C’est le printemps! It’s Spring! 🌷🌿🌸🥐 Don’t ask me why, but I want this spring to feel a little extra. The wanderlust has really been hitting lately. So I put together a list of ideas for how to feel a little like you’re in France this spring.

Hit “play” on the playlist below for an immersive experience as you peruse the lookbook.

If you’d like to view this post as an actual digital magazine where you can flip the pages (complete with page flipping sound effect, of course) click HERE!

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Friends, I cannot tell you how happy I am that Spring is finally here!! As I write this at my desk, a grey sky taunts me and it’s a bit chilly out, but I know there’s plenty of sunny days aheaaaadd☀️🌷🌿 I’ve been enjoying seeing all the blooms while out and about.

1. Bubs & Oliver + emergency vet

If you haven’t met my two kitties, Bubs and Oliver, here they are! They’re the most adorable. Actually, I’ve talked about them here before but why not introduce them again 😍

Unfortunately, the very 1st day of March, I had to take Oliver to the emergency vet because he couldn’t pee. It was scary and very stressful (for the 3 of us) and I had to give Oliver antibiotics and something to relax him. Thankfully, he is doing well now.

The vet said it is stress related, so I’ve been trying to manage their stress levels by adding more cat shelves to the walls so they can climb around and jump. I’ve also gotten them some calming cat treats that I give them in advance of a stressful situation, as well as some homeopathic anxiety relief drops I can give them in their water everyday. Yeah….it’s a lot! 😂 But my babies are worth it.

2. A little Spring refresh + incorporating whimsy

Spring! My 2nd favorite season. Every season I try to change one or two things (sometimes a few), to match the season. This spring, I was feeling like it was time for a different haircut and I wanted curtain bangs.

The cute dish sponge that looks like a tulip is from Target and was $1! Was it necessary? Absolutely not. Is it cute and fun? Yes, yes it is. I also got a fake bouquet from IKEA to add some more “flowers” and color to my space. Yes, fake flowers, unfortunately. Because my cats will eat real plants and flowers and so many are toxic to them. Also, something about a striped duvet says spring to me! It’s also from IKEA and 100% cotton.

I’ve been trying to recreate seasonal drinks (as always) and made my own Ube coconut iced latte. It’s delicious! And the pretty lilac color is fitting for the season. I’ve also made lavender matcha, which is a must for me every spring now. My other seasonal drink has been Cherry Blossom Green Tea by Harney & Sons. So good! Aromatic and lightly floral; refreshing. I like to cold brew it by placing two tea bags in a cup, filling with cold filtered water, and leaving on the counter until it’s to my desired strength.

I decided I needed more sprinkles in my life haha. I’ve been occasionally adding sprinkles to my morning coffee and/or pancakes & waffles. Because why not! Sprinkles are cheery, colorful, cute and very fitting for spring! Adds a little brightness to my morning.

3. New ritual — playing a vinyl record while cooking

I love cooking and baking, but now that I’ve been living on my own, cooking mostly for myself for some time, cooking has become tedious and time-consuming; a chore. Throwing on a record has made the process more enjoyable.

4. Coffee station

I’d been wanting a little coffee station for a while and finally decided to make it happen. It’s so fun! It’s still a work in progress, though. Bonus: it freed up some space on my kitchen counter for food prepping.

I’m thinking of adding a couple small shelves on the wall above to display some mugs. Oh, and removing the cat scratcher on the wall behind it 😂

5. Women’s seminar at my church

6. Doing some lettering/sketching

7. Handwritten letters

A sweet friend sent me a handwritten card in the mail, which was a nice surprise. So naturally, I had to write her back and make a little event of it. I lit a candle, cold-brewed some Cherry Blossom green tea, and used one of my favorite pens 🤎

Happy, happy spring, friends! I’ll leave you with a few songs I automatically think of around this time of year 💕

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Maybe it was my broken parts and trauma seeking out familiar situations. It hit me like a ton of bricks while doing some vacuuming, of all things. That’s the beauty and terror of the mundane.

Several months earlier I had sat on my couch having my own “like in the movies” moment. You know, that scene when the guy or girl meets someone and they’re unable to function save for smiling a big, dumb smile. I was overwhelmed. Floored. In a good way. Images of a future with this person flooded my mind. Heart still pounding.

But it was no surprise when I realized a few months later that future would not materialize. He had a longtime girlfriend. Ugh, of course he did. Why wouldn’t he? I had been wrong. No surprise there, either. But it was such a strong feeling and I still feel some of that pull when I’m around him. I consider myself to be a pretty “intuitive” person, but even at the time I questioned whether it really had been “intuition” or just wishful thinking.

Vacuum blaring, mind running on its own, I wondered, “how could my intuition have been so wrong? Was it even intuition at all? It was such a strong feeling.” And there, right there, was the crux of it — feelings. My good old friends and longtime nemeses. The Word of God tells me my feelings are not to be trusted. They are not the be all end all.1

Hadn’t I had a “feeling” a few times before and nothing good came out of it? In fact, feelings had gotten me in some less than desirable relationships before being Saved. I didn’t know any better. I didn’t have the Holy Spirit, only my feelings.

Feelings. Wonderful, unreliable feelings. Let me be clear here and say I am not attracted to men who are unavailable. But maybe, subconsciously somehow, I end up being attracted to men who are emotionally unavailable even when they’re single. How, I do not know.

All of that is complex and I haven’t studied it, but I know trauma rewires your brain. And now I’m thinking I should be cautious whenever I “get a feeling,” because it might not be what I think it is. The Holy Spirit revealed that to me as I did the mundane activities of everyday life.

