Trends I Could Do Without

While I was in So. Cal last week, I, of course, went to the mall.

We don’t have a mall here.

Wait, that’s untrue.

We do.

But it’s a very poor excuse for a mall.  So it totally doesn’t count in my book.

And my book is all that matters, right?

While at this indoor panacea of all things fabulous and amazing, I watched in horror at what many of the young ladies were wearing.

And I decided that either:

a) I’m officially old.

b) the trends really are just UGLY.  No matter how old I am.

Here are a few things I could seriously go my whole life without ever taking part in:

SKINNY JEANS

It’s just not flattering.

I saw tall, lean, perky teen girls…

and I thought “Sweetie, you have a rockin’ body…and it doesn’t even look good on YOU…that’s rough.”

And then there were the girls wearing them who, um, for lack of a better word: shouldn’t.

The ONLY time I’ve seen skinny jeans worn in a “good” way is when they are paired with a long tunic or dress.  Then they act more like leggings.

Or when you tuck them into tall boots.

But even then it’s sketchy.

And, boys…there is never, EVER, EVER an okay reason to wear them.

Ever.

BOOTY SANDALS

I mean really people???

This trend has single-handedly convinced me that women, do, in fact, dress for other women.

Because there is no way a man would see a woman wearing these and think “Man!  That chick is hot!  And she’s got a great style!”

No, he’s probably thinking:

“That chick is hot.  But maybe she has cankles….”

See, this girl is a FOOT MODEL.  And they look stupid on her.  That’s a sign that it’s not okay.

SHREDDED JEANS

Look, I’m not that old that I can’t understand that a pair of strategically torn jeans is cool.

In fact, yes, I can see there being times you actually PAY for torn jeans and they are cute.

That’s not what I’m talking about.

I’m talking about jeans that are so shredded that you are basically naked, save for a few strips of denim thread.

It’s weird, creepy, and again, unflattering.

Go Big or Go Home should not apply here.

LITTLE GIRLS WEARING HIGHLY INAPPROPRIATE SAYINGS ON THEIR SHIRTS

This one scares me.

And it makes everything seem so clear.

I have no pictures.

But things like:

I love Boys

Boy Crazy

Party Animal

Bratty Princess

Your Boyfriend is Cute

…emblazoned on their pale pink tees, all a-glitter.

I even saw one that said

“I’m the Pretty One”

Vile.

On so many levels.

I don’t know what’s worse:

-that parents BUY this stuff for their 6 year old

or

-that it actually COMES in 6 year old sizes.

Going to the mall in Los Angeles makes me tremble in fear for what the trends will be when my kids are teens.

Excuse me, I should go now.

I have to go chain them to their rooms for all of eternity.

What trends make you quake in your booty sandals???  Did I miss one?

Taming the Beast

If left to their own devices, my eyebrows would be a bushy, crazy mess.

In fact, I’d likely be rocking a unibrow.

Not good.

For much of my adult life, I plucked, cursed, waxed, and cursed.

Not ideal.

But a necessary evil.

Because I’m quite certain my husband doesn’t want to be married to a unibrowed She-Beast.

And then about 7 years ago, I discovered eyebrow threading.

Love Love Love.

Love it so much that I let my brows go, threatening to overtake my face, until I go down to Southern California to visit family.

Upon which, I almost within an hour or two of arriving, beeline to Little India (not kidding) and ask for Jodi.

Jodi remembers me.

She always asks how the kids are and comments on how I must be visiting again.

And then she gets to work.

Bobbing and weaving and plucking.

Apparently “all good Indian women know how to thread”…or so Jodi informs me when I ask her how she learned to do this.

Andy was so fascinated by this whole process that he actually came in with me and stood watching her.

His engineer brain trying to figure out how Jodi can take a simple piece of thread and using her hands and mouth, pluck each and every rogue hair.

Then we went home and he tried to do it himself.

Not okay.

I always felt like getting my brows threaded was this cool, underground, insider kind of thing.

