Scripture and a Snapshot~ His Word Remains

 The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. 

~ Isaiah 40:8

Oh, what wonderful hope we have in His Word and Promises!!! Have you read them? I highly encourage you if you are need of a HOPE BOOST crack open His Word. Psalms are a good place to start if you have never read the Bible also John, where you can get to know Jesus a little better. 

I am linking with Kym at a Scripture and a Snapshot. Go visit her HERE and check out hers along with others wonderful Scriptures and a Snapshot. 

I am also linking up with Sweet Tea & Friends for the March Link Up ~ PLEASE CHECK THAT OUT HERE!

Happy March & Blessed Sunday!!!

With Love,

Chrissy T

How Did I Do? February "Just ONE THING" Goals

Hello friends!! At the beginning of February, I shared I would be selecting ONE simple goal or thing to do in different categories as to not overwhelm myself. CHECK OUT THAT POST HERE!!!!

Here was one of my goals completed. This is the pantry after I cleaned it out. I shared a post about all this as well with before and after photos. 

I am super thankful for the goals I was able to accomplish. Here is how I planned it out....

I chose different categories that fit my life and liking....

I chose ONE THING for each category I wanted to do. 

Here were my goals...

✔ Spiritual- schedule my SOLO Prayer & Quiet Time Overnighter (I have done this for years and it does a world of good for me) (COMPLETE) Planned for June in Indianapolis 

✔ Physical- One Winter Hike DONE

✔ Emotional- Journal emotions and moods or use a prompt to journal daily at night (DONE- I journaled almost every day)

✔ Creative Outlet- Finish my miniature Book Nook Craft (COMPLETE)

✔ Brain Boosting- Finish the three books I am currently reading Done

Homefront- Make a daily and weekly routine and put into practice this month!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (PARTIAL- I did start some daily rhythms and had more structure to my days and weeks) 

✔ Organization- Clean Pantry (COMPLETE)

Nutrition- Eat more vegetables (not successful as much as I desired)

Ministry- create a binder and organize all ladies' ministry info (purchased all the stuff) lol

**I am a pastor's wife. A huge part of my life is serving in ministry and church so I have needs that I would like to accomplish in this category.** (Partial- I purchased the binder and dividers but need some more information to complete. This will be done ASAP)

✔Just for FUN- make bird feeders (Bought one)

Overall, besides the veggies and not completing my binder for ladies ministry I feel pretty happy! I am looking forward to sharing my March Goals soon. 

Here is the Book Nook (my creative goal complete) all done!!! I love it!!!!!

February Winter Hike in the books! This was the second spot of the day. The Cypress Swamp off the Natchez Trace Scenic Drive. 

I am looking forward to March's Hike!!! The weather is getting spring like and that means waterfalls will be roaring!!!!!! It is waterfall chasing season for me. 

There was a lot of cozy reading time this month. I am not doing any form of entertainment such as movies, shows, or YouTube for a while. I do not also do FB or Instagram or any other platform other than this blog. So, reading fills a lot of my days currently. 

I can't wait to share my bucket list calendar that I ticked off later as well. 

Have a super weekend!!!!

With Love, 

Chrissy T

February Reading Recap (2026)

 

Hello friends. I wanted to share the books I read this month! I log my books I read on Goodreads. You can follow along with me... look at my sidebar!!! 

Here are my February reads and ratings....

Ratings for each book are 1-5

1- Terrible 

2-I could have spent my time better 

3- Survived the read. Not bad and not great. 

4- Good 

5- AWESOME

Gentle & Lowly by Dane Ortlund ~ Rating 3

I was loaned this book by a sweet friend that asked me to read it. At first this book was beautiful. I filled the pages with tabs to remember things. I loved so many thoughts and quotes but the last 8 chapters there was a turn. There were things I didn't overall feel Biblical or comfortable with. I also felt he stretched this book out way more than necessary. While I am all for using resources from other Christian authors, I found that a lot of his "thoughts" were grounded in others' opinions and teachings and rarely used scripture to back up what he was saying. It had a good base to it, but I just didn't agree with everything. 

