My Latest Project - Garage Mudroom

I've wanted an area for all our incoming junk for a long time. We enter the kitchen through the garage and there is really no place to put stuff aside from the floor and kitchen countertops which ends up getting cluttered, fast! My neighbor gave us a bench toy box for Caleb that we really don't have a place for just yet (he still have a nursery, not a big boy room), so I thought why not use it for my entry station for now. So I set out on my plan. Here's all the before shots:

I first painted the bench with a combo of black spray paint and chalk board paint (had some leftover from another project).

Then I decided to use the rest of the chalkboard paint to do the wall behind the bench. I bought a 1" foam pad and got a cute gray and white chevron fabric and made a bench pad. Since it opens at the time, I attached the pad to the bench with velcro and because its in the garage, I made the cover like a pillow sham so that I can slip it off and wash it. Next I got a wall letter hanger (great deal at Marshall's) and some cute paper I had and labelled each slot, then used a old creamer container, cut it down, washed it out and painted it to use for chalk holder. I got some hooks and two cute cabinet knobs to hang stuff up on the wall. There you have it.

Listening

Today a good friend told me, "God is talking, are you listening?" For someone like myself, who talks a lot, its easy to forget to listen. Listening is an important part of communication, in fact in my study of Communications at TCU, I took a class solely on listening. The bible even tells us, be slow to speak and quick to listen (James 1:19). I guess I've got a lot of learning to do in that area. So God here I am closing my mouth and silencing my chatty thoughts and asking you to speak. I'm listening.

Walking It Out

The past few weeks have been exceedingly hard on me. I desire to share my struggles and the journey I take through life with others who may be facing challenges but often find it difficult to share the process without giving out all the details - details that often include others. I want to respect everyone in my life as I walk out the steps that lay before me. That is a difficult balance to attain. So here I am just saying life is hard.

A little over a week ago my mom was hit by a car - not in a vehicular accident, but she was walking and was struck by an SUV. She lives on the other side of the country so to be so far away, I found this news debilitating. Later that day I received news that left my heart feeling like it had also been hit by a car. I felt frozen in a state of semi-consciousness. Two days later my husband left for Kenya for two weeks, and now I was on double duty in life with some extra work responsibilities, two kids on my own and an emotional state that rendered me helpless. How does one proceed? The days the followed brought more bomb shells and emotional instability with more information that rocked me to my core.

I had to find the strength just to do life - take out the trash, go to work, cook meals, do laundry, change diapers, give baths, etc. I would find myself break down without warning in at times very inconvenient moments. I was broken, heck, I am broken. You see I just completed week one and now face week two. The trials don't go away when my husband returns, but bring a new aspect of the journey, but all I can see now is making it first to that two week "mile" marker. Then I will re-evaluate and see what lies ahead.

When I think about where I was and where I am, I know what has gotten me through it thus far has been a great group of girlfriends and family and my relationship with God. I have been a Christian since I was a little girl, but my journey with Jesus has had its own struggles along the way. The difference this time is that I never questioned him, I just leaned into him. When my heart feels like an crater that was just blasted open by some celestial phenomenon I cry out, "God fill it" before I have a chance to try to fill it with something that won't do the job or heal the wound. I often preach at the church I youth pastor and I find I must live out the words I preach. I have to mind my words, speak with faith and trust that God will do the job. When I find myself trying to take control of the situation, I must let go, and read the Bible for grounding words.

I don't know what lays ahead of me but I am encouraged by Isaiah 50:10-11 that tells me when life is dark, I can trust God and follow his voice because if I don't, I will "lie down in a place of pain." When I feel the need to go defend myself, I stand by Exodus 14:14 that tells me the Lord will fight for me, all I must do is BE STILL. I have to surround myself with voices of truth and encouragement so that when lies hit me in the face, I know to wipe it off and move on.

The truth is I have good days and days when getting dressed is a major challenge. I am working on feeling my emotions and owning them but not reacting out of them. That is hard. I request your prayers as I walk out this scary time in life, and ask that if you need prayer that you send a request my way, so that I may pray for you. Let's walk together.

