Inspired By Gods Promises

Happy Tuesday! Normally on Tuesdays I post my weekly link up “Bloggers Who Have Inspired Me.” Well because my blog is due to be switched later this week or weekend I held off on this link up until the switch was made to my own self hosted site. Today is a bit different as I wanted to highlight how God has inspired me through His word.

 

Recently I have been encouraged with reading some of my favorite fashion or mommy bloggers begin to do posts on their faith and I found it as a reminder of how this world or our blogs are not just about us but about Him (God) as well. I know I am guilty of getting caught up in social media, collaborating with tons of bloggers or a few boutiques and loosing sight of what blogging is about and originality, things learned, thoughts, etc. There are many blog topics I can’t wait to disclose as some things are dear or hurtful to me that I want to form and publish but don’t know quite how yet. I thought I would start with this one, and let you in on what I find neat about God’s promises and how I can apply it.

In my Bible reading time at night before bed, I am guilty of quickly reading God’s word and going to bed, with barely a prayer of thanks for the day or telling God how I really feel. Lately, though I have felt a tug to be authentic with God and just ask Him to show me things (mainly in His word and my attitude) and what he recently revealed was 2 Samuel chapter 7 where King David is  talking with Nathan the prophet and concerned about living in a cedar palace whereas the Ark of the covenant of God remained in a tent (not a palace or temple). To which God reveals some words to Nathan the prophet saying there was no need for something to be built for the ark, that the ark and God have moved with the Israelites without need of a “cedar house” all along. God then further reveals to David (through Nathan) that David was chosen to be ruler over Israel and that God would not allow enemies to harm him and that his offspring would be blessed and (check this) “…I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father and he will be my son…” [2 Samuel 7:12-14].

What God is saying here is that He has always been with David and the Israelites and that He would raise from Davids offspring Jesus Christ to establish a house and throne in God’s name and kingdom forever. What I find inspirational is that David was concerned for not having a “cedar house” for Gods Ark, yet God had MUCH BIGGER plans for the future kingdom. I love how God promises his presence to David, his sovereignty, his protection, blessings and His own son through Davids offspring.

Sometimes I think I am like David in that I am “too concerned” or “not concerned enough” on how God loves me or cares for me. That perhaps I should do “this” when God only requires “that” if I would just listen and remain in His promises for ME. I may never know what God has in store for me but I do know He promises to be with me, to bless me, not allow his enemies to strike me and use me to further His kingdom.

Thank you for reading my inspirational thoughts for today, if you have any thoughts just let me know in the comments below.

Rachel xo

Linking up today with: Motivational Monday, Tuesday Talk.

Garay Treasures

Happy Thursday! Today’s post is inspired by the name of this blog. For the past few weeks I have just been on “blogger burnout” and getting discouraged left and right. Many of you have just been so comforting in reminding me that”Comparison is a thief” and Jill of @dousedinpink.blogpot.com even left a comment that stood out above the rest (sorry guys) and that was

“I’m sorry you had a tough week! It’s so hard sometimes not to compare yourself to others in the blogging world and in real life. Take a step back and look at all that you have and what you have accomplished!”

It is better said than done but I just keep taking in her comment and relishing in the truth of it. We will always be comparing ourselves, to bloggers, other moms, women, friends, students when really we just have to be ourselves. This blog was started with a passion for my faith, family and fashion and while it has grown to be more of a fashion blog I wanted to just take some time and focus on what this blog started out being about and go from there: my faith in God and family, hence “Garay Treasures.”

Every Sunday just about after church my kids love to get up on the roof of our van, sort of as a “good job at church” treat. (we let them stay up there for a couple of minutes but they love it).

My beautiful daughter (a twin to Max) and her daddy (my hubby of course)- I hope you don’t mind the messy bathroom.

My son Max (twin to Elizabeth) bunched up in a pillowcase.

Nevaeh’s classic photogenic face

Xander and Max (I just adore their smiles).
My handsome boys (Xander and hubby).

Here is a list of some of my accomplishments since blogging:

-Starting “Bloggers Who Have Inspired Me” series which then led into a weekly link up for every Tuesday where I also feature my favorite 5 bloggers that linked up the week before, and in which you can still link up to here.

