Oh Happy Day!

Alright, guys. I was thinking I might post part 3 of "Only God Can Judge Me" today, but I have decided that we all need a brain break. We need a break from Baltimore, and cops and riots and earthquakes and Christians being thrown off a boat by Muslims. No, we cannot ignore these important things, and we should never be so far gone into our own little world that we don't care what is going on around us. BUT, and it is a big but, sometimes, we need a little something to brighten our day and put a smile back onto our faces.

So say a prayer for those suffering, ask God to show you how you can help, and give it to God. Don't worry, don't fret. Focus on the Lord today instead of on the troubles of this world:

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. (Psalm 16:11) 

And for this moment, watch these videos, regain some positivity, and give your brain a short break.

WHY WE LOVE SPORTS!
89-year-old, Bryan Sperry, who played for The University of Kansas shortly after World War II, scores an INSPIRING touchdown at the ALUMNI flag-football game! https://youtu.be/toasMKQ5ivc
Posted by Whistle Sports on Monday, April 27, 2015

Golden Retriever cries with joy when welcoming solider home. So much love - Woods x
Posted by Sea FM Hobart on Friday, August 8, 2014

Please enjoy this squirrel attempting to hide a nut... inside a dog's fur
Posted by Lost At E Minor on Thursday, March 5, 2015

How Adoption Blesses Families: A Guest Post

Adoption means a lot in the Christian faith! God adopted us as His own. He blessed us by loving us. In the same way, we can bless a child's life by adopting them into our family. And that is exactly what this family did!
The following is a guest post by Kayla, the author of  the Many Sparrows blog.

**********************************************

Every morning, I stumble out of bed, grab my Coke-bottle glasses, and shuffle my way across the hardwood floors into the kitchen. Our four-year-old waits patiently for his oatmeal, and his hand always seems to find mine as I make breakfast in the early morning hours. I pour myself coffee as our two-year-old, his bedhead just as wild as his little heart, comes hustlin’ out of his room.

Motherhood, you guys. It’s chaotic and sleep-deprived and sweet and 100 kinds of awesome.

I became a mom in a fashion that only God could create. I was a young, twenty-something newlywed learning more about the world, and more about its creator, every day. We were stumbly and we weren’t perfect, but we couldn’t help but sense that God was leading us both down a path to parenthood that, in the world’s eyes, was a bit unconventional.

My husband and I both started to feel the tug on our hearts for children who didn’t have families. We both grew up in safe and loving two-parent homes, and we couldn’t shake the idea of little ones not growing up without the structure and nurture a family provides. We knew we couldn’t do everything, but we could be open to doing something. We prayed, and asked God to lead.

One billion “only-God” stories later, and we were getting off a plane, welcoming our incredible one-year-old son into our arms, forever. Joseph joined our family via adoption from West Africa (you can learn much more about that here), and our lives have been so radically blessed by his presence. We grieve for what he lost with his fist family, but we praise God that he writes beautiful stories from brokenness.

Fast forward two years, and we welcomed a second son into our lives, this time the old-fashioned way. Asher fits into our family perfectly, and it’s a joy to see my sons grow and learn and play and explore life together.

And now, our hearts are open to more. And we continue to believe that God will form our family once again through adoption. There are children here and abroad waiting for safe and loving homes, and it’s at the core of our heart that we might have the privilege of being a family for another little one (or ones). Due to logistics, this time our process will happen in the U.S. instead of abroad. We’re not quite sure what this adoption will look like, though we know we want to be a family for a waiting child.

Over oatmeal and apple juice in sippie cups, we talk about adding a new brother or sister to the mix. “I know, Mommy!” Joseph says, scooping in another mouthful of breakfast. “We’re going to have two sisters! And name them Mommy and Daddy!”

--

So, there’s a tiny glimpse into the big story God is writing. It’s a humbling, profound privilege to parent a child or children not born to me, and it’s not something I take lightly.

As we walk into the unknown and trust God that he will form our family in the ways only He can, we go through all of the paperwork and processes to ensure everything is done correctly and ethically.

We have just completed our home study, the giant 500-billion-page document written by a social worker who has poured over every detail of our lives to ensure that we are approved to be an adoptive family.

