What I have in common with Jonah

Most of us are familiar with the Story of Jonah and the Whale Big Fish. Just incase you aren’t familiar with it, it goes something like this…

·       God tells Jonah to go to Nineveh and announce his judgement on them because of their wickedness.

·       “But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord.” (Jonah 1:3) {Get away from the Lord? Umm, someone should have told Jonah that God is Omnipotent… he’s everywhere dude! When I read this verse today, it just struck me as hilarious.  The visual in my mind is that of a 3 year old when their parent tells them to stop playing with something and instead of obeying they jump up and run in the other direction.  As if avoiding their parents will just make them disappear altogether.  Funny.}

·       Jonah jumps on a ship (hoping to sail away from God) with some unsuspecting sailors.

·       The Lord caused a violent storm that almost destroyed the ship and the sailors, after realizing Jonah was the cause of this catastrophe, throw Jonah overboard.

·       A big fish comes along and swallows up Jonah. Yep, swallowed him and there he stayed for 3 days and nights… inside of a big fish.

·       Jonah prayed to God and the Lord ordered the fish to spit Jonah out.

·       Jonah goes to Ninevah and tells the people their city will be destroyed because of their wickedness.

·       HAPPY ENDING: The people repent and the Lord spares them Judgment.

Some may be tempted to stop reading there but DON’T you’ll be shocked at what happens next! Remember my last bullet point, the Happy Ending? Well, it turns out Jonah wasn’t too happy about this happy ending. As a matter of fact, he was down right angry that God decided not to destroy the people. And he didn’t hesitate to give God a piece of his mind.  In case you’re into drama (don’t worry I won’t tell) here’s how the rant went, “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people.  Just kill me now, Lord…” (Jonah 4:2-3)

The shocking part is… I’m pretty sure he was serious! You may be wondering if the Lord struck him down at that moment, another shocker, nope.   Jonah’s selfishness in this self-titled book seems to have no bounds.  After reading, I was sitting and contemplating what kind of terrible person was Jonah?? He disobeyed God, ran in the opposite direction of God, endangered the lives of a crew of sailors, and when he finally seemed ready to turn things around he gets angry with God for giving the people of Ninevah a second chance.  What's wrong with him?? Jonah was selfish, plain and simple.  If it didnt benefit him, he wasn't interested.  Not exactly the type of person I would ever want to call a friend.  It’s easy for me to look at him in astonishment and be thankful I’m nothing like that. 

Am I? True, I’ve never scolded God for not wiping out an entire city.  But if I’m honest, a large part of each day is focused on ME, either directly or indirectly. So before, I start to pass judgment on Jonah, I’m going to take a closer look at the ways that selfishness manifests in my own life. 

What about you? How does selfishness sneak into your world?

Linking up with Tuesdays with a Twist, Titus 2 Tuesday, Playdates with God.

Spread the Love: Valentine’s Gift Ideas (that won’t break the bank)

We have officially entered the month of LOVE and we are very quickly approaching LOVE day (aka Valentine’s Day!!).  Have you started thinking of gift ideas for the special people in your life?? For those of you that may have a tendency to procrastinate, here are a few of my favorite Valentine’s Gift Ideas to get you started!

 Parents. A surprise family photo shoot.  Whose mom wouldn’t LOVE this?? And Dad will be happy because mom is happy.  You can choose a local photographer (I suggest scheduling this asap) or have a friend help you if you don’t have the cash for a professional.  If you’re in the Dallas area, I recommend calling one of these two talented photographers, Picturing Art, Team Howard.  
 

Sister.  Mary Kay Satin Lips set plus some Rockin Red Lipgloss to wear on her “hot Vday date.” Trust me she will thank you!! Call your consultant for delivery details.  Or if you don’t have a consultant, you can order on my website! I provide free shipping and gift wrapping.  Use Promo Code MKLOVE for 15% off all Vday gift orders!!

 

Grandparents.  Treat greeting card. My grandmother absolutely loves cards.  She reads them aloud before opening the accompanying gift at every celebration.  The longer the poem on the inside, the happier she is.  I have discovered the perfect complement to her gift this year, a personalized card from Treat. I seriously can’t get over how cute these are and your first card is FREE! This might win me the “Granddaughter of the Year” award.

 

BFF. Personalized Scripture Cards. I ran across these on a friend’s Instagram and immediately started googling to figure out where I could buy them.  This etsy shop is just one of many people that will create them.  They are bible verses with the person’s name inserted into the scripture.  Wow, talk about impactful!

