Memorial Day

Happy Monday and happy Memorial Day, friends!

A few days ago, I decided I wanted to write a post for Memorial day, but I didn't know what to write. As I took a minute to decide, I realized something- Memorial day has never really meant anything to me.

Maybe it's because I have not been directly affected by losing a loved one who served. Maybe it's because I'm from the beach and Memorial day symbolized that start of tourist season and the coming of South Atlantic Biker Week. Either way, I realized that I need to appreciate those who have served our country much more than I do.

We take our freedom for granted. We get mad when people disagree with us, instead of being thankful that we live in a land that allows for different beliefs. If we didn't have that freedom, we could be killed for being Christians, stoned to death for committing a moral wrong, circumcised as women, or forced to give up our children because we aren't allowed to have "too many". Freedom has been paid for at a high cost. So why let it go by unnoticed?

Let's, at the very least, cultivate some thankfulness for those who have paid for our freedom. And let's show our gratitude by living out those freedoms well, and allowing others to enjoy that freedom too. Let us not get mad at every little burst of freedom of speech and expression. Let us be thankful for our liberties and take advantage of them in the right way.

I'm very excited for summer activities and pool time now that Memorial day is here, and that's ok. But let's not jump to those things without taking a pause to remember those who served.

3 Steps Towards a More Joy-filled Life

You know those moments of introspect, when you learn something disheartening about yourself? Those "oh crap! Am I really like that?" moments. Those are fun, right? Well, when I have those moments, I am often convicted of the fact that I really don't live with joy. I complain about things when they aren't perfect, I'm grumpy when things don't go as planned, and even when I'm having a good day, it's easy to just float through in my own little world.

I have been given so much! There is absolutely no excuse for grumpiness, lingering anger, or even just floating through.

For those of us who know Jesus, the only life we should be living is a joy-filled one.

But what if we don't feel joyful? How do we change that around? Today, I am sharing 3 steps that can help you start living a more joy-filled life.

Praise 

My mama has always told me that when we praise God, things tend to change in our hearts. When we are stuck in a rut and only thinking of ourselves (which is usually when we are joyless, coincidentally) if we decide to praise God instead, we will find much more peace and joy.
Praising God takes the focus off of us and puts it onto God and His goodness.

Service

Psalm 100:2 says "Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into His presence with singing!" And I think that this is an indication that serving the Lord can actually cause joy. Sure, serving can be hard work, but if we are serving for the right reasons (A.K.A. for God's glory and sharing His love with others), serving can actually become fun, beautiful, and joy-filled.
Serving God and serving others reminds us of how big the world is, how minuscule most of our problems are, and how good we really have it.

Choose

Though it is true that we cannot do anything good apart from God and His Spirit (John 15:5), the Bible also seems to indicate that joy (and all the other fruits of the Spirit) are, at least to some degree, a choice. 2 Peter 1:5-8 says it best:

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.
For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

In my eyes, it is absolutely clear that we have a big part in cultivating godliness in our lives, and living in godliness is living by the fruit of the Spirit. So when we aren't feeling joyful, it is our responsibility to both ask God to provide joy and for us to choose to be joyful.
We often say that we cannot change how we feel. Sometimes, that's true. We don't always have the strength to snap our fingers and say, "Ok, I'm joyful now" (that'd be the coolest talent ever though!), but we do have the ability to say, "I will be thankful, I will praise God, and I will remember His goodness". That should jump-start our joy meter pretty well if we are truly focusing on doing those things.

With all the above said, living a more joy-filled life is not a formula. Sometimes, even in service to God, we struggle to find joy. Sometimes, we can't seem to bring ourselves to praise Him. But trust me, if you (we) live these things out consistently, and don't give up, our joy will increase. It may not be overwhelming, but it will happen. Praising God genuinely for all He's done and who He is, serving God with right intentions, and making up our minds to be more joyful will all work together to actually create that joy we've been longing for. God will give us joy if we live in godliness before Him and have our hearts turned in the right direction!

If You Could Make Your Own Non-Profit (Mug-spiration Monday)

This past weekend, my mama and I had a long-overdue date. There was an antique fair in Cowpens, so I headed over there first. The antique fair was really cute and if I had more money and room in my house, I could have easily walked away with several awesome furniture pieces!