Adoption, as I’m sure you’ve probably heard, can be costly. Social workers, attorneys, agencies -- each are compensated to ensure things are handled the right way. We’re a young family that has been saving for a second adoption since we completed our first. Every Christmas gift, every extra bit, has gone into a special account for “someday.” And someday is here!

My husband is a pastor who took on an extra job as a high school speech coach this year, and I’m a freelance writer/editor who has taken on extra projects to make this adoption a reality. We are also trying to think of creative ways to tackle the fees.

Here’s where the fun part comes in: We’re hosting a GIANT shop-our-closets sale this coming Monday, April 27 at 7 p.m.

●      I gathered more than 10 of my most stylish friends of all shapes and sizes, and together, we cleaned out our closets.

●      We have around 200 gently-worn items in quality brands (think J. Crew, Banana Republic, Gap, Free People, Anthropologie, Sevenly). Basically, my basement looks like an amazing women’s boutique right now. You’re going to want this stuff!

●      We’re selling it ALL (think 25+ dresses, 75+ tops, skirts, ethically-made jewelry, scarves, heels) in a HUGE Instagram auction-style fundraiser to combat adoption fees.

●      To join in on the sale: Follow us at @craigsadopt, and get those bidding fingers ready!

●      Each item will have a fairly low starting bid price, though we hope you have fun and bid generously! The sale will go on for 24 hours.

●      To bid, you must have a PayPal account. If you don’t, go sign up here!

These shop-my-closet sales have become so popular on Instagram, and I love them! (I love scoring thrifted treasures -- you can have on-point style on a budget!)

Think of this sale as us doing the dirty work for you -- all you have to do is sit back and bid away -- knowing that 100 percent of all money is going directly to our adoption account. You’ll get some crazy-awesome deals, and you’ll be entering into the work God is doing to provide waiting little ones a permanent, loving family.

We want others to know that adoption is worth it, because at the end of the journey, there’s a child who is going to feel a family’s love and there will be a family whose lives are changed by the love of a child.

Giveaway time: We’re giving away this gorgeous Santa Fe necklace, ethically handmade from women in Haiti through Vi Bella ($35 value). Share about the sale on Instagram with the date/time (Monday, April 27 at 7 p.m.) and tag us in the status (@craigsadopt) for an entry, and tag friends for more entries. (We’ll draw a winner Tuesday, April 28 - no purchase necessary, U.S. residents only.)

Need reminders of the sale? Let’s connect on Facebook. Questions? Shoot me a message -- I’d love to hear from you! If you feel led to give, you can make a donation to our adoption here.

Thank you for entering into our story.

--

Kayla is full-time journalist turned work-at-home editor. She lives among the Iowa cornfields, where she’s hitched to a shaggy-haired pastor and they’re smitten with two wild + free boys: Joseph (4) and Asher (2). Kayla sips strong coffee, likes pretty things, and believes there's beauty in the broken. She writes about faith, motherhood, and style at Many Sparrows, encouraging women to find worth and live a story worth sharing.

The God of Free Love

 We do not know what love is and we do not know what freedom is; but GOD is love and GOD is freedom. What freedom is and what love is, we have to learn from Him. As predicate to this subject it may be said that He is the God of free love. 

 (Karl Barth's, Dogmatics in Outline)

In college, I took a class where we studied a lot of Barth. Truth be told, I hated the class and dropped it very early in the semester. But, before dropping the class, I did learn a lot from our readings. The quote above was my absolute favorite. 

I have a tough time with God's love and God's freedom. I tend to lean on the side of God's wrath and judgement, especially when dealing with myself. Obviously, this is wrong-thinking on my part. Sure! God is a God of judgement. He is just and has to deal with sin. But he is also a God of grace and love, who gives freedom to his children.

When I read this quote, I am reminded of God's qualities. I am reminded that my thinking is wrong and that I serve a very good and gracious God. He is the God of free love... not the God who will hit me over the head with something hard every time I make a mistake, or every time I say something stupid.

Not everything is beneficial for the Christian, and we must use wisdom and discernment, but we also have freedom- beautiful, loving, enjoyable freedom- in Christ. We are not slaves; we are sons and daughters. We are not tolerated; we are cherished by the one, true King!

