Saturday Suggestions

 

Happy end-of-the-first-week-of-January! How has this new calendar year been for you? Ryan and I appreciated a shorter work week since both of us had Monday off as the observed New Year’s Day. (There are perks to holidays falling on Sundays!)

Today I want to offer to you some ideas/resources/suggestions based on things I wrote about this past week on the blog. I hope you find something helpful tucked in here!

ONE. 

Last Sunday, I wrote about the wild – yet ordinary – faith I hope to live. I find that when I’m really pursuing something, it helps if I have reminders of it right in front of me. I found this water bottle from Dayspring, and it says “Faith” right on the bottle itself. I chose it because I know many of you (and I was once among you!) don’t hydrate as much as you should. The general recommendation I’ve read is that you should drink half your body weight in ounces of water every day. I do this and have found it much easier to keep track of it when I use a water bottle. I add up the ounces the bottle holds and see how many bottles I need to drink per day to equal half my weight. This bottle is 20 ounces, so it’s easy to measure. It’s glass, so you don’t have to worry about plastic-laden chemicals. It has a silicone protective sleeve over it (which is where the “Faith” inscription is located) and it has a bamboo lid. I know some people can’t take glass bottles into the workplace (schools, for example) but if you can, this is a sturdy bottle with a great message reminder stamped right on the sleeve! Remind yourself to live in wild faith while working on your hydrating health!

TWO. 

Goal setting, by default, requires documentation. The goals we don’t write down, we’re more likely to ignore, forget, or simply abandon. You can find a thousand resources out there to help you keep track of the goals you’re making this year, but I’m going to share these from the Scattered Squirrel website. I found Scattered Squirrel probably ten years ago – or more! – and I have LOVED using various resources from her site. I even interviewed her when I worked at WBCL! Everything on her site is free, by design, and she makes adorable resources. You can find planner pages, calendars, and lots of other things there, but this link will take you to her goal-setting pages. I hope this year is full of intentionality for you and that you find success in reaching the goals you set!

THREE. 

You read about our monthiversary date this week, and one of the new-to-us things we tried on that date was a hot chocolate bomb! I know they are not new in this world, but we had never had one before, and a cold January celebration felt like the perfect time to try! Now, if you have a local source that makes them, absolutely try those. I’m learning more and more the value and joy of supporting local businesses. But if you can’t find any around you, check out this site! (I found them on Etsy, initially, but they have a regular website too, which I’m linking here.) They have several flavors, including a chai version, and they are SO PRETTY! A set of two is $15.00 (plus shipping) and you can choose two different flavors if you would like. They also have a video so you can see how hot chocolate bombs work if you haven’t tried one before!

FOUR. 

Earlier this week, I shared a quick bread recipe, and I wanted to give you a link for a bread tin liner that is on my shopping list! My least favorite part of quick bread baking has always been getting the baked bread out of the tin without losing a middle chunk to the pan itself. About the middle of last year, I learned that if I lined my pan with parchment paper, I could lift the loaf right out after baking it, and that solved all my problems. But then I learned you can purchase parchment tin liners! They’re already shaped for the tin, so you don’t have strangely shaped scrap pieces of paper hanging over in the oven. At the moment, I’m still cutting parchment paper to fit my tins, but this is on my to-purchase list! (They also make them for mini loaf pans if you bake with those more often.)

FIVE.

Last summer, I had so much fun making a dessert board of fondue-dipping foods. We had our friends Jonathan and Julie over for an evening of fellowship, and we did a dessert fondue. It was delicious, but my favorite part was the board presentation. Before we knew we were going to have plans on New Year’s Eve, I had settled on making this healthier, protein-laden version of a charcuterie board. It has fruit, vegetables, cheese, and healthful dips on it. Even though we ultimately decided on a different menu plan with my friends, I still wanted to share the post that was my inspiration for the proposed board. She has some helpful tips included in her writing, so if you want to make something similar, use this as your guide! (Note: I follow a lady on Instagram who has said before that she and her husband have a simple charcuterie board as their meal every Sunday night. It’s easy and offers everything they need to have a snacky sort of meal. This could be a fun new tradition for your family, too!)

SIX. 

If you’d like to try your hand at journaling, you can obviously use any supplies you have around your home. A good, old-fashioned school notebook works just fine! But if you want a “proper” journal, this is a great one. I love writing in spiral bound journals (and planners!) because I like the flexibility of a fully open spine and pages that lay flat. I also like the option of being able to fold the book in half. This one has a hard cover, which makes for a solid surface if you’re writing in your lap. The lines are all blank, so it doesn’t require you to fill or limit you to only one page per day. There are many other cover styles you could choose, of course, but this one has a classic look to it. (And it’s on sale right now, so that’s an extra win!)

Enjoy the week, my friends! I hope you’re inspired to try something new!

