Contentment, again....

"Let your afflictions be what they will, there is not one of you, but has more mercies than afflictions."

-Jeremiah Burroughs, "The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment"

PS-My parents gave me a camera for Christmas!  So coming up next, my first 300 pictures!!!  

Please, don't fall off your chair--I won't make you look at all 300, just a select few:)

One year ago today, we went ice-skating with friends in Idaho.  Remember?  

I had the privilege of getting some time to talk to Sarah while we skated.  And I asked some hard questions.  Sometimes that's the best way to get to know someone :)  Questions like "What do you want to do in life?"and "Do you want to be married?" and "Is it hard waiting?"

Sarah's honest answers were so encouraging to me.  

She said she was content right where she was.  She didn't need a guy to make her happy and joyful-- Jesus Christ was more than enough to satisfy her.  

Over the past year, there have been many times when I thought back on her words and found encouragement in her example.  I, too, do not need a guy to make me fulfilled.  I can be perfectly content and whole at this time in my life because that is where God has placed me.  

Whatever comes from His hand is loving and right, and I can rest in His providential ordering of my life because He has made me His child.  

Today, Sarah is getting married.  Exactly one year (to the day!) after telling me she was content without a husband, God is giving her one.  This whole story puts me in awe of God's mysterious moving to accomplish His purposes.  And guess who she's marrying?  

My dear friend Kaitlin's older brother Aaron!!!!

No one could have planned this but the Author of life and love.  

1. God moves in a mysterious way
   His wonders to perform;
   He plants His footsteps in the sea
   And rides upon the storm.
2. Deep in unfathomable mines
   Of never failing skill
   He treasures up His bright designs
   And works His sov’reign will.
3. Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
   The clouds ye so much dread
   Are big with mercy and shall break
   In blessings on your head.
4. Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
   But trust Him for His grace;
   Behind a frowning providence
   He hides a smiling face.
5. His purposes will ripen fast,
   Unfolding every hour;
   The bud may have a bitter taste,
   But sweet will be the flow’r.
6. Blind unbelief is sure to err
   And scan His work in vain;
   God is His own interpreter,
   And He will make it plain.
   
   

~William Cowper~

"Praise Him for His mighty acts: praise Him according to His excellent greatness."

Psalm 150:2

Ellie's New Look

Ellie recently got glasses!  And I think she looks just peachy.....

I like to call her my "brain child" because she looks smart in them :)  

Hope you all had a joyful Christmas and are looking forward 

to the New Year of our Lord 2013!

xoxo,

Elise

PS-My dear sister Libby, the talented photographer in our family, has a beautiful new blog-- 

Go take a look at Libby's Lens!

Patience

“Patience is more than endurance. A saint's life is in the hands of God like a bow and arrow in the hands of an archer. God is aiming at something the saint cannot see, and He stretches and strains, and every now and again the saint says--'I cannot stand anymore.' God does not heed, He goes on stretching till His purpose is in sight, then He lets fly. Trust yourself in God's hands. Maintain your relationship to Jesus Christ by the patience of faith. 'Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him." ~Oswald Chambers

(quote from Kaitlin, picture from Libby)

We're back!!

Hello friends!  

I am pleased to announce that Winsome Skirts is back up and running!  We've made a few improvements, added some Winter-appropriate skirts, and, for Cyber Monday, made a special coupon for you to use!  If you place an order anytime tomorrow, you can use the code AUTUMN10 to receive 10% off your entire order of skirts.  

Happy shopping!

xoxo,

Elise

My DLF

Many years ago, when I visited my dear friend Kaitlin in Idaho, I started becoming good friends with her younger sister, Annika.  Our friendship has since grown and we love being around each other, laughing, talking, playing piano duets, or just spending time.  Today, she is actually my height or taller, so I cannot truthfully call her my DLF (dear little friend) but I will anyways :)  

Here are some pictures of our misadventures over the years :)

Making peanut butter balls, January of 2009.

Annika is keeping an eye on her younger brother Isaac (but didn't catch him in time!) as he snitches some chocolate :)

Swinging together, summer of 2010.

Standing tall with the Statue of Liberty in Sandpoint, not NYC :)

Sharing a joke on a fence, December 2011.

Frolicking on the trampoline, summer 2012.

Ditto :)

A quick nap after the frolic :)

At a dance, summer 2012.  (I might add we both got bangs around the same time :)

Annika is brilliant at....

-math

-piano

-organizing

-managing children

-shopping wisely :)

-giving strong hugs

-quoting silly movies

-being my fellow "eggless it" :D  (neither one of us can eat eggs)

Thanks for the years of laughing uncontrollably, cooking, cleaning, bouncing, swinging friendship, Annika!

I love and miss you bunches!

xoxo,

Elise

What True Prayer Is

"Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart or soul to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Holy Spirit, for such things as God has promised or according to His Word, for the good of the Church, with submission in faith to the will of God."

-John Bunyan