almost 20 ♥

Marriage is hard work guys. Some people say marriage is easy... it's just a walk in the park.  And I don't understand that. because what planet are you from? which two people anywhere in this galaxy are perfect? There has to be conflict and lack of communication and unfair expectations in any relationship with two people. Because it's natural. Because we're human. Because we're instinctively selfish and because if there wasn't, what would be the point of marriage? It's supposed to be the ultimate picture of how Christ loves us - and without growing and pulling and pressure and heat and heartache how would we grow? How would we learn? How would we be more like Christ? We can't get there without growth.

Some people say marriage is impossible. And I don't understand that. because anything is possible *with God*.  I know there are exceptions - abuse, infidelity, addiction - but *sometimes* even with & through all those things God will work. He can change. He can make you new. Make your marriage new. He's applying the heat and molding the clay and stretching you beyond anything you thought you would ever be able to endure. Pain beyond recognition sometimes. All to make your marriage or in some cases maybe just YOU into the ultimate testimony of His dying love for us. 

But the enemy hates it. 

He'll tear it down tiny piece by tiny piece if he has to. And if you'll let him, he'll slither ever so quietly into the tiniest hair line fracture and take your marriage down from the inside out one thought at a time. 

But choice. 

Choose not to let him. Choose to fill those gaps ladies. Choose to let Jesus pour out of you and cement those gaps shut with unselfishness. With an open heart. With Mercy. With forgiveness. With time. With priority. With sometimes I don't want to do this but I'm just going to do it anyways. With a little Victoria's secret & a few chocolate chip cookies. (cause I'm old fashioned like that) And because deep down ladies, our men just want to be respected. They want to know we're proud of who they are. They want to know they're enough for us.  Enough at 20 and still enough at 40 50 & 60. 

You can't do it on your own.

God wants us to need Him in our marriages.  And sometimes you might have to wait.

 Months, years maybe even until heaven, i don't know...

now i know, not everyone will agree with me and that's ok.  I also understand every relationship is unique and complicated and sometimes for safety or other reasons the end of a marriage is necessary ... but as a general rule and because like everything else in life - stuff takes work. It takes time. It takes discipline and it takes choice. And because I've never seen a perfect long lasting no effort marriage just fall into anyone's lap.  And I get it... it'll never be perfect like in the movies we all watch or in the books we read but it will be worth it. Pinky promise.♥️

much love ♥

little box of sunshine gift idea

we sent this happy little box to my mother in law for mothers day

and i thought i'd share here with you all in case you're looking for a fun gift idea that's easy to put together and is such a surprise to the recipient!

i saw the idea on pinterest and decided to put a box together to send off to North Carolina

and after a trip to target i had a bunch fun stuff ... 

that happiness book is really cute - there's some funny things in it

i know this because i was chuckling in the isle at target while i flipped through it :)

i put all the little odds and ends in the clear catch all bag 

i lined the inside of the box with some bright yellow paper & double sided tape

the brighter the paper the better! you want that box to shine when all the flaps are opened :)

the flat rate box from the post office is free! and you can pack it full no matter what the weight 

and send it off for a flat rate fee priority mail (2-3 days) for around $15 i think, i can't remember the exact rate but it's around there :)

the paper i had was 8.5 x 11 and fit perfectly in this small flat rate box leaving only a little gap at the bottom on one side but you won't be able to see it once you fill it up

a little trimming might be necessary near the top flaps

and i just placed a full sheet on the bottom with no tape

the best part is this clipart that i got here

from my best girl's etsy shop - simply purchase, download, print and cut!

a little more of the double sided tape to place it where your heart desires and that's it!

i also printed out the text from microsoft publisher on my PC - cut & taped that to the long flaps

fill you box and send it off!

i know whoever receives it won't be able to help but be so happy :)

the only thing i was missing was yellow basket straw - you know that crinkled paperish stuff that comes in all different colors? filling the space at the top with that would've kept the yellow theme going, but i only had white tissue paper on hand, but yellow tissue paper would work too right?

some pictures of us girls on Mother's Day ♥

that's my mom - doesn't she look good?!

hoping i get her slow aging genes :)

whatever Mother's Day means for you i hope it was filled with joy and happines ... even if it's sort of a sad day for you whatever the reason, know that God works all things together for your good! even in the sadness (especially in the sadness) He's molding & shaping you into who He wants you to be ♥ remember that every heartache and trial you face was first sifted through His hands before it got to you so take comfort in that girls.

much love to you

free print - journaling cards

happy sunday

♥

just a quick pop in here to share these journaling cards i made last week 

with some super cute clip art my bloggy bestie sent me

the cards were inspired by the new First5 app

from Lysa Terkeurst and proverbs31 ministries

 it's an app designed for us busy ladies who have a desire to start their morning in the right direction by devoting the first 5 minutes of the day to Jesus with a short devo. the app is going through the book of John with an optional workbook that you can purchase on the website if you want to spend additional time and go more in depth. just starting it within this past week I'm already learning so much and i really wanted to share it with you. if you're following along with the app or going through the workbook tell me what you're learning too i want to know! and if you haven't downloaded the app yet go do it now! you'll be so encouraged!

