16 hours ago
This past fall my eight year blogging anniversary quietly passed by.
I’ve been blogging for eight years. Do you know how ancient that makes me in blog years?
I didn't start at the very beginning of blogging (there are some out there who have been blogging five years longer than me), but I remember why I started at the time. I had just gotten married, the first of my friends, and I wanted to connect with other young married women. Since there were none in my immediate circle, I turned to the world wide web.
Back then, that’s why people blogged - just to connect. And we wrote about silly things. Much of it was neither profound nor pinnable. It was glorious.
I remember, after a year of blogging, telling my mom how I had 20 followers now, and I hoped I wouldn’t get much more than that, because if my blog grew too big, how would I reciprocate by reading and commenting on more than 20 blogs every day? Everything about that sentence tells you how blogging has changed.
I remember when it started to change - it was the year I had Gwen, and all of a sudden there was a crop of brand-new bloggers, and with them came change. Their blogs grew rapidly, companies started sponsoring posts, and before we all knew it, blogging purely to share your life became no longer relevant. It’s nice that your child started walking, but how many pageviews did you get last week? It’s nice that you went on vacation, but when was the last time you got a sponsored post? It’s nice that you want to share what you’ve learned while mothering, but why don’t you turn it into a link-up?
(Do you see the time that I am publishing this? That’s because I wrote it in the parking lot while waiting for a doctor’s appointment, and I published it as soon as I could connect to wi-fi after I finished writing it. I didn’t schedule it for tomorrow morning. I’m posting on Tuesday, the slowest day of the blogging week. I didn’t even take time to create a highly clickable post title, or create a pinnable image! Do you know how many modern blogging rules I am breaking with this post?)
Adapt or die, that’s the survival of the fittest rule, and it seemed to apply to blogging. Those who had no desire to adapt to this new blogging scheme slowly petered out. And those who did adapt lost something.
I want to bring it back. Just a little.
I want to tell you I bought a Christmas graphic tee. I’m tempted to turn it into a mini series about how to style a Christmas graphic tee, and I might. But why can’t I first just tell you I bought a fun t-shirt that I like?
I want to tell you that this fall I helped to host a women’s Bible study at church. Four months have gone by and I’m just now telling you that. I want to tell you how fun and encouraging it was, I want to tell you about the quirky ladies. I want to tell you about how I had to quit, and how one of the ladies gave me a Starbucks gift card as a farewell present (bless her, just bless her, she knows I need my caffeine!). I want to tell you all this without having to turn it into a “Ten Reasons You Should Join A Bible Study”, or some such impersonal silliness.
I want to tell you about how I had the kids packed up, and I walked out the door this morning to a chorus of muffled howls coming from the car because I took too long to get the kids their Pop-tarts (our breakfast-on-the-go of choice). How I felt slightly bad before I broke out laughing because it was so cute and ridiculous. And there is really no way to turn that into a post either pinnable or clickable, but I want to share it, these little bits of life.
So let’s do this again, shall we? Let’s take some time to share bits of life and a cup of tea on a Tuesday. See you at the same time next week.
(Or not, because I am going to be wild and crazy and not schedule a post ahead of time! Just check back sometime on Tuesday and I’ll have something up.)
What I’m Drinking: Dirty Chai tea from Celestial Seasonings, mixed with a hot chocolate packet. It is delicious.
Also note: This spur-of-the-moment post prompted by Cassidy's post on blogging like the old days. I'm not the only one who misses it.
Update: Please read this blog post on more about how we lost old-fashioned blogging, and how to get it back!
Update: Please read this blog post on more about how we lost old-fashioned blogging, and how to get it back!
(Note: This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® & Armor All but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #ArmorAllGiftPack http://my-disclosur.es/OBsst)
I've been realizing lately that I need to show my gratitude for my husband a little bit more.
There are so many things that Derek does for our family. He works hard to provide for us, which allows me to stay home with our kids. He gets up with the kids every Saturday morning and feeds them breakfast while I sleep in. He spends time reading a book to the kids every night. He is a good man, a man who is committed to his family, and a man who stays.
That's not something that should be taken for granted in a world like ours, where those last three things are not easy to find.
I've been trying to think of little things I can do for Derek to let him know that I've been thinking about him. It doesn't have to be anything big, but just small things to show him that I see him, that I see what he does for our family every day, and that I know that he's a catch. I want to spoil him a bit more with everyday luxuries.