Religious Freedom

Sometimes I think I would have been a much better Old Testament Jew than New Testament Gentile Christ follower. I know that may sound bizarre, but as I read through the Bible and see the straightforward rules and regulations put on the people in Levitcus, despite the cumbersome ritual of it all, it seems easier. You know when you're on or off course.

Religion is easier than relationship, but relationship is more fulfilling and rewarding. Relationship meets our needs where religion can't. I often struggle in my relationship with God because it requires me to be present. Religion or ritual is easier on days when I just want to go through the motions. Christ offered us so much more than a "Get out of Hell" free card when he died on the cross.

Navigating through life to find Christ-centered balance isn't always straightforward it takes trust, faith, wisdom, and humility. Meeting the letter of the law is mundane and burdensome, but takes little emotional energy. At the end of it all I'd much rather put the work into a relationship and accept the gift of Christ than constantly be on point, sure it's scary, but rewarding with an eternal connection.

What Really Matters - I DO!

This weekend I did a wedding and was reminded what really matters. THe couple approached me needing to do a ceremony stat, as the groom's grandmother was ill. We planned a date with only weeks to do the wedding.

I stood out in our church's courtyard the day of the event with 20 of the bride and groom's friends and family and thought this is what its all about. The bride found a dress and shoes, we asked a florist friend to make a bouquet for $20 and she brought unity sand. The couple's friend plugged in a playlist from a laptop and we were a go. My dad performed the ceremony.

It was beautiful, simple and about more than a price tag and of the moment decor. It was about the couple, their love and new life together. Pure wedding moment that was a breath of fresh air.

Don't get me wrong, I love planning perfect moments for couples, but sometimes the details take precidence to the truly important part - a commitment for life.

Party Palooza

This year I get to experience what happens when I have a baby in the same month as my husband and stepdaughter's birth month. Christmas came and went but my pace stayed holiday speed. New Year's Day brought my husband's 50th birthday. His actual birthday included a few friends and family over with an homage to his mother. You see before my mother-in-law passed away 2 years ago, Kevin's birthdays were spent watching sports at her house with Bloody Mary's, stuffed jalapenos and sometimes crab legs. So the past two years we've made some of Kevin's favorite, hot, foods and had Bloody Mary's.

The following weekend was his party. I found a great collage of pictures in the shape of 50 on Pinterest, originally from MarthaStewart.com - and here's my rendition.


We had a great celebration! I did a slideshow and asked people to answer questions on butcher paper on the wall like - what's your favorite thing about Kevin? One Memory of Kevin? A Word to Describe him. After the party I typed up what was said so he could keep it.

The next weekend was Katie's birthday. I said no party but actually ended up doing more. We went to Fresno for dinner at CPK, then the next day had cake and ice cream at the house.

I had a weekend off, and now I am getting ready for Caleb's first birthday! We are doing the "First Year Happens in a Flash" theme. I will definitely post pics of the party to share afterwards.

Crazy month! Definitely Party Palooza!

Resolutions

I'm not one for New Year's resolutions. It's not that I don't believe in bettering oneself, it's just that I believe the time to make a change is when you know there is a problem.  That moment can come January 1st or first thing in the morning, but it can also come at 2 o'clock on any random Tuesday.  making a change is a big deal, it's a commitment and it comes in response to a life of one always seeking to be the best person possible.

Change involves a plan and too often people just jump on the January bandwagon of new path and it's not too long until they've been booted off by some bump in the road.  Seeing a problem only gets the ball rolling.  Routing your journey is essential in road trips and in life.  Knowing yourself and figuring out what works for you gives you a better shot at success.

Change involves accountability and that  involves community. Too often we run out on our own in hot pursuit of the preverbal carrot missing the mark because we didn't involve our support network.  We were made for relationships and the teen years alone demonstrate how the right or wrong people can motivate our choices. 

So maybe that ball dropped and as you said, "Happy New Year," you realized you needed something to change, or maybe you are like me and you had a good night and just continued the course.