I'm A Describer

Definition:

DESCRIBE

• To convey an idea or impression of, characterize
• To give an account of in speech or writing
• To represent pictorially; depict
• To trace the form or outline of

Synonyms: narrate, recite, recount, relate, report.


I had an epiphany last night after reading in Jeremiah 10. I was writing some notes on it and got one line in...and picked up my journal instead. What are your real reasons Ashley for learning scripture, reading the bible, and seeking wisdom and knowledge of who God is? What is the purpose? If I gained all this 'stuff' that I knew in my head and my heart...what am I uniquely suppose to do with it all? I know we are called to share it....but everyone hears things so different, everyone communicates so different...how am I suppose to share it with people...I am not fluent in speaking with people I don't know and even those I do.  "Make Him the focus....the eye in the sky...whom I am DESCRIBING." The word 'describing' which I journaled resonated in my head. OH. I was made to Describe who Jesus is to people. I am gifted at describing things....relating...connecting...representing. I have always seen something and connected it to something else...that's how my mind works. It's a describing train...the boxcars being words, pictures, feelings, ideas.

God made my purpose a little more clear last night...to desrcibe this mystery of the gospel in all avenues of my life whether in....painting, photography, music, writing, cake, and on and on...wherever else He takes me. I knew all my talents were connected to Him, but when put in terms of DESCRIBING Him to the world instead of the words telling...sharing...explaining...talking...speaking...etc...it came full circle and really made sense to me. In painting I describe whats going on in my soul through color and images. In music I describe through emotion and an inner cry/connection. In photography I describe the essence and splendor of a moment. In writing I describe with relating, words, emotion, experiences, ideas and thoughts. With cake I describe with creation, color, senses, and joy. In all aspects of life....if I can deny myself from living in the flesh (flesh meaning my own desires as a human when I'm not filled with the spirit )....and be so in tune and one with His heartbeat and will...then I should be describing Him fully in all I do, make, say, create. Loving someone well by sacrificing my time or whatever I put aside is a reflection of His love...it's a form of describing him to another person...even without words or explanation. Describing Him is a train with endless boxcars...Jesus is in the Engine AND at the Caboose.

,
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created; things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together."
 ~Colossians 1:15-17


I was always looking for and running to the Chief Engineer heading up the cars running the show. I didn't realize He was at the beginning and the end. He's the image. God is invisible and I have to describe Jesus' image. He is in all things and everything points back to the cross...so I have to describe that. Maybe that is how and why I understand my Savior so visibly. It is this gift He has given me of connecting things--->images...emotions...truths...experiences...people....ideas...thoughts....And since He is in all things...connecting everything back to Him makes complete sense to me. It flows...it congeals...it all lines up. God has described Jesus to me...now I get to describe Jesus to others. What an awesome thing to get to describe...especially when everything and I mean everything points to Him....He is the glue that holds us all together....He is the butter in the cake mix...He is the essential ingredient.


So when people ask me what I do for a living....maybe I'll say..."I'm a Describer."

YET

Habakkuk.
hmm. funny word. sounds like something a animal might quack out. It's not an animal cackle, it's a book in the Old Testament. Root word in Hebrew meaning "embrace." Well that's much prettier isn't it?

It's a short book, 3 chapters..2 & an inkblot pages long in my bible wedged between Nahum and Zephaniah (haha, now that word sounds like a sneeze...God Bless You). I don't have a recollection of ever reading this. I found it to be full. Habakkuk was a prophet, a countryman of Judah. Basically he is asking God some really straight up questions like 'Where you at...when are you gonna show up...how long...why are you runnin the show this way?' And God responds by saying basically 'watch what I do and be amazed, wait, and I'll handle it in my time and way.' My favorite part was at the end where Habakkuk says "YET I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior." He's like..."even though fig trees don't bud and the vines are grapeless and the pens are sheepless and all the cows have taken a vacation which means no hamburgers for Friday night dinners...Yet everything around me is all dried up...and it doesn't make sense...I rejoice." I love the word YET in the passage. Yet all this...I don't care...whatever...I trust you Lord. FAITH. good stuff. Pretty sure we can all learn a lesson from that and apply it to our life. I tell myself...suck it up and rejoice...I don't have to understand now...the beauty of it all is YET to come!

