The Trip of a Lifetime

"Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life"

In all honesty, this is one of my biggest challenges. Good things take time and good things take work. Not that I am putting running a business on a pedestal, but I feel that there is always something that needs to be done. When you run your own business, you take on multiple hats; creator, customer service, secretary, stocker, thinker, organizer... 

And for me, the even bigger challenge is staying on task when your studio is out of your home. I have to work hard to focus and not get distracted during my work day by piles of laundry, dishes, cleaning, cooking. Its hard to balance the "work at home" lifestyle sometimes. I have come a long way, but still have much to learn! 

We will be moving in June, most likely to Galveston, TX. Andrew got into PA School (so proud of him!!) and we are ALMOST 100% sure that we have chosen UTMB for his further schooling. We will have been married for 4 years in April and still have yet to start a family. We wanted to wait until Andrew is almost done with school before we started trying. 

So... before Andrew starts school and before we begin having children. We decided to do something that we have always talked about doing together. 

The Trip of a Lifetime.

It was almost hard for me to agree to at first. I felt guilt. I was nervous about keeping my shop closed for so long. What will people think? Will we look reckless and irresponsible? Can we really afford to be doing this right now? Maybe we should just wait....

But the truth of the matter was, if we didn't do it NOW... there most likely would not be a better time. So after 2014's year end, we looked at our budget and agreed that now was the time. So, Andrew got to planning. And now it's happening. We are 1 month away from our DREAM TRIP. Most days I can't even believe its going to happen.

This year, June, will mark 4 years for my business! I feel that I have worked so hard to get to the place I am at, and my business is such an important part of our life. It will carry us through Andrew's schooling and allow me to be home while Andrew is studying like crazy (we hear the first year of PA School is a tough one!).

In one month we will be traveling for about 34 days with an additional few days tagged on to the front end and back end in Boston to see our families before and after the trip. And we will be going to the following list of places:

Iceland

London

Morocco

Venice

Florence

Rome

Bari

Croatia

Barcelona

Paris

Amsterdam

Even as I type out all of those places...I wonder what things we will see, what adventures we will have and certainly what obstacles may come our way with so many flights, train rides, buses, subways and taxis in our future!! 

I am so excited for this trip and especially excited to go on it with my best friend. I feel super spoiled as I haven't had to plan a thing. Andrew loves planning and is currently working on putting together a printed itinerary for the entire thing so I can carry it with me on our trip. 

As I reflect on the quote, "never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life." I am also reminded of the verse in Proverbs 3:5, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart...". This verse is one that God continues to place on my heart this year. I may feel fear of shutting down the For Such A Time shop for this long, but these are precious memories that I will be making with my husband before we begin a new chapter, him in school and me as I support us both and also before we start a family. 

I trust that just as God has provided for our needs thus far, he will continue to do so and that He will continue to use For Such A Time Designs in our lives and the lives of others as He sees fit. I will continue to work hard, serve my customers to my best ability, and trust that God has a plan for me and for my business and that He will always provide for our needs. 

xo, Aly

Life in Abundance: A Call to Die. A Call to Live.

There is a verse that keeps popping up lately. In my Bible Study. In the sermons at church. In my life, my friends lives, my parents lives. And, in the most recent book my husband and I started reading together. 

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. 

I came that they might have life and have it abundantly." 

- John 10:10

Andrew and I began reading David Platt's most recent book called "Follow Me". I have only read the introduction which is written by Francis Chan, but I have already learned so much. There is a small excerpt that grabbed me. I would like to share it:

"Probably the most memorable task Jesus gave was in Matthew 28. It stands out because of the dramatic fashion in which he gave it. He rose from the grave, and then prefaced his command with the words "all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." No one in his right mind would ignore the next words out of Jesus' mouth: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you." 

