I came across this Free Printable from The Blog Joy's Hope.

It's in my office at work and soon to be at the house in a frame somewhere. Maybe in the bedroom so I can remember and be encouraged to live a Godly Life.

Click Here To Get One!

Have a great day!
Happy New Year's Eve!

Love,
The Faithful City Mouse

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jog

My grandma used to sing that song to me when I was little everytime we pulled into the driveway after a day of errands or a trip elsewhere. I think in my head I still hear that everytime I pull into my own driveway, even after all these years. (sniff, sniff)

Lately I've been feeling like the ultimate home body. I just LOVE being at home. I feel like our home really reflects us and our personalities. Or rather maybe it's just my personality as Mr. Jeter doesn't have much say in the decoration. Hmmmm......

Anywho, as you know I'm a little bit of a blog groupie and one of the blogs I read pretty regularly is called Life Made Lovely, written by a gal named Heather. She has a string of guest bloggers who do a "Home Tour" and I la-la-la love it!
Here are a few of the home tours that I wish were my own and reflect my comfy/cozy home as well.

Crystal's Home Made Lovely Tour

AnnaLea's Home Made Lovely Tour

Erin's Home Made Lovely Tour

These are just a few on her website! You should check out Heather's Blog and the lovely ladies mentioned above. So many decorating ideas, and most of the ladies mention repurposing, spray paint, thrifting and free for their home decor! Who doesn't love fashion with a bargain?!

Have a Happy Home! Make it you!

Love,
The Faithful City Mouse

Crafty Goodness

Craft Goodness, that is the name of one of my boards on Pinterest. If you haven't discovered Pinterest yet, I suggest you run, not walk to your computer and then email me for an invite and get started already!

Ok, now that we have that cleared up, I want to show you some crafty goodies I have found on Pinterest.com that inspired me to get crafting.

I need something cute for our door and maybe other rooms in the house. I've been seeing this cute wreath ideas and here are a few of my favorite.

http://www.etsy.com/transaction/38418769

The one above would look great with a "J" for the Jeter family's front door don't ya think? :)

And here is the one with a link on how to start a foam wreath. http://www.thepennyparlor.com/2010/09/coffee-filter-wreath.html


Have you made any wreaths or something else for the home recently? Hopefully I will have pics to share of my crafting soon!
Please share!

Have a great day!

Love,
The Faithful City Mouse

The Happy Hoffmans

I am a very blessed girl when it comes to family. I have so many loved ones both related and not that I cherish in my life.
When I came back to Facebook after being off for a week ( I didn't miss it by the way), I saw this video that my cousin posted while he was visiting his wife's family in Oregon over the Christmas break. I have since watched it about 17.5 times. It's just that good!

Watch this video and prepared to want to be adopted by the Hoffmans :)



The Happy Hoffmans from Nathan Freeburg on Vimeo.


Thank you for letting me share Nay! Love you!

Have a great day everyond!

Love The Faithful City Mouse

I'm Baaaaaack....

Here I am, 2 days after Christmas, feeling pooped. Don't get me wrong, I had a really nice break. Filled with family, a trip to Chicago, more family, then of course the ten hour drive back home to Arkansas, more family, pizza,peppermint bark,Christmas movies, reading of books, opening of presents, naps, shopping and then FINALLY back home to our little humble home.
When we finally arrived back at our house yesterday, I had NEVER been more glad to be HOME. I missed the smell of my family room when I light my favorite candles and a pot of coffee is brewing. Sleeping in my own bed!I missed snuggling up on the couch with the hubs and my Charlie Boy. (He had been at the kennel for 6 days and I nearly cried everyday missing him!) But the only down time I had after being gone for a week was yesterday afternoon. Then early this morning the hubs was off to work and so was I. Back to the routine of the everyday.

But you know what? I welcome it. I look forward to fresh starts, new beginnings and I think I'm feeling more crafty. I have a few wreaths I want to try and make, a few sewing ideas and a general desire to rid my life of clutter and straighten up. Everything.

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and are still looking forward to the New Year holiday. Think of what you didn't accomplish or push yourself to do in 2011..........now start making plans to concquer that in 2012.

Have a great day!

Love,
The Faithful City Mouse

What I'm doing.......

On my nightstand.....
The second book in the Hunger Games Trilogy and a Karen Kingsbury book. I. cannot. stop. reading. the.hunger.games!

What I want to read.....
The Hunger games, clearly. But I've also been told about a series called "Outlander". That will be next for me.

TV Show worth watching....
Well in all honesty, we don't have cable/dish. We do have a very nice TV though. And I like to give my hubby heck about not having cable/dish. Shhhh, don't tell him. Anywho, we really enjoy Netflix and having been getting the Northern Exposure Dvds and I love watching Felicity on the instant streaming thru our Wii.

Movie I've seen.....
The last movie I saw was The Help. Loved it!

In My Kitchen.......
Christmas cookies and goodies. And of course dirty dishes and the kitchen table has turned into the wrapping of gifts station. Oy!

In My Ears.....
Christmas Music. All. Day.

Items of Note......
I have company arriving this evening, leaving for Chicago on Wednesday and I feel VERY UNPREPARED for this week in general.

