Merry (transparent) Christmas

What this adds up to, then, is this: no more lies, no more pretense. Tell your neighbor the truth. In Christ's body, we're all connected.

Ephesians 4:25 

This is probably the first year in over ten years that I did not send Christmas cards out. I had good intentions of doing it. I even designed our cards and had them printed. However, when it came down to sitting down to addressing them, it did not happen. Needless to say, if you sent us a Christmas card, we truly appreciate it. We display them on the side of the pantry, near our Christmas tree. I love gazing at them as we eat dinner every night.

I especially love the Christmas cards that have a family letter attached. It is often a high - light reel of your year, I get it. I often times feel like our Facebook pages and Instagram profiles are a nice high - light reel as well. I'm guilty too. However, taking this Christmas card photo was nothing short of a disaster. First of all, no one wanted to do it...except me. I couldn't find the time (or the extra dough) to fit in a nice photography shoot for the card. So, a family friend stopped by. Again, no one wanted to do it. Finn wanted his shirt off. Addison was complaining that she was freezing and that the fence was hurting her feet (we did a couple of shots not on the fence and she wasn't looking at the camera in any of those). Spunky was cold and he didn't like his shirt, he was also unhappy because the ground was wet and it was seeping into his converse. And Penelope....yeah, she doesn't like looking at the camera either. I explained to our friend to please make "kissy noises" and she will look, but obviously they didn't listen to me.  So...out of 20 pictures, this is the best one.

Life in 2019 has been miraculous and heartbreaking all at the same time.

Addison and Finn are loving school, love extra circulars and church activities. They love each other and they also love arguing over the remote control and other electronics.

We have seen Addison make great strides with her Auditory Processing Disorder, diagnosed in Elementary School. I actually got weepy in church today as I heard her read scripture aloud from a microphone. It may not be much of an accomplishment for many, but this is HUGE for Addison. We have seen her self confidence begin to skyrocket since joining Voices in the Laurel. She is still quite the introvert, but she is happily content going to the beat of her own drum. She has lots of friends when she wants them, but she generally loves not being around a lot of drama. She dislikes make up , dressing up and anything girly. However, she loves all things sparkles and holy jeans (like her mother). She still aspires to become a Pastry Chef and to own her own bakery in Clemson, SC.

Finn loves school, most days. His love for homework from Kindergarten has faded and it is a nightly battle. He does well in school and he is very much the extravert. He has lots of friends and his favorite school activity is "chasing the girls" on the playground. He is mischievous, funny and quick witted. He very much has the personality of his mother. He also sings with Voices in the Laurel, but his favorite activity is playing basketball. He is a hard worker too, and he has loved learning how to use our leaf blower this year. He always demands to "look cool" wherever he goes and especially loves athletic clothes and all things orange, but not Clemson orange. He continues to pull for the Tennessee Volunteers and especially loves watching football.

Penelope the Australian Labradoodle continues to be the love of the family. We fight for her affection, even though Addison is her favorite human. She spends her days playing with her toys and stealing small stuffed animals from the kids rooms. She occasionally travels with me to the office for the day, but she can always be seen at the top of the couch looking out the window for us to come home if she is home alone. We love her dearly and she is very much the Princess of the home!

The biggest miracle from 2019 was the answered prayer of me quitting Dentistry after 15 years. I said goodbye to dental floss and scrubs on July 3rd and I said hello to working for our church plant (Haywood Community Church) and to a non profit children's choir called, Voices in the Laurel. I also added on my first marketing account in late October. 90% of the time I love my work life. However, I do have some very stressful days. In recent days, I have not stopped working until 1-2 AM (possibly why my Christmas cards never went out?). This season has been good, but also challenging finding my "new normal". Nonetheless, I love the opportunity to take my children to school, pick them up from school and participate in all of the school activities. I love the opportunity that I have to lead a Women's Bible Study on Thursday mornings at a local coffee shop and the availability that I have had to meet with women one on one.

Josh, or "Spunky" as many call him is such a supportive and loving husband. The rock of our family . My biggest cheerleader and the one who always encourages me to go after my dreams. He was the first one to encourage me to take the "leap of faith" and to quit my job. He encouraged me to be more available for our children who are growing so quickly. We feel blessed for all of the opportunities that "Spunky" has had to minister this year and for the blessing of landscaping jobs to help us make ends meet. This year, he has  been dealing with some physical pain as we are quickly realizing that all of the years and demands of landscaping are taking toll on his body. We had a scare during the summer when a doctor told us that he could have Rheumatoid Arthritis, we were thankful when the test came back as negative. He has dreams of continuing on with Ministry and he has a heart for the people within our church and Western North Carolina. We are not sure what those next steps are looking like and sometimes that leaves us anxious. We know that he is called into Ministry, I know that God has a great plan in store for him. However, this season of waiting has been frustrating, but we are concentrating on what is unseen and not what is seen.

