July 2012

Weekly Gratitude – Week 2/3

In my last post, I ended with #10 and I fully intend to pick up where I left off. While there is much swirling in my head, I’m determined not to get behind on a week of gratitude posts. We’ll ignore that I am already making up for last week. That pause and reflection is necessary and like I’ve said before, it points to something greater. Ann Voskamp is kind of a genius for recording hers and I intend to do the same…though she writes with a depth I can’t wrap my brain around. I start where I am. If that statement doesn’t sum up a good way to approach the future, then I don’t know what to tell you.

This will mostly be in photo form. I’m not a photographer. My camera is my iphone. Still, I love pictures. Sometimes they are indeed worth a thousand words.

*these are in no particular order…still using Ray’s computer. I suppose I should be thankful for having more than one. Pardon my first world problems.

#11 – Remembering babies

#12 – Freaking out when they are taller than you

#13 – Friendships that stand time change and distance

#14 – meeting new friends (thanks COTH)

#15 – The ones who you prayed for but couldn’t ask. The ones who came anyway 🙂

#16 – Three little words that won’t go away (another post all-together)

#17 – The couple that called themselves Roadies for Jesus. If they come to your church to help with setup/tear down…they mean business. What a blessing they were to us (Mary once said “oh I don’t listen to music that is post WWII”)

#18 – Preparations

#19 – a church family that defines “get-er done”…in a non-redneck kind of way. They are amazing!

#20 – A photo in a new church that was a long time coming 🙂

#21 – Silly faces who call rocks ‘bugs’

#22 – water babies…they do take after me!

#23 – Love is – you take the last one…

#23 – Pillow Notes

#24 – Divine appointments in a season I don’t understand

#25 – the smell of Hawaiian Tropics sunscreen

#26 – The abilities of others that make the world go around…and create children’s rooms and lovely women’s bathrooms.

#27 – stirrings of the heart that won’t go away

#28 – my babies in their pajamas

#29 – “Dad you are not gonna believe it. Mom bought syrup” – that my “bad mom” moments make them happier than it should.

I about drove myself mad trying to get these pictures on here. There are many that I am missing. I still can’t believe we are going into our third service in the gym…and all the hard work that was put into it. Tracy and Delaina were determined to make that bathroom a lovely place and they did! Erica does what she sees on pinterest, making our kids room amazing. I look forward to what this season holds.

What are you thankful for?

Weekly Update

How to summarize a week that is not yet complete…

The weekend is still ahead of us. I get to hug one of my favorite families and enjoy best friend conversation. This does not happen often enough. I ask God why Alaska and Texas can’t be a little closer to each other. It’s something to do with Texas being awesome and saying everything is bigger in this grand state and Alaska getting mad that they became a state a little later in the game and not being able to coin the phrase first. Something like that. Alaska is bigger but it’s way colder. It’s also home to the Gerald’s (the Haggards and bunch of other AMAZING people) and the Addy Esco. That’s just the way it is.

Our first service at the new location is on the countdown…it’s THIS SUNDAY! 1006 W. Koenig. 5pm! If you are in the Austin area, join us! Having Matt, Jen, Bryce and Abby at this service makes me that much more excited.

Ray and I finally watched Machine Gun Preacher. If you have been a reader of this blog or a friend, you know why this is significant. Around the end of October last year, Ray and I were supposed to go and see it. I was really struggling (all those books, prayers, tweets about serving the poor and those in need…geez!) during that time and was what some would call “emotionally unstable”. I was frustrated with all this stuff going on in my head and my heart and no clue where to start. I was a basket case! Sometimes, I can’t be explained. Prior to leaving I was laying on my son’s bed crying. Ray suggested seeing that movie may be a bad idea at that time. He was right. We got coffee and went and sat by the lake instead. Watching a movie about a man who goes from abusive addict, to man building an orphanage in a war zone would have made me flat out ridiculous.

This movie finally comes out on Red Box! I find the emotional stability (though you may find me questionable) and we watch it. We both cry. What a story! Life isn’t PG and this man’s life was no exception. It wasn’t a pretty story with a guaranteed happy ending. It was raw. I told Katie that if she saw it, Brandn was done for. To which he said, it was too late for that 🙂 The kids in that movie will rip your heart out. I thought it was necessary to document my progress.

I’ve decided that everyone should keep some kind of gratitude list/journal/phone app…whatever. I loved adding this this week. Beauty can be found in the unexpected and when I write it down, I’m reminded of much more. That’s just me…

A few things that make my heart smile this week…

I’ve decided to make this gratitude post mostly in photo form. Not all things can be captured but I love the things that can be 🙂

#1 – His name is Cephas. He is a super hero and a rock star.

#2 – The Addy Esco reached a massive goal this week. A text that made me cry.

#3 – a sweet wedding celebrated with friends (the ceremony ended and the wind whipped in)

#4 – Ray would say he is grateful for not being asked to be in the picture. He gladly took it 🙂

#5 – the years in youth ministry that brought us to that wedding…and all of the people in that picture.

