The Arizona Russums

DOUBLE GIVEAWAY!

2012-03-13T00:00:00.005-04:00

I am so excited to introduce two of my dear blog friends today. Both Beth and Breanna {so much B-alliteration going on in this post! Love it!} have been huge supporters of my blog over the past few months, and I am delighted to partner with them on this giveaway. Read about these sweet ladies below and then enter the giveaway! Winner takes BOTH prizes!

Name: Beth

Blog: dot...in the city

Locale: Metro Boston

My blog is about our life in New England, where we own a 90 year old fixer-upper and a dog. I share my faith, home projects, recipes, technology, budget tips, and more. I love having a place where I can both record and share our journey, plus make new friends through blogging.

This spring I'm most looking forward to seeing flowers bloom in our garden and planting more seeds for veggies and fruit. My grandmother gave me bulbs for my birthday last fall, so I've been anticipating their arrival.

Find Beth on... blog | twitter | facebook | pinterest | google+

BETH IS GIVING AWAY A $15 GIFT CARD TO

{everyone's favorite store} TARGET!

* * * * *

Name: Breanna

Blog: My Beautiful, Crazy Life

Locale: Corpus Christi, Texas

My blog is a place where I can go to express myself. I love the idea of being able to look back on it someday and see all the different journeys on which I embarked! Basically, my blog is an escape from the everyday hustle and bustle of this life of mine :)

The thing I am probably looking forward to the most this spring would be all the fun styles. I also love this time of year because it means that it's that much closer to summer :)

Find Breanna on... Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Bloglovin / Rss Feed / Pinterest

BREANNA IS GIVING AWAY

A LARGE AD SPACE ON HER BLOG!

* * * * *

To enter the giveaway:

Mandatory entry: Follow The AZ Russums blog

Additional entries:

Follow Beth and Breanna's blogs

Follow The AZ Russums, Dot in the City, or My Beautiful, Crazy Life on Facebook

Follow The AZ Russums, Dot in the City, or My Beautiful, Crazy Life on Twitter

Follow The AZ Russums on Bloglovin'

Tweet about this giveaway!

That's a zillion {or eleven} chances to win!

XOXO!

San Diego - Part One

2012-03-12T16:42:00.001-04:00

Well, I went a little Instagram crazy this week, especially on our trip to San Diego over the weekend. I have been to California plenty of times in my life, but there is just something about going there that makes me giddy. Every. Single. Time. I get excited like it’s Christmas or something. You will see some of that giddiness in the pics below. I will show you some photos off the fancy camera as soon as I can edit them. Although, they hardly need editing… it is San Diego after all.

Shopping post-workout for a dress for Micah' birthday celebration = tight dress + winter clearance that could not be resisted + running shoes // Leaving for my road trip in the AM with my beachy fedora

DQ stop in Yuma // Hello California!

The view from our hotel room on the harbor // So excited to be in SD!

Dinner in Old Town with Bekah // Breakfast at Newbreak Cafe in OB

Micah and I unexpectedly took a tandem bicycle ride around Coronado Island {favorite date ever} // Hotel del Coronado

Sunset at the del // SD skyline behind us

Breakfast at The Mission // Horton Hears a Who flower

Micah surfed the artificial pipeline at The Wavehouse while I studied with a raging beach party going on all around me. I got complimented on my focus by two of the employees there! Ha!

Date night for Micah's Birthday // We went to a place where you grill your own steak!

Last morning in SD // Stalling anyway we can before going home

*Linking up with Finding Beauty and Hello Hue!*

Flowers Fade Friday: A True Tithe

2012-03-09T00:00:00.000-05:00

I've recently been on a little kick with writing about giving and tithing {read the posts here and here}. Both times I've written about generosity, I've received the sweetest comments from my sweet friend, Ruthie, who shared that ever since she and her husband got serious about tithing they have been so encouraged and blessed in their obedience. I asked her to share what God has taught her about giving over the past year, and I hope you are as blessed by her story as I am!

* * * * *

Hello friends! I am honored to be taking over Jen’s blog today. I was so happy to get to know Jen through blog land and am constantly inspired by her acts of faith, journeys furthering her education, and let's face it... the fun she has with her hubby!

So who am I?

I am Ruthie Hart and I blog over here.

I am a Christian wife, puppy mommy, marketer by day, and blogger/crafter/dreamer by night. We live in the greatest city in the US of A...Austin, TX! {This is Jen... ye-ah for Tejas!}

Jen asked me to write about our faith and my husband's and my commitment to giving. She and I emailed back and forth a few times after I read this post she wrote about the topic of giving.

A couple of months ago, the pastor at our church gave a talk about tithing and how God provides wonderful things if you serve Him. The Lord freely gives us forgiveness, compassion, and adopts us as His own before ever asking for anything in return. Jon and I were brought to tears when we realized we haven't been doing enough. God has blessed us not only spiritually, but financially and we have been selfish with our money. We had talked about starting to tithe but never have. We had donated to hurricane victims and dropped some money in the offering bucket on occasion but never had we given our first 10% to the Lord.

Our pastor did a great job of explaining the difference between tithing and giving. Tithing is actually a Jewish principle that Christians adopted. Take the first 10% of whatever you make and set it aside to honor God and His purpose in this world. Lots of people think they are tithing when they give 3-4% but no, that is not what God commanded. 3% is giving, 10% is tithing. Now this can be confusing for many people (including me)...why does God need our money? Well, turns out...God doesn't have a mortgage or car payment so He doesn't actually need our money to survive. In the book of John, Jesus tells the people if they obey his commandments, that shows they love him. And his Father will love them too. Tithing is about love, justice, mercy. The mercy the Lord so graciously gives us despite our ongoing sin and denial of His love and power.

So back to that day at church...

That talk was just what we needed. A kick in the butt. Our pastor challenged us to tithe 10% for 3 months and if we didn't see a God providing change in our lives after that 3 months, the church would refund us. Can you believe that?!

Something else that stuck out to me was if we make more than $2,000 a YEAR that we are richer than 80% of the world. If we make more than $25,000 a year, we are richer than 99% of the world. I am guessing you are very rich.While I am sitting here spending $50 on a pair of shoes I don't need, $50 is the monthly salary of an entire family in some countries. My heart hurt.

Jon and I decided that it was time to share our blessings. The first thing we did was adopted a Haitian child, Pierre. Read more about Pierre and our decision here.

We also chose to forgo Christmas gifts for each other this year plus use our tithe this month to adopt a family and give them Christmas. I can barely put into words how much this Christmas season changed our hearts. Delivering gifts, providing warm clothing and food, and hearing heartbreaking stories about the families we adopted was such a time of growth for us, our marriage, and our relationship with God.

