Social Media Cleanse

So, last week I challenged myself to do something I've always wanted to do, but never followed through with because in all honestly, I didn't think I could do it. I made the decision to give up all social media for a week. I will be the first to admit that I am way too invested in social media and I waste a lot of my precious and valuable time scrolling through my newsfeed. While social media can be fun and a way to share with family and friends, I found myself caring way too much about what was going on in other's lives and what people might be saying about mine. After getting frustrated about some negative comments I received, a friend and I were talking about how giving ourselves a break from social media might be good for us. So we agreed to no social media for a week. I'll admit I was not 100% thrilled about it, but the fact that I had any reservations at all confirmed that I needed a break.

I decided to take this time away from social media and treat it almost like a fast. It's great to cut something negative or all-consuming out of your life, but I also wanted to replace the time I spent on social media with something positive and uplifting. It would have been really easy to not get on Facebook, but instead binge watch a series on Netflix or spend hours pinning recipes or DIY projects on Pinterest. I wanted to invest my time in something worth-while, not just replace one bad habit with another. At one point, my mom said, "Wow, you must have a lot of extra time now!" And that actually wasn't the case. It's not like I just sit on the couch for hours going through Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter every night, but I am very distracted by social media and give it more time and energy than I would care to admit. It was a challenging week, but so freeing! So here's a look at my observations and feelings during my social media "cleanse", if you will. At the end of it all, I'm really glad I did it and I would challenge anyone else who might tend to get sucked in to all of the posts, comments, likes, newsfeed, etc. mess to also give it a try! After all, there was life before Facebook ;)

Reasons Behind My Decision:

1. Too invested -- in what myself and others posted
2. Wasting my time
3. Letting other people's opinions bother me
4. Being nosy and needing to know what's going on with people
5. Comparison -- feeling like my life didn't live up to what others were posting


First Few Days:

1. Feeling disconnected and cut off from the world -- wanting to know what's going on with everyone
2. Realizing the habit of how often I checked social media without even thinking about it -- I had created such a mindless routine for myself
3. Noticing how often I caught myself thinking about what my "status" would be and what pictures I would post -- social media really was consuming my thoughts
4. I had to be intentional with my time even without social media or else I would automatically resort to time-wasters -- it's easy to fill my time with Netflix, Pinterest, Blogs, etc.
5. Becoming aware that I am not fully focused most of the time  -- I have a need to always be doing something and struggle with just doing one thing at a time
6. Feeling like a detox from an addiction -- sad, I know!
7. I'm not very good at being alone -- social media makes me feel like I'm with others, so I don't have to be "by myself"
8. Why do I need the approval of others to feel good about myself and my life?

Positives of No Social Media:

1. More focused on what I am doing and more present with the people around me
2. More time to do things that matter -- daily devotionals, focused time with my family, paying more attention to my surroundings, thinking about me as opposed to others
3. Not as consumed and thinking about it as much -- more clear and less cluttered thoughts
4. By day 4, I didn't care nearly as much -- the first few days were hard, but then I realized my life still went on even if I didn't know what other people were doing
5. Better at being alone and feeling okay about it
6. Less comparison and being so nosy
7. Connecting with friends through personal conversation instead of relying on social media to know what's going on in their lives
8. Spending more time in prayer and connecting with God with less distractions

On the first day of my social media fast, I read this quote below during my devotional time. It's so funny how God puts things in our path right when you need to hear it most. This quote just rang so true for me. Where am I investing my time? Am I protecting what's really important? Can I learn to prioritize and say no when needed? What's really valuable in my life? It's funny how a week away from social media can teach so many lessons. These lessons are so valuable and I intend on bringing what I learned this week with me moving forward.

