a new mug

On one of my gotta-get-outta-the-house-or-we-will-all-go-crazy kinda days, I came across this fantastic halloween mug in the Target dollar bin. It is orange and black striped, and a really wacky shape. Here's a pic from my insta:

Doesn't that just "scream" Halloween?

I drink from a mug a lot. I mean, a lot a lot. At least one giant cup of coffee in the morning, sometimes a tea in the afternoon, and in the winter I often have a hot cocoa at night. I put these things to work. Anyway, if I learned anything from this Target store discovery, it's that I need a mug for the holidays.

I know I'll probably get in trouble for talking about Christmas before Thanksgiving, but you're going to need to order one of these before Thanksgiving in order to use it the next morning. So, for your sake and mine here are a few of my favorites. 

While recovering from my Thanksgiving-turkey hangover, I'm looking forward to putting some strong coffee in my new mug, turning on the new Folk Angel, and curling up in my favorite sweater-blanket. 

In this list, there are mugs with the classic Christmas gold, a mug for charity (to remind me of the reason for the season), bright Christmas-light-esque colors, obvious reindeers, a white mug that reminds me of a warm sweater, and a couple of good-ol' red and white ones. 

Now if I could only choose one...

1. anthropologie

2. west elm charity mug for teach for america

3. williams-sonoma

4. target

5. sur la table

6. starbucks

7. luna lighting, or a diy version

8. west elm 

9. caroline creates

{DIY} framed music sheets

Last June M and I finally started the process of re-doing our master bath. We live in a house that was build in the 1950s, we bought it from the original owner's children (after they passed), and nothing had been updated when we moved in 5 years ago. Before we moved in, we did a couple of little remodel things like painting the paneling and kitchen cabinets, new appliances and backsplash, and--oh yeah--knocking a big hole in the wall between the kitchen and living room. All of that we did ourselves. Since then we've remodeled the already-converted garage from a workroom/MIL-suite to a giant game room, painted more unfortunate colored wood, taken down wallpaper, and re-tiled after a slab leak.

I am far from an interior decorator, but I love reading DIY home make over blogs and seeing transformed rooms! So, when M finally gave me the go-ahead to set up a contractor for dark, dingy, moldy bathroom, I nearly burst into tears with excitement! I made an olio-type board on photoshop, sent it to the contractor (who by-the-way thinks I'm crazy), and a 3-month long (supposed to be 3-week long) project came to life. I was in love. 

Then I got the itch to re-do other rooms. I don't have a giant budget, or even mediocre sized one. Really, it's just whatever I can skim off the monthly budget before I get in trouble for spending too much. That hasn't happened yet, so I guess I'm still going strong. :)

I started with our bedroom, since it was right off of the master bath. I taught myself how to do drywall repairs and texturing to fix our million cracks, re-caulked some of the baseboards and windowsill since they were cracking, painted the yellowing trim, and then got super bold and painted the whole room navy. Ha! My sweet husband, who generally doesn't have strong opinions, just said, "Whatever you want, honey." Hahaha. Still makes me laugh.

So, after all of that, my spending is becoming a little more noticeable and I was really wanting something new above our bed. I found this on pinterest, and LOVED it. Then I decided I wanted something bigger above our giant king-sized bed, like this. So, I decided to combine them. Instead of using our wedding song, our music sheets are for "How Great Thou Art", a song we sung at our wedding. Here they are (sorry about the crummy iPhone pictures):

I pretty much love them! In case you like it, and want to do something similar, here's how I made it:

Supplies:

3 16x20 poster frames from Target

1 can of Valspar metallic spray paint in bronze from Lowe's

3-5 white poster boards (depending on if you mess up 2 like I did)

ruler

pencil

exacto knife

sheet music

tape

First, I spray painted the frames with 2 coats of paint outdoors.

While, the paint is drying, you can cut the poster board for the "mat". First cut the poster board down to the 16x20 size. Line up your ruler, or yard stick, on the inside of where you want to cut and use that as a guide for your exacto knife. Then comes the harder part, and here's an example:

Find the middle of the 16x20 poster board, and draw a rectangle for an 8x10 opening. When you place your ruler, be sure to put it on the outside of this square. That way, if you stray a bit, it's easier to fix.