download your cards here 

you can put them in your bible, journal or maybe even tape them to the mirror in the ladies room while you're out & about :) i hope they encourage you and the people around you this week!

much love

sickness snow and rejoicing.

being a grown up and being really sick is no joke

i've been in bed since wednesday 

one of the days i felt like i was dying

and i'm no sissie.

i'd like to say i'm a rough & tough girl

i'm independant. ambitious.

i like to get stuff done. a lot of stuff.

so maybe getting sick is just what i needed 

(even though i really didn't see it that way the day i felt like i was dying)
and then three days this week it snowed. 
yeeeeeah. it snowed.
april twenty something. 
and then i got some really disappointing news. i was really bummed. something i had worked really super hard on. and was really super excited about it. and then it fell through.
so basically the week sucked.
#firstworldprobs

i know He's putting something on my heart today to share here. my family is at church and i'm still in bed. and i sometimes feel a rush. like a surge to write things down that all of sudden seem like were spoken into my heart. little revelations maybe? i'm not sure.

the other day i thought what the heck is the purpose of being 'under the weather' God?

i mean really. i went to the dr. got the meds and now i'm on the mend. but really whats the point?

just that we live in a fallen world, that comes with death, disease, and other horrible things? so if i get this little virus i should probably just be thankful it wasn't death or one of said horrible other things?

i guess. that's probably what i should take away from this week.

one whole week wasted. orders from my etsy shop are backed up. my house was a wreck. laundry was piling up and my girls watched 27.3 hours of mindless tv while my husband struggled to take on a ridiculously busy week at work, a renovation project at church, homework, taking care of me and a head cold...

all because sometimes we just have to take the good with the bad??

 i guess.

what i waste i kept thinking.

until this morning.

when i read this.

it hit me. like a ton of bricks.

(cause i need a ton of them to get my attention when my focus is distored)

the initial blow was like an "uh helllooo" moment

and then my heart instatly softened to take in what God wanted to show me.

i was certain He was showing me this. right then.

we can rejoice. 

rejoice?

that was the farthest thing from my mind this past week laying in bed feeling like i wanted to stick a needle in my eye. ok, so i'm not saying i should have been laying in bed strumming a harp and singing the psalms in between fevers & rounds of ibuprofen. but rejoicing? in my heart maybe in the quiet of the day when i was just laying there? not even close. snapping at my kids, complaining to my friends and crying like a baby when my husband had to leave again was more like it.

why? why don't i know this already. i should have rejoiced

a quiet heart rejoice.

not like enjoy being sick.

but rejoice.

i hate it when there's one bad thing in life.

that wipes out fourteen thousand other good things i got goin on. and that's all i can focus on.

well that's how the enemy likes to set us up right? now i have to take some of the responsibility here. the enemy can only sneak into places where i've already cracked the door open a little bit. and all he needs is a hairline fracture. so if i'm already stewing on the things i don't like in life and my heart is not tapping into the source of Joy that is Jesus. well then i've already opened the door. so that's that.

we run into problems and trials. we know that they help us develop endurance.

so being sick for me wasn't just this ok take it and be happy it isn't something worse kind of experience. it was a problem. a problem to help me develop endurance.

maybe it was just the flat on my back kind of week i needed to expose some of those ugly things about myself that God wants to change. that He wants to gently work on with me.

maybe He was trying to get my attention all along... i just wasn't listening.

He wants to build my endurance.

endurance: the ability to do something difficult for a long time

relationships are hard. 

He wants me to love people and use the gifts He's given me to bless them

marriage is hard sometimes. 

He wants me to love & love fierce. 

like He loved me on that cross when He took my place, died and set me free.

parenting is hard sometimes (ok all the time). 

He wants me to guide my children towards a life with Him

not yell & scold and criticize them constantly

and endurance develops strength of character. and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. and THIS HOPE will not lead to disappointment.

i dunno about you. but i'll take any strengthening of character that i can get. i need it alot.

in fact i do notice in my quiet times. i'm always asking God for that specifically. please Father help me be a better mother to my girls. the wife my husband needs. a better daughter to my parents. a better daughter in law to my husbands parents. a better friend... help me to choose friends carefully. a better sister.  and then i love that last line. its the best part. because after all that.

after all that refining

after all that character strengthening

all that laying sick in bed for a week doing NOTHING

it will lead us to a stronger confident hope.

not just any hope. the best hope. hope of salvation.

and if all else in life does not go as we thought it would.

we can have salvation through Christ.

and that hope.

THAT HOPE

-even if everything else does-

will not disappoint.

so i guess this is a lot of info.

it was on my heart so i knew i had to share in case it's on any of yours ♥

i often overwhelm myself with things i want to change. i make the to-do list of where to start too long and too big that i look at it and give up. because i know i'll never be able to do all of it. so i do none of it.

i'm a go big or go home kinda girl and sometimes that's good. sometimes it's drives me to do good things. but sometimes i think i just need to go small and go Jesus. because i really believe He wants me to make progress, not attain perfection, towards having a heart like His.

so i chose a few things i want to start with this week. not too much. just two or three things i want to make sure i remember to do ... in areas where i feel really need some attention. and i hope this spurs you on to do the same. maybe it's a card you don't forget to send for mothers day. maybe it's that batch of cookies you keep thinking you'll make for the neighbors but never do. maybe it's just taking time to listen to your child and hear their heart. i don't know. but whatever it is i'm right there with ya.

and guess what?!?!

