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Your Best Efforts are like a Full Diaper

Published on March 6, 2020January 2, 2021 by tinavila206 Comments

It was a magical December 24th. Allow me to paint you a picture:

I was home alone with the kids
My husband was at church preparing for the Christmas Eve service
The boys were playing [or likely fighting] downstairs
I finally had some time to myself while E was napping
E woke up a zillion minutes too early from her nap
I waited awhile before going to see her because I resented the alone time I’d lost

Well hindsight is 20/20, my friends, because if I knew then what I was about to find out, I would have bolted to her room the moment I heard her angelic little voice…

E’s beautiful nursery. Just imagine it covered in poop…

I wish I could spare you the gory details but then this post would be blank. Suffice it to say that after a very unfortunate incident involving a full diaper, itchy eczema flare up, and wandering hands, E was discovered in her crib covered in her own crap. I mean literally…

hair
face
clothes
crib
rug
all the places!

We were already in a race against the clock to get to church for the Christmas Eve service. So there wasn’t exactly time to spare for a marathon crap-fest.

(If the use of the word crap is offending you, you now have a small idea of how offended my nose was during this incident)
– innocent bystander [me]

Of course with no backup support, I had to clean up the mess myself. So I bathed E for the very first time (baths are Daddy’s department) and it was the absolute WORST.

Another lovely nursery photo to distract from the issue at hand (on my hands, *literally*)

After we were finally done and ready to go, I still couldn’t remove the smell of poop from my hands or hers.

So I washed, and washed, and rewashed our hands, employing every soap I could find in our home. I applied essential oils, creams, lotions, ointments, anything! And none of it worked. The stench of poop was permanently etched into both of our hands.

PSA: This is NOT a plug for essential oils. Just some products that failed to mask the smell of poop.

Well we went to church anyway. And I was annoyed and exhausted and stunk like poop. I avoided people by sitting right in the front row since most people are afraid of the front row. I cried through the first few carols because the experience just drained me in every way and I felt robbed of the beautiful Christmas Eve service I look forward to all year long.

I wanted to raise my hands in worship but each time I did, the smell from my hands was closer to my nose and thus stronger and more offensive. I was so discouraged. My family looked so beautiful and put together, but if you got close to us, the poop smell was undeniable. I hated it.

….and then I heard it. Not audibly for anyone else to hear, but deep in my heart. There was a still, small voice that washed over me like a wave, saying:

even the very BEST you have to offer Me is as filthy as a full diaper. And I don’t care! I don’t care that you stink like your daughter’s poop. I KNOW how hard it was for you to get here today. I know how tired you are. I know you’re distracted by your circumstances, and that it bothers you that you can’t be at your best. And yet I love you anyway! You’re here, you want to meet with Me, and that’s all I ever want from My children. Even if you were at your very best and offering your very best, it still would not be enough. So just let it go. I just want you here, with Me…

Just one of my favourite places on the planet

In that moment, I don’t think I have ever felt so loved by Jesus. Truly. Ever! I was repulsed by myself for the inescapable stench of poop on my hands and my daughter’s beside me. I was embarrassed and humiliated and so sad that I couldn’t give Jesus the best of me on such a special day. But I realized in that moment that none of that mattered. Because it simply doesn’t matter whether we have it all together, or if our lives are in complete shambles, the Lord is just so happy that we want to be with Him, and that we make the effort to connect with Him at all.

The verse He spoke over me comes from Isaiah 64:6:

Our best efforts are grease-stained rags
– MSG

Another version puts it this way:

all our righteous acts are like filthy rags
– NIV

The humbling thought that no matter what I do, or how hard I try, or how much time I spend thinking about, or striving to be perfect, it will never be enough. AND PEOPLE, THAT’S OK!!!

It is not in our best efforts, nor through our own righteousness that the Lord is pleased. In fact, our most valiant attempts are like a diaper full of poop being smeared around.

