Updates on Dreams and Goals for October 2023

 

            October was full, fun, and beautiful. I am so grateful for this month we were able to enjoy. We packed a whole lot into 31 days and accomplished more than I ever imagined we might be able to do!

            Here’s an update on the goals I made:

Visit the corn maze. I shared this on the blog already, but it so happened that our church had a night out for the whole congregation at Steele Farms on our 11^th engagementversary, so we enjoyed being part of that! It was a perfect weather night, and we were able to wander around the maze, have a fun dinner with our church friends, and sneak in some photo opps. WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN!

Celebrate our engagementversary. See above. LOL!! We didn’t realize when we made our goals that the church’s night at the corn maze would coincide with our engagementversary, but it turned out to be a two-fer!

Walk the trail. We did this early in the month, and it was SO pretty out there. We took Lexi with us, and though it took her a second to get used to the crunching leaves, she had a blast.

Family pictures. Done! We ended up squeezing it in one of the last nice evenings, and check out this sneak peek! So cute.

Finalize Speaking Prep. I spoke at our church twice this month, and it was pure joy to get to do it. I was so grateful for all of God’s leading and nudging on the topics. They seemed to have been timely! I was also able to make two presentations in a training session at work, and even though it felt messy to me in the actual delivery, I also knew I could not have prepared harder, so I was happy with what I did. (And the feedback indicated the messy lived in my head only, so I was excited for that.)

Read some fiction. Oh, how I’ve missed it! I read Beth Moore’s novel, The undoing of Saint Silvanus, and now I’m almost done with Driftwood By  by Irene Hannon. I love Irene and I love this series. This book is not disappointing!

Other wins include…

Ryan served on the worship team at church, and he loved it. This is one of his favorite things to do, and I always enjoy watching him serve in his element. And the first Sunday I spoke at church, he also led the worship team. So proud of him!

Had some fantastic finds at thrift stores this month, including the shirt I wore for family pictures, new khaki pants, and my favorite value: a brand new winter coat for 18 bucks!

I traveled to Ohio for work several times this month and was thankful for safe travels and some good results in meetings!

I got new slippers after having them on my wish list for TWO YEARS – and they are a complete game changer. I can’t believe all I’ve been missing all this time!

I found some organizers for my desk drawer – another game changer! Our drawer is extremely shallow, so I hadn’t been able to find organizers that were short enough to fit inside. I can’t believe how much better that spot looks now!

My parents came to visit so Ryan could do some work on their phones – and we enjoyed a good afternoon with them.

So you see…it was a full and good month. We are thankful for all it included!

Date Night: Hiking the Trails!

 

Fall seems to have settled in for real around here…though I saw Colorado is having measurable snowfall, so I will happily settle for some chilly (and possibly rainy) days and nights.

            Last Friday was presumably our last nice, warm, colorful evening before the chilly part of the season arrived, and Ryan surprised me with a suggestion for a date night!

            One of the places in our general area that we hadn’t explored yet was the Loblolly Marsh Nature Preserve. We headed out on such a whim that we didn’t have time to properly research it, and we learned there is more to see than we had time (daylight) to explore, so we’ll need to go back for more. But the part we did see was SO beautiful, and the evening really perked up in beauty while we were there. It was pretty cloudy when we arrived, but the sun came out and blessed us with a stunning end to the night.

            Lexi had so much fun tagging along and enjoying ALL the free smells along the way. And I was so excited to see DEER! I managed not to completely squeal, but I did love watching them.

            Here are some of our photos from the evening. ENJOY!

Sunday Sentiments

 

What I have to say today isn’t new information – in the world or on this blog. But repetition matters, and I feel this is message worth repeating.

            This past week has been saturated with extra blessings, and I am so grateful for each one. Life over the past few months has not been difficult, and I don’t want to misrepresent and indicate that it was. But despite the many good things that have happened along the way, it’s been a challenging stretch for me, especially in my confidence. I started a new job in May, and as with any new job, there is so much to learn. I’ve thrown myself into it, working as hard as I know how to learn, but I wasn’t sure I was absorbing it as quickly as I should. As quickly as they might want me to, even.

            There have also been a lot of schedule adjustments for us. Even though I get to work remotely and that is a blessing, there are days that require travel or working late into the evening. The last time I had that as a regular part of my life was at WillowBridge, when Ryan also did the same thing at the same time. Now we work at different organizations, so our schedules don’t match.

            It’s not bad. It’s not wrong. It’s not even always hard. But it is different. It is an adjustment.

