One Day Without Shoes [Challenge & Chance to win]
{UPDATE! Even if you see this mid-day or at 10pm at night, it’s not too late to jump on board! Even if you only slip off your shoes for 5 minutes… Count, Click, Contribute and Comment–every bit counts! God bless you!}
Today’s the day! Today, Tuesday, April 5th we have a very fun opportunity to partner with World Vision and One Day Without Shoes, an awareness-raising movement by TOMS shoes. Take a moment and watch the video, then check back in because we’re doing a little different spin here today… (Video here)
Cool, huh?
My heart is that whenever we meet physical needs we meet spiritual needs as well. It isn’t enough to do one or the other. We are to give generously and in a manner that spreads the gospel of Christ.
Amen?
SO, will you join me in this amazing opportunity to raise literally thousands of dollars today and spread the gospel in powerful ways. It’s a 3-part challenge and includes a chance to win a FREE gift — something to nourish your soul.
Here’s the challenge:
1. Go today without shoes. Maybe it’s weird, but at the very least you’ll get a tiny taste of that it’s like to have a little less. Maybe it’ll be rainy, maybe it’ll be odd socially (I have Bible study and we have ADORN tonight!), but if you are able (I know in some vocations you would not be allowed, so just go barefoot before or after work!), I’d encourage you to go for it. At least it will remind us to pray for our brothers and sisters around the world who struggle every day to meet their basic needs of food, water, clothing and shelter. So slip off those shoes and bare those beautiful toes!
2. Count your shoes. Give $1 for every pair you own. This isn’t about guilt it’s about grace and gratitude. Taking inventory of what we have is healthy way to remind ourselves of the FACT that have A LOT. For example, I do not think of myself as a shoe-lover. I didn’t think I had very many at all. But when I say count your shoes I mean every pair, not just in your closet, but in the garage, in your out-of-season rubbermaid bins, the ones tossed in the corner or the dusty ones you never wear. (And yes, those satin pink bridesmaid heels you never threw away! If you can walk in ’em, count ’em!) I counted the old boots in the garage that I never wear and all the $2 flipflops in every color that I got from Old Navy on clearance. Every pair–count them. I did this and was shocked:
24 pairs.
Really? I really have twenty-four pairs of shoes?
Ok, $24 dollars. Now here’s the cool thing (Don’t miss this!): If you give through World Vision, through this specific link, the money we give specifically for shoes and clothes will be MULTIPLIED ELEVEN times over! Yes! They have generous donors who have agreed to multiply any gifts in this category eleven times over. So if I give $24 that will pay for $264 worth of clothing and shoes! WHOA!
So go count up your shoes and CLICK HERE to visit World Vision and have your gift multiplied by 11.
Last, and here it gets fun and I get scared…
3. IF you do this (go barefoot, count your shoes, and give the $ amount), leave a comment on this site (click at the bottom of this post) with the number of shoes you counted. This isn’t to embarrass anyone, it’s to share in community and get some perspective and to acknowledge how much we all have. (If you leave a comment and say “2” I’ll know you’re lying.)
Then, Jeff & I will give World Vision an additional $10 for EVERY COMMENT. And that will also be multiplied by 11, so we literally have the opportunity, together, to give thousands of dollars to help clothe and shoe those in need today! In just one day! This is a phenomenal opportunity. I know that there’s a lot of ya’ll out there, so I’m a little scared to do this, but if you’re up for it, so am I! (And yes, my husband said it was ok!)
And although the real “winning” is in giving, here’s one fun little freebie:
At the end of the day we’ll draw a winner at random from the comments and that winner will win a FREE BOOK. You choose from a list of five books, which you can see below.
Ready? Head over to the closet and with a little counting and clicking we can bless God’s children with the message of Christ and the gift of shoes. Because our God is so good.
—
*Books to choose from: (or if you have all these you’re welcome to pick another spiritually nourishing book of your choice.)
Week's end with thanks
- Nyquil.
- Girls getting real, vulnerable, breathing, crying, changing, growing — to be like more Christ.
- House showing timed perfectly for 11am church.
- Sunday afternoon naps for all.
- Hum of dryer.
- Learning.
- Contentment.
- Church home, faces smiling, arms embracing, love that’s true.
- Feeding the right appetites.