We recently landed in a counselor's office. The stress of the season of Ministry and the drastic life change of my career change has taken a toll on us. We are NOT on the verge of Divorce. This season of Ministry has taken so much. It has taken our time, emotional energy and to some degree, some friendships.  I heard a quote a few months back that said "The closer you get to the cross, the fewer people will be around you." I believe that quote to be true. I feel that we are doing the work of God, but the heartache of this season in Ministry has been well...heartbreaking. I see the vision of our church plant, we still have a huge heart for it. However, hanging onto that vision has been tough at times, especially in the dark. It is tough to go through such a touch season...alone. It is tough when you have exposed the rawness of your heart and to no longer have those people by your side. However, it has made me more thankful for the people who have remained our friends through this dark chapter, and  for the new friendships that have prospered. Nonetheless, we are in counseling to help us to communicate more effectively and work out some of the hurt that we have experienced over the past 2 years.

I recently spoke to a friend who I haven been friends with for so many years, I said "I feel like I've been on a roller coaster ride" for the past two years and she said "well...you have been."  I appreciated her saying that more than she could have ever known. To me, it validated my thoughts and it made me realize that maybe...just maybe I'm not crazy. Do I know what the future holds for us? No. However, I do know that our future is held by the one who aligns the stars every single night and in that, I put my trust in him.

Merry Christmas.....may you be transparent with the ones around your table this Christmas!

"Your transparency will lead to other people's transformation." - Trent Shelton

Friday Favorites 8/30/19

Hello Everyone! Happy Friday and Happy Labor Day Weekend!

I am so super duper excited to be able to sleep beside my guy tonight without having to set the alarm for tomorrow! And better yet, we have a weekend with absolutely NO plans!!! I'm not sure if I should be excited about that or slightly sad, but I'm choosing to be excited! Although, I am slightly sad that this is the last week of summer.....

This week was good, but busy. It was officially my first week as a stay at home working Mom.  Turns out, it was a lot busier than I anticipated! Although, I am absolutely loving this ! My favorite part by far is the ability to take my kids to school and pick them up each day, followed by the ability to meet people for lunch / coffee and hear their stories! I am praying that God shows up through me each day so that I can encourage others, no matter what they are going through. 

Without any further waiting.... here are my favorites for the week!

Favorite New Boutique Blue Chic Boutique

I am pretty sure that my sweet mentor has rubbed off on me, because I am loving animal print for fall. I believe that it started with my leopard print bikini that I purchased for our beach trip.... Anyway, I purchased more animal print from Blue Chic this week and I may have done a happy dance when I got the shipping notification!

I'm still not happy about these cooler temperatures, but I am ready to do some wardrobe switching out...

Favorite New Coffee Shop Orchard Coffee

Orchard Coffee is probably my new favorite meeting spot! And bonus that it's within walking distance from our church plant (Haywood Community Church). I just love the atmosphere and how they always seem to have something different each time that I go. And let's talk about this latte art !! Visiting here always brings a smile to my face!

Favorite Moment... lantern prayers with my guy

Last Friday evening we were invited to the most amazing dinner party at one of our Pastor's home. First of all the Asian themed cuisine was to die for, including fortune cookies! We met so many other couple in ministry and it was so encouraging ! We also had communion on his back patio under the starlit sky and then we wrote prayers on our lanterns. What you didn't see is when we let our lantern go it fell onto the ground and we were scared for 30 seconds that it was going to light the ground and house on fire... thankfully it didn't! Ha! 

Favorite Collaboration For King and Country and Dolly Parton

And no, I'm not kidding about this one! For King and Country and Dolly Parton have teamed up for the most unique sound! I have always loved this song, but adding Dolly to the mix made it just so ....wow! You have got to check it out!

I hope that you all enjoy the love of your family this weekend (and the ability to not set your alarm for a day or two)! 

Until next time!

xoxo

"I Don't Feel Like I Belong Here..."

So...I have entered a new season. I am now a work from home Mom. I absolutely love it. It's a joy to take my kids to school each day and pick them up every afternoon. It's a blessing to see their little mouths singing along to praise and worship music as we make our way through the car line. I decided to do something new in this season, something that I have not done in 20 years...

I went to the gym. I should have known how this was going to go down at 7:15 that morning when my son asked me 10 times if I was sure that I was dropping him off at school while wearing my yoga pants and t shirt. I was so excited, I even took a selfie outside in the parking lot to document this momentous occasion. 