Jesus already did everything that could possibly be done to make us acceptable to God. And when we accept this truth, and accept that we need Him, He accepts us! Even when we come to Him covered in crap. Because…

when we were still enemies of God, Jesus died for us.
– Romans 5:8

Friends, if Jesus actually died for us when we were still enemies of God, how could He be so bothered by a foul scent on our hands. It’s all the same to Him. And He loves us anyway. He loves me anyway. He loves YOU anyway. And He doesn’t just put up with our stench, holding His breath like my husband holds his whilst changing a diaper. No, He actually puts His righteousness – His goodness – OVER US.

Earlier in Isaiah, it says:

I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding or a bride with her jewels.
– Isaiah 61:10

So rather than rolling His eyes or sighing dramatically, God DOES something. He takes what’s messy and crappy and broken, and replaces it with His goodness and righteousness. I am reminded of another verse that speaks on this:

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
– Ezekiel 36:26

I just love the imagery in these passages. That the Lord would take the ugly and stinky that I have to offer, and cover me with His righteousness, filling my heart with His Spirit instead.

Sorry if this got preachy, but also, not sorry! A weight was lifted off my shoulders that day, and I pray the same for you as you read this.

Feel free to share your comments, thoughts, or questions below. I would really really love to hear from you!

*Disclaimer: E pooped again during the service. I hadn’t brought a diaper to change her since I wrongfully assumed she was maxed out on the crapfest. I was sorely mistaken. Lesson learnt. Cool beans.
– Finally, shoutout to the lovely family sitting behind us acting like they weren’t violently assaulted by our stench. You the real MVP.

From Pantry Aisle to Hairstyle

Published on February 21, 2020January 2, 2021 by tinavila2015 Comments

After a few heavy posts, it’s high time we lighten things up and discuss matters of the hair. You may already know the slightly unconventional products I use in lieu of off-the-shelf shampoo and dry shampoo, but in case you don’t, today’s your lucky day, my friend.

Disclaimer before we begin: I am NOTHING CLOSE to a hairstylist, nor do I possess the false notion that I have fabulous hair BUT I do pride myself in washing my hair only once a week (men don’t get this, my husband least of all, but us ladies know this is MAJOR accomplishment). So……

I’m writing this post in case you’re interested in decreasing the number of washes per week without looking like a wet cat. This is the goal, people!

Firstly, the shampoo. I wash and condition my hair about once a week and the only product worth mentioning in this process is this bad boy right here:

Like I said, unconventional. I credit my actual hairstylist for this one. With all the build up she saw in my hair when I’d go for a cut, she recommended this inexpensive way of stripping the build up from my hair. It truly works better than regular shampoo. I haven’t looked back.

This dish soap has been the easiest, fastest, and cheapest way to thoroughly clean my hair after applying lots of products into it all week long.

So once the hair is squeaky clean, it is ready for styling and more products. Yay! First, I dry my hair upside down with a hair dryer. I then section it off to style it with a curling iron. In each section, I apply a tiny bit of this powder on the roots and work it in. I then tease the sectioned-off hair with a comb before curling.

Apply to roots when styling for volume and hold, but it also acts as a dry shampoo.

I love this volumizing powder sooooo much! For someone with fine and flat hair like mine, it helps my hair look fuller for longer and I’m all about that. When styling is complete, I finish with some hairspray.

My go-to hairspray. Been using it for 20 years!

And now the pièce de résistance! (who says I’ve lost my French?)

After a day or two, my hair begins to get oily and stringy, especially in the roots and at the base. This is when I would normally wash my hair and start the process all over. However, I value my sleep and my family (not in that order, but maybe?), so I don’t want to waste any more time on my hair than necessary.

Enter…. the homemade dry shampoo, with honourable mention to my food pantry.

I know what you may be thinking, let me explain. But before I tell you why I like this combo for dry shampoo, I’ll explain why I don’t like conventional dry shampoo.

