Mug-spiration Monday *Vol. 21*

Oh boy! Somehow I have to figure out how to get back in the groove of things- and I have to figure it out today... anyone else feeling the pressure?
It's usually like that coming off of a holiday: the food coma is still lingering since there were 500 pounds of leftovers, we probably didn't rest as much as we should have, and we are just feeling plain lazy.

Despite the struggle (it's so real!), I am extremely thankful for Thanksgiving with my wonderful inlaws and their extended family. We enjoyed two and a half days with them and we were very glad we had that time. We mostly just relaxed, ate, and Thursday evening we watched "It's a Wonderful Life". The only thing that went wrong was that I was in a lot of pain in my back and hips, but I don't really know what was going on there *sigh*

When we got back Friday evening, Taylor and I put up the Christmas tree, decorated the mantle, and set up our little nativity sets.
I love, love, love this time of year!

I spent Saturday making candles and baking cookies. What could be better? Oh yeah, I was listening to Christmas music while I did it- #lifeiscomplete.

I hope everyone had as great of a week/ weekend as I did. But whether you did or not, remember that you are loved more than you ever dreamed or imagined. Remember that Monday's (and all of the days) don't have to be bland or difficult. Choose to be thankful and joyful and determined all day. Choose to make it a great day.

Happy Thanksgiving From The Peculiar Treasure!

Happy Thanksgiving, you wonderful people! I know you are ready for your turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce- and I don't blame you. But before you shut you laptop and head for the table, I wanted to encourage us all to truly live a full life of thanksgiving, not just this one day a year.

Earlier this week, I was reading She Reads Truth. The series was about giving thanks to God, and the particular post was about God winning the victory (read it here).The text for the post was Psalm 98.

Oh sing to the Lord a new song,

    for he has done marvelous things!

His right hand and his holy arm

    have worked salvation for him.

 The Lord has made known his salvation;

    he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.

 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness

    to the house of Israel.

 All the ends of the earth have seen

    the salvation of our God.

 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;

    break forth into joyous song and sing praises!

 Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,

    with the lyre and the sound of melody!

 With trumpets and the sound of the horn

    make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord!

 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;

    the world and those who dwell in it!

 Let the rivers clap their hands;

    let the hills sing for joy together

 before the Lord, for he comes

    to judge the earth.

He will judge the world with righteousness,

    and the peoples with equity.

When I read those verses and then started thinking about the study questions, I realized something: these people are joyous about the victory God has given and they truly know the way to share it with the world. That is why they are singing. And though I don't need to carry a harp around everywhere I go (thank God!), I do need to show my thanks to God outwardly.

What good is it to have victory, if no one can see the joy in my life? If we walk around depressed, angry, anxious, or fill-in-the-blank, we are not portraying any sort of victory to the world. In fact, we are making the great hope of Jesus into something that is less than desirable. I'm not declaring that we should be fake or pretend we have no problems. Rather, I am declaring that despite our struggles, we choose joy and we live it out. 

So on this Thanksgiving- better yet, every single day- give thanks to the Lord for His victory by living a joyful, thankful life. Show the world what we have through the praise of our lips and the joy in our actions.

Give thanks to the Lord. His love endures forever!

Sending Out Snail Mail for Christmas

*This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I may be compensated. All opinions are my own, however.

If you're anything like me, one of the best things in the world is getting cards and letters via snail-mail. This is especially true now that our lives are becoming more and more electronic. Cards used to be boring and emails were exciting, and now it's the other way around entirely.

Christmas time often yields a card or two, making an already-exciting holiday even more exciting. And now that Taylor and I are married (it's our second Christmas), I really want to send out cute, personalized Christmas cards. Any other newly-married couples with me on that?

As Black Friday approaches, I know there are going to be all sorts of ads for presents, gift wrap, recipe books, and Christmas cards. There are an umpti-bazillion (sure...that's a number) places you could turn to buy those cute cards, but one place I am loving is Minted. Minted has all sorts of holiday cards, post cards, stationary and gifts. They offer personalized cards and post cards with hundreds of styles and colors to chose from.

Minted is known for having unique designs made by independent artists, and being able to customize those looks to fit your own needs. Here are a few of my favorites for this Christmas:

I love this post card for it's simplicity. The color at the bottom gives it a Christmas feel without adding too much, you can add your own little note, and the script adds an elegant touch.

I absolutely adore the Christmas tree text. It's fun, a little quirky, but still not overdone. How cute would that be to send to your friends and family?

This Christmas card comes in several different colors and features Luke 2 as it's text. You can also add your personalized text at the bottom. If you are looking for a more blatantly Christian card, this one is a great choice.

