Color me Bold

Boldness is something I work on daily.  It doesn't come naturally.  I am often the first one to back down in situations requiring a strong opinion or the first to say I'm sorry just to smooth situations over.  I have serious jealously over people that have an easy time speaking their mind or standing up for what they believe in in difficult moments. 

So often I have perceived boldness as rudeness.  If you tell someone how you really feel you might hurt their feelings. You might not be friends after the conversation.  You might see the situation differently.  You might make a fool of yourself because you might be wrong.  More often than not my mights veer towards a more positive result than I anticipate.  If they don't then it was probably for the best anyway. 
I just happened to marry a very bold man.  Aaron sees a situation at hand and very seldom fears addressing an issue.  I, on the other hand stew, deny, and avoid any situation that might require boldness.  He definitely inspires a more bold me.  :)

As I get older I see that boldness is a healthy, encouraging trait if you speak in truth and love.  Boldness is intertwined with accountability.  When I act a fool I appreciate when my husband speaks to me boldly.  It hurts sometimes but there is no growth in him sugar coating my actions or words.  This issue has been on the forefront of my mind for a while so I decided  to represent in an outward action as I move forward in boldness emotionally and spiritually. 

I cut my hair.  I know, I know.  It's not that big of a deal to some but I tend to get comfortable very easily.  I went for it and it felt good.  I felt bold when I walked into the salon.  I said what I wanted and I didn't look back.  Here it is! ------------------------------------>

This morning in my yoga class during our cool down my teacher told us to imagine your body a color.  Spread it to all parts of your mind and body.  Yellow was the first color to come to my mind.  Then I thought forget yellow, color me bold!

Be Mine

Tonight my husband's putting his cooking skills to work in the kitchen.  We're having farfalle (fancy for bowtie) pasta with chicken and asparagus in vodka sauce accompanied by salad and red wine.  My mouth is currently watering so I'll make this short and sweet.  Here's my card from Aaron.  So appropriate and too cute. Happy Valentine's Day!

Initial Inspiration

Blogging is genius.  I've realized many express more easily through writing rather than actual speech.  When we write we have time to collect our thoughts.  I know often when I start to speak my mind is jumbled and then I concentrate on how jumbled my mind has become.  I have found myself exploring blogs and enjoying them.  They have become an artistic, real playground through words and I've fallen in love. 
I'm jumping on the bandwagon.  I don't have a theme.  I'm not uniquely creative or makeup my own recipes but everyone has something to offer.  I'm here to offer something that I don't know that I have...yet. :) 

 Recent musings...

I have been listening to the Regina Spektor station on Pandora and it instantly makes me feel like I'm the single, spontaneous ingenue in the latest chick flick just around the corner from meeting the man of my dreams at any moment.  I feel whimsical and captivated.  Check it out!  It's free!

I love to read.  I am currently reading Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliot.  Each page has so much application.  Her husband was one of the five missionary men who was martyred by the Auca tribe in the jungles of Ecuador.  Nate Saint, the pilot of the group stated a beautiful spiritual illustration:

"When life's flight is over, and we unload our cargo at the other end, the fellow who got rid of unnecessary weight will have the most valuable cargo to the present to the Lord."  

The weight of this statement is overwhelming to me.  The tangible things of this world are fleeting.  Here one minute gone the next.  No matter how great or strong they are at first.  What a reminder that nothing of this world needs to resonate with more power than the love the Lord has given us.  Aaron and I have been doing our best living more simply knowing that nothing we hold in our hands weighs against our relationships, investment in travel to see more of God's people, and using our talents to the best of our abilities.  I suppose this was my initial inspiration to blog and share.  Thoughts, musings, and real feelings are intangible and I'm yearning to embrace them more.   

Nicole