Why I don’t like aerosol dry shampoo:

Aerosol dry shampoo is probably the most commonly used dry shampoo. And although it’s pretty harmless when used occasionally, it can damage your hair in the long run, causing breakage or thinning.
In my humble opinion, it is overpriced for the quantity you’re buying, and in my case, the rate you’re using.
It’s bad for the environment. As are all aerosol products.
It’s overpriced! Oops, did I say that already?
It doesn’t work as well as this homemade option. NO JOKE.

Some old dry shampoo I have lying around collecting dust.

So this is the deal: CORN STARCH for dry shampoo! And here’s why…

Corn starch absorbs oil
Corn starch absorbs oil
Corn starch absorbs oil
And if you’re even a tiny bit of a granola hippie type… it is ALL NATURAL and not damaging to your hair
Also, super cheap!

Here are the steps to making your own dry shampoo and good luck not loving it, for real.

INGREDIENTS:

corn starch!
mason jar (for storage)
blush brush (for application)
that’s all folks

Self-explanatory, but just in case: *corn starch in mason jar*.

Ok, ok so I know the first picture of the ingredients up there also includes cocoa powder and lavender essential oil. Here’s why: I add cocoa powder because I have dark hair and it helps mask the white corn starch colour. You can adjust the ratio of proportions to match your own hair colour. I usually do 2:1 corn starch to cocoa powder.

Behind the scenes on being a blogger. Always glamorous and professional.

Anddddd nailed the second attempt at cocoa powder.

Once you’ve cleaned up your mess of cocoa powder, you can carry on with adding a few drops of lavender essential oil. Note: this is optional and I personally skip this step.

The lavender essential oil can be added to help make the dry shampoo smell like an actual hair product and not like a dessert. Like I said, I personally forgo the lavender altogether because I can’t be bothered. There isn’t really any scent otherwise. But lavender IS good for your hair so feel free to load up on it if you fancy that.

Shake the jar (with the lid on!) to fully combine the ingredients.

Once you’ve finished making your dry shampoo, use a designated blush brush to apply it to the roots and/or any areas where you notice oily build up.

Pro tip: don’t use the same blush brush you’d use on your face!

You can also use your fingers to work it in once the brush has been used to apply it.

What I especially like about this dry shampoo is that it doesn’t leave my hair feeling stiff and crunchy like most store-bought options. The product naturally absorbs the oils in my hair and make it look as fresh as it did on the day I washed it.

Pro tip: Apply the dry shampoo before you go to bed. It WON’T get onto your bedding (not even sure how, but it doesn’t. And I use white bed linens). It WILL absorb all the excess oil while you sleep leaving you looking and feeling fresh and fly in the morning.

Repeat these steps until you feel like washing your hair. Which may be never. Don’t say you weren’t warned.

Hair was washed 6 days prior to this photo. Can I get an AMEN…

Disclaimer:

If your hair gets wet unintentionally, for example:

you get caught in the rain
caught in a water balloon fight
thrown into a pool
etc…

… your hair WILL smell like brownies. I leave it to you to decide if this is a pro or con. Definite pro: when you’re finally ready to wash your hair, it will smell like brownies!! You’re welcome.

So there you have it, from the pantry to the bathroom! And if you’ve read nothing until that line, I’m sure that sounds super weird.

This video is a step by step on how I style my hair after washing.

This video is a step by step on applying the dry shampoo so you never have to wash your hair again!

Pleaseeeeeee tell me in the comments below if you’ve tried this dry shampoo, or if you want to try it, or if you have any questions or recommendations!

Milestones, Memorials, and the Years of 4

Published on February 7, 2020January 2, 2021 by tinavila207 Comments

I am now living through my 4th decade of life. I don’t know what it is about the 4th year of each decade, or why they’ve been significant, but they have been. And I’ll explain shortly.

But first, the inspiration behind today’s post came to me from a small but special moment in the book of Joshua from the Bible. You’ve likely heard of the battle of Jericho. The walls of the mighty city of Jericho came crumbling down miraculously, all because God’s people walked around the city. Well, before that happened,

the Israelites had to make a long trek across the Jordan River to get there. Without boats or a bridge, this was an impossible task preceding an impossible battle against Jericho. But the Lord pulled through! He stopped the water’s flow so that the entire nation of Israel could cross the Jordan River by foot, on dry land.