Now I don't want you to think that this was all fun and rainbows for us. I want to tell you the truth. I was so excited to start tithing that day at church when I felt like the Lord was wrapping His arms around us and saying, 'you can do this'. But then it came time to write the checks. And I was immediately hesitant. To watch such a large chunk of money leave our account without being touched by me, that was really hard. Just being honest. Jon was so trusting of the Lord and kept telling me to wait because he knew God would provide for us if we gave to Him. This caused a few arguments that left us both hurt; I just couldn't seem to trust His will. Why not?!?!?! I was so mad at myself.

I wrote in depth about the most special Christmas gift I received and you can read it here. Jon and I did end up getting small things for each other and he was excited to give me a letter 2 days before Christmas. As I read the letter (you can read the letter here), we were both in tears. God had provided for us! Not just spiritually but financially!!! The day we had gotten into an argument over how much to give, Jon closed a deal at work that would cover two months worth of our tithe. How amazing is the work of God's hand.

God doesn't want to just give you love and spiritual gifts. He wants to give you beautiful things too! He wants you to enjoy your successes and sometimes even buy nice things... all while glorifying his name.

"Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously." -2 Corinthians 9:6

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San Diego???

2012-03-08T00:00:00.004-05:00

Hi friends!

So bright and early tomorrow morning, Micah and I are leaving for San Diego. I will drop Micah off at the airport at some disgusting hour before dawn and will then chase his plane in my car and get there about five hours after him.

Pics from our San Diego trip last summer...

Micah has work meetings Friday and Saturday morning. Then he could just fly back to Phoenix with his co-workers, but he's not doing that. Wanna know why? Because Micah turns THIRTY tomorrow! Yes, the big 3-0. So I couldn't let him go to some measly work meeting on his birthday and just leave it at that {actually, these Cali meetings are usually pretty fun for him, but still... work is work}. So I decided I would drive to SD and we would turn it in to a weekend escape. We are staying until Monday to celebrate the birthday of a man who loves the beach more than anyone I know.

So what's on the agenda?
Surfing {aka Micah surfing and me grading papers! That's how we roll mid-semester}.

And this is where I need your help. Surfing is all we have on our agenda, which will probably happen on Sunday morning/afternoon. What else should we do/where do we need to eat? One of the nights we are there, I would like to take Micah out to dinner somewhere nice, but it can't be toooo spendy. We like steak and fish and all that good stuff, so where should we go that's nice and fairly budget friendly? And are there any other must-see or must-try places around town? Breakfast joints? Lunch places? To die for desserts?

My SD experience is limited. We are pretty familiar with Mission and Pacific beaches and a scary "hostel" in El Cajon, but we don't know much about Old Town, Downtown, or La Jolla. And I am game to explore. Also, San Diego Zoo on Monday morning??? Yay or Nay? We've never been.

All of you with SoCo knowledge, please help me plan this little beachy, birthday weekend! Thanks in advance!!!

An Ode to My Favorite Pants

2012-03-07T00:00:00.000-05:00

Oh, Lauren Conrad Skinny Cords

How do I love thee?

Let me count the ways...

The way you wrap yourself securely around my thighs and hips without being too tight

No unflattering bulges peep out from beneath you

And yet you hold me so closely all day long {even after many wears with no washes}

You don't stretch and gap and get all saggy like so many of your friends that hang beside you in my closet

The way you graze my ankle ever so slightly

Yet allow full foot exposure to highlight all my beloved pointy-toed flats

The way you come in multiple colors - rust and gray pairs have made their way into my home and heart

The way you slide on so easily and allow such flexible and fluid movement throughout the day

{and with you on my hips, so forgiving, I never have to unbutton my pants after a hearty meal}

Still, you look professional and tailored with your clean cut

I am not afraid to wear you to work

Or to play

You are my true love.

Top:: Banana Republic // Vest:: Nordstrom {BP} // Pants:: Lauren Conrad {Kohl's} // Belt:: Urban Outfitters

Shoes:: Mia {Nordstrom Rack} // Watch:: DKNY {Nordstrom} // Necklace:: Sunshine Blossoms

No, really, I LOVE them.

xoxo,

Jen

Confession: Pinterest Phobia

2012-03-06T02:26:00.000-05:00

Can I confess something to you today? I am not addicted to Pinterest. I don't spend hours on it. I doubt I even pin something once a week. I just already struggle to control the time I spend on the Internet and I feel like I don’t need one more social media addiction to steal my attention, so I keep my relationship with Pinterest to a minimum.

{This is my Pinterest profile picture... in case you were wondering.}

I am not against Pinterest by any means. I think it’s awesome. In fact, I jumped onto the ol’ Pinterest ship fairly early in the game. I don’t remember exactly when I joined it, but I think it was well over a year ago. Long before “Oh How Pinteresting” linky parties and “Pin It” buttons invaded the blogosphere.

I mainly use Pinterest for home décor ideas. When I see pretty kitchens and lovely bathrooms and awesome gallery walls on blogs and other websites, I pin like mad. Most of my boards are dedicated to different rooms of the house, so someday when I have my own home, I can start decorating it ASAP.

But I never just get on Pinterest and browse.

And you know what? I still use bookmarks on my browser {gasp!}. I don’t know why, but I can’t shake the habit. I save recipes, research for grad school, craft ideas, etc. For some reason, I never think to pin these things. I don’t know if I want to pin these things…

And speaking of recipes, do y’all just go on Pinterest and find things to cook? This scares me. I’ve heard of Pinterest recipes that are to die for and others that were a major flop? I like to use recipes that friends recommend or that have five star ratings on cooking sites that I trust. But am I missing out?

Maybe I should convert to full-on Pinterest lover. Seeing pictures of Pinterest boards like these makes me think I should change my ways…

{via}

Am I not using Pinterest to its full potential? How do you use Pinterest? How do you organize your boards? What do you pin? And how do you keep yourself from becoming an addict?

Or maybe I should continue my lukewarm relationship with Pinterest and keep it at a healthy distance. Hmm....

xoxo,
Jen

On Instagram...

2012-03-05T00:00:00.003-05:00

There is nothing I love more about having an iPhone {aka Pheobe} than having Instagram. It was the first app I ever downloaded {before I even left the phone store - read about it here} and I quickly gave it a full 5 star rating. I think I had an unrecognized envy stirring deep within me when I saw other people’s pretty Instagram pics all over Facebook and Twitter since I was basically the last person in the world to board the iPhone train.

So when I started noticing people doing a photo-a-day Instagram challenge in January, I was intrigued. Use Instagram even more than I already do? Okay. I quickly found out that Fat Mum Slim organizes a photo challenge each month and when I saw the line-up of daily photo assignments for February, I was in. And you know what? I never missed a day. That’s how I obsessed I am.