And let me tell you, I am NEVER in the know about anything cool, underground, or otherwise insider.

None of my friends had any clue what I was talking about.

But I’m seeing it crop up in fancy schmancy salons now.

And it makes me a little sad.

I may not need Jodi anymore.

I like Jodi.

Besides, Jodi only charges me $5.99.

Jodi rocks.

So, my point is that if you see eyebrow threading available in your local posh salon, do yourself a favor and do it.

Your eyebrows will never look nicer.

For reals.

(In case you are wondering if it hurts, of course it does!  You are ripping hairs out of your face!  That’s not gonna feel good folks.  But it’s the price you gotta pay.  Unless you like the She Beast look.  Then by all means, drop it like its hot.  But it certainly hurts less than waxing, so there.)

Lu’s Shoes

When I saw these bright yellow Chucks, I knew I had to get them for Lu.

Bright, happy, fun and just a touch crazy.

That’s my LuLu.

Sometimes I wonder if I’m projecting.

You know, emphasizing the parts of her personality that I “want” her to have.

But I don’t think so.

Lucy is sweet.

She is the most loving of the three.

Wandering up and giving unexpected hugs and sloppy kisses.

But she also by far the most determined, stubborn, and just plain silly of the bunch.

I just adore this girl.

I cannot wait to see how God uses her.

And her spunkiness.

(And that shirt?  Could you die?  Miss Julie sent them for the girls’ birthday.  Perfect.)

WINNER!

Aye!

So, I completely forgot to pull a winner from the last giveaway!!!

Why don’t you people remind me of these things???!!!

This mama’s brain is mashed potatoes somedays!

Without further ado, the winner of not only the exclusive necklace handmade by Kristin‘s husband

AND

a $40 shop credit to Back40Life

is…

ANN MATTHEWS!!!!

Thank you so much for donating and playing along!

Please contact me so we can coordinate your winnings!

Recipe: Make Your Own Pizza

Friends of ours first introduced us to the whole Make Your Own Pizza thing.

This is a fun meal to make for a big-ish group.

It’s a nice change up to BBQ hot dogs and burgers.

The only downside is that you kinda have to eat in shifts.  Which is totally fine in an informal hang-y out-y kind of setting.

Now, you may be thinking: “YOU MAKE YOUR OWN DOUGH???!!! I am NOT doing that!!!”

Do not be alarmed.

I have three kids 3 and under.

You really think I’d take on something time consuming???

Okay, scratch that.

But really, this is crazy easy.

But here’s the trick: remembering to make the dough ahead of time.

It needs at least 2 hours to rise.

Don’t think you can start this at 5:45 right before your husband pulls into the driveway.

Not that I ever do dinner like that.

DOUGH:

2 3/4 to 3 3/4 cups of all purpose flour

2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast (1 package)*

1 cup warm water

1 tbls. cooking oil

1/4 tsp. salt

1.  In a large bowl, combine 1 1/4 c. flour, yeast, & salt.

2.  Add water & oil.

3.  Beat on low 30 seconds.

4.  Mix in as much of the remaining flour to make moderately stiff dough that is smooth & elastic.

5.  Divide in half.  Cover.

6.  Refrigerate 2-24 hours.

Bake decorated pizzas at 425 degrees 10-15 minutes.

(*do yourself a favor and buy yeast at costco and not in those little packages.  it is SOOOOO much cheaper.  you’ll never use it all before it expires, but it’s cheaper to buy in bulk and throw away a bunch of it, than it is for those dumb little paper pouches.)

BEST, SUPER EASY SAUCE:

15 oz. can tomato sauce

6 oz. can tomato paste

1 tbls. oregano

1 1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. paprika

Mix together.

I usually double, triple…or even quadruple the dough recipe.  People always use way more dough than you’d guess.

And I usually double the sauce.  Just because I’m neurotic about running out of stuff.

