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Happy Small Business Saturday! I hope that today you will find some sweet small businesses to support and shop from! There are so many different small business owners who are so creative and talented! If you own a small business shop, please feel free to leave your link in the comments for others to check out your talent and items you are creating!
For my small businesses please enjoy special discounts at the following shops:
Teachers Pay Teachers Shop: Caravan Sonnet Shoppe (Click HERE)(20% off)
Etsy Shop: December Caravan (click HERE)(25% off)
Thank you for all of your support friends on this small business Saturday and everyday each year!!
Happy (belated) Thanksgiving friends!
We traveled home from mom's surgery yesterday, full of gratitude that things went incredibly well and smooth. I am confident that it is the prayers of so many and I am so incredibly grateful. Due to weather and an unexpected snowstorm our trip home was long... but filled with a tender reminder of so many things that we have been blessed with. I hope that each of you (for my readers in America) that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving- however you were celebrating it.
This past Monday at my work we were asked to share a Thanksgiving tradition and I ended up sharing one from many years ago... when life seemed a bit simpler, when the family felt "intact and whole" with my hero father and my precious grandmother were still here with us...before "all the stuff"... simple traditions that in reality had nothing to do with "thanksgiving" and more to do with silly laughter that came about over the years. After I shared I was quiet as others talked excitedly about their plans and the special foods and traditions that they have and a thought crossed my mind... "will it ever be like that again"? Not the laughter (my mom and sis and I) have fought hard for that over the past five years... but the silly traditions that mean so much to my heart... and I realized it would- different, but the current and the future can blend the old while mixing new traditions. Seasons change... but I am realizing more and more that Thanksgiving in many ways is a complete act of faith - not just for one single day, but for our daily lives.
Faith that my past life (Dietrich Bonhoffer once declared) is abundantly full of God's mercy.
Faith that my current road that has followed lots of loss over the last few years (as Elisabeth Elliott once described)... is the set of marching orders.
And most of all faith for the future in the trust of the unchanging one as one of my heroes, Darlene Diebler Rose so adequately stated... "I realized how little I knew of what makes a true missionary statesman; of a faith that never staggers at the promise of God, no matter how incredible to the natural man its fulfillment seems; of a trust in the Unchanging One, Who keeps the heart at rest and unperturbed in a changing world; of a burning love that counts not life dear until itself, but is expendable for God; and of a vision that is never dimmed."
In closing, thank you for continuing to make this such a beautiful community and space for more than a 11 years. This Thanksgiving I am so grateful for each of you, the opportunity to connect and encourage one another in this space and on the journey the Lord has us. Praying that this Thanksgiving season is a beautiful one for you and your loved ones.
Depending on where you live in the world, getting ready for storm season can mean something different. In some places, it’s all about those snow storms and hail storms. The temperatures drop dramatically below zero and the world feels icy and stiff. In other parts of the world, storm season means heavy rains, heatwaves and typhoons.
Regardless of where you’re living, you need to be ready to embrace the storms and ride them out as best you can. You need to maintain your home and think ahead, putting in the right plans to get through the storm with you and your house in one piece. Rather than deal with a Dorothy situation in the Wizard of Oz, you need to get prepped and be ready for those snowstorms or supercell rain storms, no matter where you’re reading this post from! Let’s dive right into how you can get prepared for a safe and healthy storm season.
1. Consider the risk of blackouts. There are so many people who forget that storms can down power lines, and they do it with ferocity. A downed power line can cause you to blackout and that means you need to plan ahead for generator installation now and not wait. You don't want to think about being stuck in the dark with no power backup if your local power lines end up across the highway. If you don't know your blackout risk, chat to your local electrical provider and your local fire department. They’ll be able to guide you as to whether you are going to need any additional help beyond a generator or two.
2. Sort out your greenery. Low hanging trees? That’s a no-no in a storm if you want to avoid smashed windows and broken gutters. Tree branches that hang low over your guttering or even drape over the roof can be a flying hazard in a storm. It’s best to avoid these if possible by having these trees and long branches cut right back before the storms settle in. you want to make sure that the structure of your roof has integrity, and you don't want it caving in or a strong tree limb ripping it off.