-Starting a “Style Collaboration” with other bloggers here and there where myself and another blogger (or bloggers) style a similar or same item. Hint: there is another style collaboration and giveaway this coming Monday. See others in the links provided: Faux Fur Vest; Christmas Wear; Mustard Cardigan.

-working and collaborating with various brands or bloggers

-Meeting like minded bloggers who just pour into my spirit or that have similar passions.

– followers have been growing in leaps and bounds here and there along with page views.

-My hubby and I saved money to get a Cannon Rebel EOS 500 DSLR camera for better quality photos.

– Saved some money to begin meeting with a graphic designer to make the switch from wordpress hosted to self-hosted blog. (Nervous and excited about this- but the name will remain the same Garay Treasures).

There are many more, but these are the few I am  PROUD of.

I want to thank many of you for following along with me and for being there for me, you guys are the best. I hope this post reveals my treasures and that I can come back to this when I am feeling discouraged as this is what it is all about, these are my treasures.

Rachel xo
Garay Treasures

You can follow my blog with the following: bloglovin, GFC, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.

Linking up with: Motivational Monday, Tuesday Talk and High Five for Friday.

An ode to a bad week

I do believe this is the first post in awhile where I am focusing on the content and my life and feelings over providing pictures first then talking about the “outfit” or “good stuff” (I will get to that shortly) but first off I just want to admit that last week was just so emotional. Do you ever have weeks where there are good things but the smallest little bad stuff just creep in and consume your thoughts or actions and the good is no longer appeasing or a thought? That was my week last week and it was not fun.

I have been in prayer about it but I know a lot of what the root issue is and that is I feel like a failure. I have tears bunching up in the corners of my eyes as I type this. See about 4 years ago I lost my teaching job around this time and so I am having nightmares and just thoughts of feeling like I failed and it is causing me to carry it on into my parenting and daily life. I even had a mini panic attack thinking about it the other day where I blanked out and couldn’t let it go and my breathing changed. Then to make matters worse I just felt frustrated with blogging because I was comparing myself to other bloggers so I felt like a failure with my posts last week. Did I mention I felt like a failure in my daily life? This has all been in with comparing myself to parenting, in friendships, and in my walk with God. (plus it had been that time of the month so I was already an emotional rollercoaster).

By Friday my bad week ended on a good note though (Thank God)!

There is just a jumbo amount of things I could rant and vent on right now that I have been feeling but sometimes there isn’t even enough words to utter these out, but instead I have had to step back, pray and learn to just give some time to meditate on God’s word and truth. I will leave the conclusion to my bad week and heart issue with these scriptures and perhaps it will reach to some of you who might be hurting or feeling some failure in your life as it has helped me:

Jeremiah 17:14- “Heal me, O Lord and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.”

Psalm 147:3- “He heals the brokenhearted and binds their wounds.

How are you really feeling lately? Even if you don’t believe in God how are you feeling?  How can we be in prayer for each other?

Now on to the outfit (taken in horrible bright light outside, sorry but I hated to ask the hubby to do it while we were running errands that day, as he was having a horrible day that day as well).

Since this was such a horrible day and time to shoot pictures I didn’t get very many nice ones, so I am sorry for that. I did however want to point out my new sweater cardigan worn here from The Mint Julep boutique that I got from winning a  giveaway last year from Jessica of blessherheartyall.com blog (thanks J)! I have worn this cardigan like two times a week since getting it and it goes with everything.  I have been dreaming since the late fall to have an oversized sweater/sweater cardigan so I was glad when this one was on sale at The Mint Julep boutique so I could snatch it up. This is such a cozy one too!

outfit details: Cardigan: The Mint Julep Boutique (exact here)//Scarf: Sassysteals.com//Shirt: Old Navy (old)//Pants: St. Johns Bay//Boots:Kenzie Wear (old, gift).

Thanks for reading today! I hope you can join me tomorrow for another “Bloggers Who Have Inspired Me” link up as I will feature my favorite 5 from last Tuesday.

God Bless,

Rachel
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Happy New Year and favorite posts from 2014

This will be my last blog post until February so that I can just rest the month of January be with God and get some other things done and meet some personal goals (see this post here to read on these).
It has definitely been a great year with blogging but I wanted to share with you my absolute favorite posts.
#1 Favorite post: God is Faithful

This post still brings tears to my eyes and love fills my heart. If you are to ever read a more personal and honest post on my past it is this one- God is Faithful.
#2 DIY Cork Boat

This post on making a toy cork boat was so much fun to make and was my first featured post ever on stillbeingmolly.com for the past fun day Monday link up (view the feature here). View it here.

