Category: 366 days of novice motherhood

Place: home

Poison: coffee

Favorite Things: my husband

Yesterday as I was reading twitter my friend wrote this quote from Dr Suess

Don’t cry cause it’s over, smile because it happened!

It took me by surprise, because this change in perspective helped me understand a season shift I was struggling with.

Major changes have happened in my former work place and part of me has really grieved letting go of what was…

Yet this small slice of wisdom from Dr Suess is so true.

Imagine if it never happened.

Imagine if I never got to enjoy what was.

Imagine if the season gone never existed.

That would be even sadder.

We believe to gain life we have to recklessly hold on to the past and keep things the way they were.

However the most emancipated person, is the one who easily transitions into the future with hope for the new…

Lenten Blog

In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you’ll have it forever, real and eternal. (John 12:25 MSG)

Being reckless in letting go is not something we all aspire towards.

Yet how many people do you know who are so tied to the past, they are weighted and distressed and refuse to embrace change.

So here I am today celebrating the past yet embracing the new.

I am smiling because it happened, not crying because it’s over.

How about you?

A

Place: home

Poison: water and muesli

Favorite Things: early morning walks on the beach.

This morning our little max was wide awake and was unconvinced in his parents need for a little more sleep, so we all piled on our trainers and went for a long walk on the beach.

As we walked my husband and I prayed, we talked and we listened. In the midst of our communication we realized how much we miss the community of church.

We made a decision just before Max was born that we were fasting from the building of church for Lent and were leaning into the true meaning of community and finding out in this Lenten season what church truly means.

I have worked at ‘church’ for the last 12 years and it has at some points in my journey become my idol.

Just because I had been in the building, just because I had listened to the music, just because I sat on its pew, I assumed that deep fellowship had occurred.

This is so far from the reality of what true Christianity breeds in.

True christianity, a faith that is alive and vibrant is one that is imbued in the basics.

The basics that bring about the fruit of the spirit being ‘kindness and patience, joy, long suffering, peace…’

Unfortunately I can tell when church is more my idol than my community when these countenances of the spirit are far from present.

I miss my community, but I don’t miss the fake reality that convinces me I am living a life of worship just because I am surrounded by the people of God.

Lenten reading

And here’s why: I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me.’ (Matthew 25:35, 36 MSG)

These are the basics that Christ commands and sitting on the front row of church doesn’t predispose your everyday to the basics.

In some ways there is a pridefulness about the front row that almost makes you believe your excused from the basics.

However Christ is clear that the teachers amongst us will be judged more harshly.

Attending church doesn’t necessarily mean you have participated in community. Singing lovely words doesn’t necessarily mean that you have worshiped. Throwing your excess cash into the bucket doesn’t necessarily mean you have sacrificed. Saying hello to the little old ladies in the cafe doesn’t mean you have lived in deep community.

What are the basics this Lenten season that you are neglecting?

How ruffled are the pages of your bible?

How dry and sore is your throat from reaching out in praise?

How desperate are you prayers for the lost and unlovely?

When did you last sit in the gutter with the broken without casting judgement or condemnation?

What songs are on repeat on your iPod?

What scripture is tearing up your heart?

It’s the basics that measure and uncover the true intentions of our heart and mostly our worship…

Wearing a funky top and shouting amen doesn’t bring revelation, humility and grace, generosity and kindness, noticing others and living a life that is pungent does!!!

A

Place: home

Poison: water

Favorite things: my little man…

Last night was our first night where our little man was pretty unsettled. No matter what we did we found it difficult to get him to sleep longer than a hour or so.

Today he has been pretty unsettled also.

A growth spurt, him finding his voice, some wind…he’s been pretty unsettled.

The one thing I have found in this is when you are stretched you grow. When we apply ourselves we grow. A new opportunity means growth. A new season means growth.

Lenten Reading

“After a long absence, the master of those three servants came back and settled up with them. The one given five thousand dollars showed him how he had doubled his investment. His master commended him: ‘Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.’ “The servant with the two thousand showed how he also had doubled his master’s investment. His master commended him: ‘Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.’ “The servant given one thousand said, ‘Master, I know you have high standards and hate careless ways, that you demand the best and make no allowances for error. I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place and secured your money. Here it is, safe and sound down to the last cent.’ “The master was furious. ‘That’s a terrible way to live! It’s criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least? The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have gotten a little interest. (Matthew 25:19-27 MSG)

This lent what atmosphere are you putting yourself in to promote growth?

Are you committed to grow what you have been given?

It’s not just a suggestion, it’s imperative.

Grow…

You never know what it could bring about to your next season…

A

Place: home

Poison: water

Favorite things: time at home with my husband…

Often I meet people who are really unsure of what they can do to make a difference in this world.

Yesterday the invisible children campaign sent social media into meltdown over Kony and child soldiers in Uganda.

I know people who work for invisible children and therefore trust the work of the organization, however I was confounded how many of my friends jumped on the bandwagon without truly knowing what they were promoting.

Had they researched the organization?

Had they done anything else than just forward a link?

Had they actually signed the petition, ordered the pack and written to their politicians?

It astounded me how many people were willing to plaster their Facebook with Kony paraphernalia yet weren’t willing to do due diligence to what they were promoting.

Lenten reading

“It’s also like a man going off on an extended trip. He called his servants together and delegated responsibilities. To one he gave five thousand dollars, to another two thousand, to a third one thousand, depending on their abilities. Then he left. Right off, the first servant went to work and doubled his master’s investment. The second did the same. But the man with the single thousand dug a hole and carefully buried his master’s money. (Matthew 25:14-18 MSG)

What is in your hand?

What talent/passion/gift have you been given?

Don’t follow this Lenten season what everyone else makes popular…find what the master has given you specifically and grow it.

That’s why Kony didn’t get a mention on my Facebook and the Khlong Toey football team did.

I’ve worked with them, I know them, I standby their work and would promote them with my life as talents.

Find something you can vouch for and then go for it…injustice is on every corner of our planet. Allow the Kony phenomenon to propel you towards your own revolution.

Mine is Thailand?

What’s yours?

A

Place: hairdressers

Poison: white with one

Favorite things: photo shoot with max this afternoon.

After months of not getting my hair done, I am at last indulging and getting ready for a family photo shoot this afternoon.

As I sit here though, my first moment alone in months, without a pregnant belly, without my husband, without my child…I am divinely distracted.

I can’t stop thinking about the faithfulness of God and everything that has happened in such a short time.

Dreams I have contemplated year after year have finally come true. Desires of my heart have been fulfilled.

There is a part of my heart that feels so content that you could leave me in my beach shack and Id hang out with my family there forever and just be…

Lenten reading

“God’s kingdom is like ten young virgins who took oil lamps and went out to greet the bridegroom. Five were silly and five were smart. The silly virgins took lamps, but no extra oil. The smart virgins took jars of oil to feed their lamps. The bridegroom didn’t show up when they expected him, and they all fell asleep. (Matthew 25:1-5 MSG)

We were all created for so much more than the dreams we hold in our heart for our lives.

The divine design on your life is full of purpose.

If you are distracted by the world of your dreams, take a step back an become divinely distracted.

What is God doing to bring about his purposes and plans in your life…

Don’t fall asleep, find a place of hunger and distract your self divinely.

You might be totally surprised that the direction God is leading you is way beyond anything you could have hoped or dreamed of…

Distracted much?