Top 3 Books I've Read this Year

As most of you know, winter was rough this year!  Fortunately, for us book worms, it gave us time to do the thing we love - read.  I, for one, read a lot.  So far this year I have read 51 books!

Here are my top 3 books from this year:

1. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows

2. Wild by Cheryl Strayed





3. This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Trooper














You can see all the books I've read so far this year below and as always please leave comments!


My 2014 Book Challenge

Reality Check!

Let's just put it out there ... making mature, adult decisions SUCKS!  That's the nicest thing I can say about it ... it blows, it sucks. (I'm even sticking my tongue out as I say it.)

We thought we had it so hard as kids, but wow, did I ever underestimate adulthood.  You think it will be all fun and games ... new cars, vacations (anywhere you want, not the sucky vacations your parents planned for you), getting ice cream and Count Chokula for dinner (okay, I will admit that I have done this once or twice) ... but man being an adult is HARD!

So all those years in my younger days I needed a huge REALITY CHECK!!!

So here goes ...

To all those rebellious teenagers out there,

Stop trying to grow up so fast!!!  Life is not easier, better, more fun as an adult!  Life is hard.  You may think it is hard now ... Wait 10 years before you say that and look back to where you are now.  You will wish you could be back there.

Enjoy being young and virtually carefree!  I wish with all my heart that the biggest decision I had to make today was what college should I go to!

The world is a scary place.  There are real life monsters around every corner that will threaten to take all the joy out of life if you let it.  There are big decisions to make.  Many of them do not have a good solution.  Sometimes they are down right hard as hell to make.  Many times these decisions will hurt ... and maybe not just you but other people as well.

Enjoy movies, shopping trips, and spring break.  In the future, those same things might weigh you down when you realize the real cost involved.

Don't complain about car insurance ... seriously!  There will come a day when the expenses looming on the horizon for you will feel so out of whack and so unbelievable that you think you are going to drown, literally.

Get a job.  Save.  Every paycheck.  It may not seem like much now, but in 10 years you will wish you had that savings and you won't care so much about those turquoise sparkly Chuck Taylor's that were calling your name.

Your parents don't OWE you anything ... You owe them EVERYTHING.  Stop complaining when they won't buy you everything you want ... you know why?  Because you will be better for it.  In 10 years, you will wake up and be incredibly ahead of the curve by understanding the consequences of frivolous spending.  The opposite is waking up in mounds of debt that seemingly don't end and realizing you may be too late to join the party of people screaming "I'M DEBT FREE" and really living the good life because they made smart decisions when they were younger.

Let your parents, teachers, government, and all the other adults in your life worry about the adult decisions ... enjoy this time of your life!

Go to the movies.  Take some shopping trips.  See FL during Spring Break.  Do some joy-riding.

Because one-day all too soon, you will be looking back, as I am right now and wondering what in the world you ever had to worry about ... in light of the adult struggles you are facing now.

Your-friendly-reminder-to-not-grow-up-so-fast!

Question of the Week

What is your biggest fear ...

and what are you going to do in 2013 to overcome it?

My Mistake

If I had my life to live over ... I'd dare to make more mistakes next time. -Nadine Stair

I came across this quote this morning and for some reason it really struck me ... probably because I am constantly berating myself for mistakes I've made in the past.  

I have a had time letting go of them ... They even creep up on me when I least expect it.

But the reality is, there is no way for me, or anyone else for that matter, to know in hindsight whether or not we would be the people we are today without those mistakes.

I, for one, probably am who I am today BECAUSE of those mistakes, not IN SPITE of them.

It makes us feel better to hear Dr. Phil and Oprah and even our Pastors tells us IN SPITE of those mistakes.  But honestly we celebrate those mishaps BECAUSE they make us who we are.

Now, I certainly don't believe we should be making mistakes on purpose or deliberately ... but I do think we should be celebrating the ones we have already made.

For me, it should be even easier.  See, I am a Christian and because of Christ, my mistakes don't matter anymore.  I've been forgiven and they have been forgotten.  

But the Devil knows my weakness for finding flaws in my life and myself.

I will dare to say that even my biggest mistake, which I'm afraid I will share here, in some ways has led me to where I am now.  That doesn't make it right.  That doesn't mean I didn't screw up.  But it does mean that it forever changed me ... It made me different in a lot of ways and THAT has led me to right where I am today ... which is not where I want to be, but by the grace of God it's not where I was then!

So today I am just going to come right out and say it ... I am grateful for my mistakes.  I am grateful that I have screwed up, messed up, done wrong and erred.  I might have missed a great opportunity back then ... but then I wouldn't be who I am today!  I may not be perfect.  I may not even be good or great.  But I am who I am and right now that is for the better!

Day 30 of Giving Thanks

Last, but certainly never least ...

Today I am thankful that I do not have to save myself.  There is nothing I have done, will do, or am doing that is good enough for salvation, but I don't have to worry about it.  I come to Jesus and He is what gives me salvation and the peace of mind to know that even when I screw up (and, of course, I will) ... that I can still know His love and my place is still secure in Heaven!  There is no greater blessing in all the world!  ... Seriously. ... I dare you to find me one!

Day 29 of Giving Thanks

Today I am thankful that my sweet little puppy is much better after she cut herself on a broken dish when we weren't home AND was feeling a little bit sick ... I imagine her being sick gives me the same helpless feeling that mom's get with very young children.  She doesn't understand what is wrong with her and isn't capable of making herself feel better!  But I am happy that she is back to her perky, feisty self without a trip to the vet!

