So What About Minimalism?

First off, I have been a negligent blogger again, but such is life sometimes. The last month and a half have been a crazy time for me -- is there ever a time when I don't say that? However, I have finished assignments, added more to my workload, we have traveled and we have had guests, just about every weekend in the month of November. Truth be told, I am quite ready for life to return to normal, but I unsure what that means anymore. For the next year, my life will pretty much be a series of coursework and traveling.

But today, I want to write about something that I have been considering for the better part of this year: minimalism. What does it mean? Does it apply? Why or why not? This is a hot-button topic. And it is all the rage, like kale. (By the way -- ew, there is a reason it is used as garnish at the deli counter, partly kidding). However, just because it is currently an issue of our day, does it have relevance in the life of a believer?

Home Sweet Apartment

So we are settled into our apartment and I promised a few friends I would post some pics of our new space. I am honestly loving our new home, and I have found some ways to be creative and fun with the pieces we already own. So here's the tour! 

What to do when your day just sucks

So today has been one of "those" days, if you know what I mean. Truth be told, it wasn't that horrible, I guess, I just had a few moments I really wish I could rewind and redo. 

My husband has been working weird hours lately, so in turn, I sleep weird hours and also operate in my daily routine in a somewhat dysfunctional way. Things actually started off fine, we overslept, though because our time to bed was so late, it didn't really feel like it. 

I heated up leftover breakfast burritos for my man, and some oatmeal for myself (hey, I am slowly trying to be more healthy, but don't give me too much credit yet, just you wait).

/// just today, real quick ///

Hi my dears, so it has been an inexcusable while since I have posted anything -- my life is finally getting back to a little less crazy than it has been. Let me catch you up: 

-We are officially moved to Kansas and settled into our second story apartment. 

-Schoolwork seems to have picked up like a whirlwind, and I am receiving credits by exam a couple times a month. I am starting the application process to my college and I am so excited/nervous. 

-I have discovered that I can live with less than I thought, as we have sold quite a few things and kept many of our other belongings in storage. 

-Baskets and open shelving are a way of life for me now. 

-Just because I live in an apartment doesn't mean I won't make it homey. I have still hung pictures and put out books/decorative items. By the way, I am LOVING our new apartment! No joke. 

Well, not that anyone cares or wants to know those things, but that has been my life lately, and though I didn't make it sound like much, it has really taken almost all of my time. I am not going to be long tonight, but I wanted to post saying that I will be making a commitment to post more frequently. And I wanted to leave you with this thought: 

"You are enough."

On moving, mosquitos, and momentum//

Photo: mine, designed here

I have to be honest, the last month has been incredibly hectic and busy for me... maybe more so for me individually than for my DH as well. Right after we got news of our cross-country move, we decided it would be wise for me to return to Cali to pack up our household and move everything into storage until paperwork and such is finalized. That is a storage unit in California, while we temporarily reside in a tiny hotel room in Kansas-just for a month or so until all the papers have been signed and we can find an apartment or house to rent here. That being said, I had a to-do list a mile long, with responsibilities to take care of, belongings to sort, sell, donate, or pack, as well as schoolwork to maintain. I can't tell you the relief I have felt having all the big stuff done. 

Well coming back to Kansas has taken some adjusting as well, as can be expected. I think distance with my man gets harder the longer we are married, you can read more about that on GUTS. Anyway, it wasn't quite the same level of ache as an overseas deployment, but I still missed him immensely and felt even more overwhelmed at the idea that I would have to pack everything (including the man cave, which needless to say, I know nothing about) almost by myself, along with just a couple of amazing friends. So despite all those emotions, it has been wonderful being back together after a month of separation, but I almost had a melt-down when I returned to a bachelor-padded out hotel room ;)

My short list for a new season

I'm laying next to my husband, who at 1:40 am, is peacefully sawing logs while he sleeps. Perhaps that is one reason sleep won't come easily for me. But another is that I've been mulling over ideas and plans. Let me back up a bit... Last year my husband applied for a permanent position within his company which would not require him to travel overseas as often. The opportunity was for a job here in Kansas. Of course the process of applying for a new position, interviewing, and being hired is always a lengthy one. It was back in February that he was able to do the interview, and this several months after applying.
So needless to say, we have eagerly awaited an answer. There have been so many instances where we've just grabbed hands, prayed over the situation and left it in God's hands. He has been here on a temporary assignment since early May. I followed him not long after, and still we have continued waiting. Ugh, let me tell you, there were times when that was just agonizing. A lot of decisions were hinging on a "yes" or "no" from HR.
There we were, waiting, hoping, praying, when ten days ago my husband got a call from the human resources department

Writer's World Blog Tour

Image

Okay, okay, I am finally getting to this, and I am quite excited about it. I was invited to participate in the Writers World Blog Tour by my friend Christen Krumm, whom I met at the wedding of a lifelong friend. We got to don our little black dresses together and participate as bridesmaids to our dear friend, old to me and new(er) to her. She is also a full-time blogger, wife to Andy, and mom to three adorable littles (Elsie, Drew, and "Scout").

