hopefully, different

Christians don't realize they're supposed to be different.
All the time.
We should never look like the rest of the world.

I'm not very good at this.
I long to find a little nook that I fit perfectly in.
A place of comfort and security in who I am and who loves me.

But that's not what my Heavenly Father asks of me.

He wants me to realize that that place is right beside Him, nestled in His sturdy and trustworthy arms.

As of right now, it's become very difficult to be different and glorifying to Christ. 

So far on this little corner of the world that I call Dusty Whispers I haven't been all too real or different.

Basically, what I'm trying to say is, not all is well right now.

My soul has been stirring and restless for quite some time and I'm hoping and praying desperately that I can soon rest in full confidence that He has made me to be enough.

Like what?

How can that even be possible? 

That me, myself, is enough and pleasing to anyone?

He is so ridiculously mighty and loving.

At this my heart pounds

and leaps from its place.

Listen! Listen to the roar of His voice,

to the rumbling that comes from His mouth.

After that comes the sound of His roar;

He thunders with His majestic voice.

God's voice thunders in marvelous ways;

He does great things beyond our understanding.

Out of the north He comes in golden splendor;

God comes in awesome majesty.

Excerpts from Job 37:1-23

Hoping that my little bits of honesty made me a bit different from the rest of the world today.

xo,

Hannah Dorothy

making this a beautiful place

It really seems pointless to write a whole lot right now.
After reading this post my own words would seem rather insufficient.




Or maybe I have so many thoughts and connections inside me that it seems impossible to express them in mere words. So many inspiring things have been sneaking into my life lately, it's kind of wonderful. Yet right now I could almost break at any random point. I can easily think of three distinct times this week that I have been on the brink of tears.

It's all kind of beautiful though.
God has a way of breaking me until I can rest peacefully in His arms.
Anyway.
It feels like now would be a great time to share some quotes, thoughts and photographs from past and present life.

This photo of my sisters and I is one of my favorites. Sometimes we struggle to maintain this close of a relationship but sometimes I love them so much it really, really hurts.

Ernest Hemingway told us to "Write hard and and clear about what hurts."

Last Wednesday I was driving to my church for a meeting. In the vehicle that I had that one unexpected experience in last June. The evening sun was still hot on my body that was already red and bumpy and itchy from the unidentified allergic reaction to who-knows-what.

I was alone. Unlike so many other Wednesdays when the car had been filled with the voices of my sisters and myself. 

But that day no one was riding shotgun.

That day I was simply driving through the countryside alone as my sixteen year old self.

Seven miles away from my church my throat tightened and water gathered in my eyes.

"Not right  now."

I thought to myself. 

At that moment in time what hurt was that I was no longer a little girl.

My sisters were no longer riding with me so to speak.

My parents weren't close by to lend that sense of security.

And that hurt.

Sometime last year this little local coffee shop became a little place of fellowship and solitude for us three. We usually plan on "working on things" but more often than not we end up just sipping some sugar and talking. I love this place.

Here's the view from our favorite table.

originally found here.

This barn was so long ago filled with my sisters and my imagination and play.

There is more m e r c y in Christ than sin in us. - Richard Sibbes

This very idea is what brought me to tears in my kitchen on Friday.

How can this be true? Sometimes I feel like there is just too much sin in me.

Just too much. 

But my sin is covered over so lovingly with the precious blood of my Savior.

The Creator pleasantly reminded me of this and it was sincerely overwhelming for my soul.

S I S T E R - A girl or woman who shares a common ancestry, allegiance, character, or purpose with another or others, specifically.

Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy. - Anne Frank

 

Discovery consists not in seeking new lands, but in seeing with new eyes. - Marcel Proust

The kitchen is seriously one of my most favorite places to be. Especially when it's full of my favorite people.

{elizabeth -lizz-, my oldest sister is in the red tank-top}

{i am underneath that yellow headband}

{my mom, joan is the busy blurr}

{brian, lizz's [now] fiance is all the way to the left, laughing}

Lizz, my oldest sister, is incredible.

Abigail, our middle sister is extraordinary.

 These woman are ones to be followed and admired. 
They each fight their own silent battles yet somehow find strength in the One to allow them to be continually 
gracious.

She does not fear bad news; she trusts the Lord to take care of her. Psalm 112:7

Opportunity is missed by people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. - Thomas Edison

He does not treat us as our sins deserve. Psalm 103:10

Have I mentioned that my favorite couple has decided to become one?

