Fun Little Tidbit
There's an online shopping site called Thredup, which is sort of like an online Goodwill, only they have very, very nice stuff.
I have gotten some really nice stuff for my kids there in the past, and they have just opened up a women's department.
Here's the fun part…if you're a new customer, you can use the coupon code LADY15 to get $15 off women's clothes! (Through Friday, May 10, only!)
You will pay shipping, but it is very reasonable – $2.99 for the first item and $.99 per additional item.
There are tons of nice clothes under $15, so you could get a new item (or even 2 or 3) and only pay a few dollars for shipping!
I thought some of you ladies with limited budgets and shopping time might enjoy the opportunity to get some free clothes!
Trying to Understand The Things I Don’t {When Mother’s Day Hurts}
We all have our share of heartaches and disappointments. And each one of us has their unique set of valleys through which we must pass.
My valleys will not be the same as your valleys.
Maybe you've already walked through a great many valleys. Maybe your darkest hours still lie ahead of you.
Have you ever seen someone experiencing a trial and knew that there was no way you could understand what they were going through? Because you had never experienced what they had experienced, you could never say “I understand.”
“I'm sorry” feels so weak during those times.
During this time of my illness, there have been times when the help or encouragement people tried to offer was actually one of the least helpful or encouraging things they could have said or done. When that happens I try to look beyond what was said or done and understand the sentiment behind it. I choose to be grateful for their good intentions and for the fact that someone loves me enough to try to help, even when they don't understand what I need. And I never want to scare people off from continuing to try by making them feel like they did something wrong.
In these days leading up to Mother's Day, there are articles going up across the blogosphere that are meant to be an encouragement to those who are dealing with infertility, who have experienced a miscarriage or the loss of a child, who have lost their own mothers, or who have a less-than-desirable relationship with their mother or children.
I don't understand those things. I have never experienced the heartache of infertility. I have a great relationship with my children and with my mother who is still living. And although I did experience a miscarriage, that was a long time ago, and the hurt is all but healed. Perhaps God will give me the grace to share that story at some point.
But the fact of the matter is, I can't put my arm around you and say, “I understand.”
But when I think of you – some my dear friends, some only acquaintances, some whom I've never met – the tears well up in my eyes as I try to at least imagine how you must feel.
Can I let you in on the thought processes of someone who doesn't know firsthand how you feel, but who still loves you and wants to help?
- First, know that I pray for you. Whenever you come to mind, I ask God to give you the strength and grace that you need. Although I don't know how you feel, He does, and I go to Him regularly on your behalf.
- It's hard to know what to say and what not to say. It's really none of my business why you don't have any kids or what's going on between you and your teenager.  I assume you don't want every random person poking into your business, and who am I to think that I am the exception? So unless you offer me the information, I'm not going to ask. The reason I don't ask because is not because I don't care; I don't ask because I don't want to make things harder on you than they already are.
- If I know your situation, and I offer information, it's because I truly care about your well-being. I am often torn because I don't want to withhold information that I know could be of help to someone, but with my health issues I know what it's like to receive advice from everybody. (Which is why I was torn when it came to letting you know about the fertility bundle. It's not meant to be a slap in the face or to make you feel as if you haven't been smart enough to find the right information on your own. But at the same time I understand that some people are still searching and praying for God to lead them, and I don't want to withhold the information if it does happen to be what you've been looking for.)
- I really hope that you look past what I said or did that wasn't exactly what you needed. I really want you to see my heart for you and that even if I didn't get it right, it was still meant to show you my love.
So, as someone who can't honestly say “I understand” when it comes to these things, here is the best advice I can give to those who want to help others who are hurting. I really want those who are in the hurting category to comment and let me know what about this list is right, what needs to be changed, and what needs to be added, okay? Please feel free to comment anonymously if you'd like.
- Pray for those you know are hurting.
- Don't pry, but let them know you are praying for them. Perhaps it just needs to be a note, email, or just in conversation saying, “I don't know all that you're going through, but I just want to let you know I'm praying for you.” They may decide to share more details when you do something to let them know you care, or they may choose not to. Don't make your point to be finding out their business; just genuinely care about them.
- Don't give them information they haven't asked for unless God has clearly directed the conversation in that way. Most likely, they have already spent hours researching the issues with which they are dealing. If God does lead you to share information and resources, explain clearly that it's okay if they aren't interested. Just let them know what you have to offer and let them decide if they want to pursue it further or not.
- Acknowledge their value as a person. Let them know how much they mean to you and why. A person doesn't have to be a perfect mother or child, or even be a mother at all, to have value, purpose, and influence.
Please. I sincerely ask you. Won't you please help the rest of us who can't say “I understand”? Won't you let us know how we can help you? Let us know what you're thinking and feeling, what we should say or do and what we should not say or do. You have so many people who love you, but it may not feel that way just because we don't know how best to show you.
As I said before, please feel free to leave your comments anonymously if you'd like. (You can just type in “anonymous” as your name. Your email will not be visible on your comment.)