My sheet music was a little smaller than 8x10, so I scanned it, blew it up in photoshop, and erased the words. Then I printed on white 60lb card stock. 

To "age" it a bit, I painted it with a tea bag to get the gold-ish color. You can see in this close-up that the ink smeared a bit and the paper is a little wrinkled. I liked it that way.

I really love them, the only think I might have done differently is invested in nicer frames. Since this just a poster frame, the plastic reflects light a lot more. A real glass would have less of a glare.

All in all, this project was about $28 ($5.99 per frame, $5.98 for the spray paint, $2 for the sheet music, and $4 for the 8 pack of poster board). I'd say they look pretty darn good for that price!

{Biblical Truths} mentioning the unmentionables: PORN

I don't know what it is, but there are some sins that the Church has trouble talking about. It's like somehow these sins are more severe than the others, and just mentioning them will cause us all to stumble. Please. The first problem with that is the gospel, there is no sin more powerful than Jesus (he showed that by raising from the dead after taking on our wrongs). The second problem with that is us, we make excuses about not mentioning the unmentionables because then we'll have to confess stuff we want hidden. 

These unmentionables take root in the lives of believers and because no one is talking about them, they just stay in hiding. People, or couples, or families, try to deal with it all on their own while trying to put on a mask to make others think they've got it all together. And, since no one mentions these things, there's never opportunity to bring it up and they don't want to be the awkward ones so they keep on silently struggling. Even more, people suffering think they must be the only ones, that they are somehow more dirty than the rest of us and if other believers really knew what was going on, they'd be shunned. If your community shuns you after confession, please hear me: you are in the wrong place. Suffering, or struggling, with sin is not to be done alone. We are all struggling in one way or another. We're not meant to struggle alone, but together. In biblical community, after a confession, you will be prayed for and loved, and the community will help lead you back to Jesus. But biblical community is another post entirely...

These unmentionables have power over people because they are not mentioned. So, let's bring one one to light now, shall we? This one has probably come up at least a dozen times in the last year among families that we live our lives with: PORNOGRAPHY

I recently read this post from the blog We are THAT Family. She sited some statistics when talking about divorce, and I thought the following were utterly ridiculous: 

75% 

of men surveyed think it's okay to visit an adult website

54% 

of men do no believe that online affairs are adultery

30% 

of cyber affairs escalate from e-mail to telephone calls to personal contact

1/3 

of divorce litigation is cause by online affairs

Ridiculous, right? That first 75%, the ones that think it's ok to visit an adult website, just boggles my mind. I'm pretty sure they don't honestly think that it's ok, it's more what they tell themselves so they don't have feel bad about what they're already doing. 

If those statistics aren't enough to prove it's not ok to visit an adult website, based on what it does to marriages and divorce rates, lets talk about some other reasons:

- Speak to a wife whose husband has confessed this and let her tell you how it affects her self-image, her marriage, her view of sex, or opinion of her husband.

 - Consider the people on these adult websites, there is absolutely no concern for their souls. On these sites, they are merely a means to an end without any concern for what might have happened in their lives to get them to that point. And, let's be honest, the only reason the people on these sites are better than your spouse is because they don't know you. If they knew your weaknesses and struggles, like your spouse does you wouldn't find it as nearly as satisfying.

This is not a one-sided problem. Women can very much struggle with the same thing. Don't let the unmentionable become the fact that this is not only a struggle only for men but sometimes women too. (I've only talked as if the man is doing these things for simplicity's sake.)

Now that we have established porn is bad and porn is a struggle--both for men and women--let's talk about how we can help each other through this struggle.

To the one struggling with interacting with pornography:

- CONFESS, confess, confess, and confess again. Tell people in the community you trust that you look at it or want to look at it. The reason this sin is so pervasive is because no one talks about it. Already done this? Do it again. Every time it is something you wrestle with, have someone that you tell. In biblical community, confession should be a common thing, without any judgement. 

