Revisit Your Goals (July Goals)

As I looked at the date on my phone, I felt somewhat panicked. How could it already be July 1st? I haven't accomplished any of my goals yet (not the big ones anyway), and I am running out of time!

Do you find yourself feeling similar emotions lately? Have you realized that you have slacked on the things that are important to you, and now you want to play catch up?

I don't do goal posts very often, but since I have so many things I need to get back on track with (and some things I'm just dying to do), I figured now would be a good time to revisit my goals.

Read the first half of "You and Me Forever" with Taylor

Taylor and I are very blessed, but I've really been struggling with the fact that we don't see each other enough to really do something significant together. By the time we hang out, we are exhausted and just want to watch Netflix or take a nap together (yes, my husband and I are secretly 60 years old).
But even in this season of busyness, I want us to spend our time together in a way that will glorify God and further His kingdom.

I bought "You and Me Forever" a year and a half ago. We read two chapters and haven't touched it since. It may seem like a small thing, but reading that book together and growing in our faith and in our relationship is something that I would really like to do this month.

I want things in our lives to become more fruitful- because when your life is go-go-go, it's easy to throw important things to the way-side.

I know it's totally unrealistic to think we will finish the book in July, but I would at least like us to read the first half together.

Listen to Audio Bible 4 times/week

It's pretty embarrassing that every time I do a "goals" post, my Bible reading/listening hasn't gotten any better. I just can't seem to make myself, which is awful. I'm really going to make a concerted effort to listen to the Bible at least 4 times a week throughout July.

Increase my walking distance to (at least) 8 miles per/week

It probably doesn't seem like a lot, but right now I am walking between 4-6 miles per week. Between my hip injury and the Charlotte heat, that's all I've been able to muster (especially since I have a baby and her dog with me while I'm walking). But if I am going to lose weight, I have to keep growing my distances. 8 Miles/week is doable. It's challenging me to step it up, without being overly tough on myself.

Finish Wild and Free

If you haven't heard about Wild and Free, you really should check it out! Though I am only on the third chapter, I highly recommend it so far. It's all about letting go of the expectations that others place on us, as well as those we place on ourselves. It's about seeing ourselves through God's eyes and living a life of freedom- the way He intended.

I am reading through this book with The Mountainside Gathering- a Christian Facebook group filled with some amazing ladies!

Go to the pool as much as possible

I haven't found a good place to go to the pool in Charlotte, which is sad because I was so determined to do a lot of swimming in these stiflingly hot months! I am going to look into a place near work that has month-to-month sign-ups, and if the price is good, I'm going to try to get a pass. I am really tired of longing for the water, but never getting to be in it!

GO TO THE BEACH

No joke, people- I am getting to the beach. It will happen. Nuff' said!

Create my opt-in freebie

Back in the winter, I started on this project and got a whole 3 paragraphs written...I haven't touched it since. I really want to provide encouraging material for those who opt-in to my mailing list, but I just haven't gotten around to it. 

My original goal was to have launched this by June 1st, but that obviously didn't happen. I wanted to get it launched by September 1st at the very, very latest, so keep your eyes peeled!

My goals are pretty simple this month. Some are important, while others are simply recreational. And that's ok. I've been struggling to keep up with life lately, I and don't want to put so many expectations on myself that I feel like a failure if I don't reach those goals. 

Sometimes, we just have to give ourselves time and grace- no matter how tempting it is not to.

What are your goals this month? Are you having trouble staying on top of everything this summer? Comment below :)

What to Do When Someone is Mad At You (Mug-spiration Monday)

Last week, someone I love dearly called me to ask me about something they had given me and trusted me with. I had been hoping this conversation would never happen. I didn't want to admit that I could not find it. Perhaps it had gotten stored in a random box when we moved last August? I don't know. But one thing's for sure- there wasn't enough coffee in the world to soothe me after that phone call.

Though the item was mine, the person who gave it to me trusted me with something valuable. They trusted me to be responsible and I messed up. And being the people-pleaser that I am, I felt a sense of doom come upon me after talking to this person.

"I let them down. Now they won't trust me with any real responsibility. They won't think I am capable anymore. They won't be proud of me."

These were the thoughts that filled my mind as I sobbed with shame.

Understanding My Role

After my initial, overly-dramatic meltdown, I was rational enough (thanks to the hubs) to realize that all I had done was make a mistake. It was an unfortunate mistake, but nothing more. I realized that though, yes, I was at fault, there was nothing more I could do. I had admitted my mistake, asked forgiveness, and decided in my mind I would be more responsible from then on.

I could tell my loved-one was still mad at me, and was not going to let it go immediately. But again, I couldn't change that. They were angry. But I had done my part. The forgiveness and grace part was up to them.

Give Yourself Grace

It can be very discouraging when those we love are angry at us. I find it extremely hard to let that go. But just as I am learning that I cannot live by the expectations of others, I am also learning that I cannot let someone else's anger control me.

I messed up. It wasn't their mistake- it was mine. But once I had asked forgiveness and committed to doing a better job, I was free. It didn't erase my mistake, but at that point, I could not control their anger. I could not control whether or not they forgave me. I could only do my part.

Have you ever struggled with giving yourself grace once you've done all you can? Do you struggle to remember that their anger doesn't define you?
Today, let's strive to know that someone else's anger doesn't make us into a lesser person. If they stay mad, that doesn't mean we have less worth. Don't live based on other people's emotions about you. Do your part and move on.