Sanctuary: Cultivating a Quiet Heart in a Noisy and Demanding World by Denise J. Hughes ~ Rating 4

This was my monthly devotional that went along my Bible reading and studying. I did enjoy it. It had some really wonderful thoughts. Not a lot of scriptures shared throughout or encouragement to get in the word like other devotions from this publishing company, but I did enjoy it.

A More Beautiful Life: A Simple Five-Step Approach to Living Balance Goals with HEART by Whitney English~ Rating 3

This could have been a super read. It was wonderful at first and had a good general idea of tips and etc. but it began to turn midway through and became very heavy successful and productive driven tools and at the beginning of the book she is encouraging you to get away from that but then leads you to that in the end. I did like some of her methods. It was one of those books you take what you want and leave the rest. 

Tea? Coffee? Murder! - The Art of Lying: A Black Feather Mystery by Ellen Barksdale ~ Rating 4

This was very short simple cozy read for a winter night. I plan to read more in this series to see what I think overall. 

A Shot in the Dark (Mydworth Mysteries #1) ~ Rating 3

Simple read and I knew where this was going and who the killer was BEFORE the middle of the book. If I would have not paid for this on my kindle I would have stopped reading. The book was pleasant enough. I will more than likely not read more from this series. It was really too "meh."

Okay....my ratings were pretty low this month. It was a good reading month though. Sometimes it happens that way! I currently started a new book today and so far, I LOVE IT. 

 I am also reading & studying Isaiah in the Bible as well as studying 1 Peter. 

Thanks for stopping by!

With Love, 

Chrissy T

Monthly Musings- February 2026

 1. Paper planner, digital calendar or other option?

Oh, this is tough. I think I am all over at this point. After a DIE HARD I WILL NOT EVER USE DIGITAL.....I have slowly converted. But I will say my life is not what it used to be. People think I am busy now but now that I graduated our last child and my life has entered a different phase plus I have more help at our church plant I can say I do not have as many things to record as I once did with three children and major coordinator over several ministries. 

                                    The purple color are scheduled things!

SO... now, everything goes on my phone calendar the instant I schedule something and set alerts to remind me a week ahead and a day ahead. I use my notes before bed to create a daily to do list and night I check off what I accomplished and then start a fresh one with reminders about the next day. I still make a few mental notes on paper that I need to make sure I absolutely do not forget.

                      This is an example of my TO DO list on my phone notes app.

2. Meal planning, meal prep or wing it?

After 25 plus years of religiously meal planning and prepping for the past two years I have been way more relax due to my season of life and less to cook for. I have themes and just keep an arsenal of recipes and family favorites and a well-stocked basic pantry and freezer. I don't really wing it but I also don't plan everything. 

We do have soup and bread in the winter on Mondays, simple Family Dinner when all the kids come home on Thursday and a traditional Sunday meal. I always cook on Tuesday, and I do not cook on Wednesday nor Friday.

                        Yummy Orzo Soup!  A family favorite on Soup Mondays!

3. Do you choose your outfit the night before?

Not really. On Saturdays I plan my outfit for church for Sunday. As a Pastor's Wife and someone who helps leads and sings for church as well as cook our Sunday meal before 9 a.m. for 8 people I HAVE TO BE PREPARED THE NIGHT BEFORE! I do not have time for that on Sunday morning. I do plan ahead at times if I have conferences, events, or appointments early in the morning. Other than that...NOPE! I also do not work outside the home! Oh, if I am leaving super early for a morning hike or a 5k I do lay out my outfits, shoes, bags, and change of clothes. 

This is me in a hotel at a conference. I was traveling with 20 plus women and sharing a room. I have to be very planned and organized to accommodate others and space. 

