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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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Praise isn’t pretending everything is fine, it’s r Praise isn’t pretending everything is fine,
it’s remembering who God is, even when it isn’t.
It rarely changes our circumstances,
but it always changes our perspective.

What could shift in you
if you praised God for even one thing
you’ve been tempted to complain about?

#OhGoodGriefPodcast #WonderOfWorship
Sometimes praise is the most rebellious act of hop Sometimes praise is the most rebellious act of hope we have left.

🎙️ Episode 3 of Oh, Good Grief | The Podcast is live.

In this week’s episode, The Sound of Surrender, we’re talking about what happens when we worship through the wilderness, and the way gratitude reshapes our view of God, of ourselves, and of the desert we’re walking through.

🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

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God is never careless with the pruning knife. If H God is never careless with the pruning knife.
If He allows something to fall away, we can trust His heart,
that it is ultimately for our good,
and for His glory.

#AllisGrace #OhGoodGriefPodcast
Sometimes God prunes what is still alive. Not beca Sometimes God prunes what is still alive.
Not because He is cruel, but because He is kind.

It’s unbelievably hard to walk away from something that was once deeply fruitful. But when a season ends and God lifts His grace from that role, relationship, or project, lingering often hurts far more than leaving.

Trust His heart for you in the pruning. 🌱
He cuts with purpose, and always with love.

#OhGoodGriefPodcast #SimplyBloomCo
I stumbled across the word I chose and lettered fo I stumbled across the word I chose and lettered for 2023. Held. I thought it might reopen old ache. Instead, it reminded me of the deeper song beneath our hardest seasons: even in the unraveling, we were held.

And as a new year unfolds, that truth feels like a steadying hand.

Here’s to beginnings that hum with mercy...
sunrises, blankets of white snow,
seasons turning quietly toward hope. 

Dream bravely.
Plan loosely.
Take the next small step.
Try again.

Be tender with yourself.
Honor the slow work of becoming.
And step into this year knowing—
you are held.
As we stand on the edge of a new year, remember th As we stand on the edge of a new year, remember this:
God doesn’t prune to prove a point;
He prunes to produce fruit.

Trust the precision and the heart
of the Master Gardener.

What felt like loss this past year
may have been His clearing away of the old
to make room for the new.

#OhGoodGriefPodcast #SimplyBloomCo
For the person who doesn’t love journaling but doe For the person who doesn’t love journaling but does love growth…the R•EVOLVE Journal was created to make the practice simple, sustainable, and meaningful.

Five lines a day - small enough to fit into real life, yet rich enough to capture the joys, struggles, prayers, answered prayers, and all the quiet in-between spaces.

Some seasons change us so subtly we miss the beauty of what’s unfolding. This little rhythm helps you notice it, and hold it.

All seven cover designs are available on Amazon or in the Simply Bloom Co. shop
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If you live in Central Michigan, I'm happy to connect with you and get one into your hands so you can start journaling sooner.
Sometimes God prunes what’s still alive. Not becau Sometimes God prunes what’s still alive.
Not because He’s cruel — because He’s kind.

🍃 Episode 003 of OGG is live: Making the Cut | When Love Looks Like Loss.

We’re talking about the difference between punishment and pruning, and how the wilderness can be proof of love.

🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

#OhGoodGriefPodcast #SimplyBloomCo
When we fail, when we flounder, when our fragile f When we fail,
when we flounder,
when our fragile faith starts to tremble…
we can trust His heart for us.

His love remains unchanging,
and His purposes remain unshakable.
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