To the rest of the world, I was optimistic, the glass-half-full type of person. To me and mine, I was critical, honing in on what was wrong. I didn’t try to be this way…. I just was. Regretfully so! Which made me try all the harder to STOP being like this. No matter how much effort I used, breaking free from this pattern of thought/behavior seemed impossible. Perfectionism had its grip on me and it was like a vice! As a perfectionist, I tend to ignore the 99 good things and hyper-focus on the 1 bad thing. It affected not only me but my faith. Striving, worry, comparison, and discontentment marked my inner thought life. I felt like a failure to myself and to God. It seemed like I, we, lived in a constant state of neediness from Him. I almost felt embarrassed when I approached Continue Reading
Blogger Holiday Gift Exchange
I don't know about you, but I'm getting excited for the holidays! It's a special time to be creative and spread joy throughout our communities and our families. The warm scent of cinnamon and chocolate layers the air in my home, and although I am never able to create every beautiful item pinned to my Pinterest boards, the idea of someday is enough to keep me happily dreaming. Among my favorite gifts throughout the season are those handmade and homemade creations. I've received many through the years. A monster cookie jar mix that provided a perfect rainy-day kid's activity. A beeswax candle that kept my home smelling fresh for months. Sachets of lavender tucked within my drawers remained fragrant all year-long. Delicately packaged sugar cookies, gingerbread men and biscotti to line Continue Reading