Super Woman

Super Woman.  The elusive pursuit that we all seek after.  If you're like me, what Super Woman looks like changes often.  She depends on how I'm feeling, what I've eaten lately, how my clothes fit, how my kids are behaving, how my husband is behaving, what my checking account balance is, how much gas is in my vehicle in relation to pay day, how much time I've been in the Word, what I'm feeding myself in regards to media, and the list goes on.  The truth is...

Whew!  I need that reminder at least once a week!  At. Least.

So, this morning as I was trying to determine how to best fill my day {laundry? meals? clean floors? shower? mow the lawn? what's the best time to start school?}, I decided that I didn't need to be Super Woman.  She is not God's goal for me.  God's goal for me is much better and when I allow myself to be molded by Him and for Him; well then I am my best!  And, what gets done gets done! And, Mama is happy, calm, and engaged in her family!

This morning I enjoyed coffee outside while the kids played "planting a tree." I knew it would result in dirty little toes and more dirt in parts of their bodies that I wouldn't find for hours.  But, I also knew that outdoor imaginary play pays out dividends for their development, friendship, and energy levels.  {Which is a way better payout compared to cartoons or Ipad time.}

As the rest of my day unravels at the pace the Lord sets, I leave you with this picture of 30 dirty toes.

Let's start over...again...

I'm a bad blogger.  Not that that needs to be clarified here.  Honestly, I'm not ever going to have the cool looking blog with awesome pictures and editing and cool layout design.  Sigh.  I think that's why a lot of people burn out on blogs...the perception of not being able to "keep up."  Whatever that means.
But, the Lord is continuing to lead me on a great pursuit.  Full of daunting dreams, endless work, and the potential for family-changing blessings.
So, to best document the ups and downs, decisions, changes, and (insert the unknown), I've decided to take a stab at blogging.  Again.
No promise of great writing or great insight or the resemblance of a lifestyle that's put together in a modern, clean, and crisp format.
Who are we kidding?  I'm a stay-at-home-wife-of-1-mom-of-3-homeschool-teacher-adjunct-faculty-member-church-member-with-the-inability-to-say-no-and-whatever-else-you-can-hyphonate-please-insert-here.
This should be fun.  Quick updates in between cups of coffee, potty breaks, and changing the laundry over.  Forget ironing or dusting.  Those are special treats in our neck of the woods!
Ok...about the dishwasher...gotta go! See you soon (as in not waiting a year for another post)!

Running, Rain, and Tender Plants

I run.  It is my first love when it comes to exercise.  I very specifically love to run on a treadmill.  For all the reasons people don't like to run on one, I love it.  I wouldn't classify myself as a graceful runner or anything near that.  I can count no less than 10 times in my years that I've "quit" and then had to start back at the most basic of training levels.  I also don't have fancy equipment - my treadmill is coming up on 9 years old and most of my running clothes were purchased pre-children.  I purposefully only run listening to praise and worship music because He is the encouragement I need- Emmanuel, God with me.  But, it's rarely an upbeat set of songs- more melodic and spa-like.  And, rarely are my runs a mindless escape from the daily grind.  My time on the treadmill is logged with fervent prayer and reflections on what the Lord has been showing me.  You'd be amazed at how He speaks directly to my heart- despite my loud heart beat and feet hitting the tread and the radio blaring in my always-cramped garage.  

This morning was no different. 

Hurricane Isaac changed our plans to travel to Louisiana for Labor Day.  Instead we spent a few days in Branson with my parents, sister-in-love, and nephew.  And, alas, the remnants of the hurricane have been upon our area for the last 24 hours.  

While cooling down after my run, I began to thank the Lord for all he has given me in regards to the ability to exercise.  And, for the glorious rain falling (after all, I keep my garage door half open!).  It has been a soft and steady rain this morning.  As Chris calls it "the good rain" that actually soaks into the ground instead of just running off into the drains.  After a summer of extreme heat, the ground has been parched.  

And, then, a reminder of what the Lord spoke to the children of Israel, the most famous desert wanderers, via the Song of Moses:::

"Let my teaching fall like rain, and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants." Deut 32:2

This is the Good rain for me, a tender plant ready to soak Him in!

Joshua 3:5

“Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you.”


