It's Ok Thursday.

This week I think it's ok...

...to immediate become obsessed with food with your on a restrictive eating plan.  Curse you 17 day diet, I need chocolate.

...to read many many books at the same time, as long as your actually finish them so you can reach your goals.

...to make everything a competition with yourself.

...to hate Keurigs and their coffee.  Mr Coffee, yes please.

...to have thought 15 times per day of things you'd buy if you hadn't just made a pact to go 6 months without buying clothes, shoes, or accessories.  What was I thinking? ; ]

...to be rebounding from a brief vacay from snail mail.  I'm baaack.

...to have your parents think your insane for having met 'blog friends' in real life.  My Mom thinks I will one day be a dead girl in a Lifetime movie because of this.

...to love to Craigslist things.

...to always be hungry for knowledge and ideas.  Can't.Stop.Reading.

...to take little vacays from phone calls, as long as you call everyone back when you return.

...to love 'to do' lists, but take days off where you just do what you want.

...to have to scoop dog poop.  It's gross, but it happens.

...to be proud of yourself for making a new savings plan that's really going to get the job done.  Deep breath.

...to feel proud of yourself for being back in the gym 6 days a week.  Come on summer, let's do this.

Love,
B

A Mouthful of Money

The expression put your money where your mouth is has left me choking on mine lately. I'm growing increasingly hungry for simplicity. I desire that my life be one of purpose and that I keep my treasure where it belongs (and amazingly I don't mean my walk-in closet). Sunday as I was sharing all I've been learning and feeling challenged by with a friend while at the pool (after writing yesterday's post) I managed to talk myself into a challenge.

My sweet friend Jess and I are probably the ultimate consumers. We love clothes, fashion, furniture, decor, travel, and trinkets. And we have put our money were our mouths are as we seek to get away from a lifestyle driven by wanting what's new and what's next. For the rest of 2012 we are saying goodbye to all clothing, footwear, and accessory shopping and hello to grateful hearts for what we already have.

I spent a week in Haiti and experienced the joy of orphans who keep all of their belongings on the foot of their bunk. I promised myself I would learn from that experience and grow because of what I've seen.  The next six months are about attitude. About killing the constant inner nagging for more. For focusing on being thankful for my healthy, happy family, my beautiful little home, my loving friends, and all that the Lord has already blessed me with.

 In addition to learning to live without a few wants, we're refocusing that energy on meeting a few needs. Over the next six months we've committed to use some of the money we would be using on cute new summer clothes for travel and such on meeting others needs. I desperately desire to live generously. To consider the next 6 months a success I truly hope I end them not wanting to go on a giant clothes buying bender but having killed my gimme gimme gimme nature in favor of contentment.

So today I raise my dairy free, fake sugar'd coffee to the soon-to-be simple life.  Fair well ultimate consumerism and hello contentment and joy.  Now begins the journey...

B

Does Crap Count?

This is one of those posts where honesty hurts. It's what I love to hate about blogging. Being real is important but it stings to be honest with yourself let alone letting people into the core of your selfish heart.

 Since finishing crazy love I started a book by Jen Hatmaker. The book, entitled 'seven: an experimental mutiny against excess' seemed timely coming off from living in a third world country for 7 days in April. I didn't come back feeling guilty for being from a country of wealth and opportunity and I didn't come back patting myself on the back for being good enough to go help others either. I came back self aware and asking questions I wasn't sure I was ready to answer.

Chapter three of 'Seven' hit me where I'm tender. Giving. In chapter three Jen addresses 'posessions' by giving away 7 things a day for a month. Now here's where I confess I'm always looking for a clever way to beat the system. While counting calories and dropping 70 lbs I would sometimes eat all my calories in chocolate for a day or go wild on Mexican knowing it'd make me so sick I'd get rid of those calories anyways. You get idea.

So here I am thinking 'well, I'm only one person so I wouldn't have to give as much away' (Jen has a family and would be purging from her husband and kids stuff too).  I also thought of the goodwill bags I constantly keep in the garage and add too, and thought 'I can pull that stuff out and count it if I decide to try this month'.  This is when I had to get honest with myself. I know God loves a cheerful giver but does he really love when I cheerfully give my crap?

