14 Feb 2017

Little Things on Valentine’s Day

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So many years I was single.  Valentine’s Day wasn’t fun.  Back then nobody was really doing Galentine’s Day.

Then I started enjoying Valentine’s Day by loving on the married women in my life.  Just sharing with them how they had impacted me.

Then I got married.  Valentine’s Day is fun – and never going out is a key to that!  We do low-key – which is so good!

Then, I started doing special things for my girls that I had discipled over the years, married or single.  Just to share with them that I love them and am so thankful for them!

This year, I wanted to do something with our boys.  Just love on women who impacts our lives on a daily basis.  So, this morning, Trader Joe’s had single roses for 1$.  We bought 4.

One went to one of the ladies at Trader Joes who loves on us every Monday and has for almost 3 years.

The second one went to my son’s afternoon bus driver.

The third and fourth went to the girl who has been serving in the kid’s club at the healthy gym I go to in the afternoons.  My boys definitely give her the right to get roses.

When we gave them the roses – all of them were so surprised.  Its just little things yall.  Live in the little things. Love on people.  It took 4$ to make 3 peoples’ days.  I always want to teach my boys to love on others in little and big ways!

10 Feb 2017

Liked – at any age

by | posted in: Books | 2

I don’t know of a single person who loves rejection.  We may learn from rejection, but it isn’t fun to go through.

I remember having to wear army green orthodic shoes in 3rd grade.  Yeah, that’s cool.

I remember being heavier than everyone in my class.  Another cool factor.

I remember not making the music group in high school that I wanted to make.  Tears for days.

Then I didn’t make the cheerleading squad the second year or the JV Volleyball team – more tears.

Then came guys.  Not being the one your favorite guy (at the time) ends up marrying.  Not having a real date all the way through college.  Not being the one the cool kids want to hang out with when doing youth ministry.

And let me tell you, at the age of 40, it doesn’t get any easier.  The rejections are just different.  Sure, you may be more confident in who you are or you may be able to get over the rejection easier, but rejection still hurts.

Kari Kampakis writes a great book that would be ideal for mothers to go through with their pre-teen or teen daughters.  You need to be talking about these things with your daughters.  Know the biblical heart that they need to hear.  They will find their worth somewhere and you need to teach them, lovingly, with full compassion, that their worth is set.

She gives you a great tool here.  And you can win a copy of this book – just leave me a message telling me one thing you like about yourself! 🙂 . Thanks to Tommy Nelson Mommies for this giveaway opportunity and the book.  All opinons are my own.

9 Feb 2017

Nothing to Prove (a review)

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Every single week, there is one specific area where I feel like I have to prove something.  Don’t we all – you may have more than one area, but I know specifically there is one area.  Sometimes there are more, but always this one.

And this doesn’t communicate to my heart that I am loved.

When we always feel like we have to compare or measure up – or we feel that we will never master or hit the mark – we feel unwelcomed and insignificant.

In Jennie Allen’s new book Nothing to Prove, she knocks it out of the park with creative prose on Bible stories, the highlight and masterful connection of the Gospel in every chapter, and you can tell she loves women.

Yall, this girl understands the gospel and loves women.  You need to read this book.  I even loaned it out and already want it back to re-read all of it – and underline more of it.  It will be a yearly re-read for sure.

Thanks to Blogging for Books for this book. All opinions are my own.

9 Feb 2017

The Art of Control

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If you love purple mosleskins, you will definitely want to enter this giveway, which also includes a book, bag, bracelet and more!

I have always liked to be in control.  I can tell it in my driving, my learning, and my relationships.  This is one area that has been the hardest in terms of living the Christian life.  I’ve really never doubted God’s sovereignty – but if His sovereignty is true, then I am definitely not in control.

Shannon Popkins’ book Control Girl is a good heart searcher to see if you might have control issues too. And in some way I think we all do.

I loved how Shannon shared personal stories and was real about her own struggle with control.  Even though she wrote this as a Bible study, I think it was more of a book that included Scriptures and make sure you ask yourself some questions.  She didn’t really hit the Bible study part hard.  Bible studies study the Bible, dig in, really take time to invest in the Word itself.  While this book was well-written I think it missed the mark on the Bible study part.  That isn’t to say it doesn’t have merit – it would still be a good book to read.  And maybe you can take the Scriptures she gives you and invest and dig deep in the Scriptures – more than she does.

