coffee date.

it's that time again! time to grab a cup of the drink of your choice and let me get to know y'all more.

[1] what are you ordering today?

[2] if you could witness any biblical story, which would you choose?

[3] if you could travel out of the country, where would you go?

[4] who would you choose to narrate the movie of your life story?

[5] what is your favorite holiday/celebration?


[1] today i ordered a vanilla iced coffee with extra ice because it's already way too warm outside.
[2] the parting of the red sea. to see the people walking on dry land with the water parted -- that had to be so totally awesome.
[3] uganda. i want to meet my sweet kwagala peace.
[4] i know most people say morgan freeman, but i'm going with steve carell. what can i say? i like to laugh.
[5] Christmas! it's the most wonderful time of the year. ♥

sunday school, week [4]

lesson learned from week four of teaching sunday school:

• notice that it's not lessons, but lesson. there is a lesson i learned this week that is as vibrant as an oklahoma sunset:

a bible treasure hunt is the best idea. ever.

yes, indeed.

i spent all week researching, preparing, and making notecards.

i went up to the church saturday night to set up and get everything ready.

here's how a bible treasure hunt works:

the kids are given a card with a clue (bible verse) on it. 

after looking up the verse, they must figure out what the clue is referring to.  

the answer directs them to another object/place where they will find another card with a verse to direct them to the next.

this continues until the last card directs you to the treasure.

to unlock the treasure, you have to take your clue cards and put the words together that are written on the back. 

[since this is a bible treasure hunt, they put the words from their memory verse in order]

example:

- matthew 7:7. ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened for you. okay, knock... door... the next clue is on a door. 

- john 15:5. I am the vine; you are the braches. if you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me, you can do nothing. okay, the next clue is on a vine or branch. [outside to the trees we go!]

- 2 corinthians 3:3. you show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. letter. we get letters in the mail. [mailbox]

i was able to come up with 13 bible verse clues.

this week's memory verse is:

for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. [matthew 6:21]

where we put our focus and our time, or our treasure, is where our hearts are.

when we put our time and focus on God, we get great rewards (better than any treasure) in return.

the kids liked the treasure hunt.

they were anxious to get to the next clue, sometimes running ahead when they figured it out.

one of the boys told me that it was really fun. totally made it all worth it!

of course, there had to be a treasure at the end of a treasure hunt.

over the weekend.

5 tidbits of wisdom i learned:
- it is perfectly acceptable to have a "boy band" dance party by yourself at any age.
- if you haven't rode a bicycle in over 10 years, be prepared to be sore in odd places.
- a bible treasure hunt is so fun.
- our words are a matter of life and death.
- "God will never give me more than i can handle" is misleading. truth is: we can't handle anything without God. adversity and tough times drive us closer to God. He did say that He would never leave us or forsake us. "if He brings you to it, He'll bring you through it".

4 things i'm thankful for:
- having the ability to journal my thoughts and hopes and lessons learned.
- taco bueno soft tacos.
- not crashing and burning while "test-riding" my new bicycle in walmart. close call.
- finishing a book!

3 things i learned about myself over the weekend:
- i am most content with the Word and an iced coffee in hand.
- my "great ideas" usually end with me having random bruises all over my body.
- i am okay with being single while everyone else is getting engaged, married, and having babies. you know what all those things have in common when celebrated? cake. and I LOVE CAKE.

2 blog posts i'm currently lovin':
- this post by my beautiful friend, cassie.
- this post by jon acuff.

1 thing i read:
"tolerance doesn't mandate conformity to other's beliefs." -mark matlock.

advice from a tree.

stand tall and proud
go out on a limb

remember your roots

drink plenty of water

be content with your natural beauty

enjoy the view

idea: pinterest
picture: mine

coffee date.

[1] as usual, what are you ordering today?

[2] what is your favorite quote?

[3] if you could write a book, what would it be about?

[4] who do you consider to be your hero?

[5] what are your 3 favorite movies to watch over and over again?



[1] today i ordered a caramel machiatto iced coffee.
[2] "faith in God includes faith in His timing."
[3] i would write a book to girls about learning to love yourself and who God created you to be.
[4] my grandma gracie. she was so in love with Jesus and wasn't afraid to let you know. i miss her so much.
[5] transformers, a walk to remember, and sweet home alabama.

sunday school, week three.

key lessons learned from week three:

• if you know me, you know that i burp like a grown man. [it's not something i'm ashamed of, because in the 6th grade, i suffered from acid reflux. my doctor told me not to hold in burps. i don't remember the reason why he told me to let 'em out, but i took the advice because that was a miserable time in my life. (i had an AR attack in the middle of history class one time. i was gasping and all the kids were looking at me like i was some foreign creature they'd never seen before. needless to say, i was all for trying whatever it took to relieve my AR.)] i was waiting for the boys to get seated when i let out a burp. i heard one of them say, "she burped. that. was. cool." oops. did i do thaaaaat? the boys proceeded to grab their drinks and let me hear their burps. thankfully, they got distracted and forgot to finish their burping contest. 