Jesus wanted followers from every nation on earth, so he commanded his disciples to reach them and train them. And that is exactly what they did - but this work is still not finished. He expects us to follow in their footsteps and structure our lives that our actions revolve around completing this mission. "

Life in abundance. What does this really mean? I think for some, we can get trapped into believing that its the things we own. Our house. Our car. Our travel plans. Our appearance. Our STUFF. We think that our life will be "happy" when we are comfortable and we have everything we need here on this earth. But the Bible says in Matthew 6:19-21, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Theres a Men's Ministry called Man In The Mirror. Their Vision is "To reach men with a credible offer of Jesus Christ, to help them grow in knowledge and love for Christ, and to equip them to serve God in the home, church, workplace, community, and world. We help men change their lives by connecting the dots between the Bible and their daily lives. We measure our profits in changed lives."

Its been a little under a year since my Father accepted a position to represent and serve as an Area Director in Central Massachusetts for Man in the Mirror. It has been an honor to watch my parents as they seek God's direction, find investors and donors to support this ministry they have been called to, and start to make changes in their lives to do this full time. 

As my parents oldest child, born just a few years after they got married, I have watched as my Father has gone from job to job, position to position, working his way up from the bottom to the top, reaching a career that provided above and beyond for our family. Then, within the past year, committed to letting all of that go, humbling himself by letting others faithfully provide for my families needs, so they can serve their God-given area. 

It brings me to tears. 

The "sacrifice" of decades of hard work, building up a life and all their possessions, to then be called to ministry... and to give that all up. In other words... "A call to die. A call to live."

I've been calling my Mother every few days to check in on the progress. Thus far, they have sold their house, put in a few offers... only for them to fall through. And now? Well, they have 24 days to find a new home to move into. Kinda crazy... 24 days. 

In a recent conversation with my Mom we exchanged encouragement, tears, honesty and love. As we both confessed that the "call to die" isn't always the easiest. That sometimes the thief who comes to destroy is so good at trying to destroy. Living a life for God doesn't mean being comfortable. My Mom said to me, "you'd never think that one of the hardest things could be the thought that the kitchen table we have been sitting around eating dinners at for years could be so hard to have to give up... because it simply won't fit in the kitchen of the new house we will be purchasing."

Isn't it so true though. We become so attached to our possessions. I don't believe its wrong to have items that mean something to us because of the beautiful memories that they bring. But, when we are called to give those things up... how will we respond? 

To the house with the memories. The car with the sun roof. The kitchen table. 

I am so thankful that God has given me the opportunity to watch as my parents go through this. All the tests and confusion, the letting go, the eye-opening and life altering experiences, and all the lessons they will learn... it's a testimony to how big, how great, how loving, how trustworthy, and how beautiful and abundant a life lived with God as the center of our lives can truly be. 


Man in the Mirror Links:

Website
Central Mass Facebook Page
Support/Donation Page

My Parents Home in West Boylston, MA that is currently SOLD.

"Falling in Love with Fall" Giveaway

I think I teased y'all enough the past several days leading up to this giveaway,

 so now it is time to reveal what this giveaway entails!

For Such A Time Designs has partnered up with the wonderful Tillie Polish to bring

you another giveaway! 

Andréa and I were both college suite-mates and are now both pursuing our own small businesses, so we figured that every now and again, we might as well partner up together and give our wonderful fans a chance to win some things, along with the chance to get to know another small business!

Tillie Polish is a nail polish company owned by 3 sisters, one of them being Andréa! Their polish line is amazing and if you search around on Instagram you are likely to run into photos of people using their polishes and ADORING them!! This is their first year in business and they are doing very well! Its so exciting to see your friends succeed in their endeavors! 

If you would like to see Andréa's video for the giveaway you can view it HERE!

Back in February, you had the chance to win some of their winter collection, so this time around, you will have the chance to win their fall collection! 

So pretty!! I love the names they come up with!

