OCTOBER UPDATE

Hello everyone!

It's been a while since I have given any type of update on our family. October has been a great month for us, filled with lots of fall activities and busyness. I can't believe it's almost November and time for the holiday season. I am actually quite excited for the holidays this year as it will be Josh and I's first married Thanksgiving and Christmas. Time to start new traditions together! But first, let's not skip over the wonderfulness that has been fall.

-Lots of running in the beginning of the month, but I have since then slipped. Since the weather is getting colder, I'm thinking I need to renew that inside gym membership.

-Josh was able to attend a great Christian leadership conference called Catalyst. Our friend Becky was gracious enough to give us free tickets and we gladly accepted. Unfortunately, I had to work, but Josh got to bring our brother-in-law, David. They had a really good experience and learned about making their own ministries even better.

-I got to go apple picking at Hillcrest Orchards with all 6 of my nieces and nephews, as well as, 2 of my sister-in-laws. We had a blast! Needless to say, I slept really well that night.

-Josh and I also got to experience our first Feast Group with our church. There is a group of about 8 people who get together monthly at each other's houses and have dinner together. Everyone brings a dish and fellowships together. It was a blessing to attend and to get to know everyone from our church better. I also made a delicious "cookie pizza" which everyone (surprisingly) loved.

-I have continued attend to Women's Bible Study every other week and have continued to really enjoy it. The group of ladies is awesome and the content and discussions are just as great. I am truly learning more about being a godly women and wife.

-I was given the opportunity to teach both my Sunday School class and the Youth Girl's Bible Study this month. I was very nervous, but it all went really well. I am overcoming my fear of public speaking!

-We had our last kid's soccer game this past Sunday. We had a fun 6 weeks of games and practices. I grew very fond of my team and was sad to see it end. There will be spring soccer though and I will most likely be coaching again! :)

-We went to the Cagle's Dairy Corn Maze with the youth group. I think Josh and I were the only ones to actually get lost in the maze...

-I had a day off this month (during the week) and we used it to visit Anna Ruby Falls and Helen where we got engaged. It was such a fun day spending time together and enjoying the beautiful fall colors everywhere.

-I've attended 2 bridal showers the past two weekends for 2 wonderful friends...it's wedding season!

-Owl-O-Ween in Kennesaw this past weekend was fun! We got to go with our friends, Brad & Anna, as well as, their two adorable kids. We helped their son Aiden, trick-or-treat, and saw many hot air balloons in action.

-We also found out that we will be moving in the beginning of 2014. It came as a surprise, but we are very excited about this new chapter in our lives and have been avidly house hunting. Wish us luck!

I think that about covers it. We are looking forward to what the end of the year brings! 2013 is flying by!

Trials and Tribulations

No one likes hardships. They are never fun and never easy. Trials weigh you down and challenge you to rise up despite the weight on you. They force you to see things that maybe you would rather not see. They can tear people apart and allow you to see who that person really is, good or bad. The truth comes out when people are pressured and stressed. Like I said, hard times are never enjoyable for anyone. The question remains, why is it that these times in life are necessary? Why can't we skip just over the tribulations and go straight to the victories?

I feel like a common theme in this blog has been seasons of life. I have been learning more and more about the different seasons and wading my way through each one as it comes along. Recently, Josh and I found out that we will have a lot of changes coming our way: we will be moving soon and Josh is entering his second half of seminary (crazy!). With this news, we have to start thinking about a smorgasbord of different things. We have to start considering the future now more than ever. My head is spinning with a thousand different options and choices that will have to be made. Needless to say, our boat is being rocked. And for some reason, I find myself asking the question of "why?" Why can't we just carry on with our lives the way they are uninterrupted by all these changes? Why can't we put off these decisions until later? Why is this all happening and what good is going to come out of it? Why do we have to go through all this? Just why?