27 Jan 2017

Coffee with : Audrey Grace Photo

by | posted in: Coffee with..., creatives, Georgia | 1

Atlanta is such a hub of creative powerhouses!  So many are excited to collaborate, meet up for coffee, help you excel in your craft, and champion you to help you be a better creative.  Seldom have I found a competitive spirit among the creatives I’ve been introduced to.

Audrey and I are currently neighbors, which we didn’t know until I had to drop off her wedding vows, like literally a quarter mile from each other – in a huge metro area!  We bonded over Davinci Donuts and milk while my younger son watched Thomas the Train and Curious George.

We talked life, photography, and church.  Audrey took some amazing photos of the calligraphy wedding vows I did for her and her husband.  And I got to know another beautiful photographer in this town.

How’d you get started in photography and what advice do you have for newbies?

When I was a kid, my dad had a Minolta film camera that I would play around with. I’d go to the library and check out every book I could get my hands on about photography. If there was a photo I loved, I would literally copy the settings out of the book onto my film camera and try it out. A lot of trial by error! Haha. But my love for photography grew and I kept learning. My advice for newbies; always be teachable. As an artist you are constantly learning and your brain should always be open to learning new technology and new techniques. Just when you think you have learned it all….you learn something else. And always be thankful for where you are and what you have. Comparison really is the thief of joy. So what if you have limited equipment? Rock it! Don’t let anything as silly as what camera or laptop you have hold you back. Think of it as a challenge!

What do you love about the creative vibe in ATL?

Atlanta is such a cool area to live in. I love how diverse the art scene is. There’s not too many areas where you can go to an all white modern studio space and next door is a wall of colorful graffiti. And everyone has that southern charm and respects each other and their art. Love that!

Where are your favorite places to shoot in the ATL?

That’s such tough question! I have so many favorites! Just a few recents; The Goat Farm, Ponce City Market and The Belt-line have beed really fun to explore. I also love…now this sounds weird….but photoshoots in clients homes! There’s something so intimate and cozy about taking photos of clients in their own environment. And the window light is always gorgeous to work with!

What advice would you give to newly engaged couples trying to find their ideal wedding photographer?

Pick me! Haha, ok. Just kidding. But my advice would be to get an idea of what you like before you go “photographer shopping”. It’s so easy to look at it as “how much can I get for the least amount of money?”. Working with a professional will make a huge difference in your experience and end results. I also tell brides that you don’t realize how much your wedding photographer is with you on the wedding day. They are pretty much with you the whole time! So make sure you comfortable with their personality and demeanor. Will they be a source of peace or add stress to your day?

If we were hanging out and having coffee, where would we be and what would you be drinking?

I absolutely love Chattahoochee Coffee Shop on the river. It’s so relaxing and peaceful. I’d have a vanilla latte of course! Or in the summer…an iced americano.

What other creative avenues do you enjoy?

If I have free time, I love watercolor painting. As well as cooking! I’ve been trying a lot of new recipes….even though I usually end up not following them and going my own route. I guess that’s the artist in me! haha.

How do you balance your life and your business?

I’ve always been thinking of ways to implement this more! It’s one of those things that seems easy to do; but practically….I just want to give clients all my attention. I can be such a perfectionist! When really that’s not fair to my family or….even me. I’ve recently made the choice to only respond to emails before 6:00pm. It’s the best! And I have chosen this year to not work on Sundays. Having one day off to just relax and focus on close relationships has been so refreshing and beneficial. I highly recommend it!

24 Jan 2017

Adventures of books and boys

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This past weekend we started a new adventure in the life of our boys – puddle jumping.  We had so much rain and then the shoes came off and the pants got rolled up.

And the boys had so much fun.  It is a great adventure being a boy mom.  And we even do adventure in our reading, singing, and television shows.  We love to watch Paw Patrol and Winnie the Pooh.  We sing made up Marshall (Paw Patrol) songs about being heroes.  We read Little House on the Prairie books at bedtime, all about wolves and canvas colored wagons and snakes.

