creatures of emotion

I am back in the great state of Alabama! I am very happy to be back too. I had a wonderful time visiting with my family and seeing my niece graduate but I did miss home.

I had every intention of writing all about my Cali adventure and posting tons and tons of pictures of my trip and my family -- but after 3 different conversations about emotions in the past week (2 from today) I decided to change courses. (But I will let you all know about my trip... eh.. well here is a teaser. [;  )

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I think I have always been a very emotional person. I cry pretty much with every emotion. Sadness. Anger. Frustration. Even joy. I guess I just need to let it out in some way. I feel if I don't let it out that I will just burst!

I know that not everyone is like me and they do not like to cry or even FEEL emotion. This truly saddens my heart.
I think that it is very import to feel whatever it is that you are feeling. Not act out on that feeling (Ephesians 4:26 tells us to be angry and sin not) but feel it.
It actually hurts us when we bottle up our emotion. There are tons of research linking bottled emotions to health problems. Not crying it out is literally making people feel sick!

I have always kept a journal since I can really remember. I write what I am feeling in that moment -- happy, sad, confused, angry, content, excited, anything. I do not sugar coat or belittle anything that I am feeling. I choose to just feel. Sometimes it hurts. At times it felt like I could never see past the pain... but I did. I got through it. I felt what I needed to feel and got through the end of it. Now I have countless victories in writing.

Do not ignore your feelings. Don't diminish them or belittle them. Its okay to be sad or grieve. Its okay to be mad. Or upset. Or even confused. Let it out. Journal. Cry. Scream into your pillow. Paint. Pray. Run.
If you need to talk to someone -- find a person who will let you feel everything you need to.
And if you know someone who needs to talk.. let them express themselves. Don't tell them to be less emotional and quiet their feelings.
[Remember that when you are being self destructive or hurting others with your words and actions -- that is not "letting the emotion out". That is letting the emotional control you. Do not do anything in the emotion that you would later regret out of the emotion.]

So if you are happy - smile. If you are sad - shed a tear. If you are mad - yell at the air. We are not robots -- we are people. (:

Lord, bless everyone who is reading this blog right now. Father help them to feel again. You have given us all emotions and it is okay to feel... even the not-so-fluffy feelings. Help us to encourage others to do the same and not to write people off as "babies" or "wussies" because they are able to feel those God-given emotions. Lord, even in Your Word it says that you too felt anger, sadness, and joy. Thank you Lord that you love us unconditionally and that You are a beautiful example of an emotion being.  In Jesus Name, - Amen.

feeling everything and love. - Monica
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encouraging him encourages me

Martin's first day of work was today. He is still working right now and won't be home for a couple more hours

I packed his lunch last night since we had to get up this morning at 4:30am. He left for work at 5:30am. Uh! So early.

I read in a book ( I cannot remember at the moment.. but I am THINKING it was Saving Your Marriage Before it Starts by Les and Leslie Parrott) that one wife would write her husband little notes with bible verses and leave them in his lunches for work. I liked loved that idea! I started writing encouraging notes to my husband quickly after we got married and I noticed a difference in myself.
It enabled me to actively think positive about my husband and purposefully search out a verse for him. It got me closer to my husband and closer to God. While I was encouraging my husband, I found that I also was feeling uplifted. Speaking of my husband's worth reminded me of the many reasons why I fell in love with him. It made me proud of to be his wife. I felt honored that the Lord entrusted me to partner my life with this man. It made me want to do more to help him feel loved and appreciated.

How better is the day when you get complimented? Or when you feel lovely? Or appreciated?
My husband works hard. In the sun. Outside. In a new situation. With new people. I hope my simple note and constant reminder of the Word puts a smile on his face, even if it is only for the one moment of reading it. Just like it does to me as I write it.

It feels good to encourage someone and to bless someone... especially when that someone is your husband. (:

Try it out.... see what happens. See if it changes the way you think toward your spouse (or roommate, or mom, or sibling). 

Father, thank You that You are constantly encouraging me. Lord, I pray that I will recognize times when someone needs to feel loved and encouraged. I pray that Holy Spirit will give me words to say, or type, or write to that person to give them what they need in that moment. 

Lord, I pray for the person receiving the encouragement, that they would be able to open the hearts. That they could receive it freely as I freely give it to them... just as you have freely given Yourself to me. God, thank You that every single day is a blessing. 

