One of my favorite things about Spring time in Texas is our local Farmers Market! It’s a short walk down the street for us so we try and go each week. And each week we see something new! The Hutto Farmers Market is every Wednesday evening from 5-8 pm at the Gin Co-op off Hwy 79. You can’t miss it!
I do have a few favorites that we love to shop from. The first is my friend, Jessica, who roasts coffee! Gathered Together Coffee Roasters is local to Hutto and the coffee is DELICIOUS!!!! Tonight she had cold brew coffee for sale!
Then we stop at Oma’s Brot. They sell fine artisinal breads and our favorite is the French Baguette. Tonight they were sampling Focaccia bread and it was so savory!
Lockhart Farms is also at the Hutto Farmers Market and have many vegetables to choose from. Our favorite is the Strawberry Jam and the Apple Pie Jam. The jam tastes scrumptious on Oma’s Brot bread!
There are more booths than the ones above and I encourage you to visit our local Farmers Market to check it out! There is always something new!
Recently I wrote about my worst fear. Here’s where it ties into this blog: I have a fear of traveling in the car. I am so nervous that we will get into an accident or worse. I’m nervous driving to work, driving my kids home from school, driving in the rain. When I get into the car, I have to say a quick prayer for God to protect us and get us to our destination safely.
So I started a travel blog. Really? Why would I do this?
2 reasons. I need to get over this fear of traveling in the car. I miss out on adventures because I’m afraid something will happen along the way. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in this fear that I just forget about the awesomeness of the adventure.
I want to venture out! I want to explore my tiny town of Hutto and Austin! I want to travel all over the USA! I want to see the world! God has created so much beauty and I want to see it all! He wants us to see and marvel in His creations!
So we will start small. Let’s travel locally. Let’s meet our neighbors, get to know them. Let’s get out on the road and explore!
Here we go! Our first journey takes us on our family’s favorite vacation to date, a Disney Cruise aboard the Disney Wonder! I’ll highlight our travels and share some pointers along the way.
Fears. We all have them. All different, some the same. What are yours? It seems like this is a subject no one wants to talk about. I know I don’t! It’s not pretty sometimes to face your fears. It can get messy and ugly.
Do you ever feel guilty about your fears? I do. If I can be honest, if I think too much about a certain fear, I get that feeling in the pit of my stomach that something is not right. All I want to do is crawl in bed, watch TV and not think about it. But that doesn’t diminish any fears, it just pushes it to the back of my mind.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7
We are not called to be timid and not face our fears. We are called to step up, face our fears and grow. So today I tell you my biggest fear I have going on right now. Death. That is my fear. Fear that someone close to me will die. Fear that I will die. I can tell you exactly when this fear started (when I received a cancer diagnosis) and why it started (I realized that at the age of 35 I was not immune to an early death). But as quickly as I received that diagnosis, I was in remission. The cancer was gone but that fear stuck around. What if the doctor missed something during surgery? What if the cancer is still there? What if it spread and no one noticed? What if it comes back? Is my daughter susceptible to the same type? My sisters? My mom? Will I die from this???
So I go through those questions in my head. Sometimes out loud to my sisters and my mom aka my BFFs. And I answer the questions rationally. The cancer is gone. I know this. My quarterly check ups confirm this. The labs confirm this. The scans confirm this. There is no confirmation that the cancer won’t come back. There is no confirmation for anyone that they won’t get cancer. But I do know that God does not want us to live in fear. Fear immobilizes us. It’s hard to move forward. It’s hard to breathe. It’s hard to function. Some days that fear swallows me up and it’s hard to do anything. More often than not, I can get out of that fearful pit by going to God’s faithful reminders.
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10
So instead of feeling guilty about my fears, today I choose to use my fears as reminders of how much I need God. I will use my fears as a chance to have a conversation with God, to lean into Him and His word. Today I choose to use my fears as a way to show others that they are not alone. You are not alone. I am not alone. We have the King of Kings on our side. We have to trust that God’s plan is THE plan. He, and only He, knows what is best for us and when it is our time to leave the earth.
**So you know when God gives you those reassurances by giving you a sign? I received mine a few hours after writing this yesterday. My friend Hillarie with Perceive It Pretty posted the picture above with the 2 Timothy 1:7 verse. (BTW, her work is amazing!!!) Then when I got to work this morning and flipped my calendar to today, here it was:
Our God is so, so good and faithful. His word doesn’t change.
Hi everyone and welcome! I am so excited to share with you some of my journeys! Whether it’s a trip around the world, a walk down the street, or a spiritual journey, I will be sharing it here. I’m not sure where this journey will lead me but I do know that life is all round us and I want to enjoy it! Who is with me???
My hope is that my words inspire you to live out loud. Whatever that looks like to you. For me, that means traveling, seeing the world, enjoying what’s in my own backyard, spending time with family and friends and growing my relationship with Christ.
So here we go! I would love to hear back from you! Where is your favorite place to go in your hometown?
My daughter and I exploring our town of Hutto. Can you see the old silo in the background??
Lockhart Farms is also at the Hutto Farmers Market and have many vegetables to choose from. Our favorite is the Strawberry Jam and the Apple Pie Jam. The jam tastes scrumptious on Oma’s Brot bread!
