God bless my brother.

I will never know how he does life with three women in this home.

Hold your head high and know

It's not the end of the road.

"Blessed is he who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him."

James 1:12

I could be skinnier

Talk a little louder.

Dress a little trendier.

Flirt a little bit.





Won't make me happier.

3 a.m.

Goodbye, little prince.

It's so hard to reconcile with the death of a pet. It seems so silly to cry hysterically over an animal. On the other hand, I am fully convinced that God showed our little family favor by blessing us with Bandy. He was such a good dog. So loving and kind. He fell in love with everyone who walked through our front door. He always greeted them warmly. I really appreciated that about him. 

I feel fortunate to have had Puppy for as long as we did. He saw me and Aaron grow through a lot of different stages of life.  A little over a decade of life. He was there through it all. Lovingly sitting at our feet as we watched tv. Greeting us as we returned home from school. Begging for table scraps. Haha.. 

Although I feel grieved by the loss of Bandy, I feel so thankful to have had him. He was so good to us. 

We love you, little boy. Thanks for all the love.

Fire in my Belly.

Every time I pick up Make-Up Artist magazine or scroll through Tumblr and see all the gorgeous shoots and potential muses..or step inside an ULTA or Sephora..

I just can't handle it.

I want this..so badly..I want this for the rest of my life. I finally feel like I am in the right place. I'm actually happy. I just want it all right now. Everything it has to offer. All the knowledge and skill. I want to soak up everything. I want to be the best at my craft.

I just want this forever.

Gwen,

A tad bit obsessed with you. 

I'm just gonna be real with you guys...

This song makes me want to just....rapture off the earth.

Mad goosebumps.

Praise You, dear One.

I am grounded, I am humbled, I am one with everything.

Jeremiah's Complaint

"You are always righteous, LORD,
   when I bring a case before You.
Yet I would speak with You about Your justice:
   Why does the way of the wicked prosper? 
   Why do all the faithless live at ease?"

She is 23.

Dear whoever you might be,

I'm still waiting patiently.

Oh, this feeling..

Tonight, I decided unwind after a stressful day at work and watch some Netflix. But right before I turned on the Wii I thought to myself...

"Man, you should be feasting on some good stuff instead of filling your time with useless brain rot..."

But I proceeded on instead. 

"Hey, a little That's So Raven won't hurt anybody! And it sure won't hurt me! It's Disney Channel, for crying out loud.. Oh! And it will keep me from thinking about any of the crap going on in my life! Yes! Good deal! 

Unfortunately, Netflix decided it wasn't going to work. 

Click. Retry. Pause.... Nothing. 

"Hmm...that's str-.....Ah...I get it now, Lord.."

Before heading to my room to crack open my Bible I opened the fridge in one last stitch effort for a pre-bedtime snack. 

"Alas. There is nothing here for me.."

Then my attention shifted to a pretty little hand-scripted notecard attached to the side of the fridge...

It was a line of a verse from Isaiah 55. 

(here's the full verse)

“Come, all you who are thirsty,

   come to the waters;

and you who have no money,

   come, buy and eat! 

Come, buy wine and milk

   without money and without cost.

Why spend money on what is not bread,

   and your labor on what does not satisfy?

Listen, listen to Me, and eat what is good,

   and you will delight in the richest of fare.

Give ear and come to Me;

   listen, that you may live.

I will make an everlasting covenant with you,

   My faithful love promised to David."

I cannot tell you how overjoyed and filled up I was when upon reading these verses. Happy tears fell as I clutched my chest in joyous rapture. In that moment, I wanted so badly for the Lord to be standing right in my room so that I could jump up and give Him the biggest bear hug ever. 

I love this feeling. This feeling of pure, undeniable love. I have never felt this love before. And it is a love that can only be attributed to God. Agape love.

"Come and drink! Buy! Eat! STUFF YOUR FACES!" Jesus wants us to come to Him? I am so blown away and shocked by that! He genuinely desires us! 