One of my favorite Christmas songs is "O Holy Night", and my favorite color is purple, so I am loving this card. You can personalize the "Merry Christmas From:" at the bottom, and you also can personalize the back of the card. This comes in a few more colors if you don't love purple as much as I do.

Isn't this gorgeous?! I love the color combo and I love the word "Noel", which means "news" in French. I love that Christmas is all about bringing the news of hope to the world.
With this card you can chose from a few other colors (black, green, and red).

Though these were my top 5 cards at Minted, there are so many different options. I highly recommend checking them out. They have post cards, mini-post cards, foil-pressed cards, ornament cards, and more.  Use this link to check it all out!


I am getting really excited about sending out cards, putting up the Christmas tree with my hubby, baking cookies, and listening to LOTS of Christmas music.

What traditions do you have? Are you sending out cards this year?

Mug-spiration Monday *Vol. 20*

*Warning- you may need lot's of coffee to make it through this post. Go get some before you regret it!

Last week was a doozy! I couldn't go to Facebook without seeing posts-galore about France, how terrible Obama is, the Syrian refugees and how Christians should only have one view of that situation. I know they are all very important issues, but with all the noise, sometimes it's a little hard to think clearly.

I'd like to say three things and then move on to coffee and happy thoughts:

1.) There is more than one way to think Christianly about the refugee situation. I highly recommend this blog post by Kevin DeYoung.

2.) No matter how much you (and me) dislike our president, the Bible is clear that we are to treat our leaders lovingly and pray for them. Meme's and posts that are rude and hateful about the president are in blatant opposition to what scripture says. I don't trust him either guys, but for all your "standing up for Christian principles for the country" you forgot that God says to love
E V E R Y O N E. That includes our president. Stop blasting profanities and saying we are all doomed and it's Obama's fault. God allowed him to be in office. God has a plan. And yes, God is in control- not the president. Does your hope rest in God, or in what a president does or does not do? Am I scared of what our leadership may mess up? Yes, but I know God is bigger than anything they may do.

3.) Facebook is not a news reel. Speak your mind, but also remember that your life's existence is not to convince everyone on Facebook (or Twitter, or Instagram) that you are right and they are wrong. Let's engage each other cordially and not assume the worst about each other. And let's try to spread some positivity too. As huge as these issues are, they don't have to be all we talk about. That's what newspapers and news channels are for.

Whew! Now that I've gotten that out of my system, can we move on please? Thank you.

Week in Retrospect

Baby E turned 1 this past week!
I have been with baby girl's family since the beginning of September. I like them a lot and enjoy being a part of their lives. This past week, Evelyn had her first birthday. I cannot believe how time flies. I can already tell how she has advanced since I first started. She is such a sweet girl!

My blog is getting there!
Last week, I added a new affiliate program, I set up my first ad package with Passion Fruit Ads, and my page views more than doubled. I don't know why exactly, though I did join a couple new blogging groups.
If you are looking for an inexpensive way to promote your blog, check out my ad packages. I would love to be a part of your process!


Coming Soon

Thanksgiving!
I cannot believe Thanksgiving is this Thursday! How crazy is that?! I am excited to see my husband's side of the family. It will be so nice to have that time with them- and lots of yummy food is an added bonus! Woot woot!

Etsy Shop.
My Etsy shop is up and running, and I am hoping to add some more items to it within the next week. Check it out here.


Be Encouraged
I know it's Monday again, and I know that Mondays are even harder when there are so many unknowns in the world right now, but remember the bigger picture. If you know Jesus, you can trust that all will work out. It may be terrifying, it may (will) be difficult, and you may have to force yourself to keep going, but all will be ok. We have hope. We have all we need.
And if you don't know Jesus, don't feel alienated. Don't feel like this post isn't for you. It absolutely is. You know why? Because Jesus is there. He loves you. Let Him in. He holds us lovingly. Call out in the midst of all this chaos and let Him be the driving force of your life. He offers hope, despite all the hopelessness.


Happy Monday, all! Let's keep going!

Identifying the Lies of Marriage

I grew up as your stereo-typical little girl. I was convinced that I would grow up, meet a man who treats me like an absolute princess, we would get married, and then life would be complete. Marriage was my goal.

Marriage continued to be my goal even as I got older. I wanted to meet a good, Christian guy who loved God and loved me. Again, even though I would have denied feeling this way, deep down I felt that life would just always be fantastic once I was with my guy.

Fast-forward to college where I met my now-husband. Taylor was (and is) great. He loves God, wants us to grow, and tries to live his life for God. He has fantastic qualities and we tend to help each other in our weaker points. Yes, it was what I had waited for.