After I am done throwing myself this little pity party, I am always hit with the truth. There is a purpose behind our troubles. At this point in my Christian walk, I know that God is up to something. He has a plan for us in spite of (or maybe using) all these changes and decisions to be made. And His plan is perfect. I believe He is in control, but I find that my actions don't always reflect that. I tend to freak out and try to take matters into my own hands. I have to take a moment to breathe, take a step back, and trust. He is trying to show us something, to teach us something, to refine us into something better. The Bible says "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." God tells us to view the struggles we face each day as pure joy. JOY. He tells us to relish in these times knowing that it is producing a steadfast faith within us. He reassures us that there is a purpose behind our suffering.

Trials don't have to be all bad. During the hard times, the best in people can come out. Selflessness and kindness can rise up in those who are hurting. Couples can cling to one another and stick together despite the rough circumstances. The things that are actually important come to light while the stuff that really doesn't matter starts to get dim and fade away. There are many lessons to be learned during these times. You learn a lot about others and a lot about yourself. Trials put everything into perspective. They force us to make a choice: are we going to be selfish and feel sorry for ourselves during this struggle or are we going to trust the One who holds it all together? Are we going to throw ourselves a pity party or try to find the lesson to be learned? Are we going to give up or press on towards our goal? Let God test your faith and let God strengthen it through the tribulations.

During each hardship we face, we have the decision to make. Which perspective will you choose?

Never Satisfied

It's a sickness, an epidemic that has taken over our country without us even realizing it.

Every day it becomes more and more apparent to me how our society runs. We live in an "est" culture. We want the best, the biggest, the happiest, the smartest, the prettiest, the richest, etc. Nothing is ever good enough for us; we want it all. It's not necessarily a bad thing to desire more and work hard to get there, but when not having the "est" of everything takes over your being, then it's a problem. Why are we never content?

This issue is especially prominent in women today. There is something wired in us that makes us see something great happening to someone else and instead of being happy for them, we instantly get jealous. We want that for ourselves, despite all of the great things we already have. I see it in my friends and I see it in myself. If we are single, then we want a boyfriend. If we have a boyfriend, we want to get engaged. If we are engaged, we want the biggest ring and the best wedding. Even if we are blessed with a wonderful marriage, we want a house, a baby, a new car....it never ends. What is so sad about this mindset is that it takes away from what we do have. Each of us have countless blessings at our fingertips whether it is a job, a child, a parent, a friend, or anything that makes us happy. Don't get so caught up with what's happening in everyone else's life that you miss all the awesome things happening in YOUR life. It's dangerous to start lusting after what everyone else has. You suddenly look at your life and feel like it's not good enough. I'll be honest, this makes me really angry. I see so many amazing women who have a great job, a great boyfriend, or a great group of friends, get down on themselves because they are missing that one thing in their lives. They instantly feel unworthy. That's a distorted point of view and it's not the truth.

It's a sickness, an epidemic that has taken over our country without us even realizing it. It relentlessly controls our minds and our lives and it has got to stop. Envy steals contentment from our hearts. It takes the peace out of our lives and replaces it with jealousy and ultimately, hate. Hate for the people in our lives who have what we want and hate for ourselves for not having or not being enough. Don't let it. We each need to take a step back from this toxic outlook that we have been sucked into and realize all that we do have. We need to take up an attitude of contentment and thanksgiving for the wonderful gifts we have been given. Each of us is so blessed and beautiful, on the inside and outside. Remember that. Don't let your life be in a constant state of bitterness because of what you lack. Make an effort each day to count your blessings and be thankful for where you are at. Rest in what you have accomplished and where you are headed. As women, we have got to make this change and set an example of a thankful heart for the people around us and for generations to come. This green eyed monster is only going to get bigger the more we feed it.

Take a stand today and open up your eyes...your life is beautiful.

Out with the Old, In with the New

Last night I finally conquered the task of cleaning out my closet. It's been a long time coming and it really needed to be done. I have accumulated so many clothes over the years; it was getting a tad out of hand. The majority of my wardrobe is actually quite old, most of it dating back to my teenage years. These clothes aren't nice and new anymore. In fact, most of them are very worn and used. My closet was stuffed full of junk and clutter. So why the struggle to get rid of it?

