I need Jesus more than a Diet.

I need Jesus more than a diet, a pinterest project, a new outfit, or a shopping cart at target full of things I don't need. In a society that craves all things new; I need to crave "the one who makes all things new!" I need to learn to count graces more than calories. Drink from the cup of living water, more than a gallon of earthy water.. I need to invest in people more than facebook friends. I need to count hours spent in His presences, then infront of the Tv... I need Jesus..

I think we've lost our focus... If you recall of elementary school "the thing that gets rewarded gets done." It's pure and simple. We need to stop asking what we "NEED" to do, or "NEED" to create, or "Need" to fix.

My friend.. YOU NEED JESUS... you don't need to count calories, you need to count graces. Whoa! I'm not saying all those things are bad, I'm saying we spend WAAAY to much time doing them.. If we spent that much time in HIS PRESENCE we would have creative juices flowing, we would have more energy, more joy, more LIFE... but instead we zap our energy focusing on everything else..

OH! "In the Morning when I RISE - GIVE ME JESUS!"



"And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He *said, “Write, forthese words are faithful and true.” ⁶ Then He said to me, “^[a]It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. ⁷ He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son." Revelation 21:5-7

Grace...

Y'all, sometimes I just have to laugh at my self. Midway through last October I started a campaign of how to be consistent, why it's important, and how it matters in our walk with the lord.... and just at the right time, satan showed up. I suddenly became super busy, lacked inspiration and motivation to write...

Whoever said that it just takes 21 days to form a habit is a LIAR!

But isn't that how life goes. We set our alarms for 5AM, clothes set out to workout, or bible laid out and that's the night you end up staying up all night. Isn't it the weeks you went to the grocery store, planned your meals and you end up working late, kids have programs all night and for what ever reason you just can't make it to the kitchen to actually cook..

Grace.. Thank the Lord for grace!

If grace were a person she would be Early. and always stay late. Grace would be in the back of the room - waiting and watching. She would be quick to volunteer for anything and would never leave a project unfinished. Thank God for grace - while she doesn't always have the right answer - She puts us back on track to the one who does. She's steady! She's Strong! She laughs quietly in the face of stress for it would have no hold on her. Grace is the friend whom you just turned on. She's the team mate that was picked last but plays her heart out. Grace Loves to LOVE. Grace is the hidden secret. She's the Dynamite! She's sometimes the last resort and yet, she knows the answer that always works out. She's the friend you wish you knew better, but she's most like you and you can't stand her for it. Deeply though,you just want to have coffee with her. O grace..... if only you knew how thankful I am for you!

I think we don't give GRACE enough correct.. I think we all need more grace, and yet we sometimes laugh in the face of GRACE.... Y'all.... I debated starting a new blog -- because honestly, who could walk back into a room they just left high and dry and try to have ANY credibility.. seriously... but, I think that's where a lot of us are... We have left friendships hanging by a thread, work unfinished, stories untold, neighbors left lonely and yet we just can't find our way back. We don't know if we can, if we should, how it would work out... all we know is something in us is restless. something isn't quite right. If only we could, or had, or were.....

Grace, my friend.... "His grace is sufficient, His power is made PERFECT in our weakness." Run to Him - kneel in His presence.. Come home my friend... and allow Him to work through you to complete a GREAT and mighty work!

Consistency in Parenting

She's a wife, and a mother... but not just any wife or any mother... but the best wife, friend and helpmate to my dad and MY mom! and today, she's a guest writer on my blog.. I figured she could hold a little more weight when talking about consistency in parenting... So without delay -

