7 - An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess

Welcome to Summer Y'all!

To kick off summer right, I have a pile of books to go through (and no, the Fifty Shades of Grey is not one of them). I've already devoured the first book on my list - and y'all, it has changed my life.

7 - An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess

by Jen Hatmaker

Stop what you're doing and go buy it right now. No I'm serious. Just do it.

I was a little wary at first, since I righteously feel like I live a fairly simple life (insert bank-account joke here) and don't have any excess to speak of...unless we're talking about the living room which has since been renamed to the room of mass chaos and children's toys. I figured that I am a pretty slack housekeeper and could use some tips on organizing my clutter life. But apparently that's not what the book is about.

This book is about Jesus - Community - Fasting - Loving - Growing - Life - Renewal.

Or more eloquently put by the publisher "It’s the discovery of a greatly increased God—a call toward Christ-like simplicity and generosity that transcends social experiment to become a radically better existence." -B&H Publishing Group

Holy moley.

The premise of this book is that we are living in an age of excess. The author, Jen Hatmaker, spends 7 months going through 7 areas of excess in her life to bring her focus closer to Jesus. Her 7 areas are stress, media, posessions, food, waste, clothes, and shopping. By the end of the book, I was compelled to take action against the excess in my life as well.

After a bit of prayer, I've been given this vision. I have 7 rooms in my house; master bedroom, bathroom, laundry room, living room, kids bedroom, kitchen, guest bedroom. I have 7 weeks this summer in which I have access to a babysitter (Hi Emma!). I have a plethora of people in need in my community in which to make a difference in their lives.

The goal will be to tackle one room per week, de-excess, and truely connect with the local community to make sure my excess resources will be used to fill a need in another's life.

Each week I will blog the room, what Jesus is doing in my life that week and a special on the lives that my excess will impact.

Won't you join me?





Happy Mother's Day

So I realize that I haven't written in a while - and to be perfectly honest, I thought I would reserve my thoughts to be let loose in some super important post about politics or church or religion or healthcare, etc.

This my friends is not that post.

Today is just about being Mama.

My kids are growing up too fast. My life is flying by and I am feeling desperate for a PAUSE button.

As I'm writing, both kids are zonked asleep on my bed. Much thanks to a morning at Marbles Museum and a full lunch at Moonlight Pizza (Yum! Thanks Mom!). There are a million-and-one things I should be doing around the house, but quite honestly I just want to sit.

I feel like there is so much up in the air.

Fiona is finishing her first year of preschool, and in a flash the summer will be gone, and then both kids will be in preschool in the fall. EEEEkkk!
Now, hold the phone. Cause a part of me has been waiting f-o-r-e-v-e-r to get some "me time" back into my life. So I should be stoked for them to both be in preschool, right? EEhhh, no.

I want my babies back. You know, that time of their lives when I grumbled about breastfeeding, and diapering, and learning to crawl? Yeah, can we just rewind to that for a little bit?

If only I could slow down and focus on them and sop up every minute of their precious chubby words like the last of the honey on my biscuits.

Unfortunately there is no rewind, no pause, not even a stop button on our lives. Everyday we just live it out to the best we know how. I am thrilled to be their Mama. They are my Mother's Day gift that I get to have every day of my life. (Insert: note to self - reread this blog when they're driving you crazy and you're tired from working the night before.)

So here's what I really want to say - for all of you Mama's out there. Happy Mother's Day. You are amazing. Please treasure your gifts from God. Protect them and love them always. Guide them with the knowledge and wisdom that the Bible bestows us with. Teach them to love, not only themselves, but others. Let them know how special they are and that their value is innately in the one true Lord who made them in His image. And for you Mama's - all the same is true for you too.

Thanks for all you do Mama's. God bless you.

Trained.

Tonight as I was leaving work I stopped off in the break-room to change out shoes and grab my keys (and my phone too, if my manager asks, ya know, since they're banned on the unit). A new co-worker in training happened to be in the break room packing up for the night. I asked how she felt her shift went and this is the answer I got:

"I don't know. I think I suck at what I do, but I think I'm improving some and sucking less." Then she went on and on about how awesome I am (ok so I made that part up), but anyways...

