Another one bites the dust...

Last year, many marriages around us seemed to fall apart. Of those we saw on the rocks only one couple is still living together, yet they don’t share the same bed and divorce is a word uttered often. Watching them fall apart doesn’t sit well with my soul. It makes me wonder how they got there and confused as to why they didn’t fight for each other. It causes me to doubt marriage and love and relationships and, I’m embarrassed to say it, God.
This past week, I’ve learned that one more marriage is over. Separated for a year, both hearts are broken or hardened to the other. Thoughts of hatred fill their heads instead of a glimpse of reconciliation. They are moving on, seeing other people and ‘happier now than ever before.’ I learned of this broken marriage and cried. Oh Lord, how can this be??

I know that it can be tough at times. We have an enemy who wants us to fail. In the heat of the moment, Satan loves to bring awful thoughts to the surface. He laughs as tempers flare, harsh words are said, tears shed and doors slammed. He rejoices as one more divorce attorney is called, knowing that his hold on this couple is good and tight. I look at these couples, once happy and in love, friends who’ve now become strangers and I cringe to think that one more number to add to the ever increasing divorce rate.

Then, I have days like today! Days when God leads me through His word, arming me with a weapon the devil has no power over. Sweet memories of our wedding day fill my heart. I twirl my wedding ring and thoughts of the man I’m crazy about drown out Satan’s temptations. The Lord leads me to write down verses on index cards, read words of those who have weathered the storm, and gives me prayers for my husband, for myself, and for our marriage. He reminds me to remain in Him (John 15:4), seek first His kingdom and righteousness (Matthew 6:33) take captive every thought (2 Corinthians 10:5) and think on things that are pure, lovely, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8).

When I open God’s word I am reminded that we do have an enemy who has come to kill, steal, and destroy, but I am also aware the Lord has give me authority over all the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19) and, with that authority, I’m going to fight against anything that tries to destroy what God has put together.

I will forever carry The Power of a Praying Wife with me. My copy is ‘loved’ with a binding that is shot but it talks about the number one weapon we have against the one who has come to kill, steal, and destroy. In the first chapter at the bottom of one of the first pages, Stormie Omartian urges us to say “I will not allow anything destroy my marriage.” Today, as I think about that marriage broken, I will say that out loud for all to hear.

*Please excuse my play on words with the title.*

This old house

We live in a fabulous home! It's been such a blessing in our young married lives to have the opportunity to live in my husband's grandpa's unoccupied home. This house is one of the neatest places I've lived in since I left home. I just love it! It has lots of character and history; such a wonderful story to tell those who will take the time to stop and listen. There are pictures of generations before us hanging on the walls & adorning the mantle. The antique furniture has hosted many a family gathering and the wood trim has heard much laughter and supported a few tears.

Lately though, all of the love that I have for these vintage walls hasn't been able to keep joy/contentment in this Exton household, especially not in this female mind. When I have bad days, I so want to chalk it up to living in a borrowed home, stating that my soul is stuck in 'unrest' because I want to be free to nest, I long for beautifully decorated bedrooms and a kitchen with countertops (and a dishwasher), I can almost see then day when we slip off our robes and climb into the giant cozy king bed... Oh, I'm getting carried away in my dreams again!

A conversation about bringing home a new baby or hearing about new curtains another girlfriend bought always comes right before "the look..." You might not know the one I'm talking about, but it's always followed with a "you've got to get out of that house!" My sin snickers as my thoughts agree. "Why AM I still in this ancient house?" I wallow in it for a little bit and I may even stir up a fight because my needs are not being met and why should I have to suffer this way.

Then something happens. I see the picture of my grandparents dancing together next to the sewing of unfinished projects. The Magic Chef oven assists in yet another baking project and thoughts of Grandma Koch run through my mind. As I'm walking down the stairs with a load of laundry, the basket hits the drapes, knocks off a piece of the plastic curtain rod and we belly laugh as George plays with it.

I realize that 'paint the walls red' girl is still there, waiting to be let lose on her own house, but I do not want to lose site of the the lessons learned since we've been here. I treasure the conversations I have with God while doing the dishes (and staring at the catholic church next to us). I want to always remember the dinners we've had, both bad (made by me) and FAB-U-LOUS (made be 'the chef'), and the laughs we've shared in our little breakfast nook. The walks we take in the evenings. The neighbors we've met. The St. Catherine's festivals we've survived. The feeling of being "just the three of us in this old house."

So, when I next see "the look" I pray that I can remember I'm right where God wants me, living out His will for my life, and nothing could be better.

God is Good!!