You can read her blog post from last week here. She is in the midst of finishing her first YA fiction novel about a dystopian society in a post life-as-we-know-it-now setting. I've only gotten to read the prologue, but so far, it reveals an intense story, about a young woman pursuing true freedom in the midst of torn-apart times along with other members of their society. 

It has yet to be named, and I know she will be happy to receive suggestions, check her out, she's a great inspiration to me! She has prodded me to get me writing again since the last time I seriously pursued it was high school, and folks, that was just too long ago. So here goes...

What are you working on?

Right now, I am just focusing on this little bloggity blog. My purpose is to write about marriage and family, and some of the things I have learned in the process. Eventually I will be interviewing other women and asking them to share their advice on marriage, love, and relationships-and in a way get to tell their stories. 

Another thing that I am doing is reworking some of my old stories (from my late adolescence) and regaining inspiration, falling in love with my characters again, and placing them in a time period. 

How does your work differ from others in its genre?

Well I have always thought that I would write fiction romance. However, I have gotten away from reading them as much because of school textbooks or motivational books that I have had to read for certain courses I have taken. I still want to write fiction, and I still want to incorporate romance, but one of the things I pursue is transparency and authenticity. 

I want the message to be redemptive, but I don't necessarily want it to be overtly preachy. I would say it may be veiled in metaphors, somewhat similar to the style of C.S. Lewis in the Narnia series. 

Why do you write what you do?

I think most of what I write comes from either my experiences or the experiences of people I know. I love stories and I think everyone has one to share, whether or not they know it, or whether or not they will be the one to tell it. Most of all, I want to cultivate space for creativity and discovery, and I think what I write has the potential to do that. 

How does your writing process work?

To be honest, it isn't much of a process right now, and not as professional or intentional of some of the others I've encountered. I have started utilizing the voice memo feature on my phone to remember points of inspiration, and I usually just sit down and start writing. That is the hardest part, once I do that, the rest comes eventually. What I will be incorporating is starting with the main point I want to convey and working back through the tangles from there. 

I would like to invite a couple other young ladies to join me in this journey. I will introduce my friend, Laurén Heffer, whom I met several years ago when we both volunteered to teach 5th/6th grade girls at our church. She sadly no longer has a blog anymore, but has contributed to GUTS or (Girls Using Their Strengths). And you can read about that here.

I am excited with her as she is working through a book for young girls, teaching them to sew in story format. It will be the "Emmaline" series, and I am stoked for it, as I am sure she is. Through the process, she is cultivating her marriage to her husband John, and working on a certification program to teach cake decorating at JoAnn's! Though she is no longer blogging, you can view her previous posts and inspiration here.


Finally I would like to introduce my lovely friend, Lilah Higgins. I met her at a Bible study several years ago, and had the privilege of sharing the journey of her engagement and marriage to her husband, Zac and mommy hood to Fletcher and Elladee.  Lilah is also a contributor to GUTS, as well as one of their graphic designers, you can view some of her contributions here. She works with her husband in their own business, called Higgins Creative.You can view their work on her blog here.

Currently, Lilah is working through the first draft of her first book. It is called Insecure to Undaunted. It is a beautiful book, written in a devotional voice that is so inspiring to young wives and moms. I have had the pleasure of working with her on this project, and it is an honor to be included in a "first" like this. 

Thank you for sharing this time with me as I have introduced some of my lovely friends and their current projects. I hope you find these inspiring as you continue on your journey today!

Summer Lovin'

Summer is officially here and I couldn't be happier. As much as I love this time of year, it is easy to let boredom from an unstructured routine  lack of routine creep in and keep the time from being as fun as it can be. Now some of this won't apply to me since I am a student and for all intents and purposes don't take a "summer break," but its okay, it keeps me on track to have my degree in hand in a year and a half or so. The thing is though that my education plan is flexible and allows me short weekend trips to visit family and friends, and the ability to watch seasonal blockbusters with my man, which are wonderful by the way. 

Newport Beach, CA 2013

So to give you plenty of opportunities to maximize this fabulous season, I thought I would give you a few ideas to break it up a little bit and add a skip to your step. 

Bird's-eye view to the whole parade///

Times of late, it seems that I find myself struggling in my times with God. I have had two people in the last week ask how that is going, and one of them just a lovely stranger I met at Starbucks. Another is a good friend and knows me well... and struck the nail precisely on the head. But it seems to me that I am not the only one experiencing a challenge in this area of my life. 

