You can help make a dream come true!

I am loving my new Chloe and Isabel "Straight Shooter" necklace!  I'm wearing it with so much, it goes with everything and is so dainty and feminine!  I would like to thank my friend, Amanda, for sending it to me.  Please check out her Chloe and Isabel site.

If you want to support women and mothers in business, please consider ordering from Amanda.  She and her husband are trying to adopt a child from Taiwan. They are so excited to welcome this child home and become a forever family. What a wonderful way to support a fellow woman and mother. 

You can get a beautiful piece of jewelry for yourself and help bring Amanda one step closer to bringing their little one home!  

More thoughts on the 2014 Remix Challenge

Well, it's been 7 weeks since I started the challenge and I'm succeeding! I haven't purchased a single item. In some ways it seems like it's been a long time and in other ways, 7 weeks- ha, I'm sure many people are laughing at me!  I know women who haven't purchased themselves new clothes, shoes or accessories for YEARS!  But to me, it's a goal I am reaching and it makes me happy to have made another milestone.  

It's hard to wrote posts like these without coming off wrong or like I'm lecturing people for their spending habits. Let me just put it "on the record" to say I write these things to reflect on myself and I write them in the hope that it may help others. Many have told me they are following along with the "no buy" challenge and find reading posts of other helpful - so I continue.  But don't take anything I say as lecturing.  If you like it, and the shoe fits, wear it! 

 

The whole point of the 2014 Remix Challenge from Instagram was to shop your closet, use what you have, be creative with what you have, learn to do without and be content with what you already own.  For a minute this thought ran through my head "With all the money I save, I will be able to buy this or that..........."  Then I caught myself.  That isn't a "no buy" that's a "delayed spending" plan!  It's just a way of denying myself for a moment, then rewarding myself later - not really the point.  How would that teach me contentment?  How would that teach me to use what I have?  It wouldn't.  

Something that has hit me square in the face during this challenge is how very selfish and self-centered shopping and over-shopping is. No one wants to hear that. No one wants to admit they are selfish.  I could always justify my purchases because I was shopping without debt, and making "bargain" or "deal" purchases.  But if you look at it with an open heart, how much time do you spend on the pursuit? On the research? On the magazines? On the internet?  Hunting down that certain shirt - even to the point of calling out of state stores and calling in a favor from your Instagram buddies?  All the time spent was for ME. Fulfilling MY wants, MY wishes. It started to make me sick.  I wonder how many times when I was headed out shopping, my husband just wanted me to be home to be with him?  Help him? Encourage him?  But in his kindness and patience, he never criticized.  

Put the shoe on the other foot. How would you feel if your husband came home every day with a purchase?  A new shirt, a new golf club, new sunglasses - all bought on sale, all marked down. Would it bother you?  Would you start to think of him as selfish?  What about that special vacation you wanted to take with him - would his daily "deal" purchases take a toll on your long-term goal and would you harbor some resentment?  It's something to think about.  I know sometimes people say "we have the money" or "I'm still saving so I can spend this extra".  That's wonderful - but the focus here isn't on the money - it's on the heart.  Where is your emphasis, focus, and time spent?  You can say you love your family first and foremost, but are your actions showing you do?

Do you ever think about servant hood? I've been reading Chuck Swindoll's book "Improving Your Serve" and I must say it's an eye opener!  It's actually a hard read - to put yourself out there to be a servant is hard. So much is entailed in being a servant and it all starts with putting others before yourself and putting yourself......... last.  There are so many good works out there just waiting for someone to help, someone to care.  It would do the soul good to quit thinking of self so much and start thinking of others more.

So here's to making it almost one more month! Old Navy is making it reeeallly hard to stay strong.  That striped Walmart button down is making it hard.  That Kate Spake 75% off sale made it hard.  But guess what? That's life!  Every day there is going to be a temptation, a deal, a choice we have to make.  I'm trying to look at shopping with my long-term glasses, and meet my end goals with my daily decisions - top priority being a home in heaven.  We can do it ladies! Let's keep on keeping on!  I appreciate each and every one of you who is doing the 2014 Remix Challenge right along with me. The encouragement means so much!

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Matthew 6:21

Use it Up Challenge

I named the month of October "Use it Up, Wear it Out, Make it Do, or Do Without" month for me on my Instagram.  I would say I have just done "alright"in all areas.  Pretty mediocre for sure.  I've done the best in groceries, only purchased produce and must need items for meals. But I'm thinking and pondering and my mind is going 100 miles an hour.  

I started to read this book "To Buy or Not to Buy" by April Lane Benson. You might want to check out her website Shopaholicnomore.

I would certainly recommend this book to anyone who loves shopping. I will say, it's a hard read! (and I'm only on chapter 3!) Get ready to do some soul searching. Get ready to read hard things that describe you to a "T"!  I'm not kidding. It's a great book - pretty therapeutic actually.  There are journal exercises you do along with the book, so I'm taking it slow and digesting it all as I go.  So far the book has talked about emotions associated with shopping, why do you shop, triggers for when you shop and hard questions like "how do you want to be remembered?" and "do your values line up with your shopping habits?"  Ouch.