But we had a problem. I had been carrying around this false idea of the right person, of godly dating, and of godly marriage since I was a child. So when God brought Taylor into my life and everything wasn't perfect- because we weren't aren't perfect, I flipped out. Why did I still have any struggle with depression and anxiety, if I had found the right guy? Shouldn't I always feel perfect peace when I am with him? Why did we ever have any sort of disagreement? Why didn't every single moment of every single part of our relationship run smoothly?

The real answer to that question is, of course "Because you are both human beings, Kristin!", but my little Cinderella brain couldn't quite get there. I had assumed that if it wasn't pure joy all the time, and if all of my struggles weren't gone, then I must not be with the right person.

People with anxiety don't just feel peace all the time. Being in a great situation doesn't mean there is nothing but peace. That is particularly true for people with anxiety, but it is true for everyone. God is the only one that has and gives perfect peace. Perfect peace doesn't come from being in a perfect situation. Perfect peace comes from a perfect God.

But since I was convinced that I had to have perfect peace about every moment of my life in order for it to be of God, I would worry if Taylor and I disagreed about anything, thinking that there was something wrong with us. I would worry if we didn't like the same hobbies, because it might mean we would bore each other in marriage. I would worry if we got in a fight, because obviously, Christian couples don't fight... #sarcasm.

But the thing is, none of these views were really coming from Scripture. No, my ideas of godly dating and marriage were a strange hodge-podge of Disney fairy tales mixed with "Christian" false-teaching that the Holy Spirit leads in your gut. I had bought into the lie that I would feel complete peace about anything that God wanted me to do, and I would have anxiety if it was sin. But that false view doesn't account for people with anxiety disorders. It also doesn't account for all the times people feel peace about something that God clearly wasn't calling them to do. It leaves out that fact that, just like our hearts, our emotions are tainted by this world-by sin. We can feel all sorts of crap. But feelings are not God. And though peace is a fruit of the spirit, that doesn't have anything to do with feeling peace about every decision you make. That's not what it means. And likewise, though our dating and marriage should reflect Christ, we will never reach perfection on earth, which means our marriages will never be perfect.

I spent so much time wrestling with all of this. I had so many false ideas to work through. I had so many rude awakenings that it was painful. And those false ideas were just so embedded in my perfectionist, fairy-tale brain, that I had to really fight to see the truth.

*The truth is that God uses our differences within marriage to help us grow, and to help us help each other.


*The truth is that when God brings two people together, they will never be perfect, but they will fit together well, help each other, encourage each other in God, and they will be committed to godliness. They will bear godly fruit together, even through their struggles.


*The truth is, that God knows exactly what we need, and He sees the big picture.


*The truth is, perfect relationships (if they existed) wouldn't grow us nearly as well as messy relationships that strive to know God more.

*The truth is, the bible never says anything about finding "the one". It simply tells us to be equally yoked, gives us qualities to look for, and implies that we need to be bearing godly fruit and helping each other in God and in our relationships with God.


The truth is, I still struggle with all of this. I am so incredibly blessed to have a husband that loves God and has a passion to see others thinking deeply about God and knowing Him as much as we are able to. He helps me in some of my weakest spiritual areas and I do the same for him. That is completely of God. We could not have cultivated that on our own. We could never have forced that to happen. Praise God for bringing us together and knowing what (and who) we needed. But since my false ideas were so deeply rooted for so long, I still have to fight to believe truth instead. It's easy to have a fight and think, "Oh, we must be a bad couple", but that is just so wrong.

I also know I am not alone. I am learning that more and more women, particularly around my age, fight against these lies too. They are right there with me, forcing themselves to remember that their ideas of marriage have to come from Scripture, not some load of crap that implies everything should be perfect, we should always feel fantastic, and we should never have any problems. Good grief! If that were true, no one would ever get married or date.

So join us as we fight the lies. Be thankful for and build up your spouse and your marriage, even if things aren't perfect (because they never will be). Know that God has you and your spouse together to bring Him glory, not so that we can get grumpy over every little imperfection.

Stand against the Enemies lies. Stand against your own lies. Stand against the lies of media and society.

And if you'd like to read more blogs about similar marriage issues, here are a few of my favorites:

Sobremesa Stories: How Perfectionism and High Expectations Impacted Our Marriage and Five Tips for Living in an Introvert-Extrovert Marriage.

She is Joyful: How I Knew He Was the One: It's Not What You Think.

His Endless Love (Guest Post): Marriage 101- Opposites Attract.


I hope those posts, along with this one, are a blessing to you. Remember to be discerning about what you are believing, and to constantly be thankful for your marriage.

