The PURSE-onality Challenge: Emily Freeman

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My Favorite Blogs of the Week -- January 26

(My apologies for a week of silence: I've been traveling, working on my new website, and trying to convince Feedburner to function again for me!)

I spent much of this week traveling and attending the She Speaks Intensive conference in North Carolina. Not surprisingly, all the blog posts that caught my attention this week speak to the creative process:

1. Laura Hyers gives a gentle reminder that "some days are just hard days" in "When Your Day is One of Those."

2. Holley Gerth starts out "A hard day hits me" in “I Need You. You Need Me. {And That’s Good.}”

3. Emily Freeman challenges us to do a very hard thing in “One Thing We’re Waiting For (and Why It’s Time to Stop)."

4. Mary Carver at Giving Up on Perfect understands how hard it can for me to choose from among so many options in “What’s the Bright Idea?”

5. Jenny Price -- guest posting at Jeff Goins’ blog -- says that if onlookers aren't saying, "you're nuts!" then our dreams may need a boost (in "Keep Dreaming… Even When They Think You’re Nuts.")

6. "There will always be a surplus of people eager to criticize, nitpick, or recommend caution" says Seth Godin, arguing "On Behalf of Yes."

7. Heather Kopp at Sober Boots highlights this wonderful line from “A Prayer to be Poor”: "to do the truth quietly and without display."

8. Arianne of To Think is to Create blogging at (in)Courage asks this vital question in "On Missing the Curve”: "What do you do when everything you expected God to do turns out to be wrong? When an entirely different (and unwanted) path is before you?"

9. Adelle Gabrielson muses about the fact that when you're a parent -- regardless of the kind of day you're having, the dreams you are reaching, or the mistakes you're making -- "Someone is Watching."

10. And Skip Prichard, guest blogging at Michael Hyatt, extrapolates some incredible "Lessons from the Ordinary."

Your Turn:

What blog posts have you read this week that you especially enjoyed?

What topics tend to grab your interest?

Anything else on your heart!

Coming in January!

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to receive Cheri's FREE eBook when it releases!

Looking for a simple way to keep scripture close at hand?

Click HERE for full details!

31 laminated cards in an organza draw-string bag...

images and word spacing designed to enhance memory

My Favorite Blog Posts of the Week – January 19

1. Michele Cushatt shares her own “Mom fails” and a great does of encourgement in “To the Mom Who Can’t Keep Up” and suggests that we “quit. Not motherhood, but trying to measure success according to a checked-off list of unrealistic expectations. Motherhood is less about supposed-to’s and far more about get-to’s.”

2. Over at Giving Up on Perfect, Mary shares her disapointment in “The Personality Test that Burst My Bubble.” As a fellow Communicator and Activator, I had to laugh at her dismay at not scoring highly in one particularly desirable strength, because I had the exact same reaction when I took the StrengthsFinder 2.0!

3. In her guest post at Becoming Minimalist, Robyn Devine offers strategies for “Breaking the Sentimental Attachment to Books.” As I’m feeling convicted to gut my bookshelves again, both at home and at shchool, this is both a timely and practical guide

4. In “Clearly Speaking”, Lori (aka The Generous Wife!) discusses the importance of communicating to our husbands clearly rather than in code. This advice was a great reminder to me, as just this week Daniel and I missed out on having lunch together–despite the fact that we were home together for an hour!–because we both made generalized suggestion which led to assumptions, rather than speaking clearly and then clarifying that we’d understood.

5. I love Scott’s perspective over at Journey to Surrender in “Dress for Success: Put on Patience”. I so need the reminder to “Enjoy preparation time” rather than rushing through life on efficiency mode. His list of “5 ways to let your marriage steep” is a much-needed contrast to all the ways I so naturally find to stew about my marriage!

