I hope you dance. Just for the pure joy of it.  I hope you dance because it makes God smile.  I hope you dance because you can.  I hope you dance whether there is a trophy or not.  I hope you dance because this is always how I will remember you. Me in the wings, you looking like a princess. Always.

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This photo was taken last week during one of the many ballet recitals I attended last week for my girls.  My six year old left with her first trophy.  As we were leaving she said, “Oh Mommy, I just love my trophy so much.” She was dressed as a bunny.  My heart melted.  But then again, I’m usually a mommy mess at these things.

{linking up with my friend Brooke today}

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I believe my savvy husband got this as  free gift with purchase at Bath and Body Works with my Mother’s Day Gift. Smart guy!  I love it. He also picked up these babies:

Which I may or may not have hinted wildly at since I saw Brooke wearing them in Texas. Yes, I am a shoe copy cat. But she lives in Virginia and I think that is okay. And, I just realized they perfectly match my new bag.  How fun is that?

Last week, my 3 older girls had 2 ballet recitals. Here I am being room mom to fifteen 9 year olds. I survived and they danced beautifully.  I took my bag, but left the shoes at home. I needed flats to keep up! This is also the only picture of myself I took all week.  Yeah, Ballet Week will do that to a Mother of Daughters!

Have a super week!

***

So, are you looking for some fun summer shoes or a nice bag to toss your sunscreen in on the way to the beach?

linking up here:

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A few weeks ago, I had the chance to hear from Priscilla Shirer at the Going Beyond Simulcast, which was recorded live at my church.  Here are a few things from this amazing event, that she said…

1. I am not going to be the woman I want to become if I don’t make some strategic decisions.
2. It is unique and rare to find a woman who is satisfied with where she is.
3. The very thing you are trying to send away is what He is using to teach you contentment. (Luke 9)
4. Are you speaking words of discouragement that give the enemy fuel against you?  Be determined to speak God’s Word over your life.
5. The best place to meet God is in His Word.  We know He dwells there.
6. Worship rolls out the red carpet for the presence of God.
7. The pinnacle of your time with God should be 1-1 with Him.
8. God will use 15 minutes. God will use one verse. Be consistently in the Word.
9. Even in freedom if there are no boundaries you will be enslaved.
10. When you are working and doing but you keep coming up empty—you have stepped into a margin in your life that is not yours.

Girls, I scribbled note after note and I left completely filled up. The worship alone, led by her amazing brother Anthony Evans, Jr. was a gift for my weary heart. My favorite part was a time of early morning prayer, led by Priscilla.  It was an honor to pray with and for women at the event. I was humbled deeply by this time.

Because I also served on the leadership team to help with the event, I had a chance to meet Priscilla and have the above picture taken. I know it is grainy.  I know it is dark.  I know she is bending down a bit because I am much shorter than she is.  But, I love this picture.

And that first quote, the one about making strategic decisions to become the woman I want to be? Wow, it has me thinking.  That woman will not just happen.  I have to be purposeful.  I have to be in the Word.  I have to pray.  I have to let God invade more of my life.  I need to surround myself with women who are making the same commitment.  And, it needs to happen now.

Question: What about you?  What quote above speaks to you and your heart? Which one makes you close your eyes and say, “Yes, that one?”

:::

P.S. It is not too late to join me for reading the Bible in 90 Days. We start on Memorial Day and end on Labor Day.  That is 99 days to finish 88 days of reading. Each day is about 12 pages of reading. Plus, you will get a chance to hang out with 200+ other women doing the same thing over in our Facebook Group. They will cheer you on. He will meet us everyday in His Word.  Let’s have one Amazing Summer together!

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She is tiny and six and has been singing songs all week about how much she loves Jesus and her baptism day.  With gorgeous blue skies and many of her pastors in the water waiting, she stepped into the water hanging on to her daddy for dear life.  The waves grew and grew and the one that they let wash over her may have been the biggest.  We cheered.  She walked on to take her fist communion right there, baptism waters still dripping off her curly brown hair.  About seventy others did the same on the beach in Cocoa yesterday, along with two more who were just walking by. I watched as the crowd grew and pressed in closer.  Holy draws. Joy spreads. And grace it just kept coming with each wave. Joy is everywhere. Did you let it wash over you this week? (if you look under the v in everywhere you can see our girl).