Consistency in Parenting

It’s more difficult that it sounds, but it’s worth the effort.
Children need to know without a shadow of a doubt that you mean what you say.  Consistency helps us feel secure.  Children become confused when rules are enforced one day and not the next.  It’s important that we explain the reason for rules that we establish for our family.  Children also need to know that their parents stand united regarding parenting issues ect. . .   I remember when misty was in elementary school she asked if she could take piano lessons.  We sat down with her and discussed the pros and cons of her taking the lessons.  Once we decided that the lessons would be helpful for her we agreed on a few rules pertaining to attendance, practice times ect. . . We also discussed the consequences for not obeying those rules as well. One afternoon she came home from school with her mind made-up that she was not going to piano lessons. I would not give in to the begging and pleading so she politely asked if she could call her dad to discuss it with him.  I agreed to the call as well as to the decision they would make.  She dialed her dad’s number and began to plead her case. After a few minutes of listening to her dad on the other end of the line she said “OK” and hung up the phone.  I asked her what the decision was and she said “Well Dad reminded me that I had agreed to the rules concerning my piano lessons, so I must GO.” She dried her tears and went straight to the piano to begin practicing.  I paused for a moment to thank the Lord that Tony and I were unified.  I knew that I could count on him to be consistent because we had promised to stand together and to always support one another  . . . even in the midst of the begging and pleading from our children. :)  Misty learned a valuable lesson that day in that we mean what we say!  
Be consistent!   Do not make promises you cannot keep….. TRUST is on the line and trust is hard to regain once it is lost. 

 Love you Bigger than Big!

3 lessons learned the hard way - Consistency

"Your family starts to believe what you are telling them, and sooner than later - they will catch on that you aren't serious." I won't forget when I heard this.. It had always been a goal of mine to be in Mary Kay and to make a career out of it, but I had never worked my business consistently and therefore never really grew it. It wasn't till after I heard the above quote that I was found red handed and guilty of that exact thing.. I was found guilty of inconsistency, turned lies... I had told my family for years I would be a free car driving sales director, and months and years later - I still wasn't but was still talking about it as though I would be...

REALITY CHECK...

"Just because you say you are a Tree doesn't make you one." You have to put your foot forward and everyday.  I learned quickly that the only way to make my friends and family believe me, wasn't to "talk" about it anymore but to show them I was serious and I would be consistent and faithful to see it come to be.. So, I put one foot in front of the other and started walking....

What I really learned from this lesson about consistency is this...

1st lesson - Consistency establishes trust.. My family and friends could begin to really trust me again (even if not mentioned) because my "walk" said more than my "talk" did.

2nd lesson - Consistency establishes accountability -  from within and with others.. Not only could I be accountable with myself, but because I was moving forward I was therefore accountable with my friends and family. Just like when I was a child, when mom said she was calling dad - SHE WAS CALLING DAD... and I knew what that meant... no if's, and's, or but's....cept my butt :)

3rd lesson - Consistency establishes something that is measureable. Without consistency you will ever know if the routine you have for your kids really work, if your work is really something to talk about, if your diet is actually a diet and one you will lose weight off of. By being consistent you now have a running tab of things that work and don't work.


Consistency - it matters.

Love you Bigger than Big.

Consistent Routines

 I won't lie, consistency is a hard topic not only to grasp but to write about. It's like the person that creates the show behind the screen. Never seen but the show would crumble without that person.. While our lives may not fall apart without consistency, I can promise you that it would run a lot smoother and stress free if we would add a dab of consistency here and there and be committed enough to stay consistent.

I'll talk about consistent routines.. What if for a moment, in a fairytale world, every Sunday we cleaned out our fridges and made a shopping list for the week, we stuck to our budget, and made a menu. Our menu would consist of things that would benefit us, fuel us, and not screw up our diet. Come monday morning we would set out what we are having for dinner. Monday evening, when the kids have homework, the house exploded after school and the dogs are dirtier than the ground we walk on; you grilled chicken. Tasty grilled chicken, fresh veggies, and sun tea. While you may not do the dishes the moment dinner is done, you are faithful to clean the dishes before your head hits the sack. You are also consistent to lay out lunches, and figure out what's for breakfast. Tuesday Morning, set out tuesdays dinner. Tuesday evening, you planned to be gone to home groups, you accounted for it, but when home and before your head hits the hay you make sure the sink is clean, lunch is set out, and breakfast is thought of..