Set up a table with your dough, sauce and a rainbow of toppings:

pepperoni, ham, pineapple, bell peppers, mushrooms, olives, sausage, grilled onions, roasted garlic, goat cheese…

whatever!

The more the merrier!

Sprinkle cookie sheets with corn meal so that the dough doesn’t stick…and it gives it a nice crunchy flavor.

Make this for dinner some night this week.

Why not?

Love/Hate

I hate the beach.

Despise.

The sand.

The sticky salt water.

The sand.

The sunscreen you have to reapply.

That’s all scratchy because your hands are covered in sand.

And no matter how many times you reapply, you still go home with stinging shoulders.

The sweat.

That mixes with sunscreen and burns your eyes.

And when you try to wipe your eyes, you then get them filled with sand.

The PB&J sandwiches…sand crunching between your teeth.

The bees that threaten to crawl into your soda can.

Remembering the horror stories of that kid who took a swig of Coke and died when his throat swelled shut because a bee stung his esophagus.

(Urban Legend?  Who knows?)

Finding sand in places on your body you didn’t know you had.

Scratchy scalps.

Sand in cars.

Everywhere.

If it isn’t obvious, much of my disdain for the beach revolves around sand.

Nothing makes my skin crawl more than the image of a kid rolling around in sand.

Goosebumps just thinking about it.

Die.

And yet…I love the beach.

The funky shops filled with colorful shells.

Surf reports handwritten daily on a giant chalkboard.

Old skool style.

Old men fishing off the pier.

Seagulls staking out some poor kid’s sandwich.

Funky rusted out windows and locks alongside weathered siding.

Long wooden piers.

Perfect for representing some Laker Love.

Born and bred baby.

Wind kissed cheeks.

So, I love the beach.

And hate it.

Tell me I’m not the only one???

It’s Back!

Hey everyone,

If you were hoping to give to 99 Balloons for this week’s fundraiser, just wanted to let you know that giveforward’s site it back up and running again! What a bummer that it was down for a few days!!! :( I hate to think that people came and left without it working properly!!! UGH!

Either way, please consider giving.

We can all do a very small part to add up to big things!

*Love*

I love my sponsors.

Not just because they are helping me get to Blissdom.

But really.

I will only host a sponsor who carries items that I would buy myself.

So with that, I thought I would share with you some of my favies from their shops.

ABOVE ALL FABRIC

Coloring Garden – Sea

Did you know that at Above All Fabric, 4% of each purchase is credited back to you for use on a future purchase???!!!

And with all the delicious fabric in her shop, it would be so so so easy…almost too easy!

Her pricing?

Super competitive.

It’s a win win.

THE PLEATED POPPY

The Pleated Poppy is filled with cute stuff.

Every nook and cranny of her shop is filled with crafty goodness.

But I’m especially loving these petal drop necklaces.

AND, you can get 10% off with code LIFE.

Go! Now!  Shop!

LISA LEONARD DESIGNS

Oh, Lisa…

Pretty much anything from her is beyond perfect.

But the very fact that this necklace is her actual handwriting…

love, love, love.

SIMPLY. NATURAL.

I love me a good lip balm.

And if it comes in a pack of 10, yes 10, fab flavors.

In 10 colorful wrappers.

I’m a goner.

Done.

BLUE CORDUROY

You know those days when you just don’t have it in you to blow dry and flat iron?

Those are the days I look like a train wreck.

But I’m pretty sure that if I tucked my chaotic hair under this hat, I’d be able to be seen in public without embarassing my family.

The button.  Crazy cute.

CURLY BIRDIE

Oh. My.

I’m really not sure what to say.

Could you just DIE?

Truly.

Maria is on vacation for a bit (so I actually had to steal these images from Fab K), but get on her mailing list so she can email you when she gets back…

you really need to order a pair.

Or three.

JOY’S HOPE

Julie doesn’t sell anything.

Right this second anyway.

She kinda goes in fits and bursts with her crafty pants.

My girls have these and if I could only convince Lucy to not rip it off her head in 2.3 seconds, she would wear it every. single. day.