Once they had crossed, the Lord told Joshua to have twelve large stones stacked together, one representing each of the twelve tribes of Israel. But why?

…*that all the nations on earth would know that God is powerful*. Jsh 4:24

In Joshua chapter 4 (no coincidence on the chapter number!) it says that these stones were to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever. So, for no other reason than to commemorate what God had done! It continues with Joshua telling the Israelites,

“In days to come, your children after you will ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ Their parents must tell them, ‘Israel went across the Jordan River on dry ground.’ The Lord your God dried up the Jordan for you until you had gone across it… He did it so that all the nations on earth would know that He is powerful. He did it so that you would always have respect for the Lord your God.”
– Joshua 4:21-24

So this blog post, in a small way, represents four stones that I’m stacking together as a memorial. Here is the story behind each one:

Being raised in a home…

with parents who follow Jesus, it is not uncommon for the children of Jesus followers to want to follow Jesus as their parents do. So it wasn’t a surprise that at the tender age of 4,

the first Year of 4,

my parents prayed with me to accept Jesus into my life as my Saviour; the formal beginning of my faith journey. I asked God to forgive me of the wrong things I had done and would do. I accepted that Jesus died for me so I could be free and could live with Him in heaven forever. I didn’t fully understand all of it, I still don’t. But I knew I needed Jesus, and that was an important start.

Sassy little Tina at 4 years old. Owning that Etch-A-Sketch like it’s 1990, because it was.

Fast forward a few years and by junior high I was teetering between following Jesus and doing my own thing. A little too loud, and a little obnoxious, but sincerely trying to see how God actually fit into my life! At the age of 14,

the next Year of 4,

I went to the Christian summer camp that I had attended for years, but now as a staff member for the first time. I wasn’t prepared for what the Lord had planned for me that summer. On my agenda: hang out with friends and meet all the boys, if we’re being honest…

Well the Lord had other plans because there were no takers. Nada. Not one. God was after my heart and everywhere I turned I was faced with staff who were modelling Jesus to me. They were kids themselves, just a little older than me, and I really admired them.

They knew how to pray. They knew how to worship. They knew how to read their Bibles. They knew how to love on people, especially the outcasts. And even though I had been a Christian my whole life, I had never really seen that kind of Christ-like love modelled by people my own age.

It was contagious. A fire was lit inside me, and a real change in my spirit occurred. I changed from the inside out, and it showed.

People began to notice and tell me I even looked different. It was an external indicator of real heart change. The truth is I was actually and genuinely so full of joy that it was bubbling out of me. I was so happy, I couldn’t stop smiling. I finally understood how much the Lord had done to rescue me by sending His son, and I was excited to finally start living for Him. Following that summer, I got more serious about reading my Bible and praying, which was also when I started journalling my prayers. This change in me was also the beginning of exploring my career path. I started volunteering at a youth drop in centre and my desire to pour into youth was born. After a few years of being a leader at youth group, I knew I wanted to be a high school teacher.

Tina at 14 years old. Drawing blanks on a caption here for painfully obvious reasons.

After getting married and starting my career as a high school history teacher, I had fallen into a complacency in my faith. I knew I would never deny the Lord, or walk away from Him entirely, but I got lazy. I had fallen into a routine and the spark was gone. During my second year of teaching, I was 24 years old.

The next Year of 4 was upon me. I just didn’t know it yet.

I had time off before my teaching contract was due to start so I had the freedom to take a trip! I was invited by a group of women to attend a women’s leadership conference in North Carolina. I didn’t really have a reason to go since I wasn’t actually a woman in leadership. I was helping out at youth group, I led a small Bible study, but that was it. Nothing glamorous or note-worthy. Still, I went because I felt called to go, and it was truly life-changing. I was on fire once again, and excited about my encounters with the Lord and what would come of this new change in me. During one of the last nights at the main session, I received a word from the Lord.