So here it is. All the lovely little things I documented during February’s photo challenge…

#1 – My view today {substitute teaching} // #2 – Words {St. Augustine quote in my kitchen} // #3 – Hands {I love my ring!} // #4 – A stranger {Outside the Phoenix Open} // #5 – 10am {late to church}

#6 – Dinner {coffee cake…oops!} // #7 – Button {Elevator to my office} // #8 – Sun {on my way to class} // #9 – Front Door {love our new house} // #10 – Self-portrait {in the car}

#11 – Makes you happy {coffee…always} // # 12 – Inside your closet {love our new walk-in} // #13 – Blue {Recessive trait} // #14 – Heart {For hubs’ lunch on V-day} // #15 – Phone {I love Phoebe!}

#16 – Something new {switching into a new PhD program!} // #17 – Time {Watch from sis!} // #18 – Drink {Living Water} // #19 – Something you hate to do {vacuuming and mopping…ew} //

#20 – Handwriting {These commands were written with God’s finger. Crazy!}

#21 – A fave photo of you {or a photo of me with my fave people} // #22 – Where you work {my desk at ASU} // #23 – Your shoes {finally found red flats!} // #24 – Inside your bathroom cabinet {Micah made the photo collage} // #25 – Green {our duvet cover}

#26 – Night {Twilight in our neighborhood} // #27 – Something you ate {breakfast} // #28 – Money {true treasure} // #29 – Something you’re listening to {Mars Hill Luke Series}

xoxo,
Jen

*Linking up with Finding Beauty, and Hello Hue!*

Flowers Fade Friday: Go or Send...

2012-03-02T00:00:00.001-05:00

Did you know that everyone is called to play a part in World Missions? Even if you are not called to be a missionary?

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As John Piper puts it “You are either a goer, a sender, or in sin.”

Have you spent your whole life praying that God doesn’t send you to be a missionary in Africa? That’s fine. Maybe you aren’t supposed to go to Africa {although if you have spent your whole trying to resist going… maybe you ARE supposed to go… just sayin’ J}.

{find these prints HERE!}

But honestly, most of us are not called to be missionaries. I, for one, feel no special calling on my life to be a missionary. I feel God leading me to stay in the U.S. and to be a light for Him in the university setting and through this blog and any other academic-y/writing-related opportunities He gives me in the future.

But that doesn’t give me an excuse to forget about missions. This idea of being a goer or a sender began a friendly argument at our small group recently. “But God requires us some of us to stay here. There is a huge mission field right here in the United States. There are people all around me who need Jesus.” These were the arguments. True. All true. God calls many {probably most of us statistically speaking} to stay here. There are people in desperate need of Jesus all around us. The harvest is ripe in our own cities.

But this is not the point. Obviously, we are called to share the Gospel with those around us. That’s why “love your neighbor” is the second greatest commandment in the Bible. The best way we can love our neighbors is to share with them the hope and joy found in Christ and to serve them as Jesus served us.

World Missions is a separate, yet related, issue. We are called to love our neighbors and make disciples of all men where ever we live, whether that be in India, Brazil, New York, or Oregon. But we also have a special calling from God to support world missions too, even if we are not sent to foreign lands.

Why? 1) Because Jesus commanded it. 2) Because Jesus is not coming back until we do.

And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Matthew 24:14

I don’t know about you, but I want Jesus to return to earth in victory and abolish sin forever. That sounds pretty great. But the Bible tells me that Jesus will not return until every nation has been reached with the Word of God.

And that’s why I’m called to missions, even from the comfort of my Arizona home.

So how can we be “senders” of missionaries, even if we are not called to go ourselves? Obviously, we can give to missionaries financially. But even if you can’t afford to give right now, there are plenty of other things you can do.

***Do you have friends who are missionaries? Pray for them specifically. Pray for them often and by name. Request a newsletter or emails updates from them and pray for them with your family.

***If you have friends serving abroad, make it a point to keep up with the news in that country. Keep up to date with current events and issues going on there, so you can pray specifically for their safety and well-being in the face of natural disasters, political uprisings, etc.

*** Send care packages to missionaries you know! Living in a foreign country can be lonely and difficult at times. Sure, the missionaries serving there are probably excited about their mission and feel called by God who gives them strength, but packages and notes of encouragement can go a long way. It’s especially important to remember missionaries on their birthdays and Christmas – two days that would usually be celebrated with lots of friends and family in the U.S. but might be virtually ignored in foreign countries.

***If you don’t know anyone serving in missions, choose an unreached country or city and pray for it specifically. Again, keep up with current events there so you know what to pray for.

***Ask your pastor or other church leaders how your church serves missionaries and ask how you can help. If your church is not very missions focused, perhaps God is calling you to start some kind of ministry in your local body.

{via}

Be praying about how God might be calling you to missions... How can you pay for, pray for, or encourage those God has sent to the corners of the earth? Or maybe, just maybe, He is sending you too...

xoxo,

Jen

*Linking up with Casey Leigh and Call Me Blessed.*

Guest Post: Kassi of Truly Lovely!

2012-03-01T00:00:00.001-05:00

Hi everyone! I am delighted to have Kassi visiting us today. She is adorable, and I love that she knows how much I adore Pheobe. I am over at her blog today talking a little bit more about teacher fashion! Please stop by!

*****

Hello there lovelies!

Let me introduce myself... My name is Kassi and I blog over at Truly Lovely.

I am super excited to be snagging some space here on Jen's lovely piece of blogland today!

She's over at my little piece of blogland as we speak... I'm pretty positive she'd love a visit over there when you're finished here... just sayin'...

Anywho...

Truly Lovely is an 'all things lovely blog' written by me and my sister, Kayli.

That's us obviously... ;)

You can click that picture to learn more about us and our blog, but in the meantime I'd love to share this pretty awesome idea that Miss Kayli came up with... Being thankful! Monumental right!?! Who does that...

I mean really, how many of us actually take time from our day to think about what we're thankful for?

Raise you're hand? Go ahead nobody's looking...? Anyone?

Me neither. *hangs head in shame*

But Kayli had this idea to do Ten Weeks of Thanks and list a few things that you're thankful for every week.

There's even a cute little button and a linky party!

She's already on week four, but I'm a little behind so I'm going to share my week two with you dolls.

Mostly in hopes that you'll take a minute at least today and think about what you're thankful for!

Week Two's topic is Material Possessions (there's a different topic every week).

So... here's MY list...

