Month: February 2018

One of my many loves is a really good book.  The kind of “you can’t put it down book.” Chandler has my same love of books and was really the one who pushed me to read more.  She would read a great book, tell me to read it then if it was made into a movie we would have a “date night” for comparison. I love that she loves to read, and I love that we can share books and stories about them.  Carrington was unaware of Chandler and I’s passion for a good book up until last night and has declared she is joining this book club as well.  HAHA Come on! The more the merrier.  I haven’t been great about recording the books I have read in the past so I thought this would be a fun way to keep track and share what we have read that we love. I saw another blogger Mix and Match Mama who also loves to read, she reads several books a month. I wish I had that kind of time, but for now I will read as I can and share it here.  This book I am sharing today, I found through the above blog so the credit goes to her for his great find.
I prefer books that can literally transform me into another world. I want to know the characters, relate to them on some level and when I close the book I love nothing more than to find someone else who will read it so we can talk about all the details that only those who read the book will understand. It’s like a secret world, and maybe I like it there because unlike every other part of my life, this part is mine, private from everyone else.  With the number of people we have in our home, very little of myself is private and secure.  Even when the kids were very young, I spent most of the summer sitting outside while they played completely engulfed in another world.  Scott laughs at me that a good book can make me laugh, it can make me angry, I have had to close a few and ball my eyes out only to pick it back up. 
Enough about my love of books, let me get to this book! It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover. I have never heard of her until this book.  My initial reaction to the first few chapters was a little, so so. I initially thought, ok, this will be a light read about two people who fall in love and live happily ever after.  Well let me just tell you, somewhere in the middle, things changed. The twists, and turns and the ah ha moments were fun.  I found myself eager for bed time (which is when I do most of my reading) because I needed to know what happened next.  I fell in love with each character, could identify in ways I didn’t expect at all, and longed to read the ending but couldn’t decide which scenario I liked the best.  I don’t want to spoil any details, I will just take a quote from the back of the book.  “Sometimes it is the one who loves you who hurts you the most.” There are light moments, there are heavy moments but I could NOT wait to let Chandler read this one. There are a few R rated moments in the book but what she could learn from the book and Lily’s, the main characters, relationships outweighs that.  She is half way through the book and I gave it to her last night.  So it’s making our “can’t put it down list” for sure! Take some time and check this book out.  You won’t be disappointed. 


Until next time, 
Courtney

I have created my fair share of Valentine boxes! With 6 kids, you can imagine that every year of each of their elementary grades on February 14th they get to bring a “box” created at home to hold all the candy and cards they will receive from friends.  I’ll do the math…
6 (kids) x 6 (elementary years each) = 36 boxes!
Some years I, “we” created masterpieces. Some years, they were lucky to bring in a ziplock bag.  So with 36 boxes, let’s look at the math on how many cards they have signed, or I have signed, or I have screamed about getting signed…
6 (kids) x 24 (avg. # of classmates) x 6 (years) =864!!!
Is that possible? I haven’t quite hit that number yet because number 6 is in kindergarten so I still have 5 years ahead of me. But as I sat with him on Sunday and we scoured through Pinterest, where was this gem when my older kids wanted special boxes, we laughed and talked about all the candy and cards he would receive. He guessed what each of his friends would be bringing, Fun dips, Spiderman, Barbie, Frozen and Ninja turtles all made the list. His excitement was palpable, and I was savoring this moment with him and my glue gun (I secretly LOVE being crafty).  Wasn’t I just making 3 and 4 boxes at a time when the older ones were little? How did time go so fast that those moments are gone?

As I reflect on all of the hours, boxes and cards I have had the “pleasure” of creating with my kids I feel a piece of my heart break this Valentines Day knowing that for most of them this time has come to an end, and I am not sure I truly cherished it like I should have.  There were years that it was one more thing on my “to do” list, often forgotten until the night before when only Walgreens or Walmart was still open to grab the left over knock off Mickey Mouse cards.  It was last minute baking of cupcakes or buying them at the store and plating them,  decorating the house a little before they came home from school and bags filled with sweetheart candies and a little stuffed bear holding a heart professing my love for them.  But guess what…Valentines Day didn’t make me love them more,  they knew I loved them and this day was no different than what everyday should be like.  We should freely be giving our hearts, kindness and love to the ones we love, even others who are hard to love.  God, freely gives us His love, His heart, and His Spirit. The good news is we don’t have to create a special box to accept it, He loves us just as we are. We don’t have to have fancy cards to exchange, our openness, our hearts is enough in exchange.  His life was the ultimate exchange and he did that for us, He has set the example of what true love looks like.

So if you are a mom of younger kids, enjoy making those boxes, though it can be a little daunting this too WILL pass and you will long for the moments of making a shoe box into a superhero or a princess. Buy next years cards this year so when February 13th at midnight rolls around you have an extra stash for when you just didn’t get it all done.
Cut yourself some slack and know that love is freely given by our Savior, so accept it, put it in your adult Valentine box aka your heart and bask in the peace and joy He can provide everyday and not just on Valentines Day. Lastly, share this love with all those around you.

I hope that each of you have a Happy Valentines Day, enjoy your significant other, your friends, your chocolates and most importantly the moments you have with your kids.

Until Next Time,
Courtney

Are you “Fully Alive?” I’m currently attending a bible study with that title which is on the gospel of Mark and each week the teacher is digging deep into the accounts of Jesus and the determination and commitment He had to reveal who he was to the people, most importantly to the disciples He had chosen. Each week I am astounded by God speaking to me. I am sure I am not alone, He is making sure each woman in the room is hearing what she needs to hear. But are we listening? Do we hear it on Wednesdays,  walk away from that hour and forget exactly what He impressed on our hearts? I know I have done that time and time again, whether it was in bible study, church or through prayer.  I heard him, I was convinced I would listen, yet within hours or days Satan had convinced me otherwise.  Not anymore! It has been brought to my attention in not so subtle ways for the past 15 years that God has wanted me to write. Now is that a book, this blog, in a private journal, I am still not 100% sure. What I am sure of is that I can no longer blatantly disobey. I have spent the last two weeks combing through every journal I have, every bible study notebook I have and it has been revealed to me over and over again that I need to surrender to His calling for my life.  I started this blog for this very reason and to share our families adventures, some good others not, yet I have consistently hesitated when it was time to put fingers on the keyboard.  How many times have you felt called to something yet you let fear, doubt, feelings of not being good enough cloud your judgment ? As I sit and marvel at the talented Winter Olympians I can’t help but wonder how many times they have felt “not good enough.” How many times have they fallen and had to get up? What makes them different from you and I? Clearly they were created with physical talents, but they also have a grit and determination that we all have, but are we using it? Is it easier to just quit?
In my first day of reviewing my past 15 years of studies and notes this was just a fraction of what stood out to me.

Believing God Bible Study 2005, author Beth Moore:

“We have a calling on our lives, our unbelief is the 1st obstacle to that calling.”  Romans 4:20-21
When I took this note, I was brand new in my Christian walk.  I was raised in the church, I attended Catholic school so I had been heavily influenced in all areas of that religion, and it was beautiful.  I was truly beginning to study the Bible and my relationship with God changed from one of listener and performer to one of study and relationship.  I had NO clue what this calling could be, and I was full of unbelief. Are you standing in your own way? Are you standing in God’s way?

“One reason why God may not be using your mouth, is because of all the times you have misused it” Proverbs 18:21
Can we just take a moment of silence right now? When I read this, I literally laughed out loud!   I am of Cajun French/German decent. I mean if God truly wants me to watch my mouth my parents should have been handed a muzzle along with the receiving blanket when I was born.  I am quick to talk, quick to “tell you like it is” and it can be one of my best qualities, and sadly one of my worst.  I don’t meet a stranger that I don’t learn something about.  I am typically way too honest and have genuinely prayed to keep my mouth shut. I have all but begged God to make me “meek and mild,” He hasn’t answered that prayer yet.  I am constantly running through my mind “should I say that?” So if you know me, you may be shocked to hear that 75% of the time I am actually hearing my earthy father say to me, “Courtney, think before you speak!” Maybe this would be a good time to apologize for my mouth to anyone whom it has ever offended. I am a work in progress… and this one may take a while.

“Easy lives don’t make don’t make great stories. Your life in Christ is meant to be a great story.” 
This needs a much longer explanation than I will share here. Our stories are unique,  unbelievable, some hilarious and others gut wrenching. Our lives haven’t been “easy” at all.  Together Scott and I have lost parents, grandparents, raised kids (ours and others), lost a house in a natural disaster, moved 14 times, faced numerous surgeries, dealt with cancer, family addiction, heartbreak with children yet  through it all we have had inexplicable blessings and joys. So this story Christ has created has been quite the ride so far, but I have not always been willing to share it. Which brings me to this final quote.

“You have to fear God more than what He has called you to do. Do what your scared of to get over the fear.” Proverbs 1:7
Clearly I haven’t had the “fear of God” part figured out.  He isn’t scary, he doesn’t want me to hide from him under the covers like a child scared of the dark but he does expect me to respect Him and know he is in control.  Just as our kids need to know we love them, a healthy fear of “what would my parents do/think if I made this decision” is something we all want our kids to have.  I am guilty of being more scared of the “calling” than the “Caller.”  Which is what has led me to jump back on my blog and write. If this isn’t the platform He wants me to be using, He will work that out.

For now, I will proceed with what I am being led to do and pray that what I write is always directed back to what He has done and IS doing in my families life.

I will leave with thoughts for you to ponder and pray about:
*What is your calling on your life? Do you know? If not, go to Him in prayer, ask fellow friends and mentors what they see in you. Seek this and you will find it. Just don’t take 15 years to listen!
*What is your mouth speaking? Ugh… I just need some partners in this one,  I certainly wouldn’t call others out for this sin I so readily embrace.
*Is your life “easy?” I doubt it, nothing is really “easy” anymore. Do you have a story to share that could be a blessing to others? Share it! We have to start living in communion with one another not just sharing all the “positive” Facebook worthy moments but also the difficult ones.  We need each other in the good, the bad and the ugly.  Knowing your not alone, can bring such healing

Finally, I spent some time creating a new look for this site, will you follow my blog?  Share it with others and comment if you are touched by anything I post.  I am asking for this to be a way that I am held accountable to what God is asking me to do, you can’t quit when others know you are committed.

Thanks for reading,
Until next time!
Courtney