It's funny how things can change so quickly in a week! This one honestly started a bit rough. I'm getting over a cold, Jason is starting two classes and that's on top of an already busy schedule. I didn't even want to write in here earlier in the week because honestly, I was having a hard time having a good attitude and I want this blog to be encouraging, not a downer!

We had small group on Thursday which was really encouraging and a fun time. We're studying a book that I'm not a huge fan of...actually, I really don't like it. BUT it does spark a lot of conversation and it sends me back to the Bible to double check verses, so I guess it's not completely bad. haha :) The best part of small groups is when we break down girls with girls and guys with guys and do accountability. I've honestly never been involved with genuine accountability and it's a little scary but I really feel like it's the Body of Christ in action. I feel so blessed to have these women in my life too. Although I'm just starting to get to know them I can already see in them a difference and a uniqueness. I've had so many friends that claimed Christianity but lived very different from what the Bible says. Now let me say boldly and clearly that I am in NO way the perfect Christian girl! I struggle with things just as much as anyone else. But I've begun to thirst for a genuineness in people and Christian authenticity and it's hard to find. Even in the Church. I think God has led me to people that aren't perfect, don't have it all together but that desire to obey and love God with their lives. I'm so grateful for each one of them and I can't wait to get to know them better!

Yesterday morning I was doing my devos before work and it closed with this passage of Scripture:

" But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer. Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord."
Acts 3:18-19

When I read these verses the morning after a time of great accountability and vulnerability, I found myself going "Yes! That's exactly how I feel." Refreshed. It felt so incredibly good to get things off my chest and confess what I was struggling with and then look around and see that I'm not alone.

This week I had victory in an area of my life. Where negative attitude and bitter spirits sought to root themselves in me, God wiped them away and replaced them with peace and joy. I'm learning the benefit of dealing with things quickly, as soon as I notice them. I confessed what I was dealing with and then turned to God, the perfecter of my faith and He supplied everything I needed to deal with these issues. He is faithful, He is good and He cares about the little things.

Feeling so refreshed today...and wishing the same for you!

Currently in loooove with...

First of all, let me say I have NO clue why my last post's font was so huge! I kept trying to select a smaller size but nothing helped. Needless to say, if any readers have vision issues, that post was for you. Hope you enjoyed it.

I want to feature a post here and there that focuses on things that I just looove right now! I think it'll be fun to hear what others think about what I like and also to someday look back and laugh at my crazy obsessions.

Lilies
Jason bought me a big bouquet for sweetest day and they could not be more beautiful!
They are all starting to bloom and the scent is taking over our apartment.
It's fabulous.

Needtobreathe
This is not a new band by any means, but one that I've started listening to more and more the past few months and I am absolutely obsessed. There is something so addicting about their funky southern rock that is acoustic one minute and bluesy with pops a gospel the next. And everything about their song "Looks Like Love" gives me chills. I would absolutely recommend them to any music lover!

Pumpkin Spice Lattes
This should go with out saying for anyone who knows me, but I want to give this drink the shout out it deserves. It is by far my favorite drink at Starbucks and in my top five favorite things about fall. So cozy, delicious and comforting. Ahh...I could go for one right now!

Well, that's a pretty good start! Next time I'll try to add some more pictures in. Our mac is in the process of being fixed so pictures will be a little sparse besides the one I steal from my mom's blog or off of facebook so please be patient.

I also wanted to mention and encourage each of my readers to "follow" me online by clicking the button on the upper right side of my blog that says, surprisingly enough, follow me. I have had a lot of people say that they enjoy reading my blog and I'd love to know who some of my readers are. Thanks!

Wishing you a wonderful night!

Monday, fun day!

I love Mondays.

It seems like when I go on facebook on Mondays, all I see are statuses complaining about what day of the week it is. But I love them. For those that don't know, one of the perks of my nanny job is that I work a little bit longer days Tuesday-Friday and have a long weekend every weekend. This allows me to spend the day preparing our household for the week (i.e. doing a deep cleaning, baking bread, shopping for groceries, etc.) but also to relax and spend some time doing things I don't otherwise get to do. My weekly pilates class has been kicking my butt so I did some this morning and also got to go on a nice long walk with Bailey this afternoon. Mostly it's just nice to clear my head and prepare for the week to come.

One of the things I was thinking about this afternoon is things I want to get done before Christmas. I really want to get all our wedding pictures printed out, get a shutterfly book made and get some in albums. I mean, we've been married a year and still haven't gotten our pictures together. Is that bad? Not, too mention I have a few frames hung that still have the pictures they came with inside. Whoops. Good thing is people still give us compliments on the pictures! Ha! :) So pictures definitely top the list. As well as doing a little redecorating in our apartment. There's nothing technically wrong with our decorations...but it's a little boring and not too personal. I'm going to start scouting out our local thrift stores and craigslist so hopefully I can find some deals too!

I had such a great weekend with Jason. One of my favorite things about him is that we can have fun doing the most simple things. It comes in handy when you're on a tight budget, but it also means that we always have fun no matter what we do. Saturday night we ended up in Applebees for some late night food and had the best conversations about how far we've come and more importantly, where we want to go together. It's funny but the things about my future that used to scare me so much seem to shrink when I'm holding his hand. I feel so blessed to have him as my partner for life.

