited to watch Buzz, Woody, and the gang in their newest adventure :)

Sam is a Toy Story F.A.N.A.T.I.C. - he has loved Buzz and Woody LONG before news of the making of Toy Story 3 was released. He was Buzz for Hallowen this past year. Valerie and Robby got so excited last spring when they found him a Buzz Lightyear and Woody doll in Atlanta because they were no where to be found locally...amazing what can change in a year, huh??!!

The movie was too cute, and believe those that say they cried at the end - it is definitely a tear jerker!

First Haircut

Ellie Jane took her first trip to see Mrs. Sallie at the Pet Parlor this week! We had to wait for several weeks because open appointments at Sallie's are hard to come by...but, we finally got a call this week that there was an opening!

I of course had to get a before and after shot of Ellie since it was her first hair cut! I felt crazy when I whipped out my camera, but Sallie told me people do it all the time and we got into a lengthy discussion about cameras...so, I guess I'm not the only crazy person out there! HA!!

Before grooming:

After grooming:

She looks so much better! But, the bow just cracks me up! She absolutely HATES it, which is so how I'm sure my little girls will be since I LOVE big hairbows! She shakes her head all the time to try to get it to fall out, but it is still in there after two days. We'll see how much longer it will last...

Bailey Bash on the Bay 2010

One of my absolute most FAVORITE weeks of the year is the week leading up to the 4th of July! This is my family's annual Bailey Bash on the Bay (at Weiss Lake), and we have a BLAST! I have the most amazing family, and we have the best time together cooking, playing on the water, laughing, playing games, eating wonderful food...it's a week I look forward to all year long!

Chillin' at the house...

My mom and dad - love them so much!

Bad-to-the-bone Sam - he loves motorcycles!

Sweet little Payton - isn't he beautiful??!!My cousin, Cole, and his wife, Nichole - we did the floral designs and catering for their wedding back in the fall :)
Good times at the pool...

Having fun in the lake...

What do you think we were all crowded together for??

Water balloons!! It doesn't matter how old you are, water balloon fights are so much FUN!!One of the things I enjoy the most is watching fireworks by the lake. We lay out quilts, sometimes the boys play music, and we watch the fireworks across the water! So much fun!

Last year my cousin Lori had a great idea to have a photographer come and do some family photos, and they were so good we did it again! Thanks Vickie for doing such an incredible job!!

The Bailey Family... My cousins... My family...The Powell family...

It was such a great week - I can't WAIT for next year!!

Watermelon Wedding

Well, hello! Sorry for my absence the past couple of weeks...life has been B.U.S.Y. in the world of Hayley and the blog has suffered because of it! But, I'm back and loading pictures like crazy!

A couple of weeks ago I did floral designs for a wedding for a sweet couple. The color scheme - pink, pink, and more pink. Front the lightest shade to deep vibrant hot pink...I covered the spectrum!

"My colors are blush and bashful...Your colors are PINK and PINK - that sanctuary's gonna look like it's been sprayed down with Pepto Bismol."....sorry, my weird mind thinks of everything in either a theme song or movie scene - I had a Steel Magnolia's flashback. :)

With a few pops of white, purple, and lime green it was a perfectly beautiful summer wedding!

The Bride's bouquet - the monogrammed linen handkerchief was her "something old" (it was her grandfather's) and "something blue" (her new initials in blue)...the handkerchief was a surprise that her mom asked me to tie on to the bouquet. I just love it!

The reception flowers were arranged in watermelons...that's right - straight into the watermelon! They turned out so pretty and unique, and just scream SUMMER!

Check back in tomorrow for some snippets of one of my most FAVORITE weeks of the year....