But in the meantime, read Julie’s blog.

It’s randomness will entertain you.

And be sure to snag a headband or two when she does make more.

They sell fast!

Happy Shopping Kids!  :)

{Matt Mooney} wrestling

I am beyond honored to have Matt Mooney guest blogging today.

I’m certain you’ve seen his YouTube video.

After all, it’s has over 3 MILLION views and counting.

If you haven’t seen it, you need to by the end of this post.

If you have seen it, I know without a doubt that you cried by the end of it.

I can go to Vegas on that.

Matt and Ginny are truly an inspiration.

And I don’t say things like that lightly.

I am in awe of their faith.

Their honesty.

Their love.

{New to this site?  Read the FAQ‘s to get an idea of what this is all about.}

*  *  *  *

“Life Rearranged”.

I like that.

It resonates with me; and yet it feels a bit too cute for me to take part.

So, I take out the red pen of my mind and begin to try and find a title that seems appropriate.

Life torn up. Life screwed up. Life left the building. The Life I never knew I wanted. Life.

I realize I cannot do any better.

And here is a sliver of the story that has rearranged all of me and continues to do so:

In the wake of Eliot’s life, my wife, Ginny, and I grappled with many foes including our grief, our faith, and our marriage. In these times, all that I thought I knew, I now questioned.

In the palatial arena of my mind, I slipped on a mask, a cape, and nylon hot pants in order to wrestle with God. My spandex outfit was not the only thing that made onlookers cringe, as I took my grievances straightway to the Father. I leapt from the turnbuckle, assuaging Him with questions including where had He gone and why was He not answering my cries for healing and life. I knew all along that I was outmatched by my opponent, but only rage emboldens more than liquor, and I kept coming.

And a strange thing happened. I lived. It seemed that God welcomed the match as He humbled Himself, allowing this child to swing away. And I, like Jacob, walked away from the ring with a limp and a blessing. The heavyweight belt I received from taking my greatest pain to Him was intimacy not answers- a paradox I explain with the following:

I know God more, and understand Him less.

Time has not healed all wounds, but the passage of time has allowed me to see God’s redemptive hand toiling to make good from the wreckage in my life. In this world, he has shown me pieces of the work He will one day finish in full- making all things new. One of the greatest evidences of His labor this side of forever has been our involvement with 99 Balloons- an organization we founded to build a community of people working with special needs children and families. The vision has grown from a local respite night to now include work on a national and international level.

If you would like to help join us in this work there are a few ways to do so. You can obviously give- because changing the world is not always free. Also, we are seeking to learn of any individuals, organizations, or churches doing great work with special needs children in the United States and beyond (info@99balloons.org).

*  *  *  *

As Matt said, the fundraiser this time around is for the foundation that he and Ginny started.

“Among the many gifts he [Eliot] brought his parents was a passion to help special needs children and their families.

99 Balloons Inc. was founded in 2007 to serve as a non-profit umbrella organization in order to fulfill this vision. rEcess was the first 99 Balloon’s initiative. The capitalized “E” in rEcess is no mistake. The Mooneys were on the receiving end of much help and assistance from others that enabled them to better care for Eliot, and that is what this night is all about- serving families in ways that help them better care for their children.”

I love that they were compelled to help others.

They are the whole POINT behind this blog.

“Life doesn’t always go as planned.  Help others anyway.”

I love that rather than wallow in their own despair (which I can imagine would be crazy easy to do), they reached out.

They lived the Gospel.

They ARE living the Gospel.

Goosebumps.

Tears.

Speechless.

Ginny has a jewelry making business called Addition.

And as always, each fundraiser hosted here at LifeRearranged is paired with a giveaway.

For every dollar you donate, you get one entry to win:

The eliot necklace.

“The design incoporates one unique, bright bead that stands out from the rest. There are 9 beads on each side to commerate his 99 days here with us.”

The more you give, the more entries you are given.

