The Bible Bonanza 2012!

Almost exactly one year ago, I took this photo and started my attempt to read the Bible in 90 days

I failed. I got to somewhere in Leviticus and just....stopped. Not reading the Bible. Just reading at that pace. I got busy and just....stopped. But starting today, May 1st, I'm going to try again. 

Now, you may be saying, 

"But Ashley, WHY would you want to read the Bible in 90 days?! You wouldn't get anything out of it! Besides, I don't even think it's possible to read the whole thing in just three months!" Well, dear, interested friend (or stranger), let me tell you. 

The first time I started this, I loved reading through so quickly. You really get to see the big picture message behind the individual stories. Also, I need to shake things up in my life and reconnect to God in a deeper way, so this seems like a good way to start. And yes, it is possible. I know people who have done it in just one month! And it's on my 30x30 List. Plus, and this may not be a great reason to read the Bible (but it's an honest one), Bragging Rights! 

So to help myself actually do this, I'm telling the world. It's happening! I'm also going to try very very hard to blog every day with something I'm learning or that jumps out to me. And I'm calling it the Bible Bonanza. I know, it's cheesy. But it's fun to say! 

So welcome to the Bible Bonanza! Have you read through the entire Bible at one time? What do you think of doing it in 90 days (or even 30)??

Eric Trap Giveaway!!

This just in! I have two copies of The Eric Trap to give away! 

The Eric Trap is a modern-day fable that highlights the top 5 mistakes kidmin leaders (really, any church leaders) tend to make. You can read my full review here.

If you'd like a chance to win, simply leave a comment with your best leadership tip. I'll pick two winners at random at the end of the day on May 4th. If you're a leader, you want to read this book!

"The Eric Trap: A Leadership Fable"

The Eric Trap: A Leadership Fable

By Jim Wideman, Kenny Conley, Sam Luce, with the Infuse Team

Eric Newman is having a bad week. His ministry, his family, and his pride are crumbling around him, and he's not sure what went wrong or how to stop it. But the most gripping part of his story is that it's our story. Mine and yours. If you are in leadership, at least one of Eric's predicaments has stumped you, too. 

Part story, part instructional, this book is unlike any other on leadership! You'll go from chuckling at Eric's thoughts to being convicted of the same mistakes. Wideman, Conley, Luce, and the rest of the team have interwoven Eric's story with their own experiences and tips to help all of us avoid the top 5 most common pitfalls of leadership. 

I can't recommend this book enough! It's a very easy read in a unique style that can be read in a day.  The team has included thought-provoking questions to help put action behind the ideas. And perhaps the best news, it's not just for kidmin leaders! Any church leader will benefit from the lessons contained in this book. Add this to your list and you won't be disappointed! This is a book I'll definitely be revisiting.

Rated 5/5

Highly Recommended

The Hour of My Discontent

Warning: The following is a peek into the mind of Ashley. This journey should not be taken lightly, as very few have been privileged to this craziness we call thoughts. Actually, I can only think of one.  It's a tad messy. And may not make sense to everyone. But hey, that's life.

See, I feel like I'm made for more. More what? Life, I guess. I'm not 100% sure what exactly that more is, I just know it exists. I feel like I'm supposed to do more than I'm currently doing. Not more in quantity, but in quality. My dreams are so much bigger than where I'm at. Bigger than the dreams of those around me. I'm sorry if this comes off as conceited or whatever, that's not my intent. But I feel like, with very few exceptions, when I try to talk about this with people, I just get blank stares. Or people will come on board with an issue that needs to change, and be all gung-ho, but not actually put action behind the words. Very few people seem to actually understand what I'm talking about. As Belle says, 

I want adventure in the great wide somewhere

I want it more than I can tell

And for once, it might be grand

To have someone understand

I want so much more than they've got planned

I'm not content with the usual job-marriage-kids-retire kinda life. I look at my life and think, "If I'm still in this place a year from now, I WILL go crazy".  There's nothing inherently wrong with the job-and-retirement fund plan. But it's not for me. My heart gets restless when I think that is going to be my life. And if I never get married, it's not the end of the world to me. I know for some people its the end-all-be-all and they will do whatever it takes to make it happen. Don't get me wrong, I would love to find a husband. But I'm done trying (if you can call what I've been doing "trying"). However, if I can't look back and see that my life has made a difference, that the world is a better place because I was here, then it's a waste. 

I refuse to get to that point. I refuse....actually, this song says it way better than me:

I refuse. I refuse to be average. I refuse to stay when God tells me to move. I refuse to sit in my little bubble padding my bank account, when there is an entire world out there filled with hurting, dying, lonely people. I refuse. 

I don't necessarily know what's next. I don't even know what the next baby step looks like. I just know that the first step was the decision. The decision that my life will not be the same after this point. So it's time to figure it out. I'm sure it will take some prayer, some crying, some frustration, some sacrifice.

But I'm at my breaking point. 

I'm done with life as we know it. 

Something needs to change and it never will unless I take action. 

So you can join me in this adventure. Or you can stand back and watch. 