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I’m parched. I’ve been parched. And I’ve been looking for water in a desert of mirages. The thoughts entered my mind as I sat there at the very back of the church auditorium during worship. I was late that day. I was going to meet up with a friend after the service to do some lettering. The plan was not to be late, but I was not prioritizing getting there on time.

When I was looking for a new place to live in 2024, I knew I wanted to be closer to my church. God blessed me with an apartment that was not only a huge upgrade, but was a short 10 minute bus ride away from church. I was so grateful. I was definitely not expecting to attend church less, and yet, that’s what started happening.

I can’t really say why or how, except that I tend to put comfort and ease above those things I know I should be doing. It’s a terrible habit. And it doesn’t take much. Once you do it twice it becomes much easier to keep doing it. And so I found myself sliding down the slippery slope which led to my couch where I could watch the livestream of the service from the comfort of my own home.

It doesn’t help, I told myself, that the pastor can be hard to follow. I don’t like his style of preaching all that much. But I have to look at myself and say that’s not the point. I’m there to hear the word of God and His word does not return void. I have to remind myself, too, that I feel better when I do go to church. I get to see and talk to God’s people, and worship music just hits differently in person.

Last month, my friend and I decided to start meeting up again to work on some art together. I suggested meeting up after the service on Sunday, probably as a way to get myself to finally show up. I only caught the last half of the sermon because I was late, but I was convicted of the disobedience I’d allowed myself. I was convicted (not for the first time) of idolizing comfort.

I realized the living water I desperately thirst for is found on Sunday mornings at church. Not in the building itself, not in the pews, but in the living and active word of God that is preached in sermon and in song. It’s found in the faces and embrace of sisters and brothers in Christ, in connection. Yet, I had been staying away chasing a stale, dirty puddle.

God, being the gentle & loving Father He is, met me where I was. He used my love for art to get me back in church. The struggle is still real, though. The temptation to stay in bed is real. My couch and TV are so conveniently always there, ready when I want them. It might just be laziness or stale faith, but social anxiety doesn’t help.

I must admit I have been in a dry season. Everything feels dry. I’m parched and looking for water in things that can’t deliver. Absurdity, I know. But I also know that God will not leave me nor forsake me and He will bring me back into His fold. So, this Sunday I’m planning on going to church and I need you to hold me accountable.

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My kitchen lies in disarray, I’m cold and tired, there’s a wall of grey cloud threatening to close in, and all I want to do is eat chocolate and ice cream and nap on the couch with my cats.

I’ve been feeling like this lately. I know spring is coming and I’ll shake off the funk. But for now….well. I’m reminiscing about sunnier days.

So I thought I’d share some thoughts I wrote down while I caught a little bit of sunshine on the balcony a couple weeks ago.

So easy to imagine when the sun hits my face that I am elsewhere and life is something else entirely 

Everything is transformed in an instant when caught by a ray of sunshine 

I can imagine the sound of rustling leaves as ocean waves 
lazily lapping the shore 

Suddenly grass and concrete are taken over by pale soft sand 
A crow is not a crow, but a seagull looking for its next meal 
Palm trees cover the landscape 

And the sea… the sea glimmers across the horizon 
Sunlight kisses the skin, as an invitation to take my time 
It says, “come, I’ll wrap you in a warm daydream” 

Sometimes it’s easy to imagine the sun shining just for me
As if God were directing the sun’s rays straight at me 
like a father covering his child 

and I am at rest

Here’s something else I wrote inspired by sunshine:

How are you doing?

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Life, Lately.

Documenting big and little moments of my life in a monthly recap to look back on when I need joy and the reminder that I do actually do things and have things going on, because sometimes I get that BIG overwhelming feeling of “what am I doing with my life! I never do anything!”

1. Galentine’s Day was a success!

This Galentine’s Day I knew I wanted to make a pink champagne cake (check out the recipe from Sam of Sugar Spun Run, my go-to for non-keto baked goods!). Paired it with some sparkling rosé.

I had seen a trend on Pinterest of digging into cake with wine glasses instead of slicing it, and at first I thought it almost sacrilege, but warmed up to the idea and decided we’d have to try it with this cake.

I do have to say it was fun 🫣 Especially eating the cake out of the champagne flute with a spoon, and eating the top part like ice cream in a cone.

2. I’ve been on a protein cookie kick

I’m always looking for new keto recipes, and I came across this double chocolate breakfast cookies recipe from Carolyn of All Day I Dream About Food (me too, Carolyn, me too). They’re chocolatey, chewy, low-carb AND high protein! No flours of any kind. So good.

I figured I could use this as a base recipe to make other cookie flavors if I swapped some ingredients. So far, I’ve made banana chocolate chip cookies (which I made low-carb by using only half a banana and some banana extract) and pistachio chocolate chip cookies. I feel like the possibilities are endless.

Next, I’m thinking matcha lavender cookies and raspberry white chocolate cookies! YUM.

3. Home café

Welp, Starbucks did it again. For Valentine’s Day they released a white chocolate strawberry cold foam cold brew and I HAD to recreate it at home but make it low-carb. Let me tell you I could’ve ate a whole bowl of this cold foam by the spoonful!

Let me know by leaving a comment if you would want the recipe and I can work on it!

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4. Reading: Heaven and Brothers Karamazov

5. Teaching brush lettering

I started meeting up with an artist friend again to make art together and it’s been really nice. It’s helpful to have a set time and place to make art because otherwise it just doesn’t really happen.

She wanted to learn brush lettering so we started digitally, using practice sheets in Procreate, and I taught her the basic strokes. So much fun! She’s obsessed 😂👏🏼 Below are some of her letters. She’s doing so well!

6. Food and friends and movies

7. Studying the Psalms inductively

Yup, I’m reading the Psalms again! But this time I’m doing a more in-depth inductive study with the women’s bible study group I co-lead at my church. It’s been such a treat. I especially appreciate the opportunity to hear and learn from the women in my group.

