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Hormones, Crafts & Snow {this week, in no particular order)

Firstly, the blah:

I’ve been having hot flashes lately {ugh!}.  And then I left the house in my slippers {yikes}.  For 6 hours {gasp}. 

I think I’m getting old.

I haven’t written anything of substance for the past few weeks.  There only seems time and mental energy for drivel.  Forgive me.  Contemplative and encouraging text will return soon, I promise.

I picked apart my husband and said things that did not have to be said, or pointed out, and then grieved when his spirit was clearly crushed.  Oh, me and my big mouth!

I’ve become incredibly good an sincere apologies since getting married and having children.

To add to my stellar list of accomplishments, I had two intense, and completely unexpected, super-poopy mom days this past week.  I was big on impatience, accomplished in the yelling department, and short on grace.  It was heart-breaking and exhausting.  They weren’t too partial to it either.  My husband kindly suggested that maybe my hormones were raging.  Thank you, dear.

I snuck a tiny piece of totally-not-worth-it cherry pie in my mouth when no one was looking, despite my insane commitment to boycott sugar until I turn 30 in June.  And the smell of coffee makes me want to cry.  Not pray.

{deep breath}

But enough of all that misery…life is good, God is faithful, and I’m a work in progress!

Here’s the fun stuff that’s been going on around here.

On Monday, I become a US Citizen and spent a glorious morning celebrating in Detroit with my precious man {and eating entirely too much}.

I was asked to speak at Youth Haven Ranch again for their Ladies Day, at the end of April.  It’ll be something along the lines of what I shared last time: Temple Care 101.  Have I told you how much I love public speaking?!?  So tickled.

On the loin-fruit front…

In spite of our eager anticipation of Spring, the entirely unexpected dumping of snow provided perfect body parts for our snow-child:

Snow kid Bean and snow kid

We had fun with toothpicks…and marshmallows!

007009017 marshmallow girl

And more toothpicks…with play dough and wiggly eyes…

Playdough peepsPlaydough bug & tulips 3-6 005Playdough bug & tulips 3-6 009Playdough bug & tulips 3-6 008Playdough bug & tulips 3-6 012      bug and playdoughPlaydough bug & tulips 3-6 010      Playdough bug & tulips 3-6 022

We broke out the egg-carton craft paraphernalia, made the customary caterpillar, and affectionately named it, “Spring-a-piller”…

springapiller

We made forts too large to capture on camera through the doorway, but just large enough to have a blast in…

Springapiller and Bean faces 018 Springapiller and Bean faces 004

…and adorned ourselves with other family-member’s accessories.

We also just signed our little lady up for preschool next Fall – talk about a whirlwind of emotions: delighted, terrified, guarded, reflective, excited, anxious.

Springapiller and Bean faces 014Springapiller and Bean faces 008Springapiller and Bean faces 016    

Apart from the days that so distinctly spotlighted my less redeeming qualities and squeezed many a tear from my eyeballs…a good time was had by all.

Moving along…we had a full band for the first time ever last night at worship practice and rocked out the gymnasium.  Who knew this terrified-to-play-in-public, can barely-carry-a-tune-in-a-bucket girl would so love being a part of a band!  I love my team!!

Oh, and I cooked up a storm this week {notice: I didn’t say “baked”}, making all sorts of favorites; homemade granola with my hubby, bobotie for my mum & dad, butter chicken for friends, and texas caviar just for the heck of it.  Tonight, we made magic in the kitchen…{sheesh, not that kind}…and tried something new: Thai Coconut Curry Chicken.  Recipe coming soon.  Allow me to just say this, “Holy Yum”!

Aaah, yes, LIFE. 

The good, the bad, the ugly…and the Redeemer.

It is well with my soul!

Related posts:

  1. All in a Week’s Whirl
  2. {My} Snow Babies
  3. The Week in ‘P’s
  4. Week One, Done
«
»

Complete nonsense, Crafts and Activities, Daily Life, Keepin' it Real, Motherhood, The Kiddos

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Simply Bloom exists to empower women to embrace their stories, live out their passion with purpose, and leave a legacy of love.
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Hello there! I'm Joy. Speaker, designer, author & coach, and creator of the #weROARproject. Welcome to Simply Bloom Co., where passion & purpose collide.

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Before the empty tomb, there was a basin. Before Before the empty tomb,
there was a basin.