That’s one of the reasons I wanted to read Eden: An Animal’s Parable.  And I tried to read it, I read portions of it to my husband.  I thought it would be more like Narnia or Charlotte’s Web where the animals talk.  But, I was totally confused and lost and then with confusion I wasn’t interested in the book at all.  So, while there may be an exact audience out there for this book, it wasn’t this audience.

Thanks to Litfuse for the book. All opinions are my own.

You can win a kindle Fire on behalf of the book fairies! 🙂

10 Jan 2017

Building Bedtime Memories (giveaway)

by | posted in: Bible, Books, mothering, parenting | 3

At the end of the day, motherhood can require a lot of us and we can be exhausted.  We might be longing for a glass of wine, a dessert, a bubble bath, or just the ability to sit down and binge on Fixer Upper.

But, if we are faithful in finishing the day well with our children, we will reap the blessings.  I am usually the one the put our sons to bed since my mister works retail and most evenings he gets home after bedtime.  Depending on how the day has gone, I’m really just ready to turn off their lights and shut their doors.  After brushing teeth of course!

I want to improve on my daily time with them at bed time. If my mister is home, we read a Bible story and each have time with one of our boys.  I usually take the older and tuck him in or read him some Little House (we are working through this series).  He sings the younger one a song and tucks him all in nice and tight.

The area I want to improve is the nights when I’m by myself, to actually read them a Bible story, pray with them, and then spend time with each of them in their rooms.  Singing or reading or just talking.  It may take an extra ten minutes, but I know that time is precious and I won’t get that back.

The resource we are going through now is the Bedtime Read and Rhyme Bible Stories.  I like it more than I thought I would – and I usually continue the rhyme well after I’m done reading.  It is note quite as crazy as Dr Seuss, but still fun.  The pictures are engaging for the kids and the rhymes make it fun.  Then the prayers at the end of each story allow us to focus our prayers at the end of the day.

How do you need to rescue or reprise bedtime?  What have you read at bedtime or done that makes that transition easier?

You can answer the questions above for an opportunity to get this hardcover book for you and your family.  Thanks Tommy Nelson Mommies for the book. All opinions are my own.

31 Dec 2016

Team Us – Building a Great Team

by | posted in: Books | 0

Marriage is a blessing…and marriage is tough.  Marriage takes a lot of work and you don’t get a break.  Having little ones makes every marriage harder.  And having kids adds so much more love and fun into a marriage.  And every marriage looks different.

One of the things I love about Ashleigh Slater and her little family is that they play by their rules.  They are a unique family who is on a unique journey.  They live and love well.  And she has written a book called Team Us.  In it she shares some mentalities to implement in a marriage.  “In the coming chapters, I’ll share with you how Ted’s and my decision to adopt a team mentality has shaped our marriage.  How it’s helped us remain united as we’ve encountered things like annoying habits, different hobbies, conflict, job loss, and parenting.” (pg 16)

I love Ted’s little comments throughout each chapter and their real life experiences to help us remember that no marriage is perfect – and their questions to consider at the end.

One of the points I really love is you have to cultivate a lighthearted marriage. You have to incorporate non-heavy moments in your marriage.  Every marriage will have its lows.  Our marriage has had its share of lows brought on by outside influences.  But, then we get away and have a date night, stay overnight somewhere to just enjoy sleeping in without preschoolers coming in at 5am, we eat meals together without kids, we go to the playground with kids, we have taco night once a week, we enjoy cocktails together while watching Netflix.  Whatever it takes – we enjoy being with one another and we don’t always have to have heavy conversations.

This would make a great marriage book to read in 2017.  Here’s to your (and my) better marriage in the year ahead!

Thanks to Moody Publishers for the book and Ashleigh and Ted for your friendship and example.  All opinions are my own.

 

30 Dec 2016

Can Your Home Be Clean in 2017

by | posted in: Books | 11

The answer to the title of the blog is yes!

