What would cause an eighteen-year-old senior class president and homecoming queen
from Nashville, Tennessee, to disobey and disappoint her parents by forgoing college,
break her little brother’s heart, lose all but a handful of her friends {because they think she
has gone off the deep end}, and break up with the love of her life, all so she could move
to Uganda, where she knew only one person and didn’t even speak the language?

A passion to follow Jesus.

It’s not often a book touches me so profoundly. But this one did. To my very core.

Kisses from Katie, written by Katie Davis, is a story of being the hands and feet of Jesus … no matter the cost. At nineteen, Katie finds herself the mommy to fourteen beautiful Ugandan children. Reading her story inspires me to be a better mommy, Christian, and all-around person.

I loved this story so much, that I’m reading it to my girls. After the first night of reading it to them … just the foreword mind you … Piper grabbed the book, poured over the photos and stuck it in her backpack to read at school.

When I realized what she’d done, I told her she’d be ahead of us and bored when we were reading it together. She assured me that wouldn’t happen and instead, she’d pick up on something she might’ve missed the first time reading it.

There’s no way one can read Katie’s story and not be touched. It’s one of those books I want to buy stacks of and give to everyone I know!

Well … I didn’t buy stacks, but I do happen to have a few that have found their way into our home. And so lucky readers … I’m having a giveaway just for you!!

Giveaway details:

{what}
Two winners will receive one copy of Kisses from Katie.

{how}
~ leave a comment {any ol’ comment}
~ tweet the giveaway {but come back & leave a comment}
~ facebook the giveaway {but come back & leave a comment}
~ blog the giveaway {but come back and leave a comment}

{when}
Now through Monday, May 28 – midnight {est}

Wynter’s on the stage and in the upper right hand corner.

This one isn’t weather related, but it was their last song and one of the reasons I love, love, love their school!

Hunter had kindergarten graduation …

She’s the girl that “mouths” everyone’s part during the program and takes her own part very. very. seriously!

Walking across the stage to receive her diploma …

This is an awesome parody on the Grease song, “Summer Nights.” Definitely worth a listen. Hunter is hidden behind two other girls … if you locate the greenery, she’s almost directly under that.

And Taylor had her first show of the season. It was schooling show, which means it was very casual and a show to give horse and rider some experience in the ring together. I love seeing her riding again!

I Choose :: by Max Lucado

It’s quiet. It’s early. My coffee is hot. The sky is still black. The
world is still asleep. The day is coming.

In a few moments, the day will arrive. It will roar down the track with
the rising of the sun. The stillness of the dawn will be exchanged for
the noise of the day. The calm of solitude will be replaced by the
pounding of the human race. The refuge of the early morning will be
invaded by decisions to be made and deadlines to be met.

For the next twelve hours I will be exposed to the day’s demands. It is now I
must make a choice. Because of Calvary, I’m free to choose. And so I choose.

I Choose Love
No occasion justifies hatred;
no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love.
Today I will love God and what God loves.

I Choose Joy
I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance.
I will refuse the temptation to be cynical…
the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see
people as anything less than human beings,
created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as
anything less than an opportunity to see God.

I Choose Peace
I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.

I Choose Patience
I will overlook the inconveniences of the world.
Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I’ll
invite him to do so. Rather than complain that the
wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment
to pray. Instead of clenching my fist at new
assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.

I Choose Kindness
I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone.
I will be kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to
the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.

I Choose Goodness
I will go without a dollar
before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked
before I will boast. I will confess before I will
accuse. I choose goodness.

I Choose Faithfulness
Today I will keep my promises.
My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates
will not question my word. My wife will not
question my love. And my children will never fear
that their father will not come home.

I Choose Gentleness
Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle.
If I raise my voice, may it be only in praise.
If I clench my fist, may it only be in prayer.
If I make a demand, may it only be of myself.
I am a spiritual being…
After this body is dead, my spirit will soar.
I refuse to let what will rot rule the
eternal.

I Choose Self-Control
I will be drunk only by joy.
I will be impassioned only by my faith.
I will be influenced only by God.
I will be taught only by Christ.
I choose self-control.

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
To these I commit my day.
If I succeed, I will give thanks.
If I fail, I will seek His grace.
And then, when this day is done,
I will place my head on my pillow
and rest.

My 23 year old nephew was recently deployed for his fourth tour of duty. The last couple of weeks, I was sending urgent messages on Twitter and Facebook asking for prayer for him.

You see, his lung had spontaneously collapsed while he was running and he was in the hospital with tubes helping support his lung so he could breathe.

Then he was flown to Germany.

And then back to the states.

It was decided he’d need surgery to help support and stabilize his lung, and also get rid of any built-up scar tissue. Surgery was last Friday and the Army flew my sister to be with him during surgery and recovery … she ended up with a four hour layover in Charlotte, which meant the girls and I got to spend some time with her!!

Brett’s doing well and will be taking leave for a couple of weeks to go back home to Wisconsin. He’ll be driving home from Georgia, and will pass through our way, so we’ll get to spend a little time with him too!

Anyway.

I’d like to thank everyone for their prayers and well wishes! The power of social media across the globe amazes me! We even had prayers coming in from Indonesia for Brett!! Who says God doesn’t tweet?!

And so …

As a tribute to Brett, to his family, and to the thousands serving everyday, I wanted to post this video I put together when Brett first went off to basic training. He’s since worked his way through Airborne and Rangers training and I couldn’t be prouder of him!

We rise early. In jammies. Grab coffee. Bibles. Notebooks. Highlighters and pens.

We pray.

We study.

We absorb.

Then we grab our computers and share with each other what life-giving truth we glean each morning.

Via email.

‘Cuz we live as far apart as South Dakota to Florida!

I’ve found it’s so important to have an accountability partner, or group to keep me in the Word each day. I know when I step away from my study … even for a few days, or weeks {ahem}, it begins to show in my attitude and character.

But having someone to check in with, to pray with, to learn and grow with … it keeps me accountable for being in the Word of God.

And as awesome as it is to have this accountability group of amazing women … even more {yes more!} awesomeness abounds when a larger “umbrella” group is found that encourages women to gather and hold each other up in the Word.

There are two of those groups I’d like to recommend; the first is Good Morning Girls and the second is Hello Mornings Challenge.

Both are basically groups of women that put together different studies, set a time frame to complete them {usually 12 weeks}, and encourage women to sign up and join in!

With either of these groups, you can join in the study they’ve picked out, or you can do your own study, but just chime in on the accountability part of it.

I participate in both Good Morning Girls and Hello Mornings … they’re different for different reasons, and I enjoy them both. I really encourage you to take a few minutes and explore each of them.

Right now with Hello Mornings, we’re doing a study called, “Love Like Him … Learn to Love Like Jesus.” We’re studying through 1 Corinthians 13 … and I think I’m even going to memorize it!

Anyway … I feel like I’m rambling. My purpose is just to encourage you to be sure you’re spending time in God’s Word … in His life-giving truth. And to encourage you to grab a friend {or two} and think about joining in one of the challenges above. If you decide not to join an organized study, at least grab a friend and make a commitment to be accountable to each other for being in God’s Word every day.

I promise … time in His Word is one thing you’ll never regret!

My sweet cranky-pants Hunter worked so very hard on beading a necklace for herself. You know when little hands painstakingly work each bead onto a string that wibbles and wobbles and frays? But she didn’t give up and reveled in her accomplishment as she asked me to tie the string for her. Just one last step and her necklace would be complete.

And then.

It slipped.

And tiny beads scattered all over the floor.

Her precious face and accomplishment fallen.

I immediately swooped her up and held her something fierce. I thought the closer I held her, the more I could absorb her pain. I repeatedly reassured her, “I’ll help you put it back together, I’ll help you. We’ll put it back together.”

And then God spoke.

“I’m holding you.

Tightly.

I’m trying to absorb your pain.

I’ll put it back together.”

Has something fallen apart in your world? Something you painstakingly and lovingly put your all into? Can I reassure you today that our God is holding you. He’s loving you. He’s trying to absorb your pain. And He WILL put you back together! Those are His promises.

“God makes love with grace upon grace, every moment a making of His love for us.”
Ann Voskamp, one thousand gifts, page 216

Every moment we are given is a gift of God’s making … a making of His great love for us. It’s up to us to pause and recognize the beauty in each moment. Are you counting?

392. date night with the teen
393. surprise Mother’s Day mail
394. the power of blue nail polish
395. hidden toads
396. Psalm 71:20-21
397. pain meds for the kid set
398. my girls encouraging others with scripture
399. the dog groomer
400. before bedtime family walks
401. salted caramel bars
402. freshly painted toes
403. freshly made bed
404. massage certificate from my girls
405. a massage
406. a card from a friend
407. a new Bible study
408. two weeks ’til school’s out!
409. how to miss a childhood {I’ll be reading this numerous times}
410. she knows I love her for who she is

How are you finding Joy? Are you seeing God in the small details of your life? Dare to join me in the Joy Dare?