Africa Here We Come

We are just a few days out from our Africa trip, and a lot goes through your mind when you are preparing for a trip to a third world country...I hope we get there safely, do I have enough baby wipes in case we don't shower the entire time, what will our accommodations be like, should I bring an entire pharmacy in case we contract some weird illness and on and on it goes.  I was reminded a few weeks ago how far I have come in the last few years.  Some of you might have no clue what I am talking about, but in the efforts of "Let's Keep it Real Mondays" I thought I would share something a little more personal today. 

During the last 3 years I have dealt with A LOT of anxiety, fear and worry.  It spiraled out of control to the point that I could barely drive by myself, because I was afraid I would pass out.  The Lord has brought me through all of that with prayers from so many, scriptures, a very supportive husband/family and some healthy decisions like supplements and detoxing.  (Did you know that stress and anxiety will make you physically sick?)  So now you see that a trip to Africa is completely stepping out in faith.  No control, no security, and no toilets!!!  :)

Over the next 14 days I covet your prayers for us, our team and those we will meet in our travels.  A few specific areas of prayer...

• safe and smooth travels for the entire team (I am pretty nervous about all the long flights)
• team unity
• the Lord will strengthen our marriage
• I will be filled with peace and joy, not anxiety or fear
• the Lord will use us to show His love and grace
• We will come home with a true sense of contentment and that ALL of my anxiety will be broken

Thank you for your prayers!  I cannot wait to meet this sweet little face. If you follow me on Instagram, you probably saw the crazy amount of pink goodies we got her.  Have you ever shopped for someone who has virtually nothing?  Let me tell you, it is hard!  I wanted to buy everything, but at the same time I wanted the gifts to be useful and interactive.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything through prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God.  And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  Philippians 4:6-7

Let's Keep it Real Mondays: All I Need

Happy Monday Everyone!

This past week my friend shared with me an excerpt from a book she is reading called The Fruitful Wife, by Hayley DiMarco.  It was so good that I wanted to pass it on to you...

"For many years my discontentment stressed me out.  I was driven to success, but never quite attained the level I desired.  And so I was never content, always wanting more-more money more stuff, more love.  And this discontentment with life led me to busyness, worry, and joylessness.  After all, how could I be joyful when I had so much that still needed to be done? But once I took my eyes off of my lack and put them onto His abundance, I found the joy I was lacking.  Discontentment no longer robs me of my joy because, through the power of the Spirit, my definition of success has changed.  It is now a great success to me to only abide in Him, to rest and to trust that where I am is just where He wants me, and in that there is nothing but pure joy."

How good was that?  I have struggled lately with exactly what that woman was experiencing.  Our church did a sermon series a while back called Death of the American Dream.  It touched on the fact that the American dream can never truly be attained, because we always want more.  We are trying to get a better job so that we can have a bigger house,  or a nicer car in hopes that we will feel satisfied and fulfilled.  Reality is, once we get that nicer car or bigger house, we are rarely satisfied.  Instead we want more and still find ourselves filled with discontentment.  Now, I am not saying that it is bad to work hard and achieve great things, but what are your motives behind it?  I often find that my motives are self-centered.

via Lara Casey

This is a daily struggle for me, and I know that my discontentment is directly rooted in where my focus is.  No matter how many items I check off my to-do list it, will never be enough.  Only His abundance and grace is enough and like the print above says, all I need is Jesus.

Lets Keep it Real Mondays: Ironing

Remember my post two weeks ago about my tomato plant?  Well I am happy to say it is doing a little better.  My sister (who inherited my dad's green thumb) came over and gave it a little love.  I am still not convinced it will last much longer.  Truth is, I don't really like tomatoes anyways, unless they are paired with mozzarella and balsamic or fried.  :)

Enough about tomatoes, on to ironing.  I hate ironing.  I get a headache, my back hurts and I only get about 2 shirts done before I decide to quit.  I feel like a terrible wife, because my husband's closet and my closet are a wrinkled mess.  I realized that something needs to be done about my lack of ironing when Michael said, "I have the best news...there is a maid that will come and iron our clothes!  I think we should hire her."  My initial thoughts were one, we can't afford that and two, I need to start ironing now.  So I grabbed a few shirts and only got two one and a half done. ha.  Our closets are still a wrinkled mess, and I think a steamer would be a good solution.  Any recommendations on a steamer? 

the pile of laundry and ironing that is ALWAYS in our bedroom

I realize that you might be thinking...her biggest problem is that her clothes aren't ironed?!?!  That is not what I am saying at all.  The problem is that I start to feel inadequate when small things like ironing are not in order, but I have to remember GRACE NOT PERFECTION. 

via Emily Ley

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.  Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weakness, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."  2 Corinthians 12:8-9

Lets Keep it Real Mondays

Happy Monday Everyone!  I hope you had a wonderful weekend.  Sorry I have been MIA recently, but I have just had a little bit of bloggers block.

The quote above keeps running through my head, because so many times I find myself comparing my life to what everyone else is doing via blogs, Instagram, Facebook etc.  But lets be honest... social media always makes life look so much more perfect than it really is, right?  I have struggled posting on here, because I do not want you all to think my life is perfectly put together, and that I am juggling events, interior design, my etsy shop, our booth at the antique market, and painting furniture with a big grin and looking fabulous while doing it.  Truth is, most days I roll out of bed, throw on athletic clothes (that are usually covered in paint) and put my hair in a messy ponytail.  I make to-do lists, and loose them.  My desk is a disaster, and my Etsy shop has taken over my house.  Packing peanuts, boxes, tape, bubble wrap, wine glasses are EVERYWHERE!  I get overwhelmed with how much we have going on, yet I feel like I am accomplishing very little.  I doubt what I am doing at times, and wonder how I am making a difference in people's lives.      

So now that you know how crazy my life really is, I do not want this to be a blog that steals your joy, because there is a constant feeling of comparison.  I hope that you come to this blog seeking inspiration and encouragement.  

Here is a verse that I need to hang above my desk.  It is such a great reminder that the only approval we are seeking is from a God that loves us despite our imperfections.  

"For am I now seeking the approval of man or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ."  Galatians 1:10

In efforts to keep things "real" around here I am planning to do a little segment called "Lets Keep it Real Mondays."  Let's start with my tomatoes that I put on Instagram a few weeks ago...

See these beautiful tomatoes that I grew.  Truth is they were already growing on the tomato plant that I bought.  All I did was water it, and ta-da.  I have a black thumb, and I am pretty sure my tomato plant is about to croak now.  Any tips on growing tomatoes?