"His splendor was like the sunrise; rays flashed from his hand, where his power was hidden." ~Habakkuk 3:4
 

This reminded me of a painting I did a while back when I was 'searching' for the Lord. I painted a hand with rays flashing out from it. Didn't know what all the images and thoughts in my head meant at the time and still don't completely. I remember I felt a battle between my mind and my heart and the only way I could explain it was to paint it. God was saying...'stop thinking so much...stop trying to make sense of everything and analyze me and life...just believe and all will be added to you.' Hence the cross jabbing through the brain in the painting....the battle. It's like I couldn't walk up those steps through the door to see the otherside until I LET GO and just trusted Him with everything. Then I had eyes to see what I had been trying to figure out the whole time. Jesus was the bridge, the key, the connecting point to the mystery of this power to live free and understand.

 Anywho...when I was reading this scripture in Habakkuk on Monday it triggered a memory of the hand I painted. The next morning I was teaching my preschool art class and we were making Australian hand print paintings where they would make lines or 'rays' coming from their hand and the scripture popped in my head.  And a funny added bonus last night...a slide show of pictures arrived on my computer screen saver...and the second photo...there it was...the painting.
Back then I didn't understand who Jesus was YET...or how he was/is connected to everything in my life, in the universe, in all creation. I was like Chapter 1 & 2 Habakkuk...asking questions...trying to get answers from God...about what was going on around me and inside me...challenging and questioning what I didn't get or what didn't make sense to my human mind or worldly views I had collected on my shelf along with intellect and experiences...I let those things define who God was to me instead of letting God reveal to me who He really is. Oh what a lengthy mistake I dragged with me all those years. The truth was sitting under my nightstand in a green covered book entitled "Holy Bible" which made me cringe back then everytime I thought about opening it. The mysterious power...this power that flashes in rays from God's hand, I realized I never let penetrate my heart...I only looked at it from afar like a firework show. How much more dazzeling to be in the sky right next to the lights. It took the Chapter 3 Habakkuk perspective to open my eyes. Throw up my hands. Rejoice, have faith in the unknown...have faith in Jesus Christ and trust who the word says He is, who God says he is...and just believe that...then wait...and watch...and be utterly amazed. And so I did...and I was amazed...and I still am...and I continue to be...flash by flash...yet by yet.

"For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God."~Colossians 3:3

HIDDEN...with Christ...in God...
Like in the earlier scripture ...'rays flashed from his hand, where his power was HIDDEN." ~Habakkuk 3:4

God's power is hidden in His hand...Christ is in God's hand, He is the power...and we who put our faith in Christ and lose our lives for him...this mysterious faith...are hidden with him...in God's hand.

Habakkuk.

EMBRACE.




DAILY DOSE

Okay so this is neither here nor there. Just some funny things the kids did today. This is a class of 3 and 4 year olds so you can imagine the ridiculousness that takes place in that room.

*QUESTION: What snack did you bring today?
  ANSWER: Gram-crappers.

* A little boy had a costume horse head on today. He paced back and forth walking towards the wall...touching it with his horse nose...then pivot turned and paced about 15 feet touching the horse nose to the room support beam...over and over he repeated the process over and over. I watched him for a good minute.

SHOE POLISH FOR THE SOUL

Ditch the morning latte...A Loving way to spend your $3.

I was in Dallas last week at a stoplight and I read a bumper sticker on a car in front of me that said "God is Pro Life." I thought yes He is...which led to thinking other things. Like... 'that's cool that person has a bumper sticker that proclaims that statement for other people to see. It's cool that person is being bold and isn't afraid of what others think. Man, why aren't there more things in this city in front of my face that I can look at about God...about Jesus? Why are there all these other words, advertisements, and visuals to look at, but no truth to look at? Why don't we have scripture on our cars?" Ding ding ding...we have a winner. What if all the believers in this city wrote the word of God on their cars with shoe polish. Can you imagine?? Well I imagined it...and it's awesome. Think about how many people see your car a day...going to work--->coming back from work--->going to the gym--->at the drivethru--->at stoplights--->ummm everywhere. Then multiply that and think of how many eyeballs would gaze at the WORD OF GOD if all your family did it, your friends, your community group, your church.