• let the kids silently role play the bible story while you tell it. they reeeeally get into it. when it came time to discuss the story, i was surprised to see just how much of the story they remembered and knew. thank you, Jesus.

• the prayers of children are so honest and to-the-point. no fancy-schmancy words; no eloquent speech. just direct and beautiful.

this week, the kids learned about saul's conversion.

all i could think about while studying and teaching this lesson is a lyric from a toby mac song:

"since i got that call, no more saul; now i'm paul."

saul did all he could to imprison believers, but by the end of the story, saul becomes a believer himself.

the memory verse fits perfectly with the story of saul's conversion:

"therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.
the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 corinthians 5:17.

the kids deciphered their memory verse using a code.

 it was the quietest two minutes i've ever seen those boys!

as i was cleaning up, i noticed another prayer request had been added to the board.

"megen in honderes".

it is the sweetest thing.

meagan: we love ya and are praying for ya!

it's funny to me:

i am teaching these kids, but they are also teaching me.

i am humbled.

over the weekend.

 beauty is everywhere // vanilla caramel latte & Jesus time // perspective          

5 tidbits of wisdom from the weekend:
- you know you have a problem when you dream that penguins came to visit you at church.
- you can never have too many cardigans.
- little boys think burps are cool, especially when they come from a girl.
- no one can make you feel a certain way unless you allow them to.
- children teach you more than you teach them.

4 things i'm thankful for:
- air conditioning
- friday shopping trips with mama
- the "unsubscribe" option on facebook
- the prayers of children

3 blog posts i'm currently lovin':
- this post by marie, who was in the theater shooting in colorado.
- this post by aarean of the color issue.
- this post by my sweet friend, lauren.

2 things i'm looking forward to this week:
- reading more of the books i've started.
- diving deeper into the soul detox plan.

1 thing i read:

God made my life complete when i placed all the pieces before him.
   when i got my act together, He gave me a fresh start.
   now i'm alert to God's ways; i don't take God for granted.
every day i review the ways He works; i try not to miss a trick.
i feel put back together, and i'm watching my step.
   God rewrote the text of my life when i opened the book of my heart to His eyes. 

psalm 18:20-24 [msg]

dear self:

george strait was right when he sang about how mirrors don't really tell the whole truth or show what's deep inside.
but for years, you believed the exact opposite.

looking at yourself in a mirror revealed every flaw, mistake, and regret.
your lack of confidence seeped into the deep places of your heart.
you didn't know that you were worth so much more.

the past year has been an eye-opener for you.
you are learning about yourself and who you are.

you found that your worth is not in a boy, but in Jesus Christ.
Christ tells you that you are fearfully and wonderfully made, which is a change from the lies you usually tell yourself.

those acne scars you so desperately try to hide with makeup are not a reflection of your beauty.
He made you in His image.
the scars on your heart do not mean that you will never find a man who thinks you're worthy.
Jesus lives in your heart.
the mistakes you have made do not mean that He loves you any less.
you are forgiven.

you are worth it.
so much that Jesus thought you were to die for.
He took that burden, hung on a cross, and died a shameful death so that you could live a life free of regret and shame.

you are loved, my dear.

you are amber: pale, awkward, hilarious in your own head, and always finding the good in every circumstance.
you have flaws, but they make you who you are.

always be yourself.
love yourself.
and remember that you are a daughter of the King, loved by the Creator of the universe.

and you are worth it.

the adventures of milo and gwennie.

hello, friends!
we are back for another installment of the adventures of milo and gwennie.

this week, we went for a walk around the property.

it's mid-july in oklahoma and that can only mean one thing: it's HOT.
here are some things we saw while exploring the pasture.

we saw some flowers.
fellas, give your lady a flower once in awhile.
chicks dig that stuff.

we also discovered a pine cone tree.
pine cones are funny looking.

we made our way to the pond and were shocked to see how dried up it was.
now we know why amber is always praying for rain.

well, that's all folks.

see y'all next week!

(like that "y'all"? we're southern penguins now)

coffee date.

these coffee dates are becoming one of my favorite parts of the week!

[1] what did you order today?

[2] what is your biggest goal for 2012?

[3] what was your favorite cartoon as a kid?

[4] if you won a shopping spree, where would you spend the money?

[5] what is your favorite season of the year?



[1] today i ordered a hot tazo black tea.
[2] to read the bible from cover to cover.
[3] scooby doo! he is still my favorite.
[4] target. they have the best... everything.
[5] fall. because of football! oh, and boots. OH! and pumpkin spice lattes. i love fall. :)

over the weekend.

the weekend was all about VBS.
i'm sad it's over, but glad to get some sleep.
the best part of the weekend was playing volleyball with the kids/youth yesterday.
i'm sore, but it's so worth it.

i spent saturday doing absolutely nothing. and it was awesome.
i watched some episodes of friends and took a photo walk around the property.

