Tuesday, June 3, 2008

our little square in this world


Welcome to the Smith Square! Our little apartment wears whatever I want it to as long as Jord approves! So, i have about 10 projects going, to hang on the walls (I'll post pix as I finish the projects...don't hold your breath)! I would like to call my style a mix of Hollister/Pottery Barn/Urban Outfitters/Grandma's sigh-worthy house (minus the pink knitted tissue box covers)...but, i think it is still a bit bareboned! It lacks color and pictures on the walls...but, as i said I am slowly progressing in that...plus, i'm decortating on a dime, if you will! So, enjoy the tour of our wonderful home that God has entrusted us with!!! 

The living room viewed from the kitchen... the marble table was a gracious gift from Mom Smith! I love it. Projects for this room include:  paint the end tables, paint a picture for above the couch and love seat, cover the pillows, and make curtains! until then... we love to eat, have quiet times, watch American Idol when it was on, and hang out with friends in here...Oh yeah spy on the neighborhood..hahaha:) 


Kitchen viewed from the living room... the walls used to be pumkin orange, but are now a lovely green/grey color titled "squirrel"! The table and chairs were from Tim and Lisa Hulme...what a blessing! I do most of my painting projects on this table so it is covered in bright multi-colored right angles...i hope to paint or stain it down the road so we don't really care. The paintings on the walls are originals, except the one on the far right...Jacquelyn painted that for us as a wedding gift! This wall will eventually serve as the gallery spot in the house covered in paintings! The basket seats need covering and i store a lot in them. Kate and I made our "kitchen thing" (dishes holder) out of a dresser. I just figured out where to hang that wreath!



The view of the laundry area from the kitchen! Jord, Dad Smith and Pa Korday helped us so much with finding and installing the washer and dryer!!! I spend a lot of time in that odiously undecorated corner!!!
simply the bathroom...
if i ever paint it, the shade will be called "cairo blue" :)
Ahh, our repose! I failed to mention earlier that my 5 sisters, brother Clay, and friend Matt painted our living room and our bedroom while we were away on our honeymoon!!! it was the best surprise and just the colors we wanted (well, i wanted:)... this is my main priority! 
As most of you know...Katy made, yes, MADE the lovely and comfy quilt on our bed, it has this fine patchwork on the one side and an Urban Outfitters cover on the other side!We Love it!!! Jap found the corner dresser in someone's trash!!! My love hung everything in our room but the curtains. project's include: blown up photo above the bed, a sheer bed veil hung over the bed from my dear sis Liz, more photos!


this is our music room/library...we have so much fun in here!!! Jord rules in the music department! His own and borrowed guitars are in one corner and the great keyboard he gave me for Christmas has been such a blessing, and relief for my itching fingers to dance upon!!! Our projects for this room include: read some of the books we own HAHA, try to keep our music quiet after 10:00 PM,  glorify God with what talents he has blessed us with, and record songs to post on the blog and hopefully bless others with in the coming years! It seems that our dream to write and play and record music together has come true!!! 

Best for last...our quaint coo-coo clock from mom and dad Korday above the stove...i love the tiny "tick-tock, tick-tock"
So, there you have it!!! I would be remiss to end our tour without thanking God for our warm-in-the-winter, cold-in-the-summer (jord likes it refrigerator cool), cozy, happy Smith Square home!!! And everyone who had even a small part to helping us get started and settled! We are so grateful! We can't wait to invite more people physically into our home... have more dinners and ice cream nights with the Smith and Korday family...boys nights with Dowling boys, Joey and beau...more girls' game nights... and so on..
We Love being home, and at home is where we have most of our fights and most of our happiest times together! At home is where we are most ourselves and where the "working out our faith with fear and trembling" takes place... it is a place, if not THE PLACE of loving refinement that God works in and through His children... I will leave you with these words...
"But, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" Joshua 24:15

and these...    "Think about the last time you took a little time to count each blessing one by one, for makin your lunch in the little kitchen, while the sound system bump boogie root drum".... from: boogie root 

Monday, June 2, 2008

I will set before my eyes no vile thing...

Here's the true test: can you walk away from a movie or a tv show actually and honestly thanking God for what you have just viewed??? 
I just finished a chapter in the book Not Even A Hint by Joshua Harris entitled "Half A Poison Pill Won't Kill You" (How Do I Cope With The Temptations Of The Media?) Jord had encouraged me to read it, and I would encourage you adults to also read it for yourself.
The chapter was refreshing, convicting, and prompting! Here's my trouble: I'd like to answer that agitating question without a moment's thought -purely and honestly- "Yes!"...but, i don't think i could, in full faith! Why? Because I am a sinner (saved by Jesus). And this sinner (saved by Jesus) makes choices to listen to the Spirit's voice or to my own sinful desires... and those choices, when not informed by and submitted under God's word, bring consequences. Here are some quotes from the book about media that i found very insightful and helpful:

"Television and films stir up feelings and emotions that bypass our minds and go straight for our affections. The incredible power of media is that it can make something evil look good or exciting without appearing to make any argument at all" (p.118)

again...

"No rating system based on content can replace a heart that wants to please God. If we're to honor God with our entertainment choices, we must be willing to carefully evaluate how what we watch affects our love for God" (p.119)

and again...

"Take this rule:Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of conscience, obscures your sense of God, or takes off the relish of spiritual things, in short, whatever increases the strength and authority of your body over your mind, that thing is sin to you, however innocent it may be in itself." (p.120- John Wesley's mother wrote this describing sin to him.)

lastly...

"and if we're the only people in the world who don't see the latest summer blockbuster movie, we'll be alright" (p.125)
"The only thing that's essential is walking with God and pleasing Him".

I am excited to take all this in and apply it to my own life, i have so much to learn!!! And I  hope what I have shared encourages you in your striving to please God and to walk in His wisdom, and deepens your love for our Savior who came to save us from sin... which is crafty enough to masquerade as good, bright and beautiful.

Here are some tools that Jord and I wish to keep close and have found helpful when we are considering viewing (primarily) movies, but these apply to tv too...

#1 God's word: Psalm 101:26
"I will set before my eyes no vile thing"

#2 God's word...okay, we get it!

#3 friends'/family's advice not to watch something

#4 Chapter 7 from Not Even a Hint

#5 http://www.pluggedinonline.com/movies/
(Excellent, descriptive reviews on movies)

#6 God's word