Only the Good Stuff: Multivitamins for Your Weekend [07.11.15]

Happy, happy, happy weekend!

Some real, down in the bones JOY to celebrate today! Links & stories this week 100% guaranteed to make you smile a mile wide & believe like crazy in a Good God redeeming everything — and that there’s love everywhere & for ((you))!  Serving up only the Good Stuff for you right here:

Julie Fletcher Photography

right now just invites you to come exhale?

the best of friends — inspiration: we can keep on loving  even when we’re not alike

well, hello there!!?!

photo by Sally Tag

okay — a church made of trees?

it’s not every day that you see a giant turtle…. in a dress: You be you.

she pointed at you!

photo by Tom Benda/Four Paws

inseparable cubs, holding on to each other — rescued from war 

Kathy R. Jeffords / Via etsy.com

Love it — for all the love we could bake up this weekend: 

27 of the most amazingly helpful baking charts

no idea how he can do this in just 2 minutes?!

what an unforgettable way to change the story for those who don’t have a roof over their head

and this is how one turtle is being himself —  his wondrous eye-view of the Great Barrier Reef

everyday  heroes.  a pretty amazing rescue

not 2 yrs old …. and uh…. doing this?!

“People may be cruel. Life may be harsh. But Christ? He is gentle.” 

OK!

this determined  young boy

many are now reaching out to help him achieve his dreams – a must read

 a life changing injury. and we all need friends who help make dreams happen.

 he’s special… not because his legs are different, 

but because of how he chooses to live his life with his legs. We can all choose. 

uh, wow!? that’s no small feat!

73 years after being denied a library card — this teacher is honored! (Cheering wildly!)

the most amazing delicate pencil lead sculpture

how one restaurant owner is showing us:  ‘actions do matter’

and?  the kids thought this was really amazing

Oldest living person celebrates 116 years of sleep, love, and — bacon! Amen!

Post of the Week from these part here

…yeah, I swallow hard and nod. God is always growing something to fill the empty places up…

when your plans don’t turn out at all — what turns out to be the actual case

simply amazing

CBD’s ‘Christmas in July’ Sale of the NYTimes bestsellers

Come experience Christmas like you’ve always dreamed… Makes a one-of-a-kind, life-changing gift to have on hand… that could give a whole lot of friends the Christmas they’ve always hoped for

This sale is just way too good not to pass along?

one incredible story of friendship… because friendships never have to die

it’s better to give – tears at this

through it all — it is well

[ print’s free for you here ]

… so look, there’s a whole bunch of us who are up tonight and sorta stuck here in the middle of the story, God, and we don’t know what the next chapter holds.

We’ve got no idea how our hearts are about to get broken or when, what the doctor could end up saying tomorrow, how the kids will turn out, or what’s on the next page or the one after that.

And when you’re stuck in the middle of the story? Well, honestly, it’s easy to feel at the end of your rope.

And You pull us close, real close: “I’d never forget you—never.

Look, I’ve written your names on the backs of my hands.” Isa49:16(MSG)

You’ve etched the very letters of our name, of who we are, right into You.

You haven’t forgotten us or this chapter or this story, and if You haven’t forgotten us, we’re not about to go forgetting that Your stories always work out in the end — and if things aren’t working out quite yet, it just means we’re not quite yet to the end. We’ll literally practice our faith — we’ll practice saying thanks in the middle.

Faith thanks God in the middle of the mess, 

Faith thanks God in the middle of the night,

Faith thanks God in the middle of the story — 

Because it believes in the relentless goodness of Him who will not stop writing till there’s good at the end of this story.

[excerpted from our evening prayers in our little Facebook community … come join us?]

That’s all for this weekend, friends.

Go slow. Be God-struck. Grant grace. Live Truth.

Give Thanks. Love well. Re – joy, re- joy, ‘re- joys’ again

Share Whatever Is Good.