Kristi Ruth

Today is my sweet little sister Kristi's 20th birthday!! Another Johnson girl moving out of her teenage years....welcome my dear, although a fair warning: you've officially begun your swift ascent to thirty. :)

Pre-wedding pictures at Jessi's wedding: a must. Kristi is all the way on the right.

What should you know about Kristi? First of all, she is an incredibly multifaceted woman. She has impeccable music taste, great fashion sense and is incredibly stubborn, which because she is a Johnson, is not in anyway surprising. She is extremely intelligent and whenever we're all together I hear her and Jason talking about things I've never heard of and books I would most likely use to prop a window open. But that's why I love her.

I love this picture because we rarely capture all 5 sisters at the same time. There are a few extras in this one, but I still love it.

Kristi is one of the most genuine people I know. She has such a joyful, pure spirit and is someone you want to be around. One of the things you will realize right off the bat when you meet her is her relationship with Christ. You can see it in the woman she is; His love permeates through her and to the people around her. She is someone who has studied the Word and knows theology but it doesn't stop there; her faith echoes in every area of her life. I'm so proud of the Woman of God she is and how much she has grown.

I don't mean to state the obvious, but besides her inner beauty, Kristi is also a looker! I mean, look at this picture...they're models I tell you! It's ridiculous.


Kristi, we love you so much!!

Happy birthday!!!

~Jeni and Jason

You get what you pray for

Isn't this how it always goes: you gear yourself up for a tough week, ready to meet whatever challenges arise and your week rises right back up and smacks you right in the face?! This week has been a week. I wish I could say I handled it perfectly with grace an expertise. But...I'll be the first to confess I didn't handle things perfectly. I let little things get to me, my temper flare and I brought my work home and let it effect my home life. Thanks goodness that when I fall short, Someone is right there to reach out and meet me where I need it most.

This job has been such a learning process. I've never worked at a place where I felt so burdened, not only by the tasks I need to complete but also by the issues that are so evident. I'm in the midst of a broken family, but how do you complete the puzzle when the biggest pieces are missing? Sometimes it just feels so hopeless. I'm just one person here, what can I really do? What kind of difference can I truly make? I'm so grateful for the people in my life who encourage me and speak truth to me; those who remind me that I'm here for a reason. I'm going to go ahead and chalk this week up as a learning experience. It wasn't quite a "win" week but it most definitely wasn't a loss.

On a better note, I am SO excited that the weekend is slowly creeping it's way here! I covet the time I get to spend with Jason. He works so early all week, so I know how he enjoys sleeping in on the weekends. Too bad just the thought of spending my day with Jason wakes me up waaay too early every time...it's like a mini Christmas morning every weekend!! :)

The Perfect Fall Day...

Today is one of those fall days that are just...perfect.

The sun is shining through the trees and the leaves are beginning to turn from green into that beautiful, deep caramel color. I love how it's starting to get cooler and scarves have become an everyday accessory. I haven't put the sandals away though. Nope, it'll take at least 10 more degrees before I pack those babies up.

Today was the icing on the cake of a perfect weekend. My mom and sisters came into town for a few days and we just had the best time with them. We went to the Tenth Avenue North, Matt Maher, and Addison Road concert which was phenomenal. It's been a while since I've been to a concert and I was reminded just how much I love and am inspired by live music.

Yesterday was spent going to Church, watching lots of football, playing games and eating food. My mother in law, LuAnn, came out for dinner with us and it was a privilege to cook and take care of her and my mom. They spoil Jason and I way too much and it's fun to be the one doing the spoiling. I made a roasted potato and fennel soup as well as a Italian tortellini soup...both turned out great and I was so excited that everyone liked them. We also wanted to surprise my sister, Kristi, because her birthday is coming in a couple weeks and we won't be able to be with her for it. We almost pulled off making an angel food cake (her favorite!) for her without her knowing but her detective skills kicked in and she busted us! :) She was still surprised though and it was fun to celebrate her!

I know I've written about this before but it just blesses me so much to see Jason with my family. We always have so much fun together laughing and telling stories. He will do anything to make them laugh, and this weekend that included him sacking me! He swears he just got caught up in all the football we were watching but I know how he likes to entertain! :) That's my man.

It's been so nice to just relax and enjoy the day today. Work has become stressful and very busy. My work load has grown a bit with Serena starting the school year but there are also a lot of personal issues going on. It's difficult because this isn't just a job to me; this is my family and these are people that I love. It's hard to just check out and remove myself from the situation at the end of the day, but I'm trying. I hate coming home to Jason stressed out or in a bad mood...it's not fair to him or us.

I think what I'm really learning right now is how limited my wisdom, patience, strength, etc. is. I feel so confident in how much I truly need God in my life and to go before me and speak for me. I can only do so much and this family desperately needs so muchmore then I can give. The good news is that the source of everything good and perfect thing they need in their life lives in me! The lead singer of Tenth Avenue North spoke this weekend about how everyone is in pursuit of some sort of beauty, a beauty that is God made in His own image. We can spend our lives chasing what looks appeasing to our human eye but it will never complete or satisfy us, it's only when we give in and surrender to God's beauty that we are made whole. And as Christians we should be reflecting God's glory so that we not only look different to the world but it's easy to see WHO makes us different. I was so challenged this weekend and I feel ready to enter this work week empowered and ready to be the change.