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What’s Galentine’s Day?

“OH, IT’S ONLY THE BEST DAY OF THE YEAR. EVERY FEBRUARY 13TH, MY LADY FRIENDS AND I LEAVE OUR HUSBANDS AND OUR BOYFRIENDS AT HOME, AND WE JUST COME AND KICK IT, BREAKFAST-STYLE. LADIES CELEBRATING LADIES. IT’S LIKE LILITH FAIR, MINUS THE ANGST. PLUS FRITTATAS.” — LESLIE KNOPE

Galentine’s Day is the (unofficial) holiday before Valentine’s Day and it’s dedicated to celebrating female friendship every February 13th. The fictitious holiday was first mentioned in a 2010 episode of the show Parks And Recreation (such a good show!) by main character Leslie Knope (pictured above).

In the episode, Leslie rounds up her female friends and her mom for brunch, where she gives them all highly customized gifts. This idea of getting together to celebrate the women in our lives really caught on. It is definitely “a thing!” It’s so fun and the aesthetic is really cute.

The Heart of Galentine’s Day — Celebrating Love & Friendship

I love love and I like celebrating love, but I also want to celebrate friendship, and especially my female friends and other women in my life. I’m Mexican-American, and in Mexico February 14th has always been known as “Día del Amor y la Amistad,” which means day of love and friendship.

It is so important to have women in our lives we can relate to, laugh with, and just do life with. Especially godly women. We were made for friendship and community! This, I believe, is at the heart of Galentine’s Day (no pun intended). Of course, we don’t need Galentine’s Day to celebrate that or each other, as we can and should do that any day, but it sure makes it more fun to have a special occasion.

It’s an occasion to gather the women in your life and let them know how much you appreciate them, whether dressing up or wearing pajamas & face masks, going out to a fancy brunch, or chilling at home with pizza. It’s also an occasion to appreciate God’s love. Because all love comes from HIM and He IS love itself.

A Very Sophisticated Galentine’s Tea

This has to be one of my favorite events I’ve ever hosted! A few friends helped bring it all together and I couldn’t have pulled it off without them. The idea was to have an elegant Afternoon Tea with a Galentine’s theme. [[Somebody count how many times this post says Galentine’s!😂]]

I didn’t want the obvious pink & red and heart-shaped everything this time (though that’s fun, too), so I opted for a lot of muted pink and other soft pastel colors, flowers, tapered candles, and touches of real brass. I even made a mood board of the vibe I wanted and ideas for activities.

I asked everyone to bring flowers because I wanted us to each make a bouquet and then give our bouquet to another one of the girls, but we didn’t have the space or time for that. So instead, we each wrote a note of appreciation for the person on their left and gave the bouquet they brought with the note to that person.

We also prayed, sang a worship song about God’s love and read out some scripture on God’s love as well. It was such a wonderful time and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and say how relaxing an afternoon it was. It was beautiful. I was so proud of us!

Galentine’s Get-together Ideas

You know you can’t forget the music.

So are here are some playlist suggestions for your events:

1. Having a fancy tea party? Tea with Cream and Sugar is a playlist that will not disappoint!

2. The Coffeehouse Vintage will elevate any at-home café, dinner party, or even spa day.

3. Hosting a paint-and-sip? Bring out everyone’s inner artist with this playlist: You’re inside Monet paintings

4. Paris Cafe is the perfect soundtrack to your brunch.

5. Whether you’re having a bake-off, pizza night, or just in the mood for dancing this Pancakes & Motown PJ party playlist is so fun!

6. Impromptu Dance Party. Need I say more?

I hope you enjoyed this post! Do you celebrate Galentine’s Day, or if not, did this inspire you to start this year? I would love to hear how you celebrate! Leave me a comment :) 💕 Happy Galentine’s Day!

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Hey, friend!

This is usually when I would post my monthly recap for my Life Lately column. Buuuuut….nothing really worth mentioning (or rather, showing) happened in January! All’s been pretty quiet here. Picture tumbleweeds.

EXCEPT: Louis Tomlinson’s third album released Jan 23rd and I’d highly recommend you listen to it 😜

In lieu of a monthly recap, here is another poetry roundup! I hope you like. The very last one (Hue) is from the archives — written in 2017. I came across it recently flipping through an old notebook. Again, I’m no poet. But when the thoughts come, I write.

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Truth is…

Every once in a while I’ll quietly publish a poem here on Substack, but never send them in newsletters because they feel so private and vulnerable.

I really only publish anything to hold myself accountable and get out of my comfort zone. Also, of course, in hopes that anything I may share will find you, lovely reader, at the right time and maybe inspire you, give you some hope, a glimpse of joy… whatever it may be.

That being said, I’m an amateur. I’m no poet. Do be gentle. 🫣

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Radiant light that heats my countenance

Soft pulp under my fingertips

Words dressed up in color and beauty

Dance as in a trance

Warmly inviting me into the melody

Sounds of ocean waves sway the leaves

Refreshing my cheek

Greens and reds pierce through the veil

Majestic black bodies fly overhead

Cawing to a tune I made up in my head

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*In this series of letters to my younger self is all the wisdom, truth, encouragement, etc, I wish someone had imparted on me when I was growing up from a scared and traumatized little girl to a lost and hurting young woman who didn’t know God. I write these letters in hopes it will bring healing, not only to myself, but to others needing to hear these same words. 🤎 (Spoiler alert: God saved me from the pit!)*

Dear Girl,

I know you’ve wondered over and over who you really are and who you’ll become. The world tells you the answer lies in wait out there, somewhere and you have to do whatever you can to find it. You have to go “find yourself.”

