Weekend Blog-Tember Catch Up

Friday, Sept. 11: It's a Friday night and you decide to stay in. What do you do?

A night in? Any night of the week for that matter, has been virtually unheard of in a couple months!  If I'm not working, we are gone on a youth trip, or at a meeting, or fundraiser, or conference, or concert, or visiting with friends.  Honestly, I think if you gave me any night at home with nothing to do, would fall asleep sacked out on the couch!  

But honestly, lets say we had a planned "night in" we would probably rent a movie and that's it! We're exciting people I know!

Saturday, Sept. 12: What are you up to currently? 

Reading... Not enough!

Playing... catch up, 4 posts in one! 

Watching... Finishing up America's Got Talent, We don't really get to watch until we go to bed, so I only catch the beginning of each episode!

Trying... To make SOME kind of routine despite a non-routine job!

Cooking... Anything quick

Eating... Whatever is available 

Drinking...water. Always water.

Calling... Mom: baby shower plans.

Texting... Jessica & Katie...it's just what we do!

Pinning... Baby gifts and baby shower ideas

Tweeting... Nothing

Going... 1000 directions 

Loving... Fall weather

Hating... Allergies

Discovering... I'm a very busy person

Thinking... I need some "me" time

Feeling... Exhausted 

Hoping... Things will slow down soon

Listening... Can't get enough Crowder these days

Celebrating... Babies. LOTS of babies

Smelling... Nothing...(see "hating"...)

Thanking... God for great friends

Considering... Best way to plan ahead meals!?!?

Starting... Getting the word out about packing shoeboxes! 

Finishing...all the summer festivities.

Basically, I have been super busy! I would like to think things might start to slow down, but we shall see! 

Sunday, Sept. 13: Create a collage or inspiration/mood board for this season in your life.

Monday, Sept. 14: The 5 books that have impacted your life the most.

First and foremost, nothing has impacted my life more than the message of God's Word! The hope laced through the words of the bible saved my life.  Had it not been for the message of Jesus, these other books wouldn't have meant what they did to me! 

2. Falling in Love with Jesus: 

The message and testimonies from Kathy and Dee were just what I needed to hear as a young Christian and truly guided my heart as I set out in pursuit of Jesus!

3. Redeeming Love:

I can't imagine this book NOT being on someone's list! Francine River is truly a phenomenal writer and makes me crave the word of God! No other fictional work has ever come close to bringing Gods grace to life the way Rivers does. And this book was only the beginning to falling in love with EVERY. SINGLE. BOOK. that she has written! See also Mark of the Lion Series

4. Kisses from Katie:
Wow! If your looking for a testimony that will make you jump into action, this is what you need. Katie's love for the Lord and dedication the the Kingdom will leave you wanting and doing more!!!

5. The Power of a Praying Wife:
The first time I read this book was actually when Brett and I were just dating!  The message behind the book is really quite simple but this has become a go to book for me.  It remains on my night stand and is just the encouragement and guidance I need sometimes to seek God's face on Brett's behalf! 

Well, I hope I didn't overwhelm you, but I didn't want to miss out on anything from Blog-tember!!!  Weekends leave no time for a computer stare-down!!! 

Glad you made it!

The Bucket List to be!

Exciting news!!! - I have officially completed now 10 days of Blog-temper!!! I had to do some catching up after the weekend, but I made it through!!! Jump on over the BraveLoveBlog if you're not sure what I'm talking about!!! 

Here it is, Day 10...

Thursday, Sept. 10: 10 items off your bucket list. If you haven't made one, now's a good time to start!

So I don't have a Bucket List! Not a tangible one.  I'm not sure why, I LOVE to make lists, I love to cross things off of lists. But I have never even considered putting pen to paper for a bucket list! But I do have ideas! Lots of ideas! So here are a few of them...

1. Serve {missions} on every continent.

2. Start my own business.

3. Alaskan Cruise.

4. Adopt.

5. Sing a special at church.

6. Visit all 50 States.

7. Run a 1/2 marathon.

8. Learn to play piano/keyboard.

9. Give away/donate more than we spend.

10. Read through the Bible in a year.

 

So I know this isn't a super impressive list, I hope it doesn't end here! It is scary and exciting to put these things somewhere besides the back of my mind! Hopefully you will stick around long enough I can tell you about completely some of them!!!

*sorry it's not a fancy post! Editing from my phone in the middle of a 12 hr shift today!!!  

That Song in My Head...

This has become one of my absolute favorite songs, and frankly, I just couldn't risk one of y'all not ever hearing it! So here it is...

I'm all about some Crowder!  He has some pretty good ones out there. 

Brett's current favorite is "Lift Your Head Weary Sinner." It's my other favorite! ;)

Dear 16-year-old me,

                                                  Wednesday, September 9: Write a letter to sixteen-year-old you.

Miss Kylee at Sixteen,

We don't know each other, we are two very different people.  Our passions, beliefs, friends, and dreams are very different.  There are probably things we could learn from each other.  You do fairly well with handling stress and channeling emotions, try and keep it that way!  Keep pushing yourself to be better at everything you do! One day you will be able to look at all those years of effort and improvement with a sense of pride.  Be careful not to try too hard tho, you can get wrapped up in it and start to think feel like you haven't gotten anywhere.

