*This post was originally posted on Aug. 16, 2011, but I love these ideas so much and with my kids heading back-to-school tomorrow, I wanted to share them with you again today! I'm still catching up from being on vacation, so here's another great guest post for you! I love the idea of the time capsule, since this is my daughter's first year in school, it would be a great time to start that tradition! Guest Post by Stacey at A GOOD and SIMPLE Life: Back to school is just around the … [Read more...]
To be called Mommy
Mom. Mom. Mom. Mama! Mama!! MOOOOMMMMYYYY!!! We were driving back from our family vacation in Northern Michigan, and while the older two kiddos were watching a movie the youngest babe wasn't interested and instead wanted my undivided attention for about two hours straight. Jer and I were trying to have a meaningful conversation, which was pretty much impossible because we kept being interrupted every 5 seconds by her yelling, "Mama, Mama, MAMA!!!!" I'd say, "Yes, Blair?" and she'd rattle … [Read more...]
5 Ways Clearing Off My Kitchen Counters Changed My Life
Around this time last year, I completely cleared off my counters. As in, I removed everything from my counters except for soap by the sink and a small aloe plant. It was AMAZING. One night when my hubs and I were taking a walk after dinner, I told him that I thought completely clearing off the counters had changed my life. He chuckled and told me I was being a little dramatic. But I was serious. It really did change a lot of things about my life that were causing me stress and making me … [Read more...]
Babies Don’t Keep: Some Thoughts on Being Done with Babies and Breastfeeding
My baby turned two years old on Sunday. Deep breath. When did that happen?! I can still remember giving birth to her at home, in our bedroom. Like it was yesterday. And the newborn snuggles! Oh, the newborn snuggles. I just cannot get enough. Those newborn days are so fleeting. You're so exhausted, and yet trying to just drink in every moment. The days just seem to fly by too fast. And you blink and she's not a baby anymore. She's two, and she's running and talking and growing into … [Read more...]
What I’m Learning About Moving From Fear to Freedom in Christ
A theme in my life recently has been the Freedom that I have in Christ. It's been showing up in so many places: my Bible study, personal reading, conversations with close friends, interactions with people I don't even know online, sermons, our church small group, and the list goes on. This is, of course, what often happens when the Spirit is trying to teach me something. He makes it pretty hard to miss, or avoid. Fortunately this time around, this is a lesson I have no desire to avoid, and am … [Read more...]
Why I Accept Climate Change and Follow Jesus
The statistics say that only 44% of us as evangelical Christians accept that climate change is real, and if you fall into the other 56% there could be several reasons why you may not believe in global warming or climate change. Maybe you embrace a more conservative political ideology and think global warming is a liberal agenda. Or maybe you believe that God wouldn't let climate change happen, or that the world is going to end anyway so it doesn't really matter. I want you to know I … [Read more...]
Beauty from ashes. That’s what He does.
I have to share this story with you because it's such an important part of who I am, and I cannot stop talking here about what Jesus has done in my heart and my life. (Acts 4:20 - One of my Dad's favorite verses.) Today is the second anniversary of my dad's passing from this world to his eternal home in Heaven. It still hurts every day. The experience of grief has been suffocating and probably the most painful and difficult thing I have ever walked through. But I am walking through it - … [Read more...]
Finding Motivation for Health & Spirituality {Embracing Self Care}
Woah, so this is a big topic, huh? Where do we even begin talking about Health & Spirituality as a form of self-care? Of course, it's important for us to make time in our lives for both, and they are both things that can easily fall through the cracks and get lost in the mundane day-to-day duties of being a wife, mom, home-manager, and more. But, we always feel better after we do them, don't we? We can always feel good about the time we've set aside to focus on our own health or … [Read more...]
Knowing Yourself: Grace for Today {Embracing Self-Care}
As I sat down to write this first post in the Embracing Self-Care series about truly knowing yourself, I found it just a little ironic that that I am in a season where I'm being forced to slow down and listen to myself, to know myself. It's been a little quiet around here lately - not too many new posts. And honestly, it's not just because I'm busy in other areas of life (although that is true), but mostly it's just because I've been feeling really dry, worn-out, unmotivated, and just kinda … [Read more...]
Feeling Overwhelmed? Get Ready for the Embracing Self-Care Series!
I'm sure that many of us are familiar with burnout. That feeling of stress and overwhelm that you just can't shake off. The exhaustion that creeps in throughout the day and overtakes you by eight o'clock in the evening. The thought that you would do anything to have just 10 minutes of alone time to do something that's just for you, and not for anyone else. Not because you're selfish, just because you give everything of yourself to everyone else and then there's nothing left to fill your … [Read more...]