3. Clean out those gutters. Speaking of broken guttering, if you’re about to have snowstorms and freezing temperatures, the best thing to do is get the local roofing company to come in and clean out your gutters and downpipes. You’ll find that a build up of leafy debris can cause gutters to block up and water to back up over your roof. That can lead to frozen pipes, water leaks and a roof that no longer holds up under the weight of the rainfall.
3. Speak to the roofing experts. When was the last time you had your roof inspected by an expert? Broken roof tiles, rusty flashings and broken gutters are all things that are easily missed if you aren't up on the roof looking at it yourself. Getting a roofing company in to inspect it for you is the best thing to do to avoid shimmying up ladders. Book in a licensed plumber to do it and you’ll have any possible issues fixed before the roof is ripped up by wind!
4. Stash away the outdoor furniture. Even if you’re not expecting a hurricane, you should secure your backyard or outdoor furniture. Putting everything into a closed shed or a basement is a good idea. You can put any BBQs or larger items secured with a chain into the ground or around the pillars if your house has them. You need to make sure that wind or rain won’t ruin anything unsecure, and you won’t have anything whipping around in the wind!
6. Turn off the power. When you’re under a storm, you need to make sure that you turn off your water, gas and power. Obviously, you don't want to do this if a storm is only threatened, but you do need to know where to turn off these utilities before a storm hits so that you don't have to panic about any electrical issues or flooding. Locating these switches is important and you should make a point of learning where they are so that you can get ahead.
7. Pack a couple of emergency kits. You should always have an emergency kit handy and this should be in the car but also in the house. It should have enough water for three days, a first aid kit, a battery powered torch and radio (with plenty of spare batteries!), any important documents, spare change of clothes, chargers and even non-perishable food items for a couple of days. If you have kids, don't forget some entertainment options, power banks for phones and even insect repellant.
8. Keep an emergency repair kit handy. Having a spare emergency repair kit in both emergency bags is a must. It should be packed with tarps, duct tape, a Stanley knife, sandbags and even a hammer and rope. Emergency repairs should never be done unless you have to do something or you’re in a situation where you have no choice. Ideally, you want to choose an emergency first response!
9. Sign up to weather alerts. As they say, forewarned is forearmed and you can be forewarned if you sign up to weather alerts in advance. Being aware of the storms that could be coming to your area will make a big difference to your readiness. Looking at the sky is one thing but watching the radar is another!
10. Make sure that you invested in storm cover for your contents insurance. Home and contents insurance is an absolute must, but you need Peace of Mind with it. Storms actually can account for some of the highest home insurance claims, so you need to have the highest level of cover. Of course, being prepared doesn't guarantee that your home won't be affected during storm season, as these can be unpredictable, But if you have the right insurance in place, at least you might be able to claw back some money if you lose out.
*contributed post*
You want to make sure that you feel your best daily. This will require that you commit to taking good care of yourself and paying closer attention to your habits and way of life.
It’s normal to have setbacks and hiccups when it comes to putting your needs and well-being first. When you recognize that you’ve fallen off track it’s the perfect time to determine what types of changes you can make to your lifestyle that will have a positive impact. Here you can review some tips to help you kickstart your journey to better health.
Eat A Healthy Diet
If you’re going to get and stay healthy then you must eat a healthy diet. Stay away from foods with added sugar and limit the amount of processed foods you’re consuming. Instead, fill your diet up with lean proteins, a mix of fruits such as nutritious strawberries and blackberries, and green vegetables. You may have an easier time eating healthily if you grocery shop for yourself and cook meals at home. You might also want to write in a food journal and keep better track of what you’re putting in your body.