I happily walked in and told the lady who hands you a locker key that I hadn't been to the gym in 20 years and she gave me a half smile / you're pathetic look and I skipped off to the locker room. After dropping my stuff off I made my way upstairs (I totally ditched the elevator even though I was tempted). And after walking up the stairs, my anxiety kicked in to 110%. 

My first thought was to join a class, but the class that was occurring at that time said "tone" in it and everyone in there looked like they were about to complete on Ninja Warrior, so I decided that it wasn't the class for me. And besides it was already starting. I was not going to walk in "fashionably late" without anything toned on my body. Not happening. 

I decided to walk around the track. I made one lap and I was only passed by two ladies with silver hair. I decided to walk another lap and another....and another. At this point I thought that I should probably keep track of how much I was walking, but I was too embarrassed to ask one of the young 20 somethings that were working how many laps made a mile. I was super impressed that all of these people at the gym knew exactly how to work out. They were sweaty and laughing and having fun. And I just felt alone. Clueless. Because I do not know how to gym. I know the benefits of going to the gym. I see what I can look like if I make this a part of my routine. But I just don't know how to gym. 

After being dizzy from walking in circles around the track I settled upon a bike. And there were so many buttons. So I just peddled. With all of the lights flashing to pick a program or count calories. I just wanted the buttons to stop flashing. I wanted to look like I knew what I was doing. But I didn't. I felt like I had blazing red lights all around me because I was clueless about how to do this thing. I don't know how to gym. 

And then it hit me. I bet this is how people feel when they come to church for the first time. Or the first time in a long time. They feel like I did at the gym. Alone. They see the benefits of coming to church. They desire to turn their life around. They feel the calling of Jesus. But it's different and awkward. They just want to blend in. They don't want to fill out the connect card because then everyone will know that they're new here. They just want to blend in and slip out. 

So, for my fellow church loving people. Show some love to the people who look like they don't belong, because like the gym, we all belong at church. Don't get upset when someone new takes your parking space or your seat or who gets the last cup of coffee at the coffee bar. Show a little extra love and grace and give them something to smile about!

The People Around You....

Greetings from my favorite place in the world...the beach! My family and I are here this week enjoying togetherness, sun, sand and memory making! We are having a wonderful time so far!

One of my favorite things about our beach time is morning coffee with my husband on the balcony where we people watch, have quite time and sip on our daily infusion of caffeine before heading out to be parents of two kids at the beach (and by the way..it takes a lot of arms to carry all the things out each day)!

Yesterday morning, my husband and I began watching two guys paddle boarding on the shore. I was immediately intrigued as I have witnessed paddle boarding many times, but never in the ocean. I was impressed that these guys were standing on their boards despite the waves. Then, the guys began riding the waves in on their boards. One guy was doing a really good job, but the other guy seemed to be knocked off of his board each time a big wave came. I felt sorry for him and I noticed that I began cheering for him to get back on each time that he was knocked off (and no, I don't know him).

It brought me back to the dark times of my life, those times when I was knocked down and sometimes others would rally around me and encourage me. Sometimes after the battle was over and I survived, people would tell me how proud they were that I got back up. In this life, we will have trouble...it is inevitable. However, sometimes we need to get back up not only for ourselves, but for others!

Other people are watching us and the battles that we face, they are secretly cheering for us and wanting us to get back up again. Sometimes they too are fighting a battle that we know nothing about, but when they see us get back up, it encourages them to do the same!

My new paddle boarding friend continued to paddle board for the next hour and I cheered him on the entire time. I have to say that he got better as the hour continued. I am just happy that he continued to get back on the board, despite the waves.

Warning Lights...

A few months ago, I started my car and the dashboard lights lit up like normal, but I noticed that one light did not go away. Brushing it off, I put the car in drive and suddenly a loud dinging sound came. I was alarmed, but I also know nothing about cars. I put the car into park, turned it off and counted to 3. I started the car again and the light went off and there was also no dinging sound. I called my husband who said that he would come by and look at my car before driving home that afternoon. The car checked out fine to him, so he said that we would simply "keep an eye on it."

A week later, the entire thing happened again, but my method of turning the car off and counting to 3 before restarting it worked again, so I continued to brush this off. I got my oil checked a few weeks later and everything seemed okay with my car, so I brushed all of these signals off as "old age" and continued about my business.

A couple of months go by and the warning light  is now doing this daily. Every morning when the car is started, the light is going off, but just first thing in the morning. It becomes really annoying, but my husband is now checking everything a couple of times per week, all seems well. It's just frustrating. He continues to nag me to take it into the dealership, but I greatly despise having a huge car repair bill, the car is getting older and I'm just waiting for the right deal on the perfect one. This one runs just fine...as long as the annoying dinging sound doesn't drown out the music!