I am thankful for quotes like these that remind me of much-needed truth. I am thankful that God uses even the moments in life that we despise (like that class I took) to speak truth to us, or to get us where we need to be, or to show us something.

Has God used something you took for granted or didn't enjoy to speak needed truth into your life?

5 Meaningful Mother's Day Gifts

Mother's day is quickly approaching (Sunday, May 10th), and if your mom is anything like mine, you want nothing more than to shower her with appreciation and awesome gifts on Mother's day. You want her to feel loved, cherished and important. But sometimes the gifts we want to buy, or the things we want to do just aren't feasible. In cases such as these, it's important to remember that money and distance don't have to be an issue for celebrating the women who gave birth to us.

5 budget-friendly gifts for Mom

*Make a card
Sure, Hallmark makes beautiful cards. And yes, I know, you aren't "artsy". But anyone can make a card. Just buy some pretty scrapbook paper or card-stock and cut and fold it into card-sized dimensions. This doesn't have to be precise (just make sure you can find an envelope for it). There are tons of online tutorials if you want to decorate past the design of the paper (try here). After decorating, write a personal, heartfelt note in your card. That's it. There's not scientific formula to follow. Just share your heart and let your mom know you appreciate her. And seriously, mom's love home-made-everything whether their kids are 5 or 55!


* Have a Girl's Day
If you are fortunate enough to live close to your mom, ask her to clear her calendar on Mother's day (or one day that week) and take her out for a girl's day. Get your nails done, eat lunch, go to the beach, go for a hike- whatever! Just plan something that you and your mom both enjoy. And if you are in the position to do so, don't let her pay for anything. If you cannot afford to buy anything, then plan something that won't require her shelling out money. This could be going for a stroll in your mom's favorite part of town, having a coffee date in your home, or giving each other home manicures. Whatever it is, just have fun. Your mom should love it!


*Give her flowers
Maybe it's not the most original or practical idea ever, but most mom's still love getting flowers. Whether you have a garden, live close by and can give her some of your home-grown flowers, or you live far away and need to have a bouquet sent to her, I guarantee you she'll love having those flowers making the house look and smell pretty. Just make sure you plan and call ahead if you want to have flowers sent!


*Make her a CD 
Have you and your mom always loved the same types of music? Are there songs that bring back happy memories for both of you, or that you always sing together? Make your mom a mix CD with all those songs on it. She'll probably cry happy-mommy-tears over this one....so also give her tissues.


*Make a mini-scrapbook 
If you enjoy crafts, try dabbling in scrap-booking. Start a small scrapbook, making a few pages with pictures of you and your mom from over the years. Decorate the first few pages and then tell your mom that she will periodically get new scrapbook pages from you as gifts. Just make sure to keep your word!


These gifts are just a few of many possibilities when it comes to Mother's Day gifts. But they are the ones that I personally think are best. My mom always appreciates gifts like these. Whatever you do though, as long as you are focusing on your mom's likes and enjoyments, I am sure she will love it! Happy gifting!

Do you have any winner-gifts that you defer to often? Comment below!


This post is linked-up here as well.

Weekly Wishes

I'm really loving the weekly wishes link-up over at The Nectar Collective. Basically, the link-up is to help us stay accountable by actually putting our goals into writing, which for me, makes them more real.

This week, I am going to be fairly busy. I've got a job interview, tea with a friend, Zumba, a youth/young adult missions meeting at church, a doctors appointment, and training to become a special-needs tutor. In addition to that, I have my normal home chores, Bible study, and blogging. Whew! I'm tired just talking about it!

But regardless of the busyness, I can still make a few small goals for the week....

*Weekly Wishes for April 20th-26th*

Blogging: Get three posts ahead- I mentioned in my monthly goals that I wanted to get three weeks ahead on my blogging, but I think that three full weeks seems too overwhelming, so if I start with a few days ahead I can eventually work up to it.

Eating: Don't eat after 8pm- This was one of our New Year's Resolutions but we have failed miserably. I want to get back on track immediately. I did weigh a few days ago and had lost two pounds, so that's good....but there's still 98 to go!

