Ann Taylor black Sandals (Similar here)
When we were in Disney, we had the delightful opportunity to ride the Disney Ferry back to catch the Epcot Monorail. It was absolutely gorgeous, relaxing (there was only about 10 people on the entire ferry!), and fun to see the resort and park area from the water.
Y'all know I love wearing dresses and skirts and this pinstripe midi skater dress was extremely comfortable but cute and pretty for our day at the parks. I love the detail of the high neck front with the crossback! I also love that it can also easily transition into fall with a light sweater too! Do y'all have a dress that you are loving right now?
Happy Friday friends!
"In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help.
He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters...my God turns my darkness into light."
-Psalm 18-
As some of you may have seen on my intstagram page, I shared on Wednesday that I have been struggling with extreme pain everyday that seems to have started with a treatment that I began in the beginning of August. Over the past seven weeks I have had numerous testing done to determine the cause of the pain and at this point things are a bit of a mystery. Unfortunately in this journey with Lyme these things can happen, and sometimes a determined treatment plan brings these detours and yet I am humbly coming before you, my dear prayer warriors and friends to ask for God's mercy and healing in this area. The pain is extreme, none of my typical "pain remedies" have helped, it has kept me from getting much needed rest and sleep, has delayed further treatment plans, is quite nerve-racking and can become more and less intense throughout the day without a known trigger or warning. I admit that there has been a lot of tears.
I asked for prayer as I was talking with several of my medical team members were trying to work on some solutions.
I was so grateful to each of you that have been praying, sent sweet messages, and left such compassionate comments on my post on IG. Most of all thank you for your prayers. I spoke with my main medical doctor yesterday who sweetly called to discuss a few things.
At this point the decision has been made to halt some of the main treatments that I have been doing, delay the upcoming treatment round, do some additional testing, and add in a few different things to try to help calm down the extreme pain that I have been experiencing. I so appreciate my main medical team who is always working so hard, the way that they listen and discuss my treatment plan along with my heart, and the encouragement that they are in this very long journey.
I also so appreciate your continued prayers for many different things, including a decrease in pain. My treatment plan for the next month has now radically changed and this delay is very discouraging and disappointing to my little heart. As with other times in this Lyme journey the tears of frustration flow freely.
So last night as I watched the way the seasons are gently changing I am reminded that the God who controls the seasons is still in control of even this. And tonight I humbly rest on God's unchanging grace and the beautiful promise from Isaiah 25:9:
"On that day it will be said, Look, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He has saved us. This is the LORD; we have waited for Him. Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation."
Happy Wednesday friends! I am excited to link up with Mel, Shaeffer, and Shay for the "What's Up Wednesday" Link up! I have so enjoyed reading these ladies posts and am excited to join in! It is so fun to connect with so many other ladies who are doing this each month! If you would like to join in and have a blog, just answer the questions above!
What We're Eating this Week...
With fall officially starting this past week I have been looking at more fall fruits and veggies. While I eat a variety of fruits and veggies throughout the year I love to try and eat "in season" and the apple trees this time of year are abundant. Do you remember the old saying "an apple a day keeps the doctor away"? Well I was shocked to research and learn how many health benefits that there are of apples! You can read my post about 15 benefits of eating apples by clicking HERE about just a few of the amazing benefits from this food!
What I'm Reminiscing About...
The entire week of fun and excitement of spending time with friends at the Magic Kingdom and my sister on the Disney Cruise. I recapped yesterday the beautiful day at the Magic Kingdom with my dear friends Kori and Ali and can't wait to share more from this trip in the upcoming weeks!
What I'm Loving...
Cozy warm fires and the start of autumn at the cabin. I am trying to grasp every single moment that we have left here before we leave camp.
What I've Been Up To...
August was such a whirlwind of activity with the December Caravan Book Release. I have truly been so overwhelmed and blown away by the incredibly kind support and words about this book. Thank you so much for all of your love about this project! (If you are interested in purchasing December Caravan you can find it where books are sold and on Amazon and Barnes and Nobles. If you are interested in bulk/group discount orders you can find out more information HERE.) I am also really excited to share about a new book project that will be releasing soon! I will be updating more about this on the blog in the upcoming weeks!
What I'm Dreading...
I shared on instagram yesterday that I have been struggling with a lot of pain these past seven weeks... and let's be honest... this treatment round that I am starting this week will be extremely intense! I would covet prayers for this as I am going into some of the most intense weeks and months of my life. Would you also continue to pray that all of the finances to come in for this treatment round? As I mentioned before this treatment round is extremely expensive (about $30,000 a month) and we are trusting the Lord for His provision. If you are interested in helping out financially you can find my "go fund me page" HERE.
What I'm Working on...
I have just finished up a bunch of orders that have come through in the shop (thank you!) and we are now in the process of packing up the cabin and the shop to move up to my grandmother's house. As you can imagine this is a ton of work. We would covet prayers as we transition!
What I'm Excited About...
