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28.12.15

January 2016 Desktop Calendar

Right click and press "Save Image As" to download.
"It is growing cold. Winter is putting footsteps in the meadow. What whiteness boasts that sun that comes into this wood! One would say milk-colored maidens are dancing on the petals of orchids."
Happy New Year to you all! I'm looking forward to 2016 so much. I've got lots of things planned for Found and Cherished, so stay tuned. Things will be changing around here, for the better. I, for one, can't wait!

17.12.15

Hugs + Pretzel Christmas Cookies

 Hugs and pretzel cookies have been a beloved Christmas tradition in my family for as long as I can remember. They're super-easy to make, and it's something kids can easily do. Speaking from experience. I was that little kid unwrapping all the Hershey's Hugs (and popping a few into my mouth), attempting to unwrap more than my sisters.

They're super-easy to make, which is probably why my mom liked having us help along—there's not much to mess up, and they taste amazing. So, here's the recipe:

What You Need:
-Square pretzels (pictures below)
-Hershey's Hugs
-A baking sheet

What to Do:
-Preheat your oven to 250 degrees.
-Place all the pretzels on the baking sheet, all even and flat.
-Put one unwrapped Hug on each pretzel.
-Stick the baking sheet in your oven for 2-3 minutes. You want the chocolate to be melted enough to be able to be squished, but not running everywhere.
-Take the baking sheet out of the oven. Then squish down every Hug with another pretzel.
-Let the chocolate harden. It's best to stick the whole baking sheet into the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
-Grab a glass of milk, sit down, and enjoy your cute and simple Christmas cookies!

All the pretzels on the baking sheet.
Pretzels + Hugs on the sheet.
Voila! Yummy-looking cookies, all ready to be devoured! Isn't your mouth watering right now?
Have fun and make these by yourself, with family, or with friends. They're something you can whip up quickly for a Christmas party or gathering, as a cute present, or just to keep for yourself! It's totally worth it! I promise. ;)

Rebekah

14.12.15

The Protection of the Lord

Sometimes God's protection doesn't look like protection.

He throws things at you. He lets you get into a car accident. He exhausts you. He allows you to get sick during finals week. He says, "You're going to be late today." You fall, and you glare up at the cloudy sky with a frustrated "why?!" bursting from your tired soul. But he picks you up with enough strength to hold onto him so he can guide you through the aftermath.

That's the thing about God. He sets things in your path that he knows you can't handle. Why? To protect you. God gives you things you can't handle so you'll rely on him to help you through. Your heart will be closer to God's. Your hand will be holding onto one of his fingers even tighter.

That's why he let death invade our world. He let us fall from perfection so he could climb down to our filthy world, take us into his arms, and carry us back up. He transformed himself into a helpless baby on earth to show us the proper way to grow in faith. As he went from babe to child to man, he matured into the perfect model of what we should become.

The best way to get there? Let him shake you to your core. We aren't perfect, and neither are our lives. We have ups and downs, given to us by a loving God who desires to make us more like him. We are his beautiful people.

"Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice."
Psalm 51:8

God will break you, but he'll do so to shape you into the person you're meant to be. He'll be right by your side the whole time, holding your hand as you balance on the slippery path you must travel. He'll protect you by letting you fall into the mud but not off the cliff. You'll be beaten and torn, but God will help you up and guide you through.

So how does God protect us? He protects us by giving us more than we can handle, and then supporting us when we can't go on any longer. We place our hands, our hearts, our lives into his, and he weaves us into a beautiful tapestry. We're safe in his arms because he'll never abandon us. He'll keep us safe by leading us to heaven's gates—to a beautiful, everlasting celebration.

Soon he'll open a door for you, and you'll step into a mansion with perfect floors, a sweeping staircase, and someone smiling, greeting you by name, caressing you tenderly. You'll be led to a bedroom with a view over a heavenly garden, a blue sky stretching above. A warm bath will be waiting for you, to clean the scum of earth off your skin. A soft bed for you to rest your tired body.

After you've slept, he'll be there, smiling. And he'll whisper, with joyful tears in his eyes, "Well done, my good and faithful servant." (Matthew 25:21) You'll rejoice in how far you've come, all thanks to your protector. You'll waltz through the night in the arms of your best friend, your savior, your father. And then you'll begin to enjoy an eternity of worship and joy.

Rebekah

21.11.15

DIY // Fabric-Covered Clothespins

Wow, I think the last time I did a DIY post on this blog was . . . never? It's about time for that to change, though! My mom is super-crafty and talented and creates swoon-worthy cards + other products. I saw her making these adorable fabric-covered clothespins and fell in love. So I tried making some myself, and while they aren't nearly as good as hers, they're pretty cute! So here's how to make them!

What you need:
-clothespins
-fabric tape (or washi tape. I didn't try that, but I can't think of a reason why it wouldn't work!)
-scissors
So first, peel back the paper from the fabric tape. Be gentle! Try using your fingernail. The adhesive keeps it from fraying fairly well, but be careful that you don't mess up the fabric.
Carefully stick the fabric tape onto the clothespin. Make sure it lines up with both edges.
Put it on straight all the way down the clothespin. (Tip: Put the access fabric tape on the side of the clothespin where the metal spring thing won't be in the way of your scissors when you cut the fabric away.
Aaand cut the tape off! Be careful to not cut too much off. (Tip: use really good scissors. I tried using mine, but I had trouble cutting it, so I stole my mom's.)
Cut the access off the side, and voila! You have super-adorable fabric-covered clothespins!
Suggested uses:
-Put some magnets on the back and use them as cute magnets for your fridge!
-Give them away as gifts.
-Hang photos with them like so.

