Choosing to be grateful

The weekend before Thanksgiving, I decided to bake up a batch of Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars to share with some friends we were going to be seeing the next day. I turned on the oven and pulled out all the ingredients to start putting this yumminess together. Once I had the bottom crust ready for the oven, I saw that the oven was only at 123 degrees.

There was no way this recipe was going to bake in an oven at that temperature!

So I sent a text to a neighbor, who thankfully was home and willing to let me use her oven. Meanwhile, my husband started checking into what could be the problem with the oven.

I was able to get my baking finished, but the conclusion was...the oven was not working!

Now you have to understand a couple of things...we are a 'if it can be fixed, fix it' type of family. We still have a dryer that is about 20 years old, because it works. We are probably the last family in the country who purchased a flat screen TV because our big, heavy one was still working until just a couple of months ago.

But the biggie right now for me...I love to bake!! And to not have an oven right before Thanksgiving...baking is how I survive the cold weather!!

{taking a deep breath}

However, I was not hosting Thanksgiving...

My neighbors were willing to let me borrow their ovens for the couple of items I was bringing to Thanksgiving at my sister's house...

I have other ways to prepare and cook food for my family...

Then I received a big surprise last week...I am one of about 400 people who have been selected to be part of the launch team for Kristen Welch's new book, Raising Grateful Kids. 

If I want my children to choose to be grateful, I need them to see me embrace being grateful, whatever the circumstances. 

Yes, it stinks that my oven is not working. But I have seen more joy on the faces of people who have much less than I do. And when I remember what I have been blessed to see and experience, I need to not give into my selfish tendencies and choose to live differently.

Now, I am not perfect. My ugly self rears itself more often than I would like.

But this life is a journey, and on this journey we have much to learn.

Moment by moment, we can choose to be grateful.

Breaking Up With My Books

I love books.

I love books like some women love shoes.

I love books like some women love clothes.

I love books like some women love jewelry.

I love to shop for books like some women like to shop for...I think you get the picture.

My earliest memory of my love for books was reading late at night with a flashlight when I was suppose to be asleep. When my parents took away the flashlight, I would read by the light coming in from my bedroom window.

I love the way words on a page create images in my mind.

I love the sound a new book makes when it is opened for the first time.

Over the years, I have added many, many...probably hundreds of books to our home library.

But one thing I have realized (especially after reading Kathi Lipp's book, Clutter Free), is that I have hundreds of books in my home, that frankly, I just do not love. So why am I keeping books in my home that I do not love?

I kind of like the idea of a big home library, but there are many books I have read that just really aren't my favorites. They were good books, but not ones I plan on reading again.

So, I made a decision today...I need to clear out my home library and only keep books I love.

To be honest, this is going to be one of the hardest things for me to do. When I told my husband what I am going to do, he had to ask me twice what I was going to do.

Tonight, I attacked one section of a very large bookcase in one room of our home. Basically, I put the books in two piles: did I love it and would I read it again? or did I read it and I don't think I will read it again?

I surprised myself...my love pile was smaller than the other pile...

Now to figure out how I am going to get this other pile of books to live somewhere else...

Excuse me while I go sort another shelf full of books...

Life is so unfair

We get frustrated at so many things in this life. I know I do...

Costco stopped carrying frozen orange juice concentrate

It is Monday which means I need to do laundry, meal plan, and grocery shop...again!

There are potato chip crumbs on the couch

We need a new roof and currently don't have any funds available to pay for a new one

But then, I watch a documentary like 'The True Cost', or read a book like 'Jesus, Bread, and Chocolate', or receive a letter from one of our Compassion kids...and it makes me wonder...

What about my life is so unfair?
Why do I feel I have the right to be frustrated?
How can I even try to make a difference?
I am only one person, so why should I even try to make a difference?

I understand that many of the problems in this world are really too big for any one person to tackle...

and I believe that God orchestrates and plans for each person to be on this planet at just the right time for His purpose...

So where can each one of us begin to make sense of this unfair life?

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. - James 1:2-4

Educate yourself - read up on topics that stir your heart, make your blood boil, and that you deeply care about.

Educate others - share quotes from books you read, share statistics about the impact of organizations you are involved with

Volunteer - seek out volunteer opportunities with an organization you can partner with

Yes, life is so unfair...but each one of us can use our voice and our actions to make a difference in the lives of many who are less fortunate than we are.

First Steps to a Clutter Free Life

When people come over to our home, at first glance, most things are in their place and you normally don't see a lot of clutter around.

However, once you turn the corner and see my desk...

...or the pile of magazines...

...or if you happen to be one of the very few people who get to see the dresser in our bedroom...

I am almost embarrassed to post these photos...especially this last one! Yikes! Look at all that dust! Unfortunately, these are not the only areas of clutter in my home...

But I met someone this past weekend who I believe is going to help me make those first steps to a Clutter Free Life.

Who did I meet? I can hear you asking...

I met Kathi Lipp!

Kathi was one of  the speakers at our local homeschool conference over the weekend. I had a chance to talk with her a bit on Thursday evening after I introduced myself to her as a Compassion Advocate in the area. Kathi is a speaker and writer who has recently partnered with Compassion to help more children find sponsors at her events.

She graciously gifted me with her new book 'Clutter Free' which I have practically devoured over the past couple of days. I still have about 50 pages to read, but I love her approach to identifying why we have clutter, and her three questions to help us identify what has earned a right to be in our homes.

In fact, just this morning, I had a pile of stuff to go through from VBS (yes, I know VBS was weeks ago, but I just kept procrastinating going through the stuff!) In about 15 minutes, I was able to go through two boxes and it feels so good to have it done! I am looking forward to finishing her book and taking more steps to live a more clutter free life!

“Simplify your space...take back your life.”

— Kathi Lipp

If you are struggling with clutter in your home, I encourage you to pick up a copy of Kathi's book.

Getting a bit creative

If you are following me on Instagram, you may have noticed that I have been sharing some quote images I have been creating using Canva. This is all part of an online course I am taking from Crystal Stine. This month, she has been sending out daily e-mails with an assignment for us to complete each day. The goal is that by the end of the month, we will be creating a printable to share with our own blog readers.

Since we are half way through the month, I wanted to share a couple of my favorites I have created so far:

At the beginning of May, this Creative Basics course will be available as a Kindle book for anyone to work through at their own pace. So far, I am really enjoying the pace of this course and learning how to manipulate text within Canva to make visually appealing quote images. 

Are you hoping to create some awesome social media art? I encourage you to visit Crystal's web site and learn more about her upcoming book today!