I know many of you are married to good men too - and even if you aren't married I would hope for you that you have a dad, brother, or other man in your life who is there when you need them. Can I encourage you to expend a little effort to let them know that you see what they do every day and are thankful for them? It's an especially fun time of year to think of fun surprises with Christmas right around the corner!
And that leads my to a little suggestion, if you aren't sure where to start spoiling the man in your life...start with his car!
You can find the Armor All Car Care Gift Pack in the automotive center at Walmart (that's where I got mine - and I've even got a coupon for you! Take advantage of the $3 off digital coupon offer for the Armor All Car Care Gift Pack from Walmart, while supplies last!
The kit is a complete car-cleaning kit, at a really great value. When I gave the Armor All Gift Pack to Derek, he opened it up and was so impressed with all the products that come with it! We were excited to try them out on his car - and he gave me a little run down on how to properly detail a car using the products in this gift pack.
So now, I pass the knowledge on to you, in case you want to take it up a notch and also surprise your man by cleaning his car for him (I didn't go that far, because Derek actually enjoys cleaning the car himself, and he is better at it than me!). What better way to spoil the men in your life with an everyday treat like a sparkling clean car?
Step One: Remove any clutter or trash from the car.
This probably goes without saying, but I'm trying to be thorough.
Step Two: Wipe down the interior glass with Armor All Glass Wipes.
These glass wipes are a no-streak, no-residue formula, which is fantastic.
Step Three: Wipe down the dashboard, upholstery, steering wheel, etc, with the Armor All Cleaning Wipes.
Can I just say how convenient these are too? I'm pretty sure Derek is going to keep these in the car for touch-ups as things get dirty on the go!
Step Four: Apply Armor All Original Protectant to dashboard, steering wheel, etc.
This keeps vinyl, rubber, and plastic surfaces shiny and clean and helps prevent cracking, discoloration, or premature aging! It's the finishing touch.
Step Five: Vacuum the floor and seats.
Derek does this after cleaning the dash so he can vacuum up any dust or crumbs that might fall on the floor.
Step Six: Wash the exterior of the car with the Armor All Wash and Wax.
This stuff washes and waxes in one step, and the Armor All Car Care Gift Pack even includes a sponge and microfiber cloth that are easy on the surface of your car, so you don't even have to worry about buying those seperately! This product helps protect the surface of your car and keeps it shiny. Derek tells me the waxing helps dirt and water not stick as much too, which is especially useful for keeping the car shinier in the winter, with all the snow and mud.
Step Seven: Focus on the tires.
This Gift Pack comes with two tire products - the Quicksilver Wheel And Tire Cleaner, and Extreme Tire Shine Spray (which keeps your tires that rich black). I was very impressed with these products. I watched Derek clean the wheel with it, and it made it look practically brand new!
(I just noticed that Derek didn't use the microfiber cloth for the tires - I think he didn't want to ruin his brand-new cloth yet! Our tires were pretty filthy.)
Tip: The bucket included with the Armor All Car Care Gift Pack is perfect to fill with warm water for washing the exterior, especially in the winter when hoses aren't an option! Then you can store the products back in the bucket when you are done!
Derek has tried a few different car detailing products over the years, and he is really impressed with the Armor All Car Care Gift Pack and how well all the products worked! It was almost a little mini-date for us to clean his car together, but if you are trying to surprise your guy and clean his car yourself, the Armor All Car Care Gift Pack has everything you need in one bucket! If your guy is like mine and likes to do the cleaning himself, this pack would make an excellent gift too! I'm keeping it in mind for my dad and brother, because this would make a great gift for them too.
The bottom line is that our guys deserve to know that they are loved and appreciated, at Christmas and all through the year. The Armor All Car Care Gift Pack is just one idea for something we could use to surprise them and let them know that they are better-than-ordinary and irreplaceable to us.
Have you ever cleaned your man's car for him? Do do other little things to show your husband (or father, brother, significant other) that you appreciate them?
I'm trying to get better at doing something special for Derek on a more regular basis, so share your ideas below!
I like dressing in the winter more than in any other season, because there are so many more layering options than other times of year. Layering adds opportunities to infuse those extra bits of style, and I still haven't figured out how to replicate it in the summer, when the warm weather means shedding layers. I love all the sweaters, cardigans, jackets, vests, scarves, boots, booties, boot socks...I could really go on, but you get the idea. I love looking through all my winter wardrobe options and seeing how I can combine my pieces in new ways!