"One of the most irreplaceable, valuable things we possess is our time. We cannot go out and buy more time, and yet time it is one of the things we squander most easily. We waste time; we spend time doing things that zap our energy. There's nothing wrong with giving someone or something your time, but I have often been sucked into commitments I should have avoided by thinking - well, it's only a few hours of my time. I forget time is a pearl of great price. My stuff is not holy. My possessions are not my pearls. But the hours I have each day -- these are precious. As my children get older, I realize I do not get these days to do over. When people or things try to demand those pearls from me, sometimes the best thing I can do is refuse. In order to protect the things that mean the most to me, I sometimes have to say no."

Saving Money on Food

Hello Readers,

Hopefully you are still with me! I haven't posted anything in a while as my life has been quite hectic. Between work, church, my husband starting his fall semester, and baby planning on the forefront of my mind, writing has taken a back seat. I did, however, want to get out a small blog post about something else that has been a priority of mine lately and that's saving money. Saving money on food that is. 

My husband and I are in our mid-twenties. We both work and work hard, but at this age I feel like most of us are still in that money saving, majorly budgeting stage of life. This only gets more complicated when you are expecting a baby exactly 4 months from today (crazy!). I'm constantly trying to figure out the best way to budget our money and where we can save. Like most people, one of our biggest expenses is food, definitely not very exciting, but it is where a huge chunk of our money goes. Lately, I have found a few successful ways to save money on food. I thought I would share them today in hopes that maybe some of you are in the same "Where-Can-We-Save-Money?" battle. Here are a few tips I've learned so far!

1.  Don't go grocery shopping in-between weekly trips. I don't know what you do, but I tend to go to the grocery store once a week. I'm pretty good at sticking to this, but there are usually things I forget or things that pop up during the week that I need but don't have. Lately, instead of going to the store mid-week to get those few random things that I could probably live without, I have been waiting until my weekly shop to go back to the grocery store. Only going during my specified times really helps cutting down on food cost because I'm not spending money there multiple times a week. I only go once a week. Obviously if there is something you really need, go get it. I just know I could go every day if I really wanted (we always need something), but I would end up spending much more money that way.

2. Use up what you already have. This goes off my first point. Instead of constantly buying new things once you run out, use up what you have first. This is something I've been doing more recently and it's shocking how long we can last on the food we already have without having to buy more. Lately, I've been trying to make my weekly shop very minimal and instead use up the food I already have on hand or use what I already have as the base of a recipe rather than buying all new things for a new recipe. If I run out of a particular ingredient, I see what I have on hand that would make a good substitute instead of running to the store to buy something new. This is a great way to save money and you will be surprised how much food you have built up in your pantry and freezer.

3. Only get what you NEED instead of buying ahead of time. This one all depends on sales and how much you like to plan ahead. Personally, I struggle with this one because I am a planner. If I see we are low on something, I like to go ahead and buy the replacement item immediately, so we don't run out. The problem is I find myself buying things a little too far in advance when I could wait another week to replace that item, therefore spending money before I have to. If you see something on sale or you know you will run out of it before your next shopping trip, buy it. I have just found that I can last longer without replacing items than I thought I could. I also limit what I buy to what we actually need instead of what would be nice to have. We could have 3 different kinds of chips, 4 different cereal boxes, 2 kinds of lunch meat, 3 different types of desserts and 5 pounds of ground beef, but we don't need that. I want to have choices, but only having limited choices is okay too.

4. When going out to eat -- share a plate or take a box of leftovers home with you. Josh and I rarely go out to eat, like almost never. But on the rare occasion that we do eat out, I have found a few ways to save money. Eating out can kill your wallet, I would know. Before Josh and I were married, we ate out all the time and it was such a waste of our hard earned cash. When we go out to eat now, I like to do one of two things: either share a plate of food or take half my food home and eat it as another meal. Obviously these two choices aren't always possible, but it's nice to do it when you can. We all know most restaurants give you a huge amount of food, so it's easy to share a plate with your partner or a friend. Sharing a plate means getting two meals for the price of one -- score! Another way to get two meals for the price of one is only eating half the meal and taking the rest home with you. I do this all the time. Josh and I don't really have the same food interests -- he loves pizza and I love salad, so we prefer to order separately. I am usually given much more food than I could ever finish in one sitting though. I used to let them throw away all the extra food at the end of the meal, but I have started always getting a to-go box if I have any extras. I can usually make a whole second meal out of it, therefore saving money and eating good food twice!

These are my "Saving Money on Food" tips and tricks. Sticking to these rules has allowed us to save and been very helpful for our family. These tips may seem like no-brainers to a lot of you money saving pros, but to me they are new found lessons that I felt were important enough to share. Let me know how you save money when it comes to food. I would love to hear your tips and tricks!

Being Still Before God: A Look Behind My Chaotic Life

We all have mess. We all have issues. We all have lots of stuff going on. Everyone has things in their lives that don't quite look like they had planned. Some days it seems like everything is under control despite the laundry list of tasks to get accomplished we all have in the back of our minds. Other days, the chaos of life takes control and it all becomes a little too overwhelming. That is how last week went for me.

Right now, I have a lot going on. I work 40 plus hours a week, commute, clean, cook, and keep our household organized. I am active in my church and with our youth group. I spend time with friends and family. I pay bills, budget our limited income and resources, grocery shop, take care of our dog and meal plan. I'm expecting, a new mom-to-be, and trying to have a healthy pregnancy. I'm planning for the next 5 months before the baby arrives and the 5 months after the baby is here. I'm preparing for motherhood and still working on being a better spouse to my husband. Like I said, I have a lot going on. My mind is always busy thinking about what I need to get done and scheming about how to best accomplish it all. The problem is that I'm a multi-tasker, a controller, a fixer, and a perfectionist. I'm also hormonal! These qualities put together can be a toss-up of the key to my success or my ultimate downfall.

I started off last week with a lot on my plate which is pretty typical, but each day the weight on my shoulders just got heavier. There were a lot of unexpected expenses that came up and my to-do list wasn't getting checked off quick enough before another set of tasks were piled on. I was extremely stressed and had way too much going on. My mind was racing trying to figure out exactly how I was going to get it all accomplished and I soon became irritable, tense, and on the verge of a breakdown. I took all of these burdens on as my own and felt like I needed to be the one to fix all of them. Instead of relying on God, I let my circumstances and emotions get the best of me. Finally, something small happened and it was the straw that broke the camel's back. The flood gates opened and I was an emotional wreck. This buildup I had been experiencing and holding in all week finally came out. I felt defeated and scared. I was overwhelmed and there was no quick fix solution to make it all go away. The stress I had put on myself was creating stress and tension in other relationships in my life and I'm sure most people were steering clear of me by the end of the week because I was just a wreck and not very fun to be around. Life had beaten me down and I couldn't quite figure out how to get back up.

This week, I'm putting last week behind me and starting fresh. After I finally broke down, I realized how much of this I had been holding on to and holding inside. I was holding on for dear life unwilling to relinquish control. I hadn't been praying about it and I hadn't even tried to give my burdens to God. I was trying to do it all myself and let's face it, it wasn't working out so well. God spoke to me a lot this weekend and reminded me that each day presents challenges of its own. I need to come to Him every day and lay my burdens at His feet. It isn't a one-time thing, but a continual process. If I don't do this daily, I am missing out on the full and abundant life that God intends for me. I hadn't been resting in Him and I could tell because I felt emotionally, mentally, and physically exhausted. The constant battle I was fighting had taken all the energy I had. I hadn't been still before God, in fact I hadn't sat still all week. I was too busy running around like a crazy lady checking off a to-do list and worrying about problems that can't be resolved in one day. This week, I'm practicing giving up all my troubles to God and allowing Him to fill me with peace, knowing He has it under control. I am going to wipe my hands clean of the things I can't control or fix and accept that I can only do so much with the things I do have the ability to control. The Lord will fight for me; all I have to do is be still.

