Book Review: The Love and Respect Experience A husband friendly Devotional that wives truly love by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs

A few years ago my dear Josh and I went through the bible study " Love and Respect" and we really enjoyed it. We really gleaned so much from it that we own the book. So when I saw this devotional from book sneeze I knew I had to get it. The book contains 52 Devotions that are  based on the three cycles that make up the base of Love and respect.

 These cycles are: the crazy cycle, the rewarded cycle, and the energizing cycle.

When I received it in the mail I was thoroughly surprised and impressed. It is beautifully leather bounded. The colors are rich and pages are smooth and inviting. I love the way the pages are set up, especially that at the end we have a time of prayer and an action to take on after reading that devotional. My husband and I have been reading it before we go to bed and we are able to recall the information we learned before; but for those who have not read the book there are many resources at the end of the book. Devotionals are not on the men's top picks for book to read, so when I saw that this one was especially geared for men I knew we had to give it try. My husband is very satisfied with it and the only thing he wished for was for a bookmark as part of the book to mark the place we left off at. We highly recommend this devotional. Warning: you might not only be able to read one at a time or one a week for that matter!

Gracefully Daisy and Josh

Day 9 God = Love

"Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love." ~1 John 4:8

I really liked this encouragement from Brooke and wanted to share it with you guys.

"I've thought for years that love can't really be all that it should be apart from God. The Bible says that God IS love. For us mathematicians, using the word "IS" is the same as using the word "EQUALS." In other words, God and love are one and the same. There is no real love apart from God, and God is behind all real and genuine acts of love."

Let's continue to pray for our sons everyday that their hearts will be full of God then their hearts can be full of love because God is Love!

This is my prayer for us today

"Lord, fill my sons’ hearts with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and

self-control. Amen."

Gracefully Daisy

Kiss the Groom-" the Kissing tree"

such a sweet finding I discovered here 

searching for inspiration for a sweet friends bridal shower

try it i know you'll love it...

Gracefully Daisy

So in Love

So in Love by Daisy Fuentes Dronen featuring a rose quartz ring

Our Valentine's day- Feb Fave 2

A collage of our fun day! Josh surprised me with a a beautiful edible bouquet
and with out meaning to Sam and Josh were dressed alike!
 I made heart shaped sugar cookie pops and cookies also chocolate dipped strawberries! 

Song of Solomon 2 (The Message)

^3-4 As an apricot tree stands out in the forest, 

   my lover stands above the young men in town.

All I want is to sit in his shade, 

   to taste and savor his delicious love.

He took me home with him for a festive meal, 

   but his eyes feasted on me! 

 ^5-6 Oh! Give me something refreshing to eat—and quickly! 

   Apricots, raisins—anything. I'm about to faint with love!

His left hand cradles my head, 

   and his right arm encircles my waist! 

This is the effect my husband has on me! He did amazingly this Valentine's day!

 what a Joy to share it with Samuel Benjamin for the first time! For his treat he got Avocado and he loved it! Then he reached for the heart cookie pops! LOL

With all this Love in our home I know only one place it can come from-

From the Lord's never ending fountain of love. 

Did you give the Lord a Valentine as well this day?  if you did not think of it- then it is never too late-he awaits for you with open arms:

Song of Solomon 2 (The Message)

^10-14 Get up, my dear friend,
   fair and beautiful lover—come to me!
Look around you: Winter is over; 
   the winter rains are over, gone!
Spring flowers are in blossom all over. 
   The whole world's a choir—and singing!
Spring warblers are filling the forest 
   with sweet arpeggios.
Lilacs are exuberantly purple and perfumed, 
   and cherry trees fragrant with blossoms.
Oh, get up, dear friend,
   my fair and beautiful lover—come to me!
Come, my shy and modest dove—
   leave your seclusion, come out in the open.
Let me see your face,
   let me hear your voice.
For your voice is soothing
   and your face is ravishing.

February favorites 1

And walk in love, [esteeming and delighting in one another] as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a slain offering and sacrifice to God [for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance. 

Ephesians 5: 2

What a wonderful month to remember the Love the Lord has towards us!
This Love should just pour out of us onto each other...is it?


Over the next few days that are left in February I will post some of my favorite happenings from this month accompanied by favorite love bible verses.


So for the first entry I will post our Valentine's day High  tea party although it happened in January with some of my favorite gals!
My friend Marie from i dreamt idwelt in marble halls invited us over for a Valentine's tea party!

 We each brought over a treat as well as tea to share!

 Over the last two years these lovely ladies have enjoyed spending time together
as you can see the spread was deliciously beautiful. 

 Marie's beautiful tea pots and tea sets made the occasion so cozy and sweet.

 I enjoyed making these sweet sugar cookies inspired by http://hanielas.blogspot.com/2010/03/sugar-cookies-on-stick.html

 This sweet valentine's love bird tag was Living Locurto's special Valentine's Day download! so precious...

All pictures are courtesy of the beautiful Marie she is doing amazing with developing her talent in photography!


We also got to know  Joana Marie's sweet friend and hope we can continue to get to know each other better!
We had a wonderful evening and enjoyed each other's company and love over tea! 
I have been blessed to have such beautiful and loving friends! Thank You Lord for you show me your love through them. Many blessings to you all sweet Ladies!