When you are on your way to the grocery store for milk...those who don't know Jesus and those who do know Jesus will be parked behind your bumper. Let's share what our eyes have seen and our ears have heard with people...let's not keep this hope just to ourselves that Christ has given us. Let's give light to it. Isaiah 55:11 says: "So is the word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Who knows what God would do in someone's life...or what person He will make your car cross paths with that day. Maybe...encourage, save, lift up, comfort, give hope, restore, speak to, give wisdom and understanding, change hearts, give peace, love?


So...yesterday I heard the calling again and I turned into the grocery store and bought a $2.99 stick of white liquid shoe polish. As I was pulling out of the parking lot I started having doubts and all these scenes played out in my head of people persecuting me for it...BUT THEN...a red truck passed in front of me slowly and in the corner of the windshield on the bottom right hand side was a big smiley face :) written in..that's right...Shoe polish. It was like God was giving me the thumbs up...waving the flag to push toward the goal...and smiling at me. I got home and was searching in my bible for a chosen scripture and the first one I flipped to was blocked off in a pen marking. Matthew 24:9. My eyes caught it and it read, "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and yo u will be hated by all nations because of me."  Well that is okay I thought. I expect that. I am going to ACTS 20:24 this thing and keep trucking. I got a scripture from a note card I had taped on my mirror, Romans 5:8. "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." I painted the letters onto my SUV's back windshield. The words speak for themselves, I don't have to do anything except press the gas.


This morning I felt humble as I drove to work at 8 am. Traffic on either side, in front, and behind me. I wondered who was reading it. I wondered as I switched lanes who I would be in front of next. Who had God aligned for my white Kia Dottie to pass or slow down in front of? Who walked by it in the parking lot today? Did a little kid sitting in the backseat ask their mom who Christ was and what the words meant on the car? Was there a believer who was having a bad morning and then became hopeful after reading that...remembering God's love for them? So many hopeful scenarios...I'll never know....and I think that's the cool thing about it...because God gets all the glory, we aren't in control of the people who see or don't see it...He is...therefore we can not boast. "Offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness." ~ Romans 6:13 Be His instrument. Let your car be an instrument for righteousness.

So...anyone who has 3 bucks laying around...buy a stick of shoe polish and choose a scripture to share with God's people. Proclaim Him boldly on your car like that one person did with a bumper sticker in a creative way. Get your family, friends, community group to do it with you. We as people who have been blessed by Him to know the mystery of the gospel have a responsibility and longing to share that love with others of  this eternal and glorious hope that Jesus brings to all who know Him. "I am not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of god for the salvation of everyone who believes." Romans 1:16. Join in on sharing the gospel with your city...one shoe polish scripture at a time. I'm going to switch it up every week I think. Acts 20:24 "However I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me---the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.""

WARNING-SIDE EFFECTS: Putting scripture on the back of your car may make you into a more graceful and kind driver. (knowing I was representing the Lord today while behind the wheel caused me to not drive as fast or cut anybody off)

My So Called Life

Revamping my blogging habits and crossing over from writing about cakes and bridging over to the spoonfuls of the sweet life God pours out in front of my eyes everyday. This blog used to be for my business Icing & Aprons and it's sister blog is still up and running http://www.icingandapronsblog.com/ . After weeks and months of thoughts, stories, and revelations I've decided today to layout the roads being paved out in my mind and put these tire tracks to paper...well I guess it would be...to the computer screen and keyboard. I couldn't figure out what to title this blogging adventure. Then like the wind blows, my favorite TV series growing up as a teenager swirled into my head, "My So Called Life."


This was a TV show about a high school girl growing up going through all those typical high school experiences. Angela played by Claire Danes was a character I was intrigued by as I instinctively cuddled up to her misfit corks that I related to. Reserved, quiet, dreamer, observer, disconnected, thinker...not typical. Not to mention the guy she adored was Jordan Catallano, an equally mysterious loner who wore a skinny black leather choker around his neck...a fashion statement I found myself replicating for years. I liked Angela's perspective on life, her search for meaning in everything and her deep awareness and questions for life that surpassed the everyday worldly views and trendy topics. Between her and Keri Russell's artsy college character in "Felicity" I found comfort in meshing with their seemingly normal outer shell appearance and strange inside soul. They were different and it was okay...I didn't feel alone. Until that is I faced that..they were TV characters.


