Those Days

 

You know those days . . .

 

Those days that start with your alarm going off at 5:30am but a minute after you reset it for 6:00am your child wakes up.

 

Those days where the routine is out of wack and your child is clingy and doesn't want to play in his crib like usual.

 

Those days where you have to wake up your grumpy husband to watch the grumpy baby so you can take a quick 3 minute shower.

 

Those days where you're trying your hardest to quickly get ready but continue to be interrupted because you have to remove the child from playing in the toilet and then bribe him with animal crackers every 5 seconds so he stays away from the toilet.

 

Those days where you are getting lunch ready for all members of the household, starting laundry, and emptying the trash all before the daylight breaks.

 

Those days when the dog snatches the bread out of your hand at the same time the child throws his head back hitting you in the face during his attempt at a fit.

 

Unfortunately, it's been one of those days - and this mom lost it.

 

Upon arriving at working and reading my devotions in my inbox, I was quickly reminded of a verse in Philippians 2 (14-15) :

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world

 

We need to remember that when we have days like those days, God's grace is all we need. Even though we are completely undeserving, God's love and kindness reaches down to us through Christ.

For this I am so thankful.  

 

An Obsession: Illustrated Faith

 

Have you heard about this fad (that I think is here to stay) called Illustrated Faith/Bible Journaling?

To say that I'm obsessed is an understatement. It's all the rage right now - popping up all over my IG feed and my Pinterest Page.

 

 

 

If you don't know what I'm talking about - check out:

 #illustratedfaith or #biblejournaling or #drawinginthemargins on IG.

 

Lovely ladies (mostly) from all over the world share their love of the Lord through creative doodles, drawings, scripts, etc. It's another way to connect to the word of God and to worship.

 

I started dabbling in the bible journaling community last fall while I was on maternity leave with Kingston. Before you knew it, life took over - I lost interest and my bible sat with all my craft stuff just waiting for me to find the time and inspiration again. Unfortunately, I hate the reason that got me back into bible journaling and really spending time with the Lord. If you read my previous post, you know that CT and I experienced a missed miscarriage last month resulting in an immediate D&C.

 

What a crushing few days it was for me. I recognized I needed an outlet and something to pour myself into and that happened to be creating - in my sewing room, in my planner, in my bible. Quickly I realized how much I missed creating for the Lord and how good for the soul it is.

 

My situation was perfectly stated in my daily devotional from She Reads Truth:

I cannot fully grasp the sweetness of God without knowing the bitter taste of life in a fallen world. What a truth this is. I'm ashamed that it took something so awful to bring me back to God, but now that I'm back - I'm more excited than ever!  

(side note: I was never really 'away' from Him - but I wasn't craving a relationship with Him like I am now)

 

Here's what I've been up to lately:

By drawing and doodling in my bible, I've found that I'm able to concentrate on the verses or themes that I'm creating - and this helps me retain the scripture better.

 

 

If you aren't comfortable drawing in your bible - start with a journal - but what ever you do I know it will bless you like it's blessed me!

 I wake up wanting to create in my bible and I go to sleep thinking about creating in my bible!

Just remember: Jesus Paid It All

As I sit here and reflect on all the posts and pictures I've seen on Instagram and Facebook this morning I can't help but think...

Do we truly understand the real meaning of Easter?

Maybe I'm just realizing it more now because my news feeds are full of growing families and friends that are new moms - but when has Easter ever been about giving extravagant baskets filled with a ridiculous amount of gifts? 

Easter is about celebrating the gift that Jesus has given us. 

The gift of Him paying the price for our sins by dying on the cross for us and then being raised from the dead. 

****************************************************************
Taken from She Reads Truth Daily Devotional:

Resurrection Sunday is more than the miracle of a man coming back to life.

It is the fulfillment of a promise.

It is the irremovable seal on God’s vow of love to His children.

It is the resurrection of hope.

It is the definitive declaration that the Love we long for is not dead.

He is alive. Oh, dear Sisters, He is alive! 

He sits with you, He prays for you, He waits with the Father for you.

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

I'm not saying I won't get Kingston a gift or take him on a scavenger hunt for eggs - but He will be taught the true meaning of this holiday. 

