Grace, Love & Kindness + Life.

New Years Resolutions..... Yo' I threw the slang in there just to make you wonder, "what could the rest of the blog possibly be like?" I love reading people's opinions on resolutions. Anywhere from "why wait until new year" to "I make them every year and never follow through". We're all there. It's the "New year, new me" Only you can't help but think, seriously, that's so cliche'. For so many people it works. And that's totally cool. You know why? Because we give ourselves HOPE. Hope is everything.  A hope for a better tomorrow. A hope for a better year.  On a Side note : For some folks, Christmas is the hardest holiday because of the strap of finances. When it should  be more glorious because, the celebration of our Lord and Savior! How awful that some of us are so stressed out, yet we're alive today because the birth of Christ? We've been there. We were there. This year. I'

Why are people so offended in this modern day we live in? Are they/we really more offended, or is it just that we have nothing better to do than complain about something someone else said or did? Or - are we jealous we didn't think of it first? I wish I could guess the above answers, but we all know what they say about opinions, and well, it would be just that. My opinion. Funny enough, the folks who are offended aren't outspoken. Wait, let me rephrase. They aren't going to be vocal about it. They'll actually be the ones who are in your "cheering" section. They will be the ones to agree with you, and say "I don't know why people get so offended so quickly." ( No... I'm for SURE not directly pointing at anyone when I say/write that. I honestly have NO IDEA who gets offended that are in my circle ). Yet they are the ones yakking behind your back the minute you turn away. I love life. I enjoy being able to sub at my kids school.

There's an oil for that. There's a product for this.  There's a way you should eat . There's a certain water intake you should have daily.  There's a pill for that.  There's music for that mood.  There's a food for that season.  There's a wine that matches that food.  There's a jacket to match those pants. There, there , there -is always something . The something that is there that you should be picking up and taking with you everyday is your Faith. There is that. Do you have that?  Once, I thought I did. But soon quickly when the biggest trial we'd face as a married couple hit us, turns out my faith wasn't near as strong as I thought. It took building. Just as a small business.You have to build a business, just as you have to build your strength when you work out. Just as you have to- build your faith. It is a process.  You can wake up and say "

I have a confession. I used to think that people who talked about ' their calling ' were crazy.  Okay, before you're quick to judge me. Let me explain. I grew up in a home where it was my brother and I, a lot. We were a family of 3, and when we didn't have a home to live in, that family would include my grandparents. My mom went to work during the day, and school at night. This was my growing up for several years, that I remember. So, for me as young girl, I thought, you go to school, you get a job, and you continue school. A little background for you, I wanted to be a singer. Yes, the next Mariah Carey, y'all! I caaannnn sing. Buuuuttt at the time I didn't realize I wasn't a soprano. And well, have you heard Mariah?  So, finding my 'sound' was what I was in dire need of. I was never taught how to read music, but I can sing any cover song after hearing it once. I thought that was my gift.  However I was quickly shut down. To

My book is finished!! My book is FINISHED. Whoa. What? For real? YES! Next part is typing everything I've written. Sounds like a true struggle. Yes, I'm glad you think so too. Ha. I write, like hand write. Because I carry a notebook, everywhere.  I have to have something to write on because I never know where I'll think of something. Someone could say something that strikes up my passion. I can hear a song and think, oh my goodness, that reminds of... Therefore, I stick to old school and hand write. It's really a lost art. That is until I remember it all still has to be typed. My husband did inform me there is a program I can get that will literally type it as fast as you can read it to the software itself. It might be worth the investment as I have 6 notebooks to plug into Word. But it will be complete, and I'm so excited to get it into the hands of someone who will change their life because of it.  Writing it has been from my heart,

Has your faith ever looked like this? Tangled?  A total hot mess that didn't look like it would ever be wearable again? Sometimes we have to look at our faith just like our lives. Messy.  I was untangling one of my favorite necklaces this morning and this illustration came to mind, while I was frustrating myself with the fact that I let it get so tangled to begin with. Our lives- our Faith can be the same way! You leave it sitting too long, you might pick it up and move it from time to time and then- when you want to pick it back up again, you have to sit down and untangle it. Now, this necklace took me 30 minutes. But our lives, our faith... 30 minutes is a great start.  Some times we can work and work and even challenge ourselves. Yet we can still have knots in the chain, we still have knots in our faith, in our lives.   But, that's okay. Because you picked it up.  It can't stop you from wearing it, just like it can't stop you fro

Being a parent is a blessing. Anytime in this post that you think I've forgotten that point, please read that top line again. Because trust me, it's a daily reminder while in the grind of everyone surviving the teen years in our home. Another disclaimer, if you aren't a parent of a teen, you have no room to judge. If you aren't a parent at all, you can find pure humor in it all, and still have no room to judge. Let's begin. So, why the disclaimers Misty? Well... I'm glad you were wondering. Because there are so many people out there who are quick to point fingers, and fast to think "oh she shouldn't be a parent then". It's funny to me. Because it's all a process, and it's all a learning experience for everyone involved. It's okay to be frustrated as a parent. It's also okay to be a moody teenager. It's not okay to not talk about it... it's not okay to bottle it up inside. So that's the reason for th

