life lately. {according to instagram}

instagram: joyfulamber

 pretty trees and sun flare.

 hehe, aren't they adorable?

pine cone love.

 pretty sky.

oklahoma sunrise. 

gorgeous day.

flower.

sunset in the horizon.

fun with lights and the Christmas tree.

i love this time of year. 

my favorite ornaments!

gorgeous oklahoma sunset.

it's beginning to look a lot like christmas!

i put up the CHRISTmas tree this weekend. it was so much fun. my grandma came over for awhile and watched me decorate. "the santa clause" was on tv. it was wonderful. i love this time of year!

isn't it purdy? :)

we've had these for years. it's boomer's favorite thing to knock over.

fun with the lights and camera.

i love pinterest.

i do. and i'm not afraid to let everyone know. 

i found these adorable Christmas ornament vases on pinterest and had to make them.

 aren't they adorable? a new twist on decorating with Christmas ornaments.

randomness around the property.

our pond. i love where i live.

gorgeous oklahoma sunset.

moon bokeh. how awesome is that?

we have the cutest inflatables ever.

life lately. {according to instagram}

 beautiful nature.

 dandelion.

 pretty trees.

 another stellar oklahoma sunset.

 reading in the waiting room with a stellar view.

 hot chocolate.

 see the moon?

mcalister's sweet tea. epic.

hey, everyone! the past week has been cuh-razy. my grandma is doing well. thank you all for the prayers. this has been an emotional week. the good, the bad, and the ugly. but i am so thankful for a God who loves me no matter what. i am thankful for grace, for a new perspective, for love. i poured my heart out to the Lord last night via my journal. sometimes i can't say it right, so i write. the Lord knows what's on my heart. He is faithful. His Word is my lifeline. He knows just what i need at just the right time. after a tough week, He poured His words into my soul like a refreshing spring. 

²¹ Then I realized that my heart was bitter,
      and I was all torn up inside.
 ²² I was so foolish and ignorant—
      I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.
 ²³ Yet I still belong to you;
      you hold my right hand.
 ²⁴ You guide me with your counsel,
      leading me to a glorious destiny.
 ²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but you?
      I desire you more than anything on earth.
 ²⁶ My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
      but God remains the strength of my heart;
      he is mine forever.

 ²⁷ Those who desert him will perish,
      for you destroy those who abandon you.
 ²⁸ But as for me, how good it is to be near God!
      I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter,
      and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.

-psalm 73:21-28. (NLT)

instagram: joyfulamber  

an attitude of gratitude.

today i am thankful for:

• my daddy. he aired up my tires yesterday instead of taking a long nap. he's the best!
• books. i've stopped watching some tv shows and replaced them with books. 
• running water. this is a luxury that we take for granted.
• grace. Lord knows i need it.
• my job. or i should say: just to have a job.
• google. oh, the things i google.
• joy. not the kind made from things. the kind that only comes from the Lord. pure joy.

life lately. {according to instagram}

 

new hair color: chestnut brown.

reflection.

sunlight.

pretty.

fall.

salted caramel mocha frappuccino. addicted.

beautiful fall.

 

CHRISTmas is on its way!



instagram: joyfulamber 

ponderings of the heart.

• as women, we should be supporting each other, not tearing one another down with words and gossip. jealousy rears its ugly head when a woman encounters another woman who may be wealthier, prettier, skinnier, etc. we are all given different talents, abilities, beauty, and uniqueness. at some point, we have all felt less than another. that insecurity can eat your confidence for lunch if you let it. what a revolution it would be if we genuinely support and want another woman to succeed. be the change.

• in the past month, i have witnessed firsthand how not taking care of your body affects you in the long run. if you live off chips, fast food, pop, etc., you are slowly setting yourself up for health problems. and if you smoke, not only do you smell disgusting, but you are also increasing your risk of cancer. take care of yourself. eat right, exercise, drink water. (hey, if i can drink water, i know you can.) and don't forget to take care of your teeth. brush and floss at least 3 times everyday. as someone who hid her smile for yeeeears, i know how it feels to be embarrassed for others to see your teeth. the Lord blessed me with braces and dental care when i was 21. i haven't stopped smiling since! take care of that pretty smile. :)  

•  it breaks my heart (and partly sickens me) that young girls have role models who became famous from a sex tape, or that actin' a fool on a reality show is going to make them the next starlet to grace the covers of those trashy gossip magazines. society is killing the talent and confidence of young girls and women. we are told that skinny is beautiful, sex with multiple guys is okay, and taking down other people is the only way to get to the top. in my opinion, a role model is someone whose faith outshines their beauty; one whose character and integrity are admired qualities; one who respects herself enough to be modest because our bodies are temples. women of faith, like esther and mary. even women like rahab and bathsheba, both with a scandalous past, rose above their mistakes and played a key role in the lineage of Jesus Christ. those women are true role models.