Well I'm not Angela, and I'm not Felicity...I'm Ashley. Through trucking around these years and making my own tracks...I've come to a place of being 'okay' with who I am...not based on any fictional character or script. I'm at this place by the grace of God and through the acceptance of Jesus Christ. My life apart from Christ is a road map of overlapping and cris cross tire tracks...a jumbled up mess...dead ends, U-turns, empty tanks, and wrecks (I have no idea how this car analogy has come into play...but here it is VROOM).


I always wanted to embrace my inner hippie and rent a van and take off down the road and drive cross country until the vehicle broke down or I missed my family too much. I could experience the unknown, capture snapshots of my adventure, take river baths, spit unrythmic annoying tunes from a harmonica, and eat beef jerky for dinner...in this whimsical hope of one day documenting and sharing stories of my wild foot prints around America..or Europe.


Well, in some weird way...I'm living that dream and desire. Jesus has allowed me through the power of the Holy Spirit to go where the wind takes me, to experience this mystery of the unknown, and dive into the rivers of change and freedom. I am taking snapshots of these moments...of these times and I'm using myself as a harmonic instrument for God. I am at a new 'state-line' every week it feels like. Growing, seeing, learning, loving, forgiving, embracing, allowing change, walking in purpose.


So here I am. I came to a stoplight in life with a fork in the road. I chose the narrow path to life and threw up the duces to the wide path that leads to destruction. Jesus is now in the truck driver's seat hands on the wheel and I'm chilling next to Him with a skinny black choker around my neck, chompin down on a stick of beef jerkey. It's the best road trip I've ever been on and the only one with a clear and purposeful destination. I'm one happy hippie. So through the lens of God's video camera and His script....this is my so called life.

Smore on a Stick

These little guys I made for my community group for Christmas. We all went to serve a family and I thought since everyone was putting so much effort into helping this family for Christmas they all deserved a treat as well.

I was shopping for presents earlier that day and I walked into one of my favorite boutiques in Rowlett, Chubby Cherub. I was purchasing my gifts, and I noticed white desserts that looked like chocolate covered somethings...perhaps marshmellows I thought. I grabbed one and took a bite. Yep. (They always have something to snack on there or coffee to sample...a small perk that makes me happy).

The cashier was telling me how they were selling them on a stick at a Whole Foods or Central Market for like 4 Bucks each. I asked if the stick was edible and she said no. Well the wheels turned...PRETZELS.

My community group from church hangs out all the time and on the weekends we are usually at the guys place. They have a fireplace, so we park a couple living room chairs in front of it and make S'mores inside. This has been a weekly tradition for about a month now. So when I heard of S'mores on a stick it was fitting.

Here are the STEPS for a complete edible treat you can make your special someones:

#1 String on 2 large marshmellows on a jumbo pretzel stick...you can buy these at your local grocery store. The marsmellows grip the prezels perfectly becuase the stickiness inside acts like a glue.

#2 Take something big and get all your aggression out by smashing gram crackers into a million peices. You can add some sparkle by putting your favorite sprinkles in the mix.

#3 Melt Hershey's Chocolate candy bars in the Microwave. Don't eat it!!

#4 Roll your marshmellow stick in the chocolate so it is completly covered. Using a spoon helps. After it goes for it's chocolate bath, immediatly sprinkle it with your gram cracker crumbs...well pour it on actually. Lay it on some wax paper to dry.

#5 You can put them in the fridge if you are in a rush, otherwise just let the chocolate harden in room temprature. Once they dry, melt some colored chocolate and drizzle over the top for some pazzaz!

#6 Let them dry and wrap them in plastic baggies, throw in a few small marshmellows and tie with a lil bow or twisty tie of your choice. I made some cards with blank note cards folded in half, a stamp, a hole punch, scalloped scissors. They each had a quote from William Shakespeare & a note inside for each of my friends. You can go as crazy as you want with your details to make it unique.

I was in charge of the dessert to bring the family we were serving for Christmas, so I made a strawberry & cream cheese cake with bright red polk-a-dots. But since I had some marshmellows left over I also made them some chocolate covered puffs. These were the same process but I used lolli pop sticks and toasted the marshmellows in the oven on Low Broil. Toast the puffs BEFORE you insert the stick. Use melted chocolate to secure the sick if needed. I decorated them with Sprinkles. Once everything was dry, I arranged them in jar using marshmellows and gramcrackers to fill in the gaps. The small marshmellows were worked perfectly holding the sticks in place. Tie a bow around it and your DONE!