#3 Marble Jar system

To understand this you just have to read the post, here.

#4: 8 cheap date night ideas on a budget

Get the scoop here and save some money.

#5 Xander turns 2

My baby turned 2 this past year- where has time gone, he will be 3 this coming April. Ahhh! No don’t grow up!!! (see post here).

#6 My first product review and giveaway with mallofstyle.com.

You can check out this post here to see which necklace I styled.

#7 On the hunt and found my Birthday Michael Kors purse.

I documented several trips and shops that I looked in to find the PERFECT Michael Kors purse, and on a budget but did not find THE ONE until this post here.

#8 My love for my Zara Blanket scarf.

I can’t get enough of this cozy, stylish, versatile scarf. Read post here.

#9 A beautiful ring and faux fur vest.

I LOVE everything about this outfit! Just sayin! You can read up on this post here. A review with Anjolee.com jewelry.

#10 I wear glasses.

Bet you didn’t know that? Firmoo.com prescription glasses review. Read up on it here.

I have so many other favorites, but I have realized that many of my favorites that you see here are reviews I personally enjoyed, or creative and neat ideas that I came up with, and honesty/personal family posts. I hope you enjoy these. You can check out my Archives section on the side of my blog to read up on some of my older posts if you like. I have enjoyed meeting many of you and making some friends, thank you for reading and supporting my blog this past year. You can still keep in touch through e-mail at Rachel(dot)garay@me(dot)com or I might occasionally post to my instagram. Enjoy! and Happy New Year! YAY for 2015!

When Your Cup of Coffee is Cold or Empty …..




If you are like me then you can probably relate to the title of this post (most days or all).  I tend to let the coffee (or tea) in my cup go cold before I can enjoy it because I stay busy with 3 kids during the morning and then 4 when Nevaeh gets home from school and even then if I make a second pot it still goes cold before I can have it. There are times my cup is empty and I want more, more and more.

Now this post is not necessarily about coffee and how many cups I could drink a day but more on handling my life daily. For me it is a struggle to feel like what I am doing is purposeful (being at home and parenting). Some days I feel like I am cold and just impatient, un-intentional, empty. I allow thoughts of needing more, wanting to know my purpose, wanting to know why things happened the way they did when I lost my teaching job (a lot of the root of my insecurities). wanting to know if I am parenting or disciplining correctly, the list goes on.

Lately I have been asking myself, What is my purpose?

Every night before I go to bed I sit with my Bible and read a few chapters throughout the Bible, no order just reading and hoping to catch something I missed years before or in church. Last night I was reading Psalm 138 over and over, probably 3 times til I realized at the end in verse 8- “The Lord will fulfill his purpose, for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever-do not abandon the works of your hands.” (NIV) It hit me that God promises it in His word that HE will fulfill his purpose for ME. I may not know what that is yet, but I need to have the faith daily to know that He will FULFILL HIS purpose for ME. I don’t need to be insecure, cold, empty. God loves me forever and always has, He knows what I am going through or will and His plans are good and lovely. It is comforting to know that He is already working out my purpose, daily.

So what about you? Is your cup warm, cold or empty today?

Take comfort that God loves you and will fulfill his purpose for YOU!

Rachel xo

 

 

What is God calling me to do?




This post originally contained a lot of TMI (too much information) about  my past with teaching (I was a special education preschool teacher to two and three year olds), but after letting this post sit in my drafts for a few days I felt I needed to change things and just leave out details. Do you ever do that?

With the past being in the past it is still hard not to revisit the horrible feelings I faced towards the final years of teaching full time. I had great moments, and bad. I worked under some hard administration, the pressures of goals and deadlines, and with some challenging students. Don’t get me wrong I loved some days and the students, and other days I didn’t.  To this day I wish I could have done some things different. Right now I am stuck with wondering if I ever will teach full time again one day, and fear grips me. My own lack of self-confidence in my abilities as a teacher kicks in. Will I make the same mistakes? Will I make a difference? Is this what I am suppose to do?