It is so easy to get caught up in what has to be done in life on a daily basis, and a lot of other things demand time and priority. And since God is a gentleman, He never demands that time of us, nor does He tap His foot impatiently when we fail to fulfill those commitments and expectations. In fact, He doesn't even need it. This concept blows my religious thinking, which has been shattering for the last six or so years. 

On things like river trails and such..

This gorgeous trail was most definitely hiked by my husband and I today. See, we are in the process of trying to become more healthy and active, and this trail running parallel to the local river seemed a good choice for starters... notice seemed. Don't get me wrong, the beauty and viridescence of this manmade path in the woods was unlike any I've seen in the last few years of living in the plateau desert of California. I have truly missed the greenery that the Midwest proudly boasts of in grass and trees. 

///Long-Dormant///

I woke up the other morning to see my husband off to work, and saw an encouraging (wordy) text from a dear friend out west telling me that I needed to write....and not to let feelings of fear or inferiority stop me.

Authentic

This week I have had the pleasure of visiting my hometown and being surrounded with long-time relationships. There has been ample conversation, laughter, and coffee-lots and lots of coffee. I really like coffee, and apparently, so do most of my friends. I have had several of these dates already and have three on the calendar for tomorrow.
A common thread I have seen through these conversations is an earnest desire and longing for authenticity. It is woven into the fabric of this millennial generation. We crave what comes with being genuine, and "real," is the word we like to incorporate into our vocabulary to encourage honesty, truth, and a deeper perspective.
I struggle with this at times because part of my upbringing hid the reality of society while focusing on the "power of positive words." I do believe the words we speak are life-sucking or uplifting, they can wound or heal, they can destroy or build. I've experienced this phenomenon in my life and can attest to the fact that it does make a difference in attitude, behavior, and even physical health.
However, where we are at in this stage of life, and place in our culture, we want people to cut the fake, pull off the façade, and live life without the mask of pretense. I personally find honesty invigorating. It can be difficult to hear at times, but truth creates space for change when spoken with love. That doesn't always soften the blow though-it depends on the speaker and the heart of the listener.
Here's the rub, authenticity brings with it candor, vulnerability, and at times, disagreement. I know that I can be too candid at times. Sometimes I lack discretion, and according to King Solomon, "a woman who lacks discretion is like a gold ring in a pig's snout." (Proverbs 11:22) That image reminds me what I don't want to imulate. Despite my struggle with this, my heart is to be transparent, to love truly and without attempting to change people. That isn't my responsibility. My responsibility is to reveal the grace and love of God as an image-bearer of Christ to the best of my ability and rely on Him to take it the rest of the way.
That being said, the craving is not diminished. It only grows with each encounter I have. So I'll sip my coffee while we talk and I'll be prepared to take a look inside and evaluate my life in truth. The way it works is symbiotic, but the space it fosters  for freedom and change is well worth it's weight in gold. I'm taking on the challenge of losing fake and choosing to be true. Dare to join me? 

// These are a few of my favorite things //

Today is a lovely one… 

I am getting ready for a temporary move to be with my husband on a stateside deployment. I have the lovely house-sitter arranged, and I have started my long list of things that I must do before I leave. In the midst of that, I still have school assignments that must be attended to, and household responsibilities that I cannot neglect. 

I just discovered what may be the best invention: I am a pluviophile- I love the sound of rain, and this website is the epitome of the beauty of it. That and my playlist on Pandora, including but not limited to: Hans Zimmer, Classical instrumental piano and trumpet, Les Misérables, and some good ol'fashioned bluegrass. Do this, listen to both at the same time and I guarantee your productivity will increase, I am loving every minute of it. 

This also reminded me of a few of my random favorites. So I'll share them today:

1. Darling Magazine, a wonderful magazine that encapsulates the "art of being woman," you can check out their site here. And please do, you won't be disappointed. 

2. Sharpie markers, most especially the fine tip ones!

3. Classical and movie score soundtracks while hitting the books. 

4. Essie nail polish 

5. Anemones (you know, the pretty white flowers with the black center)

6. Leather bound journals 

7. Summertime and trips to the beach

8. Dark chocolate, especially with a hint of sea-salted caramel. Yumm.

9. Spending time with people I love-over a cup of coffee, while taking a walk, sitting for a long time in a comfy place, or while sharing a meal. I am a "quality time" person. 