- Arriving at church 30 minutes early, time to play, meander, laugh.
- Kids playing drums.
- Coconut moisturizing hand-soap.
- Feel of clean wood floors under my feet.
- Black beans and cheese.
- Sore throat, Marge Simpson voice, for some reason finding it fun.
- Every at church commenting that my voice sounds sexy. Umm…kinda weird…ok!
- Little boy in dress shirt and jeans.
- Rainy day, dry home, no need to leave.
- Jesus Storybook Bible.
- Happy husband.
- Drive with a friend.
- Reflections on disappointments that turn out for good.
- Electricity.
- Learning to relax.
- Getting organized.
- Realizing all over again how rich I really am.
- Paul the Apostle.
- Inspiration from Anthroplogie without spending a dime.
- Steady Mom.
- Carrot sticks cold.
- How Heidi helps me with laundry, crawling inside the dryer and handing items out one-by-one sorting and naming, “Dada … Bruh-Bruh … Mama … Mine!” Little helper.
- How both my kids think that their underwear has a super-power button and gives them jet-propulsion power to zoom through the house. Where do they come up with this stuff?
- Dutch holding his hands over his ears and saying, “Mommy can you hear me even when I do this?”
- Children chasing each other. No idea who is “it” but they’re having fun!
- Sneaking away from the family fun for some alone time. 30 seconds later all three of them have found me, surrounding me, hugging me, hanging on me, wanting me. Reminding myself it is good to be loved!
- Heidi cutting all four cuspids at once, poor girl, and after getting up from her nap asking “Car car!” I put her in the car (in the garage) with her dolly, strapped her in, and she promptly fell back asleep. Even when she’s miserable she’s sweet!
- Letting Dutch eat the last bit of peanut butter right out of the jar.
- Winning the purple primrose.
- Nourishing Traditions.
- Chickpeas.
- My pasta-less spaghetti casserole concoction–yum!
- Being able to laugh when I took Dutch into the bathroom at church for intense discipline, had nowhere to set my purse so I perched it in the sink forgetting it had an auto sensor–purse full of water! Love those moments–we all need comic relief.
- Hating hating hating disciplining my boy, but thankful for the strength God gives to do it. Clinging to His strength!
- This blog.
- Precious people who read it!
- Like-minded friends in ministry.
- Unity.
- Hope.
- Praying together.
- Crockpot.
- Children watercolor painting.
- Duplo Legos.
My new 15-inch cast iron skillet–it’s HUGE and I love it!- Kids playing in packing material.
- Dutch quote of the day: “Toys are more fun than vitamins.”
- Foundation Farm.
- Words.
- Opportunities to risk.
- Courage.
- Google.
- Old people.
- Free Starbucks.
- Beth Moore.
- A gift of ginger tea from a generous praying friend.
- Homeschool day with the girls. Hiking down to creek. Mud to knees. Storm threatening. Seven tired happy people ready for a nap.
- On my face, “back to the sky”, the safest place to be.
- Elder and wife who care. Laid back dinner. Made to feel at home.
- Molalla friends.
- 45 minute drive out to the country which always nourishes my soul.
- Hundreds of acres of clear-cut, logs and branch remains, speckled with thousands of daffodils, delicate brilliant yellow heads sprinkled throughout. Breathtaking. Beauty from devastation.
- Hundreds more acres of pasture, rolling green hills endless. Long-horns, sheep, trusty barns with peeling red paint. Faithful homes.
- A small sign out front of a tiny house tucked miles away from anywhere. Sign reads “My son is army strong.” Brave mama holds her man-boy with an open hand. I reach mine back to grab Dutch’s. Hold it tight and pray. God give strength to this mama as she grips his little life to give it away.
- Trout Creek Rd. connecting two “middle of nowhere” roads. Winding down down down through moss-filled forests. Looks like it snowed green.
- Barkless trees I’ve never seen before. Must slow, stop, see. Learning to see.
- The familiar curve of my parents’ driveway, car knows the way, down the hill, curve to the right, up the slight crest, pull to a stop. Front door opens. Weight of life slides off. Inhale peace.
- Riversong.
- The smell of my mom–home.
- A baker’s dozen of kids taking off for the woods like fierce little miniature rangers. Dutch dragging his shovel, off to fight for freedom, catch bears, capture pirates all at once. Something about sharks in the woods.