What Our Thanksgiving Traditions Are Missing

Thanksgiving is in only two weeks! Can you believe it?! I feel like we just started Fall, yet turkey day is upon us!

I really love all the holidays. Christmas is my favorite, but Thanksgiving is 2nd. I love the warmth of family (and not to mention cute sweaters that it's finally cool enough to wear), delicious food, and the food coma and rest that ensues after the feast.

When I set out to write this post, I was planning to write about what my family normally does, and how watching A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is an absolute must. But as I was typing, I realized something: some people don't get to celebrate this time of year. There are people with no family to love on, and people who spend their holidays out in the cold with no place to call home. Forget a fireplace and a giant feast- they'd just like a building with heat and something- anything- to eat.

I know a few people who spend part of their Thanksgiving serving food to the homeless. I think that is such a wonderful gift. I also started doing research and realized that most areas have some sort of "Thanksgiving box" donations. This is where you provide a Thanksgiving meal for a family. The box would include things like canned sweet potatoes (I'm from the South and refuse to say "yams", #southerngirl), canned green beans, canned pumpkin, boxed cake, dinner rolls, and a frozen turkey. After you assemble the box, you would drop it off at whatever center was doing the collection, and they would distribute it to families in need on a designated day.

I think this is such a great idea and opportunity. Even if I don't go serve food on Thanksgiving, I can still help by donating. I highly recommend that you search online for something like this in your area. I have all ideas that most cities have one.

I also think that Thanksgiving needs to actually be a time of thanks and giving to others. Whether you have kids, it's just you and your significant other, or you have a large family, figure out ways that the focus can stay on the right things.

Maybe you could have your kids make cards for someone you know in the nursing home and you could drop them off on your way to your own dinner.
Or maybe you and your husband could show up early and help cook dinner.
You could even make little cards for your family that say why you are thankful for them. It doesn't take extravagance to show love and appreciation. Thanks can be given in even the tiniest of ways.

So while I definitely plan to enjoy my holiday traditions with my family, and while I feel no guilt about eating plenty of yummy things, I do want to do a much better job of giving thanks and showing it outside of my own little, selfish, bubble. I would encourage you to do the same.


What are your holiday traditions, and what can you do to start incorporating the true meaning of Thanksgiving into those traditions?

Sponsor Banners and Ads

If you would like to support my blog and advertise your blog or business on my site, click the link below to view my Passion Fruit Ad options.

 I do reserve the right to choose ads for my blog based on what I deem appropriate for my audience.

Mug-spiration Monday *Vol. 19* Hodgepodge

Happy Monday, all! It is actually chilly and I am so excited that I can wear a hoodie without fear of roasting by mid-day! Woot woot!

There's a lot going on in the world right now. Paris is the issue that stands out the most, but there are so many others too. Chandler Larsen of Life as Larson had an excellent blog post about all that's going on in the world right now (read it here). It is important to actually be aware of all that is happening and to figure out ways to help. I may not be able to do anything for Paris, but I can find things in my own area to help with. We have a duty to know what is going on. Living in our own little bubble should not be an option. But, with that being said, we also have a duty to remain thankful and optimistic in all circumstances. It does no one any good to just be a blob of fear and sadness all the time. Don't sit around in self-pity wishing for good- be the good.

I'd like to remind each one of you that God has got this in His hands. God being in control does not mean a lack of evil in the world. As long as sin is around, terrible things will continue to happen. But God still holds us, and still has a plan. It isn't always easy to see in the face of tragedy, but He still holds us and still loves us.

I'd also like to encourage each one of you today that you are worth more than you think. You have such great worth, but it has nothing to do with anything you do. You have many gifts and talents- each one of us does- but even if all of that was stripped away, you would still be worth everything in God's eyes. He loves you.

Carry that with you today as you brave another new week. Despite all of the horrific things going on in the world, He is still good. Despite your own personal struggles, He is still with you. Even if you feel worthless, you are worth everything to God. And on a smaller (but still very real) note, even your meek and meager week may be filled with a good bit of dread. Regardless of what you are going through- whether you are fearing the Paris attacks, or just fearing how to pay rent next week- remember that you are loved and that the week will end, but God's goodness is eternal. I am so thankful that it isn't the other way around!

I hope that this bit of knowledge makes this Monday (and everyday) a whole lot sweeter. There's a lot that goes on in a week- some good, some bad- and we can choose to dwell on the tough stuff, or we can pull it together and reflect on the good. Sure, there are bad parts of the day, but there are always reasons to be thankful, and there is always something to smile about.