4. Tips for managing laundry and ironing

I start a load of laundry every single day first thing in the morning and make sure that I dry, fold and put away by the end of the day. I do this 5-6 days a week. I do not wash on Sundays if I can help it. I rotate sheet days for my family weekly.  I wash our bath rugs and things like that every other Thursday. The biggest thing is I do not over complicate it; I never let it pile up even if I am sick, and I make sure to have all of it done before the weekend.

Ironing- We iron as we need it. I take our clothes immediately out of the dryer and hang them or fold them, so we rarely need it. My husband irons his own clothes as needed if I can't get to them.

                                                  Source off Pinterest

5.  Grocery shop online or in store

Mostly in store because I like to get out in the community once a week. Believe it or not (because you all see my posts on hiking and traveling) I am a homebody. I have to be pretty purposeful to get out. Plus, I like shopping for my own stuff.

But when I am sick or having an "off" day, I will do it online. I am currently feeling under the weather, so I shopped online today! 

80% in store and 20% online as needed.

6. Best tips for getting out the door in the morning without chaos?

I am probably going to repeat the same things others do. I just plan and prepare as much as I can. I do make post it notes and put them on my door with reminders if I need to. I always have things I need to take to church or return. I will often put a post it up saying turn on the crockpot before you leave, grab this or that and etc. I do gather all things I need into one spot in a visible area beforehand. 

7. Share your easiest dinners for crazy weeks

Easiest Dinners- 

I think anything pasta and all kinds of sauces are easy! 

Dump and Go Chicken Crockpot recipes and tacos.

8. Best tips to keep your house organized during the week

*I just make sure to have a morning, afternoon and evening rhythms. 

*Basic things like tidy up at each of times I mentioned above (morning, afternoon and evening) throughout the day. 

*Deal with paper and mail as soon as it comes in the home. NO PILES!

*Wash dishes every day do not go to bed with them in the sink.

*Wash a load of clothes every day.

*Pick up and clean up as you go. 

*Don't ignore simple little things that can be done in seconds or minutes. Just do it.

Just a little humor! We always need a good laugh. But seriously, I sometimes feel this way! HAHA!

9. Share your easiest breakfast

Fried Egg, toast and a piece of fruit. It is easy, healthy, and cheap. It takes me less than 5 minutes to make.

A warm bagel with cheese is also a nice quick option

                                                       Source online

10. Share your Best overall tip not covered yet

My overall tip not covered..... 

Would be DON'T waste time media scrolling or prioritizing spending too much time online or on frivolous things.  I love being online just like everyone here BUT I do set very serious limits daily. If not, it is so easy to get lost in internet land and neglect things and let things get behind and then you quickly feel overwhelmed. Set a timer for online time and schedule it in your days so you can take care of the MUST DO THINGS FIRST and then take a nice break with treat and enjoy some time online then when the timer is up do the next things you NEED to do and then repeat, enjoy some time online and so on. This has been the best thing I have put into practice in my life. 

I am linking up with Good Better Best Life for Monthly Musings. Check others out as well as our lovely host, Patty, here. 

With Love, 

Chrissy T

Here in the DEEP SOUTH ~ Flowers, Sasquatch, Woods, a Swamp, Connecting

 Hello dear friends. I know so many of you all are dealing with snow. I think it is beautiful. But here in my area we are hearing lawn mowers, flowers are blooming (too early probably) and windows are up!!

I went on my February Winter Hike, which did not by any means feel wintery! It was wonderful though. Oh, how I needed this hike!!!!! The woods, the lake, the wind, and enjoying snacks alongside the lake and chatting with a friend I haven't seen in over 8 months. It was such a blessing. Thank you, Jesus, for that time yesterday!!!

You will see a little image of a sasquatch throughout the pictures. Unbeknownst to us they had little sasquatch images hidden all over the trail. We enjoyed finding them!!! It was such a fun little time!!!

Here we goooo.. We traveled to Legion State Park and Cypress Swamp in Mississippi. Weather was 70 degree with clouds. 