So I replied, "Well, if it makes you feel any better, at least once a day I think I suck at being a Mom, but I keep on doing it everyday." That made her giggle.

Thinking about things on the drive home from work made me think about the heirarchies of life and how we're all changing endlessly in our stages in life.  It made me think of Titus 2.

 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine.

They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children,  to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands,  

 that the word of God may not be reviled.

Titus 2:3-5

God has placed so many incredible women in my life to guide me on His path. I just thought that I should mention a few of them here.

1. My Mother - one of my fondest memories of my Mom was from when I was little and I would get up in the morning and go into her room. She would be sitting in bed reading the Bible and looking very very sleepy. I never understood why she got up so early. She has always prayed for me and encouraged me to seek the scriptures for answers when I had questions. She loves Jesus.

2. My Grandmother's - Granny Gwen and Mimi both attended the same church, First Presbyterian in Boone, NC. I always admired their social networking between the other women of the church and how they served one another. I dreamed for the day when I would have friendships like that and chances to serve my community.

3. My BFF Catherine - when I was lost, she actively sought me and lead me back to Christ by example. Irregardless of how busy or crazy her life is, she is leading women's Bible studies and pursuing the hearts of women near and far. Did I mention she's an awesome Mom to a genius child too?

4. Cheryl Hunter - Catherine's Mom is a Jesus-freak. And the thing that I love about Cheryl is that she'll flat out tell you how it is. There is no BS with Cheryl. And for someone who is used to having her hand held, that is wild.

5. My Community Group Ladies - Melisa Harrison, Kathy Benedyk, and Sarah Dixon. They are all Mama's who have just a smidgen' of a year-or-two on me, and they are living out Titus 2 as we speak. They have coached me and encouraged me and led me to God's word over and over and over. They are living proof that God's word is true and righteous and is applicable to today's world. When I moved out here almost 4 years ago I prayed for women like these in my life, and God answered my prayers. They are local and fabulous, I love their hearts.

I am sure that there are a few more fabulous ladies out there who have lived out Titus 2 in my life, but its almost 1 in the morning and my brain is turning into mush.

So in closing, Thank you to all who have contributed to me knowing and loving Jesus. Thanks for encouraging me to grow and to "improve more and suck less."

Why I hate blogging...and why I'm doing it.

I hate blogging. Can I just say that right off the bat?

I guess when I get down to it, I don't hate it...it just brings out all of my insecurities.

Who, me? Insecure? Never!! Ehh...unless you're talking about how I compare myself to every other mama on the planet because it is ingrained in my DNA as part of the ovary-packin' gender. Or that I'm worried that I will have negative comments made about the life that I work so hard on, and even if I don't know you, my feelings get hurt easily. Or maybe its that I have massive mommy-guilt, worrying that I'll get caught up in blogging and not spend enough time and attention to my family who already miss me 36 hours out of each week while I'm at work.

So why am I doing this crazyness?

Because I need to. For myself, for my family for everyone. So you all can see how this broken sinner loves Jesus so much and how he has forgiven me and is constantly working through His Holy Spirit in this world.

I am not a perfect person, but I try to live out Jesus daily. I fail miserably, but pray that at least one person will see His glory. Not for my benefit but for Him.

He also heals my insecurities and wraps them up in a blanket of acceptance, as a daughter in His kingdom who is loved by the utmost Father.

So read on if you're ready to hear some tall-tales from the life of an overly-paranoid Jesus lovin' mama/pediatric nurse/wife/daughter/sister/friend. Here we go!

New Beginnings.

For a long time I've been super jealous of other people's blogs and how creative and talented they are. Ahem, Lil-Kid-Things, The B Keeps Us Honest, Love Sown, The Joy of Pregnancy and Other Lies, and the list goes on and on and on....

So I've tried my hand at blogging - note, I have nothing to list here because I am a slacker and can't ever seem to keep up with writing. But, there is something very theraputic about writing, so I'm going to try my hand, again.

What I was thinking for this blog is to share a bit of my life with you, which may include some pieces from being a mom, a nurse, a wife, and many other roles that I play.

So please, take nothing seriously from here. You should probably just go read the aforementioned blogs. Enjoy!