 

Hubby. Sexy lingerie (ok, this is kinda for you too!) and a massage.  Check out these fantastic massage tips from the Dating Divas. If you really want to spice it up and thank him for sitting through all those episodes of the bachelor, create your own fantasy suite, described here. I imagine all this will lead to the gift he really wants (wink, wink)!!

 

Self (You didn’t think I would leave myself off the gift list did you??). Personalized Sharpie Mug. When it comes to love, self-love is extremely important, so don’t forget you! I’ve been looking for a reason to make one of these awesome sharpie mugs.  I’m thinking, now is the time! Of course mine will something clever about coffee, maybe "All I need is a little bit of coffee and lot of Jesus".  You can find step by step directions here.

 

 

So what do you think of these ideas? Did I leave anyone off the list??

Holy Matrimony: Tips for a Happy Marriage!

I’m excited to share post 2 in the Holy Matrimony series.  Just in case you missed it, the first post of the series was It’s all Roses. Today, I will share what I believe to be critical components to truly enjoying your marriage daily.  We have been married for a lovely (and brief) 2.5 years, so I do still consider myself a novice in the marriage department but I pray these tips are useful to you!

Marriage Tips from a Novice:

1.      Don’t sweat the small stuff.  Seriously friends, if it’s really that important that the toilet paper goes on the roll in a particular direction then just do it yourself. My husband has a lovely habit of leaving his shoes all over the house.  Although, it really frustrated me in the beginning, I try now to focus on all the great things he does do around the house and when I just can’t look at his shoes in the middle of the floor for one more second, then I pick them up and put them away myself.

2.      Seeing is believing. I think it’s important to constantly think of ways to show your love to your spouse in their love language. (If you don’t know your spouse’s love language buy5 Love Languages asap!) For example, my primary love language is quality time, as is Josh’s, so this one is super easy for us.  I also enjoy gifts, thoughtful gifts.  It makes me so happy to walk into the house and see a fresh bouquet of stargazer lilies, my favorite! He usually buys them and arranges them himself which means much more to me than him buying them from a florist for $50! Such a small simple gesture but it lets me know he thought about me.

3.      Laugh. The bible says, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine” (Prov. 17:22). Don't be afraid to be silly together, often.  I have a tendency to get extremely hyper and random times. During said times I may jump on the bed dance around in circles or do anything else that pops into my head.  We both end up laughing hysterically at the end of these episodes. Other times, when I’m being extra fussy, Josh will do something extremely silly (and usually inappropriate) to make me laugh.  It’s impossible to be mean and grumpy while you’re laughing. Try it!

4.      Humble Yourself. Dr. Phil always says, “Do you want to be right or happy?” There comes a point when winning the argument isn’t a victory at all.  At our couples conference last year my biggest take away was this… We are a team, we either win together or lose together. In other words, if I “win” an argument and he “loses” it, neither of us won. L Worry less about being right and more about reaching a solution that is a win for the team!

5.      Have fun together. Find something you can enjoy together.  Perhaps it’s a ridiculous reality tv show you watch weekly or a leisure learning class at your local city center. We will be taking a Spanish class together starting this month.  We are both looking forward to it so much! Another great idea is taking dance classes together.  It really doesn’t matter if you are any good.  You will learn to work as a unit and laugh at yourselves when you mess up.  Whatever you choose, make sure it’s something fun that you both want to do.

Can you identify with any of these? What tips do you have from your own experiences?

Linking up with Lulu Style, Faith Filled Fridays, Essential Fridays, Funday Monday.

Movie Reviews: Mandela + Lone Survivor + Ride Along

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

Cast: Idris Elba, Naomi Harris, Terry Pheto

Favorite Character: Nelson Mandela (Idris Elba) made so many HUGE sacrifices for the advancement of his country, it is simply amazing.

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Star Rating: 5 stars. This is the story of Nelson Mandela's life from childhood to Presidency.  I am embarrased to admit that prior to this movie, I was not aware of the extreme nature of the sacrifices he made for his country.  He literally gave up everything for the sake of the cause, "It's an ideal for which I am prepared to die."  Idris Elba did an outstanding job in the role of Nelson Mandela. Run (don't walk) to see this movie!

 

Lone Survivor

Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch, Ben Foster

Favorite Character: How could I possibly choose just one?  Each one of the men that this true story is based on are heroes and I am truly thankful for their service to this great country.