In Jesus name - AMEN.

encouraging love. - Monica
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blog thoughts & 40 days fast

Happy Monday to you all!!! :)

I have recently discovered a beautiful blog last week. Unveiled Wife is a blog dedicated to encouraging and uplifting wives and wives-to-be. The author, Jennifer, writes beautiful and powerful prayers for soo many marital circumstances and situations. Her life story is real and out there for everyone to read. She is truly an inspiration to me.

I love to document fun recipes and the cute stuff my new husband and i are doing... but above all else, beyond the recipes, pictures of my every day life, and little updates i hope to be inspiring. To uplift. To encourage. To brighten people's day. To be real and raw no matter the cost. To show love and kindness.

My blog is like my journal... rejoicing in the happy moments and contending in the not-so-smiley times. After all, i am a woman who cries when i am sad (or mad). Who laughs so hard at times that my side hurts. I am a girl who makes up phrases and chooses alternatives to cuss words.
I just hope that with the words that i write... even if it is one person who reads it... that the person on the other side feels the hope that is inside my heart.
So laugh along with me... even cry when the moment needs it... but in everything feel inspired.  Inspired to not be ashamed of who you are. Encouraged to be proud of the person God made you.

I am starting a 40 day fast inspired by Unveiled Wife. I will be fasting coffee (and espresso) and all sweets. I will be contending for my friend's, family's, and for my own marriage to be Christ-centered, to fall even more incredibly in love with Jesus, for me and my husband to realize our calling and identity, and for complete restoration to God and to each other in broken marriages that surround me. If any one is interested please feel free to join me!
Read the inspiration for the 40 day fast here. Also, if you need prayer for anything please comment below and let me know. (:

wives learning from other wives, more inspiration, and love. - Monica
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coffee chat (correction)

"A cup of coffee with a friend is happiness tasted and time well spent."


My sister bought my hubby and i an espresso machine that i am in love with! Sure it is sooo noisy and often disrupts my husband's tv time... but i am enjoying the delicious tastes that it produces.

I love having coffee with friends. I love just hanging out and hearing each other's hearts. I love spending quality time with people that i enjoy and learning more and more about them.

Recently the thing that has been on my heart a lot lately is taking correction.

Proverbs 15:32 (NIV) says  

'Those who disregard discipline despise themselves, but the one who heeds corrections gains understanding.' 

Dictionary.com defines the word 'heeds' as "to give careful attention to." Dictionary.com defines 'disregard'  as "to pay no attention to."
Those who pay no attention to discipline (activity, exercise, or a regimen that improves or develops a skill) despise themselves, but the one who gives careful attention to correction gains understanding.


Correction. We need it. Sometimes it is hard to hear.. and our flesh wants to fight it but we need that correction. We need to take it and apply it to our lives. Being married i am learning more and more about correction. Listening to my husband and hearing his heart is what benefits our marriage. And him doing the same. If he sees something in me that maybe needs the Lord's correction i have to heed that correction to gain understanding. And if i see something in him that maybe needs that same correction... i pray he would do the same.
Its not always easy. Constructive criticism can be hard to swallow... but it can also be beneficial to us. We just need to approach the situation with love, honor, and respect.
So that is where i am at this morning as i type this. Learning about proper  Godly correction.


coffee chat, heeding to correction, and love. - Monica
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Merry Christmas!!!

Christmas is almost here!!! Hooray!!!

These are my Santa jacket-inspired nails for Christmas... except.... being a busy little wife... they got all messed up. hehe

I have been very busy with work.. and hanging out with my husband. I have had a few days off and i have just been enjoying some much needed quality time with my hubby. :) Its been nice.

Tomorrow is Christmas eve and we are going to my in-laws for the Christmas celebration. Its crazy because last year is when my love proposed to me.

Its amazing how fast a year can go by and how much can change. Now we have been married for 4months! To think that a year ago today i had NO idea... where i would be today. haha. And the same goes for next year. I have no idea where i will be next Christmas... or what i will be doing. hehe.
Life is amazing and God is good! That has been my focus for the past few days. My hunger and passion are stirred up. Maybe its because of this Christmas season... but i pray i keep the Christmas spirit all the days of my life.

I have no idea where i will be next Christmas, next year, or even next month. But i do know that i am a child of God and He says that my footsteps are ordered.
He says that I have a future full of hope. (Jer 29:11). He says that when i am tired and weary that He will carry my burden (Matt 11:28-29). He says that i will find my strength in Him and not get weary (Isaiah 40:29-31). God will always supply my needs. (Phil 4:19). He tells us that ABSOLUTELY NOTHING will separate us from His powerful love (Romans 8:37-39). God will give us peace when we need it (John 14:27). AND... God has freely given me the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. (Romans 6:23).  I will walk by faith forever and believe and trust His promises.

