So after mentioning to Stephen I needed the rest of the evening off to be at home after Zumba, he came home and stayed with me too. Which wasn't my intent.

The more I thought about the whole thing, the more weird I felt about having made a big deal about it. I mean I read back through how I felt and it all still rings true, but somehow seeing a little bit of it through Stephen's eyes, it just didn't make sense.

He is super sweet and keeps trying to figure out what this "balance" is for me. It's one of those day by day things though, and I'm not sure there will ever be a formula to it all.

We've had 2 to 3 weeks here lately it has not been an issue. At times we've been busy all weekend, but then we've had multiple days off too. It's worked itself out without me having to try really. And while this past weekend Stephen and I had a lot of time for one another, having places I had to be to drained my energy and left me a bit exhausted at the end of today.

Yes appointments can sometimes drain me too. I'm telling you, it's a day to day struggle. I don't really get it myself.

So at the end of it I'm left thinking on a verse...


Because of the anxiety and also my introverted nature, worry comes with the territory. But my God is bigger than all of this. I've got to trust him that He will give me the rest I need. Sometimes that may mean being bold and asking for it, but it also means that when I feel like I'm struggling I don't always have to take it in my own hands. Let God give me peace. Let God give me the time I need. Let God replenish my energy when I need it.

Grab A Guest Post|Let's Have Friends Share Our Space for the Day

Again, I'm not so good at planning ahead for the Blogtember Challenge. So I'm stealing a post I saw yesterday, without their permission. But I'm sharing it right, and giving credit, so not faults right?
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My house will never be clean

September 26, 2016emilyhayescollins

This is kind of a jumble of thoughts...

Some days its from sun up to sun down. I don't know what it is lately, but the fact that there is a "busy-ness" in church is quite bothersome to me. I'm afraid it's more of a mental change that needs to occur, or more importantly a heart change.

Days like today aren't too tough, but looking ahead in the next few days I'm overwhelmed. Remember me saying that I really need time alone and time to recharge? I hate having to plan for this time. It makes me feel weak. It makes me feel lazy. It makes me feel selfish.

Thursday night at church, I was looking forward to going, for the first time in a while. A lot of the "burdens" of that night have been alleviated for a while now, and I'm slowly coming to terms with our small groups: having to lead, having to ask people to pray, and having to "organize" how we do it.

I mean I used to stress over leading 3-5 year olds in Mission Friends on Sunday nights, so leading college age people--way worse. I'm not a large group leader. I'm just not. Helping to facilitate, now that's my thing.

So while I know that there are times that God pushes me outside of my comfort zone and/or the fact things may be a lot to handle at times... Its this overwhelming anxiety cloud that looms instead of just feeling like its a difficult time or busy time. So I turn back to wondering if it's really something God would have me do (like am I ignoring his beckoning) or am I not where God would have me?

I'm not doing such a great job of explaining it....

Anyways, one thing I did know about today was that I was getting this feeling from the Lord that I needed to mention my desire to have our group involved in Human Trafficking and helping to abolish it. While I dreaded it, while my voice trembled, I was able to share my heart. It's tough feeling like people may not see what you see in something, and having them reject it. But because the Lord is good, everything went well. I was obedient. I got the green light I needed to proceed. So here's to the next step!

But back to the overwhelming feeling. So today was busy. It was a great busy. I really wasn't desiring to have to leave our leadership meeting. We did leave a little earlier than we would have normally, but it still meant we didn't get home till about 8 pm (when we left at 8 am). It was a good day.

Although that coupled with the next couple of days, I'm getting that overwhelming feeling.

So I'm thankful for a husband that while he may not really understand, he tries to understand. Tomorrow I'm headed for Zumba, but instead of ending that night with an evening at Steve's, I'll go home. I'll rest. Then Tuesday, Stephen will be MIA with guys Bible study and I out with my mom, so that I can rest on Wednesday.

It's a balance. It's a weird delicate balance. It's something I still haven't quite learned yet.

It's something I need prayer for, because I feel like this is all me instead of God. I'm afraid I am being weak, or selfish, or lazy. I either don't want to be, or I want to stop feeling that way.