But where we went after the antique fair was the most unique and intriguing part of the day. I've never seen anything quite like it and it got me thinking.

My 4 Favorite Pinterest Categories (Favorite Things Friday)

When people ask me what my favorite social media is as a blogger, the answer is simple: Pinterest! I have loved Pinterest ever since I first got an account four years ago. And though making the switch from a personal user to using Pinterest for my blog has taken some adjusting, Pinterest is still by far my favorite social media platform.

No matter what a person's interests are, it's likely they could find something that they enjoy on Pinterest. There are thousands upon thousands of topics to search, which allows us to find new interests and hobbies anytime we please. But while branching out and finding a new hobby can be fun, I think people still tend to have their go-to categories to search on Pinterest.  That's definitely true for me.

My 4 Favorite Pinterest Categories

Boho Farm House

Like the rest of the world, I am totally in love with Joanna Gaines from Fixer-Upper. I often say that I want to be like her when I grow up...even though I'm technically already a grown-up. I love her style and I love her creativity. But I also love LOTS of color. I like boho decor, but I love the farmhouse look that Joanna often uses too.

These two styles don't typically go together, but I love the combo. And thankfully, Pinterest has this unusual category right there for me! Thank you, Pinterest!

source

Blogging Advice

Ok, so I don't actually search the phrase "blogging advice", but I follow a whole lot of blogging boards that give helpful tips and advice on how to better my blog. This is essential for anyone who is looking to make their blog into their business.
Don't know who to follow? I have a few recommendations for you:

Chelsie, Hey There, Chelsie!
Chelsie is a lifestyle/beauty/fashion blogger. She has all sorts of good makeup and hair tutorials, but she also gives great advice about building your blog and making it grow.

Summer, Coffee With Summer
If you are interested in learning how to engage more authentically in the blogging community, Summer is your girl! Summer is all about authenticity and genuine engagement, and she offers plenty of posts on the subject.

Ruth, Living Well Spending Less
Ruth has a little bit of everything on her blog/Pinterest account. She is a fantastic blogger and has made enough money for her engineer husband to quit his job and stay home with their kids. Though you can also find recipe's, cleaning tips, organization tips, and faith posts on her blog, Ruth is also a great source of blogging wisdom!

Living the Sweet Wife

Guys, I love Chelsea's blog, Living the Sweet Wife, so much that when I want to see a pin about marriage, I don't even need to search "marriage" on Pinterest. I simply need to go straight to Chelsea's Pinterest account. It's that good! There are a lot of good marriage quotes, pins, and blogs out there (like Fierce Marriage and Sobremesa Stories), but LTSW is often my first stop!

C O F F E E

I have an entire board dedicated to coffee (and tea)! Needless to say that I love that beautiful nectar of awakeness (that's a thing, right?)!
So when I want to pin but I'm not sure what category I even want to browse, I have been known to type "coffee" into the search bar. When I do, I am overwhelmed- and drooling- over the decadent drinks that I see.

I particularly like finding really cool pictures of foam art (like this) and I also love a good frappe recipe (like this).


Pinterest is a great social media outlet for anyone- whether they blog or not. Pinterest is helpful in pursuing my blogging goals, but I would spend a lot of time on Pinterest even if I never blogged another day.

Do you use Pinterest? What are your favorite types of pins to search for? Comment below!

*Like what you've seen? Why not sign up to receive my posts by email?*

Grace & Delight

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Grace. What do you think of when you hear that word? How about "delight"? What do those words mean to you?

When I was at the beach recently, I was able to spend some time walking on the beach with my friend, Grace (not to be confused with the concept of grace 😋) as we talked about our lives, what God had been teaching us, and everything in between.

As we talked, the subject of God's grace and delighting in Him came up. And while neither of those topics are exactly easy to grasp right off the bat, they are both critical parts of the Christian faith. So today, I want to share a little bit about our conversation with you.

Learning from Your Bliss

Last Friday, I hopped into my car after a half-day at work. I drove away from Charlotte, excited to arrive at my destination: Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina.