MPAA Rating: PG-13 (mainly for violence)
Star Rating: 5 stars. This is the story of a team of soldiers that set out to capture an al Queda leader.  I'm not sure why it did not occur to me until I sat down in the theatre that this movie was going to end saddly (hence the name, Lone Survivor).  The story is full of compassion, bravery, fear, courage, and all out war.  Don't miss this one!

Ride Along

Cast: Kevin Hart, Ice Cube, Tika Sumpter

Favorite Character: Ben (Kevin Hart)!!!!!

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Star Rating: 5 stars.  I believe I can review this one with just one word, HILARIOUS!! OMG, take my word for it and just go see it! Great date night movie that is fun and lighthearted.

Linking up with Unite.

Holy Matrimony: It’s all Roses

This post is part of the Happy Wives Club Blog Tour which I am delighted to be a part of along with hundreds of inspiring bloggers. To learn more and join us, CLICK HERE!  The Happy Wives Club has inspired me to start my first ever Blog Series, Holy Matrimony!  

Have you ever noticed all the negativity that surrounds marriages in our culture? When we got engaged, we were “warned” about marriage on every turn.  “Oh, you’re in love now, but wait until you get married.” “Yup, you’re in the honeymoon phase, wait til that ends! You’ll see.”  Even to this day people constantly tell me about the horrors of marriage after kids, or after this or that.  It’s enough to crush every little girl’s fairytale dreams of someday meeting prince charming and living happily ever after. Well, I’m here to proclaim, the dream is alive and well!! Fairytales do exist. Of course, you must remember that Prince Charming was a human, which means he wasn’t perfect.
 

I must say that I’m so blessed to have never experienced the negativity associated with marriage until I was an adult! I was raised by two happily married, loving parents.  Growing up in a loving home with them made me desire marriage VERY much!  I never thought they were perfect but I did think they were great and I knew they loved each other.  They were clearly best friends and I wanted that when I grew up beyond a shadow of a doubt. As far as I knew, marriage was a wonderful thing that everyone desired.  However, when I got to college, I started meeting girls that said things like, “Eh, I don’t plan on getting married.  Who needs that?” At first it was shocking but eventually it began to sink in that perhaps everyone didn’t have what my parents had and that made me sad. 

I never lost sight of what a lovely thing marriage is and was beyond excited when Josh proposed!! We had both heard enough marriage horror stories that we didn’t waste any time getting into premarital counseling.  As a matter of fact we went through premarital counseling at two different churches (his and mine) with 3 different people (can you tell I really believe in preparing). We were confident that we would “live happily ever after” but we never expected marriage to be all roses.

 

Now that we are 2 ½ years in and I reflect back, I’ve decided that… marriage is all roses! Roses make me so happy (as does marriage).  They are beautiful, fragrant, and the perfect addition to any centerpiece but they do have thorns! And boy do thorns hurt.  Everyone knows that but we don’t run and burn all the rose gardens in town because the roses have thorns.  NO! Of course not.  We learn how to deal with the thorns (hopefully by removal) so that we can enjoy the beauty of the roses.  That is how I see marriage.  It is absolutely wonderful but there will be some thorns.  All we have to do is learn how to deal with the thorns.

Fawn Weaver, the founder of the Happy Wives Club wrote a book about the best marriage secrets the world has to offer. They say the book is like “Eat, Pray, Love meets The 5 Love Languages.” I say the book is inspiring. You can grab a copy HERE.

 

Linking up with Doing You Well Wednesdays, All Things Thursday.

What I'm Loving Friday

Happy Friday! We made it through the first full work week of the year, wahoo! I’ve been waiting all week for “What I’m Loving Friday” because I knew what I would share on Monday.  I’m loving reading the E-100 bible passages each day. 
 

Our church is reading 100 essential passages in the bible over the next 100 days, see the reading plan, here.  The Word of God is just so exciting, because even when you read a passage that you’ve read numerous times before (ie. Genesis 1) the Holy Spirit can illuminate a new truth you never noticed in the past. It’s so exciting for me to read and share with Josh what I learned and then hear what the Lord spoke to him (often something different) while reading the same passage.  Each day as we discussed the passage, we chose one word that seemed to embody the message for that day best.  Here’s what we came up with…

   

 Day 1 (Genesis 1-2)- Purpose

 

Day 2 (Genesis 3)- Sin/Death

Day 3 (Genesis 6:5-7:24)- Regret

Day 4 (Genesis 8:1-9:17)- Covenant

Day 5 (Genesis 11:1-9)- Pride

Try reading these passages with these words in mind and see if you notice something you haven’t before.  I would love to have you join us in this reading plan, it’s definitely not too late to jump on this bandwagon and have some fun!

