A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet ~ Book Review

Y'all I just finished the best book! 

(A few weeks ago, but who is counting) 

I found this book and author, Sophie Hudson, as I read the Pioneer Woman's blog. 

Sophie Hudson has a blog and another book titled Home is Where My People Are (I can't wait to order and read it as well) 

I originally ordered this book, because I am from the South and I miss the South and the stories of the people. I thought this book would be a fun light hearted read, and it is, but I also cried. I had sweet memories of growing up and also a longing to be back. So many emotions wrapped into these pages. 

This book reminded me of family and friends, but also that the Lord is good and He is working in my life, and truly I need to rest in Him and His plans for our family. 

My favorite passage from the book is one that I have gone back and read over and over again since finishing the book: 

"As we share our stories with those people God has specifically ordained to walk with us on this side of eternity--and as they share their stories with us--we see the sacred in the ordinary. We see the profound in the mundane. We see the joy in the day to day. We see the hand of God writing a much bigger story--a story of rescue and redemption and hope and glory. Right here in the middle of the hilarious and the tragic and the sublime and the sad. That's just something else, isn't it?" 

Praise God for creating us as relational beings, in His image. As much as we want relationships with others He wants a relationship with us. 

So if you are looking for a good book to read this summer, then this just might be the book for you! 

(I don't have any affiliation with the author, just wanted to share this sweet book with others.) 

Gifts and a Giveaway!

I received this beautiful book in the mail the other day. 

Unwrapping the Greatest Gift A Family Celebration of Christmas by Ann Voskamp

I am not sure who sent it, though I have a couple of ideas, but that part doesn't really matter. I am sure if I was supposed to know I would. Thank you though to the person who sent it! We have only read one day from this book as a family, I have read a few more, but I look forward to using it for the rest of Advent and I am even more excited about pulling it out next Christmas and going through the entire book as a family. 

The pictures are just beautiful and hold the attention of our preschooler. 

You can get a closer look at the link under the first picture but the book has beautiful illustrations and most importantly points back to Jesus and the cross, He truly is our greatest gift this Christmas and all the time. 

So in the spirit of giving I am going to give away a copy of this book. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I have no affiliation with the author I just wanted to share the joy this book has brought to me. 

Finding Nemo ~ Being Found

Finding Nemo has always been a favorite of mine, I am pretty sure I owned the movie before I had kids. There is a scene in the movie when Nemo finds out that his dad has been searching for him, not just searching for him but enduring basically all the ocean can throw at him and he isn't giving up. At first Nemo thinks, not my dad, my dad wouldn't do that he is afraid of the ocean. When Nemo finds out that it really is his dad Marlin and that Marlin has battled sharks, escaped from angler fish, made it through a field of jelly fish, caught a ride with some sea turtles and even ends up in the belly of a whale all to find his son, Nemo is ecstatic and Nemo's hope is renewed.
I have to say that for years I have watched this part and have been saddened by the fact that my biological father didn't pursue me. He hasn't, as far as I know in the last 31 years even looked for me. This time though when we watched the movie and this scene came on I realized that God did and does. God pursues me, He fights for me and He saved me. I found joy in what used to always bring me sadness. This Thanksgiving I am so thankful for a God who saves, for a God who pursues and who sacrificed His only Son Jesus to save me from my sin.
Praise Be to God!
Happy Thanksgiving~

A Temporary Home

I am a worrier. I can't seem to stop worrying and nothing is off limits, I worry about things I have no control over and things I do. This world has so many things that seem fit to be worried about. I am pretty sure if I could have all of my groceries delivered that I wouldn't leave my house. I worry about my family, friends, terrorist attacks, disease, traffic accidents, when living in the South I worried about the weather a lot, now that I live in California I worry about earthquakes.
I could go on and on, but I really feel like the Lord has been trying to teach me that this earth is not my home, it is temporary and if I live my short time here worried then I will miss so many of His blessings. 2 Corinthians 4: 16-18 tells us "Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." The verse that I find myself dwelling on is found in the book of Psalm 27:1 "The LORD is my Light and my Salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life, whom shall I dread."
I need to live my life here in surrender to Him, living each day in His mercy and grace. He has shown me His provision, He promises to meet me  in the mess and His word is Truth and is comfort in all of the chaos.
So there it is, a thought about life on earth ~ a temporary home.