Home: Make my bed everyday- I never make my bed. Even though I have a desk I end up blogging in bed in my PJ's. I want to get back in the habit of putting on non-pj-ish clothes, putting on make-up, and making the bed. I just feel more put together that way.

Spiritual: Read my bible 4 times- Again, my goals from the New Year have gone sorely downhill, as most do. I need this habit more than I need any other habit to be formed. So I'm workin' on it.

So that's it for me this week. Hopefully I can handle these!

Do you have any goals for the week or month? I'd love to read about them in the comments section! 

And you can also write your own weekly wishes post and link it up over at The Nectar Collective. It goes live every Monday, but you can link-up all week. 

Spring Break: Family, Friends, and the O-So-Lovely Beach

Now that I am married, I am learning the art of trading off holidays from my family to Taylor's and back again. Holidays were always really special in my house, so I wondered how being married would change things. Thankfully, my husband's family has welcomed me in from day one and both Thanksgiving and Easter with them were wonderful. I feel right at home and I really wish both our families could celebrate together.

Sunrise over Lake Junaluska

Pastor Edward preaching before sunrise.

In our "Sunday best" for sunrise :p

One cool thing this year, was that we were able to spend Easter Sunday with Taylor's family, and since Taylor had Spring break the week after, we were also able to go see my family at the beach the next day. Sunday though, we had a beautiful sunrise church service at Lake Junaluska, and then went to breakfast before going to our normal Sunday worship as well. I think I had about four cups of coffee by noon...ooops ;)

My grandmother-in-law's gorgeous garden

My sister-in-law gave me this plant and I put it in an old coffee tin.
I love how it turned out! Sorry for the blurry photo though.

After church, we headed over to Taylor's parent's house and had very yummy lunch with my in-laws, Taylor's grandmother, brother, brother's wife, their kids, and their friends. I really enjoy his family and am glad that their gatherings are close-knit like my family gatherings have always been.

The next morning, we headed out on our journey towards Ocean Isle Beach. I cannot tell you how excited I was to see my family, friends, and get my white self out to the beach! It had been far too long!

Snickers the Labrador 

Trigger the man-goat ;)

It was exciting to see mama's farm when we got to their house. It is continuously growing and she probably has between 70-100 chickens by now, along with two goats, some guineas, ducks, and piglets. I'm really excited for her and she does a great job with her animals. I am proud of all her hard work!

We spent the evening playing Mario Kart 8 with my brother and hanging out with my parents. My mom cooked a delicious meal. It was the most tender, melt in your mouth pork-roast you could ever have, with rice cooked in the roast's juices, and green beans. Taylor and I ate enough to feed the United States Army!

Unfortunately I felt horrible all day Tuesday. I think the pollen was so bad down there that my allergies just hit really hard, but I was miserable. We will skip that day. There was a lot of laying around and moaning...

Wednesday was our "Easter" meal with my family. Beforehand, Taylor and I went to the beach. It was perfect. It wasn't too hot, but I never got cold. The sun was bright and it wasn't overly windy. I was so glad to stick my toes into the water and lay out on the sandy beach.

Easter lunch was awesome. I had some quality time with my grandparents, as well as my parents, brother, Uncle, his new bride (yay!), and their kids. Taylor and I ate a lot again- of course ;)

I am so thankful for my family and that we were able to have this time with them. They are such a joy to have in my life and I am seriously blessed. And I am equally thankful that Taylor gets to share all this with me from now on. God has blessed me immeasurably!

Thursday was dubbed as "friend-day". Two of my four best friends from high school still live in the area so I try to make sure I get to see them when we are visiting. We started the day with me, mama, and Gracie having coffee together. Because coffee is important. Duh.

Around lunch time, my brother (Jason), Taylor and my friend Elise went to Wing and Fish Company. Afterwards, we dropped Jason off at home and headed over to Grace's pottery studio to surprise her. We ended up painting pottery together. I painted a dog bowl for Molly. I am so excited for Grace to mail it to me after she gets the glaze on it and everything.

Elise, Taylor and I went to the beach for a couple of hours after that. The weather was perfect again! I cannot believe my luck with the weather this trip. It was incredible! Elise's boyfriend came for a little hit and we hit the volleyball around before we headed out.

