Happy National Sibling Day...Yesterday!!

You know what would have been awesome?
If I wrote this post yesterday.
But alas I did not.

Happy National Sibling Day To All My Sisters and Brothers! (I mean that in the literal sense, not in the Christian sense, but I still have love for y'all too!)

Happy National Sibling Day to Brandi-

My older sister who lives in Fort Worth.

The one who made me eat dog food...deodorant...lotion...

Tried to get me to stick my hand in the lobster tank.

And vacuumed up my hair...while it was still attached to my head.

The one who lived with me for 7 years.

And the one who didn't know that donkeys have teeth.

Happy National Sibling Day to Matthew-

My brother who lives in San Marcos.

The one my older sister and I used to dress up in women's clothing.

The one who tries to set me up with his college friends (awkward).

The one who won't admit that he likes the fact that he has three sisters.

And the one who is 9 years younger than me but is still overprotective.

Happy National Sibling Day to Haley-

My sister who loves chicken.

The one who makes up songs about chicken.

(Ok guys, she really loves chicken.)

The one who came out of the womb wearing high heels.

The only one in our family who has a country accent.

And the only girl in our family who gets to drive Grandaddy's truck.

Happy National Sibling Day to Tyler-

My brother who is 17 years younger than me.

The one who people think is my son.

The one who could beat me at any sport I challenged him to.

The one who loves going out to eat with me at sports bars.

(Yes, I take my 12 year old brother to sports bars. Is that weird?)

And the one who will always give me the biggest/longest hug every time he sees me.

Happy National Sibling Day...a day late!!!

Because do we ever do anything on time in this family anyway?!?!

That one time when I thought I was white...

"That one time when..." is going to be a new series here on the good ol' blog.
It may or may not be faith-related.
But one thing's for sure, it will probably be a ridiculous story.
Let's be honest, ridiculousness happens to me more often than I'd like.
So here it is, the story of when I was convinced I was white.

The other day I met my dad downtown for one of our bike rides. We always bike on Town Lake (or Lady Bird Lake for all you non-Austinites) and we usually meet up down there.

So my dad rolls up on his bike and says:

"Hey Traci, I got something for you."
"Oh yeah, what is it?"
"It's your birth certificate."

*well I am glad my dad felt his biking skills were mad enough for him to bike downtown with it hanging out his back pocket. thanks padre.*

As I open up my birth certificate to look at it for the first time ever I see one thing that rocks my world.

It says my parents are WHITE.

"Dad, am I white?"
"Traci, what are you talking about?"
"My birth certificate says that y'all are white."

*Dad just blows it off as he starts to take off on our ride*

"Dad, why is this not a big deal to you, it says that I am white!! I thought I was Mexican!! Have the past 28 years been a lie??"

My dad never responded. He just laughed at me.

Later I told my mom that my birth certificate said that they were white. And she laughed at me as well.

Looking back on it I realize that we are obviously not white, however that would explain how I can not properly pronounce my last name, or how I avoid the mariachis like the plague. Or how Tejano music just doesn't get my juices flowing.

But despite all that I am indeed Hispanic, so no need to panic.

And that's the story of that one time when I thought I was white.

No need to adjust the color on your screen.
This is a tan I got after working at a summer camp.
Mexican indeed.

Lessons from Grandpa: Faith, Family, Finances and Football

Relaxing at one of his favorite places: the beach

Two years ago today my Grandpa passed away from battling pancreatic cancer. It doesn’t seem like it has been two years, actually for me it seems like he hasn’t really been gone. When I visit my Grandparent’s house in Georgia I still expect him to greet us at the door, and for him to sit in his usual chair in the living room when we gather around to watch Georgia football games. I think the reason that he isn’t just a memory is because he left such a great legacy, one that still makes his grandchildren strive to be like him even two years after he has been gone.

You see, my Grandpa didn’t leave his family with just memories of his laughter, his jokes and his competitive nature; my Grandpa left his family with lessons rooted deep in theology and love. His lessons left us longing to be better people. I wish everyone had been able to meet my Grandpa and learn from him a thing or two about how to live life.

As I look back today at his life well lived, I want to share with you a few things my Granddaddy taught us about faith, family, finances and football.

Faith:

My Grandpa wasn’t always a man of strong faith (which is proof of just how awesome God’s redemptive work can be) but when he found his faith he didn’t just stop there, he worked on feeding his faith so that it grew stronger everyday. I learned the importance of seeking the Lord day after day and my Grandpa revealed that to us in his (almost) daily emails of encouragement. My Grandpa also taught me the importance of living in community. It took me several years to take my Grandparent’s advice, but when I finally found a community of women to live life with I realized what they had been trying to show me this whole time. While I was encouraged by my Grandpa’s faith in the several years leading up to his death, nothing was more encouraging than hearing about how his faith was still strong even on his deathbed. Before my Grandpa passed away, he was confined to his bed due to lack of strength but even then he continued to seek the Lord. During a time when many of us would want to give up, he sang songs and read the Word with his children while lying in bed. That is the kind of faith that I want, a kind of faith that doesn’t fail to worship the Lord even though your body has.