I'm doing a little mini series for the rest of December (and maybe into January if I feel inspired) on Winter outfit ideas! Here's my first installment. A way to do Christmas-y colors without going over the top. It's perfect for any event where you want to feel festive in a not-too-obvious way! I would wear this to something like a Christmas parade or other outdoor event, because the vest and sweater combo means extra warmth.
What is your favorite season for fashion?
We have lived in this house for eight years, and I only just decorated the downstairs living room.
When we first moved here, the basement was unfinished. We took on that project when I found out I was pregnant with Wyatt, and we ran around like crazy to finish it before he was born. Still, the downstairs living room area sat unfinished for a long time because we didn't have the budget to buy a couch. In 2015 I started trying to furnish it (and was a little delayed when I found out I was pregnant with Clarice).
With our remodel this year I finally got it fully decorated (full house-reveal series is coming in January, so keep an eye out for that!), and this Christmas we bought a "downstairs tree", which makes it really feel like an official living space. A house just isn't official until it has regular decorating AND Christmas decorating, right? Anyway, it's official. We really live here now.
I decided to do a little Christmas decor tour in two parts, and this week I give you - the downstairs! I would have started with the upstairs, but I was too excited to give you all a little gift (see the end of this post!). I'll share the upstairs next week, but consider this a little sneak peek before I share our whole house in detail in January (I haven't done a home tour on the blog since 2009 - a long time).
And now for the fun part! See that print on top of our piano? A friend of mine, Jessica from Sweet Little Ones, has an Etsy shop by the same name that has all kinds of downloadable prints. Jessica is really talented and I just love her designs!
The surprise is: I teamed up with Jessica to give this "O Come Let Us Adore Him" print as a gift to all my newsletter subscribers during the month of December!
Note: If you happen to come across this post after December 2016, you can also purchase the print for a very reasonable price here.
Note: If you happen to come across this post after December 2016, you can also purchase the print for a very reasonable price here.
I so appreciate all of you who take the time to read my blog and newsletter, and I knew I wanted to send you something for a Christmas present. Jessica was so sweet to allow me to give this print to all of you! She has so many gorgeous prints, including this one, so check out Sweet Little Ones Printables!
You can sign up for my newsletter here, and I'll be sending this printable as my gift to you in the next couple days!
Merry Christmas Friends!
P.S. Swing back by the blog next week to see the rest of the Christmas tour.)
Christmas time is HERE! It's December. No one can deny it anymore!
I am right on schedule with my Christmas preparation plan this year - which means I'm pretty much done! I have a few presents left to wrap, but other than that December is looking free and clear. I am looking forward to having a little free time to do some Christmas-y things with my kiddos and to work on my personal advent traditions, because all the Christmas "have-to's" are done!
Now, you may notice that my playlist does not include any Christmas classics, like "Silent Night" or "Away In A Manger". And the reason for that is that I think we all have our own favorite versions of those classic songs. We've probably also heard about every other version of them that there is and still we prefer our favorite versions. So I'm not including any of those. All of these songs are either original Christmas songs, or very old songs that you really don't hear that much anymore.
My Christmas music style...I like clear, meaningful lyrics; catchy melodies; and maybe a smidge of twang. So this playlist includes songs from several genres, including country, pop, and indie sounds. I even have a couple songs with a gospel flair to them (just give them a try, you might like it!). In other words, don't expect a consistent musical style to this playlist.
What you CAN expect from this playlist are lyrics that are either directly about Jesus and His birth, or take the Christmas fun we all love and artfully point you back to the true meaning of Christmas. I've got fun songs and contemplative songs, and I don't guarantee that all of them are perfectly historically or theologically correct for you sticklers out there. But I do think each song in it's own way will point your thoughts back to Christ - and that's the whole point of an advent playlist, right? At least to me.
So turn on the Christmas lights, grab some hot chocolate, and enjoy these songs with whatever other advent tradition you may have! I think I'm going to listen while I enjoy coloring this Christmas coloring book.
Let the Christmas season begin!
What are some of your favorite Christ-centered Christmas songs?
(P.S. Also, don't forget to check out the photography course Black Friday deal I posted last week - it's good until tomorrow!)
What are some of your favorite Christ-centered Christmas songs?
