dear new years resolutions, i already failed: now what?

Happy New Years you guys!!!

Okay, so to be honest, this week for me has not so much gone as I had hoped or planned as I’ve been crazy sick since January 1st!
At first, I have to admit and I’m sure Jimmy will agree, I was just a little bit grumpy and Negative Nancy about all of this, but about day 4, I realized that maybe God had a purpose in settling me down for a week…and I decided to change my perspective on the whole deal.

Now, Day 6…and just coming around the bend, I am SO thankful I got sick and had to spend nearly 6 whole days inside, either in bed or on the couch!
Never have I tried so many holistic remedies, rested so much, read so much, prayed so much, journaled so much or spent so much time just being present in the moment. I didn’t realize how much I was constantly looking ahead to the next thing, or attempting (not always actually successful) to be productive and mark just ‘one more thing’ off my ever growing to do list.

It took being sick to finally let the schedule go, take the pressure off, and surrender to whatever God has for me in this day, and oh my word, do I ever feel more at peace now!

And you guys, that’s the power of perspective…that’s the power of letting the moment be what it is instead of putting it up against what we think it should be!
Slowly but surely, I am learning….
{Maybe you’re picking up a little of what my 2016 focus will be??? #Ha! More on that soon….!}

ANYWAY!!!

All that to say, it’s the New Year and it’s definitely a time where a lot of us are attempting to put into practice new years resolutions, habits, goals or ideas!

It’s a fresh slate to start clean….
BUT!
I also know now that we’re into the middle of the first full week….and a lot of us have probably already blown it and might be thinking, “ahhh…forget it. I failed again!”

Been there, done that…learned the lesson!

Screen Shot 2015-12-28 at 1.00.08 AM

Which is exactly why Jimmy and I wanted to make this video for you guys…as we’ve walked this road MANY MANY times…not just in the New Year, but in our every day, day to day life. Thankfully, failure isn’t a bad thing, instead it’s simply an opportunity to learn and grow for the next time!

So if you’re someone who strives to make and keep your goals or someone who wants to begin making better choices and making them stick, I hope the lessons we’ve learned over the years encourage you in your journey!

To see exactly how I make my written list of goals and actions plans, check out: How I Make My Resolutions & How to Make Them Work

And since we’re all in this together, we would LOVE to hear your thoughts and wisdom as well, so be sure to leave a comment below (or leave a comment on YouTube)!

And don’t forget to like AND SHARE this video with your friends!

xoxo

SHARE THIS POSTShare on FacebookTweet about this on TwitterPin on PinterestGoogle+Email to someone
It means so much that you are here! I know life gets busy though, so if you don't want to miss a thing, I invite you to subscribe to my blog through email!

a year of worship – 2015 reflections

Intention and Reflection have to be two of my most favorite things in all the world. I literally get giddy and incredibly motivated when they are both present in my life. And so as each year draws to a close, I excitedly sit down with my journal and deliberately soak in all the moments the prior year had to offer…while praying and seeking ways to grow even more in the year to come.

Beginning in 2013, I adopted the tradition of choosing a word or intention for my upcoming year…something that I felt God had impressed upon my heart that needed to be more of an intention within my heart, mind, soul and life.
Three years later, it’s proven to be a worthy tradition, as I can look back and truly see God working (and continuing to work) in those sticky areas of my life.

My first word in 2013, was Joy.
In 2014, I choose Unstuck.
And this last year, probably my most impactful one, was Worship.

While I loved focusing on Joy — an heart attitude despite my circumstances, as well as Unstuck — getting out of unhealthy habits and instead creating new healthier alternatives….what I realized was that, while helpful and important, the focus those two years tended to be more self-focused.

And by 2015, I was tired of my failures, tired of striving, and ultimately kind of tired of myself…and I needed to escape the “me me me” that life had unintentionally become.

And so I felt God prompting me to the focus of Worship, the heart attitude and intentional act of taking the focus off of me, and placing it instead on the One who truly deserves it.

Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of Holiness.”
Psalm 29:2

2015 was a year to choose Worship despite whatever may come…in the difficult, in the beautiful, and even in the simplicity of our day to day life.

It was a year to recognize that what I did was not about achieving a particular result, releasing all of that instead to the One who is always sovereign and faithful, and understanding that my part was simply to be obedient in all things. {Which ultimately serves as an act of worship that truly delights the Lord’s heart.}

 

quoteworship

 

Of all the years of words, goals, intentions and reflections, I have to say, this was the year that changed everything for me…as I realized more than ever what truly matters, and what my life’s purpose is ultimately about.

But learning to live well in ordinary time isn’t a call to elevate moments; it’s a call to draw close to Christ. What gives moments meaning is not the moments themselves, but the presence of Christ with us in the midst of them.”
– Oswald Chambers

And in the end, it came down this, as I recently shared on Instagram

 

tozerquote

 

I believe we often tend to create so many of our own struggles simply because we have the wrong person on the throne of our lives.

And exalting the Lord seems an overwhelming task when we think of it being over OUR WHOLE LIFE as just one big event.

But when we break it down to simply inviting God into the little details and moments of our lives, everything changes.

When we consistently thank Him, notice Him and HIS WAYS over our own selves and ways and expectations of how we think it should be…
and when we practice doing this in all the little things, and in all the little moments and spaces of our lives — a million problems are solved all at once.

I can’t express enough just how much this truth has been a life changer for me, taking the anxieties of my life and heart, and instead has brought such a peace and joy in it’s place…
in all the things, big and small.

And after all we’ve been through this last year, having worship be my intention, aim and focus…I realize more than ever that I am not so awesome…but rather, He is.

 

SHARE THIS POSTShare on FacebookTweet about this on TwitterPin on PinterestGoogle+Email to someone
It means so much that you are here! I know life gets busy though, so if you don't want to miss a thing, I invite you to subscribe to my blog through email!

major makeup declutter, foster care lessons & beauty box 5 unboxing

On this weeks Saldana Fam Cam: Post Foster Care Thoughts & Where We Go From Here, Beauty Box 5 Unboxing, Major Makeup Declutter, Must Read Book Recommendation, Coronado + more!!!

 

As always thank you so much for watching and hanging out with us on our weekly vlogs!

“But learning to live well in ordinary time isn’t a call to elevate moments, its a call to draw close to Christ. What gives moments meaning is not the moments themselves, but the presence of Christ with us in the midst of them.” -Oswald Chambers

This is why we vlog, and this why we share. In hopes that by capturing the seemingly insignificant and ordinary moments, we will be prompted to look back and see God working and moving in ways we might possibly have missed otherwise. We believe we aren’t meant to walk this journey alone, and we are incredibly thankful to have this community, and most importantly the love, grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Our Church Podcasts
I am Barabbas (book)

xo,
Summer

SHARE THIS POSTShare on FacebookTweet about this on TwitterPin on PinterestGoogle+Email to someone
It means so much that you are here! I know life gets busy though, so if you don't want to miss a thing, I invite you to subscribe to my blog through email!

going down memory lane, my latest workout plan & halloween!

Happy Monday!!!

You guys, I can’t EVEN believe it’s already November! I know people say stuff like that all the time, but seriously, we’ve had the weirdest hottest East Coast weather here in SoCal, that I feel like we are just skipping fall and jumping right into the holidays. That’s just not right, and it’s creating all kinds of confusion over here in my world! That, and going from 4 kids to 2 overnight, really has me wandering around wondering about life… (middle child here if you couldn’t tell…)

And then this weekend Jimmy gave me the budget talk so we could prepare for Christmas, which nearly sent me over the edge… not sure if that was more about budgeting or about it being CHRISTMAS soon… probably both.

Okay, moving on!