I have been pondering this verse this week.  It's very applicable in every area of my life.  It's a hard road- a road of intentional consecrating.  Of purposeful diligence.  It may seem like redundant words- but, if you've lived in a season of daily intentional choices...well, you know it's hard. And, lonely.  And, often dry and dark.  And, usually with a handful of misunderstandings.  Many want the Lord to do amazing things...but they don't want to consecrate themselves.  And, my experience has shown that they don't usually want to be around those that do.


We don't always get a literal "tomorrow"...but, the promise of the Lord doing amazing things among us is worth it all!


More than a clean house, clean children, clean self (b/c that's not always a constant!), or clean appearances to others...I want the Lord to do AMAZING things among me!  


Yes, I do!  So...today, I consecrate.

Life Pics

Abi playing in the sprinkler and singing her sweet songs about anything and everything.

Eli got new boots, jeans, belt, and shirt for his birthday.  He loves to dress well for church! {The vest was Chris' when he was little!}

Caleb stood by himself! For approximately 5 seconds...and hasn't done it again.  But, it was exciting at the time!

Here we are working on letters, numbers, and shapes.  It gives me great hope that homeschooling will go well!  Who says learning has to happen at a desk?!?!

Joyful Season

Life is hard.  For many different reasons and seasons.  Sometimes it's by our own decisions or the fall out of someone else's. Thankfully, I am in the midst of a joyful season. Praise the Lord for blessing me with the sweetness of life.
I have become energetic about seeing the eyes of my three children - taking time to be in the moment with them.  Rather it be Abi's silly ramblings to her own tune or Caleb pushing a fire truck across the floor or Eli unraveling his big plans for his Lego planes.  I have joy in wanting to cook well for them.  In offering them a better alternative to boxed snacks.  In getting grass all over me because they love for me to join them in the sprinkler.
There is a sweet overflow of love in telling my husband of 9 and a half years (!) that it is still a joy to be his wife.  And, to mean it with all sincerity.
The squelching heat of the summer has not slowed the spring feeling in my heart.  I am ever thankful for this lush time of joy, peace, and an abundance of patience.  Of loving right where we are.  Not looking back and not looking too far forward.  Just savoring the present.

Missional Living

Yes, I know I am the worst blogger ever.  I just have other things occupying my time lately.  But, here are two "things" to chomp on for a bit...

He won't send you to a hut in Africa, trust me-Jesus won't ruin your life...

by Matthew Stevens on Monday, June 25, 2012 at 7:32pm ·

That was the phrase I heard as I listened to a preacher a few weeks ago.  Ironically, it was also the day before my sister, Kayla, left for South Sudan-Africa.  So it really stuck with me, did Jesus ruin her life?  After all, she was on her way to Africa, and she had raised most of the money, which was 10-15% of her annual income-which she gladly sacrificed.

Kayla is one of the smartest ladies I know, she's finishing her M.Div.  She is also single, but the only thing she's seeking is Jesus.  Last I asked her about it, she just noted there were plenty of 12 year olds trapped in 20 something bodies at her seminary...yes seminary.

Kayla learned the finer points in life in South Sudan, like monkeys fling poo, be sure you don't deficate on a snake, demon posession is real, and how to use a mosquito net. 

Foremost, she experienced that the Gospel changes lives.  And it really is power.  She saw souls saved through the testimony of her team-to huts all in Africa.  And for those people, eternity will never be the same.  For them, she was the wrapping paper the greatest gift they will ever receive. 

Yes, I'm on a mission trip in a third world country with a great team, But we're sitting on a couch nursing a Diet Coke, on my laptop, ESPN is on the flat screen.  And we're waiting for supper to be put out. 

No A/C-High is 70/ low is 55.  Hot water only in the morning, language barrier, twin beds, and barbed wire around the 20 ft wall around the center-guarding us from the criminals.

Jesus hasn't ruined our life, and He didn't ruin my sister's.  In fact we're not special, we're not radical, we're not sold out.  We both are far from those things.  What we are trying to be is normal Christians.

Christians are to be slaves, not masters.  We are stewards of Jesus' money-not ours.  We are not missing big events back home.  We are part of bigger events in eternity.  And we do this for the same reason we don't murder. 

We don't murder because we obey Jesus in that area of our life. 

And we go to share the Gospel with every tribe tounge, and nation because we want to obey Jesus in the Great Commission part of our life as well. 

Join us...