See the challenge in giving away 210 things is that being a purger by nature I'd quickly run out of junk I don't use and have to give away things I like, want, maybe even 'need'. But that's the point right? That you burn through the crap and you actually give things of value. You know, that ugly word 'sacrifice'?

 I immediately thought back to the orphanage in Haiti. They offered to feed our group of 20 dinner while we were there. Mind you, these kids don't always get three meals a day like you and three meals, two snacks, and a sonic happy hour drink everyday like me. These kids would have gladly given up their dinner for me but would I even have been as willing to give a shirt I wear once or twice a year to someone in need in my own community? I keep wanting to count my crap. My leftovers. What I don't want or need... And still see myself as generous. Caring.

 As the Lord grows me and challenges me in this season of my walk with Him I realize, he doesn't care about the stuff half as much as He cares about my heart! And clearly, that's what needs the most work. Francis Chan challenged me in crazy love that WE are the rich people the bible talks about. Were in the top 4% of the world in wealth, friends. And I finally see why the bible talks about a camel making it through the eye of a needle easier than a rich man into heaven... Because here I am, wondering if my crap counts. Wanting to give away junk and count myself generous enough. Totally missing that my heart is in all the wrong places.

Before you write me a really sweet comment telling me I've lost mind mind, my crap counts, and I should stop being so hard on myself...don't.  I wrote this post from the comfort of my living room on an iPad, before spending the rest of the day by the pool with one of my best friends and my neighbors who I adore.  My life isn't hard.  I'm not going without.  And I'm finally dealing with a selfish heart I've let go for far too long.  I want the challenge. I want the growth.  I'm craving change.

Love,
B

A New Found Friend and Three Giveaways!

Followed this blog long?  Then you know that I use to crank out book reviews like it was a second third job.  But eventually I grew tired of reading what I was told and realized reading is one of the only things I do for the pure love of it.  After which, I promptly said goodbye to both publishing companies I was working with and started picking my own books.  Since then I have written rare reviews, only when I find a book I truly enjoy and believe you all would too.

Recently that included this post about Organizing Small Spaces. I  borrowed this book from a department of my work (www.imom.com)'s resources and I started reading. My review of the book and was really my way of passing on to you something that grew me as a homemaker.  It was completely unsolicited....

So you can imagine my surprise when I woke up last Thursday morning to an e-mail saying 'Kathryn Bechen' has left a comment on your blog.  I thought, 'no way....', but yes way, the very author I had praised on the blog had found my post and responded!  She wrote:

Dear Becca,

Thank you for so thoroughly reviewing my book, Small Space Organizing, on your blog. I am so happy you enjoyed it and found it useful and your insights into what you liked about it were very helpful to me as an author. Great job on your purging! Wishing you happiness, beauty, and order at home always, whatever the size of your space! I have a newsletter and blog, so hope you will join me there at www.KathrynBechenInk.com. :) 


Sincerely, Kathryn Bechen, Author

                                        (meet Kathryn, pictured here holding 'Organizing Small Spaces')


Isn't she darling?  Better still I realized later in the morning on my drive to work that she had also sent me an e-mail to blog's e-mail account.  I was so honored she'd found my blog and taken the time to not just read what I wrote about her book and respond but in her second e-mail (after my reply) she told me about several of the posts on my blog she'd read and why she enjoyed them.  She even mentioned that she would love to send me an autographed copy of her book for my 'reading corner' which I showcased last week after finishing it.

If all of this isn't exciting enough, her second e-mail said she'd love to give you all  (my readers) something as well!  So, Kathryn has graciously agreed to give not just one, not two, but THREE of my readers a signed copy of 'Organizing Small Spaces' as well!  Now, the tough part about this is that I have to pick the winners!   So here's the scoop.  If you're truly interested in getting your small space organized and you think this book could be a life-changer for you, we want you to have it!  So, comment below and tell myself (and Kathryn who might be stopping by to read what you all write as well)  why you need the book.  You could tell us what your small space is like, a problematic space issue your place has, and/or what you most hope to learn from the book.