With a heavy beating in my chest and my hands shaking, there were two things the Lord was asking of me. The first was to get more serious about my prayer life.

To carve out real time each day to approach the Throne of Grace with confidence (Heb. 4:16). To intercede on behalf of the people He loves. And I did. The journaling I had started 10 years prior had slowly become more of a report on life events and that changed right away. Being intentional in praying about the things that matter has spurred on my faith as I’ve seen the Lord answer, provide, and move on my behalf.

The second thing I knew the Lord wanted of me was to start memorizing scripture.

I memorized a handful of verses as a child, but besides that it just wasn’t on my radar. But the Bible says that these words are to be on our hearts. (Deut. 6:4-9) We’re commanded to memorize scripture! And for good reason! I’ll have another post about this with more detail, but suffice it to say that this has been one of the richest aspects of my faith. I couldn’t stop memorizing Bible verses after that.

24 year old Tina. Happy as a clam because she still sleeps through the night uninterrupted by children.

Since then, we’ve moved churches, homes, and cities. So much change within each decade and being an ’86 baby, I am embarking on

my fourth Year of 4.

I already feel the Lord stirring and moving and pushing me into new territory with Him. I’m so excited for what’s to come. I won’t turn 34 for a few months yet but oh Lord, I. AM. READY. And I have a sense that this blog is part of that!

Can you relate to having significant milestones or special moments around certain dates, numbers, or ages?

Numbers are meaningful. And establishing memorials for yourself to remember the special things God has done is important too! We saw that through what God commanded Joshua and the Israelites to do thousands of years ago, and we’re encouraged to do the same today.

My prayer and hope is that in a small way, this blog can serve as a reminder to me AND to you that the Lord is still moving and saving and doing impossible things. To Him be the glory. Another Year of 4 is just beginning.

Nearly 34 year old Tina. Sometimes soaring, sometimes hanging on by a thread,
but planted in God’s faithfulness and goodness either way.

K is for Kids

Published on January 24, 2020January 2, 2021 by tinavila203 Comments

What kind of mother would I be if I didn’t talk about my kids in a blog post? So here it is. Some insight into my three babies.

Side note: Although my husband and I are raising three kids, I’ve actually been pregnant five times. I’ve lost two babies through miscarriage, and it doesn’t feel right to talk about my kids without mentioning ALL my kids. I’ll share about my miscarriages in more detail in another post but it’s important to me that they are mentioned here too.

So, without further ado, I’m happy to introduce our first born son: C!

C has as deep love for The Beatles and can spew background trivia about most of their songs

C was born on a

Monday at 11:42AM.

His birthday also happens to be on New Year’s Eve which, living in Ontario, always makes him the youngest in his class. He just turned 7. I won’t get into the details of postpartum here (that’s a whole other mess I will likely get into another time) but I’ll share about C instead.

Our boy LOVED to eat from the beginning. He grew so quickly as a baby and was nicknamed Chunky Monkey.

C was also late to crawl
late to walk
late to speak
and late to potty train

However, his musical interest was apparent from a very young age. He always noticed when music was on, and loved to dance. He had rhythm from a young age too.

Once C started junior kindergarten at the tender age of 3, he grew leaps and bounds on an intellectual level. All the developmental concerns we had for C melted away as he so quickly understood math concepts, language concepts, and soaked up anything and everything he could learn on any topic.

Today, C is one of the top students in his split grade 2 & 3 class.

He is in the 2nd grade, and like I said, he’s always the youngest in his class. He loves science, history, math, and is a true leader in his classroom. He makes us so proud.

At home, C has lots of interests and is good at lots of things, like his dad. He loves to read of course, but he also enjoys playing sports and writing detailed stories with illustrations – something he and his brother like to do together.

I think my favourite interest of C’s, is his music. He’s quite a good drummer for his age, and is also learning guitar and piano.