God can make something beautiful out of a mess. He can restore hurting relationships and rejuvenate our tired souls. He can accomplish things beyond our wildest dreams. God offers us rest, hope, peace and restoration. He will fill us up and allow us to keep going when we feel like we don't have the strength to go on...if we would only just let Him. If any of this resonates with you, I challenge you to lay all of your troubles at God's feet and just be still before Him. Relinquish that control.You might be amazed at what He can do once we finally let go. Like I said, we all have messes in our lives, but how we deal with it is really what defines us.

Life...Will You Please Just Slow Down?

If you have been wondering what's going on in my life (probably not, but you never know!), then I am here to tell you that April has been a crazy, busy month for the Gale's. We have kind of been running around like chickens with their heads cut off. I don't know if it's the spring weather, or Easter, or all of the activities culminating before we hit summer...but life has flown by these past couple of months. I know people say the older you get time seems to speed up, and I can testify that there is truth to that!

Although we have been very busy, everything is going well. Josh is finishing up his second year of seminary and only has one year to go (hallelujah!). We are still loving our church and Josh has been working so hard there. He has preached multiple times and I can say that there aren't many other moments in which I am prouder of him than when I watch him preach. I believe he is a natural. I have been at Land Rover for a year and a half and am finally settling into the routine of commuting which I started back in December. I still don't love it, but my despise-o-meter is slowly going down. Our house is finally coming together and I am so relieved. For some reason, I was very intimidated at the thought of decorating our house and putting each room together. I'm not quite sure why. Isn't this every girl's dream?! Well I can say I am happy with how everything is turning out and it's been easier/more fun than I anticipated. I am also going to do a House Tour on this blog soon. Let me know if anyone would be interested in that? My domestic skills (ahm...cooking) have majorly improved! I have been cooking more and more and I rarely reuse a recipe. I have been trying different things and making meals that are out of my comfort zone. So far I haven't burned the house down and Josh has only turned down one of my creations...which is impressive if you know how picky he is!

Summer is right around the corner and don't be fooled into thinking that we will slow down any, in fact, between a new Bible study, youth group trips, our mission trip to Costa Rica, and more work and school...we will be filled to the brim! (If you don't know much about our Costa Rica trip, please visit http://www.gofundme.com/JOSHANDBRITTANYTOCR to find out more! I am also going to do a blog post about this trip specifically before and after our visit. I will be sure to share the details and photos with you all.)

Well I think that is it for now. Life is moving quickly, but I'm thankful that at the end of each day, I go to bed happy and content with where I am. As trite as this phrase is, I am seriously blessed. God has taught me more about flexibility and going with the flow this year, and I am trying to put it to use. (I'm getting a lot of practice.) I'll leave you with some of our family Easter photos and April favorites.

My family -- I love this photo more than words can say...and also because of Cedric's goofy expression.

 

My love...so thankful for this guy and proud of all he has accomplished this year. We treated ourselves to new Easter outfits this year (we never buy clothes for ourselves) and it was a nice treat.

 

                            Easter Sunday with my mom after church. 

         My brother came home for Easter weekend! We loved having him.

 

 

 Announcing our trip to Costa Rica this summer...we are excited! (We even made a fun video.)

Our trip to the zoo -- Josh had never been to the Atlanta Zoo and I felt like this was unacceptable, so I took him on a surprise date there!
 

I'm still coaching 3 year old soccer each week and I absolutely love it. At this age, it has nothing to do with skill (which is why they let me coach), but it is more about team work and patience with the young learners. They are the funniest kids and so sweet! They have the best manners and are so pure with their words (truly saying exactly what they are thinking). I love seeing them encourage each other and give each other high fives after scoring goals. It's truly the 1 hour each week that I do something for myself. It may seem like it's for them, but really, I know I get so much more out of it!

My Week In Pictures

Good afternoon and happy Monday! Sadly, it is no longer the weekend and we are entering into a brand new week. Last week had its ups and downs, but overall, I survived! I wanted to share parts of my week with not only words, but also pictures. We all know that many times pictures capture certain emotions that words lack.