Society says to be anything or anyone in this world you have to know yourself. “Know thyself” is a very popular phrase, widely attributed to Socrates, which was inscribed on the temple of Apollo in Delphi, Greece thousands of years ago. 1

To be clear, wanting to know ourselves is not bad, it’s God-given. Knowledge and understanding of self is necessary to some degree. The problem, is when this search for self-knowledge and understanding becomes completely self-centered and separated from our Creator.

We have become so self-obsessed as a society, tracking every single little thing about ourselves and oversharing on social media. I like habit tracking, but some of the tracking I’ve seen by other people (not people I actually know) is overwhelmingly obsessive. Journaling is all about self-discovery. Weekly and monthly reflections are super self-focused.

I think you get it. It’s all about self, self, self. And where has this led us? Aren’t we more confused and overwhelmed than ever? Aren’t we all aching for something more, bigger? Something outside ourselves? Whether we like to admit it or not. But there is a solution.

Get to know who God is and then you’ll know who you are.

In Psalm 139:13, David praises God:

“For it was you who created my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.”

Matthew 10:30 says “And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” That’s how intimately God knows us because He MADE us. Since He made us, He gets to say who we are. Because He’s all-knowing, He knows us better than we know or could ever know ourselves.

Let’s talk about art for a second. How are we able to recognize a piece of artwork? By knowing the artist who painted it. When we know an artist we get to know their style, techniques and motifs they use in their work, thereby making their artwork recognizable. In other words, we’re able to easily say so and so created this piece of art just by looking at it.

Moreover, it’s the artist/creator who gives the work of art shape, form, direction, meaning, identity.

It’s the same with God and us — we are His artwork so He gives us our identity. “Finding yourself” is the world’s attempt at knowing who you are but you can’t truly know who you are until you know who God is because He made you. Therefore, our identity does not and cannot exist apart from God.

We are a creature and He is our Creator. What’s more, He made you in His image.

Being made in God’s image is special. It does not mean we are just like Him. In other words, we are not all-knowing, all-powerful, eternal, infinite, all-present beings. But we are made to reflect His nature of love, grace, mercy, goodness, truthfulness, rational thought, and relationality.2

When you “find yourself,” you find pride, selfishness, deceit. That is our fallen human nature - a product of sin entering this world. So even though we’re made to reflect God’s beautiful and wonderful attributes, we can only do so imperfectly and with great limits.

On being a child of God.

It’s common to hear “we are all children of God.” But this is simply not true. We are all God’s creations, but we are not all His children. Being a child of God is a status we lost in the Fall, when sin entered the world. And now the only people who get to call themselves children of God are the ones whom He has adopted. Not because some are better than others, or because only some have earned it, but because we have received the incredible gift of God’s grace - the ability to believe and be saved.

Being a child of God means we have repented of our rebellion against God, and that we believe & proclaim that Jesus Christ is our only hope and salvation. That He is Lord of our lives. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6 ESV).

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Life, Lately.

Documenting big and little moments of my life in a monthly recap to look back on when I need joy and the reminder that I do actually do things and have things going on, because sometimes I get that BIG overwhelming feeling of “what am I doing with my life! I never do anything!”

This was so fun to put together! Though it did take me a lot longer than I thought it would! If you’d like to view this post as an actual digital magazine where you can flip the pages (complete with page flipping sound effect, of course) click HERE!

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* The post title is a reference to Janis Joplin’s 1969 album “I Got Dem Ol’ Kozmic Blues Again Mama!”

It’s that time again…

The time changes and the skies begin getting dark earlier and earlier in the day. It gets colder and grayer. What was left of my motivation is zapped and my energy runs low.

It’s become harder for me to get things done or want to leave the house after 4pm. Yikes. I’m officially in hibernation mode. And I know I’m not only one, so I’ve compiled a list of things to help us get through the cold, dark winter season.

🎄🕯️Little things that bring joy (or at least make the blues a little brighter)🍪☕️:

{in no particular order}

1. Listen to some Christmas Jazz while making breakfast/dinner

2. For some chill vibes while cleaning or getting some work done, play this

3. Light therapy

   1. Light some (or a lot) of candles. I'm currently on the hunt for some pure beeswax taper candles, as they’re non-toxic

   2. Light up that Christmas tree even if it’s midday!

   3. Use a Happy Light in the morning. I have this one, but whichever one you get, make sure it reaches 10,000 LUX for it to be effective

   4. Switch to warm lighting in the evenings. It feels so cozy! I HIGHLY recommend these Philips Hue smart bulbs. They’re pricy but well worth the investment in my opinion because you can dim them and switch from white light to warm amber light. You can control them via Bluetooth and you can even make them flicker like candlelight! Honestly, one of the best purchases I’ve made

4. Read Bible/devotionals

5. Wear cozy sweaters. Try one in your favorite color.

6. Drink hot cocoa/warm drinks in cute, festive mugs

7. Festive scents, whether scented candles or a simmer pot.

8. Spend some time outside during daylight

9. Feel-good movies (not necessarily Christmas or even winter themed)

10. Attend local events, especially a Christmas market if you have one near you

11. Yummy-smelling body care

12. Baking

13. Make nourishing meals/soups

14. Set up a small cocoa/tea bar in a corner of your kitchen

15. Sharing baked goods or a nourishing meal with neighbors/coworkers

16. Bring flowers and/or greenery into your home if you can

17. Sending hand-written Christmas cards

18. Doing something for others

19. Plugging in to community, or even just calling friends & family

20. Slow hobbies rather than phone or tv

21. Worship music ( I like this playlist and this one.)

22. Vitamin D3+K2 supplement

23. Incorporate walking/exercise into your daily routine to boost your mood

24. Take a probiotic + prebiotic supplement. Mental health and your gut are closely related.

25. Proper hydration (add a splash of lemon and a good quality sea salt or an electrolytes supplement to your water).

26. Have people over for dinner, coffee, a card game, watching a movie, etc.

A Note:

It should go without saying, but the list above is not a to-do list for us to complete and feel overwhelmed by! Rather, it’s a menu of ideas to pick and choose from and try different things to find what works for us. If you find nothing is working and/or you show symptoms of SAD (seasonal affective disorder), please consult your doctor! 🤎 None of this is medical advice or meant to treat depression.

