| The Grit and Grace Project

Instagram Envy During the Holidays: Beware of the Pitfall

Sometimes pictures are worth a thousand words; other times, they are total liars. So before we fall victim to Instagram envy during the holidays, let’s look at things a little more realistically. Yes, photos can capture the most beautiful moments in one’s life. Sometimes they are spontaneous, and sometimes they are planned with color-coordinated outfits and contoured faces. I’m reminded of how wildly popular the mall-based Glamor Shots used to be before selfies and filters made that business obsolete. One year I was gifted this experience and now have too many photos of myself in a Blossom-style denim vest and floral floppy hat. (For those of you who weren’t stylistically influenced by this 90s sitcom character, you dodged a bullet.) My point […]

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7 Unique Holiday Traditions to Share With Your Family

By Darlene Brock / Life & Culture

One of the very best things about the holidays is not the calorie-heavy, “guilt-free” food intake, the gifts, the family gatherings, or even the “you have outdone yourself” decorating. It’s the holiday traditions you create for your family and then repeat each year, ensuring lasting memories in the hearts of all you love. Looking to start some family traditions? Here are a few to get you started: 1. Fill a jar from Thanksgiving to January 1 with special notes for each family member. Write one note a week to tell them something about them you treasure. On January 1, each member takes the notes written to them to begin the new year knowing their worth. 2. Decorate your tree with ornaments purchased from

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The Holidays and My Martha Heart

By Kitti Murray / Faith

It happened again. I sat down at the Thanksgiving table. A table ringed with these gifts: a husband, our children, their wives, and their children. They are my motives. They are why I schemed and shopped and cooked and baked (a chocolate-iced zebra birthday cake the shape of Africa … you know, the shape of above-and-beyond love). They are why I hauled it all from our house, along with flowers and wine and pretty little napkins. Today, at the table with this loud, fun family of ours, is the prequel to the next celebration, the one that means exponentially more cooking and baking and hauling and shopping and scheming. Today is the tugboat for that freighter called Christmas that sails into our

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Thank Sarah Hale (One Strong Woman) for Thanksgiving Day

By Darlene Brock / Life & Culture

Thanksgiving became a national holiday at the height of the Civil War—a most unlikely time to set a day aside for reflection and proclamation of one’s thankfulness. Yet President Abraham Lincoln did exactly that. Indeed, he was a brave man to declare this celebration in a season that seemed to have very little to be thankful for. But what is often overlooked is the woman behind the effort to make this a holiday worth celebrating. As is often true in life there is a “behind the scenes” lady of persuasion, a humble yet determined crusader of a concept. Sarah Josepha Hale’s Pursuit of Education Sarah Josepha Hale was born in 1788 to Captain Gordon Buell and Martha Whittlesay Buell. Having been educated

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Bible Verses From the Grit and Grace Team on Thankfulness

By The Grit and Grace Team / Faith

It’s hard to imagine finding gratitude in a year like the one we just bounced and fumbled through. But trying circumstances are exactly the time to hone in on the aspects of life for which we are thankful, and we depend on them for a sense of contentment while we wait to see the light at the end of the tunnel. If anything, the events of this year have caused us to take a step back and feel gratitude for the aspects of life we often overlook: our health, friends and family, our jobs, and our faith. As Thanksgiving Day approaches, we hope that you’re reminded of the things that make each day worth living, and that it will all continue to

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How to Avoid Relationship Conflict Over the Holidays – 111

By Smart Living with Grit and Grace / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | MoreThe holiday season is full of wonder, hope, and love. But, it can also be a season full of stress, pain and emotional agony. The holidays bring so much “togetherness”. Yes, this “togetherness” can be an amazing opportunity to spend quality time with our loved ones and create meaningful memories, but it can also cause conflict and become way too stressful to actually enjoy. In this episode of This Grit and Grace Life podcast, hosts Darlene and Julie have a much-needed chat about this topic. They discuss how to avoid relationship conflict during the holiday season. This can apply to any important relationship in your life, whether

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This Is How to Put Thankful Back in Thanksgiving – 067

By Smart Living with Grit and Grace / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | More It’s Thanksgiving week….be honest, are you not feeling all that thankful right now? Maybe “thankful” has lost its effect on you? Too much to do, too much drama, or you may be struggling to find a reason to celebrate. We get it—we’ve all been there. And there’s grace for you in that! In this episode, Darlene and Julie give you a fresh perspective to consider as you indulge in all the highly-caloric-yet-oh-so-worth-it-fare. They share what they’re glad about, which might get your thoughts going on some things you can be grateful for, appreciative of, indebted by, relieved of, or even places you have found contentment. Listen

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Stop the Holiday Hustle: Celebrate More, Stress Less – 064

By Smart Living with Grit and Grace / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | More The holiday season is upon us, and with it: the stress. We find ourselves with an overloaded schedule, and often in the midst of the fun is family drama. Maybe this is the year you’ll get ahead of the hustle of the season and find a way to slow down. Wouldn’t we all like to experience real celebration and enjoy it, not merely survive “the most wonderful time of the year?” Darlene and Julie discuss what they love about each holiday as well as ways to get the most out of the gatherings and how to make memories that will be cherished by you and yours

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Surviving the Holidays with Grit and Grace – 015

By Smart Living with Grit and Grace / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | More The holidays are here and often with them comes stress, drama and financial strain. It’s our goal to apply both grit and grace to “the most wonderful time of the year” choosing to slow down, connect with loved ones and enjoy every part. Darlene and Julie admit where they struggle, then share practical ways to put the holly and jolly back into this important season. Taking a just a few minutes to be thankful for our blessings, the biggest one being the birth of our Savior. Grab a peppermint mocha, take a seat to savor the lights of your tree, and enjoy! Challenge of the episode: We asked you

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Talking About the Funny Things We are Thankful For – 013

By Smart Living with Grit and Grace / Podcast

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | TuneIn | RSS | More Do you find yourself joining the social media trend of creating your own “thankful list” this time of year? It is a wonderful reminder that we should be grateful for the good things in life. Several weeks ago, before Julie had to step out for a bit, Julie and Darlene came up with their own list which turned out to be just plain funny. After their laughter died down they turned the mics on to share the fun with you. So take a listen, and after you do, share your own funny things to be thankful for on social media. Tag it with #gritandgracelife so we

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