friday favorites

1. motherhood is application

 I feel like a broken record when I say this, but Rachel Jankovic wrote yet another excellent article on motherhood titled, Motherhood is Application. My friend Jamie commented that maybe we should move to Idaho and become her BFF's. I couldn't agree more! She seems like such a wise woman that would be such an encouragement. Check out her article if you're a mother of any age. I can't recommend it enough!

2. garage sale

"I am afraid that the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare." - C.S. Lewis

We are having a MASSIVE garage sale tomorrow and ALL of the proceeds are being donated to World Vision to help with the East African drought crisis.
I read that Lewis quote last week and it just confirmed Patrick and I's decision to have this garage sale, along with other members from our church. We have inherited a lot of things, nice things, things that will be hard to let go of. But you can't take it with you when you die. And there are people dying right now because of the lack of water. I pray the little bit that we collect tomorrow will go a long way in helping with this crisis. 
To be inspired, I recommend reading what a friend of mine's daughter did. Saige and Meadow will be doing the same thing tomorrow at the garage sale. Check out this awesome story and give anyway you can! 


 3. free printable

Jamie sent this link to me this morning and I just had to share! Aren't these lunch box notes, adorable? They are from the blog: i should be mopping. You can bet Saige will be seeing these next week in her lunch box.

4. rain

Praise the Lord, it rained yesterday!!! We need it so desperately. I even went for a run in it, because it's been that long since it rained. It was glorious.

5. love & war & the sea in between 

 I have been listening to this album by Josh Garrels a lot lately. He definitely has a different sound, but I am enjoying it. I have particularly been enjoying the songs Flood Waters and Farther Along. Check it out - he has his album for free on his website.

Happy Friday!! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Drought

We are experiencing a major drought here in Texas. Apparently it is the third worst in Texas, since the early 1900's when they started recording the data. We live in one of the really dark red portions on the map.

We can't really afford to water our yard every day. The ground is so dry, that when I do, the water literally runs off the top of the grass and onto the driveway. It's maddening. I think, why don't you let it soak in, you silly-crunchy-dry-brown grass? And I'll say, "You need this water because you are dying." I have literally said it aloud a couple of times, hoping it hears me.
Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia are experiencing their worst drought in 60 years. The major difference is that they live off the land. I live in a suburb and buy my groceries from HEB with woman who teach blind students how to make pie. I have no concept of what it really means to suffer in a drought. I have no idea of what it would look like for my family to become refugees because we have to move to where the food is. This image from the drought has stuck with me since I read that article, because well, they're a family. They are just trying to survive.

Roberto Schmidt / AFP - Getty Images

Sarura, left, her husband Ali, right and their six children look bewildered as they arrive at the Dadaab refugee camp in northeastern Kenya on Monday. Ali and his family had just finished an eight-day-journey to the camp from their home in Somalia. 

My pastor talked about the drought this weekend in relation to this passage from Scripture:

"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven

and do not return there but water the earth,

making it bring forth and sprout,

giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;

it shall not return to me empty,

but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,

and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it." 

Isaiah 55:10-11

Although, I don't fully comprehend the magnitude of a drought since we get water from dammed up rivers, thanks to the industrialized country that we live in, it helped shed light on the image that is put forth in the above passage. God's Word does not return to Him empty. My dry, hard heart is softened with the reading of His Word. That's a promise. It's a mystery. It's faith. My pastor said it should be comforting to know that when it rains, all the ground has to do is receive it. It's just there, it didn't do anything to get the rain, but after time the rain begins to soak in and reach deeper. "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12 

I watered the yard last night and watched the water trickle down to the concrete and couldn't help but think of it being wasted. But praise God He doesn't see it that way. Out of His abundant grace, He continues to pour out His life-giving Word on my heart and nourish my spirit. He is extravagant in His love for His people and He promises that his Word will always accomplish its intended purpose. I am going to continue reading His Word in faith, believing that He will accomplish His purpose in my life, whether I feel like it is or not. I am thanking Him for the promise of nourishment found in His life-giving Word. 
I also believe that He will accomplish His purpose in the world. Today I am praying for the displaced people in the Horn of Africa. I am praying for rain, for food, for protection, not only from drought, but also from the various wars that ravage that part of the continent. I am praying that our country will respond on behalf of the 6 million people who desperately need food and water.
And I am thanking Him for softening my heart to see this need and for the reminder of how blessed we are to live in a nation that takes for granted the water that is so plentiful despite a drought of historical proportions.