- Ministry meetings that feel like parties.
- Laughter.
- Repentance.
- Our new Jehovah’s Witness friends who we love love love.
- Meeting neighbors.
- My momma-in-law.
- Jeff beside me, now, tucked into bed, reading parenting book. A dad who cares. A treasure.
- Doing my Bible study in bed, legs tucked under quilt, a little early-riser snuggled up at my side, shaft of sunlight, patch of blue sky, a promise through the curtains. Sleepy little voice, “I love you so much.” The pages of my Bible telling me the same. Engulfed with love. Lord You are too much! How do I get moments like these? They are too much for words.
- Amazing morning with my discipler-sister-friend. Not one, not two, but four miracle stories. Gratitude always precedes the miracle. In awe. Jaw dropping eyes-filled-with-tears sort of awe. That kind. That’s our God.
- A very busy day that forced me to be diligent, getting everything done, dinner made, house clean, kids down, then unexpected no-show meeting meant two whole hours to sit on the porch, in the warm surprise of afternoon sun, sip iced tea already made, read, write, talk with my man. The gift of time, of stillness, of holy leisure. Amid the thousand gifts of my week this was the sweetest.
- Mother-in-law’s words: “I’ll make dinner!”
- Ikea chalkboard easel.
- Lentils.
- Sunset magazine.
- Smell of fresh barkdust, the scent of summer. All this and sunshine too?!! Too much.
- Watching out the window at my two workers, busy. One with wheelbarrow, shovel, arms of strength. One with Lightning McQueen hat, sagging shorts, little boy arms and trowel. Man and man-child fulfilling their calling, subduing the earth.
- Combing tiny tangles from Heidi’s wet curls.
- Psalms of Ascent.
- Christ in you.
- Beauty.
- Honesty.
- Truth.
Week's end with thanks
- Possibilities
- Peanut butter.
- Hand-me-downs.
- Fresh basil.
- Rearranging furniture.
- Loving what you have.
- Groupon.
- Seeing a spark in my man’s eye, him so excited about our trip together.
- Kids fresh from the bath–is there anything more delicious?
- Quitting sugar–is there anything harder?
- Friends who buy me food from Costco…and deliver it to me at church.
- Lists.
- Crossing items off.
- Heidi in the backyard wearing dress and boots, covered in mud. Face upturned to sky, huge smile, rabbit teeth, apple cheeks.
- Dutch serving his sister. There is hope.
- Memory foam mattress.
- Fresh fluffy towels.
- Little boy bottom.
- Willamette Christian Church.
- Singing the words, “When we arrive at eternity’s shore, where death is just a memory and tears are no more, we’ll enter in as the wedding bells ring, Your bride will come together and we’ll sing, You’re beautiful,” unable to keep the tears back. He is so beautiful.
- Catching Heidi’s eye as I enter her class, her smile a mile wide as she runs full speed into my arms laughing, “Mama mama mama!” Was there joy before this little girl?
- Delicious, fresh organic groceries sent home with Jeff from church.
- Taking communion with my man.
- Constructing the coolest couch fort ever–with separate sleeping quarters and two entrances.
- Dutch & Carson wrestling.
- $.39 oranges.
- Heidi’s precious “treasures” that never leave her side: baby, woofwoof, and a plastic Barbie bathtub filled with marbles, a bouncy ball and assorted Lego pieces. She manages to carry all these items, at all times.
- Arranging these precious items around Heidi’s head for nap and bedtime.
- Learning from each other.
- Candlelight.
- Community Group.
- Coffee.
- The city planting trees up and down our street.
- Obedience.
- Drinking water.
- First day of spring.
- The wisdom of a friend.
- Clarity.
- Leaning into Jesus.
- Worship.
- First afternoon walk of the year without jackets–YES!
- Discovering amazing trails weaving around the creek. A fallen tree, dry, perfect for perching. Another two trees fallen together create a log lounger. Basking in a bath of sunlight, gecko-like.
- Kids playing contentedly, snapping twigs, studying leaves, tossing rocks in water.
- “Mommy this flower is for you, will you put it in your hair?”
- “Mommy you’re beautiful.”
- The same wild cherry tree I’ve been watching abloom! White blossoms everywhere.
- The long walk home, child on each hand.