Since i will probably not write before Christmas day... Merry Christmas! Sending you lots of love and lovely smiles from my house to yours!

peace, joy, goodwill to men, and love. - M

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Learning from Titus

This morning my husband and i got up very early (well... he woke me up and made me get up lol) and went to our church's prayer chapel to read and pray. The air was soo cold that i saw my breath. it was sooo wonderful.
Of course we stopped at Starbucks first... and then headed over.

I have been getting lost in the words of Paul in the book of Titus. I finished a book by Carolyn Mahaney called Feminine Appeal - 7 virtues of a Godly wife and mother. It is all based on Titus 2:3-5.

'The older women, likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not give to much wine, teachers of good things - that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. '

I really enjoyed the book and i am thinking that i might read it again. The book walks women through those 7 virtues and what they mean. It is transforming, humbling, and encouraging. It allows us to find the JOY in being a wife, mother, and homemaker. 

Today i read Titus again... hehe. I have been reading it a lot lately. I am always finding more and more in it though. I enjoy reading things that i have read or heard before and really realizing what the Spirit is telling me in His Word. 

Titus talks about how we should be. What we should do.. and gives us an outline of how we are to honor the Lord with our actions. Titus 3:1-7 is what impacted me a lot this morning. 

^'1 Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, ² to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. ³ For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. ⁴ But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, ⁵ not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, ⁶ whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.'

Paul takes us on a short little journey in these verses. He says how we are called to be. Listen to authority. Speak good of everyone. Keep the peace. Staying humble. Then he reminds us that yes... we were once not living for the Lord. At one time we were foolish, not obedient, deceived, and living in hateful ways. How can we talk bad about other people.. when we were once there? How can we not be gentle... when we needed others to be gentle to us when we were living in our sinful nature. I love the next part (v. 4-7). Paul clearly explains to us the reason WHY we can do what we are called to do. We CAN be peaceful because God has given us mercy. He poured out abundantly through Jesus, justified us by His grace and allowed us to become heirs to eternal life. It has NOTHING to do with our works and what we can do. It was all about what HE did for US. amazing! 

We can represent Jesus because He lives in us! 

I want to be known for my love. for my peace. for my joy. I want to be known as a women who has Jesus living inside her. 

What do you want to be known for?

learning, true feminine appeal, and love. -M

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his hobbies are now mine too.

Hobbies. Interests. Likes.
These have been on my mind lately. As a new wife... i am 1) getting a whole new list of hobbies and interests (mainly cooking meals and "nesting") and 2) learning to enjoy some new hobbies.

It is soo wonderful because my husband really enjoys spending time with me. Its great because my love language is quality time and touch. My all-time favorite thing to do with my loved ones would be to enjoy a cup of coffee and just talk... about anything really. Some of my friends and i can spend HOURS just catching up on our lives, laughing, relating, processing, and enjoying each other. It really is the thing that can delight my heart the most.

Now... i am realizing that guys (well at least the one i married) doesn't REALLY like to chit chat over a  latte. he he. But he has a different idea of what "quality time" looks like.
I have mentioned before that my husband has recently bought the Madden 2012 game for his Xbox. Well.. he LOVES for me to sit and watch him play. Not just sit by him.. but actually WATCH him and CHEER him on. Granted, at times i do grab our laptop check out Pinterest from time to time... even catch up on reading my blogs..... but what i have noticed in my last 2 days off... is that it truly gives my husband great joy that i am getting interested in one of his hobbies. I am investing my time into an activity that my husband enjoys and that makes him feel loved... which makes me feel great!

Its important in relationships to take part in the other person's hobbies, activities, and things they enjoy. Its fun and can continue to have the two of you grow closer together!

So grab your spouse, your mom, your roommate, your friends, or sibling and do something THEY enjoy. You may not particularly LIKE it... but love is selfless... and this is one way of showing it! (:

new activities, video games with hubby, and love. -M

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giving thanks

Well we are only a few short days until Thanksgiving!

Last night my pastor spoke on having a thankful heart.
At times it can be very hard to be thankful -- like when things don't seem to be going your way or when you are struggling. But it is still sooo important to continue to be thankful. To keep that thankful heart toward the Lord and fight the enemy with a thankful heart.

