What's Worth It (Or Not)

Every week I share what's been worth it to me… or not! Just real-life stuff I'm actually using (or ditching) and feel like putting out there. Sometimes the team jumps in too with their own favorites.

I've been thinking about the basic blessings in my life that I so often overlook. The fact that I can walk. That I can read. That I can see a sunset or hear music and laughter. Those are HUGE gifts, and yet most days I rush right past them without even noticing.

Psalm 126:3 says, "The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy." 💛And for me, those "great things" aren't always the big, life-changing moments… they're tucked into the ordinary, everyday stuff.

And y'all, if you have dogs, you know exactly what I mean here. The second they realize it's walk time, it's pure joy. Tails wagging, happy dances, acting like it's the best thing in the world. Watching them the other day made me stop and think… shouldn't that be us too? A simple walk may not seem exciting, but my pups remind me to put it into perspective. What if we brought that same gratitude and joy into the small things? Just saying, "thank you for this moment" and actually feeling joy in it can completely shift the way a day feels.

So here's my challenge for us 👉 pick one ordinary thing you do every single day, making coffee, flipping on a light, climbing into bed, and pause to thank God for it. Let it be a little spark of joy that reminds you how much you already have to be grateful for.

And I'm adding one more challenge for myself too… say one blessing out loud each day. Share it at the dinner table, text it to a friend, or just speak it into the air. I've noticed I feel gratitude so much more when I actually speak it instead of just keeping it in my head. 🫶

I know a lot of you have asked about these outdoor ball lights before and they're finally on sale on Amazon right now for the lowest price I've seen! ✨ They're called outdoor Christmas lights, but I have them up all year long. They make me so happy just looking out at them at night, and they've survived multiple Texas storms. You can see them in action over on Instagram.

We're getting ready to sell one of our houses, the one we originally bought for my boys to rent. Both of them lived there for a while, but life has shifted. Nick, my oldest, just transferred to Berry College this fall (and he's loving it, which makes my mama heart so happy 🥹), and Ayden moved into a smaller place nearby. So it just makes sense for us to sell now.

And y'all, staging a house means lots of decorating… which gave me the perfect excuse to do a big Walmart haul. 😅 I was SO impressed with what I found! We're talking $7 ceramic flower vases, under $20 vintage-style framed art, $5 throw pillows, and more. 👏 Plus, I even scored some clearance finds! I rounded it all up for you at this link so you can grab the deals too.

It honestly really bothers me how drugstores are incentivized to push certain vaccines and flu shots. I was literally just there picking up a prescription for my hubby and got pressured to get a flu shot myself. I had to say no multiple times.

My take? People should be able to do their own research and make the decision that feels right for them, without a pharmacist pushing it on them. And what really got me… I watched an older couple get pressured right in front of me 🥲. You could tell they were hesitant, even brought up a past experience that made them nervous, and they were clearly leaning toward no. But after all the pressure, they still walked away with both the flu shot and the you-know-what vaccine.

My heart sank. I wanted so badly to step in and say, "hey, just so you know these stores get incentives to push this stuff, please do what feels right for YOU." But I held back. At the end of the day, it wasn't my place… even though it ate at me.

To each their own, but people should never feel pressured. Let folks make their own informed decisions without the push or the incentives driving it.

That's a wrap on this week's picks! Thanks for reading.  🫶

Love,

Collin