What I'm looking forward to.....
I love this time of year. The goodies, the family, the lights, the music. I even love the anticipation of the new year and the opportunities it brings for a fresh start.

What are you up to?

Have a great week!

Movies and Books

Are you a reader like me? Are you also a movie person? I bet you are.
Now I dont' like just any movie or book. I prefer ones that have somewhat cheerful story lines or a not to sad ending. I only occassionally go outside this comfort zone. I finally got to watch The Help last week because my sweet husband bought it for me. He's the greatest.
And I've been hearing a lot about The Hunger Games lately and so I picked up a copy at Walmart last night. Some of you are probably wondering why I didn't check it out at the library and you are right. I should have looked there first. But in my defense, it is a small library, and they close before I get off work and open after I'm already at work. And besides, owning the copy is a great way to pass it on to friends and family or even donate it to the library once finished reading.

Have you read the Hunger Games? So far I've ready up to the third chapter and I can tell it's going good. Nothing like what I would normally read, but still great.
Here's the clip in case you are interested. :)

Have a great day!
Love The Faithful City Mouse

Joy Unspeakable

There is a song called Joy Unspeakable that you could find in most any hymnal in any rural church across America. It's a cheerful song and depending on who sings it, might even have a southern twang.
I have been thinking about Joy a lot lately. It's that time of year when Joy is something we just expect to show up. It's Christmas, a time that is merry and bright. But it's not that way for everyone. Not everybody is enjoying hot chocolate by the twinkling tree and has invitations to a holiday party. For some people they are facing foreclosures, loss of loved ones and other unspeakable heart breaks.
Who is there for those people?
And what about the people who are going thru the motions regardless? Still celebrating, still having Christmas funded by credit cards, still spending time alone and FEELING alone?
I'm very fortunate to have a family and even though every family has their own craziness, some people wish they had that.

I came across a blog today called Scotty Boy and Katy Girl. I think you will like it. A lot.
A few posts ago, she wrote about Joy.
I copied a few of her words below. Definitely gives you something to think about this time of year. And really something we should think about all the time.

the story takes place in acts 13 & 14 and paul & barnabas were being persecuted by unbelieving Jews for preaching the gospel. and one thing led to another and they ended up getting stoned by these people like crazy and basically left to die. in fact, most people thought paul was dead. and you would think they might take a day, week, month off of their journey to catch up on life and heal and recuperate. i mean, i would have. but scripture says that basically, paul got up and kept going. scripture says that pauls heart was "filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit." in fact, he simply got up and went back to share the gospel with the very people that almost killed him. and then the next day, he left to go share the gospel with more people. after being stoned and left to die, his heart still ached to share the gospel with lost people all over the place.

when i read that story, i realize how badly i want to be the kind of person who has so much joy in the Lord that i cannot help but keep going. i want to be the kind of person that when i'm at my lowest point - when i've been betrayed or hurt or gossiped about or even persecuted in our own modern way - that i would just say it was worth it and get up and keep walking. keep shining God's light all around me. keep sharing his Word with anyone around me. keep letting the joy of the Lord be my strength - strength enough to get up off the ground and keep on going....no matter how bad life hurts or how bad i want to give up. i'd love for one second of my life to have the kind of faith that paul did.

what if JOY looked like that?
Christmas songs would take on a whole different meaning.

Thank you for reading and Have a Great Day!
Love The Faithful City Mouse

A Beautifully Told Christmas Story

I saw this last year somwhere. But last year I didn't have a blog to share random goodness I discover here and there. I think this is great. What you will notice first is the adorable-ness. A wonderful story for both those young and old. When you look at the birth of our Jesus thru the simple story relayed by children, it's so incredible and rich.

I suggest you watch this a few times and really let is soak in.

Video found on Youtube.
Have a great day!
Love,
The Faithful City Mouse

Christmas Prayers

I found this super great print on Pinterest.com via Etsy by Dwell Art. I think it would be great to have this in the house all year round actually, but it's a really appropriate reminder of what this Christmas season is all about.

God bless Pinterest and Etsy- can I get an Amen? :)

Hope your Saturday is awesome!

What are your plans for the weekend?


Love,

The Faithful City Mouse

Ponderings On A Saturday

Hello! How is your Saturday going?

So far mine started like this. Wake up ridiculously early after staying up ridiculously LATE after a fun night of bowling with friends (at least late for me!), saw the hubs off to work this morning (poor him), thought about going back to bed but remembered that I had already determined YESTERDAY that TODAY I was going to be productive! We're talking laundry, wash and put away, dishes (again!), wrapping gifts, baking and cooking (then cleaning up the kitchen AGAIN. Needless to say coffee and Christmas music were a necessity. It's a day like this that I would love to sit around in my pj's watching Netflix until my heart's desire. But alas, I will be productive.
I'm really good at putting things off. Most often my motto is "Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow?" Terrible, I know. Pretty soon the New Year is approaching and I'm not sure I'm going to have any resolutions or not. Procrastinators are big on giving up early on things. Trust me, I know.
Maybe I shouldn't be admitting any of that, but it is what it is.