Before glory,
there was grief.

The Jesus Way is not dominance.
It’s downward mobility.
It’s loving in the face of betrayal.
Serving in the face of misunderstanding.
Choosing humility when pride would be easier.

If loving like Jesus feels costly, you’re not doing it wrong.
It has always cost something.

🎧 Episode 017 | The Jesus Way is now streaming.

#OhGoodGriefPodcast #SimplyBloomCo #TheJesusWay
How's your internal monologue? Be brutally honest How's your internal monologue?
Be brutally honest here.

Are you actually kind to yourself?
Do you practice curiosity + compassion
when your emotions + responses catch you
off guard and feel oversized for the occasion?

Are you patient and gracious with your soul's
long + messy journey of growth and healing?

Are you gentle with your heart when you mess up?
Or, do you instantly shift to shaming + blaming?

Is self-loathing a constant (albeit unwanted)
companion who lingers in the corner just
waiting for an invitation to show up with
cruel words, gasoline and a match?

For many of us, if we talked to our dearest
friends the way we talk to ourselves...
well, we wouldn't have many.

Go ahead and read that again.
Let it sink in.

/ / /

Consider this a gentle reminder
to be tender with yourself.
Speak life to your own soul.
Always, always, always be kind.

We are never more like the enemy of our souls than
when we assume the role of accuser + condemner.

Catch every negative, shaming thought you have
and see if it aligns with how God sees you (and others).

If it isn't good, kind, hopeful, constructive, grace-laced and restorative, then it doesn't belong in your head + heart.

You are, after all, allowed to be both a mess and
a masterpiece...all at the very same time.

You are so loved.
Easter reminds us that the tomb is empty. But befo Easter reminds us that the tomb is empty.
But before the resurrection, there was a towel.

In John 13, just hours before the cross,
Jesus doesn’t assert power, He kneels.
He washes the feet of Peter.
He washes the feet of Judas.
He loves them to the end.

🎙️ Episode 017 | The Jesus Way is live.

What does it look like to choose love in the middle
of betrayal, grief, disagreement, and struggle?
The way of Jesus isn’t flashy.
 It’s faithful.

🎧 Listen wherever you stream podcasts.

#OhGoodGrief #TheJesusWay  #KnownByLove
Instagram post 17956039791092382 Instagram post 17956039791092382
So very thankful for the life that came from his d So very thankful for the life
that came from his death.

May you know how wildly, wholly
and wonderfully you are loved…

“This is how much God loved the world:
He gave his Son, his one and only Son.
And this is why: so that no one need be
destroyed; by believing in him, anyone
can have a whole and lasting life.
God didn’t go to all the trouble of
sending his Son merely to point an
accusing finger, telling the world
how bad it was. He came to help,
to put the world right again.”

John 3:16-17 | The Message

#GoodFriday #ItIsFinished

📷 Levi Lusko
Boundaries are not the opposite of love. They are Boundaries are not the opposite of love.
They are often the evidence of it.

Jesus touched lepers.
He wept with friends.
He restored the broken.

But He also corrected boldly.
He withdrew intentionally.
He did not entrust Himself to everyone.

You can forgive someone
without restoring immediate proximity.
You can love someone
without giving them full access to your life.

Episode 016 | Grace + Guardrails is available now.

#OhGoodGriefPodcast #BoundariesMatter
Instagram post 18396581398148716 Instagram post 18396581398148716
Love does not require unlimited access. In Episod Love does not require unlimited access.

In Episode 016 of Oh, Good Grief, we explore what Jesus
actually modeled when it comes to boundaries.

He loved everyone.
He did not entrust Himself to everyone.
He was full of grace and truth.
He welcomed the crowds, but confided in the few.

In a world that demands access to our time, energy, and heart, this episode unpacks what it looks like to forgive without naivety, love without losing discernment, and practice grace with guardrails.

🎧 Grace + Guardrails | How Jesus Modeled Boundaries in a World
  That Demands Access is live wherever you listen to podcasts

#OhGoodGrief #GraceAndTruth #BiblicalBoundaries #FaithInRealLife
Sometimes the most honest thing we can say is: thi Sometimes the most honest thing we can say is:
this is where I am today…
but it isn’t where my story ends.

#OhGoodGriefPodcast #GodIsFaithful
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