My method of turning the car off and then on again is working just fine, until one weekend we are vacationing in Chattanooga and it happens. The dinging and the sensors begin going off while the car is driving on an interstate. I'm panicked. I'm on an interstate, no exit nearby in the center lane of 6 lanes of traffic. The dinging erupts into a loud ekkkkkkkk!!!! It's definitely drowning out the music. Sweat begins to form on my neck as I prepare for my VW to explode. We finally pull off of the interstate. My husband assumes that the oil is low and he begins to add oil, into whatever holds oil in the car (seriously, I'm clueless about cars)! We start the car up and all is well. No dinging. No warning light.

The next morning, my husband kindly goes out before breakfast to get the oil and stuff moving , so that we could avoid the nagging questions from my parents and sister about what's going on with our car. He even goes above and beyond to look for an oil leak under the car and lays down on the pavement. All checks out well. We go on about our adventures and mid drive to our first destination, the light and sensors all go hay wire again! This. Is. Insane.

The lights and sensors are going off all weekend long. Thankfully we have avoided all of the nagging questions though. We are constantly lagging behind the group to re start our car at gas stations, fast food restaurants and just praying that we make it home in the VW on Sunday. However, even despite the warning light and the illuminating sensor, the car seems to be running just fine.

On the way home, when the sensor erupts in the loud squeal one more time, my husband says "Oh, I wonder if your antifreeze is low!" We had assumed that it was always the oil level (seriously, we're not car geniuses by any means). We drive the rest of the way home, arriving safely. When we get home, he jumps out, raises the hood and notices that indeed my antifreeze level is very low. He fills it up, starts the car and everything is fine. The light or sensor has not gone off since.

This all reminds me of a time, about a year ago when I had "warning lights" going off in my life. I was getting angry and frustrated at everything around me. Granted, this was during a very stressful season of my life. We had just began to plant our church, my Grandmother was in her last days on Earth, both of my children were beginning new schools and the juggling of childcare, working and my husband's business were getting the best of me. However, little things and big things were making me very emotional! I wore my emotions all over all of me!

Everything came to a head one day when I received a card in the mail from my precious mentor, Debbie. It was a simple card, but she wrote that she was praying for me, that she noticed that I was on edge and that we needed to have coffee soon. We sat down a couple of evenings later and I unloaded everything that I was going through. I ugly cried. I talked for 20 minutes straight about all of the stress and pain that I was going through. I told her that life wasn't fair. I told her that I had no purpose. I sobbed and she listened.

After I had nothing else to say, she deeply encouraged me to keep hanging on "even if it was by the hem of his garment". She reassured me of all of the gifts that God had blessed me with. She told me that she loved me, but she encouraged me that I needed to remain in the scriptures, especially during these challenging times. I told her that I didn't have time to be in the scriptures, that life was too chaotic right now. Her eyes got big and she grabbed my hands as her mouth opened half way. She said "you have got to be in the scriptures now, more than any other time!" "God has a purpose and a plan for you and you have got to remain in the scriptures! No matter how crazy your life is, keep your eyes on him because he is your consistency!" "He is constant and you can go through anything when you remain in him." Debbie and I finished our coffee and hugged goodbye. I had another ugly cry on the drive home.

The next morning it was so hard to get back into the swing of doing my quiet time on a daily basis. It had been since our beach vacation, a couple of weeks beforehand, which felt like a year ago. I fumbled, but eventually I settled on the First 5 study of Psalms. I got my journal out and prayed. It still felt awkward, but I promised Debbie that I would again get into my groove. The next morning it felt less awkward and before the week had ended, I was back into my old groove. And life felt more peaceful, even though things had gotten more crazy. My Grandmother was not expected to make it through the weekend and my children were to start school on Monday. I clung to my Bible and devotional throughout the weekend and time at the nursing home. I am not sure how I would have made it through without them. When Nanny passed on Monday, my journal was with me.

I am so thankful for the friends who know that they can rub you with sandpaper and see that by doing that, they are making you new.

xoxo

Happy Birthday America : 4th of July recap

We had a great 4th of July this year! The day was filled with lots of good food, time with sweet friends and memories!

We began the day by hosting brunch for one of our favorite families who moved away 2 years ago to a state 17 hours away!  We were thrilled months ago when they told us that they were coming back for a visit! Amber and I have remained in touch and our kids loved playing together ! We were heartbroken when they moved away and I loved picking back up right where we left off!

I was just sad that I didn't get the sweetest pictures ever of my kids making brunch with their Dad. It was adorable seeing Finn making waffles and Addison frying bacon! They were occupied all morning  and they loved it! My husband frequently talks of helping his Dad make breakfast on the weekends growing up, so it was so sweet seeing him teach our children the same thing.

