{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Via Soule Mama

Can we name it?

So there are days when I think longingly about eight uninterrupted hours of...ANYTHING.

Sleep...Work...Reading

But, hey...they are cute interruptions.  Between being up for most of last night, FINALLY, after four weeks of intentions, installing the baby gate, trying to find a solution for the toys, trying to grocery shop WITHOUT a racing car cart (not a good thing folks...I don't care how they used to have to do it...I WANT MY RACING CART...ok...deep breath), and Oliver (my child with five teeth) biting through his tongue, I have been trying to come up with a good name for the mid-year Lent thingy.  Correct me if I am wrong, but things need names, right?!

It certainly makes them more expensive!

train $ Thomas $$
astronaut $ Buzz $$
car $ Lightening McQueen $$

But I digress...

This is what I came up with first: 

What Can I Do: serving the broken hearted when you're overwhelmed.

But then I realized that that is too determinate.  What if God tells me not to do anything?  What if God tells me to do less?  What if God calls me to be served?

So, how about this?

Refresh

You know, what you need when you start getting the spinny-beach-ball face and your voice gets edgy when someone asks for a napkin and you find yourself taking the long way home so that you can sit in the car for three more minutes.

So, join me, if you want, for forty days of asking, resting and returning.  Because, who knows, we might just find good news worth sharing.

PS  If you are good at figuring out free "printables" and would like to make some for this project...let me know.

PPS  I made a button.  So grab it.  And do with it whatever it is you do with them.

Saving the Day

If you were a fly on my wall you might be amazed at the sheer number of super heroes who live in this one average size house.  If jeopardized lives could be salvaged by underpants and crazy hats, there would be a real surplus of dancing and singing in the streets of Asheville.  We often thrust random objects (vacuum cleaner parts, spoons, dollies, remote controls) high in the air and pledge to "save the day!"

So, if I sound heady and idealistic, I come by it honestly.

Do you remember this?

I am getting really excited.  I am getting that tingly feeling in my feelings that tells me that God is moving in the little hidden places.  I keep hearing murmuring about the Kingdom of God.  Questions being asked.  The normal stuff being evaluated (except for those two guys I heard sharing their deepest dreams at church yesterday...which turned out to be something about the Masters...golf).  The gospel might just be good news.  News that might set you free to love and serve and hope.  A good news that doesn't fear or judge or separate.  A good news that pulls persons in and makes them people through the love of a real, gentle, loving King.

But I stay at home you say.  But I didn't even see the mail delivery person today you say (is that right?  I know mailman is wrong...).  But I didn't make it out of my sweat pants today you say.  Big deal.  God is asking us to ask.  Just forty days.  Just a few weeks.  I know you have STUFF to do and PEOPLE who NEEEEED you, but let's pinky promise to take ten minutes each day to huddle together.  Maybe God will not give the answer we expect.  Maybe God will ask us to change what we have been holding a little too dear.  Maybe God will give you a vision that only God can fulfill.  Who knows!

So, I will be posting some Bible readings and prayers for each day.  If you miss one...don't catch up, just jump in where we are.  My friend Stacy will be providing some kiddo activities.  Maybe some lovely persons out there would like to write a prayer or two.  I would love to have a few devotions to share...(Luke, Mom, Jenn...anyone!)  I can tell you this, I will be praying that God will lift up those who spend their lives caring for children and draw us together.  

So, let's get those crazy hats and underpants on...

Getting Away

After a couple of weeks of this...

We took a few days here...

Played with cousins...

Loved on each other...

Soaked up a little sun and water...

 And found these smiles!