Wall Decals for the Home, Throw Pillow Covers Add Life to a Home This Winter

Just because the weather is getting cold and drab, it doesn’t mean home décor has to follow suit.

(Akron, OH)  As cooler temperatures approach and winter weather is on the horizon, many of us will be spending more and more time indoors, which means it is time to spruce up the inside of our homes! Taking a home’s decor through seasonal transitions can seem challenging; however, interior designers know that the easiest way to revamp the inside of the home is to focus on changing the accents in any room.

This can be done through the use of flexible decorative items, such as interchangeable throw pillow covers.  Select fabrics and colors for throw pillows that bring out the best of each season – warmer tones and heavier fabrics are more fitting for the cooler months, providing a comforting and cozy feel to a home, while cooler colors and lighter fabrics are perfect for the spring and summer months.

Bringing the outdoors in is also a wonderful way to update a home’s décor each season, especially when it is too cold or inclement to spend time in the real outdoors. Brightly colored wall decals for the home, such as trees, birds, or flowers, are an inexpensive and stylish way to add a glimpse of the outdoors in an artistic way throughout the home this winter.

Vinyl wall stickers also offer a simple and modern way of displaying art in the home, and are such a simple way to add color and uniqueness to your decorating during the colder months. These removable and reusable vinyl wall stickers can drastically update the look of any room in just minutes.

Designers will also suggest that one of the oldest and easiest ways to update décor for the changing seasons is through the use of contemporary floor rugs.  Finding an area rug that fits a certain style, and is functional, is the simplest way to liven up and add warmth to a room. A rug can be the focal point of a room or it can be used as an accessory, depending on the other decorative features of the room.

Small changes in home décor can make a big impact this winter season.  All of these ideas, and variations of them, can be found at pillowtalkk.com.

About pillowtalkk
Pillowtalkk.com features creative concepts and decorating ideas for the home. From wall decals for the home to elegant throw pillows, distinctive accent rugs and modern lighting, pillowtalkk can help create the ideal setting in any home. For more information, visit www.pillowtalkk.com.

Stop Expecting Perfection

I’ve been lax lately with this blog. But, I’m back on and only a few blogs left before I complete my list of best quotes from Donald Miller’s A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. Here’s today’s quote:

Once you stop expecting people to be perfect, you can like them for who they are.

It’s a short one, but a very powerful one. I also don’t think it needs much more commentary. Read it again and think about it. If we’ll just accept people for who they are, and NOT for who we think they OUGHT TO BE, life would be a lot better for everyone involved.

Not here, not now

Donald Miller makes a good point toward the end of his book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years.

Growing up in church, we were taught that Jesus was the answer to all our problems…I think Jesus can make things better, but I don’t think he is going to make things perfect. Not here, and not now.

It’s true. At least for me, I know I’ve always thought (maybe subconsciously or maybe not) that things should be a little better for Christians. After all, we’re the “good guys,” right? We’re on God’s team! Certainly, things should be good. And besides “…in all things God works for the good of those who love him…” (Romans 8:28) That’s me. I love God. So, my life should be good, right?

Naive. Gullible. Stupid. You can call it all you want. But, for me to get that expectation out of that (or any other similar) verse is silly. Miller’s closing statement above is correct, though. There’s really nothing in the Bible that says things will ever be perfect…not here, anyway.

And, that’s what makes this all so exciting. It’s looking forward to the hope that is in heaven. It’s the idea that there is something more, something better, waiting for me in the end. And, then connecting that thought with what I do TODAY is where the rubber meets the road. TODAY and TOMORROW and the NEXT DAY and the day after that…how I respond to the circumstances I’m put into, what I do when things don’t go my way…that makes a difference in my story.

I can get frustrated and upset, mad at the world or mad at God, whatever. But, then my story takes a wrong turn.The example that my story presents becomes a BAD example, not a good one. Instead, I need to understand that even the seemingly “bad” things are all a part of my story. And, then, I have a chance to take that frustrating situation and see how it fits with everything else. I can use it to connect with someone else who has similar pain or see it as a challenge that will make me grow.

Ultimately, looking at EVERYTHING that happens in my life (the good and the bad) as a part of my story will make my story better. And, I’ll grow in the process. AND…I won’t be disappointed when bad things happen, as much as I’ll be excited to see how God will use that disappointment to create a better story!

A Tree in the Forest

Today’s quote from A Million Miles in a Thousand Years is a short and sweet one:

The story of the forest is bigger than the story of the tree.