Wait a minute… it’s June. How did that happen!?!? Wasn’t it just cold and rainy? And, I swear that I was sporting one of my favorite sweaters just last week. Where did this heat come from?? It’s been in the high 80’s this week in OH. The dog is panting so hard he’s about to give himself an asthma attack. And let’s not even talk about the sweat rolling down my legs as I wash those darn dinner dishes. PHEW, I’m tired just thinking about the heat. (I need a minute)

Beginning year number three in a house with not many modern updates, you learn to live differently. No dishwasher means I must be disciplined in staying on top of chores as I resist the urge to sit in front of the TV after dinner. Walking to the basement for our everyday shower means that I must get over my fear of creepy crawlers as I put on my robe and slippers to head downstairs. No central air means that I must be transformed and get creative… summer heat is NOT the enemy!!

Thankfully Matt put the window unit in Monday, with a little help from me, and our bedroom feels as good as walking into an icebox, if that’s even possible. Oh, it is so refreshing! At the end of the day, we sit on the couch hot and sticky, not moving and forget about the joy of snuggling, as we watch that massive TV (we had to buy) and enjoy the Direct TV (we had to get). Then, we travel upstairs for bedtime and BAM! Life changing, mood altering, sweet refreshing C-O-L-D.

Honestly, just like that, when you open the door you are reborn. Have you ever had moments like that in your life? Today I am reminded of God’s word in Matthew 7:7 as I think about opening that door at night. When it gets close to bedtime and the show starts to wind down, I get a little anxious as I think about the icebox that has become our bedroom. I say a little prayer before I ascend the stairs, “Please God, make it cold, cold, cold tonight.” With each step I take, my heart beats faster as the excitement wells up in me, “Oh Lord, this is going to be good!” And, when I put my hand on that door handle I’m almost jumping out of my skin as I think “Open Sesame!” Ah… God is oh so goo-oo-ood!!

Do you know something else that’s like that life changing, mood altering, sweet refreshing feeling… prayer. Stormie Omartian describes the POWER of prayer as “laying down all claim to power in you and of yourself, and relying on God’s power to transform… It (can be) a gentle tool of restoration… It’s a way to invite God’s power into your life.”

Today, I start month number eighteen of reading The Power of a Praying Wife. This book has taught me the importance and power of prayer, saved our marriage, and brought me closer to my heavenly father than I ever thought possible. If you don’t have this book on your bookshelf, I urge you to check it out. You won’t be sorry you did!

A huge thanks to Missie over at Thirsty for my new gift. Go check out her blog!!

Domestic... sort of

When we were married almost two years ago, I didn't know how to cook anything other then pasta and the sauce was definitely out of the jar (don't tell my dad!). Let me back up... when we registered for wedding gifts I was way more into selecting exquisite fine china, cute pink and brown luggage for the honeymoon, and a vacuum then I ever was about mixers, casserole dishes, and dutch ovens. I could have cared less what came into the kitchen as long as it was the right color and could be stored nice and neat.

I did get a book full of recipes at my mother-in-law's shower but I was more into the sentimental value and stories behind the chosen recipes; I wasn't too interested in using them for heaven sakes!

Now, here I sit at the kitchen table smelling the white chicken chili I whipped up after work, simmering on the stove top as I wait for my cupcakes to cool so I can fill and frost with the lemon strawberry frosting sitting in the fridge made from scratch... WHAT?!?! Who is this girl, how does she know what to do with the *fabulous Magic Chef a few feet away and she made what from scratch? *still more interested in the decor then really what it does

Yes, the girl who never asked her mamma a cooking or baking question and only stayed in the kitchen long enough to clean dishes is turning domestic and loving every minute of it!

Oh... and did I tell you that the cupcakes are a healthier version of lemon drop cupcakes. Thanks to Katie at Dashing Dish I'm learning healthy alternatives!!

It's time for a change... for REAL

After I hit my new decade, things sort of went ‘wrong’ with my body, appetite, and metabolism and I’m so confused. Before exercising was something that I did to pass time; now it’s a necessity if I want to fit into my clothes. Before I didn’t worry about what I ate, if I was snacking too much or how many sweets I enjoyed; now I need to be mindful of what I put into my mouth.