 This happiness that I just shared leads me back to the quote at the top of this post. 
 Ernest Hemingway told us to "Write hard and and clear about what hurts."
Sometimes I think about not having Lizz in the house, forver.
I start to daydream about the sister dates we'll have and all those sleepovers that will take place at her and her husbands house.
It all sounds like great fun.
But The idea of losing such a special part of me is almost unbearable.  
As much as I adore those two being together it will be difficult to settle into this new normal.

I could never love anyone as I love my sisters. - Jo March
 My sisters, mom and I always watch Little Women at least once a year, usually around Christmas.  
At the end of the movie we're always in tears.
Somehow the journeys those women go on seem to match our own in an intimate way.
The Maske girls will always hold that story close to our hears.

Abi and I at a Florida Georgia Line concert this summer. Too much fun was had that night.

  When I'm faithless You are faithful. 2 Timothy 2:13

Hopefully this post made your day a little more beautiful and joyful. 

xo,

Hannah Dorothy 

ChocoBananaProSmoothie

Recently I have really started using the endless number of pins on my few 42 boards on Pinterest.
Mostly this means I've been making food.

Yesterday I whipped up a breakfast smoothie that was like ohmygollygee so daggon easy. And rather tasty as well!

Chocolate Banana Protein Smoothie

Mmmmm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few ingredients to get the job done.

 I used Body Fortress Super Advanced Whey Protein Powder. Simply because that's what was in the cupboard.

I thought I may as well add some "essentials" to the smoothie;) Also, it was what we had.

Strawberries from Aldi's.

Blend, mix, crush, blend.

:)

 

1 banana (frozen preferably)

1 hand full of frozen strawberries

1 scoop of vanilla whey protein powder

1/2 cup milk

2 Tbsp of any chocolate powder you have around (hot coco mix, choco milk mix, Carnation's Breakfast Essentials...)

4-6 ice cubes

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend well until frothy.  Serve immediately.

The only thing I would change about this recipe would be adding less protein powder. The after taste it left was just a little too strong for my pallet. It may also be a good idea to add  more strawberries/coco powder, or skip the strawberries all together. Basically, you can't go wrong! 

Hope you like it as much as I did!

xo,

Hannah Dorothy

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Today I started!
After dinner I was so entirely bubbling over in a totally non-obnoxious way with energy that I decided to hit up Pinterest for a fairly quick recipe of sorts; one that can count towards my honors program briefly explained here. I ended up settling on an oatmeal cookie that we had most of the ingredients for. After just a few tweaks to the original recipe I came up with something that turned out rather delicious if I do say so myself:)

Here's a few photos and the recipe. Hope you enjoy!

Find the original recipe here.

"Healthy" Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients:2 Ripe Bananas, Mashed
1/3 C. Peanut Butter
2/3 C. Butter/Coconut oil
1 Tsp. Vanilla
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1 1/2 C. Quick or Old Fashioned Oats
1/2 C. Milk Chocolate Chips

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. My family uses lecithin instead of cooking spray to oil cookie sheets but use whatever you have within reach. Mix together the bananas, peanut butter, butter/coconut oil and vanilla. Add in the oats, salt and chocolate chips; stir until well combined.
Spoon a rounded 2 tbsp. (roughly) of the cookie mixture onto the cookie sheet, leaving an inch or two between each. Bake for 20-25 minutes and allow to cool slightly.

The best part about this little project was watching my two sisters, our best friend and my sister's boyfriend devour them while watching the Incredibles on our couch.

xo,
Hannah Dorothy

Auntie

On Sunday afternoon I sat at the kitchen table between two of my absolute favorite women.
On my left was my mom and on my right, her sister, my Aunt DeeDee.
I love spending time with them for many reasons but one specific reason is that

I love their stories.

Although the afternoon was scheduled in order to plan the honors program that my Aunt will be mentoring me in, we spent a good deal of it talking about other things. The life lessons she was still learning gushed forth as she lovingly warned me about dangerous places to go in life. 

She admitted she was still learning and scared; and I have never respected her more.

My point? Listen to your Aunts. Listen to those who are older and wiser. They know things we don't and they love you.

Other news of the day included huge exciting and scary feelings towards the honors program we compiled for myself. Graduating with honors is high on my aspiring list and I'm excited to see what God teaches me about hard work.

I'm also way more than ecstatic to be able to see my precious Aunt DeeDee every two weeks. *happy dance of family lovin'* 

Hopefully I can keep this blog full of all the projects I undertake this coming year and encourage you to also aspire.

And hopefully you will have time to sit with your Auntie and Mama.
xo,

Hannah Dorothy 

Some favorites from my trip last week. More on that later.