10 Commandments of Pregnancy: For the General Public

November 30, 2016 by

So I’ve been blogging for a hot minute. See also: Over five years.

And in that time, we’ve experienced a lot of life changes, especially in the family realm of things… A miscarriage, the birth of our daughter Charis and now, the 3rd-trimester-point-of-in-process-cooking of another Tiny Human.

One of my favorite mini-series of all time here on the blog are the “10 Commandments of Pregnancy.” They are funny, because they are true.

So today, I want to re-share the first installment of the mini-series: 10 Commandments for the general public, aka friends, extended family and strangers.

Because if I am going to put on weight and wonder how/what my body is doing, I might as well try to laugh in the meantime. (And I invite you to do the same.)

Oh. And if you are a friend/family member or just a random stranger who interacts with a preggo at any point in your life– please heed these guidelines. Trust me. You will thank me later.

[Read more…]

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The Holiday Switch: From Stressed to Blessed (Army Wife Network)

November 23, 2015 by

I eyed the calendar suspiciously.

I blinked. That can’t be right. Didn’t we just do this like five minutes ago?!?

But as I looked again, I realized it to be true. The holidays are upon us.

Sure, that sounds a bit cliche, but seriously– it seems the older I get, the faster the pages of the calendar turn.

Don’t get me wrong– I am not stunt double for the Grinch that Stole Christmas. I like the holidays. I really do. The fun, the family time (when applicable– hey, it’s the army!) and the festivities make that little spot in my heart get all warm and fuzzy.

Holiday SwitchWhat I DON’T appreciate is the stress that seems to come with the holidays.

Because really, if I am wound up about the holiday season and stressed to the max, I fail to enjoy it. I spend more time worried about all the things instead of reveling in the blessing that comes with all the things.

So this year, I am going on strike regarding holiday stress. Starting NOW, I am making a holiday switch from stressed to blessed. And I wanted to share with you some of my proactive techniques and expectations I am setting in advance. 

  1. Sharing my expectations– then sticking to my guns. That’s right. Talk with your people and determine what you want to get out of this holiday season. My Beloved Soldier has had a very busy year… And my job has also kept me on my toes. Oh. And we chase a toddler too. And I trained for my first marathon. And, and, and…. So we have already set the expectation that this holiday will be low key because we need to recharge more than have the banister decorated with organic, hand-braided pine boughs.  My in-laws are coming for Christmas this year (don’t worry– I love them to death– they are awesome!) so we have already told them to bring comfy clothes and prepare to eat, sleep and be pseudo-hermit-like. We have never been so excited to be this boring.

Keep on reading about my switcheroo techniques over at Army Wife Network. 

Dear reader, which of these tips resonates with you the most? What would you add to the list? I always love to hear feedback. Chime in and leave a comment.

And may you have a beautiful holiday season as you make the switch from stressed to blessed!

So Blessed,

Initials Signature Blog

“May you be blessed by the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” ~Psalm 115:15

Linking up today with Kelly,   Laura at Playdates with God,  Joan’s  Beauty in His Grip,  Jen over at Soli Deo Gloria Sisterhood,  and Hazel via  Tell Me a Story. Be sure to join our #EverydayJesus link-up community right here at 7 Days Time every Thursday! 

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Cool story, Bro.

August 20, 2014 by

Our first dance started out all sweet and romantical… Then we busted out the salsa. With maracas. Seriously. I guess you had to be there.

You might have noticed that Wednesdays are my days to take a breath. To rest. Recharge. To work toward some super-awesome God-sized goals for 2014. So here is a blast from the past straight from the archives. Enjoy, dear friends… and thanks for the grace. 

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“DUDE! It was awesome! There was like this guy and these three girls, and they sang some stuff, and then the stage lit up and sparks showered from the ceiling.”