- Tucking little twig treasures in pockets for safe-keeping.
- Roast chicken.
- Jeff and I talking serious in the kitchen then from the corner of our eye seeing Dutch leap onto the corner chair and ricochet off, flying behind the chair and getting stuck between the bench and the wall, wedged and unable to move. We stop mid-sentence and stare at each other in disbelief, then break into hysterics. We all can’t stop laughing. Whose kids are these???
- Daffodil in Heidi’s hair. A spring fairy.
- Holding Heidi in the sunshine, perched high on a fallen tree. Tucking kisses in her neck, sneaking them into her open laughing mouth. She’s peaches and strawberries with skin.
- Trying to type this while she crawls all over my lap: “Please get off me, Mommy’s trying to capture how precious you are!” Ha!
- Hands plunged in warm suds. Slowly scrubbing, savoring, stillness.
- Perfectly clear, smooth shiny glass, vase waiting for wonder.
- Adding the wonder: those wild cherry blossoms.
- Running hands along smooth stones.
- Kids hiking entire way to the park and back. Multi-hour trip. Little exhausted bodies and famished tummies gulping sandwiches and carrot sticks, chugging water.
- Dirty hands, shoes, cheeks. Heidi closing her eyes while she chews. So tired.
- Children’s fingers, ceaseless exploring. Fingering leaves, pulling branches, stooping for a closer look.
- Patience.
- Pump It Up.
- Text from husband: “Need anything at the store?” Thoughtfulness.
- Folding tiny t-shirts, fleece pajamas, little boy jeans with holes in the knee.
- Listening to a sermon online by my brother. Thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness to my family.
- Walk right after the rain–perfect beads of water hanging heavy from branches, weight of beauty.
- Fresh air.
- Fresh strawberries.
- Sushi.
- Dutch’s puppy breath.
- Rain.
- Humor.
- Clean counters.
- New life.
- Old friends.
- His mercy.
Book Review: One Thousand Gifts
Well there are probably already one thousand book reviews for One Thousand Gifts because it is a New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Top Ten bestseller. Simply put, a lot of people are reading this book! And that, dear sisters, is a gift in and of itself because this is a book which glorifies our God. God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. And if there was ever a book which helped us women to be satisfied in God, this is it.
Ann Voskamp is a farmer’s wife and mama to six kids on a rural farm in Ontario. But the book’s not really about her. It’s about us. From Satan’s fall to the first bite of fruit in the garden to the daily ways that we deviate from God’s path, the root of all is ingratitude.
And if the root of all stress, anxiety, depression, struggle, pride, sin is ingratitude, the good news is that we combat this evil foe by a concentrated onslaught of thanksgiving. She began a list of 1000 gifts, giving daily thanks for common graces, and in the process she discovered a joy, intimacy, and passion she had never known.
This book will rock you in every possibly wonderful way. It’s The Problem of Pain meets Mere Christianity meets The Christian’s Secret to a Happy Life meets Annie Dillard. Destined to be a classic, written so exquisitely I sat and re-read sentences over and over just for fun. I want to re-read it so I can write down quotes and post them around my home.
A personal treat for me was her last chapter on how her trip to Paris became the sacred climax to this journey of thanks. My own journey to Europe eleven years ago, was similar in my own walk with God. Having walked those same streets and stood in that same Notre Dame cathedral, I could smell and envision exactly what she described. Interestingly, I read that chapter on the same day that Jeff and I were planning a very special upcoming ministry trip to Europe. We got out my old scrapbook, revisited all those sacred places, and planned, giddy, for our upcoming trip.
But the gist of the book is that those sacred places are first and foremost at home. At the sink, in the laundry room, over the stove, at the table.
The sacredness of the mundane discovered by the simple discipline of counting gifts.
I love it. I think you will too. If you haven’t read it, check it out.
And start counting.
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*I love this recent post she shared on the journey of writing the book.
Week's end with thanks
- Long afternoon walk, by myself, to my spot by the creek. The perfect rock to perch. Struck again by this amazing green moss–I’m going to start taking people to see it. I wish I could have a velvet couch made its exact color.
- Kids devouring cod for dinner. Hot chocolate and whipped cream mustaches on two happy faces.
- Stainless steel stove.
- Vacuuming under beds and behind desks. All the more gratifying the grosser it is back there.