Iron Infusion

The week started off a little scary because I had an iron infusion scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. I had recently been told I had exceptionally low iron levels and that I was also anemic. They suggested I get an iron infusion right away. I worked half a day that day trying to pretend like what was to come wasn't a big deal. For those of you who don't know, I am TERRIFIED of needles. Because I have had hypothyroidism for 14 years, I have had my blood drawn triple the amount of times as most of you, yet I still just hate needles. That fear coupled with the fact that I had been informed of all sorts of reactions I could possibly have during the procedure made me very anxious of this whole iron infusion process. I was blown away by the amount of phone calls, texts, messages, prayers, love, and encouragement I got that day. I also had 3 visitors during my 5 hours at the hospital. The nurses told me I was popular :) I was so appreciative of everyone's support and I truly believe the prayers made a difference because the procedure was flawless. Other than the fact that it took a while for it to get started, there were absolutely no complications during the procedure. I had no negative reactions and felt completely normal when I left. I consider myself lucky being that one of the side effects is anaphylactic shock. All that to say, everything went just fine and I'm very thankful! 

 

 (My husband had class all day and a paper to turn in, so I wasn't expecting him to be able to make it to my iron infusion. He surprised me and showed up despite of all his obligations. I was a happy camper when I saw his face!)

 

Relaxing Saturday
Saturday was very relaxing and we actually got to sleep in! Those who have a 9-5 type job know the joy of not setting your alarm clock on Saturday morning. Nothing quite captures the extent of relaxation that was going on in the Gale house like this photo below. We also had lunch with my mom, did our taxes, went to see the movie Noah with our youth group, finished A LOT of laundry and watched Tangled on Saturday. It was a good day. Truth be told, Saturdays just might be my favorite day of the week.

Homeowners
Last week was also filled with the new homeowner joy of getting things organized, spring cleaning if you will.  I was very motivated when we first moved in, but during the busyness of life, I lost track of all the things I needed to get done around the house. Josh and I spent about 2 hours last week just cleaning, hanging things up, putting up our new bird feeders outside, decorating and like I said, just getting things organized. We had music playing throughout the house and it was actually kind of fun. I tackled a ridiculous amount of dirty laundry over the weekend and felt like Superwoman by the time I had washed, folded, and put everything away! The accomplishment will be short lived, but I'll enjoy the "clean" feeling while it lasts. I also bought a really cute Easter wreath from Kroger, of all places. I'm trying to get my house in the Spring (cleaning) and Easter spirit! :)

 

Chef Brittany

Not sure if any of you remember, but my goal for 2014 was to learn to cook. I am proud to report that after 3 months, I have definitely improved! I am continually making new things and actually cooking as opposed to microwaving all my meals. I have one happy husband, that's for sure! This week I made a few different things including Hobo's, gluten-free brownies and crockpot buffalo chicken. They were all a success and I figured I would include the recipe for crockpot buffalo chicken since it turned out so well.

 

http://thefrugalgirls.com/2013/09/crockpot-buffalo-chicken-recipe.html

 

 

I think that about wraps it up for this week! Although life has its challenges, I find that when I review my week the good outweighs the bad (every time). I feel like I'm in a really good place right now in my life and I'm just so thankful for all the awesome support I have around me. Until next time!

 

LETTING GO

It's interesting to me that lessons meant for children or youth, always hit me harder as an adult. The kids may walk away learning nothing, but I find myself touched and intrigued by the simplicity of the message.  This happens often during our youth group. My husband is the youth pastor and the funny thing is that because of our busy lives, we rarely discuss what will be happening at youth group beforehand. I usually don't know what he will be speaking about and I hear it all for the first time with everyone else. Our simple talks with the youth tend to resonate with me more so than any complex teaching I ever receive.