We got to provide a Christmas dinner, dessert, beds, & presents for the family that night. It was such an honor to be the hands and feet of Christ and share our blessings with a family that was going through a rough patch. Serving with my friends was a blessing in itself & so thankful to be apart of a group of people that put others needs before their own. Love yall.

Here is to S'MORE LOVE & SWEETS in 2010!!!!

Small Blessings

On October 16th, 2009, I woke up early to make some cupcakes. I didn't have time to make my usual cake from scratch so I went to the grocery store to pick up a few items like powdered sugar, and some vanilla cake mix. I have found that store-bought cake mixes aren't that bad if you are in a pinch. They always come out moist & have that signature "birthday cake" flavor. But that is here nor there when it comes to this story.


I was stressed out this day. I was tired, broke,...& honestly I did not want to be making cake. I wanted to be nestled in my bed while my box fan blasted as background noise. But God gave me a little reminder of His grace & love that engergized me for this particular morning.

I went to the baking aisle and gathered my ingredients. Six boxes of Pillsbury cake mix. As I was making my way to the express checkout counter...carefully looking to make judgements of who would be the speediest cashier & swiper...I noticed a farely large black woman in one of those moterized carts looking at me. I had chosen the line to the right of her and I figured she was starring at me thinking.."I should be in that line, she's gonna get checked out before me. "

So I pulled up into my line, where a enthusiastic black woman was helping the other customer infront of me. She was so polite, and just happy, with a big smile on her face, and just talking to her customer like they'd been friends forever. I swear she would have started dancing if there would have been a good ringtone going off.

Well the tired part of me really wanted to be annoyed at this lady for being so full of life so early in the day...but I wasn't. I remember thinking, 'how does she have so much joy right now...oh she must be a believer.' I could sense Christ's love pouring from her & it tickled me.

Well at this point I noticed that other big woman in the next line was still starring at me. I thought, man she really wants my place in line. And as I got greeted with a very joyful welcome by my cashier, the large black woman got my cashiers attention and handed her some paper & pointed at me.

She had given me 6 coupons for Pillsbury cake mix, knocking the price down to .40 cents each. My cashier seemed as thrilled as I was saying, "well look at that, look at that." I kept thanking the lady from a distance realizing now, what all the starring had meant. She wanted to give me something I didn't even know I wanted...or deserved.

Me and my cashier were now discussing the small, but great gift of this annonomous stranger's generousity.


I said, "Well talk about being at the right place at the right time."


I paused & said, "Small blessings."


She looked at me and announced, "You must know the Lord." in a kindered excitement.


I responded with a smile, "I do."


She gave me a high five and said "yep, there's no such thing as coincedences. The Lord is good. Isn't He good!"


I told her, " I knew you knew Him before I even talked with you, I could just tell."


"Our spirits are intune with eachother's. That's right. Isn't that something!"...as she kept shaking her head and smiling from ear to ear.


"I know, I know; you can just tell." I affirmed.

I'm sure the people behind me were like, what are these two crazy ladies talking about...and why are they so giddy with excitment...all it is, is a few dang coupons. Well all I can say is her joy woke me up from my slumber and got me out of my bad mood...& then the faithfullness & grace of God blessed me with something so simple but wonderful as $2.40 off of cake mix from a complete stranger...that I and this check out lady were filled with the holy spirit & just so thrilled to glorify God in those few moments of His devine intervention.

I can't make this stuff up. It's just so cool how God plans every last detail. From me arriving to the grocery store at that exact time... picking out 6 ..cake mixes...to coming to the line just in time for that woman to give me 6 cake mix coupons...not just any coupons..but the brand of mix I had, Pillsbury...to having me have a spirit filled conversation with a sister in Christ...someone to witness and experience that small blessing with me and not let it go unnoticed, cause He knows how much I get a kick out of that.

I mean what if I had gotten there 1 minute later...or I picked out Duncan Hines cake mix instead of Pillsbury...or I needed 10 instead of 6...or I had chose to go to the 3rd line over instead of the 2nd one. I mean seriously................................it's got God's name & creativity & Jesus's love & selflessness written all over it. WOW. If you let God be cool, he sure does define the word for you in ways you just can't think up on your own & ways you don't even know will thrill you. Take notice & seek it, and He will show up.

