No More “Same-Oh, Same-Oh!”

Carl and I recently decided to spice things up — not in our chili, but in our choices! After realizing we’d been eating at the same-oh, same-oh restaurants, we heard Austin has over 4,000 of them. So we made a pact — no repeats (unless we’re with friends). We’re now at 145 new places and counting!

That “try something new” mindset carried right into our weekend trip to Tulsa for a beautiful wedding — and then straight on to Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri! It’s the Christmas capital of my heart — a glowing wonderland of 6.5 million lights, smells of cinnamon rolls and kettle chips, and enough funnel cakes to make an angel weep with joy.

Walking through that park felt like stepping inside a Christmas card — all twinkle and nostalgia. From the laughter-filled Frontier Follies show to the soulful gospel harmonies of the Spoken 4 Quartet, every moment was sprinkled with joy and a dash of holy awe. And just when I thought my heart couldn’t take any more sparkle — we stood before an 8-story animated Christmas tree that danced with lights and music. My goodness, it felt like heaven’s pre-show!

Somewhere between the fudge shop and the fireworks, I thought: this is how God meant life to be — full of joy, curiosity, and gratitude. Psalm 104:24 says, “How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.”

We’ve decided — no more ruts, no more routines. Life is too precious to live on repeat. Whether it’s a new restaurant, a road trip, or simply a walk around the block, joy doesn’t just show up — sometimes, you have to drive to find it.

So here’s to cheerful hearts, candlelit dinners, and adventures wrapped in God’s goodness. Proverbs 17:22 reminds us, “A cheerful heart is good medicine.”

And trust me — when you open your heart to wonder, you’ll find that every day with God is one big, beautiful, “Oh wow!” waiting to happen.

Exploring God’s creativity one restaurant (and one road trip) at a time!

#AdventureWithPurpose #FaithAndFun