Another month is over and this one was nearly as wild as the last. We had visitors, travelled to Germany, started school back up again, and celebrated a couple of birthdays. In the midst of all this, we missed our old home in Kansas City just a little bit and missed our stateside family much more than just a little bit. And I wrote a little bit. And then I didn't. I submitted some stuff and I waited (still waiting, actually).

This month was more than I bargained for, but isn't it always that way? Then before you know it, the wind turns and there's tiny golden leaves hiding in your backgarden. Summer is over. Autumn come quickly.

BOOKS

I'm sure this will come as a shock, but Christian Fiction, as a genre, generally disagrees with me. Or I with it. I don't know if it was all the Karen Kingsbury novels I binged on in the early 2000s or the Janette Oke(eydokey) young love reads. If I were to defer to any type of "Christian" fiction, give me Greene or Lewis (images of Christ abounding, the former of which hidden among scandalous love and despair), and if I were to be honest, give me some Francine Rivers (love her beautiful, touching Lineage of Grace series).

So it was with a bit of trepidation sprinkled with optimism that I read Shades of Mercy, by Anita Lustrea and Caryn Rivadeneira. And I've got to tell you: I liked it. A lot. More than I thought I would. This is a story where simple (in the best way) characters come up against difficult issues of race, discrimination and doing what's right in the face of societal odds. The heart of this story is Mercy, but the compass is her father, Paul, who does more than tolerate those who are different. He leads in love (more than words) and depth of character (more than pity). Not only did I enjoy this read, but I could give it to my 10-year-old and discuss the themes, the calling, and the obligation we have to show mercy, grace, and compassion on everyone. I also deeply appreciate the research and sources the authors took advantage of in writing the story of the Maliseet... those of us who grew up in the boom of the 80s haven't really been encouraged to comprehend (or even discover) the plight of Native Americans, then and now. [you can see a trailer for the book here]

Also... Painted Ladies, by Siobhán Parkinson. This was my Germany read, which actually suited it quite nicely. Spanning Copenhagen and Paris in the late 19th century, Painted Ladies follows the young life of Marie, the real-life wife of artist Soren Kroyer. It's beautifully written, ironically tricking you into coveting the same romantic artist lifestyle that is a sweet mirage, cut with sharp edges. It's hard to root for the lovers, though (he's standoffish, she's willfully ignorant) and the ending is ultimately unsatisfying, but despite these more-than-minor-details, Painted Ladies was a summer read I could not put down.

And an e-book: Take Courage, by my friend Jennifer Ebenhack, who bravely welcomes us into her shifting world as she struggles with panic, anxiety and fear culminating in the Haiti 2010 earthquake and lingering as she and her family make a new home and life in the States. I'm so thankful she took the time to share her journey, write down her hopes, and remind us where true reality is found. And I'm so grateful to see how God brought her through, brings her through still, as she heals and moves forward as a mother and writer. Not many of us would be this transparent and honest, but with Jennifer's testimony, we all may have a little more courage to be so.

TV

So, we're only watching one show this month and it's Broadchurch. I'm a sucker for emotionally intense crime dramas and this UK series fits the bill to the max. Only 8 episodes tell the story of murdered boy Danny and the family, town and police dealing in the aftermath. Who killed him? I think it's Joe, the husband of Detective Ellie. But we're only halfway through (spacing it out, so as not to experience David Tennant overload - and then withddrawal - like we did with Doctor Who), so don't tell me!

MOVIES

Last night we finally saw Star Trek Into Darkness. It was so intense, I spent most of the movie curled under Matt's arm hiding my eyes (a rarity, as you are aware of my aversion to cuddling) and then couldn't sleep for an hour. Also, I'm devoted to Benedict Cumberbatch. There, I said it. And he was crazy, scary good.

MUSIC

All of our new music this month came from Noisetrade, a music download service that offers you the chance to download EPs (and sometimes whole albums) for free, but with a tip-leaving option. We got music from Jars of Clay, Audrey Assad and Derek Webb. 

And for my birthday? Tickets to see The Lumineers in Dublin in November. Hooray!