                                                         My hiking friend, Amanda with me!!

So, my hiking stick always makes a debut! I have 20 plus more medallions to add to it but....

ALSO.... LOOK CLOSE....DO YOU SEE OUR FRIEND?? THE SASQUATCH!!!!

I love moss! The trails were covered in it on several parts. One part the trail was solid with it. 

I thought this leaf that was decaying was so neat!!!! How cool!!!!

Here is our friend again!!! We literally cracked up every time we came across one! It was so joyful!

Time for a needed break! This was a very "hilly" trail. Since, neither of us have done a trail like this since the winter hit, we needed little more break to catch our breath, LOL! But we always have a snack midway through our hikes. We sit, drink plenty of water and have a little snack. Yes, a lot of hikers eat what we call "trash" to keep us going and quick snacks, so I am enjoying gummy bears and pretzels. We also soak in the nature, listen for birds and look for wildlife. 

As we were driving back home (it is about a 2-hour trip one way) we stopped by a place we visit yearly off the Natchez Trace Scenic Drive. It is a boardwalk with a little side trail. Usually, we see a lot of alligators and herons. We have been known to accidently walk upon a few the last time we came. But we didn't this time thankfully!!!

What a difference between the two places. Such unique ecosystems. I love the majestic eeriness of the swamps. I would not however want to hike or stay out in one at night. :)  Nope... I am totally good. 

But I wish you could see the true size of these cypress trees. THEY ARE MASSIVE. My pictures cannot do them justice. 

In the end we had a lovely time. I am glad we were able to go and connect. It has been such a long time since we had hiked together. or even seen each other in person. The last time we hiked and seen each other in person was 8 months ago. So, it was a nice time. 

My last picture I will share.... THIS ONE MADE US GIGGLE!!!! IT WAS BARELY HANGING ON!! LIFE CAN BE LIKE THAT SOMETIMES! HAHA!!!

I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day! Thanks for coming along with me on my blog sharing. 

With Love, 

Chrissy T

The NEXT FIVE Things About Me....

 Hello dear friends. This is a continuation of Tuesday's Post (Ten Things About Me) it was getting long so I decided to break it up. Go check that post out if you haven't!!

SIX- I love the night sky! I usually go out every evening and look up at the sky soak it in. Even if it cold. I may do it for 10 seconds, but I just love it. 

I captured this image last year on my solo prayer get away I took in a little treehouse. It was a lovely time. The sky was so beautiful.

SEVEN- I love to Bible Journal and note take. I study it daily and it is the foundation of my life. 

EIGHT- I have LONG HAIR. LIKE down to the back of the middle of my thighs. I rarely wear it down because it gets in the way. I do not have a picture of it all but this is at least one of me where it is actually down in the front. This is my girly, Hannah. For a long time, she had hair that long too. Hers is mid back now. 

NINE- We have three kiddos. Ethan who will be 26 years old in April. Hannah who is 21 years old and Kyle who will be 19 years old in June. They are my heartbeat. I homeschooled them all. They all have pretty good jobs. They all have super fun personalities and love to still hang with their parents. We are pretty close as a family unit. The siblings were always very close growing up. They are still close and they meet up on occasion for dinner on their own. 

TEN- I love to Kayak!! BUT....I only like to Kayak in lakes or calm waters. I do not like rivers with fast currents or anything crazy. I like a relaxing kayak trip on a lake. AND not on a windy day!

And YES....I do go by myself a lot. :) I love it. I take a snack and just kayak and relax. It is a wonderful refreshing time for me. I do try to make sure to only kayak where it is alligator free. We have a lot in my area, but I try hard to be cautious. 

Well....this was fun!!! I feel like I haven't really properly introduced myself when I started blogging again. I have a lot of newer readers and some older ones that may not realize some of these things because I really do not share things like this in general. 

With all this being shared.... GO CAPTURE THE DAY!

With Love,

Chrissy T