But it will get you somewhere, you will end up in college with another two years in a sport you love! Cherish the moments and friendships that come from that, they will fade away all too soon!  I'm sorry to tell you it is there that your 4 year relationship will come to an end.  It will hurt. A lot.  But please know that there is an amazing path ahead for both of you!  The two of you will reconnect a couple years later and see that had that pain not occurred, you would have both missed out on huge blessings.

You career path will unexpectedly change, and you won't have any clue then, but it is all part of a grander plan, one that you don't even know about!  Your heart will be torn apart a couple times, but each knock down is bringing you closer to your knees, and when you finally hit them you will meet someone...

You'll learn that He has had his eye on you for quite sometime.  You'll slowly get to know Him a little bit better.  You'll start to realize the many times you broke His heart and you didn't even know it.  But you will then discover that despite all the hurt you have caused Him, He loves you just as much as He ever did; and He gave up everything to be in a relationship with you.

Then, that day, when you let go of what you think your life is suppose to look like; That day your life will change. Because of Jesus.  Your hopes and dreams will all become His. And girl let me tell you, are you in for it!  You can't even imagine what your life will look like after that!  But trust in Him, trust the Journey He will take you on. He has a messy, beautiful, life planned out for you!

Love, me You (the redeemed version)

Dear Younger Me By MercyMe

Are you wondering where this very uncharacteristic post came from...well, it's part of Blog-tember hosted by BraveLoveBlog!  

If your joining me from the Link-up, WELCOME! I'm so glad you found me! 

This one was kinda hard for me, what about you!? It got a little easier once I got started, I liked the challenge!!! 

Also read...

Hope in Miscarriage (& other trials) Part 2

Recently, I found myself diving back into God's word specifically for what He had to say about these trials life brings us.  It has been three months since the loss of our first child.  Yes, I still think about him/her everyday. Will that eventually change? I don't know! Will the hurt go away? I don't think it will, but I do think it will change.  With each season will be a different sorrow.  Baby showers. Due Date. Childless Holidays. It will change us. These trials that we go through, there is good in them to.  When our faith is tested, it draws us ever closer to Him.  Despite the pain, we can choose to rejoice in His goodness.

“In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:6-7

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing…Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” James 1:2-4, 12

“We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Romans 8:18

Not only is God there to comfort us, but there are those who have already been through the same trials who are called to rise up and comfort us.  All the same as one day, our afflictions will be the experience we need to bring comfort to the afflicted.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort." 2 Corinthians 1:3-7

Not many of my words are spread across the page, and that is because there is nothing I can say in comparison to the Living Word.  Dig into It.  Let the Father wrap His arms around you.  Choose to embrace Him.  Rejoice in His goodness, even when you can't see it anywhere else.  Run to Him, and Glory will be revealed.

See 12 verses for Miscarriage...

And other posts about Miscarriage

Time of Singing...

Tuesday, Sept. 8: Tell us about your favorite season. Why is it your favorite and what does it say about you?

I can appreciate the beginning of any new season.  

When the summer sun ushers in camping, lake fun, & fresh vegetables.   

Then when the months of heat begin to break, the leaves turn colors, and cardigans are in style. 

Even when it's bitter cold outside & outside chores take twice as long, I can appreciate the beauty of frozen precipitation.

And finally, when the days start to get longer, warmer, and more colorful, Spring has Sprung!  New life is all around, the animals are emerging from their warm homes, the flowers are in full bloom, the trees get fuller...

Spring is my favorite!

Creation calls out to be appreciated and enjoyed.  After months of cabin fever, there is work to be done.

"For behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land." SOS 2:11-12

Whats your favorite season!? Share with us over at BraveLoveBlog for Blog-tember!!!

What is Style Anyways!?

Sunday, Sept. 6: Share your style. What fashion trends do you love, frequent, or avoid?

Yes, I do know I am late - that's my style! (Actually I married into it)

Whats my style you ask!? 

Well, when addressing this topic I wouldn't be honest unless I included the scrubs, with which I spend 50+ hours a week wearing!  I keep them simple, usually even just scrub pants and a T-Shirt.

Beyond that, you will find me pretty much in the same outfit, with minor adjustments for climate consideration.

Jeans. T-Shirt. 

I have a closet FULL of t shirts.  What I like most about my t shirts, is each one usually has some sort of memory or purpose associated to it!

Mission Trip Fundraiser

Concerts (I love lyric tees!!!)

Fair Trade Organization

Cause Awareness

Every time I wear them, I am either reminded of their cause, or I get a chance to tell a story when I am asked about them!

This uber comfy apparel is paired with any of the following depending on the season...

Jeans, Capris, Shorts (I'm a knee length kinda girl,) 

Maxi Skirt (you know, to make it Fancy and all)

Flats, Sandals, Flip flops. Boots.

Cardigans (YES! I am obsessed with them,) scarf.

I love the "vintage" colors, aztec design (real original right!), some might even say I have a bohemian/hippy-ish style.

Do you know of any tshirts for a cause!? Point me in the right direction!!!

This is a late post in the Blog-tember series from BraveLoveBlog.