WYPW

 I have total.writers.block. I have been trying to come up with things to write about. But I've got nada, zilch, zero. It's strange, because in the past, I would literally grab a sheet of paper when thoughts came to me, and now my brain seems to be void of ideas. I do have a theory though. Not only is it a minor case of writers block, but I also think exercising and blogging are inversely proportional. I have been pretty focused on my marathon training and overall fitness level which has actually been pretty fun. It's just that balance thing, ya know?

I celebrated my 32nd birthday on Tuesday. 

I started the morning out with a "boot camp" style workout. I met two of my friends at 5:30 am and I think it definitely set the tone for this year since I am training a marathon. I have heard that women can reach their physical peak after having babies - so here's to that! This was also my first birthday that I wasn't actually looking forward to. I think it is the beginning of "being okay" with getting older. Aging gracefully is a gift from God and I want to age well.  

For Mother's Day, my parents offered me 3 choices.

1. Massage - ahhh, now doesn't that sound nice?

2. Mani/pedi - of which I am in serious need of

3. To have my house cleaned by s.o.m.e.o.n.e. e.l.s.e

#3 took me some serious thought. Because in the past, I would've fought off thoughts like (I am somewhat kidding here), "A Proverbs 31 doesn't need someone else to clean their house," "What a waste of money," and "It's just going to get dirty again." But you get the idea. I had a hard time letting someone else see the grime and actually have to clean it. It just didn't feel right. Well that was then and this is now. After 3 kids, I am just about willing to let anyone do anything for me. So I enjoyed it thoroughly. When I walked in after they were done, it was so heavenly. Having it cleaned that thoroughly was like being given a clean slate. It was like the year of jubilee and now my head is above water. Now the challenge is to maintain it and not have to start from the bottom again. I am so thankful!  I just about lost it though when I saw Reed charge in with dirty shoes, but I maintained my composure. It's like getting the first dent in your new car - it was just a matter of time. 

Patrick is planning a trip to an area outside of Birmingham, which was badly hit by the recent tornadoes. And although I would love to be selfish and say we really need you here, babe, I know they need his help more. I have always admired that one of Patrick's love languages is service. And he's good at it. He's good at coming to the aid of those who need it and I am thankful for his perspective. The church's main goal for this trip is to build connections and relationships with the people there that will need long term help. If you are interested in knowing more, send me an email.

Here are some pictures of the devastation. 

Judge Not by Feeble Sense

   I woke up this morning, took my vitamins and had my cup of coffee. Just like I do every morning. Then I thought about the people of Japan. They woke up, if they slept at all, to utter devastation. Homes, loved ones, a sense of security all lost. It is unimaginable. Literally, I cannot fathom it. I have seen the photos and the footage of the water rushing over the land and the boats that look like toys in a bathtub. It is hard to imagine, much less digest. I am pretty much speechless so I am going to use the words of others this morning. William Cowper's poem, "God Moves in a Mysterious Way," came to mind:

God moves in a mysterious way,

His wonders to perform;

He plants his footsteps in the sea,

And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines

Of never failing skill,

He treasures up his bright designs,

And works his sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,

The clouds ye so much dread

are big with mercy, and shall break

In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,

But trust him for his grace;

Behind a frowning providence,

He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,

Unfolding every hour;

The bud may have a bitter taste,

But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err,

And scan his work in vain;

God is his own interpreter,

And he will make it plain.

And John Piper posted a prayer for Japan on his website yesterday. I would encourage you to go here to read it and to pray with me for the victims of the tsunami.

~cheryl~