Completeness

Generally when things are on my mind I have to get them out or they keep bugging me and I can't move on so this is me getting one of those things out. Today I read something on one of those marriage pages that got me thinking and I really didn't stop thinking about it the whole day. Often times you hear the saying that people are either looking for or have found someone that "completes them" meaning this in the form of a significant other. This couldn't be more of a line of garbage if I ever heard one. Oh, I am guilty of saying it too I'm sure but true, it's just garbage. The only relationship that can complete me is my relationship with Christ. All others will fail considerably. Now, on the other hand, my relationship with my husband can be perfectly complementary. That statement I rather like. So many marriages fail these days and I just can't help but think it's because of expectations that we ourselves place on our relationships that just aren't realistic. If we go into a relationship thinking we can find someone that actually completes us we are just setting that relationship up for failure from the beginning. It's based on unrealistic expectation. I can't think of the person that said it but we have expectation and reality and everything in between is just disappointment. Our relationship with Christ is designed to complete us and give us everything we need out of a relationship. He said himself "My Grace is sufficient". We have our relationship with our spouse as a compliment to that not as a replacement. The question that got me to thinking about all this was something along the lines of we should constantly be in the giving mode for our spouse and be doing for them and not worrying about ourselves. But it's all about perspective and if your heart is completely seeking Him, He will supply all your needs and you won't be left wanting and those selfish me,me, me, attitudes won't be there wondering well what about my feelings and this and that. I have lost my train of thought and where I was really going with that but anyway. There is a really good book called Fierce Women by Kimberly Wagner. I highly recommend this book. I do challenge you as I was challenged if you read it, give it away when you are done. It's life changing and will alter your marriage and the way you see yourself as a wife. It's great biblical perspective on how we as wives are to support our husbands and how we can unknowingly be harming them as well. 

So with all that I hope you have The One who completes you as well as the one who complements you!!

What better way to re appear on the blogging scene than with a review??!! So here goes. Today I got my first Ipsy Glam Bag in the mail. I was super excited to see that bright pink bag in my mailbox.

So, here are the contents:

Mirabella Prime face and eye primer full size (retail $29)
Mai Couture  highlighter papier St Barts 25 sheets (retail $28 for 50)
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on eye pencil in zero ( I could only find this color in sets ranging from $12 to $19)
NYX Ultra Pearl Mania eye shadow not sure of color ( $2.50).
Be a Bombshell lip gloss in hot mess ($14)

So, I love all these products. The primer was not heavy and didn't make it feel like my foundation was sliding off my face like ones I have used before. I loved the shimmer and brightness of the highlighting papers. I hate putting blush and other pressed powders in my make up bag because they always seem to crumble and spill over everything. This would eliminate that. The eyeliner went on smooth and did not smear and the eyeshadow is pearly without being glittery (which I hate). The lipgloss is quite red and I may not have chosen this shade for myself off the shelf but it's a great thing for "wearing red beginners". It is a sheer red. I have very fair skin and was never able to find a suitable shade of red but this is probably the only thing I would dare wear out in public.

So all in all I would recommend this to a friend and I am so glad I signed up. I was not let down in any way.

Total retail value $71.50 ( I used $14 for the papers since there were only 25)
My cost $10

BONUS it arrives in a bright metallic bubble wrap package that I will be reusing to send someone  a "glam package" next time I need to mail something. Oh and it comes in this really cute little zip bag that would be great for carrying necessities in your purse.

So, if you are interested in signing up click here. Shipping is also free.

**disclaimer** I was in no way compensated by Ipsy, Glambag, or any affiliates and these statements are my opinion only***

I do exist!!

Well, hello there from your neglectful bloggess.  My family and I are fantastic and I have some new DIY posts I am working on that I hope you will enjoy.  I am hoping to be able to devote some of my time back to blogging in the near future.  Until then, have a great weekend!

Whole Hearts Needs YOUR Help!!

Pepsi is giving away $50K grants to causes. The catch? They need your votes.  Voting ends this week.  Matt Hammitt, of Sanctus Real, and his wife Sarah, have started a foundation called Whole Hearts. Their son, Bowen was born with HLHS. This foundation is geared toward helping families financially and spiritually whose children are suffering from congenital heart defects.  The statistics show that 1in100 children are born with some type of heart defect, many are undetected. Right now, my little buddy, Annabelle is back in the hospital. If you visit her mothers blog by clicking the link, you can see first hand just what a monster CHDs are.  So, help out and vote!!

There are three ways you can vote:
1. go to www.refresheverything.com/wholehearts
2. Text 107706 to 73774
or most importantly ( because you get extra votes)
3. Look under bottle caps or cartons of specially marked boxes of Pepsi for "Power Votes"  you do have to register online with Pepsi to use the power votes but if you don't wish to do that, you can email me your power vote codes and I will use them. Stephaniegfas@yahoo.com

So please take 3 seconds to vote, it could make a lifetime of difference.

One Day 40 Years Ago

My life was changed over the course of one day forty years go.  My mother was 11 years old and I ws probably only a mere idea that popped in her head every now and then when she wondered about children she may have in the future.  But this particular event involved my sister-in-law. On that October day, forty years ago, she was being born.  Her name is Tammie. She was born three months early and also had hydrocephalus.  The technology wasn't yet perfected to save her and she lived one day.  As anyone would be, they were devastated at the loss of their little girl.


But in the midst of all our pain, great as it may be, God still has a plan.  A perfect plan.  I am sure there were times that they wondered what good could possibly ever come from God taking their daughter. Those thoughts more than likely consumed them.  And as it turned out at their 6 week check up, she learned she was already expecting another baby. This in no way replaced Tammie, but it did help her heal.