Review Something|Anything At All

Speaking of lazy, does this count as reviews? Trip Advisor reviews!!

Today Stephen and I picked out and ordered our flooring for the downstairs area of the house. To say I'm excited is an understatement, and to say it's needed is even more of an understatement.

We love our dogs. Obviously because it will now cost us thousands to refinish the floors they've destroyed, but at the same time I really wanted the "hardwood" look, and now I'll get that! Eek!

It's a very grey warm wood look. Not too red, and not too dark.

We headed to the Flea Market for a bit to HotWheels hunt. I ended up having to drag Stephen away so he could take me to my hair appointment--the first one in almost 2 years. I know, I know.

Finally can take my hair out of braids--I GOT A HAIRCUT. 💇 #onlybeenayearandahalf #itshardtotell #ipromiseitwaslikeseveninchesofhair

A photo posted by Brittany Prahl (@diednsaved) on Sep 24, 2016 at 9:19pm PDT

This isn't really the best photo of what my hair actually looks like (as my boobs decided to eat my hair apparently).

I feel human again though! Seriously. It's like every outfit looks better, and I feel like I can actually dress nicely because it all makes sense now. How does hair make such a big impact on how women feel?

Recreate a Project or Outfit  from Another Blogger

It's not a good idea that I look at these Blogtember Challenges the day of.

So maybe I can find something I've already recreated. That's cheating right?

Well it wasn't quite on a blog, but can this count for now?!

A photo posted by Brittany Prahl (@diednsaved) on Apr 3, 2015 at 7:53am PDT

The sign above the bed is very similar to this sign from Aimee Weaver Designs.

My morning was laying in bed, and stumbling around the house, since I'd woken up with a crusty nose and sore throat. The cold is not gone.

And while most dates don't go quite like this, Stephen and I headed out this evening for a night of shopping. Because we are both in dire need of some clothes and shoes. While we didn't come away with everything we might need, we did get a ton of stuff for $50 at Kohls, everything on Clearance, with another $10 Kohls Cash to spend later.

I'm so happy I enjoy seemingly mundane moments with a man who makes me laugh and enjoy chores like having to go shopping.

A Family Recipe

Gma Hilton's French Toast
This is the sweet version of French Toast. The kind where you don't need syrup.

4-6 slices of bread
2 eggs
1/2 cup of milk
1/2 cup of sugar
Cinnamon
Butter

In a large bowl whisk two eggs, 1/2 cup of milk, and 1/2 cup of sugar. Dip bread in mixture, and make sure both sides are covered in the mixture. Butter a hot pan/skillet, and after placing covered bread on pan/skillet, sprinkle both sides of bread with cinnamon. Cook until bread is browned or "done". ENJOY!

I can't eat French Toast any other way... PS. I'm not certain those measurements are exact, but that's okay!

Today I woke up later than normal to head out to Shandon Baptist Church to help assist with the SC Baptist Impact meeting. This is an event that happens every two years that is really to help challenge our churches to take the Gospel out. It's always an interesting event.

As I started heading out of our neighborhood, I realized I'd been thinking of the wrong church the entire time. My mind was fixated on the last time we had Impact, and it was at Riverland Hills. That's in Irmo, which is just across the dam from me. Makes it super easy to get to, because I face next to no traffic. When I realized it was actually Shandon Baptist, that's on the other side of Columbia. WAY farther than Irmo, and much more busy.

I barely made it there, only being 5 minutes late.

The rest of the day was handing out giveaways and signing people in for registration. To say there were a few things that got overlooked in planning this event, is an understatement. Although we managed, and it seemed the day really was a huge success.

A photo posted by SC Baptist Convention (@scbaptist) on Sep 22, 2016 at 8:19am PDT

Since I was already on the right side of town, I headed down Forest Drive about a mile, and hit up Trader Joes. Which when you go to Trader Joes, you can't help but come away with flowers.

Sorry, sideways.

Little decor for downstairs

Little prettiness for upstairs in the bedroom.

