10 Years!

April 23, 2004 is a special day for me! It's the day I got married to my best friend, John. We got married at the church we were attending at that time and went to the North Shore for our honeymoon. It was cold and snowy but we had so much fun!

On one hand ten years have flown by. But on the other hand, it seems long (in the best way possible). It  feels like I've always been married to John. Like there isn't a time when I haven't been. But, obviously, there was a time when I was single.

To celebrate our anniversary John and I drove to Nashville, TN! I have wanted to go to Nashville since I was in junior high (since that's where all of the Christian musicians were located)! We had a few things on our list of things to do but otherwise we just wanted our time away to be really free. We were so excited that we left at 6AM and drove straight through arriving at our hotel about 8PM. We visited the Johnny Cash Museum, walked by the honky tonks, went on a backstage tour of the Grand Ole Opry, toured Opryland, attended a Nickel Creek concert at the Ryman Auditorium, toured four historical houses in the area and learned a lot about the civil war (particularly the Battle of Franklin, November 30, 1864). Oh and did we eat!?! We ate so well! Nashville is such a foodie little place. We ate at The Pharmacy, Husk, the City House, Grey's on Main, and Pinewood Social. We loved Nashville!

April 23, 2004

April 19, 2014
Nickel Creek concert at the Ryman

John on the way down at a rest stop in MO. We were amazed at the warm temperature, the sun and the GREEN grass!

Johnny Cash Museum

Looking down Broadway toward all the Honkytonks.

We aren't big country fans but we appreciated the Grand Ole Opry tour.

Inside the Opryland Hotel and Convention Center. That place was huge!

Our anniversary dinner at Husk before the concert.

Walking over to downtown Nashville from the LP field.

Belle Meade Mansion.

The Carnton House and Plantation

On the way home we stopped at the Arch. St. Louis, MO.

Sweetly Resting

Why did I choose the name Sweetly Resting for a blog?  Actually, I thought of that name a few years ago after finding the old hymn (also called Sweetly Resting). At that time I mentioned it to a friend who also liked blogs and she said she really liked it. That encouragement was enough for me to keep it in mind if I ever did start a blog. Recently when thoughts of starting a blog came back into mind the name came back too.

So what did I like about the hymn? The lyrics! The lyrics describe what I desire to be. Hiding in God. Resting in Jesus as my Rock of Ages. Peaceful and Joyful in Christ. Sweetly Resting in God. That's what I want to be like every day (regardless of situations). That's what I want to pass along to my kids. Here are the lyrics:

In the rifted Rock I’m resting;

Safely sheltered, I abide.

There no foes nor storms molest me,

While within the cleft I hide.

{CHORUS}

Now I’m resting, sweetly resting,

In the cleft once made for me.

Jesus, blessed Rock of Ages,

I will hide myself in Thee.

Long pursued by sin and Satan,

Weary, sad, I longed for rest.

Then I found this heav’nly shelter,

Opened in my Savior’s breast.

Peace which passeth understanding,

Joy the world can never give,

Now in Jesus I am finding;

In His smiles of love I live.

In the rifted Rock I’ll hide me

Till the storms of life are past;

All secure in this blest refuge,

Heeding not the fiercest blast. 

New Kid On the Block

Hi there. I've been thinking for a while that I should start a blog but decided it wasn't time. Then I decided "What they heck?" I love blogs! My husband always jokes with me that I have so many blogs that I follow. Just a few days ago after viewing the documentary American Blogger by Christopher Wiegand (which was really good by the way) he jokingly said, "Oh no. Are you going to add like 60 more blogs to your blog roll?"

I think the reason I enjoy reading blogs is because the idea of seeing what other people's lives are like is fascinating to me. It's the same way I feel when I get seated by the kitchen in a restaurant. I cannot stop myself from peeking into the kitchen to watch the way those cooks work. When I find a new blog I have a difficult time stopping myself from reading and reading what they have posted. I think that's one of the wonderful things about blogs.

Also I've heard many people say that having a blog is like having a little journal or little space all to yourself. I read lots of blogs who say that they are using their blog as a scrapbook or journal. I like that idea. A place to put into words what you have been mulling around in your heard or heart and sharing it with people.

What kind of blog will this be? I'm not exactly sure. It will probably be a place where I'll talk about my life including my kids, our daily activities, food, fashion and my faith.

So thanks for reading and coming along for the ride!