Jen Russum

Date Night

Date Night

Micah and I spent some time on our anniversary last month assessing our first year of marriage and making some goals for this coming year {I highly recommend doing this by the way - this discussion is a great yearly tradition!}. One of our goals was to get more consistent about date nights. Up until now we haven't been very committed to going on "dates." It's just the two of us, we have had a decent amount of free time this year to hang out with each other, and everywhere we go seems like a little date because Arizona is still so new to us. Even a trip to a store we've never been to or a drive around a cute neighborhood can feel like a date as we explore our new city. However, there will come a time when we have kids, our schedules will be crazier, maybe money will be tighter, our town will seem familiar and perhaps dull to us, and we will have to be intentional about date night. Before we find ourselves in our mid-thirties with a few kids desperately needing one-on-one time with each other, we figured we should make date night a consistent part of our schedule. Enter our new date night plan... To be honest, once a week is too much for us. I feel like we would make that commitment and then fail at it constantly, especially once the school semester is in full swing each fall and spring. Plus then you have to decide if group events or double dates count as date night or if you need a separate date night on top of that and by that time things are just way too complicated. So here is our plan. We each plan one date a month. Micah plans a date between the 1st and 15th of every month, and then I plan a date between the 16th and the end of the month. This seems really reasonable for us. That way we don't have the pressure of squeezing in date night every week. We know who is in charge of planning the next date. If we do a double date one weekend with some friends, we can do our own date night the following week. We love the plan. And last night was our first night to implement it. The date doesn't have to be big, fancy, or expensive. In fact, it can be free. It can be during the day or evening. There are no rules except that the one in charge plans it ahead of time and it involves carved out quality time with just the two of us. Here is a glimpse into date night #1. Micah planned it and I told him at the end I think it was my favorite date since we've been married (minus the honeymoon of course!). Our night consisted of: delish, inexpensive Mexican food at Julio's Too in Old Town, a walk around Chaparral Lake at sunset where we talked about Micah's job and our house situation for this coming year, and finally ice cream at Sugar Bowl, the old-fashioned ice cream parlor in Scottsdale. I had a mocha milkshake and it was amazing! Our evening was delightful! Micah opened the truck door for me all night long. We got to talk about life and pray together. And we had chips & salsa and ice cream - my favorite food staples in the world. Our cost? About $20 total. Like, I said... best date ever. I am looking forward to many more years of our new date night tradition... {Headed out to dinner after a day at the pool. I want to pretend that our pose was amockery prom pose for fun, but it's not. We are just awkward in adult life.} {at the park}  {Micah took this one!} {Camelback mountain at sunset} {perfect ending} ... Read more

Flowers Fade Friday: Trusting in Chariots

Flowers Fade Friday: Trusting in Chariots

I am making my way through the Psalms once again (just read 37 today - a favorite), but I keep coming back to this idea I read earlier about trusting in chariots. How often do I trust in chariots instead of trusting in the Lord? In the days the Psalms were written, chariots and horses were important. Psalm 20 is a Psalm of David. David was a mighty war hero and he used chariots and horses all the time. During his reign, the Israelites finally defeated many of their idol-worshiping, pagan enemies and claimed the Promised Land for Israel. The boundaries of Israel were constantly expanding and God's people were blessed. Basically, David was in his chariot A LOT. He was fighting other kingdoms that also had chariots and horses and other military equipment, and these tools and vehicles were often the deciding factor in who won the battle. Usually, he who had the most chariots claimed the victory. But David knew that God's strength is not contingent on man-made chariots. Sure, chariots were useful, but ultimately God decides the outcome of every battle, every challenge, every trial. And many times throughout the Old Testament, God gave victory to His people despite their lack of forces, horses, or weapons. God is sovereign over everything and He always has good planned for those who follow Him. We are just called to trust Him. So what are the chariots I trust today? What chariots are you trusting? Now that I have this degree, I can finally get this job. Now that I have this new computer, my design company will take off. Now that I have this volunteer experience on my resume, I will get into grad school. Now that I lost ten pounds, I will finally feel confident and healthy. Now that I read this new article, maybe I can finally get my baby to sleep through the night. Now that I heard this speaker/read this book/downloaded this sermon, maybe I can finally overcome this sin that is plaguing me. If only we could buy a new house, we could finally be more hospitable and offer to host our Bible study. If we could only save up X amount of money, we could buy this item, start this program, donate to this cause. The list goes on and on. These are just a few examples that seem relevant to me and other women in my life. A chariot is something that is good, useful, a blessing even, but it's also something that threatens to steal our trust. If we put our faith in chariots instead of in the Lord, we are foolish. God will decide if and when our business takes off or whether or not we get into grad school. He is sovereign over parenthood and those first uncertain, exhausting months of motherhood. He is sovereign over who reads our resume and whether or not we are hired for a job. He is the giver of our house and our money and has commanded us to be hospitable and genrerous, despite the balance in our bank accounts or the square footage of our home. God is always good, and we are called to trust Him. We can be thankful for the chariots He has given us - the talents, material items, money, experiences that help us succeed in various earthly pursuits, but we must know that even if we lose those chariots, God is still good and He has promised to provide for us. He doesn't need chariots to bless or protect His children. ... Read more

My Perfect Day…

My Perfect Day…

I recently read an article by Noël Piper about how she is naturally an introvert and how she was challenged in recent years to let her female friends truly get to KNOW the real her. She says in the article that if she could have her perfect day, she would be alone. I started thinking... "Hey, I think in my perfect day I would want to be alone too BUT I have always considered myself an extrovert....how does THAT work?" In recent years I have found that I need more alone time than I used to. I am still very social and feel most engaged and energetic when I am in a group of people, but if I don't get an hour or two of quiet, alone time every day, I can get a little grumpy. So then I started trying to picture my own perfect day for both my introverted and extroverted self. This is what I came up with... The perfect morning...Wake up early, but not too early {7 or 8am after eight hours of sleep}With the {already spotlessly clean} house all to myself, I would...Drink a white chocolate americano and read my BibleEat cereal with a sliced banana on top and write in my prayer journal Read a theological book, probably one by John PiperRead some blogsWorkout {run on the treadmill and do some weights - yes, I enjoy running on a treadmill}Shower and shave my legsWhile my hair is air drying, read a novel for fun or work on a little craft or organizational projectPut on make-up and straighten my hairGo out for lunch and shopping by myself with saved money that I don't feel guilty about spending{Where would I shop??? Banana Republic, Nordstrom, Anthro, Urban Outfitters, and TJ Maxx}Return home right when Micah does, hang out with him for a little while, just the two of us The Perfect Evening:{Option A}Go out to dinner with Micah and lots of friends {preferably for Mexican food!}Everyone goes country dancing together/sings karaoke/goes to a concertAfterward everyone gets dessert {maybe ice cream or gelato}Home and in bed before midnight The Perfect Evening:{Option B}Meet up for a big group dinner at a friend's house or have everyone over to our placePlay funny games where everyone has to be really involved {like Quelf or celebrity bowl}Eat dessert together {again, ice cream sounds great..}Home and in bed before midnight And that, my friends, is my perfect day. Here are some pictures from past perfect days...or some perfect moments that I would want to recreate for my perfect day... {perfect morning} {nordstrom anniversary sale} {dance party... just the two of us} {dinner in} {or dinner out} {game night...have you ever played quelf? hilarious.} Now it's your turn to share... what would be a part of your perfect day?!  {Linking up to Gussy's inspiration workshop! Thanks Gussy!} Follow my blog with Bloglovin ... Read more