5 things i learned this weekend:
- images look so much better when shot in manual.
- 3-inch heels + gravel = no bueno.
- kids are always watching and listening.
- kindness is contagious.
- blessings come in many forms, even in the revealing of our faults.

4 things i'm thankful for:
- sunday afternoon naps that last a little too long.
- little hugs from little girls.
- pine cones. they remind me of my grandma gracie.
- God's perfect, just-when-you-need-it timing.

3 things i'm looking forward to this week:
- sleep
- actually getting to read a book
- more sleep

2 blog posts i'm currently lovin':
- this post by emonne markland.
- this post by amanda at here comes the sun.

1 thing i read:
"new rule: if you can name more "bachelorettes" than state capitols, you're not allowed to vote in the next election."
- @notkennyrogers

VBS 2012!

 the stage

 the plane daddy made out of cardboard.

 snacks

baggage claim.

what a week!
when i volunteered to be in charge of crafts this year, i had no idea what to expect.
i learned so much this past week about myself, kids, and life in general.

the craft room

i found myself sitting at work counting down the hours until it was time for VBS.
and when it was time for the kids to go home, i was bummed.

here is what i learned at VBS:

• it's not about the number of kids in attendance; it's about letting kids learn about Jesus.
• kids are always watching. we should always be an example to them in our actions and our speech.
• the creativity in a child's mind is endless and surprising.
• little girls love feathers.
• sandart will always be the coolest craft ever.

when my last class left last night, i thanked them and one of the boys turned around and said,

"no, thank you for setting out the projects for us."

it took all i had not to cry. it was so sweet and unexpected.


God also used this week to bring me into conversations with people i had otherwise not known.
i found myself on my knees asking for forgiveness by night three because of judgements i had made about some people.
just because we form an opinion of someone doesn't mean we know the whole situation.
it was a hard pill to swallow, but i am so grateful to the Lord for showing me my faults.

this week was such a learning experience for me.
the previous years i worked VBS, i was in the office, so i didn't interact with the kids.
to be honest, i don't want to work the office anymore.
i want to work in crafts so i can meet all of the kids and learn even more from them in years to come.



here are some of the crafts we made this week at VBS:

 DAY 1: "amazing wonders aviation" bracelets.

 DAY 2: airplanes made out of jumbo popsicle sticks.

 DAY 3: "ABC" keychains.
(ABC's of salvation - a: admit // b: believe // c: confess)

 DAY 4: tissue-paper crosses. (aka: biggest mess ever!)

DAY 5: sandart. this was by far the kids' favorite craft.

this week was so wonderful.
the lack of sleep to prepare was totally worth it when a little girl looked up at me and exclaimed,

"this is so much fun, like SO much fun!"

i love kids. i love teaching kids. and i love teaching them about Jesus.

i can't wait for VBS 13!

instagram.

instagram: joyfulamber

 rose of sharon // salvation bracelet // beautiful nature

 ah-mazing // progress on the church // mazzio's salad and sweet tea

 prettiness at walmart // my 4-wheeler // prettiness at best buy

 sunflower // boomer likes to read the bible // flowers by the pond

 

   prettiness at walmart // huge dandy // tiny blue flowers behind the office

 i obviously like crepe myrtles.

coffee date.

last week's coffee date was so fun that i've decided to make it a weekly post.

grab your favorite drink and let's do this:


[1] what did you order today?

[2] if you could make a guest appearance on a tv show, which would you choose?

[3] what is your current favorite song at the moment?

[4] what is your favorite day of the week?

[5] if you could go anywhere in the united states for a week, where would you go?


[1] i ordered a vanilla iced coffee & a maple donut.
[2] the walking dead. oh mylanta! i'd want to kill zombies with a bow & arrow, à la katniss everdeen.
[3] "redeemed" by big daddy weave.
[4] sunday! church, afternoon naps, family time -- it's the best.
[5] wilmington, north carolina. i've always wanted to go there! it's where one tree hill was filmed. [sigh. i miss OTH]

the adventures of milo and gwennie.

hello! we are milo and gwennie. 

 {milo & gwennie}

we are king penguins from a sub-antarctic island in northern antartica.

[actually we're from atwoods. amber walked by us while browsing and couldn't pass up our cuteness. we are so thankful she brought us home with her because we won't even go into what those chickens and cows do when they turn those store lights out for the night. party animals.] 

instead of letting us sit on the shelf with all her other penguins, amber decided to let us blog about our weekly adventures.
basically that means she has no life and had this crazy idea that would either make people laugh or declare her clinically insane. 

[we think she's awesome.]

this week, we are at vacation bible school. 

 as you can see, we are up to our beaks in VBS crafts.
amber is in charge of crafts this year, so we get to watch the children make all kinds of fun planes and bracelets.

we are excited to share our adventures with all you humans who read {beauty in humble places}.
you never know where we might show up next!