So this week on our Saldana Fam Cam…
Going down memory lane, BoxyCharm Unboxing (my FAVE monthly beauty box), Target Haul (the cutest hat & shoes ever!), My New Workout Plan (I was sore EVERY SINGLE DAY last week!), Halloween (Breaking Amish & Joe Dirt?), Church Chat + MORE!

 

 

And, as always thank you so much for watching and hanging out with us on our weekly vlogs!

“But learning to live well in ordinary time isn’t a call to elevate moments, its a call to draw close to Christ. What gives moments meaning is not the moments themselves, but the presence of Christ with us in the midst of them.” -Oswald Chambers

This is why we vlog, and this why we share.
In hopes that by capturing the seemingly insignificant and ordinary moments, we will be prompted to look back and see God working and moving in ways we might possibly have missed otherwise. We believe we aren’t meant to walk this journey alone, and we are incredibly thankful to have this community, and most importantly the love, grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Our Church Podcasts
BoxyCharm

xo

(p.s. if you guys ever have ideas on what you want to see more of in these fam cam videos, or if you have ideas for other videos and/or blog posts you’d love for me to do, let me know in the comments below or email me! always love your ideas and suggestions!)

SHARE THIS POSTShare on FacebookTweet about this on TwitterPin on PinterestGoogle+Email to someone
It means so much that you are here! I know life gets busy though, so if you don't want to miss a thing, I invite you to subscribe to my blog through email!

savor the small things

| savor the small things |

*sometimes writing out an entire blog post feels overwhelming what with 4 kids, foster care, and life going all around me. yet the writer in me has thoughts I long to express, and that’s when the lovliness of a thing called ‘microblogging’ calls to me. In just a few minutes, wherever I happen to be, I can take to Instagram and share my heart. Sometimes, I later (in this case, a month later!), get a moment to share that same post here…here’s one of those moments*

IMG_7701

I’ve mentioned lately, both here & on my channel this overwhelming desire Ive been having for change, scaling back, rest, and living with more sincere intention both in relationships and the things I take on or put my time into.

It’s so easy to get too busy. Too caught up.

We live in this culture where are led to believe that more means blessed and bigger must be better.

But over this last month as I’ve intentionally pulled back from “striving” and “keeping up,” I believe God has really been showing me another way.

The less “big picture” I am and the more mindful I become of the small things – the simple things, the things we often overlook when we’re too busy piling on the tasks and commitments – the more I realize that small doesn’t mean insignificant.

In fact, it’s become quite the opposite.

I have truly found such a comfort and joy in choosing enough over desiring excess, and I pray God continues to nudge me towards savoring and cherishing the small things in my life.

SHARE THIS POSTShare on FacebookTweet about this on TwitterPin on PinterestGoogle+Email to someone
It means so much that you are here! I know life gets busy though, so if you don't want to miss a thing, I invite you to subscribe to my blog through email!

where and what on earth??? (a much needed update!)

Can you believe it??? A new blog post!!!

I’m still alive, really I am!!! (If you follow me on YouTube or social media, you might already be aware of this!) But, this blog? Oh my word. Have I ever been the most neglectful writer of life…
And my only excuse is…

FOUR KIDS & FOSTER CARE!!!
(I always wondered why more people didn’t do foster care…and then I became a foster parent. But that’s another blog post & another discussion for another time!!!)

Although I happen to know a lot of super moms with more than 4 kids, foster care, adoption and even more going on that are still able to juggle it all, the truth is, I don’t think I will ever be THAT cool. These last 8 months have been an emotional whirlwind, and while I don’t wish away the experience whatsoever, I do have to admit that now that it’s behind us, I see and appreciate the past and the present that much more.

Hindsight really is 20/20 isn’t it?

IMG_5852

But you guys, I can’t wait to share with you all that God did and all that God is doing, and the good news is, I will actually begin sharing it HERE once again! Now that life is calmer and more settled and my brain feels less mushy and cobwebby (new word), I am actually incredibly excited to begin writing again as well as continuing to make my videos over on my YouTube channel. I even have a really fun & exciting little project I’m working on just for you guys that I hope to have ready to go the beginning of January!

I think after all these many many years of ups and downs with my writing and my blog and trying to find my voice and a balance, I’m getting closer and closer to understanding what it is God has put on my heart to do. Maybe it’s the circumstances that have happened over these last few years, maybe it’s age and getting older, or maybe…it’s more likely the combination of both.

Either way, I’m back, and I am so excited to connect with you guys here once again!

xoxo

SHARE THIS POSTShare on FacebookTweet about this on TwitterPin on PinterestGoogle+Email to someone
It means so much that you are here! I know life gets busy though, so if you don't want to miss a thing, I invite you to subscribe to my blog through email!

saldana fam cam: new traditions, simplifying life, clothing haul & the craziest documentarty ever!

Welcome to our Weekly Vlogs!

Every week I include makeup I’m wearing, workouts I’m doing, healthy grocery hauls, all the goodies that come in the mail, what we shop for, church chat, as well as snippits of our every day life as a family! I hope you enjoy, and of course, if there’s anything else you would like to see or have us add in, let me know in the comments below!

This week on the Saldana Fam Cam…
New traditions, making changes to simplifying our life, the craziest documentary you HAVE to watch, church chat, a clothing haul + more!

Websites mentioned:
Fashion Nova (XOSUMMER for 15% off)
Our Church Podcasts

SHARE THIS POSTShare on FacebookTweet about this on TwitterPin on PinterestGoogle+Email to someone
It means so much that you are here! I know life gets busy though, so if you don't want to miss a thing, I invite you to subscribe to my blog through email!

blogging has changed, and so have i

One thing I’ve learned in taking these last few months off from blogging, is that blogging has changed in so many ways…and in so many ways, so have I.

I’m not sure that ever in my whole life have I ever gone as long as I just have without writing.
And I know for certain I’ve never gone quite this long without even thinking about or having the desire at least to write.

It’s like when I set out to simply take a break and breathe over the holidays, I literally hung my hat…and walked away without giving words another thought.
And the really weird thing?

It felt so good.

I felt so free.

Which even still, months later, feels so unfamiliar… as writing to me has always been my freedom.
My place to breathe.
My source of comfort, as mostly it was my chance to truly process what God was doing and working on within me.

Only, over the years of writing here on my blog…I got caught up, and it became less about writing, and more about blogging…which I’ve come to realize are often two different things.

Blogging has changed, blogs have changed, and the way so many of us feel about blogging and blogs has changed.
I just don’t know that I fit the mold.
I realize now that maybe I never did.

I don’t have page after page of pinnable pictures, as I’d rather it be that my words were all the pictures we might need.

I’ve discovered that writing for me, is digging deep and sharing my heart, as agonizing as it may be….and less about becoming a Pinnable Trending Content Creator.

I don’t know that I want to give tips as much as I want to share life.

It may be a little quieter here doing it this way, but I’ve begun to find comfort in that stillness over the last few months. For I’d much rather enjoy the silence, than be caught up in the noise of not living authentically who I am and who God created me to be.

  journeyblog

And so I won’t quit, but as I continually come back to time and time again, it’s that I have to do this in a way that’s genuine and authentic to me.

And so that has been my prayer throughout these last few months, to truly find the balance that works for me and where I am in my life right now.

So when I can and when it fits and when it’s on my heart, I will be here writing and sharing and praying that we are able to connect right where we are in whatever stage we’re in.

And sometimes… when life is busy and my marriage or my kids or our fostering takes over… there will always be the blessing of micro-blogging over on social media (links over on the right sidebar!) which allows us to stay connected in a way that sometimes is all we can manage.

Either way, I am so excited to continue this journey of unbecoming everything we’re not, and truly living out our lives in exactly the way God intended us to…together.

xo

 

 

SHARE THIS POSTShare on FacebookTweet about this on TwitterPin on PinterestGoogle+Email to someone
It means so much that you are here! I know life gets busy though, so if you don't want to miss a thing, I invite you to subscribe to my blog through email!

on finding our hope and purpose

I’ve always loved this quote my pastor often refers back to,
“Seek not to avoid a wounded life, but rather seek to avoid a wasted one.”

howtoavoidawastedlife

And, it’s been present in my thoughts even more so lately as we finish up the first month of this new year, and life attempts to drag us back into old patterns and habits. The newness has started to wear off, and it’s easy to let that fresh hope slip through our fingers. The purposes we may have set out to achieve can easily begin to appear blurry.

There’s a lot of talk, especially around the new year, about finding our purpose…living our purpose, or making it a year of purposeful living. And these purpose driven talks and essays and motivational speeches often come with steps and tips and even programs you can sign up for to learn exactly how to make it all happen for you. I’ve listened and watched and even felt inspired by many, but as I continue to seek the Lord and his heart in all of it, I seem to continually come back to the simplicity of it all.

…To continue reading, please head on over to The Better Mom.

xo

SHARE THIS POSTShare on FacebookTweet about this on TwitterPin on PinterestGoogle+Email to someone
It means so much that you are here! I know life gets busy though, so if you don't want to miss a thing, I invite you to subscribe to my blog through email!

creating distance from your art

white blank picture in the room

Okay, so if you followed my 31(ish) days of Blending Beauty with Grace, then you probably realized that continuous blog posts OBVIOUSLY didn’t happen.
Let’s just put that out on the table.

Instead, what I came to accept is that instead of  accomplishing 31 posts, I simply needed that challenge to realize that my intention behind what I blog needs to consistently match my hearts desire of blending beauty with balance.

I had hoped that by writing with consistency, I would be better able to help others, and instead what I found was that the challenge was perhaps meant more for me. (although, I hope maybe some were helped as well along the way!)

I’ve been blogging a long time…
And over time, not only has the blogging world evolved by leaps and bounds, but so it seems, have I.

Blogging is not in any way the same as it was when I started, and as I look back to the beginnings of this blog, I realize I am so far from where I was back then as well.

And while I understand that time changes all things, one thing that has most certainly remained the same is my heart and my intention when it comes to my writing.

Okay, so yes, it still most definitely serves as a form of therapy that has always been a source of helping me to sort things out…but the truth is, I can easily do that just fine in the pages of my journals, where it’s safe and unjudged.

But instead, I choose to do it here (when life allows), because living out loud brings such an incredible amount of hope and comfort and a feeling that we most certainly aren’t alone in all of this.

Writing publicly brings all of that to me…and I pray with every word and every post I share, it also brings some of that to you.

I want to write and share, no matter what the topic, with intention.
With focus.
And with a heart to serve and a heart to worship and nothing else…

This blog, these words, this place…this is my heart.
This is my passion.
This is my art.

But sometimes it takes creating a bit of distance to allow yourself, for just a moment or more, a chance to stand back from your art to fully be able to see what it is you’re even doing…and where it is you even want to go.

And I know that this is that time for me.
It usually is, actually, around the holidays…where I find that I truly need to reflect on where I’ve been and prayerfully consider where it is the Lord would have me to go.

And so, tis’ the season once more to take a moment or more and pray.
To refocus.
To get right.
To get refreshed.

And as always, after the first of the year, I’ll be back…with a renewed heart and mind, ready to write with intention and focus…blending beauty with grace, just as I know God has asked me to do.

I pray, and I mean that…I have, and do and will truly actually continue to pray that all of you are able to spend this season loving others, and more importantly, loving and worshipping Him.

xo

{I will still be doing my thing over on my YouTube channel, so I’d love to see you there!}

SHARE THIS POSTShare on FacebookTweet about this on TwitterPin on PinterestGoogle+Email to someone
It means so much that you are here! I know life gets busy though, so if you don't want to miss a thing, I invite you to subscribe to my blog through email!