Last Fall, Eric came into our bedroom to reveal to me our next years’ theme (that is, this year’s theme). As is his tradition, he is mysterious until the moment of reveal. Each theme is fantastic and touches on a part of our lives which could use growth, and each theme is also a journey which we can share with our readers. However, up until this point no theme touched me quite as deeply as this year’s theme: simplify. When he said the word simplify, my insides immediately relaxed and I felt a sense of relief. Simplifying our life sounded wonderful and I could not wait to get started. So … [Read more...]
Steps in Overcoming the Fear of Rejection
Many of us reach the summer of our lives with some scars. Our (once carefree) selves arrived at adolescence, discovered the opposite sex, ran across fair-weather friends, and landed at adulthood a little worse for the wear... a little "wiser..." a little less likely to put ourselves out there. Though it may not be obvious to the world, a solid majority of us go through life with a fear of rejection. Whether it is mild or debilitating, fear or rejection is present in every college, every workplace, every church, and every family reunion. How do we overcome this fear of rejection? Dig. … [Read more...]
Six Tips for Simplifying Apologies
When I was a girl, I dreamed about marriage – like most other little girls. When I was ten, my friends lost me at the beach. When they found me, I had floated down the beach completely immersed in a daydream about my Hawaiian honeymoon. How fun it was going to be cuddling, vacationing, kissing, and other stuff. ~smile~ I simply could not wait. Twelve years after my potentially hazardous floating daydream, I tied the knot in my home church surrounded by family and friends. The fun was just about to begin! It was the time in my life I had anxiously awaited for years. Here we go! On our … [Read more...]
10 Phrases to Never Say to Your Significant Other
If you had to grade your significant other based on the way he or she talks to you, what grade would you give? How would he or she score you? As we become comfortable in our relationships, the true content of our hearts shines through more readily. If we have the Holy Spirit living in us, our words and actions should reflect our Savior. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23, ESV) To hopefully save you and your honey much grief, here are ten phrases we … [Read more...]
Simplifying Your Differences
Tomorrow is my special man’s birthday! This time two years ago, we were freshly home from the hospital just in time for his birthday party – a party I stressed about for a whole year. A party I almost had to cancel due to an initially small medical issue which turned into an eleven-day, three-surgery hospital stay. After that experience, any birthday without tubes, wires, and a husband writhing in pain is a happy birthday. Because his unexpected hospital stay pushed up dangerously close to his birthday party date – a party I was trying to keep a surprise as much as possible – I did not have … [Read more...]