I'm just guessing, but to me, that schedule doesn't seem crazy.. While it may not always look the same, there are things we can be consistent to do every single day that would make our lives so much easier.. The neat thing, our families start catching on and help us.

Find the little wins that you can be consistent to do rain, snow, sleet or shine.. For me, I personally love Fly Lady .  She has easy steps for the home that help keep chaos away. They may not be for you, but perhaps you can get an idea of little things you can do daily, and consistently that will help your house become a home and your family free of stress.

Our lives are only as "Busy" and "Crazy" as we let them be.


Love you Bigger than Big!

Never Say Never

I still recall moments growing up and even now that I would proclaim that I would Never" do this or that... only to hear my mother repeating back to me, "never say never!" However, this morning in church while Singing "Your Love never fails" I smiled as I had utmost confidence that I can say The Lord NEVER gives up on me..His love NEVER runs out, and that it NEVER fails!!! in the midst of proclaiming and offering thanks to The Lord I couldn't help but to think of this series on consistency. . As I stated in the very first post, my anchor is in The Lord.. I look towards Him to understand consistency and find value in why I too should have consistency in my life..I encourage you to listen to the song below and allow The Lord to reveal himself to you, maybe in a whole new light.. That He is consistent, his love never fails, never gives up and never runs out.. that we can understand consistency for he always was and always will be.. and that will NEVER change... 

ps. my mamma never said I couldn't say Never with The Lord :) Just recalling moments she was right in the fact  I shouldn't have said never... To think about how inconsistent we as humans are and how consistent HE is, it's mind blowing. 

Love you Bigger than Big!

Grace in Consistency

Consistency is hard...

often times we don't have time, plans change, things happen and whatever the heck we are trying to be consistent with just doesn't happen....

and that's okay.... 

there is grace....soak it in... don't fret about it...

wake up... and do you best to be consistent..

we live in a world were perfectionsm is highly vauled but super overrated.. So please don't take my post about consistency as another form to have to measure up to .... that's not what they are meant for.. but rather the are meant to bring light to the fact consistency does matter..

we get so wrapped up on losing weight, that when we don't we just blow off the whole diet. when in realtiy if we would be consistent - the weight really would come off. the waist line would shrink..We get so wrapped up in wanting to have the coolest and latest idea that we don't follow through long enough to see whether or not what we were doing would work..

We need consistency, in health, in life, in business, in realtionships. it's important.. but know there is grace for the days it's just not coming together..

Love you bigger than Big! 

The Tortoise and the Hare....

Do you remember the children's story The Tortoise and the Hare? The hare was so convinced that he could win the race. That he was the fastest of them all, however, the steady tortoise WON the race..

A few things I gather from this book:

1.  Distractions will get you every time... While the Tortoise was focused, consistent and determined the hare was off having lunch and taking a nap.

2. Slow and Steady wins the race, More importantly consistency won the race.. The tortoise won because he stayed on the path and just kept going.

3. Trust is established in consistency - I can trust the Tortoise.... If hiring,  while the hare may look better - I'd hire the Tortoise, I know that day in and day out he would finish the race...

 So are you the Hare who knows what you need to do, but often gets distracted by everyday things? Or, are you like the tortoises, shows up and is focused and consistent to win the race?

Being like the Tortoise may seem boring, but boring establishes reputation which in turn establishes trust.

What do you want to be know for? The business person who can't complete a project, the mom whose home is in disarray ( and not from living, but because you can't be consistent to manage your time) or the person who can't lose the weight because you aren't consistent to stick to your diet? Or what about just the person who can't decide what your values are? One minute drinking is okay, the next it's not? One minute it's okay to lie, but the next it's not? One minute your scripture reading, next cursing?

We're not talking about perfection, we are rather looking at our lives and realizing that consistency does make a difference in who we are becoming.. We all  make mistakes, need a day off, or change courses BUT, consistency is key overall.

What can you do today to establish consistency?

Love you bigger than Big!

Why is consistency so hard?

If only we could all be consistent.. with our diets, our discipline, in our relationships, and work places.. Wouldn't life be so much easier?!