Celebrating Words: The Pursuit of Journaling

 

Twenty-nine years ago, on Christmas Day, my parents gave me a blank journal. It had a puffed cover with patchwork art - featuring a cat! - and hidden on the inside were hundreds of lines waiting to receive the deep, inner thoughts of a fifteen-year-old girl.

That was the day journaling was born in my life. I started Christmas night, writing about the two dreamy men I simply couldn't decide between, wondering how in the world I could ever pick. (They made it simple for me. Neither one picked me, although both of them graciously received me as a real-life friend, even into adulthood.)

I wrote and wrote until every page was filled, and then I found more blank books and scribbled those pages full, too. I wrote dreams, prayers, fears, and most of all, the newsy happenings of every day in the halls of high school.

Sometimes I read back over a handful of pages, and I have to shake my head and laugh. Oh, the things that mattered to me so deeply back then! Bless my teenage-Bekah heart. Bless my college-Bekah heart. Bless all my Bekah-hearts.

Along the way, I found that I can type so much faster than I can write by hand, so I have moved my journaling into computer documents that I print out and house alongside my treasured books of yore.

I know that some of the pages I write will never be seen again. I would have to read for hours every day to read back through every word I have written over twenty-nine years. (And truthfully, some of those seasons were painful in real time. I don't think I want to revisit them - even if just for reading over what took place.)

If that's the case, why even bother journaling? Why spend the time to put words on paper or screen? Why invest time and materials to spew words that will be hidden for the rest of time?

For me, the joy of journaling is found both in relieving the tension in my brain that comes from its sheer fullness and in the things I learn as the thoughts leave my mind and find their way into print. 

The words build up in my mind and stretch inside my skull until they have to leave. They have to go somewhere, or I fear my mind will explode. Journaling offers a place of safe release for the thoughts that have to go somewhere so new thoughts can be born.

I don't always even understand what I'm feeling until I see it come out of my mind in the words of my journal. I've learned so much about my life, my God, and myself just by seeing my thoughts in print. That gift is priceless to me and worth every bit of the journaling.

Of course, I understand that I'm a writer and you may not find the same delight in words. The joy of writing may not be something that matters to you. But as we start this new year, I urge you to try some journaling. Dare to value your thoughts enough to transcribe them! What if you discovered it really is a passion you didn't even know you had?

If you don't know where to start, you can search on Pinterest for journal prompts. Many bloggers have made lists of ideas for journal fodder. Some are monthly lists that stay close to seasons and holidays. Others are topical prompts, so you could pick something that matters to you at this time. (Even though I've journaled for way over half my life, I still tried journal prompts and timed writing last summer just to do something different. It was a great exercise that I thoroughly enjoyed!)

Our words matter. Our thoughts matter. If you want to try something new in this new year, why not spend some time in the pursuit of journaling? You probably already have the materials, you can do it in the warmth, coziness, and solitude of your home, and you just might find you really love it!

The Celebration Continues: 121 Months

 

We've had people ask if we plan to continue the monthiversary tradition into this second decade of marriage. Yes! Absolutely! It has been one of our favorite things, and we see no need to discontinue it just because we probably can't claim newlywed status any longer. 

This week marked 121 months of marriage, and I was so excited to see it fall on a holiday for us. (Since New Year's Day landed on Sunday, both of us had Monday off work, and that was our monthiversary!)

Ryan had a handful of projects to work on at the lake house, so he went over there for the bulk of the day, and I stayed home to knock out a separate handful of projects while I had the freedom to do so. (I'm still adjusting to being back to work full time!)

One of the things Ryan and I are working to institute together is a daily workout. We are still completely off track from months of losing control of our schedule. It feels one hundred kinds of cliche to declare a workout resolution on January 1, but we did, and we are. (Of course, January 1 was a Sabbath, so our first day was January 2!) So the moment Ryan got home from the lake house, we both changed into workout clothes and got busy on week one, day one. We look less than thrilled to begin, but we wanted to get through it and have dinner!

Why do workouts always start with leg day?

Thirty minutes later, we were done in ALL the ways, and I declared to Ryan that he would need to plant me in my work chair Tuesday morning, because I knew I wouldn't be able to move.

We made our way into the kitchen to have dinner. I'd made a taco skillet with rice, and it was so very colorful and delicious!

Our initial plan had been to watch a movie and drink our first ever hot cocoa bombs, but alas, we couldn't find a good movie. It had been a heavy-hearted sort of day for both of us, so we wanted to watch something funny, and we just couldn't find anything that looked good. We finally gave up and had a heart-to-heart talk instead. I told Ryan it reminded me of our dating days when we would turn on a movie at one of our houses and then proceed to talk all the way through the movie instead.

We decided later that a good talk was better than a movie anyway. The whole point of a date or a monthiversary is to continue strengthening our relationship. We did that so much better through sharing our words and hearts than we ever could have giggling over a movie.

We did have the hot cocoa bombs, and they were as much fun as I imagined they might be. (Even better? They were gifts! I had already planned to purchase some for this date night, but some friends of ours gifted these to us, and that made them taste even better, I'm convinced!) We sipped on those while we watched an episode of Mad About You, and it provided just the perfect amount of comedy for us.