So there are two yummy things in the oven right now, making the house smell oh so good! A pumpkin pie for the hubs ( he LOVES them!) and a swiss and spinach quiche. Delish!

What are you doing today?

Picture via http://emilymcdowell.posterous.com/ via pinterest.com.

Small Town Living At It's Best!

Last night I was standing in the kitchen doing dishes, a chore I HATE by the way, and all of the sudden I notice that I've been hearing sirens for several minutes. So I peek out the kitchen window and see ambulance/fire truck lights a little down the street, maybe 3 houses down. I quickly dried my hands, got Charlie's leash on, shoes, hat, coat and we were out the door. After all, you don't grow up with a self proclaimed Neighborhood Watch and not want in on the action. And I want you to know that normally in a situation that includes hearing several sirens, I would call my dear friend Melba and ask her what the scanner is reporting. Hey- we live in a small town!

Back to the task, as we bolted out the door (without the camera), I realize that the Salem Christmas Parade is going on right past my street! I could have watched this from the cozy confines of my home, but getting in on the action was so much better. Charlie immediately sat right down in the driveway and enjoyed the show. I was mesmorized! I have never had anything that exciting happen right in front of my house.....ever! The fire trucks drove by with lights flashing, a float from the locally owned hardware store went by with all their family members on it, a float from the bank, a float from a few of the local churches and even some citizens on horses. And might I add that all of them were throwing candy! Some kid on the fire truck felt bad that it was just Charlie and I watching in our driveway and he yelled " Hey Lady! Here's some candy!...........But don't let your dog eat it, chocolate will kill him!" He kept smiling and let the float take him the half mile into the town square. Meanwhile, the neighbors had their broom out and were gathering as much candy as they could out of the street. Classic.

I really can't describe to you how much it made my heart happy to be a part of this 10 minute escapade. Life is really so unpredictable, one never knows what's around the corner or even in their own front yard!

Now I'm inside enjoy a warm cup of Christmas Eve tea, typing away near the Christmas tree.
Life is good isn't it?

Enjoy your day!

Love the Faithful City Mouse

Happy Happy

As usual I read Meg from the Whatever Blog today. And she posted the most adorable youtube video.
Seriously if this doesn't make your heart happy, you might need help.

Enjoy!
What makes you happy this Christmas season?


Have a great day!
Love,
The Faithful City Mouse

The Outdoor Wife on Marriage

Several months ago, I found a blog thru Faith Blogs, which is a great place to find women of faith who have awesome blogs by the way. The name of the blog is The Outdoor Wife and the writer is Nish. Cool name right? So as I was falling in love with her fresh and witty blog all over again I was looking at some of the older posts she has written and one of them caught my fancy about marriage.
So I decided to share it below. No matter who you are I think you should read this, married or not.

* Nish Weiseth has been married for just under 5 years, has a super cute son, and is one of the most beautiful women in the blogosphere. She is founder of DeeperStory, and blogs at The Outdoor Wife. You can follow her on Twitter at @theoutdoorwife.

It’s been nearly five years since I donned that impeccable designer dress, my hips hugged in ivory silk taffeta. I only had those heels on for five minutes before my feet were throbbing.
The first thing I’d tell you before you get married – make sure you wear shoes comfortable enough to walk down the aisle. The blisters aren’t worth it.
I met my Erik at the altar. We recited those vows so holy, prayed and were united in the arms of a loving God. I was ready. He was ready. We were young, and everyone liked to remind us how young we really were, but we knew it was time. I knew it like I knew my own skin.
The next thing I’d tell you is… if you’re ready, get married. Don’t wait for everything to fall into place. Don’t wait for your life to be “perfect.” If you both know that you’re meant to be married (and trust me, you’ll know), do it.

We celebrated our one year anniversary at his family’s cabin in the woods.. there’s an outhouse there, and the walls between the bedrooms doesn’t quite reach the ceiling. We were sitting at the picnic table in the kitchen when I remembered the words of friends who had been long-married… “The first year is the hardest.” So for the first year, I had a hard time fully embracing the joy of marriage, because I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. I was told for so long that I’ll probably be miserable.
I wish someone would have told me that’s a load of crap. The first year of marriage is new, fresh, transformational and exciting. It has it’s challenges, just like any new experience. But, the first year of marriage is only as hard as you allow it to be. You can’t control what happens in life, but you can control your response.
We had candles lit on that same picnic table when we celebrated our second anniversary. I’ve always loved the way my wedding ring sparkles in candlelight.
There were so many things that I imagined would change with the appearance of the wedding bands on our ring fingers, but I was shocked to discover that life was still… life. You don’t get to wear the pretty white dress to work every day. Your college debt doesn’t disappear when you get married. Your laundry doesn’t fold itself and the dishes don’t clean themselves. The steps you need to take to advance your career are still there. Life is still life.
Our third year brought challenges. The pregnancy from hell, a new baby, severe postpartum depression… so many things happened that year that brought some serious issues to the surface for me. Things that I didn’t realize I needed to deal with a long time ago.
So, you know that heavy baggage you carry around? The stuff that you shove underneath the bed so nobody sees when they show up in your life?
You might as well take it out and start sorting through that stuff now. I wish someone would have told me that the baggage doesn’t vanish with the vows. But, you don’t have to have it figured out before you’re married. God is gracious in providing people in our lives to help us sort through the hard stuff… and you will find no greater ally than your husband.
Our fourth year was spent trying to find a new normal, but realizing that we live in a constant state of transition. It was a lesson in flexibility, simplicity and refining our communication. It was a time of learning that marriage is where I feel safe, my husband can always take what I dish out, and I can be real with my emotions within the safety of my marriage.
I wish someone would have told me that conflict is okay. I wish someone would have told me that it’s okay to respond emotionally. I wish someone would have told me that being honest and real is more important than good conversation etiquette. My husband wants me, all of me, the real me… not a watered-down version, not a sugar-coated version. Anything less than the real me will never last in marriage.
And here I sit, with our fifth wedding anniversary just over a month away. I’m thinking back on the last half-decade of my life as a wife, and if there’s anything that I can share with you, it’s this:
While marriage is joyful, blissful, exciting and adventurous, those aren’t it’s only purposes. Marriage is meant to change you. To mold you. To transform you into a better version of yourself.
Marriage is one of the most powerful tools that God uses to shape us into looking more like Him.
And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Jenna Love