I think the biggest obstacle in having a life full of consistency is time. If we don't learn to manage our time, our time manages us - and therefore our waistlines get larger, our homes get messy, our intentions are just that, great intentions..

Just like today, I had great intentions to wake up early, read a new book, and workout, but once awake I took meds and laid back down due to a headache. After that, the day has been spent catching up.  Had I not made myself sit down to write this post, you would have seen the same trend that the blog has had for years; few post here - missing for a year, few post again.... No consistency at all. I can't expect you to keep coming back if when you do return there ins't a new post... Consistency is key!!!

I don't think we have grasped how important consistency in our daily lives truly are.. And time truly is the biggest problem to living a life full of consistency. Having self discipline is one key ingredient but even if you have self discipline but aren't consistent about being self discipline - it all goes to waste..

We must first and foremost learn how to manage our time... While often times, doing the same thing weekly, like making a menu or grocery list seems like it needs to be at the bottom of the to do list - the fact is if you don't make the menu or the grocery list, not only will you panic each evening in a hurry to scrabble something up for dinner, but your battle to eat healthy gets kicked straight to the curb.

Managing your time goes so much further than the grocery store and shopping list - it bleeds over into our relationship with our spouse, children, friends, family and our relationship with the Lord. When we learn to manage our time, and our consistent to manage our time - we find freedom.... freedom in our relationships, freedom in our schedule, and freedom in our own personal lives. Once consistent, routines kick in, and that saves our brain a whole lot of room to think about more important things, like the person in front of you. It allows you to enjoy your dinner with your family and not be panicking over homework, laundry, or anything of the such.. Your time is planned, your family knows what to expect, you don't have to think about it - SO WHEN, because it will happen, life kicks in and throws you a curveball, you can catch it with grace and it's won't be like a earth quake in your life.. You will catch the curve ball, then throw the stinking obstacle out at homebase...

It's one thing to understand time management, it's another thing to consistently and faithfully manage your time... trust me, it will save you time, energy, and your last nerve :).

Love you Bigger than BIG!

Why is consistency important?

Why is consistency even important? In a world where everything is changing, you'd think we would have become okay with "going with the flow" by now.. But really, consistency is so little to do with "going with the flow," and has everything to do with who you are becoming and what others can expect from you..

If I was consistently late - You would classify me a late person..

If I was consistently complaining and grumbling - You probably wouldn't be my friend.

If I consistently ate healthy and exercised - my body probably wouldn't hate me.

If I consistently didn't return calls or text messages - I wouldn't have a business..

You see where I am going with this...? What you do daily, does define who you become... and what other can expect from you...

What are you doing consistently, good or bad, that defines you?---- Comment below, I'd love to hear from you.

Love you Bigger than BIG!

31 days of Consistency - My Anchor rest in the Lord

Hey You! I am so glad you stopped in. Will you join me for the next 31 days as we journey towards a life full of consistency and becoming a woman of our word; one whom her family trust, friends can rely on, and the world knows will be left standing at the end of the day?

When thinking about the topic consistency, my anchor rest in the Lord. For in an ever wavering world of government shutdowns, recessions, good times and bad - I know that His word is ever true. I know that He listens when I pray, and that what He says in His word still stands today.

In Scripture, Hebrews 13:8, we are reminded "He is the same yesterday, today and forever."

While we may live in a world full of people who live as though they are being blown and tossed by the wind, doesn't mean that we as Christians should live that way as well.

Living a life of consistency must first start with the one whom is ever consistent, ever present, all knowing - Christ alone.. If we do not learn to be consistent in our walk with Him, we will fail to live a life of consistency and will slowly and surly let people down. Our anchor must first and firmly be in Christ alone. We must learn how to be consistent from Him.

It's still early my friend, or maybe it's already later in the day by the time you read - regardless, disconnect from the world and Connect with the one whom we can rely on, who always was, and always will be.

" In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have OVERCOME THE WORLD." - John 16:33

Love you Bigger than BIG!

31 days of consistency.. Join Me...