My sewing machine. My grandmothers came together and bought Kayli and I each a sewing machine about a two years ago now... We each received the machine and just about everything us future seamstresses would need. It was an AMAZING day! ;) I've already made blankets for my bridesmaids, a tote bag or two... It's been a real money saver and creative outlet!

My computers. I have a laptop at home and my computer at work (which technically isn't MINE, but you get the point...) They keep me connected to friends around the world, allow me to blog, bring in a paycheck, store my photos and important documents... The list goes on.

My Scentsy warmers. Since the very first one my MIL purchased for me I've accumulated several. I loved them so much I became a consultant myself and actually sell Scentsy now to make extra income for my family. It's amazing the blessings that first Scentsy warmer has since brought into my life.

My phone. We all know how much Jen loves her Phoebe... Just wait til she's had her for a few years... How I ever lived without my DroidX... Was there a time before smart phones?? I can't even remember anymore... haha.

So... what are YOU thankful for?

We'd love for you to write up a post or two and join us! If you don't have time, at least take a minute and think about it today...

Be thankful lovelies!!

Thanks so much to Jen for having me over!

Hope you'll pop over to Truly Lovely and say hello sometime! ;)

Confessions: Bad Grad

2012-02-29T00:04:00.001-05:00

So most of you know I am getting my PhD {in English, in case you were wondering}. I want to be a professor and getting the ol' PhD is really the only way to go about it. I am in my second year of what will probably be a six year endeavor.

{These glasses are fake. Just FYI.}

But before you convince yourself that I am all smarty pants and driven and scholarly and all that jazz, let me tell you that truth...

I am a bad graduate student.

I mean, I am good at "doing school." I can write well, I'm not afraid to speak up in class, I always meet deadlines {although I can procrastinate with the best of them}, I am a fairly confident and innovative teacher, but when it comes to grad school, I really just feel like a big fat faker most of the time.

See, in graduate school we are supposed to read all the time. When we finish our assigned reading, we are supposed to read other scholarly articles for fun. During summer break we are supposed to brush up on our Aristotle and return to school in the fall with fresh, new ideas that no one has ever thought of before, and should probably have a draft of a paper that is almost ready for publication. Ooops. Maybe I chose the wrong profession. I don't read scholarly articles for fun; instead, I anxiously await summer break so I can catch up on my Real Simple magazines.

Today in a meeting, one of my classmates started talking about a concept he is working on with mapping. The problem he sees is that when we make maps {of any sort - not just geographical} they are static. They don't show movement or changes over time. If too many things change, you just have to make a brand new map to account for it, so he is trying to think of ways we can make non-static {moving} maps in academia. I spent the next five minutes thinking about the Marauder's Map from Harry Potter {the one that shows where people are moving all over Hogwarts} and decided that a Harry Potter allusion would be a most excellent introduction to the mapping article that this classmate will probably be publishing next year after he brushes up on his Aristotle over summer vacation. Harry Potter is my Aristotle.

So there it is. I am a bad grad, but I'm okay with it. I will keep faking it each and every day... and maybe, someday, I, too, will publish a paper with Harry Potter introduction. I can only hope...

xoxo,
Jen

Lovely little things...

2012-02-27T01:11:00.001-05:00

Glorious weekend. One of my best friends {since 4th grade!} came into town with her husband. Sometimes I get a little stressed with all the visitors we have, but not this time. There is nothing like face-to-face time with a soul mate friend. I've realized since coming to Arizona that I miss these types of friendships. I have met some amazing women here and I love them, but most of my girlfriends are more couple-friends. Like... I am paired with Micah and we go on double dates with other couples. And I am completely blessed by that, but sometimes it's nice to have some girl time with someone who knows me like a sister. And that is exactly what I had this weekend!!!

I haven't had time to edit the pics from the fancy cam, but here are some pics from Saturday. We hiked Camelback, although we probably looked for parking for longer than we actually hiked, but that's what you get on an 80 degree Saturday in February. Hoorah! We finished off our night with some amazing Cabernet glazed burgers and a round of Settlers...

Trying to find parking... Nick is giving up hope!

Ready to go...

And here are some other lovely moments from the past week...

Reminiscing about some of my other dearest friends... my college roommates, the Greenhouse Girls // My car temp read 99 degrees around 5pm on Thursday. It was more like 80 out, but isn't it CRAZY to think it could even get that hot inside a car in February!?

This day started off with sleeping through my alarm, but I recovered nicely when I discovered a place called "Seattle Espresso" on my lunch break {powder white chocolate... yes, please!}

Smashburger craving satisfied. I went almost two months without it. // The pretty red shoes Micah bought me last week.

Hope you have a lovely week!

xoxo,

Jen

Linking up with Life Rearranged and Hello Hue!

Shine Project: Pass It Forward

2012-02-24T08:59:00.000-05:00

There is a sweet girl that lives down the road from me {okay, suburb next door to me in Phoenix} who is as obsessed with her sister as I am with mine, who loves underprivileged high school students even more than I do {and I didn't think it was possible}, and is an all around great gal. So when she asked me for help with launching the next big project for her non-profit organization, I was honored!

Meet Ashley!

And here it is... the top secret project she's been working on for months!

Pass It Forward

www.spreadtheshine.com

From Ashley...

"Pass It Forward was designed to get people to do little things, everyday, that makes an impact on the community around them. Pass it Forward is designed around a card (read card that I've attached now so you understand). Each card is given a unique ID number. Lets say we're at McDonalds, and I decide to pay for the person behind me in the drive through. I'd give the cashier the card, and tell them to pass it along to the next car when the give them the food that has been paid for. I then go home and log into the website that was on the card, and find my unique ID number. I log into it, and add my information... My first name, city, and a description of what I did....Let's say the person behind me was you, you would pass it forward to someone else, and then would go home and do the same thing.

From the very beginning, you will be able to track where your card goes, and how many people you affect just by doing one simple act of kindness.

This project had the potential of working small miracles in the lives of those we pass, and we will then be able to see how far one simple act can go. I want to spread the shine community into something that is in every city, so that we can get more projects done and change more lives... I have strongly felt like this is a big way that will get accomplished."

Heather, Erin, Ashley and me at the first Shine Event this past fall.

So exciting! I love Ashley's heart and I am thrilled to be a part of the launch of this project!

Ashley's Blog // Spread the Shine

xoxo,

Jen

Flowers Fade Friday: Both.

2012-02-24T00:13:00.000-05:00

I feel like I am on a theme of “both” lately. As Christians, we so often try to divide and compartmentalize things… For example, am I supposed to save money or give money away? The answer is probably both. If you are a parent, one of your commitments to your family should be to save money for emergencies, for the future, etc. But as a Christian, you are also called to give a portion of your money back to God and be generous with those around you. You are called to BOTH save and give.