The next day was spent playing more Mario Kart and spending time with my parents, grandparents, and brother. It was a really nice, chill day. Oh, and we did go for a walk on the beach with my brother and dad, too! It was the first time in around eight years that my daddy had gone to the beach and I was really glad we all went. Thank you to Taylor, Jason, and daddy (all of whom are not huge beach lovers) for being good sports and indulging my beach-love!

Saturday morning was bittersweet. It was time to leave which is always sad, but we were excited to sleep in our own bed and see our fur-babies. Before we headed out I had coffee with mama and then I also had coffee with Meredith, who had just come in town the night before. It was so good to see her. I've missed all of my friends and family a lot.

But, reality eventually sets in and eventually Taylor had to get back to work. I love where we live, but I wish the beach and the mountains were smushed together into one big city. That way our family and most of our friends, and our two favorite places in the world would all be right at our finger-tips.....oh, my wishful thinking *sigh*

What did you do for Spring break? Do you have any traveling coming up soon? Comment below.

And happy Saturday!

Self-Worth

I've always had a strange dichotomy happening in my life.... one of my deepest passions in life is helping pre-teen and teenage girls recognize their worth in Christ, and yet most of the time, I forget my own worth.

I guess we all do that to some degree. We forget we are chosen by a royal King. We forget the price that was paid for us. We forget that we are beautiful, and we forget that it doesn't matter what other people think.



So for those days- those far-too-common days- we need reminders of who we are and why we are so special.

Psalm 139:13-15 
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

Luke 12:6-7 
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Jeremiah 31:3 
The Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.

John 3:17 
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

1 Peter 3:3-4 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.

God didn't create us to hide away, live in a self-conscious state, or value what people think of us more than we value ourselves. Unfortunately, most women- most everyone- has that backwards.

We tend to only feel confident when we have layers of make-up on and even then, it's debatable whether or not we are confident (no, I'm not anti-makeup). We put ourselves down in a facade of humility, but it's really just self-hate.

Many women seek out the attention of a man to feel beautiful, and she will remain with that man even if he doesn't value her or treat her correctly. His "approval" of her trumps her self-worth.

This breaks my heart. When I was in middle school, I fell into this trap. I dated a much older guy because I liked that he paid me attention. But when it came down to it, he didn't care about me. He flirted with other girls and dumped me as soon as he got attention from other girls. When they were done with him, he came back, and I let him. This was my fault just as much as it was his, because I wasn't cherishing myself; I was cherishing what he thought of me.

At that time in my life, I was devaluing myself to the point that I was letting a boy treat me however he wanted to, simply so I could feel desired. That is what most girls do, sadly.

As I look at my husband-someone who values me, cherishes me, and wants to see me grow in Christ- I am so thankful that God brought me to a better understanding of my worth. I would have made a lot of bad decisions, had God not revealed it to me. Many women live their entire lives undervaluing themselves. They never get out of that bad relationship, they never stop starving themselves, and they never stop hiding behind their clothes and makeup. My understanding of my worth in Christ is still flawed, but it is much better than it used to be. And my hope is that other women and teens alike will come to a place of understanding this.

I hope that they will refuse to base their worth on their body types, the opinions of others, or the attention of a man. I pray that their worth will come from Christ and from the truths of the bible.

*A quick side-note: Ladies, always forgive anyone who has hurt you. Part of realizing your worth comes from knowing you are forgiven. Being forgiven allows us (and requires us) to forgive others as Christ forgave us. I have long-since forgiven the guy who devalued me and have no hard feelings what-so-ever.  If you've been in a similar situation, I would encourage you to do the same.

What steps can we all take to realize our worth...and believe it?

This post is also linked-up here:

and here

I Didn't Mean It: Good Intentions Gone Bad.

Good intentions aren't everything. Good intentions must be paired with wisdom, prayer, and thoughtfulness. 

As a general rule, I tend to agree with the old adage "it's the thought that counts". I think intentions are important and when God looks at the heart, our intentions matter to him, even if we aren't necessarily getting everything right. However, it would be easy for us to become too focused on the fact that our hearts are in the right place. After all, very few of us walk into a conversation with our spouse with the intention of starting an argument; nor do people typically intend to hurt the feelings of a loved one, but we've all been there. Regardless of what we meant to do, we've still all had times where we messed things up.

