Lunch Break....Town Square

Today I had the little blessing of an extra long lunch break. So, I headed down to town square to enjoy the beautiful fall weather... you know...82 degrees, breezy and sunny. Unfortunately, due to my hasty departure before the crack of dawn I did not check the weather. So naturally, I was wearing a turtleneck and boots. I mean for heaven sakes it is October...shouldn't it be snowing? Needless to say, I was a little roasty-toasty. But, despite the heat, the fresh air and sunshine did me some good.

I hope the weather everywhere else is as wonderful as Iowa. :-)

Missing You

Dear sisters,

 I am missing you each very badly.

Katie, I miss your sense of humor and your happy spirit.

Kelli, I miss your stories and everything about Wednesdays.

Hailey, I miss your pep, your laugh and your company.

Allie, I miss your constant encouragement and advice...oh and your baby too!

Hope you are all healthy and happy. Love you.

What a Waste

Do you ever feel like all you do is waste time? 

I sure do. Story of my life.

I feel like I spend more of my time dreaming then actually doing.

Example 1....perusing pinterest.

Dreaming that my hair is longer, my clothes are cuter, my house is quaint and homey, my makeup is perfect, my legs are toned and my husband is happy and full from my delicious creations.

Example 2....looking at blogs.

Dreaming that my blog is more popular, more creative and funnier. Dreaming it is not quite so pointless.

Example 3....listening to Adele.

Dreaming that I become a semi famous recording artist. (Only semi famous because I only want to be famous enough to make it on Dancing with the Stars)

Example 4....browsing Etsy.

Dreaming I have something to offer like ridiculously huge baby headbands or cutesie children's illustrations.

Example 5...watching Project Runway
Dreaming I can create funky and fresh clothes out of ...well almost anything.

My list could go on and on and on.
I guess my point is this...I am discontent with my wasteful days, watching others live their awesome lives. But really, I have no one to blame but myself. So today I am going to exercise, make dinner, attempt to make something creative and pick up my guitar.

Instead of dreaming I will be doing.

Also...it is Wednesday and...this is what I am wearing.

Just Chill

Anxious should be my middle name. Audrey Anxious.

 It has a nice ring to it. 

Anxiety fills my life, causes me to lose sleep, and stresses me out. If there is any decision to be made, problem to be solved, idea to be presented, conversation to be had, conflict to be confronted...you can bet I will be anxious. My stomach will be slightly nauseous, I will obsessively fixate on the "issue", I will seek advice from everyone and anyone I know, I will spend time in God's word looking for answers, I will pray asking for guidance and direction...I will become totally preoccupied with the future. 

I used to think that my anxious nature was simply part of who I am. I am a worrier, and always will be. If I dwell on the future...where to live? what job to get? etc, I am really just planning, thinking ahead. No big deal. Wrong. It is a big deal. Kevin DeYoung, in his book Just Do Something, describes my sin perfectly. 

"Worry and anxiety are not merely bad habits or idiosyncrasies. They are sinful fruits that blossom from the root of unbelief. Jesus doesn't treat obsession with the future as a personal quirk, but as evidence of little faith. Worry and anxiety reflect our hearts' distrust in the goodness and sovereignty of God. Worry is a spiritual issue that must be fought with faith."

Hum... You mean I can't just be preoccupied with the future and toil over every decision I make?

Matthew 6:25-34 encourages believers to stop stressing and start trusting. God provides for the birds and clothes the wildflowers, how much more will He care and provide for me. Three times the passage says, "Therefore, do not be anxious." You think I would get the point and stop being anxious.

Verse 33 calls us to "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness".
The message could not be any clearer. I need to put to death my anxiety and obsession with the future and instead "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness". God knows my needs and cares for me. He will provide. Fretting will do no good. I need to simply trust and obey.

Easier said then done, right?

Clever Quote

The old saying goes..."If your Bible is falling apart, your life probably isn't." This clever little quote might make you chuckle at its simplistic, sing-songy message, but if you read it again you will find it has a certain frankness. “If your Bible is falling apart, your life probably isn’t.”