THINGS I LOVE

• skipping through Dublin
• after dinner walks
• a trip overseas, just Matt and me
• cool, fresh, mountain air
• a visit from my mom and sister, graciously babysitting for a week plus a couple of days of pure fun
• summer field trips with the kiddos
• Jack having a brilliant time at kids club
• birthday dinners with friends (who bring pressies, and flowers, and cake!)
• the first day of school coffee with matt (without kids)
• our giant sunflower in the back garden, finally in bloom
• lunch in the playbarn with the wee lad, on our final day together before preschool starts
• new friends
• old friends
• hearing about the history, culture and love of words among the Irish as they celebrate the life (and mourn the passing) of Seamus Heaney... I can't get over how art and Ireland are so intertwined... they breathe words here. I am in love.

...for more things I love, you can follow me on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

posing in front of the American Ambassador's Residence... somehow we always make a scene.

ON THE BLOG

Most read... this old post on Equally Shared Parenting, due to a very nice retweet from Rachel Held Evans

Runner up... We do marriage counseling (and it is good)

My favourite... On how God's way is a beautiful mystery, revealed to me on my birthday

SCRIPTURE (new addition)

All sunshine and sovereign is God,
generous in gifts and glory.
He doesn’t scrimp with his traveling companions.
It’s smooth sailing all the way with God-of-the-Angel-Armies.
Psalm 84:11-12 [the message]

***

So that's it for August. What are you reading, watching, listening to? I'm in need of some new book inspiration... would love some ideas!

What I'm Into (July 2013)

July was insane. Just insane. There was a road trip out west and camogie and serve week and computer camp and days without end where we stayed in pajamas for 24 hours straight (and then some). Summer always knocks me on my rear, and this one appears to be no exception. So before we hop on a plane, leave the kiddos behind with some family, do some more work and prepare for the next school year to start in 29 days (what? I'm not counting!), here's what I'm into:

BOOKS

Prodigal Summer, by Barbara Kingsolver :: This is the first giant novel I've tackled in a long time and I'm nearly done. Oh, I really like this one, like experiencing the rhythms of nature through the eyes of the Appalachian female and how we're more animal than we realize.

Coming up...

I've checked out The Astronaut Wives Club and Painted Ladies for our trip to Germany next week. And the husband is requesting I attempt to read Tangible Kingdom again. Actually, I've started reading it multiple times, attended the conferences, bought the t-shirt and I'm all-in, I'm just lousy at reading non-fiction, particularly church/work non-fiction. Stay tuned.

TV

We are almost done with Doctor Who! Just three more episodes and we'll be all caught up for the 50th anniversary. Have to tell you, though, not really loving it right now. It's like a first love that you're head over heels for and then you realise he's not funny all the time, and he yells at his sister, and maybe you got too serious too fast... I may be taking this all too seriously.

Other things on the telly/netflix... Portlandia (Season 3), The Americans (it's like Alias, but with Cosby sweaters, 80s music, and a super-mean Felicity), and New Girl (finally watched season finale, and... meh).

MOVIES

Silver Linings Playbook :: Finally got a chance to sit Matt down and force-feed this to him. Like a good man, he loved it just as much as I told him he should.

Saving Private Ryan :: I forgot how every single male actor in Hollywood was in this movie. I also forgot how melodramatic the soundtrack was. And how much I love Tom Hanks.

American Gangster :: Love this movie. Denzel is scary and Russell is the ultimate flawed hero.

MUSIC

On repeat... The Swell Season, Mumford & Sons, Waterdeep Worship.

VIDEO

This video (and article) of The Civil Wars made me feel all sad. Beautiful, haunting, sad.



THINGS I LOVE

Roadtrips
Sunsets over the ocean
Rare thunderstorms
Family coming to visit
Making new friends
Reading in an actual book made of paper
Collecting my happy kids after a day of camp
The "unrelenting sun"
Rain returning
Walks in the evening with our crew
Haircuts
Kiddos stargazing and a crackling fire

ON THE BLOG
We are all so beautiful (most-read)
Roundabout Russian Roulette (my fave)

So how about you? What were you into this month?

Note: links include amazon affiliates. if you click over and purchase, i may get a nickel or two. eventually. :)

Brought to you by the link-up at Hopeful Leigh

What I'm Into (June 2013)

Bloggers like my friend Mary and my pretend friend Sarah have been doing these little monthly round-ups for awhile, so I thought I'd give it a go (and in lieu of actual writing that requires things like effort, tears and focus).