6. John Sowers, guest blogging at Storyline, discusses “Finding Your Keystone Habit.”

As I’m traveling to North Carolina this weekend, I’ve been slowly acclimating to Eastern Standard Time by getting up 30 minutes earlier each morning and going to bed 30 minutes earlier each night. I’ve been surprised by how much I’m enjoying being up at 4:00 AM to spend time in scripture and to exercise.

7. Emily Freeman’s observations on Lance Armstrong’s Oprah interview in “For When You Think You Want Control” have me thinking about control issues...especially when I’m in crisis and when I get caught.

8. My husband would be far too embarrassed to thank Kathi Lipp in person, but her “Get Yourself Organized: Your Pajamas” has produced some changes in my night attire that have caused him to say, multiple times, “I really think you should keep hanging out with Kathi!”

9. “The Apathy Shield” by Jon Acuff has me examining various areas of my life to see where an apathy shield either has gone up or is on its way up. Healthy detachment is a skill I’m trying to learn, but I don’t want to end up swinging into apathy.

Coming in January!

Click here --> to sign up

to receive Cheri's FREE eBook when it releases!

Looking for a simple way to keep scripture close at hand?

Click HERE for full details!

31 laminated cards in an organza draw-string bag...

images and word spacing designed to enhance memory

A Lovely Invitation (+ My Apple Crisp Recipe)

It's Tuesdays Unwrapped over at Emily Freeman's blog Chatting With the Sky. The assignment?

"Anything that causes you to pause and celebrate the moment. Not what will be or what is to come, but what is real and true this day: the messy, the lovely, and the unexpected. Share a photo, a story, or anything that offers a glimpse into your own journey of discovering the gifts in the midst of the ordinary."

Daniel unexpectedly asked me out to lunch today.

He didn't actually ask, "Would you like to come out to lunch with me?"

What he said was: "I'm going to town after 6th period. Want to come along?"

So I started doing mental gymnastics:

Do I need anything in town?

How many stops is he making?

How can I shuffle the rest of my day to get everything done plus a trip to town?

I asked, “Where are you going?”

He revealed his scheme: “Well, I thought I’d drop you off at Panda Express so you can order. I’ll run into Target and get what I need. And then I’ll come back and meet you and have lunch with my wife!”

He so had me at "have lunch with my wife"!

I tossed my schedule out the window.

“You’re asking me out to lunch! How lovely.”

And it was...

...lovely to be invited.

...lovely to eat garlic eggplant tofu and fried rice and egg rolls together.

...lovely to drive too and from town together.

We've spent so many years in “efficiency mode”:

“Can you watch the kids while I exercise?”

“I’ll bathe them if you read to them.”

Since you’re heading to town, could you pick up a few things for me?”

It’s lovely to be...

...less scheduled.

...more spontaneous.

...less scripted.

We came home and enjoyed the last of my apple crisp. Yes, the one I almost ruined yesterday. (You didn't think that story was from years ago, long before I wised up and got perfect, did you?)

It was lovely, too (especially piping hot with French vanilla ice cream!)

Just in case you’d like you’d like to try it yourself (minus the mess!) here’s the recipe:

Betty Crocker’s Apple Crisp a la Cheri

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

4-5 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced thinly

zest of 1 lemon (I grate it finely.)

juice of 1 lemon (I squeeze it over the apple slices as I’m slicing them.)

1 Tbs. flour

1 Tbs. sugar

¼ tsp. cinnamon

⅓ cup Craisins

Mix the above ingredients thoroughly. (I put them in a very large Tupperware, seal the lid on, and shake like crazy...shake the Tupperware, that is!)

Pour into greased pie plate or quiche dish.

⅓ cup margerine

⅔ cup brown sugar

½ cup flour

½ cup oatmeal (I prefer Old Fashioned)

¾ tsp. cinnamon

¾ tsp. nutmeg

Mash topping ingredients together with a pastry blender or forks or with your hands.

Before it goes in the oven...

Sprinkle topping evenly over apples. Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes. (Our oven runs hot, so I bake at 375 for 20 minutes, 350 for 5, and turned off for 5 -- turns out just perfect every time!)