Soap Box

This blog is normally just for updating people about our little family but today I need to vent a little. 

Growing up I would dream about all the things I might want to do someday. 

Some of those jobs included: broadcast journalism, early education teacher, a mom, accountant, loan officer or work in advertising. I am thankful every day that I get to be a mom! 

The advertising aspiration began after watching a commercial that I found to be less than entertaining and I thought if that advertisement makes it then maybe I could succeed in the world of advertising. 

Here is where the soap box comes in,  I just want companies to sell me their products in the commercials on TV. I don't need to know your political views, and I especially don't need you exposing my young children or my husband for that matter to half naked women eating cheeseburgers.  We are all people who need food to eat, clothes to wear and things to buy. I understand that if you want to make money then people need to know about your product, but could you please use some decency when approving the advertisements you will put on air.

I also get so frustrated with TV commercials that are not age appropriate for the program currently being aired. One network in particular (ABC Family) will show family movies but during the commercials you see advertisements for shows that I myself wouldn't watch. How about sports, I would consider most sports to be a family friendly program. I have three boys in my house, we are going to watch a lot of sports, do I want my children seeing an advertisement for the headless horseman or any of the zombie/vampire shows that are on TV?

I know I am only one person and there isn't a whole lot that I can do, so I record as many shows as possible that we will be watching and fast forward so I don't have to see your advertisements or I change the channel.

Anyone else out there feel the same way?

One Year

Today marks the day we arrived at Woodleaf in Challenge CA to begin a new journey in life.

The Lord has taught us so many new things over the past year, many of the lessons we are still working through each day.

Here are a few we have learned or are still learning:

Patience - this is a big one - waiting to hear about the job at Woodleaf, waiting to physically move, waiting to sell a vehicle, waiting to sell our house, waiting to see the new house we would be living in and waiting to meet new people in this new place we were going. With all of this waiting came a wave of emotions, I felt as if I was on a roller coaster emotionally for most of the year. We felt called by the Lord, excitement, anticipation, fear, worry, peace and joy. 

We have also learned that we love and miss the South. 

That life isn't easy and that your heart will hurt and that you will miss the people you left. 

The Lord has also given us so many things to be thankful for:

We are so very thankful for the love and support from our family and friends. 

The encouragement that we were given as we were sent off on this journey with so much love.

 For the relationships that have continued no matter the distance.

 For a community that welcomed us with open arms.

 A place to live (we didn't know the house we were moving into - we knew the physical location but we didn't really know the size or what it looked like - we received pictures of the house the week we were packing to move).

 For neighbors (from the South) that our entire family became instant friends with. We were blessed that they showed us around our new home of Northern California. 

For our new neighbors, they help us feel young. 

For family being three short hours away.

For family and friends coming to visit us. 

For me being able to be home with MJ and Grant all the time. 

For Micah being able to come home for lunch most everyday. 

For a church that loves the Lord and preaches the Bible. 

For Bible Study Fellowship and the study of the book of Genesis and Abraham. 

Being able to see more of Gods beautiful creation from Lake Tahoe, San Francisco and the red woods. We have so much more we want to see. 

Most of all for a God who meets us where we are and who shows us His mercies anew each day! 

I just want to express gratitude to those who we love and miss. Those who are in our beloved South. We miss you, We love you and We would Love for you to come and visit!!!

Thank you to our new community for your warm welcome! We are grateful for our relationships with you and blessed that the Lord has crossed our paths.

So here's to a "new year" of growth and discovery.

Jeremiah 29:11-13
"For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart."