Welcome!

Well here we go, folks.  First off, welcome to my blog.  If you’ve never been here before, me either, so see? We already have so much in common, we are probably going to be best friends.

 

Here’s a little bit about me: I live in small rural community just west of Houston, TX where I grew up, graduated from High School, left and swore I’d never return, and yet happily reside with hopes of owning a home downtown; let this be a lesson to all of you, never say never.  I have an adoring, and extremely bearded husband.  Together we have a little boy who is 4 years old.  SIDEBAR: I just found out that Everett (said boy) starts Pre-K this year (meet the teacher is tomorrow night) and I am just really not ok. Send prayer.  My husband and I have been married for 5 years, 3.5 of which have been very hard, and finally year-before-last, we have found our stride.  We can talk more about that later.  I work full-time, and Hub’s is starting school on Monday for Pastoral Ministries. Oh yeah, we live in a tiny house right now.

I’ve been wanting to start a blog mainly because it is my hope that through my stories I share, you can find something in them for yourself. Maybe I will remind you of someone you are having a hard time forgiving, or maybe I will remind you of yourself?  Whatever you find here, I hope that it is good, and that it strengthens you, makes you laugh, and gives you hope.

I’ll leave you today with one thought:  We do not have to continue being the same if we are living a life where we and others around us are completely miserable. We can change. We can "control the controllables"  and practice self-care and self work, first.  I used to get so angry because I felt that my situation wasn't "fair", that my husband wasn't "this" and that my life wasn't "that".  My heart and my marriage began changing about 1.5 years ago when I finished reading “The Magnolia Story” by Chip and Joanna Gaines.  Y’all. Seriously, that book made me love my husband more- mostly because it made me realize that our differences were our strengths and it was ok that we didn’t act or think the same all the time!! What a revelation! Is my life suddenly perfect? Oh, on the contrary... If anything, this year has been one of the hardest in my life.  But, I can honestly say that I could not even imagine where I would be emotionally and spiritually without him in my life. The repairs in my life started with the cracks in myself.  I began doing the work to mend those cracks, and you know what? Things felt a lot less broken. 

You'll see below what I'm currently consuming. I’ll be recommending books and podcasts, don’t you worry your pretty little head about that, Dear Reader. 

Listening:   “Interrupted: When Jesus Wrecks your Comfortable Christianity” by Jen Hatmaker on audiobook.  “The Happy Hour with Jamey Ivey Podcast” and Sunday sermons from “Austin New Church” Podcast

Reading:  The2019 Ikea catalog.  “Whispers of Hope: 10weeks of devotional prayer” by Beth Moore