After that, Ryan switched to football, and we came upon the heartbreaking happenings in the Bills/Bengals game. I couldn't even wrap my mind around what I saw. I don't have words to further elaborate on that. So very, very hard to see.

At the end of the day, we concluded that while it may not have been the best representation of either of us individually, it was still a good monthiversary. (And how is it that only one month ago, we were in Florida enjoying a sunset cruise?) I was thankful for the time we did get to spend together on this dreary January day, and I was thankful for the good heart-talks we shared!

(And hot cocoa bombs may be my new favorite thing. I want to try them all now.)

Healthful Banana Bread

 

While this has never been a recipe/foodie blog, I do love recipes (and food!) and have shared some of my favorites with you throughout my blogging career. Last year, I had a few people ask if I ever planned to share recipes again, and the answer is...yes! 

We'll start today with this one: Healthful Banana Bread!

In truth, I've spent the last several months really evaluating how I view food and how to have a healthy relationship with it. That is, I'm sure, a separate conversation for a separate time. But the short version is that I'm learning to strike a balance between rules and freedom with what I eat and how much I consume. It's a classroom I'll be in for the rest of my life, I know, but I recognize that I'm becoming a better student, and I celebrate that.

One of the lessons I'm learning is how to diminish my dependence on desserts, but I also recognize that both Ryan and I enjoy and appreciate sweet treats. Toward the end of last year, as I tried to wean myself off overindulging, Ryan survived on packages of off-brand sandwich cookies. Understandably, he grew bored with processed cookies, and I missed baking for us.

A word that has helped me in this portion of my journey is the word healthful. A million recipes bear the title "healthy," but not all of them are truthful about that. (Also a separate conversation for a separate time.) So I'm working to find recipes that are healthful. The word means "conducive to good health." That is what I hope to find in the things I make and serve in our home.

I want to worry less about low-fat, low-calorie, low-carb, etc. Instead, I want to fill our kitchen with foods that fuel good health and not unhealthy addictions. I want them to be enjoyable to make and eat, but also worth it for us in our long-term daily eating.

These cold winter days (which have been plentiful here in Indiana in the last few weeks, although we seem to have a reprieve this week!) make me want to bake simply to add warmth to the house. In recent weeks, I've been searching for healthful quick bread recipes. I don't want them laden with oils and sugar, though I dearly love both. I want recipes filled with ingredients that fuel our bodies and our days, while simultaneously providing goodness and joy with their flavor. 

Fun fact: I am not a huge fan of bananas. I can't eat them on their own, because I can't handle the texture or the strong flavor. As I've gotten older, I can handle them in things like smoothies and baked goods, because the flavor and texture are masked.

We had a couple of bananas that had moved beyond the prime of life, but I hated to waste them. So I hunted for a healthful recipe that would allow me to use them while filling the house with warmth and delicious aromas and our kitchen with treats that weren't filled with processed everything. I found a winner right here!  (The photo at the beginning shows the version of the recipe I chose to use, but there are some variations in the link, so if you're interested, check it out!)

This recipe uses oat flour, which you can purchase at the store, but you can also make your own at home by blending old-fashioned oats until they have reached a very fine consistency. I use our Ninja to make oat flour (and have for several years) but I still can't get it flour-fine in there. It doesn't bother me, because everything still tastes the same. It's just a little grittier in texture than true, fine flour. Making it myself saves a good chunk of money, though, so it's worth it for me.

The addition of pumpkin pie spice in this recipe is helpful for people like me who don't love a strong banana flavor. The pumpkin pie spice goes a notch beyond mere cinnamon and gives this bread an extra pump of flavor! 

The bananas and maple syrup made the bread sweet enough to be classified as a treat without being over-the-top sweet and full of processed sugar. 

The oat flour, maple syrup, almond milk, and coconut oil used in this recipe elevate it into healthful status in my book. I've learned that people have strong opinions on ingredients, and not long ago, I read a fiercely worded post by a weight-loss advocate who feels all the ingredients I just mentioned are unnecessary, and you might as well eat the real thing, rather than mess with ingredient swaps. I don't agree with her at all, but she is as entitled to her opinion as I am to mine. I say this simply to encourage you to choose what seems important to you. For our family, trying to pick a more healthful ingredient when possible is what matters, and these things are a step in the right direction for us and the things we want for our daily diet and overall health.

I demanded much from one little loaf of bread, and it fully delivered. I thoroughly enjoyed the process of making it to share with Ryan, and the delicious aroma did not disappoint. (Ryan was gone when I made it and commented on how wonderful the house smelled when he came home.) It is full of healthful things that fuel us without sacrificing flavor or consistency. 

I also personally recommend consuming it warm with some hot coffee on the side...

