Category: Life

Peace Begins with a Smile

I’d like to start off by asking, “What makes YOU smile?” Is it nice weather, or a day off from work, or maybe something as simple as your favorite song playing on the radio? Well, that’s the question that I also want to ask of myself today!

What makes me smile?

So here goes…here are thirty things that make me smile.

  1. A well-crafted iced latte
  2. An intriguing book
  3. Capturing a good photograph
  4. Traveling to someplace new
  5. Looking into my Hubby’s baby blue eyes
  6. When my Mom and I call each other on the phone at exactly the same time
  7. When we have our good friends over for dinner on Monday nights
  8. Getting something for cheap, or free!
  9. A good conversation
  10. Get-togethers with my in-laws (there’s always great food and good laughs)
  11. A tasty meal – especially if I didn’t have to cook it 😉
  12. When our pets do something cute
  13. When someone comments on one of my blog posts
  14. Being able to help someone
  15. When my Hubby does a chore without my asking
  16. Knowing I have a God who loves me unconditionally
  17. Writing!
  18. Having a “good hair day”
  19. A soothing cup of tea (add a delicious scone, and it’s even better)
  20. Sliding under the toasty warm covers at bedtime
  21. Meeting someone who struggles with similar issues as I do (it helps me feel like I’m not alone)
  22. When my Hubby and I go over my brother’s apartment for “Movie time”
  23. Finding a good parking spot
  24. Listening to rain pounding on the roof as I fall asleep…thunder is good, too
  25. Going down to my parents’ house for the day
  26. Catching up with a close friend
  27. The smell in our house when I’ve had a crock-pot meal cooking all day
  28. A good hug
  29. The revitalized way I feel after I take a walk and get fresh air
  30. Knowing that I have a purpose and that I have a wonderful adventure ahead of me.

Well, I hope you’ve enjoyed my list! And let me ask you again…what makes YOU smile? Do any of the things that I’ve mentioned make you smile, also?

peace-begins-with-a-smile-quote-2

*I got the idea for this writing prompt from   at Psych Central.

*Featured Photo Credit: Eli Defaria

Books and Coffee: The Perfect Pair

I was blessed to be able to visit Barnes and Noble this afternoon with my Hubby. It was a nice time! 😀 We browsed through the store and looked at all kinds of interesting books, and then we sat in the cafe and sipped on drinks and nibbled on tasty confections. To be more specific, I had an iced Salted Caramel Mocha and a cinnamon scone, and my Honey had an iced White Mocha and a piece of apple crumble pie.

Some of the books that I perused were the Divergent series by Veronica Roth, the Hush, Hush saga by Becca Fitzpatrick, and the Maze Runner series by James Dashner (if you couldn’t tell, I enjoy Young Adult Literature, and I also enjoy series). I’m thinking about using a gift card to buy the Hush, Hush series and diving into a new adventure! Have you ever read any of these books? If so, what did you think of them?

All in all, it was a nice little “date,” and I’m grateful for the time that we shared together. ❤

Living With Doubt…and the Words I Need to Hear

I’ve struggled with doubt for as long as I can remember.

At first I struggled with doubt about my salvation/my relationship with God. I prayed over and over again to ask Jesus to come into my life, but then I questioned if I had prayed “correctly.” Ironically, after this uncertainty, I would worry that I had relied on “works” to save me instead of God (by trying to pray in a “perfect” manner). Needless to say, there were many times when these thoughts induced a frenzy of anxiety and fear – often coupled with headaches and tears.

Thankfully, I don’t struggle with this particular doubt any longer, as I have realized that God isn’t like that. He doesn’t require perfection from me. He wants me to trust Him and rely on Him.

Did that make any sense? Have you ever had thoughts similar to this? (It’s okay to think “no”) 😉

I know that a lot of it is my Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). The OCD is what ignites the insatiable desire to perform tasks “perfectly” and to think “correctly.” But I also know that this isn’t what is required of me. I just need a way to switch over from my OCD thoughts to healthy thoughts.

What thoughts does God want me to think on when I’m feeling doubtful and perfectionistic? What are the words that I need to hear and believe?

  1. I am loved (John 3:16).
  2. I am strong in God’s strength (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
  3. I am forgiven (1 John 1:9).
  4. I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).
  5. I am unique (Isaiah 64:8).
  6. I am skilled (1 Peter 4:10).
  7. I have the ability to accomplish everything God has called me to do. (Philippians 4:13).
  8. I am enough (1 Corinthians 3:16).

These are just a few affirmations that I want to remember when I’m struggling with doubt. And I still do struggle with it. I doubt my abilities, I doubt my worth, I doubt the quality of tasks that I complete – to name a few.

But I have to remind myself of the truth – let it wash over my mind. God is speaking the words I long to hear…I just need to listen. ❤

P.S. Thank you for reading…I know that my struggles are a little strange, but I wanted to be open and honest about them in the hopes that I can be of help to someone else.