Nearly eighteen years ago, our first baby was born. A little girl. Today, we walked from building to building, up and down stairs, all around a campus that, in a few months, will be her new home. How in the world did we get here? I remember feeling her...
Here it is, a little late… these are the books in my stack this month. What about you? What did you read last month worth recommending? What is currently on your nightstand?
“Don’t compare what you know about yourself to what you don’t know about me.”
These words were spoken over 20 years ago by a prominent speaker at a National Youth Workers Convention I attended. His comments were intended to humanize himself, a reminder to the rest of us that his life was not any easier, nor was his ministry any more effective, than ours was. This is a lie we tend to believe- one that often robs us of the community we were created for.
He mentioned the temptation for us to think he was somehow better than us simply because he was standing on a big stage, when in reality, his students bemoaned his “boring talks” and “stupid programs” just like ours did. Sure, he had wisdom to share, but he wanted to make sure we understood it was gained in the trenches, not by some royal edict or heavenly proclamation.
He was “wise” because he had learned from his mistakes. He was “seasoned” because he had travelled long, difficult roads and persevered. He was not speaking to us because he was somehow “holier” than us; he was simply more experienced.
And experience is not something you gain on the sidelines.
I have kept his statement tucked away since that day. Occasionally, I pull it out to remind myself that “perfect” people (or jobs or children or marriages) are rarely what they seem on the outside, and if I take the time to investigate, I might find that their story isn’t all that different than mine.
Fast forward to this weekend…
It doesn’t snow often in Georgia, so when it does, everything shuts down and time seems to stand still. These are just my thoughts about our snow day…
Full disclosure: I had to go onto Youtube and watch the half-time show before writing this post. With multiple children and teenagers in the house, I have not watched the Super Bowl half-time show in years! And while I had seen clips and pretty much knew the gist of what happened, I didn’t want to comment without seeing it myself and forming my own opinion. Honestly, I’m thankful I did.
I had not planned to comment at all… Heaven knows there are plenty of opinions floating around out there in the social media world already! Who needs one more?
My girls, that’s who.
And that’s why I’m thankful for the Super Bowl Half-time show.
So, I will start with what I enjoyed about it…
Here is a post from our oldest daughter, Sarah, who is a Senior in high school. I am so thankful for how she seeks to follow Jesus and her willingness to share what He is teaching her. I hope this will be a blessing to you today!
I know, I know, some of you are thinking, “There is no way parenting is like math. There is no easy formula to follow, and no variables to plug in that equal a perfect child.”
You’re right.
And some of you are thinking, “Yes! Parenting is hard! Math is hard! I get it!”
And you’re right, too.
So if you’re both right, then what in the world am I talking about?
Just hear me out…
One of the things I love best about homeschooling is watching the light bulb come on when something “clicks” for one of my kids. This phenomenon is not unique to homeschooling- all parents experience this with their children in different ways. Maybe you are helping them with homework, or teaching them how to shoot a basketball, or even teaching them how to talk when they are little. There is something special about that first time they say your name, make a basket, or solve the math problem. Their eyes get big, their face lights up, and something special passes between you. Success! It is an amazing moment to share.
But those moments are rare, like finding a single pearl hidden somewhere among an ocean of oysters. It takes hard work, perseverance, and is often overwhelming. And in my experience, they usually come about the time I have decided to give up.
I find parenting to work much the same way…
Well friends, I am off to a slow start on writing this year. Thanks for being patient with me. Now that my 30-day writing challenge is over, it has been more difficult for me to stay motivated, especially with Jeff travelling so much and the craziness that comes with four kids! But I have been reading a lot, so maybe I can start there.
I still need to add a few books to my 2020 Reading Challenge list; I will post it once I have it more organized. For now, I will share my current book stack with you.
23 years.
My husband and I celebrated our 23rd wedding anniversary last month. I was 23 when we got married, which means I have officially been married to him for half my life!
As we reminisced about some of the experiences we have shared, he looked me in the eyes and asked, “Would you still marry me again? I mean, knowing everything you know about how life with me has turned out, if you could go back to that time 23 years ago, would you still make the same choice? Would you still choose me?”
Without even thinking, I replied, “Of course!”
And I would, absolutely.
But for the sake of deep thinking, I want to stop and travel down that road just a bit. This man has loved me and stood by me for over two decades. He deserves more than a trite answer and a shrug. He deserves to know why I would say yes, why I would choose him all over again.
And so I pause…
When is the last time you tried something new?
New things can be scary because there are so many unknowns. What if we aren’t good at whatever we try, or we make mistakes, or people laugh at us? What if it turns out to be a waste of time or money? What if it doesn’t turn out like we hoped? These are all valid questions, and worth consideration.
But a better question is, what if it does?
What if you love it? What if you’re good at it? What if you make new friends and learn something about yourself and uncover a new passion you didn’t know was hiding in there?
What then?…
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