The Joy Dare

417. God knowing when.
418. Friends who cheer you on.
419. Astounded. Humbled. Excited. Over 200 singed up for Bible in 90 Days” Summer 2012!
420. My friend Terilynne who said, “We need to invite others to do this.”
421. Messages from Weary Moms who God is meeting in the middle of their mess.
422. We. Are. Done. With. School. Yipee!
423. My sweet ballerina girls.
424. The most amazing ballet instructors who love on my girls.
425. This – “Mommy, I just love my trophy.” made me smile.
426. Hearing my daughter showed great character in front of others who were not.
427. My 2 year old singing “Jesus Loves Me” to her baby doll – just too cute.
428. “I will never run out of resources: My capacity to bless you is unlimited” from Jesus Calling.
429. My daddy finishing chemo and radiation on his 66th birthday.
430. Fruit from saying yes.
431. I am not ashamed. Romans 1:16
432. A beach baptism.
433. Holding onto daddy for dear life!
434. Knowing her Daddy will always hold on to her.
435. 1st communion.
436. Friends like family who come to watch.
437. Broken bread and poured out wine on the sand.
438. Waves like grace washing it all away.

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School is out for summer.
If you need me, and can’t find me I’ll be over at the swimming pool with my girls.
They will probably ask me to play mermaids.
I’ll decline.
But I will let them stay up later, eat way too much ice cream, and skip bath nights.
After all, what is summer for?

Three cheers for summer.

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I’ve been thinking about writing one of those posts called a day in the life. You know the kind where I would snap a photo and tell you pretty much everything I was doing all day long.  I love those type of posts because you get to see stuff like peanut butter on the counter, a house full of toys, and the messy joy of life. It makes crazy mamas like me realize, I am actually pretty normal.

But then I get a text from my mom and I hear that my dad is sick again from the chemo and what I really want to do is sit on the floor and cry. And really, who wants to see that? I text her back and tell her it is going to get better. I mean it. As I pause to talk to Jesus, my toddler shows up and needs her diaper changed.  And so I do that instead of sitting on the floor and crying my eyes out. Seems like the right thing to do at the time.

And life lately is a mix, you know? We are praying and believing and begging God for miracles. While at the same time we are blowing out six birthday candles and getting ballerinas ready for their dance.  I am meeting the most lovely women, soaking up sound teaching and feeling the smile of the Lord.  But most nights tears fall down my cheek as I get the coffee maker ready for the next day and I think, “How can this weary mom do it again tomorrow?”

So in the midst of it all l think how bad I need to feel the fresh breath of His Word in my heart. I tell Him what I really need is a God summer.  He says, “You, me, 90 days and my Word.  I’ll give you that God summer.” I say yes and somehow so do hundreds of other women.

Truth be told, I am thrilled at the thought but here I am again with tears falling down. See, I believe in what Priscilla said.  I believe that “each time we read His Word He meets us there.” I know that each of these women will freshly meet their fearless Father and the Savior of their souls.  Because that is what He promised to do for them.

But if I’m honest, what I hungering for, is for Him to meet me. I know He will meet them, but I need to believe He will meet me. I lean back in my chair tears ready to drop and wonder how I am going to lead and encourage all these women in this journey when I can’t stop crying myself.

And in a lovely turn of events, the sky burst open and it is pouring rain like nobody’s business. I can almost hear the crunchy grass slurping down each drop. The baby shouts from her room, “Mommy it is raining,” just in case I missed it. It makes me laugh a little.  How could I miss it?

I remember reading these words,

“Let us know, let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.” (Hosea 6:3, ESV).

He will come to us.

And He will water the dry places.

And He will do it while we beg for miracles, diaper dirty babies, and cry over making coffee. He will. He is about to rain down.  I’m not going to miss it. How could I?

:::

If you want to join me in reading 66 books of the Bible in 99 days for one amazing summer, click here.

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Not quite 1 Million people stopped by last week, but there were a lot more than usual. But the best part was you! Thanks for being so supportive and awesome like you always are! Really, your sweet words made my crazy butterflies go away.

So, anyway, what else have I worn recently?