(read the next few lines)

:)

we can make our plans.

but the Lord determines our steps

proverbs sixteen. nine

my plans sound great most of the time.

but His plans have never failed me. any of the time

and that's coming from this hot mess.

much love

not mainstream ♥

shared in my instagram feed about something that was hard on my heart yesterday ... in church our pastor talked about being brokenhearted over our sin. about going into mourning mode when we do something that grieves our loving merciful perfect Holy God. 

as believers we are set apart. 

chosen for a specific purpose. 

we aren't supposed to look mainstream.

late talks with my hubby the night before led me to tell him i often feel like an outsider. 

like i don't fit in. don't belong. 

even sometimes in circles of other believers. 

but i think when we feel that way it's to serve the purpose of reminding us that we are strangers here. for only our short lives and that everything we do everyday, every minute, even every second counts. and i don't want to waste it. i want to look different. i want to speak different. act different. do others see Jesus in me even in brief encounters? i desperately want them to... Father help us to stand out. help us to not fall in with the rest of the crowd. help us to use the precious time You've so graciously given us as if we only had that moment to spend it. and when the line starts to blur help us to remember Your Words... 

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, 

for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 

{first john two fifteen}

then i saw this post from here this morning

had to screenshot it 

i'm determined to be devoted. no matter the cost.

no matter what. 

and that's scary to say... but i think i need to say it.

i think we need to say it. maybe you need to say it?

i hope you are encouraged today 

♥ much love to you 

you are just right ♥ valentines day free print

if you follow along with me on instagram, 

you probably know i just started reading this book...

{source}

and it's been great so far! i wanted to share it here on the blog as well 

in case it's something that has been on your heart too 

...here is a little blurb about the book from their webpage:

"Wife After God is a refreshing and inspirational 30 day marriage devotional for wives who desire to have a deeper more fulfilling relationship with God and their husbands. This devotional study was prayerfully composed with 30 days of biblical concepts and practical challenges to help you nourish your relationship with God and your relationship with your husband in marriage into ones that are captivating, intimate and extraordinary. Every day you will be presented with a biblical topic to help draw your nearer to your God and your husband. You will find that as your relationship with the creator deepens so will your love for your husband." - unveiledwife.com

today i was on day three... the need for companionship.

one of the things that stuck out to me most was Genesis two, verse eighteen

"... the Lord God said it is not good for man to be alone ... 

I will make him a helper who is just right for him."

just right for him... hmmm

i am created in His Image... i am just right

just right in my Father's eyes

and just right for my husband 

... now embracing and acting on that is the tricky part

but i intend to work hard at it

i really want to be intentional about investing into my marriage. 

my flesh & the world will tell me how easy it would be to just drift in my own direction.

to just do what i want to do

but that's not God's intention for my marriage

so it shouldn't be mine either.

so if you want to join in, it's easy!

i just purchased the book on my kindle and jumped right in. 

if you're on instagram be sure to track your progress and share your journal pictures 

and tag me! @raisinguprubies so i can find you

you can follow along with the unveiled wife @unveiledwife too 

(she has a video for each daily devotion) 

and use the hashtag #wifeafterGod

and thennnnnnnn... snag this free print right here!

put it on your nightstand, dresser ... maybe by the kitchen sink

 to remind you or your spouse that you were created "just right" for each other

and oh hey.

look at that.

it's almost valentines day. 

that works out great

doesn't it

:)

linking up to: tatertots & jello 

30 handmade days

quiet ...♥

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers ... neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans eight. thirty eight. thirty nine.

if we've ever needed You ... it's now ♥

to the parents who have lost their children ... our hearts are broken for you

lifting you up in prayer to the One who knows you by name ♥

make the most of the mist ... ♥

i've spent the last few days getting Christmas stock made for the shop

and i still can't believe how fast the holidays came upon us...

why is it when you're young everything takes forever to get here

when you're older everything comes too quickly?

i wanna know where that line is ...

where things start to fade ... from slow to fast

is 30 the magic number? when you start to realize life is short?

is it when you have kids? maybe it's when you lose a loved one...

maybe it's just in the everyday ...

You don't know what will happen tomorrow. 

What is life? 

You are a mist that is seen for a moment and then disappears ... 

James four. fourteen.

i feel the urgency to live out this instruction ... don't' you?

it makes me want to hurry up and slow down

the other day my daughter said to me ...

" i just can't wait 'till Christmas, i wish it was tomorrow"

:)

i can wait ... cause tomorow will be here in blink of an eye

♥

{source}

Happy Thanksgiving & much love to you and your families ... 

i'll peek in tomorrow for Wrappin' up Wednesday 

with some finally new Christmas things for the shop ... 

and be sure to check in this weekend ~ for a giveaway & black Friday discounts :)

gladness in my ♥ for you