30
July

Sounds of Summer…

Ones I Savor…

  • When Carson says, “That’s the bomb!”
  • When Campbell says, “That’s a gweat idea!”
  • “Tell me about this new church…”
  • “Your table’s ready…”
  • “I enjoy reading your blog”
  • the signal on my phone that indicates I have a new text message
  • “Happy Birthday to you!”
  • SPLASH!
  • Lots of laughter
  • the breeze off the ocean (haven’t heard it often enough)
  • anything with the word NewSpring in it (Oh, btw – the next meeting for NewSpring Florence is this Sunday night, August 3, at 6:30 at the Baptist Collegiate Ministries (BCM) building at FMU; childcare will be provided. I am pumped up; see you there. Did you love my not-so-subtle plug?)
  • the sound of pages turning in an awesome summer read (Have you read The Shack yet? I finally mustered the courage, and it was well worth the difficulty of the first six chapters. First book I think I’ve ever read that gave me sweet dreams – just thinking about how good He is…)

Ones I’m not Diggin’ so much…

  • “MaaaaaaaaaMaaaaaaaaaaaa!” followed by an incriminating report (I am sure that I was a tattler as a child. I don’t remember being one, but given my personality I am sure that I was one. And I do hereby publicly repent for all of the anguish I caused my parents. It is honestly about to get the best of me!)
  • “I’m bored.”
  • Cow-thon or Caw-thorn (mispronunciations of our last name)
  • “Mama, I gotta go potty” when we’re in a restaurant, in a car, and especially on a bus (shaky, bumpy potty, for sure)
  • “Hello, may I speak to Sheila?” (my real name – Who is she?)
  • “What are we going to do fun today? tonight? in the morning? tomorrow?”
  • Wailing
  • The sound of my temper revving to indicate that my engine is low on patience. I was runnin’ hot today, and it was not wise to stay at home all day with my two sweet ones…

What’s your summer sounding like?

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18
July

Buckle up, baby!

Sorry for the most depressing post last time, but whoa! thank you for your prayers! It’s a little weird hanging out your heart for everybody to see, and I’ve even questioned whether I should have put it out there. But you soooo blessed me with your love, and I am so thankful for you!! I am glad I shared – even if it was a little uncomfortable. The situation is better a hundred-fold since Monday, so you rock…

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! The NewSpring meeting was tonight!!! We’re taking a bus trip up to a service in Anderson and to check out the Greenville campus on July 27. Get on the bus!!! I was ready to jump on the bus tonight, baby! We’re also having a launch team meeting on August 3. Strap me in ’cause I am ready to go.

You really don’t have to stop reading my blog because you think I am bipolar. I’m not really. Given to extremes – I’ll give you that.

It has been a rollercoaster week, for sure. But you know, my low and my high can happen in the same five-day time period because my God is constant and faithful. My circumstances change, but He does not. He hears my cries, and the peace and patience and hope He poured out over the church start process that has been two years now is the same peace and patience and hope He is issuing in this other situation. His goodness is always sweet, even in the bitterest of places…

And sometimes I wonder if I come across as too preachy or in-your-face or try to ram God down your throat, but I can’t not tell how He changes my life everyday.

My goal is always to shoot straight with you, and He is straight-up the best thing that has ever happened to me.

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14
July

Beside Myself…

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! I am about to jump out of my skin this morning! Please reread this post from a while ago before you continue reading; it has some background stuff that you need to know…

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! The wait is truly almost over! NewSpring Florence is having its first informational meeting this Thursday night – July 17- at 6:30 at the Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM) building at Francis Marion University. If you live anywhere in the Pee Dee and have interest in checking out this new fellowship coming to Flotown, please make plans to be there (no childcare available for this meeting). You can also check out the church website (check out the old site while the new one is under construction) for more info.

My family and I are beyond excited to finally be a part of the church family we feel God has had in mind for us for a long time (technically before the beginning of time, but you know what I mean…). We are living in anticipation of what God is going to do in this area through this body of believers, and we are praying for such a mind-blowing move of God through the Church (big C) that the Pee Dee is changed in a very good way. Praying for unity. Praying for a singular focus. Praying that the name of Jesus will be made famous in this place.

Humbled to even be allowed to see what He is about to do…

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27
May

MMMBOP

Any Hanson fans in the house? Okay, not here either, but here’s my MMMemorial Day recap:

  • Madness at the grocery store

  • More work done in our yard and around our house than in a while

  • Masterful painters working on our porches

  • Makin’ my labor-intensive potato salad

  • Marathon of ragin‘ volleyball games this afternoon – some stellar performances out there!

  • Massive volleyball players towering over me

  • Multiple trips through the food line (bad – very, very bad)

  • Much fun with an easy crowd of new and familiar faces

  • My cuties and many others hard at play for hours

  • Many thanks to our gracious host and hostess

  • Maneuvering the minefield of meltdowns before bed

  • Meticulous surgery on a splinter in a tender heel – navigating the needle oh so gingerly

  • Monsters in the bathroom and menacing smoke detectors (bathtime/bedtime fears)

  • Moon pie, baby! (love them) – DEEEEEElectable!

  • Marvelous day

You know, if I keep up this nutball English teacher mania, I’m going to have to write a bloody haiku.

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16
May

One of those nights…

Last night was one of those nights. And they don’t happen often, but it was one of those idyllic nights where there were six little people running around the back yard. Their imaginations firing like the sparks of busy fireflies. No arguing. No tattling. No complaining. No crying. No requests for random household items like a stapler, spoons, candles, pipe cleaners, pom poms, or lemon juice – they usually come up with some stuff. And most impressive no pitiful faces begging for bathing suits and popsicles. They were quite content with the dirt, the toys that were already out there, and most importantly each other.

I was inside, catching glimpses of their merriment and mischief through the kitchen windows. I prepared a quick dinner, and kept it warm while trying to allow them to play as long as possible. I ironed school clothes for this morning and tried to get the house in order.

Chris cut shrubs and thoughtfully considered the best places to plant our new blueberry bushes (very excited about them though they don’t bear fruit until the third season). The birds that frequent our feeder lined our fence and whistled “Zippedy doo da” in perfect unison; all of our plants spontaneously burst into bloom, and there was world peace for that span of time – okay I’m getting a little carried away.

It was just such a nice evening. Simple. Nothing planned; it just happened. A gift.

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