You Can't Do All The Things (Mug-spiration Monday)

It's back to the daily grind, isn't it? More work, work chores, more adulting.
And that's fine. Most of us are very blessed with the jobs we have- I know I am!
I love baby E and getting to be a part of her life. I love her sweet smile and silly laugh. But those things I love don't make Mondays any less challenging. It's just kind of part of life, ya know?

Most of the time, we spend our weekends doing the fun things we can't do during the week. It's enjoyable, but we never really catch up on rest. So when Monday rolls around, we find ourselves struggling to wake up, to get motivated, and to be in a good mood. After drinking copious amounts of coffee, I usually can manage being human again, but that's about the extent of it.

Can you relate? Do you feel more like an extra in The Walking Dead than you do a real person on Monday mornings? Do you find that you stay that way all week because you never slow down to rest? I have all ideas you know exactly what I
mean.

You Can't Do All the Things- And That's Ok

I'd like to encourage you though, friends, that it's ok to slow down. Yes, you need to do a good job at your workplace, and not neglect your family, but that doesn't mean you have to do it all. You don't have to be all things to all people. You don't have to make everything perfect before you let your head hit the pillow at night.

Related post: Is Your Stress Your Fault?

Ask

Don't be afraid to ask for help; ask your family for help around the house. Delegate where you can at work. Your loved ones probably don't expect you to do it all. I think we often put that expectation on ourselves and then feel like everyone else has that expectation too. But chances are, you're the only one who feels like that. So ask for help. There's no shame in it at all.

Have a Little "Me Time"

Take a few minutes for yourself each day, even if you have to shift your schedule around to make it happen. When we don't take care of ourselves mentally and physically, we burn out and that doesn't help anyone. It doesn't help you, it doesn't help those who have to deal with you all day, and it doesn't help your job performance either. So take care of yourself this week.

Friends, decide today that you won't expect perfection, and you will give yourself grace. The only perfect one out there is Jesus, and you aren't Him, yo comprendo? And He gives us grace, so shouldn't we give ourselves a little grace too? Sure, don't slack (because that's not cool bro!), but don't try to do all the things. Trust me, you can't keep that up for long anyway.

Like what you've read? Why not sign up for The Peculiar Treasure Newsletter!? You'll receive a weekly newsletter, along with my FREE, 3-day devotional series!

 Click here to subscribe to my newsletter and get your free devotional!

Simplicity is More Than Just a Catch Phrase (A Guest Post by Susannah Kellogg)

Simplicity is such a catch phrase these days.  If you head to Pinterest you'll see hundreds, if not thousands of pins that are letting you in on the simple way to do such-and-such or how to live a simple life.  I could spend hours flipping through all the blog posts those pins lead to and be stuck in on a rabbit trail for days!  Sometimes simplicity gets to be a little too overwhelming.  There are just too many ways to be simple and, honestly, a lot of those ways take a lot of time and work...  Pretty much the opposite of true simplicity. 

*Related Post: Who Can Have Simplicity?*

What is Simplicity?

All that being said, simplicity is my heart song!  I'm not talking about all the tips and tricks you find on Pinterest, I'm talking about the way my life is lived on a day to day basis.  Simplicity means we only keep a limited number of toys for my son.  Simplicity means preparing freezer meals to throw in the crock pot every day.  Simplicity means going on cheaper dates with my husband so we can go on a few expensive dates a year.  Every choice I make goes back to my key heart song - living a simple life.

Simplicity in Our Faith

Simplicity is at the heart of my faith too.  All too often I hear people - even Gospel believing Christians - expressing faith in a "Jesus and..." sort of way.  They'd never straight up say it but it's in the depths of what they believe.

Maybe you've heard it too... Statements like "No homosexual person can be a Christian" (Wait, aren't we ALL sinners in need of God's grace?) or "I don't want to get to Heaven and have God tell me that I did *fill in the blank* wrong" (Just a second, if we've accepted Jesus' payment for our sin doesn't God view us as blameless?)

It breaks my heart to hear additions to the Grace of my Savior. I feel as though it makes light of what He did on the cross.  What does it take to truly be a part of our faith?  Well, Romans 10:9 says it best "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."  That's it.  It's simple!

Related Post: It's All About Grace

Of course, as the Holy Spirit comes into our lives He will begin changing our hearts to be more like Christ!  We should be desiring less of sin and more of Him.  That doesn't affect our salvation one little bit but it's just something that will happen when we have a life that's regenerated by Christ!

I want to keep simplicity at the center of my faith.  Grace is all that's needed.  I'm not going to add anything to the Gospel.


Go take a look at Susannah's Blog to see my post on "How Trusting God Makes Things Simple".

BIO:

I'm Susannah, blogger at Simple Moments Stick – a lifestyle blog focused on marriage, parenting, and faith.  The two men in my life are Nate – who’s the hottest worship pastor I know – and our precious, stubborn, opinionated, amazing one and a half year old son, Caleb.  I spend my days caring for Caleb, connecting with women through blogging and IRL, and crafting for my Etsy store: Simply You… and baby too – pretty much my dream job!  My heart behind my blog is to connect with other women around the country (and world!) to love on and encourage one another.  Come on over and get to know me better!

Follow Susannah on Social Media!

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Instagram

Etsy

Bloglovin

Grace & Delight

Love what you're seeing? Why not sign up to receive TPT's weekly newsletter?

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.