There is some good ole fashion down home truth coming your way in this blog. And I'm not even certain that sentence made sense. I'm not here to sell you something. I'm here to help you. I'm not here to tell you what to do, I'm here to guide you. I probably take it too personal when I see post after post of drinking, and partying. The only reason I take interest is because just a week prior you sought help with getting healthy. You. Are. Wasting. Your. Money!! That isn't coming from someone just out for your money, if you didn't already believe me, you should now. It's heart breaking to see the thousands of dollars being spent on the gym memberships, the bootcamps, the meal prep company that ships your food. The products you buy in hopes of losing just that last 10lbs. Which is ABSOLUTLY doable. Which is what my passion is! I have the heart to help you! But you have to help yourself ladies and gents. I see check in at the park to get th

My blogs aren't typically to push products, to talk anyone into anything... I write because I enjoy it, because it soothes me. To know if I reach one, I'm fulfilling my purpose. However, with the new season upon us, the beautiful rain we had this morning... I thought I'd post a few favorite things as my nails dry. I'm a huge fan of summer time. I love the sunshine, I love the pool, the ocean and fireflies. The older I get, the more I really love fall too. I enjoy spring too, even though we get tornado's here, but this blog is about fall. I think I'll do a "favorite" blog each season. Because even though the weather isn't my favorite (I do NOT like to be cold) winter still has some perks. After all, we celebrate Jesus in winter! First thing is first, I made this for our wall in our home. I really love the way it turned out. And the cost was less than $8. I already owned the frame, so if you need that, go to the dollar store, and get spray

I'm a huge fan these days for self help and personal growth. Maybe those two words are too much the same/similar to put as two separate words, but this is my blog, and I want them to be two different words. Because Self help is kinda like self made. For me anyway... and personal growth is a continuance of that. Let me take you back. I was a child once. ( Shocking... ) and I grew up with no words of affirmation. I actually grew up with very negative words, constant. Example, when I told my mother I was pregnant (at 16) she said, "great, you're another statistic". Now, I'm not real sure what I would say to my teenager if that situation arose, but I can tell you what I wouldn't say. I was 20 when I told her I was pregnant with Kaden. And I was over the moon about that pregnancy, because it was planned. Her words were "I wish you had lost more weight before you got pregnant again". I'm not a parent expert. I don't claim to be. But h

Down time. Who has that? Raise your hand if you do... I'd like to chat with ya. No really... we have to create it don't we? I don't know anyone with just an abundance of free time on their hands. We all lead busy lives. And just like my friend Michelle, I am not a fan of the word 'busy' even though it rings true. But as I mentioned, we have to create it I take some down time in the morning. My husband goes to work and I have a little time with Jesus, I prefer it in my backyard with the sunrise. It's the best way to start my day. Spark in one hand, my devotional and Bible in the other with my max snuggled in the chair my feet are on. Just explaining it to you is relaxing me. Where do you find your down time? When I posed that question to a couple people recently, their answer was yoga. I was intrigued. Because...... When I was able to leave corporate America to be at home, my good friend Deon and I did a free trial at a pretty awesome place in

Two blog posts in one day??? Ha... I wish I could take credit for it, but the post I just published, was really written a few weeks ago, I just hadn't pushed it out there. Worked out for the best though. This post is to share I'm on Periscope! If you read this, find the app on your phone. It's a live feed through twitter. You can go to your app store on your phone, download periscope and catch me in rare, raw form where I talk truth, Jesus, Spark and my heart. Thanks for always supporting me! xoxo Misty Rayne

I've been MIA from the blog for a bit... and I'm sorry for that. It turns out that writing a book and blogging isn't as simple as I'd like. So I have to pick one or the other here lately. And I finally gave myself a deadline for my first book.. and well, let's just say, I'm ALMOST done!!  Part of my short coming is being organized. I stink at it. There I said it. I wish I felt better about saying it, but I don't. Because it isn't fixed. Sometimes it takes awhile to fix things. You can't just wake up one day and bam! You are an organized person. It takes awhile. I can't fix a relationship that I've been estranged from for 5 plus years over night. That too, takes awhile. I also can't realize I was wrong, apologize and it's all better just like that too.... again, it may take awhile. It leads me to a GREAT sermon I listened to not long ago, Steven Furtick. I've been recommending him to anyone I know! His sermons are changing

I've been listening to one of my favorite authors on podcasts the past couple days. I'm almost finished reading his 3rd published book. The first one I read by Steven Furtick is Sun Stand Still. Changed. My. World . I am going to re-read it when I get more on my reading list accomplished. It came in my life at a time it was needed (love it when that happens) we were going through the court battle number 1. And it allowed me to forgive those who were currently attacking me. The second one I read by him is Greater > . I think I took advantage of this one, and read it so fast because I had another book lined right up. I do know it's taught me to always be Greater in all we do in life. Our God, IS Greater, and you are a child of Him alone. His third book, and what I'm currently reading has inspired 3 blog posts you've read of mine. It's so needed in this busy life we lead. Crash the Chatterbox. Hearing God's voice above all others. That alone shoul

I've been thin- size 5/6 thin ( never a 0... never a 2... it's called, booty and thighs, deal with it ), I've been pregnant, 3 times, 2 babies. I've been over weight where type 1 diabetes was a threat. And I've been healthy. Healthy is were I sit now. I know I've blogged this before, but I know I have over weight readers who want to reach out, and don't. Please don't hear me as bragging. Hear me as understanding. Because my inner fat girl is trapped . So I get you. I. Get. YOU! When I was 15 was my 'thin' it's not even thin really. It's teenager, where you don't realize what's cool, what's lame. ( you just think you know, you don't.. I promise, you really don't ) Well, at least, that was me. I was never cool. I was never the 'in crowd'. And while it sucked in high school, I'm really good now.  Nothing 5 years of therapy couldn't fix... When I was 16 when was pregnant. I gained SEVENTY FIVE pou