Upcycle Your Life

SavvyExpression finally has a tagline – Upcycle Your Life. While on a walk earlier this week, my husband and I were trying to think of a phrase. He threw out, “Upcycle Your Life,” and it stuck. It just fits with everything this blog is about.

up·cy·cle [uhp-sahy-kuhl] To process (used goods or waste material) so as to produce something that is often better than the original. (source: dictionary.com)

Generally, when we hear the term ‘upcycle’ we think of repurposing something old or something that would otherwise be thrown away. I often blog about this – using rummage sale finds to make something new. However, ‘upcycle’ can apply to so much else in your life!

Cooking – taking ingredients lying around the house to make a delicious dish. Fitness – implementing a new workout to become a healthier person.

Most importantly, spirituality – turning your life over to Christ so He can ‘process’ YOU and make YOU ‘better than the original.’

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags. (Isaiah 64:6a)

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Memory Jar

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Our Memory Jar
(It still needs a little pizzazz, I know. I’ll do that eventually.)

After seeing this on Pinterest, I decided to start my own memory jar. I’m really excited!

My husband and I plan to fill our jar with notes of events (happy, sad, big, small, funny, odd, significant, seemingly insignificant, etc.) that happen throughout this year. Two ‘memories’ are in the jar already – yay!

At the end of the year, after reading all the entries, I plan to put them in a scrapbook. I can’t wait! This will be a good way for us to recap the year and see how the Lord has blessed us, guided us, and strengthened us along the way.

It’s not too late to start your own memory jar, so get goin’ already :).

three : sixteen

I’ve been awol! :/ These last several weeks/months have been extremely busy. Because of that, I’ve completely neglected my blog. This will likely be the norm for the next few months, unfortunately. But, today I have something worth blogging about! 🙂

Many of us know the famous 3:16 passage in the Bible…For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. – John 3:16

However, I never knew there were so many other powerful passages that came from chapter threes and verse sixteens in the Bible. Today’s church service was titled “three:sixteen.” Below are the three scriptures discussed during today’s sermon regarding the Holy Spirit:

  • John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” – Luke 3:16 NIV
  • As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. – Matthew 3:16 NIV
  • Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? – 1 Corinthians 3:16 NKJV 

I encourage you to read your Bible. Read the passages surrounding the scriptures above to better obtain the context in which they were written. The Bible is full of truth. You may find yourself surprised at how applicable the information in the Bible is to your daily life. Give it a try! 🙂

I should be back here in a month (hopefully sooner!). In the meantime, share some scriptures you find powerful…

Bring The Rain

This song came to mind today, so I thought I’d share my thoughts…

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Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory
And I know there’ll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that’s what it takes to praise You
Jesus, bring the rain

‘Bring the Rain’ by MercyMe

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I’ve sung this song so many times, meaning every word of it. But then, the rain actually comes, and the praising becomes extremely difficult. When your (my) heart aches, it’s so difficult to praise and thank the Lord for what is happening. It must be done, though. So eventually, through the tears, I sincerely praise and thank Him, knowing, believing, trusting that He knows all.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord… (Jeremiah 29:11). He knows the big picture. I don’t.

Did you think to pray?

I noticed I was smiling the other day as I saw these words on Pinterest. This is something similar to what my husband often says to me – “Did you pray about it?” he’ll ask, as I’m crying, worrying, or frantic about something. And I’ll stop, look at him and, more often than I’d like to admit, say – “No, not yet.”

In the midst of troubles it’s easy to forget to pray, but that should be the first thing we do! Too often we use it as our last resort. Our mentality (at least mine oftentimes) seems to be, “Well, since there’s nothing else I can do, I’ll just pray about it.” That is sooooo backwards! Prayer is sooooo powerful! We are calling on the One who parted the sea, who healed the leper, who raised Lazarus from the grave…the list goes on! Why do we feel prayer is our last resort? It’s like saying, “Jesus, I believe I can handle this better than you, so I’ll try my plan first. If it doesn’t work, then I’ll ask you for help.” That makes absolutely NO sense! Prayer, Jesus, Our Savior – THIS is what we should turn to first and foremost.

And on that note, Lord, I pray that you would guide me in everything I do and help me to think to pray first and foremost. Amen.