- Finding 13 hair bands and barrettes under Heidi’s crib.
- Being a family of sea turtles and snuggling up in our shells.
- The washing machine.
- Jeff weekend project of distressing our already-distressed kitchen table. I like it!
- Evidence of coming spring–bare winter branches with tiniest white buds and green leaves, hesitantly poking out their heads in question: “Is it time to come out yet?” I pick a hand-full and they fill my kitchen with joy.
- Green beans sauteed in olive oil.
- Waking up to find my little 4-year-old monkey-boy asleep next to me.
- Lots of last minute house-showings give me some great workouts cleaning the house top to bottom in 90 minutes. Who needs P90X?
- Dare I say it? McDonald’s playland. I know. The food is poison. But the kids thought they were at Disneyland and we had a fun place to play during house showings.
- A tall glass of cold water.
- A friend who says, “Come on over during your house showing! I have just-baked healthy muffins and fresh strawberries.” An angel.
- Smell of coffee beans.
- Bubble bath.
- Hearing, “Mommy will you carry me down the stairs?” Knowing he’s big enough to walk himself, which is the all the more reason to say yes. How many more times will I get?
- Seeing how many kisses I can give that boy as we down the stairs.
- That he still lets me kiss him.
- Seagulls flying slowly overhead, almost still, wings teetering like arms of a tightrope walker. Heidi’s excited announcement, “Bird bird!”
- Watching the crazy hailstorm out Dutch’s window. Eyes wide.
- “Yes, you may watch Nemo.”
- Texts from friends.
- Revelations of grace.
- Prayer cards.
- David’s faithful grace to Mephibosheth.
- My rare and beloved hair appointment.
- Long evening curled up under quilt on couch with my man. Reading One Thousand Gifts and Uprising. Taking turns saying, “You have to hear this!” and reading aloud. Growing together.
- Sale of our beautiful bedroom set that we no longer need. A generous buyer and we are freed to downsize! Love this feeling. Hidden treasure in a field.
- Watching Heidi eat her breakfast. Awestruck. How did God create something so beautiful?
- Watching Dutch sleep. Can I pause, Lord? Make this moment last forever.
- Ann’s words–we slow time by entering in, we weigh moments down with our presence.
- Aquinas’ definition of beauty: That which being seen, pleases. God’s fingerprints all over this world. Beauty.
- Being prayed for by dear sisters in Christ.
- Oatmeal hot.
- Daddy’s surprise for us: Girl Scout thin mint ice cream. Milky brown mustaches on little smiling faces.
- Dutch choosing Heidi above himself. My heart soars.
- A horrible night of painful discipline for Dutch turn into the “peaceful fruit of righteousness” right before my eyes (Heb 12:11).
- Veggie Tales.
- Children sleeping in past eight.
- Oops. 8:03 they woke. The joy of waking children.
- A beautiful peak of sunshine in an otherwise rainy day, perfectly timed for a late-afternoon “exploring” trip to the creek.
- Watching Dutch fall in to the water, up to his shoulders, eyes saucers. Helping him out and then helping him laugh.
- Watching Heidi trek through the woods, maneuvering hills and branches, rocks and stickers–with her baby in arms. She’s a good mommy already.
- Dutch hiking the long road home, soaked to the skin–his too-big basketball shorts sagging below his little boy bottom. A cheerful elderly gentleman spotting the show of skin and saying, “I thought this was a respectable neighborhood!” 🙂 Laughing out loud.
- Fresh homemade bread.
- Bacon.
- Muddy fingerprints on the sliding glass door–evidence of fun.
- Watching Jeff read Elmo books to baby Eve. Her hair like spun gold.
- Generous generous generous saints.
- Reading under the hair-dryer at the salon. God gripping my heart with a sure word of conviction. The world standing still–how amazing is it to have a God moment in the midst of two dozen people spinning around you? So glad He’s everywhere.
- Jeff & Dutch playing Legos on the floor.
- Decorating with old books.
- Seeing that Pete’s Mountain house sold. Still trusting God with our house situation and excited for whatever He has in store.
- Lillian Mabel.
- Finishing One Thousand Gifts. Wanting to open it back up and start right over again.
- Brilliantly blue skies on a Saturday, warm sun, not a cloud in the sky.
- Beds neatly made.
