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Nothing like the gentle warmth of a citrus scented candle to warm your hands on a cool afternoon blazing 118 degree summer day. Who's with me? Nobody?
If you're from Phoenix, maybe you understand my dilemma. Blistering temps outside.
We're talking bake cookies on your hood, fry an egg on the sidewalk, blow torch wind in your face, I might possibly melt today hot outside Oh, but don't worry it's a "dry heat." (I'm rolling my eyes in case you are unaware of the sarcasm attached to that last statement). Personally, I think heat is heat...boil a chicken, bake a chicken...either way, that baby's gettin' cooked, and so am I...until I walk inside that is.
Everyone in Phoenix has to make up for the oven like air qualities outside by making it Antarctica inside...I mean, really? is that necessary? I'm freezing in this heat!
Alas, here I sit, warming my hands with a candle and dreading the painful walk to my car that awaits me at the end of this work day.

In other news, I have had the lovliest of weekends. (Two in a row to be exact!)

Despite the ridiculously hot temperatures this weekend, I ventured out into the city with some sweet friends. Friday night we had a wonderful dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, Postino, and shared the most delicious array of Bruschetta. I mean, who has 12 different types of bruschetta?! Ah, so yummy! And then, I spent Saturday with my sister shopping and being girly.

 

Last weekend I had the opportunity to throw a baby shower for my the lovely Bex of Bex, a Diary blog. This woman is inspirational. You should check out her blog if you haven't and read through her journey of infertility and adoption. A long time in the waiting, they were finally licensed to foster and hopefully adopt a sweet little one. We had a beautiful party to celebrate this and spoil her with all kinds of necessities for mommyhood. I hope to have some pictures for you soon.

For now I just wanted to say how amazed I am at the heart of foster care. What an incredible noble, and selfless task. To love children...to welcome them into your home and make them your own. To provide for them and nurture them to growth. What a beautiful, beautiful example of Christ's love.

Much like a child that requires love in order to grow, we too need to be adopted into a new kind of home; One full of love and grace like we have never known. I always had a difficult time with the idea of God adopting me as an orphan, because I have wonderful parents. Yet, even the best of parents cannot compare to the love God has for me, His daughter. And if I am to grow, I need to be with Him where I am always learning.

John 15 talks a lot about this being 'in Him." If we don't, we perish. We must make our home with Him as The Message version puts it:

"4Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me...
9-10I’ve loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you’ll remain intimately at home in my love. That’s what I’ve done—kept my Father’s commands and made myself at home in his love.11-15“I’ve told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you."

 I love that not only do we get to be loved and adopted, and not only do we get to grow and bear fruit, and not only do gain the Joy of Christ, but we also get to learn how to love and extend those same things to others. A wonderful and worthy task.

Hope your Monday is going well! Much Love,
C

Here's a completely random pic of my mom and I...just cause I think she's cool. :)