This collection includes the following polishes that one lucky winner will receive:

Fall Fête- a tangerine orange with subtle golden shimmer

Who Let the Divas Out?- dark and vampy, a dramatic plum

Leaf It to Me- an olive green with warm, golden shimmer

Forbidden Fruit- the perfect classic red

Espresso Yourself- rich and delectable, a chocolate brown

Along with this gorgeous collection of polishes, one lucky winner also has the chance to win some product from my shop:

I chose some of the most ornate and detailed pieces that I could find! Some of these are the most beautiful I have ever happened upon! 

This giveaway is open to everyone and will last from Tuesday October 22nd until 11:59pm on Tuesday October 29th. Winner will be chosen at random using Rafflecopter. To enter, use the widget below. If you have never used RAFFLECOPTER before, do not fear, it is pretty easy and makes things so streamlined! Click on each entry and just follow the steps and directions. 

Have fun and good luck!!! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Refuge

" May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge. " 

- Ruth 2:12

Refuge. 

In definition, this means, "a condition of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or trouble." This verse in Ruth, specifically the ending, has had such meaning for me this past year. To be honest, I have struggled with it. I have struggled to fully believe and trust that God is truly...truly, my refuge. And, as we are coming up on what marks ONE YEAR of living in Texas... I am reflective. 

This move has caused me to grow on so many different levels. Some small and some so deep that they require more than a blog post to explain and express. I have been in awe of God's fingerprints on my life and how He has used each and every situation to mold, sculpt, teach, grow and direct me. Through big mistakes, through loneliness, through new friends, new living situations, new experiences and strangers...

I have seen how MIGHTY my God truly is. 

In a few short months, Andrew will be leaving his full time job and going full time with his pursuit of his masters degree. This means that I will be the main source of income for us...

Yes, thats what I said. Me, Aly, owner of a business of which I stamp spoons and forks and personalize them to make every day life a little more intriguing .. this business of mine will carry us through these next few years. 

This concept...astounds me. 

I am beyond grateful. I am insanely scared. I am excited. I am honored. 

I am amazed that God has decided to give me this fun business For Such A Time Designs, "for such a time as this" to allow it to provide for us while my husband is in school. It puts even that much more worth into each and every person I serve and each and every piece I create. 

This past year has had so many exciting moments of growth and increase for my business. And though as a business owner, it is so important to see increase in sales, ultimately, my main goal has never been for myself...but for the people I come into contact with. My goal, has always been to show each and every person love and to show them that I care about the details of their life. My desire is that when I receive an email from a customer about personalizing a spoon or fork for an event or time in their life, that they would feel that I gave them the time and energy that they deserve. 

That I cared for them. 

That I loved them.

That their life has meaning and is important to me. 

This is what drives me everyday. 

This is what I am after. 

My greatest hope has always been that no matter how successful or big my business becomes, that I would never forget the process, the people, the relationships that I have formed along the way and that what comes first is always the individual PEOPLE I serve and my success comes second to that. 

Along with serving people in my business. Another opportunity has come about for us that I am beyond excited about in relation to our living situation and social life.

Andrew and I, along with him pursuing school have taken on a big commitment as a married couple. We are in the last stages of being placed in a specific & chosen apartment community (yes, we will be moving AGAIN) for us to serve in. 

Basically, we will be the "face" of the community there.... Pouring ourselves into the residents that live there and caring for them. We will plan events and basically love on each and every person that lives and/or works in the apartment community. My prayer is that God will bless our time devoting ourselves to this ministry and the people we will serve here as well. 

As I move forward into these two big roles of owning a business that is our main source of income and serving with my husband in an apartment community, I want to always remember of the blessings that got me here and the road that God put us on that led me here. I feel I have come to find refuge in my Savior and trust Him with the next steps moving forward, better than I have before(though still learning every day).

 Ruth 2:12 has become a theme verse for me. I know that the road will not be easy moving forward and that there will be challenges.... but I will trust in my God, that He will be my refuge and will be faithful, just as He always has been. 

