12 Reasons Why You Should Host Thanksgiving...

I am so excited that Justin and I will be hosting Thanksgiving this year!! And I was just thinking about how every other year, we would go somewhere else... whether it was to a friend's house, family member's house, a church function, or even eat out --

I've always wondered what it would be like to HOST Thanksgiving! Some may view it as a hassle and some may view it as a chore... A lot of people get unnaturally stressed about it! If you're like me, I HATE stress. I'm going to make it a point to make sure that this Thanksgiving is STRESS FREE.

Therefore, let's focus on all the GOOD reasons why you should host Thanksgiving...
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1. You don't have to drive anywhere.

2. You don't have to dress up, cause it's your house... your rules.

3. You can sleep in.

4. You don't have to worry about getting there on time.

5. You don't have have to cook the night before.

6. You can tell your guests what to bring.

7. You don't have to worry about your pet.

8. You can control what channel your TV is on.

9. At the dinner table, you can sit wherever you want.

10. You can cut the turkey.

11. You can play whatever background music you want.

12. And best of all, your guests will get so full, they'll forget to pack the leftovers. (That means, you don't have to cook for another week.)
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Well, with a list like this, I think everyone should host Thanksgiving at least once! 

And I can't wait! :)

Thanksgiving 2009 (Justin & I were dating)

Thanksgiving 2010 (First Thanksgiving as a married couple!)

Thanksgiving 2011

Thanksgiving 2012

Encouraging Our Husbands Through Prayer...

Ladies, one of the most important tasks about being a wife is being a helper. Genesis 2:18 - It is not good for the man to be alone, so I will create a companion for him, a perfectly suited partner. 

With that being said, there are numerous ways we can help our husband... one of the most IMPORTANT way is by prayer.

I wanted to write about this because in my 3 and a half years of marriage, I've had conversations with newlywed couples and couples who have been married for decades! And through these experiences, I've noticed the pattern of how women would talk about & pray about their husbands. 

• Some women pray like this, "Lord, please change my husband."

• Some women pray like this, "Lord, why is he so blind to the truth?"

• Some women pray like this, "Lord, show him what's right."

• And some women pray like this, "Lord, help me be a better help & encourager to my husband, and that my actions may minister, encourage, and bless him."

From the options above, it seems like the women who prayed like the first 3, had friction in their marriage. Most of the time, the woman has a difficult time finding chemistry with her own spouse because she's TOO busy trying to change him!

ME? I've noticed a night and day difference when I prayed to CHANGE HIM vs. praying for CHANGE, IN ME. When I wanted HIM to change, it felt like nothing in our relationship was going right! We would argue A LOT, I would sass talk him back, I didn't respect what he had to say, and I sure didn't want to listen to his thoughts... BECAUSE I THOUGHT MY THOUGHTS WERE BETTER. When I noticed that the dynamics of our relationship was headed for disaster, I pleaded to God to help. To help ME. To help me see the things in ME that needed to change... The willingness to humble yourself will make all the difference in the world.

So how do you pray? Do you pray to God to change HIM, to show HIM the truth, to show HIM what's right, or do you pray that God helps YOU to be a better wife?

I know,  I know what you're thinking. "But HE'S the one that needs changing, growing, maturing, & be a better husband!"

Sorry to break it to you, but although you MAY be right, you are wrong in so many ways. The fact that we, ladies, pray to God to CHANGE our spouse is NOT in our job description. No where in the Bible calls us ladies to pray to CHANGE our husbands --

1 Peter 3:1-2: Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.

If you feel like your husband isn't living right, don't pray to change him, pray for YOURSELF. 

Pray that God will change your heart, to give you grace, mercy, & patience. Because when your heart is right, your actions will follow. And with that, the bible tells us, "they [husbands] may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives." 

So above all, make sure your heart is right when you come before God. He knows your desires. He also knows that ultimately, what you want is what's best for your marriage... HOWEVER, sometimes, what we, ladies, think is best, may not be God's best.

So how exactly should we pray for our husband? Instead of praying to CHANGE his actions, pray that God blesses him GENEROUSLY with comfort, confidence, wisdom, & peace. TRUST ME, God will answer, and will honor your diligence in being a great wife & helpmeet. (Matthew 7:8-11 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!)

The following are verses that will help you when you encourage & pray for your husband. YES, there WILL be trials, struggles, & temptation. The Bible never promises us that life will be a breeze. Therefore, we must know the truth & SOLUTIONS to whatever life throws at us!

WHEN HE FEELS INCOMPETENT -  James 1:5 - But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

WHEN HIS IS OVERWHELMED -  1 Corinthians 10:13 - Any temptation you face will be nothing new. But God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can handle. But He always provides a way of escape so that you will be able to endure and keep moving forward.

WHEN HE FEELS INADEQUATE - 2 Corinthians 12:9 - “My grace is enough to cover and sustain you. My power is made perfect in weakness.”

WHEN HE IS OVERCOME WITH WORRY - Romans 8:28 - We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan. 

WHEN HE CAN'T UNDERSTAND GOD'S PLAN FOR HIS LIFE - Matthew 6:33 - Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and then all these things will be given to you too.

Back to Basics

I love social media. I love keeping in touch with people through the web. However, before we had all the technology & expedient ways of connecting with each other, we had --- visitations! You know, when people would come and visit you, or you visit them, and that's how you would catch up with them! There was no, "Oh I saw what you posted yesterday..." or "I see you've been busy...." -- it was a REAL conversations!

Not only were there actual conversations, usually, there were photo albums! And that's something I miss DEARLY.

I recently had some visitors and I wanted to show them some pictures of before and afters of our house. No, they didn't have a FaceBook, Twitter, or Instagram. AND I didn't have any tangible pictures. SO guess what I had to do? That's right, pull up my FB account, let it load, click my albums, get that to load, and scroll through the pictures on a tiny screen. Let's just say that.... the moment passes quickly when you do all that!

So, I've decided that from now on, I will make and have a photo album.

For me, I chose to do a yearly album, and call it our YEARBOOK. Basically, in it, I organize pages by events or seasons, that way it's SO much easier to get it in order.

If you are my FB friend, you'll notice how I am a VERY active participant. :) Mainly because, FB helps me organize my pictures into events and seasons! So at the end of the year, when I'm ready to make my tangible album, it's a PIECE OF CAKE.

I use the website: PICABOO.COM

I do not pay full price for my albums. I keep up with Groupon.com to see deals! My albums have cost me $9.99 - and that's 20 pages of color, hardcover, 8.5" x 11", & free shipping!

So why don't I print pictures and stick it in an album like back then? Well first off, it's cheaper (with the Groupon deal) to put it in a photo-book. Second, remember when your parents/grand-parents had albums with missing pictures? Yes, we all do. And I hated missing pictures! Having a photo-book makes it IMPOSSIBLE to conveniently take pictures! Thirdly, the website I use keeps a copy online... so if I LOSE a yearbook, I can just order a new one!

I feel like it's SUCH a good thing to have tangible memories at hand. Not only is it a neat thing, but it helps us, as humans, see our progress in life! Think of it as a "Look at what we've accomplished" or "Look how far we've come" books! Studies show that the more you can see what you've been through, accomplished, and achieved, the more likely you will be happier and have a positive outlook on life! :)

Here's Justin and I's 2011 & 2012 yearbooks! So far I've kept up! :) Can't wait to start 2013 yearbook!
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