I am not the best housekeeper.  In fact, it really isn’t one of the reasons my husband married me.  When I first walked into my boyfriend’s (now husband) home it was spotless.  He was a late 40s bachelor and it was so neat and clean.  Wasn’t dust anywhere, there were no dishes in the sink, I mean seriously, his home was cleaner than the apartment my roommate and I shared.

I come from a home that had some help with the cleaning work because my mom was disabled.  I did grow up doing chores, cooking, folding clothes, etc.  I knew how to keep a house clean, but had never workout at a schedule or read books on the subject.  And I like things clean, but not near as clean as my husband would like things.

Whether you are married or not, I do think that the Bible encourages women to be keepers of the home – making sure your home is tidy, picked up, and hospitable.  Doesn’t mean your home needs to be magazine worthy at all times.  in fact, I think if you have kids, and your home is spotless, it makes it hard for kids to be kids because they might be afraid to get anything dirty.

Dana White, in How to Manage Your Home Without Losing You Mind, encourages women who don’t know a single thing about cleaning their home, to start somewhere!  I think for me it is definitely too basic.  But, I do like how she takes the thoughts that we have and helps us move to actions.

One thing that I do love that she emphasizes is “That’s all that matters: finding what works in your home for your unique family.”  What I like to tell other wives and young moms: ask your husband what is most important to him in a home – and do that first.  For my husband: he wants things decluttered and the clothes washed and food.  So I try to do those things then work out time to do everything else.

No matter where you fall in the realm of tidy or slob – we all are given much to take care of – and we need to be good stewards.  That possibly means doing the dishes!

If you would like to win a copy of this book – just leave a comment with your least favorite chore to do.  Mine: cleaning the showers.

Thanks to Tommy Nelson for  this book and the giveaway copy.  All opinions are my own.

28 Dec 2016

Enjoying Life

by | posted in: Books | 0

 

Many times life just seems to stop in between Christmas and New Years.  People take vacations, couples sit by fires, being warmed by the flame and the glow.  People slow down from shopping and in turn spend more time with family, on vacation, playing with new Christmas presents, or indulging in sweets or fun activities.

God is such a gracious God to give us a time in the calendar that work slows down and friends and parties and time to chill increases.

My friend Trillia Newbell, author of Fear and Faith (one of the best books I’ve read in the past 2 years), has written a new book that will help you make sense of what to do with all this free time, how to enjoy everything that is at your disposal, not feel shame in enjoying it, and how to be grateful for all these gifts.

I often feel that in some religious circles, it is just not ok to have leisure time.  To not be working (outside of one day a week for a rest day).  Many will say that watching tv is a waste of time, exercise or the arts is only good for functional reasons (and you can’t really enjoy them).  Enjoyment is severely underrated – yet God gave us everything for our good and His glory.  So, why shouldn’t we enjoy it.

Trillia takes on many different good things in life – and seeks to show us how we can not only have them for function – but also for enjoyment.  And in enjoying these good gifts – that actually brings God great(er) glory!

“We must not take ourselves so seriously that we forget the wonder, we forget to delight, we forget the joy of living, and most important, to forget the God who gives it all to us.”  Oh how I love this quote, and I think Trillia rightly sums up her book this way.  

Some of the areas she invites us into for a closer look are work, relationships, marriage, food, art, nature.  We need to think about our work as enjoyment and not task driven or a punishment.  My husband has just finished a great book that Trillia also recommends on this subject.  Relationships.  With this – I think its ok to just enjoy one another without turning everything into a heavy religious, discipleship, sin conversation.  Yes, those are needed.  But, what is often missing in my world is good friends just to enjoy tacos, guac, pancakes, coffee and good conversation about life.  Food is the hard one for me as enjoyment can lead to indulgence which is sin for me.  Art – all types of music and art can lead to glory for the Creator of music.  And nature – same way – I love to be outside just because the colors or sometimes even the gray is gorgeous and soothing and invigorating (and my boys can run off energy).

So, going into the New Year, maybe one of your New Year’s resolutions can be to enjoy the great gifts of God that He has given you.

Thanks to Blogging for Books for this book (and Trillia of course for her thoughts).  All opinions are my own.