Splash the Puddles

That's a hickory nut-in case you aren't well educated on all things nuts like we are in this house. It's hard to tell by the picture, but those things are huge. They can easily cause you to lose your footing and land flat on your hiney as you casually stroll across your front yard. They can also fully convince you that an army of rebels is plowing through your roof as they fall from the trees. Not that I know either of those things from experience. Ahem.  That's right, this is a God blog. Let me take that little white lie back. I know BOTH those things from experience. Multiple times.  They are everywhere in our yard right now. Trampoline, driveway, grassy land, wooded area, gutters, ditch, walkway, doorstep, you name it-hickory nuts are there.  They make the loudest noise you've ever heard when they fall and we are constantly noting how much it would hurt if one hit us on our head on it's way down.  Just last week, I was jumping on the trampoline with my boys,

Unmerited favor.  Kindness we don't deserve.  Sanctification in it's purest and most genuine form.  I struggle to understand grace .   I think I struggle to understand it, because I so often struggle to extend it.  Complete and total redemption, offered to me at no cost and with no limitations.  It's hard to grasp.  Sometimes, it's even hard for me to accept.  We live in a world where we have to earn our favor, we have to prove our worth, a world where we have to be good enough to be accepted.   Yet, that's so paradoxical to how Jesus models for us to live. I've been a Christian for 25 years now.  I've gone through so many highs and lows in my walk with Christ.  There have been times, when I've walked so closely with Him that I could all but feel His arms wrapped around me, guiding my every step.  There have been other times, when I've wandered so far away from Him, that it seemed it was all I could do to stretch my arms and grasp His finger ti

I sat with my boys in the play place area of our local McDonalds, talking as we were eating, and I noticed that we were the only customers seated in that area who were actively engaged in conversation with one another.   Sure, others were engaged in conversation-some via text, some speaking with someone on the phone, others casually perusing Facebook or other various forms of social media while their children played. Communicating for sure, but not with those who actually accompanied them.  Around a year ago, we made a family rule  (I will even go as far as to call it a commitment) that when we dine together as a family (as in just the four of us) in public places that we will not entertain ourselves with electronics, but rather focus on growing as a family during this time. It wasn't a popular rule at first, by anyone's standards. But it's grown on us. We wanted to teach our boys the importance of such habits as waiting patiently on food and enjoying their surroundings in

I remember the very early morning email I received "from" a little bean growing in my sister-in-law's belly, asking me to pray for it, like it was yesterday.  (technically the email was written by my baby brother, but from the perspective of the baby itself) I squealed loudly from behind the desk in my classroom and ran out into the hallway despite the fact that my room had students already filing in it.  I almost ran smack into my very newly pregnant sister-in-law, coming in anticipation of my reaction.  What a joyous moment-a hug shared between sisters and friends.  We were having a baby! I remember the text message I received early one morning, that I was already anticipating and God had prepared me for, that something had gone wrong.  I remember the call from my brother asking me if I could come and sit with him as they took his wife, the mother of his first child, my sister and my dear friend back.  Sitting with him during those moments was one of the hardest thing

It's 1:07 a.m. and I am awake. I'm awake because there is a tiny hot and sweaty leg up against mine, making me unable to comfortably settle into my slumber. I dislike being hot (and especially sweaty) while I sleep. Or ever.  I'd scoot him closer to his grown twin, but that space is currently occupied by the smaller version of me, in male form-likely plastered in hot sweatiness to his dad's leg. His dad isn't bothered. In fact, he's snoring. Loudly.  I want to be annoyed-it's 1:10 now. But I can't be. I can't be annoyed because of a profound thought that has taken up residence in my brain and grown roots there that are currently weaving in and out of my thoughts.  Many women would give anything to have a tiny, hot and sweaty leg stuck to theirs, keeping them from sleep. Many women would give up everything to have two small ones crammed between her and her (snoring) love. Even just for one night.  Many women can't.  I am among those who can-those

Once in a while, a word from the Lord is so ripe in my heart, that it's almost too delicate to write about.  Usually I write after things have already been worked out in me, after God has stretched and refined, sifted and molded me in particular areas.  But sometimes, like this time, I am pushed to write while the refining is still in process.  I was recently told by someone that they loved how my attitude was always so positive about circumstances, that it refreshed them and encouraged them. In fact, I've been told that many times by many people.  I want to receive the compliments with grace and appreciation, but the problem with that is that I know the truth about my attitude, and sometimes it's just not positive. Unfortunately,  the truth just hurts. Sure, it almost always it eventually works it's way out. My faith just insists it does.  However, if you see my positive attitude displayed on social media or in real life, it's sometimes (and often times) preced

A good long while ago, I started asking God to unsatisfy me.  Is that even a word? I don't know, and I'm not pausing to look it up. :) If I'm being honest here, which is what I do when I write (albeit sometimes too  honest...), I am a girl who has been far too easily satisfied by the things of this world. At least momentarily, for the satisfaction never lasts long before I find myself longing for more- It's easy for me to turn to others to fulfill inner needs. I have a strong and God centered marriage, a supportive family, amazing children, and I'm extremely blessed with a few close friends who each play their special role in my life. I don't have to look far to find what I'm looking for, or at least what I think I'm looking for. And yet it stands, that those things in all their merit, are never able to fully complete me.   I believe strongly that God created his children with a desire, a craving, that cannot be satisfied with earthly relationships or th

I like to share. I just do.  I'm wordy-wordy doesn't even begin to describe what I am, actually.  I can take what should be a simple text, email or conversation response and turn it into a novel with all the details and information painted in my mind.  Sometimes I get on my own nerves.  I really do.  So, I know I get on yours...but that's ok.  It's who I am and it's how God made me and I embrace it.  I'm thankful for those, such as one wonderful friend, who have told me that it's part of what makes me me and part of what makes her love me so much. I just love to tell.  Tell this, tell that.  I like to tell.  I especially like to tell about those I love and cherish.  I often find myself sharing how blessed I feel I am by my husband.  He rocks.  Is he perfect?  Not by a long stretch.  Does he annoy me sometimes?  Absolutely.  Do I annoy him?  Never.  :)  Is our life together without bumps and bruises?  Absolutely not.  One day I will tell you about th

I've been pretty excited about this cruise I'm heading out on in 12 days with my man.  Excited is putting it mildly.  Very mildly.  I'm simply over the moon about spending 5 uninterrupted days and nights with Cliff- just relishing in who he is and celebrating who we are together.  I cannot wait.  It's safe to say I'm going to leave town chanting "na-na-na-boo-boo" to my 3 and 6 year old who so adamantly demand his attention, who so often get it because nothing brings him joy like investing in and spending time with his kids, kids who would think he hung the moon if he weren't the type of godly man who teaches them who really did hang the moon.  I get him ALL to myself for five days and five nights.  I'm excited.  I can't remember if I told you that or not.  ;) As the time draws nearer though to leaving our children for five whole nights, I've gone into mama bear mode. I've been planning and preparing for my time away.  I've been t

My newly preggo sister in law texted me the other night and said she'd walked through the baby section of a store, and in short was freaking out at how expensive everything was and how broke they were going to be. (I'm her freak out "go to"...you know she's in bad shape! Lol)  I responded with the typical "God will provide, He always does" response that as Christians we give and receive so often, along with some other personal details she knew about our life, but I felt would help to be reminded of at the moment. If nothing else, to prove a point that she already knows. God. Will. Provide.  But, honestly I so truly meant it.  I had a rare moment alone after this conversation, and I took some time to reflect on how true this has been in mine and Cliff's life together.  I can remember a time when things were quite hard for us financially. So difficult that I had no idea how certain things would be covered and there was nothing left for anything extra.

Once upon a time, not so very long ago I could have founded the "Moms Who Pale in Comparison To Other Moms Club." I was that mom who looked at other moms, seemingly perfect moms, and wondered how in the world they did it all?  How do they work full time, manage to look like perfection, keep their cool alllllll the time, find time to spend time with friends, have a fantastic love affair with their treadmill, maintain a clean house like nobody's business, send those cute personalized birthday cards and come up with the most sentimental gifts for others, find time to shop for themselves, never let their children have anything that was nutritionally displeasing, manage to rear children who actually liked to eat something besides mac-n-cheese and pizza, kept their toes and nails in sparkling tip top shape, and get 10 hours of sleep.  I.mean.really.  (thankfully my closest mom friends are NOT this way...no offense, lovelies.  God knew I needed you "don't have it

I'm a parent.  I'm a teacher.  I'm a teacher parent.  So is my husband.  Bless our kids hearts. But seriously, this is good and one day they will thank us.  We have an insiders vantage point on just what teachers love (and dread) to have walk through their door.  I've been thinking a lot lately about things parents can do (things WE can do) to prepare our kids for the school years.  I'm not talking about learning their ABCs and 123s here.  I'm talking about the "good" stuff, the life stuff.  The stuff that makes kids who they are and ultimately determines whether they bring sunshine to their teacher's classroom.  (or maybe even a little thunder and lightning...)  But really, can I post that?  None of my fifth grade babies bring me thunder.  Or lightning.  Nope, not one.  The skip right over that.  They bring tornados, hurricanes, tsunamis and earthquakes.  (Why yes, that probably WAS what you felt on Valentine's weekend when your walls ratt

Will and I share a love for a few of the same songs. One of those songs is "The Only Name" by Big Daddy Weave.  We love when it comes on the radio and we sing it loudly even when there's no radio around. To Will, it's just a fun and catchy song! I think it's fun and catchy too. But there's more to it for me.  The song is one artist's attempt to share what they feel it will be like to wake up in Heaven one day. He sings of how there will be only One name that he will proclaim. Jesus. There's a line in particular that just speaks to me so greatly. A part of being face to face with Jesus that I so look forward to. It goes, "Yours will be the only name that matters to me, the only One whose favor I seek, the only name that matters to me."   Wow. To wake up one day and only seek the favor of Jesus is something I long so deeply for. So deeply.  As my friends, family or unknown readers, you've picked up on my struggle at times with seeking the f

Ten years ago tonight, I was spending my last night at home under the roof of the home I grew up in. My last night at home as "Daddy's little girl..."   I can remember being a mess of emotions. Mostly excited for the day to come, but also strange mixtures of sadness here and there for a chapter of my life, the life I had always known, that I would be leaving behind as I departed at 5 a.m. the next morning to be made beautiful for my groom.  My wedding day was bar none the happiest day of my life. It poured all day long, and though it wasn't what I would have chosen, it was still perfect for us. The love of my life waiting for me at the alter where we both made a public profession of faith to Jesus as our Savior was almost more than I could handle. Elation doesn't even begin to describe what I was feeling. I was so in love and so ready to start the next chapter of my life.  I wouldn't change a minute of our wedding day, except perhaps one of the most important

I don't know about anyone else, but sometimes I find this whole responsibility of setting an example for Christ to be quite overwhelming.  I mean, who am I to even represent The Lord of Lords? And yet he chose me.  Most days, well, everyday honestly, I am baffled by this if I really stop to think about it. A lot of times I don't stop to think about it. But there are those times, more often than I wish, where I just blow it. And I mean really blow it-like where others see me, or worse, they are the recipient of my blowing it, and yet I represent Christ.  It's a lot to digest.  Nothing can bring me down faster than feeling like I shamed the name of Jesus through my actions because I proclaim to be His daughter, yet can be so...WORLDLY.   I can be overly sensitive, insensitive, jealous, irrational, lazy, explosive, insecure, spiteful, ungrateful,  thoughtless and careless far more often than I wish.  I can be downright broken and not at all together like the world might expect

This is the foot of Walker's bed, and those are his dad's shoes. It may seem as if Walker's been walking in his dad's shoes for play, but that's not the case. (At least not literally in this situation...) This is one of three pair of Cliff's shoes that are currently residing in the boys rooms. God bless their sniffers. :) To some wives, this may be annoying-"Honey put your shoes away!"  To me, it's the picture of beauty. These shoes, at the foot of that bed represent the life legacy of a man who loves The Lord and desires above all else to seek Him in parenting and a man who loves his children with every fiber of his being. Those are shoes, kicked off first one and then the other, as he lays across his son's bed  and reads to him from the Bible nightly, discussing and applying God's Word to his little life, then sends him off to dreamland with a prayer and a kiss.  One night recently, my man and I had been chatting in

On the way home from school today, Walker and I had a great conversation-some days I get nothing out of him during the ride home, others we talk like he's my age.  Today is one of those days where I feel like God laid out a conversation that I initially thought was meant for Walker, but in actuality was also probably meant for me. He was talking to me about something, and how he worried about what his friends would think of him.  He mentioned that a few kids in his class weren't like him in this way, and he said he was worried other kids would "look at him."  He said that a few times, and it's as far as he went into detail, so I gathered on my own that he was afraid he'd be made fun of, talked about, or stand out.  I asked him if he was worried about getting made fun of or what others thought about his choice and he said yes.  (It's important to note, for purposes later in this post, that this hasn't actually happened yet-he's just thinking of wh