unveiled faces

"And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."

2 Corinthians 3:18

A few things I am contemplating today-

What does it mean to have "unveiled faces"?

How do I even begin to "contemplate the Lord's glory"?

Am I ready to admit that I'm not doing the transforming but instead I am "being transformed"?

{photo by Aaron Mallory}

"I wish you could see me now

I wish I could show you how

I'm not who I was..."

-'I'm not who I was,' Brandon Heath

A little more like Him today than yesterday.. but one day {soon} the work will be complete...

"Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.

Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known."

1 Corinthians 13:12

And it feels like that day is unreachable, but the truth is that it is right around the corner.

"Behold, I am coming soon!"

Revelation 22:12a

"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise , as some understand slowness.

He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance."

2 Peter 3:9

He is patient with me, and therefore I will be patient.

Gratefully,

B

{pg. 186}

My boss, Jay, has become enthralled with a book, a man, and a business model. The book is "Setting the Table"; the man is the author and famous restauranteur, Danny Meyer; the business model is hospitality, hospitality, hospitality. After reading the book and visiting a few of Danny Meyers' restaurants in New York City, Jay bought an entire box full of his books and started handing them out left and right. Yes, I am now the proud owner of my own copy of Setting the Table. But Jay didn't just want this book to sit on my bookshelf. No, he wanted us to read the book, talk about the book, and implement Danny's approach to hospitality.

With my recent post apologizing for not writing a blog post in three months, you can probably guess that reading an entire book was not at the top of my priority list.. and I won't lie.. I really just didn't want to do it. At all. I had a pile of about five other books I wanted to start or finish and I can promise you, Danny Meyer was not in that pile. But finally the guilt got to me and I opened the book and started turning the pages. Thankfully, God has begun to bless me with a more open mind over the past 6 months, so when I started reading, I did so with that openness... and it has paid off. Take this quote for example, and the way the Holy Spirit took my heart and mind to truth in God's word:

"Just remember: you're never as good as the best things they'll say,

and never as bad as the negative ones. Just keep centered, know what you stand for,

strive for new goals, and always be decent."

-"Setting the Table," Danny Meyer {pg. 186}

"Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you.

Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord,

because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

1 Corinthians 15:58

"He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor."

Proverbs 21:21

"The Lord does not look at the things man looks at.

Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

1 Samuel 16:7

"I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind,

to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve."

Jeremiah 17:10

God is good. and He is found everywhere, in everything. Big and small. Whether we expect it or not. And we will find him whether we are seeking him or not.

"The Lord said, 'Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.'

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord,

but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.

After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.

And after the fire came a gentle whisper."

1 Kings 19:11-12

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities- his eternal power and divine nature-

have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse."

Romans 1:20

Thanks for bearing with me on that tangent. Sometimes I get going and there is no telling where I'll end up! But to make a long story short, it encourages me that my time and efforts are not fruitless if my hearts' desire is to honor the Lord. He can take just about anything {even a book I don't want to read} and teach me more about who He is.

To Him be the glory,

B

Instagrams.

In October I decided it was time I upgraded and got with the times... so I bought myself my very own iPhone. I knew when I decided to make such a big investment that it was by no means necessary, but I chose to take the leap regardless and enter the world of smart phones. Honestly, it's been nothing but good {with the exception of also being sucked into the world of Twitter... 0kay who am I kidding? I love it}. One of my favorite things is having 'Instagram' in my pocket at all times. Maybe it's cliche, but I thought the easiest way to share a little piece of what's been going on in my life for the past 3 months would be to post my Instagrams since October.

So here goes {with a little explanation to keep it interesting}...

1::Taylor and I at a corn maze in Mt. Jackson before Halloween

2::The ticket shack at the corn maze

3::A leaf I picked up at Yankee Horse Ridge on the parkway

4-5::The freak snowstorm we had in Waynesboro in October {about 4-6 inches}

6::My Jack-O-Lantern sitting on my little front porch

7::Sunset from the roof of Chick-fil-A

8::My friend Abby holding baby Rue

9::Melo and me bundled up for a trail ride on one of her visits home

10::Bear from Needtobreathe at the Jefferson Theatre

11::Taylor and me at the Jefferson Theatre after the {sold out} Needtobreathe concert

