Living as a Victorious Christian Woman

After a full week of meetings and projects at work, I turned the planner page and saw that tomorrow is AUGUST! I'm not quite sure how this momentous occasion happened, but we're now 7/12ths of the way through 2022. That's right, I said it out loud. So for some last-minute summer fun, I covered my August monthly spread with sunglasses and watermelon washi tape that I tore off for some rough edges. Then I found absolutely every time summer stickers I could find and randomly threw them all over the page. You don't realize what you have (or don't have) in your stash until you're looking for something specific. I'm not usually one for these girl stickers, but I couldn't resist the planner babes set. Throughout the week they're going to remind me that I've got this, I need all the coffee, I can believe in myself and it's definitely time to relax! In another sticker book I found all these tiny desk accessories, which I absolutely fell in love with. ...

There's something about coming up the driveway after a long week that just makes my heart sing. All of the wildflowers are in brilliant bloom. And the very first few berries on my last set of bushes are showing hints of black. Even though we could sure use some rain, the ponds are absolutely lovely, and they're filled with fish, frogs, turtles and all kinds of other wildlife. This time of year features my favorite shades of green. I mean it from my heart when I say that we're blessed beyond measure. God is good all the time.

One of the things I wanted to do more than anything during my summer vacation was clean out my garage. Not only can I check that one off my list, but I found a box that I completely forgot I had. Inside are 1,200 cardboard coffee cup sleeves, like you pick up at the coffee shop so you don't burn your hand on your cup. So what am I doing with them? I'm decorating them, of course, and making some pretty cool upcycled projects like this journal. There's nothing special about the sleeves. They're just corrugated cardboard. You just push the folded edges in so you can set your coffee cup down in them and pull them up snug.  But add some card stock pages and some beautiful die cuts, and you suddenly have a journal you can't wait to fill up! I started by tracing the sleeve and cutting it well inside the lines. This makes the perfect template so the pages will be slightly smaller than the two covers. And yes, the eyeglasses pencil says Turn your eyes upon Jesus. I've ha...

I love recipes where I get to learn a new technique, try a new flavor combination or use an ingredient I've never used before. This cheeseburger casserole sounded amazing to begin with, especially because it has pickles in it, and then I read that I get to use crescent dough sheets. I didn't even know that was a thing, so I was very excited to try it out. On a side note, I'm not a big burger eater. I wouldn't usually choose a burger off the menu, and I rarely make them at home. But this burger casserole ... I would make this on a weekly basis. Ingredients:  1lb ground beef 1/4 cup onion, chopped 1/4 cup pickles, chopped 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup ketchup 3 Tbsp Dijon mustard Salt and pepper to taste 1 bag shredded Colby Jack cheese 1 can refrigerated crescent dough sheet Sesame seeds 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. 2. In a large skillet, break up ground beef and cook unto almost browned. Add in onion, stir and contin...

Yes, I was the girl who looked forward to shopping for school supplies. The minute I knew those special aisles at the front of the store were filled with everything new and beautiful and fresh, I was there.  And yes, I'm the woman who does the same thing 40 years later. My brain is wired in such a way that it lights up at the smell of new crayons, the feel of a brand-new notebook and the sound of a pencil bag zipping up. And don't get me started about new planners. I've already finished this year's and started next year's. I know it's geeky, but it makes me inexplicably happy. There's something about holding those new, full-of-potential supplies that just speaks to me. This may sound silly, but even though I know they'll be old and used (lovingly and creatively, though) not too far in the distant future, I want to bottle this moment of new excitement and happiness. Did you know that God feels the same way about new things? It is of the LORD's mercies...

At Vacation Bible School Wednesday night, the kids decided to guess how old I'll be on my birthday Friday. The numbers ranged from 23 (I love that boy) to 66 (I'm not sure where that one came from). When they finally narrowed it down to 45, the correct guesser received a piece of bubble gum. I breathed a sigh of relief because nobody strayed into triple digits. To create planner pages that will keep me celebrating all week long, I pulled together some of my favorite washi tape, stickers and colors. I always run the tassel washi across the top line of a page or box so it looks like fringe or garland. Then I scattered the whole spread with balloons and candles from a few different sets. I've been blessed beyond measure in the first 45 years of my life - God has truly been good. He has gone exceeding abundantly above all I could ask or think, and I look forward to celebrating those blessings in the week to come. And as I flip through my planner, there will be no doubt that I...

If our dogs were people, they'd be a little concerned about us, I'm sure.  If they could look in our phones and see how many pictures we have of them sleeping, they'd probably report us to the authorities.  But how can you resist taking one more picture when they look so gosh darn cute? It doesn't have to be a comfortable spot either, as long as they're close to their humans. And the snoring rivals a jet engine preparing for takeoff, and that's cute, too. So I'm not too worried about offending them by taking their picture while they sleep, unless they someday learn how to get into the photos on my phone!

The subject line of the email said, Learn how to make the most of your role as thought leader. I've never been stopped in my tracks as quickly as that. I like to think I'm fairly up-to-date on words and phrases, but I honestly had no idea what that meant. What on earth is a thought leader, and how am I supposed to make the most of being one? Yes, that is a classic example of a great email introduction. I added to their open rate within about 10 seconds of it hitting my inbox. Here's the definition they gave: Become an influencer for your peers by providing valuable insight. A thought leader, or influencer, is someone who, based on their expertise and perspective in an industry, offers unique guidance, inspires innovation and influences others. Everyone knows the word "influencer" from the many social media platforms we all frequent. We picture that beautiful woman posing in front of all the most scenic places, telling her audience all about planning a trip, packin...

With my time off this week, I've been able to catch up on house projects, puppy cuddles and a ton of errands. I've also been cleaning, organizing my craft areas and preparing for an upcoming community market and a yard sale. At our Stuff From Trees booth in August, I'll have these adorable memory verse tags books available for purchase. If you live too far away to come buy one (or seven), here's how tto make them yourself. Start by making a tag template with a sturdy piece of card stock. I have a tag stamp, but you can just cut out a rectangle of paper and trim two corners off. This template is what I use to make tags out of all the smaller scraps in my collection. And yes, there are a ton of them! You'll probably find the same amount in your own paper stash, I'm guessing. Next, just punch a small hole in the top of each one and hang a bunch of them in a book ring. I usually get 8-10 rings for a dollar at the dollar store. (Which is now actually the $1.25 store....