Friday Five

{One} New Planner
Yes, I'm that girl. The girl that always has my planner on hand, the girl that makes a list for everything. What can I say? I love planning and all things organized. My old planner was only good through May, so it was time to shop for a new one. Last year I purchased my planner from Maybooks but this time I wanted a change. I browsed Personal-Planner, and even spent some time playing around and designing my own -fun! In the end, though, I decided on this little lovely.

{Two} Gelish 
I quite possibly have the worst nails on the face of the planet. They are brittle and chip/peel easily. Plus, since I was a baby I have always had white spots all over my nails. Some say it's a vitamin deficiency, others say its calcium deposits. All I know is you will rarely catch this girl without polish on my nails- even if its just a nude color. If you do, then please help me because that's a sign that life is in turmoil. One of my friends started using Gelish and swears by it. Granted, it;s quite pricey for the start-up kit, the colors themselves are a bit expensive, but it lasts up to three weeks. I'd love to learn how to use Structure with it to get that flawless salon look. I typically redo/paint my nails twice a week {and that's using OPI and Essie}, sometimes more, so this is very appealing to me. I think I have finally talked myself into splurging on the kit and a few colors.

 

Short Summer Locks by bsjames on Polyvore

{Three} Short Summer Do
A couple of weekends ago I enjoyed a Saturday morning chat with my precious friend, Sassy. There's nothing quite like getting to talk with a friend outdoors on a gorgeous morning, and seeing Jesus in your midst. Anywho, Sassy was rockin' a new shorter do and I left wanting to chop my hair off again. It's time for a trim anyways, and I'm so tempted to cut another inch or two off the length. I want something summery/flirty and easy to manage. I haven't colored my hair since last October and it's so much healthier. I want to try and avoid color if possible, but a new style is a must. I think #2 & #3 are my faves.

 {Four}Season Passes
Nothing is better in Summertime than season passes to the water park. Mary Grace and I plan to spend most of our summer at my grandparents, enjoying family time, soaking up the sun, and playing at the water park. We are planning to go early next week for a couple of days before leaving for our beach vacation. Fun times!

{Five} Wedding Weekend
A precious young couple in our church is getting married this weekend and we are so excited to get to witness this happy day in their lives. They were on the mission team and I was able to get to know them a bit more through fundraising with them, then we ended up in the same Bible study group. I know it is going to be oh so gorgeous and I am so happy for this sweet couple and the way they not only love each other, but the way they love and serve Jesus. 

That's it for today, lovelies!

Happy Friday!

 

First Dance Recital

My sweet ballerina was in her very first dance recital on May 24, 2014.

Rewind 26 years and that was me. It was like seeing myself at that age.

I am so thankful that I get to share in these precious times in my sweet girl's life. She and I have loved our Tuesday date nights which consist of dinner, a sweet treat, and end with dance class. She's a little different than me in that she prefers the gymnastics where I loved to dance. Either way, I hope she continues to enjoy dance/gym and I hope it is something she will want to be part of when she gets older.

The dance recital theme was "Alice in Wonderland" and it was broken into two shows. The morning show was mainly the gymnastics exhibition and the night show was the actual ballet and the Dancing PGA Style showcase. Thankfully we only had to do the early show because MG was one tired girl and I can't imagine having to bring her back that night for round 2.

She had a bit of stage fright at first and wasn't into the dance piece as much. For the Mom/Tot class, we {the moms} were on stage with them so that helped her a lot. She quickly regrouped and when we came back on for the gymnastics exhibition, she was fabulous. She did such a good job with her straddle rolls, jumps, front rolls over the barrel, walking on the balance beam, back tummy tucks, and hand stands. Sounds like pretty intense stuff, but it is all modified down for the little ones. It is a great class for the little ones to meet new friends, learn to follow directions, wait their turn, and build large motor skills and coordination.

They were oh so cute and I was one proud dance mom :) We are taking a break for the summer, but we are already looking forward to starting back this Fall. This upcoming dance year will be her last in Mom/Tot before she moves up to "big girl dance class".

Dance friends!

Selfie with my mini

Mary Grace and Savannah

We are the second on the left.

A bit blurry, but she was waving to the audience while walking the balance beam.

She was so proud of her trophy!

