Skip to main content

Halfway through August


August 10: 3 hard eucharisteo
  • #250: Celebrating my youngest brother's marriage while I keep waiting for my own
  • #251: Choosing to praise God anytime the feelings of longing or jealousy come
  • #252: Trusting God when people I love really hurt in the face of unanswered prayers
  • #253: Believing that both the good and the bad really are God's goodness and love for each one of us today
August 11: 3 gifts of metal
  • #254: The espresso machine at Starbucks
  • #255: Patrick and Haley's wedding rings
  • #256: Roller coasters at Cedar Point! (This was technically from the 12th, but I can't resist counting it here)
#257: Singing and dancing along to the Rio love song at the end of the wedding

#258: A new sister

#259: Chipotle, followed by a chocolate dipped cone from Dairy Queen and then the hot tub

August 12: 3 gifts half-hidden
  • #260: Roads that we would never see if the GPS didn't warn us to be watching
  • #261: Quality time with family, found waiting in line
  • #262: The moment when the coaster crests the hill and starts down the other side, leaving me feeling weightless as I lift up in the seat and the cart plunges down
August 13: 3 gifts in green
  • #263: Highways signs giving us the Chicago countdown from Ohio
  • #264: Grass starting to grow again along the road
  • #265: The body pillow, fluffy across my bed at home, inviting me back at the end of a weekend away
#266: Dinner at Chick Fil A on the way home. Yum!

August 14: A gift in a ring, curve, sphere
  • #267: Serving steaming hot sausage gravy from the big ring of a metal pot to hungry people in need
#268: 7 clients in the same day

#269: 2 new clients who didn't come, giving me extra time to comfort someone else who was in great need

#270: My "on" week with every-other-week clients and celebrating their wonderful progress

August 15: 3 gifts ugly-beautiful
  • #271: My clients who are struggling to manage their emotions and suffering
  • #272: The hurt of divorce
  • #273: Trusting God when you can't see or understand what He's doing
  • #274: Comforting those who mourn
August 16: 3 gifts of family
  • #275: Mandy's birthday lunch on the 15th and special time to connect
  • #276: Sitting around the table playing Scooch and playful teasing
  • #277: Making coffee for Patrick in exchange for a soft pretzel he made for me
  • #278: Dinner where we all cram around the table, sitting close to one another and talking loud
August 17: 3 gifts in the morning
  • #279: Runs with Lily in the forest preserve and how excited she gets
  • #280: Being surprised by another yellow lab on a walk
  • #281: Cooking breakfast and savoring every bite while I sip coffee and read the paper
  • #282: Meeting a friend
  • #283: Driving with the windows down and the fresh air streaming in
  • #284: Coming home to a house full of family and friends
#285: When I forgot to pray for my client at the end of our session and they asked me, "Aren't you going to pray for me?"

#286: "Yes, I am going to pray for you. That's my favorite part. Thank you for reminding me."

#287: Being able to pray authentically over a client in pain over an unfulfilled longing with a deep empathy from my own experience with unanswered prayers.

#288: My part-time job in full-partnership with God that gives me great joy

#289: My life so rich and so blessed

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Heart Revival

Hey you guys,

It's been almost two years since my last post. What?!

I know some of you probably forgot that I even used to do this, but I hope that you're as excited as I am that I'm coming back to blogging. It's a new season and God has been stirring up lots of creativity and courage in me recently. I'm happy to tell you all about it.

In case you missed it, I became a mom to sweet Elias last summer. In fact, he is about to turn 1 year old on Monday and I can't believe it! Guys, he is absolutely the sweetest, calmest and most delightful baby you can ever imagine and I still tear up sometimes in gratitude when I remember that he is my little boy.

One of my life dreams to be a stay-at-home mama has been partially fulfilled in that I only work three days a week during the school year. I work 2 1/2 days at RCS Elementary School and it is an amazing place. Shortly after I got there, they put me in charge of the two chapel services that happen each week. Guess what? …
1 comment
Read more

Transition, transition, transition

Wow, it's already the middle of September! This past month has flown by for me.









I just finished my fifth week of the new school year.

I am loving The Quiet Collection by Emily P Freeman to help me have a sane September. (This blog post appearing is a partial fruit from one of those devotions which encouraged me to stop overthinking things and create.)

I'm remembering how vital my crock pot is if we want to have a hot dinner on a work day.

I have completed 8 of my 21 days of working out goal for this month!

I have done some hard stops for prayer, gazing on beauty, snuggling one of my loves and remembering how to breathe deeply.

One of the discoveries in this season of transition is that I have believed that busy=bad. My sweet, slow-paced summer schedule has been swapped out for one that is much more highly charged with many responsibilities and activities that are looking for a place within my week. I have found myself feeling shame over how full my schedule is and afraid that …
Post a Comment
Read more

A Summer to Thrive

I am finishing my last week of my summer work hours. I have been reflecting on my summer and how I spent it.

In May, I intentionally wrote a list of hopes, dreams and goals for my summer season. I used my daring greatly manifesto from Vulnerability, Courage, Shame, and Empathy: The Living Brave Continuing Education Course. I completed Jess Connolly's Summer to Thrive: A Guide to Chilling Out and Enjoying Summer. I also spent time in prayer and asked God to give me words and ideas that would define the season.

This week, I am taking time to review these things. I am also rereading what I journaled about my actual summer. I feel encouraged by what a great summer it has been and how many of my hopes I was able to engage!





I pursued wholeheartedness in a lot of ways. I read books, I cooked and baked, I listened to music and I spent a lot of sweet quality time with people I cherish. I enjoyed time in prayer and worship each week and adopted a much slower pace of life. I asked questions …
Post a Comment
Read more