I have been doing a LOT of blog research. And WHILE I like weebly.....IT really doesnt like my computer. 
I need an easier site to manage my blog on, and EVERYONE and their mother recommends wordpress.
SO im in the process of changing over. ALSO there is a VERY annoying thing. My name has been taken on wordpress...what is even more frustrating is that the person who took that user name is not even using it! :( 
BUT maybe this is a good thing, AND maybe its coming at the best time. Soooo THE NEW NAME IS going to be revealed shortly. :) BUT the new site will be a few weeks as I am trying to figure out how to manage a new site and move all my posts over :) in the meanwhile i will be posting here :) Thank you so much for your patience! :)
 
I'm challenging myself in these next few days to get a major project done! I'm so sorry to have been away as long as I have. but I promise it won't be much longer and you will have me back in action! Big reveal of what I've been doing will be up on Tuesday or Wednesday morning!!! so excited!
 
 
I really want my own place ....

                       Like I mean really.


                          I'm tired of waking up in someones childhood room. . .
                                                       in someone elses space



We sleep in my husbands room of 23 years .....With Marvin the Martian borders that glow in the dark...and clothespins that hang on the ceiling fan pulls Just because they always have.  Once there were wrestling posters covering the ceiling but I took those down one day in a fit of anger about my circumstances.

                                                     I love my husband.... 

                                                                  BUT I greatly dislike our living situation right now.

 I never stop looking for our new home. Constantly working on saving up what I deem a good enough amount of money,
I always see new houses, make appointments with people to walk through rentals. And in my spare time i complain about what i dislike about living in someones home. I feel like i am doing everything in my power to get out and everything and its neighbor is working against me. 

See a thought struck me yesterday as I was listening to Lisa Hawkins speak about her growth was stemming from a major point in the fact that 


she held her discomfort and desires above her husbands purpose....
When I heard that line I had to relax my entire body so I didn't give away to my husband who was next to me....the mental breakthrough I had just had. I was too prideful to admit to him I had in fact been doing the same thing.
 

              I had been placing my discomfort with our living situation,
                           and my desires for a new place of our own 
                                           above his purpose

I swallowed my pride and let the reality of that phrase sink in. the depth of it....the pain of it. 

Who was I to say that God couldn't use us in a room covered in Martian memorabilia? who am I to demand that God put his plans on hold so that we could have our own place? How can i ask that of HIM. The one who has my greatest interests at heart...


                                                            "God.... I prayed. make my desires your desires." 

see... I needed to find my comfort in Christ,  and not  discomfort in my circumstances.
Which brought to mind the fact that I had forgotten my favorite verse ....I had ceased praying it over my family and over my mind. It came back that instant like a wildfire coursing through my veins causing everything I felt to seem  foolish.


Psalms 37:4....


delight yourself in the lord. and he will give you the desires of your heart.

DELIGHT YOURSELF IN THE LORD


FIRST 

and then ... he will give you the desires of your heart.
...my challenge to you is to pray this verse for the month of July. Over your loved ones and your own mind ... Often times we get so caught up in what we want from God we forget about what we need to be giving to God. Such as our time, our focus, our hearts, and our devotion.


Speak Life
-Jessica
 
Today I want to talk about something we have all experienced and are still experiencing.

 In every life story,

In every biblical story,

In every historical story,

In every movie,

In every book,

And in every person’s life.

 
IN YOUR LIFE

There is the repeating occurrence of a pattern.  

Behind every war won,

Behind every communicating couple,

Behind every relationship,

Behind every job,

Behind every dollar spent,

Behind everything…..is the reoccurring pattern of

DREAM.

STRUGGLE.

VICTORY.





In world history there are always stories of war, conquests, inventions, and important people that made a difference in our community and in our world today.

Without their patterns of

DREAM.

STRUGGLE.

VICTORY.  

Who knows where we would be today.

The Bible even backs this up with stories of DREAM. STRUGGLE. VICTORY. And in Ecclesiastes, Solomon is talking about how nothing is new under the sun, NOTHING.  

Your struggles,

Your temptations,

Your infidelity,

Your problems with money,

Your issues with moving out,

Your communication problems with a loved one,

Your stubbornness with apologizing and forgiving that certain someone,

Your laziness,

Your battle between flesh and soul,

These are all things that have been a problem for many people throughout history.

So when you have a dream.

KNOW there will be a struggle to get there.