Watermelon Time

I feel like I have been neglecting the blog a bit lately, but when I say things have been crazy, I'm not exaggerating. Actually, more like crazy good. The Lord has showered us with blessing after blessing these last two weeks and I cannot wait to share them with you! Things are pretty exciting in our little world these days.

I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon with other bloggers and start posting a 'Wordless Wednesday' blog- which translates into a picture of something noteworthy we've been up to. Technically, this isn't a wordless Wednesday post since I've blabbed a bit, but oh well.

Anywho, would you look at that sweet face! Priss loves watermelon and she has come close to eating her weight in the stuff this week. Yummy! And yes, the best way to give your toddler watermelon is on the back porch in nothing but undies :) Messy stuff, but oh so good!

Big bite!

Check back tomorrow for the recap on our first dance recital, then Friday I'm back to link up with another Friday Five edition.

Happy Wednesday!

 

Memorial Day Shenanigans

Memorial weekend is one of my favorites- it marks the beginning of Summer and all the little things that make this season fabulous: swimming, grilling, and time with family.

I love having three whole days with my two loves. With the little one's dance recital Saturday, it has been a hectic weekend. So it's nice having an extra day at home to enjoy a slower pace. We spent time soaking up the sunshine while Mary Grace splashed in the pool, visited family, and as I type this we have steaks and hamburgers grilling and a watermelon chilling :)

There's more to this day than just food and water fun, so don't forget to show some love to those who have sacrificed so that we can enjoy our freedom.

Happy Memorial Day!

Sandpaper People

We all have those people in our lives that just seem to rub us the wrong way. Sandpaper people come in many forms: family, friends, coworkers, classmates, even fellow believers. They seem to rub raw places on our hearts and leave us scurrying for a way to avoid them. The problem is that no matter how many times we proclaim to be 'done with them', we always end up running head-on into them, whether it's through a text, email, or a harsh comment.

Why can't we seem to escape them? Why does it seem they are always there, rubbing our hearts, and leaving raw places in their wake? Because God is using them to do some of His best work in our lives.

You see, Sandpaper people are not the ones who benefit. We, the objects of the rubbing, are the ones who are being refined, smoothed, perfected.

If you have recognized people in your life as Sandpaper, then you know how hard it can be to love them. It's never easy to love someone that leaves scrapes on our hearts. Sandpaper people demand their own way, they are ever receiving and never giving, boastful, rude, and often selfish. They seem to pop in and out of our lives at their convenience- often when they need something. They leave us feeling used, confused, and questioning their love for us. We begin to wonder where to draw the line. My friend, there isn't a line. There is only love. You see, in spite of their coarseness, God has called us to love all His creations- not just the loveable, but even more so the unlovable. 
 
Jesus knew we would need guidance when dealing with Sandpaper people. Luke 6:27-36 is about loving those who don't always love you back.

"If you love those who love you, what credit is that you?...And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you?" Luke 6:32,34 

I know what you are thinking, "She hasn't met so-and-so" or "She doesn't understand what all so-and-so has done to me all these years". You are thinking it's impossible to forgive and love those we view as unlovely. You are right, it is impossible in our own strength. But in spite of all the scrapes left on your heart, 'there is a balm in Gilead to heal the wounded soul." That balm, my friend, is Jesus. You see, we are called to love others as Jesus loves us. Yet, Jesus' love is different than our love.

We love according to our feelings. When a friend is caring and helpful, we feel loved and thus express love in return. We call that 'friendship love'. When our spouse gives us warm, fuzzy feelings and we want nothing more than to spend time with them, we call that 'being in love'. If we only love others based on our feelings towards them, then we will never learn to love the unlovable, because the one thing that is hard to feel towards a Sandpaper person is love. At one point or another we are all Sandpaper people. Friendships are going to have ebbs and flows, as will all marriages, and we cannot stop loving them just because they are rubbing us the wrong way. Those trying times are when we have to love them with a Christ-like love.

"... Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another". John 13:34

As I have loved you, so you must love one another. We are not to love as we deem fit. We are to love with the same measure that we have first been loved by Christ.

You see, God's love is not based on merit or feelings. God has chosen to love us, regardless of our actions. You see, love is a choice.