I've told you about Jenna right? She writes the blog Cold Antler Farm. She's in love with the farm and homesteading life. And she is one tough cookie. And I mean that. The hubs and I really wanted to go to one of her workshops this past fall, but it just wasn't meant to be. We're saving up for next year. She's also the kind of blogger that writes you back if you email her. She's just real like that.

I could brag about her forever. But what I want to tell you is this. I got an email from Amazon earlier this week. It was about her newest book called Barnheart: The Incurable Longing for a Farm of One's Own. And I pre-ordered it from Amazon many months ago because I wanted to have it the moment it came out. You can find it here from Amazon.

OR you can buy it from the local bookstore in Jenna's town and there is a good chance her and her pup Gibson will sign it. If I hadn't pre-ordered mine from Amazon, I would have gone this route. Because it's always good to support the locals remember?
So go here to Battenkill Books to get yours.
Mine will be arriving over the weekend. I can't wait! I'm going to sit down with a hot beverage in a Christmas mug and devour it.
Dear Jenna, you're my hero. Keep on truckin. Love, Rachel (Ps. I mean that in the most non-creepy way possible!)


Have a great day!
Love,

The Faithful City Mouse

Christmas Cards

Do you love Christmas like me? I bet you do. For a few weeks now I've been thinking about the Christmas cards we are going to send out. Last year was our First Christmas as a married couple. And this year is our First Christmas in our own home! With our very own tree! I love Firsts!

I'm not decided where to order my Christmas cards from yet. But I will tell you that I look for convenience. We don't have a printer so printing off a bunch of cards is not in my forecast this year.
There are so many places to choose from though.
Here are a few links to consider if you haven't gotten yours yet.

This one is from my girl Kendra with Keylime Digital Designs .

Here's one from Walmart.com

Christmas Card Templates from Etsy

Basically there is something to fit all of your digital card needs for this holiday. And many of these designers do birthday, wedding, baby and various other announcements.
If digital isn't really your speed, my best advice for holiday cards is your local dollar store. Because you just can't beat ten Christmas Cards for a dollar.

Have a great day!
Love The Faithful City Mouse

Support Your Local Shops and Hand Made Goods

December is approaching (tomorrow) and I'm sure many of you have been shopping for the upcoming holiday season for quite some time. I have an Aunt who has already mailed us her gifts back in the summer. The summer! I wish I was as prepared and organized as she.

During this time of year, or whenever you decide to do your holiday shopping, I think you should seriously consider supporting your local shops and business owners. And if there aren't any shops that interest your gift buying needs, then consider looking online. Etsy.com is a GREAT source to start with. You can find anything from jewelry, clothing, knick knacks for the home. I think it's safe to say that even the most picky of persons to buy for can find something to love on the handmade shops.

Please don't mistake me for someone who never shops at the big box stores. I do. I'm no stranger to Walmarts and Targets. But when I look online or even in the town square at all the talent, it amazes me. Truly it does.

So here are a few things I've found online that I think you might like. Or maybe you might like to get me :)
Pistachio Cowl Kneck Scarf by WyomingRose on Etsy
Dear Hubby, I'm buying this and I'm going to say it's from you :)

Ceramic Dog Bowls by the very talented Kim Wheaton

This adorable Tweet Tweet Bird and Branch necklace by Morgan Prather from Etsy
Dear Hubby, I would REALLY like this. I know you say I never wear necklaces, which is true, but I really like this. Like LOVE it. :) Please tell Santa.

Beeswax Candle by SandStone Coast

I assure you there is something for everyone. Etsy could be your one stop shop.
Some of my favorite blogs listed on my page also have shops.
But be sure and get your orders in SOON. Many of the handmade shops have purchase deadlines so they can get all the orders shipped in time for Christmas.