Recently, my small group was talking about giving. And the question came up… are we supposed to give our money or our time? Are there different seasons in life where we are to do one and not the other?

The answer… we are supposed to do BOTH.

{via}

I spoke about this a few weeks ago, but if you are not giving to your church {aka giving back to God what is His to begin with} you are in sin. Except for the rarest of seasons where a person might not be making ANY income, everyone should be tithing. Remember, even the widow gave a penny with a joyful heart {Mark 12:42}…

But you are also supposed to serve your church with your time and your talents. The discussion that led me to write this post actually started with this example: There was a man who was very wealthy. He worked all the time and he gave a very large portion of his income to his church. He was one of the top givers there each year. However, he was so busy working that he never really connected with anyone at the church. He couldn’t even stop working long enough to go to the yearly men’s retreat.

This man was also in sin. We are called to serve the body. Granted, this man’s spiritual gift is probably the gift of giving, so this might be the main way God wants him to serve. But if he is not investing in the people of the church and building the body up with any of his time, he is not being all that God has called him to be as a member of the body.

Writing a tithe check consistently, while good, is not enough. You should be looking for some other way to serve your local body – whether through volunteering in the nursery, sending emails, helping with parking, leading a small group, opening your home for meetings, cleaning the bathrooms, running the sound board, greeting newcomers, etc. You should be doing something. It doesn’t have to be some fancy task with an official title.

You should be giving AND serving. It’s a “both” thing.

xoxo,

Jen

Keyword Analysis {#3}

2012-02-23T00:00:00.002-05:00

If you are new around here, welcome to a keyword analysis. Every now and then I like to look at the words people are typing into search engines that somehow lead them to my blog. Most of the time they are super normal, like "AZ Russums" or "newlywed date ideas" or stuff of that nature... but sometimes they are completely ridiculous/hilarious. Here are a few of my favorites lately...

{You can also read Keyword Analysis #1 and #2 if you want!}

Kohl Cords – Technically, I think it’s Kohl’s cords and more specifically I hope you are talking about the Lauren Conrad Skinny Cord, because that is one fabulous pant. So fabulous, in fact, that I now have two pairs – one in rust and one in gray. Sometimes it’s hard for me to wear any other pants but these.

Cute husband site. - Well, this is a site with a cute husband on it. But he’s mine and you can’t have him. I hope this person was at least looking for a site to find a cute bachelor to become a husband. Because searching for men that are already married seems pretty sketch to me...

Cloth paper scissors paper mâché – Ummm… what? Even though my friends, Heather and Erin, try to claim I am a craft blogger because I mod-podged a piece of paper to some wood last year, I really am not a crafter. I have no time for it and I am not very good at it, unless it’s a very basic project. And I have never in my life made paper mâché. Sorry to disappoint.

Swedish Immigrant Girl – Are you talking about this one? Because she is the only one I know.

Shannon Miller 1992 Olympics – Yes, wasn’t it great? Best Olympics ever if you ask me. Although I always liked Kim Zmeskal more than Shannon. As we watched the competition, my sister and I would do cartwheels back and forth across our family room thrusting our arms in the air afterward to be just like our gymnast heroes.

How women can dress for NASCAR races. There are a variety of ways really… We chose the ensembles on the left {this was a costume… I HATE Nascar…} but they chose this twinsy ditty on the right…

Sexypaper. Why, yes, I am writing one of those. It’s about mommy bloggers… J

Foot worship moccasins I got Minnetonka Moccasins for Christmas, and while I love them, I think worshipping them is going a bit far…

What's the strangest keyword search on your blog lately??? {Aren't people so weird!? Ha!}

xoxo,

Jen

Recipe: Strawberry Layer Cake

2012-02-22T00:00:00.001-05:00

Okay, I’m back with another cake recipe. If you missed it, my sister in law had a big birthday party a few weeks ago and I was put in charge of cakes. I already shared the PB Fudge Cake recipe I made and today I have a delicious strawberry cake recipe for you. I wanted to make two cakes because we had 30 guests and I wanted to keep non-chocolate people happy too {I am not sure how non-chocolate people even exist, but I’ve heard that they do!}…

And you know what, this ended up being the more popular cake! It’s super delish. So here we go…

What you need:

1 box white/vanilla cake mix

1 package strawberry gelatin/jello {smaller 3oz. box}

1 cup buttermilk

½ cup oil

3 eggs

¼ cup frozen smashed strawberries in syrup {thawed}

2 sticks of butter at room temp, but not melted

3 cups of confectioner’s powdered sugar {approximately}

½ cup frozen smashed strawberries in syrup {thawed}

½ tsp. vanilla extract

1 TBSP. of milk

Pinch of salt {optional}

Carton of fresh strawberries

What you do

Preheat oven to 350. Grease two round cake pans and line with wax paper if you are a wax paper convert like me.

Mix cake mix, jello powder, buttermilk and oil at medium speed. Add in eggs. Beat for 1-2 minutes.

Add about ¼ cup of thawed frozen strawberries to the mix. The more mashed or cut up the pieces of fruit are better! Beat on LOW for one more minute.

Pour into the prepared cake pans and bake for approximately 30-32 minutes.

Meanwhile, make your frosting by mixing butter, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. All the measurements above are approximate. I had to add a little more milk to get mine to the right consistency. Once the texture is right, add ½ a cup of juicy, smashed strawberries… make sure that there is more juice than fruit at this point. Mix until frosting is fluffy and chill until you are ready to frost your cake.

Remove cake from the oven and allow layers to cool completely. Now it's time to build your cake. Place one layer on a flat sheet or tray. I put mine on the cake stand and just wiped up the frosting spills afterward. Remove frosting from fridge and let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before frosting. Stir is rapidly to whip it up and get it ready. Use a spatula to spread frosting evenly around the first lay and then add the top layer and repeat.

Garnish with the fresh strawberries. I cut mine in slices and made a spiral around the top of the cake!

Enjoy!!!

xoxo,

Jen

Linking up with Tatertots and Jello and Five Days, Five Ways!

Good news!

2012-02-21T00:00:00.007-05:00

You might remember about a month ago when I wrote this post? If you are new to my journey, here is the long story short. About a year ago, I felt like I needed to make a change. I was one semester into my PhD program in literature and suddenly God started opening doors for me in another field. It's a different branch in our English department called Rhetoric, Composition and Linguistics. This was completely surprising for me - a long time British literature lover {nerdy, I know}... but it all made sense. Switching programs would allow me to pursue a really awesome research project. It would allow me to teach a greater variety of classes in the future. It would give me a better chance of getting published. And it would make me far more likely to get a job after I graduate. Win/win/win/win. Thus started a year long journey of figuring out what it would take to switch programs. I learned I would have to reapply and had just missed the application deadline for last year. I took a leap of faith and started taking classes and working on my research {studying mommy bloggers!}, even though I hadn't officially been accepted to the new program yet.