            And this week, I feel like a little floodgate of blessings just opened wide, and I’ve found myself affirmed in the very areas that felt like a struggle. I drank it in, not in a prideful way, but hopefully in a way that will spur me on to be even better in the work I do.

            It wasn’t lost on me that the majority of the affirming moments came in the form of friends simply sharing a word of encouragement here or there. It wasn’t like I won awards or finished a big assignment. I was just doing my little daily things with the same tenacity I always do them, but people paused to offer kind words.

            After my presentation at work on Wednesday, I found out one of my coworkers took time to text my boss to tell her what a great job I did. She didn't have to do that, but I appreciated that she did. My boss immediately texted me to tell me she heard great things coming out of the day and she was proud of me. She wouldn’t have had to do that, but she did.

            During our staff meeting on Thursday, a handful of my work friends sent me messages about my cute headband and said they hoped I was having a great week. They wouldn’t have had to pay a bit of attention to my little virtual meeting square, but they did, and I was grateful.

            Friday, one of the newer people on our team sent me an email telling me how much he enjoyed watching me interact in meetings and how he hopes to learn more from me about how I relate to people – in person and online. He would not have had to pause for that encouragement, but it boosted my day that he did.

            I sent messages of my own throughout the week: telling one of my work friends how adorable she looked in her new glasses, checking in on one of my team members who spoke at a retreat last weekend – just seeing how God worked, and thanking my very first ever steering committee for all they taught me about hope and perseverance during the time I worked with them.

            These words, friends, are so simple to share, but what a wildly lasting impact they can have! Say the words. If you think something kind about someone, go a step further and say the kindness out loud. Imagine if we all just kept pouring into one another like this…. what a powerful difference we could make in the hearts of those in our lives!

            We embark on a new month this week…oh how I hope you’ll take some of your “Thankful November” to thank others with words of encouragement!

Saturday Suggestions

 

This has been a WILDLY busy week for me, but I carved out enough time to find some fun things to share with you today. Hope you enjoy – and hope you have a great FINAL weekend in October. (HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE???)

ONE. 

I love those cute little fabric pumpkins, but I do not love the price tag for most of them. My goodness! I found this tutorial for making them out of socks! Much more cost effective, if you’re willing to put in a little time. (And you can pick your own sock color/pattern if you want a little different look!) I know we are on the downside of fall and many are looking ahead to Christmas décor, but we still have time for this season!

TWO. 

If you have tweens and teens in your life and need some gift ideas (or stocking stuffer inspiration), check out this post! I have to say…there are a few things on here I would enjoy having myself…and I’m not a tween or teen! There are ideas for guys and girls – so lots of options.

THREE. 

Last Sunday I told you about some of the ministers who have impacted my life. One of them, Pastor Liz, was the music minister at the church we attended in Kokomo. This week, she shared this post about her daughter, who is also an accomplished musician and teacher. What an exciting honor!

FOUR. 

This post is about recipe organization, and of course I love that, but what I love most about this is the idea of storing file folders inside a magazine holder. What a brilliant idea!

FIVE. 

Check out these cute (and simple!) napkin rings you can make for thanksgiving. A little craft paper, a simple rubber stamp, and some ink…and you’re all set. The best part? You can make a whole bunch for no extra cost!

SIX. 

Christmas is coming, and if you like to use gift tags but hate spending money on them, check out this super easy way to make your own! You can cut them from cardstock (or buy plain white) and pick whatever washi tape fits your wrapping paper theme! Add a hole punch and….done! Brilliant.

Libraries and Headbands and Puppy Faces

 

Yesterday was a long work day for me. I had meetings that ran far into the evening, but I want to share with you some of the simple joys that fit into the day despite its length.

            I had to run a work errand in the morning, and since the day was long, I decided to take a few minutes to stop at the library to pick out some new books. I took a copy of my reading challenge with me, so I would know what to look for, and I had the whole place to myself. (To be fair, they had been open a whopping three minutes when I arrived.) I wandered slowly through the aisles, perusing the shelves and making mental notes of the books I want to read beyond the challenge at hand.

            I stumbled upon a book from my list and picked it up. Then I found a second – in large print edition, which is a new version for me! Then I found a third book and thought I’d pick that one up too. When do I think I have time to read three long books? I guess we’ll find out how much I overshot it!

            Just being there among the books and choosing new adventures to explore was such a bright spot in the day!

            I arrived back at home just in time for a staff meeting, which is held virtually. I kept getting chat messages from some of my coworkers telling me how cute my headband was. Yesterday I wore a red headband because my hair was about one day past needing washed, and I didn’t know what else to do with it. But it turned out that little headband made me feel pretty cute, and I guess they thought so too!