Check back tomorrow as I start a 31 day journey on the topic, consistency.. Consistency in business, marriage, relationship with Christ. Consistency; heart, mind, body and soul! Join me on the journey of living a life of consistency and becoming a woman of her word! A woman whom her family can rely on, her friends can trust, and the world knows will be left standing!

" We would like to appear to be like Jesus without the discipline of really being like him." Calvin Miller 

Life... from death

In life, there is death... but in death... there is often - life.

She, long braided hair, laid there, full of life ... She whispered.... "Sing them over again to me ...those wonderful words of life. The words that bring life - speak them over me... keep me calm, she begged... remind me.. "though I walk through the valley"..... remind me... "I shall fear NO evil.." 

In her last hours, she breathed life into each of us.... in-between her glimpses of eternity she brought heaven to earth.. She reminded us of HIM... That HE was going to make her WHOLE... That she wanted to open her arms to Jesus... That the road was long, but They who had gone before where there waiting to outstretch their arms to her... to help her walk for the first time in a long time.... They would help her take her first steps on the golden streets...

It's never the easy... the passing of life into eternity... Though, we in Christ know it's not goodbye... the "c ya later," well,  sucks somedays...

though the passing of life is hard, the life that comes from death is beautiful... The life christ reminds us to live through death is such a beautiful reminder..

I was reminded of friendships that are as pure as gold... I was so thankful for hospitality that was heavenly. Of family, and the life that was brought to our family through the gathering. I was in awe of the love that was outpoured.. of the simple. "I love you's." The people who showed up, the text message that were sent... I was even reminded of the simplicity of giving, that even though a facebook post you can be reminded you are not alone! 

And the whole time, the sweet lord held up a mirror and showed me more about myself... "search me and know me lord," I prayed..

It's the lessons in death that bring this life back to it's pure roots. of how to be a friend. how to love. how to slow down, because nothing great ever came out of a hurry... lessons of kindness, lessons of gentleness. lessons of showing up - of simply being there.  lessons of loving the giver of life more than life it's self. lessons of serving, of giving up - especially the giving up of time... 

and most importantly... it was the lesson of LIFE... the reminder that someone shared JESUS with my granny, and someone shared JESUS with me... and because of that, we have eternal life together.... It reminded me of the importance of sharing JESUS with others... that I don't have to fear death for I HAVE LIFE!!! and a life ABUNDANT...  and i want all to know that out of DEATH ON A CROSS, you too, HAVE LIFE! 

"But I have come to give you life, and life abundantly." - John 10:10 

His Clay, 

Misty 

laying it down...

January 3rd wasn't what the 1st was... it was messy. unorganized. cluttered. cranky. broken..... yet, it was a grace. Over and over it was grace filled... grace gifted it to me, grace went before me, grace stood beside me, and grace lived in me.. but it was messy... It's as though the dogs sat to long on the couch and the smell from outside lingered in... the socks were on the smelly side and the sheets were winkled from a night of tossing and turning and yet...today.... today was grace filled..January 3rd wasn't quiet like the 1st in the fact the slate didn't seem so clean.... yesterdays dirty laundry stayed in the washer. the clean dishes stayed in the dishwasher while the sink had a load of dirty ones.. january 3rd was messy...

So how do you wake up renewed like you do on the 1st.. how do you stay focused and awake knowing "His Mercy's are new every morning?" It's not the easiest thing to do... to put down yesterday and pick up today.... but what would today look like if I left it... left yesterday at the cross and picked up only what Christ had for me today..

tonight... i count one thousand graces.... tonight.. I lay down today... and ask to be renewed for tomorrow... For tomorrow is a whole new day - FILLED with new graces... new blessings... new gifts..... but If I wake up and have yesterday in my hands..... my hands would be too full to receive todays blessings....

so tonight....tonight I will lay it all down.... tonight I count one thousand blessings and awake up to count one thousand more.

one thousand gifts

I thought the counting of one thousand gifts would come more natural. I tend to believe that I am a seeker of beauty, that I notice beauty and gifts and all things orchestrated.... but when i decided to count one thousand gifts, one thousand graces in forty days, twenty-five graces a day, I found myself only recalling the mountains. The valley's I somehow quickly erased. The colors of the sky and the squirrels on the trees, they escaped me as though I never saw them.