12::Sophie, Rachel, and me in Boone for Thanksgiving

13::Me and my cousin Grace {Thanksgiving}

14::My cousin McCrae {Thanksgiving}

15::Sophie passed out in the car on the way home from Winston-Salem {Thanksgiving}

16-17::Jon Foreman at the {sold out} Switchfoot concert at the Jefferson Theatre

18-19::Sejen: the sweetest little girl that I get to babysit

20::An Elderberry's smoothie over Christmas break- the ultimate treat

21::What it would look like if I didn't work for Chick-fil-A and pierced my nose

22::The Shelton girls after church on Christmas Eve

23::A view of the sound on our way to Hatteras, NC

24::The torrential downpour we encountered on our drive {Outer Banks, NC}

25::The view as we waited for the ferry to take us to Ocracoke Island, NC

26-27::The beautiful shore of Ocracoke Island, NC

28::Being artsy with smoke from a candle in my apartment

29::My Rue

30::Drinking from my favorite mug {my sweet friend Ginny gave it to me for being a part of her wedding}

31::A delicious lunch {roasted red pepper, tomato soup and a turkey, avocado sandwich on a baguette}

32::The P. Buckly Moss museum {the view from my favorite table at work}

33::Aaron playing with Rue {he loves her}

34::The backdrop at the Needtobreathe concert {way out of order}

35::The wristband I was not carded for at the Needtobreathe concert {feeling old}

36::Matthew Mayfield {the opening act for Needtobreathe}

37::Sunset over the water on Hatteras in December

38::My last glimpse of the ocean after saying goodbye

39::My faithful Rainbows {they've been on my feet since I was 16}

God has given me so many incredible opportunities over the past three months... A lot of precious memories were made in those places, with those people and I am grateful to have images to look back on and enjoy.

"I will praise you forever for what you have done;

in your name I will hope, for your name is good."

Psalm 52:9

"Because your love is better than life,

my lips will glorify you.

I will praise you as long as I live,

and in your name I will lift up my hands."

Psalm 63:3-4

May I never forget that He is the one who gives me life and the freedom to live it to the fullest.

"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

John 10:10b

love,

B

Rue.

Well hello there, old friends!! I feel like I owe enormous explanations and perhaps even an apology or two to anyone who has ever been kind enough to say, "I read your blog" or "reading your blog helps me keep up with your life." I have failed you all in that arena over the past 3 months {has it really been that long?!}. But, in my defense, although I have not done a good job of documenting my life these past few months, I have been doing a swell job of LIVING my life these past few months. And that is a fact that makes me very happy. It overwhelms me {and I promise it would overwhelm you} to think of sharing all the details here and now {I mean goodness, we're just getting reacquainted!!}.. so I'll take it nice and slow. I have introductions to make and stories to tell and LOTS of pictures to share.

But as always, first things first... and you all must meet my Rue.

A friend from work sent out a message one night in October about a kitten who needed a home. I had considered adopting a kitten but had been discouraged by 1. those who told me it was just the first step toward becoming a "cat lady" and 2. the fear that I wasn't ready to be responsible for another life. But nevertheless, I sent back a message {half joking} asking if I could take the kitten home for a "trial run" and I was rewarded with an immediate response: "I'll bring her by tomorrow."

To make a long story short, 3 months later Rue is still here {curled up next to me actually} and I can not imagine life or this apartment without her. She is sweet and feisty and playful and loyal and I love her. She walks around in her own little world and talks constantly to anyone who will listen {sound familiar??}. She has been a gift and a blessing to me. I regularly find myself sitting on my couch watching her antics with a smile on my face and laughter ringing through my home. Whenever I catch myself laughing aloud, I think back to a year ago and how this little apartment was quiet and quite sad and I am thankful. But I am not just thankful for a sweet calico kitten... I am thankful for a God who knows me and who not only promises to never leave or forsake me, but promises to bless me abundantly.

"Surely you have granted him unending blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence."

Psalm 21:6

"'Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.

Test me in this,' says the Lord Almighty, 'and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven

and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.'"

Malachi 3:10

One of those blessings has been Rue herself, but she has brought countless others simply by being in my life and by my side every day. She is a little darling and she instantly wins over everyone she meets {cat lover or not}. If you haven't gotten to meet her yet, feel free to stop by for a play date soon! We would both love that!!

Hopefully and joyfully,

B