A Better Way To Do Your Day

 Every morning it happens. We wake up too late, and try to prepare for school or work within 10 or 15 minutes. Fortunately, there's a better way. (I've been working on this with myself lately, too. So if you do this- You are not alone!)

I've been going to bed earlier, and setting my alarm for 6 AM (I know, a tragic time of day that none of us want to see!). The routine I'm trying to accomplish is more of a slower paced lifestyle, if you've read my personal blog, you've probably noticed that I recently moved waaaaay out into the country, and it made me realize how fast we live our lives. We go to bed at 1 AM, wake up at 6:30 just barely missing the bus or an important meeting at work, after our day is over and we come home, we make a quick microwave meal and stuff our faces with oreo's, watch a couple movies, have "me" time, and go to bed so that you can do it all over again the next day. Well folks, I have to say, for me, I don't want to live that lifestyle. I don't want to feel like I'm being hurried through my day. All those things are ok in themselves, but when it becomes our daily lifestyle, something we're use to- it ruins us. We become practically lifeless. Don't waste the life God gave you! Come home, make a nice meal for your family, enjoy your time with them! :) Instead of wasting countless hours and investing precious time in catching up with the latest TV series or brand new Hollywood scandal movie, spend time investing in the lives of the people you love. It could mean calling up a friend and letting you know that you're praying for them, or sitting down and encouraging a friend over coffee. The possibilities are endless, it could just mean spending a few hours in the precious presence of our Lord, Jesus Christ. I see people every single day, even my own friends, cousins, aunts, and uncles- living the hurried life. And let me tell you, one key to lifelong unhappiness is wasting your life like that. We need to be real, and be who our King called us to be. Be real for Him, be happy for Him, serve Him the way He’s meant to be served! It’s simpler than putting the new Hollywood DVD in your DVD player, it’s easier than eating 2 packages of oreo’s, it’s easier than breathing!

Here is my new day planned out:

Awake at 6.

Bible at 6:05. (No morning Bible for me = no food for the rest of the day until I spend the time that HE has given me with Him. I suggest you challenge yourself with that, too! It’s going to be challenging for all of us, but we’re in it together as brothers and sisters in Christ, and that is a challenge I am willing to take!)

Breakfast at 7.

Start classes at 9.

Dinner at 5:30.

The rest of the night: Invest time into a friends life, spend hours in the presence of God, or do whatever I can to spend my time wisely for God.

Anyway, let me know If you start to do your day a better way, I have much faith in you! You can do it!

Thanks for reading. 

Sincerely, Grace from Smile… Just Smile.

Intro / 25 Things To Do This Fall

Hello everyone! As you may know, Libbi is currently fasting (which is really amazing if I do say so myself!), and I'll be your guest blogger while she is gone. My name is Grace, and you can read my blog here: http://thatsmilingblog.blogspot.com/  (My blog is about life, Christ, and other stuff! Hope you stop by sometime, see you there!)
______





25 Fun Things To Do This Fall:

1. Play in the rain. By experience, I know it's really fun!

2. Sew linen napkins for Thanksgiving & Christmas. (I will possibly be doing this, find some cute patterns for linen napkins and other adorable things here)

3. Make a pile of leaves, and jump in it. Just because you can. :)

4. Make homemade hot cocoa, here's my favorite recipe!

5. Decorate your Christmas tree. (We do it either the week before Thanksgiving or the Saturday after. Although, I strongly believe it would be so fun to put it up in August!)

6. Apple picking.

7. Get a pumpkin spice latte from your local coffee shop.

8. Compliment someone.

9. Try something new. (i.e. Eating squid, going on a roller coaster, putting a drop of ghost pepper hot sauce on your food and actually eating it. <-- Yes, I tried that the other night.)

10. Do something crafty. (I'll be posting some crafts soon!)

11. On Thanksgiving, make a super cute table setting.

12. Sing your favorite song, outside, at the top of your lungs.

13. Make a homemade pumpkin cake, with homemade pumpkin frosting. (Yes, ladies, I did say homemade! Not from preservative-induced box or container!)

14. Marvel at the beauty of fall, and all the pretty colors.

15. Light a candle and read "The Lost Art Of True Beauty" by Leslie Ludy, while drinking your delicious homemade hot cocoa.

16. Watch "The Candy Cane Story" movie, it's wonderful.

17. Make a commitment for life that is out of the "normal" of society, (i.e. Saving first kiss for marriage, go through Christian courtship instead of dating every guy you meet.)