I hope everyone remembers the true meaning of the season as well. Maybe this year you are minimizing the gifts and maximizing the family time or experiences. And that's wonderful in my eyes too.

Have a GREAT day!

Love,
The Faithful City Mouse

Random Thankfulness.....

Lately on facebook and various blogs I visit, people are celebrating the season of Thanks. We should be doing this all year round, but naturally people are reminded of this the closer we arrive to Thanksgiving.

So I'm just going to do a bit of free style thanks via bullet points, in no particular order of importance.

- Thankful I don't have to visit a laundry mat to wash my clothes.
- Thankful for my sweet hubby and all the ways he loves me.
- Thankful for the various mugs I drink my morning coffee out of, what a great way to start the day!
- Thankful for the food in our pantry and fridge, we never worry about going hungry.
- Thankful for my Home Life magazine subscription and all it shares.
- Thankful for friends and family, without them life would be sad.
- Thankful for my furry little Charlie who brings smiles to us all the time!
- Thankful for my job during a time when so many people are without one.
- Thankful for our upcoming trip to Chicago to be with family and celebrate my 30th birthday!
- Thankful for bagels and cream cheese. (Hey, I didn't say this was all serious!)
- Thankful for new jeans, even if they are a size bigger, at least they fit and I can breathe in them!
- Thankful for the blog world. So much inspiration!
-Thankful for pizzas with green olives!
- And of course, THANKFUL for a loving God who gives unending second chances and provides everything we need!


Have a great day!

Sunday Afternoon

Dear Blog,

It's been so long since I've blogged and I'm sorry. Life gets so busy and soon the everyday things just become so much that it's all I can do to get thru the day, get home, put some form of elastic pants on and just be! Anybody else feel that way?

Well this weekend I have felt pretty relaxed. Which according to some is not always how I am. I'm always thinking of what I could or should be doing that I get lost in the actual moment. I know there are others out there doing this too. So right now, I'm blogging, sipping on hot chocolate from a lone packet I found in the cupboard, preparing some soup for the week and getting ready to make molasses cookies.
And of course, as you could probably guess, I'm listening to Christmas music. The Ella Fitzgerald Christmas album on Spotify. Have you discovered this? It's awesome.
There has been so much I've thought about to blog, but the time or ambition has been lost. Soon.

So here are some random pics from this weekend. Finds from the farmer's market, my favorite starbucks christmas mug and an empty mason jar that housed some delishy munchy crunchy cookies.

Hope your weekend was good!

Still Listening....

Still listening to Christmas music. Do you remember the post back in July?

At least once a week, sometimes more, I turn on Pandora and listen to Christmas music. I think it's my happy place. It instantly lifts my mood.


Here's one of my favorites....

I love the back up singing reindeer.

What are you looking forward to this holiday season?

Happy Wednesday!

Love,
The Faithful City Mouse

Cold and Gloomy- I love it!

Today started out rainy and chilly. And since we don't have a fenced in backyard, this means that at dark thirty, I start my day by walking the dog. Just a spin around the yard, to get all the important business done, then dashing back in the house to get warm. Then I sit on the couch with a mug of steaming coffee in hand, cream and sugar please, reading my bible and having a few more minutes of snuggling with Charlie. Have I mentioned how much I love that silly little Beagle?

On rainy days I want to curl up with a good book, a blanket and a warm mug of tea. I know I'm a coffee girl, but on chilly nights a nice darjeeling or earl grey sounds good to me.

Last night I made a big pot of soup that I can enjoy most of the week for lunches and maybe even a supper too. But I love this soup, so I don't want to overdo it and then end up hating it. And over the weekend my hubby made us sourdough bread. A few weeks ago we had gone to a fall festival in Missouri and we purchased a sourdough starter. It came in a wagon across the land back in the 1800's. Brings a whole new meaning to sourdough.

Little did we know that when started making the bread Sunday, it had to sit around rising for hours, then add more flour, close to 20 cups of flour and sit around for several more hours! We were up to our ears in dough and bread! So we made cinnamon rolls and a braided garlic loaf, 2 pizza doughs which we froze and 3 loaves of regular bread. So today I enjoyed homemade soup for lunch and bread for dipping.

Happy Tuesday!
Hope you're having a great day!

Love,
The faithful city mouse

Back Roading

A couple of nights ago my honey and I took a little drive down some back roads in the pick up, which we lovingly call "Old Yeller".
 We drive with the windows down, letting the breeze move around, listening to the crunch of the gravel under the tires. The perfect time to go is semi-early morning or right before the sun sets. Especially since the leaves are turning brilliant colors.

We like to talk about our day or dream about our future. Life is so lovely when you are riding down a dirt road with your best friend.
Now if only we could get our little beagle, Charlie The Wonder Dog, to NOT barf while riding in vehicle, we would be set.

It was a really nice drive. One of many in the past and future.

What kinds of things do you like doing?

Hope your weekend is going great!

Love,
The Faithful City Mouse

First Week Weight In

Yesterday I weighed in first thing in the morning. I was nervous.......

I hadn't been good about excercise and not perfect with my food choices, so I wasn't real confident about the numbers.

