inspired by...

Today, I would very much like to be inspired by....

-Beauty! This day is delightful and sweet and just full to overflowing with....well, Jesus, quite frankly! I had a revelation the other day. I realized that He made me who I am, that I am fully given to Him, that I want to follow every path He sets before my feet, however, when I am loving Him, spending time with Him, discovering all that He is, I become inspired like never before! Ok, I don't want this to sound "unspiritual" but, I'm not really talking about spiritually being inspired in this instance, though He does inspire me spiritually (of course) to press ever deeper into Him. BUT, this morning, I'm talking about being inspired in the creative, I love lace and beautiful things, I want to design...something, I want to write fantastic adventures, can't wait to read Narnia again, wow that blog site and decorating is gorgeous, kind of way. Well, I'm not sure guys will understand this and I suppose it's because I'm a girl and love my environment to be aesthetic and enchanting, but the more I spend time with Jesus, the more I become all of this! Doesn't mean I wouldn't gladly give it all up and go live in a hut in Africa, if that's what He was asking of me, because I would without a second though. I just think it's amazing and wonderful that I appreciate beauty all the more and become more creative by spending time with Him! Oh boy, I am SO excited to get to Heaven, because if I can be inspired on this earth, which is quickly losing all it's true beauty, how inspired will I be in His physical presence, in the most perfect and beautiful place He's created?!

So, back to what I'd like to be inspired by today;-)...

-Italy!!! Oh, please, please, let me go back! I am pining, truly pining, for Italy. Venice in particular, but I'd take anywhere at this point. I want to smell it, hear it, taste it, feel it. I want to drink espresso ever so slowly, walk with my gelato in hand, sit and listen to the italian words that, no matter what they are, sound like rich chocolate truffles coming out.

-Cupcakes! It is a sad state of affairs that I am gluten intolerant, because there is NOTHING I love more than a beautiful cupcake LOADED with rich, sugary frosting! And I am not picky about the frosting...want to know a secret? Sometimes I still get cupcakes and just eat the frosting off the top. Yep, I do:-) I'm that kinda girl. Now you know the truth about me;-) Shocking!

-Anemonies. Not the underwater creature, the flower. I'm a little obsessed with them right now...Can you say perfect flower for a wedding bouquet?

-Egg and I? Ha!

-That beautiful, rich, golden yellow color...and gray. I remember when I used to detest the color gray. I think there was something wrong with me. Really.

-Journals that have lots of little random sketches. I aspire to randomly do this, except I have a little problem...I can't really draw a straight line. Ugh.

-Old clocks. You know, the ones that have beautiful, old faces. Faces that look at you with longing for the time gone by and beg you to treasure the current time. I love wondering what stories they would tell if they could talk. Stories of love, sorrow, brokenness and healing.

-I am enchanted with bird's nests right now. I have two randomly sitting on the top of my desk...yes, I took them in the dead of winter when the little birds who built them were long gone. Come now, what do you take me for? How could you even wonder such a question??;-)

-Growing bulbs/seeds in glass bell jars or any jar in general! I love this idea and plan to implement it as soon as I get my next pay check! Can't you just see little glass jars of all shapes and sizes with tiny, colorful flower heads pushing there way up? Mmmmm.....

-Purple, as usual. Just splashes here and there. Though it is my favorite color, it is definitely a color that can be overdone, which is a very. bad. thing.

-Rain. Oh, how I adore the rain. The smell, sound, and taste it leaves in the air. If I could only discover a way to bottle that smell, I think I'd be constantly inspired.

Well, I could go on and on about what I want to be inspired by today, but I'll stop for now. I was going to post pictures with all of this, but I think I'll just let you use your imagination and hopefully find some things that inspire you as well. Or, you can just go spend time in the presence of Him from which all creativity flows. I highly recommend that:-)