As I left I said "thank-you so much" to the woman in the moterized cart one last time. I got in my car and started driving down the highway..and kept kicking myself as to why I didn't go over and give that woman a huge hug because I so wanted to, or helped her to her car. I prayed that I would run into her again...so hopefully I'll be at Walmart one day and I can return God's love that she showed to me.

So even though I was tired and being a brat in the morning, God showed up & I noticed. He gave me another glimpse of who He is and humbly reminded me that I don't deserve that person's kind gesture, He gave it to me anyways because of His grace & love. And I thought...omg, i'ts just like how He gave His son as a gift to me to take away my sin & brokeness, hurt, constant search for this freedom & fullfillment, so I could really reunite with God.

And taking it to the next level I thought....It would have been rude of me to say..."No thank you...I don't need your coupons...I have enough money, I can pay for it myself." Of course not...I choose to take it, cause it's FREE, it benefits me, & it is this act of accepting another's love simply because they are giving it to us out of love that makes sense to our heart...accepting this coupon called grace, a gift I don't deserve....JESUS CHRIST's SACRAFICE. By accepting the coupon, I am returing love to the giver...saying I appreciate your gesture & I need & want your love in my life....I want that $2.40 off my cake mix...and I didn't even realize it until after I accepted your coupon. How nieve & silly of me to wonder why you were starring at me...when you just wanted to give me a gift. (do you see where I'm goin with this?)

God put's these random senarios all around us, all the time, all woven in each and every one of our lives to get our attention, to show who He is & that He wants you. He is just waiting for us to accept His coupon...accept His Son....So that He can be re-united to us & pour own more and more and more of his limitless love. Just take notice. Keep your eyes peeled & your hearts open...ask, wait and watch it unfold....because He is starring down from heaven at each one of us...trying to give us His Coupon.

Just had to share that story, it made my morning and the rest of the day for that matter.

There is nothing quite like......small blessings.

Later Gators
~AShley Marie

Have a sweet day and be filled with His sweet spirit.

Halloween Treats

My favorite Holiday, Halloween, was here and gone. Talk about a busy one. I made a few treats for some customers. Check them out:

Cake Pops for all of you home-bakers out there, are really tasty, cute, and fun to eat....but...they are kind of a whipping to make. First you have to make your cake, then freeze it into balls, then instert the stick with chocolate, then freeze again, then dip the whole ball into chocolate...let dry...then decorate! So if you have some time they are worth it, but for a quick treat I recommend the good old fashioned cupcakes.


I started off Halloween Day at a Watermark Retreat for Community Groups. We went down Friday night to Frisco & stayed at the Embassey Suites Hotel. Open, Airy, Colorful, Cozy Beds & a great Breakfast Buffet...they have an Omlette Bar (I highly reccomend it).


Basically a 'community group' is a group of followers of Christ, that join together in order to spur eachother on to grow in your relationship with Jesus, to keep each other accountable in everyday life, & love, support, & encourage eachother through the good and the ugly. We meet once a week (not counting just hanging out on the weekends) to pray together, read the Word, dicuss life & the Lord and how He's working on our life, and to talk about the hard stuff and confess whatever has been on our hearts.

My group is made of 6 lovely ladies: Charme, Johnna, Kylee, Summer, & Missy, and Me. We went to this conference, not only to worship & better our comunity group goals, but also to spend quality time with eachother. So on Halloween morning...like 6:30 morning...we got ready, went downstairs & ate from the very long line of the breakfast buffet, went & listened to a few great speakers on how to disciple one another, we went to a couple seminars on topics like "How to have the Hard Conversations" & "How to Make an Impact in the Kingdom of Heaven." They had little candy bowls on each table. Hands kept reaching for it, while also hearing the unwapping of the plastic coverings during the Speakers presentation...Halloween was on the tips of our tougnes...literally.


After the conference we were all super tired, but Charmes boyfriend, Robert, was coaching the Covenant Football Team in Dallas & they were going up against a long undefeated team of Greenville. Covenant had been undefeated for the season and had a great chance of conquering Greenville. He wanted us there for support, and I love going to football games, & plus it was a bright sunny day.


 After all our hoopin' & hollerin' & banging my boots on the bleacher stands to make extra noise, and Johnna praying for us "to be Humble WINNERS"...the Covenant team lost by TWO points: 28-30. Which shouldn't of happened because the ref called a faulty touchdown as good for the other team...but oh well...we won't go there haha. But what really stuck out to me all day, was both teams graciousness to winning & losing. At the end of the game after the teams shook hands they all gathered around the 50 yard line in a great big circle, coaches included.