BOOKS

I'm in the process of reading or have very good intentions of reading:

Bird by Bird, by Anne Lamott :: I previously swore off Lamott for her crazy liberal heretic-type-ness, but all my besties love her and I'm struggling with writers' block and other types of creative crises, so I'm giving her another go. This is her book on writing and it's just so funny, encouraging, realistic and concise. And because of Bird by Bird, I have many, in her words, "shi**y first drafts" pending, so I guess it's working.

Art & Faith, by Jon Bowles :: Matt read this book almost entirely in one sitting and then demanded I read it. He even wrote notes in the margins. That's as good of an endorsement as you'll ever get from him, so this is next on my to-read list. Also, Bowles is a pastor in the Crossroads District of Kansas City, where we left good chunks of our hearts, friends and family.

Mudhouse Sabbath, by Lauren Winner :: I've been reading this book off and on for over six months now, but it's not for lack of enjoyment. This is a wonderful, short, spiritual book about the practices and sacraments of Judaism that could benefit us non-liturgical Gentile believers. I come back to this book when I'm on the bus, have found a quiet moment in bed, or in need of a little spiritual disciplines boost.

TV

Most of our telly time is taken up with watching Doctor Who. We're finally reaching season 7 and look forward with unfathomable amounts of anticipation for the 50th anniversary in November. Also keeping us up late...

Homeland :: Picked up season one at the library and could. not. stop. watching. It was a very intense laundry marathon for me. Damian Lewis is remarkable and a favourite of ours since Band of Brothers and Life. And I am always in for a good spy drama. But viewer beware: it is dark and gritty and graphic. I fast-forward... a lot.

Graham Norton :: He's kinda like a late-night comedian a la Letterman, I think? Actually, I don't really know, but it's a talk show and he's pretty affable, and this episode of Steve Carell, Kristin Wigg and Chris O'Dowd will have you spitting out water. Literally.

In the queue... Bono's interview with Gay Byrne for RTÉ1 on faith, music and the meaning of life. Everyone on this island is talking about it... come to think of it, America is talking about Bono, too, but for his interview with Focus on the Family (meh). I'll go with RTÉ1 first. I recommend you do, too.

MOVIES

Ruby Sparks :: My lady friends and I watched this last night and it was funny, poignant, totally existential and a bit dark. Highly recommend. Paul Dano and Zoe Kazan are now my favourite in real life celebrity couple, followed closely by Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan (what? they're not a couple in real life? whatever).

What to Expect When You're Expecting :: I watched this in a moment of weakness. The writing and/or dialog was all off and awkward, and apart from Elizabeth Banks and Ben Falcone, the ensemble vascillated between sleep-acting (Cameron Diaz) and over-acting (Dennis Quaid). I still cried when they all did (or didn't) have their babies, but can only recommend if you want to zone out in a field of nothingness for an hour and a half.

In the queue... Looper, Life of Pi and Silver Linings Playbook (already a favourite but one Matt hasn't seen yet).

MUSIC

On repeat these days... Josh Garrels, The Flint Hill Fellowship (have you bought it yet?!?!), Coldplay's Mylo Zyloto Live, and the Lumineers.



THINGS I LOVE

Dinner and a movie with friends.
Asher being potty trained. Huzzah!
Ella and Matt woodworking side by side.
How much Jack loves school.
The potted flowers by our front door.
Going through old wedding photos.
Bright mornings by the sea.
Our anniversary.
Friends who prayed for us this week.
Friends who drove us to and fro when we were in need.
Friends who offer to babysit out of the blue.
Instragram for android.

AROUND THE WEB

I covered most of these things in my Five Friday Favourites, but I also mostly love this post by Ed Stetzer and gasped audibly when reading this one from Jamie Wright.

ON THE BLOG

A smile = happy (most-read and my personal favourite)
The Lazy Mom's Guide to Summer (most-pinnable)

Brought to you by the link-up with HopefulLeigh...


Your turn. I would LOVE some recommendations!

