frugal (ˈfroōgəl)

adjective
sparing or economical with regard to money or food : he led a remarkably frugal existence. See note at economical .
• simple and plain and costing little : a frugal meal.

In my mind I have grand aspirations to be a wife and mother who is infinitely resourceful and doesn't have to spend a lot of money to provide a lot.  I want to clip coupons and save tons of money on food.  I want to bake bread and cake and cookies from scratch so that they are always on hand and the house smells like a delicious bakery when my kids come home from school.  I want to have unique decorations in my house that I made myself.  I guess basically I want to be supermom and it probably will never happen (I am not crafty or incredibly creative) but nevertheless, to this I aspire.
Today while perusing my Pinterest homepage I came across a pin that led me to find the Fake-It Frugal blog on Blogspot.  Horray!  A like mind who publicly posts how she achieves these frugal aspirations.  Reading her blog, I am provided with the ideas that my non-crafty, non-creative mind can not conceive of independently.  I am one step closer to the dream.

PS- I especially liked the Fake Bettey Crocker cookie mixes idea.  This will be where I begin.

Humility (h)yoōˈmilitē

noun
a modest or low view of one's own importance; humbleness.

Everyone enjoys recognition for what they have accomplished and it is very upsetting when you feel like your hard work is ignored.  I think it is part of our human nature's desire to be special and stand out from everyone else.  This is where the humility aspect has to come in but this has always been something I struggle with.  I am no stranger to the desire to be the center of attention and I'm told that this began when I posed for pictures at age two, modeling my new bathing suits.  In high school I found a new outlet for this desire for attention- the stage.  I joined the choir and participated in all of the variety shows and musicals.  The stage is a place a place to display one's talents and can often to a diva complex unless one is careful.  The long hours of rehearsal and sore feet from dancing were well worth the standing ovation from the audience at the end of the show.  The thrill of standing behind the curtain before the lights come up combined with the praise of friends and family after the final bow paid for all the work leading up to that point plus some.

However, last night at the end of tech rehearsal, I was reminded of something more important than the praise of men.  Something that, as performers, we should keep in the front of our minds.  We should be humble, recognizing that the audience's applause is not the ultimate reward that we should be seeking.  Instead, we should strive to do our best on the stage because by doing so we honor the Lord.  And so, I head off to dress rehearsal tonight, striving to keep in mind that humility is the prettiest costume I could ever wear on the stage and that glorifying the Lord is much more rewarding that all the praise of the audience.

Costume rack backstage for Annie Get Your Gun (photo credit Alyssa Bouma)

Tranquil (ˈtra ng kwəl)

adjective
free from disturbance; calm : her tranquil gaze | the sea was tranquil.

I hesitate to admit this but... it is true that I enjoy traveling through Europe more than I enjoy touring the United States. While I am a little bit ashamed that I have seen so little of my own country, I am simply much more drawn to the sights abroad. Whenever I travel thru Europe I am always struck by the amazing architectural sights that are present in almost every city. And the history, ah...the histories are so rich. Anndd...time for another confession- I love monarchies! The stories of royal families- they are so filled with romance and intrigue...so thrilling. Seeing the luxuriant opulent places where they lived and spent their lives is one of my favorite stops on a European tour.  The best is when I can visit places that combine beautiful architecture, a fascinating history, AND some aspect of the life of a monarch!  Here are a few pictures to demonstrate...

Majesty (ˈmajəstē) noun
1 impressive stateliness, dignity, or beauty : experience the majesty of the Rockies.
2 royal power : the majesty of the royal household.

Buckingham Palace

Grace (grās) noun
-Simple elegance or refinement of movement : she moved through the water with effortless grace.

Westminster Abbey

Power (ˈpou(-ə)r) noun
1 the ability to do something or act in a particular way, esp. as a faculty or quality : the power of speech | [with infinitive ] the power to raise the dead | ( powers) his powers of concentration.
2 the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events : the idea that men should have power over women | she had me under her power.

Edinburgh Castle

It was not until this trip however that I also realized the incredible beauty of nature. This realization came upon me in Ireland when we went to the Cliffs of Moher. In person the cliffs were towering, powerful, majestic, graceful, breathtaking, enchanting...everything that a picture can not completely capture. But attempt to capture I did as I snapped picture after picture of various angles and aspects of the cliffs.

O'Brien's Tower

But then, when I looked down into the gray-blue water, I realized that the true beauty of the natural landscape is found in its tranquility. As the waves crashed at the base of the cliffs in their steady rhythm, a wonderful sense of peace descended upon me. I was mesmerized by the water. The waves came towards me as the wind blew sideways, creating little ripples and eddies that I could have watched for hours..another thing that the camera can’t completely capture :) Part of this fascination was because we had been spending the majority of our time in busy cities and I was glad for this foray into the countryside, away from the noise.  But the other side of this mesmerize-ment was due to the overwhelming calm that arose out of the strange amalgam of raw power, bitter cold, and desolate view that are these cliffs.  It was then that I stopped trying to take pictures and instead let the peace of the cliffs surround me, watching the water and listening to the wind fill me with a sense of the true beauty of nature.