Jersey & Polo Shirt colors mixed with Red, Black & Green together. They bowed their heads & prayed for a long time. I wanted to be a bumble bee on one of the players helmets, so I could listen to what they were saying to our Father, the Lord. But my ears were yards away from them, & the prayer was lost  in the wind & sent up to heaven only to be heard by our God. I wonder what would happen if we all took this humble stance in life with all of our victories & losses. Maybe in the end in heaven the Dallas Cowboys will be mixed together with Eagle & Redskin Jersey's. It was a truely great game & an even greater ending.

Afterwards I rushed home to give a client some cake pops. She also is doing my apron monograming for the next Icing & Aprons photo shoot. I couldn't help but dig into all the chocolate candy bars my mom had in a bowl for the Trick or Treat Kids. I think I tried every flavor.


We all decided for Halloween to get dressed up and go to dinner. Kylee got to my house around 6 and we started peicing together RANDOM bits from my old halloween costumes & she transformed into a Biker Chick. I was a Strat Guitar. I borrowed my costume from my very good friend Katie. We were ready & it was time to rock & roll.

We met Johnna (the gypsey) & Charme (the cowgirl) up at the Harbor for lots of chips & salsa at Glorias. After our picuture session...the guys joined us. We were all playing our characters part. Johnna was reading people's hands, Charme was tipping her cowboy hat, Kylee was talkin' in a new york accent, & I was tuning my guitar asking what song everyone wanted me to play. We each gave eachother names:

• Johnna: Ezmerelda
• Kylee: Rizzo
• Charme: Piper
• Me: Roxi

We laughed, and played 'senario,' & just enjoyed eachother's company. It was the best Halloween I've had in a long time. After we went back to my place to play pool...well the guys played pool that is.

All in All it was a Hap Hap Happy Halloween!

I Wish it was EVERYDAY!!

Oh & we carved pumpkins too the other weekend...so fun.

Have a sweet day and be filled with His sweet spirit.

APRON BET

Just got a super cute apron from Anthropologie & talked with the same checkout girl from my last trip. I bet somebody $5.00 that next time she will ask me 'what's up with all the apron buying, freak?' ha You can send me my winnings to my address....a check is fine, make it out to Icing & Aprons. Thanks!

IN the KITCHEN....WHEN?...NOW!

So my first day officially in the Kitchen was last Wednesday. I was making gold, brown, & fuschia cupcakes for a wedding shower. They were chocolate flavor filled with a chocolate ganache and topped with chocolate buttercream.  I had some other cakes to bake, so while that was happening, I was busy decorating with fondant. I filled them, iced them, & then covered them with colored fondant.

The day went pretty good except that my Ipod died & I had no music. Just my thoughts to entertain myself. I boxed up the cupcakes & brought them back to the house to wrap them in ribbon. I also found these cute stamps that I've been using on my boxes to give it an extra personal touch.

I delivered them to Margie, my first order along with a stack of business cards. My first real order under Icing & Aprons under my apron belt. Wow, I thought I'd never get to this point.


I remember walking with my Mom really down & upset, and just so ready to get started with this business. She got real firm with me & said Ashley, I haven't been seeing you do anything to further the process. There's all these things you could be doing and your not doing it. I got really defensive & went on a whole spill about how I can't do anything until I get to this 'other' point...I can't imagine in yet. I need to SEE it. 

Well the reason I couldn't imagine how to get to the bigger steps was because I had paused on taking the little ones. I got my butt in gear and made an appointment with a business counselour that week. I made a list and started checking it off...and the more I accomplished the more God unveiled my vision to the big picture & things started to flow together. Just takes those initial first steps of faith then you start speaking & understanding God's language.


And here I am in the kitchen, delivering my first order, & looking back thinking wow I knew it was possible, I knew it was going to happen after all those years of waiting & wondering WHEN....the 'when' happens as you walk in faith...and there you will be, standing right in the middle of WH----(ME!)----EN!

Thanks Mom for being tough with me and asking me the hard questions...you know that I need to be challenged constantly. You told me the truth...that I needed to stop making excuses and feeling sorry for myself & make it happen. If it wasn't for you, I would still be on one of those long walks with you in our neighborhood wondering 'when' everything was going to start rolling. Love you.