After work, Stephen and I headed on to Zen's house. We've never been, and it's one of those things everyone else seems to have done--except us. So we arrived to see Zen standing in the front yard with his phone positioned below his face illuminating only his face as if it were an early Halloween floating head out in the front yard.

Gave me a little bit of a fright.

He toured us around the house, and we sat down for a few minutes before we headed out to my parents house, as they are out of town and my mom is trying to surprise my dad with us hanging up the Jonas painting they purchased a year or so ago.

No luck in finding the painting, so we headed home to enjoy a few hours of rest before going to bed.

If You Were a Flavor of Ice Cream, What Flavor Would You Be?

Stellar Coffee from Moo Moo Creamery in Hilton Head. Because I'm pretty sure I have coffee flowing through my veins, and this is about the closest thing to dumping a pot of coffee in your mouth as you can get. Plus I'm pretty sure everyone loves this flavor once they've tried it--and well I can only hope people like me just as much. Although I can't say they always do--but we know there are some coffee haters out there, and they are ALL WRONG!

Today marks our annual missionary day out at camp. It's one of those things my introvert self dreads, but another part of me really longs for this day.

Introvert side of me says how scary the day will be, because I have to try to interact with all these people to be sociable for the sake of being sociable. It tells me that every question I ask will be awkward or one they've had to answer multiple times. I'll have them tell the same old boring story they've told a million times, and I'll make them feel super awkward, because missionaries are celebrities right?

The other part of me longs to hear their stories. Longs to see them as normal people. Longs to hear what God is doing. I wonder what life is like after serving overseas and now being back in the United States retired. Is it weird? Do they miss the place they served? Does this even feel like home anymore?

And then somehow I get frozen, and revert to the introverted side of me. Although today was a bit different. I tried to put myself in spots where I could talk. Where I could meet and talk to these missionaries who gave up so much of their life for the sake of the Gospel. I got to experience that today. I got to hear some stories. I got to see them as normal people. I got to see that God is still good to them, even after they've retired and are back in a "foreign land". That He can make any place home.

One of our retired missionaries stood up and wanted to lead everyone in a chorus of "Oh How I Love Jesus". As soon as we hit the chorus, I realized what a special moment this was. I recorded some of it, but had to delete it because I forgot I captured one of our secure missionaries. But the room filled with the voices of 40 people who have served God faithfully through the years. Who have let Him take them across seas and lands. People who realized that the love Christ displayed, was why they so deeply loved Him.

Also today's weather was perfect. I mean it gave me hope that fall might actually come this year! The 100 degree days have been killer, and have burned away every memory and sensation of fall. What is fall?

On my way from Nancy's house, I pulled up next to another Wagoneer driver. I had a juvenile freak out moment and waved like a crazy person at him--a 65 year old man. I don't know if he saw me do that, I kind of hope not, but as soon as we got side by side, he turned to me and gave me a slight approving nod. That's the Wagoneer club for ya.

I came home this evening to Stephen already at home, with a gift waiting in a pizza box for me. Silly boy. He had roamed the aisles of Target thinking what he could possibly get me as a simple "thinking of you" gift--and inside the pizza box was the Twenty One Pilots CD. Something I've been listening to on repeat via YouTube for a while now.

Sweet sweet man.

Something You Wish More People Knew or Believed

I have an obvious answer to this, but I'm going to try to go less obvious and maybe more simple.

Because this is very relevant in a friend's life right now, I would have to say, I wish people knew that the person God intends for them to marry is most DEFINITELY worth the wait. 100%. No regrets. You'll have wondered why you let any other person come in your life, when you meet the person that not only meets all the things you wanted in a spouse, but exceeds them. EXCEEDS! But instead so many people, including myself (many times), settle for much less than they are worth thinking they will never find better. It's not true. Let God move in this area of your life, not you.

It's also not really hard work to be married. Not in the typical sense. It can be hard. It can be frustrating. But that person, that one you have waited for, is so worth it. At the end of hard times, it won't feel hard. It'll feel like what you need to do to maintain and nourish one of the greatest blessings God could give you.