Faith + Patience {FREE PRINTABLE}

{Right click image & save. Perfect as a screensaver, wallpaper or print it & frame it}

I was reading my pastor's wife's bible study the other morning and came across this scripture in Hebrews 6:12:

"That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises."

How encouraged I felt! It is so easy as a mother {especially a SAHM/wannabe WAHM} to get used to the drudgery, the mundane, the same ol' same ol'. Days are full of fun and laughter but also routine and the occasionally "slothful" mentality and attitude.

We must not be lazy in our faith, forgetting that we have a greater hope in the life to come. This world is not our home. God has a greater purpose; a much greater home for us. As we work, He does not forget our labor. As we minister to our husbands, children, family, church...we are not forgotten.

So hold onto the promises! What He said He will do...He will do. Those who are alert, obedient and follow the examples of believers who have left behind a legacy will be rewarded. Maybe not now, but it's coming. Hold on with patience and trust that God does not withhold ANY good thing from His children! {Psalms 84:11}

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Mommy Mentionables

Choose Joy {Free Printable}

Lately I've been feeling kinda far from God. I didn't understand why. I pray every day and have been trying to have a set morning time for more deep prayer and Bible reading. I may not sit down and study like I used to, but I do read scriptures and meditate on them.

In these moments, I always start to question what I'm doing. Is it this blog? Is it my priorities around the home {or lack of}? Am I reading what I'm suppose to? Am I doing what I'm suppose to? Time and time again, I realize how hard I am on myself. My personal expectations. It's like I can't make a mistake. I have lost sight of being merciful to my own person. 

I've been talking to God about this for a while because I don't want to be going astray and I want to make sure my motives are correct in everything I do. It was yesterday as I pulled into our garage that I felt something inside of me. There was a song playing and I felt this excitement come up from my soul. David and I had just come from a local produce place and thrift store. He watched from the back seat as I jumped out of the car, singing and dancing, practically in tears. It had been so long since I felt that way. Since I felt joy.

I'm not saying I'm unhappy. I absolutely adore my husband and son. Being a stay at home {wannabe work at home} mommy is one of the biggest blessings I have. Yet days go by, and I feel disconnected from everything. Not necessarily my family but from my calling. It is then I have to remind myself that part of my calling is to provide a loving home to uplift my husband and train up my son. The other part is to just love God with everything I have and obey His word. And choose joy. Yes, I must choose joy!

 {Free printable} Right click, save to your computer & print

Joy is not a feel-good feeling. It isn't a happy-go-lucky jackpot that if you put in a few quarters, you get a couple of hours of it. Joy is a choice. It is you actually telling yesterday's mistakes and today's expectations: "Listen, no matter what goes down, I am choosing to be happy. I'm blessed and nothing is going to tear me down, not even my bad attitude. The enemy wants to see me gloomy but I am choosing to be joyful!"

When I don't choose joy, I stay in a selfish state of "poor-me's." I'm the queen of my own pity-party; the princess to my wallow brigade...the beggar at the foot of my own table. I end up choosing sorrow which is what Jesus saved me from so long ago! Why do I go back and why do I want to? The thing is, it's comfortable. Being grouchy and sad is normal for us sometimes. It's sick but true.

Today, don't hide behind a frown mask. Whatever expectations you have of yourself, remember that we must put ALL expectations on God!

Psalm 62:5 says "My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him."

I can expect great things from God because He is all powerful and all knowing! I am but a sinner trying to get through this life, in a world that is not my home. Today, I am letting go of yesterday's mistakes because His mercy covers them and His grace buries them! I'm washed by His blood and redeemed for a purpose. His purpose! It's not about me and so I choose joy because when I do, others will see it. They will experience His joy and will see that He is truly great.

Hurry Spring! {Giveaway & Printable}

Seriously, what the junk. Woke up to a cold blanket of nasty white stuff, which made me feel awful. Not like I was going anywhere {SAHM's say what!} but I could have sworn my spring-spidey sense was tingling this week. Guess I was wrong.

What DID make me happy was remembering that I was going to shower you beauties with freebies, woot!! I love giving stuff away, mainly because it feels good. Not just to unload stuff, uh, I mean treasures. I also do love creating fun things, it's just sometimes I have no need for them at home. So maybe you do.

I was thinking how dull my living room has been. I will be sharing photos soon, but hopefully in a "before" setting as I am brainstorming a major revamp. The colors are so dark! Reds, browns, greens...which I love, don't get me wrong. I heart all colors, I ain't prejudice. But I've been dealing with that same color palette for about 6 years, since I was single in my own apartment! Lame, I know.

Enter this bright, fun printable I made:

Man, it just does something happy in my soul :)
I smile every time I look at it! And THAT is what my living room is missing. Colors that make me smile. Of course, I am partial to this scripture. It was one that was shown to me the spring that I was preggo with David. I was going through a lot of emotions, mostly fear. My new book was about to be published and I guess I was super nervous about the entire thing. Excited yet nervous. Oh yeah, and being a new mommy was freaking me out a little. Excited yet freaked.

I was at a conference and this verse was the theme. It couldn't have been more perfect! That year I had two births: one spiritual and one physical. And on the same month, April! Monday I received my first shipment of freshly published books and literally that Friday, David came. It was a great year.

Needless to say, spring is super close to my heart. I'm reminded of all of the joy and the promises God fulfilled in my life.
I hope this printable will bring you some smiles too :)
{The print is 8x10 inches. Right click and save to your computer}

As I'm gearing for this new season, I wanted to be more creative this year. I know, I'm already awesome, but you can't stop there. I want to be totally awesome! {nerd alert}

So I whipped up these little babies for one lucky winner:

I can't take credit for blowing the glass or making the porcelain BUT I did decorate it all pretty like :)
We don't drink alcohol but we do love making smoothies and slushies when the weather gets warm, and using nice glasses with straws. These spring-inspired polka dot glasses would look so cute with something sweet and yummy inside!

Oh and I LOVE green tea. So I just had to add a matching tea spoon rest, which is funny considering it doesn't even really go with the glasses...one is meant for hot and the other cold. However, you can always use the rest for any spoons...like a serving spoon when hosting or salad tongs. Either way, be super careful with washing, no abrasive materials and no dishwashing. Yes, you do have my permission to swoon and have googly eyes. Just take it easy and don't hurt yourself.

The giveaway will run until next Tuesday. It's super easy to enter and there are a few ways you can earn extra entries. Enter below using the Rafflecopter widget. Good luck, beauties. Hurry spring, we need you nowwwww...!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Unstoppable Love {PRINTABLE}

Hope everyone is having a blast this week!

I am, with working on my new bathroom project and getting ready to host Thanksgiving this year {eek! & yay!} I've got some fun posts coming up :)

For now, enjoy these free beauties...yes, I made them myself, no, you don't need permission to use them. Just please don't take credit for them and try to resell...that's lame...and sad...

All you gotta do is right click the photo and save as!

Enjoy :)