Note: links include amazon affiliates. if you click over and purchase, i may get a nickel or two. eventually. :)

Five Friday Favourites

I've gone back to the list-making. My creative juices have run dry and all I've got left is this tiny little attention span and the need to type fast about nothing at all. Which brings me to my newest series:

Every Friday I want to share five favourites of mine. And I want you in on the action, too. Leave a comment and lemme know: what are your favourites this week? And, like everything else, we'll see how long this lasts. You know how great I am at follow-through.

Here we go:

1) Carrie Loves :: I've been following Carrie's blog for awhile and I absolutely love her style, her bloggery DIY's and her quick, creative posts. I got my little social media icons from her, figured out how to center my right hand column from her (can you help with my margin situation?) and stake out her etsy shop like a creeper. Check it out and give her some love.

2) My Imaginary Well-Dressed Toddler Daughter :: Kristen at Rage Against the Minivan gets all the credit for sharing this amazingly wonderful, satirical and acerbic take on kids couture and pinning culture. I don't dress half as nice as these munchkins do, nor could I write the captions for each pin the way Tiffany does. Case in point:



3) This is Our City :: Speaking of Pinterest boards, I repin from This is Our City's board more than any other. Hopeful, urban, redemptive, artistic. All things I love. I wish I could hang everything on my wall, go everywhere, patronise every enterprise.



4) Feedly :: If you view blogs via Google Reader, I'm sure you've seen the literal warning sign that it will cease to exist come July 1. No need to freak, though. You can easily, seemlessly transfer the blogs you read (hopefully mine!) to Feedly. I've been using this reader for awhile now and love its crisp clean layout and use of white space. I've even taken to organizing the blogs I read into different categories. Give Feedly a try and lemme know what you think.

5) Arrested Development on Netflix :: Confession time. I am not super loving the 4th season of Arrested Development, now available for streaming on Netflix. Matt and I were superfans of the show when it first came out, have the boxset, can whistle the theme song by heart. But there's just something, well, heartless about these new episodes. All that being said, I am happy to have the Bluth family back and my favourite ep so far has been the Gob back story with the best show within a show: "And As It Is Such, So Also As Such Is It Unto You."

Ok, so it's your turn. What's got you excited this week?

No affiliates linked above. These are just things I love and want to share with you. Enjoy!

The lazy mom's guide to summer

Ok, I've got 10 days to prepare myself mentally, emotionally and physically for my kiddos to be home 24/7. I love spending time with my kids, but both they and I need space. Frequent space. So we like to keep summer low-key, low-maintenance, and low-energy. Some people call this lazy. Fair enough. I, for one, will choose to embrace the laziness of summer and lean into my lazy giftings.



1) Reading. Reading isn't exactly lazy, but round these parts it is. We lounge around in our pjs, spreading out all the reading material and colouring books. I also institute a mandatory quiet time wherein each child must stay in his or her own room for one hour. With a book (or audio book). Whether they read it or not is their choice, but it's gotta be screen free and away from me and each other. Check out your local library for kids' reading programs. Our library has one, but the late fees are killer. Which brings me to...

2) Get online and renew, order, check out, shop, whatever. If you've got books and don't want to drag a potty training three-year-old across town to the library, renew your books/movies online and reserve new ones. Your girl needs a new swimsuit? Check amazon or other online shops. The eldest is forgetting his maths? Give him your old slow laptop and introduce him to online kids math games (check your school's website for recommended links). Watch videos on youtube or netflix, have your kids play games and watch short clips on pbskids.org or other some such educationally fun site. Just because you're home-bound doesn't mean you are without options. You just have more, comfy, pajama-friendly options.

3) One outing a week. Any more than this and you risk endangering yourself and innocent bystanders. Pick something close enough so they won't fall asleep in the car, but far away enough that you can justify driving through McDonald's for milkshakes on your way home. Don't put pressure on yourself to come up with loads of outdoor activities or daytrips. Just try to think up one place a week that won't break you or the bank. Even if it's just across the street to the green (which is where we'll be).

