Why I still use tithing envelopes

Like a true Millennial, I love doing digital business.

Online banking? I'm into it.

Online shopping? Awesome.

Online pizza ordering? Is there any other way?

I love the simplicity - and let's face it: paying your phone bill online is far more convenient than calling it in or taking it to the bank.

If there is an option to complete a task online or in some other digital fashion, I'm into it.

For the most part. There is one noteworthy exception.

Despite several electronic giving options at my church - text, online and debit - I still seal cash into an envelope each week to put in the plate.

Last year was my first full year of regular tithing.

As an active volunteer in children's ministry - both on Sunday and during midweek programming - I know all about the great work that happens at my church. I believe in what we're doing in our community.  Yet, for months I found myself completely unprepared - and increasingly convicted - every time the plate was passed around Sunday morning.

I finally requested a box of envelopes. I've been using them ever since.

Why envelopes over the other, more convenient options, though? For me, it comes down to intention.

Using an envelope means every week, I have to go to the bank. At the bank, I have to make a decision about how much cash I will withdraw. Once that cash is withdrawn, I have to decide how much of that cash I will put in the envelope. Then, I have to take that envelope, put it in my purse, and bring it with me on Sunday morning to put in the plate.

In other words, using a tithing envelope requires me to be intentional about giving. From deciding to give to physically going to gather the material to do so, each step requires me to take action.

Why does this matter?

Because being an intentional giver is important to me, especially when it comes to money. It's important to me because that attitude has not always been one that comes easily, particularly during times when money was tight.

It was a source of serious anxiety and while I still fret occasionally, my mindset on money has changed - and I think a great deal of that shift comes from seeking God's wisdom and making intentional decisions based on that wisdom to steward our money well.

I am still not perfect when it comes to not worrying about finances, but I am working on it. I am learning to trust God more and be confident he will supply us with everything we need to meet our needs. Choosing to trust takes work, but the free feeling that comes from living with an open hand is worth it.

Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? and which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothes you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'what shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 

Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Matthew 6:25-34 

What I'm Loving Lately (No. 1)

I'm calling this No. 1 optimistically - when it comes to blogging, I always start out with great intentions of writing on the regular, only to lose steam after a couple weeks.

For now, though, I'm feeling it. So with that in mind, I bring you what I hope will be the first in a semi-regular series.

1. Starbucks Iced Caramel Macchiato

Or iced coffee beverages in general. I have always been a tea person, but I've always wanted to be a coffee person. I'm still not big on hot coffee, but over ice? The best. The caramel macchiato with coconut milk is my favourite by far these days.

2. Foxbrook Lipstick

One word: obsessed. My friend Cat is the girlboss behind Foxbrook Lipstick and I can't say enough good things about these lipsticks. The formula is amazing (long-wearing and never drying) and the colours are beautiful. My favourite is Luna - I get SO many compliments when I wear this lipstick, it's unreal.

I also own Allie, Sammy Jo, Jamie-Leigh and Dee (holiday collection). Next on the list: Ana and Reckless.

3. The Daily Grace Co. Journaling Bible 

I have one similar to this one and I love it so much. The extra space is great for making notes and doodles and after years of being hardcore KJV only, I am really enjoying the switch to ESV. I have also been using the YouVersion app on my phone frequently, which lets you explore other translations. Other favourites lately include the NLT and the Message.

4. Reitman's R Jeans 

I have two pairs of these (black and dark denim) and I wear them all. the. time. They are so soft and comfortable - basically the opposite of every pair of jeans I have ever owned.

5. Crockpot lasagna 

I didn't expect this to work - and if it did, I didn't expect it to be good. Needless to say I was pleasantly surprised. This doesn't improve on the prep or cook time for a lasagna but there's just something about it that makes it feel really effortless. I've made crockpot lasagna at least four times since I found the initial recipe.

6.  BodyJam 65

We revisited Afro Circus Jam during the time between the last release and the new release. I totally forgot how awesome this release is.

7. elf highlighter

Picked this up because I wanted to try a highlighter but I didn't want to spend too much money in the event I couldn't pull it off. I bought it in moonlight pearl (which is not listed on the website, for some reason) and have been skipping the contour to keep the look softer. Still learning the best way to apply it, but I am liking the results so far.

8. Pop music from the early 2000s

S Club 7, the Backstreet Boys, N'Sync, DREAM...you name it, it's been my office soundtrack.  Is it musical brilliance? Not really. Is it fun? You know it.

9.  Lunchtime walks

Now that most of the snow has melted, it's finally nice enough to get out over lunch. A nice break plus a little bit of fresh air = just what I need to make it through the afternoon.

10.  Blogging

Three posts in a week? What is the world?  I'd like to say this is a step toward consistency but time will tell.

3 reasons I picked the Columbus Blue Jackets as my NHL team

"Well, that's a strange choice."

I was at the mall, running errands, when I ran into my friend, Bill. He noticed immediately - peaking out underneath my black and white flannel, a navy blue t-shirt making my allegiances clear.

Columbus Blue Jackets.

"I don't think there are a lot of Blue Jackets fans in New Brunswick."


I have heard some variation of this many times over the last six-ish months. Some people ask if I have other friends who are fans (I don't) while others ask if it hurt jumping on the bandwagon (so original). Columbus is neither a conventional or popular pick for a new hockey fan, as I learned. Knowing that has only made me like them even more.

But that's not the only thing I like about this team. It's not even the main thing.

1. CBJ 10, MTL 0

It honestly started as a joke.

My husband is a Montreal fan. Not a hardcore fan, but he knows some of their roster and enjoys watching them play. He also watched some hockey growing up so he knows the rules of the game and some things to watch for, as well as some random hockey trivia.

When I said I wanted to get into hockey this year, he was totally on board. He suggested we start with a Montreal game. Why not?

So on November 4, 2016, we turned on the game and settled in on the couch.

By the time Columbus scored their ninth unanswered goal, even Jeff wanted to see them score a 10th.

I later learned that this was significant, considering the history of the Blue Jackets. As my best friend put it, Columbus has historically been a team that couldn't buy a goal, let alone 10 against one of the top teams in the Atlantic.

I was mostly amused by it all. It was the first regulation loss for the Habs in the season, and the worst defeat since 1995. My husband (along with just about every Habs fan I know) was shocked.

I decided that night Columbus was my team.

I didn't really start watching right away - a combination of being busy and not knowing how to stream out of region games. But I started to keep an eye on their progress through the season from that point on, reading game recaps online and catching the highlights on SportsNet at the gym.

About 14 games into the 16-game streak, I started streaming games. The rest is history.

2. Sergei. Bobrovsky.

There has been a lot of commentary focused on the role Bobrovsky played during the regular season and it's with good reason: the man has been a beast between the pipes. But my favourite thing about him is his attitude - he's almost always smiling and comes across as laid back. I've lost track of how many times I have heard him say "it is what it is" in post-game interviews. If not achieving the desired outcome phases him, you'd never know it.

It's not just Bob, though - there are a lot of good things happening with the Columbus roster right now. The team sent three players to the All Star game - Bob, Seth Jones and Cam Atkinson - and while Atkinson was a late addition, it was well-deserved. Zach Werenski has been unreal - Tortorella called his performance in Game 1 inspiring, and that's not an exaggeration - and Nick Foligno has done an incredible job leading the team as captain. Savard, Jenner, Bjorkstrand...I could go on and on.  The team is a good mix of veterans and youth and, as a new hockey fan, I've really enjoyed watching them play.

Also - this:

#MoreHugs

3. The Underdog Factor

This was not a team that anyone expected to be where they are today. This is not a team that's known for doing much of anything except, well, poorly. They have some super talented players, but not really any superstars and a polarizing coach.

And yet, after finishing last in the eastern conference last season, they're in the playoffs for the third time in franchise history. Whatever the outcome, I think it's fair to say they've exceeded expectations. And I'm into that.

Sharing this the morning of Game 4 - a do-or-die for the team after dropping 3-0 in the series - I'm not sure what to expect. I'm not optimistic about the team advancing beyond round one, but I'm hoping they can find a way to win this one.

What happens next year? I hope they're able to build on their success this year although realistically, I know there is a chance that won't happen.

Whatever the case, though, I'm in. #WeAreThe5thLine

5 things giving up social media for Lent taught me

I was 26 days into Lent when I had to use Facebook for the first time.

I was putting together a report at work when I realized there really wasn't any way around it. The information I needed simply wasn't available on a website - but multiple searches confirmed it was available on Facebook.

I tried a different search. Then another. Then, with a sigh, I did what I knew had to be done.