So true. A lot of what I’ve been saying in this blog is all about figuring out and living out a story with my/your life. But, no matter how my story turns out, no matter how crazy or boring it really is…I’m just playing a part in God’s bigger story. I heard a definition of humility once: To consider yourself in light of who God is. I can claim to live a great story, be a great dad or husband, be fearless and take all sorts of risks – but it’s only how God uses me that really matters. What’s important is how my story ties in with all the other stories being lived out all around me.

I hope I can continue to consider myself in light of who God is!

Avoiding Conflict

Today’s quote from A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, by Donald Miller:

…I realized how much of our lives are spent trying to avoid conflict. Half the commercials we see on television are selling us something that will make life easier. Part of me wonders if our stories aren’t being stolen by the easy life.

I am a conflict avoider. No doubt about it. In every situation, I would rather die than experience conflict. Don’t know if it’s an overly implemented middle child syndrome or what, but I do not like conflict. I like it best when the world is at peace and everyone gets along and things are easy and life is good.

That being said, I would tend to agree with Miller’s thought here about my story being stolen by the easy life. I think that because I try to avoid conflict at all cost, it means I also avoid risk, too. Which, as I’ve talked about a lot in this blog, is what I’m trying to change.

A perfect, yet small, example just happened this evening. I don’t like the rain, and if you know me very well, you know I’m not the biggest fan of our dog, Rico. (see pics on the best mom blog ever) I know, once you see the pics, you’ll wonder why I don’t like him, but I have my reasons and won’t go into that here! Anyway, add together RAIN and RICO and it’s not my choice for a time to go out for a walk! It would be cold and wet, ie. conflict! So, Anne took him for a walk.

Another small example was a work situation today. I love about 97% of my work designing affordable content management system websites and implementing effective search engine optimization campaigns for my clients. But, that other 3% includes little things that I’d don’t so much enjoy, but I know has to be done for the job. So, today I had to do one of those things that fall into this 3% category. I originally placed it first on my list this morning; but as I got the day kicked off, I rearranged my schedule to do a few other things first. Those few other things turned into several other things that I had on the list for the day; and suddenly, it was 1:30! Ultimately, I got it done, but I put it off as long as I could – I avoided the conflict of the harder work until the absolute last minute.

These are minor examples of the bigger picture of conflict avoidance in my life. But, just like admitting an addiction is the first step to recovery, recognizing that this is something I need to work on will hopefully drive me to change things. And, in turn, I’ll see a difference in my life (and those around me) when I stop letting the “easy life” steal part of my story.

Conflict changes a person

Today’s quote from Don Miller’s A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, goes back to quoting Robert McKee, an expert in “story”. See “Jump in the Story (or be pushed)” for more on Robert McKee. Miller is listening to a speech by McKee:

He got louder. “Writing a story isn’t about making your peaceful fantasies come true. The whole point of the story is the character arc. You didn’t think joy could change a person, did you? Joy is what you feel when the conflict is over. But, it’s conflict that changes a person.”

His voice was like thunder now. “You put your characters through hell. You put them through hell. That’s the only way we change.”

Even as I think through my own story, I sometimes get caught up in the fun and exciting parts…the risk, the reward. I get pumped up when I think about telling a story with my life. But, it’s not always the fun stuff that really makes it a story. Often times, even most times, it’s pain that makes our story better. Conflict gives our story the interesting twist. We hate to hear stories of those born with silver spoons in their mouths – but we LOVE the story of the guy who started in poverty and now is the ultimate success. We assume the “silver spoon” guy didn’t have to do much to get what he has; but the other guy, that guy worked hard, took some risks, overcame conflict, and ultimately became a success.

It’s never easy, though, to see the positive when you’re in the middle of the conflict. It’s much easier to look back at it. I’ve tried to start thinking of conflict as an opportunity instead of barrier. It totally changes things. Not only does this give me a better perspective on the conflict now; but I also think it will allow me to recognize how the conflict created change when I look back on it years from now.

If you’re going through some conflict, remember…”That’s the only way we change.”

No Longer Meaningless

The thing about fully jumping into a story is that it WILL change everything. Today’s quote from A Million Miles in a Thousand Years comes after Don Miller made a decision to start The Mentoring Project, a mentoring program for fatherless children through local churches.

I’d started an epic story of my own. And life no longer felt meaningless. It felt stressful and terrifying, but it definitely didn’t feel meaningless.