A fun game for memorizing the 66 books of the Bible!

He is very extroverted and is a great conversationalist, even with adults. He’ll likely ask you about your day and how things are going at work if given the opportunity. He also has a deep understanding of the things of God. He loves to read his Bible, memorize scripture, pray, and just casually discuss spiritual and Biblical matters. Finally, because of his love for the Beatles, C and I often chat with one another in British accents, as per his request.

Favourite C quote whilst Free As A Bird by The Beatles played in the background:

C: Mama, did you know that John Lennon wrote most of this song and then died and then the rest of the Beatles found it and finished it and now it sounds like this. In fact, the parts he sings in this song were not even remastered!
– These are all things I definitely didn’t know…

To continue the introductions, our middle child: L!

Drawing Lightning Boy while being Lightning Boy, as you do

L was born 18 months after C, so he is 5 and a half. He was also born on a

Monday at 11:42AM,

like his brother, and was delivered by the same doctor as C was (nearly impossible under Quebec healthcare). I still can’t believe both boys were delivered by the same doctor, on the same day of the week, AT THE EXACT SAME TIME! It makes their bond so very special.

One difference in their births is that L was in such a big hurry to be born that I almost didn’t make it to the hospital. From the time my contractions started to the time he was born was about one hour long.

After a 6-month sleep strike when he would rarely sleep for more 20 minutes at time, L came into his own as the calmest and sweetest little baby. We moved to Leamington just after his first birthday.

One of my favourite memories in our Montreal home was L’s first birthday party. We were surrounded by family and friends and it was the perfect end to our time in Montreal.

After moving, I remember feeling so grateful to have such an easygoing one year old in a new place. He slept well, ate well, played quietly, and never got into mischief. He was such a pleasure to have on errands and coffee dates. The chillest little dude there was.

Motocross stunt show. Probably inspo for future career.

As L grows, his interests and gifting are really coming through in his creative and fine motor skills. Although he enjoys music and sports like his brother, he is exceptional with lego. He amazes us in the way he builds and creates intricate pieces that are extremely complex. He invented his own superhero ninja and called him Lightning Boy. He even dressed up as Lightning Boy for Halloween.

Most of his lego inventions are centred around Lightning Boy’s paraphernalia, ie:

the Lightning Cave
Lightning Boat
Lightning Spaceship
Lightning nunchucks
etc.. you get the idea

Like his dad, he is introverted and thrives in his own creative world. However, now that he’s in senior kindergarten, L is surprising us so much with his social life too. He always tells us about how he plays with lots of friends and shares stories about their school day adventures together. He also speaks with a bit of a southern drawl and I don’t know how or why but it’s the best.

Favourite L quote when discussing family size, we asked L if he wanted more siblings after E.

No! We can’t have more kids! More kids is too many kids! We already have enough kids!
– L, the middle child, and definitely wants to keep it that way

Last but certainly not least: E!

E in her first ponytail. Way too grown up!

Our youngest E is a ray of freakin sunshine. She’ll be 2 in February and was born via C section. Something I would NOT do again. E was breech and couldn’t be shifted into position. I made my peace with it at the time but recovery was brutal. I wouldn’t recommend it but I know others would, so please take my experience with a grain of salt if you’re considering a C-section or just don’t have the choice.

Compared to the boys, E was the easiest infant by a long shot.

That was only by the grace of God since I was healing from my C-section for what felt like a lifetime. E started sleeping through the night on her own within a few weeks and hardly needed any kind of sleep training at all (We sleep trained the boys. I swear by it. Stay tuned for a post on that).

After her first birthday E started to walk, and then run, and then she really started giving us a run for our money trying to keep her out of mischief.

She is a zillion times more rambunctious than her brothers were and is always getting into things she shouldn’t. This makes me laugh (sometimes) because people said that I’d have it easy now that I have a girl. Girls are supposed to be calmer and more peaceful, but that’s not been my experience! And I’m glad E doesn’t fit the mold because she’s fun and full of life and I love that.