- God’s Providence.
Happy Weekend!
By grace, with joy,
Kari
Slowly, I'm Learning
I love her. I cannot recall ever another woman writer impacting my life the way that Ann Voskamp is. A friend recommended I read her blog a few years back. I was captivated by her writing style and struck by how she was writing exactly what I wanted to–about the holy experience, the sacred mundane, the beauty of Christ revealed in the details of life–except she was writing about it well! She was living it, breathing it, beautifully by grace.
I came back upon her blog recently as she is a contributing writer at (in)courage, where I had the joy of guest posting a few weeks ago. I now go to her blog daily–where I ask her to give me another beautiful glimpse of Jesus. I know I can see Him too, but she has a way of describing His daily whispers in such a way that I’m drawn to Him more and more. I love this woman I’ve never met. She makes me love the Savior.
I’m now reading her book One Thousand Gifts, and am undone. Buy it. Today.
—
All that to say that I recently read her 10 point manifesto for joyful parenting. While certainly not the most profound statement on her list, I was struck by these simple three words:
Only amateurs hurry.
She expands on this point in her book. Her point was that there are no emergencies. God has no emergencies and as a parent our job is to create an environment of joy, confidence, and grace so that there are no emergencies. But those words again struck me: Only amateurs hurry.
So, that moment I decided.
Today, resolved, we will not hurry. I will be joyful, confident, and in control.
Strange things began to happen.
We arrived at Bible study 20 minutes early. We had so much time we stopped by the fountain on the way up the stairs (the one I usually hurry past), and we watched the bubbles and splashes while sister squealed delightedly and kicked her legs as I held her up, “Wa wa!”
I got the kids into the car after Bible study and, strangely, Dutch asked if I would read Heidi and him his Bob the Builder book. Right there. In the car. In the parking lot. Before going home. I looked at the 6-volume Bob book on the floor with near 125 pages. Well, I thought, I’m in no hurry.
I slipped off my jacket, crawled into the backseat and nestled myself between their carseats. I opened up to the very first page and–with my best Bob and Wendy voices–read that whole book. The kids’ little love tanks were so full by the time I was done you’d have thought I took them to Disneyland. We meandered home and made our Tuesday pancake lunch.
I mentioned last week On Stillness about letting Dutch fill the bag of flour at the store. I’ve always been apprehensive about taking both kids to Winco. Not exactly conducive to kids (no car carts!) and colorful characters and germs abound. This week I took them, and again resolved–no hurry.
Would you believe it? We actually had fun. We walked slow. Talked. Dutch read every single bin number to me from the bulk items. We learned and laughed and Dutch amazed me at his shopping saavy: “Mommy, we might not need to get that because it’s expensive. I don’t think it’s worth it.”
It took forever, but the kids were good as gold. I am convinced, girls.
There’s something to slowness.
Samuel Chadwick said hurry is the death of prayer. I’d add:
Hurry is the death of joy.
—
Not promising perfect children here, but this resolved slowness is changing me–and my precious kids. Slowness, stillness–room to breathe. I’ll take one finished load of laundry done with laughing children hidden beneath fresh warm sheets and faces plunged in fluffy towels and tiny t-shirts smoothed and folded straight, over four done with my ragged soul snagging every stocking and resenting the weight of every load.
I’m learning…
slowly, but I’m learning.
Week's end with thanks
- Coming home late from a date with my man. Tiptoeing in the front door, giddy, feeling so young.
- Feeling through the darkness in Dutch’s room, sliding under his quilt by his side to smell his sweet breath and kiss his sleeping cheeks.
- Walking through the house and seeing beauty, order. Feels so good.
- Crawling in fresh, white, soft sheets. Sinking into mattress, the weight of the comforter and quilt heavy, holding me down. Down I go into sleep.
- Arm across the bed. He is there.
- Waking up alive, searching my mind to put together puzzle pieces of reason and remember what day it is. Oh! Friday. My favorite day. He is home today.
- Crack of the door, soft pitter-patter footprints down the hall. I sit and wait with a smile for his little four-year-old wonder to crack open my door and peak inside. The question is framed on his face full of light, “Is it time to get up yet?”
- Pulling back my covers to make a spot in the warm nest of my bed. I smile. “Come on in.” He does.