18. Decorate your bedroom and try to give it that "homey" feel.

19. Write a letter to someone that you'd normally email.

20. Dig deeper into God's word more than ever before.

21. Ask about someone's life story.

22. Email me at justsmilingasalways@gmail.com, telling me about anything you accomplished on this list.

23. Talk to an old friend.

24. Set a goal, and do it!

25. Start writing a novel for the fun of it. (Who knows, it could be published someday!)

Sincerely, Grace from Smile... Just. Smile.

The time has come...

...for me to say goodbye for a little while. Tomorrow will be Wednesday, the twenty eighth of September, of the year twenty eleven, and I will be taking a forty day break from blogging and Facebook, so I can focus on school, reading, and packing {an announcement I will make in November} You will see me again around mid-November, because right about when my break ends, my family will be re-configuring our internet.

Until then, do not fear! I have left you in good hands, the hands of Grace from Smile...Just Smile. You should check out her blog soon!

Things you probably should know:

• I am running TWO photo challenges during the time I am gone. The linky is the same for both, so if you want to enter both, just put the two photos in your link, and just specify which is which.
• If you see a post on here that is not a guest post {such as a book review} do not fear! I am still on my break, but my sister may post a few reviews for me during that time!
• If you have a VERY important question or comment, you can email me {also email me if I won a giveaway or photo challenge I entered earlier this week }
• libbilogs{at}gmail{dot}com 
• If you want to follow me during my 40 days, follow me via twitter {@thefunnerlife}
   Thank you all for being my {cyber} friends! I can't wait to write you again!

        So, after a vote, I am going to host a photography contest! It will start today, and I will leave the linky up through my fast, and I will pick the winner when I get back!

The theme for the photo contest is

Friendship 

The Winner's Picture will be posted on my page along with an interview of the photographer who took it :) Here is an example:

The rules

• Please post all pictures to the glory of God, keep 'em  rated G. 
• Obviously, the photo must be taken by you. 
• try to comment on a few other photos.
• Your blog post must include a link to my blog, or my blog button if you would rather. 
• You may edit your picture as much as you want
• Make sure your link is directly to the individual post, not to the blog in it's entirety.
• Winners will be announced at the beginning/middle of November
• You don't necessarily have to be a follower of my blog, but, if you win, you might want to know!
• You can link from a flickr as well!
• I reserve the right to delete any entryI find innapropriate

So with that, enter away!

Photo Challenge

        So, after a vote, I am going to host a photography contest! It will start today, and I will leave the linky up through my fast, and I will pick the winner when I get back! I wanted to pick a different kind of theme, so without further ado

The theme for the photo contest is...

Time.

For some people, time could be a clock, and hourglass, or one of the thing that typically  reminds one of time. I am looking for a unique idea of time. The winner will get an interview on my blog OR a blog button/header/signature package :) here is a sample entry

This photo reminds me of time because of how long the tree must have been growing :)

The rules

• Please post all pictures to the glory of God, keep 'em  rated G. 
• Obviously, the photo must be taken by you. 
• Comment on at least three of the photos.
• Your blog post must include a link to my blog, or my blog button if you would rather. 
• You may edit your picture as much as you want
• Make sure your link is directly to the individual post, not to the blog in it's entirety.
• Winners will be announced at the beginning of November
• You don't necessarily have to be a follower of my blog, but, if you win, you might want to know!
• You can link from a flickr as well!
• I reserve the right to delete any entry for no given reason.

So with that, enter away!

Book Review: Go Big by Cory Cotton

       "A free sandwich, a simple camera, and 20 “I can do better than you” shots later, Dude Perfect was born." - Dude Perfect

      Have you ever had a dream? A dream that seems to big to come true? In this fun, exciting book, Cory Cotton shows a few steps to reach your dream in this super-connected world. In this day and age, a video that is posted on Youtube can reach millions of views within hours. With tools such as twitter, Facebook, and even blogger, the term "Overnight sensation" is becoming more and more common,  especially in the case of Dude Perfect. Dude Perfect Received over two million views from around the world in the two hour span they were on the Yahoo! front page. In this culture, businesses that usually take 15 years to become popular can become popular overnight, so there is no reason not to "Go Big!" They use five basic principles to get your "Go Big" idea going:

• Get excited 
• Own it 
• Blink later
• Inspire others
•  Give back

     I loved Go Big! I thought this book was so inspiring, and it was just so much fun! I of course completely approve of the fun aspect! One of their points really spoke to me. They were saying that if you have small, realistic goals, then when you reach that goal, the reaction will be small, realistic, and nothing different then what the world has already done. When you go big and have unrealistic goals, then you are separated from the rest of the world,  set apart as a different kind of dreamer, a Go Big dreamer. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to others, without a doubt one of the most fun {yet focused} books I have read in a long time!

