Jen Russum

Down and Up

January 4, 2012

Trying to get better about my outfit posts. Usually I just jump around and act like spaz, but since I now have a nice camera, a tripod {thanks Hubs}, and a big backyard, I'm going to try to take things a little more seriously. Okay, I can't be too serious, let's be honest, but I'll at least try to fill you in on more outfit details and do some close up shots. You know what's better than a tripod, though? A sister and mom in town to take pictures for you. Sister took these first ones. This was a dressing down day. It consisted mainly of pre-Christmas activities and running errands to hardware stores with dad. The hair is fresh. I re-did my faux root. What do you think? I'm loving all things faux right now. My dark roots, fur vests, and my new fake eyelashes. Oh, and my glasses are fake too. Love. Top: TJ Maxx // Cardigan: UO // Jeans: Banana // Leopard flats: Mia {Nordstrom Rack} // Glasses: BP {Nordstrom} // Necklace: Sunshine Blossoms This second set of pictures is a MIRACLE people. I was all dressed up for dinner and a show. My mother in law bought me tickets to STOMP for my birthday and we went last week. It was so fun! I loved every minute. None of this is the miracle though... the miracle is that MY mom took these pictures. Like held a camera steady and pushed the button in a somewhat timely manner. That does not usually happen, friends. Didn't she do a great job? Shirt: F21 // Cardigan: Banana // Skirt: Target // Necklace: Banana Outlet xoxo, Jen *Linking up with 5 Days, 5 Ways. ... Read more

A New Year

January 3, 2012

Happy New Year sweet friends! Okay, guys, I don't know if I would call these resolutions... but here are some goals I would like to work towards in 2012. I am beyond excited about this new year and all it holds! Spiritual: ***For the Love of God Bible reading plan - This is the Bible reading plan I've chosen for 2012. Basically you follow the M'Cheyne reading plan and after you are done with your daily reading you also read a blog post {from a devotional previously written by D.A. Carson} that ties all the different passages of Scripture together. I think Micah is going to do it with me and I can't wait. I am so excited to incorporate blog reading into my Bible time since I'm naturally on blogs all the time anyway. {If you are still looking for a Bible reading plan for this year, please check out this blog post here for ideas.} ***Listen to one sermon podcast a week {it's been on my heart for quite some time to finish the Mars Hill Luke series that was going on when we moved away from Seattle}. ***Memorize one passage of scripture a month. ***Create a piece of art as an act of worship {I already have my idea for this one and I can't wait!} ***Find a new way to serve at church {doing something administrative to help our small church with communication has also been on my heart for a while now}. Relational: {via} ***Write two notes of encouragement a month {This is my goal every year, but I always fail. In the past though, I've tried to make it a weekly goal, but I think I might be more likely to accomplish it if it's a monthly goal}. ***Keep up and improve on our date night plan. Academic//Professional: ***Study sessions on Saturdays from 10am-2pm. {Need to get consistent about studying first thing on Saturdays, so I can enjoy the rest of the weekend.} ***Get an academic article published {I'm working on one right now and my goal is to submit it by the end of the year}. ***Get approved to teach a stand-alone 300 level class in 2013. Health: ***Work out at least 3x a week at our new gym{!} and incorporate spin and swimming in addition to running. ***Do a sprint tri next fall. Personal: {via} ***Be on time. Leave an extra five minutes early for social events. Leave for school at 8am on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Honestly, I am so bad about this. I always try to cram in one more task or activity before I go to scheduled events and then I'm always late. I wanted this to be a goal for last year, but I was so intimidated by it that I didn't even articulate it. This is year. In 2012, by God's grace, Jen Russum will be on time to events, meetings, and class. For fun: {via} ***Save money for a big 30th birthday/two year anniversary/pre-babies trip with Micah. ***Attend a Horned Frog football game in Fall 2012. That's all for now, friends. I'll let you know how I do. And please share, what is one of your top goals for 2012? xoxo, Jen P.S. You can find me over at Live, Laugh, Love today! ... Read more

Happy New Year: Bible Reading Plans Galore!

January 2, 2012

Friends, 2012 is here. Are you ready!? Since urging you on Friday to think about how you will grow in your study of God's Word and your worship in the new year, I thought I would share with you some of the best Bible reading plans I've found recently. It's not too late to start one for 2012! I just sent this email to two of my best friends last week, but I thought I would share it with y'all as well... Hello friends! This is what I've found as far as new Bible reading plans for the coming year. I am super excited about all of them as I've been craving something new and challenging with Scripture reading. I think Micah and I are going to do one together {well, read it simultaneously and discuss it once or twice a week, not actually read it together... that would be nearly impossible}. Okay, here we go... Two Year Bible Reading Plan - This is nice because you read the whole Bible, but it's spread out over two years instead of crammed into one, which can be overwhelming. There are also "catch up days" built into the schedule in case you get behind because your toddler gets sick or whatnot. :) For the Love of God - This is the one I think we are going to do. You read through the whole Bible in a year following the M'Cheyne reading plan {I just found out about M'Cheyne recently but apparently he was a Scottish pastor in the mid 1800s who came up with a Bible reading plan for his congregation that has since become the most-used plan in history.} Basically it's 3-4 chapters a day from different places in the Bible. Then D.A. Carson wrote two devotional books to go along with the plan that have been transferred to the Love of God Blog. You do your reading for the M'Cheyne plan each day and then you read a short devotional on the blog that pulls the different texts together and shows how the Gospel works together in all of them. Slackers and Shirkers - This is a super easy Bible reading plan. Basically, it just breaks up the year into days of the week, and then under each day there is check box with a few passages of Scripture next to it. You read for the first Sunday, check it off, and when the next Sunday rolls around, you do the next reading and check it off. Then it does the same for each day of the week. And each day of the week is a specific genre, so Sundays might be the Pentateuch and Mondays might be the Epistles and so on. Here a pastor explains why he likes it. Checklist - This plan basically allows you go at your own pace. You can make up any reading plan you want, and this checklist has every book of the Bible listed with its number of chapters. You just cross them out as you go. My only fear with this is that it's too open-ended and might be hard to stay on track. But then again, the freedom is nice and it will make it easy to honor the Bible instead of idolizing the schedule! ESV Study Bible - Not sure if you have an ESV Study Bible, but here are a bunch of reading plans to go with that. When I read through the Bible in 2010, I also read all the ESV study notes with it and I have never learned so much from God's Word in my life! YouVersion - Do you have YouVersion on your iPhone? This list has all the different reading plans {some with devotionals} that you can do on YouVersion, and you read the Bible right on your phone! Okay, I hope this helps! I got all these ideas from The Gospel Coalition and Mark Driscoll's blog. Clearly, there are tons of other option out there, but these are the ones I saw that I liked the best. Please let me know what you choose! And feel free to pass this on if you hear of anyone else looking for a reading plan! Praying that God blesses you through His Word this year! Love you so much! XOXO -- Jen ... Read more