Category Archives: Life

Day 3465 – Finding Joy In The Journey

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At least half a year ago, I purchased a mug. The day I found it, I was wandering through a dollar store, a little ticked off. I had traveled to an appointment only to have said appointment canceled right before I was set to arrive. I then saw the mug (pictured below) and had to buy it.

I drink my coffee out of this mug and I love seeing the reminder to find joy in the journey, it is a reminder I need often. Building our business has been one of the most challenging and most rewarding things I’ve ever done. I am consistently needing to grow, stretch, mold, and meet the challenges.

After a pretty long day, Bret was encouraging me to remember just how far I’ve come, even in just the last few months. Reminding me of the stress of taking less calls versus how many we’re getting now…what once was completely overwhelming, is now normal and a part of my day.

I try to consistently keep in my mind when I’m starting to get stressed: “imagine how much this will help you grow, you will likely not recognize yourself in a few months.” My word/phrase for this year is Journey More, Stress Less.

I actually love the fact that life is not about each milestone, it is about the journey itself.

So friends, find joy in the journey you’re on today.

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Day 3464 – Dying Well

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I finished reading my first book of 2019 on January 1st, Where The River Ends* (affiliate link, this means I’ll get a small percentage if you purchase the book). Man, what a way to start the year. It tells the story of a husband who takes his dying wife on a journey down a river. What I love about it is that so many say they shouldn’t make the trip, but it is what she wants to do.

Death is one of those things that’s taboo to talk about. It’s uncomfortable, it’s hard, but actually talking about and thinking about death is one of those “secrets” to a happier life. I’ve talked before about the multiple deaths I’ve walked through in my life. For the past 20 years, I’ve attended more funerals for my peers than my elders. Each death has changed me in significant and different ways. But the biggest lesson is that of embracing life, today.

Having a constant awareness of the end of my life, I can jump into my current life with joy, energy, and “this may be my last day, and I’m going to enjoy it.” It helps me live my life without regrets.

What really struck me with this book was the reminder that we have a choice in how we live and in how we die, but there will be folks who totally disagree with what we’re doing. So we need to fight for what we believe in and what we want out of life.

It was also a beautiful story about marriage. Charles Martin has become my new favorite author, hands down, primarily because of how he writes about marriage. So many of the books I’ve read are about a cheating spouse, an abusive spouse, a spouse who is tempted…recognizing this was much like my “wow, I’ve been reading a lot of dark, heavy books” when I read The Bookshop on the Corner* (affiliate link) by Jenny Colgan because it was so light and fun.

So friends, talk about the end of your life, recognize it is coming one day, and live with joy that you are here today because tomorrow is never promised.

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Did you like what you read? Here’s some ways you can support us and this blog!
Join our Facebook group, Planning an Epic Road Trip on Any Budget
Join the Journey With The G’s email list (bonus – you get my Epic Road Trip Budget spreadsheet)
Buy my book, Planning an Epic Road Trip on any Budget
Buy my book, Trusting God With 2 Cents: 22 Days To Becoming A Successful Christian Business Owner.
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Day 3462 – When Things Don’t Go As Expected

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I went to bed last night with the intention of getting up at 5 am, blogging about a really wonderful book I finished, and making some major strides towards catching up on work from being out of town.

Here’s what actually happened.

Alarm went off at 5 and I ended up changing the time and adding on some snooze, my little “stayed up past her bedtime to finish the aforementioned book” self rolled out about a quarter to seven.

During our morning coffee date, Bret mentioned a few work things that needed attending to, we chatted about a few other things. Then he told me the car was dead.

The next hour was spent figuring out how to and then getting a jump.

Now we’re looking at 9:30 to actually start my day, which had to wait so I could get some food.

The following hours were spent doing some catch-up and tackling some new systems.

I now find myself straving, but having accomplished quite a lot. There was a time when a day like today would have completely derailed me, stressed me out to no end, and I would have been more than a little tempted to crawl back into bed and cry.

So what was the difference today? It was consistently telling myself to slow down, breathing deep, and just jumping into whatever the task at hand was. I did a meditation yesterday, on stress ironically, and it said that we’ll always have problems, no matter what. Just like the “you’ll never finish your to-do list” concept gives me peace, this does too.

The lesson today? Just breathe.