Sacred New Beginnings

The new year has always mattered significantly to me, but it's also the holiday that has left me feeling the most displaced. Where did I fit in? And then after marrying Ryan, where did we fit in? It's a friend-holiday, but as we have moved from place to place throughout our marriage, we have always struggled to find a place to land for the transition from the weary familiarity of the old year to the bright possibilities of the new. 

I remember spending over an hour in a church parking lot on a still-single New Year's Eve, trying to muster up the courage to walk inside to a party where I didn't feel like I belonged. I ached to be there, but I was too scared to walk in. We've had a number of New Year's Eves since that day that have not been as dramatic in reality, but my heart has felt that same tug of war between desperately needing people to share this day and yet not feeling like we had people of our own. 

I dreaded that about this new year in a new place. I extended cautious feelers to see what people might do on New Year's Eve and how we might fit in. In fairness, I didn't try very hard, because the fear of rejection terrified me more than not having a place to go. It conjured up all the feelings (most of which are Satan's lies) that we hadn't found a place because we really didn't belong here. People might say we fit in, but when it came to the day that mattered so much to my heart, what if no one had room?

God is so good with surprises, my friends. 

Christmas evening, as I sat in Ryan's Grandma's dining room, my phone buzzed with a text. It was a new friend we'd just met about a month ago. She wondered if we had plans for New Year's, and if not, did we want to spend time together?

I could have cried! Yes! Yes, we would love to share the new year!

We scurried out to purchase a simple party hat kit, and I wrote a note to our new friends, thanking them for the gift and answer to prayer they had given us (unawares) that evening. I tucked in a couple of bookmarks I'd made for the new year, and then I set the table for four. 

It felt strange indeed to not worry about any cooking for a dinner I hosted. We had collectively decided to get Chinese takeout, and our friends had volunteered to bring dessert and sparkling grape juice. I used the time I would have been preparing for company to instead prepare a frittata for our breakfast on New Year's Day. (When the alarm went off early on Sunday, I was so very glad I did that.) 

We sat around the table and told stories of getting to know each other more, and then we moved into the living room to watch New Year's countdown festivities, tell more stories, and play games. (I didn't ask for permission to post their pictures, so you won't get to see their friendly faces in this space, but I did properly document the night for the scrapbook!)

Braeya and Lexi both loved them dearly and were so excited for extra pets and cuddles throughout the evening. (Three cheers for finding friends who love our four-legged children!)

We were all a bit on the bleary-eyed side the closer the clock ticked to midnight. We poured the sparkling grape juice and donned the party hats so we could gather around the TV and count down to 2023. We blew party horns, and Lexi barked in protest. Our new friends headed back to their home, and Ryan and I sat on the couch for a while to allow Lexi to calm down from a wildly overstimulated evening of excitement. We fell asleep with Matlock playing in the background and woke up sometime around two in the morning to officially go to bed. 

We started our New Year's Day with church, and it felt perfect and right to me. Being together with our church family, sharing communion, singing together, and diving into Psalm 91 was the perfect way to set the tone for 2023. I looked like I had been up until 2 a.m. but I was glad to be there with Ryan, worshipping the Lord!

We made a quick side trip to the lake house, and I couldn't help imagining the joy of waking up to that beautiful slightly-frozen water view next year on the first day of the year!

Perhaps the greatest joy of New Year's Day falling on a Sunday was the permission to fully rest and prepare my mind for the year to come. I read the first pages in my first 2023 reading challenge book. All of us took long naps. I cracked open the first page of my Bible study on Exodus.

We enjoyed leftover Chinese food for lunch and a deliciously tender pot roast for dinner. Football games played on TV throughout the day, and we threw occasional glances their way while we rested and read from the couch.

Before the evening ended, we looked through our memory box from the year, saving out some of the most extra special memories for the permanent memory box. This is one of my favorite traditions for New Year's Day. I found the idea on Pinterest the year before we married. We have a little box in our closet where we keep things like state park maps, wristbands, notes, coffee sleeves, and anything else that reminds us of our adventures through the year. On New Year's Day, we sift through the box, reliving the memories and moving the most tender ones to a permanent memory box. I can't wait to look through that one many years down the road and remember the pure joy we've shared.

The day felt sacred. Worship, rest, memories, and the time together made for a perfect way to start a new year. We are grateful for these sacred new beginnings and ended the day praying together for God to use us and guide our marriage in 2023!

Dreams and Goals for January 2023

 

The year I turned 30, I made a list of dreams and goals for the year - and a separate list for the decade to come. I still have that list somewhere, and I am so glad I worked so hard to be purposeful in that season of my life. In the last few years, I've learned that in this season of life, making month-to-month goals works better for me. 

January is here, and I have some dreams and goals I hope to accomplish as the month goes by.

ONE. I finally settled on my Bible study plan for this year. I went all over the board a ridiculous number of times, trying to figure out my forward path. I have loved working slowly through Genesis using the Precept USA study. My initial plan was to continue into Exodus, using Precept's study for it. Then I considered reading through the Bible in two years. Then I considered a handful of other things! I had settled on the Bible-in-two-years plan and then felt a nudge from the Lord to not do that, but rather to go on into Exodus. I am really excited to keep moving forward with the next step in history beyond where I've been invested for the past year. I don't have a timeline goal for finishing Exodus. I want to take whatever time I need to learn well. 