BUT if you push through that struggle you will eventually reach a victory.

There is an image I have seen lately on the internet that has driven home this reality……

How often have i struggled through the most of a problem without reaching my victory because i gave in too soon to the struggle? I wasn't willing to play hurt. I stopped to take care of how much i was hurting. I stopped going. stopped trying. stopped pursuing what i dreamed for myself and if only.....if only i had tried one more day. 

Just take a few minutes and think about how many struggles you are going through, usually there are multiples, and remember that facing them head on with persistence and dedication….will end.... with you 


keeping the dream in mind 
through the struggle 
to get to the victory.

-Speak Life!
Jessica Smith Wallace


 
 
I have been red-headed for a good many years…that’s not to say that other colors haven’t come and gone since then. But this time I feel like a personal attachment to my hair has not only affected me but also the people around me. I could go into a million hair places and ask them to do something different with my hair and every time they kept it red. I can’t seem to get away from the red….it’s like my hair loves red dye and embraces it with every follicle. But this year I am feeling something different and brown hair has been calling me….I know I don’t share tiny weird facts about me here. But something weird about me is that I HATE it when my eyebrows and hair are not the same color. So I am literally bursting with excitement over coloring my hair back to a more natural shade!!! Maybe now ill feel brave enough to do some eyebrow makeovers! (meaning making them look more…..idk defined with make up )..........


BUT ALAS

Red hair you have served me quite well over the last few years. And I have loved and loved you with every waking breath. But it is time for a change. and who knows .....well i can't lie.....I KNOW we will meet again. 

BUT this is your temporary Eulogy 

SO MWAH! KISSES FROM ME! :) 
TTFN

-Much redheaded love while it lasts
Jessica Smith Wallace

 
These concepts might be old news to you, but for me these were all new discoveries this week and I am eager to talk to  people who have these services and use them! I want to know if you like what you receive, if you are a part of these groups. If you aren't then i may have just given you a new addiction. So here is what i came across this week. 
Polyvore is used by many as a fashion inspiration board...similar to what you would find in a designers office or work-space. But this is a digital version. it can be used for way more than just a fashion fix it, this website inspires me on more than just a fashionable level. I will share some of the images i Created using polyvore below. I know that a lot of fellow bloggers do not share how they create and manage their images...but I can't help myself. Polyvore holds endless opportunities and combinations and i see myself using it frequently in the future. The minds behind this website are genuises, and even more exciting is the ability to take one of your own images and use it :)   (click on polyvore image for link)
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Stitch-fix .....basically as i understand it you pay 20$ a month for a box of goodies that have been styled directly towards information you fill out on the website. You can ask for no pants, or no shirts, you can ask for anything! you can be singular box specific. or You can be yearly generic.

 I loved that they had the different types of style to choose from. Like bohemian, preppy, classic, romantic, or edgy. Those are just a few. I of course chose bohemian, romantic, and classic.

 I stay away from preppy and glamorous. choosing only a small bit edgy. 

The way you can go into detail about what you like or dislike is nice, but i have yet to pay for it because i am chicken. You give them your size height weight etc. and they customize a box for you.

 If you dislike something from the box you send it back (they send you an envelope for that, also they pay for shipping both ways.) They way i understand what they say on their site is that you choose what you like and then based on what you keep your 20$ can go towards that. HOWEVER it doesn't pay for the full price of your clothing. 

Which is why my husband and i decided not to do it. Because in the long run i would probably end up paying the 20$ for a happy package that i would end up sending back because we didn't have the money to keep anything. :/ 

Maybe one day i will embark on this fashion adventure. Maybe even try edgy ;) 


This is something i am interested in hearing more about. 
I want to know what your experiences have been with the customer service and the products! If you have any info let me know! I've been reading on-line and I am very intrigued. 

(Click on the stitch-fix cross-stitch image for link)



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THIS IS AWESOME
I am not sure if you could sense the amazing-ness in my voice there. THIS idea, this concept is amazing! I LOVE IT
I asked for this for my birthday and for Christmas  that's how much I love it. Something i pulled from their questions portion of their website (link is in the photo to the left)
What does Umba mean?The word umba comes from a Swahili word meaning "to create". We strive to empower handmade artists and small-batch producers around the world, by providing a unique outlet for them to get their products into the hands of new customers.