So why do I wait until I am, literally, spiritually starved to death to come to Him like this? I could be feasting every day. I could be feeling this great love every single day through the power of His Word. Man. It delights my soul. And it gives me a good kick in the seat...in a very good way, of course.

Thank you, Jesus. 

I can't wait to hug Your neck for real.

Peace of Christ.

Hal

Wreck :(

So this happened Saturday..

I was on my way home from a lovely weekend in Nashville..and bam! Rear ended a Ford Focus. I was almost home, too. And when I say almost I mean, at least, three minutes away. Sigh. Was not the best day. Thankfully, Sunday comes directly after Saturday so I was able to be encouraged by some sweet folks in the body of Christ. The Lord was definitely loving on me and I am so incredibly thankful for that! 

It's just an altogether yucky feeling, you guys. Especially when the other driver is being really ridiculous about everything. (I.E. getting an ambulance for their "injuries", calling a tow truck in for their car that still runs perfectly fine..) Ick ick ick. Hated Saturday, but praise God for Sunday. I'm just really pumped that day is over with altogether. And, of course, it doesn't really end there. Gotta get my car fixed, go to court on the 29th (extremely nervous about that..never ever been to court), and deal with the repercussions of this wreck (sky rocketing insurance, driving anxieties, yadda yadda). 

Nevertheless, I have very little to complain about. The Lord has been pouring out his love for me through my sweet Mom and precious family. Ma drove into town yesterday and took me to Target to get some things. Her treat. I swear, I will never know why the Lord blessed me with an angel for a mother. I am so incredibly thankful for her patience and grace. She is truly a woman of virtue and integrity. Crazy in love with her. Thanks, Jesus. Really.

That's about all for now. 

Hal

Bye-bye, baby boy.

My sweet little bear is headed to a new home. My heart is aching so hard tonight. I cried hysterically when I found out. Unfortunately, that was twenty minutes before I had to go to work. Worst day ever. Just hoping and praying he has a peaceful home life. Should not have fallen in love with that little turd, but I did!

La, la, la, la, take me home.

I never thought that I would find my home here. 

But I have.

Morale Boost

I am now fully convinced that the best morale boost is going to get your hair done.
Today, my sweet friend Paige (whom I adore the mess out of) (whom also RULES at all things hair and makeup) did my hair for free in exchange for house/doggy sitting for her while she was on vacation.

And the finished result...

Loving this color so hard! Paige is so stinking good. Also, my hair smells like grapes.

Peace of Christ,

Hal

We're heading 'cross a river

Soon your cares will all be gone

Bad Body Double Trouble.

It's nothing new.

I hear that little voice all the time..

You look absolutely terrible today! And your boobs? Good gracious, they are huge! And what size jeans do you wear again? Oh yeah.. Could never forget that number, could you? Woah! Look at that girl. She has the most perfect figure.. Don't you wish you could look like her? Hey, listen! Are you listening? Don't even try to go shopping for clothes... You will fail miserably with that figure! 

Say, hi there to my bad body double! One of my most favorite artists, miss Imogen Heap, wrote the perfect little diddy for those of us (ahem, all of us) gals who hear that little voice from time to time. Goes a little something like this..

She pops into the bathroom

Just after a shower and

She plays with my makeup and creams

Keeps trying to look like me

And goes through the motions

Posing this way and that,

Holding it in,

If it makes you feel better, then knock yourself out

Say hi there to my bad body double

This is my bad body double trouble

Oh no, my bad body double, mmmhm

I've got bad body double trouble, oh.

She's trouble

She's trouble

She's trouble, alright.

Yeah, yeah

Sometimes I manage to lose her

Shake her at a bar, in the gym for five minutes

It feels so good to be back to my own self again

Can get quite confusing.

We look very similar except she's got some grays and

A little extra weight on the sides

And dimply thighs,

I hear that stuff's a bitch to get rid off

(No, no, no, no)

We're having quite an intimate, personal moment (not now)

Could you maybe come at a slightly less awful time? (not now)

She can see I've got someone quite nice here with me

Can't we just be left alone...