So although I put E in dresses and bows, I wouldn’t describe her as dainty or delicate. She is spunky and sassy and loves to make us laugh with her silliness. Specifically, she speaks with this 90 year old smoker voice knowing it cracks us all up. E loves her brothers but rather than hug or kiss them, she’d much prefer to run races up and down the hall or wrestle with them and their daddy.

She’s definitely an extrovert like her mama and C. One of her favourite pastimes is raiding my closet to put on my shoes and purses and parade around the house in them. She also loves caring for her baby by taking her on walks in the pram or feeding her in her high chair. She’s the sweetest little mama and has brought such joy to our family!

Favourite E quote:

Me: E, how old are you?
E: KITTY!!!
Me: Ok, what’s your name?
E: PUPPIES!!!
– She will do great things

And thus concludes a brief introduction on my kids! These little bios don’t do them justice. Of course, they are so much more awesome in person.

In future posts I’ll share a bit about our parenting style, postpartum struggles, sleep training, screen time, staying sane and keeping them alive, etc. But for now I thought some background info about the ones who call me mama would be a good start.

Anything you were hoping to find out that I’ve left out here? Let me know in the comments! Any similarities with your own kids? Please share them!

The One He Loves

Published on January 10, 2020January 2, 2021 by tinavila205 Comments

Who:

Welcome to my first official blog post! My name is Tina Avila. My maiden name is Destounis, so yes, I’m a Greek Canadian girl. But more importantly, I’m a girl who Jesus loves.

You’ll likely read a lot of different things on this blog because I am a lot of different things and I have a lot of different interests. I’m a wife and a mother. I’m a daughter and a sister. I’m an employee, a colleague, a cousin, and a friend. I’m a neighbour, and an acquaintance, and a child of the King.

But nothing matters to me more than that last one. There’s a verse in the Bible, in the book of Acts, that says: in Jesus I live and move and exist. This is so true of me. Even though I am a lot of things,

my identity first and foremost is that I am a girl who Jesus loves.

In John’s gospel, John mentions himself several times within the story of Jesus’ life simply because he was an intricate part of it. After all, he was one of Jesus’ best friends! There are at least four different moments in his gospel where John refers to himself as:

the disciple that Jesus loved. (Jn 13:23, Jn 19:26; Jn 21:7; Jn 21:20.)

Now, at first, this may come off as a little pretentious. Almost like he’s rubbing it in our faces, or as if it’s a status symbol. But the reality is that John didn’t think too highly of himself at all. He saw his life as having very little significance apart from the simple fact that he was loved by Jesus. And to be honest, I get that.

I sometimes wonder what my life would be if I didn’t know Jesus. If I didn’t follow Him. If He didn’t guide me and teach me and lead me as He does. And then I really don’t want to think about it. I’m just so grateful to be known and loved by Him at all.

So although I’ll share a lot on here about life and love and kids and food and Netflix and coffee, all I REALLY want to be known of me, is that I’m a girl who Jesus loves. My life just has no meaning apart from that foundational truth.

*Summer morning quiet times are the best kind of quiet times.*

Why:

As I began to think more seriously about writing a blog, I had to consider why I would start one in the first place. The truth is that I sometimes feel like I’m the only person I know who doesn’t have it all together. Who doesn’t have it all figured out. Who doesn’t have all the answers.

So if you ever feel like you’re failing at life because you’re a terrible cook, you hate to clean, you’re not the best at your job, you’re a sub-par spouse, and below-average parent, you’re not alone! I feel that too!

But I’ve learned some things on this nearly 34 year old journey and I’d like to share some of that in case it might uplift, encourage, inspire, or just make you laugh.

What:

When you visit this blog, you will most certainly find posts about my kids. I have 3 amazing muses.