So for my progress, I've done much better this month.  I've found my triggers (or I always knew but just reminded myself) are sales and coupons.  I can be sold on anything if it's a good sale!  I NEED it more if it's on sale!  So I'm not looking at any sale ads or opening retailers emails.  Still, I have purchased things and have convinced myself they were "staple" items that have been on my list for months (and they were but still............come on!)

Obviously, I NEED nothing. I can be clothed for a long time to come. I'm working on putting time into more valuable things like Bible study and prayer.  I'm doing a devotional with some Instagram friends and we are helping each other along.  I'd invite anyone to email me, comment below or on my Instagram if you want to join in the daily devotional we are following on You Version.

I'd love to hear any comments on your progress or tips via the blog or my Instagram feed! 

A Broken Heart

For those of you not on my Instagram of Facebook, wanted to let you know, my dad passed away.  I have just returned home from the funeral and time spent with my family.  

My heart is broken.

I loved my Dad very much.  

The most selfless, giving, thoughtful, funny, sentimental, faithful, loyal, loving man.  He put the Kingdom first and now has gone on to his reward, in the arms of the Lord.

Use It Up Challenge for October!

I haven't written on my blog in so long I kinda forget how it works! I've been posting daily on Instagram and it just seems easier to fit in my life right now.  I am starting a challenge on Instagram for October called the Use It Up Challenge, so I wanted to post here and invite readers to take part with us! 

I did a No Spend September challenge in Instagram and failed miserably. I gave exceptions and justified Paypal purchases, which just spiraled into more spending.  Hence, Use It Up was born!  

I can't think of a single thing I NEED - can you? Really?  I have an over abundance of blessings in every area.  This challenge is designed to make me reflect and be content with what I have.  

So are you in?  You can either join on Instagram and hashtag posts #useitupchallenge - or feel free to post here or on your blog and link back.  Here we go!  

Long time gone......

Hello blog world. I have been absent for some time now and I feel completely out of the loop. I don't read my Bloglovin feed any more, I just don't have the time. I follow many of you on Instagram and I swipe through pictures when I find a minute here and there.  

My mind has been racing lately - thinking about what really matters in life, and guess what? Clothes ain't one of them!  Seriously, we have been so busy with church camp, family church camp and now this week VBS, my mind has been focused on the Bible and things eternal and it gives a whole other perspective.  I love clothes and fashion - always will. But being so involved daily in keeping up with the fashion blogging world takes too much time away from the "needful" things of life.  

I've also been spending all my spare time studying about essential oils and how they can benefit our family and help us to prevent and treat illness.  I've joined with doTERRA as a product consultant, so I can purchase the oils wholesale. It will take another whole post for me to tell you what we have learned and benefited from in the short month we have used them.  You can check out my website HERE.

I'm in a 60 day challenge with my Beachbody Team doing Shaun T's new workout Focus T25. It's great- I can totally fit it in and get a good sweat going. In week one I have lost 4 pounds and 2 inches overall. Just trying to build strength and much needed strength in my core.

Thanks to all of you who wrote to ask about my dad. He is breathing much easier and continues on hospice but comfortable.  Thanks to all for the prayers.

Life

I've been MIA as I took a whirlwind trip home.  You see, my dad is on hospice, and the nurses didn't think he was going to make it.  My siblings and I all went home (my sister lives there) to be with our dad.  As it turns out, he got over the pneumonia and pulled through. He has lung disease, so he struggles to breathe everyday.  Any little virus or bacteria make breathing nearly impossible for him.  I am so happy my friend, Naomi, used her airline benefits to fly me home in a flash.  What would we do without caring, helpful friends? I am grateful.  

It was hard to go home under these circumstances, but wonderful to be together as a family.  So many memories together.  And I pray God blesses my mother, who constantly and sacrificially cares for my ill father.  She won't even leave his side to go to the store.   She is a strong person, I've always thought so, but I still see it in action even now at her age of 77.  

Life is uncertain.  We never know when God will call us home.  We don't know why my dad is still living, when the nurses say all other patients they know in his condition, don't last.  I marvel when I look back at the changes he made upon becoming a Christian.  He gave up cursing, smoking and drinking cold turkey.  He faithfully attended all services of the church.  He worked as a greeter and organizer each service. He used his talents for the Lord.  He taught us to give. Even before we were taught the truth, dad led by example in praying at each meal, giving God thanks for our blessings, buying us Bibles and instilling in us a reverence and love for our Creator.  I always think that's why it was easy for our family to obey the Gospel once we were taught, because dad & mom taught us to respect God from an early age. 

Perhaps Dad still has more work to do on earth before he goes home to heaven.  That is our greatest comfort, knowing that we can all be together again in that Great Day. 

FAMILY