Lysa TerKeurst, one of my virtual mentors, wrote an amazing book MADE TO CRAVE and challenged her readers to “satisfy your deepest desire with God, not food.” *the wheels start turning… maybe I need a change*

A few weeks ago my best friend came for an overnight visit. She shared with me that just after Christmas, she saw a picture of herself opening gifts with her family that made her cry for days. When she was pregnant, she didn’t pay attention to her eating habits and never exercised. A year and a half later, she’s never lost the baby weight and was continuing to make unhealthy choices, leading her down the wrong path. She’s joined a gym where she works out two or more times a week, she’s counting calories and being mindful of her ‘sweet tooth,’ and she’s got a great support system as she journeys to take off the weight and stay healthy. She looked absolutely great when she came to visit. *okay God, I hear you. I know, I need to change… but maybe next week*

I start my own little challenge with Jillian Michael’s; the 30 day Shred is kicking my butt! *I'm on the right track*

Courtney at Women Living Well, another amazing Christian woman who inspires me weekly, and Brittany at The High-Heeled Housewife have both joined in on the 65 Days to Reshaping It All challenge. *I NOW know its God’s third attempt at knocking… time to answer the call*

Let me be honest… I L-O-V-E every little (and big) thing sweet on this planet! My sweet tooth is almost never satisfied and always, always amazes my husband. It is such a good thing that he doesn’t enjoy chocolate as much as I do or we would be fat, Fat, FAT! I love the Lord with all my heart and want to grow stronger in my relationship with him, being an obedient daughter. It’s going to be a struggle to put down the chocolate and walk away, especially as I’ve just learned my love for baking, but I know that for a healthier and happier home, I need to make a change.

Day 6

So, good old Jillian Michaels is kicking my butt into shape… literally! In level one, she has us doing these things called butt kicks and if you get really into them, you will kick your own butt. I’m sure that it is funny to observe because it is funny to watch them.

Okay, but now to the ‘how am I doing’ phase of this post. I absolutely L-O-V-E this workout! As I said it is tough, there’s definitely no denying that. I was so stinkin’ sore on Easter Sunday that it was almost embarrassing walking into church with my lovely dress and heels on. I made Matt go extra slow. After Easter dinner and cleaning up, I played Frisbee / Kooshball catch with our nephew and almost fell into the tv stand because I could barely move my legs. It wasn’t exactly torture to be almost immobile because I knew my muscles had been worked hard the day before and things were changing. We came home from my in-laws and all I wanted to do was snuggle on the couch with my boys, but I drug myself upstairs to complete day 2. And I thought day 1 was hard… doing the workout with sore muscles and Easter dinner in my belly was H-A-R-D. But I completed level one with high intensity again, no backing down, and felt awesome afterwards. I may or may not have fallen asleep on the couch at 9:30, poked a few times for snoring & ruining his movie (love him)!

I left my workout bag at home on Monday so there was no getting to the gym on my lunch hour. I’ve been able to get home from work, prepare dinner, pop in the video to work out while it’s cooking, then eat with my husband. So far that system seems to work well and I’m hoping to make it a habit.


Monday night at small group I got a few compliments on how well my arms looked. The girls who saw me on Friday were a bit shocked at the change in just 3 days. SCORE, this is working! Day 3 and 4 workouts were just as great and I can see results already! I stopped being sore by Tuesday afternoon, my clothes are already fitting a bit better, I can feel my muscles still working as I sit at my cube, and I think that my butt is looking a bit cuter. Like I said, it’s getting kicked!!

I moved to level two yesterday; it’s going to be a while before I can master that and get to level three. I was drenched with sweat (something that doesn’t normally happen) and needed to hop in the shower before even considering saying ‘hi’ to the hubs. My energy level is up, I feel great, my communication is more thought out and logical, I’m not shrugging my shoulders as much, and my confidence is slowly creeping back. I never knew just how much those extra few lbs affected everything about everyday life.

All of these positives after just 5 days, I have only one question for you… what’s holding you back from making a change in your workout routine??

30 day challenge

Today, I started a 30-day challenge, partially because the weather is getting warmer and I can't keep hidding the extra lbs under sweaters and partially because the past few weeks I've been L-O-S-T emotionally.

So, I borrowed the 30 day shred from my friend Jessica and today was the first workout. I started on level one, like it suggested, and I feel awesome right now. I didn't stop or lower my intensity the whole 20 minutes (I know, that doesn't seem like a long time). Jess tells me that I will be sore tomorrow and I definitely agree with that. My muscles were working hard even during the cool down. My plan is to do my weekday work outs in the company gym during my 'lunch hour' and then Saturday morning and Sunday after church. Today starts the prayers that this schedule will work!

Today is also just a little under one month before the next session of GMG starts. My other challenge is to read through one more book of the bible before that starts. I would like a shorter book so that I can read a few verses a day, going through the S.O.A.P method again, nice and slow. I'm going to start with 1 John. I need to put together a reading plan...

Father God... I need your help!