We are not far from home

The name of this blog is "The Sunny Side". I try to be positive and share from my heart the things the Lord has given me and shown me. But in order to be real and relevant, one must also speak of the shadows and the clouds of life. Life and death, heaven and hell, light and darkness, they all exist.

I haven't written much at all on this blog for quite some time. The main reason for that is that on February 6th, my dad was diagnosed with grade 4 Glioblastoma, aka, terminal brain cancer. Seven weeks later, he went to be with Jesus. He just turned 60 years old. I just turned 24 years old. It has rocked my world.

Grieving is so hard. On March 26th, 2012, I lost my dearest father. He was the stronghold of my earthly life. He was the one I went to with questions about the practical things in life. He kept us all sane.

His death has wracked my world and flipped my existence upside down.

But as I process through these things, I seek to grieve not as one who has no hope but as one who knows my Redeemer lives. I came across this great quote that I want to share with you. (From here)

"He himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death...." (Hebrews 2:14 ESV)

"O children of God! death hath lost its sting, because the devil's power over it is destroyed...It is sweet to die; to lie upon the breast of Christ... And you that have lost friends, or that may be bereaved, sorrow not as those who are without hope. What a sweet thought the death of Christ brings us concerning those who are departed! They are gone, my brethren; but do you know how far they have gone? The distance between the glorified spirits in heaven and the militant saints on earth seems great; but it is not so. We are not far from home." C.H.S.


We are not far from home.

-Monica

DIY Ceramic Coasters

I apologize for the lack of pictures of the process of this craft, but I would love to share it with you anyway! I have recently gotten the knack for making fun cute CHEAP coasters for Christmas gifts, birthday gifts, I-just-love-you gifts, you name it! They cost approximately 1$ to make!

...athough you can get them all made for you at my etsy store here for 10$ for a set of 3 ... I feel like a money grubber! But I guess there are people out there that would much rather buy something handmade than go through all the oh-so-pain-staking-trouble of making them themselves.

But if you are crafty, you might like this one because it's so easy!

What you will need:

-Scrapbook paper: a variety of colors that coordinate or 1-2 standard sheets of the same color

-Scissors or a paper cutter

-Glossy Mod Podge (or Elmers Glue mixed with H2O) Tutorial found here

-Polyurethane or Embossed Clear Spray Paint

-Standard Size Ceramic Tile (1-4+ depending on how many you want to make)

-4 felt squares

-Glue Gun

Step One

Cut the scrapbook paper to the appropriate size of the coaster. Make sure you cut just a little bit smaller than the actual size of the coaster to ensure proper sealing.

Step Two

With a foam brush or large painter's brush, brush on the mod podge to the top of the tile. Adhere the cut piece of scrapbook paper to the top of the tile. Smooth out edges and ensure there are no bubbles in the paper.

Step Three

Add an additional layer of Mod Podge to the top of the scrapbook that is stuck to the tile. Smooth it out. It will look white at first, but after it dries, it will be clear.

Step Four

Wait about 2-3 minutes to allow the tile to dry. After you think it is sufficiently dry, spray a coat of clear spray paint over the tops of the tile. This makes the surface of the tile water, coffee, and tea proof.

Step Five

Cut out four felt pieces to adhere with hot glue to each of the four corners on the bottom of the time. This ensures that the ceramic does not scrape the top of a coffee top or counter.

Step Six

Shout with glee that you have made a cute ceramic coaster for less than 5$! Make them for all of your friends, family, and pets! :)

With Love,

Monica

lovelytomme.etsy.com

DIY Scarf

Made this today. Thought it was cool. :) Its from a DIY tutorial found here

I love that I can recycle my old t-shirts. This one was a bleach stained ill-fitting blue shirt. Makes a cute necklace/scarf! You can even add a brooch or make a rosette from

the same fabric to attach to it.

Crafts, Please!

So I have gotten a bit crafty lately. And I started an Etsy store! It all started last Christmas when I really wanted to make something special and homemade for my small group girls. I had bought a cute feather headband at a store and realized I could totally make them! I started experimenting and after a trip to Hobby Lobby, I found a fun cathartic activity! Since then, on and off, I have made some fun creations!

Here are a few pictures of what I have... all of them are on sale here

Mod Podge Fabric Covered Journals

Pretty Pink Flower Rosette

One Year Later

Hello 2011! Wow, it has been almost exactly one year since I posted on my blog last!

A lot has happened.... and a lot hasn't happened. I enrolled in, suffered through, and finished my TESOL certification to teach English overseas! I have a new (almost one year old!) nephew! Isn't he the cutest??


I had a boyfriend, didn't work out, now I'm single! (yay? no.) I am involved in the church I have gone to my whole life through being a small group leader to some AWESOME girls. I am an ESL tutor at a local English Language School where I've been investing and making friendships with many Saudi Arabian women. (yay!)

And I have also found a heart and knack for creating! I have started my very own etsy shop to sell my handmade feather headbands, custom coasters, fabric hair clips, and fabric covered journals! Visit my shop here.
(lovelytomme.etsy.com)

Here's a little taste of whats up there! :)

Here's a Magenta Hair Clip modeled so beautifully by my sista.