You can also enter to win by subscribing to the LifeRearranged blog and leaving a comment in THIS post letting me know you did. (1 entry)

So please…

Give.

Because it is good.

It is one way you can help.

It is one way you can support others.

It is one way you can love.

Because saving the world isn’t always free.

Love that.

I die.

Water Fun

We took the family to a water slide park nearby with our church.

We live in California, but this summer has been less than hot.

And this was evening.

And the water was COLD.

You know water is cold when even kids feel it.

So it’s a really good thing their dad is a good sport.

Because there was *no way* this mama was getting in that water.

While Lucy and Henry played in the arctic waters, Jilly and I sat and gabbed.

Well, I gabbed.

Jill just practiced looking pretty in a yellow swimsuit.

While these three splashed in the frigid wet…

eyelashes stuck together…

Mutual adoration.

Love. It.

Jilly tried desparately to catch the little baby reflected in my sunglasses.

And then we chowed on pizza.

Because water makes you hungry.

Or is that just me?

Oh wait, I didn’t even get in.

Whatever.

I’m fairly certain she found that piece on the floor somewhere.

Or stole it off someone’s unsupervised plate.

Cuz that’s how Lucy rolls.

And finally we were tired.

Warm baths.

Cozy pj’s.

Sleeping babes.

Bed Head

Jill has crazy hair.

Crazy.

First off, it’s blonde.

Which is still super weird to me.

I know my husband and his family are fair haired, but all those little dominant/recessive gene tables I did in 10th grade biology (where I met Andy for the first time!)  assured me all my kids would be brunettes.

So it still weirds me out to have this little blonde fairy flitting about.

Super strange.

Anyway…my point…did I have one?…

Oh, her hair.

It’s long and pin straight (her sister will envy her not having to flat iron every morning as teens!), and thin and wispy and…

crazy.

Add a little bit of humidity and it goes every which way.

We call it her Albert Einstein look.

Or the I-just-stuck-my-finger-in-a-socket-and-got-electrocuted look:

and no, we didn’t “style” it like this.  It just kinda does it on its own.

Sometimes only half her hair goes crazy…

So I find myself licking my hand and smooshing it down.

Total Mom Mode.

Finally, one day, cousin Nelle decided to just embrace the crazy.

Notice how Jill looks more like Nelle’s baby and not mine.

Except that Nelle’s not married.  And I’d kill her.

And we ended up with a new resemblance:

Happy Monday!

Hope you all had a great weekend!

MOB

I’m guest posting over at MOB again today.

Check it out HERE.

Happy Saturday!!!

Greasy Goodness

If you know me at all, you know I love me some food.

And my all time favorite food is typically laden in grease and salt.

Cheeseburgers, fries…be still my heart.

As we drove through the stunning towns of Napa, Sonoma & St. Helena on the way to Clearlake, Andy and I saw this tiny little burger joint…

with likely 100 people waiting in line.

“Wow.  Apparently that’s the place to eat!”

As we packed up all of our gear a week later, one of the kids said:

“Hey let’s stop at that burger place on the way back!  It was featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives!”

That would explain the throng of burger orderers.

(Is it just me or does this guy annoy the heck out of you???  I swear.  Quit being mad at your parents.  Grow up.  Stop dressing like you’re a Senior in high school.  No man over 24 should be bleaching his hair.  That’s so 1996.  Thanks.)

And so we stopped at Gott’s Roadside Diner.

Which apparently used to be called Taylor’s.

Which incidentally is a huge pet peeve of mine.

If you take over an iconic restaurant, there’s really no need to feed your ego and change the name…

especially if you are going to keep the original sign…and recipes.

Just sayin.

They had salads.  In case you were on a diet or something.

Lame.

The crew.  Deciding which greasy goodness they wanted most.

A peace sign?  Really?

The architecture in the Napa/Sonoma region is incredible.

Here was the building across the street.

Loves.

What they lacked in building they more than made up for in backyard.

Behind the tiny box of a structure was a huge grass area.