TWO. I've noticed that the simultaneous blessing and curse of a camera in my phone is that I rarely carry or use my "big" camera anymore. It's a blessing, because the phone is much easier to have on hand, and because I always have it, I've been able to capture things I know I would have otherwise missed. The curse of it is that I've never full learned all my DSLR camera is capable of offering. I've gotten lazy with photography, and I'd like to do better. I found this free YouTube course, and I'll start here. I may end up doing more later, but this is what I feel like I have time for right now. 

THREE. At the end of last year, my friend Julie loaned me Tsh Oxenreider's book At Home in the World, and I enjoyed reading about her year of world travels. It inspired me in my own travel planning - and in my writing, too. I actually started writing about some of our travels because of how her work inspired my heart! I would love to read another book this month, so I am starting with a book called Redemptive Compassion by Lois Tupyi. Lois just retired from a Love INC affiliate in Idaho, and I went through one of her virtual trainings on this topic last year. I have wanted to read the book and think it is a great way to kick off a new year. Ryan and I are going to study this one together, and I'm excited for that, too. I'm also going to launch into a year-long book challenge. Yesterday I started reading my first book in that challenge: Like a Winter Snow by Lindsay Harrel. I'm not sure how many books I'll get through in that list this month, but we'll see what time allows!

FOUR. For the first several years of our marriage, we were fastidious about our weekly date nights. The pandemic derailed us, WillowBridge kept us off the rails, and the combo of moving/searching for work/raising a puppy didn't help us find the rails last year. So we are determined to get back to dating regularly this year! We don't have to make it the same night every week. We don't have a schedule that permits that very well. But we can make it happen ONE of the nights out of every week! Happily, today is our 121st monthiversary, so we will make tonight a date night! 

FIVE. I am speaking at a women's retreat in March, and while that feels like a long way off, it's actually very close in the world of speaking! I know the theme the group wants to use and have already been tossing ideas around in my head. My goal for this month is to finish my outline and begin writing. 

      

Sunday Sentiments: A Wild Kind of Faith

 

Happy New Year, my friends!

Throughout 2022, I slowly crept through the book of Genesis, studying in greater depth than I ever have before, how Creation began and how God established humanity and cultivated relationships with His people. I don't say this in a boastful way, but simply as a fact: I knew Genesis quite well before I began the study. I knew the flow of the accounts and even the trivia, like Joseph's Egyptian-issued name of Zaphenath-paneah. Even so, I had much to learn, and that's exactly what I did throughout the entire year.

I studied backgrounds and cultural traditions. I discovered connections I'd never made before. But most of all, I learned these dear people, who lived out long and short lives without the benefit of history preceding them to guide their decisions. 

If you're familiar with the Bible, you might know that in the book of Hebrews (which at last year's pace, I wouldn't get to until...well..into my eighties) has a chapter that has been dubbed the "Hall of Faith." Hebrews 11 opens with the very definition of faith: the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. And then it unfolds a whole list of people who lived faith-filled lives. Most of those listed by name are the same people I studied in 2022.

As I skipped ahead to read this chapter last week, I thought through each of those accounts from Genesis.

BY FAITH, Abel offered a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain.

BY FAITH, Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death. 

BY FAITH, Noah...constructed an ark for the saving of his household.

BY FAITH, Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance.

BY FAITH, Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age.

BY FAITH, Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau.

BY FAITH, Joseph...made mention of the Exodus.

It is true! All these men and women demonstrated what I would consider tremendous faith in the face of difficult and sometimes impossible circumstances. But I also believe that each of them was, in those faith-saturated moments, simply living to the best of their ability.

Abel was just bringing before God what he knew he should. He wasn't looking to see what Cain was bringing or how either of their offerings compared. He was just worshiping God. Enoch was just living out every day with integrity. He wasn't hoping for a pass on death - or even aware it was an option. He was just walking with God. Noah didn't set out to build the world's largest structure. He just did what God told him to do. Abraham didn't worry about how the extended family would feel about his departure to unknown lands. He just went. Sarah struggled to find the news of her impending motherhood even believable, and yet she eventually wrapped her mind around the belief it could be true and ended up having a baby. Isaac fell victim to the deceit of his own son, but he held fast to the blessings he offered. Joseph lived a most unexpected life with more than his share of heartache mixed in, but he never stopped believing God was with him. Because of him, thousands of people lived through a dreadful famine - including God's covenant people. 

These people - these heroes of the faith - didn't do anything spectacular in their own eyes. they just lived. They just did the best they could to honor God, even if they sometimes did so imperfectly. And yet those very acts of faith led their names to be included among those we should strive to emulate.