Their sweet friends seemed to really enjoy the brunch as well. We had a total of 7 kids and 4 adults. I love hosting sweet families!!  But, all good things must come to an end and it was time for their departure. We are hoping to travel and see them next!

Later that evening, we gathered with many of the families from our small group at our friends Alan and Taryn's home. They have a swimming pool, so my kids were so excited!  For most of the evening, the kids swam around and Taryn was in the pool with all of them. I really wish that I had gotten a picture!

We had a wonderful time together! We laughed, shot off fireworks and ate a lot of good food!

My sweet Finn and Avery! Avery didn't want to hear the fireworks, so Alan helped her out with some noise cancellation headphones! I asked Finn to stand beside her, to compare height and he put his hand around her little waist. These two are very sweet together! Finn was so excited because his Papaw bought him his own bag of fireworks to share!

I love these sweet friends! Taryn and I have been friends for about 4 years now and we talk several times per day! Heather is also a very sweet friend! She and I met last year when our boys were playing basketball. She and her sweet family began attending our church and we have been in small group together ever since! I am so excited because she and her family will be living less than 5 minutes away from us soon!

I hope that everyone else had a blessed 4th of July! We are so blessed to live in the land of the free and the home of the brave! 

7 Year Old Boys and Big Boy Bikes...

So...over the weekend this kid turned 7 years old (and it breaks my heart, but that is a post for another day).

Not only did he turn 7, but it was time for him to move up to the big boy bike. The one where he can take the training wheels off and ride like the big kid that he actually is. He saw his gift and he was determined to ride like a champ.

So, we headed off to the lake in our town. The one with the beautiful scenery and the paved path around it. A perfect place to stroll and ride your new wheels. I wasn't sure if he could endure the entire 2+ miles around the lake, but the kid was determined...as long as it involved avoiding getting "duck poop on the wheels" (his words,  not mine...but I totally understand)!

The stroll was going well, he was riding like a champ. Stopping to occasionally let his Dad and I catch up and we had no duck poop on the wheels. We had avoided any and all collisions with people, ducks and dogs. Until....the last half mile.

Apparently, the kid began to get a little over confident. We were about to walk down another hill and we gently encouraged him to use the brakes because he wasn't used to so much speed.  Finn and his bike took a tumble right in front of an elderly lady, who I really thought was going to cry herself when the tears began to pour down Finn's face. After assuring both of them that he was fine (there was no blood), he hopped back up on the bike and began to pedal at a slower pace.

Several yards later, Finn hit an unexpected dip in the pavement and the bike turned left and tumbled out of Finn's control. It looked bad, but Finn was laughing and the words "that was awesome" came out of his mouth. Until...he saw the blood. Then...oh the tears, the screams. Red blood was coming out of both knees and one elbow. And of course because I think that everything is going to go perfectly, I stood there with no band aids and one crumbled tissue. Drying the blood on a bench Finn sobbed "I'm never riding that bike again because it always just wrecks me!"

I thought of my own plans for my life and all of the hardships that I have endured in recent seasons. So many times I have had big dreams, but when things have not gone my way or when my plans seem to hurt me I too slam my bike down and say "never again". Because even in our minds, we do not take account that things will go any way other than perfectly. My plans have just "wrecked me" so many times. But thankfully

                                                          "his ways are not our ways"
                                                                                   Isaiah 55:8

When our plans seem to wreck us, we have to cling to the faith that sometimes God has something better in mind. Or, he may be waiting for us to call out to him to accomplish his plans for our life. When we see that we can not do it all on our own and we need the strength from the Heavenly Father, He gets the glory. We were created for Him to receive all glory because He is all powerful and mighty.

So, just like Finn did just moments later. We can hop back on our bike, even though it's scary after such a big fall. We can ride with confidence that he has got us every step of the way and we can finish the path around the lake.

I Still Remember the Days that I Prayed for Friends...

To my friends who are pictured here and those whos pictures I did not have room for...I am so thankful to have you in my life! xoxo

I still remember the day. I was a young 20 something who was married with a toddler, who had finally gotten down for a nap. I was on top of the world. I quickly jumped on social media to do a quick scroll and that is where my heart instantly sunk. My "friends" or the people who I thought were my closest friends had all gotten together for dinner the night prior. As I scanned the faces the hot tears came to my eyes and quickly streamed down my face. I had been uninvited and forgotten about once again.

Looking back, I can think of a hundred different reasons as to why I was uninvited in that season in my life. My life was so much different than theirs in those days. I chose a different path of life. I chose to get married at the young age of 20, trading dance clubs for cook books and home decorating. I also chose to move an hour away from our home town and also having a baby at the age of 23 when many of my friends were not even married yet. But in that moment, the sting of being uninvited stung  and aside from my husband and chubby cheeked baby, I felt alone.

