the closed door and sweet surrender

 A door in the backyard of a house I just knew was to be mine...

We're home after a whirlwind trip back to Texas.  To be honest the whirlwind started long before our plane took off.  After our trip in April, we got home and Texas stayed on our minds.  We unpacked and put things away, but our whole Strahle Soulcation lingered.

So when some generous friends offered to let us house-sit for them back in Austin for two weeks in June we jumped at the chance!!  It would give us more time to explore.  To see the things we didn't have time to visit before. Little did we know a job opportunity would present itself.  Here comes the roller coaster...

A trip to San Antonio...the Alamo

The job for my honey sounded perfect.  The opportunity a once in a lifetime.  So he interviewed and was promised the brass ring and we looked into moving to TEXAS.  We had Realtors.  We told the girls.  We went through the emotional roller coaster of detaching and moving on.  Only to have one door after another close, giving us a clear no to what we thought must be a definite yes.

It's funny how we always pray for wisdom and discernment.  We pray for Gods clear direction.  But when the answer becomes certain it's like really Lord...you sure?  Why did we go on this wild goose chase if it wasn't from you?  What was the purpose in all that upheaval?

Stanley's Farmhouse Pizza...in Dripping Springs 

I'm not really sure.  Maybe it's to appreciate what you already have.  To make things work where you're at instead of moving on to the next thing. Maybe it's a test to see how we would handle disappointment.  Honestly I think I might be failing in that area a little right now;)

When the no came we were still in Texas.  I'd had some doubts about a lot of things...housing was expensive.  Moving my shop and figuring out what to do with my business seemed impossible. There's always the fear factor with moving the girls.  Will they find friends easily?  Are we screwing up their lives?  Will we like it there?  Is this where we want to be forever??  Because quite honestly I'm tired.  I want to plant roots and build community.  I want my forever home. So yeah a lot was going on in my head.  And the initial let down felt like sweet relief.

The night we almost saw the bats:/ 

And then the disappointment set in.  The sadness found it's way into my heart.  I hate that it did.  I wish I could be all smiles and so at peace about knowing the path we're supposed to be on, but it came and I'm dealing, and it will just take a while to unpack mentally.  To set up house again here.

Remember when I said the whirlwind started a long time ago?  A few years ago I had a pull to Austin.  Some friends moved there.  Every article I read mentioned it.  One of my favorite blogs showed a farmhouse there that I immediately fell in love with.

Then I had the dream.  Our family was in a car driving toward a mountain range.  The dirt road was cracked open and really bumpy.  Then all of a sudden a flash flood came out of nowhere and our car was picked up, carried off the road and started falling... And I jolted awake!




So maybe the dream was prophetic and He was preparing me for the bumpy road.  Maybe the experience was necessary for me to trust Him once again.  Because no matter where we live or what the outcome is I know from experience He has a plan and it's a GOOD plan.  He loves us and cares about everything and He knows right where He wants us.  It ultimately comes down to trust.  And that's where I'm at.  Trusting Him once again for our every day, for every step, for every little detail of my life.  Sweet surrender.

Be a blessing.

 These girls!!  Love them so.

 My honey. 

Remember the Alamo? We do. Sweat running down our backs... Sharing life with my peeps

NURTURE

Hi friends!  Happy New YEAR!!  Can you even believe it's 2015!!  Time keeps ticking away and here we are once again in another year.  I have this HUGE feeling of anticipation in my spirit.  Like HUGE!  Maybe it has to do with some of the goals I've set for this year, or the word the Lord has put on my heart.  Whatever it is IT's GOOD and I'm ready!!!

So let's just get right to it.  You're either a resolution goal making kinda gal or you're not.  I'm a GOAL MAKER!  I honestly can't help myself.  I'm a project person.  I've always got to be doing something.  It's probably a mental condition...mania comes to mind.  Regardless I'm going with it:)

These are a few of my goals for the new year...
1.) Crack my Bible open daily and pray with the girls
2.) Date my honey on a regular basis.  Maybe 2xs a month:0 I know!!
3.) Move my body at least 2 miles a day...totally doable
4.) Paint SOMETHING, anything, once a week.  In a year I'd have 52 paintings!
5.) Sugar fast for the month of January.  Joined Marta's group again:)
6.) Do my hot yoga class once a week
7.) BUILD community...more on this is in a minute
8.) Learn something new...more on this later;)
9.) Read more
10.) Feed my soul, Feed my soul, Feed my soul!!!

There has been a gigantic imbalance going on with me for a while now.  And it goes along with the nature of my business.  Because we are an occasional store we work like crazy people when the shop is open and for weeks after.  CRAZY PEOPLE!  I'm talking adrenaline rush...heart pounding out of my chest...not healthy at all imbalance. I've been brainstorming to try to figure out a remedy for how we do things and I have some ideas, but it's going to take some time.  So for now we are going to keep doing what we do until we don't;)  Makes sense right?