Sunday night, I met with my best friend of 15 years for coffee and just mentioned teaching and the unknowns, when she asked me this compelling question “Do you feel like teaching was what you were called to do? Yes you went to college for it and taught a few years, but is it your calling?” I was dumbfounded. Instead of coming up with excuses why it is or should have been I just answered “well it was a dream of mine all my life, along with being a mom and writer” Her response was “You are so creative! I love seeing your DIY jewelry boards, and blog posts, that could it be that could be a calling in itself. I want to help you get started if you feel it is (to set up ebay, etsy shop and a facebook page). I was so humbled by her question and response to her help that I just didn’t know what to think. All of that sounds like a dream, but is it my calling or just another phase of life, who knows, but it is a start to finding out.

I am encouraged by Jeremiah 29:11- “For  I know the plans I have for you ,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (NIV)

These words are a promise. I know God will show or speak to me when it is time for what He has called for me next but until then I can pray, seek him, and just trust in what He has for me. I know teaching is a stable income, and I also know that writing and creating things is a passion. But what am I to do with these in the future. If you could help me pray for these unknowns that would be a tremendous blessing.

Thank you for your support and prayers.

Rachel xo

Outfit details- Shirt: dxmall.com//Pants: DKNY jeans (old, TJ MAXX)//Flats: Merona (Target, old)//Purse: Merona (Target, old)//Necklace: Lia Sophia (gift).
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Celebrating 4 years of Marriage




Today my hubby and I celebrate 4 years of marriage. Since it’s Wednesday and hubby works evening shift we will probably give each other a “Happy Anniversary baby,” throughout today but actually celebrate this coming weekend. There are lots of ideas up in the air, but a dinner is a must. I already have my outfit planned for this occasion. We will see.

I thought I would share with you some wedding photos and some about what I love about my hubby today, so that you get a glimpse of our special occasion and of him, and some highlights of our marriage.

I love you Chantry, thank you for all the love you give. I see how much you love me daily, even when I may not feel it at the time. You complete the parts of me where I am weakest or make these stronger. God knew what He was doing when He put us together, and I am grateful for that. You will always be my “Beu duke” that I fell in love with the day we first met. I love you “Mr, Sexy pants” Happy Aniversary my love!!!! Here’s to many more years together and until the end!

Some facts on our wedding day:

– he cried the entire ceremony he was so happy.

-we got married in our home church (and where we met). Our pastor officiated the wedding. 

– attendance was about 150, but we invited about 200. So good turnout.

 -we paid our church youth group as a fundraiser to help serve food during the luncheon afterwards.

– our wedding was under $2,000 (we hit up sales and people we knew for deals).

– the best man and other wedding party attendees filled the convertible car with balloons, but these were contained with siren wrap while the roof was down. When we left the church, bubbles blown and people cheering we were about to drive off when I was told the pastor would not allow balloons to be all over the parking lot/grounds (church was next day) so we couldn’t release all the balloons as we sped away. But a few got loose! It was surreal.
-after leaving the church his beat up Chevrolet convertible finally gave up the ghost on our way to our duplex and we had to hitch hike to our house. (Too funny).
 
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-we ate out at a four star restaurant. My hubby changed back into his tuxedo to eat there and I just dawned on a pretty dress.

– we joined my cousin and a childhood friend at a local restaurant for drinks (even though we didn’t drink-well maybe a sip lol). It was fun to just sit with them and talk as my cousin is from NY and I hadn’t seen her for years.

– something I am proud of is that my hubby is my first. I am going to be bold and say that. Waiting for that special someone to share your life and bed with is worth the wait. I was glad we waited til the rings were on the fingers. It wasn’t easy, especially for him, but God is good.

Our Marriage thus far:

– we haven’t had a full fledged yell at eachother fight, although we have had disagreements or hurt each others feelings.

-we always forgive eachother even for the silliest things.

– we have to fight to keep date nights in order and “us” time when we can.

– God must be foremost in our lives, even when we don’t acknowledge it like we should sometimes. God is the perfect example of marriage-his love never fails.

– we have had to pray over our home, literally because 2 divorces that we know of happened with couples in the home before us. So any spirit of separation needed to be put in God’s hands.

-marriage takes work, prayer and sacrifice. Daily we must sacrifice our wants for realizing our needs or whats truly best.

Thank you for reading and sharing this day of celebration with us!~

 

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