4) Water. Buckets, bowls, cups of water. Doesn't matter. Just send them in the back yard with a container, show them the water and let them go to town. For added fun, give them a few towels to lay down on, dry off with, whip at siblings. If you pay for water, keep track of the time or use a sprinkler or sprayer to keep it under control. My friend Nicole made a great homemade sprinkler last summer using old 2-litre bottles. If you're crafty and non-lazy, you could help your kids create them. If you're like me, make Dad do it.

5) Forts. Never underestimate a good fort. If keeping it indoors (like we had to do last year), set up shop in the living room, bring in loads of chairs, blankets and pillows, turn on a book on cd (we prefer the Chronicles of Narnia radio theatre). If you've got outdoor space (like we do this year, praise God!), use lawn furniture, towels and old sheets. Things will get dirty and fights will eventually break out, but this can help your kiddos work together while you "work on pinterest" or "write" or "inculturate by watching back to back to back episodes of Doctor Who." Whatever.

6) Chore charts. My kids don't make much of an allowance, but in the summer I always try to up the ante. They get more chores, but they also get more rewards. Ranging from big (sweep the floors, which in our house is a major task) to little (brushing teeth), I'm trying to help them become responsible and independent. Also, I have my kids fill out their own chore charts. This can take a handful of minutes to several hours, depending on the child. Mine get a kick out of coming up with their own tasks, and I enjoy seeing what they think is valuable work. Just make sure you save your pocket change. You're gonna need it.

Finally...



7) Don't clean. Just don't. I mean, yes, if there's a major spill on the floor, take care of that. And I'm assuming you like to eat on clean dishes. Do laundry when you run out and hang it to dry (better for the environment and a great excuse for only doing one load a day!). Forego dusting, vaccuum only when necessary and leave the kids' stuff where they left it. Toys and junk and books will inevitably cover your floors and table tops, but stressing about reorganizing everything every night will just make you the Hyperventilating Mom with Crazy Eyes (trademark pending) when the kid-tornado comes back around in the morning.

So there you go: seven tips to making yourself the lazy summer mom you've always dreamed you could be. Results may vary, screen time may increase, tears will be shed. But come September, everyone will be well-rested and ready to get back to school's structure. And most importantly, everyone will have survived. Which, really, is my overarching goal of any parenting adventure...

Survival.

What are your plans this summer? Are you go-go-go? Are you do you feel kinda lazy? No judgment.

Things that happen when the dad is away

OK, so background: When I was a freshman in college, my mom and sis were away for a week. I was driving back to KC from school late at night when I started having car trouble. Thinking my sad car wouldn't make it to my dad's house, I stopped by my mom's to let the car rest a bit and gather some things.

At 1am, as I reached to open the back door, there was no handle to turn. The door had been kicked open by a size 9 boot, the house was ransacked, and the front door was swinging wide. Still swinging. As in, they just left, these mean robbers who stole our computer and tv and beautiful new CD player/radio my dad had just given me for graduation. Even the couch was upturned, kitchen drawers ripped out, our cat was missing, and the only thing left untouched was the baby grand piano. And that front door was still creaking in the wind.

I'm not sure I'll ever forget it, this one act of violation. A stranger coming into your home and leaving it bare. I was safe, fine, the police came and my dad rescued me.

But the memory stays.

***



Well, here we are again. Back to having Matt gone for a few days and I'm staying up way past my bedtime watching shows online waiting for bad men to come kill me and steal my macbook. I always tell him, "No it's fine, go! Have fun! Do what you do! We'll be grand!" But in the end, I scowl at him from the window as he departs, leave him with short kisses, saying, "No, really, fine. Go. Have fun. Whatever." It's the true mettle of life overseas, how well the wife and mom can do on her own for long stretches of time.

It's ok, really. I'm an adult, you know. I have birthed three children and travelled to Israel by myself at 19 and can drive on the left side of the road in bustling city centre traffic. But leave me alone overnight in a new-to-me house and WIND and creaking and three kiddos and no one to make me coffee in the morning or protect me from killers... I mean, really. It's fine. Go.

