Living out Romans 10:14

But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him?
And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him?
And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?
Romans 10:14, NLT

I have a cousin. Well, actually, I have several cousins. Lots, actually. They make me laugh. No, they make me spew sweet tea or diet coke or whatever I happen to have in my mouth at the precise moment they say something like "Not chicken soup! Tuna soup! Tuna fish salad!" (Don't even bother trying to get that...it's a Smith cousin thing....) It's all I can do not to choke.

But I digress. This cousin, Jessica, happens to feel the call of God on her life. She has such an interesting vision...such passion for what she does and the field she works in...well, I'll let her tell you...

"Jesus communicated his love, his forgiveness, and his relationship to us in story, in parables. He believes greatly in the power of the story and so do I. As a filmmaker specializing in both short and feature narrative fiction, I tell stories to help people see God, the relationship He wants, and what He offers in this life. I may not sound like a typical missionary, but I absolutely want to share the love, hope, and redemption in Christ -- through the power of a well told story.

But I need your help."

Please click over and read about her internship with Broken Phonebooth Productions, an organization under the umbrella of Campus Crusade for Christ (for lack of a better phrase...Jess will probably correct me) and The JESUS Film Project.

And, if you're felt led to give, that will be just one more step closer to Jessica's goal...to get down there and get to work.

Fall Tassels on Sale!

With the approach of Thanksgiving next week, along with the relentless tirade from television, radio, Facebook, Twitter, etc, etc. that WE MUST START CHRISTMAS SHOPPING NOW OR WE'LL MISS OUT ON THE BIGGEST SALES EVER!!!!!

Oh...sorry....

Ahem...

What was I saying? OH! Since the Christmas season is upon us, my fall/autumn tassels are now on sale.

Autumn Acorn Tassel - $23.00

Basket o' Plenty Tassel - $15

Pumpkin Tassel with Bow Tie - $14

And of course, since the Christmas season is upon us, I have several Christmas tassels that haven't been snatched up yet.

All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go Penguin - $25

And there are several more where he came from. Of course, if you'd like a custom tassel, I'm sure I have a topper and fringe that will fit just about anyone on your gift list. Even your cranky old Uncle Edgar.

Okay...maybe not him. But everyone else!

Oh, and remember, if you have bought a tassel from me before, you get free shipping!

Deja vu - TVP edition

My last post was about The Vintage Pearl. This post is about The Vintage Pearl. Spooky, huh?

Not really. I just want to win $75 IN TVP JEWELRY! The Nester is hosting a HUGE giveaway day and The Vintage Pearl is one of the wonderful participants.

Have I told you how much I love my TVP Relevant necklace? Well, I do. I wear it all the time now.

So, in order for you to have a chance to win some great jewelry, head over to The Vintage Pearl's Blog and enter to win.

The Vintage Pearl Giveaway at 10 Million Miles...

One of the wonderful things about Relevant was meeting so many amazing women. Some, I had read their blogs. Others, like Laura, I had not. I'm so glad I got to meet her as well as hear her story. She shared what she and her family have been through this year as she introduced Angie Smith Friday night. I will more than likely tell more about Laura in the days ahead because she blessed me so much Saturday night. More on that later.

Right now, I'm here to say that Laura is hosting a giveaway at her blog, 10 Million Miles, for a $50 gift certificate toThe Vintage Pearl!
I love TVP's stuff. They graciously donated 200+ necklaces to add to the AWESOME giveaway bags we got when we signed in. Imagine my glee when I took hold of the pretty black bag and opened it to find this beauty. Squealing is the only word I can use to describe what came out of my mouth. (BTW, the brown and pink pin was also in the giveaway bag...it's from the wonderfully awesome Kelly Joy Boutique. If you visit her page and see the University of Memphis hair clip...I sent her that fabric! Hey, I gotta have my 15 minutes of fame somehow...)(oh, and the turquoise flower pin behind it? It's from the wonderfully awesome Ashley at Our Daily Chocolate. It was NOT in the giveaway bag but I did get it as a giveaway. It's a long story. : ) And she really is wonderfully awesome!)

ANYway...back to the subject at hand. Look at this necklace that I am drooling over.LOVE it! It's called "vintage lovebirds" and even though we're not quite vintage (no matter WHAT Kiddo says), I think this is perfect for Sound Man and me.

If you'd like a chance to win the $50 gift certificate to The Vintage Pearl, hop over to Laura's blog to enter the giveaway. I know you will like her as much as I do.

Ever Grateful!

One of the most wonderful things about Relevant (aside from hearing from amazing women like Sally Clarkson and Ann Voskamp) was all the great products that sponsors gave away. Since one of the main sponsors was Dayspring, they offered some WONDERFUL products to review.

Dayspring's line of Ever Grateful Collection is absolutely beautiful. As the recipient of this gorgeous pitcher, I can honestly say this is quality stuff.

Ever Grateful - 10" Large Pitcher

Photo by Dayspring

When the box came to my door, I was so excited. I've never had a pitcher to grace my kitchen, so this is a beautiful addition that makes me happy just to look at it.

Having the chance to look at so much of the Ever Grateful Collection in person, I now want every piece! The beautiful, earthy colors go with any decor, and the inspiring sayings, verses, and designs allow you to share your faith with friends and family without being over the top. Please check out the Ever Grateful line out from Dayspring. You might even find something to put on your Christmas wish list!

*Disclaimer: I recieved this pitcher from Dayspring in return for an objective review of the product. I really do love it and the rest of the Ever Grateful line!

My Blogging Has Purpose?

This post is not about all I got from Relevant. It's been over a week since I returned home, and I still have yet to write it all down. Fear not, though...I will write it down. The men are going hunting this weekend so I will have some time to just sit at the computer to my heart's content.

But I will say that the Lord taught me several things that weekend. He taught me (through Ann Voskamp) that my blog has a purpose. It's not just random thoughts that I think no one really cares about. Well, some of it is, but it has a higher purpose.

"This is what I blog. Because this is who I am. I am a mess – who often doesn’t want to get out of bed. Who struggles and preaches ugly self-sermons to herself and some days just really doesn’t know how to go on. I don’t have it all together. I blog about not having it all together. And you know what? I’m almost willing to hazard a guess that there a whole lot of other women out there like me who are a bit of a mess and who don’t know how to get out of bed some mornings and who have to fight. Hard. For. Joy.

"...And when you sit down to your keyboard, and you write a blogpost — you are writing for me. You are writing for messed up me, and the messed up woman next door, and the messed up woman sitting beside you in church and messed up You. We need your messy stories. And you need your messy stories." ~ Ann Voskamp, A Holy Experience

The Lord is showing me that even though I started out this blog with no real purpose but to put some random thoughts down, I want it now to bless other people. To bless me. So...I will be making some changes. Not that many of you will see them...but I will.

So...for now, please go read Ann's keynote speech. As soon as she opened her mouth to speak, I knew God was going to speak to me. And guess what? You can hear her read her speech (I HIGHLY recommend you do this! Her voice is like buttah) or you can just read it yourself. My guess is that you'll find yourself written on her page.