You have until this coming Friday 6/8 to get your comment in, as I will pick the winner Friday night and announce it on Saturday.

In the meantime, feel free to read what I wrote about her book and checkout her website as well: www.KathrynBechenINK.com

Good luck, I can't wait to read your comments and a special thank you to Kathryn for this surprise giveaway!

Love,
B

Catching up From Crazy (a few updates).

Remember that time I went to Haiti, came back and renovated my house, left the next day to explore DC, came home for 2 days before hosting my mom for a long weekend, and now my life is so low key I barely know what to do?  That was now.

This spring has been crazy and perfect. I've had the best time and honestly, I'm a little sad that life is slowly going back to normal-ish.  Oh fine, you all know me well enough to know nothing in my life is ever really normal.  But in a surprising twist of fate, this week has been pretty fabulous.

Here's a few reasons why/updates/etc:

I managed to get my room put together AND clean this week.  Always a good feeling especially going into the weekend.

I also managed to finally find the right colored bath towels during a lunch time trip to Marshalls the other day:

Side note: Lascoste and I see eye to eye on colors.  Marshalls and I?  We see eye to eye on price!  Love.  I had the idea of the color I wanted based on the fact that it's worked into the granite I recently had installed in my bathroom. This isn't the best picture in the world but you'll get the idea.

And after getting the bathroom clean and the new hand towel hung on the towel ring Mom and I put up last week I present to you, the new look:

Also happening at the batch pad this week?  A dog.  Yes that's right, crazy clean freak me who's known for not wanting pets or children has taken in a dog for a week.  May I introduce to you all, Buddy:

Buddy belongs to some sweet friends of mine who are in KC this week, and so Buddy and I are bonding over scary movies and poop scooping this week and having a delightful time, I must say.

I've been playing catch up around the house, having friends over for lunch Friday (more on that later), and will be playing catch up in the work and read worlds this weekend but by the time you read this on Sunday, I will be here:

Ah, short weeks, you do have your appeal.  Nothing but love coming from me to Memorial Day and the week that followed.

Love,
B

Finishing What I Started: Revisted.

Image.

You may remember this post from March where I challenged myself (and some of you) to knock the dust off those books on your shelves and get around to reading them.  Many of you share my love of reading and maybe my love of books.  I have an ipad, a kindle, and a small library of physical books all of which I adore.  I can never have enough books in my possession, enough in my currently reading section of good reads, or enough on my excel sheet of books I've read.

But I wanted to revist my goal and so I went back and counted from my reading list for this year how many books I've read from my own shelves or eshelves.  Curious? 17!  So far in 2012 I have read 17 of the books I've been saving until I get around to them while constantly buying more.  But I pretty much paused the buying in order to dominate some of what I already have!

Better still, I've continued my love for passing them on!  Amber and I have been exchanging books like crazy this year but I've also passed on books to Mia, Jo, and Lindsey too!  It's clearing spots for the books people keep generously giving me and those I keep acquiring whether through purchase or trade.

The last post got a great response from many of you who thought you should try the same...how's it coming?

Love,

B

Book Club Friday.

I try not to over linkup, so I'm a little spotty with book club posts.  This is not to say that I haven't been reading as much as ever, and loving it.  I've actually had book after book that I've enjoyed which I know will shock Mia if/when she reads this because she says I'm stingy with my Goodreads stars! ; ]

This week I wanted to write about and highly recommend Crazy Love by Francis Chan.

My best friend, Candy, and I try to read one book the same.  We recently finished a book called 'Me and My Big Mouth' and I promptly started Crazy Love thinking it would give me a chance to get ahead. Since I'm always reading multiple books at once I sometimes read slower in one than the other.  However, this book gripped me from day one and within a week (about 3 months faster than I tackled our last book) I had this book dominated.

If you're connected with me in social media world you may have been catching bits and pieces of what I've been reading/loving in this book as I've been using quotes from it on facebook and twitter. This book really rocked my perspective and kept me wanting to read more.  If you're a believer, this is a must read on my list...and if you're not but you have an interest in religion, check it out.  Chan is a great writer and he makes convicting points.

Love,

B