The Bright Eyed Brunette

 What? Did you just hear that? Today I'm going to give you a few of my favorite podcasts.  Starting with one that I have recommended and will continue to recommend is "Compared to Who?" with Heather Creekmore. This podcast focuses on helping Christian women improve their body image and overcome comparison issues through a Biblical lens.  The next one I want to share is, "Family Life Today" with Dave and Ann Wilson. It offers discussions that help families grow closer to Jesus while pursuing the relationships that matter the most.  And next would be a true crime podcast. I still love "Crime Junkie" but I am also really enjoying "48 Hours". I feel like the "Crime Junkie" girls are regular people talking about crimes and investigating other people's takes on crimes and then they add their opinion in , while "48 Hours" is more of a what the police and justice system wants us to know about the crimes of topic. Sometimes I n...

 Happy Monday friends! Here is our weekend in pictures! We didn't do a whole lot. Carl has been in the field all week but got off a little early on Friday and was off at noon on Saturday. That was a nice surprise!  Along with chickens, Trey got a couple of rabbits over the weekend. You can see the white rabbit in this picture. You can also see the two new roosters. The white bantam rooster is named Collin. The two big roosters are learning how to get along. Trey had to separate them on Saturday, but they are doing much better. Maggie loves to herd the chickens and rabbits. Sundays are for church :) I love having this little lady beside me at church. Wrenley had the best time playing with her church friends after lunch. We had a very low-key weekend. We are sad because one of my friends lost her husband in a car accident on Saturday. That made the weekend a little somber. It made me want to hug my husband and kids a little tighter. I am keeping both my friend and her husband's ...

 Twenty-seven years. That's not a number you hear celebrated as loudly as 25 or 30, but maybe it should. Because 27 years of marriage is more than just a number; it is a story. A long, layered, lived-in story.  Back when we started out, we thought we knew what love looked like. We had ideas and expectations. I'm sure there were unrealistic standards and a whole lot of confidence that we had it all figured out. We didn't. But we learned.                                                                                                                            Twenty-seven years of growing together will teach you things that no book, advice, or Pinterest quote ever could. And...

  Spring Break was always one of those things that sounded like loads of fun until you realize that it's not always that way for everyone. For some, spring break meant snow skiing, lounging on the beach, or even a class trip to The Big Apple . For others (me), it was just a week to hang out and try to find things to do locally. Growing up, spring break felt like a dream for some. On Friday when the last bell would ring everyone was running as fast as they could to the exit. The teachers would all say something like, "Have fun on your trips", and I would say, "I will". The truth was, while other kids were packing their suitcases, I was reorganizing or rearranging my room and calling it a "project".  We had a " staycation " before they were even a thing! Here's the thing no one tells you as a kid: when your parents don't have money for the big trips (or they can't take off work), spring break feels less like a vacation and more lik...

 Good Monday morning, friends! I hope you all had a great weekend. The First Day of Spring brought the most beautiful weather thus far. Highs in the mid 80's. It was downright hot in the sun, but you know I love the heat. Carl was off on Friday and we made flexible plans to go to Fort Worth and stay thru Sunday, but you know what can sometimes happen: life. We tried to make the best of it and just got a few things done around here on Friday.  Carl is also celebrating his 30 year work anniversary sometime in the next few weeks. I am proud of him. He is honest, loyal, and works hard. His bosses are pretty good to him. He deserves more, but I guess that goes along with a lot of jobs. On Friday evening we put Makena's raised bed together. She is also planting in the ground as well as my grandpa's old wheelbarrow. She is pretty good with plants. I, on the other hand, have a black thumb. And Trey got his chickens this weekend! He got 19 Rhode Island Red hens, and 1 Barred Rock ro...

 Let's just say it: church would be perfect...if it weren't for people. Kidding. (Mostly). The truth is, church is a beautiful, messy gathering of imperfect humans trying to follow a perfect Savior. Which means at some point, you will encounter that person. You know the one. The human equivalent of a squeaky pew. The one who corrects your grammar in prayer request, critiques the potluck macaroni, and somehow has "just a thought" after every business meeting.  So how do we deal with difficult people in church without losing our sanity? Well, this one my kind of hurt, but remember you might be that person  to someone else. Before you get too comfortable pointing fingers, let's pause. Somewhere, someone has probably sighed deeply after talking to us. Humbling? Yes. Necessary? Also, yes. Grace goes both ways. If we want it, we have to give it! Another thing to remember is that church is not heaven. You may just need to readjust your expectations. There are people of a...

 Every year on March 17, the world turns green. There are parades, shamrocks, Irish music, and an endless supply of green shirts. But behind the festivities of St. Patrick's Day is a story that is deeply rooted in Christian faith.  Many people celebrate the day without ever thinking about the man it's really named after--St. Patrick. His story isn't really about luck or leprechauns. It's about redemption, forgiveness, and the quiet power of sharing the gospel.  My leprechaun, Trey Patrick wasn't born in Ireland. In fact, he was born in Roman Britain in the late 300's. As a teenager, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and taken to Ireland where he was forced to work as a shepherd. Those lonely years in the fields changed him. Patrick later wrote that during that time he began praying constantly and turning toward God in a way he never had before. His faith deepened in the middle of hardship. Eventually he escaped and made his way home. Most people would have close...