This week we talked about God's promises. Josh taught us about the concept of a covenant or an agreement that God makes with us. Of course, there are times when we don't uphold our end of the bargain, but He remains true in His promises to us always. He never fails to keep His end of the deal. Knowing that, we then looked at the commitments He had made to us throughout scripture. Among the plethora of promises God has made to us, we found one that particularly stuck out because of the New Year. God says to us, "See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland."  In these verses, He is showing us that if we just let go of the past, He will do a new thing within us. He desires that for us, not to be stuck in the past but to give us a future full of hope. He wants us to be excited about what is to come! God wants to carve a new path for us, if only we would let Him.

 

I've heard this verse many times, but as someone who struggles with letting things go and moving forward, it convicts me each time I hear it. I had a wonderful 2013, but it wasn't perfect. Like anyone, I made some mistakes and bad choices. I held onto grudges and fears. I struggled to forgive when others had wronged me. I would definitely say 2013 was a pruning year for me, where God showed me areas of my life that needed work and slowly began molding me into the wife, daughter, friend, co-worker, etc. that He has called me to be. He showed me the things I needed to let go of: selfishness, pride, irritability, anger, self-consciousness, not trusting, anxiousness...just to name a few. I had to learn some of these lessons the hard way and anyone who has ever felt the Lord trimming away their problem areas knows it isn't easy. It was a year filled with growth, but I still have a long way to go. Too often we put our focus on the past and on all these things I've listed from my 2013 that I'm not too proud of. There is nothing we can do about the events that have already passed, yet Satan loves to torture us with them. The past can preoccupy our minds, but nothing about it will ever change. It's a pointless battle that we need to retreat from.

I take this verse as a challenge for this year. God is holding His hand out to me, to all of us, asking us to let go of what is currently in our hands occupying our time and energy and put that weight down, so that we can grab ahold of Him and what He has for us in 2014. To symbolize this, our youth group lit sky lanterns and released them to show everyone including ourselves that we are putting the past behind us and embracing everything that we are trusting the Lord to do in the New Year. It was one of the coolest things I've ever done and it was very meaningful for all of us. We didn't let them go individually, but all together. We are in this together. Here's to 2014 and the great things that we know are to come!

A Little R&R

Last week was one of the busiest weeks of my life. I had something going on every night and was barely sleeping trying to fit it all in. Needless to say by Friday night, I actually had to take a nap at 7pm because I just couldn't keep my eyes open any longer. Tired and irritable probably described me pretty well by the end of the week. I had taken no time to rest throughout the week and it showed.

Saturday, we had our Gale Family Christmas and it was lots of fun! A day filled with family, kids, food, presents and giving. My favorite part of the day was when we went around to different people in the community who were going through a rough time or who didn't have much family to spend time with during the holidays and we gave them a tin of goodies, an ornament, and a Christmas card. We also sang Christmas carols to them upon request. It was a great reminder that the Christmas season is not only about getting but more importantly about giving. It was a good way to refocus after a chaotic week. We enjoyed our visit to Irwinton although it was very short. We were only there 12 hours and didn't get home till 2am because we wanted to stay down there as long as possible.

I was completely wiped Sunday morning after my hectic week and long Saturday. So on Sunday, I did something that I rarely do. I took a break. I am always doing something and going somewhere. I never slow down, stop, and rest. It was so great doing almost nothing yesterday. I slept in, did a devotional with Josh, rested on the couch and watched movies, took a nap, went through some boxes, finished Christmas presents and folded laundry. All things that were very low key and that needed to be done, but I was never home long enough to do them. It was amazing what a little rest and relaxation did for me. I felt renewed and refreshed while getting up this morning, ready for a new week!