🕯️ Advent: Jesus is the Reason for the Season🎄

This week’s Advent memory verse is Isaiah 7:14. Below are the desktop and phone lock screens for you to download :)

I want to know what you do during this dark, cold season to brighten up your winter blues!

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Christmas tiiime is heeeere 🎵🎄 (cue A Charlie Brown Christmas)

Ahh Christmas time… it’s tied with Autumn for my favorite time of year. The soft, glowing lights of the Christmas tree (or the Christmas lights in your neighborhood if you don’t have a Christmas tree this year like me ☹️), the mugs of hot cocoa and cozy tea, Christmas music and Advent hymns, sending hand-written Christmas cards to friends and family 💚❤️

And the most important part: reflecting on Jesus and all that He is, has done and will do. Celebrating His birth on earth and looking forward to the day He comes back with hope and joy in our hearts.

*At the end of this post you’ll find a link to some desktop and phone wallpapers I made to help us, you and I, keep our eyes on Jesus this season (and beyond).

My favorite winter treats 🍪

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Sugar Spun Run is my GO-TO for any baked goods and even savory recipes.

Cranberry Orange Madeleines

This recipe is for regular madeleines but you can easily add some orange juice, orange zest and dried cranberries to the recipe!

For even more deliciousness and extra prettiness, glaze them with a glaze made of powdered sugar, water, vanilla, and a little orange zest.

Pfeffernüsse Cookies

I first tried these spicy ginger cookies a few years ago when I purchased a baking mix from Trader Joe’s. These are not for the faint of heart, I’ll tell you that. Pfeffernüsse is German for “pepper nuts,” and yes there is black pepper in these cookies, along with other warm spices. They’re rolled in powdered sugar, or you can also glaze them.

Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies (best ones I’ve ever tried!)

Homemade Hot Cocoa

Add some ground cinnamon and cayenne to make it a Mayan hot cocoa :) Or add peppermint extract! The possibilities are endless. Top with whipped cream always.

Tie the perfect bow on their Christmas gifts this year

One of my favorite things of the season is actually wrapping presents. I know some people who hate it and I have offered to do their gift wrapping for them haha. I love finding creative ways to wrap gifts, but sometimes the quintessential bow is a must. I found this video tutorial for how to properly tie a bow a few years ago and it’s so easy to follow.

Look at the bows I was able to tie after watching this video! I was pretty proud of them lol

BTW, I’ve been collecting gift-wrapping ideas on Pinterest!

Vintage Christmas Decorating Styles

I found this article from Life Coach Hub on 4 vintage decorating styles for the Christmas season. I love modern design but I’m a sucker for nostalgia and the vintage styles this article covers give all the warm & fuzzy nostalgic vibes. My 3 favorites are below.

Check out the article for more details and the included color palettes if you want to use any of these styles this year!

Elegant Victorian

Pastel Retro

Bright and colorful 90’s

Fresh Christmas Worship Music

The worship team at my church has released new Christmas music this year and it is SO, SO GOOD. I will have it on repeat this season, along with their Christmas EP they released a few years ago. Both are below! I also have been really liking the album Adore by Chris Tomlin. Enjoy! 💚

🕯️ Advent: Jesus is the Reason for the Season🎄

*Note: I started this post a few days ago, so the verse below is now last week’s memory verse. 🫣

I’ve been doing my advent study from The Daily Grace Co. and this week’s memory verse is Matthew 4:16, which says:

I just love that verse as it relates to my experience of darkness in my life and going from that to the light of Jesus… It is just too beautiful and precious to attempt putting into words. I thought I would make a graphic for each week’s memory verse and I’m excited to share the lock screens I made!

I of course had to make a couple variations for phone and desktop, I couldn’t just pick one 😂 I’ve linked to the Drive folder below where you can download them all if you’d like!

Get the lockscreens for phone and desktop HERE

Let me know in the comments which lock screen is your favorite!🎄🕯️

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Life, Lately.

Documenting big and little moments of my life in a monthly recap to look back on when I need joy and the reminder that I do actually do things and have things going on, because sometimes I get that BIG overwhelming feeling of “what am I doing with my life! I never do anything!”

1. My 1st time ever selling at a market!

It had been a dream of mine for a while to sell my art and products at a local market, but I had been scared to do it. This year, I finally went for it and I’m so glad I did!

My friend Hannah and I shared a table at a local Holiday Bazaar on November 15th. The left half of the table (with the art prints, stickers, and holiday cards, obviously) is mine. To be honest, I wasn’t sure I could pull it off and I went in with zero expectations (for once in my life haha).

The couple of months leading up to the event were very busy and a bit chaotic. A lot of trial and error. Not everything went according to plan. Working through lunch. Etc.

The snapshot below captures what most of my days looked like during this time: a ton of stuff strewn all about my desk, a cheese stick or whatever the snack du jour was 😂 and of course, my so-called “helper,” Mr. Bubs (who clearly was NOT helping by blocking my view of the computer).

Overall, I’d have to say it was worth it. The experience was fun and the feedback on my stuff was encouraging 🤎 I’d do it again.

2. New hobby: making Spotify playlists

With the busyness of market prep, I feel like I did not get around to a lot of the Fall activities and outings I had wanted to. I probably could have done more, but I didn’t.