With the best red picnic tables ever.

And gorgeous canvas umbrellas.

And baby rolls on parade.

None of my babies have ever had rolls.  Except Lucy.  And I love them.

While we waited, the girls played with keys.

Because that’s totally sanitary.

And Jill modeled.

I think my husband is hot.

Carrying ten pounds of greasy love…he is transformed to smokin hot.

This is one tray.

Of two.

Because we are cows.

Sweet potato fries and onion rings.

I die.

I’m a sucker for fun sayings on random objects.

They make me happy.

And we ate every. last. bite.

I even saw someone me scrounging through the wadded up trash looking for just one more fry.

And in case you were wondering:

Yes.

It was that good.

I have dreams of the burgers.

Dreams.

Not kidding.

And while you are salivating over a burger you’d be willing pay $7 for.

Plus another $4 for fries.

And another $6 for a shake…

Would you consider giving $5 to a ministry that will help people on the other side of the globe?

That will give hope and supplies to a people who have never ever ever even dreamed of the excess of this meal?

Read Kristen‘s story.  See her pictures.  Give HERE.

Dear Henry, Lucy & Jill…

There is never a doubt in my mind of the connection the three of you have.

There are sometimes fights and hair pulling and crying over toys…

but above all else, there is a love between these siblings that brings tears to this Mama’s eys.

Most times I come to get you up for naps, I find Jilly like this:

Peering out her crib rails at her sister across the room.

Big blue eyes watching her sister jump like a monkey in her own crib.

Her sister, who positively eats up the giggling she is creating and jumps higher and faster.

The mattress creaks and groans.

I almost feel sorry for it.

The sound of two baby girls giggling.

Heaven on Earth.

Laughing, babbling and goofing around.

A connection between two girls.

Whose entire existence has been spent together.

Until Mama comes in to rescue you from your fashionably padded cells.

Oftentimes Mama will put you girls together.

Oftentimes Lucy wants none of this.

Redfaced and screaming.

No more pictures Mommy!  I want out!

Jill and her unruly bed head is happy as a clam.

Pleased with herself.

Until brother comes in wanting to get in on the action.

“Mama I play with the sisters too!”

Lucy is now done screaming.

Her knight and shining armor is here.

Tears dry up and a grin.

Henry soaks up the baby adoration.

A secret conversation.

An understanding.

Love.

Jill…annoyed.  Not pleased.

Her brother’s rambunctious-ness makes her angry.

But the annoyance is short lived.

Because deep down you love each other.

And oh my sweet Jill.  What a big girl you are!

Standing up, holding onto the railing.

You might need help getting up, but how you adore doing the things your brother and sister do.

Your progress is simply amazing.

Thank you for your sweetness.

Thank you for your relationship.

Thank you for being best friends.

Love,

Your Mama

* * *

Let’s not forget the fundraiser for this week!

Have you read Kristen‘s life changing story?

Have you given yet?

Please consider it.

You won’t even miss the money.

Promise.

Blogging for Good?

Hi!  Thanks for popping by Life.Rearranged, but I’m not home right now.

I’ve gone on a one day whirlwind blogger trip to 30 Handmade Days.

Mique is highlighting bloggers who use their blogs for good.

And, shocking she asked yours truly to guest post today!

So please, pop over to 30 Days.

Read why I started this whole Life.Rearranged thing.

And how you can use your blog for good too.

And while you’re there, click around…at all the fantastically crafty things on Mique’s blog…that I certainly have ZERO time for.

AND, be sure to bookmark her site.   Because starting NEXT WEEK she’s hosting a Giveaway Week to put other giveaway weeks to shame.

Win some handmade swag.

Actually, now that I think of it….don’t enter.

I need my odds to be better.

Kinda kidding.

Kinda.

See ya at Mique‘s!!!

Winner of the Cuteness

P.S. the winner of the $25 shop credit to The Pleated Poppy is:

Stacy L. Bosshamer!!!!

LIFE

Go forth and shop!