C is my studious musician who is 7 yrs old
L is my superhero-inventing lego-lover who is 5 and a half
E is my silly and spunky ray of sunshine who’s nearly 2

I also have a husband, Xavier, who keeps me grounded and makes me so happy. He’s so good at so many things, so if anyone should consider writing a blog, it’s him. I’ll brag about him on here from time to time,

but also share a bit about our journey and what we’ve learned about marriage and the S-word (sacrifice! calm down, Peggy).

As mentioned already, I’ll write about my faith and my journey with the Lord. I’ll include some tips on how to memorize scripture which is a huge passion of mine, and other things I’ve learned from reading my Bible throughout the years.

Other blog post topics will include food, travel, organization, fashion, budgets, fitness, boundaries and balance. Please note, I’m no expert in any of these areas. The plan is to make you laugh, or cry, or just want try at life again.

Who for:

I am writing this for YOU!

But seriously, as I write this post, the reader I’m picturing is a mom as clueless and sleep deprived as I am with a smartphone in one hand and a coffee in the other. Maybe she’s reading this hiding in the bathroom on her unofficial “lunch break”? Life in the trenches looks different for everyone, but that’s often mine. So if you can relate, then this blog is for you.

So grab a coffee (hot, cold, or let’s be honest, most likely lukewarm) and let’s visit.

Delightful dessert and lattes @ Kings Bake Shop in Kingsville, Ont.

Any questions or comments? I’d LOVE to hear them. Please let me know in the comments below!

About Me

Published on January 7, 2020January 27, 2021 by tinavila2032 Comments

Hello, and welcome to my blog! You may be reading this as a stranger, a lifelong friend, or someone in between. Whoever you are, W E L C O M E ! I hope you’ll visit often. Stay tuned for the first official blog post coming soon. Until then, here are some random things about me:

I am a former history teacher
A former Montrealer
And a former breakfast-eater

Today, I am a stay-at-home AND work-from-home married mama of 3 kids (ages 8, 6, and 3). My husband is a pastor and has been for 13 years.

We live in Leamington, Ont. Our small town is surrounded by farms and greenhouses that mostly grow tomatoes, bell peppers, and weed.

I’ve been intermittent fasting for just over a year now and I’m reallllllly digging it. I don’t think I’ll ever eat breakfast again!

I’m a lover of…

iced coffee
hot tea
white wine
and dark chocolate

These make up my four main food groups.

My early mornings include some alone time for prayer, journalling, and reading my Bible. I’m especially passionate about memorizing scripture! I’ve most recently memorized the book of James which took about 6 months to complete.

I used to hate autumn because it gave me anxiety about long winters. My pro tip on that:

Go live somewhere where autumn exists.

Purging, decluttering, reorganizing, and rearranging are some of my favourite things. You can check out a post about that here!

I love to read historical fiction. And my guilty pleasure is YouTube videos on the evolution of fashion trends in the last 100 years. Allure and Glamour have some fun ones I linked here.

My blog posts will feature quotes by my kids and the Bible. But I’ll likely also quote Friends or The Office and assume you’ll get it when… sometimes I’ll start a sentence, and I don’t even know where it’s going. I just hope I find it along the way. Like an improv conversation.

I’ll start a sentence, and I don’t even know where it’s going. I just hope I find it along the way. Like an improv conversation.
– Michael Scott

My favourite place to visit is New York City. I’ve been a few times and I wish someone would just pay me to live there for a bit. Maybe as an expat blogger? Pretty sure that’s a thing.

But truly, my husband and I hope to move our family to the countryside one day. That’s the real dream. So if you’re selling a couple acres of land, holla at yo girl.

Y’all may notice that I sometimes use phrases traditional to the UK and southern US. And frankly, that’s because some sayings just fit better, and I like them, and I do what I want! My husband always makes fun of that, but I fully intend to carry on until he no longer notices.

Finally, this blog won’t likely have a very narrow focus like oils or recycling. Instead, I hope to share my musings on motherhood, marriage, and my faith, among other interests.

Anything you’d like to read on here? Pretty please let me know in the comments below!

First official post coming soon so stay tuned! And of course, subscribe below!