I did, however, become a bit hyper-fixated on making Spotify playlists. I feel like making the perfect playlist that fits the mood you’re going for or fits an event perfectly is almost an art in and of itself.

Not only the song selection (does it get the listener where you want them to go?), but the order of the songs (is it cohesive? does it flow?), the name of the playlist, the cover (does the image or art make sense for the theme of the playlist?). So much to consider.

The genre is your medium, the songs themselves your color palette, the playlist title and cover image add texture, the finishing touches. I could perhaps even go as far as to say the song order or even the length (or tempo?) of each song are your brushstrokes (a faster song is a cluster of short brushstrokes, a slower longer song is one wide wavy brushstroke, etc).

I have by NO MEANS mastered this art. I’d say I’m an enthusiast at best. But I’ve enjoyed it! I had no idea I had SO much to say about playlists, but there you go!

3. Decorating for the Christmas season

Yesterday (the day after Thanksgiving), I put on some “Christmas jazz,” put away my cutie pumpkins, and brought out my Christmas decor. It’s super minimal this year, but that’s ok.

Also, I knoowww people have strong opinions on this, but I typically don’t listen to any Christmas music until after Thanksgiving. One holiday at a time, please! Plus, as much as I adore Christmas I’m not quite ready to let go of Autumn.

4. Advent season is upon us 🌲

Advent begins tomorrow (Nov. 30th)! I think this will be the fourth year I do an Advent bible study from the Daily Grace Co. This year’s study is called Awakening Wonder. They also have a companion Advent prayer journal, which I also got this year.

I look forward to Advent each year because, apart from enjoying the symbolic ritual of lighting a candle each Sunday of Advent, it helps me focus on JESUS and reminds me what Christmas is really all about - not the glittery lights and decor, not the cookies and hot cocoa (though I enjoy those very much), not the material gifts, but the priceless gift of the Messiah coming to earth to die for our sins.

5. The next HUGE step (pun intended)

On a gloomy day in 2017 I was hit by a freight train while on foot. I lost my legs. Everything changed that afternoon.

After trying to use prostheses and doing physical therapy for a while, I eventually lost motivation and stopped altogether. The prostheses never fit right, using them hurt at all times, and even just putting them on felt like a big chore. Not to mention all the weight I gained by being in a wheelchair didn’t help.

Now I am pursuing the journey of walking again once more. Osseointegration, a surgery in which an implant is connected to my bone and a prosthetic leg is then attached to that, will help this endeavor greatly.

I have partnered with Help Hope Live and the Plaintiff Fund in hopes of raising funds for this expensive surgery and future injury-related expenses which would be a great financial burden. The Plaintiff Fund has already contributed $5,000, and will also match the first $5,000 of donations.

Your support would help me get back to a fuller life in which I could enjoy hiking and other outdoor activities again. Maybe dancing again! Not to mention simply having more mobility and physical freedom.

As much as I currently enjoy serving in my church and community to the best of my ability, as well as making art and writing, I have many aspirations which I do feel I’m being held back from. I don’t want to be held back anymore.

If you feel led to donate or even just share this campaign, I would be so grateful 🤎

Donations are tax deductible for contributors and will only be used to cover medical and related expenses.

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A few years ago I wrote a blog post on singleness for my church’s women’s ministry blog.

TL,DR; I was never one to dream of getting married as a young girl. Honestly, the possibility never even occurred to me. But in my early 20’s my heart changed and I knew I wanted to be married by the time I was 30, please and thank you. The years went by. I blinked. I hit 30. And I found myself… alone.

I blinked again and now I’m 35. Dang it, I think I need to stop blinking?! The space on my finger where that coveted ring should be is empty. And I find myself… alone. No ring. No one to give me a ring.

In that original post, I talked about ways that singleness is a blessing the same way marriage is a blessing, though they look different. Same, but different.

Maybe God can use me (and you) the most in our singleness.

In 1 Corinthians 7:32-35, Paul says that the unmarried woman is able to more fully devote herself to the Lord. For example, because He made me, He knows my gifts and talents as well as how and when they would be best used. Whatever your gifts may be, spiritual or otherwise, when you’re single you generally have more time to use those gifts to the best of your ability. God has blessed me with the time to pursue my creative passions and use my gifts for the purposes of His kingdom by creating art that hopefully inspires others and points them to Christ. This brings me much joy and glorifies Him, simply because I’m using something He has given me out of His vast kindness and generosity.

Of course this is not to say that married people cannot use their gifts or that they cannot use them well. They simply have different gifts. Paul puts it this way: “I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.” (1 Corinthians 7:7) Here Paul is saying both marriage and singleness are gifts from God and that some people get one gift while other people get the other.

from The Blessing of Singleness

As I’ve been thinking more about relationships and marriage the last few months (again, I’m 35 and haven’t figured out how to stop blinking), I still believe everything I wrote is true. And God is teaching me more still. More than that, I think He’s changing my perspective.

Don’t get me wrong, the desire for these things is still very much present. But even without them, I can see that having them will not make me ultimately happy. Of course, marriage would bring a lot of joy and fulfillment, yes, but not the ultimate joy and fulfillment. Marriage is good, but it is not the only good option. Marriage is sacred and desirable. But it will not complete me or fulfill me. Nothing and no-one other than Jesus Christ Himself can do that.

Somewhere along the way we were taught to expect an imperfect, flawed human to make us perfectly happy. Make that make sense. Our flesh is selfish and our heart deceitful. I know that I get impatient with people, I can always find something to complain about, and it’s never enough. Even the most loving, attentive husband won’t change that.