Get Enough Sleep & Rest
You want to wake up each day feeling refreshed and ready to seize the day ahead. In this case, you’ll want to make sure you get proper and quality sleep each night. If you’re someone who struggles to fall and stay asleep then you may want to look into some remedies that can help you with this issue. For example, you can consider getting some premium CBD and THC products that are effective in improving your sleep and helping you to feel calm and relaxed before bedtime. If you have a lot on your mind then you may also want to keep a notepad by your bedside and jot down anything that you start thinking about as you try to fall asleep.
Commit to Regular Exercise
Another excellent way to kickstart your journey to better health is to get more regular exercise. You may want to join a gym or set up a gym at your home so you feel more motivated to work out. Create a playlist of your favorite upbeat songs and invest in comfortable and stylish activewear that you enjoy putting on. If you stick with your new routine you’ll notice that it isn’t long before your clothes start to fit better and you have more natural energy.
Nurture Your Mental Health
Your mental health also impacts how you feel and your overall happiness. If you want to successfully kickstart your journey to better health then you should get in the habit of nurturing your mental health. If you tend to deal with a racing mind then you may want to experiment with practicing meditation on a regular basis. There are apps you can download on your phone that are filled with a variety of guided meditations that you can listen to. You may also want to more frequently disconnect from technology and choose to spend more time outdoors in nature. Nature has a natural way of making you feel calm and will give you a break away from your to-do list.
*contributed post*
Thank you so much for your prayers for my mom's heart procedure tomorrow morning. It is scheduled at 6:30am (EST) - we will need to be at the hospital earlier than that. I know that we are not the only one who are approaching unknowns, surgeries & a whole host of other things this week. Things that we could never imagined that we would be facing today. I wanted to share with y'all my prayer for my mom's procedure tomorrow... I hope it will be an encouragement to those of you walking a similar path...
God, my God, you know my fearful & terrified heart & state as we approach today. I am gripped by anxiety over the procedure/surgery that my loved one has to undergo. We are very much frightened of the entire procedure. Lord, your word says that you will strengthen us on our bed of illness & you will sustain my mom on her sickbed. Yes Lord! We trust your word & turn to you for help. Human wisdom & skill are nothing before you. So please fill the doctors who attend to my mom with your divine wisdom Lord so that they can perform this surgery in a perfect manner.
Take all of those who assist them & everyone associated with the surgery in your hands & keep them as your instruments in bringing healing to her. The prayer of my heart & so many others has been for mom to be able to live without heart issues. Use this Lord to bring about healing. Use this Lord for your glory even though right now things seem dark & scary. May this situation reflect your love and goodness & showcase your love and power. Shine your light into the darkness Lord. We cling to your promises that you are always with me, wherever we go! You are already there Lord.
As she is wheeled into the room, feeling alone & scared- your presence will be there to meet & to guide. Lord, hold her hand tightly and grant her your peace. We totally & completely rest on you and thank you for always being with us & carrying her & rescuing her Lord. You are the God of miracles & we are trusting you for big miracles today.
"Tell those who are terrified, be brave & don't be afraid. Your God will come...He will come & rescue you..." // Is. 35:4
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Happy Sunday friends! I hope that you have had a wonderful weekend so far! Today I am so excited to share with y'all an adorable new Christmas Junk Journal addition to the shop!
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This adorable The Night Before Christmas Vintage Junk Journal is now available for purchase! (You can find it HERE!)
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This beautiful Junior Elf "Vintage The Night Before Christmas” Junk Journal is a Christmas Lovers dream. With more than 50 pages/tags that include quality and beautiful scrapbook paper, adorable vintage and modern embellishments and ephemera and tags, cards, ribbon (both vintage and unique modern) and pretty surprises for the owner to receive, this Junk Journal will create a treasured keepsake for a lifetime and can be used throughout the holiday season and years to come.
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These beautiful and unique journals are the perfect way to grab onto ordinary moments or days and remember special times in life, especially during this holiday season!
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And this specific junk journal, truly became one of my favorites as it came together.
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This Junk Journal includes EVERY page of this precious vintage book!!