I guess that's a no then

Seeing as you're still here

Seeing as you're still here

Here

It's not me, no

It's my bad body double

I got bad body double trouble

Oh no, my bad body double, mmmhm

I've got bad body double trouble, agh.

Bad body double, mmhm.

I've got bad body double trouble

Oh dear, my bad body double.

I got bad body double trouble.

She's trouble

She's trouble

She's trouble, alright.

Yeah, yeah, yeah

She's trouble

She's trouble

She's trouble, alright.

Yeah, yeah, right there.

Can't shake her, Can't shake her, Can't shake her, Can't shake her

Everywhere I go, Everywhere I go, goooo

Can't shake her, Can't shake her, Can't shake her, Can't shake her

Everywhere I go, Everywhere I go, goooo

Say hi there,

To my bad body double

My bad, bad, bad body double.

She's trouble

I can't shake her

And I hate her, I hate her, I hate her, I hate her, I hate her.

She's everywhere I go,

I'm going to get rid

Of you once and for all...

I cannot think of a more accurate description. She nailed it! So how in the world do we escape it? "She's everywhere I go!" Well, friends, believe this...

"I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

Psalm 139: 14 

What a song we have to sing. The Creator of Heaven and Earth formed us wonderfully. Just how He wanted us. I need to remind myself of this every single time I look in the mirror. I am precious and prized because Christ made me. And He gave Himself up for me! Hallelujah! 

I have been so encouraged by some really amazing women in my lifetime. Women who are constantly encouraging and lifting my spirits. Telling me that I am prized and beautiful. Women like my beautiful mother and my incredible sister-in-law. Praise God for them. I have also been really stoked about seeing real women in the "public eye" who are doing their thing. Women who are strong, confident, intelligent, and talented. Here are a couple...

Imogen

Talented. Innovative. Silly. Phenomenal.

Adele

"I don't want to be a skinny pop star"

This woman is so high up on my list. Not only can she sing her ass off, but she also doesn't need gimmicks or a size 2 waist to sell her music. She's real.

So ladies, be free of those nasty little comments that get thrown your way via yourself. And don't ever let any paper thin debutante, foolish magazine, or quick-fix dieting commercial tell you what size your hips should be. 

You're beautiful. 

Prized. 

Precious.

Don't forget it.

Grace and peace.

Hallie

Adventures.

Big brother is going out of the country in two weeks.

We're really excited and know God is about to shake his world up. I will not lie though..I am a little envious of him. I feel like my soul is just yearning to get out of the country and see what life is like outside of this little bubble I've created. I hope that someday, when I'm ready, God sends me on a thrilling adventure. And if He does, I know He'll show me a lot of great things and introduce me to a lot of great folks. And He will definitely show me how great He is.

Grace, peace, and safety to you, big brother.

 I'm so proud of you.

Hallie

Little Orphan Boy.

At the moment, I have the sweetest little guy in my lap.

This is Ray.

Ray has been with the Hardin household for about two weeks now. At first, he was extremely skittish and ran from practically anyone or anything. But fortunately, he has loosened up quite a bit and is becoming really affectionate. We really love this little guy despite his quirks and pungent odor. We are looking to find him a good home, so hopefully a sweet family will grab him. And if they don't, we may just have to hang on to him..

I would be okay with that.

Grace and peace.

Hallie (and baby Ray)

Hello, hello.

Well, I have decided to join the wonderful world that is "Blogspot".
I'm pretty excited about it. Facebook and Tumblr don't really sit all that well with me at the moment. They're cluttered, I guess you'd say. This will be my little residence for the time being. My little secret hideaway from the crowded blogs on the interwebz.

So here I am. Pretty cluttered, myself. Here to tell you about the things I see and the things I think.
Grace and peace.

Hallie

(that's me up there)