It's funny how something as simple as going through your closet can make you nostaglic. As I went to put different articles of clothing in the "giving away" pile, my mind was suddenly flooded with memories. I started thinking about when I bought it, where I had worn it and the special moments I had in these different outfits. To most, this probably sounds ridiculous. I realized that I actually had a sentimental attachment to some of my clothes and that is what has made me put off giving them away time and time again.

I felt like this was such a good depiction of what is going on in my life at the moment. I am growing up. I am getting older. It is time to change, but for some reason, I find it hard to let the past go. I am still learning who I am as an adult. I am still coming into my own. Last night, I realized how scary it is to let go of who you used to be and to finally put those memories from long ago in the vault, and walk away. As hard as that is, the most intimidating part of all isn't actually letting go of who you once were but figuring out who you are going to become. Instead of being sad about the things I was getting rid of, I slowly became excited about all of the new things that were soon to fill my closet and represent who I am now and who I am becoming.

This process also revealed to me that I have a tendency to hold on to the junk in my life. Seemingly beautiful or flat out ugly, I squeeze tight to the stuff that bogs me down. Those things clutter my closet and really, they clutter my life. The old stuff weighs me down and doesn't allow me to focus on the new stuff. At first, I was hesitant to put anything in that "get rid of" pile, but once I started, I couldn't stop. Getting rid of the junk allowed me to see what I had so much more clearly. I wasn't distracted by the mess falling from the hangers anymore. I could finally focus on the important things without all the other debris blurring my vision.

What I came to realize throughout the experience of cleaning out my closet is that my closet is a lot like my life. It has been cluttered and full of junk. I needed to get rid of the chaos and disorder and start filling my life with the things that actually matter. It's never easy to rid your life of the rubbish that you have held so tightly to, but it feels so satisfying once you do. It is also tough to let go of the old and scary to see what the new holds. It's a process, this whole growing up and moving forward thing. I am still learning and will continue to day by day. I now see what it's like to have a simple life full of the good things, not being bogged down by pointless junk. It's freeing and weighless. I can finally see where I am headed and it feels good!

Ch-Ch-Changes

My husband recently told me that the longer he is married to me, the more he realizes how much I don't like change. This statement caught me off guard, but after thinking about it for a few seconds, I wholeheartedly agreed. I really don't like change.

They say that the only thing that remains constant in life is change. That it is really the one thing you can always depend on happening. The older I get, the more rapidly the changes come. In the past few years, I have had many, many friends get married, move, have babies, and change their whole lives; myself being one of them. My life has also been altered in hundreds of small and large ways over the years. And let's just say those changes weren't usually joyfully embraced. I have always struggled with things being different from what they once were. I like the comfort of routine and dependability. I cling tightly to the things and people that I love, expecting them to always be there. In fact because of that, I have major issues with giving up on any kind of friendship. I will put the effort into it until the very end, because I just can't accept losing a friend or things changing between us. Even if it's for the best.

This fear of change has been very present in my life recently. My very best friend just moved to Florida. She is the first friend I've had move to another state and I have to admit that saying it's been tough would be an understatement. I have really been having a hard time accepting this change and all the other changes that have come along with it. My brother is also interviewing with a company in Dallas, Texas. There is a good chance that he will be moving to Dallas very soon. My first reaction was pure happiness for him. I am really proud of him for going after what he wants. But once I realized that him moving away is a very real possibility, I instantly became on the verge of tears. It will be a tough change to deal with when the time comes. I am being forced to open up my eyes to the reality that I am getting older and people do move away from where they grew up especially at this age. Things aren't going to stay the same forever. This isn't a foreign concept to many, but to me it feels like another language entirely.

Coming face-to-face with my fear of change each day, I am learning that it is never going to go away. It's here for good, so I might as well embrace it. I must keep moving forward while letting certain people or situations go along the way. I am slowly accepting that it is actually healthy to allow change in my life. It's a good thing. Change has brought me to the place I am now and I must say I'm pretty darn happy here. The good things in life can't come without discomfort, without hard times, without change. So I will slowly loosen my grips and let go, knowing that the best changes are yet to come.