While I love summer and have been dreading the end of this one for a lot of different reasons, I truly love the fall. Fall in upstate NY is one of my favorite things! If you are in the Lake Champlain region and are looking for suggestions of what to do this fall you can check out my post Fall Activities on Lake Champlain by clicking HERE.
What I'm Watching/Reading...
I have been spending an increasing amount of time in Scripture. With the increase of pain and the discouragement of the length of this journey, I have found myself needing more and more truth that refreshes my heart and soul.
What I'm Listening to...
I shared this last month, but it is still the same. A couple of years ago this song was on repeat every morning and I have had it back listening to it again almost every morning and evening. I definitely have used this as the prayer of my heart these past few weeks and this summer and plan to as we enter this fall. If you are tired and weary or feel like you have been forgotten by the Lord this song is for you.
What I'm Wearing...
Lots and lots of scarves and these comfy red boots as the weather has turned cooler. I love scarves and the changing temperature gives me an extra excuse to use them! *smiles*
What I'm looking Forward to Next Month...
The beautiful weather, the opportunity to speak at Indie Author Day, the opportunity to spend more time with my grandmother, cherishing the love of family, and some exciting behind-the-scene projects I can't wait to share about.
I would love to know your answers to these questions friends! Share your thoughts below in the comments!! *smiles* Happy Wednesday!
“I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in His word I put my hope. I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for morning…O Israel put your hope in the Lord for with the Lord is unfailing love…”
-Psalm 130:5-7-
One of the real aspects of the Single Journey is the unplanned (and probably unchosen) length of learning how to wait. "Wait" till the timing is right. "Wait" on the Lord's timing for the man He has chosen for me. "Wait" for the "appropriate time" to buy wedding magazines and have a Pinterest wedding board. "Wait" to share all of the exciting details of setting up a home with someone. "Wait" to start planning a family with another person. "Wait"... for that season that we ache to have start... actually begin.
Like other seasons of life, this waiting season in the Single Journey can test the hearts of the most resolved. It can be tempting to settle for less than God's best during the waiting. It can be tempting to revel in the disappointments of this single journey. The waiting seasons are tough. There is no other words to describe these seasons. They are just brutally difficult and tough. But as I face the waiting... if I have courage to ask the tough questions I do find that there is not only hurt but hope in the waiting season.
As I spend time in God's word the Lord reminds me that we don’t wait aimlessly. We actively wait, as we trust in Him,
spending more and more time in His word, and loving those whom He has placed
in front of us for today. That energy and love that we long to pour out on to a husband can be poured out right now to the ones that He has surrounded us with. This time is a beautiful preparation for learning to love like Christ loves us.
“Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup, you make
my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places, surely
I have a delightful inheritance.”
-Psalm 16:5-6-
Let us focus on the Lord,
seek wisdom from Him, and run full strength into our waiting season... not try to run away from it. I have no fear in the
waiting because I am not waiting on a person but on the Lord's perfect timing.
“I
wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in His word I put my hope. I wait
for the Lord more than watchmen wait for morning…O Israel put your hope in the
Lord for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.”
-Psalm 130:5-7-
With the Lord there is unfailing love. It is in Him that we will focus on and actively follow where He is leading. This is not wasted
time. There is never wasted time with the Lord.
“I keep my eyes always on you Lord, with you at my right hand, I will not
be shaken.”
-Psalm 16:8-
I am so excited to share that I will be participating in Indie Author Day at Tivoli Free Library on October 8th in Tivoli, NY! I will be giving a presentation for this event and will be part of a meet and greet as well. I will be speaking about marketing and promotion for indie authors and am excited to meet up with other indie authors!
Are you an indie author or an aspiring indie author? Check out the Indie Author Website HERE for more information on events happening across the country (and some around the world)!
Thank you so much to Tivoli Free Library and Veronica Stork for arranging this and having me! I hope to see y'all there!
(Please note that this event has been post-poned until October 15th)
Thank you so much for all your prayers for this past week and this beautiful adventure that I have been on. I arrived home safely after almost 20 hours of traveling. I saw so many times and ways that God's grace showed up in practical and amazing ways and I can't wait to share more in the upcoming days and weeks. What a beautiful time this has been!
I am returning to the cooler north with a heart full of precious memories, lots of love and laughter, and the joy of this lovely week ready to take on another round of treatment. Thank you again for all your prayers friends, you are a blessing!
I can't believe it... TODAY I leave on a beautiful week-long adventure with friends and an amazing long weekend with my amazing sister! If you would like to read the story behind this adventure, you can read all about it HERE!
I will be away from the blog this week, but will be updating my instagram page while I am gone and can't wait to connect with y'all more over there! You can following along by clicking HERE!
I hope y'all have a wonderful week!
Happy Saturday friends! I hope that y'all had a wonderful week and that this weekend is full of rest, fun, relaxation, and joy! I am spending the weekend finishing up some last minute packing for the extremely fun week next week! My little heart is so excited for next week and I so appreciate all of your prayers for the trip!