The customer service reviews on Umba Box are great! I think the idea for the discovering of new artists of handmade goods by mailing different products to subscribers is brilliant! SO brilliant i wish i had thought of it! :) I hope that for Christmas i can be so lucky as to receive a subscription to Umba Box. You get a surprise box in the mail with one to three goodies that are handmade goods in it! you can do 3 to 12 month subscriptions! :) LOVELY!





 
Some of the things that have kept me going this month. I love my life. Even if it isn't how I ever pictured it....I am blessed
 
I have been giving a lot of advice lately & I am noticing that something stands out in all of it.  In every problem I have been given, in every instance where I am asked for my opinion or called at 3am by a woman in tears….I have come to realize…

We women share too much. 

Picture
I never knew you could share too much. Sharing has always been seen as a good thing, & usually it is. When we are children we are applauded for sharing our toys, & sharing snacks with those around us. Sharing was something that was taught early on in most of our lives. Especially the lives of us that had younger siblings, when I had something…..soon after I would set it down & sometimes even well before I was done using it my brother had taken it & begun to use it himself.


People love stories….and sharing stories is something that few people get paid to do. Author’s write and share stories. Comedians share stories because people love to laugh & will pay to have someone entertain them. Sharing stories from our lives is also something we are taught to do… Grandparents share stories of where they grew up & the things that they have experienced. Parents share stories with their kids about their childhoods, & the lessons they have learned.  Sisters share stories about friends & boys. Friends share stories about embarrassing things that have happened to themselves or others. Some of these stories are painful. Some stories are sad, some are happy. But ultimately ….. The stories that have been shared this week around me are from a different relationship.
 Women sharing negative stories with friends, about their significant other.
 
(Being privileged to be the one hearing about these women’s stories & problems from home is one thing. & I would never violate a confidence. So I will not be sharing these women’s stories with you today. Instead I will be speaking to the many women who may stumble across this post.)

 


Ladies,

You have so much might, beauty, strength, & ability… beyond your wildest imagination. You can create the most amazing images for others with your ability to tell stories; you can share tales that will have women weeping, men laughing & children star-struck. YOU although you may never get paid for it…. do it daily. You share stories daily & give others an image based only on what you say.

I cannot stress the importance of this next paragraph enough. Tears in my eyes remind me of the moments when I have broken this rule in my marriage, & I have learned this lesson painfully.

You control how other people see your significant other. You hold the greatest power in your tongue.  (James 3:8-12)

You can bless him, or curse him.

You can speak ill of him, or you can speak greatness into his character.

You control his image.

When people listen to you talk about how he did this or he was lazy & didn’t do that.

People see your husband in the light you place him in.

If you go around work complaining about your husband, don’t expect your co-workers to like him very much. If you call your mother every time you fight but not when he is sweet….don‘t expect her to like him very much.  If you only mention how he left his socks on the ground or left dinner out on the stove instead of putting it away, or how you got into a fight before you got there & it was his entire fault. Don’t expect people to fall in love with your man if you are only giving them an image of poor quality to look at.


Some of these phrases may strike a nerve or memory.

“I just wish he”

“He is so”

“I just don’t understand why He”

“He is causing so many problems”

“Why can’t He just”

“It’s not like I am asking for him to…”

Do any of those sound familiar to you? I know I have said all too many of them. 



The issue with these phrases lies in the fact that we are sharing with others what we should be keeping between God & ourselves. We aren't in intimate relationships with everyone else, so none of the intimate details need to go into the ears of others.


Ladies…we alone are the worlds perception of our husbands. WE are their greatest asset & their greatest strength. You are his armor, building him up & strengthening his defenses, giving others a true vision of his character.


But just as well we can easily become their greatest weaknesses.. But you can also be the spear that divides that armor & allows his heart & ego to be hurt. We never need to be that spear. It is important that nothing negative leaves our lips about our men. They need to be protected. & our words are the biggest way that we can fail to see that we are losing respect & losing the privacy that our family needs to grow & be united .

Some of the phrases you may want to adopt are

“He always looks out for our family”

“I love how he”

“He knows what he’s doing.”

“I trust him”

“I’m so proud of Him”

“He can.”

“He works so hard for us.”

Remember…..God united you. He had the two made into one unity. (Mark 10:7-9) NOT you & all your girlfriends’ opinions, not you & your mother, not you & his mother, not you & your co-workers. You & Him.  

Speak Life sisters.

- Jessica