Ever tried to share an incredible story or experience with someone and you are met with a dumbfounded look of incomprehension? When that happens in our household, my husband often says “Huh. Cool story, bro.” (Even though I’m not his bro. I’m his wife. But that’s besides the point.) [Read more…]

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21 Truths: God Is Sovereign

April 4, 2014 by

I must admit that sometimes I don’t have all the answers.

Google is one of my best friends when it comes to the mundane questions that I have: Can you eat sour cream past its expiration date? How can I keep moss from growing in my yard? What are the symptoms of a mold allergy?

Although Google is a mighty powerful tool, it doesn’t have all the answers either.

Especially when it comes to the hard stuff.

Like the questions I am asked as a minister. [Read more…]

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Fruit of the Spirit in Parenting

February 19, 2014 by

Fact: Parenting is HARD.

Not all days, but a lot of the days (or at least part of most days) is a challenge like I have never experienced before. For all you parents out there, I imagine you are probably nodding your head and whispering under your breath “Amen, girl.”  For those of you who aren’t parents, don’t check out. Because God can use ALL of our situations and seasons to develop fruit within us.

By fruit, I don’t mean apples, bananas or grapes. This is Spiritual fruit– even sweeter, albeit much harder to grow. [Read more…]

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Finding Jesus in the Little Stuff (Link-Up)

January 23, 2014 by

Welcome to another week of our Everyday Jesus link-up. Be sure to link-up below this post, comment on your neighbor’s blog and share with your friends… Because Jesus is everywhere, every day! 

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Jesus has done some pretty incredible miracles.

In the Bible, we read about Him turning water into wine, healing the sick, raising the dead.

Every now and then, He graces our household with a seemingly impossible miracle too.

He occasionally brings my husband and I to agreement on a movie to watch. [Read more…]

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Advent Adventures (& Everyday Jesus Link-Up)

January 16, 2014 by

Welcome to another week of our Everyday Jesus link-up. Be sure to link-up below this post, comment on your neighbor’s blog and share with your friends… Because Jesus is everywhere, everyday! 

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It is already the middle of January and for a lot of folks. the Christmas/Advent season feels like it happened a bajillion years ago.

And that might be a relief. But for our little Knobloch family, the lessons learned during Advent 2013 have stuck with us. In fact, I wanted to share a few of our Advent Adventures with you today. [Read more…]

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Hidden Ah-Ha’s: Delivered from our Troubles

December 2, 2013 by

Ug. We’ve all had those days.

You know, the days where things are just not going well.  Maybe the baby is sick. Perhaps you realize you are out of a key ingredient for your crockpot supper. Or it’s still 10 days til payday and you can’t help but wonder how close you are going to cut it this time. Maybe you left the windows down on your car and now it’s raining. Or as you drove to work today, you were greeted by red and white flashing lights in your rear-view. (I thought the light was yellow???)

We are weary. Short-tempered. Ready to throw in the towel, lock ourselves in the bathroom with a glass of wine and/or a serving (or 12) of dark chocolate.

Life’s everyday troubles. We have to deal with them. But we DON’T have to let them define us. [Read more…]

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His Unfailing Love (Pinnable Picture)

November 21, 2013 by

God’s creation is beautiful.

So today, as we continue to celebrate launch week, I wanted to share some of that beauty– via a pinnable picture plus a reminder of his incredible, unfailing love. [Read more…]

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A Happy Dance (And Giveaway Results)

August 19, 2013 by

Sometimes God just blows me away.

Seriously. I look back on the last few years, and I’m like “REALLY, GOD? REALLY!?! Wow. You rock.” 

A couple of years ago, I was blindsided by the call to ministry… I didn’t see it coming. Like, at all. I had a bachelor’s degree in animal science, for Pete’s sake.

And if you would have told me I would be in ministry, write 400+ blog posts in the next couple of years and become a spiritual leadership coach, I would have seriously wondered if you had gotten a little cray-cray with the communion wine. (Although I think most places, including our current church, use grape juice… but I digress.) [Read more…]

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