Anyway, here are the things that happen when the dad is away:

1. Invite people over for dinner and they bring their own pizza dough! Brilliant idea! Big hit with kids. New friends for life.
2. Tell man who comes to door working for UNICEF, asking for donations, "I'm sorry, I can't make a commitment right now because my husband is out of town." Well done, Karen.
3. Wait all night for nice looking (but probably totally crazy) UNICEF man to come back with his other good for nothing UNICEF friends to steal your babies.
4. Kitchen gets cleaned. Kitchen stays cleaned. I'm not naming names.
5. Kids are in bed by bedtime.
6. Watch three episodes of Doctor Who back-to-back until you pass out on your laptop. This is good for staying awake and becoming paranoid. Also, I may have an addiction.
7. Kids are up way before you are.
8. Pizza for breakfast (pretty sure this happens when the mom is away, too).
9. While you sleep in, the three year old demolishes an entire package of custard cremes, only to wake you up at 8:30 demanding more "snacks."
10. Netflix.

This is only just Day One with the dad away. I'm hoping we may actually venture out of doors, enjoy the sun (?) and build a fort or two. But I'm also counting on delivery from the chipper, diet coke in the fridge and three more seasons of Doctor Who to keep me company until Matt returns home.

At any rate, I'll return the favour next month when I'm away for almost an entire week. To France. For work. Boom.

***

Are you a home alone person, or a stay up all night waiting for robbers and/or killers person?

My Easter Playlist (UPDATED)

A couple of years ago I put together an Easter playlist (one of my most searched-for posts - thank you, Uncle Google!). Since today is Ash Wednesday, I'm reposting and updating my list of songs that follow me through the Lenten season...

Karen's Must-Have Easter Playlist

(in alphabetical order by song, non-exhaustive as this is limited to my own itunes catalog)

40 / U2
All Because of You / U2
Amazing Grace / Sufjan Stevens
Awake My Soul / Mumford & Sons
Awakening / Sara Groves
Beyond The Sky / Fernando Ortega
Body And Wine / Jars Of Clay
City Of Sorrows / Fernando Ortega
Come Clean / Audrey Assad
Come Thou Fount / Sara Groves
Come Thou Fount / Sufjan Stevens
Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy / Fernando Ortega
The Comforter Has Come / Jars Of Clay
Creed / Rich Mullins
Death and all his Friends / Coldplay

Every Season / Nichole Nordeman
Gethsemene / Keith and Kristyn Getty
Gloria / U2
Grace / U2
Hallowed / Jennifer Knapp & Phil Keaggy
Handel: The Messiah - Allegro Moderato
He Reigns / Newsboys
He Will Come / Waterdeep
He's Always Been Faithful / Sara Groves
Healed / Nichole Nordeman
Holy, Holy, Holy / Sufjan Stevens (download this now. seriously. right now.)
How Can I Tell / Sara Groves
How Deep the Father's Love for Us / Page CXVI
How Deep the Father's Love for Us / Wilder Adkins
How He Loves / David Crowder Band
I Am / Nichole Nordeman
I'll Wait / Sara Groves
I Will Sing Of My Redeemer / Fernando Ortega
I Will Wait / Mumford & Sons
In Christ Alone / (it doesn't matter the artist)
Jesus Blood Never Failed Me Yet / Jars Of Clay
Jesus, King of Angels / Fernando Ortega
Jesus, You're Beautiful / Sara Groves
Kingdom Comes / Sara Groves
Less Like Scars / Sara Groves
Love Will Find Us / Jars Of Clay & Sara Groves
Lover of the Light / Mumford & Sons
The Man Comes Around / Johnny Cash
My Deliverer / Rich Mullins
My God Has Come to Save Me / Waterdeep
No Greater Love / Jars of Clay
No One Else / Fernando Ortega
Precious Again / Sara Groves
Precious Lord, Take my Hand / Kansas City Chorale
Psalm 18 / Waterdeep
Psalm 131 / Waterdeep
Rest in You / Waterdeep
Rise Up / Ben Shive
Roll Away Your Stone / Mumford & Sons
Romans / Jennifer Knapp
Sing Alleluia / Jennifer Knapp & Mac Powell
Sing To Jesus / Fernando Ortega
Something Changed / Sara Groves
Tears Of The Saints / Leeland
There Is A River / Jars Of Clay
This Too Shall Be Made Right / Derek Webb
Till Kingdom Come / Coldplay
The Transfiguration / Sufjan Stevens
Walls & Tall Shadows / Waterdeep
We Will Follow / Jars of Clay & Gungor
What If / Nichole Nordeman
What is Not Love / Derek Webb
Where The Streets Have No Name / U2 (Please Single)
Yahweh / U2
You Are Lovely / Waterdeep
You Are the Sun / Sara Groves
You Did Not Have A Home / Rich Mullins
You Did That For Me / Sara Groves

So, if you're keeping track, essentially anything by U2, Sara Groves, Rich Mullins, Waterdeep - and, yes, even Mumford & Sons - will do you well this season. (And once my friend John's album is released, you can be sure next year's list will be oh-mazing.)