- Repent. When M & I used to teach the 1st graders at church what repentance was, we were told to teach it as a 2 step process: 1. turning away from whatever bad thing you are doing and 2. running toward Jesus instead. Don't take the sin lightly. It is not only a sin against your spouse (or future spouse), but a sin against God himself. That should be a heavy and weighty thing. Confession is good, turning from it is good, but what makes it even better is running toward Jesus. Realize what it cost God to forgive you of your sin, and rest in the fact that you are completely forgiven and even adopted into his family in spite of your wrongs. Let that be a freeing truth, whatever the sin may be, don't be enslaved to it.

- Get to the heart. I promise you, simply looking at porn is not the entire problem. There's more to it--figure out what that is. Are you going to porn for relief because you're stressed? I'd bet it might provide relief for a bit, but an hour later you're stressed again. Figure out what's causing the stress, what your sin is in that stress, what does scripture say about what is stressing you, and what practical steps can be taken to ease it. Pray about those things. Are you going to porn because you're having trouble with your spouse? It's probably because your spouse knows your weaknesses and this imaginary internet person you've made up doesn't. If you're frustrated with your spouse, ask yourself if you're pursuing her/him the way you should be, or are you just angry at him/her for doing exactly what you're doing. Talk to your spouse, seek marriage counseling, pray and ask the Lord to mend you. 

And finally, and most dear to my heart, to the spouses of people struggling with this sin:

- I am so sorry, I know it is heartbreaking. Don't start believing the lies that so easily come after finding this out. This is not a reflection of your beauty. Don't let the evil one's hold continue in this any further by letting him tell you that it means you are inadequate. It simply isn't true. This is a sin between your spouse and God, it is not a reflection of you.

- I promise there is redemption in this. Let's begin by thanking the Lord for his grace in bringing your spouse's struggle to light. It is better that you fight this together than not fight it at all. There is sweetness in healing this wound once it's opened, I promise. It's not an overnight healing, but it's worth the fight.

- You don't need to know the details. It's not going to be helpful to you to know the whens and hows and whats and whys. General confession is good. If it's your husband struggling, make sure he's in a community with guys where he can confess the details. Let the guys hold him accountable to the whens and wheres. Details should be for his community of guys (not to be shared with other wives), and could be more harmful for you.

- Mourn the sin, it's ok for it to hurt, but also help your husband fight it. Just like with any other sin, we want to come along side him and find ways we can encourage him toward Jesus. Jesus forgave you, so you know what forgiveness looks like, let's learn to extend it towards our husbands. This will be something we have to fight for, and only Jesus can show us how. 

- While we help our husbands fight, let's find practical things we can do: do things together rather than leave him home alone, plan to leave the computer in the car instead of bring it into the home when he will be alone, try to help him avoid times when he is tempted, and most importantly discuss together what you can do to make sure he is comfortable confessing these things to you when it happens again. 

- Though we wish after a confession struggles would magically disappear, the reality is that they rarely do. This fight will most likely occur more than once. Keep forgiving, keep encouraging, keep seeking wisdom in scripture and community, keep putting in practical steps to avoid it, and keep praising Jesus for his grace in a conviction that leads to repentance.

Don't let the unmentionables destroy you or your marriage. They lose all power when confessed and fought against. "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee." {James 4:7} In repentance you'll find Jesus. It'll be messy and painful, but the freedom found in reconciliation and living out an other-worldly forgiveness will be some of the richest joys you've ever tasted. It's worth the fight.

our thankful tree

I will praise the name of God with song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving. {Psalm 69:30}

In preparation for Thanksgiving, our family started a new little tradition this year. I first got the idea from this post from my favorite blog, Jones Design Company. The idea is every night at dinner we talk about what we are thankful for from that day. Her kids a older than mine, and they filled them out on their own. Their child-like handwriting makes the tree even more precious. 

Since our oldest is 3, we first talk about what being thankful means. We talk about how Jesus is in charge of everything and how all good things come from him. Just like H got presents for his birthday from his friends, Jesus gives him little presents every day. We then ask him what he's thankful for, we say, "Jesus, thank you for...." and he fills in the blank. H goes first, then mommy and daddy take their turns. It's so sweet hearing what he's thankful for and intentionally looking for the good gifts from our day. Even at the end of the day when we're exhausted and still have dinner, clean up, baths, and bedtime to go, or on days when were just hard, we take a second to unwind and remember how God is still a good gift-giver. 

