Today is an important day for my wife and I.
On this day back in 1999, we gathered before friends and family and professed our love for each other.
Now nineteen years later, that love has grown stronger and I am enjoying our life together.
19 years and going strong!
It is hard to imagine that it has already been nineteen years. It seems like only yesterday that I met her. We worked for the same organization, but in different departments and different buildings. I have always said it was God ordained and meant to be. Her department had to be relocated to my building because their offices were being renovated. Our paths started to cross and we began chatting. The relationship developed slowly, first as colleagues and then as friends. As we spent more time together, we learned that we had many things in common and shared many core beliefs. In the fall of 1998, I traveled out of town for a family gathering. While there, I realized that could not stop thinking about her and that I did not want to spend my life without her.
By January 1999, I had gotten up the courage to ask her to marry me. I remember saying to her, “We have done many things together, but there is one thing that we haven’t done. Will you spend your life with me? Will you marry me?” Nine months later, we walked down the aisle of Saint James the Greater Catholic Church (in Saint Louis, MO) and became husband and wife.
I cannot put into words the joy and excitement that it brought me to have the wonderful lady as my wife. We have God as our center of our marriage. We spend time reading and studying the Bible, going to Church every week and reading faith-based self-improvement books. We work at making ourselves better, for our own self and for each other. We have based our relationship on communication and spending quality time together. We take the time to talk through what is on our hearts and make sure we understand each other’s needs. We both say that we are not only married to the person we love, but also best friend. This makes the relationship stronger because it can enjoyed at many different levels. A relationship that is built on many interwoven levels cannot be broken.
Is our marriage perfect? NO!
Do we have our challenges that need to be worked through? YES!
But we face these circumstances head on. We continue to work on ourselves, each other and on our marriage.
We don’t give up or give in!
A Photo From Our Most Recent Road Trip – Batchawana Bay in Ontario, Canada
In our nineteen years, God has blessed us many times over. I look back at it and I thank Him for all that he has done for us. I look forward to see what each day will bring. Because I know, the best is yet to come!
Today is Labor Day and I hope you are relaxing and enjoying your day off. However, everyone does not get Labor Day off. Yes, it’s true, not everyone gets a day off on Labor Day. If you have to work today, I want you to know that BubblingWithEleganceAndGrace.com appreciates you and hope you get a day off soon because you deserve it.
It may be September, but it’s still summer and very hot. The flowers are in full bloom and I had to stop and think about what this day really means.
Flower Garden
This video clip from the CBS Morning Show goes into great detail about the origins of the Labor Day holiday. I found it be very interesting and it expanded the my understanding of the holiday. Watch it here!
Did you know that not wearing white after summer did not start out as a fashion statement? Being life long learners, we must grow and learn everyday.
I hope you are relaxing and enjoying your day. My hubby and I had the opportunity to review the move, Healed By Grace 2 Ten Days of Grace. The movie stars Sean Young, Kennedy Martin, Natalie Weese and David Matthew Weese. I do not want to write a spoiler notes of what the film is about because I really want you to see the movie. The movie centers on a teenager named Jesse who wants a horse for her 15th birthday. Her mother is against it; but she really does not know why. Her father is able to convince her mother to agree to a 10 day summer horse camp. But what happens from there is totally surprising. You will have to see it to get the rest of the story.
You can watch the movie’s trailer here.
The message that comes through is forgiveness. No matter what you have done in your life, God loves you and he forgives you. One scripture that comes to mind is Matthew 18:21-22 (KJV)
21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
We have to forgive ourselves first and then to be able to forgive others. Sometimes we get angry and the other person does not even know it and we are only hurting ourselves. God gives us Grace and what a fitting tile for this movie.
Here is a short clip from the movie.
The DVD home release of Healed by Grace 2 will be September 18, 2018. It can be be purchased at ChristianBook.com and from Amazon.
Bubblingwitheleganceandgrace.com is hosting a Giveaway of two DVDs of the combo pack Healed By Grace 1 and 2.
Guidelines of the Giveaway
1.Please leave a comment below of what you think the movie will be about.
2. Please share the Giveaway on your Facebook or Twitter page with your friends.
Please note: That’s it. You will not be signed up for a newsletter or anything like that for entering the Giveaway.
The giveaway with start today, Sunday, September 2nd and will close on Monday, September 10th at 11:59pm (Central Time).
Disclaimer
Bubblingwitheleganceandgrace.com will receive two DVDs, Healing Grace I and Healing Grace 2 for writing this heartfelt honest review of the movie, Healing By Grace 2:Ten days of Grace.
It has been almost six weeks since our little Gio left us and crossed over the rainbow bridge. Today is National Dog Day, so we wanted to celebrate his life and share with you what the little fella meant to us.
Celebrating the Life of Gio!!