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This Vintage The Night Before Christmas Junior Elf Junk Journal is securely spiral bound and allows for you to lay it flat for all of your scrapbooking and writing desires!
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With the ease of it laying flat- you can easily add in pictures and quick notes so that you can remember these special holiday days forever.
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This adorable and classic Junk Journal would create a treasured keepsake for a lifetime and can be used throughout the holiday season (for special holiday parties or a special occasion) or as a December Daily album if you are joining in the fun of that!
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Oh and did I mention the size?!? At approximately 5x7 it is the perfect fun medium size junk journal!
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No matter how you would use this junk journal it would be precious. *smiles*. To purchase this one of a kind and bespoke Vintage The Night Before Christmas click HERE.
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Thank you again for your support of the shop! It is truly a blessing to my mom and I who run it!
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You can find the entire Christmas collection of junk journals HERE and so many others in the shop HERE! Happy Sunday friends! I hope that you have a wonderful day!
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Happy Saturday friends!! Today I am so excited to share that we have added LOTS more Christmas Journals into the shop!! We have been overwhelmed by the love on this collection this year and are so grateful for all of your support of our shop!
I am so excited to share with y'all about this adorable December 25th Christmas Junk Journal and Ornament. As I mentioned above this comes from the Christmas 2024 junk journal collection that is available in the shop! You can go directly to this section of listings HERE!
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This December 25th Christmas Junk Journal and Ornament was so adorable to create!
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This cozy bit key chain junk journal and ornament is the perfect way to keep track and treasure the magic ordinary of each day and this scrapbook is perfect for those looking for a unique and legacy type gift of precious holiday memories!
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Inspired by the joy of Christmas, precious memories of twinkling lights, cozy snowy weather, christmas music, whimsical memories of caroling, under the winter stars, the smells of baking, and joy at new beginnings, this sweet and fun Christmas mini junk journal is the perfect gift for anyone or could be used for December Daily!
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If you are searching for a beautiful one of a kind gift for a family member, teacher, host, or secret santa gift this would be perfect!
Adorned on a special clip that can attach to a key ring, backpack, purse, journal, photo album and so much more, these mini junk journals are the perfect size.
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Did you know that these could also make wonderful keepsake Christmas Ornaments on your holiday tree each year too?!? This picture from above is showing an example of how this could look from our Holiday Craft Fair last year!
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How adorable would it be to have an ornament like this year after year so that you can enjoy the memories and have all of the adorable pictures right there?
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Resting at 2x2 this chunky journal is a perfectly curated collection of rare sweet vintage and distinctive modern materials to inspire hope and joy in every area of your life!
This heirloom treasure comes with:
//1 2x2 junk journal that contains:
//30+ pages of quality and beautiful paper
//9+ pieces of vintage and bespoke ribbon pieces from around the world
//handmade lace from an established generational American factory
//1-3 bulb clasps
//1-3 vintage buttons from times of old
//1 mini envelope with a mini card
//1 mini paperclip
//1 claw clasp for attaching to the owners preference
//unique vintage or bespoke ephemera on the front
//special surprise goodies
And more...
Thank you again for your support of the shop! It is truly a blessing to my mom and I who run it!
You can find the entire Christmas collection of junk journals HERE and so many others in the shop HERE!
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Happy Friday friends! I hope that you have had the most wonderful week! This week has been busy, but full of sweet blessings and so it has been a very sweet week. I hope that as we approach Thanksgiving this next week that you are doing well. One of the things that I am constantly thankful for is the opportunity to connect with y'all here- this community is something I thank the Lord for often!
As we approach this coming week, I am also aware that for some of you this is a very tender and difficult week. For us- this upcoming week is looking very different than we had originally planned and would covet your prayers as my mom will need to have a heart procedure done on Tuesday. This news came as a surprise to us a couple of weeks ago and we truly appreciate your prayers for us as we travel to New York City for this and for this surgery to go well and also for it to help some situations that have been happening. I am always so grateful for your prayers for me and for my loved ones. Thank you!