Ultimate Homemaking Ebook Bundle Winner!
Congrats to Jessica L. on winning the Ultimate Homemaking Ebook Bundle! You should see an email from me in your inbox.
Didn't win? Here's what you can do…
1. You still have till midnight tonight to order your own. If money's tight, perhaps you could go in with a friend and share the books between yourselves.
2. If 97 ebooks is too overwhelming to you, you can order any of the individual ebooks that catch your eye.
3. Make friends with Jessica and see if she'll let you borrow hers. 🙂
I don't usually spend $29.97 just because something is a good deal, but this is one splurge I did make, and it has been so worth it.
- I wanted to get some sourdough starter, and I got it as one of the free bonuses.
- I wanted some natural toothpaste, and I needed to order more sea salt, and I also got those as free bonuses.
- I wanted a natural wellness formula for when my kids get coughs and colds, and I got one…you guessed it…as a free bonus.
- I've been wanting to grow my own cooking herbs, and I got a free kit…yes…as a free bonus.
- I have already put several of the books on my Kindle, and everything I have read so far has been just excellent! There are only a handful of books in which I wasn't interested (cloth diapering?  not my thing). But almost every single one that I have looked through so far seems like it has been written just for me. (Rough time staying organized and focused on the housework? My hand is raised. Need fashion advice that is practical for a woman with an ever-changing body shape, while not being focused on being materialistic with our clothes? Awesome. I never knew such a book existed, but it does. I could go on, but I'll spare you.)
Believe me, I would never encourage anyone to spend money unless I truly believed it was worth it. But if it's just absolutely not in your budget, you could try one of the other suggestions I made above, or wait patiently until next year when (hopefully) the organizers of this sale will put another one together!
Go here to check out the list of books and freebies one last time!
A Love Story {Part 2}
If you didn't get a chance to read part 1, you can read it here.
As we walked, I nervously looked this way and that to see if I could catch a glimpse of him somewhere. Finally we rounded a corner and headed down the street where the guys dorms were located. I saw a car I didn't recognize full of stuff, and I could see someone pulling out suitcases and boxes.
My breath caught in my throat as I realized it was him!
We continued walking, my parents probably amused at my attempts to be nonchalant on this walk in which I just “happened” to be participating.
As we got closer to him, my brain started to feel paralyzed. We finally came up beside his car, and my parents greeted him and asked him a couple questions about his summer. I hung back behind them, looking like a shy schoolgirl, and I didn't say a word. I might have mumbled a quiet “hello”, but I can't remember for sure. He didn't say much more than that to me either.
As we finished our walk, I was excited and nervous at the same time. Dozens of thoughts were swirling through my mind, and I carried on mental conversations with myself.
“He hardly even spoke to me.”
“Well, you weren't exactly acting like you wanted to talk.”
“Well, I didn't know what to say, and besides my parents were standing right there. Besides, maybe he doesn't even like me anymore.”
“Well, he sure was cordial enough to your parents. And he smiled at you.”
“Oh! That smile! Yes! He smiled at me!”
Back at home, I continued my thoughts. What was he thinking? What would this year be like between us?
I didn't have to wait long to find out. The next day was Wednesday, which meant we had church that night.
I came in with my parents and we sat in our usual spot. He came in and sat right behind us. I had enough courage that time to turn around and speak to him, although I can't remember a lick of what either one of us said.
During the sermon, I have no idea now what the pastor was preaching about, but for some reason he mentioned a verse that was talking about dove's eyes. Then he said, “I saw some people here tonight that were making dove's eyes at each other.”
When he said that, I glanced over my shoulder, and there it was. That smile. And dove's eyes.
He still liked me.
This was going to be a great year.
To be continued…
If you're laughing hysterically right now, just feel honored that I'm letting you hear some of my private thoughts. Admit it, if we could have read your thoughts as a young girl in love, it would probably be just as funny!
Annnd…in case I haven't reminded you often enough, the Ultimate Homemaking Ebook Bundle is still available through Saturday. Whether your love story is just beginning or you've been married for years, there are some fabulous resources for keeping the romance alive! At 31 cents per book with an additional $140 worth of free bonus products, you can't beat that!
See all the included books and bonus freebies here.
A Love Story
Since my husband and I celebrate our anniversary this month, I will be focusing on topics regarding marriage. I thought the best way to start would be to share our love story…
“You really shouldn't be talking to people like that,” I remarked as I breezed past the park bench.
I was talking to a staff member's little boy at the Bible college I attended. It was the beginning of the school year, and there was this {extremely cute} freshman guy sitting on a bench talking to this little boy.
Saying that to the boy was my (very immature) way of saying to this new guy, “Well, hi there, handsome! If you haven't noticed me…well…please notice me.”
He did.
(He tells me now that he noticed me, but could tell that I had a little maturing to do, so he was not going to pursue any relationship until he knew I was ready.)