This counting is not natural at all.... well, the counting of graces and gifts is not... I, completely human and completely holy, tend to count the human things... not the holy ones... my lists most days looks more like...1. running late. 2. forgot my water. 3. forgot the sweater to drop off at the dyer cleaner. 4. schedule rearranged. 5. phone ringing and it's not 8:30 am.

so maybe, this counting of graces and gifts and all things holy... maybe it will be more like a life change.. a decision to see things the way he sees them...a choice to hear the birds singing and the small whispers of life... maybe just maybe, I can begin to completely shift my focus not only things that steal life but rather on the small breaths of life that are the oxygen to soul. Prayerfully, maybe my life would be life to someone's withering soul... that the counting of my gifts would bring light not to my life but to the giver of Life.... that I would stop praising the creation but the creator... that my life might be filled, and my daily bread would be enough.... because he is enough.

the counting of one thousand gifts isn't just a counting, but rather a habit, a life change, a complete makeover of my ever-wondering soul.

maybe the counting of gifts is only 1 a day, or maybe 3, regardless of the number... I beg you, "to count your gifts, name them one by one, count your many gifts to see what God has done."

"Name them one by one"



Visit Ann @ www.aholyexperience.com or on Facebook @ onethousandgifts or on twitter #1000gifts #joydare

God used Ann to spur me and many on to count "onethousandgifts." She is a beautiful author and writer but more importantly she is a beautiful light that the Giver or Life is using. If I were you, I'd check her out.

Redefine Our Today

Grace... Just as I was saying. The lord has been shedding so much grace into my life lately. I wrote my last post, "whispers of Love," and after reading it several times - I wanted to barf. I still want to barf...not because the grammar in that post is one on the 1st grade level (thats pretty normal), or because anything in the post is that far off... but rather, because  I finally saw what 2012 really was..

I'm an honest gal... 2012 has been really hard... really good - but really hard.. For many reasons, none of which I am going into now, but the funny thing is - I could list them all out but the true reason it was hard is not because hard things happened but because my focus was in the wrong place.

I don't regret any accomplishment, trip we took, place we went, things we did or person I met. or even tshirt I bought.. I regret my heart behind it..

I thank God for the grace he has given me to see things a bit differently and am so excited about the new year... the new day.... I'm not saying it won't be hard... but it will be good - because I know He is GOOD... I know He holds all things together.... and I know HE works all things together..

Sometimes it's not dramatic things that need to change - we just need to shift our focus.... we need to redefine our today.


"The Lord will Fight for you, you need only to be Still" - Exodus 14:14

Whispers of love in 2012

My Child, come and listen.... Come be still and listen.

Every day he sings a song of love and grace over us. Yet, every day I often miss the love songs as they are covered my constant desire to explain or examine life's every detail.

You see, I'm a detailed person. Organized and ready for "the day."  Yet, I never know what "today" holds. So this constant striving to have my day "planned" is exhausting.. Event still, I made a decision on January 1st 2012 that I wanted to see results and the "fruits" of my labor. I wanted to see exactly what I was doing and if I wasn't a different person on January 1st 2013, something needed to change..

I'm thankful to say, I'm not the same person I was on January 2012... My husband and I have  probed and pried into the word of God and God himself... 2012 has been a year of one blessing after another. Often disguised as hardships, trials, and work yet in the end they we're counted as blessings straight from heaven.

If  I was honest,  I heard those blessings as clatter, as noise in my ever deafening ears of things "gone wrong", or day's "hurried" or schedules "unplanned", or  just plan "crappy events." And now looking back I see them as  LOVE songs the lord was sining or Loud cheers he was proclaiming over us.

I suppose I went to one to many funerals this year. My best friend lost her mom, kids my age lost their best friends, and mothers lost their children, and children lost their mothers.  So when I asked "why," he continued to sing even louder ... "I work all things for your good"...

 To hear the ways He speaks love over us, you must be ever so quiet. However, sometimes He shouts from the roof tops His love for us. This year his love songs came in waves of "whispers" and waves of Him "shouting from the rooftops."

I was personally in a wreck and was reminded how quickly things can change.... and how cars, homes, iphones, ect. are just STUFF...

I learned to be ever so present in daily conversations and to turn the NOISE OFF!

With the Lords help and my handsome man's encouragement, I completed my Real estate license and am so excited to be a REALTOR working with Kearney and Associates.  I also completed qualification for Directorship and am now a Director with Mary Kay cosmetics working to earn my first free car.

Austin was blessed enough to draw out tags for both an elk and antelope and was successful on both hunts.. ( Thank you lord for the yummy meat ) We have had the blessing of building more homes with Sable homes Inc, and enjoy watching families grow into those homes.

We both got to watch our friendship blossom into an even deeper relationship - with each other and the lord... o how sweet it is to do life with your best friend. talk about whispers of love...

Speaking of best friends... Trigger found a best friend in claire. We added our second lab, claire to our family in the summer... O they have so much fun together and we love having a second "baby".

I've learned to take life in the waves it come. Being that I am a creature of habit and a home body, I hate when things aren't consistent.. But I'm learning slowly, that life comes in waves... some slow, some  fast, some whispers of quiet contentment and some waves are just a constant reminder that this place is not our home... That contentment is found in christ alone and all we do, if not for Christ, is in the vain.

I'm ending this year in a state of Grace and learning more and more what Grace looks like, in marriage, in God's love for us, Grace with friends... and family.. Grace for my self... and grace in every day life... I look forward to sharing with you... Until

Listen for the whispers of love... he sings them over us every moment.. then pray for the "grace" to hear them...

Perfected Love

Ann over at "a holy experience" wrote about patience... It's a must read..

What she said spurred me on...

As a newlywed learning to love my man, and myself for who I am, who we are… it’s gratitude for who we are today that makes this love so perfect. It’s the patience and gratitude that unite us, that complete us.. It’s not an easy task, this being patient, this being grateful that our failures also make us who we are… It’s much easier to desire a “Perfected love”, a love that travels to the grave holding hands… but to realize that 90 years of love started with the simple step of patience, allows me to squeeze my mans hands tighter, and whisper praises and prayers to my savior for the “love that is being Perfected in us.” “My failure to love is first a failure to be grateful for who ‘We’ are right now”. 


"No emergencies..Now is good" Now is Holy... 

More than a lipstick.. My Journey with Marykay

Interesting enough, my dad introduced me to the MaryKay opportunity. It was while he was building a home for a National Sales Director with MaryKay that he realized the company was legit and truly a way for women to have a job that provides choices.  Little did I know that the Lord would bring this "MaryKay" business back around to me.

Home built for NSD

Erin West & Me at Seminar

It wasn't to long after the home was built that my youth pastor's beautiful wife at the time invited me to my first meeting to receive a facial. I won't forget, leaning over to her asking if I really had to take off all of my makeup. It was after the facial that I was introduce to a lady who was sharp, completely fun and sassy too. She told me that for only $100 I too could start my own Marykay business... Except for me, I had to wait till I was 18.... So... On my 18th Birthday, I became a Mary Kay Independent Beauty consultant..


But first, why would I want to be a Marykay Beauty Consultant? 

Me and Christy at Seminar

For me, it was about having a platform to be in women's life's and through cosmetics remind them of there beauty in Christ. That was, and is still my mission statement for my business. It was about providing women with the skills and information they needed to know how to take care of there skin; so that they might feel confident and treasure how God made them. Being a Beauty Consultant is just a door that opens itself up to helping women understand there beauty comes from within.

Me and Sharon viewing  New Products not available to the public.  

It's also, about a group of women that I consider to be like family. That "youth pastor's wife" is Erin West, who was and is a dear woman of God who has taught me about what a beautiful women inside and out looks like. And the "sharp, completely fun and sassy lady", is Christy Bigham. A woman whom I love and treasure her friendship and wisdom. A woman whom I look up to an cannot wait to wear her shoes as a Sr. Director and one day National. Not to forget the many sisters that I get together weekly with and am encouraged and spurred on. the Lady on the right is Sharon Smith. She is a sweet angel in our group whose presence speaks Jesus to us all.

Bigham Future National Area

Being a Beauty consultant is learning to run your own business. Which I can't say i've always done well; however, 5 years later they still haven't fired me.  Being a beauty consultant though is a business, you work it - you see it grow; you take advantage of it - it will wilt away. 

Me and Sharon at Seminar

Free Caddilic * I cannot wait drive* Soon just not soon enough., 

It's about skincare, cosmetics and lots of girl time. It's about recognition, prizes and more prizes. It's about a company that rewards women for a job well done and gives women a reason to work even harder.  It's learning to become a better woman; a woman of her word and true to her commitments. It's about being  a woman who knows how to plan her day and work her plan. How to run a business that doesn't overtake your life or jack up your priorities. I love that Marykay's mission is still about God first, family second, and career third - and they MEAN IT.. From Marykay grandson to our unit in lubbock - we still hold that value.. I would add that it's not even that it's 1. God 2. Family 3 career as it's is GOD IN ALL THINGS and ALL TIMES and out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. I have the choice to be with my family and work a business. I don't work for someone who tells me "so sorry, you can't have Friday's off just because your husband get's off at noon. No, Friday's are our day and we take it easy. I set my schedule... I get to meet people in a way that is comfortable to me with no sales quotas or a certain number that I must meet every month or quarter.

Christy Bigham walking across stage in recognition of driving Free with Marykay

Mary Kay is about having amazing customers who are loyal to the product and to us, the consultant. I have some of the most amazing customers. I have also been able to reconnect with women whom I may have never had reason to reconnect with. I love that I was able to facial my 5th grade math teacher and now I have the opportunity to work side by side as she too saw how awesome this company is. I get to reconnect with sisters in christ that I at one time went to church with and teach young women how to put on makeup and the reason why we take care of our skin at a girls retreat. It's about living outside of my self and my own little world and connect with women all around me. It's about meeting my neighbors that I may have never reached out and met.

Me and Evylan - "Adopt a Grandmother Valentine Project" 

One of my favorite reasons for because being a Beauty Consultant is the giving heart the company ask us all to have.  From the way I run my own business to the way the Corporate is, we are about giving back. Corporate is always raising money for cancer as well as domestic violence and this quarter we are reaching out and as a whole giving one million hours of service to communities around the world. Our valentines "Adopt a grandmother" was just the start of many more ways we personally plan on reaching out to our Lubbock community. It's something we can't do alone,  it's a project we must include everyone in on, and I must say; that's the most exciting part about it. IT's about dreaming big and allowing God to bring together 200 gifts to give grandmothers and grandfathers in our community when we were scared to ask for 70. It's about wanting MUCH MORE, in our community, in ourselves and in the lives of all those around us. And speaking of giving, the company is having a "Get beautiful, Give back" Makeover contest.  It's a chance for 3 Grand Prize winners to receive $2,500 visa gift card and $5,000 to give to a charity of your choice. I would LOVE To enter 100 women into this contest. If you know me, I want to be able to give back to our Lubbock community. If you would like to be entered, leave a comment or contact me. 

Marykay Sisters at the "Adopt a Grandmother Valentines Party"

As you can see, Marykay isn't about selling a lipstick it's truly about something much bigger than I can even put into words. The past 5 years of being in this business has truly had it's up's and downs, however, one thing is certain, I have never believed more in the company than I do now. On the break of celebrating 50 years, the company has exciting things in the works, from skin care to giving out thousands of dollars to women to turn around and give back the community. The company isn't going anywhere, bad economy and all. I'm excited about days and years to come in such a company that believes in enriching women's lives, deeper than the eye can see.