I always get a word.  You know THE word that more or less defines the theme for the coming year.  Last year it was DARE.  And it's been THRIVE and BEGIN in the past.  This year at first I thought it was going to be retreat;)  We had just come off the hardest, most physically challenging opening.  My hands literally did not stop throbbing for a solid week and a half after we shipped out our last order.  And I really just felt done.  Like kaput!  Burnout is a real thing and I was so there.  But there's nothing like burnout and pain to make you realize change is necessary and it's coming.  I just have to keep open to His timing and His direction.

So with my goal making comes a lot of excitement and ideas and the words feed your soul and take care of yourself kept rolling around in my mind and then it came...nurture.  My word for the year is NURTURE.  I need to care for myself...plant those seeds (aka dreams), water, baby and watch them grow.  Growth is pretty limiting when you're not getting any sunlight...when your soil is dry and parched.  And girls let me tell you no attention equals a dead plant and I've been feeling pretty droopy;)

We can make goals and resolutions all day, but if we don't act on any of them it's just a big fail right?!  So some key things that are helping me with my goals are alarms on my phone.  Brilliant idea I know.  Like Pavlov's dog a bell really can help train you.  I've got alarms to remind me to pray for my family.  To read the word.  To move my butt!  I'm using my phone's calendar (with alarm) to schedule in my yoga class, my paint day...that hot date night!  And those days are set.  No moving them.  It's time to water that plant!!

Oh and building that community...goal #7!  This is something that's been on my heart FOREVER.  We moved here going on four years ago and there is still a void with community here.  I saw my friend Lissa's IG post the other morning about starting a bible study in her house and it was BOLD and BRAVE and SO OBEDIENT and my heart started thumping a bit, and for me that's always a call to action.  When my heart starts pounding I know I'm being challenged to do something.  So I posted on IG my own invite for a women's meet up group.  And guess what?  A lot of you feel the same way:)  So I'm now a group leader!  Say what?!  Just like that...we're going to meet once a month and do something fun...translation NURTURE...feeding our souls!  That's never happened before, but it's a year of new beginnings and I can't wait to see how obedience pays off.  SO...if you live in the Richmond, VA area and want to make some new friends email me at beckystrahle@yahoo.com:)  I'd love to meet you too!

What's next for you.  Do you have any goals?  Is there a dream that needs nurturing?  Are you dry and thirsty too?  I'm all ears...

Be a blessing,

thankfuls...

the Jesse tree and seeing the girls learning and hungry for knowledge 

surprises that made my heart pitter patter

Jesus!

a shop redo that is a-maz-ing...can't wait to share

basement projects almost complete

divine appointment with a teacher

a pain free back...thank ya Jesus!

family that loves us... and a beautiful place to gather

If you've been hurt...

A few nights ago I had a dream.  We were in a car driving, and off to the right was a huge clearing, and lining the clearing were two rows of big trees.  Passing through the trees and out into the open pasture were two enormous elephants.  I yelled, STOP THE CAR...CHRISTMAS CARD PHOTO!!! ;)  And then immediately we were in another dream scene changing our clothes in a stranger's upstairs bedroom.  I opened the door to voices downstairs and apologized for using their bedroom.  Fast forward to the next scene when we were riding those elephants in our fancy new clothes!!


Strange right?  But I'm a big believer in God revealing himself through dreams.  So I looked up elephants and found that elephants represent power, strength, faithfulness, intellect and steadfastness.  To dream you are riding one means you are overcoming aspects of things you were once afraid of.  Interesting.

I think there is a tie in somewhere between that dream and what the Lord has been showing me.  

I know there are a lot of you hurting.  I read your letters.  And honestly I have no idea what to say back most of the time.  I'm just like you.  Walking through this life one day at a time.  Seeking wisdom daily.  Stumbling at times...looking for answers.  But He knows my heart, and I so badly want to be used, to be poured out.  So the ONLY answer I have is to point to Him.  He knows what to say.  He knows what you need.

Many of the hurts stem from the church. Which breaks my heart.  Then there are those have been majorly hurt by a close family member.  People who should have been trustworthy...who should have loved you unconditionally, they've left you feeling shattered, broken, lied to...shamed.  And when those close to us leave us hurting it's hard to trust again.  It can be a challenge to believe that God has our backs.  That He loves us unconditionally...because for some reason he allowed that hurt right?  He allowed you to get kicked in the gut and honestly you feel betrayed. 

I think the only way we can move past those feelings is to realize that satan uses people.  Whether they are in the church, fellow believers, family members, best friends, strangers etc...  He can and will use people to hurt you, to get you off course.  He's a liar.  He's out to steal, kill, and destroy us.  To deceive us.  We can't forget who the real enemy is.

That's why there is so much emphasis on forgiveness in the Bible.  We HAVE to step into forgiveness to move forward in our faith walk.  The Lord forgave us.  We must forgive others...including ourselves.  If we hold onto the past and relive the hurt, we are in a constant holding pattern and we can't break free into what He's got for us.