Sam's first trip to Texas

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."

1 Peter 4:8 New International Version

Sam Sporting his sunglasses 

Sam and Abuelita

Tia Ligia finally holding Sam!

with prima Crystal!

He loves the camera!

With Grandpa Olivarez

Our first trip to Texas!

 What a wonderful time we had in Texas this past weekend! Quoting Ligia, "Together at last!" So fun introducing Samuel to my family and such a beautiful site to see them fall in love with him! He is so easy to fall in love with!


 So sweet to watch my little sister Ligia meet Sam for the first time! He loved to be in her arms because as soon as she picked him up every time he would fall asleep!

When he saw Abuelito y Abuelita Fuentes it was as if he recognized them from when they spent a month here after he was born-he especially recognized when Abuelito whistled!

I can't believe I missed the opportunity to take a picture of Sam with my grandmother it was a sweet memory that will be forever engraved in my heart! You could see the Love emanating from her heart and Sam loved to reach out for her face-she was in heaven!

Sam met Grandma and Grandpa Olivarez as well as their two toy poodles-he was absolutely enchanting!

I heart February

Welcome Feb! I  this month! This is my month-I claimed it many years ago! all my favorite things happen this month and I  to celebrate all of them!
My birthday is the 2nd, Josh's and my Dad's birthday is the 11th, Valentine's Day- the 14th of course!

This 1st of February marks the end of an Era and the beginning of New Epoch for me.
Today is the last day of my 20s...

Twenty things I  about my 20s:

1. When I turned 20 my best friend threw me a princess birthday party in college-I never had one so she fixed that! Thanks Chris Love you!
2. I traveled more times in my 20s than in my entire life
3. I lived in Austin for 7 years of that decade
4. I discovered salsa Dancing
5. I met the  of my life
6. I graduated with my Biology degree
7. I graduated with my Spanish degree
8. I graduated with my Nursing degree
9. I took my parents on a road trip to Florida
10. I discovered blogging
11. I made great friends who now live all over the world
12. I learned a new language
13. I discovered my love for tea and shortbread cookies!
14. I continue to improve my cooking skills
15. I began having black and white parties every year
16. I continued to seek first the kingdom of God and was blessed with the desires of my heart
17. I married the  of my life! Love You JOSH!
18. We moved into our new house- that Josh designed
19. I continue to improve my decorating skills
20. The Lord gave us a beautiful baby boy Samuel Benjamin

This month I am going to focus on writing about Love! I want all of my actions forever but especially this month to be driven by LOVE.

"You gave me life itself, and incredible love."

Job 10:8

Colossians 3 Outfit 12

Colossians 3:12-17

^"12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³ Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

 ¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

I love this chapter! In college I printed out verse 12 and put it up in my closet so that every morning as I was getting dressed I could remember that outfit 12 would make my day! I need to do that again! what a beautiful way of saying you can be compassionate, kind, humble, gentle and patient. This a choice that you make everyday! "Clothe yourself" it's an action! you must choose to put on these virtues and overall don't forget love-"which binds them together in perfect peace" Love is the base-if you are lacking love it will be very hard to put on these virtues much less express them. Let's examine ourselves everyday and choose to cloth ourselves the way Jesus did! So that whether we are at work, at church or just out shopping we can do all things as for the Lord.

I love  that he reminds again to be thankful, to sing to God with gratitude in our hearts, giving thanks! 

Ephesians 5 Love like Christ Loves extravagantly

Wow this chapter is so rich! I almost just want to copy the whole chapter and let that be the whole post! I don't even know where to start! So, I will start where God started with Love!

Love now a days has so many meanings. We love everything, people think that feeling desire is love, or just thinking that you have feelings for someone is love. (what does having feelings for someone mean anyway?)

But the way God has portrayed Love in the scripture leads us to understand it as a choice that must be made everyday!

Ephesians 5 (The Message)

 "^1-2Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.

 ^3-4Don't allow love to turn into lust, setting off a downhill slide into sexual promiscuity, filthy practices, or bullying greed. Though some tongues just love the taste of gossip, those who follow Jesus have better uses for language than that. Don't talk dirty or silly. That kind of talk doesn't fit our style. Thanksgiving is our dialect."

To some people Love is one sided-"if you give me what I want or need then you love me and I can love you too"

But that is not how God Loves!! " He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us!" Wow wow wow! I want to love like that. I want to love no matter what! I want to pour out my heart for others because of Love. Hear the cry of my heart Lord! 

Paul knew that tying together this principle of loving like Christ does to marriage was essential. Marriage requires this type of love. I praise God for my husband because he is so wonderful to me. I see Christ's love in him and it pours out through him unto me!  He embodies the principle of loving me as Christ loves the Church! This in turn helps me to accept and love his authority and guidance-I respect who he is through Christ. The respect that I give him helps him renew his love for me daily. God has blessed us truly to love and be loved is wonderful! 
God knew this and wants us to experience it through Him first and also through our spouses. The beauty of experiencing this love through Christ is that we can love others the same way even if it is not in a marriage. To love the way Christ love knows no boundaries!

John 3:16 (The Message)

 ^16-18"This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.