I hope that you all do the same. 

Remember: Jesus paid it ALL. ALL to Him I owe. 

Happy Easter! 

Sunday Inspiration: Soon

Soon  

Hillsong United ft. Brooke Fraser

This song is so full of promises, it brings tears to my eyes every time I listen to it. 

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. 

Soon and very soon

My King is coming

Robed in righteousness and crowned with love

When I see Him

I shall be made like Him

Soon and very soon

Soon and very soon

I’ll be going

To the place He has prepared for me

There my sin erased

My shame forgotten

Soon and very soon


                                      

I will be with the One I love

With unveiled face I’ll see Him

There my soul will be satisfied

Soon and very soon


                                           

Soon and very soon

See the procession

The angels and the elders 'round the throne

At His feet I’ll lay my crowns My worship

Soon and very soon


 I will be with the One I love

Soon and very soon

My King is coming

Robed in righteousness and crowned with love

When I see Him

I shall be made like Him

Soon and very soon

Soon and very soon

I’ll be going

To the place He has prepared for me

There my sin erased

My shame forgotten

Soon and very soon


                                      

I will be with the One I love

With unveiled face I’ll see Him

There my soul will be satisfied

Soon and very soon


                                          

 Soon and very soon

See the procession

The angels and the elders 'round the throne

At His feet I’ll lay my crowns My worship

Soon and very soon


                                    

 I will be with the One I love

With unveiled face I’ll see Him

There my soul will be satisfied

Soon and very soon


                                   

 Though I have not seen Him

My heart knows Him well

Jesus Christ the Lamb

The Lord of heaven


                                     

I will be with the One I love

With unveiled face I’ll see Him

There my soul will be satisfied

Soon and very soon

Soon and very soonlove

With unveiled face I’ll see Him

There my soul will be satisfied

Soon and very soon


                                   

 Though I have not seen Him

My heart knows Him well

Jesus Christ the Lamb

The Lord of heaven


                                   

  I will be with the One I love

With unveiled face I’ll see Him

There my soul will be satisfied

Soon and very soon

Soon and very soon

                                                

Do It Anyway

Inspiration from the online devotional 'She Reads Truth' in regard to Ruth's story. 

2 Samuel 11

Today in church, our pastor started a new series titles "The Thing". 

The Thing = Satan. 

The Thing is lurking, stalking us . . .daily. 

He has a daily goal to disrupt our lives with temptation, but he ultimately has a strategy to blow up our lives. Because God loves us, we have a huge target on our back. 

Take a moment to read about David's sinful story in 2 Samuel 11.

It's a story about David and his affair with Bathsheba while her husband was away at war. David was tempted and Satan won. Bathsheba became pregnant and when David found out he sent for her husband, Uriah to come home from the war. David figured Uriah would come home for a little rest and relaxation and everyone would believe it was Uriah's son. When Uriah chose not to go home to Bathsheba, David sent for him to be put in the front lines of the war. This was his death sentence. When Bathsheba was done mourning, David took her as his wife and she bore him a son. In the end, it looked like David was a hero, comforting and saving a women whose husband died at war. 

At the end of this chapter the bible states:

"But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord."

This is such a scary and unnerving statement. 

When we sin God still forgives us and He will never bring up our wrongs again. 

Even though He forgives, the sin still punishes us. 

The monster we created still lives on.

Our sermon today was on affairs.

How common they are.

How easily they begin.

How much destruction they cause.

Pastor Hoover gave us some advice on how to avoid The Thing.  

1. Don't toy with temptation

2. Watch out for your vulnerable seasons

(change, boredom, and anger)

3. Don't develop an unhealthy appetite 

Women Crush . . . Thursday

So I know it's 'Women Crush Wednesday' and that I'm a day late and a dollar short with this post BUT my days are crazy busy and there seriously aren't enough hours in the day. That's unless I want to wake up at 430a or go to sleep at midnight, neither which are happening.

So I've made today women crush Thursday! 

Sergeant Theresa Vail

A beauty queen. 

A hunter.

A sergeant in the US Army. 