If you just read that and thought, “wow, you’re probably just a terrible person,”… that’s the point! The entire point is: without Jesus and His Holy Spirit acting in me, I’m nothing and even marriage is pointless. Ok, before I get any more existential and this article turns into a deep-dive of Ecclesiastes, I’ll get back to singleness.

I’ve realized that if something is not from God, I don’t want it. I don’t want counterfeits. A relationship or marriage not centered on Christ, as wonderful as it may be, would only cheapen God’s design. I’ve been in those relationships before and I don’t want them anymore. I want what God intended.

A relationship not centered on Christ would simply be a distraction. (It would be a nice distraction, but still a distraction) One which would likely pull me away from Jesus instead of closer to Him. While I don’t know if God intends marriage for me, I do know He is still good and His plan for me is good and perfect.

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Seasons are changing, and for a lot of us fall/winter feels like a reset- a new start. Fall and winter are seasons for tending, cleaning, preparing, and making way for new growth.

Seasons may change, but our Lord never changes.

He remains faithful. In His faithfulness He is showing me that He is for me and I am often wrong about Him. How gently and lovingly He corrects me.

As the leaves are falling and all is being renewed, He also is renewing me. As dead gardens are being uprooted and dry lawns cleared of weeds and debris, He also is working in the garden that is my heart. Ripping up old roots, breaking the soil to prepare a new, fresh layer.

Do we ever stop to think about the violence that must precede new life? Cells must die, a mother must push, a seed must break, a plant must be cut down.

Maybe violence isn’t the best word. I don’t know what would be. Either way, the process is painful. Yes, He is gentle, but the process of being pruned and renewed is one of the most painful things because it involves dying to self. Dying to our desires, dying to the images in our head about how life should look, dying to good things, even. Because only God knows what’s best.

In my monthly recap last week, I wrote about my thoughts on the book of Esther and how God chooses to use people to carry out His will. He uses people to grow us and sanctify us in many different ways. Sometimes, this looks and feels like pruning.

It’s crazy to me how someone who plays such a small role in your life can have so much impact. Nothing is wasted.

Just like in Esther, it may not always be apparent but God is moving. He is always working. Sometimes it’s easy to see His hand in a situation, sometimes it feels nearly impossible. Sometimes it feels like you’re “in between” but you don’t even know in between what, yet!

I think the last time I felt like this was when I first became a Christian (it was only a year and a half after the accident which took my legs). God was asking me to let go of everything life had been up to that point. But I had no idea what was supposed to take the place of all that. All those plans and dreams that now seemed even further out of reach. (I wrote a poem about it 👇🏼)

Over the years God has answered some of those questions one at a time, it feels like. But there are still unanswered questions and I’m the kind of person who wants to know all the details right away! But if I knew everything I wouldn’t have to trust God.

I have written this post in bursts and pieces across multiple days, unable to fully articulate the what or how. I’m aware it probably feels disconnected and choppy. Right now, I am sitting on the balcony, eating sushi, admiring the gorgeous trees and hazy sky. I am thinking back to the training/study session my women’s bible study co-leaders and I had this morning. We covered Psalms 23 and 34. Psalm 23 is probably my favorite Psalm.

You can download a printable PDF below :)

Psalm23colorpalette

41.3KB ∙ PDF file

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In Psalm 23, David is acknowledging all the ways God is present in his life and leading him. God is David’s shepherd, his provider, his rest. God is all of those things and more for every single one of us He calls His child. I just need to lean in and trust Him, I need to surrender. He will lead me.

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Life, Lately.

Documenting big and little moments of my life in a monthly recap to look back on when I need joy and the reminder that I do actually do things and have things going on, because sometimes I get that BIG overwhelming feeling of “what am I doing with my life! I never do anything!”

Friends, it’s been a while! It’s been a busy season for me this Fall, in a really good way. Unfortunately, this newsletter took a backseat in October, but it’s good to be posting again! I did not do as many “autumnal” things as I would have liked, but there’s still time! I cannot believe it is already November, though!! Ahhhh time flies and I am not ready for Fall to be over.

Here’s my October recap!

1. Pumpkin Patch

One of my favorite things in October was visiting Hoffman Farms and their pumpkin patch! They had yummy food and drinks at their farm store, cute decor, and just the whole place was adorable. Their pumpkin pie shake and mini cinnamon sugar-dusted donuts were scrumptious. Definitely a treat! It was a gorgeous day.

I was also there to check out a friend’s booth for the Mountainside Fall Market. She was selling the devotional she wrote! Check it out HERE :)

2. Women’s Weekend At My Church

Every year, I look forward to the women’s retreat at my church. It’s a special weekend filled with beautiful worship, warm fellowship, delicious meals, and thought-provoking talks & discussions.

The last few years I have hosted one of the activities. One year, I taught faux calligraphy and last year I taught a watercolor class. Both were so much fun to do and just a great experience overall. A decade ago I would not have thought myself capable of doing something like that, but now apparently I’m good at teaching?! God is so good!

THIS year, however, I was asked to share my testimony in front of nearly 300 women. I had never spoken in front of that many people. I hated and DREADED speech class in college (and I was terrible at it, too). But I knew I could do it by the power of the Holy Spirit.

It also just felt like something God wanted me to be obedient to, especially when I heard the theme for the weekend was delighting in God. Joy and delight, or lack thereof, have been something I’ve struggled with a lot and this year I had been asking God to give me HIS joy. He has been answering that prayer.

Anyway, I shared a 10 minute testimony and emotions ran high. I think a lot of people were impacted by it. And despite my hands getting sweaty, I did really well! I think I will post that testimony here on Substack at some point.

3. Pumpkin-flavored Game Night

I had a few friends over to play board games on a Friday night and it was a lot of fun. Everyone had to bring something pumpkin-flavored, sweet or savory. It was super simple and super casual, but many laughs and pumpkin sweets were had!