            Before the day was over, I’d picked out an affordable headband pack to order. After all, if something as simple as some headbands can make a bad hair day cute instead, that’s a worthy investment, right?

            And at the end of my long day, I scrolled Facebook and found the cutest little puppy face on my screen. The place where Lexi was born has one pup left from its most recent litter, and if we weren’t already at capacity….

Source

            But really, isn’t a puppy face just the cutest in the world?

            Sometimes days are bad. Mine wasn’t yesterday, but sometimes they are. Sometimes the days are long. Sometimes they’re neither of those, but they’re energy-sapping.

            On any of those kinds of days, I hope you find a half hour in a library or a cute headband rescuing the hair day or a precious puppy face staring back at you. They really do boost the heart!

Gathering: Showing Simple Hospitality

 

The holidays are approaching quickly (hello, two months until Christmas!!) and that means the chance of hosting people in our homes could be increasing just as quickly. I love having guests – whether for a meal or to stay the night – but I know it can feel intimidating to some. I thought I’d share some of my favorite tips for showing simple hospitality without losing your sanity!

ONE. Remember it’s your home, not a hotel or restaurant. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to have a house that is cleaned up, picked up, and looking its best or with wanting to serve tasty meals, but there’s no need to pressure yourself to offer hotel and restaurant-level quality. Your guests probably aren’t expecting literal chocolates on their pillows or perfectly plated meals. What they are expecting is to walk into a place that feels like home and reminds them of someone they love: you! So do your best, for sure, but have realistic expectations. It will help your mind and your guests will be just as happy!

TWO. Show your guests you thought of them. Even though you don’t have to go overboard with perfectionism, it’s great to add little touches to let your friends and family know you thought of them. We keep a supply of kid stuff on hand for when our friends with kids come over. We have kid-friendly tableware, a portable booster seat, some toys, and even a pack n play, so we can accommodate their little ones easily. We keep decaf coffee pods on hand for our friends who prefer that. We also have an assortment of teabags for the non-coffee drinkers. If there are little things you know your guests enjoy, have those things on hand and let them feel that little extra bit of love.

THREE. Offer cozy touches. When we hosted small group in our home back in Kokomo, one of the girls in our group was always cold. Always. No matter how warm the house was, she was cold. So I started pulling out the electric throw blanket every time we had small group, and she knew she could count on it to keep her warm. Little cozy touches go a long way. Have throw blankets and extra pillows. Turn on some ambient lighting or light a fire in the fireplace. If someone is coming for a while, have some books or magazines ready for them – or a white noise machine in their room.

FOUR. Serve and let them serve. When people come here, Ryan and I do our best to serve them well. We seek to anticipate their needs and make them feel totally loved while they’re here. But we also want them to feel like our house is their house. If they need something and they know where we keep it, we want them to feel free to help themselves. It always makes us so happy when they feel at home enough to open a cabinet door and grab whatever they need! We try to make every visit a combination of both!

FIVE. Just be honest! When people come over to your house, give them a tour. Show them where things are located, and if there is a spot you’d prefer they leave alone, say so at the beginning to avoid any surprises. If you have any house rules, like no shoes inside or no food/drink in certain rooms, you can mention that too. (Sometimes these boundaries come across more gently if you explain why. For example…we don’t do shoes in the house, because we live in Amish country and the roads are littered with...deposits.) If you go over the important things at the start, you are unlikely to encounter awkward conversations later!

 

            ENJOY your time with friends and family this holiday season! Don’t let hospitality stress you to the point of not being able to embrace the blessing of having guests in your home.

A Little More Fun

 

I had so much fun last Friday answering questions that I decided to do a few more today! These are random, but I hope you enjoy!

What’s your favorite way to spend a day off? If we have been running ragged for days, my favorite thing to do is stay home and enjoy a day of rest by the lake – reading, writing, Pinteresting, napping etc. If life hasn’t been overly busy, I love to spend a day off exploring something new to us. We haven’t been able to do as much of that since getting Lexi, but we still love it whenever we have the chance!

What type of music are you into? Since leaving the radio station (where I was immersed in the world of music) I don’t really listen to music nearly as much. If I do listen, it’s usually piano hymns in the background while I’m cooking or working around the house.

What was the best vacation you ever took and why? Ryan and I were just talking about this the other day! We have too many favorites to actually have a favorite! We love travel so much and each of our vacations hold a special place in our hearts for a different reason. It’s like picking a favorite child. Can’t do it!

What are your hobbies, and how did you get into them? My biggest hobby is scrapbooking, and I got into it back in college – in the days of Creative Memories parties. Remember those? I went to several and learned the basics of scrapbooking. When I graduated from college, most of my friends were married and putting together their own scrapbooks of their fun marriages/new babies. I wanted something I could do that would allow me to spend time with them, and this was the answer. I am so glad I did it, because it has brought me so much joy over the years!

What was the last thing you read? The last book I read in full was The Undoing of Saint Silvanus by Beth Moore.

What was the last TV  show you binge-watched. We are currently binge-watching a documentary series on the Smithsonian channel. (We are the coolest!) It’s all about cruise ships and how they operate behind the scenes.

If you could only eat one food for the rest of your lie, what would it be? Oh man. This is tough. Pizza or burgers! It is a hard decision between the two of those. I love them equally!

Do you like going to the movies or prefer watching at home? I enjoy the experience of the theater, but I get creeped out by the filth-factor in most of them. And then there are the people who talk all the way through them. So even though we do go upon very rare occasion, we almost always watch at home.

Do you have any pet peeves? Many! Gum chewing is high on the list. People who aren’t respectful of timelines and schedules would be another. Ryan could probably name many more of mine that he hears about…they’re escaping me right now!

What activity instantly calms you? When I am super stressed out, if Ryan will slowly rub my back or my arm, it helps me calm down and breathe. I realize this is a very random thing, but it really does help!

Ideally, how would you spend your birthday? I am a big fan of taking my birthday OFF work. I like to sleep in, go do something fun (can be anything!), enjoy a good latte and meal, and spend time with Ryan!

What phone app do you use the most? Instagram, easily.

How do you take your coffee? I used to be about half creamer and a lot of sugar with a little coffee. I eliminated sugar entirely (in my coffee) years ago and am now down to a respectable amount of creamer. I would love to learn to drink it black, but I’m just not there yet.

So there you go! Some fun on this Wednesday morning. Thanks for reading along! And now…back to my cruise documentary.

Life-Giving

 

The last two Sundays, I’ve had the chance to share in our home church, and I have enjoyed it so much. It was a tremendous trust offered to me, and I did not take that lightly.

            As I stood with the microphone in hand, I thought back to my high school speech class, with twenty people or less (probably less) in it. Every time I had to give a speech, I stood behind the podium, eyes glued to the index cards five inches from my face, and my voice barely above a whisper. I’m not sure how I even passed the class, much less stayed on the honor roll. My teacher must have been even more gracious than I knew in the moment.

            I told Ryan this week that I remember writing an essay for my senior English class, in which I had to answer the question “If I could do one thing in life and be guaranteed not to fail, I would…”

            My choice was to be a pastor’s wife. Given that I had crushes on a number of aspiring young preachers in those days, it’s not odd to me that I picked it. I don’t remember now all the things I wrote about that (to me) signaled a successful life as a pastor’s wife, but I do remember my teacher’s comment written on the end of the essay.

            I have no idea where she stood in her faith, but I do believe she had eyes, ears, and sanity, so my capabilities were probably glaringly clear to her. At the end of my paper, she wrote, “Or maybe you should be the pastor!”

            Well, I’m not a pastor, but she didn’t miss the mark far on speaking in ministry. When I told Ryan this story, he stared at me with the same disbelief I also feel when I think about that moment. There was nothing about me that would lend anyone to suggest this as a career choice for me. There was nothing about me that would give great hope that I would ever speak above a whisper in the company of more than a couple of people.

            But she said it. And I laughed and shook my head.

            And then I stood in front of my church and shared the words God put on my heart.

            The opportunities to share like that are weighty responsibilities. I take each one very seriously and put so much time, effort, and prayer into them. But I cannot tell you how much I absolutely love that kind of ministry work. I really do. I love it more than I ever thought I would, and I am grateful for each moment offered. They may not be my career, but they are my passion.

            We never know how God might choose to use us. The most unlikely parts of us are sometimes exactly what He chooses!

Visitors

 

We had some visitors this weekend! After a couple of reschedules, my parents came for an afternoon to enjoy fall lake views and have Ryan work on some phone and other IT-related updates.

            We prepared for their visit by making a fresh batch of pumpkin cinnamon rolls, which were a big hit!

            Lexi was freshly home from a haircut and looked extra lovely in her grooming bandana. (Her groomer always sends her home with a new one.) She was so excited to see Dad, though I’m not sure which one of them was more excited to see the other, honestly.

            Dad had a birthday a couple of weeks ago, so we gave him his birthday gift while he was here, and Lexi helped him open it.

            It was so good to have them, and they came nearly at peak leaf time, I think. Though the morning had been rainy and cold, the afternoon was STUNNING! Not a bad view, right?