Here are a few of the cards on the tree. It's only been 8 days so far. I'm looking forward to getting closer to Thanksgiving and seeing this baby packed to the max!

Interested in making your own tree? Head over this post for the cards on my tree. Or, take a look at this post for lots of new options!! I totally would've used the confetti ones if I had seen them before I started with the old ones.

Other materials used to make the tree:

branches collected from outside (H helped me with this part!)

a vase

jute rope - to group the branches together

pinecones - to keep the branches standing up

bakers twine - to attach the cards

How do you teach your children to be thankful?

all things new

As you already know, I opened the Etsy shop yesterday and it was just looking a little too plain jane to me. I wanted to add a little color to a print. So, naturally, I spent the day ignoring my children and allowing my husband to enjoy them on his last day off for the weekend. I toyed with painting with watercolor and getting it pretty for a print. It was fun, but there are some things I will definitely do differently next time.

It's no secret that something that gets me really excited is the idea of God restoring what is broken to something new. To souls: God takes people in soul-crushing, I-can't-breathe sort of impossibly difficult situations and gives them hope. To lives: God takes people who have caused great harm, or awful things have been done to them and shows them there's still joy to be had. To sickness and disease: God comforts us by telling us this is only temporary, one day sickness will be no more. In good times: God promises even the good is merely a tiny glimpse at the shadow of how things were created to be. Even in creation, God says that what we see now is fractured, that the mountains and trees will be even worship their creator. Until the day all of these things are completed, he's allowing us a vision for how he's pushing back what is dark to reveal more joys. Sometimes this vision is as subtle as being reminded that the good parts of your day are a gift from a good Gift Giver. Other times this vision is more obvious when we get to see believers walk in an unwavering hope when things around them seem to be crashing down. 

Being a believer doesn't mean that all of a sudden everything is happy and easy. It does mean even when it's not happy and easy, you have this deep-rooted, nothing-can-take-this-away-from-me kind of joy in the knowledge that God is still good and he is still actively involved in our lives.

There's a song we sing from David Brymer that we sing often at church called "Restoration". I can't help but completely lose it during these lyrics thinking of specific people or situations that show how God is actively restoring what is broken to something better. Our God is good. 

You bring restoration

You bring restoration

You bring restoration

to my soul

You've taken my pain

called me by a new name

You've taken my shame

and in it's place, You give me joy

You take mourning and turn it into dancing

You take weeping and turn it into laughing

You take mourning and turn it into dancing

You take my sadness and turn it into joy

hallelujah, hallelujah

You make all things new

All. Things. All things. All things are made new. It's one of those things that I think 2 Corinthians is talking about when it says, "But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed." If someone doesn't know Jesus, there's this veil keeping them from seeing how the Lord is restoring and when it's lifted you can't help but sing "HALLELUJAH! You make all things new!!!" 

It's like telling someone that doesn't see color that grass is green then trying to explain it to them. You can compare it to other things, explain how you see it, even give scientific explanations as to how the light bounces off something to make it look green, but that person has no idea what you're talking about because he's never seen the color. I am just so thankful I have this God-given vision.

Anyway, I digress. I warned you: It's something I get really excited about. Back to the start, I started doodling this picture a couple of weeks ago, and thought it would be a perfect one to test out my mad elementary-school-level coloring skills. It's a little messy and far from perfect, but I like it that way. The imperfections make it fit even more with the quote. This one is about to be added to my makeup desk.

I love it. If you want it too, you can find it here. 

HAPPY MONDAY!!

Question of the day: What helps you see that the Lord is making all. things. new.??

A

i'm on etsy

Whelp, I did it. Etsy shop is up and active! Head over to BreadEater on the etsy shop:

www.etsy.com/shop/breadeater

For now there are a few digital downloads for printing, a custom listing for a verse/quote/art of your choosing. Coming soon: art with color, custom silhouettes/profiles.

This is fun!.... and a little scary. {Eeeeeek.}