. . .

I created the necklace in the beginning photos as a reminder to myself that God is my faithful refuge...and when you see me wearing it you will now know the depth of its meaning to me. I hope it will encourage you as well. 

Memory Lane

Memories. They carry us. They define us. They change us. 

Today marks 2 years of marriage. Just two. Though, a lot can happen in two years. For us, 2 years has included 4 moves, 1 move to a new state, a few vacations, a dog, a new car, and the list goes on. 

Marriage can be hard. It can be a joy. It's real. It's in your face. It's fun. It's exciting. It's a challenge. Some days you want to be selfish. Some days all you want to do is love on your spouse. And if you let it, it can help you grow and mature in ways you never thought possible. 

But today, I want to push aside all of that and bring you back to early days. The smiles and giggles. The butterflies in your stomach. The hopeful wishing "if this is it". The memories from the beginning of us. Along with the engagement and the wedding day.

Here is a little walk down Aly + Andrews memory lane.

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The puppy love stage. 

This darling photo above... fuzzy, dark and totally taken with a flip phone, is the first picture of us. 

I remember it so vividly. We went out for Chinese food with my family and had just arrived back to my house in my car. I asked for a picture. He agreed. 

I think I stared at it all. night. long.

August 1, 2009 was our very first "date". We both thought we were just going to a music festival together. All of Andrews friends were busy and I was a last resort. I guess I was a pretty good last resort!!

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To the left is the journal entry from that night. 

I love to document, in prayer form, what goes on in my day. It makes me feel like God and I are sitting down for coffee and He is completely uninformed about my day. Though He knows every detail... I love the friendship feel of it all. 

I remember writing...

 "I got to see a glimpse into the life of the kind of man I could have a future with." 

Little did I know... He would become my husband! 

Above is the Jones Soda bottle that I had at Panera Bread with my dinner from that first date. The night was so special, I ripped off a piece of the Panera Bread bag that our shortbread cookies had been in,

 wrote a note on it for memories sake and put it in the bottle. 

I love unraveling it and thinking back to how it was all "meant to be".

Above is one of the most beautiful letters I have ever received. This was sent to me in a postal priority mailing box with my favorite snacks and the movie "Life Is Beautiful". This was his way of "asking me out" as we began our relationship long distance. I, in Colorado, and him, in Virginia. 

Can you hear my squeals? Feel my stomach butterflies? My roommate Jill rejoiced with me as I hung up the phone now the GIRLFRIEND of Andrew Nickerson. 

Our relationship was so easy. He was my best friend and I was his. We would fall asleep on the phone together...waking up 8 hours later to find that we never hung up. He treated me like I was the best thing that ever happened to him. I was pursued. I was cherished. I was adored. 

No other man on this earth made me feel the way he did. 

On October 20th, 2010, Andrew asked me to marry him. You can read the proposal story HERE.

Tea light candles covered the stairs with music echoing from within the Old Stone Church. 

I gladly said YES!

We were only engaged for a short 5 1/2 months. Before we were married on April 3rd, 2011.

On April 1st, just two days before our wedding day. I woke up to snow covering the earth.

 It was a funny little April Fools Joke... 

It ended up melting, but the day before the wedding we went out and bought all the girls rain boots & scarfs, as the ground was still a bit wet. I love the added pop of color. 

Our friends were such great sports, as it was a bit chilly outside the day of our wedding.

Our wedding day was a beautiful day that I will never, ever, forget.

I heard a quote recently though, that I absolutely adore. 

"I want a marriage more beautiful than my wedding day"

And this is true. I want my marriage with Andrew to be even better than our wedding day. And I am committed to spending a lifetime perfecting this relationship. 

I am so in love with my husband. Through thick and thin, there is no one else that

I would rather do life with. 

Thanks for walking down memory lane & celebrating our 2nd Anniversary with us!