Family:
My Grandparents always stressed the importance of family and sticking together no matter what differences may arise. My Grandpa was the cornerstone of our family foundation and my Grandma was always there to support him as well. Looking back at their 50 + years of marriage, that is what I want to model my marriage and future family after- a family that walks in faith together, a family that travels across the US just so they won’t miss out on their grandchildren’s lives who live in different states, and a family that constantly welcomes others into their home as if they were their own. While no family is perfect, I am thankful for Grandparents who took the time to model a family-life worth living.

My grandparent's on a boat ride

Playing cards games- one of our favorite things to do

My Grandpa serenading the family :)

Family dance hour :)

Grandaddy painting my little sister's nails

Finances:

If I was to look back at my Grandpa’s career it would be easy to say that I want to model my finances after his because of the blessings he received later in life. To retire on a lake front community in a beautiful town in Georgia wouldn’t be a bad dream to have but it wasn’t about that. When my Grandpa would talk to me about finances, he wouldn’t teach me to be smart with my money so that I could be wealthy beyond my wildest dreams. He taught me to be smart with my finances so that I may bless the church and other people with what I was given. He taught me the importance of giving to the church and supporting those on missions. I learned that it’s not all about the money, it’s about being a good steward with the blessings that I have been given and blessing those around me for the sake of making God known.

Football:

Grandpa and UGA mascot "Hairy Dawg"

If you were to line up our family members and ask us who our favorite college football teams were you would get a variety of answers- teams ranging from the Longhorns to the Aggies (I know, how does that even happen??). We all have our respected teams but on any given University of Georgia football game day you can bet we are rooting for the Bulldogs. Being an alumni of UGA, my Grandpa was one of the biggest Bulldog fans I ever met (something that was passed down to my brother, much like a southern birthright) and that passion and energy for the game and the team was transferred into every one of us. He taught us about good sportsmanship and how to yell at the refs (in the most Christian way possible, of course) and he taught us how to be good competitors. I also learned from my Grandpa that no matter what the season looks like you never give up on your team. He loved those Bulldogs and I bet he would have been super proud of their last two football seasons. He also taught me about the art of tailgating. My Grandpa and his friend would get to the stadium at the break of dawn on Georgia football game days and spend the day tailgating and making new friends. They would find their next meal by making new friends at a different tailgate site, which is why he was so good at living in community! ;) This is why I enjoy writing articles about the Georgia football team so much, it feels like I am writing a little bit about my Grandpa as well.

UGA game day

I wish you could have met my Grandpa and learned some things from him that would really make you want to change the way you lived your life. You can however meet my Grandma and she can drop some bombs of wisdom on you. After all, it takes a pretty special lady to accompany such a special man.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I am going to spend the day eating lots of chocolate, watching a whole lot of sports and living in community-

Because it’s what my Granddaddy would have done.

Go Dawgs.

We miss you Grandpa!! :)

Ode to Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs

The most amazing thing happened today.

Like seriously, I'm not overreacting for dramatic effect.

It really was THAT amazing.

I stocked up on Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs at Target.

(Clearance-style)

Every year I wait for these little suckers to come out.

I love me some Peanut Butter Cups, but the Eggs are ten times better.

Dare I say it- they're eggcellent.

If you haven't ever tried them, you better get up on that!

After all, they are on clearance now for all you ballers on a budget.

:)

New look and a book giveaway!!

There comes a time in a girls life when she longs for a makeover, well Trace of Faith was itching for a new look so I gave her one! Yes, I just referred to my blog as a girl, I'm sure that's not the weirdest thing you'll read all day. I teamed up with a fabulous graphic designer (Victoria over at PISTOL daisie) and she made my bloggin' dreams a reality!!

To celebrate the new look I am doing a book giveaway!! I want to make this a pretty normal thing on the blog and give away books that will really encourage you in your walk of faith.

This month's give-a-way?

Love Does by Bob Goff!!

Photo: bobgoff.com

This is an amazing book and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it! I let my family borrow it after me and they couldn't put it down either. So maybe you've heard of it and have been wanting to check it out, well here is your chance to get your hands on a copy!!

So how do you get this wonderful book in your possession?

It's easy!

Just leave me a comment on this post letting me know you dropped by and checked out the new look and my trusty assistant (my dog) will pick a lucky winner. Also feel free to grab one of my buttons to put on your blog, follow me on Google Friend Connect and/or tell your amigos to check out the new site, while it's not a requirement to win the book it would be awfully nice of you!