And the picture talked about around the world, a lover of the Lord and tattoos! 

From looking at the photos above, this woman looks as though she's the complete package. Someone who will die for their country, someone who loves the Lord, and someone who has a wide variety of hobbies. Why didn't she win Miss USA the other night? Was it because she was tatted up? Was it because she kills animals in the woods? Was it because she dresses like a boy sometimes in a uniform? Her platform is empowering women to overcome all stereotypes and to break boundaries, and she definitely breaks the stereotypical 'Miss USA' type of candidate. I think it's time we started getting real people in the pageant. Women that most of us can relate to and women that we as other women look up to. 

She definitely is that type of a contestant! 

And she's from Kansas so I like her even more. =) 

Who was your favorite contestant? 

Weekly Inspiration [8]: She Reads Truth Daily Devotional

I was just introduced through Instagram to the wonderful devotional: 

She Reads Truth. 

It is a community of women that strive to have a better relationship with the Lord through a daily devotion. What I like most is it's not just a daily devotional but a place where women can interact with one another. There is a place for comments and questions so you can converse with other ladies about what you had read that day. 

They are currently working on Women in the Bible- Part 3, but because I just started, I went back to the beginning for Women in the Bible- Part 1 and I am just now finishing it up. 

So far we have discussed Eve, Sarah (Sarai), Hagar, Lot's Wife, and Rebekah. 

All these ladies have their own struggles, that most any woman can find similarities with. Well I know I can. I fight the same battles as they did, and reading their struggles has really made me more aware of what I need to work on to be a better Christian woman. 

Just some note taking from the talk on Sarah:

On Lot's Wife:

I myself am a lot like Sarah: I have a major struggle with patience. 

I myself have similarities to Lot's Wife: I sometime look back thinking 'what if'.

Do you have any of these same struggles? 

What woman in the bible are you most like?

Weekly Inspiration [7]: To Love & To Cherish

What is love?

Love is patience. 

Love is kindness 

{try and be as polite to your spouse as you are to other people}

Love is selfless & sacrificial.

{it does not brag and is not arrogant}

Love is having good manners.

{let them know they are appreciated}

Love is being a servant with our hearts and our hands. 

{it says I love you with your actions}

Love is having a short memory.

{not easily angered, and remembering that forgiveness is a decision}

Love is being truthful, always. 

{it's easy to do what's not right. true love strives to do what's right according to God, even when it's hard. }

Love is ALL IN. 

{there is no plan B}

What is not love?

Love is not words alone.

{our actions must match our words}

Love is not knowledge. 

{love is practiced}

Love is not actions alone. 

Love is not jealous.

{trust and communication is needed to be successful in love}

Do you love your spouse? 

Does your actions match your words?

Are you being truthful and doing the right thing even if it's hard?

Are you as polite, kind, and good mannered towards your spouse?

Are you all in? 

When you spend every day and every night with your spouse, why would you not try and have the best relationship possible? My hope is that you read this scripture and realize you only live one life, you only have one time to get it right, so we need to make the most of it. 

Be happy and love hard. 

Check out last week's post on God's design for marriage.

Weekly Inspiration [6] - God's Design for Marriage

This past weekend, CT and I attended a marriage conference at our church. No we don't have marital problems, there's just no time like the present to be proactive! It was four hours on Friday night and four hours on Saturday morning, and I feel so renewed and reenergized with our marriage.

God's Design for Marriage

Genesis 2 states that God created marriage to fix a problem, not to create one.

Once married - Who we chose is ultimately who God chooses for us.

 Regardless of the situation, you are married to the right person. 

Our goal should be to love the one we are with. 

It's not about finding the 'right' person {because no one is perfect}, but loving the one you are with. 

We need to work on and strive to love like Christ. 

Being a good husband and wife is a choice we make. 

We need to choose to focus on the positive, commit to no plan B {no divorce}, and we need to take action in our marriage. 

Have you invested in your marriage lately? 

You have to work at what you love. 

Weekly Inspiration [5]

 First off let me tell you how much I L-O-V-E our church. Such an amazing place to worship. Our pastor's talk to us and not over our heads. God is really doing magnificent things here. If we were to ever leave Wichita, this would be my most missed part of this place.