Ocean Isle is comforting. I grew up there. It's beautiful, it's where my friends and family are, and it's a lot less busy than a more commercial beach. Walking into the waves of Ocean Isle offers a certain kind of bliss that only comes from feeling completely at home. 

5 Reasons You Should Explore Your Own City or Town

It's hard to believe, but Taylor and I have been living in Charlotte for 9 months now! For a while, I thought I'd never get used to the busyness, horrendous traffic, and my stunning lack of friends. But thankfully, I've made some friends, I've adjusted to the busyness (but not so much the traffic), and the Charlotte Spring-time has captivated me. I'm finally settling in, getting used to it here, and maybe even starting to like it! *gasp*.

One thing I learned when I went to college, was that exploring "hidden gems" and looking for places I've never been before is a lot of fun. That's what I've been trying to do in Charlotte.

I'm also of the belief that no matter where a person lives- no matter how tiny the town, or how gigantic the city- there's always something new to explore and learn about where we live.
I'm trying to apply that to myself, and I definitely would like to see others apply it too! Here's why.

Mug-Spiration Monday: Do You Work Hard Enough?

Hello all! Happy Mug-spiration Monday! Please tell me you've had some coffee by now! No? Geesh! Go get some!

Ok, good! You're back. How are you today? I hope you are doing great and that your weekend was amazing!

5 Lessons I Have Learned From my Mom

Growing up, my mom and I were always close. We did everything together. She took me everywhere- the library, school, the beach, the park, etc. She taught me how to read, write, clean, pray, and swim. She taught me manners, and counting, and kindness.

If I tried to name all the things my mom has taught me, we'd be here all night. So instead of listing all the things I've learned from my mom, I decided to share the first five that come to mind instead.

Embracing Minimalism- Make Small Changes

I'm not gonna lie- I'm prone to "hoarding". Not like what you see on T.V., but I do tend to keep a lot of stuff that I shouldn't keep. Most of it is because of sentiment.

I like to keep that favorite T-shirt from middle school, that sweater from family that I've never worn, and that book I've read 10 times (12 years ago).

But the truth is, I don't need those things. The memories are enough. I'll never be as small as I was in middle school. If I haven't worn that sweater by now, I'm not gonna. And let's face it, after the tenth time, a book just isn't as exciting as it used to be.

So for those of you who hold on too tightly to sentiment (like I do), join me in trying to condense. There are several ways a person can simplify their life, but here are just a few, quick ideas.

Let Your Friends Have a Shopping Spree

Collect all of the clothes and shoes you need to get rid of (that are still in good condition) and invite your friends over to rummage through your stuff. It's a win-win! They get free clothes, and you don't have to figure out what to do with said-clothes!

Have a Yardsale

Once you've let your friends have their pick, get together the rest of the clothes and shoes, along with any other items in your home you'd like to get rid of and set up a yard sale. It's always nice to have extra cash, and you reduce what you will have to haul off yourself.

Donate

For the rest of that stuff? Donate, donate, donate. Places like Good Will, Salvation Army and quite a few others have a donation center where you can drop off your stuff. Just don't try to drop off things that are falling apart. Not cool, bro!

Implement a New Shopping Rule

Lastly, when you decide to simplify, you are going to have to be willing to adopt a different shopping philosophy. Decide right now that you will only shop when you need something, and that you will not buy clothes, shoes, etc. just for the sake of shopping and buying. This will prevent you from accumulating a whole new pile of stuff to go through and purge in a year or two.


Minimilasism is something I have been interested in learning more about for a little while, but I never looked further into. But luckily, Ashley Sams of  Live Intentionally (blog) and Live Intentionally (Youtube) signed up to be my sponsor for the month of April!

Ashley is all about minimalism and how she can simply her life in order to focus on the very best things in life- particularly Jesus!

But I'd really rather let Ashley introduce herself:

"I am a twenty-something Southern girl who loves Jesus, polka-dots, and all things Disney. I was born and raised in Tennessee, and love calling Nashville my home. I am a Youtuber turned blogger who puts out content related to simple living, faith, fashion, and lifestyle.  Live Intentionally began in May 2015 as a Youtube channel, and has since grown into a little community of people who strive to live simple lives with purpose, intention, and a Christ centered focus. Aside from Youtube and Blogging, I am a (soon to be) elementary school teacher. God has truly blessed me with a career that I love, as well as great friends and family to spend life with."