Have a sweet day and be filled with His sweet spirit.

~Ash

Melting Ice-Cream CAKE

This past Saturday night some of my friends threw a suprise birthday party for our friend Josh. Robert, Charme's boyfriend, told him that we were celebrating an Award my mom had recieved. Robert was very vague about this award, & even though Josh kept inquring about what exactly we were honoring, Robert insisted it was a special award and that he better pick up a card for her. HAHA.

Josh is this stand-up Godly guy that wouldn't accuse his good friend of lying over the sake of throwing him a suprise party...so he went along with it I'm sure...yet I wonder if in his car there was a back-up card for my mom just in case. We will just never know lol.

 I was racing around with my head cut off after a crazy day at the Provi Grand Opening. I had to run home, go deliver baby shower petit fours in Rockwall, go get Josh a Birthday card which then turned into being in the card aisle for way too long laughing dileriously by myself at all the card messages. You know those ones that are pre-recorded that all the employees at Walgreens despise & are cursing and pulling out their hair because people like me want to hear every one before choosing one...which always ends up being the first one I pulled anyways haha.

So I show up an hour late to the suprise party I'm hosting at my house, miss the suprise, but its all good. The guys grilled out some steaks and filets and we stuffed ourselves. Played a lil pool, Jammed out on my dad's music equipment, sang Josh Happy Birthday on the mic, then it was time for DESSERTTTTTTTTT! No birthday party is complete without the cake. So me & Charme went downstairs to secretly light the candles.

It was a 7 Layer ICE-CREAM cake. I made it before a few Christmas's ago. It's basically everything I think is good piled on top of eachother. Since I was so busy, I told my mom step by step what to do & she graciously put everything together. God Bless her...you know what; she does deserve an Award. I need to throw her a REAL Award party & make Josh buy her a Card!

7 Layer Ice-Cream CAke from the bottom up!

•  Mashed Oreo Cookie with butter
• Blue Bell Home-MadeVanilla Ice-Cream
• 1/2 Torted 10" white cake
• Caramel Sauce with whole Peanuts
• The other 1/2 of Torted white cake
• Chocolate Sauce
• Cool Whip

 Freeze in-between every layer so the layer come out clean & even...Sprinkle with some Oreo Crumbles, and stick a fork in it....Cause you are Done!!! Super easy to make, you just need time to freeze it.

We lit the thing a blaze and Jason walked it upstairs. We all gathered around the pool table & watched Josh with a big grin on his face blow out his candle as we finished the Happy Birthday tune.

Josh thanks everyone for what a blessing the party & all of us were to him, and then Robert asked if we would go around and say what about Josh we were thankful for. Lots of kind words were shared, a few tears, and a few laughs. I haven't known him for very long, but he is truely a genuine man living & serving the Lord & leading these men in encouraging ways. And you can tell by the way the guys speak about their friend & his heart & character. Josh ended by giving all the glory to God & saying everything he does is by the grace of God & what his son did for him and us on the cross.

It's just so cool to see men today being able to care for one another outloud & & reveal their hearts so openly and in the raw. I know in our girls community group it is that way as well. And I tell you this, there is no way I would do that with people...I'm not that kind of person, I'm too protective of my heart & shy.....AND YET here I am doing it with these girls...and that is by the grace of God, the movement of the Spirit in my life, and the freedom that Christ's sacrafice brought me & is continually bringing me. Trust is being restored, walls are being torn down, my guards are being surrendered, & my heart is speaking again...one word at a time. Glory be to God!

So it was time to cut the cake, but we all had so many great things we wanted to say about Josh & how he reflected the Lord's character, that the frozen ice-cream cake had turned into more of a melted frozen yogurt 7 layer cake at this point. But no worries, we scooped it out with a big spoon and down it went. Tasted like a giant Snickers Bar! Johnna made the comment that the cake was just like Josh, made of many layers...and Charme said "All good, chocolate goood, ice-cream good, peanuts goooood..." haha

We ended the night with a game of sharades with me crawling on the floor trying to act like a Turtle for the movie "Teenage Mutant Nijna Turtles" pretty ridiculous..i love my friends.

Thanks to all of you that have been there for me and continually inspire me to chase the Lord everyday. A group of faithful saints & servants, a grounded pillar to always hold me up through His strength.


"...To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." ~Mark 12:33