Saturday, March 31, 2012

Meet Bosley!

So Mr. Gill and I adopted a puppy a week ago today!
His name is Bosley and he's just about the cutest puppy we've ever seen.....and yes we're biased. 


He's a black lab mix....we think maybe with Pitbull? We probably will never really know.
He's cuddly and has soft fur and is a little bit of a princess even if he's a boy. 
He won't sit on the hard floor-he prefers rugs or blankets to sit upon.
It's interesting though because I'm not used to really having anything relying on me before....I mean in a...if you don't feed me I can't eat...type of way. 






















Bosley is a little firecracker though. This is his photo right after he was caught making a mess in the kitchen. 
It's my fault though....I'll explain.
So, we were outside and he found a stick like 2x his size and didn't want to put it down. I naturally let him bring it inside..
(!)
I couldn't tell him no and then he tore the whole thing apart in my kitchen. 

My puppy is teaching me how to say no to something cute. 

This is why Mr. Gill wanted us to get a dog instead of a baby. 
I mean, what if I let a baby chew on a stick? 
Something could really go wrong....
Mr. Gill is pretty wise.

*Jenny G

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Risky Business

So I had this conversation with a friend recently who is thinking about moving to a different state.
She said she feels like it would be a great community for her, she knows people there and she really feels like it would be a good move....but....
But what?
Why not just pick up and move?

It is complicated.....always, but fear is totally part ot it.


And I totally get it. I'm right there.
A good friend asked me a couple of weeks ago what I wanted to do if I could do anything.
I had no answer. I mean-there are things I like to do.....but I don't dream of becoming a senator or owning a bakery (you get up too early), or of being a missionary.
I am afraid to even try new things....to see explore what I like to do or not because of fear of failure.
Failure is a big deal to people who want to make sure everyone likes them.....to people who find their identity in making others happy.....

God revealed something new to me a couple days ago. You know that verse where is says that God works all things to good of those who love him? And then the one that says what Satan meant for evil God meant for good?
Those two hit me in a huge way last week. In my fear of failure in trying something new (plug in for your fear) I wasn't trusting God. I don't think that I need to hear an audible voice from God to say-Hey Jenny....I think it would be nice if you tried to paint. Pick up a brush.
Or, even a specific call to move somewhere new. If I trust that God can work even my 'messes', my 'failures' out for good......then, is it even a failure?
I should feel empowered to take risks. Because in taking a risk I'm opening up space for God to move! If I'm just standing still I have no momentum for God to push me in any direction right?

So I don't know if trying my hand at painting is going to reveal a new passion for me......but maybe it will. And even if it doesn't I'll know whether or not I like to paint right?
Because I don't have to be perfect to be loved, I don't have to save the world for God to use me as long as I'm moving.

My friend can move and experience that and even if it doesn't work out and she comes back to Boise-even if it 'fails', at least she was moving, at least she was OPEN to a new experience and I can promise that she will grow from challenging herself to be in a new place.
And WHO knows how God can use a risk like that?? Maybe she'll meet someone or have a life-altering conversation over there she wouldn't have had here.

God is like that. He wants us to live risky lives for HIM.
Trusting HIM. And by listening to HIM.

So go try something new.
Take that risk.
Have that conversation.

Our lives aren't measured in how safe we were..... we won't recount how fiscally responsible we were when we're on our death bed. We'll remember our lives greatest experiences....how we've loved and been loved.
Our lives are measured in our experiences and as long as we are moving and honestly seeking to glorify the Lord...He'll use them!
Good or seemingly bad.

I'm gonna go find that paintbrush....


Jenny G*

Thursday, March 8, 2012

A peek!

House Tour Continued!




















So first things first.
Well, second since I have already shown you the home decor of much of the house....lol-you can tell what I'm most excited about huh?
Anyway-this is the front of our house....you cannot see is the little landing and a paved path that goes almost out to the street but not quite.
I don't really get that part...why pave up until there is two feet and leave grass?
We have big plans for the front of this place. See that planter area? We're going to rip it out and put up a lovely front porch complete w/a porch swing.
When Mr. Gill and I were dating I lived in a great house w/a screened in porch w/a big wicker swing and a lot of our memories of falling in love happened on that swing....*sigh*.
Yea-we're planning on putting up another gable and making it a nice big porch....maybe even wrap it around to the side entrance....which is the one we use most often anyway.




















Here is the living room-see the front door and fireplace!













































This is probably one of my favorite paint colors EVER!!!
Oh its just so great. It's the mud room/laundry room....the laundry room was um....being used...by all my dirty laundry so I didn't take a picture.
Next time.

Anyway this is where the door off of the driveway leads-and this room also connects to the kitchen or the hallway.....




















This is our old-timey backyard patio-
I couldn't help but put an old filter on it and let me tell you why.
The awning (I had to look up how to spell that) is Soooo old store-front style. I kinda want to print out Life in the Fish Bowl in vinyl letters and stick 'em up there.
Also-notice the steps to the back door...they look like steps for the shallow end of the pool! It patio is totally great though, its nice and big and we'll be able to have lots of dinner parties out there w/out being cramped like we were at our last place. And that tree has the perfect bend of branch for a rope swing! :)




















This is the view from the patio-our big backyard. What you can't see is the trash heap of yard clippings the previous renters left for us. We're working on getting rid of it slowly.
I'm planning on having a garden this year-our yard gets lots of nice sun, and I hope to be able to grow something to eat. We'll see how it goes-I've enlisted the help of people who know what they are doing and I've spent some time reading up on it. I'm not quite ready to start composting yet....
Expect updates on that throughout the summer.

The house tour has not yet concluded, but will take some time as we're still finding boxes we shoved into the spare bedroom a couple of months ago :/

*Jenny G