Blessings and Raindrops

seeking joy in the midst of the ordinary

Archives for 2013

weekend smiles.

A few things that made me smile this weekend…
1. This dinner plus the most delicious homemade bread of all time. {Three of my Seven foods. Eaten alfresco. Awww…spring}. 

2. These hard workers helping daddy prep our garden {they had to take off their shirts to work. I don’t know why. It’s a boy thing}.

3. This look: halloween pajamas, drill and safety goggles. {Why would anyone consider wearing anything else to the grocery store with daddy}? 

4. This reminder during a much needed run. {These trees are bare and bleak but spring is coming and new life will be blooming soon. Much like the seasons in our life. Ecclesiastes 3:1}.

5. Fort construction chaos and giggles. 

fearless. part 2.

**catch up with fearless: part 1 here. 

I wanted to take a moment to expand upon Jen Hatmaker’s message at the Fearless Conference regarding rest.

It’s funny. I was looking back at posts from this time last year and I found posts about the book 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess and the concept of the Sabbath and the need for reducing the excess stuff in our lives in order to allow more of God’s kingdom to flow into the empty space {go on, take a walk down memory lane with me…here, and here and here}.

And, then, this past weekend, Jen reminds us of the need for the Sabbath. The need for restoration through rest. The need for spiritual nourishment.

“Spiritual nourishment is perishable. It’s good only for that day.” – Jen Hatmaker

Dave and I have false started many times with the implementation of a Sabbath in our lives. We have tried to protect just one day a week for rest and worship. We have even tried to deem one weekend each month Family Weekend.

We have tried.

Yet, we continually allow commitments and projects and deadlines to creep into that space. We continually allow the boundaries to come down and make exceptions for productivity. And, before we know it, we have long-forgotten about the sacredness of rest as a family.

It happens so innocently. Still, it happens again and again. We find ourselves coming up for air in the midst of the chaos of commitments and obligations and wonder how we found ourselves back here with this unquenchable thirst and need for refreshment.


Jen gently reminded us this weekend that at the very beginning of creation, God did not bless the day He created the heavens and the earth. Or the day He created the sky or the land or the sea. He didn’t bless the day He created fish or birds or all the animals on the earth. He didn’t even bless the day He created people in His own image.

Then, on the day when God rested from all of His work,  He “blessed the seventh day and declared it holy” {Genesis 2:3, emphasis mine}.

The day of rest was His very first blessing in history.

This day of rest is for us. It is a gift. It is precious and holy.

Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made to benefit people, and not people to benefit the Sabbath.” {Mark 2:27}

Therefore, Dave and I have committed to work deliberately in advance of this day. We will be fiercely protective of this day and draw boundaries to allow for our family to experience the blessings associated with a day that allows for our depleted cups to be filled once again. A day that allows for our focus to once again be moved to what is truly important. A day that allows for memories and laughter and joy to be created. A day that allows for moments of stillness. A day that allows us to push the pause button on the busyness and distractions and preoccupations that consume our energy.

A day that allows us to participate in the fullness of this life in the way that Christ longs for all of us to experience.

A day that allows more time together as a family. Outside. Laughing. Exploring. Worshipping our Mighty King of Kings.

Jen made an awesome analogy on Saturday. She compared parenting to a cup with a hole in the bottom. As parents, we continually pour in love and hope and courage and patience throughout each day. And this cup has to replenished.

There is no denying that we will grow weary without the sustenance that only our Savior can provide. Particularly if you have two toddler boys with a lot of energy and a stubborn streak inherited from their daddy {yep, I’m passing the blame here}. Especially then.

{I also love this post from The Tiny Twig …she talks about turning off our screens on the weekends. You should check it out if you’re looking for practical ways to be present}.

fearless. part 1.

Dave and I spent our Saturday in Tulsa in a room full of other adoptive parents learning and growing and worshipping the One who called us to this place, asking us to step out in faith to bring a precious child into our family through the blessing of adoption.

It was a truly awesome day. We both learned so much and came home refreshed and energized.

LOVED seeing my sweet friend, Kara! 

We know that God meant it when He asked us to care for the orphaned and oppressed. To seek justice. To be close to the brokenhearted. As Jen Hatmaker said, “when He told us to feed the hungry. He meant feed the hungry. Feed them food.”