I desired for true genuine friendship. Not the kind where I felt that I was constantly begging someone to have dinner with me. I desired people in my life who wanted to rejoice with me in times of excitement and weep with me during times of sorrow. I wanted to lift people up when they were down and celebrate with them during times of excitement...or even for surviving a Monday!

While the tears were still rolling off of my face, I began to pray for friends.  True, genuine friendship. I also prayed for a mentor, someone aside from my mother who was a generation older who would point me to Christ and who would also pray for me (I also specifically asked for someone who enjoyed shopping and I'm here to tell you that God was showing off when He answered this request!)

My friends did not appear overnight. The outings and invitations did not come before the next weekend, but I continued to pray that God would bless me with friendships. I knew that God did not want me to be alone. I also knew that if He put the desire of friendship on my heart that He would bless me with friends in His timing.  God does not want us to be alone on this road called life. He wants us to have people in our lives who point us to Christ and to help us when life gets tough. 

By yourself you're unprotected. With a friend you can face the worst. Ecclesiastes 4:12 MSG

One by one...God began to answer my requests. I still remember some of the first outings that I was invited on. I would  mark the day on my calendar and circle it in red. Change clothes 2 or 3 times for an evening coffee gathering. I was so excited that people actually wanted to spend time with ME!!

I know that finding friends and a Godly mentor was not by coincidence. God put sweet friendships into my life for a purpose. I treasure the friendships that I have and I pray that they will continuously progress to exalt Him and His glory. God put divine people into my life for "such a time as this" (Esther 4:14 ) to accomplish His will and purpose. The divine friendships have lifted me up during times of need, brought me joy and happiness. I have also been blessed when I have been able to bless a friend with the gift of my presence or during a time of need. 

Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone. Ephesians 1:12 MSG

Friday Favorites!!

Happy Friday loves!!

I have been waiting for you for sooo long! On Tuesday, I declared that it had been the longest week ever!

I have been waiting to share a few favorites with you, so let's get started!!

Favorite #1.... Bolt Farm Treehouse

https://www.boltfarmtreehouse.com/book-a-stay

Husband and I were recently blessed to have attended the Needtobreathe concert in the city (on a school night..special thanks to awesome Grandparents for letting us feel like rebels)!! Anywho.... one of the band members has created a few luxury tree houses in SC for couples to get away. This is NOT camping....or GLAMPING even!  This is just fabulousness! The treehouses are absolutely stunning, complete with gorgeous rustic decor. The best part is that you will have no choice but to unplug because there is NO internet access!! 

I really hope to book a stay soon..for next year! Because they book over a year in advance!! 

Favorite #2.....Mentionables

https://shopmentionables.com/collections/babydolls/products/lacy-back-babydoll-violet

Because what are you planning on wearing while in a gorgeous treehouse with your husband??

I discovered Mentionables on Facebook and I am now a part of their VIP Group! Ha! I love that the lingerie is absolutely gorgeous and when shopping, it is completely model free. Everything is modeled on a mannequin. So...there is no comparing yourselves to the models! They specialize in bra's, panties, lingerie and even adorable pajamas!

Favorite #3..... Cute Easter t shirts

Changing the subject just a bit, but.... Peter Cottontail is on his way!!!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/671729613/easter-shirt-boy-boy-easter-shirt-boy?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=kids+Easter+Fashion&ref=sc_gallery-1-4&plkey=507eb16011515a3c36ffca609392f05c3d7df565%3A671729613&col=1

My kids are getting older, but I still love cute holiday shirts, even if I don't get by with it as much as I used to. I am not sure that I am going to get by with it for Easter (Finn insisted on wearing a hoodie over his Valentines Day shirt this year....boo) But, it is still fun to look!


I am praying that you all have a fabulous weekend. I plan on enjoying my last Saturday of sleeping in and freedom....before I become a soccer Mom next weekend!

xoxo!

Adventures in Church Planting....

It is funny how some things turn out... I am now 35 years old and I am doing something that means so much to me, but yet was never on my bucket list.

Facebook has such sweet , but haunting memories sometimes. Some are cherished baby pictures of my sweet cherubs covered in spaghetti from 6 years back, but some are the painful scriptures and quotes that I posted just one year ago when I was just trying to survive each day. I survived "church hurt". Church, the place where lives are forever changed where people meet Jesus. Church, where two souls join together in holy matrimony and begin their lives together. The two words together make me gasp...church hurt.

Last year, my world forever changed when my husband and I decided that it was time for us to leave the church that brought life into my world. I was shattered. Many people did not know how to sympathize with me. And I only found a hand full of people who really knew how shattered I really was. One was a friend of a friend,  who heard about my story. She herself grew up in ministry and she looked at me and said..."So, your husband lost his job and you lost your church?" As I choked out a muffled "Yes." She sympathetically shook her head and said "it's just not supposed to be that way is it?" So, at this season I really feel like I could have benefited from counseling, but yeah...my husband lost his job, and counseling takes money. So....there's that... It left me to have some intense prayer time usually on the way to the office, sometimes my prayers would be screaming fits with me banging on the steering wheel. But I know that God knows me better than I know myself, so honesty is perfectly acceptable...

But in the midst of the pain, we knew that we were doing what God had called us to do...as painful as it was. We just did not see what that plan exactly was at the moment. We later see that God was simply calling us to take a vacation and to rest, because there were bigger adventures ahead. I picture us on a whitewater rafting trip (not that I've actually ever done that, but I've heard stories and I watch movies). But the adventure begins on some medium size rapids and the people are having their time of their life! The rapids cease and the people are ready to conquer their next set of rapids, but the guide instructs them to rest while they can because the next season of rapids are bigger and stronger...   But the people don't want to rest, they just had the time of their life and they're ready to get moving! But all they can do is sit and wait until the boat makes it to the next stage of the river...

Slowly, that season in the river began to take place in the Summer of 2018. My husband always knew that he was called to be a shepherding pastor (the one that you call in the midst of a crisis, the pastor that will sit with you all night in the hospital when you're loved one is taking their last breaths and the one that you call when God is calling you to make a life altering decision or the one who organizes community groups and different ministries inside of the church). My husband always wanted to be a part of a team of pastors because "where two or more are gathered"... It was interesting on the first Sunday that 60+ people decided that they wanted to be a part of something different found themselves in the basement of a local Country Club.

60+ people who had also been "church hurt". People from all different walks of life, different economic backgrounds, different races, people who had traveled from different counties, people who had been homeless or addicted to drugs, people who had no one else. Everyone showed up and the unique thing is, is that God orchestrated a praise team, people who were gifted with children's ministry, people who were gifted with hospitality. God brought us all together to love on each other, to become family to one another and to make disciples. God knew that we wanted to be a church who were accepting of everyone, that we did not want to look down on anyone just because they sin differently than we do. We just wanted to point them to Christ, no matter what! Suddenly, donations began pouring in. People from near and far heard that we were planting a church and they donated money, 300 chairs were donated, sound equipment, children's ministry supplies, offering baskets (because for the first 2-3 months we passed baseball caps or Rubbermaid tubs to collect the offering) and everything that we may need was donated.

It has been almost 9 months since that first Sunday and we are still going strong. On Christmas Eve, we met for the first time at our newly leased location for a Candlelight service. We had hoped that 20 people would show up, but almost every seat was filled. Since the very first service of Haywood Community Church, we have doubled in attendance! 3/4 of our church is involved with a small group and we have 50 children registered in the Children's Ministry.

The unique thing is, is that I have learned that my addiction to Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram was sort of a blessing in disguise. I have been blessed to be in charge of the social media and soon to be blog for the church! Looking back in my journals from December, 2017 I saw an entry where I asked God to please open the door for me to be able to write more and to spend time with my family more. I know that God answered that prayer. I also know that God never wastes a hurt. He wants to restore you. And he always replaces things that he takes away with better things!

Messy Houses....

Not very long ago, I left my messy house on a Saturday morning to help out a friend. I left my countertops sticky from the mornings breakfast, unfolded laundry on the kitchen table, bathroom sinks with toothpaste stuck on the sides. I felt torn leaving behind my mess, but yet knowing that my friend was in need of a friend and some conversation for a couple of hours.

I pulled into the driveway of the house so perfect on the outside that it could easily grace the cover of Southern Living thinking about how wonderful it would be to watch my kids ride their bikes on such a perfect driveway. Life on the outside of their home seemed perfect, complete with birds chirping away on a beautiful Saturday morning.

I opened the door to hearing the shriek of children fighting over toys, unfolded laundry graced the living room furniture and dirty dishes filled the sink. I immediately smiled to myself and felt relieved that I was not the only one with a little bit of craziness.

My friend and the messiness of her home ministered to my heart in so many ways. I immediately felt grateful that she did not feel like she had to "clean up" before I came over. She could have stuffed laundry in various places and led me to believe that "everything was perfect", but yet she let her guard down and let me know that she was real and it is okay to be real in front of others. 