(P.S. Also, don't forget to check out the photography course Black Friday deal I posted last week - it's good until tomorrow!)
(Affiliate links below.)
There was a time when I wanted to try to write a novel.
That was a long time ago.
I shelved the novel idea because 1) I don't have the time, and 2) I really like the idea of reading novels better than writing them. However, there is still a little part of me that is interested in the process of writing novels. I've read enough of them at this point that there is a stark difference between a novel I am just plodding through and one that really grabs me - and when I get one of the latter, I always wonder "how did the author do that?"
Well, I think I finally understand a little bit about why certain novels are more compelling, thanks to Story Genius: How To Use Brain Science To Go Beyond Outlining And Write A Riveting Novel by Lisa Cron. This book is written to aspiring novelists who are trying to really nail down their story and make it compelling. Cron takes you through the process of identifying the underlying message of your novel, finding a "what if?" that will drive your story, and developing your characters so that everything they do involves a defined past that has an effect on the protagonist's current predicament. She includes practical advice with her "Scene Card" system to help budding authors to think three-dimensionally and really layer all the aspects of their story together.
The author does go on a little side tangent in the first chapter about how stories helped us survive, evolutionary-speaking...I don't believe the theory of evolution, so I thought some of that chapter got annoying. But you could pretty much skip the first chapter and be no worse for wear.
Also be aware that there is some language in this book, including the f-word in one of the example story scenes.
I'm still not planning on writing a novel, but now I find myself reading fiction in a whole new way. It is interesting to think about past books that I've read and found really compelling, and to think about the way those authors applied some of these same concepts that Cron talks about in this book. Warning though: reading this book may ruin you for underdeveloped stories or mediocre fiction! I really enjoyed seeing the complexity behind writing a really good novel, and it makes me appreciate all the work and thought that goes into the books I read. Very interesting, and if you are not like me and actually DO want to write a novel, I think this book would be of great value to you.
Note: I received a copy of Story Genius for free in exchange for a review. This is my honest opinion.
(Note: Affiliate links below.)
It did not disappoint! The first half of this book goes through points of sound biblical doctrine that I think all Christians agree on, but the part I liked is that it also included the church history that involved each point - including past heresies, and biblically why some of the great theologians came to the conclusions they did.
A Few Negatives
This book got a little sticky here and there. The section on the different views of communion, while educational for distinguishing between different denominations, made the whole subject pretty confusing to me.
I feel like the author had a habit of lumping people together in groups, perhaps not always fairly. He used the term "dispensationalist" in a way that I have not heard before, and I don't agree with how he characterized this group. I have generally agreed with the (traditional) dispensationalist view of how to interpret Scripture, etc, but Sproul seemed to be picking on dispensationalism and contrasted dispensationalism with covenant theology. I have never heard these two terms put at odds with one another like this, and I don't think dispensationalism and covenant theology are mutually exclusive, as he seems to imply. He even says later that dispensationalists think that a person can be completely carnal and still a Christian because a new nature isn't necessarily given (in direct contradiction to Scripture) - I have never heard that and totally disagree. I may have to research more, but I grew up around people who described themselves as dispensationalists and I never heard anyone claim that, so I feel like he was being too rigid by lumping everyone together here. I have always just viewed dispensationalism as a way of interpreting Scripture literally that takes into account historical time periods; not as a complete theological system.
I also felt in reading this book that the author focused too much on intellectual arguments and quotes from the reformers - which were excellent - but I would have appreciated a greater focus on the Scriptures that back up these points as well. There was plenty of Scripture in this book, but I just wished he had connected some of the points he was making to Scripture a little more clearly.
A Brief Digression On Calvinism And Evangelism
The second part of the book focuses on the five points of Calvinism, which is where the distinguishing feature of Reformed Theology lies. This is where a lot of you may stop reading, but let me just say, I think Calvinism gets a little bit of a bad rap in Christian culture today. This book explains the five points of Calvinism very well, I thought. The truth is, I tend to agree with Calvinism, because the underlying concepts are firmly rooted in Scripture. Even the doctrine of election, the one everyone likes to argue about, is really about who enables us to believe. Is it from our own virtue and intelligence, or is it because God has stirred our hearts and given us the ability, even to believe? I think the latter is what is in line with Scripture. But I still hesitate to call myself a Calvinist, not because I disagree with any of their points necessarily, but because I think Calvinism gets a little too hung up on the intellectual and neglects the practical. There is one point that I've never heard a Calvinist explain to my satisfaction, and I wish this book would have addressed it more clearly too - and that is the matter of evangelism.