Yet, the truth is that the need is immense. It is overwhelming, actually. The suffering is too much. The brokenness, the hurt…it is staggering. Orphan care is complicated and messy. There are no easy, clear-cut answers here.

That is why we felt so at home in a room with people that have the same passion for these children as we do. The understanding and compassion in the room was palpable.

And, I met my best friend that doesn’t know me, Jen Hatmaker. {I considered telling her that we have to be friends because we’re both just so funny and we like all of the same things…aaannnnd Dave advised against it. Instead I went with, “it’s so nice to meet you”}. She was AWESOME. Really. I’m not just saying that. Her words were powerful.

My real life friend, Chandra, and I with our newest BFF, Jen. 
Something that Jen said early on in the day really resonated with me. “A call to adopt is also a call to suffer with the orphan.” She explained that in adoption we will find unbelievable beauty, redemption, mercy, healing, and grace. Yet, we will also “get a front row seat to some serious suffering.” We will enter into the broken places with our beautiful adopted children, and we have to be willing to stay there on the road to healing. 
You see, “we cannot be in adoption to adopt. We have to be in it to parent.”
All of the speakers spoke to some of the heart issues of parenting. The lessons were universal. Regardless of whether you are parenting adopted or biological children. 
Dr. Barbara Sorrels {who actually knows Karen Purvis… anyone in the adoption world is impressed along with me} spoke about the four core fears of {all} children. 
She covered the fear of abandonment and challenged us to seek to communicate with the fruit of the spirit everyday. To communicate safety to our children through our tone of voice and our facial expressions. She shared that humiliation is the most toxic thing to the human soul. Toxic. I had never even considered such a thought. 
She discussed the fear of annihilation and the need for rich sensory and emotional environments for our children. The need to be present and not be preoccupied. She challenged us that the growing minds of our children do not need technology until the age of 7. Y’all. I love me a little ‘Mickey Mouse Clubhouse’ zone-out break every now and then. These two busy toddlers can run circles around me and I just. need. a. break. sometimes. This is convicting. Dr. Sorrels discussed the changes she has seen across US classrooms in the past eight years. She fully believes {and I agree} that we are parenting through technology over engagement too often. Guilty as charged. We are working on this one all the time over at our house. I’m working to turn off my screens and be present during these precious days home with the boys while they’re still so young {oh, yes, don’t worry, the boys are napping right now}.
She discussed the fear of being viewed as a bad child. This is powerful: “At the core of every child is the desire for someone to believe in their goodness.” Period.
She discussed the fear of losing love. Our children from hard places have already lost so much in their short lives. This fear is real and powerful. We have to pray for wisdom on how to parent our children. We have to cover them in love and show them that they are safe and that we are not going any where.
Jen ended the day covering the topic of rest. This message was like a soft melody to my soul. I have been depleted and running on empty without even knowing it. I will share more on this topic in a separate post because this is already long enough and I think the message is crucial to all moms everywhere. 
I’ll leave you with this nugget of wisdom from Jen H:
“Spiritual nourishment is perishable. It is good only for that day.” 
Spend time in the word. Spend time in prayer. Seek Jesus’ face. Each and every day. 
Really good stuff. 🙂

my new prayer.

Another adoptive-momma friend wrote something today that struck me. I won’t share all that she wrote in order to protect her story, but I want to share these poignant words whispered to her in prayer…

“It was as if He verbally said, “don’t pray that I will get him home, pray that I will be glorified” So, I am asking the same of you my sweet sisters. Pray for glory. Nothing else, just glory.”

Powerful.

This was a convicting reminder to my heart this morning. A reminder to stop and pray specifically for Jesus to be glorified in our story. A reminder to offer up this plea once again, just as I did before I saw S’s face and fell in love with her and ached desperately to get her home to us safely.

And, to reinforce this in my heart, my devotion this morning included this verse from Colossians…

“Let your roots grow down into Him and draw up nourishment from Him, so that you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all He has done.” {Colossians 2:7}
Another reminder to draw near to Him. To trust Him fully. To seek my rest in Him alone. To thank Him for all that He has done and will do in our family.