What We Learned... the February Edition

I am still in a bit of a phase because... how can it even be March already, right?  But it is... and you guys know how much I love linking up for What We Learned... even though every single time I am all like, "Did I learn anything? What even happened last month? Why don't I keep a running list of all the things?"

Thank God for Social Media, right? (It helps remind me of the things I learned! Grace, ya'll... I'm 40something now!)

Let's Go!

What We Learned in February...

12 Random Things That I Have Learned. 

1. I learned that in this Valley, things can appear to be all fogged in - but sometimes all we need to do is lift our vision higher!... 

I wrote about how there is Glory in the fog in January... but after weeks and weeks of it, by February I was getting weary of not seeing too far in front of me.  But then I remembered... I live in a Valley.  As in literally... we are surrounded by hills.  Sometimes I forget that we live in a Valley and sometimes the thick fog and cloud covering is only resting down on us.

From below, in the midst of it... it feels like it's all of heaven that is closed up and blocking our view. But, as I drove up just a little, I began to see differently. I began to remember... I began to Wonder... You see, we can rise above it!  

We can go up and over and see things from a different perspective... from Heaven's perspective (because we are seated in heavenly places and all of that!) and oh my goodness... a change in perspective --a bit of clarity and clear thinking and expanded vision does wonders!

2. I learned that even though I have NO ROOM ya'll for any new coffee mugs or teacups... Well, I just can't say no! 

See? Could you say no? I mean - they are freaking adorable and they are BIRDS - so, hello? They are called mine!

3. I (re)learned that YouTube Tutorials ROCK... 

Seriously - we have used YouTube tutorials for appliance and car repairs, for learning chords to songs, for all sorts of things!  When a friend mentioned having a creative block - we made an art date right then and there and instead of opting for a deep lesson or learning a new technique - we found something whimsical and fun and doable and we just dove right in while we visited and it was DIVINE! (I made two... one for keeps, and one for a Valentiney Giveaway on my blog last month!)  

 
4. I learned that Voxer is an amazing App that God loves to use... For real... He loves it! 

So, I ended up not signing up to host an If:Local this year and decided to just watch it online livestreaming on my own.  But as the date got closer, I just didn't feel like I wanted to invite people over per say - but I knew it would be better with friends! I posted on facebook how I was watching it alone and before we knew it we had an offical If:Voxer planned and oh my goodness, ya'll? God. Showed. Up.  It was powerful and amazing and we are STILL using that thread to chat with each other and continue to pray and encourage one another!  I also have a Wednesday "Prayer Meeting" via Voxer and I am not even kidding when I say Jesus LOVES to Vox! 


5. I learned that when it looks AND feels like Spring outside, you forgo the Gym and just hit the road- and also, you try to forget that as much as you LOVE tennis, you actually don't PLAY tennis, but you can sure look the part... 

So - I know... I know much of America has loathed February and gotten an onslaught of wintry weather but here out West - well... it's unseasonably warm and sunny and we may pay for it later and be rending the heavens for rain come summer - but right now? Well - right now, I am skipping the gym and just tying my laces and hitting the pavement!

Oh yes - and then there is tennis! So - many of you may know that I LOVE tennis! I mean - I will lose sleep to watch the Australian Open - even attempting to 'watch' it online because we gave up Cable but that is a whole other thing... I love tennis! My hubby is a player... and my daughter played through all of her growing up years and through high school competitively. I miss the matches and the drama and the great volleys.  Here's the thing: I was going blind as a child and had eye surgery that saved my sight but affected my depth perception.  It makes hand-eye coordination (and - sports, specifically) tricky at times.  

So - I know how to play... I know what my body should be doing... but I rarely get my brain and body to agree. Still - it was all Spring-like and the courts were flirting with us! My Honey is a saint and oh so patient and he fed me balls over the net and we practiced hitting for an hour or more... then I went for a walk around the park so the Wall could give him more of a run for his money! 


6. I learned that even though our Girlie is all grown up, we still like to spend Valentine's Day together as a family... 

I know this may not always be the case! One day she will have her own Valentine and he will make his own plans with her, so we were thrilled when she kept the day open for us and we got to spend it all together! A walk (because - hello Spring!) and lunch out... a little Valentine gift and just relaxing as a family.  It was a day of celebrating Love and it was filled with the things and people we hold most dear! What a gift!