The Bible is exploding with revelations from God to us. His word reveals to us His character, His control, His supremacy, His plan, and our purpose. His word is flawless (Ps. 18:30), victorious (Luke 1:37), alive (Hebrew 4:12), and eternal (Isaiah 40:8). We cannot live without it! (Matthew 4:4)

And yet… somehow we do. We still sleep, eat, work, shop, chat, blog, vacation, exercise, age.  We still graduate high school, get a job, fall in love, get married, have babies. We might "know" we need the word of God, but we view our devotions as time consuming instead of life-giving.  We spend more time in the world then time in the word. We develop bad habits and are too idle to change them. Time in God’s word becomes just another task to check of the list, after laundry and making dinner. Instead of being our source of life, it’s hardly a priority.

We struggle to know God. We struggle to understand life. But how can we really know Jesus Christ and understand His direction for our life if we are not in His word for days, weeks, or even months at a time? The answer is simple… we can’t. We will be lost, confused, broken, and hurting.  We will drowned in the messiness of life.  Thank God His word has the power to renew, transform, and redeem. Let it change your life.

Luke 11:28 | “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

James 4:8 | Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.

I guess the bottom line is…is your Bible falling apart or is your life? 

Can You Hear Her...She Is Calling...

Wisdom. She is calling. Can you hear her?

Proverbs 8:1, 10-11, 17, 35
Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice?

Choose my instruction instead of sliver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.

I (wisdom) love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.

For whoever finds me (wisdom) finds life and receives favor from the Lord.

In 1828, Noah Webster defined wisdom as true religion; godliness; piety; the knowledge and fear of God, and sincere and uniform obedience to his commands. This is the wisdom which is from above. Psalm 90. Job 28. Today dictionary.com defines wisdom as the knowledge of what is true coupled with just judgment as to action. Slightly different definitions. I tend to prefer and live by the first. 


Recently, however, I came across a very practical and helpful definition of wisdom. Joyce Meyer defined wisdom as "making choices now that you will be satisfied with later". While somewhat elementary, this definition has changed the way I look at making choices. Even when faced with the simplest of choices, I find myself stopping and asking the question...Am I going to be satisfied with this choice later? 


Example....Should I have this 2nd, 3rd, and even 4th brownie? Should I hit the snooze once more? Should I pass on exercising today? Should I pass on exercising today? Should I pass on exercising today? Should I buy those cute shoes, even though it means putting it on the credit card? Should I skip flossing? 


If I would have stopped and really thought about the consequences of the questions above I would not have a gut ache, I would not be late to work, I would not be out of shape, I would not be forced to face my husband with irresponsible purchases, and I would not have bloody gums at the dentist. 


Although those examples might seem silly and harmless, this definition has honestly revolutionized the way I think about everything I do. This definition has challenged what I watch, what I listen too, what I say, what I read... you get the point. It has encouraged me to make small changes in my life...skip that second brownie, be on time for work, exercise, shop responsibly (which for me means DON'T SHOP), and yes even floss. It has encouraged me to consider what consumes my thoughts, time and energy. It has pushed me to spend more time in the word and it has taken hold of almost every decision I make, small ones and big ones alike. 


So are the choices you are making now going to leave you with a gut ache, feeling guilty, regretful and unhappy?  Or do you hear wisdoms call? And more importantly, are you going to listen?

To Blog or Not To Blog?

Dear Blog Reader,

 Although I don't have any adorable children, a ramshackle home in need of renovation and design, a knack for sewing or baking, any lovable and photogenic pets, any grand tales about traveling abroad, an obsession with a specific social issue, or (as my blog name implies) a connection with the famously wealthy Heinz Family, I do have a wonderful husband, a brilliant family, and fantastic friends. This blog might not be full of impressive and magnificent stories/photos, but it will be full of thoughtful stories about family, faith, and love.