#6 – Grateful for those crazy teenagers who grew up and now do life and ministry with us.

#7 – 10 birthdays celebrated together

#8 – The Moore’s for introducing us to sushi.

#9 – the amazing surprise that followed dinner! Our team put Ray’s new office area together! Best team ever!!!

#10- a coffee cup with a story. It still serves the same reminder that it did when it was given to me over 5yrs ago. Turns out even coffee cups can remind us of how faithful God is. This one does.

I’ve argued on a 4 and 6yr old level. Been frustrated, let laundry pile up, nothing is as clean as I would like it to be and for right now, that is ok. It will face me in the morning. I’ve snuggled and read with my kids, timed their swim races and stopped Wii fights.

I’ll leave you with this for today. I must! That laundry is starting to give me the stink eye. It has powers.

What are you grateful for this week? If you had to play a little game of high/low…what would you say?

Writing, Gratitude and First World Problems…

With the untimely passing of my Dell laptop battery (hope that is all that’s wrong), my posting has been minimal. I have grandiose ideas folks and not having access to my own beloved laptop is somewhat of a downer (and a first world problem…mock me if you must).

I’ve decided that keeping on keeping on is a must. So, until my laptop is brought back to life, I will do my best to work through my first world grief and use my husband’s Mac whenever possible. He has a weird keypad cover that looks cool but drives me crazy. This is a labor of love people (and laced with all kinds of sarcasm).

My next attempt will be at uploading pics to my blog on a computer that is not my own. Gasp!

I have a purpose in what I write and a purpose in this post. I promise, I’m getting there.

I wanted to add a new weekly post. I’m adding a little game of high/low. Come on, who needs to be reminded that they are not alone when they spent time during the week arguing on a 4yr old level? Or even better…a 6yr old level. To clarify, my 6yr olds level. It’s kind of impressive. On a very high note, my friends will be in town from Wrangell, Alaska this week! I’m thrilled to no end! Each week will not be complete without a 1000 Gifts challenge. In life we all need the pauses and gratitude does such a thing. It points to God, the Father, the Creator. Those moments are reminders and like much of life, it points to something greater than us yet something we are invited in to. I’m taking my cue from Ann Voskamp. Read her book, and watch life slow down a bit, gratitude increase and see God in unexpected places. I failed to mention how reading that book challenged my writing and creativity. Perspective man…perspective! It’s amazing.

I would love feedback as this gets going. This specific kind of post will go up every Friday. So get ready to share!

This week is full!!!! We have our first service in our new location (those friends I mentioned will be there), at our new service time on Sunday. The renovations are looking great! Our team has been busting their booty to get everything done. We are meeting at 5pm, across the street from where we have been meeting since day 1. Oh yeah, that’s right….5PM. We are excited about the changes! We are praying and dreaming…more praying…you get the idea. We are excited about the future of Revive Church. We love this city and still can’t believe that God would lead us back for this purpose. Would love to have you join us! 1006 W. Koenig Ln.

Until we meet again (Friday at the latest), I pray your week is full of the beautifully unexpected. It’s raining in Austin, TX…we are already enjoying the unexpected 🙂

Time…

It has been far too long between posts. My only excuse is life happening. Since I write about my life, it happening is no legitimate excuse. I shall improve…I shall.

Tonight, I sit down in between getting kids bathed, getting dinner ready and stand guard the inevitable fire that will ensue with my kids sitting on the same couch. Tonight, writing is about being obedient. It’s about making time in the midst of crazy, trying to create calm and doing what I wanted to do for a week. The timing isn’t perfect. My thoughts are not complete…or gathered. I am pretty sure I am able to write in complete sentences so I’ll give it a go. If you saw how many times I had to go back and edit to make a complete sentence, you would have advised against moving forward.

Maybe there is a reason that nothing makes this timing perfect. Maybe you needed the timing reminder. I did. Please continue to read along as I give myself a reminder.

I look at life and where we are on the journey and I almost have to laugh. Sometimes I do and sometimes I cry..there is no telling which will win.

God’s timing on things may not always make sense, but I know this…it is no accident. I look at where we are, the prayers prayed and who He has surrounded us with. That is when I cry. God is faithful! I’ve never seen me and my friends sitting around, discussing a book, whats on our hearts and laughing at each other or crying like idiots as God’s faithfulness. It totally is.

In the brokenness, His faithfulness shines.

God never calls us when the timing seems right. He messes us up when we seem comfortable. The tension stirs and we pray those prayers. You know which ones I’m talking about. If you don’t, go for it 🙂

I think I could write a book on this. There would be a fight to write the forward between my friends who conveniently sold stuff, gave up position, got new jobs and moved to Austin at that beautiful perfect timing that makes no sense in the moment. God is faithful!

Timing is never perfect (said a parent) but obedience is always necessary (said a parent). So in the midst of imperfect timing, I’ll continue with “here we go”. And go with it 🙂