And then........ I peeked thru my covered eyes down at the scale and I was DOWN 3 pounds! Woohoo!

I was really proud of that.

All the water I drank, the sugar I DIDN'T put in my coffee, the sweets I skipped, the fruit and veggies I ate instead. Great stuff!

Here is a pic of a salad I ate this week. It was so delish!

Happy Healthy Saturday!

Love,
The Faithful City Mouse

Thoughts and Ponderings

As many of you know, The Great Steve Jobs of Apple passed away earlier this week. There was an incredible amount of posts on Facebook about the sadness of his death, what an inspiration he was, and all that he brought to the world of technology thru his innovative thinking. Among those posts, I noticed several posts that also mentioned his salvation or the lack there of. And it got me thinking about all the people I have come across in my nearly 30 years here on earth. The neighbors, the co-workers, the loved ones, the friends and even the people I've shared pews with at church. Were they saved? Did they really know Jesus or were they just going thru the motions.

Do you know that church attendance has nothing to do with your ticket to heaven? That God wants a relationship with you, not just your leftovers? Do you know this?

I read this book called The Listener. A good friend of mine loaned it to me and I devoured it in a few days time. There is nothing like a good book, right? And this one really touched my heart, just like my friend said it would. Keep in mind it's a fiction read, but it's about you and me. A regular guy has a dream, after an emotional sermon from his preacher one Sunday. Long story short, God gifts him the gift of being able to hear people's heart. Mostly he is able to hear their heartaches, pains, struggles and frustrations. Of course at first he freaks out, but when he gets a grip, he begins to talk to these people. Reaches out to them in public places. He tells them that their pain is not how it has to be, that God loves them more than they can ever imagine. Whatever it is, God can handle it.

It really made me think about all the people I haven't told about God. Why didn't I say something? Afraid? Embarassed? Not sure what to say? Yes, to all of the above. I don't want to miss out on those opportunities anymore. I want to reach out to the people who need to hear it. I used to think that I could lead by example and that people would see God's love thru me. And that is true to an extent, but I feel God calling me to do more.
To the people who think they need to have their lives in order BEFORE they come to church, it isn't the case. God wants your messy life. He can make it new. You don't have look a certain way or act a certain way, God will make it right. And when you come to God, giving him your life, you will have a sense of renewal and a desire to want to drop those bad habits, addictions and old lifestyles.

Do you have quesitons? Don't be afraid to ask.

Fall Inspiration with Gussy Sews

It's Thursday! One more day left in the week, until the weekend. AND the hubs comes home today. Sigh. I so love him...wink!

I'm linking up with Gussy Sews for her Inspiration Workshop she hosts each Thursday. This week her prompt is Fall. Not only do I love me some Gussy, but I love the sense of community and the amount of women link up with her. You can find some really creative, cool blogger girls thru this.

And as you ALL know, I am a BIG fan of Fall. So naturally I am taking some inspiration from my obsession with Pinterest. Enjoy!

So here it goes.

Happy Fall!


Love,
The Faithful City Mouse

Blog Sugar Part 2

Remember last week when I posted about  Blog Sugar?? Well I found this clip from Meg Who Blogs at Whatever. She was a speaker there. And here is a video clip. Watch it.... http://vimeo.com/jakfoto/blogsugar11 .

Can you imagine being in a room full of christian women who have traveled from near and far to share what God is doing in their life? Like a giant women's Bible study where their faith is revealed thru incredible ways.
God's love is truly amazing. I hope to be at this event next year.

Have a great day!
Love,
The Faithful City Mouse

Hello......

It's Tuesday already! How do these days continue to get away from me? The weekend was a blur!

If you have been following the blog and see that myself and 3 friends are starting a goal to get healthier, you know that last Friday was our first weigh in. I was out of town that day so my weigh in came Thursday night.
The other girls have posted their results on their blogs. Numbers and all. And to be honest, I'm just not quite ready to post these numbers to the world. I'm a bit of a chicken. Ok, a BIG chicken. One of these days I will let you know. Really.

As for now, I want to give a shout out to my girl Kendra once again designed a REALLY cute banner for us to use on our blog posts relating to our contest.

Right now you can cath the tail end of her early October Sale. Her work is great! She designed this blog as well. She's really talented.

And so this week, with the cute banner in tow, I'm pledging to make some changes. Get active for at least 30 minutes a day. This could be a walk in the park with Charlie the wonder dog or a fitness dvd that has been gathering dust on my shelf for a loooooong time.
I'm also going to drink water like a fish and hopefully not float away. No more soda or sweet tea. And I'm going to reduce the amount of cream and sugar in my coffee in hopes of being able to drink it black by Thanksgiving.

So far that's all I can wrap my head around. Wish me luck!

Lose To Win: Healthy For The Holidays

So here it is. Friday September 30, 2011. This is the day that things are going to change. Finally, once and for all. Please don't be fooled ( actually, I'm sure you aren't!) I have said that many, many times before. So much so that I barely believed myself while typing that. Sad, but true.