{Kristen Welch} i didn’t understand

Kristen is the author of the crazy popular We are THAT Family blog.

She was asked by Compassion International to travel with a team of bloggers to travel to Africa and…well…blog about it.

Not only did Kristen blog about the trip, but upon returning it has turned her world upside down.

(if you are new to this site, check out the FAQ‘s and subscribe, follow, stick around!)

* * * *

“Sometimes I would like to ask God why He allows poverty, suffering, and injustice when He could do something about it.”

“Well, why don’t you ask Him?”

“Because I’m afraid He would ask me the same question.”

(Anonymous) -a quote from A Hole in the Gospel, by Richard Stearn, President of World Vision.

I didn’t plan to go to Africa. It wasn’t a dream of mine, it didn’t take up space on my bucket list.

I didn’t want to fall in love with a far-away continent and long for a reunion.

I didn’t think I’d ever be on this journey: an isolated road with an unknown destination.

I think God used my trip to Africa to get my attention, to help refocus my life. He used the poor to shake me up and the pieces of my life have landed to form a new picture. I’m not the artist anymore. He is painting my destiny.

And because of it, my life has been rearranged.

Some excerpts from some of Kristen’s posts about her trip follow, but if you have the time, read them all HERE.  See the pictures.  Be changed.

When I sat in his closet-sized home in the middle of Africa, I couldn’t take my eyes off the pathetic interior or ignore the dripping rain on my head.

I tried to not to imagine the “community toilet” he shared with neighbors adjoined by paper-thin walls or how far he walked each way to school everyday, in the dark, both ways.

The peace on his face was undeniable and the light that radiated from his eyes filled the dark room of his orphan-led home.

I didn’t understand how he could be so content with so little. And I couldn’t stop the question, “Why are you so happy? Why aren’t you afraid?”

He looked at me as if I’d missed it entirely and said, “Because I have Jesus.”

He didn’t say anything else. It was a heavy statement. It was enough.

He was right, I had missed it. Entirely.

I equate Jesus to comfort and blessings. And when I sat in a hovel, a young boy called home, void of every comfort, I was envious of his contentment.

I returned to a lifestyle with every blessing, only wanting more.

I add Jesus like salt and pepper to a tasteless dish.

He isn’t the main course, just an extra on the side.

Jesus isn’t enough for me.

I think about my happiness that is clouded with every storm that blows into my life. I think about my happiness that is contingent upon what I have versus what I want. I think about my happiness and the strings I attach to it.

I think about a young boy who taught me more about Jesus and myself in a single sentence than my entire Bible College degree and 37 years of living.

One of the great lessons I learned in Africa: When Jesus isn’t enough, something is wrong.

I’m on a quest to make it all about Jesus. It’s easy surrounded by the comforts of my American life to melt back into the The American Way-bigger is better, more is what matters.

This is a painful journey, but more than anything, I want Him to be enough for me.

I feel more than guilt for such an easy life, accessible food, clean water and abundance. I feel aware. The blinders are gone. I can’t pretend I don’t know how the poorest of the poor live. I can’t act like there aren’t children who go to bed hungry. I can’t ignore that 30,000 children die each day from preventable causes.

I can’t stop thinking about Vincent, living as an orphan and father, in squalor. When I close my eyes at night, his face is what I see. I see him in his “home” that’s not fit for an animal.

I can see clearly that I’ve become like my culture, living for myself, my family. Wasting a lot of time and money on things that simply don’t matter to me anymore. Choosing ignorance over truth. Pretending poverty wasn’t my problem or my responsibility.

I’ve asked God to reveal a new normal, to take this personal revelation and my everyday life and mix them together, creating something entirely different. And I’ve given Him the heavy burden that comes with such a revelation. His burden is easy and His yoke is light, so it’s a pretty good exchange for me.

And true to her word, Kristen is changing things in her life.  Her kids are in on it too.

“Mom?” my daughter said, as she wiped down the countertops. “Do you know what my dream is?”

