Rainy Days

Originally uploaded by Cuba Gallery

Rain
by Shel Silverstein

I opened my eyes
And looked up at the rain,
And it dripped in my head
And flowed into my brain,
And all that I hear as I lie in my bed
Is the slishity-slosh of the rain in my head.


I step very softly,
I walk very slow,
I can't do a handstand--
I might overflow,
So pardon the wild crazy thing I just said--
I'm just not the same since there's rain in my head.


I hope everyone is full of smiles despite this rainy Chicago day.

I'm thankful for...
106) Curl and scrunch spray...it makes it so easy to get ready on days like today.
107) the Walgreens that's only a block away from work
108) my cute umbrella
109) Band-aids, especially when they gaurd your feet against blisters
110) Balasmic vinaigrette salad dressing.  I'd say it's my favorite!

Live Sweetly :)
Rachel

Endurance...Faith...Hope

We also rejoice in our sufferings,

because we know that suffering produces
perseverance;

perseverance, character;

and character, hope. 

And hope does not disappoint us,
because God has poured out his 

LOVE

into our hearts by the Holy Spirit,
whom he has given us.

Romans 5: 3-5



I am thankful for...
91) Beautiful summer nights
92) Playing water balloon toss...endless laughs always ensue.
93) Window AC units
94) Smiley faces at the ends of emails :)
95) Weekly small group meetings

Live Sweetly :)
Rachel

image originally from Haribo's photos

Audrey Knows Best

"…I believe laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing; kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day, and I believe in miracles."

Audrey Hepburn

Isn't she beautiful?  And so wise, too.

I'm thankful for...

46) Fun nights at dive bars with great friends

47) The ability to know right from wrong

48) Coffee from Dunkin Donuts

49) The Blackhawks!

50) Chicago summer festivals...up next: Blue's Fest!

Live Sweetly :)

Rachel

Serenity

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.                                                                                              
Amen.

-Reinhold Niebuhr

I'm thankful for...
31) The kind encouragement from friends.
32) Good books that can effect your thoughts and ultimately effect your life
33) When the right song plays at the exact right time
34) Beautiful sunny mornings during my long commute
35) New opportunities

Live Sweetly :)
Rachel

image from Paul Linton

All I Have to do is...

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
Matthew 7: 7-8


Thanks, Lauren, for reminding me of this verse.

image via my talented photog friend, jlukianuk

I'm thankful for...

11) The angels who God places in my life at the exact moment, at the right time

12) Gena, the lady who threads my eyebrows

13) How quickly my hair grows

14) Warm Memorial Day weekends

15) My minty flavored lip gloss from Bath & Bodyworks...it's awesome.

Live Sweetly :)

Rachel

Growing

Le "V" de Versailles
Originally uploaded by ★iPh4n70M★

"There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered."

-Nelson Mandela

Live Sweetly :)

Rachel

Love

Heart in a Bible
Originally uploaded by cullum, heather

"Love is not an affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person's ultimate good as far as it can be obtained."

-C.S. Lewis

Live Sweetly :)

Rachel

Faith

"If you have faith as small as a mustard seed...Nothing will be impossible for you."

Matthew 17:20

Live Sweetly :)

Rachel

I'll light the sky with my heart.

I'll light the sky with my heart.
Originally uploaded by e m ♥ i l y

To Live A Creative Life...

02-01-10
Originally uploaded by beverly.13

Live Sweetly :)
Rachel

Words I Love

Live Sweetly :)

Rachel

Romans 1: 4-5

And Jesus Christ our Lord was shown to be the Son of God when God powerfully raised him from the dead by means of the Holy Spirit. Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name. (NLT)

Originally uploaded by David Gunter 

Happy Easter!  Have a blessed day.

Live Sweetly :)

Rachel

Courage

Originally uploaded by beverly.13


Live Sweetly :)
Rachel

Weather Forecast...Spring!

Purple Flowers in the Sun
Originally uploaded by David 17

Through all the frozen winter
My nose has grown most lonely
For lovely, lovely, colored smells
That come in springtime only.


The purple smell of lilacs,
The yellow smell that blows
Across the air of meadows
Where bright forsythia grows.


The tall pink smell of peach trees,
The low white smell of clover,
And everywhere the great green smell
Of grass the whole world over."

- Smells by Kathryn Worth



Live Sweeetly :)
Rachel

P.U.S.H.

A Little Push
Originally uploaded by stephaniedan

Pray


Until


Something


Happens







Live Sweetly :)
Rachel

Question of the Day

Ice cube falling in a glass of water
Originally uploaded by cactusautobus

Is your glass half full or half empty today?



I feel like mine is bubbling over with LOVE.

















Live Sweetly :)
Rachel

Hug O' War

By Shel Silverstein


Live Sweetly :)
Rachel

She left the Door open

She left the Door open
Originally uploaded by h.koppdelaney

"When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us."

- Helen Keller, was anAmerican author, activist and lecturer.
Live Sweetly :)
Rachel

Lilacs

With the first week of March coming to a close, we are getting closer and closer to the first day of spring.  And even closer to the few weeks of the year when I can enjoy my favorite flower....

And Spring arose on the garden fair,

Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;

And each flower and herb on Earth's dark breast

Rose from the dreams of its wintry rest.

Percy Bysshe Shelley, "The Sensitive Plant"

1. Image from mcsummerchick
2. Image from Imagemakercan
3. Image from Luigi FDV


Live Sweetly :)
Rachel

Life is a Rollercoaster

~life is a rollercoaster~close-up
Originally uploaded by taranoel

“Life can be like a roller coaster...

And just when you think you've had enough,
and your ready to get off the ride and take the calm, easy merry-go round...

You change your mind, throw you hands in the air and ride the roller coaster all over again.
That's exhilaration...that's living a bit on the edge...that's being ALIVE."

-Stacey Charter