About a month ago, I finally finished and submitted my application with lots of prayer and hope. And last week I finally got the answer. I'm in! I am seriously praising God right now!

And the moment I got the news, I felt a great weight lifted from my shoulders. I hadn't realized how stressful it was for me to bridge two programs and take classes for each, not knowing what the result of this application would be. But no more of that heavy feeling anymore!

Not much will change, honestly. I will stay in the same office, teach the same classes, continue working with the same teachers that have been helping me with my research already. But now it's all official. I can finally choose the committee that will oversee my dissertation. I can finally choose a specific dissertation topic. Life is good and I feel like I am right where God wants me. My grad school journey has been crazy, but I know that God has been directing my steps along the way. Thank you for your prayers, friends!

xoxo,
Jen

*Linking up with Jami and Casey!*

Lovely little things...

2012-02-20T00:21:00.002-05:00

I kinda sorta had an easy week last week. Isn’t that strange? If you have ever been in grad school, you know that easy is NOT supposed to happen. But for some reason, I had a random and unexpected “no new reading” day in each of my classes. So weird. Usually, my schedule looks a little like this…

But now I am back to reading a ton and I have student papers coming in that need to be graded and life is as busy ever.

But I enjoyed the short segment of rest and calm while it lasted! Oh, and the house cleaner came, which made my life even better {I think Micah and I have finally compromised on having her come every other month for a deep cleaning - hoorah!}. Here are some of my favorite moments from the most restful mid-semester week ever...

I never get tired of Arizona winter mornings // Finally got to bust out the Girl Scout cookies!

Note in Micah's lunch on Valentine's Day // The dessert Micah brought home that night

V-day dinner at home // My love

Our phones have names {used by me, of course; Micah would not name his technology} // My favorite type of morning

I took a moment this week to praise God that I no longer live in Seattle // My watch from slister!

Real Marriage Conference {so good} // The best drink

Shopping with Micah // Trying to wear boots as much as I can in these final weeks of winter

xoxo,
Jen

Linking up with Finding Beauty, Bits of Splendor, and Hello Hue!

Flowers Fade Friday: A Sweet Aroma

2012-02-17T00:00:00.000-05:00

I was listening to a sermon recently on Luke 1 about the arrival of the angel to Zechariah {to announce the birth of John the Baptist}. The angel arrived when Zechariah was completing the special priestly task of lighting the incense in the temple while all the other priests were outside praying.

When the angel arrives, he stands next to the incense and says “Your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son..." {Luke 1:13}.

Hold the phone. Zechariah was an OLD man. His wife was possibly even older than he was – “advanced in years" as he reminds the angel.

{via}

So why was he praying for a son? Shouldn’t he have given that up long ago?

Maybe he was still praying actively for a son each day, because he knew that age, menopause or a barren womb could not stop the mighty God that gave a son to Abraham and Sarah when they were older than most of our grandparents.

Or maybe he had prayed for a son for years and years, and even though it seemed too late, God knew that in the depths of his heart, Zechariah still longed for a son, even if his lips no longer uttered the words.

The story of Zechariah {although he doubted the angel’s news and was struck mute for the next nine months} is a sweet reminder of God’s faithfulness to answer our prayers.

I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but God always answers our prayers… with a “yes,” “no,” or “later…”

But sometimes that later is much later… like months, years, or decades from now.

{via}

Don’t give up praying to the Lord even if you don’t get the answer you want immediately. Why? Because God might answer the prayer when you are old. Long after you assume his answer is "no" you might discover his answer was "later..."

And the other reason to continue praying? Prayer honors God. It is an act of worship when we go to him humbly and dependently and ask for his help or his blessings.

It was significant that Zechariah was lighting the incense when the angel appeared to him to announce his prayers had been answered. In Revelation 5:8, it shows us a vision of heaven where “the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints." Our prayers are a pleasing aroma to the Lord and he remembers them, even if we cannot discern his answer right away.

So keep praying. Keep hoping. Keep praising God with your prayers. He is good and His answer, whether "yes," "no," or "not yet," is always the answer that is best for you because He loves you.

{via}

xoxo,

Jen

Linking up with Casey and Jami.

A quick re-cap!

2012-02-16T15:35:00.002-05:00

I feel like this week has been crazy busy on the Internet. I wanted to do a quick recap to make sure you didn't miss anything {and to keep it all straight in my head as well!}.

+ I am currently giving away a large ad space in two AMAZING giveaways over at Finding Beauty in the Ordinary and Small Bird Studio!

+ I am running my own giveaway to win a digital scrapbooking program. It will be open through Tuesday!

+ I guest posted my tips on how to sell your gently used clothing for cash over on This Camera Tells My Story.

+ I know Valentine's Day is over, but if you haven't read my love story with Micah, you can read it here.

+ I am trying to use Bloglovin' more; you can find me here.

+ I am doing Fat Mum Slim's February Photo Challenge. Follow jenrussum on Instagram!

And enough about me. Here are some other things I'm loving this week:

+ My friend made a Pinterest for men called Manteresting!

+ Have you seen The Letter 4 blog organization tips?

+ I made Ruthie Hart's Chicken Enchilada Pasta this week and I don't regret it one bit!

+ This is my favorite blog in the world. Here and here are two reasons why. Convicting, yet overflowing with grace.

xoxo,
Jen

My Memories GIVEAWAY!

2012-02-16T00:00:00.001-05:00

Today I have a fun giveaway from My Memories Suite - a digital scrapbooking program!

Are you a former scrapbooker who hasn't touched paper, acid-free glue or die cuts in at least five years? Because that's me! I stayed committed to scrapbooking long enough to finish my college album and since then I haven't devoted any time to it. I kept printing pictures for a few years at the start of the digital revolution, but I haven't even done that in quite a while {which is why there is one measly 5x7 picture from our wedding in our house!}.

Now that I officially made wedding albums for all the parents this Christmas {only a year late, no biggie!} I figure it's finally time for Micah and me to have an album too. I was just going to order one from an online photo company, but now that My Memory Suites so graciously gave me digital scrapbooking package, maybe I can make my own!

I played around with the program a little bit this weekend and found that it was pretty simple to use. I whipped up this page in about ten minutes!

And one you could be the winner of your own My Memories digital scrapbooking program!