My day of rest was such a good reminder of what I need to be doing more often. I make a conscious effort to get everything else done in my life, but I never make an effort to take the time to relax. I am slowly realizing that it doesn't mean I am lazy or being unproductive with my time. Rest is good for the body and good for the soul. If I want to get everything done on my To Do List, it is necessary for me to slow down. It's so easy to get caught up in the hustle bustle of the holiday season, and when that happens, it is especially important to get away. Josh and I spent some time yesterday reading the Christmas story with no phones, computers or TV on. All we had were the glowing lights of our tree and the beautiful words of Jesus' birth to focus on. In that moment, I understood why it was so important for Jesus himself to get away sometimes. The silence, the stillness and the time to focus on what really matters is so much more fulfilling than staying busy ever could be.

Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28

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?

Glimpses

Another week has come and gone! I can't believe September is already halfway over and fall is finally in the air. Although in Georgia, summer could be back at any moment. Let's just be honest!

Time is flying (like always) and I want to take the time to reflect back on the moments throughout my week. Life is really just thousands of moments strung together, some big and some small, but each significant in its own way. I’ve always loved the quote, “Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” It’s a good reminder that life isn’t always about big, mountain top experiences. What really defines our lives are the little, day-to-day things. Those are the memories that we will keep forever. I like the fact that I'll be able to look back on each weekly blog and be reminded all of the great memories that made up the weeks of my life. I want to remember the specifics. I don't just want to breeze through without taking the time to be grateful. It's important to remember where I have been, where I am, and where I am going.

God has worked in some really cool ways in my life recently. Things are changing, for the better. I am being challenged. I am digging deeper. I am learning to give more of myself. I am working for a bigger, much better cause than the eye can see.

Here are some glimpses into my life this week:

1. The first week of girl’s Bible study was wonderful – the fact that God can bring all different types of women together who are seeking one common purpose is amazing. I’m so excited for what is to come with the group!

2. We are studying the book “Feminine Appeal” by Carolyn Mahaney and the emphasis is learning how to be a Godly woman, Godly wife, and Godly mother. It has challenged me to dig deeper into learning about each of these roles and to focus on being that Godly woman and wife each day. It has allowed me to really dissect what I believe about each of these roles and has opened up conversation within my marriage of what these roles should look like in our home (and vise versa).

3. A hardcore teeth cleaning at the dentist (ouch!) that resulted in me being cavity free – it’s still just as exciting as it was when I was a child!

4. Two naps this week – always a good thing.

5. Apple cider k-cups - perfect start to fall in our house.

6. Going on a walk with my mom and Cedric

7. Catching up with my Aunt Judy who lives in Arizona is always a treat – I am blessed by our relationship and friendship that we have recently cultivated.

8. Wednesday night church supper and girl’s youth Bible study – I am challenged, but am loving being a part of the group and getting to know the girls better. We have a wonderful group of young ladies who attend!

9. Finally finishing season 2 of Once Upon A Time – success!

10. Being stuck in traffic for 3 hours with my husband that ended in us dancing and just being silly with each other. I know it’s still very early in our marriage, but I love that we can still laugh so much together. It’ corny, but I love being married to my best friend. It makes for some very entertaining and fun time together.

11. “Love Your Marriage Night” – Josh and I were able to attend and hear Randy Carlson talk about not only intentional living, but being an intentional spouse. I really enjoy getting marriage (and really just life) advice from older, wiser people. I love to learn and soak in the knowledge that they share.

12. I got my September Birchbox this week and it was a good one! I got all kinds of goodies, from nail polish and lip gloss, to Egyptian Magic Skin Cream and Green Apple face peel. I am loving trying out the new products.

13. We went our church's lip-syncing show this weekend aka "The Grammys". We had no idea to expect, but it was absolutely hilarious. Everyone dressed up and really played the part of their character well. We had many laughs.

14. Frozen yogurt bar with toppings and all at RaceTrac – who knew!

15. Cool(er) fall weather this weekend

16. Broke out the leggings yesterday – one of my favorite fall fashions.

17. Great church service and feeling like God is giving me a renewed thirst for Him. We all go through “dry” spells in our walk, but then we hit a point where we feel huge desire for Him and His presence. It’s like we just can’t get enough. I love this season of our walk.

