Dear Columbus

Dear Columbus,
As I take my badge off and drop my keys and pager, memories rush in. I remember how I clicked submit uncountable times applying to Ohio State. That's only one side of that story. The other side is how since I have worked there, the Lord as been giving me winks. Thank you Lord.
Dear Columbus,
I like how I thought I was grown up till I met you and you really showed me true adulting. You have been kind Columbus, thank you. You changed my thinking and now I think if I have to drive 45 minutes that's far. I used to think that was down the road.
Dear Columbus,
I used to be a straight Ross shopper, you taught me I can find equally great deals in Macy's and Nordstrom and that there are a ton of other stores. Although I somehow end up in gymboree and Carter's
Dear Columbus,
I came to you with lots of questions and unsure of myself. Now the lenses are clearer, I see the path and I am fully trusting.
Dear Columbus,
I came to you and it rocked my friendships and thinned out my "crew" it was hard but look at me now standing taller. I grew in my expectations and devotions learning to give and receive in a judgement free zone. 
Dear Columbus,
I was a bit spiritually drained when I came to you, with no judgement, no pressure, I could just sit, worship, study, meditate, develop, serve. You can only give when you have.
Dear Columbus,
From this unofficial buckeye Thank you.

God has a plan for us all

This morning as I embarked my 3 hour commute to work, I had no idea what profound encounter I would have before it ended. What? You ask, 3 hours? Profound? Ok let me tell you my story.
I was supposed to travel yesterday evening but I just wasn't up to it physically and emotionally. So I planned to travel  this morning at 5am. It was so hard to leave all the people dearest to me my babies, husband and mum but I do amidst tears and trying to trust God through this period. You know... fighting fear and faith. I can't remember the last time I was on the highway in the wee hours of the morning so I'm extra cautious keeping a steady speed well under the limit (so unlike me).
Anyways, first I miss my exit/turn and just like that 15mins added. Then Google maps reroutes me through the strangest road (no offence Hardin County Ohio) but...criminal minds was playing in my head amidst my singing Ryan Stevenson's hot jam...you know the one that's the number one song in the country. I made it out of the corn fields and farms and on to the highway... yoo hoo!
Not quite 15 miles on the highway, the lights come up behind me ...'o snap, was I speeding? I don't think so, it's 70mph limit here we are in Ohio right?' So I pray under my breath, Holy Spirit take control.
She comes to my window and tells me she clocked me at 80mph asks for my license and asks where I'm going where I'm coming from. She was very pleasant and I was a wreck, in tears and borderline hysterical. She proceeds to tell me she will let me go with a warning and she'll pray for me. Then she says "GOD has a plan for all of us, hats off to you..." wait, did this highway patrol officer just assure me what God has been trying to say to me the entire weekend?
What's so profound you ask? Fear and faith have been in battle in my mind all weekend and the reassurance of faith and trusting in God's plan was under attack. So you see when a trooper says to me God has a plan for us all and I'll be praying for you especially when you don't expect it, This has to be God.
Now I'm paying it forward,
Did you get bad news? God has a plan...
Are you at a crossroads? God has a plan...
Are you going through change? God has a plan
Did you lose your job? God has a plan
Did you lose a loved one? God has a plan

 "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."
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

 All this also comes from the Lord Almighty, whose plan is wonderful, whose wisdom is magnificent.
Isaiah 28:29 NIV

 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 1:11‭-‬12 NIV

Have a beautiful day
xoxo
Belleutchay

Trust in You

On God Speaking.
My three year old loves the song Trust in you by Lauren Diagle He loves to listen to it over and over again. I like it too but listening to it over and over has made me listen to every word. It's like God wanted me to hear it so He makes this 3 year old who can't read find it all by himself on YouTube and play it over and over. As if that wasn't enough, he asks me "mummy what is the girl singing about?" So now I'm telling him she is singing about trusting in Jesus...OK you explain trusting in Jesus to a 3year old
How do I tell this little boy that sometimes, God doesn't move those mountains we want Him to move or that He doesn't always part the sea so we can walk through or even speak when we are nagging for an answer... despite these, we still need to trust Him because we are still here standing, and because
He is way ahead of us. He has seen it all and He has a plan for us. Jer29:11
So I say to my precious 3 year old. She is singing that even when we feel sad and things don't go our way, we should remember that Jesus loves us, always is with us. and He only gives us what's best for us. So everything he hears the song playing he says "mummy, we will trust in Jesus?" And I say yes.
Have a beautiful day. Enjoy the song

https://youtu.be/qv-SXz_exKE

Life Lessons From My Toddler

It's  2:30am but I don't know this all I see is a little person in front of me shoving a sipping cup in my face. I flip the lid to expose the straw, she starts sipping and walks a way back to her room. Phew, that was easy ...errr wrong she comes back and the struggle begins she just didn't sleep again for two and half hours. Finally fell asleep close to 5:30am. Fast forward an hour it's time to get ready for the day, do you know this little machine is up smiling and singing.