During our visit, the most amazing thing happened as our children happily played outside together. She continued to clean and I began to fold laundry. In an hour her home looked completely different. I realized that during the messes of our lives, if you roll up your sleeves and I roll up my sleeves to help each other out and hold each other accountable, things get better a lot faster. She assured me that it is okay to accept help from others, no matter what kind of mess that we are in.  My friend contacted me later that day and said "Thank you so much for all that you did!  I am amazed that we got so much accomplished!"

The mess of messy houses teaches me so much about the love of Christ. So many think that we have to clean ourselves up before we come to Christ, get our act together before attending a local church body. But it is quite the opposite. Christ wants us to come to him as we are. Not as what we hope to one day be. Specifically, when we are living in sin, no matter the sin his love draws us near and through his love , together we clean up our mess.

The Half Court Shot...

My sweet son is finishing up his second season of Basketball. He is not the greatest player on the court, but he loves the game!  We have faithfully attended each game, cheering, taking pictures and being his biggest fans.

This year was so much better than last year.  He was so excited to play last season, until he reached the court. He would freeze and cling on to my leg. I would bribe, beg and walk him onto the court and he would hang onto my leg and big crocodile tears would drip down his sweet face. I often wondered if it was even worth it, but we persisted.

I was absolutely shocked that he asked to play again this season, but he was so excited to be on the court. He has not made a single basket, but I am just happy knowing that he has enjoyed being on the court and playing his heart out.

I am not sure how many times you have witnessed 5 and 6 year olds playing basketball, but it can be quite humorous! You often see baskets being scored in the wrong goal, referees who call time outs to tie untied shoe strings and players forgetting to dribble as they run to their goal. Thankfully both teams cheer for each other, we are sympathetic when a ball hits a head or a nose and the player sheds some tears and we are quick to whisper encouragement to the other team when they miss a shot.

My son may have learned many lessons during this season, but I am convinced that I, as a parent may have learned the biggest lesson of all. This past week in particular, I witnessed several players that were so eager to put the basketball into the hoop that they would try with all of their 6 year old strength to throw the basketball into the goal from the half court and 3 point mark. Naturally, those shots can even be difficult for professional players, nearly impossible for a 5 or 6 year old. But one day as they mature and with enough practice, they will also succeed in such a difficult shot.  I love seeing the determination in their eyes as they lunge back and throw it with all of their might, but my heart is sympathetic as the ball quickly falls to the ground or into the hands of another player. For the young player to succeed in scoring the goal from such a long distance is to pass the ball to a player who is open and closer to the basket.

So many times in life we wish to succeed in our goals, but sometimes the way to succeed is to pass our goal in life onto someone else who can "put it in the basket."  We still can celebrate the joy of watching our teammate succeed because if we did not pass the ball over, the success would have never came. What a joy it is to pass over the goal to someone else, having total confidence that they will have the success and the joy of completion. And with enough dedication and coaching from the ultimate coach, our Heavenly Father we will also succeed at the right time.



 Refuse good advice and watch your plans fail;
take good counsel and watch them succeed.
Proverbs 15:22

2019 Word of The Year: Restoration

Restoration

noun            1. The act of returning something to a former owner, place or condition.

I will admit, I had never heard of having a "word of the year", until March, 2018. My "Surrogate Mother", Debbie and I went to The Cove to spend some time together, in the presence of the Heavenly Father and to listen to Jennifer Rothschild speak at a conference. We had a blast! Jennifer spoke about having a word of the year and Debbie and I quickly agreed that we had to do this for 2019.

2018 was such a challenging year. If I could choose a word to describe 2018, it would be "Wreck". 

Wreck

verb      1. Cause the destruction of (a ship) by sinking or breaking up.

My friend Debbie says that my word for 2018 should be "rescue", but I sort of disagree. It felt like a wreck!! 2018 definitely had its challenges, including leaving our church home, the death of my last living Grandparent, dealing with my husbands depression and not to mention Addison beginning Middle School and Finn starting Kindergarten. Whew! 

However, through all of this I know that God never left my side. He provided for me. He gave me a new sense of purpose. And he's reconstructing me. He pruned me. Took me under his wing and gave me new joy.

Maybe that does sound like a rescue after all....

Through the heartbreak of leaving our home church. We have since began a church plant with some dear friends. And it has been full of challenges...yes. But it is wonderful. It is like a fresh breath of air into my lungs.  And with our church plant, he is restoring our dreams. Our dreams that were given to us by God.  

We have witnessed in 6 months people calling out for Jesus, tenderly calling.. lives being changed for the glory of God. And I have witnessed my husband coming out of his shell to do weekly Facebook live devotions and I have heard him say things so passionately that they have brought me to tears. 

We know that God has great things in store for us and so many others during this season. So, I have to be thankful for God's rescue and his new promises.

"The Lord says, I will give you back what you lost..." Joel 2:25 NLT