This is the wild kind of faith I long to have. Wildly ordinary. Wildly consistent. Wildly obedient. 

The Saturday Six

 

It's the last Saturday Six of 2022! Today I just want to share some things I have enjoyed this year - or things you might want to try in 2023! 

One.

Ryan and I found Natalie Raynes' YouTube channel back in the pandemic, and I know I've shared about it before, but I'm sharing it again! She is a gifted pianist and shares mini-concerts of hymns nearly every week. Her life has changed quite a lot in the last year or so. She became a mama and is expecting baby #2 now! But she still plays and takes requests, and I find her videos to be calming and worshipful. I enjoy listening to them sometimes while I get ready in the morning or if I just need to have a heart reset! 

Two.

Speaking of YouTube, another channel I have latched onto in recent weeks is The Adventures of A+K. It features a young couple (and their dog!) who live in a camper van and travel all around the US (and some in Canada). I'm currently watching their recent trip to Alaska and love seeing the beautiful sights. I also learn a ton about road life from them, but even if you don't aspire to travel like they do, I think you can appreciate the beauty they share. (They do a great job with sharing footage in an interesting way.) 

Three.

I've never done a book list challenge before, but I'm going to try one in 2023. I know for sure that I won't be able to read all the books on the list, because...new job, puppy mom, moving, and all the things. But I want to try as many as I can, and I want to appreciate the push to step outside my comfort zone and read books I otherwise wouldn't be willing to try. Here is the list I used to create the framework of my challenge, if you want to try something similar! 

Four.

After I shared a few weeks ago about free online workouts I enjoyed, my friend Heather shared this one that her sister likes doing. Ryan and I tried some of them and really liked them, too! One of our favorite things is that the instructor doesn't talk all the way through it. It's just a music background, and that helps us concentrate. She has two 12-week free programs, and I see she has a third 12-week program starting in January! These are perfect to do at home if you don't have a great gym in town - or if you just don't have a gym membership in your budget. 

Five.

I actually JUST stumbled on this one a few days ago, but I think I'm going to explore it in 2023. This blogger shares daily Bible reading (NOT reading the whole Bible in a year, but a passage for each day) and a song for each day too! If you need a little boost to your main study, this might be perfect! 

Six.

Earlier this year, Ryan and I watched a season of an HGTV show that focused on old homes in America. (The oldest homes - some of the first ones built during America's earliest days.) It was fascinating to see the details and learn about why they chose some of the features they did. Old homes (for sure!) come with their own set of issues and need for improvement, but they also have amazing character. If you enjoy old homes, check out this set of the oldest homes on the market right now! 

Happy New Year, friends!!

Update on December Goals

We have nearly reached the end of December and of 2022! I wanted to check in for my own accountability to see how I did on my December goals. Here's the verdict! 

 1. Buy all the gifts! 

I had a conversation with my mom about a week and a half before Christmas. She asked if I was all ready, and I casually waved off her question with an "ehhh" and a shrug she couldn't see. "But you're always ready for Christmas!" she said. It's true. I usually am. But this year, I just couldn't get it together (kind of across the board). It especially hit the gift-giving. I think, though, I learned something about that, which might help me next year! Because my family is so scattered out, we use online shopping to ship gifts to other people close to far-away relatives so they can wrap and deliver the gifts for us. We give the kiddos in Ryan's family tickets for experiences rather than stuff. And it's all good, of course, but all those things detach me from the joy of finding and buying a gift - and wrapping it myself. I think that's what has made it so hard to feel excited about the gifts this year. Maybe I'll find a method to feel more attached to it next year. Nevertheless, I did get them purchased and distributed on time!

2. Begin my new job wholeheartedly.

The morning I began my job, I walked into the living room and explained to Ryan why every piece of my outfit was significant for the first day of my new season. I had been very intentional in every single thing I wore - clear down to the earrings. I realize the success or failure of my wardrobe has no bearing on how I do my job, but I felt it demonstrated the eagerness I had going into the first day. I've been working hard to read and learn every single thing I possibly can about the organization, this field of work, and more! I have so much to learn (like sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much to learn) but I am giving it my whole heart and then some!

3. Figure out my Bible study plan for 2023.

I figured it out. And then I second-guessed it. And then I pressed forward. And then I doubted myself again. And then I changed my mind. (Repeat about six more times.) But I do feel confident in what I am supposed to do, and I'm looking forward to it!

4. Begin scrapbooking our 10th anniversary adventures.

Scrapbook is UNDERWAY!!! I'm only a few days in, but I'm pleased with the progress I've made, given the busyness of the season. It's been fun, in these frigid, overcast days, to relive the warm sun of Florida! I've also kept up with my other scrapbooks, so I'm happy about that. 

5. Participate in Love INC adventures.

Ryan and I decorated a Christmas tree in a local contest to try to win some money for Love INC. Even though we didn't win the contest, we had a lot of fun decorating the tree - and we know it was good to have the Love INC name out there for more people to see! We also spent a morning at a local craft fair, staffing a Love INC informational table. The snack bar at the craft fair donated its proceeds from that day to Love INC, which was a much-needed blessing!

