it’s been warm enough to leave the house sans coat for two days in a row now, i’m so excited!

march maddness is in full swing around the westra household (it’s a basketball kind of deal for those of you who don’t follow). i filled out a bracket predicting who will win the tournament for the first time ever this year. really, i was spitballing. but so far so good! i’ve picked three winners thus far and marquette is currently ahead in tonights game! duke will win the whole thing though. thus sayeth my bracket.

my sweet friend Courtney brought me some land of a thousand hills coffee back from her trip to atlanta, and my father-in-law bought us a new coffee maker this week! 

(we left ours at church last sunday, and he decided a trip to target would be easier than a trip to church!)

needless to say, i am VERY excited for my morning joe tomorrow.  

you should really check Land of a Thousand Hills out.  best. coffee. ever. and it’s fair trade.  why would you not dig it?

as a heads up, i’m making more bagels this weekend and experimenting with a new soup recipe and a traditional argentinian dish next week.   delicious and healthy meal planning brought to your computer, you’re welcome.

i spent some time early today alone with the Lord – SO refreshing.  life’s been rather chaotic lately, so time alone with God has been the pop-tart equivalent of a quiet time at best lately.  one day i will learn to rest.  right now, this little sheep is much more preoccupied with mowing the grass than lying down in green pastures.  oh restless and rebelious soul o’ mine…

i spent some time hanging out in the psalms though…God’s been teaching me a lot lately about refuge (rest…refuge…completely unrelated of course)

“…let all the faithful pray to You while you may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters
   will not reach them.  You are my hiding place; You will protect me from trouble  and surround me with songs of deliverance. I [God] will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”

                                                         – psalm 32: 6-8

can i just say how clearly i heard God through this passage today?!  to know i am instructed, guided and protected by the Lord of all creation each and every day.  to grasp that His eye holds a steady loving gaze in my direction.  and yours for that matter.

and oh that i would wake up and remember that, and be compelled to pray to this amazing God while He may be found. 

i love to do things myself.  but i so need to learn to leave the diy-ing to bagels, peanut butter and journal covers and leave my life appropriately placed on the altar of living sacrifice where it belongs. 

God’s love and wholeness to each of you this weekend,
♥meg