*If you want to get to know Ashley better, follow her on social media*

Youtube

Instagram

Facebook

Pinterest

20 Peculiar Things About the Author of The Peculiar Treasure

It's no surprise here at The Peculiar Treasure, that I love peculiarity. Quirkiness is something that I think enhances life in many cases, not detracts.

Sometimes we find it difficult to let the world know who we are when it comes to our little idiosyncrasies, because we worry that we will be "too much". We worry that living out our weirdness will result in rejection. But I believe that (within moderation) the peculiar things in life can be endearing, if we learn to embrace them.

So, in keeping with the idea that it's fun to laugh at ourselves and embrace our inner-weirdness, today I am sharing 20 peculiar facts about myself.

20 Peculiar Facts About Me

1.) I never grew out of Disney Channel. Wizards of Waverly Place, Phineas and Ferb, and Disney Channel Original Movies are my jam!

2.) My favorite band is the Jonas Brothers.

3.) I love fuzzy blankets year-round. Crank up that A/C in the summer!

4.) At 25 years old, I still frequently listen to N*sync, Backstreet Boys, and Hannah Montana.

5.) One of my favorite things in the world is to get in my car on a nice day, blast the aforementioned music (see #2 & #4) as loudly as possible, and drive fast with the windows down. You can find me belting out each song as if everyone on the highway needed to hear.

6.) I LOVE LOVE LOVE the smell of sunscreen. It reminds me of home.

7.) I drink way too much coffee, but I don't really care.

8.) Hot coffee only tastes good in the morning. The taste is completely different to me in the afternoon. Iced coffee is my best friend at that point.

9.) I like a little coffee with my cream and sugar...just sayin'.

10.) When I watch crime dramas, I enjoy the one's with serial killers a little bit too much. I don't know how that's possible, since I'm terrified of serial killers being in my closet when I come home from work...

11.) I seriously want a dog farm. Sure, it wouldn't make any money, but who cares? It's a dog farm! What more could a girl want?!

12.) DO NOT touch my review mirror in my car. It will take me 20 minutes to get the mirror exactly where my OCD tells me it needs to be. You've been warned.

13.) When I sing, I usually sing the guy's part, because I have a fairly low voice. For a recital in college I sang an old Spiritual.

14.) I'm an extrovert who loves to be around people, but when it comes time to go anywhere, I never want to leave my house...those things don't mix well.

15.) After my one of my best friends in elementary school and her brother picked on me about my southern accent (they were from New Jersey), I spent years trying not to say anything with a Southern accent. I don't have nearly as strong of a Southern accent as the rest of my family.

16.) I stopped caring about my accent and now am very proud to be from the South. I love it!

17.) I can't look at my own veins. They freak me out!

18.) I'm a cuddler, until it's time for bed. I cannot stand being touched while I sleep.

19.) I have super-tiny ears. I've met 10 year olds who have bigger ears than me!

20.) I always look at people's feet to see what they look like.


I am definitely peculiar. Being strange has always come pretty easily to me, and I got it honest (thanks, Mom!). But honestly, I love most of my quirks. They make me unique, and most of the time, these quirks are funny and make people laugh.

We can choose to look at our differences as negative things, or positive things. I prefer to look at them as positive things. Why not? We are all strange in our own ways- it makes life more entertaining!

Live Out Your Peculiarities

And now you know some of my strange qualities. You know how I like my coffee, and what music I like. You know my not-so-secret fear of veins, and you know that I have a weird fascination with feet. If I haven't scared you off by now, it's quite possible you've decided you like me and want to stick around for a while. At least I sure hope that's the case.


So what about you? What peculiarities do you have that form part of who you are? Whether you love My Little Pony, like to yodel, or think Yoko Ono is more talented than The Beatles, embrace your inner weirdness. Peculiarity has it's charms, and you need not hide it. Get out there and yodel like you mean it!