The best picture of Christ-like love is found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. I made a point years ago to memorize chapter 13, also know as the Love Chapter, and often times I find myself silently repeating it to myself during those trying times with Sandpaper people.

"Love is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud, never haughty or selfish or rude. Love does not demand its own way. It is not irritable or touchy. It does not hold grudges and will hardly even notice when others do it wrong. It is never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever truth wins out. If you love someone, you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him." {Living Bible translation}.
 
That is how God loves me, and how He loves you. No matter how mean or selfish we are, or how many times we settle for our own way of doing things instead of His way—God’s response to us is love. He never throws His hands up and says He's done with us. When we truly realize how God, by His infinite mercy and grace, has loved us to the end of our meanness, selfishness, and pride, then no matter how heartless another person may be, we can choose to respond to them with love also. We can respond to the selfish and rude person with love, because that’s how God responds to us. When we are filled with Christ's love, it will splash onto those around us, drenching them in love and mercy.
So how is God teaching us to respond with His kind of love? By loving Sandpaper people. When we can respond to the meanest person we know with the love of God, as He has loved us, then God has done one of His best works in us. He’s taught us how to love as He loves.

Life Lately

Weddings, birthdays, recitals, graduations, beach vacations... oh my! Every weekend through July.

When my husband and I looked at our calendar for this Summer, we quickly realized we have one {possibly two} weekends off between now and the end of July.

Craziness.

Our summer is gearing up to be jam packed with friends, family, and those fabulous Summertime musts like swimming and the beach.

This week is super busy for me and I'm thankful for my secret weapon: Advocare Spark.

Saturday we had a fun little birthday party for one of Mary Grace's little friends, Ava. They all had a blast swimming and playing in the sprinklers. We love spending time with this sweet family!

Sunday night my best friend and soul-sista, T, spent the night with me. We realized you are never to old to have a slumber party with your bestie. It felt like middle school all over again. We may have stayed up way past midnight having some fun girl talk.

Monday, T and I headed to Tuscaloosa for Operation: Find Mission Trip clothes. I was able to get several longer shorts for the trip, along with cute, lightweight tees. I also splurged on some super cute scarves, new flats, watches, and dressier summer frocks. Fun times!

I spent the day yesterday soaking up the sun, re-reading the amazing story of Katie Davis, and relaxing. Yesterday was part of my Mother's Day gift. I had asked for a day off so I could spend it however I pleased. I decided a nice day at the pool all by myself was just what I needed. Here was my view from 10:30 until 3:00. {SPF 75 was my best friend :) I do not want to go through what I did last Summer again}

Yesterday was our last dance class before the big recital this weekend. We have dress rehearsal Friday, and I am praying that all goes well. After all, I will be on stage in front of everyone with my rambunctious, unpredictable two year old. It looks as if she will put on quite a show :)

Today, the mini and I ventured out to a fun school Spring Fling we were invited too. She adored the blow up jumpers and I was able to be creative and do a fun little face painting with her. Poor thing got a tad bit car sick on the drive, but she is napping it off now. A late afternoon pool trip is on the agenda once she wakes up.

Oh how we are enjoying sweet, sweet Summertime!

Debt Free {A Milestone In Life}

Roughly ten minutes ago I reached a huge milestone in life.

At the age of 28, I am completely debt free.

There is the exception of my home, of course.

I have never once owned a major credit card. The only time I was close was when I had an Express card, but quickly paid it off.

I had two debts to my name: 1) my car, which was due to payoff in November and 2) my last student loan that I have been working to pay off for two years now {college is expensive stuff, my friends}.

Today I am proud to say that I paid both of them off, and I am now essentially debt free. I even splurged a bit and paid things in advance, like the next six months of our car insurance and phone minutes {we have straight talk}.

In doing this, I have eliminated $736.81 in bills each month {yes, I added up the numbers}. Wow.

This is such a big milestone and I am so happy and relived that I've met this goal. I am thankful that I never found myself caught up in thousands of dollars in credit card debt. My husband and I have always had the motto "If we can't pay for it, we don't need it" and that has helped keep us from piling on unnecessary debt.

As you all know, our house is on the market. I didn't realize this until a few minutes ago, but once our house sells we will not owe anyone a single penny. I can't help but think of Paul's words in the book of Romans:

This is a milestone that deserves a bit of celebration. My sweet friend, T, and I are taking a small shopping trip to Tuscaloosa next week so I can splurge a little on new, longer shorts and lightweight tees for the upcoming mission trip.