Even though I decided before Ash Wednesday that it would be OK to use Facebook or Twitter for work, if required, it was still tough. I worked quickly, gathered the material I needed, and closed the window.

When our pastor started talking about Lent, I immediately knew I would be giving up social media.

Instructed to think about something we could give up to devote more time to God - to study scripture, to pray, to meditate - social media was the first thing that came to mind. I knew, even at the beginning of Lent, that social media had become something of a vice for me. I justified it - yeah, I just spent the last 20 minutes scrolling 31 weeks deep into the Instagram feed of a person I've never met, but at least I'm not smoking or something.

I never felt convicted about it, though. Then I did.

So it was decided. In the final minutes leading up to Ash Wednesday, I penned a quick post to explain my upcoming absence. Then, I signed off.

And with a few exception (primarily work, and the occasional Sunday) I stayed signed off for 40ish days.

Lent wasn't really a big part of my past church experience. Prior to this year, I cannot recall a single time when I have even attempted to fast from something for...well, any period of time, really. Forty days felt like an impossible task, but I was up for it.

I wasn't sure to what to expect from the experience or even what I wanted to get from it.

Forty-ish days later, here is what I learned.

1.  I spend a ridiculous amount of time on social media

During the first week, I was genuinely shocked by how I automatically looked for the Facebook or Instagram icon every time I picked up my phone. The worst part about this? I wasn't going to these apps because there was something I needed to see - it had just become a reflex. Got a couple minutes to kill waiting the laundry timer to go off or for dinner to finish cooking? I'll pop on Instagram for a few minutes. Raining at lunch? I'll eat at my desk and scroll through Twitter. Taken together, all those little gaps add up fast - no wonder I never felt like I had time to get anything done!

That's not to say I used my time perfectly during Lent - I definitely did not - but without social media, I was able to reclaim some of those lost minutes.

2.  Social media has changed the way I connect with other people

You've probably witnessed it before - you stop at a coffee shop and see the group of friends sitting around a table...and everyone is looking down at their smartphones. I see this all the time and am often very quick to call it out.

You know, as if I don't do the same thing.

I like to think I have gotten better about this over the last few years, but it is not uncommon for my phone to be the third wheel during a hangout session with a friend or a date with my husband.

Disconnecting for social media channels for 40ish days meant I had less reason to be constantly checking my phone. The result? More actual face time with friends and family.

3.  Social media has changed the way I connect with my surroundings

For example, I try to go for a walk every day during my lunch. It's a short jaunt - across the walking bridge and back, a distance that is possible to cover in 30 minutes. That said, the trip is often longer, the result of stopping to take photos of the river or whatever other interesting thing catches my eye.

I hardly used the camera on my phone at all during my fast - I didn't have anywhere to put the photos so it didn't feel like there was much of a point. Instead, I focused more on simply taking my surroundings in.

4.  Disconnecting from social media helped my faith grow

This wasn't totally surprising. As mentioned, I didn't always do a great job of using my time wisely, but one thing I made a point to do during Lent was to spend more time in the Word - reading, reflecting (both through journaling and talking about the readings with my husband) and praying.  Not only did this result in developing a deeper appreciation for the Lent/Easter season, but it has also led to a greater understanding of who God is and how much he loves us.

5.  I didn't miss social media as much as I thought I would

I honestly thought it would be more difficult to be offline for 40 days than it actually was. Not saying it was easy - it wasn't, and sometimes, it was just downright inconvenient. But the deeper into the season I went, the more I found myself enjoying my time offline. Who knew, right? I wasn't expecting that.

There are still a lot of things I like about social media; I still think it's a wonderful outlet for creativity and, as a person with a lot of long-distance friends, I find it is a great way to keep up with friends and connect across long distances.

That said, there are a lot of things I don't like about social media - perhaps the most significant of which is how easy it can be to get sucked into the comparison trap. When you're scrolling through someone's Instagram feed or reading a Facebook post, it can be easy to forget: social media is not real life. You are simply looking at the highlight reel - and sometimes, that can be very different from reality.

How does this change my relationship with social media? I'm not totally sure, to be honest with you. I enjoyed disconnecting for Lent, but I'm also looking forward to catching up on some of my favourite feeds over the next few days  - even if I'll be looking at those posts through a changed lens.

Maybe, for now, that's enough.