6. Make 2023 goals. 

You already saw them, so you know I did them! 

I've also worked hard to set up the logistics of our life for the month of January, so we can start meeting the goals we've set for that time frame. It's been fun to fill out new planner pages and think ahead to what's coming! :) 

How about you? Did you do well with any December goals you made?

Dreams for a New Year

If you've been reading here long, you know I prefer making monthly goals to new year's resolutions. Part of that stems from how quickly our lives seem to change. This year, nothing looks the same here in December as it looked for us in January. I feel that my year has been much more productive because I made plans a month at a time rather than a year at a time.

The same will be true for me next year. I hope we have fewer changes across the span of the year, but only God knows if that will be the case! But either way, I plan to do goals on a smaller scale, just because I know it works best for me.

Having said that, I do have some broad areas where I hope to see growth over the span of 2023. I may not know how it's all going to happen yet, but I hope to see a measure of growth and change!

Bible Study

This makes the list every year. I never want to stop growing and learning when it comes to Bible study! I have some dreams for the year in this area - and they're somewhat generic. I want to continue making daily study a priority, just like I did this year. (I saw marked improvement in my study habits this year, and that makes my heart smile.) I also have some specific areas I'd love to read more about: like the feasts of the Bible, for example. I would also love to do some study for a writing project or two as time allows! 

Marriage

As we enter this second decade, we find ourselves in new places, literally and figuratively. We still love spending time together - every bit as much as we did when we were newlyweds! We hope to find new ways to spend time together at home, in areas of service, and in adventure and exploration. We want to continue to grow as a team, learning how to encourage and challenge each other to become better people. We want to continue dating, having fun, and living the life God has called us to live!

Writing

I've started writing again MUCH more frequently since we left WillowBridge. In addition to writing this blog, I want to find ways to share words with the world. Whether I write another book or take on other forms of writing projects, I definitely want to continue becoming a better writer by writing. My heart is full and happy because I'm able to spill words more than I could for a long time. 

Reading

I filled out a year-long book challenge, and I'm already a little scared. I know I won't be able to read that many books in a year (and do all the other things on the list) but I am excited to do what I can. It's going to push me wayyyyyyyyyyyyy outside my comfort zone! 

New House

As we finish up the projects at the new house and move into the space, we want to make it home. I feel like we've been able to do this well everywhere we've lived, but we especially ache to do it at the lake. We want to fully enjoy the gift that life on the lake is, and we want to settle into this beautiful space we've spent so much time dreaming about and improving! I'm confident that no one has spent more time thinking and rethinking, configuring and reconfiguring, designing and redesigning spaces than we have! At this point, I think even we will be surprised to see how it turns out! 

Whatever Else God Has for Us!

We don't know what else God might have for us to focus on in 2023, but whatever He brings, we want to do it well! 

You've Been Quite a Year, 2022!

 

We can safely say we didn't see any part of this year coming the way it did, with the exception of bringing home a puppy. (Even that has been a far different journey in looks than we imagined, though not in a bad way.)

In January, Ryan experienced kidney stones for the first time, and he was not a fan. We were never so grateful for a slow day in the emergency room and the speedy administration of pain meds! Less than 24 hours later, we brought home Lexi and launched into the world of puppy parenting. We worked so hard to train her from the first moment we walked in the door - a goal that continues to this day! We enjoyed a staff-retreat-getaway to Pokagon State Park in northern Indiana, which was our first time to travel with Lexi. We found out she loves hiking in the snow! We rounded out the month with the WillowBridge fundraiser, where I was the keynote speaker. It was the hardest talk I've ever done in my life. I knew in my heart that our days there were numbered and baring my soul in front of a few hundred people was such a vulnerable moment!

In February, we settled into new routines with Lexi, training her, playing with her, and learning her little personality. I look back at those pictures now and remember the days of teething and leash training so vividly. She's come a long way and learned so much! We prayerfully made our official decision to leave WillowBridge and followed the Lord's leading to search in the Bluffton area for our next landing spot. We pursued new work, turned our resignation at WillowBridge, and went under contract for our new home. We began packing boxes and preparing our hearts for major change. 

In March, we spent every spare minute packing boxes. We began to step back from such an active role at WillowBridge to make room for new plans for the future that wouldn't include our presence or input. We had our goodbye party and said goodbye to the tenants (past and present) we had worked with during our time there. I spoke at a women's retreat, and we closed on our home in Bluffton. By the end of the month, we had said our final goodbyes to our church, small group, local friends, co-workers, and tenants, and we had carted all our things to our new home. Though we had interviews for new jobs, we didn't have anything lined up, so we ended the month with the beginning of a respite season that both of us needed more than we knew.