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Did you like what you read? Here’s some ways you can support us and this blog!
Join our Facebook group, Planning an Epic Road Trip on Any Budget
Join the Journey With The G’s email list (bonus – you get my Epic Road Trip Budget spreadsheet)
Buy my book, Planning an Epic Road Trip on any Budget
Buy my book, Trusting God With 2 Cents: 22 Days To Becoming A Successful Christian Business Owner.
Shop on Amazon (no additional cost to you, this gives us a percentage of what you order).
Check out our resources page.
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Day 3461 – End Result Of My 2018 Reading Challenges

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Woooooo! Hello 2019! Last year was such a great year for my reading and I loved what I read. Here is my last batch of books read. I’ll share my final counts below. If a book has a link and one of these little guys * it is an Amazon Affiliate link. That means I’ll get a small percentage if you order it or something else, at no additional cost to you.

If you want to see a nice overview of my reading, check out this lovely page Goodreads has put together.

Book #159 – Howliday Inn – this fulfilled a book originally published in the year you were born in the Mommy Mannegren 52 books challenge.
Book #160 – Pippi Longstocking – this fulfilled a book by a Scandinavian Author in the Mommy Mannegren 52 books challenge.
Book #161 – Sea Prayer – this fulfilled a short story in the BCPL reading challenge.
Book #162 – Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – this fulfilled a book written before 1920 in the Mommy Mannegren 52 books challenge.
Book #163 – Unwritten – this fulfilled none of my challenges.
Book #164 – Water from My Heart – this fulfilled none of my challenges.
Book #165 – It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at Work – this fulfilled none of my challenges.
Book #166 – The Bible – this fulfilled a book on theology in the Mommy Mannegren 52 books challenge.
Book #167 – Thunder and Rain – this fulfilled none of my challenges.
Book #168 – Elevation – this fulfilled none of my challenges.
Book #169 – Waiting for Eden – this fulfilled none of my challenges.
Book #170 – You Are a Badass Every Day: How to Keep Your Motivation Strong, Your Vibe High, and Your Quest for Transformation Unstoppable – this fulfilled none of my challenges.
Book #171 – The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #1) – this fulfilled a banned book in the Modern Mrs. Darcy challenge.
Book #172 – Happy People Read and Drink Coffee – this fulfilled a book in translation in the Modern Mrs. Darcy challenge.
Book #173 – Crabby the Crab – this fulfilled none of my challenges.
Book #174 – Rattles, the Barn Cat Misfit – this fulfilled none of my challenges.
Book #175 – Harry the Happy Mouse – this fulfilled none of my challenges.

The best book I read this year – The Third Door: The Wild Quest to Uncover How the World’s Most Successful People Launched Their Careers*

The second best book I read – You Are a Badass at Making Money: Master the Mindset of Wealth*

The hardest book I read – Death of a Salesman. I have taken great pains to follow my dreams and craft a life that I want. This was hard to read to because of that. It makes me so sad when folks spend their whole lives working towards something to have so little at the end and be filled with much regret.

Favorite New (to me) Author of the year – Charles Martin. I am loving how he writes, especially about marriage. I’m tearing through his catalog and haven’t been even close to disappointed yet.

My favorite reading challenge – Hands down, The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge. Make sure you check out the 2019 challenge!

Final counts:
The 2018 Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge – read 12 out of 12. Completed!
The 2018 #BWELLREAD Reading Challenge – read 12 out of 12. Completed!
The 2018 Popsugar Reading Challenge – read 31 out of 50.
The 2018 Read Harder Challenge – read 14 out of 24.
The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge – read 52 out of 52. Completed!
Reading Bingo – this was one I got from my local library. It’s from Penguin Random house, but I can’t find a link to it. – read 15 out of 24.

Are you doing any reading challenges next year? Let me know which ones!

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Did you like what you read? Here’s some ways you can support us and this blog!
Join our Facebook group, Planning an Epic Road Trip on Any Budget
Join the Journey With The G’s email list (bonus – you get my Epic Road Trip Budget spreadsheet)
Buy my book, Planning an Epic Road Trip on any Budget.
Buy my book, Trusting God With 2 Cents: 22 Days To Becoming A Successful Christian Business Owner.
Shop on Amazon (no additional cost to you, this gives us a percentage of what you order).
Check out our resources page.
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Day 3459 – Bacon Day!!!

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What better way to end the year than with a day dedicated to bacon!!

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Did you like what you read? Here’s some ways you can support us and this blog!
Join our Facebook group, Planning an Epic Road Trip on Any Budget
Join the Journey With The G’s email list (bonus – you get my Epic Road Trip Budget spreadsheet)
Buy my book, Planning an Epic Road Trip on any Budget
Buy my book, Trusting God With 2 Cents: 22 Days To Becoming A Successful Christian Business Owner.
Shop on Amazon (no additional cost to you, this gives us a percentage of what you order).
Check out our resources page.
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel