Favorite Online Shops

Just a Few Favorites...

Home Furnishings: West Elm

Clothing Boutique:  Eves Revolution

Kitchen Store: Sur la table

Home Accessories: Ikea

Work Out Clothing & Accessories: Lululemon















Shoes: Steve Madden

Jewelry: Francescas

Clothing: Nordstrom

~ Mekenzie 

A Monumental Moment

Life is always changing so to pin point a specific "life turning" time is hard. I can think of times where life threw me a curve ball and almost every time I’d swing and miss. I can look back now and say that I am thankful for those changes because they have made me into what I am today.

There are many factors that led up to me attending CSU. I tore my ACL's in high school which turned out to be a big reason I played soccer for CSU. I decided to attend CSU only a few months before school started. My reason being, that it was close enough to home but just far enough. Although I was not thrilled about going there at first, I have realized the reason God placed me there.

One of the biggest "life turning" moments was my sophomore year when I was voted captain by my soccer team. It was then that I realized why I was at CSU. It put me into a leadership role that I wasn't sure I was ready for. I started to feel the responsibility for my teammates and the way that they viewed Jesus. I knew that leading up to that moment my life was not always a clear representation of Christ. Eyes were watching me on and off the field. I was meant to be seen as an example, my life was essentially under a microscope.

Before, I could get away with my selfish ways and my world full of "Me." Being captain taught me where my true motivation comes from. Honoring and serving the Lord. 2 Timothy 2:20-21 talks about being used as instruments for the Lord. It hit me, I was being used as a vessel and God was just waiting for my willingness to open up and allow him to do so. I can't say that this was an easy task and that I was ready and willing. However, being in such a role motivated me on all levels to be a servant and truly show Christ's love. I feel like God used me in bigger ways then I could have imagined. I was lead to a ministry called Fellowship of Christian Athletes and was able to use it as a tool for my teammates.

I am not perfect at this and 95% of the time I'm still living in "me" world. I have fallen short of serving him and showing Christs love in so many ways. I'm just thankful for this "life turning" moment and what it has done for my walk. I'm thankful that God can use me as a vessel. Its a daily decision to be open and have that willingness to let him use me. I realized God led me to CSU, as much as I hated it, because he was working on my heart.

--Holly

ESFJ

I sat down Tuesday to take the Jung Typology Test. It is pretty comical that I was awarded this post because for as long as I can remember I have LOVED taking quizzes! I would ask for quiz books for my birthday and then invite friends over and get to know them through how many C's they answered yes to.'

I remember taking this quiz in high school, a time when I was still getting comfortable in my own skin, and at the time I completely resonated with some of the results.. but other areas I thought, "this is so not me!" Little did I know that 6 years later I would again take this test and come to find that those once misplaced & misunderstood descriptions of me were actually quite true. In high school I was an "in-progress" ESFJ, and now 6 years later at almost 25, I am officially an ESFJ. 

Extravert....Sensing...Feeling..Judging. 

With a smile and a nod of confidence I read my results page. The VeRy first words under the category YOU: "Self Awareness & Personal Growth" it states; "Guardians of birthdays, holidays and celebrations, ESFJs are generous entertainers." {giggles} I already knew this about myself but reading it comes to me like a pat on the back or tight squeeze...

I not only LOVE to make my nearest and dearest feel super special on their birthday, but I too LOOOoOoOve to feel special by my closest on my birthday<---true confession. 

And don't even get me started on holidays! In my mind Christmas might be ruined if we don't bundle up in the car on a snowy eve, warm hot cocoa or coffee in hand, and drive around admiring all the beautiful Christmas lights. And if I wake up in the morning and everyone is already awake and downstairs my inner child will weep & weep because I wasn't the one to jump in everyone's bed and wake them up, walk them downstairs hand-in-hand and see what awaits us around the Christmas tree. I like what I like. I like to make every celebration THE event!

"All else being equal, ESFJs enjoy being in charge. They see problems clearly and delegate easily, work hard and play with zest. They willingly provide service (which embodies life's meaning) and expect the same from others..ESFJs are easily wounded, and when wounded their emotions will not be contained; they by nature 'wear their hearts on their sleeves." This paragraph I know all too well. I could go on and on but to keep it to my first reactions here you are: The first sentence in this paragraph really speaks to me as my role as a wife. I am happy to submit to my husband as the head of our home but it gets sticky when, as stated, I like being in charge. It's not that I don't trust Mitch or find him 100% capable, in fact I wish in some ways I wasn't this way because I want him to take charge always. Every time.. I just usually seem to have the "right way" in my mind. Mitch here I am declaring- I will work on giving up this twisted obsession to be in charge! 

The third/fourth sentences speak a lot to the way I am in friendships/relationships. I will give 110% in relationships and love each person so intentionally and so deeply; but I MUST realize that not everyone is me. Not everyone loves the way I do, and not everyone thinks about relationships in the same way I do. Not that I'm right and they're wrong or vice versa, we're just different. I need to not expect so much... but it's so hard.