As you know if you've been reading my posts this week that I'm joining a friendly contest with 3 other ladies. A contest againsts our own selves to win at losing weight. It's already been a great experience sharing stories and fears with these girls. We talk about struggles and triumphs, eating habits and excercise foes. I'm so glad to be doing this with them.

Right now the other girls are probably fretfully jumping on the scale seeing a number we hope to conquer. We are starting this life style change right at the beginning of the most tasty season. All of the fall treats, thanksgiving munchies and christmas delights are going to come and go and we will be a size or two slimmer, more radiant and healthy, happy, energetic and ready for more.

I once saw a quote on bendoeslife.tumblr.com that says "..... imagine the last 4 months of your life and how fast they went by........now imagine that you had started your weight loss journey four months ago.....where would you be today....?" I think about that pretty often. It helps me realize mostly how overdue this change is. My body needs it badly. I wouldn't treat a relationship this poorly and so now I'm going to start being kinder to my body. It doesn't need the starches, sugar, fats and processed junk. It needs real, whole foods. And lots of excercise. I'm even contemplating getting a shirt or item of clothing in a smaller size, hanging it where I see it everyday and being so thrilled at the day when I can put that on.

I would like to say that in the next 12 weeks I'm going to lose 100 pounds. But this isn't the Biggest Loser, and I don't want to limit myself by saying a number. But I do want to not fit in my clothes anymore, I want to be able to run around the block without passing out (not that this has happened, but I imagine it will!), I would like to sleep better, eat better and have more energry.

Stay tuned. Send me and the other girls your support. We need it.
And if you have any tips or suggestions, pile it on!

Thanks for reading!

Love,
The-soon-to-be-thinner Faithful City Mouse :)

Fashionista

So I got some inspiration along with some pinspiration from my friend Kristen .
As you know we are starting are healthing living contest on Friday! (EEEEEEK!) And the two of us along with two other girls are going to be in a little friendly contest called "Lose To Win: Healthy For The Holidays". We haven't really decided on prizes or what to do with the winner, but it's really something we are doing for ourselves and using the others for accountability and support.

I am definitely looking forward to the reward of cute clothes! Being a bigger girl doesn't leave a whole lot of options for style. Have you been in a plus size store recently? Enough said.

So here are some of the outfits I hope to sport when my figure is much leaner. All pics courtesy of pinterest.com.

And these are just because.......

Have a great day!

Love,
The Faithful City Mouse

Blog Sugar

Don't you just love that title? I love blogging and I REALLY love sugar. As you know I am an avid blog follower. I usually check in on Kimberlee's Blog weekly. And yesterday she talked about her Blog Sugar experience. You can read Kimberlee's post  Here.

Her post really hit home. Sometimes I just think blogging is fun, other times I feel like I have nothing to say. And there are times where I know that God is talking thru my blog. There are people in my town that read my blog. There are people from IL where I grew up reading my blog. There are people all over the world (according to my blogger stats) that are reading this blog. My blog??????? No. God's blog, thru me. I have forever wanted to step up and LIVE God's plan for my life. But sometimes that's overwhelming and the unknown can be scary. Do you know what I mean? Like oh dear God, please don't send me to be a missionary in Cambodia where they have dirty water and very large bugs. And while I dont' think He is calling me to do that, I have a much closer relationship to Him that I surely would pack my bags and my husband of course, and go-wherever that may be. And while I know there are many needs out there in this big world and many ears that need to hear about Jesus and his incredible LOVE, I know that there are needs right here in my town and in my family. And that's a good place to start.

Pic courtesy of Pinterest via http://topofthepagewithleslie.blogspot.com/2011/09/holding-fast-to-hope.html

Have a great day!
Love,
The Faithful City Mouse

Exciting and Terrifying

So my friend Kristen has a blog, which you already know because she has guest posted for me and I have sung her praises.

And I have another new friend named Sara who I looked forward to knowing better and her blog is called Sara Losing It.

Both of these blogs are about getting healthy and the roller coaster journey that it is of losing weight, eating right and working out.

As you know from previous posts of mine, I'm concerned about getting healthy for so many reasons. Yet I do nothing about it. I've decided that I'm going to need a little help, ok, a LOT of help from my friends. For real.

So we decided to do a little friendly contest. An accountability contest really, that will help us get started, maintain and keep on trucking (such a weird but funny phrase!).

I really hope I can do this. I have to. But I'm so good at starting and then stopping. Like if there could be a profession as a yo-yo dieter, I would sign up. So pathetic I know, trust me.

The details are being worked out, but we are starting this Friday, September 30th. I can't wait.

And yet I'm terrified because all of this means change. Cutting out sugar and fat. Good thing I ate the best brownies ever over the weekend, made by the hubs, because I seriously can't have those things in the house. I need to learn moderation, portion control and I could REALLY use some will power.

And also, I hate sweating. I get the classic sweaty, tomato face when I work out. And anytime I think of excersizing I think back to high school when we had to run the mile around the track. I'm getting hot just thinkning about it! Ugh!

I told the hubs that next year I'm going to run some sort of race. Like a 5k. He laughed. Then he saw my face and said "Oh, you're serious?!" Don't worry, I still love him :)

Dear Lord. Help me thru this!