Day 28 of Giving Thanks

Today I am thankful for my iMac and my MacBook Pro ... Both computers are reliable and so easy to use ... it reminded me how thankful I am for a non-Windows alternative and for a company that is fiscally responsible, treats their employees well, and makes great products.  Unfortunately, that is something to praise these days, because many companies don't do any of those things.  After having to use a windows computer that shut down 4 times in 2 days to install updates that I probably didn't even need and has no battery life whatsoever, I am thankful for computers that do neither of those things to me.  I can enjoy a few hours sitting at Starbucks with my MacBook Pro and the battery will still be working and I don't get constant updates that are probably irrelevant to any work I am trying to do!

Day 27 of Giving Thanks

Today I am thankful for a few hours of peace of mind ... It was nice to have some time to just read a book, check Pinterest, and chill and really let my mind wonder away from all of the things going on in the world and in my life to just not worry.

Day 26 of Giving Thanks

Today I am thankful for an early morning ... even though I begrudgingly got out of bed at 5:30 and groaned about how sleepy I was ... Getting up early has been a blessing this morning.  It has given me almost 2 hours to myself, to do my daily Bible reading, catch up on emails, look through Cyber Monday deals, enjoy some Christmas tunes and Hazlenut coffee at Panera, and get to see the sun rise and watch the city wake up!  Not to mention it is only 8 a.m. and I am almost halfway done w/ my daily to-do list!  I probably will not make it a habit to get up quite as early as I did this morning, but I will say it feels good to be this productive before 8 a.m.

Day 25 of Giving Thanks

Today I am thankful that I am not where I was ... I may not be where I should be, but I am not where I was ... the past few years have not been easy for my husband and I in a lot of ways - mainly financially ... and even though we are definitely nowhere near where we want to be, we are definitely not where we were because of tough decisions and perseverance through the tough times ... and not giving up when things haven't gotten easier!  I know there is a prize for us for that ... whether it be in this life or in eternity.

Day 24 of Giving Thanks

Today I am thankful for my in-laws.  I am truly blessed to have married into such a wonderful family!  From day one they have treated me like family and I have never once had one of those moments where I dreaded a visit with the in-laws!  My mother and father-in-law have been amazing to me and such an inspiration to my husband and I on how to make a marriage work ... I am also blessed to have inherited 2 extra siblings along with the ride as well!  They are wonderful people and I can't imagine life without all of them :)

Day 23 of Giving Thanks

Today I am thankful for all of my cousins, aunts, uncles, and the rest of my extended family ... I cannot tell you how amazing it is to have all of these people who look out for me, encourage me, and have become my friends over the years!  I am so thankful to have wonderful cousins and aunts and uncles all over the country!

Day 22 of Giving Thanks

Today I am thankful for many things that we often forget to say we are thankful for ... like hot water, running water, indoor plumbing, electricity, telephones, vacuum cleaners ... it really is all the little things in life ... I am also thankful that I get to spend Thanksgiving Day with my amazing family!

Day 21 of Giving Thanks

Today I am thankful for Butler University and my college experience!  I can't even begin to explain how amazing those 4 years were!  I met some amazing friends, got a great education, and had the time of my life!  Even today, I get the same warm, fuzzy feeling when I go to campus that I did the first time I ever visited.  It still "feels like home" to me.  Today and forever, I bleed Butler blue!  GO DAWGS!

Day 20 of Giving Thanks

Today I am thankful for my father.  He is such a great man who has been such an amazing part of my life.  I owe so much to him.  I am ever blessed that he helped me learned how to ride a bike when I was 5, bought me a car when I turned 16, was there to help me pick where I went to college (and still wears his Butler Dad hat with pride), gave his permission for my husband to marry, got to walk me down the aisle, and now has become more than my father and more like a friend.  I am so grateful for everything he has done for me and I know God blessed me when he gave him to me as my dad!

Day 19 of Giving Thanks

Today I am thankful to have a long weekend to spend some time with family, catch up on sleep, pack, make a little extra money, and just to take a breather from the typical daily grind that gets to us all after awhile!  I can already smell the turkey and sweet potatoes :)

Day 18 of Giving Thanks

Today I am thankful for the church God brought us to ...  We have met so many great, godly friends and people at CCG.  And not only that I am regularly challenged by what our pastor teaches us on a regular basis.  I feel very blessed to have a church that makes me feel excited to get up for on Sunday morning!

Day 17 of Giving Thanks

Today I am so thankful that I got to spend the day with my Hubby shopping for appliances for the new house, oogling over TV's (well, he did anyway), getting Starbucks and cooking dinner together.  It was a great day together and I love it when we get a chance to just hang out without all of the stress of what needs to get done :)

Day 16 of Giving Thanks

Today I am thankful for the sunshine!  It is out in full force today!  I know in the coming months we won't see it as much as we all like to, so I am glad to see that it is out and the weather feels like a perfect crisp fall afternoon!  It is my favorite season for many reasons, but one is the combination of sweatshirts and sunshine :)

Day 15 of Giving Thanks

Today I am thankful for Chase's remote deposit from your phone option ... I know this sounds lame, but I have been very busy lately and today I was overwhelmed before my day even started thinking about all of the things I needed to get done in my office and at home.  Luckily, I did remember as I was fretting about having to go to 2 different banks in 2 different cities today to get all my money deposited, that I could use my iPhone to deposit my checks to Chase!  It was easy and allowed me to get another task off my to-do list!

There are days that I love technology and today is one of them.