Currently at Newspring we are in a series called "Lost in Love."

Today's talk was about compassion and empathy. 

3 things we need to do as Christians:

1. Have the willingness to move towards the needy and not away from it. We need to be first responders. When action happens, be there for it, both listening and doing. 

2. We need to practice the power of empathy. Have a tender heart and put yourself in the other persons shoes. 

3. You MUST answer the call to action. The Lord puts you in situations for a reason. He knows your strengths and abilities. 

Help people.

 Don't talk about it, be about it!

Drooling Over Here

So yesterday while I was searching on instagram under the hash tag #washitape, I came across a lovely profile of a woman named Jennifer.

What I noticed as I was not creepily creeping through her photos was that she is such an inspiration for a what a godly woman should be,

and she is so organized, and has the prettiest penmanship!

Take a look for yourself.

 

 

How awesomely organized is she? 

Meal plans, daily devotionals, tracking of their expenses, journaling, lists,
and amazing writing. 

Looking through her pictures was really inspiring to me.

 It made me realize that I need to make a little more time for me. It also made me realize that I need to spend more time with the Lord so our relationship can grow.

Feel free to check her out here so you can be just as inspired! 

PS- I can't wait to showcase what I found while searching on instagram on Washi Tape Wednesdays!

Praying for the Victims

So the past two evenings we have had horrible weather mixed with lots of deadly tornadoes. On Sunday evening we had to head to the basement because down town Wichita was in the path of a F1 tornado. 

I packed my bag, which you can find more about here, and headed down the elevator with Bentley. CT likes to be super cool and super brave and wait until the very last moment, so we left him upstairs. He later came down, but none the less I was super annoyed. 

I don't mess around with mother nature and tornadoes. They are probably the thing I am most scared of. 

Luckily, we escaped with only hail damage to our cars. I can't say the same for some other people around town and tragically the people in Oklahoma. 

My heart aches for all the people who lost their belongings, homes, fur babies, and family members. 

I pray specifically for the moms that lost their children to have peace in knowing their babies are now playing up in heaven with Jesus. I can't imagine the amount of pain they are experiencing. 

God, please give them the strength and hope needed to get them through the upcoming darkest days of their lives.

I came across this touching video on facebook about a woman who thought she lost her furbaby in the storm. Fortunately they were able to catch them being reunited on camera. 

You can hear her say at the end of the video that her puppy was her life. 
You better believe it. I shredded a few happy tears for this woman. 
Even in tragedies, God is good. 

Please continue to pray for everyone effected by these storms. Unfortunately, this isn't the first and won't be the last of these deadly tornadoes. 

Weekly Inspiration [3]

I have this quote on the background of my phone for a daily reminder. I hope it touches ya'll as much as it does me. 

We all need to wake up each morning thinking of all the things the Lord has blessed us with. If we have this attitude about life, we should never have a bad day.

Be thankful.

We are all so blessed.

For the LOVE of: T-A-T-T-O-O-S

I remember when I went in to get my first tattoo and the artist had asked me if that was my first experience getting a tattoo and I so quickly said 'yep, first and last'. He 100% assured me that it wasn't going to be my last and that I would be hooked.

As I sit here researching and 'pinning' to my permanent ink board, I'd say he was correct! 

I currently have 2 tattoos that I love and am so happy about.

This was my first tat I got in 2009 with some girls from my college volleyball team.

If you are having a hard time telling what this is - it's a tribal wolf with a paw inside. 

 My maiden name is Wolf and I played around with a couple of ideas before I came across something similar to this!

This one is self explanatory!

I love my boo and I love being married.

Obviously, I'm into the smaller, simple lined tattoos that can be easily covered. 

The next tattoo I  get, I want it to be a cross.

1. Finger tattoos are sexy.
2. Feet tattoos are super girly.
3. I love the position of the last picture but I would want it about an inch long. 

As I was on pinterest tonight I heard "What are you doing?? We are going to have a hard time parenting when you have 17 tattoos and I have 1."

Here's to trying to talk CT into getting one with me! =)