I am also aware that some of you are bravely trying to face the coming week and are deeply struggling behind the scenes. This post (HERE) is one that I hope that you will find encouraging in the days to come.
Again, today I just want to say thank you again for making this such a lovely community! Here are some of my favorite things from this past week! First of all....
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1. Phone Calls
I had such an amazing phone call this week... it was so much fun and so energizing that I am still smiling about it. Phone calls are definitely a favorite.
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2. Beautiful Morning Sun
I have been treasuring the early morning sun that has greeted me many mornings this week - this is the view that has greeted me out of my window many morning this week.
I am so excited to share more Christmas Journals and Junk Journals are going into the shop TODAY!! Our first Christmas drop sold out so fast this year so if you are still looking for the perfect unique gift or for a bespoke heirloom memory piece for yourself, head to the shop and go HERE for the collection!
As we head into a new year, if you are looking for Thursday Health Thoughts, Simple and Nutritious recipes and encouragement for chronic illness or health issues, check out this page HERE! Every week I share new thoughts and tips and I hope that they are an encouragement to you in your health journey!
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This week I re-shared about the importance of laughter in our lives and for your health. If you missed the post you can find it HERE! Seriously - check out those health benefits- I am still in shock about just how important laughter is! It is so so important.
There are also lots of posts related to the holidays including...
If you are looking for holiday specific books that I have written you can find them here...
*****5 Star Rated*****
This is the first and only Lyme Specific Advent and Christmas Devotional for Lyme Warriors. Here is a brief description of the book from the press release:
"When Light Dawns" is the first and only Lyme Patient specific book for the Advent & Christmas season. This book features daily reflections that will inspire & give hope to Lyme Warriors. Containing a daily reflection & song for each day of the Christmas Season (from the last week of November through the first week of January) "When Light Dawns" can be used as a simple encouragement to the weary heart or as a guided devotional study. However it is used, "When Light Dawns" will provide encouragement & give new meaning to the popular phrase, "Holiday preparations" this season.
You can find it where books are sold and on Amazon HERE!
Book 2 in the Chronic Grace Series
This is the first and only Chronic Illness Specific book related to the idea of what to pray, what to do, and what to say (releasing in 2025) for Chronic Illness patients. Here is a brief description of the book from the press release:
This book is written for those with a heart and desire to practically meet someone struggling through the confusing and difficult road of a chronic health condition this holiday season. Often those who long to walk the journey of a chronic health condition with their loved ones ask from a sincere place, "How can I really help this holiday?" but feel at a loss of where to start. This book is filled with unique and one-of-a-kind ideas for this holiday season that will be a wonderful "jumping off point" for you to be reaching out to those whom you love that struggle with chronic health issues and their loved ones.
You can find it on Amazon HERE!
I was so excited to share this week (read HERE) about the October 2024 bestsellers in the TPT shoppe! You can read all about these items! Thank you so so much for all of your support of the shop!! You can find the post HERE!
With Caravan Sonnet turning eleven years old this year I love sharing on Fridays some of the older but most popular posts on the blog! One of the things that Caravan Sonnet developed into was a a resource for singles. There are four posts out of that series of posts that has stayed incredibly popular on the blog. Several years ago on the blog I mentioned that I pray for my future husband (and frequently write him notes, cards, and prayers) on a daily basis. I shared 10 Things to Pray for your (future) Husband in a post on the blog which you can find HERE. These posts were followed up over the years with several other posts including:
I would be remiss if I didn't share a few single posts related to the holidays here with them approaching next week...
First - if you are looking for a way to bless your single friends during the holidays this post...
will give you some great ideas. Here are a couple of others...
I am thankful that y'all find these encouraging and hope that they encourage you to be praying for your (future or current) spouse in your life! While I don't write as often about singleness anymore, you can find all the posts for singleness HERE!
I hope that you have a wonderful Friday friends! Thank you for making this such an incredible space to come to and connect with every single day and thank you again for all of your prayers for my precious mom in this upcoming week. I am so blessed!!
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