2019 Oh! The Places You’ll Go! Giveaway Blog Hop

Congratulations to Madonna D. from West Virginia, the winner of the $15 Amazon gift card!

Because the first day of school is usually in the fall, August is considered one of the best months for tourism as people scramble to fit in one last fun-in-the-sun vacation. This summer, I visited the Twin Cities in Minnesota. I’d never been before, and a friend who’s moving there wanted to scout for apartment locations. I hadn’t taken a vacation in over three years, so this sounded like the perfect opportunity to get away and see something new.

So off we went, exploring downtown Minneapolis, St. Paul, various suburbs, and the Mall of America, which is a community unto itself. The weather, which we hear so much about in the rest of the country, was perfect – sunny skies, mid-80s, a light breeze. The calm surface of the lakes reflected the glorious sunlight, and people walked, biked, or skateboarded to their destinations all around us.

To celebrate summer vacations, I’m joining The Kids Did It blog and The Mommy Island blog to participate in the 4th Annual Oh! The Places You’ll Go! Giveaway Event, which runs from August 6-20, 2019. The winner of this giveaway will receive a $15 Amazon gift card. Continue reading “2019 Oh! The Places You’ll Go! Giveaway Blog Hop”

The Road Trip

The Road Trip

Do you know how God controls the clouds and makes his lightning flash? 16 Do you know how the clouds hang poised, those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge? (Job 37:15-16)

The hot days of summer bring back memories of childhood vacations: riding in the car for hours, listening to my brother sing Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA,” declaring war on my brother for crossing the invisible boundary separating us in the backseat, exploring the wonders of the West, and having adventures with family in Nevada. Continue reading “The Road Trip”

Focus on God, Not Fear

Staci and Lilly, out for a walk

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” Psalm 56:3

During the hottest part of the summer, I woke up at 6:00 a.m. to walk my dog, Lilly. Even though we left early, the temperature was already in the low 80s. Oklahoma summers can be brutal. One of the parks that we go to has a really pretty fountain on one end. On this particular day, we walked over to the fountain. It’s located in slight depression, so Lilly and I walked down the steps and circled the fountain a couple of times. She jumped up on the edge of the fountain, peered into the water, and promptly jumped in, startling me. She resurfaced and started paddling for the edge, but she couldn’t reach it to get out on her own. I lifted her out of the water, and she took off running to dry off, dragging me behind her as I held onto her leash with all my strength. Continue reading “Focus on God, Not Fear”