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.

22 Dec 2016

Quiet Time Plans for the New Year

by | posted in: Uncategorized | 0

New Years is almost upon us.  We start thinking about our plans for reading and for goals, for lists, and new adventures. How we want to grow?  What we want to stop or pursue.

This year my plan was to read through the Word and write down what it tells me about God.  Its been rather insightful, even though I’ve not gotten as far as I would like.  I think I will keep at it though not as systematically as I’ve done this year.  I love flipping through already read passages and quickly seeing how God shows up in the Word.  How brilliantly he displays himself.

This next year, I want to read the Gospels and tell what they tell me about how Jesus, the Son of God, makes God known to the world because He reflects His Father, perfectly.

Two new devotionals I’m going to start out with: Earth Psalms (which I just got for Christmas) from Francine Rivers (a review later) and Waiting for Wonder.  Litfuse sent me this book (all these opinions are my own) and I’m super excited to really dig into this book and study the life of Sarah.  In the Old Testament, we read and study so much about Abraham, but we don’t know much about Sarah – or maybe not as much as we would like.  In this book, Marlo Schelesky, writes for women who are anticipating what God is going to do in their life – much like what Sarah had to do.  Wait  and Wonder.  She picks up the Biblical narrative of Sarah and adds to it (like making some of it fictional).  I think any woman who has ever waited for anything should be able to understand and internalize many thoughts she puts out there.  I love how it is chock full of Scripture and will use it in the new year to not only study the Word more, but hopefully bring my heart around to God’s in this prolonged season of unknown we are in as a family.

You can this waiting for wonder gift pack! Head over and find out how!

 

21 Dec 2016

Coloring and the Gospel

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I love being creative.  That is no secret, especially on this blog and my instagram account.

And when books, encouragement in the Word, and creativity combine – that’s definitely a winner.  That’s why I love lettering the Word and using colors to help the Word come alive and be a pictured part of my day.

April Knight, in her two coloring books, combines her love of the Scripture and encouraging others with her love of art, drawing and coloring.  This one, more than others I’ve seen, offer a devotional and just allows for a small getaway in your day to be creative and focus and meditate on the Word.

One thing all of us need to more is repeat and rehearse the Gospel to us.  We live in a world full of expectations and self-imposed expectations that we will never be able to meet.  The Gospel frees us from those.  And coloring the Gospel might allow us a break from the expectations and time just to square our hearts and minds on truth.

Thanks Litfuse for these coloring books!  All opinions are my own.

1 Nov 2016

November Goals

by | posted in: Goals | 1

November Goals

I don’t know where October went – but here we are in November.  Only 2 months left in 2016.  The year seems to fly by, and once again we are about to pick out our new calendars.  I personally like this one and this one.

Thought if I wrote down some goals at the beginning of the month, I could follow through with them better – you know like writing down a to-do list:

  1.  Cook more at home.  I want to cook 4-5 meals at home each week.  I do love to eat out, but it is more expensive.  Honestly some of it is laziness because parenting is hard.  But, I do love to cook too and it is bringing out the creativity in my boys to help me in the kitchen. (See this book for more information on this concept)
  2. Book reviews.  I’ve got a giveaway coming for all you moms of littles out there, and some books that are really teaching my heart right now, like this one and this one.
  3. Gearing up for Christmas rush with handlettering projects.  Go take a look at my instagram page and if I can do a custom order for you, let me know.
  4. Finish up the Longmire series (at least for now).  We are also starting back with West Wing.  We took a hiatus because we were so tired and didn’t want a long, involved, good, but depth show each night.  Instead, we’ve been watching Leverage together.  And anticipating the Gilmore Girls show late November.
  5. See my desk and dining room table again.  I don’t know how this will work (see #3), but I know it will bless my husband and I like doing that.  He loves clean surfaces and these two surfaces are in our main living area so we see them all the time.  I wish my desk area could look like this – or even this.
  6. Going to the Pursuit ATL Friendsgiving.  It is a fun time sitting with other creatives and talking about everything!  Also, going to Passion’s Grove – if I can find parking this time!  This is always a great night of worship.  If you are in need of some guidance, listen to this sermon.

How are you gearing up for November and what goals do you have?

 

19 Oct 2016

Books for Going to Bed (a review)

by | posted in: Books | 1

Books for going to bed

I love books.  I love print books: old books, new books, cookbooks, coloring books.  I just really love books.  My husband and I are purging our book collection right now as we prepare to move again (and you know, books are heavy). It hurts to purge books.  But, we don’t need to hold on to stuff either.  So, we pick the really good ones.

As our sons get older, I’m hoping they gain a love for books and reading and learning and knowledge.  I’ve just started reading The Lion,the Witch,and the Wardrobe to my older son at night as he is falling asleep.  I love being near him, listening to him breath, see his little smile, read him such a great book, and watch him calmly drift off to dream land.

If you have young ones, especially toddlers, board books are a great way to introduce them to books, and hopefully begin to instill in them a love of books.  NIght Night Farm is a board by by Amy Parker and Tommy Nelson that is all about farm animals.  And, yes, my boys love going to farms, and seeing all the farm animals.  So, this book has definitely been a winner.  Whimsical illustrations and gentle rhymes, your kids will love reading this book as they are being tucked into bed.  The last page, as the story is drawing to a close, you get to remind them of the great farm animals that God has made and that God, the beautiful Creator, also made them too.

You can win this book for yourself and your little one (or to give as a gift).  Just tell me one of your favorite bedtime books – maybe it was one you read growing up, or had read to you, or maybe one you’ve enjoyed reading to your children.  Thank you Tommy Nelson for my copy of the book and the chance to give it away.  All opinions are my own.

4 Oct 2016

Good Good Father (a book review)

by | posted in: Books, Kids r Readers 2, parenting | 8

Good Good Father

In the back of our car there is a kite.  My mister has had the kite since he went to the OBX in Carolina.  I wonder if he bought that kite thinking he might one day have boys that love to spend time with their daddy and fly kites together.

Chris Tomlin, worship songwriter and dad, has writtten a great book for littles that starts out with a kite.  But, more importantly this story is about many of the ways (God is inexhaustible) that God loves us.  It is beautifully illustrated.  It is so true

One of the best things about my husband is that he is a good Father.  We had such a short courtship before we got married that I rarely got to see him around children.  I knew from his character that he’d be a great Father.  And, now I witness it.  My men love to fly a kite during the week at a local park, always scouting out the new parks to hopefully catch the wind.  He is more patient with those boys than I will ever be – which they desperately need.  He is loving and plays with them on the floor or with toys.  He is so caring toward them.  They resemble him.  He teaches them the truth about Jesus.

These are all good ways in which hopefully the boys will see God the Father in my husband, their earthly dad, so that one day they might come to know God.

This book by Tomlin is available to you.  Tommy Nelson is giving one away to a reader!  Get excited because this will make a great addition to your at-home library, wonderfully teaching your children about God.

One question: what is one activity your children love doing with their dad?

3 Oct 2016

Jesus and the Beanstalk (a review)

by | posted in: Bible, Books | 0

I’m one of those people who find it hard to stick to one thing.

Maybe blame it on a lack of patience, or always wanting to see results, etc.  I really find it hard to believe I’ve been blogging for 11 years almost – that I’ve stuck to something that long.

For me, I like to jump around in my Bible study  I don’t mean that I just pick out a verse and think about that.  No, I like to do different things any given year.  Maybe I’ll read through the Psalms while doing a Bible study.  Right now I’m going page by page through the Bible to find out what God says about Himself.

Jesus and the Beanstalk would be helpful for folks like me, who may want to change up their quiet times or Bible study time near the end of the year.  Lori Roeleveld has written a humorous but good study through the book of Second Peter.  This will give you a lighthearted look at life while walking you the little book of 2 Peter.

She helps you look at the characteristics that you need as you walk the life of faith in Christ to battle any (and many) of the giants that you will inevitably face in this life.

Thank you to Litfuse for this book.  All opinions are my own.

1 Sep 2016

Victuals: a review

by | posted in: Books | 0

I love Southern cuisine.  Currently, in my freezer, I have a bag of purple hull peas.  I mean, yes.  My Granny’s most famous recipes were her chicken and rice and corned beef hash.

A friend of mine once said that you aren’t truly a southern cook unless you have a jar of bacon grease in your fridge.  I actually used to – but butter is super good, too.

Victuals is a book that not only tells the history of Southern cuisine, the food that hales from each region, and people who have made it famous, but also it shares delicious recipes that were developed and perfected in Southern kitchens.

If you love history and a readable cookbook, this one will be for you!

Now, on to that bacon grease!

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