Since we ended up with a very similar class schedule, we had plenty of informal opportunities to get to know one another as friends.
I continued my immature antics before every class by ensuring that there was always magically a seat that just happened to be empty when he walked into the room – and it was always right beside me. Amazing how he never caught on to that. 😉 (Yeah, right.)
As the school year went on we realized more and more how attracted we were to one another. We got to know one another in group settings and just as friends – chatting before and after classes, eating lunch together with a group of friends, going to college activities within the same group of friends, etc.
My {then future} husband (wise man that he was) did not pursue any further relationship at all that year other than just being friends. He wanted to see how we felt during the summer when we parted ways and did not have any contact with one another.
However, our first “date” was on the last night of school. We went out to Dairy Queen with some of our friends, and didn't stay nearly as long as I would have liked. He was paranoid that he would keep me out too late and get on my dad's bad side. When we got back from Dairy Queen, we said goodbyes and parted ways for the entire summer.
Us at a banquet at the end of the school year
That was hard for me, but good at the same time.
I was already planning on marrying the guy, and I started getting into the habit of squeezing the toothpaste tube from the bottom because I thought he seemed like the type of person to do that. After we got married we both squeezed the toothpaste tube from the bottom, but he told me that he had trained himself to do it that first summer we were apart because he thought I seemed like the type of person to do that! (Guess he was already planning on marrying me too!)
After the summer was over, I stalked the college campus on the day I knew he was supposed to come back. I waited around as long as I could without looking like a complete dork, and finally went home without seeing him return. Later that evening my parents decided to go take a walk around the college campus (we lived on a main road and there was no good place at home to walk). I suddenly became extremely interested in my cardiovascular health!
Would I see him? Would he still be interested in me? I hadn't seen him or had any communication with him for the entire summer, and these were the questions I was nervously asking myself as I put on my exercise cutest clothes and threw my hair in a ponytail meticulously did my hair and makeup.
To be continued…
You can read the rest of the story here:
A Few of My Favorite Things (Plus a Giveaway!)
I know I'm talking a lot about this Ultimate Homemaking Ebook Bundle, but that's because I'm just so excited about it!
I know that 97 ebooks may seem a little overwhelming to some of you, but when you take a minute to look at the smaller picture, you can focus on the materials that most interest you and leave the rest on your virtual bookshelf for later.
 Update: Although the bundle sale is no longer available, you can still purchase any of the individual ebooks by clicking on the links in the post.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links on this page I will earn a small commission. Thank you for supporting this site!
Here are some of my personal favorites:
Tell Your Time by Amy @ Blogging with Amy
This is regularly $2.99 and worth every penny! This book helped me incredibly with time management! It just made sense!
K4 Curriculum by Erica @ Confessions of a Homeschooler – normally $15.00. I used this with my little ones and loved it! It contains everything you need for teaching a little one how to write, cut, begin to read, recognize colors and shapes, etc. – all from a Christian perspective!
42 Days to Fit by Brandy @ The Marathon Mom, Emma @ Real Fit Moms and Stacy @ A Delightful Home This is normally $4.99. I have personally done this program and found it realistic for a mom like me, yet challenging at the same time.
You Can Do This! The First Five Steps to a Real Food Kitchen by Laura @ Heavenly Homemakers Normally $5.00. Laura's blog was the very first blog I started reading when I started trying to make healthier choices in my kitchen, and I couldn't have chosen a better blog to read! She doesn't confuse you, make you feel guilty for what you do or don't eat, or overwhelm you. She is all about simple, wholesome meals that taste good – no complicated techniques or ingredients – just good food! I know you will not be disappointed with this ecourse!
Logical Decisions
All right, think about this for a minute. If you were to buy just these 4 resources (which I can personally assure you are worth every penny of their regular price!), you would have already spent your $29.97. There is no logical reason whatsoever not to receive the remaining 93 ebooks plus the $140 in free bonus products, is there? Honestly, I can't even begin to mention the books I haven't read yet, but am so excited to now own! It's like walking into a bookstore with the latest releases and finding a big sign that said they were on sale for 31 cents each! You better believe I'd be buying every single book that was on my wish list, even if I did spend 30 bucks!
View the entire list of included books here.
But I don't have an ereader!
All right, here's what happens when you order your ebook bundle. After you make your payment you are directed to a page with a download link. You download the books directly onto your computer (or flash drive, CD, etc.) You can open them up and read them on your computer or print what you want to print. If you have an ereader (or get one later) you can simply transfer them to your device and read them on there.
A giveaway!
I am giving away an ebook bundle to one of you! (Bundle only, does not include the bonuses) If you purchase the bundle for yourself and you win the giveaway, you can choose someone to whom you'd like to gift it! It's like Buy One Get One Free!
Plus…there is a good possibility that I will give away a second bundle! That will depend on how good of a job you do sharing this deal with your friends. We have to get the word out because after Saturday at 4pm EST, this opportunity will no longer exist!
Enter the giveaway below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway