Short & Sweet: cleaning carpet grace

I rose early this morning because I forgot to turn the 5:30 alarm off from yesterday. Instead of falling back to sleep, my daughter also heard the alarm, and beckoned my attention. Tired and groggy, we made our way to the kitchen to eat breakfast and afterward I put her back in the crib for "quiet time" because she was in rare form. I wasn't in a very pleasant mood myself. I made my way back to the kitchen table and prayed that God would give me grace and mercy to get through the long day ahead and that I might show grace to my daughter.

An hour later, the dog decided that the family room downstairs was as good a place as any to take a dump. He never does this, so you can imagine the frustration. Meanwhile, my daughter is throwing a fit because she's over quiet time. I get her out of bed and take her downstairs with me. She hands me paper towels as I scrub stains out of the carpet. I wasn't feeling God's grace or mercy as I tried to avoid breathing in the stench made ten times more pungent by pregnancy.

I voiced my opinions to God as I cleaned the carpet with tested patience.

How is this grace on an already difficult and early morning with a thousand other things on the list to prepare for next week's vacation? Now I can't get the shopping done this morning because here I am trying to clean this carpet. Now nothing is going to go right today. My day is ruined! 

Sometimes my prayers to God, which are often in the form of a one-sided conversation, come across completely dramatic. Though impatient and frustrated, and though shopping would have to wait until after my daughter had her nap, grace happened. We made our way upstairs and I let her have a snack as I washed dishes. Sitting down her snack, something she rarely does, she walked over and blew kisses to me. I stopped washing dishes and bent down to blow kisses back, and that's when she spread out her little arms and wrapped them around my neck.

Today, that moment, was the first time she offered both a hug and a kiss voluntarily, and you bet my eyes were a little misty as I stood back up and continued washing dishes. This was grace, and how beautiful when God's grace is represented from the actions of a child.

While We're Waiting

Little Hughes has been on the move the last few days. On Saturday, I took the lovely glucose test and am hoping for good results. Adding one more twist to the list of my life is unneeded and may lead to a meltdown. I'm doing well, like an unusual calm within a storm, but I know the lightning could strike at anytime, the thunder roar, the rain soak, and the wind test my balance. Deep breaths, coffee, and whispered prayers have helped, but of course, reading and hearing stories and encouragement from those who've been there get me through these crazy hormones-out-of-whack, life-spinning-in-its-own-direction, and 3rd-trimester-trouble moments. That said, here are the reads that resonated with me this week.

The first is a tear jerker if you're a mom, the second and third give perspective on rough days, the fourth allowed me to breath a sigh of relief, and the fifth is a lighter read with a thought provoking ending. Enjoy!

If God Makes You A Mommy by Christi Gee

Life Is Madness. Play Music. Eat Donuts. Dance. Laugh. by Joy

When Today Just Doesn't Go Your Way by Emily Lofgren

Having A Second Child Made Me A Better Mom by Amanda Hughes

A Crash Course In Honeymoon Survival by Sara Manning Peskin

Short & Sweet: Chris Marlow Book

Upon receiving the book, "Doing Good Is Simple", I started by scoping out the premise. I've always believed that doing good doesn't have to be difficult. It might look like taking ornaments to elderly folk in a nursing home, gifting toys to Angel Tree, or helping at a soup kitchen. However, the idea of "simple" encompassing such a major global issue as poverty and orphaned children seems impossible. I was skeptical as to what author Chris Marlow would offer to make global issues seem less daunting and paralyzing. After reading this book, I can say with certainty that global issues can be fought without changing a whole lot to how you currently live. You don't have to travel to Africa or Haiti to make a change, and you don't have write a check every month, unless, of course, that's the direction God leads you. Chris Marlow challenges readers with the idea that simple is significant, and he uses scripture throughout the book to defend these ideas. He also shares his story of being an orphan which powerfully places the reader into his shoes rather than focusing on countless facts.

Another reason I was skeptical to read this book was because I assumed he would attempt to make a "donate to my organization and help alleviate poverty" claim. Anyone who knows me will quickly raise their hand on the understanding that I don't like being told what to do. Ask my parents, my siblings, my husband. Ordering me to do something often leads to bull-headedness. It's a struggle. So while reading this book, I was apprehensive whilst waiting for Marlow to subtly sneak supporting his cause, his passion, his organization Help One Now, and his mission within the pages of his book. Marlow doesn't do this in any part of the book. In fact, there is one point in which he suggests choosing an organization that works best for your own family. He also suggests focusing on your own passions to make good changes in the world. That may look like writing, sewing, baking, building, cleaning, or farming.

This book is a must read for anyone looking to make a difference in the world but struggling to know how to do so. It's for the mom who feels she doesn't have the time to do anything worthwhile. It's for the man struggling to lead his home. It's for the college student considering God's purpose for their life. It's for you.

If you are interested in reading this book, click on the picture to preorder a copy. If you preorder before the book comes out on August 2nd, you'll receive a bunch of resources: an ebook, access to podcasts, writings from other authors, and more!

While We're Waiting

5 Ways To Prepare Your Heart For Back To School by Angela Richter 

Sunday Tea Time: You'll Adore This Family Tradition by Jenn Rych  

Handprints and Hydrangeas: Giving and Getting by Kristin 

Decisions, Decisions by Karen Ehman 

Pico De Gallo And Prayers by Kris Camealy 

Short & Sweet: live simply, serve daily

Live simply and serve daily.

Sometimes we must embrace the mess of the moment while desire remains on hold.

When our eyes gloss over at the simply living within our lives, we must pray for new vision. Simply living requires facing those tasks, approaching them with ready hands and a willing heart, and giving ourselves to serving.

We have desires that make us come alive, give us purpose, and allow us to process the world. These passions, these desires, are often an opportunity to give. However, desire and passion become dull and meaningless when we fail to live simply and fully. Therefore, we must set them aside for a season in order that we might bring a greater offering to the table.

We must...
clean the laundry room, 
bake bread,
speak to a stranger,
wait patiently,
color with our children,
listen,
encourage. 
serve and give to others.

We weren't created only to accomplish what we find most important and fulfilling in our lives. We were created to serve and give fully in every offering, both significant and small. Oftentimes, the small offerings served with a sweet spirit become significant.

Jesus washed his disciples feet. This was significant because the Messiah was humbly serving, but the act itself was small. The act of washing feet before entering an establishment was a common and often unnoticed task. Servants who took on this task weren't looked upon with admiration. They washed the caked dirt from grass-stained, calloused, pungent feet. They served and did so without recognition. We must do the same. We must set aside what boasts ourselves so that we might serve others and Christ.

We must live simply and serve daily.

While We're Waiting

Our ever-growing toddler is getting difficult to carry. According to friends, I don't look that pregnant, but I sure feel it, and it's hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that this little one will be here in a couple more months. We have yet to set ourselves on any names-boy or girl, but over the weekend my mom gave me a huge bag of boy's clothing she found at a yard sale with a wide range of outfits for 0-12 months. Who thinks she's banking on a boy?

While we're waiting, here are some links for you.

For any of you zucchini-lovers, you'll want to click on the first link for a delicious recipe. Our garden has been producing zucchini like crazy, all from one plant, so I've been making zucchini everything, and this is by far my favorite recipe because it's extremely easy to make as well as delicious. I added two cloves of grated garlic while cooking the rice to give it more flavor.

Enjoy!

Cheesy Zucchini Rice by The Recipe Critic

No One Is Beyond The Reach Of Truth by Lysa Terkeurst

Freedom From Shame Jeannie Cunnion

For The Mom {young or old} Who Feels Lonely by Christy Fitzwater

What I Want To Tell Moms (what I wish I would have known sooner) by Sarah Mae

Short & Sweet: Simple Days

Yesterday, my little girl ate yellow squash without disdain, and it was a proud MOMent since she refuses vegetables on a daily basis. In true mama fashion, I couldn't help but brag on such progress, because it came so unexpectedly. Placing a short post on Facebook, someone soon commented saying, "sometimes it's the little things."

How true. The little things unexpectedly grab us and remind us to focus on the progress-making. When I put my daughter to bed last night, I took a few minutes to remind her and myself of all the little things, the seemingly insignificant things that are actually important and crucial, that we had accomplished that day, including my burning of a grilled cheese because my focus was on cleaning up spilled milk.

Her little eyes stared up at me as she quietly listened to me recall the events that made up our day, her quietude another "little thing" to add to the list when she typically squirms and fusses before bed. As I spoke of our day, the cataracts that clogged my vision cleared and I realized that such a simple Tuesday would likely be the most significant day of the week in the life of my one year old, thus making it my most significant day as well.

There were no bells and whistles to our Tuesday. It was a day at home filled with chores and fun and learning, but that day is one I hope to never forget. It was a day that God had made, and we were thankful and joyful. Sometimes our simplest days are most crucial in the grandeur of life.

For anyone who wishes a seemingly unimportant day could hold more meaning, I'd recommend Emily Freeman's book, Simply Tuesday: Small-Moment Living in a Fast-Moving World, in which Emily offers her perspective on slowing down, a practice difficult for many, especially myself.