 

Have a lovely weekend!
Linking up with Simply Lulu Style, Essential Things, Faith Filled Friday, and Friday Flash Blog.  

New Year New Blog!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I'm looking forward to 2014 with baited breathe.  I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for the Curries this year.  No doubt it will be a wonderful adventure.  This currently seems to be the season of settled contentment.  I would be quite please if the Lord allows us to stay in this comfortable season but should He have something different in mind we will gladly embrace it.

I thought the beginning of the new year would be the perfect time to give Pink Faith Today a little face lift (courtesy of Blogaholics Designs). What do you think?? I'm pretty happy with it! Pretty, simple, and PINK!

Hubby and I just returned from our annual New Year's trip.  This year we picked San Francisco and, wow, what a perfect ending to 2013.  Here's a few highlights from our trip.

Around Town

Our Hotel, Wyndham Canterbury

  

Cable Car! We had the coolest conductor that let us stand with him in the back.

                    

This place is so neat.  Fresh produce, meats, pastries and more chocolate than one person should be exposed to at one time!

 We had Ghiradelli Hot Chocolate at the original chocolate factory. Mmmm.

 

  

I consider myself to be a Pizza Connoisseur and Tony's in North Beach is the the best I've ever had!

 

Fisherman's Wharf & Bay Area Cruise 

Golden Gate Bridge

 

Alcatraz

 

 

 Sea Lions!!

 

Napa & Sonoma- Wine Country

             

On New Year's Eve we spent the day on a wine tour of 4 wineries, Jacuzzi, Andretti, Viansa, and (hmmm, I forgot the name of the last one). I took way more fun pictures than I can share here but the above are a good reflection of the day... fun, carefree, and beautiful!

 

New Year's Eve!

 I'm crazy about this handsome guy!

We had a nice dinner at Cavalier (excellent service) and then watched fireworks over the bay.

 

Twin Peaks

On New Year's Day we hiked to the top of Twin Peaks, the second highest point in the City and one of the most phenomenal views.

2013 Year in Review

Ok, I decided to hop on the bandwagon and do a "year in review" post.  Mainly, because I wanted a reason to stop and reflect on the great year behind me. Here goes...

January

In lieu of our annual New Year’s Trip we had a staycation at the Omni Mandalay in Las Colinas.  The hotel was nice and we had a relaxing time.  We ate dinner at the restaurant hotel, Trevis.  This was probably the worst food I have ever eaten with terrible service to go along with it and the night ended with a $170 bill! This is the text message hubby sent me during dinner, lol! This is one New Year’s Eve experience we will never forget.



February

 Josh gave me the coolest gift for Valentine’s day… pink pearls!! He knows me so well!

 

March

I participated in Mary Kay Global Makeover Day on March 8. 

April

After waiting for almost a full year, we received a CARES placement.  So thankful we didn’t give up on this program. CARES has been so rewarding and fun so far! 

May

Josh was hired as an instructional technology coach.  This is the perfect position for him and a promotion!

June

Josh and I celebrated 2 wonderful years of marriage on June 26^th and we are still honeymooning!

July

This was my favorite month of the year!  I celebrated my 30^th birthday with a fun girl’s day.  

 

 

We went on our dream vacation to Europe!!

London

Paris

 

Rome

August

I attended my very first Mary Kay Seminar.  Let’s just say this is a company that knows how to work hard AND play hard!

September

 Started a Yoga class.  It was more challenging than I expected to carve out this time weekly but well worth it.

October

I received an unexpected promotion at work.  I am currently creating a brand new energy conservation plan for our organization.  We also made our annual trip to the State Fair, but this year was special.  We met the “new” Big Tex. Handsome, don’t ya think? 

November

We logged a lot of miles Thanksgiving week but it was great to spend time with both of our families.

December

I celebrated my bf’s 30^th birthday in New York.  So much fun!

 

 

That's 2013 In Review! 2013 was such a wonderful year.  It truly seems like each year keeps getting better and better.  I'm so thankful to God not just for the many blessings in my life but for a personal relationship with him.  I'm anxious to see what the Lord has in store for us in 2014!!

linking up with #fundaymonday