In April, we experienced something we had never known before: weeks of no work at all. Neither of us worked a paying job this month, and though that isn't an advisable life plan, we needed it. We used the time to fully settle into our new home, unpack our boxes, hang things on the walls, and begin assimilating int our new church and community. We went on more dates than we'd been able to go on in months! We were able to have our little godson stay with us for an entire week, while his mom recuperated from emergency surgery, and it was a joy to spend time investing in his life while he was there. I had more interviews, and we continued to wait on God's leading for work. And at the very end of the month, we took a quick overnight trip to the Ark Encounter - this year's destination for our annual birthday trip. We had a great time seeing that in person! (Totally recommend!)

In May, the Lord provided a job for Ryan, and he began working at Love INC as their executive director. Meanwhile, I kept working from home and searching for employment for myself! Braeya turned sixteen (and we gave her plastic car keys as a gift), and I turned older than that. :)  We hosted our first family lunch at our house, on Mother's Day, and we enjoyed getting out to walk our new neighborhood whenever it stopped raining long enough to allow for that. I also met the Bluffton fire department when our carbon monoxide detector malfunctioned. We ended the month camping out at a friends' house in Abby - which was Lexi's first time to go out in the camper! She loved it and was a natural. 

In June, Ryan began working on his own at Love INC, with the outgoing director fully entering retirement. The builders put in our yard, and landscaping, and I don't think I need to revisit my thoughts on that adventure. Most of our life was condensed to staying home to grow grass, but whenever we could sneak away, we tried. We hosted our church staff in our home (well, we weren't here, but we let them use the house) for a retreat, and I started volunteering with Love INC to help Ryan as he began to update the many things that needed rebranded! 

In July, we gave up on the yard the builder installed and replanted everything ourselves. That was a monstrous project. We went to the county fair back in our home county for the first time since before we went to WillowBridge, and it was such fun! Ryan started speaking and making appearances for Love INC, and I tagged along to arrange the information table. (Three cheers for all those years of setting up tables for WBCL and WillowBridge. I learned the skills I would need and was reminded that God wastes nothing - even in the little things!) We also met our newest nephew this month. Sweet little guy. He was born in June, but we didn't get to meet him until July.

In August, we became members at our new church, and did a number of Love INC-related events and appearances. They were fun! (And warm. Whew. Indiana heat!) The fire department came back for another false alarm on the carbon monoxide detector. (We had the first one completely replaced and the second one was apparently faulty as well. Delightful.) My family from Kansas came for a visit and we met up with the rest of my whole family for a long weekend at Shipshewana to celebrate two milestone birthdays and my parents' 68th anniversary! Ryan sang a solo at our church, we both volunteered at a women's conference held at our church, and I wrote a book proposal! 

In September, we happened upon the cutest little house on the lake and toured it a couple of times. We put in an offer and the seller accepted it! We began the process to move AGAIN! :) We both were down for several days with a nasty cold (and truly only a cold) this month, but we got well in time for me to speak at a women's retreat! Ryan went with me, and we had a wonderful time with the ladies there. Ryan had more speaking engagements for Love INC, too, so I went along with him to those. I kept looking for work, but nothing was panning out, and I also found out in September that my book proposal was not accepted. That was hard and disappointing, but I still trust the Lord with that answer! 

In October, Ryan joined the worship team rotation at church and had his first opportunity to be part of that! We celebrated my Dad's 90th birthday with a little party near their home, and I was the photographer for that. It was a fun job! :) We celebrated 10 years since our engagement, and we went to the corn maze for a fun night with our church! I found out about a new job opportunity, applied for it, and found out I got the job, all in short order. What a tremendous answer to prayer! We closed on the lake house and began working on the projects that needed to be completed before we could move in! Ryan had more speaking opportunities for Love INC, and I did some training for my volunteer work with them. 

In November, we kept working at the new house, doing what we could when we could! Ryan spoke at some more churches for Love INC, and we went to Ohio for a few days to go through Love INC training together. Ryan orchestrated a project to build a ramp for a family in need, and I orchestrated putting together his fun anniversary gift! :) Lexi turned ONE, and we threw her a proper first birthday party! Just before Thanksgiving, we left for our anniversary trip, traveling to the panhandle of Florida for the first time in our marriage. We visited cute little Wetumpka Alabama on the way and then made it to the Gulf of Mexico to enjoy warmth, sun, and sand. We saw Seaside, Florida, hiked in state parks, enjoyed sand sculptures on the beach, and rested every chance we got!

In December, we celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary - in the warmth of Florida, which is where the whole marriage story began a decade ago! We came home, returned to reality, and a I started my new job as a Grants Administrator! Ryan joined the choir at church (for Christmas) and I learned to balance full time work with full time home for the first time in a while. We continued working on the new house, trying to bring our actual moving day closer and closer! We celebrated Christmas together, and now we are looking forward to the start of a new year!

We never imagined, when the year began, that we would be in Bluffton by the end of the year, working new jobs, and settled into a new church. But God knew all of that, and He has been faithful and kind throughout all the upheaval this year! We are so thankful.