This post contains zero affiliate links. Just me lovin' on some artists. I've linked to those that are new, indie, or not yet known so you can discover them, too. 

What music speaks to you this time of year?

31 days of LIVING in transition :: leave your house {day 12}

Yes, leave it. Get off the couch (or, if you're anything like me, out from under the covers, outta bed, comb your frizzy hair), open the front door, and leave your house.

As heretofore mentioned, when in transition I want to run, I want to hide (much like Bono does). And while the hiding isn't so good, the running might actually be onto something. It is all too easy to not live and hide from the reality that change is coming - or recently happened - when the only thing staring back at you is your TV and your Facebook account. Leave. Your. House.



What to do when you leave your house? I'm so glad you asked! Here's a top 10 list for things to do when you leave your house, stop hiding from transition, get out of survival mode and take baby steps towards life!

1. walk around your neighbourhood (bonus: meet people & exercise).
2. find your closest coffee shop and become a regular (same time, same place, same barista).
3. update your card catalog: get a driver's license, library card, loyalty card (these things say: yes, I lived here! and become part of your history).
4. talk to someone for 10-30 seconds (longer than a simple, "thanks" but shorter than, "so when I was in the hospital with mumps..."). Repeat daily and quickly increase to hourly reps.
5. go to church (even if you don't want to, even if you're brand new, even if you're not a Christian. Church people are - mostly - friendly people and will like you and pray for you if you let them).
6. join a club or take a class (in addition to, or in lieu of, church). Places to look for said clubs/classes are: library, grocery store bulletin board, or Meetup.com.
7. get a haircut. By month five, you'll really need one.
8. go where the people are (I will cover this more later in the week).
9. find a park, plop down on some green space, and people watch.
10. day trip! pick a spot on the map within a couple hours drive, find a friend to go with (or take yourself and a journal/book), and spend the day away from the mess that is transition.

Now, don't think I practice all or any of these things every day. I've experimented with most of these, but the idea is to discover who you are, what feeds your soul, and what grounds you when everything else is up in the air. 

I try to remember that the best way to live with intention while permanently living in transition is to leave the four walls of my heart's shelter, and go where the people are, where relationships wait, where I can think and pray and actively pursue experiences in whatever current home, situation, job, mess I find myself in.

So yeah, leave your house, and find who you are, where you are, for however long you are there. Or here.

10 books I'm currently not finishing, part 2

Part Two of my ground-breaking series, 10 Books I'm Currently Not Finishing...

The Missional Mom, by Helen Lee :: I love this book. Love. This. Book. Truth be told, though, I'm halfway through four months after starting it. I suppose it's taking me so long due to the fact that I have to sit with it, mull over it, and read it aloud to the husband. Lee is a fabulous writer, a growing mom, and a practitioner of missional living. The stories she tells, the women she introduces, and the truly inspired notion that our highest calling is not motherhood after all, but being with God, capture my heart in a way that tells me: this is possible. And this is life to the full. 

Culture Making, by Andy Crouch :: I saw Andy Crouch speak at the conference I attended last month. Not only is he super smart, but he's a musician, a writer, a ministry leader, and an artist. Two chapters in and this book is already challenging pre-formed ideas of who creates culture, where it came from, how we contribute and partake in it everyday. Are Christians supposed to only critique culture, or can we also be cultivators of it? According to Crouch and the stories I've already heard him tell, the answer to the latter is yes! But I'll keep reading and let you know for sure.

Crazy Love, by Francis Chan :: Two pages in. It looks pretty good. Everyone says it's good. I'm just late (and slow) to the party. The subtitle in particular speaks to me: "Overwhelmed by a relentless God." Actual review forthcoming sometime in the somewhat distant future. (this isn't a library book, but on loaner from good friend N, so I can keep this as long as I like without paying a nickel!)

