Melanie - November 20, 2009 - Comments (1)
I don't know about y'all, but I am TIRED. In fact, I've talked to a few different friends this week and we've all agreed that we just need a break, a little time to rest.
Unfortunately no one is sending me on all-expense paid trip to some sweet resort anytime soon. Or ever. So I have to find rest where I can get it, which is usually hiding in the back of my closet.
Oh I'm kidding. I'd never hide in the back of my closet, they'd know to look for me there.
I feel like school started back in August and I've been running ever since. Running to the school for classroom meetings, running to the soccer fields for games, running out of town for various events. I'm just a little burned out.
And I'm betting a lot of you can relate. When I woke up this morning and did our usual routine of eating breakfast, getting dressed, out the door to school, forgot the backpack, turn back around and get the backpack, get to school, do the drop-off and head back home, I rejoiced when I remembered that we are out of school all next week for Thanksgiving.
For that, I am thankful.
I just know I can get so busy in the daily commitments of life that I lose sight of what's important, of the very thing that sustains me and gives me the strength I need to be the wife, mama, and friend I try to be. And I want to keep my eyes on Him because he promises in Isaiah 41:31 "those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
As nice as an all-expense paid trip to a resort would be (and I certainly wouldn't turn it down), I don't want to get so busy that I forget that God is my refuge, my hiding place and He will renew my strength when I remember to keep my eyes on Him.
Sophie - November 19, 2009 - Comments (3)
So yesterday I started a post about making connections through blogging vs. real-life community, and while I'd like to assume that the post might have offered a few insights and lo, even some sage advice, the fact of the matter is that right after I started the post my day took a little bit of a downward turn. And before I even knew what happened, I was at the bottom of some sort of emotional ski slope with my legs bent awkwardly underneath me and a pole jammed into my side.
So to speak.
The bottom line is that, as my friend Amy J. said a couple of weeks ago, "my feelings were hurt - all of them." And it just totally knocked the wind out of my sails.
(And yes, I just used a skiing metaphor AND a sailing metaphor in the same post. I have no explanation for such a writing travesty. However, I do offer my most sincere apologies.)
ANYWAY, I had a hard time bouncing back from what happened yesterday. And I may or may not have spent a solid hour lying underneath a blanket while a certain six year-old read me books. DESPERATE TIMES, PEOPLE.
After supper - which was a pizza my husband was sweet enough to pick up for us - I made the remark that the LAST thing I wanted to do was go to church. Honestly, I wanted to stay home, sit in the front of the fire and feel a little bit sorry for myself. But since Alex loves his Wednesday night church-time, I cowboy'd up (METAPHOR #3!) and got in the car. But I wasn't really happy about it.
We had just pulled into the church parking lot when Alex piped up from the backseat: "Mama? Do you know that God is with you all the time? That He is SO BIG that He's everywhere you are?"
Oh, that boy. I mean, seriously - does it ever cease to amaze y'all how the simplicity of a child's faith can just FLAT-OUT PREACH? Honestly, I can't think of when I've been on the receiving end of a more timely word. Because even though I knew it, I SO needed to hear it.
And I'm beyond grateful for the six year-old who said it.
What have your kids / nieces / nephews done lately that just blessed your socks off?
Kris S - November 18, 2009 - Comments (0)
Listen now to the "Inside LifeWay" podcast with Vicki Courtney. Vicki says, "There seems to be universal issues with which "church girls" and non-church girls alike are struggling. In this podcast, she sets out to address several of those that "Mom needs to pay more attention to and have some relative, key conversations regarding."
Vicki's received feedback from mothers who are gaining the courage from the 5 Conversations Bible study to have these difficult conversations that include such topics as "You are more than the sum of your parts" and "Sex is great and worth the wait."
"Don't ever act shocked when your daughter comes to you," Courtney said. "If you do and she tells you something and sees that, 'Oh, wow, this freaked my mom out,' she's not going to come back and want to talk to you in the future. We have to make sure and have our game face on. It's that air of confidence."
Check out the 5 Conversations Blog. If you've got a daughter, my guess is you're probably going to want to check out this study for sure.
Ya'll have a good Wednesday!
Melanie - November 16, 2009 - Comments (1)
By the time we got to Friday night at the Women's Forum I had a terrible headache that I think was partly due to dehydration (I always forget to drink water when I'm away from home) and the nervous energy that I'd built up before our portion of the webcast.
All I really wanted to do was climb in my comfortable hotel bed (with a fitted bottom sheet!) with a bottle of Advil and the remote control. The only thing that stopped me was knowing Kelly Minter was about to have a little concert over at the LifeWay headquarters and I'd regret missing it.
Ironically, it never occurred to me that I could have just stayed in bed and watched it through the power of the internet.
So I popped my two Advil, drank a Diet Coke and Sophie and I headed over to see Kelly Minter.
I cannot express how glad I am that we did.
Kelly took us through the whole book of Ruth and shared how God led her to write her new Bible study, Ruth, and the companion CD, Loss, Love and Legacy. I loved her honesty, I loved her humor and I loved her humble heart.
And after hearing her on Friday night, I can't wait to get my hands on her new study of Ruth.
Sophie - November 15, 2009 - Comments (14)
So this past Friday was a webby first for LifeWay Women: a live stream from the National Leadership Forum. When Melanie and I walked into the webcast area I was totally impressed - they had a control room and cameras and everything.
FANCY.
Keep in mind that if I were the person in charge of a webcast, everybody would be standing up and crowded around a webcam. Perhaps this is why I have never been employed in the fields of radio and/or television production.
It really was a bunch of fun to watch and to participate in the webcast, even if I never got the hang of the two-camera system EVEN A LITTLE BIT. It made me laugh because Paige and Melanie were so comfortable and such naturals at the whole thing, and meanwhile I was darting my eyes back and forth like a cat with some sort of nervous disorder.
Anyway, if you got to watch some of the webcast this past Friday, would you mind sharing a little feedback with us? How was the overall experience for you? Is it something you'd like to participate in again? Did you have any technical difficulties? Did you like the chat feature? And most importantly, were you as wild about Priscilla's dress as Melanie and I were?
Your input is SO appreciated - we love y'all!
photos courtesy of Rich Kalonick
Sophie - November 13, 2009 - Comments (5)
Melanie and I are back at our hotel after full and fun day at the National Women's Leadership Forum. Oh my word we just enjoyed ourselves to pieces, and we'll be writing more over the next few days about what we saw and heard and learned.
In the meantime, we wanted to share a few pictures that our friend Rich took today (thanks, Rich)! And yes, I know this post is going to be a little short on words, but look! Five pictures!
That's like FIVE THOUSAND WORDS.
Hope y'all have a great weekend!
Melanie
Melanie
Sophie
Sophie
Pam
Pam
Paige
Paige
Kris
Kris