CHEERS!

Today, I'm choosing to spread some positivity in the blog world, and Casey's linkup is just the place to do it! Every Wednesday, this linkup is live, to spread encouragement, hope, and positivity to fellow bloggers! 
Today, I want to introduce you to two pretty amazing women that I've met through my blog. 
First up is Patty over at A Modern Grace. This girl has a passion for God, crafts, and food, some of my favorite things! She recently shared her growing hatred for shopping malls, and I couldn't agree more! I've loved getting to know this inspiring woman through her blog and look forward to all of the trials and tribulations her and her husband will face with faith this year! She's choosing to focus more this year...check out more about that here. I find that I can always turn to Ms. Patty's blog for encouragement and hope {in humanity}. Go show her some love! 



Next up is Karla from Forever Newly Wedded. We've become pretty good blog friends, and I always look forward to catching up on the shenanigans that her and her husband, Scott, get into. This girl loves love. Seriously! And if you're browsing her blog for a picture of just her, stop right now. You won't find one. That's how much she loves her man - he's in every picture, too! She also gets snow, which I'm not so secretly jealous of... sending Karla some warmth from Texas today! She's cold. And wanting hot chocolate. Anyone in CT willing to hook a sista up?! They also have the cutest pup, Tyson. Lifting Karla up today and encouraging her to just be her, because that's who we all love! :) Go show her some love, y'all! 

FIVE on Friday: Christmas-y edition.

What a week! Holiday weeks are always fun, but I'm always so thrilled when I get to be in my own home and sleep in my own bed. If I don't have to travel in a car for several hours for weeks and weeks, I'll be just fine with that. 
I spent most of yesterday car sick and feeling absolutely terrible. But today is much, much better! 
We got home late last night and lo and behold, I'm at work today. So, needless to say, all Christmas-y pictures are still on my phone and I of course had no plans today for a post! It's really no surprise, is it? But alas, here I am. Friday morning, feeling sluggish, and missing my oh so comfy bed. And my husband, who does not have to work today... *sigh* 
So, here's to another FIVE on Friday! :) Linking up with The Good Life Blog. 

one//Although Christmas is over, I'm still celebrating our Lord's birth! You better believe our Christmas decorations are still up and our tree is lit. 
two//I am so, so thankful for so much family in our lives! I know that not everyone is so fortunate, but when you have to decide and compromise on where to visit and who to see, it just means you have been blessed beyond measure with so.much.family! 
three//I'm missing my grandparents dearly this year. It's the first year that I did not have any living grandparents to celebrate Christmas with, and it hurts. I'm praying it will get easier with time, but many, many tears have been shed recently. I know they are ALL in a much better place with our Savior, but I still miss them terribly! 
four//We ate, and ate, and ate, and ate, and ate some more! Oh my goodness - we ate! If I don't have another big meal for a few weeks, I think I'll be just fine with that! The holidays always bring so much food! I'm grateful to have had laughs and love over the dinner table with so much family this year! Praise God! 
five//This year was the first year I've completely missed a Christmas celebration with my family. Now, I know that I have a fairly big family and we celebrate - a lot! With that being said, I also know that when you get married, things change. New traditions are made and you have to compromise and sacrifice...every single day. It's no surprise the holidays are any different! This year, we celebrated with Colten's family on Christmas morning instead of my dad's side of the family, and I can honestly say that I missed it dearly! Although I had a great time with Colten's parents, I missed the chaos and laughter of my loved ones that I won't see for many more months. It reminds me to truly cherish the time that you do get with your loved ones, because life changes every single day and you never know when you won't be able to tell them you love them anymore or won't be visiting them when you thought you would! 

I hope that everyone had a fabulous Christmas this year and celebrated the true meaning of Christmas! 

The Newlywed Game {Take 7}: Holiday Edition!

It's back! It's back! And just in time for Christmas... :). That's right, I'm talking about the Newlywed Game linkup! Of course, linking up with Karla and Veronica for this special treat! 

