My Thoughts On Social Media & The Bible

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I have to admit that one of my least favorite sermon topics is when the speaker talks about how inherently evil social media is. Reasons typically cited are how much social media distracts us from “real life,” or the amount of negativity typically being posted. While those things can be true, I simply don’t believe social media to be as evil as it is portrayed. I have been on Facebook since 2006 and have worked in social media since 2013. Since that time, I have seen just as many positive stories and outcomes because of social media as negative. I believe that social media is simply a communication tool that can be used for good or bad, depending on the user. I’ve seen social media work wonders as far as giving people a sense of community and connection. But I’ve also seen social media lend it’s hand to making people feel divided and isolated. It’s all in how you are using it. What are your posts cultivating?

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Everyone Loves A Good Character Arc: Rachel vs. Monica

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This may come as no big surprise to you, but I am big fan of the tv show “Friends.” I remember waiting for and watching new episodes every Thursday night (back when weeknight tv show schedules were a big deal). When it was on Netflix, I watched all 10 seasons all the way through at least twice. I know it is the most basic millennial obsession, but it’s both entertaining and comforting to me (and a lot of other fans). My husband and I often talk about how if “Friends” were on television for the first time right now – instead of back in the 90s – that we don’t think it would be as widely accepted as it is. Certainly there are story lines, topics, catchphrases, and even whole characters that are problematic in our current society. That being said, I don’t like the show any less! I appreciate it for what it was and for the timeframe in society that it represents.

Today I want to share my thoughts on two of the main characters: Rachel Greene and Monica Gellar. We have a saying in my house that we use anytime we are watching a movie or a tv show and a main character has some sort of change of heart. One of us inevitably blurts out, “everyone loves a good character arc!” I am not exactly sure where it came from, but it’s true. It simply makes for a more entertaining story and a more endearing character when they go through some kind of transformation.

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Behind The Scenes Of My Former Life

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One day over a cup of coffee my new friend asked, “So do you think this town is a good place to own a business?”

I took a long pause as I thought back over the past few years. I had opened and had been operating a small digital marketing firm in “the biggest small town” in South Central Texas. It was fairly successful, but it had come with costs.

“On paper, I think this town has all the resources needed for a new business to be very successful. But in reality, it’s not exactly a fair playing field.” I replied.

“What do you mean?” my friend pursued.

At the time, I was still very much in the game and trying to play by all the rules. However, now having been out of the game a couple years; I am finally ready to share a few glimpses behind the scenes of my former life.

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Bible Study Review: Finding God Faithful by Kelly Minter

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Photo Credit: Sean Hayse

Every Wednesday for the past 8 weeks or so, a group of ladies from my church has been gathering to go through “Finding God Faithful: A Study On The Life Of Joseph” by Kelly Minter. I have to admit that when this study was first picked, I was not super excited to focus in on Joseph; a patriarch whose story I thought I was already very familiar with. However, I quickly learned there were so many subtle lessons packed away in Joseph’s life that I had previously missed. These lessons I’ve found are not only extremely helpful in my daily life, but more importantly have brought me closer to Jesus. I was absolutely overwhelmed at all the parallels between Joseph’s life and Jesus’ life. I had simply never noticed it before. My poor women’s group is probably so sick of hearing me nerd out about it, so I decided to write an extra blog post this month to share my notes with you!

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Our Late Dog Wesley: A Cautionary Tale

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Okay friends, between Vegas and wine tastings, my last few posts have been fairly fun. I am afraid I have to bring us down a little this month, but I promise I am only sharing to help spare another family from heartbreak. If you aren’t one for sad stories, then I suggest you skip this post altogether or skip down to the pet health and safety tips.  Also, please note that I am not a veterinarian or animal medical professional. I am simply sharing what we learned in an effort to spare you some mistakes.