Have fun with this! It's super easy, and the result is cute + pretty! They make adorable gifts and decorations, so why not be creative today?

Rebekah

13.11.15

In My Backpack // Travel Time


//roadtrip time//
I'm heading down to Pittsburgh this weekend for a super cool concert, and I'm pumped. It should be a fun time with some pretty rad people and lots of laughs. Here are a few things that I like to keep with me while traveling.

1. Camera essentials-charger + SD cards | 2. Lotion-it's that time of year when my hands get dry easily. I take lotion with me everywhere I go. | 3. A good book-I'm currently reading Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon, and I'm in love. | 4. Gloves-specifically, handmade Rose Tyler fingerless gloves. | 5. Headband-it's so cute! From H&M | 6. Jewelry-lovely Charming Charlie necklace from a friend + pretty rings from H&M | 7. Comfy + colorful infinity scarf | 8. Earbuds-not gonna lie. They're from Wal-Mart. | 9. Notepad + writing tools-except I'll be using pens, not pretty drawing pencils. | 10. Altoids mints-I eat these things like candy. Yummy! | 11. Care essentials-Hair things, hand sanitizer, Burt's Bees chapstick + hand salve, and a cute bag to put it all in!

Rebekah
p.s. I took this while in a hoodie and sweats. My life isn't always cute and perfect. Promise.

4.11.15

NaNoWriMo 2015 Calendar

November means National Novel Writing Month! I felt like making a calendar this year. :) Sorry it's a few days late!
I hope everyone is keeping up with their word counts! Don't forget to have fun. :)
Rebekah

18.10.15

remember.

It all started because my pastor gave me a $25 gift card to Amazon for my graduation.
I finally decided to use that gift card today. So I stuck some cool books in my cart (yay)! But I had ten dollars left (also yay!). And I didn't know what to buy.
After pondering for quite some time WHAT I should buy, I remembered To Write Love on Her Arms. Remember when I saw them last November and it was amazingamazingamazing? Well, those beautiful people made a movie. And once I remembered that, I flipped out and added it to my cart. And then I was set. (Except the tax was fifty-something cents over. Sorry, mom.)
But back to the point. Because of remembering TWLOHA, I went over to their blog. And I saw Jessica Morris's most recent post title: "Beautiful. Loved. Enough."
I've been fairly down lately, and a little depressed and super stressed out. And just seeing that post title brightened my day a bit. My soul just . . . relaxed. I remembered that even when I don't love myself, God does, and he always thinks I have a beautiful purpose. While I was reading the post, I began to accept myself again, to remember that even when I'm feeling meh and I'm stuck in a muddy rut and I really, honestly don't feel like getting up, I have a reason to.
And I think I'm beginning to breathe again.

Rebekah
p.s. thanks, pastor.

14.10.15

Autumn Playlist

Listen here.
Autumn Leaves-Frank Sinatra
Don’t Think Twice it’s Alright-Ed Sheeran Cover
Lost in My Mind-The Head and the Heart
Breathe in Breathe Out-Mat Kearney
Stay Young, Go Dancing-Death Cab for Cutie
I and Love and You-The Avett Brothers
People Help the People-Birdy
Rivers and Roads-The Head and the Heart
Dancing in the Dark-Mat Kearney Cover
Autumn Leaves-Ed Sheeran
Rebekah

2.10.15

because i love you // a poem

If I could show you
The whirlwind that
Rips through me
When I think of you—

If I could cut open
My chest and show you
The few names written
On my heart, including yours—

If I could speak to you
Without the words tumbling
And stabbing and
Crushing and withering—

If I could help you
And hug you tight
And kiss you
And laugh with you—


Dearest, I would.

Rebekah

25.9.15

Happy Autumn

My neighbors have a teeny tiny orchard, and I couldn't resist the pull to photograph their apples the other evening. It's the beginning of a new season, and it makes me so happy. Everything shall soon be a flurry of burning color, and I can't wait to warm my hands.

“I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” - L. M. Montgomery

Rebekah

7.9.15

you light me up

Lightning from September 4th, 2015.
You light me up
Through the beauty
Of other people,
And I can’t help
But watch in
Awe.

Rebekah
p.s. you can see the stars in the first two. <3

31.8.15

Senior Portraits // Susan

Meet Susan, a very lovely young woman who will be graduating high school in the class of 2016. She's adventurous, giggly, beautiful, and ambitious, and I had the privilege of taking her senior portraits.
We had a blast during this shoot. The way Susan described it was not as a photoshoot. It was more like just having fun. And we truly did. We took lots of pictures, yes, but we also got super hot, so we waded in the creek (somehow my camera survived that). And eventually she just jumped all the way in and swam. This girl—she's got the heart of an adventurer, and I can't wait to see where God takes her.
Taken in Wintergreen Gorge, Erie, PA. You can check out more of her portraits on my Facebook page here.
Rebekah
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