Either way, you have to choose. 

I choose to jump off the cliff. 

Goals: The Beginning

So, I've been following a blog for a few weeks that does something I find kinda cool. She posts goals for each month and each week, then follows up at the end of the month/week on how she did with them. Her's are also broken into segments, like do, be, learn...but I'm not gonna go there yet. So, while I don't promise to keep it up, we're gonna try this whole monthly goals thing. And since we're halfway through the month, it will be a little easier- less pressure. Here are my goals for the rest of the month:

• Read and review one ARC in my pile
• Buy a new, whole-food vitamin
• Plan the whole of Missions Month for kids ministry
• Check my FICO Score
• Get my eating habits back under control
• Clean "The Pile" (you don't wanna know....)
• Decide what to study in my quiet time next
• Get a child from Compassion's Longest Waiting list sponsored

I would love for someone else to sponsor one of those kids and tell me about it, so I could feel better, but I think I may have to make some sacrifices and sponsor one myself. I already have one Compassion Kid, but the fact that some of these kids have been waiting for almost a year for someone to love them breaks my heart. Will you love them? Or do you already sponsor a child? Tell me about them!

So there you have it! My goals for the rest of this month. Now I have to do them, or let down the whole internet. Because, obviously, I'm that popular that the entire internet cares what's happening on my little 'ole blog!

"Dollars and Uncommon Sense"

Dollars and Uncommon Sense by Steve Repak, CFP

I'm so excited I got this book, because it's helping check something off my 30x30 list: Becoming debt free! Confession: I have had three books by different financial guru's in my immediate TBR pile for months. So long, in fact, that one of them has been renewed from the library three times, is due back next week, and still hasn't been read. Why? It's big and intimidating! That old guy with glasses holding a wad of hundreds just staring at me...So I started with this one. It was the smallest. But I'm glad I did! It was a quick read (I read it in just one night) and very easy to understand. Repak even made it so I understand investing! Not a whole lot about investing, but a little overview. Anyways.....

Steve Repak speaks from experience in this book. He left the military with more than $30,000 in credit card debt. Now he's a CFP helping others manage their money. He offers very simple steps to recognize where your money is going, start saving, pay off debt, and start investing. It's very simple to understand, and he offers blank worksheets to help you put the lessons into practice.

I really like his uncommon-sense approach. He makes the point that most people are in debt, worry about money, and live paycheck to paycheck. "So why the heck would you want to be like most people?" One tip was something I had always thought: Pay off the debt with the highest interest rate first, not the debt with the lowest balance (contrary to what other famous financial guys say). A lot of his tips are of the common sense variety, but since they are rarely practiced, they seem like uncommon sense. For gexample: Spend less than you make.

If you are struggling with managing your money and getting out of debt, check out this book. It's a quick and easy read with great, simple tips to manage your money.

Highly recommended, 4/5 stars!

*Note: I received this book free through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer's program, in exchange for a review. I was under no obligation to provide a positive (or negative) review.

The Duvet

Once upon a time, I was trying to fall asleep in a bed that looked like this:

It was one of those nights where my mind was running a million thoughts a minute and keeping be up. For some reason, my brain decided I needed to make my own duvet cover since this blue monstrosity isn't very pretty and real duvet covers (the ones I like, anyways) are pretty expensive. So after creating it in my mind, I finally drifted off to sleep, and promptly googled "how to make a duvet cover" the next morning.

So I made a duvet cover! And I'm loving it!! I followed the directions from this site, Design Sponge (mostly. Some stuff I made up). It was such a huge help! So since I have no real tips, I'm just gonna show you what I did, okay? If you want a step-by-step, go check out Design Sponge. I started with these fabrics from Joann's:

and got started measuring and cutting

I learned how to do French seams from that website, and they are SO pretty! French seams make it so that there are no raw edges anywhere,

inside or out.

However, it takes a very long time, since you're basically sewing each seam three times. I did them for the front (picture on the left), but I cheated for the back. See, the other issue I had was that the butterfly fabric wasn't as wide as the other one. So it was going to be almost two inches shorter! I figured by cheating, I could get the look with less "waste". So I simply stitched it the regular way, then added the topstitch. And from the outside, you can't even tell! Then it was time to attach the front and back together:

Notice that the back isn't as wide as the front....the front was the perfect measurement for my comforter (according to the website).

So I did the grown-up thing. And did this:

Then I took a break. Went shopping. And did what Tim Gunn taught me: made it work! I just went with the shorter one and prayed that my comforter would fit! Then it was zipper time!

Not too shabby for my first zipper installation! I added a little inspirational quote I've read a few places lately:

"Never settle for less than butterflies". I love it! And I apply to every area of life, not just romance (which is probably what most people think of with this quote). But life's too short to not enjoy every moment!

Anyway. Without further ado, I present to you my finished duvet cover!

And guess what? The comforter fit perfectly! However, with these photos it's become apparent that I need to now get new sheets. And pillowcases. And my bed frame needs to be painted. And my room needs to be cleaned. So stay tuned! I may have more projects coming soon ;)