Mug Swaps, New Friends and Peer Pressure

Hands down, one of the best things about blogging is the friends I am meeting along the way. 

  One of those is my girl Kim. (ACuppaKim) She named her blog right cuz every time I read a post of hers or see a pic she has posted (I'm kinda jealous of all her world traveling but that's another story)  it's like sitting down with your favorite cup of coffee in the afternoon....the kind of cup that makes you feel better and perks you up...well that is Kim.  She is a doll and I'm blessed to know her.

She hosted her second annual Mug Swap recently and I couldn't have been more excited.

I can't wait to tell you about my new friend that Kim hooked me up with but first.....

Let me share how blessed I was with who had my name!!

You're not supposed to reveal who you had until you send it out in the mail.

Well imagine my excitement the day this box arrived at my door!

As soon as I looked at the return address, my heart did a summersault!

It was my friend Laura, @dailysugarmama!!

She and I had already had a few email heart to hearts and I love her to death.

We kinda "speak the same language" on a lot of stuff.

She feels just like an old friend.  I love when that happens.

So I rip into the box and sunshine popped out...look at all the happiness in there.

She wrote me the sweetest note and shared she chose this one because  she hoped every time I drank from it, it would make me want to come visit her in Nebraska!

Perfect.

And Laura, your plan is totally working.

Every time I use my cup, I always imagine you sitting on your porch,  in your grandmas rocker (even though it got damaged..that's still what I picture you sitting in) reading your bible with a cup of coffee waiting just for me.    Yep, your plan is working Smarty Pants.

And I love that...thinking of my sweet friend..in Nebraska...reading God's word. 

Perfect.

And now Part 2  

(this is where the new friends and peer pressure comes in)

Who I bought a mug for...

I've been blessed (and cursed) with having to buy just the right gift.  I can't just buy something...it has to fit the person...it has to have meaning.  Which is great but also at times can also make by brain work overtime.   Anyways,  I couldn't wait to see who I would be shopping for.

And I was super excited when I got my email....

I didn't know who she was so I ran straight over to Instagram and stalked her  looked her up.

Her name is Kelli, @kelliskrafts, and y'all....she is an absolute gem.  What stood out most from her pictures is her love for God's word. Second after that was her love for her family.  Following close behind was how encouraging she was to all of her instagram friends.  

So now that I had investigated and learned a little about Kelli,  I had to find jussst the right mug.

This is where my dilemma began.  You see, I found a mug that had the most perfect words on it. It described Kelli to a T.   But it was too plain...it wasn't colorful or quirky or eclectic or any of those things.. And it certainly wasn't as "pretty" as all the mugs I had seen ladies posting that they had bought for the swap.  (ahh...peer pressure still exists even  in your 40's)

I didn't want her to be disappointed if she didn't "get" why I chose it for her.

SO.. I kept shopping.

But I kept  feeling that tugging of the Spirit telling me to trust Him on this one..

So I went back and bought the plain little mug with perfect message and wrapped it up with a novel I mean card explaining the whole scenario to Kelli.  

 Oh it  felt so good being obedient to the Lord...I was so proud of myself that I didn't succumb to the silliness of "looks" and "trends" and all that stuff.  I felt great....for about 15 minutes that is, when I looked at Instagram and saw more pics of mugs that ladies had received that were chevron, vintage and colorful gorgeousness and even saw comments from Kelli on a few of them of how much she adored them!  AGHHH!!!  What had I done?!  I wanted to run down to my post office and get my box back and jump on the internet and order something amazing from Anthropologie and overnight it straight to Kelli!  

But then I kept feeling that tugging.... "Trust Me  Stephanie".

So, that's what I did.  

My aim was for it to be a blessing to Kelli...for her to see that even a total stranger can see what a gift she is to the body of Christ..

I actually had forgotten about it until I picked up my phone a few days later  to see a tag from  Kelli...

She didn't know me...or follow me.... so I knew it had to be about the mug!

Aghhh... I was so nervous.

But y'all.  

She "got it'.

She loved it.

And most of all, she was blessed by why I chose it... just for her.

The rim is what drew me to it because Kelli is participating in She Reads Truth and they happened to be in the book of Proverbs.. She was daily sharing truth that that Lord was teaching her and posting pics of her beautiful marked up bible.

It has Proverbs 3:18 all the way around the rim.

But the front of the mug is what sold me.

Kelli..this could not be more true.

You are beautiful...through and through.

 I'm so glad the Lord in His providence chose me to be your "mug fairy"

You never fail to bless me.

Stephanie :)

ps.  the moral of the story is..

Listen to God. 

He knows what He is doing.