- 1 Samuel words of Saul and David–who I currently am and who I long to be, respectively.
- The beauty of Jonathan’s love for David. A truest friend.
- The outdoor sweaty smell of my man as he walks in, back from a run. He is feeling strong, happy, confident. I smile.
- The book on my nightstand, One Thousand Gifts, which inspires this weekend giving of thanks.
- The feeling of knowing this might be the book that changes my 2011.
- The wondering and anticipation of how God will continue to Fill in my Blank.
- Thoughts of Pete’s Mountain potential.
- Epiphanies from The King’s Speech. How often have I let childhood’s fears paralyze my life?
- Resolutions.
- Decorating with tree-branches.
- Lingering long in the Word, rushing downstairs to start the breakfast. Stop. Smile. Jeff’s already made it.
- A tea-date with my long-time discipler. The woman who changed my life. Laughter. Tears. Losing track of time.
- College friends who left it all to share His light in Uganda with their 4 children 5 and under.
- Other college friends over for dinner–we all have kids now! Life so different. My friend round and glowing and beautiful with their second child coming soon.
- Long hot shower. A new hair-bandana that lets me go one more day without washing. Beautiful. 🙂
- Coming down the stairs, un-made-up and feeling lovely, to see Jeff and kids at the table praying morning prayers over steaming bowls of oatmeal. The thanks tumbles over then.
- Coming home to find every single room turned over–toys spilled, forts made, crumbs strewn–children happy. Evidence of a morning with daddy.
- Sunshine.
- Toasted cheese sandwiches, oozing soft and crunching hard, eaten on the front porch–a chilly picnic in the winter sunshine.
- Dutch’s soft “I love you, mommy” spoken through after-discipline tears. Feeling the rebellion slowly slide out of his body as he lets go, rests in my arms.
- Watching Heidi feed her babydoll a bottle of milk.
- Getting rid of 3 pairs of shoes I never wear.
- The Road to Santa Clara Candi over for the day. We talk of gardening, gratitude, and giving God our dreams. Isaiah 26:3 frames our talk. “Mind” in Young’s Literal Translation is “imagination”. We give our imaginations to the God who made them.
- An awesome new development through the Oregon Women’s Report. Partnering with area churches to tell the inspiring stories of women around the state. So. Cool.
- Having to keep my laptop open all day because there are so many things to be thankful for.
- Did I mention sunshine?
- Little Dutch’s collision with tile countertop. Teeth through lip. Horrific mouth full of blood and running down his chin–and him insisting that he was fine! Weak smile as I tucked him into bed: “It’s all healed, mommy. It’s all ok.” Sweet brave boy.
- Long afternoon spent down at the creek. Throwing rocks. Running fingertips over soft, moist, incredibly 70s green moss. Wishing my eyes were a camera.
- The dishwasher.
- Saturdays.
- Grace.
(Word to the Wives) Spicin’ it Up: It’s easier than we think.
I’m standing here at the counter making dinner. I’m wearing dangling earrings. That should tell you that something is up. I never wear jewelry, or at least very rarely. I have nothing against it, I just hardly ever remember to wear it and somehow it never feels like “me”–feels like I’m dressing up like someone else. Not that I shun accessories, my accessory of choice is mascara–which is less of an accessory and more of a necessity. You do not want to see me without it–my hair is blond and so are my eyelashes. Enough said.
Anyway, tonight I’m wearing earrings. Jeff and I had a date planned, but because of the weather we needed to cancel, so we’re on a “family date” at home. I made fresh salmon, five little loaves of pumpkin cake to deliver to the neighbors, and went all out by putting on make-up and said earrings. I even changed out of my old black t-shirt and put on a new black-tshirt. It’s a hot date!
…
Of course the magic of these few simple steps isn’t that it turned me into a supermodel or transformed our dining room into a Michelin star restaurant. We’re light years from that. It simply spiced things up. More than anything it just changed my attitude, made me feel pretty, put a smile on my face, changed the air of our home into a place of excitement and celebration rather than another ho-hum night. And you know what?
It worked.
When Jeff walked in he could sense it immediately. The house smelled delicious and it’s amazing how easily pleased husbands are when we just make a tiny bit of effort with our appearance. 🙂 We enjoyed our dinner then went for a walk in the snow with the kids and delivered our home-baked goods. Everyone was home because of the snow so it was a perfect time to meet new neighbors!