Our pastor said that a thankful heart can be a weapon in the spirit realm. Thanking God for all that He has done or is doing in your life will fight the enemy who tries to steal your joy. When we start to think of stuff that we can be thankful for... we can't help but be joyful.

Even when times are tough and we may be struggling (in whatever area) I want to keep my thankful heart toward the Lord.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. 

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. 

-Psalms 100:4

thankfulness and love. - M

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burdens.

I have been feeling extremely tired the past few days. Not completely sure why either.

I have been working... but that is pretty normal for me, but still feeling just fatigued.

I got paid on Friday and i was able to pay all of our bills! Praise God! Perhaps that is what was keeping me feeling lethargic.

Sometimes we can lose our peace (and stress out) without even really realizing it. We go along with our everyday life and after awhile it can take a toll on us. Relationships. Bills. Work. Home. Everything just starts piling up and we lose our peace.
We need to constantly give our burdens (our stress factors - anything that keeps us from smiling) to the Lord. He is way more equipped to dealing with them then we are.

Psalm 55: 22 'Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you....'

The Word clearly tells us in Psalms that the Lord will SUSTAIN us. Dictionary.com (because i dont know anyone who still owns an actual dictionary anymore) defines 'sustain' as "to support, hold, or bear up from below; bear the weight of." 

God tells  us to give Him our burdens and He will support and hold us up! (: I need that! 

So... if anything is stealing your peace, (anything.. large or small. Notice the verse does NOT say "large burdens" little burdens qualify) give it to the Lord and allow Him to hold you up and sustain you!

sustaining life, giving up burdens, and love. - M

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taking a walk

My husband woke up me at 7:30am today.
Other times when i wake up at 7:30 in the AM (on my day off) i want to get mad and throw a fit that i am not still sleeping.... but today i sprung up slowly sat up and got ready for an adventure with my hubby.

Of course we first stopped at Starbucks and got another complicated order. I got my usual (1 pump vanilla pumpkin spice latte with nonfat milk) and he got a venti pike place with white mocha, peppermint, and cream.

With our deliciousness we went to the prayer chapel at our church to read and pray. OHHH... it was sooo wonderful!

After we spent some time there we dropped off the car and went to walk the river trail. I have been telling my husband that i want to get back into shape. I was my thinnest (and most in shape) at our wedding... and although we have only been married for almost 3 months... i would like to get back to it.

So today was the first day (of i am sure many days) of walking. Luckily our walk was very scenic and it gave us great opportunity to talk.

We even walked closer to the river to look around. The water was sooo fast!

Even the walk back to car was decorated with all the colors of fall. Oranges, yellows, reds. This is my favorite season! I just need to buy a warm headband thing.. because my ears were freezing! My chest also felt like it was on fire after walking up Mt Everest (okay.. so it was just a hill that my husband did some crazy foot work [he calls it the "karaoke drill"] up while i struggled to power walk).

Overall (aside from the fire in my lungs, my ears feeling like ice, and an occasional leg cramp) it was a PERFECT morning with my husband! I hope to have many more like this (and that it gets easier).

beautiful fall colors, athletic goals, and love. - M

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writing my story

Well i have recently started journaling again. I LOVE it! i used to journal all of the time and i loved it. But when i started planning my wedding.. i stopped. The other day i decided to pick up my pen and composition notebook and jot down what i am feeling and going through again.

Journaling has always helped me process how i am feeling, remember what i have gone through, encouraged me to keep going, and to see what God has done in my life, and reminds me of His promises. I think its important for me to journal and its something i truly enjoy.

I think that EVERYONE should journal.. and when my husband and i were first started dating i even bought him a nice journal to write in. I told him it was his turn to write HIS story. I believe that everyone has a story to tell.. and you never know when and who will need to hear it. We may not think it is interesting... but someone may find it intriguing and can even HELP them in whatever situation.

I am VERY real and honest in my journal. i do not sugar coat or embellish what i am going through or how i am feeling. I write when i am happy... and when i am sad... and every emotion in between. (: I want to be able to look back on it in the future and see how i became the woman i am THEN. (: I look back on my journals from a few years ago (like before i met my husband) and its soo amazing to see what i have gone through and what i was feeling... and such. (:

I encourage everyone to journal and write your story... even if you are the only one who reads it... its nice to see how you've grown and changed. In days, weeks, months, and years. (:

your story, writing, and love. - M

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