10. Music sung A Capella such as these guys: Celtic Thunder, Pentatonix,    Walk off the Earth, or Straight no Chaser


Everyone has their list, and this mine. Perhaps today, you can find the list of someone important to you and share with them one of their favorite things to make their day a little lovelier. When you love you live, when you give, you are showing love. 
Just as Jack Kerouac stated, "Be in love with your life. Every minute of it." 
This is just a simple way to love your life and be present in it. I encourage you to find the little things in life that you enjoy, and help others find delight in life too. It doesn't have to be incredible-one of my favorite things is a cup full of Sharpies :) 

//LOVE WINS//

   

Sometimes in life-or in marriage, specifically- you have wonderful, romantic moments, and sometimes you fight for no reason at all. Sometimes you also have moments that are disappointing and hurtful-and it usually isn't only one sided. When I have been hurt, I also try to hurt back so that the scorecard is even, although one of the best pieces of advice I have heard was to "never keep score." That is sometimes hard to adhere to when you live in such close proximity with another human being. 

    

Marriage is simultaneously the hardest and best thing I have ever done in my life. I wouldn't trade it, divorce is not an option either. But there are moments that tension arises because we are flawed and we will disappoint the loves of our lives. It is just inevitable. I have to be honest, last night was one of those times. 

     

I said words carelessly, and he said words carelessly. I got upset and took my pillows into the spare room for the night. I couldn't contain the tears that decided to spill over. I had never done that before and though I still felt anger toward my man, I felt more ashamed of myself. He is going on a business trip soon, and I realized that I didn't want one of our last few nights to have that tension over us. So I took myself and my pillows back to bed with my husband. He was asleep by the time I returned, and resolution would not happen last night. 

    

I woke up this morning with a crick in my neck from sleeping poorly, and rolled to my side in hopes of a more comfortable position. He also rolled over and put and arm around me and whispered bravely, "I am really sorry about everything, I love and I want you to know that." After that, we were able to have a brief discussion about the issue at hand and how we were both disappointed and effected. Then we got up and I folded the pile of white laundry that I've been neglecting for days and he cleaned up the glass-bottled root beer explosion in the freezer due to forgetting that they were in there before last night's hockey game. 

    

We shared a few hugs, kisses, and apologies, but it was a simple resolution-not like something you might see in the movies. Because that is not what marriage is truly about. Yes, we love deeply, yes, sometimes we fight dirty, but at the end of it all, he is mine and I am his and we are in this for the long haul. It's not perfect because we are not. But I think that is part of what makes this a beautiful journey. 

In the midst of all the frustration last night, I was aching to write; I erased every attempt just because it was too raw, too in the moment. I was hurt and I had hurt the man I love and the right words just wouldn't come. But today, we are at peace again and my heart is back to its correct place. 

I write these things because in my aim to be transparent, I do not want to gloss over the truth. My hope is that perhaps someone else will be able to find the courage to stay committed to a difficult relationship, be it marriage or even with a child, friend, or other family member. Love isn't easy and it isn't just a feeling, it is a choice. This was portrayed in the greatest example of love that ever existed in the person of Jesus Christ. 

"This is real love-not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins." -1 John 4:10

Jesus died because he loved so much. Love is about sacrificing oneself for the good of others, and looking at them and regarding them with worth and value. Last night, even in the heat of my tears, I was able to remember this and seek to regard my husband with value and love-without conditions. It was this reminder that brought me back and this that keeps me choosing every day to love when it is deserved and when it isn't. I hope that in whatever situation you may find yourself today, you can remember that love wins-even if it means something as basic as cleaning up the messes and folding the laundry. 

*Picture credit: Aurora Vilchis http://auroravilchis.com/

*Scripture passage taken from the New Living Translation.

Sometimes the beginnings are small...

I had an interesting conversation with a friend today about what my journey has been like turning my big, ambiguous, dreams into tangible reality. I have felt like my dreams to be an entrepreneur and writer are pushed to "someday," but I will be rudely awakened when that someday comes and I have done nothing in the meantime. In all honesty, it is hard. 

It is hard to recognize that sometimes the beginnings are small. 
It is hard to recognize that it takes one step at a time.

Over the last few weeks, I have been able to condense the big five-to-ten-year plan into a few bite-sized steps that can be accomplished in a much shorter period of time. The result is so encouraging, and I know that with some action everyday I will get to where I want to be. Ultimately, my heart is to empower young women to know their value and worth, and provide a space that fosters creativity and cultivates meaningful relationships. At this moment, the full picture is yet a little vague, I still don't know the end result. 

According to Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a martyr and pastor in WWII, wrote,

                  "Silence in the face of evil is itself evil, God will not hold us guiltless: 

                                     Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act." 

This being said, I cannot wait for the "somedays" to finally arrive while I am sitting on the sidelines. I have to start taking steps toward owning a business and writing, even if only for myself and my family. I do not despise small beginnings, I know that it is a step in the right direction. If I can do something toward my dreams everyday, imagine what I can accomplish in a year or five. That is the goal for now, I accept the challenge.