I encourage you to watch Dude Perfect's Youtube videos, though I will warn you, once you start, it is hard to stop!

Dude Perfect's Website

Dude Perfect's Youtube Channel

My Favorite Dude Perfect Video:

Tyndale House Publishers has provided you with a complimentary copy of this book

Photography ♥

How would everyone feel about a photography contest? I would love to do one, but only if enough people entered to make it worthwhile! 15+ people would be enough. Make sure to vote in the side, and one I have 15 or so yes's I will have a photography contest up!

Let me know what you think!

New blog!

Hey everyone! I finally decided to start a photography blog! Please check it out over here!

http://pioneerphoto.blogspot.com/

Let me know what you guys think!

Important announcement!

     Just a reminder, I will be taking a forty day break from blogging on September 28th {in two Wednesdays}and I will be re-doing the blog for the days leading up to the 28th. On November 7th, {The day when the fast will end} I will be back on just like always, I just might have a more regular posting schedule. If you would like to follow my journey through the 40 day fast, you can follow my twitter here: http://twitter.com/#!/thefunnerlife.  I will not be on Facebook or my email either, but if you want, you can send me a twitter {Which I can use from my phone.} If any one still wants to guest post, email me at libbilogs{at}gmail{dot}com. before September 26th!
Until then!
Libbi H.

A Giveaway...

Hey everyone! I want to tell you about an awesome giveaway! I believe it has quite a few items!





Make sure to enter! {Please keep checking back :) I will add the rest as they come! DO follow her blog! I find it so refreshing and sweet!

Day 1
Day 2

Siblings ♥

Don't you just love your siblings?
I am linking this photo up to....

♥ I am proud to be an American ♥

O beautiful for spacious skies,

For amber waves of grain,

For purple mountain majesties

Above the fruited plain!

America! America!

God shed His grace on thee,

And crown thy good with brotherhood

From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet

Whose stern impassion'd stress

A thoroughfare for freedom beat

Across the wilderness.

America! America!

God mend thine ev'ry flaw,

Confirm thy soul in self-control,

Thy liberty in law.

O beautiful for heroes prov'd

In liberating strife,

Who more than self their country lov'd,

And mercy more than life.

America! America!

May God thy gold refine

Till all success be nobleness,

And ev'ry gain divine.

O beautiful for patriot dream

That sees beyond the years

Thine alabaster cities gleam

Undimmed by human tears.

America! America!

God shed His grace on thee,

And crown thy good with brotherhood

From sea to shining sea.

On this day, ten years have past since the horrible events at 9/11. Let us keep the families of the victims in our prayers this day.

♥ A day with friends

Today I had a super-fun day spent with both my oldest AND my newest friends! We went {and some of us played) to see a volleyball game, then had hot dogs and grilled veggies (not to mention mint Oreos :) and played games the rest of the afternoon. This picture taken by my friend's mom says it all....

Sincerely,

Libbi H.

Book Review: A River to Cross by Yvonne Harris

     After the death of her first husband, Elizabeth Evans has vowed that she would never marry an "army man" again. She couldn't bear  the pain. But when she is kidnapped by some rogue Spanish men, she is immediately taken by the handsome Jake Nelson, her rescuer. Throughout the next two weeks, Elizabeth and Jake find their mutual attraction somewhat disarming. As they spend time together, while they are taking Elizabeth back to a safe location, they begin to fall in love. Unfortunately the same men who had kidnapped Elizabeth are still on the hunt for her, and Jake has a feeling that they won't stop until Elizabeth is dead.
     I though this book was very well written, with great descriptions of everything from the terrain, to the way people looked, to the way they spoke, and such detail is important in a story such as this one. One of the only bad things was that I am not sure of the historical accuracy of a few of the things mentioned HOWEVER I am no history major by any means, and I could be completely wrong! I would recommend this book to those in highschool and up, and I sincerely hope you will buy it!
Sincerely,
Libbi H.

Bethany House Publishers gave me this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

A Photo Challenge

Hello friends! How are you today? I am entering my first photo challenge! The theme is "Black and White" SO here is my photo!

I am linking this up to Allie Photography!

 

Sincerely,

Libbi H.

