1. A Date With This Guy
I love spending time as a family or with all my kids together, but making time for one-on-one time is really important, too. It requires more intention and sometimes some sacrifice and planning, but it’s so worth it.
It doesn’t have to be a date to Starbucks. It could be reading a book together. Or cooking together. Or playing a game together. It just asking questions one-on-one and really listening to the answers.
However it looks, make it a priority. Because these years and opportunities are fleeting.
2. A Reminder of How Much I Can Take For Granted
This is what, “I’m hungry and desperate” looks like. I flew to Kansas today and forgot to bring food with me or get anything at the airport in Nashville and they didn’t have snacks on the plane.
I was SO hungry by the time I made it to Dallas, but I didn’t have that long of a layover, so I decided to just get to my gate and then find some food close by.
Well, they are doing all sorts of construction in Terminal B in Dallas right now, so I had to take all these detours to make it to my gate. And then, when I finally made it there with little time to spare, I discovered that I was at the gate where there was literally nothing but vending machines — unless you have time to walk a long ways somewhere else.
So I ate vending machine food — something I basically never do — and thought about how entitled I am that I was frustrated that this was my only option. When you think of all the people around the globe with no food options, it reminds me just how easily I can take things for granted.
3. Watching Kathrynne Swim
Kathrynne had two swim meets this past week and it was SO fun to get to see her compete. She is so focused, driven, and committed to doing her best. And it inspires me to watch!
4. Being Able to Laugh at Myself
Sometimes, when things don’t turn out how you’d hoped they would, you just have to laugh. 🙂
Case in point: my attempt to tweak my waffle recipe this week! (See above. No, those are not scrambled eggs on that plate. That’s exactly how each of the waffles came off the waffle maker tonight. Just like that pile right there. I know. I’m just not sure how I do it! ;))
5. My Paris Mug
Drinking coffee out of my Paris mug this week reminded me to pray and feel burdened for those affected by the events in Paris, as well as so many other hard situations going on — locally and globally.
There is so much suffering and heartache around us. Sometimes it feels so heavy that choosing joy is hard.
We can’t fix all the problems in the world. But we can do our little part in our little sphere of life to live with outstretched arms.
To love wholeheartedly. To give generously. To say a kind word. To smile. To find the good and praise it. To be a safe place for others to be authentic. To listen well. To care deeply. And to live fully.
You were created to make a difference. Never forget that!
P.S. Did you get your Choose Love & Choose Gratitude Journals yet? If not, the special sale on them ends on Monday. Read more about them & grab the coupon code here.
Denise (Life With the Lid Up) says
I’m loving that we only have school and work two days this week! Wednesday has been deemed no alarm clock day!
Raising The Capable Student says
Definitely love laughing at myself. It keeps everything in perspective.
Katherine says
I’ve had some pretty epic kitchen mishaps and I think I may have created waffles that looked just like yours! I gave away the waffle machine and decided that pancakes were fine. I never really got the knack for using that thing. 🙂 I just discovered your blog – I’ll definitely be returning!
Sarah@TheOrthodoxMama says
I had to laugh when I saw your picture of the waffles! I have actually only used my waffle maker one time because mine turned out just like that. Maybe I will go ahead and try it again soon. I do love some waffles…
Amanda Snodgrass says
I love this idea! I may have to borrow your idea 😉
5 things I am thankful for this week
1. A nice fall where I can do my running outdoors instead of on the treadmill.
2. Participating in our church’s Thanksgiving food drive…it was a party, and thousands of people around the world will have food to eat.
3. Snuggles with my kids. Work has been long. Enough said.
4. New books to read. (Reading your newest book and Ruth Soukup’s book- love)
5. An endless supply of coffee in the hospital today.
New to your blog and enjoying looking around 🙂
Sarah @ The Teacher's Wife says
Looks like you had a great week filled with fun and special moments but also deep, thought provoking moments. Sounds like good balance to me! I hope your time in Kansas is very special 🙂
Davonne says
I love reading your weekly 5 things! Here are mine:
1) A freezer full of meat because my husband’s diligence & patience paid off when he came home with a deer yesterday. We processed it ourselves and enjoyed fresh roast for lunch today!
2) The first snow drops of the season fell when we were walking into church this morning – such a pretty gift!
3) A clean house!!!! I’m still working 25 hrs a week but the little minutes I’ve been using in between homeschool & work have finally paid off and I’ve loved being here in a clean home all weekend.
4) A more relaxed schedule. Being able to cut back to part time hours has been a huge blessing.
5) Kittens!! Our stray cat has babies & the kittens have brought us incredible amounts of pleasure and joy these past few weeks.
Victoria says
I have had waffles turn out like that too! Usually when I forget to grease the waffle maker.
5 Things I Am Loving This Week
1. I can’t believe I am typing this but the first snowfall of the season. It looks really pretty outside right now (of course ask me what I think of it a month or two from now and I pretty much guarantee I won’t be loving it).
2. Coffee & Cream: I tried a new type of coffee this week and it has been so good! I also bought myself some heavy cream to put in it—yum.
3. My friend’s sense of humor. This week I have received not one but 2 pictures of dying dishcloths that I knitted and gave them years ago from friends with the words “hint, hint” under them via Facebook. I told both friends that I was not driving over there to wash their dishes —but I of course put a few dishcloths aside for their Christmas gifts.
4. Yoga pants! Cooler temps meant I got my yoga pants out for the first time of the season. OH SO COMFY!
5. A dinner out with my eldest. I don’t get the chance to spend one on one time with my eldest son now that he is almost 20 all that often. It was good to catch up one on one. (and how in the world did I end up with a almost 20 year old son!)
Enjoy your time with family this week.
BethB says
I know exactly what you mean regarding the privilege of having enough to eat. That is an area where my life is ridiculously abundant while there are many in my community for whom that is not the case. I always intend to donate food or money to local food banks, and sometimes followed through, but I realized I was making it too big A Thing. A separate grocery trip or a $100 online donation, etc.. This fall I’ve started picking up just a few extra items every time I shop and taking them to our church donation basket on Sundays. When my husband and I evaluate our charitable giving this month I’d like to set up an automatic monthly donation to our local food bank. Even $10 or $20 on a regular basis will be better than the intentions I don’t follow through!