Tammie's one little day of life completely changed mine.  See there is always good in a situation.  Even though at the time, I am sure she saw no good in her situation at all there was good waiting down the road. Had Tammie had lived, I wouldn't have my husband, or the children, or really even the life I have now.  My husband is my soul mate.  I love him in a way I could never love any other man.  My children are my world.  So my husband is here because she only lived one day.  And it doesn't really stop there, it will continue with my grandchildren and their children and so forth on down the line.  I honor her for the one day she was here because that one day changed so much.  My life is complete with my husband and my children all because of that tiny little life, forty years ago.

Bring Back My Bar

It's that time again!!! Scentsy will start the Bring Back my Bar campaign on July 1st.  20 of the most in demand retired scents will be available for the month of JULY ONLY! So if there is a scent you love or think you may love, stock up while you can. Below you will see the scent list along with a description. I just may have to get them all ;)
Banana Flower
Delightful combination of fresh, sweet 
banana mingled with soft florals. 
Spring & Summer. SB-BNF
Banana Nut Bread
Right from the oven with ripe bananas, 
nuts, and spices. 
Bakery. SB-BNB
Cashmere
Sheer floral bouquet combines 
Moroccan jasmine, lily of the valley,
and bergamot. 
Romance. SB-CAS
Coconut Palm
A blend of tropical coconut and musky 
patchouli with subtle green notes. 
Tropical. SB-CCP
Cutiepie Cupcake
Sweet clementine and yellow cake batter 
with vanilla and sugary icing. 
Bakery. SB-CPC
Exotic Vanilla
/Velvet Spice
Spice up your home with a blend of 
vanilla bean, jasmine, patchouli, 
and sandalwood. 
SB-EXV
Fresh Cut Cantaloupe
Vine-ripened melon with hints of 
juicy orange. 
Fruits & Flowers. SB-FCC
Fried Ice Cream
Vanilla with a nutty touch along with 
cinnamon and caramel. 
Bakery. SB-FIC
Grape Granita
Sun-warmed grape and pineapple with 
undertones of honeysuckle. 
Spring & Summer. SB-GRP
Irish Cream
Smooth and mellow, highlighted with 
hints of coffee and chocolate. 
Bakery. SB-IRC
Lemon Lavender
Inviting blend of tangy lemon and sweet 
lavender flowers. 
Fruits & Flowers. SB-LMV
Luscious Lemon
Light, creamy lemon. 
Fruits & Flowers. SB-LUS
Orange Dreamsicle
A classic combination of fresh orange, 
swirled with vanilla cream. 
Favorites. SB-ODS
Oxford
A masculine blend of ginger and 
frankincense with woody cedar and 
amber undertones. 
Scentsy Man. SB-OXF 
Red Delicious
Crisp, juicy apples, fresh from
the orchard. 
Spring & Summer. SB-RED
Root Beer Float
Concoction of old-fashioned root beer 
and creamy vanilla ice cream. 
Scent of the Month. SB-RBF
Spiced Orange Harvest
Strong, sweet oranges spiced with cloves 
and cinnamon. 
Favorites. SB-SOH
Strawberry Sweetie
A fruity delight of strawberries sprinkled 
with sugar and vanilla. 
Fruits & Flowers. SB-SBS
Tuscan Garden
Mediterranean floral bouquet, enhanced 
by cassis, apples, berries, and rosemary. 
Nature. SB-TUS
Watermelon Patch
Sweet, vine-ripened watermelon. 
Fruits & Flowers. SB-WMP


TO MAKE A PURCHASE, CLICK ON THE SCENTSY BUTTON AT THE TOP RIGHT OF THIS BLOG OR JUST CLICK HERE

Painting that Preaches

I bought a garage sale desk a few weeks ago.  You can see it here at the bottom of this post.  I fell in love the moment I saw the desk.  I had been looking for this exact thing for quite sometime and never really found that "it" piece.  To my surprise, it was only $5.  I have been slowly working on restoring it to something worthy of sitting at the top of the stairs.  With 3 children, time has been scarce for opportunity for me working on it.  This week I began painting on her.  As I was painting, I would like to think it was me thinking, but rather it was really God speaking to me. To most people this desk was ugly and worth nothing, hence the reason itpwas probably outside at a garage sale for five dollars.  The paint was applied with what looked like the toss the bucket at the object and see what paint sticks method.  There was one leg broken and it was dirty to put it mildly.  I even found some used and unused lancets in the drawer upon starting the cleaning process.  Anyway, the point I am getting to, is that when God sees us, I am sure its much like this table.  We are ugly with sin and probably to others may seem worth nothing. But God sees us with the eyes I saw this desk with.  To Him we are beautiful and He sees us for what He knows we can be, not what the outside world perceives us to be. He takes us and "sands", "strips", and "restores" us to our original beauty that He created us to be in the first place.

I love when God reiterates points with repetitive things in various forms.  The question "who am I " as kept popping up in lots of different ways.  I was watching Extreme Make Over, Weight Loss Edition and that was a question the trainer kept repeating over and over to this man.  I then read a new post here that was exactly the same thing. Read the Digging Deeper section and you will see what I am talking about.  Today, our Bible Study lesson was on Ephesians 1.  You should go read that for yourself.  It too deals with the Who Am I question.  The answer, we are all God's children that even though He knew what would ultimately happen in that humans would sin, He willingly created the world, sent His Son as our sacrifice, and done all this with pleasure!! This is awesome stuff.

So anyway, I've been contemplating this post for a couple days and finally got around to doing it!! Plus the Bible study thing really sealed it in for me today as well.

Living He loved me!
Dying He saved me!
Buried He carried my sins far away!
Rising He justified!
Freely forever!
One day He’s coming!
Oh glorious day!