Well get to commenting, you've got a book to win!!

A Link-Up With Influential Ladies

I am excited to take part in the Influence Network link-up today!! I have only been in this network for about 2 months but I have learned so much, either through their online classes or through the amazing ladies I follow on Twitter. I have never been a part of a network where so many women are encouraging each other in the most Christ like way. It was definitely God's hand that led me to find this network and embrace the writer I want to be.

Now on to the fun stuff....


A photo of myself that I love:

I picked this photo for many reasons. I love the city of Austin; I love keeping things weird and meeting such unique people. I am also in love with my turquoise cruiser and I enjoy riding it around downtown Austin. I'm sorry that you can't really see my face but I couldn't pass up the beautiful skyline behind me! :)

3 Things About Me (that you might not know from reading my blog):

1. I am a fan of all things sports. Sports junkie. Foam finger enthusiast. Any way you want to put it, I love sports. Many people who know me now don't know that I used to be a Jr. High and High school coach for 5 years. Aside from that, I played volleyball and basketball for most of my life. I now enjoy yelling at the refs at any football game (in the nicest Christian way possible, of course!) I mix my passion for sports and writing by writing for a college football website. It's kinda fun being the only girl on that site but that's what I need the Influence Network for- some girl interaction!!

2. I am a dog mommy. While I don't blog about him much (does that make me a horrible owner?) I am the proud dog mom of a 9 year old pit bull mix. He is the sweetest dog but protects me when necessary...and that's awesome! I named him Melo, nickname of the NBA basketball player Carmelo Anthony. I told you I'm a sports junkie.

3. I love to keep it local. Living in Austin has its benefits and one of them includes supporting small businesses. I love to explore local coffee shops, food trailers and boutiques. I don't go anywhere without my Go Local card that gives me discounts at most local businesses. It's my favorite accessory. I also enjoy checking out all of the local festivals, such as the kite festival, ice cream festival, trailer food festival. You can probably find me roaming around any festival Austin is having. :)

One thing I've learned on the Network:

I've learned how to encourage other women to pursue the talents that God has blessed them with. I find that in my conversations with other ladies encouragement is flowing out of me like never before. God has made a "cheerleader" for the creatives the past couple of months, something that I never was before. I was so focused on my own work and how far I could get. Selfish, I know, but God has changed my heart and taught me that while I am building my own brand I can also be lifting up those around me. It's not all about me.

I can't wait to meet more of the ladies in the network and form closer friendships with the ones I've already met. So don't hesitate to drop me a line and let me know how I can stay in touch with you!

Single For A Reason



Photo Cred: twitter.com/TheSingleWoman

Hello single ladies,

Our time today is going to get a little more real. I really want to talk about what it means to be content in your singleness. It is so frustrating that at this age we let our singleness define our accomplishments and our happiness. I think it stems from the fact so many of us are discontent with our relationship status. In all the years (months or days) of your singleness, have you ever stopped to wonder the reason why you are single? And I mean the real reason, not the "pity party" answer like "I'm not good enough". What is it in your life that Jesus wants you to focus on more than dating? If Jesus is the reason for the Season; why is it any different that He is the reason for this season in your life?

I'll share with you how I discovered the reason for my singleness in hopes that it gets you to find the reason for this season in your life.

I have been an aspiring writer for the past couple of months, and I have really prayed that God would lead me through this time to create something glorifying to Him. And while God has shown me that He is at work in my life, it still takes time and discipline to use my free time as writing time. Even though I know God is faithful to deliver, I still have to be obedient to produce. My writing will not form itself. Trust me, I tried that route and nothing came of it. Several months ago I "casually" dated someone for a couple of months and my writing took a back seat. I neglected spending time perfecting my craft. God began giving me so many opportunities to write for different sites but I still neglected it. Among other reasons, that is one of the main reasons why I ended things with Boy, because I was neglecting the area in my life that God blessed me in. That's when I discovered the reason for my singleness. It's not because I'm not good enough, smart enough, attractive enough (or any of the other lies the devil will tell you), it's because God was blessing me; it just wasn't in the area I was expecting.

What is your reason for your singleness? What are the areas in your life that God is wanting you to grow in but you're missing it because you're so focused on dating? Maybe God wants you to grow in your faith, or maybe he wants to use you for something bigger that will be time consuming. God is not keeping a relationship from you to punish you; He might be keeping you from a relationship to bless you abundantly.

Don't get me wrong, the single life is hard and a lot of this is easier said than done but it's not impossible. Living a life of contentment will get you through those moments of doubt and frustration....or when you have to dance to All the Single Ladies for the 50th time at a wedding. I guess what I'm trying to say is don't get so wrapped up in the reasons why you're not married because you may miss out on all the other opportunities God may be trying to give you. Trust in our God that is faithful and know that He is the reason for this season.