18. The Chronicles of Narnia Bible Study that my Sunday School class is doing is awesome. I’m really loving it and learning a lot. I even volunteered to lead a book – The Voyage of the Dawn Treader!

19. Hamburgers and tater tots for Sunday lunch with my family while watching the Falcons game – although I’m not a big sports fan, I love when we can all come together and enjoy each other’s company.

20. Alex and Ava’s 4th birthday!

21. Yesterday was the first day of the kid’s soccer league at our church and it was a blast! I don’t know much about soccer, but I am already in love with my little team. I find myself not worrying much about technique, but just encouraging them no matter how they perform. I also find myself talking about how adorable they are constantly – can’t help it! I am very thankful to be a part of this ministry and to be able to invest into the lives of children. Go Bluejays!

22. We had a great youth group last night with more youth than normal. They really started to open up about what they believed and why. I admire their faith and honesty at such a young age. We were learning about being “authentic” Christians which I think is a good lesson for anyone at any age. I feel challenged from the youth lessons and feel like I always learn something while I am there (funny how that works).

23. Sitting down at the end of the weekend and talking with Josh for almost an hour – just catching up on our week/weekend. I love that time we have together.

BLESSINGS

Well the long 3 day weekend has come to an end, and what a weekend it was! Filled with long work days, recovery, family time, rest, and quality time with my husband. After reflecting over the past week, I can truly say it has been wonderful and tough all wrapped up into one. Josh is still recovering from his sinus surgery and it has been a lot harder than we anticipated. I had to work the dreaded end of the month (12 hour) shift on Friday, the day after his surgery, so I had to be away from him all day. Needless to say, I was dead when I got home on Friday night.

Despite how exhausted I was when I went into the weekend, I feel renewed and ready for a new week coming out of it. Like most of us, it's so easy for me to focus on the negative in a situation. I tend to get caught up in the whirlwind of life and see the struggles rather than the blessings. One of my goals for the New Year was to focus on the positive and to make a conscious effort to see all that God has given me. So this is going to be a positive post. A reflection on the blessings during the hard times. Here it goes: 

1. We have felt so much love and support the past week during and after Josh's surgery. We were so blessed by the influx of prayers and encouragement. 

2. We have the BEST family, friends and church family!

3. We had 3 visitors on the day of surgery: our pastor, brother-in-law, and Josh's sister. Their presence helped me get through the waiting period and it was so appreciated.

4. Ticket to Ride: I am SLOWLY learning to enjoy playing board games (post-surgery fun). Josh is VERY excited about this. 

5. My father-in-law came and stayed with us Thursday and Friday night. He took care of Josh all day Friday while I was at work. We were so thankful that he was there to help!

6. I was able to get SO much sleep this weekend. Almost every time Josh slept, I ended up sleeping too. It's amazing how much better you feel after getting a few nights of good rest.

 

7. Naps. I have always LOVED naps, but rarely get to take them. Well this weekend was an exception! (I took one every day...) 

8. We had a great time visiting our Gale family this weekend. Even though there were times where Josh wasn't feeling well enough to be around everyone, we enjoyed the time we were able to spend with them. 

 9. I got to see all my nieces and nephews this weekend. I seriously love those kids. 

10. We had a peaceful drive home watching a beautiful sunset that can only be seen in the country, far away from all the city lights. 

 11. We went through Milledgeville and GCSU and I got to hear Josh reminisce over college memories. 

11. Long phone calls with my mom 

12. Lifetime movies on a rainy Labor Day morning 

13. Trips to the grocery store that aren't rushed where we actually get to go together (even though we forgot bread and milk...oops) 

14. Getting to eat lunch together 

15. Going on a long, peaceful run to unwind 

16. Discovering my inner nurse 

17. Olive Garden - enough said.

We are truly blessed! Here's to a new week with an optimistic attitude that sees the overflow of blessings we receive each day.