The same has been true in my own life. “Stressful and terrifying” hardly describes it. But, meaningless it isn’t! In the last year, I have lost my job, launched three new companies, put into motion an event for Lift Up Our Youth, and in the meantime, I’ve also enjoyed more time with my wife and kids, and experienced some eye-opening, potentially life-changing things that have turned my perspective on life upside down. And, it’s great!

As I’m sitting here writing this, my youngest son (Ian, 4) was just sitting next to me, then got up and walked away and headed upstairs. In the 3 seconds as I watched him walk toward the stairs, I realized how big he’s gotten, what a sweet (albeit talkative) little boy he is. All three of my kids are growing up so fast, and I want them to live life in the same way I am. I want them to live with no fear, knowing that the Lord is with them, no matter what they do – at school, in work, in relationships.

If I want my kids to learn about story, I have to help them create their own meaningful stories. The cool thing about Bob, who I wrote about the other day in Embracing Whimsy, is that he has involved his kids in the great stories he’s telling with his life, which, in turn, helps to create great stories for them. And, it’s not just about bringing them along on his stories, but rather letting them help drive the story.

I don’t know what this means exactly, just yet, but I hope to help my kids tell a better, more meaningful story in the coming months and years. I’ll keep you posted on the progress!

Embracing Whimsy

In his book A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, Don Miller meets a guy named Bob. Bob is an amazing character who has lived some great stories. You’ll have to read the book to really understand how cool Bob is and what his life is all about. But, today’s quote comes from a conversation between Don and Bob…

I asked Bob what was the key to living such a great story…he didn’t think we should be so afraid to embrace whimsy. I asked him what he meant by whimsy, and he struggled to define it. He said it’s that nagging idea that life could be magical; it could be special if we were only willing to take a few risks.

What a great point! Life IS magical…and we DO miss it so often. I wrote about Taking It All In in another post. That post was about how we take so much for granted – all the beautiful, wonderful things that God has provided…the sunset, the fact that we can breathe, how great it is to be a parent, that we are free to worship whenever and however we choose, etc. etc. etc. We miss these awesome things because we’re too wrapped up in everything else.

And, then, think about how many OTHER magical things we’re missing because we are afraid to take risks. Not just these things we’re taking for granted, but the things and feelings and experiences that we’re not seeing/doing/feeling/experiencing because we’re too afraid to take a chance. I’ve mentioned this before, but I wrote a book a couple years ago called Married to Jesus. It was a HUGE risk to take the leap to 1) write a book 2) print a book and 3) self-promote a book, which now includes a random speaking engagement every once in a while. If I hadn’t followed what I felt was a drive to write that book, I would have NEVER had the chance to do all this! And, not only was it a great experience for me, but what’s awesome to hear is when someone tells me they read the book and it had an impact on their life or their wife’s/husband’s life, or they had a similar experience in their life and it’s great to relate to someone who’s gone through the same thing.

When I hear those kinds of stories, I think about the fact that there’s a reason and a plan for everything – and if we don’t follow through with what God is putting before us (ie. “that nagging feeling that life could be magical; it could be special if we were only willing to take a few risks”), there’s another person’s story that’s missing a chapter. Life’s a big ol’ puzzle, and if I don’t put my piece into play, then there’s at least four other pieces that are left hanging.

A friend of mine emailed me the other day about a web-based business idea in the mountain biking industry. Without thinking too much about it, I said, “Let’s do it.” In the past, I would have been too concerned about time and money and a million other things; but, as I mentioned in What’s Your Story Going to Be About, I think my story needs to involve much less fear and a lot more risk taking…especially when there is a potential for the gospel to be shared!

You are who you hang out with

Okay, this is a good one. If you’ve been waiting for a zinger, here it comes. From Don Miller’s A Million Miles in a Thousand Years…

As I’ve said before, the main way we learn story is not through books or movies; it’s through each other. You become like the people you interact with. And if your friends are living boring stories, you probably will too. We teach our children good or bad stories, what is worth living for and what is worth dying for, what is worth pursuing, and the dignity with which a character engages his own narrative.

Think about the people you hang out with for a minute. Go ahead, think about it. Can you tell what kind of stories these people are telling? Are there good stories? Exciting ones? Or are they boring, blah kind of stories? Seriously. Take a few minutes and try to think through their stories – your best friend. Your spouse. Your co-workers. Anyone you’re close to. Now, if the majority of those stories are pretty boring…find some new friends!!

I’ve never really thought too much about this before, either; but here are some of my friends and their “stories”:

The Entrepreneur: He’s a partner in an Internet marketing firm, whose clients range from international toy companies to big name hotel chains. He’s an avid music fan and has passed on that love to his sons. The guy hardly misses an Indians’ baseball game, but he also never misses a trip to the Caribbean with his wife. Although he works his ass off, he takes time to enjoy life with his wife, kids and friends.