I'm going to try and remember this when I feel like cheating or giving up.

Pics via pinterest.com



Now go and Read This........

Have a great day!
Love,
The Faithful City Mouse

Doing Life

So yesterday you read my guest post (hopefully) and today I'm posting about another blog that I have recently discovered.

His name is Ben. And he lives in Arkansas (like me!). He started his journey of weight loss in 2008 and has done INCREDIBLE things since.  What I love about his story is that he is a regular guy who did this by himself. He didn't have to join the Biggest Loser, he didn't take drastic steps with surgery, he didn't drink only shakes for every meal. He just started doing life. And pounding the pavement (literally). Out of all the weight loss stories I have read his and my friend Kristen's Blog are the most inspiring. Real people accomplishing awesome results. I love it.

He named his blog BEN DOES LIFE. You can find it here http://bendoeslife.tumblr.com/. There is a tab near the top labeled beginnings. You can go all the way back to watch his transformation from the top.

Here is a clip of his journey. Watch it. And then prepare to DO LIFE.

Thanks Ben.

Have a healthy day!
Love,
The Faithful City Mouse

Lifestyle Change

I'm guest blogging over at Kristen's blog today!
How exciting!

Check it out HERE.


Have a great day!
Love,
The Faithful City Mouse

Quiet Time

This morning the cool, crisp air was gently stirring thru the windows and the rain could be heard dripping on the leaves and it truly feels like a Fall morning. I am so grateful for this.

The hubby is off at a bible study, where he and another gentleman get together on Saturday mornings and have fellowship, follwed by a little bow practice and only the Lord know what else. I actually am a little jealous at this opportunity he has and find myself at home alone. This morning though, I just dove into my own quiet time with God. Opened my bible, poored another mug of coffee (cream AND sugar please!), curled up with a blanket on the couch and enjoyed this time alone.

I've never been really good at silence and not even that great at listening. You see from a young age I was diagnosed as a " talker ". I talked during Sunday School, I talked at reading time at the library, I talked during class when the teacher was also talking. All the while I should have been absorbing and listening.

My relationship with God has been very much like that too. Always ME doing the talking. Me praying for this or that to change. Me pleading to get me out of this mess or Lord I've done it again, help me fix it. But recently I have had a change of heart. I so long to do what God wants for me. Not what I think He wants for me. The truth is I really don't know what God wants for me. But I'm learning to listen in those moments of silence, that those repeated thoughts in my head are sometimes God nudging me or gently pushing me along in the right direction.

Something I read out of a daily devotional from Journey is this- "If you focus on your problems, they consume you. If you focus on God, He makes you stronger."

Those two sentences are so comforting to me.

I'm so glad that my husband has a good Christian friend he can relate to. I think that is so important for everyone. There is definitely power in having an accountability friend.

We have a great weekend ahead of us. A birthday party for my darling niece Chesny, church and a bonfire with friends (yes there will be s'mores!).

Have a great weekend!

Love,
The Faithful City Mouse

^{Romans 12: 15-21
15} Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. ¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
 ¹⁷ Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. ¹⁸ If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. ¹⁹ Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. ²⁰ On the contrary:
   “If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
   if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
 ²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Do you have something or someone in your life that you struggle with? I do. We all do.
So often we want to retaliate when someone hurts us. But it isn't up to us. God can handle it. And He will.
When we committ to being a christian and walking like Jesus, he expects to show his love by pouring out our love to others and sharing our joy so that people want the happiness we find in Jesus. If we are busy being angry or hurt by someone else, how can we do that? There will always be days when we are hurting or upset, when our cup seems empty and unsure of how to fill it back up. But God always delivers. There is nothing you are going thru that He doesn't know about. Or that He can't help you thru it. It's making you stronger and able to handle other things in your life. You character is being tested. It's not a pass/fail, but a trial. So often we think we can handle things on our own. We forget to lean on our eternal insurance. God's love.

Pics via pinterest.com

Have a great day!
Love,
The Faithful City Mouse

Oh How I LOVE Fall!

I know it isn't officially fall yet, but I am so ready. I love the cooler weather, the pumpkins, the colors of the leaves, the smells, the apple cider- really I could go on and on.

Yesterday was a chilly, rainy day and I loved feeling the need to snuggle up with a blanket, light some candles and enjoy. What is about the changes in seasons that make us feel nostalgic? Refreshed? A new beginning? Not sure what it is, but I love it.

It is all the season of pumpkin pies at our house. My sweet husband could eat a pumpkin pie everyday if I let him. So a couple of days ago I made him the first one. A surprise. And if you were to look in our kitchen right now (besides the dirty dishes) you wouldn't find that pumpkin pie. Because it's been eaten. By the pumpkin pie thief, no doubt. Guess I will have to make another one. :)

I had it set it in my head that I was going to decorate my house and surroundings with fall decor this year. And boy have I.

Here are a few pics to enjoy.

This was something I have wanted to do for a long time. Using a vase or really any clear container would work. Fill it up with coffee beans, nestle a candle in the middle, and voila! When the candle heats up, it also heats up the beans and makes the room smell oh so nice!

Have a great day!
Love,
The Faithful City Mouse