Tree Inspired Journal

Mustard Yellow Rosette

Black and White Paisley Coasters: DIY tutorial to come!!

Much love,
Mon

Let's Look at the Future

So. I just graduated from Moody. A Bible college. You may be wondering what am I going to do with my life?? Yes, I am asking that same question. Last week, I was going to go to Korea. This week, I am a full-time nanny.

I have been job searching ever since I got back from my internship in France. I had a little job for two months working at a camp, but if you have seen the weather outside right now in Michigan, people aren't really going to camps right about now. So that temporary job has finished and I have searched and searched and searched to find a job remotely in what I feel called to do. My dream is to work overseas sharing Jesus. But right now I have no life experience or financial independance or real direction from God to warrant me jumping on the first available ship to Timbuktu (is that really a place?) (ok, apparently it's in Mali...) I am sort of a skitzo when it comes to real life future plans, so when I feel a nudge to do something drastic, my family is always reigning me in, trying to make sure it's really God's will and not crazy Monica on another adventure tangent.

I really don't know where I am going with this post, but I do know that I have finally gotten a job! (yaaaay!) and with that, comes the commitment of at least a year with these kids. I will be working 55 hours a week (eek!) taking care of a 2 year old and a 6 year old. Girl and a boy. I am pretty excited about this, it will give me the time to really seek the Lord on His direction for my life and give me time to save for either: Grad School, TESOL certification courses (or both).

I am really believing at this point that I need a solid skill to go on the mission field with. Graduating with a degree in International Ministries and Bible goes far with mission agencies and churches, but the rest of the world barely thumbs their noses. I want to be a missionary in a country where people see me as helping the way they do life, not just someone who's sole objective is to shove an ideology down their throat. Even if that ideology is the difference between eternal life and eternal damnation. I want to work with refugees, the hopeless, the poor, the dissillusioned of this world. If it is overseas, praise the Lord, if it is here in America, praise the Lord. "In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." Proverbs 16:9.

There are many things I don't know, but one thing I know for sure: I want to serve the Lord and be a contageous Christian wherever he plants me.

Josh Groban and Tofu

I shall update you on my wonderful weekend of Josh Groban!

(Like anyone actually reads this...)

Just a short update and then on to something more interesting, tofu!

So my sister and I went to Chicago to see JOSH GROBAN! You know, like the most glorious man to ever walk the earth who has the more angelic voice ever. I think I just sounded like a brace-faced Justin Bieber fan.... Oh well. For HIM I will do that.

We bought his new CD, Illuminations (Buy it!)

And we went to Border's on State street for him to sign it. We got to talk to him for about 40 seconds, get his autograph, and then we were ushered away. But it was 40 seconds in Heaven!

Train Ride: four hours
Train Tickets: 60$

Time in line: three hours

40 seconds with Josh Groban: priceless.

Does that make me a fanatic?

On another note! I have decided that I need to get my health into gear. After living on a college campus for four years, I have had my fair share of the ice cream machine, Taco Tuesdays, Big Burger Thursdays, and Starbucks around EVERY corner. (yeah, it was Chicago)

SO now that I am living at home for a time, I have a health nut mother who readily buys anything and everything organic, green, gluten-free, fat-free, fun-free that she can.

So I am now giving this losing weight, being healthy thing a real effort. I HATE gyms. But we are members of the Y (the best gym around) and I. must. start. liking. it.

With that said, I have also decided to be a sort-of vegetarian. Don't get me wrong, I love meat and I believe that God put animals on this earth for us to enjoy, but it is something in my diet that I can live without. I am not going to become a crazy high-maintenance weirdo when I am out with friends or when there is absolutely no option, but when I am at home, I am going to try and not eat meat. The other week I bought this wonderful package of tofu that I wanted to see if I could cook. Well, I tried it tonight and LOVED it!

I googled "tofu recipe" and found this blog with a woman who cooked it. I decided to try it.

I took some pictures. :)

Here are all my ingredients.

I modified it from the original recipe (here) to accommodate what I had in the kitchen.

14 oz. extra firm organic tofu

2 T grape-seed oil

2 tsp. finely minced garlic

2 tsp. finely grated ginger root

1 cup scallions, sliced into 2 inch pieces (Keep white parts separate from green parts)

3 T chicken stock (I know, if I'm going veggie, why kill a Chicken for the stock??! Well, that's all I had. You can use vegetable stock. And besides, they were free-range chickies, at least they were treated humanely!)

1 1/2 T lite soy sauce

1 tsp. Chia life seeds (original recipe calls for sesame seeds, but I didn't have them and these seeds give great omega 3's and fiber!)

Anyway, at the risk of making this a super long post that no one reads, I will just have you refer to the original recipe for the directions. Here are some pictures though!

Yeah, that's me.

The tofu doesn't look to good in its original state...

I also decided to add roasted asparagus to the mix. Grape-seed oil, salt, pepper, dash of soy sauce, lemon squirt. ;)

The finished product!