1. Which Christmas would your spouse say was the best that you had together as a couple? 

Colten: All of them. Bri: He would probably say it was our first Christmas together - 2011. We were newly married and so in love! Of course, we're still in love now, but it was so magical that first year, with our first tree. Wait, this question is about his best Christmas? Oh ... my bad. 
2. What would your spouse say is the weirdest, or most unique tradition that your family does at Christmas?  Colten: Everything. My family is weird.  Bri: I'm not sure what he would say, as I'm not sure we do any weird or super unique traditions...hmm...
3. It's Christmas Day. You are looking all around and can't find your spouse! Finally you find them hiding in a closet, devouring which holiday treat?  Colten: Probably chocolate.  Bri: He'd definitely be devouring the cookies! That man loves to bake and loves him some cookies! 
4. It's your spouse's turn to pick out a Christmas movie. Naturally, they pick their favorite one. Which is it?  Colten: She loves Christmas and Christmas movies, so I don't know her exact favorite. Bri: I learned recently that he absolutely loves How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Fitting :). 
5. If your spouse had it their way...when would they put up Christmas decorations? Right after the turkey? Last minute? Not at all?  Colten: In January, and they would be up all year! {haha..no! I love Christmas, but I'm not one of 'those' people...} Bri: If it's up to him, he probably wouldn't put up any decorations! At the very least, though, it might just be last minute. 
6. What does your spouse think is the best Christmas gift you ever gave them?  Colten: All of them. Bri: I honestly don't know. I tend to get him some pretty practical things for Christmas ... except for this year! :) mwahahahaha.
7. Fa la la la laaaa, what is your spouse's go-to Christmas song?  Colten: I could not tell you.  Bri: I just got him the Duck Dynasty Christmas CD - so pretty much any song from there. He's already proclaimed that it will be tradition to listen to that CD every.single.year. Future children, I'm so sorry! 
8. On Christmas morning, what does your spouse wish is under the tree?  Colten: A million dollars. {wish is right!} Bri: This year, an Xbox One {but he knows better...}. 
9. What is one thing that your spouse absolutely has to do every year during the holidays?  Colten: Listen to Christmas music, decorate, and send Christmas cards. Bri: Drink egg nog! He loves that stuff! I can't stand it. 
10. What was the coolest gift your spouse got at Christmas as a child? (Hopefully, they told you this at some point in your relationship...otherwise, this one will have to be a lucky guess!) Colten: A whole bunch of sports gear. Bri: No clue! Maybe a toy gun or a new pair of boots?! I just love my redneck :). 

This was so.much.fun! Thanks, Karla, for bringing this baby back for the holidays! I hope everyone enjoys lots of time with their loved ones this holiday season. I know I will! 

All about Christ.

"Hooray for Friday!" is exactly what I'm happily shouting at the top of my lungs today! Seriously - it's been a super long week and I'm so ready to be able to just head home today after work instead of going to job #2. Although I'm thankful for both jobs, I truly look forward to being able to actually spend time at home and get stuff done {or just be lazy and relax...those days are definitely crucial!}. So, in the spirit of another Friday that I've been beyond blessed to see roll around, I'm sticking with the theme of blessings. Today's five on Friday is all about Christ. 
{one} CHRISTmas. Christmas is in the air EVERYWHERE, and I'm absolutely in love! It's been especially present on my little blog these past few days {seriously, I think there's about a bajillion Christmas linkups - so if you're in the mood, go have some fun!}. I had some fun this week sharing about what I love about the holidays and how I decorated my home and office this year! So, you should definitely go check it out. Also, I'm completely obsessed with the fact that Christmas is officially less than two weeks away! Ahhh! 
{two} thank God. There are a lot of people {way more than I'd like, quite honestly} that seem to feel as if they're at their wits end and don't know which way is up. They are spinning down into a tumultuous black hole and constantly complain about the 'awful' things in their lives. Well, I'm here to say thank God. I've been there, and I know what it's like to completely feel as if what you are facing is just completely terrible and you've been faced with such a huge burden that it's just the worst thing ever. Seeing others experiencing the same hurt, pain, and anger truly makes me thankful to God for the blessings that have been bestowed upon my life. No matter how big or small, a blessing is a blessing, and I am forever grateful. It's so easy to overlook the joys in life and stay focused on all of the negativity. I'm living proof that through the smoke on those bumps of life, there is greatness. There is happiness and joy. There is life. And for that, I thank God. 
{three} remembering. Tomorrow is the one year anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. The video below is completely heart wrenching and just blows me away every single time that I watch it. Please, please take a few minutes {4 minutes and 5 seconds to be exact} out of your day to watch this beautiful video of Emilie's family after tragedy ripped apart their family just one short year ago tomorrow and changed their lives forever. You'll definitely need a kleenex or two, but it's completely worth it. I promise.  Those blue eyes...I die. This video has gone absolutely viral, as I've seen it posted on blogs, on Facebook, twitter, emails ... it is a truly amazing video of how evil did not win that day. 
In remembering such a terrible tragedy, I went back and read a few blog posts that I wrote regarding that day:  + Newtown, Connecticut Shooting + Because it Still Hurts They're not long posts, but they remind me of my anger, confusion, and faith from that day - the day that so many lives were completely changed forever. The day that will haunt them for years to come and may never go away. The day they lost a piece of their heart. I'm remembering, and I'm praying. May God comfort those that are still hurting from the senseless tragedy and bring a sense of peace that the lost loved ones are joyfully playing in Heaven at the feet of our Creator and Savior. 
{four}little drummer boy. After that last video, I'm now asking you to spend four more minutes watching this one. You won't be disappointed - honest! If you weren't in the Christmas spirit before, you will be now: 
Isn't it beautiful? The union of all of their voices and the gorgeous message behind the song. I can't sum it up any better than Amber did over at Mr. Thomas and Me. Please, please, please go read it. PLEASE! {Yes, now I'm pretty sure I'm begging.} It's glorious, to say the least! Thank you Amber! I can seriously have this song on repeat to enjoy over and over and over and over and over and over and over again. It's that good. Do yourself a favor and go listen to it, even if you've done so already - even a couple hundred times ;). 
{five}healing.  Hallelujah! Colten is finally free of his pneumonia! Now that is something to scream at the top of my lungs! He will still have to use his inhaler for the next month and a half, but he's done with his antibiotics, and he is fully admitting that he's all better {which is a suretell sign that he's better}. I hate feeling completely helpless and having to sit back while the man I love with all that I am suffers day in and day out. So I am praising God today that He has healed my husband and will allow us {hopefully...} to celebrate Jesus' birth day free from illness. What greater gift is there?! 

Of course, linking up with THE GOOD LIFE BLOG. 

Christmas LOVE!

I love Christmas. Okay, that's probably even an understatement! I'm obsessed with Christmas! It's my absolute favorite time of year and it's what I look forward to every single year - beginning New Year's Day! {you think I'm kidding. I'm totally not.}
So what exactly is it that I love about this time of year? Well, I think it's time to share! And to do that, I'm linking up with A Beautiful Exchange for The Girl Between the Lines! Lo and behold, today's topic: 
"Your favorite things about the holiday season." 

FAMILY I'm really, really close with my family. Seriously, every time I go home to visit just for a random weekend, it's like a family reunion. We love each other and we all love getting together for some crazy, random fun! However, it's even better at Christmastime. Christmas just brings a sense of unity and happiness, and when you add an already tight-knit family, it's pretty phenomenal! As a newlywed, I look forward to creating new traditions with my little family {Colten, Ace, and I} and any children we may or may not be blessed with in the future. I hope to instill in them the true meaning of Christmas, and I pray that they too will come to love this holiday. 

via

FAITH Most importantly, I love the meaning of Christmas - the birth of Jesus Christ! Seriously, what better time of year is there than to celebrate the birth of our Savior? I can't think of one. I strive every single day to live according to God's will, and I love celebrating His son's birthday. It's a time when Jesus is glorified, and he is the center of this entire season. It's the time when everyone remembers the true meaning of Christmas. Everyone is spreading God's Word and reveling in His glory. It's truly miraculous. 

MEMORIES I honestly cannot remember a single Christmas that doesn't revolve around family and joy. Or without a single one of my grandparents. We used to celebrate Christmas on my mom's side of the family on Christmas Eve at my grandma's house in town. She's honestly the strongest woman I've ever known. But I loved those Christmases. She would have her small tree up on a box so it would be taller and leave more room for gifts. We'd all huddle around her small living room and one by one, we'd take turns opening presents. The smile on her face being surrounded by family at Christmas is something that I'll absolutely never forget. The same holds true for my dad's side of the family. We'd celebrate religiously on Christmas Day in the late morning, after church. I just loved all of the vintage decorations that my grandma would put out, and her always unique, tiny Christmas tree. Just walking into that house on Christmas Day brought a smile on my face. They loved having everyone together, celebrating Jesus' birth. 
I also remember always, always celebrating with my immediate family - my parents, brother, and sister. We would never go without being sure to celebrate as a family. I have countless memories of sheer joy and happiness when I think back upon my childhood Christmases with my family. We always spent quality time together, and we loved it. Recently, it's as if everyone is being pulled in different directions, now that I'm married and Josh has his girlfriend's family to visit - now, it's 'hurry up and open gifts and leave', or so it seems. So, this year, we're changing that. We are dedicating our time with family to the celebration of Christmas and to spend quality time together once again. Technology will be put aside, and we are going to truly enjoy each other's presence and be thankful for each other. I'm super excited! 
This year will be the first year celebrating Christmas without any grandparents - and I'm honestly pretty nervous about it. It'll be my first 'memory' of a Christmas celebration without any of them... I'm sad just thinking about it. But, I will smile as we all come together, even in their physical absence, knowing they will be looking down on us. I will relish all of my Christmas memories that I've had the blessing of experiencing over my lifetime. It'll be hard, but I know they are all in a better place and I will see them again one day. 

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS 

I'm obsessed with Christmas lights. I love putting them up in my home, looking at them, driving through the community to look at all of the other lights, and just everything about them! We grew up in the country, but we'd always drive through town to look at the Christmas lights. I love the glow of the lights and the way it reminds me of Christmas. Seriously, what other time is it socially acceptable to have lights up all over the place? It's great! 

The picture above is from last year's Trail of Lights in Austin. It's a big deal, year after year, and after attending last year, I know why! It's miles and miles of lighted displays celebrating Christmas! I'll have to write up an entire post dedicated just to this event {as I'm really hoping we'll go again this year!}. We also have lots of lights in our home this year, but you'll have to wait until tomorrow to check that out! So be sure to check back tomorrow! 

CHRISTMAS MUSIC

I'm just going to be honest here {it's my blog, anyway} and say that I began listening to Christmas music before Thanksgiving this year! That's right, I'm THAT girl! And proud of it! I don't know if it's because we get to listen to songs that have been put away for the past 11 months or what, but I just love Christmas music! Recently at work, I've been listening to Christmas jazz instrumentals - it's truly amazing! I'd definitely recommend it if you're looking for a soothing, relaxing Christmas tune or two. Here's my all-time favorite: 

CHRISTMAS MOVIES I'd be lying if I said I didn't look forward to all of the Christmas movies that come out this time of year! They're all fun, flirty, and all-around happy, for lack of a better word. I always look forward to ABCFamily's '25 Days of Christmas' - I'm just a kid at heart when it comes down to it! I also turn to the Hallmark channel and the Lifetime Movie Network for fun, more 'adult' Christmas films. I watched several this past weekend and it just filled my heart with joy. Seriously - movies surrounded by my favorite time of year? Yes please! Be on the lookout for my Christmas movie list, coming soon! 

COLD WEATHER So, the above picture typically sums up a Texas Christmas - to the T! Howdy there, sandman! I'm anxious to see what exactly the weather will be this Christmas. In short, the weather surrounding Christmas in Texas is not what you'd think of when you think 'Christmas'. While it's mostly hot, hot, hot, we do get the occasional weekly winter where it cools down and gets downright cold. This week is an example of that. Instead of the usual 80 degree temps, it's been in the 30's all week long! That's right, I've been a happy, happy girl! I love cold weather, so the holidays makes my heart soar with the dropping temperatures and drizzling rain. Although we rarely get snow, it's been known to happen on occasion. The last 'snow storm' was in February 2010. See? Proof! 

You bet we went out and played in that stuff! It was a great "snow day", even though you can tell there wasn't all that much snow. It melted pretty fast! I could go for another snow day - bring it on mother nature! This girl is READY! 

So, that about sums it up! It turns out, a shorter response would have been, what don't you like about the holidays? ;) I apparently have a lot of favorites! I told you... OBSESSED.

Friday Lovin'

I just get so unbelievably excited for days like today. Nothing super special ever really happens, but at the same time, something fabulous happens every week at this time.

 

 

IT'S FRIDAY!

Yep, I'm in love with Fridays. Every single one of them. I never dread them, they never make me unhappy. I'm always ridiculously excited on each and every friday that comes my way. I LOVE FRIDAYS!

And this Friday, I'm loving a few things...so we'll just get right to it! That's right, five on friday is here once again! Linking up with the good life blog. Don't pretend that you're surprised ... I love sharing a few random things at the end of every week. I look forward to it. I need it. So, it's happening.

{disclaimer: this doesn't mean it'll happen every.single.friday. a girl needs variety!}

   

{one}

I don't necessary love Judge Judy, but her show is pretty funny! And this clip is no different. She closes this case in 30 seconds by them disagreeing over what was stolen! HILARIOUS! Can we say dumb?!

 

 

 

{two}

I'm still in awe over what I'm calling our 'holiday bonus' from HEB! They surely surprised me!

 

 

100 ways to say thank you is none other than a crisp, brand-new $100 bill! And being the smart lucky lady that I am, I'm married to an HEB employee, so that means we each got one! That's right. I think I'm still in shock. Perfect timing with the holidays just around the corner! {Thanksgiving is next week y'all!}

 

 

{three}

I'm just absolutely loving on Shay Shull over at Mix and Match Family. She's a girl after my own heart, and her blog is just chalk-full of all things Christmas lately! I'm keeping her Christmas music guide handy this year! Also, she just posted about her all-time favorite Christmas movies, which I love! Some of them I haven't seen yet {gasp!}, so I'll definitely be looking into them this year! Thanks Shay!

 

 

{four}

Speaking of bloggers, Karla over at Forever Newly Wedded cheered me on this week! She participated in the brand-spanking-new linkup, Cheers Not Jeers, and spotlighted little ol' ME! Go here to check it out! She is super sweet and I just love her blog! I pretty much stalk read it every day {and comment, of course!} and I enjoy reading up on her and her sweet husband's {and Tyson's} adventures! They're always up to something. Thanks again Karla! :-)

 

 

{five}

Right now, I'm most looking forward to decorating for Christmas! I mean, there's really nothing better out there! I wanted to get it done last weekend, but that didn't happen. I had hopes for this weekend, but that outcome is looking just as bleak as last weekend! *sigh* It'll happen soon, though, I can promise you that! Seriously, doesn't this picture just scream Christmas, toasty warm pajamas, drinking cocoa, watching holiday movies, laughing, and just not having any worries in the world?

via

 

The answer to that is simply, yes! Yes, it does! I can't wait! Why would you not want that in your life? I need it immediately. And if this picture were my actual house, I'd be in hog heaven! I'm going to try to recreate this feel this year in our own place! Wish me luck!

 

What are some of your favorite things from this week? Are you decorating for Christmas already? Let me know!

 

GOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLL!!!!

Monday. Again. Oh how I loathe thee.

 

BUT, my weekend was pretty fab, so let's just talk about that instead, shall we? I think so.

 

1// My sister has returned from her wayyy too long super awesome vacation to London and Paris! However, I was sadly informed that she does not have a picture like the one above - I mean, come on?! Epic fail in my book. Just sayin'. But, I'm glad she's home! Yay! {however, that also means that I no longer get to drive her luxury car and am back to driving old faithful...but that also means I don't have to spend as much gas as I have been because my car gets way better gas mileage...win, win?? sure, why not. let's go with that}

 

2// Fall weather y'all! That's what Saturday was all about. However, I must take the time to admit that I slept for like 15 hours from Friday to Saturday, and was pretty lazy the rest of Saturday as well. But, we had the windows open in the house, so that counts right? Yep. It does.

 

3// Saturday was also spent watching Grey's Anatomy reruns that I may or may not DVR to watch when nothing else catches my interest. Well, guess what? Nothing else did this weekend. Seriously. I couldn't get enough! And this has got to be my all-time favorite line:

 

Callie: Did anyone ever think you two were a couple?

Meredith: No, because we screw boys like whores on tequila.

Christina: Then we either try to marry them or drown ourselves.

 

I mean, sheer perfection right there, folks! Seriously.

 

4// So, the game in Dallas on Friday was rained out, but the weather cleared up nicely, and the San Antonio game was still on! So, we did the only obvious choice and went to watch our super awesome athlete of a cousin play collegiate soccer! Duh. What else do you do on a Sunday? Yeah, I don't know either. She was awesome, as always, and her fan club got lots of pics! We're a pretty entertaining bunch, people! Seriously. Best. Fanclub. Ever. We also toured the city in our attempt to locate the facility in which the girls were showering - epic fail {and a total waste of gas *sigh*}. Aaaannndd, as we got there, they were leaving {of course!} - so, we did what any good fanclub would do and we followed the bus to go eat! Luckily, our cousin is a rebel and chose to eat with her family instead of following the rules and sitting with her team. Yeah! She loves her fanclub, and I guess it's safe to say she probably missed her parents and sister too and not just the super awesome cousin fanclub ;). It was also pretty awesome to witness her first collegiate yellow card. Don't poke the bear! Great times. Oh yeah, and THEY WON! And, she got the assist to one of the goals and the assist to the assist for the other {that's a thing, I promise!}. The beast is back, y'all!

 

 

And duh, I'm linking up for Weekend Shenanigans. What else?!

 

August Cara Box {Reveal}

cara (car-rah) noun : beloved friend    

Kaitlyn over at Wifessionals hosts the Cara Box Exchange every month. Well, she used to. The rules are changing a bit, so go check it out! Basically, you get paired with two women to get to know for the month. You send a box to one of them, and the other one sends a box to you! I've met some amazing women through this exchange, and I look forward to continuing my participation in this amazing exchange! This is only my second time to participate, and it was awesome, just as before! Go here to see my June Cara Box experience.

I was paired with Raewyn over at Warrior Queen and Jessica at A Different Kind of Plan. This month, Kaitlyn did a phenomenal job and paired everyone with someone in their age range and marital/child status. Both of these girls have amazing men by their side, just like I do! Head over to Raewyn's blog to meet this amazing girl and check out what I sent her. She's currently in wedding planning mode and is getting married on April 19th of next year! Girl, that's just 8 short months away! Good luck! :) But this girl seriously got me through some rough times this month. I look forward to keeping in touch with her!

I received a box from Jessica, and boy did she go all out! Seriously, she really outdid herself! She sent numerous items for a romantic spa date night in: sleep mask, bath soap, face masks, loufa, candles... wow! I can't wait to use this stuff! Maybe this weekend...we shall see!

She also wrote the sweetest note - sorry the picture is a little blurry - that really melted my heart. Thanks so much, Jessica! This girl really picked up on the big, true things in my life. Although, I've also been told I'm pretty transparent...oops! Oh well - that's what a blog is all about, right?! :)  

This girl also sent me some amazing lists and post-its! As an avid list-maker - I'm in love! These will most definitely come in handy, and I've really been needing some new ones, so it's perfect!

She also included these Chihuahua tissues - because this month has been terrible to me, and, as she put it, it's okay to cry. Well, why not cry into these amazing tissues?! So super sweet and absolutely precious! And I had a good laugh - thanks Jessica! Perfect timing.

I also received two big bars of chocolate that may or may not have been devoured immediately. A girl after my own heart, I must say! They were delicous ;).  Also included was some under eye cream - I'm super busy in my life and there are many, many nights where I don't get enough sleep which equals tired eyes and dark circles. If I fall in love with it, it better not be too expensive, or my husband may not allow it, and we can't let that happen! Fingers crossed :). 

I had a great experience this time around and I just love meeting new people! But, I must admit, I'm very excited that Kaitlyn has decided to change up the way she runs this exchange. Instead of it occurring monthly, it will be a span of three months. Let's face it, two weeks to get to know someone and then send a box of goodies to them is just not enough time! Especially when life happens. I admit I had to send my box to Raewyn a few days late due to my dental emergency, but thankfully she still received it in time! I look forward to coninuing with this wonderful exchange. I'm so blessed to know two more amazing women around the U.S. and to have found Kaitlyn's blog that allows me to meet amazing women! If you haven't participated yet, I strongly urge you to! September's pairings will be based on location, so I'm excited to maybe get to know some Texas women! And, if you're not a blogger, you can still participate! That's right - she will pair you with another non-blogger and y'all can still have the same experience. Seriously, what are you waiting for?! :)

2 Timothy 3:16 {GROW in His Word}

Linking up for an amazing Scripture study group with Vanessa, Kelsey, Faith, and Melissa: GROW in His Word.  It's a weekly Scripture study in which we use the acronym G-R-O-W.

G - Greet - Welcome God's presence into your study with prayer

R - Read - Read the verse a few times, both silently and aloud

O - Observe - Ask yourself what stood out to you while you read the verse

W - Write - Write out the verse, note your observations, and share a prayer for this verse

This past week's verse was 2 Timothy 3:16.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.

All Scripture...

This is the part the really stood out to me the most. Although it's only two words, they are so very powerful! Think about it - ALL Scripture; not just some of it. Don't pick and choose which verses to live by. It is telling us that we must grow in His Word - ALL of His Word, not leaving out any Scripture. Wow!

is breathed out by God...

God is telling us what to do. He is showing us the way to live out His will and to succumb to His glory - to really reach out and change our way of life to follow His teachings. We are blessed to learn from our Creator, our God. How amazing is that!  

and profitable for teaching...

No matter what stage of life you're currently in, all Scripture can be used to teach - to teach others the way that you've found, to teach yourself how to be more Christ-like, centered, and focused.  I learn from Scripture every.single.day. And regardless of what verse it is, it speaks volumes to me and I am blessed to truly learn from God and to deepen my relationship with Him. No one else can do it for you - YOU have got to learn from His teachings. 

for reproof...