I stopped and listened. I knew this was going to be big.

“To fill our refrigerator with pictures of sponsored kids.”

I cried.

My kids get it. They really do.

Is Jesus enough for you? If your happiness, like mine, is determined by how much or how little you have or the next exciting thing in your life, can I gently remind you to return to Him? He is waiting to be enough.

* * * *

To go along with every guest’s story, I host a fundraiser of their choice.

This time, Kristen selected her twin sister’s ministry:

They have adopted a little girl from Ethiopia, and like many, were unexpectedly forever changed by the trip.

And, just for fun, every dollar you give, gives you a chance to win not one, but TWO prizes!!!!

On Valentine’s Day, weeks before Kristen traveled to Africa, her husband gave her a precious gift (hand-beaten and carved copper):

He has handcrafted another one, for a reader of this post.

($65 value and not yet available for purchase!!!)

The lucky winner will also get:

$40 shop credit to back40life!

They make the. most. beautiful. vinyl art ever.  ev.er.

I so have the perfect place in my house for this.

I die. I die.  I may have to rename one of my girls just so I can get this.

Um, pretty sure I *need* this.  Need.

Give $5, get 5 entries.  $14 = 14 entries.

You know you have $5.

Truly.

How much did you spend at Target last week?

Yeah, seriously.

The more you give, the better your chances!!!

You can also enter to win by subscribing to my blog.  Just be sure to leave me a comment in this post letting me know. (1 entry, no purchase/donation necessary).

Tubing.

I went tubing over our vacation.

Once.

I felt it for the remainder of the trip.

These old muscles just can’t take the beating any longer.

My kids, on the other hand, couldn’t get enough.

Did I say KIDS…as in plural…?

Yeah…that would be because LUCY went too.

Why am I not surprised?

And just after this picture was snapped, they spilled.

As in, the front of the tube sunk down and my one year old went under.

Completely.

Them fancy life jackets work.

In case you weren’t sure.

She popped right back up in seconds.

And she didn’t cry.

She kinda let out this annoyed grunt.

But that was all.

For reals.

She just bobbed patiently with her dad until the boat came to rescue her.

My damsel in no distress.

That chick scares me.

Only a couple of days left to donate to Compassion International and enter to win a $25 shop credit to The Pleated Poppy!

You know you want this.

Don’t even lie.

Getting it free would be even better.

Try your luck.

Donate.

Just because we reached our goal doesn’t mean we can’t keep going!

And don’t forget to come back Monday for a new guest blogger, new fundraiser and not one, but TWO prizes!!!  :)

Outstanding.

So, yesterday I wrote up this whole post about how I’m in a funk.

Nothing specific, just grumpy and annoyed.

I feel like every time I turn around I get bad news or at the very least “coulda been better” news.

And I’m tired.

Not sleepy tired.

Just mamas-worn-out-and-needs-a-day-at-the-spa tired.

And the bills from Jilly’s extravaganza have started trickling in.

And that’s just annoying.

But I didn’t publish because I thought:

“Jeannett, no one wants to read about your whining nonsense.”

So, I decided to go to Home Depot for some paint instead.

As I stood chatting with a woman about the different hues of white, she suddenly looks over and says:

“Is this your first baby?”

::blink blink::

“When are you due?”

“Um…”

“Oh!  Are you not pregnant!  I’m sorry!”

“Nope, not pregnant.”

Cool.

Perfect.

Just what I needed.

I will say that coming home to a surprise package from sweet Lisa did make me feel better.

Still fat, but better.

Thank you friend for making my day a little brighter!

You can get your own birdie necklace here.

And think of my non-pregnant self every time you wear it.

Got any liposuction tools in your kit?

Mail ‘em over!

Only one day left to enter to win a shop credit to The Pleated Poppy!!!

Have you given to Compassion yet?

Just $1 will help.

Truly.

I’d LOOOOOVE to see us reach our goal!

Can you help us get there???

Please?

YAY!

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