Stay tuned for the stunning conclusion to this provocative series!

10 books I'm currently not finishing, part 1

Confession: I'm not a good book-finisher. Oh, I love reading books, devouring the first few chapters and reading aloud to the man all the new quote-worthy things I discover...

And then I move on to the next.

It's all unintentional, really. Nonfiction books just don't really do it for me, even though I so want to learn and grow and talk about things of importance in an intelligible manner. And a novel's got to be good - like this girl is gonna die in a game show war type of good - in order for me to persevere to the end.

But I do try. And here's proof:

10 books I'm currently not finishing

Real Sex, by Lauren F. Winner :: Four chapters in, and I think it could be a valuable textbook if you are single, minister to singles, or just want to understand and appreciate God's intentions for chastity and sexuality. Winner is brilliant. She's funny, intelligent, and doubtful. As in, if she has doubts or concerns about something (like abstinence), she's sure as you-know-what gonna investigate, interview, and write until she knows where she stands and has faith in God's best for her (and us).

Jesus for President, by Shane Claiborne & Chris Haw :: Approximately 1.5 sections in, and this one is a doozy. It's kinda like a literary WWJD bracelet for post-modern Christian hippies. I'm drawn to the design of the book, which has no uniformity whatsoever apart from being grungy or typefacetastic (a word I just invented). I'm a little afraid to finish it, as the ideas Claiborne and Haw present - whether it be about man-made empires or freedom fighters (Jesus being much more like the latter than the former) - can be difficult to digest. But I think it's worth digesting. Did I mention it's so pretty?

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, by Donald Miller :: Seven chapters in and I'm stuck (be warned: there are a lot of chapters). I started reading this when we were still in Ireland, loaned it out, read everyone else's take on the book (all of it glowingly positive), and thought I might be missing something. So I'm giving it another go. Truth be told, I think it was Anne Lamott's recommendation that scared me - on the cover, no less. Sheesh! I will tell you what I have loved so far: his description of the filmmakers made me fall in love with the whole lot of them. Apart from being a fly on the wall, Miller's narration is the next best thing.

to be continued... hopefully... next week...

Confession...

• I wake up more mornings feeling weary in not-well-doing than I do feeling well-doing in most anything.
• My bed is just about the only thing in my house that gets cleaned up on a daily basis.
• I have enormous shopper's remorse and guilt, nearly every day, over nearly every purchase.
• I take everything too seriously.
• I hate money, don't ever want to think about money, and wish I didn't have to constantly talk about money.
• My most frequent prayer is, "Help me, Jesus."
• I sometimes have very little patience for my sweet kiddos.
• It's been 10 years since I've been paid for anything I've written.
• I do most of my design work in MS Word.
• There are five piles (and growing) of laundry in my little apartment waiting for the time - and the quarters - to be washed.
• I don't believe motherhood to be my highest calling.
• I passively aggresively pray for other people's attitude changes or improvements, but in all fairness, I also pray the same for myself on an hourly basis.
• I always aim for perfection, but am nearly perfect at mediocrity.
• I don't have the Jesus-following, unconditional loving, and grace-giving thing all figured out yet.

Just wanted to put some of these things down in writing because I think what moms are really good at is making it look like we've got it all together all the time. Usually, the writing that comes from the breath of my life is made up of months and years of tears and heartache and scribbling and questioning and searching and praying.

It's only after I've figured out a thing or two that I'm able and willing to share it with you. :)


So, thank you for joing me here. And put it in writing: What's your confession?

Back to the Lists

When I'm in transition and feeling fussy, I like to make lists. So as we prep for the next move - this time to my hometown - the Top 10 Things I'm Looking Forward To...

1. The older kids being in school.
2. Meeting my mom and sis downtown for lunch.
3. Parents and siblings and nephews.
4. River Market Farmers Market.
5. Visiting old friends.
6. Watching American football with my dad.
7. Settling down for a few months.
8. Seeing (and using) some of our very own furniture.
9. The chili cook-off and other fun autumn activities.
10. Walking the Plaza.