Think back on your week. What was the best part? Was there anything that stood out as worthwhile, even though it was difficult? What are you enjoying at the moment?


I definitely had some good moments!


Weekend Recap!
This weekend, I spent Saturday at the farm with my mom, bro, and their new Great Pyrenees puppy, Blaze. Blaze is the sweetest little guy. He is so mellow and he just follows everybody around on the farm and sits there when they stop in one area. He is a heart-melter!

On Sunday, Taylor and I went to church with our friend, Jeff. We are still trying to find the right church and the hunt has seemed to take forever.

Holiday Excitement!
I am really excited about Thanksgiving, you guys! It'll be so nice for me and Taylor both to be off for a couple of days, and we get to go see his side of the family. It'll be a really nice visit and a good little break. I love the little girl I take care of, but sometimes I just want my hubby :)

And personally, I think my November has been a great success so far, simply because I have already watched six Christmas movies, listened to Michael Buble's Christmas CD about three times, and have had my Pandora Christmas station set for about two weeks. Yep, you are very welcome ;)

Coloring Fun!
I have also really been enjoying my new adult coloring book lately. I don't color in it super often, but I will get it out every once in a while and it is really fun. I didn't know adult coloring books existed until about a month ago. I am thinking it would make a great gift to color a page and then frame it. I think a lot of people would really enjoy that.


I know that coloring books, puppies, and Christmas movies don't matter in the grand scheme of things, but I really do believe in seeing the good. We should never hide behind those things, but we should find joy in them and be thankful, despite any hardships that come.

Happy Monday! Stay strong!


What are you thankful for and taking joy in today?

It's More Than a Feeling

"I know it's right because I feel it".

How many times have we heard that? Have many times have we said it ourselves. The media thrives on people living by this concept. We seem to live with the idea that if we feel something "in our gut", then it must be true. We tend to think that being a good little human means living based on emotions and our feelings.

But here's the problem- we are flawed, sinful humans. Yes, we are redeemed, and yes, we have the Holy Spirit if we belong to God, but our judgement, feelings, and emotions are still tainted. They will be until we get to Heaven.

The problem with this whole "I feel it in my gut" thing, is that we carry it over into Christianity. Suddenly, the leading of the Holy Spirit becomes about how we feel, instead of a matter of discernment and truth. Yes, sometimes the Holy Spirit leads in random, strange ways. It isn't always a cookie-cutter formula, but it will never contradict God's word.

There is a Youtube video floating around out there somewhere, that shows a pastor talking to his congregation. He says in the video that one day God told him to drop-kick an elderly lady, so he did...I'm not making this up, unfortunately. And you see, we can think a lot of weird things. We, as twisted humans, or even by the whispers of the devil, can certainly come up with the idea to drop-kick an old lady. But God? God is not going to tell you to do that. How do I know? Read His word. It's full of words about kindness and gentleness, and about helping and loving the elderly. If God is calling you to do something, it is not going to contradict His word.

And I know that the "drop kick an old lady" thing is kind of over-the-top, but people do similar things all the time. People were convinced that the world was either ending or that the rapture was coming in the year 2000, so they sold their possessions, made an underground bunker, and prepared for whatever was to come at the new year. Their were some really good people who were convinced that God was telling them to do those things. But that wasn't God.

Conviction is about discernment too. You don't just say "I'm convicted about this because I feel this way". That is what the people who wouldn't eat the food that Paul talked about in the Bible were doing. And it's the same thing some well-meaning churches are doing when they think alcohol, dancing, and women wearing pants is wrong. They are going off of what other's told them and then they feel guilty about it, so they think it is the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Instead of functioning that way, there should always be discernment added to feelings. We need to discern through Scripture why something may be wrong or right. We have to look past our feelings and past surface issues, and into the heart of the matter. Do we think something is wrong (or right) just because someone told us so, or just because we feel a certain way about it?

My former pastor once said, "Just because you feel or think something, doesn't make it true". As simple as that statement is, it really spoke to me, because I am really bad about going by feelings. That is why I am passionate about speaking out against it. I often condemn myself and call it conviction, or feel something and call it the Holy Spirit. Sometimes it is, but sometimes it isn't. Sometimes how I feel has nothing to do with what God is saying, and yet I slap His name on it and call my feelings "His leading". That is a very dangerous game. That is why it is so very important for us all to study Scripture and be discerning about our "gut feelings". Don't call something "God" just because you feel it.

Are you prone to going off of feelings without being discerning? How can we all do a better job of finding that balance where we are led by God freely, and yet we still use wisdom and discernment?

Why We Need to Reform Our Ideas About Social Media

I was sitting in my comfy chair, glued to my phone. My husband sat down and asked me what I was doing.