7. I learned that when hosting a party - of any kind, but especially a Shower or formal gathering, there simply must be a cut off time that one is allowed to troll Pinterest... 

 So, my girlie and I are hosting a Baby Shower for her BFF and while I LOVE Pinterest and all things hostessy... um - I HAVE to cut myself off from the continuous Pinning of ideas of All The Things!  

I give myself a week to browse and pick a theme. Then 2-3 days to pin theme specific ideas and recipes but after that I must log off and stay away!  There are just too many ideas and it can lead to being over stimulated (not to mention over budget!) and it can open the door to perfectionistic ideals. Still - you guys - I can not wait for this Shower... (I'm not even showing you the cutest parts!)


8. I (re)learned that - for real, you guys, Jesus wants to be our friend... I 

I think in our loud, chaotic world - we forget that God is at work, at all times, working things out for our good. I think we forget that He is with us, IN us, ...that He calls us His friend, His beloved, His Bride.  We forget that He is intimately aware and in tune with us and when life feels heavy, often our knee-jerk reaction is to just push through... to do it on our own, head down, will strong, determination flaring and all the while, He is right beside us, willing and wanting to help a sister out!  I think some of our hardest days break His heart too but not just because ours is breaking, but because He is right there, able to help, and we forget... or worse yet, we believe a lie that He's too busy or won't come through for us. We forget to hope... to dare to believe... Let Hope arise, ya'll!  He is good!  He is a good God. He can be trusted! 

9. I learned that even in Nailing It on Time Management, I'm still not the Boss of me... 

I have been focusing on 'better' time management this year, and it's been going great! Right in the middle of nailing it, in the past few weeks, I am hearing Him call to me to come away with Him. It turns out even in my efficiency, I am not the boss of me after all!  


10. I learned that sometimes, in February, when the sun breaks through the clouds and you stumble upon a Sunny Spot in the living room --well, that is an invitation to Rest... 

I am still learning to embrace the lack-of-having-anything-to-show-for-my-time thing... I still fight against the lack of seeming productivity - but when I walked by my living room, and found the sun had broken through the cloud cover and I still had half of my latte left and my books were still laid out from the morning --well, how could I not accept the invitation to just go and sit awhile and soak up the sun?


11. I learned that sometimes your husbands' desire to be more spontaneous scores you a Meet and Greet, some surprise tickets, and a picnic lunch down by the river...          

Yes. This!  My Honey has One Word this year and it is Change. Along with that, he is wanting to be less predictable and more spontaneous.  It's been going good - I have been trying to stay adventurous and ready for the unexpected with him and when a friend tagged me in a photo with coordinates from Alton Browns' facebook page - well, our Sunday plans fell to the roadside and we decided to go check it out!   

         
We ended up meeting Alton and getting tickets to his show - which was so fun! - and then we went to Selah to get lunch and take it down by the river... later, we sat WAY up in the upper balcony to watch Alton tell stories and cook and simply entertain us! None of that stuff was in our plans but it was the perfect day!     

12. I learned that even though you already watched/attended an If:Gathering, if there is an If:Local - even if you don't know anyone there and don't belong to that church - you should remember that you are fasting Negativity and not indulging in Self-Doubt and the word on your Rock the first time around was "You Are Ready - Just Start Speaking" - so you go... 

You put on your Brave, and pull up your Big Girl panties... put on your If:Gathering T, layer some necklaces and pull on your boots and you go!  It was great and the ladies were all very welcoming and kind. While I was hoping that I would have some sort of epiphany as to why I felt like He wanted me to go... and I didn't get that yet... I am glad that I went! 

Baby steps into Brave, right?
    Oh - and my Rock this time around?

"What Comfort Zone?"

Gulp ...uh oh! (and To Be Continued!)

I am Linking up with EMILY FREEMAN

Join us!

Linking up with these lovely ladies:

Holly Barrett for #TestimonyTuesday

Kelly Balarie for #RaRaLinkUp

So - what about you? What did you learn in last month?