I am very self-centered in my faith and strive to work at it every day. So with this comes the idea of repentance. God graciously forgives us for our sins and welcomes us into His heart with open arms. So should we, too, do this unto others. Do not cast blame and doubt upon fellow sinners. Instead, welcome them back to God with open arms, just as God has done and will continue to do for you.

for correction...

I love how each of these sections of this verse go hand in hand. Correction continues from where I left off with reproof. But I want to take it a step further and really look at myself with this one. In my current state of my faith and relationship with Him, I am called to use Scripture for correction in my own life - in my own mind. When I think I'm right...WRONG! I turn to Scripture to focus my life to be Christ centered and to correct my ill-thinkings and actions.

and for training in righteousness.

Learn to do His will, not yours. Righteousness - the state of moral perfection required by God to enter Heaven. The ultimate goal. The reason to learn all Scripture. Using Scripture, we are able to train throughout our lifetime to live by God's Word and to sculpt our image in His eyes. We are able to truly become Christ-like and enter into His kingdom upon His calling.  This is truly glorious!

What a perfect verse to begin this link-up! It truly starts you at the perfect place - to obtain the perfect mindset to continue this journey of deepening our faith and relationship with our Creator! I admit, I am guilty of picking and choosing which Scripture to study.  But God calls to use all Scripture in shaping my life as a Christian. This definitely opens my eyes that my study needs to be all inclusive. My study needs to get much deeper and centered on where God is leading me. This can and will happen.

This also leads to where my heart has been turning towards: the Bible. Let me explain. My heart has been yearning to truly read through the bible and actually learn what it is saying. I want to have a better understanding of what God is asking me to do. Yes, I attend church and listen to God's Word weekly, but I truly want to understand better. I see an extensive bible study in my future, really learning each book of the bible and knowing who is speaking and to whom he or she is speaking, as well as the time each book was set. I want this. I need this. And it'll happen. Overtime ends this month, so come September, I know what will be utilizing my time. Not only will I have my home back (70 hour work weeks do not allow for much time to devote to maintaining a household), but I will become organized and will begin the next chapter of my journey of faith.

Dear Lord,

Thank you for allowing my eyes to open further and to be set upon Your Word. Please allow me to fully utilize Scripture to deepen my relationship with You and to GROW closer to You. Thank you for the blessings that are the women who have created this opportunity for others to grow in your Word together. Without them, this experience would not be the same. Thank you for such an amazing community of Your followers that have come together through this link-up where studying Your will is a priority. I pray that you continue teaching me to dive into Your teachings and to develop my understanding even further than what's on the surface. Please continue to speak to my heart and teach me to follow the path to righteousness so that I will enter Your kingdom when You come calling my name.

In Your name, I pray.

Amen.

{Family} Shenanigans

This weekend was a blast!  Seriously.   Friday, I was harassed because not only had I not seen the movie 'Red', I hadn't even heard of it! My sister thought this was ludicrous, so we proceeded to an evening watching Red before she had to go into work.  I felt honored because she was willing to wake up early and have me over!  Ironically, Red was on TNT this weekend ... *heh*.   Saturday, I worked overtime (yes...I work six days a week...#ithinkican) and then relaxed for a few hours on our couch with our doggy catching up on some television.  Score!  Then, I headed over (literally, walked) to the movie theater with my brother and sister to watch Red 2! It was sooooo good!  It was also great to spend some time with my siblings!  

  one//rainbow after the movie on Saturday two//main event entertainment! super awesome place three//proof of the one and only time I did good during our two hours of bowling four//Red 2 'nuff said!   Sunday, my parents headed to Austin to pick up a very giant, very heavy box that's been living in our garage for like a week...which meant some family time!  We headed out to a late lunch at Pappadeaux, which was amazing!  I hadn't been there in forever, and know I remember why: we're poor and Pappadeaux is not a good place for your wallet... ;).  But the food was amazing and the company was even better!  THANKS MOM & DAD!   After lunch, we took a very scenic route to Main Event Entertainment.  My dad got a new truck recently, and we tested its navigational skills.  Truck got game! Ha! :)  When we arrived, we were told it would be about a half hour wait, not too bad for a Sunday afternoon!  We ultimately didn't have to wait that long, and we got our bowl on! Josh had perfect timing for his arrival - he had been playing bball with some friends prior to that and decided to come bowl with us, and he showed up right when it was his turn!  

Please ignore the poor picture quality. K thanks.