The Outdoors-man: Although his daily “job” is not all that exciting – and he’ll admit that – his weekends typically include at least one hike (when the weather allows) with the family and at least one mountain bike race. He’s joined a group of guys who race just about every weekend, and he usually ends up with some kind of injury – from minor bruising to emergency room visits.

The Hair Stylist: Probably threw you with that one! A relatively new friend and business partner, this guy has owned a local salon for several years and recently bought another one. He and I have started a business venture together that is pretty revolutionary for the industry (www.CutOutsideTheLine.com) offering online continuing education for the cosmetology industry. Another hard worker, I’ve also noticed how he involves his wife and daughters whenever possible. He snowboards and has done a couple mini triathlons.

These are a few of the people I hang with who have some pretty cool stories. (There are others – so don’t be offended if you’re reading this and not on the list!) But, the point is…I’m hanging around with some people are different, have a little excitement in their lives, and are generally living good stories.

Now, I know and hang out with some people who’s stories may “seem” exciting, but I can tell that while they’re “livin’ the good life” there’s something deep down that’s holding them down. A lot of other people I hang out with not only have good “worldly” stories to tell, but they also have a strong relationship with God – providing the ultimate story! And, they know that no matter what day to day story they’re living, they are experiencing the beauty and the life that God has given them to live – not the “suffering for God” story; but the “abundant life” God story.

When I say “suffering for God,” I’m not trying to be disrespectful. As I’ve said before, it’s not about a Prosperity Gospel – where everything is grand and happy and smiles! But, we’re specifically told, even when we’re fasting, not to look and act all “woe-is-me” but to maintain joy even in the hard times and “suffering.” Because, I also know some people who are experiencing some terribly rough times, but they still rejoice in the beauty of God’s creation and the story they’re living.

All this being said, it really does make a difference who you hang out with. Things change when you’re not brought down by negativity and boredom. Your view of life improves. And, hopefully, because of the stories I’m seeing in others, my story is better; and then those around me see a good story, and so on and so on!

What’s your story going to be about?

It’s been a couple days, but we’re back to it. Today’s quote from A Million Miles in a Thousand Years…

The thing about writing a story, in real life and on paper, is half the effort is just figuring out what the story is going to be.

For a long time, without really knowing it, I guess, I’ve been trying to figure out what my story is going to be. And, until recently, I don’t believe I really knew. I have had several meaningful events and story lines throughout my life, but nothing really notable that said “THIS is what my life is about.”

Now, I do believe God placed me (all of us) here for a reason, and ultimately, that reason is to worship and follow him. But, we each have the ability and choice to do that in different ways. For some, that may mean going to the mission field. For others, it may be about just being a great friend to someone in need. For others still, it may mean something else.

I still don’t have it all figured out, but I think my story is about not living in fear. This point will be discussed a little more in a few days, but in general, it’s about taking risks and enjoying the beauty of life without getting caught up in the little things that so often pull us down.

Since we got married, Anne and I have only taken a few trips together as a couple…I’m talking about nice vacation type trips where it’s just the two of us, and it’s more than one day away. We’ve always made the excuse of money or time or the kids or whatever, but we’ve never really focused on doing much just for the two of US. So, finally, this year (which happens to be our 15th anniversary year), we’re planning a trip to St. John with our good friends…who are also celebrating 15 years! We’ve decided to do it, and we’re going to figure out how – financially, time-wise, kids, everything. We have to save a lot of money between now and November; and we have to figure out some place for the kids to go. But, we’ll get it worked out. It’s invigorating to decide to do something like this, and make it happen.

The same thing applies to my work. I hate sales. Can’t stand it! But, I’ve been trying to get past my fear of sales…making work and business relationships about helping people out, not so much just getting the job. And, it’s been great. My business is picking up, and it’s been fun. Rather than dreading the sales call, I’m actually starting to look forward to it.

I talked in an earlier blog called “Don’t Give In to Fear” about how I’ve always been held back because of fear. But, I’m living a little more fearless lately, and it’s paying off. I’m enjoying life, having fun, spending more time with my wife and kids.

My favorite Bible verse ties into this concept, I think. “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13) When it comes down to it, there’s just no reason to fear; because when I’m walking with the Lord, I can trust that he’s got my back. His plan is for me to live life abundantly, and if I’m too fearful to take risks, then it will be tough to enjoy the beautiful things he has provided.