Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Thursday, January 23, 2014

"I didn't realize all that was going on and we never noticed."

 "In Thorton Wilder's play Our Town a deeply poignant scene takes place in a graveyard. Emily, still longing for the life she has just left, wishes to revisit one ordinary, "unimportant" day in her life. When she gets her wish, she realizes how much the living take for granted. 
Eventually her visit is too much for her to bear. "'I didn't realize', she confesses mournfully, 'all that was going on and we never noticed...Good by, world. Good-by, Grover's Corners...Mama and Papa. Good by to clocks ticking...and Mama's sunflowers. And food and coffee. And new ironed dresses and hot baths...and sleeping and waking up'
 
 
On our new path we seek everyday epiphanies--occasions in which we can experience the sacred in the ordinary--and come to the awakening, as Emily finally does, that we cannot longer afford to throw away even one 'unimportant' day by not noticing the wonder of it all."
-Sarah Ban Breathnach  (Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy) 

         Monday, I had the pleasure of spending the weekday hubby and all four of my children. MLK day meant a day off for us all! I had a doctor's appointment in the morning and then did a little thrift store shopping, ( it was 1/2 off day and I would be foolish to miss such a sale). I was excited to find quite a few cute things that I either needed or wanted for myself and the kids. 
      
         Once I returned home, I found hubby had done some dishes and was watching Martin Luther Kings' I Have a Dream speech. All four of the kids were sitting on his lap watching it with him. It was his way of making sure they understood the importance of MLK and why exactly they were getting a day off of school.
        
       After a while, I found bunch of old Cosby Show episodes on You Tube and we all started to clean up as we watched re-run after re-run. Sweeping, wiping things down, putting clothes away. We chuckled. We stood in the middle of the floor with broom in hand and shook our head. After hilarious scenes we glanced at each other and smiled. We answered questions the kids had about why Cliff said that to Claire and why Vanessa or Theo were in big trouble. 
        
     The show brought back so many memories for my husband and I. However, we have only recently introduced the show to the kids, which makes it even more exciting because we are seeing them enjoy it as we did in our childhood. I think I enjoyed the show even more since I am now a parent and can appreciate Cliff and Claire's firm yet loving, and sometimes hilarious approach to parenting. 
        
      In the midst of cleaning and watching the Huxtables, I thought to myself, "This is so nice. I have my own family." I felt like Emily in Our Town realizing that there is something wonderful going on around me right here in the ordinariness of my "unimportant" days. As I move deeper into this new year, I plan on intentionally grabbing hold of and enjoying more of these wonderful things.


Tuesday, January 14, 2014

My guy and his girls.


These four are the king and princesses of silly-faced photos!

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Commitment

There is a  message that has been on repeat in my house.

The principals seem to be just the kick in the rear I need during this very pivotal time. You can watch the message below and see for yourself how Pastor T.D. Jakes really unfolds and drives home the concept of reciprocity. You will find that the principals can be applied to every area of life; family, church, work, dreams, goals, etc!

Enjoy and let me know what you think!

 

Monday, January 6, 2014

Fulfill Your Purpose

Last Spring, I was asked to speak in Bloomington, IL for a youth service. Hubby was so sweet that weekend, taking me to Bloomington a day early so I could spend time preparing and stay in the hotel overnight alone. 

He sat with the kids during the service as I spoke on the topic of Purpose. I enjoy bringing things out of God's word that inspire and empower other people to go a little further with Him. I'm always excited when a door opens for me to do so. You will see in the video that Noah wasn't quite as inspired as the rest us. However, I felt so blessed to have my family in the audience supporting me;) 

I looked back at this video today and am praying that the Lord will continually bring me to new levels of fulfilling my purpose in 2014. I pray the same happens for you!

 

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Cheers


I feel very blessed as I reflect on this holiday season. We enjoyed family, friends, food, and fun! The Lord provided everything we needed and so much of what we wanted.  I was especially elated to be able to spend time with my nieces, who came in from Virginia. I am totally blown away at how much they have grown! Both of them are growing into beautiful young women.

We continued our family tradition of Chinese food on Christmas Eve and sleeping in on New Year's Day! Here are some photos of our Thanksgiving Day table, Christmas tree buying and trimming, and some of  the "fam" on Christmas Eve.

                                     Halle reaching for the Thanksgiving food. She was ready to eat.

Hubby picked out a really tall fraser fir tree at Home Depot.

"Halle-girl" (as we like to call her).

Noelle using the step stool to get towards the top of the tree.

Bella decorating in her reindeer ears.


Me with all my "babies." Halle  is the one sleep on the couch underneath the pink coat.

                                    Alyssa, 13, Noah, 4, Noelle, 8, Bella, 6, and Laila, 14

And, here is one more, just because it is one of my favorite photos of me and my boo from 2013;) Of course, we both hope to be even more in love and much slimmer in our 2014 photos!

Thanks to all of you who have checked in on my blog this year. I pray that your 2014 is full of love, peace, health, and prosperity. Happy New Year!