August 10, 2020

Listening Now

August 10, 2020/ Taylor Ann Dietrich

I went to post this picture the other day, and as I was typing it, I had a message about Jesus come to mind. But I didn’t add it to my caption because I didn’t want to sit in the moment and try to work through whatever it was He was telling me to write. I just wanted to post about the outfit and move on.

Normally, I listen when He wants me to write something. Just like I’m listening now. But there are times when I am tired. There are times when I am scared. And there are times when I am down right selfish and ignore Him because hearing from Him might make things harder. Better, but harder.

Jesus used stories to teach about God’s love. I was recently reading in Matthew 22 about the parable of the wedding banquet when a verse kind of jumped out at me. The king was throwing a wedding banquet for his son. He invited people to the banquet, but they didn’t want to come. He said “I’ve prepared my dinner; my oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet”. But they still didn’t come. They ignored his request to celebrate with the king. When people finally did come to celebrate, the king asked a man why he wasn’t in wedding clothes and how he got there. The man was thrown out of the wedding as the king said, (and this is the verse that grabbed my attention) “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

We are all invited to listen to God when He is trying to tell us something. We are all invited into a relationship with Him. But we have to decide if we want to work at it, grow with Him, seek Him and create a bond with Jesus that exceeds all other relationships. We are chosen as His children, but is that something we are ready to accept?

God is yearning to speak to you. He is inviting you into the greatest party ever planned. A party that offers wisdom, peace, and promise of a never ending love. So, let’s lean in and listen. Because here’s the thing, I can’t remember what He was trying to teach me when I first shared that picture. I hate that. I hate that I missed it. Here’s the other thing, I serve a God that offers grace, and He is offering it now and teaching me all over again.

Are you ready to listen?

August 03, 2020

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale - Top Ten

August 03, 2020/ Taylor Ann Dietrich

It’s that time again! The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is here and ready to flood our instagram feeds with all the things. This year they are doing things a little different and slowly allowing people to shop the sale. It used to be that cardholders got to shop first and then the public. But now it all depends on the status of your card. Signing up for the card is the easiest thing to do. It also goes straight to your debit account. If shopping this sale works for your budget you can benefit getting a lot of great pieces for a great price. Below are my top ten picks and why. These are items that I personally love and know will go fast as the sale goes live. You can currently preview the sale and create a wishlist so that when it’s your turn to shop all you will have to do is checkout! Starting tomorrow and through the remainder of the sale you can catch my favorites on the NSale tab in the menu.

I have teamed up with an amazing group of bloggers to give YOU a chance to win: a $1,000 Nordstrom Gift Card to shop the Anniversary sale!

Simply enter below by completing the rafflecopter. You’ll receive one entry per completion. This giveaway is open to the U.S. and Canada only and runs until 8/17. Winner will be announced here. Good Luck!

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July 30, 2020

Back To School Books

July 30, 2020/ Taylor Ann Dietrich

It’s that time of year. School is gearing to start up and another year of learning is about to begin. When I used to teach elementary school Adam always knew that come August anything not related to school would be put on hold until Labor Day weekend. The house was a disaster, meals were hardly cooked, laundry was never folded. I was focused 100% on my new group of upcoming students and nothing else.

One of the best parts of the first day was sitting that new group of kids on the rug and reading them a story for the first time. Something about reading to my kids - it just held a since of comfort for me. A chance to connect with the kids through a simple story. I started almost every school year with the story Splat the Cat. It isn’t a book with some profound message to set the class off on the right foot for the school year. It is just a funny, simple book that my students enjoyed. I would finish the day reading Rhyming Dust Bunnies (using some serious voice effects) and that always had the kids laughing. Rhyming Dust Bunnies has absolutely nothing to do with the first day of school - but it was always a hit.

I share all of this because I know school is going to look different for everyone this year. Some might be going to school, others learning online, some doing homeschool. The first day of school might come from a computer screen or equipped with a mask. It breaks my heart how the comfort of going to school has to be so different this year. So I thought I would compile a list of Back to School books for you to read with your child at home when it’s time for school to start back.

A lot about this upcoming school year is hard. It is all new and you don’t need me to tell you that it’s never been done before. But can I let you in on a little secret. Every school year is hard. No matter what the circumstances. The trick is allowing the good to outweigh the parts that don’t make sense. Finding those small moments in each day and allowing them to speak louder than the parts that make you want to hide under your desk until Christmas break.

Here is to a new school year. One like never before. One that I pray brings a new way of teaching, learning, and giving grace.