Dress ::  Loft (on sale!)**

Belt :: Loft

Skinny Jeans :: American Eagle

Bracelet :: from hubby’s trip to Thailand

Necklace :: Vintage Pearl

Earrings :: Kohls

A Look I’m weary Color Sweater :: Loft **

T-Shirt :: Loft

Jeans :: Cabi

*Necklace :: from the Redeemed Collection {Dayspring}

(Crazy iPhone photo. My husband  is twitching over this one.  His are much better.)

I wore this to the (in)Courage Meet up:

T- Shirt :: Mercy House Kenya (Now only $10)

Jacket :: Loft

Jeans :: Gap Curvy Boot

(*Dayspring Affiliate Link)

(**Items bought with my Loft Provided Gift Card)

::

So what have you done recently that made you nervous?

::

linking up with Lindsey today

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“Mommy, the world God made is so beautiful. I just love it.” Caroline, age 5.

395. A sweet ‘yes’ from the Lord.
396. Testing is over for the school year.
397. An amazing opportunity.
398. Catching glimpses of Jesus in my kids.
399. How Facebook can be a prayer room.
400. How His love is over the top extravagant for me.
401. A friend getting a much needed job!
402. Writing a dream before my 41st birthday.
403. My 2 year old asking me about “pink” children after I taught her “Jesus Loves the LIttle Children.”
404. I am adequate because of His life giving Spirit. Period. (2 Cor 3:5-7)
405. A $9 dress.
406. Bloggers who write and make me ugly cry.
407. She made me birthday cupcakes.
408. 4 Rivers BBQ.
409. Avengers with my super hero husband.
410. The sweetest friends who prayed.
411. Knowing He is in control.
412. “Fearless Father, you come to my rescue. You are my fortress, you are my friend.”
413. A Mother’s Day ambush makeover in my kitchen.
414. My mom, simply the best.
415. After a rough week, my dad was feeling well enough to eat and shower. Praising God for this small thing.
416. Singing on my birthday. Wow. Just such a sweet gift from the Lord!

Join me on my Facebook page this month as we discuss "What Women Fear" by Angie Smith.

Are you a girl that likes surprises? Generally, I am not. For example, last year, for my 40th birthday, I made my husband promise NOT to throw me a surprise party. I do not like the idea of walking in a door and people yelling at me. No, not for me.

But, I do like the kind of surprises that are ‘unexpected’ and bring fun things with them. You know the kind of surprise when you are just going about your everyday life and something fun happens? Like when a friend sends you a sweet card with Starbucks love inside? Yeah, I like THOSE kind of surprises.

Well, a couple of weeks ago I had one of the good kind of surprises pop up. I was tweeting about this What I Wore Wednesday post, and happened to mention the Loft:

Someone at Loft saw my little bitty tweet and sent me one back asking me if I would like to be a Loft Mommy Blogger for their upcoming Mother’s Day Campaign. It took me about -10 seconds to answer that tweet with a “Yes! I gladly accept.” Since you know about my mad crazy love for all things Loft, this surprise was a Mommy Blogger dream come true!

Last week, I had a chance to go shopping with a Loft provided gift card and this is what I purchased. My husband was sweet enough to get involved by taking these great pictures. I mean really, how could I not let him work his magic? This outdoor photo shoot is a little more glamourous than my self portraits in our bathroom mirror! And between you and me, I think my photos kind of drive him crazy!

What would a Mother’s Day photo shoot be without my kids?

{Yeah, I kinda love the pictures, too!}

What I Wore:

Dress {Yes it is a dress and you can find it here} – Loft

Orange Cardigan  - Loft

Earrings – Forever 21

Shoes – Famous Footwear

Linking up with the super lovely lindsey for What I Wore Wednesday!

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Disclosure: Loft provided me with a gift card to purchase this outfit and will be featuring my choice along with other participating mommy bloggers on their social media sites this week.  You can find them on Facebook by going here.

Join me on my Facebook page this month as we discuss "What Women Fear" by Angie Smith.

Joining me so far will be:

Ruth from The Better Mom

Teri Lynne from Terilynne Underwood

Amy  from Amy Thue

To purchase a Kindle Version from Amazon:

*Bible in 90 Days

starting Memorial Day 2012 – Labor Day 2012

Are you diving in, too?

Find the Bible in 90 Days Summer Group on Facebook right, here.
I will post more in this in the days ahead, but here is a link to the ministry of Bible in 90 Days. It is packed with information!
*affiliate link

Join me on my Facebook page this month as we discuss "What Women Fear" by Angie Smith.