I hope I'm not coming across as boastful, but I think this deserves as little spotlight.

Back in January of 2011 my husband and I committed our finances to God and studied the Dave Ramsey Financial University. While some aspects of the program worked better for us than others, we realized the importance of being good stewards with our money. That was the year that I decided to commit fully to being faithful in my tithing. My husband has always been a faithful tither, and I'm so thankful that I have him as an example to follow.

If you are in your first year of college, filling out FAFSA forms and taking on student loans, wondering if that degree is really worth the cost, always remember that "education will never be as expensive as ignorance" {The day I considered dropping out of college, I ate lunch with a friend to discuss my decision. That was the quote my fortune cookie held- no joke. Needless to day, I didn't drop out.}

If you're starting your first job post college and are intimidated by the enormity of living costs and paying off debts, remember that it's possible. The day will come when you make that final loan payment.

If you're fresh out of high school, working, and wondering how you will make ends meet, remember to entrust your finances to the One who will always guide you in the right direction.

Here's to being debt free!

 

Fruit of the Spirit, Devotional Prayer, and 31 Days of Prayer Journals

There is a whole lot happening in this picture! Having just finished the 31 Day Bible Challenge, I am hungering for more of Jesus. I thought I would enjoy having an extra 3 hours or so each day, but they are filled up again with more time in study and prayer.

Yesterday I started Living Beyond Yourself by Beth Moore. God has continuously been bringing up the fruits of the Spirit with me for some time now. I cannot wait to see how He is planning to mold me during this study.

Prayer time is something I've been wanting to focus more on lately. I have had a couple of friends mention how great the Whispers of Hope by Beth Moore devotional was for them. It's 10 weeks of devotional prayer time and I cannot wait for Jesus to meet me each morning during this time of fellowship.

Last, but biggest of all, is the 31 Days of A Mother's Prayers I am working through via email with the ever sweet Hannah Duff. It started on May 1 and every day we are praying for our children based on certain areas of their life {i.e. refuge, physical development, impacting the world, etc..}. I decided to do three prayer journals in all, one for my sweet Mary Grace, and the other two are for babies arriving via friends and family. It's been a sweet time of prayer for these precious children. Hannah and her husband are expecting their first child, Eli, soon and she wanted to join together fellow mommies in a month of prayer. You don't have to be expecting to join the fun, as I am certainly not. I plan to do one for the child 'growing in our hearts' that we hope to receive via adoption one day. If you are interested, she is posting them daily on her blog, instagram, or you can message her and she will email them to you daily {as I am doing}.

That's it for today!

Happy Tuesday!

Genesis to Revelation {The Bible in 31 Days}

As believer's we know the importance of reading the Word. I have always wanted to read the Bible from start to finish, and though I have started many times with the best intentions, I usually drop off around Deuteronomy. Don't get me wrong, I read scripture daily during my quiet time. I am going to be honest, there were parts of the Bible I had never laid eyes on. Whole books of the Bible, even. I was convicted because if I claim to serve and follow Jesus, then I should know His word. After all, Jesus is the Word in flesh.

God has been calling me into deeper waters with Him and I have a hunger for Him like never before. I want to know His heart, His character, His word. I started feeling an urgency to read God's word. I tossed around the idea of reading the Bible in three months, but felt the Lord calling me in even deeper.

One month. That was the time table He laid on my heart. I didn't even know it was possible to read the Bible in a month. I had never heard of anyone I know tackling that challenge. So I did a bit of research, read testimonials of others who had finished it in 31 days, and decided on the right reading plan for me.

On March 30, I began in Genesis with "In the beginning..." and on April 29, I finished in Revelation with "Amen. Come Lord Jesus."

I read the Bible in 31 days, fulfilling my vow to God as an act of obedience to His calling. I cannot begin to express how much my eyes have been opened. I see God the Father much more clearly now, and I have an intimacy with Jesus that is unlike anything I've had since I first met him nearly ten years ago. I have seen the heart of God, and His faithful love for us, through His amazing story.