Today I wanted to share some bloggers reviews of December Caravan! There are so many sweet bloggers who took the time to write such kind reviews and words about the book and I am so grateful for all of their help in spreading the word! Here is what a few of them had to say:
From Katie, at Always Katie:
"Rebecca is a normal girl with normal girl stories. What makes this book powerful is her extraordinary reaction to these normal girl problems. She meets each challenge - heartbreak, longing, fear, pain - with grace, faith, and wisdom. I so admire this about her, and she sets a sterling example for those of us who struggle to make sense of our own trials."
You can read the rest of Katie's review by clicking HERE.
From Bailey, at Becoming Bailey:
"Rebecca's short stories about her life and experiences show me that despite everything, God is still good. If something were to happen to my husband tomorrow, God will still be good. If we went bankrupt, God would still be good. If I lost my good health, God would still be good. God is good and He is the ultimate healer and provider. We can endure all things because God's love never fails.
We don't have to have the happy ending to show God's faithfulness. We can still be "in the middle," still "broken", because there is hope. There is hope that one day, when we reach Heaven, God will wipe away our tears. There will be no more mourning, no more sadness, no more death and no more despair. We'll spend our days joyfully praising our Savior."
We don't have to have the happy ending to show God's faithfulness. We can still be "in the middle," still "broken", because there is hope. There is hope that one day, when we reach Heaven, God will wipe away our tears. There will be no more mourning, no more sadness, no more death and no more despair. We'll spend our days joyfully praising our Savior."
You can read the rest of Bailey's review by clicking HERE.
From Kaycee, at Emerald Life Blog:
"Without giving anything away, December Caravan starts off with a bomb drop. As I continued to read, my emotions were up and down. Rebecca chronicled a time in her life in which she experienced many trials including loss and illnesses. She was honest and open with her struggles. She was real. She was relateable. She was raw."
You can read the rest of Kaycee's review by clicking HERE.
From Laura, at The Start of a Good Life
"I enjoyed this look into Vandemark’s story so much as she constantly reminded me to keep my focus and hope on the Lord. Her trials are beyond imagining, and yet here she is, years later – encouraging those around her to run to the heart of God. I highly recommend this book."
You can read the rest of Laura's review by clicking HERE.
Did you write a blog review on December Caravan? I would love to share it! Please leave a comment or send me an email! Thank you friends! I hope you have a wonderful Saturday!
December Caravan is available where books are sold and can be purchased by clicking HERE.
When I first started my shop, I used to work in the extra room in my apartment which then slowly overtook my whole apartment with various projects. *smiles* When I moved back to my parents home to fight for my health my parents patiently and lovingly helped me convert a room into my studio office.
This space (which is right next store to my bedroom) has allowed me to have a very happy retreat to create.
I use half (okay, a little over half as the joke is in our family *smiles*) of the room while my mom uses the other half of the room for a variety of different things.
In the room we placed two different desks. This desk I use for creating projects, a wrapping station, and for writing handwritten letters to friends and family.
The various storage items in the room came from my former apartment where many things were thrifted or were passed down to me as loving "hand me downs".
Since the space is limited in this room every nook and cranny is used purposefully in a variety of different ways.
It took close to a year and a half to get the room "finalized" and organized in a way that I not only thought was "pretty" but would be practical and functional.
Probably my biggest advice to anyone wanting to create a "crafting retreat" is to make it work for you. There are tons and tons of adorable craft rooms that you can find in magazines and on Pinterest. Making a space work for you is what is key.
Due to my very limited budget I did not have the financial resources to create the room I originally wanted to. I just couldn't afford to purchase expensive boxes that were pretty. *smiles* But I took my time and was very patient and decided to search and search for pieces that I could afford and that would be practical in this space. One of those pieces that the I found was this former "card" rack that was in a old pharmacy that was closing. They had been trying to sell it for months and eventually took it to a thrift store that had it marked for $35. When I went in and asked about the piece I found that it was on sale and they were desperate to get rid of it. $15 later I had the solution that was perfect for all of the flashcards, bingo cards, tiny pieces, etc. that are used in my shop so often.
To be frank I didn't love the "look" completely and may spray paint it one day but when I found these adorable and happy boxes at Target last Spring I love the final look!
The Target boxes were also a surprise gift that have been cute and perfect for the room! I had seen these boxes in the dollar section at Target and thought they were adorable but knew it wasn't practical or feasible for me to spend $1 per box. I bought three but that was it. Well a couple of weeks later we were traveling from New York to the South and stopped at a Target. At this particular Target they had marked these boxes "on sale" for 70% and they were only $.30!! I bought ALL of them that they had and have LOVED them and the "pop" of color that they gave to this organizational piece and the room.
As y'all can tell I love ribbon. *smiles*
As I mentioned earlier I do have two desks in the room. I sometimes sit at this desk and sketch and paint, but mainly this desk gets used as a space for laying out projects that are "in progress". *smiles*
Thank you so much for stopping by and looking friends! I would love to have y'all come over and spend a day crafting! Anyone is welcome!
Have a wonderful day!!
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