This book addressed evangelism in a cursory way by referring to the "external call", and then focusing on the Spirit's "internal call" that leads someone to salvation, but I wish it would have focused a little more on what we, as Christians, are to do as far as evangelism goes. In Scripture there is a clear call to evangelism, for Christians to tell others about the "good news" of Jesus and His sacrifice for our sins. This is a pretty vital piece to the puzzle in how someone comes to know Jesus, and Scripture doesn't minimize it's importance.
"How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”" Romans 10:14-15
I feel like Calvinism in practical terms seems to minimize the importance of evangelism, when it is clearly something we are called to in Scripture. The focus seems to always be on the point of election (which to be fair, is forced upon Calvinists because other Christians are always attacking them on this point), and I wish we could all just chill out a little and remember that God's ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. His actions do not have to make perfect sense to our little human brains, but He is always righteous and good, and He owes explanations to no one.
God told us what He needs us to know in His Word, which is truth, and it's just our job as Christians to believe His Word and do what He says, and pray and ask for clarity when something is confusing. I think there are some on the anti-Calvinist side who would do well to get back to a focus on and understanding of Scripture instead of rejecting the (biblical) concept of election outright because it doesn't jive with their own sense of justice. Our focus should ever be on Scripture because that is where the truth lies, and Christian culture today seems to be poorly lacking here. And I think there are some on the Calvinist side who would do well to stop hitting others over the head intellectually with the election concept and instead point other Christians to Scripture and pray for the Holy Spirit to make His truth clear. And we all need to recognize and remember that the concept of election has no bearing either way on the call to evangelism toward those who are still lost in their sin. Scripture makes it very clear that we are to proclaim the truth of the Gospel.
So there you go, a little opinion on the Calvinism debate. Back to the book.
Positives
This book addressed the "justice" concern of some who don't agree with Calvinism very well, better than any other piece I've read on the subject. I like this quote:
"The concept of justice incorporates all that is just. The concept of non-justice includes everything outside the concept of justice: injustice, which violates justice and is evil; and mercy, which does not violate justice and is not evil. God gives his mercy (non-justice) to some and leaves the rest to His justice. No one is treated with injustice. No one can charge that there is unrighteousness in God." pg. 187-188
I thought that explained really well why it is not correct to say God is not just when He chooses to save only some. Like I said, this book overall explains Calvinism (and Reformed Theology) better than any other book I've read. Whether you are a Calvinist, or have just been confused by any points of Calvinism in the past, I think this is a great resource if you really want to understand the beliefs of Calvinism clearly.
And as for Reformed Theology, the defining point touches on something I mentioned earlier - the distinction between unconditional election, and conditional election. Conditional election says that God calls those who He foresees will accept Him, and this is where that point gets sticky: who gives those people the ability to accept Jesus? Is it something good in themselves that allows people to accept Jesus? I'd have to say no - based on Scripture (many of the supporting Scriptures are shared in this book), it is the Holy Spirit who calls the believer and enables them to believe, and without the Holy Spirit working in us, none of us would believe. We'd go on choosing our sin. Unconditional election (which is what distinguishes Reformed Theology) says that it is nothing in ourselves that enables us to be saved, but it is by God's grace in working in us to enable us to seek Him and find Him.
In case you think that is a nit-picky distinction, you should be aware that this book is very intellectual and breaks each doctrine down to its elements, which I found very interesting, and very well done (though it perhaps falls into debating things that aren't as important here and there as well). If you have ever wanted to know more about the basics of Christian doctrine and how we get those basics, and what the Reformation was all about, pick up this book for the first half. If/when you want to learn more about where Calvinism gets it's five points, dive into the second half of this book.
I think I'll just wrap up this review with my favorite quote from this book:
"I cannot adequately explain why I came to faith in Christ, and some of my friends did not. I can only look to the glory of God's grace toward me, a grace I did not deserve then and do not deserve now." pg. 177
That's the bottom line, isn't it? For me, this book was a great reminder that it is not through any virtue of mine but only through His power and grace that I am saved, and that is a strikingly beautiful thing.
Note: I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for a review. This is my honest opinion.
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