I read on average 2.5-3 hours daily. With such large amounts of text to cover, I took a different approach to looking at the scriptures. Instead of focusing on the details {who, what, when, where} I tried to look for God in each situation. I focused more on His responses to His people, the way His hand moved upon them, and how He reacted towards them.

While I could never fully describe just how this challenge has changed me, I will outline a few things that stood out to me the most.

One. God's unfailing love and character are always in the foreground amidst the backdrop of man's sinful tendencies to wander astray. Our God is a hands-on God, not a distant person watching from the sidelines. I noticed things about Him that I had never paid attention to before. For instance, after creating Adam and Eve in His image, for fellowship, they sin and thus separate themselves from a holy, pure God. Instead of washing His hands of them, God loves them unconditionally. After disciplining them for their disobedience, it says "The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them {Gen.3:21}." The Lord had compassion on them, and rather than let them walk around in fig leaves, He not only made them clothing, but He dressed them. What a powerful example of a loving God who wants an intimate relationship with us.

Two. God's message and plan of salvation are consistent on every single page. Anyone who says the Bible is inconsistent obviously hasn't spent much time in the Word. After reading through just the Old Testament, it is impossible to doubt that Jesus is the promised Messiah. Many people think of Jesus as being the focus in the New Testament, but He is a constant thread running through the Bible, beginning in Genesis and weaving all the way through to Revelation. God continually points to a new covenant, a way to bring His people back to Him, a Holy sacrifice that will allow us to have intimate fellowship with God the Father. The book of Revelation has always been a bit overwhelming for me, but this time around it felt more like a celebration of God's victory over sin and death.

Three. My familiarity with the Scriptures was astounding. The most common plan of reading through the Bible is one year, however, by the time you finish you've lost familiarity with the early portions of scripture. During my daily living, when I encountered issues of my own, or when I helped counsel others, I was able to pull a plethora of scriptures and passages from both the Old and New Testaments to help guide me. I was so well acquainted with the scriptures because it had only been a few days since my eyes had read them, so they were vividly fresh in my mind.

This has been an amazing journey for me, one in which I plan to do every January as a way to start off the year. About a dozen others have been inspired and have joined this journey as well- some are reading it in 31 days, others in three months. I cannot wait to see how God moves them through this experience.

If you want to experience God through His word in a powerful way, then I challenge you to take this journey and not finish a changed person. If you'd like to take the 31 Day Bible Challenge, below is the reading plan I followed. This isn't something to take lightly. Instead, circle it in prayer and enter it knowing the cost. If you decide to take the challenge, I would love to hear from you so that I can pray for you during this journey.

Day 1:Genesis 1-39
Day 2: Genesis 40-Exodus 31
Day 3: Exodus 32-Numbers 3
Day 4: Numbers 4-Deuteronomy 6
Day 5: Deuteronomy 7-Joshua 9
Day 6: Joshua 10-Ruth
Day 7: 1 Samuel 1 - 2 Samuel 12
Day 8: 2 Samuel 13- 2 Kings 3
Day 9: 2 Kings 4 - 1 Chronicles 3
Day 10: 1 Chronicles 4 - 2 Chronicles 13
Day 11: 2 Chronicles 14 - Nehemiah 6
Day 12: Nehemiah 7 - Job 24
Day 13: Job 25 - Psalm 21
Day 14: Psalm 22 - 57
Day 15: Psalm 58 - 93
Day 16: Psalm 94 - 129
Day 17: Psalm 130 - Proverbs 18
Day 18: Proverbs 19 - Isaiah 6
Day 19: Isaiah 7 - Isaiah 42
Day 20: Isaiah 43 - Jeremiah 16
Day 21: Jeremiah 17 - Lamentations
Day 22: Ezekiel 1 - 39
Day 23: Ezekiel 40 - Joel
Day 24: Amos 1 - Zechariah 10
Day 25: Zechariah 11 - Mark 6
Day 26: Mark 7 - John 6
Day 27: John 7 - Acts 22
Day 28: Acts 23 - 2 Corinthians 6
Day 29: 2 Corinthians 7 -2 Thessalonians
Day 30: 1 Timothy 1 - 1 Peter
Day 31: 2 Peter - Revelation


On a different note, this is my 600th blog post! A big thank you to my readers for sticking with me through nearly 6 years of blogging!