"Unfollowing some people I follow on Instagram", I replied.

When he asked me why, I explained that I shouldn't be following more people than follow me, because it's a blogger no-no.

"How would you feel if people did that to you?" was the response I received from him.

I tried to come up with something, but I immediately knew he was right. I was reducing my blog- my ministry- to followers on Instagram. I was putting higher stats above other people's feelings, and "looking popular" above supporting others in the same way I want to be supported.

Somehow, blogging about Jesus turned into hashtags, re-tweets, pins, and followers.

Now, since I want to make my blog my future career, I do have to take certain steps to make that happen. I have to be wise in my actions and I do need to grow my social media. But there are good ways to do that and bad ways.

If I follow someone on social media and I just really don't enjoy their posts, I think it is perfectly fine to unfollow them. Social media is not my life, nor should it be anyone else's. We are not obligated to follow people who consistently post things we don't like. However, when we are deleting people to make ourselves look better, we are officially stepping out of blogging community and stepping into blogging selfishness.

Many of you are probably thinking that this doesn't matter. It is, after all, just social media. But the thing is, it does matter. Not because social media is super important, but because the heart of the matter is.

As a Christian Lifestyle Blogger, my job is not only to blog, but to be Christlike. Christlikeness should encompass all of the Christian life, not just the big, "important" parts. Believe me, I want to grow my blog. I want to make this little space of the internet my own. I want to bless others, share Christ, and make this dream my business. But even in business, in goals, and in dreams, we have the duty and privileged to put others before ourselves.

And that's why this social media revelation matters to me. I want even Instagram to reflect God. To be faithful- even in the smallest of things.

Mug-spiration Monday *Vol. 18*

It's Monday again. The coffee is brewing, my Snuggie is wrapped around me, and I am silently chanting "I think I can, I think I can". Somehow though, the fact that the holidays are coming makes everything a little bit better.

Every day seems better when there are exciting things ahead. Things like spending Thanksgiving with my wonderful in-laws, making gingerbread houses and putting up the Christmas tree with my wonderful husband, and spending Christmas at the beach with my side of the family.

I know there are a lot of people out there who get really annoyed with people like me who start celebrating Christmas super early, but from where I stand, Christmas and Thanksgiving can be celebrated side-by-side. They compliment each other, not take away from one another.

And that is why November and December keep me going, even when Mondays are difficult. I get to celebrate Jesus, family, and all-the-happy-things for two straight months. And I also get to improve on my celebrating too. You see, we can all celebrate for the wrong reasons. Often, I focus on family more than I focus on God. Even though family is awesome, and traditions make my heart happy, it is nothing compared to what God did for us when He sent Jesus. So with each day I celebrate, I can learn more and more how to celebrate the right way (and I definitely need as much time for that as possible!).

So maybe, if you are having a hard time getting motivated, you should start celebrating. Don't worry, you don't have to listened to Christmas music if you really don't want to, but at least start celebrating Thanksgiving. Genuinely start reflecting on all the blessings in your life and thank God. Let loved one's know how much they mean to you.

And in case you just really aren't into that idea, I'll still give you a few inspirational links ;)

General Inspiration- Think about it :)

Work Inspiration- Even if you aren't in your dream job, you can still live this out by helping and loving those you come into contact with.

Creative Inspiration- We all have some sort of originality and creativity in us. Use that to your advantage.

Spiritual Inspiration- It will come when it's supposed to.


I hope you have a great day! You are so incredibly loved!

Are You Keeping a Running Tab of Wrongs?

In today's world, we keep a lot of lists. Some lists are good- to-do lists to keep us more productive, grocery lists to help us remember what we need- but what about the lists that keep constant remembrance of the wrong done to us?

We like to think we don't keep lists of who has hurt us. And even if we are willing to admit it, we always have a reason- an excuse- as to why we keep those lists. "It just has happened so many times, how can I just let it go?", "It's only natural to be angry", or "I am keeping this list so that I will not allow myself to be walked all over" are among the excuses that might be given. You see, when someone does something against us, we tend to store it away in our minds. Even when we say we have forgiven someone, we can't help but jump back to that moment when the person  hurts us again.

It may be impossible to forget, but real love- godly love- doesn't keep a running tab of people's mistakes.

Isn't it funny how we all want forgiveness- even expect it- but when someone does something to hurt or frustrate us, we struggle to give them the same grace? Who exactly do we think we are? We are not perfect. Sure, our wrong-doing may be different from theirs, but it certainly isn't any better (at least in most cases).