To enter the giveaway:

1// Must follow the AZ Russums on GFC

For additional entries:

2// Follow the AZ Russums on Twitter or Facebook or Bloglovin' {one entry each}

3// Follow My Memories on Facebook

4// Follow My Memories on Twitter

5// Twee the following: Have you entered to win a scrapbooking package from @MyMemoriesSuite over at http://theazrussums.blogspot.com yet?

That's like a zillion chances to win. Leave a comment for each entry! Winner will be announced next week!

xoxo,

Jen

How to dress like a teacher: cropped pants {WIW}

2012-02-15T00:00:00.003-05:00

On my last fashion post, I shared a little of my insight on dress pants, since I have been wearing them very consistently for over six years now! Today, I just want to share with you one of my true loves... cropped pants.

I am not talking about capris here. I am talking about slim, cigarette style dress pants that are cropped right above the ankle. These pants feel a bit more feminine than wearing regular dress pants {which sometimes make me feel a little boy-ish for some reason}, and they show off cute flats or heels like none other. Plus the husband loves them, which is always a plus!

Here is one way I styled my favorite grey crops recently. I look a bit wrinkled here for some reason... maybe I was? Sometimes I get a little too dependent on my wrinkle release spray when I really should bust out the iron... oh well! {P.S. I hate ironing and we don't even own a full sized ironing board...}

Top:: F21 // Cardigan:: Banana Outlet // Cropped Pants:: Banana Republic

// Shoes :: UO // Necklace :: Banana Outlet // Watch :: DKNY {Nordstrom}

And here are a couple other ways I have styled these pants recently...

P.S. {Have you seen this amazing giveaway yet?! I am giving away a large ad space and there are so many other fun things included!}

P.P.S. {I am guest posting about my best tips for selling your clothes for cash over on This Camera Tells My Story today!}

xoxo,

Jen

*Linking up with The Pleated Poppy, The Letter 4, and Five Days, Five Ways.*

Confessions of a {former} Valentine's Day Hater...

2012-02-14T08:00:00.003-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day y'all! I posted this over on Jordan's blog last week, but just in case you didn't catch it... here is my confession on how I USED to feel about Valentine's Day...

{Also, if you want to read the complete but condensed version of my love story with Micah, head over here!}

I used to be a Valentine’s Day hater. I really did. It reached its height in college, and I’m sure people thought I was a hater because I was single and bitter, but that simply was not the case. First of all, I was never the type to waste away wishing for a boyfriend when I didn’t have one. I actually preferred to be single most of the time. Secondly, I had spent many a Valentine’s Day with a boyfriend and I just found the holiday to be completely awkward.

{via}

Exhibit A: My husband {Micah} and I have a long love story. We dated in high school for a couple of years, broke up when we went away to college in separate states and began dating again after graduating college. Our first Valentine’s Day together was during our junior year of high school when we were in that kinda-starting-to-date-but-not-yet-officially-dating stage… so what’s girl to do? Valentine’s Day is awkward when you haven’t had the ol’ DTR… so I bought Micah a giant blueberry muffin and put it in his locker before school. I thought it was understated and sweet. About a month later I noticed it was still sitting in his locker getting all moldy. Oh well. We’re married now.

Exhibit B: It’s now our senior year and Micah and I are very officially dating. Giving in to the pressure to do something special for V-Day, Micah and his cousin plan a double date at a fancy restaurant for his cousin’s girlfriend and me. The main problem? It’s a weekday night and it’s a little rushed/weird to go out for a fancy dinner after sports practice, and I don’t really know the cousin’s girlfriend all that well, so it’s hard to keep a good conversation going at dinner. Oh, and I got these steak kabobs and as I was trying to remove the meat from the stick, it flew into my lap. Twice. And, yes, the whole table noticed. Twice.

Exhibit C: Now I am in college and single. My best friends and I decide Valentine’s Day is way overrated. Some of our friends plan to go to some party where a bunch of guys and girls who have crushes on each other but don’t have the guts to do anything about it will spend the night pining for one another and being awkward. We stay home.

Exhibit D: Second year in college. I get Valentines cards from two different girlfriends trying to convince me to like Valentine’s Day and to love “love.” I don’t budge in my convictions.

FINALLY, a few years after college, when Micah and I had begun dating again, I began to sway in my steadfast hate just a little bit. One year, I made a fancy-schmancy dinner {bacon wrapped filet mignon anyone?} and served it to him by candlelight. Oh, and I surprised him with tickets to the March Madness tournament {#bestgirlfriendaward?}. Since then, we’ve kept it pretty simple. Last year we had dinner with another couple, and the guys planned and cooked the whole meal {with a little assistance from the wives when they had questions.} This year my gift to Micah is going to see the Real Marriage conference in Phoenix the weekend after Valentine’s Day.

Micah and me... then and now!

So, I confess, I’m not a hater anymore. I think the commercialization of the holiday is a little silly, but I participate to an extent. It is important to celebrate love and I guess I am okay with the fact that someone chose February 14^th to do just that. I do remember loving Valentine’s Day as a child – exchanging cards and candy at school and then coming home where my parents would surprise my sister and me with a gift and a flower. I’m sure my hater heart will soften a bit more over these next few years, because I am secretly excited to make Valentine’s Day special for my own children someday.

xoxo,

Jen

Sponsor Lovin'

2012-02-14T00:00:00.000-05:00

Hey friends! Since it's the day o' love, let me introduce you to some sponsors that I love oh-so-much! Be sure to show them some love in return and go check out their blogs and shops!

Franchesca

Small Bird Studios

Locale: Texas!

I design blogs and create subway art during naptime and am so blessed by the support and love of my best friend, Pete (who just so happens to be my hubby ;) I share my heart on life, loss & love and TONS of sweet pictures like this of my sweet almost two year old son.

When did someone show you love when you least deserved it or didn't expect it? Well just about everyday I see the love of God that I just don't deserve. A great example is looking at my son. God loved me SO much he gave him to me! :)

Find Fran on... Facebook // Twitter // Bloglovin' // Shop

Kimberly

Diary of a Brown Eyed Girl

Locale: Scottsdale, Arizona {Hey neighbor!}

One of my greatest desires and passions is lifting up and helping others. It makes my heart smile. Blogging gives me the opportunity to do exactly that and to share about the things that I love and that inspire me. Poking around my blog you will find posts about my faith, crafting, fashion, charity and everyday life lessons.

*Any product that is purchased from my Shop, part of the proceeds gets donated to Make a Wish Foundation to help children with life-threatening illnesses.

When did someone show you love when you least deserved it or didn't expect it? That someone would be my Husband. He is always so understanding and patient with me, especially when I am in one of my "moods". He still shows me love, patience and kindness....even when I probably don't deserve it. He is the BEST!!

Connect with Kim... Facebook // Twitter // Blog //Shop

Katelyn

Inner Vision

Locale: Milwaukee, WI

My blog is all about my inspirations, college life, and day-to-day experiences. I love to share my faith, photography, education, and everything in between. I hope you'll stop by and join my journey to growing up.

When did someone show you love when you least deserved it or didn't expect it? When God died on the cross for every single one of my sins.

Connect with Katelyn on Facebook // Twitter // Pinterest

Amber
life...unscripted
Locale: I am a Canadian girl living my life on the Manitoba prairies.

I am a lover of coffee and tea, dancing in the rain, crafting, and baking.
I also have a little shop, Owls and Lilies, where I sell some handmade goodies.
I love meeting new people so be sure to stop by and say hi anytime you wish!

When did someone show you love when you least deserved it or didn't expect it? Jen asked me when I have been shown when I least deserved it and that got me thinking but I think the ultimate love that has been shown to me is the love of Christ who laid down his life and forgives me time and time again so that I may live.
I don't think anyone can trump that kinda love and sacrifice!

Find Amber here... Blog // Shop // Pinterest // Facebook

Happy Valentine's Day y'all!
xoxo,
Jen

Lovely little things...

2012-02-13T00:00:00.003-05:00

I am so excited to be linking up with my dear {slash first, best blogging} friend, Heather, today for her new "Cup Half Full" link up party! It's perfect timing if you ask me, since Life Made Lovely is no more :( I'm also linking up with Lindsay, because I just love her blog and her sweet followers so much! Have you checked out her new blog and shop branding yet? You should!

So here are a few of the lovely little moments that have made life beautiful this past week!

These two things never get old!

I love these scarves! Both from Ethiopia! {Although scarf weather is quickly coming to an end in Phoenix...}

I keep seeing this little cottontail rabbit in my yard in the mornings. I am not much of an animal person, but he is just too cute. And these pretty magenta and yellow flowers caught my eye while walking on campus.

A long overdue pedicure and a precious baby. Two of life's greatest joys!

I'm pretty sure my husband had the best day of his life on Friday. No, this is not safe... nor is it affordable when you crack something on the back of the quad and have to pay for it.

Still... can you put a price on a husband's heaven on earth?

I seriously love the desert! Is anyone else out there a give-me-sunshine-all-the-time person?

xoxo,
Jen

Flowers Fade Friday: Stewardship

2012-02-10T00:06:00.000-05:00

Recently, my small group got into an interesting conversation about money. We were comparing a few well-known pastors that we follow and respect and were noting their different views on money. One pastor in particular takes no royalties from any of the books he writes and instead gives all the profits back to his ministry. When he and his wife travel they stay with friends and borrow cars. However, other pastors do keep their profits from their books. They aren't rich by any means, but when they travel they stay in a hotel and rent a car and maybe the wife gets a pedicure in the hotel spa every once in a while...

{via}

This started a friendly debate. Are we called to be like this first pastor and give away almost all we have for the sake of ministry? Or it okay to keep the profits we make {after tithing, of course}? Should we live a life of extreme simplicity or is it okay to indulge in a pedicure every now and then?

This discussion seemed to evoke two responses from our group: either justification {I am generous with what I have and I am taking care of my family. I think if you have a lot you are called to give to the church and be hospitable and then it’s okay to be wealthy…} or guilt {I really do have a lot. Oh no! Maybe I should give something up. What should I give away?}.

However, I realized after this conversation that both of these responses are wrong. Self-justification is not a good motive for how one manages his or her money and guilt is a horrible reason to give it away.

I think the problem with both these responses is that they assume way too much control. The person who justifies why he has what he does {I have a lot, but it’s okay because I am hospitable and I have three kids to take care of so I need the money} or sacrifices out of guilt {I have too much; I have to give something away} is putting himself in the place of God. Notice all the Is in the statements above…

Neither of these views reflects the truth about our money or possessions. If we have a lot of money, it’s not ours. If we have a little money, it’s not ours.

A proper understanding of money revolves around stewardship. Everything I have is actually God’s; He has given it to me. As Christians, I don’t think we should be so concerned having too much or too little wealth.

*Disclaimer: We are supposed to give. We should tithe regularly to the church and look for other opportunities to give our time and our money beyond tithing. I am not advocating greed by any means. There are also certain times in life when the Holy Spirit may prompt us to sacrifice something and we should obey.

Instead of trying to decide what I should or should not have, I should ponder this…

What has God currently given me {in terms of money, resources, time, talents, etc.}

and what should I be doing with His gifts?

Notice the change of grammar here {sorry for being an English nerd!}. The sentence above doesn’t start with “I,” it starts with God and the “I” has changed into a “me” – into an object. God is the subject/author/owner of everything, and he has given me gifts. The “me” is the object or the recipient of the giving. I really have no control over the gifts God gives me, even if I think I do. I may lie to myself and say that I earned my money at my job, but God gave me that job and He can take it away whenever He wants.

Here is a practical example. Last year Micah and I lived in a small-ish apartment. We were blessed to have a second bedroom for guests, but our apartment was too small to entertain big groups {although one time we tried... oops!}. However, our apartment was really affordable and in a great location. We found our church because it was right in our neighborhood, made new friends that lived near us, and got to recover from the financial stress of our wedding, honeymoon, and moving out of state because our rent was so cheap. We were not rich by any means. Our countertops and floors were hideous. We could not have more than four other people over for dinner. But we were blessed by the Lord in our apartment. We were able to pay off some debt, save up some money, and enjoyed inexpensive utilities, a community pool and a short commute to work.

This year life is different. We live in a huge house. We hosted our first party with 30 people last month and they had so much fun that they asked us to host a Super Bowl party as well. We thought we had a lot of out of town visitors last year in our apartment, but this year it’s tripled at least. We have visitors in our guest room almost every single weekend. We also were able to invite Micah’s sister, Kayla, to live with us in our new home and are blessed by her daily. Sure our bills are much higher than they used to be and we sadly live farther away from our friends and church, but God has called us, for this season at least, to have a big home that is open to everyone. It’s not fun paying the gas bill each month and I am not a fan of our 20 minute drive to church, when it used to take five minutes, but in exchange God has given us different blessings: the ability to host large events, make new friends, bless our visitors and maintain out-of-state friendship, and enjoy a big pool in the backyard that will get a TON of use this summer.

Last year's party included seventeen people, no room to move, and the smoke alarm...

This year's party included plenty of room for thirty people to participate in

a Richard Simmons' Sweatin' to the Oldies workout.

He is the giver. I am the receiver. And I hope and pray I am a good a steward whether I am in a season of little or a season of plenty.

xoxo,

Jen

Linking up with Casey and Jami!