Now, as for possible careers paths for us ESFJs, it seems we enjoy high involvements of interaction with others. Currently I am a nanny=high involvement of interaction, go figure.. I was surprised though to see that health care professions are a top choice for ESFJs. I don't think I could handle all the poking and prodding and blood. But I could handle the loving on people.

Although, I am happy to announce that a possible career for me to get into and find success is..... Fashion Merchandising!! HA! Thank the Lord I won't be wasting my degree! I was the college student that knew, since forever, that I wanted to be involved in the "fashion world" somehow on some level and I didn't stray to another major once. I am still trying to figure out my niche in this industry but I have a good idea I'm getting very close. 

If when reading this you thought, this sounds a lot like; Martin Luther King, Eleanor Roosevelt, Desi Arnaz, Rachel McAdams, or Monica from Friends, you would be right! These, along with a few more, are my fellow ESFJs... I am now totally curious to see what my husband and girls are!! 

To get to know ESFJs better or if you are a fellow ESFJ check out the links below: 

http://www.personalitypage.com/ESFJ.html

http://typelogic.com/esfj.html

http://www.humanmetrics.com/hr/you/careerchoices.aspx?EI=44&SN=25&TF=-88&JP=11

<3 Gabrielle 

Home Alone like Kevin

I think as kids we all have a fear of being home alone but we all want that privilege from our parents. In middle school I always thought it was the coolest to be at home by myself during the day.  However, when nighttime rolled around I was a coward. I envision events like the movie Home Alone, and having to booby trap the bad guys.

The face I made when I got to stay home alone

I’ve never had to fend off bad guys but I do remember being scared I would have to. And here the story goes about a time I was afraid. I went to a basketball game with a friend and later her mom and brothers dropped me off at home. I remember that night being pretty windy which meant my house was full of creaky noises.

My parents weren’t home so I entered through the garage, locked the doors, went to our basement and flipped on the TV. Our house didn’t have air conditioning so the windows were always open. As I was watching TV I heard a loud crash of plates. Naturally my heart stopped beating for 10 seconds. Like any person would, I went upstairs to see what had happened (knowing, like Kevin, I could take on the bad guys). Above our kitchen sink was an open window and I realized the wind had just knocked down some of the dishes.

Stunned and my heart stopped

As I was cleaning up the mess I heard pounding on my front door and my name being yelled! I panicked. I dropped to the floor and starting crawling to my living room to grab the phone. The banging and name yelling switched to my garage, which of course made it sound even louder.
I grabbed the phone and like a movie it started ringing. I didn’t recognize the number. At this point I was on the verge of tears. The phone rang again and this time it was my friend I was just with. I answered in a panic telling her what was happening and that I was about to die!

My face before I die

She laughed at me and told me it was her brothers. They didn’t wait long enough to see if I made it inside okay and came back to check. Nearly scaring me to death. Needless to say, by no means was I ready to fight off bad guys. Crawling and crying wasn’t going to get me far. Being home alone wasn’t as cool as Kevin made it out to be.

--Holly

A Little Advice

Advice is a funny thing. Sometimes we crave it but can’t seem to find it anywhere, and sometimes it is unsolicited but exactly what we need to hear. When I think about where I am in this season and what advice I cling to, it is simple but powerful. Especially for women. You’ve probably seen this all over Pinterest but when I saw this image it blew me away. 

It felt like I was hit with a ton of bricks. This is precisely what I had been doing for so long without even realizing. 

These days we are bombarded with social media, readily available to be viewed from all devices at any hour of the day. We get glimpses into each other’s live through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, blogs and so much more. When these new sites and apps first came out I found myself suddenly feeling highly inadequate in all areas of life. It seemed like most other people were happier more often than me. They all had perfect jobs and perfect relationships. They had more fun on weekends and went to more restaurants. 
Social media makes it so easy to display the “good” parts of our life without sharing any of the “not-so-good”, and gives off a false sense of perfection. We can put filters on our pictures, write inspiring quotes on our statuses, and write blog posts to make our lives look perfect from an outsider’s perspective. 
It is so easy to get wrapped up in other people’s lives and families and outfits and vacations and what they had for dinner for crying out loud. And all of this is good and fine, as long as we aren’t letting it steal our joy. I was completely happy with my life before, but sometimes it’s hard to not be jealous or long for something different when we see the way another person lives.

Another favorite quote of mine: “Don’t compare someone else’s highlight reel to your behind-the-scenes.” ENJOY Instagram, ENJOY  Facebook, ENJOY reading blogs, but don’t let it become a place to compare your life to the highlights of someone else’s. And especially don’t let it become a place where YOU try to make others think your life is perfect.  We all have struggles, we all go through difficult seasons, they just aren’t displayed to everyone. Let’s be real, people!

So today I am choosing happiness. I am choosing to enjoy Facebook and Instagram, but I am also choosing to love my life and where I am in this season. Some may have it easier

and some may have it harder, but I wouldn’t trade my life for anything.

Love the life you live!

~Lauren