Book Review: A Sound Among the Trees by Susan Meissner

{Please click on the cover to be taken to the first chapter}

     Every family has a skeleton in the closet, a secret that only a selected few know. While many have these cryptic mysteries in a family's home, usually the mystery is not the home itself. So is the problem with Holly Oaks, an eerie abode nestled in Fredericksburg, Virginia. As one of the few remaining houses in a town destroyed by a Civil War battle, Holly Oaks is a house that has more to it than some bricks and timber. Every woman who has been born in the home has led a life of grief, misfortune, and misery. When Marielle Bishop marries into this strange family, she is greeted with doubt, fear, and anxiety over living in such a place where many women before her had led lives of anguish. When her new Great Grandmother, Adelaide, tells Marielle that a ghost had pushed her down the stairs, Marielle becomes fairly aghast at the many superstitions about the house, afraid she will never live to see her fears resolved. Will she be able to unlock the mystery of Holly Oak, or will she become another is the long line of misfortune?

     This book was an invigorating read, one of those that could be read over and over, without growing dull. This book makes one think, unlocking a heart and pondering everything within. Indeed, one could read the entire thing in a single day; if they couldn't stand to shut it without finishing it, which is usually the case. A good gauge whether or not it will be a good book is the first paragraph. This book started beautifully, using descriptive sentences that only the best of authors could have written. This descriptive quality was carried throughout the book, giving readers not a glimpse, but an entire view of the contents within. One section was not suitable for younger audiences, however any adult should be thrilled to read it.

       Overall, this book is a wonderful addition to anyone's library, bringing a new style of descriptiveness anywhere it is brought. Whether read over a day, a week, or a month, this book is sure to please it's readers. Susan Meissner has written a wonderful addition to her growing library, and one could hope she will write many more captivating, descriptive, wonderful novels in the future. This book will come out on October 4th, 2011. One can be certain it is a great purchase.

Sincerely,
Libbi H.


WaterBrook Multnomah gave me this book free of charge, in return for an honest review.

   

Book Review: Lion of Babylon by Davis Bunn

     Marc Royce loved his job. Working for the State Department up till his abrupt dismissal, because of meaningless issues. Nearly three years later, he is called upon to help solve the problem of three people who have gone missing in Baghdad. One person going missing is  a problem. Two people going missing is also a problem. Three people going missing  is a gigantic problem. Are they linked? Three people from completely different lifestyles, a nurse, an aid worker, and a wealthy Iraqi boy, yet their disappearances are too similar to be a coincidence. While working on the problem, Marc finds trails of people meeting who were sworn enemies.He discovers a surprising truth that could change the Middle East. Forever.
     This book was well written out, grabbing one from the first chapter. Usually, books can be given until the end of the first paragraph to draw in a reader. This book did just that. With an Intriguing beginning, and intensely suspenseful end, this book is hard to put down. One will agree that this book had just the right number of pages, and an interesting plot that sets it apart from others. Though fairly sad at parts, Overall, this book was a fantastic read for anyone who enjoys a fast-paced story, on the edge of trouble. One would recommend this book to ages 13+, because younger children would not understand it as well.
Sincerely,
Libbi H.
P.S. I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Calling all bloggers!

       So, my dearest blogging friends,

I have some news for you. Late this September, I have felt God calling me to fast for the 40 days for Life campaign. I have participated in this campaign the past two times it has happened. I have usually fasted sugar, or sweets. This year I feel God calling me on a fast that requires a lot of effort on my part. I am going to fast the internet. For those of you who don't know me very well, I try to post often, I check my Facebook every hour, and spend too much of my time on the computer. I know I will need God's help to get me through these 40 days without any internet. It will take a lot of self control, but that is something I need more of anyhow. I sincerely hope you all will pray for me in my quest, so that I might gain more of the fruits of the Spirit then i previously had. In the meantime, I still have about 27 days before the fast starts, and in that time, I would love to find a few guest bloggers. The fast is September 29th- November 6th, so, I would like to have six - eight guest bloggers to post. I am not picky on the content, so long as it is not crude, foul, or immoral. If anyone has  tutorials, recipes, or posts on subjects such as modesty and purity, then I am all ears! If you have an idea for a post, email me at  libbilogs{at}gmail{dot}com and I will see what I can do! As a sidenote, you are also able to include a small section at the bottom of your post about you and your blog, so you might get a little publicity too! Thank you my dear followers, I am so excited to see what God has for me on this fast!

Sincerely,

Libbi H.