I know that there are some circustances that are much harder to forgive than others. I have never had to go through my spouse cheating or walking out on me (praise God), so I cannot imagine the pain that must live there. I cannot pretend to know what it's like. To those situations, all I can say is trust God and try to forgive.

But for most people, the wrongs we are keeping record of are more along the lines of rude words, tempers lost, hurt feelings, or a lack of help around the house. Maybe our friend has been late one too many times, or our sibling was gossiping about us to other family members. Those things hurt- and we often hold on to that hurt.

But the Bible says that if we love someone, we will not keep a list of their sins. That is such a foreign idea to our pride and to our self-conservation. In a world that is all about taking care of number one, we don't naturally consider giving grace. So sad, but very true.

Forgiving and not keeping a tab does not mean not holding people accountable. By all means, when someone hurts you, kindly express the hurt. If someone makes you angry, kindly talk to them about it. Express how their behavior was not good- maybe not even acceptable. But once you talk to them, once you offer them forgiveness, wipe it from the list. It's gone. Don't bring it back up.

Some people have a harder time with this than others. I am the world's worst for grudge-keeping. I am still fighting to forgive some situations from middle and high-school. I still get angry every time I think about certain people from college. But I have given it to God multiple times and have given my forgiveness. This means my list has to burn. I cannot keep going back to those things people did years ago- even days or hours ago. If I don't throw the list out, I am not loving them with a godly love- something I am absolutely called to do.

Are you like me? Is grudge-holding your favorite after-school activity? Or are you a quick forgiver? For your sake, I hope you are the latter. But regardless of what camp you fall into, remember- love keeps no record of wrongs. 

Love one another- just as Christ loves the church.

5 Sure Ways to Perk Up

I like to think of myself as a perky person, and for the most part, I am. I smile a lot and I like to make others feel good about themselves. But sometimes, I'm just not perky. Sometimes, I don't even want to be. Sometimes, I'm just down, tired, and grumpy. And when that attitude takes over, life gets a lot harder.

It happens to everyone though- not just me. We all need to perk up sometimes, but we aren't always sure how. So for those days- those bland, blah days- here are 5 ways to perk up when we just aren't feeling perky.


Take a "Loud Drive"
One of my very favorite things to do is to go for a drive, roll the windows down, blast the music, and sing at the top of my lungs. If it's cold outside, I bundle up so I can still keep the windows down. There's something about the wind, the wisps on uncontrolled hair, the loud music, and singing (yelling really) that makes me feel free, happy, and at peace. If you have never tried this, I promise you should. Whether you have an awesome voice, or you sound like Big Bird is dying- it doesn't matter. Sing your heart out and you are bound to feel better!


Get the Suds Going
There's nothing like a hot bubble bath to make a girl feel relaxed. Light some candles, turn the lights off, and soak in silence. If you aren't into soaking with nothing to do, grab a good book and get caught up in another world.
I would also recommend using scented bath salts or essential oils in your bath. Lavender or chamomile are both great for calming down and making you feel better.


Organize a Girl Date
Let's face it: when we are down, we want to be left alone. But isn't that usually the opposite of what we need?
I know that when I need to perk up, I need laughter and fun. I need encouragement and love. When that's the case, organizing a date with my girlfriends often does the trick. Getting together with people who make us smile is great medicine.


Take the Focus off of You
Sometimes, we just have to get over ourselves. A good way to do that is to think of people we know who could use the same kind of encouragement we've been seeking. Maybe instead of sulking in our lack of perkiness, we should find ways to encourage those other people instead. Send a nice card, put together a goody-bag, or even just send a sweet email. Believe me, as much as we think we need it, someone else needs it more!


Rest!
I think we forget sometimes that rest/sleep is tied to how we feel emotionally. Depression and anxiety can definitely worsen when we are overly tired and stressed. So consider this when you are feeling down, grumpy, or frustrated- maybe you just need some rest. Take a nap, lay down in bed, and give your brain a break from the harder things in life.


There are many tough things in life that cannot be solved overnight, so these ideas are not some magic formula that makes everything better. But they are awesome ways to relive stress, have fun, and perk up. So no matter what is going on in life- whether you are struggling through a big problem, or if you are just in a funk- you still need to do all you can to perk up. Try these ideas. I am confident that at least one of them will really help you!


What do you do to perk up? Will you be trying any of these ideas? Comment below.

Follow me on social media

* Bloglovin' * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Pinterest *

November: Goals and Do-Overs

Happy November, everyone! 

How was your October? Mine was beautiful. It still was a little bit trying emotionally as we are still getting adjusted to a new life and my anxiety has been overactive too. But despite the emotional side of things, I am happy to say that October was somewhat better than September, and I can definitely tell that Taylor and I are feeling more settled into this new adventure.

I also was thrilled that Charlotte actually looked like Fall through October. Since we moved from the mountains, I was scared that a Charlotte Fall would pale in comparison, but it has been absolutely gorgeous! There has been plenty of color and wonderful weather. I go to the park fairly often and it has just been a perfect month for enjoying that. I am loving the falling leaves, crunching acorns under my feet, and the ability to finally bundle up. Good job, October! You did good.

Speaking of October, let's recap my goals for the past month.

October Goals:

1.) Read the Bible 2 times per week

I did good with Audio Bible this Month. I think most weeks I listened around three nights/week. I still want to actually read my Bible, but at least I was hearing the Word more.

2.) Meet my Weight Goal

When I talked about this goal, I mentioned that I had lost 5 pounds and wanted to lose more. Unfortunately, I gained a pound back. #fail

3.) Cook at least 4 times per week

Gosh, I didn't even remember that I had listed this as a goal. I barely cooked at all.

4.) Blog 4 times per week

Unfortunately, I only blogged an average of 3 times per week during the month of October. I also did less blog promotion and focused more on growing my social media platforms. This resulted in my page views for the month decreasing, but my social media accounts growing. Both are needed, so I need to find a better balance during November. I have listed my stats for October 2nd- November 1st below:

Blog Pageviews- 2,056 (decreased by approximately 700 views).

I honestly cannot figure this one out. I know I had less views, but on a daily basis, it didn't seem so drastic. I am wondering if my stats are not functioning properly (it's happened before).

Twitter- 187 (increased by 11). This makes me laugh a little. I hate Twitter. I need to grow it, but I go days without getting on Twitter, so I am a little surprised I gained followers... but I'm glad.

Instagram- 299 (increased by 28). I am pretty happy about my Instagram growth. I find it hard to gain followers on Insta, so I am happy to see a positive change.

Bloglovin'- 170 (increased by 19). I am most interested in seeing Bloglovin' and Instagram grow, so I am glad that these saw the most improvement.

Since I didn't do so well with my October goals, I am keeping the same goals for November. Hopefully this month will prove to be more structured and goal-oriented.

How about you: do you have goals for November? Did you meet last months goals?

Follow me on social media

* Bloglovin' * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Pinterest *

Mug-spiration Monday *Vol. 17* and a Battle Against Sand

Happy Monday and happy November. I am not going to lie, I'm kind of bummed that October is over, but I am thankful for this beautiful weather that keeps coming at us here in North Carolina. It really has been gorgeous!

Unfortunately, I've really had a hard time with my energy level lately. I am so tired and very unmotivated. My Mondays- actually everyday- are spent wanting to lay around under a blanket while doing nothing. Fortunately, I have an adorable 11-month-old that I nanny that forces me to function as a human being. But the struggle is definitely real. I would love to tell you that today I am "all perky and crap", and I would love to tell you that you should be as perky as me and to "embrace this beautiful Monday", but I'm pretty sure that is called lying ;) The tireds are winning today so I cannot give much advice. However, what I can give you is a very entertaining story about me against a bag of sand... intrigued yet? ;)

Farm girls versus the 1,100 pound bag of sand

Yes, you read it correctly- 1,100 pounds. You see, I visited my Mom and Nana at the farm on Saturday, and my mom went to Lowes to buy sand for a project of some sort. When she was at the store, there were guys to load it onto the back of her truck, but when she got it home, it was just us vs. a giant bag of warrior sand. First, we tried pulling it together. The sand didn't budge- like at all...I wish someone had been filming us, because it had to be the most ridiculous sight. Next, we tied a rope to the ginormous bag, attached the rope to the ATV, and started pulling. The bag moved a little, but then started tearing. We did eventually get the bag of sand off of the truck, but only after much laughter, the threat of peeing our pants from said laughter, and the bag of sand tearing, opening, and falling upside down out of the truck.

#forthewin!

We both look pretty rough. Who needs beauty shots? :p

I love the farm :)

The dirt...post fight.

I may not be able to give you much Monday advice today, but I definitely have given you reason to have a good laugh. So go out into the world today, knowing that you can conquer any bag of dirt you face! And just in case that isn't the best advice you've ever heard (though I'm sure it is), here are a few more inspirations for your day!

Mug-spiration Monday Inspirations

Job Inspiration- Be crazy enough.

Spiritual Inspiration- I need this every single day.

Health Inspiration- Enjoy it!


I hope you have a wonderful Monday in the Lord :)

Follow me on social media

* Bloglovin' * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Pinterest *