We can mess things up when our words or actions do not match our hearts.

When I was in college, there was this one particular girl who I wanted to be friends with, and I had always wanted her to like me. I had noticed lately though, she hadn't been around the dorm a lot. I knew her boyfriend lived off campus and I wondered if she had been staying with him. In my mind, I was genuinely hoping she was doing well. Her and her boyfriend had expressed before that they wanted to be a godly couple and live for God, so I was hoping they were sticking to that and I wanted to see them succeed. That was my thought and intention, I just cared...

But lo-and-behold, the second I got a chance to talk to her (in front of another group of girls), instead of just saying "hey, how are you?", I said something along the lines of "are you even living here anymore", and everyone knew what I was insinuating. I didn't mean to be judgmental, but it certainly came out that way. At the time, the girl just laughed it off and so did I. Since I didn't have bad intentions and didn't mean it the way it came out, I didn't think about it again......until I received a chat message from the same girl over a year later.

She was writing to say that she had forgiven me. She expressed to me that at that time in her life, she had been feeling extremely insecure and wanted desperately to make some friends. She had been hoping that that semester would be a fresh start. And when I ask my insensitive question in front of a whole group of girls, she was so hurt, embarrassed and offended that I would assume the worse, that she didn't seek out any friendships.

I. Felt. Horrible. And honestly I still do. I apologized and she said she forgave me. I explained that what I said and what I meant by it were two different things, but that can never erase the fact that my words had a devastating impact on her. My words that I thought nothing about. My words that I had overall good intentions for.

It's been a year since I talked to that girl, and I am thankful she forgave me. But that whole situation taught me an important lesson that I think needs to be shared: just because you have good intentions, and you mean well, does not mean you won't hurt someone. Good intentions need to be paired with thoughtfulness, prayer, and wisdom. Be thoughtful about what you are actually doing and saying. Be prayerful about how to handle the situations that you hope to make an encouraging impact on. And use wisdom to discern how your actions and words may effect those around you (before you do or say them).

Sometimes we will get it wrong. Sometimes our well-meaning hearts will be overshadowed by our over-zealousness and wrong ways of handling the situation. And when that happens, thank God for grace. Thank God that He still sees our heart and sees our intentions. Thank God that our intentions were pleasing to him, even if our actions were not. But when that happens, also learn. Learn a lot and strive to get it right the next time.


Has this ever happened to you? How did you handle it or make it right?

*linked up with: A Life in Balance

Tourist in my Hometown *Volume 1*

Ever since March of 2014, when Taylor and I got married, I have lived in Waynesville, NC. It's not the beach, but it is a beautiful area with kind people and the cutest little shops all over the place. I haven't explored nearly as much as I would like to, but every time I do, I feel like I am entering into a new world. Waynesville has a lot to offer if you just take the time to look around.

Yesterday, my mother-in-law and I had another breakfast date (I'm really enjoying those!) and we decided to try a new-ish bakery that opened in Hazelwood, NC (right next to Waynesville).

Nettie's Bakery is barely noticeable if you are just driving by, but once you step inside you'll feel like you are in England (as much as someone who's never been to England can tell, anyway).

There are beautiful teapots all over the store and a china cabinet filled with teapots and china. I was very impressed by the cuteness of it all.

I decided to get a cranberry-orange scone, and Toni tried the Eclair with chocolate ganache. Let me tell you, people...that scone was bangin'! Seriously, it was authentic (in other words, it was a biscuit texture), with a barely there sweetness that was just perfect for breakfast. It was served warm with a drizzle of icing on top, but not too much. We had coffee with our pastries (of course!), and the owner said they serve a lot of English black tea as well.

After we had breakfast, we headed next door to a cute store called Robin Blu. I've mentioned it before, but it is such a cool shop. It's got candles, home decor, wedding decor, and very pretty jewelry too.

There were several coffee signs and mugs that I need for my collection ( Taylor would debate the need aspect of my statement :p ). I also loved the blue mason jar light fixture. Unfortunately, I didn't get the best picture of it...sorry.