And what He's got for us is major!!  

He wants to lavish you in love.  He wants to use YOU for His kingdom.  He wants you to sit high, a child of the KING, and ride that elephant in your shiny new outfit...that He paid the price for.  

Forgiven.  

Whole.  

Spotless. 

Slate wiped clean.
Assured of His unconditional affection for you.

So if you've been hurt...I'm believing with you that those old things you've been carrying around will come off right now in the name of Jesus.  That the pain of the past will not define you, and that your present and future will be like Christmas morning...full of beautiful surprises, lavish love gifts, and an underlying excitement of good things to come!!!  Walk tall in His promises.  

*********************************************************************************

BTW girls I wanted to spotlight a really sweet shop that you are sure to recognize...Kristi from Barn Owl Primitives.  I just got these for the future basement studio:))  They are so cute!!!  Took me forever to narrow it down because she's got so many great signs to choose from.
 

Kristi's signs are amazing, and her designs are in Target, HomeGoods, TJMaxx, Marshalls, Bed Bath & Beyond, Hobby Lobby and Cost Plus World etc...  She's the real deal, and I'm so excited she's offering my readers a special discount to her shop.  Check her out here and be sure to enter FARMGIRL15 for 15% off.  

Happy Christmas shopping:))  Yikes...it's a comin'!

Be a blessing.

Halloween family time

the right to vote

 the shop OPENS this coming MONDAY!!!

most comfortable boots ever!

searching still...

It's a typical Tuesday.  My girls are out the door at school.  I'm loaded up on caffeine heading to the gym for a quick workout.  Only on this glorious afternoon my stomach is in knots.  I've been fighting down the constant onslaught of nerves lately.  Things are good.  Everything's popping at once.  And it's the "at once" thing that is causing me some major anxiety. 

Because it's good I can't really talk about it because hello...who wants to hear someone complain about how great life is;)  But you know what??  Even when things are awesome you can still be in a lifestorm.  I literally feel blown around.  My hair is whipping around my head.  My balance is thrown off.  I'm afraid I'm gonna land hard on my rear lol!  It's a lot.  It's scary, and exhausting and something I've wanted for so long. 

Then the opportunity comes and the hope I've been holding onto starts to become a possibility and I don't want to fail...to choke.  It's like watching the Olympics knowing those athletes have trained and wanted this moment for years and in one swoop it's either a record breaking success or a giant agonizing defeat.  Yeah...that's what's going on inside my head.  No pressure at all;)

I've had the dream of getting my artwork made into prints for years.  I've tried before and it just never looked right.  The timing was off.  And now all of a sudden...at the exact same time my Etsy shop is really taking off I get an offer to license my art.  I'm actually going to be a "professional" artist;)  Like for REAL people!  I'm soaring on the inside.  It's the thing I love doing the most, and whether it takes off or not it makes my heart want to explode at just the thought.

But in the midst of all that I'm training helpers and working on wholesale contracts and having lunch meetings with calendars and it's all completely out of my comfort zone!!  OH and did I mention I was asked to speak at a women's church event thing?  Seriously, I canNOT believe I said yes:/  What in the world was I thinking? 


Just the thought makes my heart start racing and my stomach churn.  That's NOT something I do.  It's just not.  I stay safe and comfortable behind my computer screen.  But I felt that nudge.  That little whisper that said...you can do this.  And I knew I had to.  I had to be obedient and listen, because lately when I listen good things happen.  I'm doing a whole lot of things crazy afraid, completely unqualified, and yet He's right there holding my hand and leading/pulling me down the path. 

Honey came into the kitchen this morning after doing the elliptical machine.  He happened to catch Joel Olsteen.  If you've ever listened to him preach you know he's great at being an encourager.  And this morning he just happened to be talking about peace.  He talked about putting on the shoes of peace and never walking outside barefoot.  He talked about the ocean and how at the surface the wind whips the waves, but if you go deeper the water is completely still. 

That's what I want.  I don't want to be a constant ball of nerves.  I want more than anything to be resting in that deep place, sure of my future however it turns out.  Because I know even if it doesn't go down exactly how I've got it in my mind it's still gonna be good.  And I know that because He's my Abba father, my heavenly daddy, and He holds my future.  So I'm seeking out the eye, the quiet center, and I'm praying that despite the crazy wind and my constant struggle to get sucked out of peace that I'll find that calm place and fully rest in Him.

**All the pics are from our recent trip to Savannah, Georgia.  What a beautiful city!

Be a blessing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a new hobby for little chick:)  speaking of doing it afraid...

 

 

an impossibly small cuff that actually fit sweet little nora.  He calls me beautiful!

 

 

an organized, amazing friend who keeps me on task...a master calendar 

 

 

realizing I have a group of people here...

 

 

old brick buildings