Lesson one: You wake up means you are alive that's enough reason to smile and sing okay maybe not sing if it's not your thing, then dance, smile, rejoice because it's another opportunity to have a fulfilling experience, correct the mistakes of yesterday, touch someone's life...the list goes on. Waking up is just an awesome miracle and we should be celebrating it.

 “I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.” Psalm 3:5 NIV

My little lady is miss independent, she wants to brush her own 16 teeth, put on her shoes, pick out her outfit, feed herself. Needless to say I find myself arguing with her quite often...try reasoning with a 2 year old. I know I'm not alone on this. She will always try before she gives in to you. This got me thinking about lesson two

Lesson two: it won't hurt to try that thing that seems impossible you never know you might just get it on the first try. I hear it frequently said that the only person standing between you and your next level is YOU and it couldn't be truer. Many times I stand in my own way when all I really needed to do was try. 

“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13 NIV

The princess and I

Although my two year old princess is very independent, she somehow understands the limits to her power and height. She knows just when to ask for help you hear her little voice say "hep me mummy hep me pease" yea her "l" is non existent :) she knows when she asks for my help, I will respond. You guessed it, the third point I gathered from living with my toddler is how to ask for help.

Lesson three: I don't know how it became that asking for help is a sign of weakness. There are times you try something new and realize "oh maybe I need a bit of help" then what do you do? If you are like me and most other women I know, you gnaw and gnaw knowing you need help but you're either  too prideful to ask or really don't know your limit. I can always and I'm ever ready to help friends and family but have such a hard time asking for their help. Watching my two year old, I'm learning to just do it. 

“May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion.” Psalm 20:2 NIV

I won't say these three lessons are new, as a matter of fact, I've known these for most of my adult life but watching them play out with a two year old is the reality check for me hope it does the same for you

Xoxoxo

BelleUtchay 

My favorite hacks; life made easy

Hello Beautiful,
I'm always doing too many things at the same time lol. So since my last post, I took on several projects. I braided my hair over several weekends and started my home spring cleaning and organization overhaul hence my extended absence.
Anyways, I'm back to regular programming. On this post, I'm sharing some of my favorite hacks that save time, money or just makes life easier.

• Need to shave? You can use conditioner to shave legs when you run out of shaving cream. Trust me it leaves your skin baby soft. A lot of times I even skip the shaving cream and just get the V05 conditioner from Walmart (less than $1).

• Dry cuticles and nails? Two words "coconut oil" Being a mom of young children, I cannot not always escape to go get a manicure and even when I do, I am constantly washing my hands so my cuticles are dry out fast.  The solution has been massaging Coconut oil on cuticles and into my nail every night. Its an easy thing I can do in bed while catching up on my TV shows just before I sleep. It has saved my hands.

• Dry cracked lips? This lip scrub is everything and you probably have it at home. The lip treatments you buy at the store are cool and all but this mix of olive oil and brown sugar will give life to your lips. Easy peazy; just mix a bit of brown sugar in olive oil and I just do equal parts. Put on your lips and rub it in you could use an old toothbrush or your fingers. Then wipe with a warm towel and walla!

• Got a zit? Just dot on some Neosporin or if you are a mummy... Wait for it... Diaper cream. Leave that bad boy and by the morning, healed.

• Breakfast blues? Mix your pancake batter in an empty ketchup bottle. It makes it easy to mix as you can just shake it up and squirt out onto the pan. Plus, if you have kids, you can make cool shapes. In my house, we are using our food to learn shapes so this is helpful.

Bonus
Want to matify your lipstick, just dust a bit of corn starch on your lips. Now you don't have to buy every  matte shade of lipstick. 

I hope I just saved you a dime and made your life easier while being the beauty that you are.

xoxo
BelleUtchay

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My winter skin got healed

As the winter weather intensifies, my skin gets more and more bothersome. Is anyone else in this situation? Anyways, I have been suffering from dry patches around my mouth and my t-zone. Yes o my t-zone looking like a cracked clay pitcher. 

But!!!! I found something that helps and it is this First Aid Beauty ultra repair cream found here and also at Sephora.

I apply this cream at night after washing my face and in the morning around my mouth and in my t-zone under my regular moisturizer. Let me tell you, this worked like magic on my skin after only a week of using it.

I am totally loving my skin now :)

xoxo
BelleUtchay