If I worked in Nettie's Bakery, I'd easily gain 20 pounds, and if I worked at Robin Blu, I'd spend my whole paycheck every week! If you are ever in Waynesville/Hazelwood North Carolina, make sure you check these shops out. They are conveniently located side-by-side, so you have no excuse to miss out on one ;)


Have you ever really explored your town? I highly recommend it! If you do, please let me know. I'd love to read all about it. And let Jess over at A Stamp in my Passport know too! She's the one who started the "A Tourist in Your Hometown" posts.

Why Do You Do That?

In a world of swirling opinions, frightening uncertainties, and the "anything goes" attitude that is becoming so prominent, it's hard to know how to survive in this world- not just physically, but emotionally. If we don't have a solid foundation of who we are and what we believe is right, we will never make it through!

Living right and doing right can only be accomplished through the power of God. I only have the right mindset and truly have right intentions and actions when I remember that I serve an almighty King who died for me. When I start thinking about rules, what other's think, and not making anyone upset, I lose the whole point of the Christian walk. Christ is the only reason.

So how do we turn away from our works-motivated Christianity, and move towards living our lives for God, simply because we love him and appreciate him?

Recognize your desire for sin (and rebuke it)
Have you every found yourself thinking (or saying) things like "I can't do that..God would be mad at me", or "I wish I could join you, but I can't"? I know I am guilty of such words. At the root of this is an acknowledgement that some sins are still appealing to us. If you feel deprived or short-changed because God doesn't want you to participate in some particular sin, that is exactly what is going on. I think we all do this, to one degree or another, but once we recognize this in ourselves, we can rebuke those thoughts when they come to mind and get them out of our silly heads.


Memorize Scripture that reminds you of Christ's love
It's hard to have a bad attitude about what you "can't do when you are opening your eyes daily to Jesus' deep love for us- love so deep that he died a horrendous, gory death for us. Looking at bible verses that remind us exactly what Christ gave for us, and how deep his love runs for us, should cultivate a deep gratitude for Jesus those goes far beyond any momentary pleasure we may desire.


Surround yourself with godly influences
Spend all your time with people who love the things of the world and love the idea of being in control of their own lives, and you will surely value the same things. Their is a reason the Bible says "bad company corrupts good character"    ( 1 Cor. 15:34) . However, if you chose to surround yourself with people who love the Lord and want his best for themselves and for others, you will be much more equipped to guard your mind, words, and actions- and for the right reasons.


No matter who you are, if you want to live a godly, positive life, these things are crucial. Without even one of these pieces, your continuous striving towards godliness will be much more difficult and frustrating. Putting these things into practice won't make life easy, but it will make your journey with the Lord much more fulfilling and authentic.

Which one of these do you struggle with most? Is there anything that you would add to this list? Comment below.

April Goals

I love lists. I love getting out a planner and making long to-do lists. It makes me feel organized and accomplished....but the problem is, as a general rule, I never actually follow my lists. Somehow, I think that's a problem ;)

I'd love to get better at setting goals (yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily) and actually following them. I've noticed that several of the blogs I follow, like The Nectar Collective, According to Laura Jean and Oak and Oats, both have a monthly goal post that they do. I enjoy reading their goals and then coming back the next month to see how they did. I think I may follow suit and try this out.

So, though it's our second week into April, here are my goals for this month:


*Read (or listen to) the bible at least 3 times a week.
Even though my New Year's Resolution was to read my bible more, I have failed. I am doing good to read once a week which is really pathetic. I want that to change.

*Get ahead on blogging.
Eventually, I'd like to be at least three weeks ahead on my blog posts. But for now, my goal is a week. I'd like to always have a weeks worth of posts already completed and ready to go live. It'll take more discipline than I am used to with blogging, but I want to make it happen.

*Stop being critical of others.
Even though I think it's good to identify and call out wrong thinking and actions in the church, sometimes I can be too critical and forget to pull the plank out of my own eye first. I don't like this about myself, but it is extremely difficult to correct. I am going to try, for the month of April, to only talk about negative things if it is necessary for the good of others (i.e. if I don't warn someone they could be led astray or hurt). Otherwise, I intend to only say positive things about people.



What are your goals for this month? Did anything exciting happen in March? Comment below; I love hearing from you!

*If you have your own goal-oriented post and would like to link-up, you can do that on The Nectar Collective. Click here to check it out.

Liebster Award

Hi guys! So, this past week, I was nominated for a Liebster Award by Ashley over at Grace Mountain Diaries. I'd like to give a big "thank you" to her for the nomination. It truly made my day :)
The Liebster award is to help blogs with less than 200 followers get noticed and develop their readership. This is a "pay it forward" type award, so I am nominating a few people too (listed further down in this post).

Part of being nominated is answering a few questions. These are the questions that Ashley picked for me, along with my answers.

1. How did you decide on the title of your blog, and what is it about? The title of my blog comes from two places: Originally, it comes from Exodus 19:5:
    Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine.
   It also comes from my favorite book series, The Christy Miller Series. This Christian, youth series has a character that calls herself a Peculiar Treasure for God. 
   As a Christian, I am called to stand out from the crowd and be peculiar in their eyes, because of the way I live; as someone who is treasured by God.
   Not to mention that I am also just very peculiar anyway :p
2. Where does your blogging inspiration come from?
   My blogging inspiration....hmmm. I'd say my inspiration comes from seeing people that I know have potential to change the world, yet they melt themselves away in a furnace of terrible decisions. I desire for my words to change the way those people view life.
3. Can you give 11 random facts about yourself?
   1. I have been married for a little over 1 year
   2. I used to play basketball in high school
   3. I am a dog-mom to three awesome rescues
   4. My favorite fruit is watermelon
   5. I am a carnivore
   6. I've wanted to be a writer since 7th grade
   7. I sing country and gospel better than anything else
   8. I love the Jonas Brothers
   9. Bones is my favorite show
   10. I want to get a purebred Irish Wolfhound puppy
   11. I grew up at the beach
4. What was your biggest accomplishment of 2014?
   Getting married to my awesome, godly man :)
5. What is it you love most about blogging?
   I have the freedom to share the gospel, without being confined to one topic or style of writing.
6. If you had 3 wishes, what would they be?
   1. To not battle so heavily with the lies of Satan, and know the voice of God much more clearly.
   2. To live within 30 minutes of everyone I love.
   3. To eat everything I desire and still be thin and in shape.
7. What is one country in the world you would like to visit?
   Italy
   Why? I want to experience truly authentic Italian food and personality.
8. What are you currently watching or reading?
   I am currently watching The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and reading Inkheart.
9. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
   Freeport, Bahamas. But only if all my family lived there too. No mama, no Bahamas ;)
10. What is something you do when you need to take time for yourself?
    I take a chamomile salt bath, look at magazines, and then watch Bones or Phineas and Ferb.
11. Where do you see yourself in five years time?
    I see myself blogging professionally from home, while my husband works as a college professor. I also see us more heavily discussing the idea of having kids or going into ministry full-time.
    I also like to think I see Wolfhound puppies (yes, plural) ;)

Now that I have answered all of the questions, I'd like to pay it forward and nominate a few blogs that I enjoy.

My Nominees

Renee of Mulling Over my Morning Coffee

Robin of An Ocean Dream
Megan of No Small Life
Rachel of Our Yellow Door

Please take a few minutes to check out these blogs!  I love them, and I’m sure you will too!

INSTRUCTIONS FOR NOMINEES

Answer the eleven questions given to you by the person that nominated you (see below). Please comment on this post with your link when you are done so I can see your answers!

In your post, link back to the person/blog who nominated you and give a little thank you shout out.

After completing the questions, nominate bloggers with under 200 followers on the social media platform of your choice (I used Bloglovin’), and give them eleven questions of your choice.

Notify your nominees of their nomination, and provide a link to your post so that they know what to do.

HERE ARE YOUR QUESTIONS

1. How did you decide on the title of your blog, and what is it about?
2. Where does your blogging inspiration come from?
3. Can you give 11 random facts about yourself?
4. What was your biggest accomplishment of 2014?
5. What is it you love most about blogging?
6. If you had 3 wishes, what would they be?
7. What is one country in the world you would like to visit? Why?
8. What are you currently watching or reading?
9. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
10. What is something you do when you need to take time for yourself?
11. Where do you see yourself in 20 years time?