Back in 2017 before we moved to Kansas, we had our house on the market down in Texas. We had to do this crazy routine everytime we had a showing. We would load up the whole family, which at this time included 3 dogs, and go hang out in a park somewhere. We had a pretty solid offer on our house, but our real estate agent said it would still be a good idea to continue accepting showings. We had a request for an early morning showing on a Saturday, so we decided to visit Palmetto State Park. It was only an hour or so away and we had been there before, so it seemed perfect.

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Wichita Adventures: Local Wineries

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Last month I finally got to write a love letter to one of my favorite cities (Las Vegas) and this month I get to write about another great love of mine… wine!

Have you ever done a wine tour? My experience was loading onto a bus and spending a few minutes each at a handful of wineries. It was fun but I must admit that I prefer to take winery visits one at a time. Most wineries offer a tasting for little to no cost. I like to partake in a tasting, then get a glass of my favorite wine while catching up with a girlfriend or two, and I always buy a bottle to take home. When I crack open the bottle it’s like a little postcard to myself reminding me of the fun time I had at the winery. Here is my round up of top notch Wichita area wineries!

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Vegas Momcation: New Year’s Eve 2020!

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I have long wanted to write a love letter to Las Vegas and now I just so happen to have a blog due at the same time that I am fresh off a trip, so here we go! Vegas is easily one of my favorite places on Earth. There is just an exciting, electric energy about this bustling, colorful, historic city in the dessert that I can’t help but gravitate towards. It is not uncommon to see visitors from all walks of life and every continent, speaking every language imaginable. Whatever is entertainment to you – shopping, gambling, shows – you can just about find it all in Las Vegas! We lived close by when I was younger so I have some early memories of the Treasure Island pirate show, going to the games at Excalibur, and I even went to the Siegfried & Roy white tiger show one time.

Nowadays, my Dad actually lives in Las Vegas. So for me a trip to Vegas doesn’t just mean partying. I know that I am going to get the best local advice on where to go and what to do while I am there. I also know that I am going to get to soak up some family time. This year I spent Christmas at home in Kansas, but I hopped on a plane at ICT just in time to ring in the new year with the rest of my sisters and family in Vegas. Keep reading to hear where and how we celebrated!

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My Thoughts On “A Simple Favor”

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I was just chatting with another mom the other night about how there is a point in time where you simply miss out on movies. Your kids are a certain age or your life is in a certain stage where having the time to grab dinner and movie is all of a sudden complicated. You have to arrange child care and practically double your date night budget because of it. On the off chance that you do get to go to a movie, it absolutely sucks when the movie turns out to be bad.

On the other hand, with so many streaming services available I sometimes get overwhelmed at the options and end up watching the same movies over and over. It’s also always been a struggle to find a good family movie to watch all together. Luckily, Disney+ has all but solved that issue.

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Handmade Holiday Gift Guide – 2019!

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Over the years, I have come to really appreciate handmade gifts. Both giving and receiving them. It is such a warm feeling knowing that someone took the time to make something just for you and that there is not another piece out there exactly like it. Also, I know my purchase with a small artisan will go further and mean more than with any store. This season, I invite you to sit back, shop, and share these great #handmadeholiday gift options from some friends of mine!

Hand Painted Wooden Ornaments
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Inside My Intentional Kitchen Design

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Kitchen Before
Kitchen After

If you follow me online at all then you likely saw my kitchen remodel reveal. We took out an entire wall, so of course the before and after pictures are impressive. But there are alot of other intentional details that went into the design that I want to share with you.

First, a little background on how we ended up in this house. Between the properties we looked at in Texas and the properties we looked at here in Kansas, we looked at about 50 homes. One day before our final go around Wichita my husband sent me a link to a house and said, “this is a good example of a bad house on good land that we could fix up.” Even though it was just supposed to be an example, we lined up a showing. It was our very last showing before heading back on down the highway to Texas. The land itself was beautiful, but the house actually made me cry. It was so much worse than the photos made it look. I think I cried all the way through Oklahoma. However, something about it I just couldn’t leave alone. The opening sequence to one of my favorite shows ends with the phrase, “do you have what it takes to take on a fixer upper?” Well, as it turns out, I do have exactly what it takes to take on a fixer upper.

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