Friday Favorites

Hey Friends! Hope you had a wonderful week. Today, I’m sharing my Friday Favorites!

I’m excited to be working on our vegetable garden this week. Last summer, we planted a good amount of vegetables in our small raised bed. The green peppers didn’t do so well but the tomatoes and cucumbers were a hit. The variety of herbs were also very successful and easy to grow. My mint grew back already and has taken over one side of the garden bed! Here’s an article from Better Home and Gardens on planning your very own vegetable garden. 

If you’re a fan of Chip and Joanna Gaines, here are 10 Things You Didn’t Know Happened Behind the Scenes on Fixer Upper. 

My friend, Tracy from small group brought over this homemade Carrot Cake Cheesecake. Wow, it was sooooo good. I had one slice and am dreaming about having another. I can’t wait to make it! The recipe is from CincyShopper. 

I found the cutest free printables from Little Gold Pixel. These are so fun for the kitchen and she has even more on her website. I love, “If you’re afraid of butter, use cream.” Ha! Precisely my thinking! 

Lastly, check out Alanna’s blog, “Ripened.” I loved her post titled, “Faithful in the Unseen and {Seemingly} Insignificant Places.” Do you sometimes struggle with discontent in where you are in life? It’s easy and tempting to place our security, worth and significance in our work, appearance, achievements, etc. It’s even harder when we see everyone’s highlight reel on social media and we allow ourselves to be caught in the comparison trap. One of the biggest things God has worked in my heart the past 8 years as a mom is really finding joy in the day to day, mundane responsibilities. In my eyes, it was easy at times to see my scale of influence as small and insignificant. I am finding it to be the exact opposite! It is hugely significant. Especially with everything going on around us in the world, I’m convicted even more that the way we raise our children may be the biggest influence we bring to this world as believers. These seemingly small daily acts of serving, feeding, nurturing, diapering, disciplining, and discipling is actually of enormous importance and significance. These unseen acts of sacrifice that go on day in and day out are faithful acts that seem like being stuck in a “sheep pen” at times. 

If you have days where you struggle with this, know that you are making a huge impact. I love when Alanna says, “We as a generation despise the sheep pen because we can’t see the significance of what God is doing there. We want to change the world, but we have lost sight of the value of God changing us.” Maybe you need to hear this encouragement today. You are right where God wants you and maybe it’s not comfortable or what the world deems successful. Be encouraged because he is refining you, preparing you, and honing you. He’s more concerned about our holiness than our happiness. And take heart because he values you and loves you and your identity and significance is found solely in him. 

<><yuni

The LORD is my strength and my defense ; he has become my salvation. Psalm 118:14

This post is linked up with Momfessionals.