By 7:30 the kids were in bed leaving plenty of time for us to have to ourselves. All this to say that at-home dates are totally possible with a teeny bit of effort. Yes, it’s great to get out, but for those of us with little ones, this season of life means at-home dates are going to be the reality for a while. We might as well figure out little ways to spice it up–it’s easier than we think. 😉
(in)courage: Who Calls You Happy?
Hello, friends!
And if you’re new here, Welcome. My name is Kari and I’m so glad you came.
Today is an exciting day because today we get to join the many faithful women of (in)courage, an online community that serves as home to the hearts of women. I pray, as always, that everything you read here, and there, helps us live out the sacredness of the mundane–glorifying God in the details of life. Here’s a little glimpse of today’s post…
Who Calls You Happy?
“Do you like it?” I pointed at the Anthro-inspired artwork I’d quilted out of old sweaters and looked at my friend, awaiting her response.
She shrugged her shoulders and looked at me. “Do you like it?”
I stared back at her. What?
Did I like it?
The question took me back to 7th grade when I wore a rather unusual twirly skirt to school one day. My grandma had made it, and it was either stunning or horrid—I couldn’t decide. It would certainly take some work to pull it off. I went for it.
Of course it took all of two minutes for me to see the verdict on the faces of the girls at school. A glance down, eyebrows up, look back up at my face, smirk. It was dumb. My skirt had failed. I went home at lunch and changed my clothes.
Later that day a friend had chided me with wisdom beyond her twelve years: “Why’d you change? Don’t let what other people think make you change your clothes. If you like the skirt, wear it.”
Did I like the skirt?
Do I like the artwork?
Or are my opinions simply the sum total of others?
While I’ve grown out of that skirt, I haven’t grown out of my over-dependence on others’ opinions…[Read the rest here]
I Can’t Believe My Breath
My little 4-year-old son’s vocabulary amazes me. He began talking pretty late (I still remember sweating at his two-year check-up and confessing he only spoke two words), but he’s been making up for it ever since! (There’s a lesson there too: Late-bloomers, never fear!) I just have to shake my head when he reports that Heidi is playing recklessly or when he correctly identifies an articulated dump-truck, a skid-steer, and a mini-excavator. Sheesh.
But of course he’s still making sense of all these new words. This past Sunday, we were leaving church and I let him run around in an open field in front of the building. He went and was looking out over a pond surrounded by trees, and called over and asked if I would please come over there. I squished through the wet grass and joined him looking out over the pond. His eyes were wide and he said in a hushed voice full of emotion,
“Mommy, look. It’s so bootiful. I can’t believe my breath.” I took his little hand in mine and kept my dancing eyes looking out over the pond.
“Oh Dutch, I can’t believe my breath either.”
I’m pretty sure it was a mix of not believing his eyes and seeing beauty so great it took his breath away. However those words made it into that order, the expression was so priceless and his little self so earnest, of course I will tuck them away in my heart forever. A precious moment of grasping at words to try to convey the wonder of something too wonderful for words.
I can relate.
As I drove home from church, of course it came into focus that that is exactly how my Heavenly Father is with me. I want so much to be able to use words to communicate the beauty of God, how good He is, how we can live for Him, how every moment is sacred, how we can simplify every aspect of our lives so that it simmers down to a pure and holy passion for the Risen King. And yet the reality is that so often my words come out wrong. More times than not I look over what I’ve written and think how proud it sounds or how it ends wrong or how this is wrong or that is wrong.
How I’ve written, “I can’t believe my breath!” for the world to see.
But God knows my heart. He knows that at least most of the time I earnestly want to use words right. I want to convey the wonder in my heart, how beautiful He is, how much I want people to love Him and know Him and serve Him. The garbage of myself and my pride and ego gets mixed in way too often, but for all the mis-steps and wrong word choices, He knows my heart and loves to hear me express it.
He loves to hear you express it.
Our Father loves to hear your heart. He loves to hear you as you pray, you sing, you write. The words might not be perfect. You might not believe your breath. But it sounds beautiful to Him.
The best part is that you do it.
And as He sees, His beautiful daughter, who so unabashedly expresses her awe-filled worship, He might just look down upon you and smile …
… and not believe His breath.