4. Making Prints and Stickers for the Holiday Bazaar

Confession: I have no idea what I’m doing! I am learning as I go through a lot of YouTube videos. Mostly trial and error. But the process has been fun! I have all my art prints and thank you cards printed, just need to cut them to size (by hand) and package them.

I also am working on the illustrations for my greeting cards and I have to tweak the colors on my sticker designs before printing and cutting them with my Cricut. Two weeks left! It’s coming along! Check out their event flyer below if you’re in the area and would like to come! 👇🏼

5. New Autumn Drinks

You probably know by now that I LOVE coffee and matcha, especially with fall flavors. I tried a matcha with pumpkin cream cold foam and it did not disappoint. At home, I made a keto salted maple cream iced latte and it was sooo good! (I used maple flavored coffee from Trader Joe’s, too.)

6. A Lesson from the Book of Esther

A friend and I have been reading the book of Esther, then discussing it together once a week. Esther is really interesting because it’s the only book in the Bible that does not mention God at all. So, my friend and I will talk about the ways we see God’s hand in the events and lives of the people mentioned in the book.

One thing that struck me was Mordecai saying to Esther, “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:13-14)

What sticks out is this:

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place

God, in His great power and absolute sovereignty, did not NEED Esther to accomplish His will of bringing deliverance to the Jews. God can do anything, with or without us. But He invites us to participate in His plans as a grace and mercy to us. We GET to be used by God to bring about His will on earth. It is for our benefit and blessing. Though not for our glory. The glory always belongs only to God.

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Life, Lately.

Documenting big and little moments of my life in a monthly recap to look back on when I need joy and the reminder that I do actually do things and have things going on, because sometimes I get that BIG overwhelming feeling of “what am I doing with my life! I never do anything!” It also encourages me to try things and I hope it does so for you, too!

1. Between summer and autumn

I grabbed an iced americano with pumpkin cream cold foam from Starbucks after my grocery run, and it started raining as I headed home. It felt stuffy and humid outside, still pretty warm. I sat out on the balcony to do some bible study & enjoy the sight and sound of the rain. It is beautiful out there. Tall trees. A few maple leaf trees with leaves already turning. I heard some thunder and it made my heart happy.

2. Treating September 1st like a holiday

In my mind, September 1st is the unofficial start of Autumn. It’s become a habit to treat this day sort of like a holiday filled with fun little things that I equate Fall with.

• Start the day off with a pumpkin spice drink or pumpkin waffles

• play a seasonal playlist while making breakfast

• bring out the Fall decor

• bake something with fall flavors

• light a vanilla pumpkin candle

• watch a cozy show or movie

3. Autumnal drinks & leaf peeping

Ah, September — the air gets cooler (at least in the morning), the leaves are falling, the flood of autumnal flavored coffee begins. Is there anything better?!

4. Fall aesthetics

I love changing things up with the seasons, especially Fall. I got the cutie pillows at Target, as well as the little squirrel and sleeping fox. They’re just so cute and add warmth & autumnal coziness to my place.

I will usually change up the look of my electronics as well. It might be a little silly but I really enjoy it. For my birthday my brother gifted me a real leather skin I really wanted for my iPad’s Magic Keyboard (pictured above). I just love the look and feel of it, and of course that authentic leather smell! It will protect the Magic Keyboard and keep it from getting dirty.

5. Baking & oeufs en cocotte (french baked eggs)

For better or worse, it isn’t Fall until I’ve baked something with pumpkin in it. Though I love baking, I don’t do it very often now because I have to really watch myself with baked goods 🫣 But I wasn’t going to NOT bake at all, so I made a high-protein keto version of some pumpkin spice muffins. They came out so good and made my place smell divine.

I got this cute little “cocotte” from Target to bake eggs in. Oeufs en cocotte (French for “eggs in a casserole”) is a dish you can throw together and bake Bain-Marie style in just a few minutes. You can add ham, sausage, or whatever you want to the dish, crack your eggs in, a splash of heavy cream, cheese, seasonings, and bake in a water bath. The egg whites should firm up but the yolks will be a bit runny. For some reason it feels like a very “Fall” breakfast to me.

6. Oktoberfest at McMenamins

Bratwurst with sauerkraut and live music at a beautiful, tree-filled former farmstead built in the mid-1850s.

7. Update

I received my new protheses and brought them home September 30th. It took a while but the wait was worth it because I got a fancy 😂microprocessor knee, which makes the walking experience so much smoother and safer than with the old prostheses I used to have years ago. Praise the Lord for that! I’m grateful for the people who made that possible for me.

Anyway, now begins the arduous task of wearing them and actually standing/walking with them. It takes a lot out of me and I’m already so sore, but ultimately this is necessary and the alternative is worse long term. I have not started physical therapy yet, but I’m working on getting an appointment.

I am also very grateful for the people in my church community who have been checking in with me and offering encouragement & accountability. Such a blessing!

And finallllyyy…

I already shared this playlist I put together on Spotify in my All The Fall Things post, but I’m sharing it again because it’s just so good. I suggest you shuffle through it while baking, making breakfast, or painting, etc. 🤎 🍂

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Sitting at the bus stop

And it’s raining

Don’t know if the cold wind

Is warning or soothing balm

Outside matches my insides

Is there a rainbow

Hiding somewhere?

A rainbow I cannot yet see

A rainbow to speak to me

Of your unfailing faithfulness

I have to admit

Something in me likes this

This chaotic energy

The rain mimicking my thoughts

Grey feelings covering the skies

Spilt tears make glassy sidewalks

Emotions that sway the leaves

Back and forth

Threatening but soothing

It’s familiar

But don’t they say

Familiarity breeds contempt?

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