Gio was a part of our family for the almost twelve years and brought so much joy to our life. He came to us as a street doggie, so we were unsure of his past. We do not know if he had ran away from home; gotten lost while on a hunt or if his owner gotten rid of him. Whatever the situation, it was hard for Gio to love us when he first come home with us. He didn’t know what love was, so we had to show him unconditional love while training him how to properly behave. In time and with the help of trainer, his heart softened and he became a sweet lovable beagle. In the early days, he would grumble at us when we tried to rub his tummy. In time as he realized that we loved him and cared for him, Gio would turn over and put his feet up in the air, wanting us to rub his tummy. He would also lick our hands and demand affection for you. He would take his head and move it towards our hands, wanting to be rubbed or massaged. And if we moved our hand away, he would move closer to us and made sure we continued it. We couldn’t stop until he had enough.
Gio believed that he was the Alpha of the house and he had certain demands that we needed to take care of. The most important demand on his list was food. He ate three times a day and he knew when it was time. Oh and don’t forget about treats in the evening. He would begin asking for the food about thirty minutes to an hour ahead of time. He would nudge us, bark at us, jump on us, or fling his bowl in the middle of the room; letting us know it was time. He wouldn’t leave us alone until we gave him what he wanted. But we had to show him (in love) at we were the Alphas and that he couldn’t get his way all of the time. When this happened, he would be pout and fuss at us.
Gio’s favorite place to be was in the backyard. He could spend hours at a time out there. Being a beagle, he always had his nose to the ground, searching for scents and on the lookout for squirrels. He would follow their scent and even chase them through the yard when he saw them. While he never caught one, he was determined that he would and never stopped trying. He came close many times, but they were always one step ahead of him. Many times after a chase and trying to get the squirrel, I would bring Gio back inside. He would be restless in house. He wanted to go back outside to see if he could still get that squirrel. He was determined! And when he couldn’t go outside, he would sit at the window and look into the backyard. He could sit at that window for hours at a time and not move a muscle. He was looking to see if any squirrel was in his area. If he saw one, he would aggressively bark at it and jump on the window. He would demand for us to take him outside so he could chase it down. He was that determined!
Gio looking out the window
My wife shared a YouTube video on Gio. It can be seen here….
In his almost twelve years with us, Gio blessed our life with some many wonderful memories that it is not hard for me share. Sharing them with you helps with the grief and sorrow of losing him. With so many wonderful memories, he will live on in our hearts forever.
We Love You, Gio!!
Looking great on the outside comes down to a number of things. Your confidence, your comfort and how you see yourself are all important for achieving that glow from within. But your health also has an important part to play, and when you feel healthy on the inside, you’ll shine on the outside too.
Take a look at some top lifestyle tips to help you radiate health from the inside out.
Get more sleep Be honest with yourself, are you getting as much sleep as you should? For many people, a busy job and busy family life can make it very difficult to get to sleep, leaving you feeling tired and grumpy and your skin looking a little lackluster. Find ways to sleep better at night so that you start each day fresh and positive, with your skin renewed to give you that gorgeous natural glow.
Eat healthier Healthy eating is vital for ensuring good skin, for keeping your weight down and making sure that your energy levels stay constant. Cutting down on excess sugar, eating more fruit and vegetables and reducing your fat intake are all good ways to maintain a healthy diet. Kitchen gadgets like the air fryer by Kalorik can help you make tasty, low-fat versions of your favorite foods like fried chicken or French fries to help you eat healthier. Start watching what you eat now to feel the health benefits both inside and out.
Move more Exercise is a great way to feel amazing on the inside and look even better on the outside. Even if you’ve never worked out before, you can enjoy workouts for beginners that will help you to build up your fitness over time. Walking is a simple and effective exercise that burns calories and improves your fitness, so why not start walking more each day? Getting fit will boost your energy levels and help keep your weight within a healthy range to help you look and feel amazing.
Drink more water Water is essential for your health, helping to keep you hydrated but also making sure that you give your body what it needs to make it through the day. Drinking water has a lot of benefits for your skin, your energy, and your overall health – so when you drink plenty of water you’ll be giving your body a boost from the inside out. Aim to drink eight glasses a day, and more if you’re active or it’s hot outside. Keep a bottle by your side that you can sip from to keep you hydrated throughout the day.
Feeling confident and comfortable in your own skin takes work, but it’s better to build a healthy foundation from the inside to see results. Curtailing certain lifestyle choices will benefit you health-wise and financially, so if you’ve not been feeling great lately then it’s time to make some changes. Work on feeling good on the inside and the results will soon show on the outside too.
Learn More About JT Bubbling with Elegance and Grace is a place for life long learners. The Bubbling With Elegance And Grace team was created 14 years ago. A passion for fashion sparked a lifestyle blog for our Elegant Community to enjoy. We are thankful and in gratitude to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for those who have been with us from the beginning and those who have just started riding with us on this lovely journey.
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