We had a blast!  Especially when our time was running out and we decided to try to see how many frames we could get through in like 12 minutes - super hilarious by the way!  But today, my body is not happy with me!  My hand is sore and my knee hurts - typical Bri stuff, you know.  For those that don't know, I'm a klutz and am typically injured in some odd form or fashion.  This reminds me of my high school years when I showed up for two-a-days on crutches (or maybe just a pretty bad limp and busted up leg) after a vacation at the Frio.  My coaches just shook their heads at me...hey, it wasn't my fault the river beat me up!  At least I still showed up for two-a-days, right?? :-D  Speaking of two-a-days, though, thank GOODNESS those days are over.  Seriously.    After bowling, we headed back to mine and Colten's apartment and said our goodbyes.  Mom and dad headed home, as did Josh.  Colten and I enjoyed our evening in watching Yours, Mine, and Ours and planning our meals for the week.  My husband is amazing and agreed to buy groceries by himself tomorrow.  So sweet!  Especially because after a long afternoon, all I wanted to do was curl up on the couch with a blanket and rest!    Linking up with Sami today. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------   To all the prayer warriors out there (yes, that means YOU), I have a prayer request.    Please keep my family in your prayers, especially my grandfather and his children.  This is another difficult time on this long journey and it definitely hasn't been easy.  Please pray that they may be comforted in any way possible and that they find the peace, patience, and strength to make it through.    I won't get into all of the details on here at this time, but any and all prayers are greatly appreciated!   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Have a blessed week, y'all! ♥
 

Be Smart Before You Channing

Happy Monday!    Yes, I said 'Happy Monday'! Want to know why it's happy?    Well, here you go!      Please excuse Miley Cyrus ... she's not really important here.    This video was played repeatedly over the weekend.  And, it was incorporated into a board game we finally finished creating ... super exciting stuff!  If you rolled snake eyes, you had to 'Channing all over your tatum' - which really meant you put your hands in the air and wave around like an idiot - FUN STUFF!    Our family is forever doing weird things like that, which is why I love them so much!  We had an absolute blast this weekend, and it was a great fourth of July!    You were able to see all of these fun happenings if you follow me on Instagram.  We're hilarious.    But seriously, I had a GREAT weekend!!  

  1//4th of July picnic 2//Sexy Hexy boardgame is close to completion 3//brushfire on the way home :( 4//st.john picnic fireworks! 5//picnic with my brother! :) 6//my dad & I made egg sandwiches for breakfast at midnight on the 4th. 7//my cousin - new lock screen! 8//we now have a brand new baby calf on the farm! he's a cutie! 9//brother and cousin planking after lunch ... just a normal Friday afternoon 10//I caught a picture of this cloud on Wednesday night. GORGEOUS!    And now for more pics of Channing :)  

   And it wouldn't be complete without the outtakes:     YOU'RE WELCOME!     Linking up with Sami today!

Buda Weekend

Another Monday means it's time to lay it all out there.  Or, just recap my amazing weekend.    And amazing it was!    Best of this weekend: hanging out with cousins! Worst of this weekend: spending too much money at H-E-B. Boo.   Saturday, I worked overtime.  Enough said, right?   

  After earning some much needed mula, I headed home, where my amazing husband was waiting.  He had the weekend off, y'all.  That's HUGE in this house!  We spent some time together and then decided to head on over to my cousin's house ealier than planned, which turned out great!  We went to church and then out to eat at a small Mexican restaurant in town ... so good!  We then took a mini road trip and had lots of laughs!  Y'all, it was hilarious! It was great to get away from the regular routines and just have some fun with family! Never a dull moment with those two:  

  Colten took the girls for a late night Wal-Mart trip, how adorable are they?!  Ha. My weird family, yep.  I say those words all too often.   

  We ended up spending the night (thanks, Kim!) and got to sleep in late. Bliss!  I hadn't done that in at least two or three weeks - I just work so dang much these days!  But anyway, we spent the morning playing Candy Crush.  And now, I'm addicted.  Yay... Seriously, all five of us were each on a device playing this game!  But it was great to just relax ALL morning with nothing to worry about.  Definitely much needed.  But then, they got the itch for water balloons, so this happened:  

  So fun!    And, as already mentioned, we spent way too much on groceries yesterday evening, but such is life I guess!    Also, Drop Dead Diva is BACK!  It premiered last night and was fabulous!  I'm so excited that they decided on another season!  I also watched the series premiere of Devious Maids - it looks promising!  Definitely different, so I'm going to give it a chance.    How was your weekend?!   *P.S. If you haven't used this product yet, GET IT NOW! Seriously, it's amazing.*     linking up with Sami!