tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59500725438675696582024-02-19T10:54:53.991-06:00The Part-Time PoetAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06845145378577132823noreply@blogger.comBlogger244125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950072543867569658.post-36444615469614495322017-01-03T16:32:00.001-06:002017-01-03T16:32:57.741-06:00Gavinisms & BennettismsThese silly phrases are coming fewer and further between now, but I wanted to make sure I captured these things overheard over the last several months:<br />
<br />
Bennett, on the moon's appearance:<br />
"Look! A full moon! The moon musta had a big lunch today."<br />
<br />
Bennett, on his favorite pastry:<br />
"I love my muffin top."<br />
<br />
Mixing up meanings:<br />
Mommy: "Bennett, what are you doing?"<br />
Bennett: "Anything."<br />
<br />
Gavin, on the best job in the world:<br />
"Nobody has a better job than kids. Learning is fun!"<br />
<br />
Even superheroes have to take potty breaks:<br />
Gavin: "If Flash came in here and went potty it would be like [snap] BOOM!"<br />
<br />
After a zoo visit:<br />
Gavin: "Bennett should be with the wild animals cuz he stomps so loud."<br />
<br />
On a mole's appearance:<br />
Gavin: "I have an x on my mole. I must have treasure in me!"<br />
<br />
Brotherly love:<br />
Bennett to Mommy: "You never give me special treats."<br />
Gavin to Bennett: "Well, I guess you'll just have to live on your own."<br />
<br />
On bug bites:<br />
Gavin: "Daddy said I might turn into Spiderman because of my spider bite."<br />
Bennett: "Uh-oh, then we won't have a brudder."<br />
<br />
Profound, no?:<br />
Bennett: "When I get bigger, I'm gonna grow up!"<br />
<br />
Bennett, on running errands:<br />
"We went to the piggy bank today and I got a sucker!"<br />
<br />
On technology:<br />
Gavin: "Mommy, you said you'd teach me how to tweet."<br />
Bennett: "This is how you tweet: 'tweet tweet.'"<br />
<br />
On family planning:<br />
Ryan to Gavin: "How many kids do you think you'll have?"<br />
Gavin: "Prolly two. No three. Cuz I'm taking Bennett. He's my brother and I love him."<br />
<br />
On baseball attire:<br />
Bennett, putting on a baseball hat: "Look at me! I'm a vampire!"<br />
Gavin: "You mean umpire?"<br />
<br />
Answering questions:<br />
Mommy: "Did you have a good day at school?"<br />
Gavin: [Makes fart sound with mouth] "That means 'yes' in farts."<br />
<br />
Silly car conversations:<br />
Bennett: [giggles]<br />
Mommy: "What are you laughing at?"<br />
Bennett" "The trees."<br />
Mommy: "Why?"<br />
Bennett: "Because they're just standing there!"<br />
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<br />Lindsay Evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03752633435737741558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950072543867569658.post-54071251469425385782016-02-15T11:42:00.000-06:002016-02-15T11:42:28.421-06:00LookI read an article the other day about how social media is killing self-esteem. Essentially, the pieces our friends share of themselves are mostly snapshots of perfection. They let us look at only the best part of their lives and subconsciously, we assume that our own is not living up to the hype. When we don't see everyone else's mess, it makes us question our own.<br />
<br />
Reading that made me immediately thankful for the honest moments I've seen friends post recently on social media. The messy, raw moments that give everyone a look at what happens between those moments of perfection. For every artist-crafted Valentine box with working gears and lights, there were also the late-night, thrown-together boxes that were enough. For every smiling, healthy baby photo, there were also the anniversaries of miscarriages and babies who needed heart surgery. For every put-together, shiny family photo session, there were also a bundle of hot mess morning routines.<br />
<br />
It reminded me that no matter what we show others, or how we perceive ourselves when we look at everyone else, the way God looks at us is always constant. It's always with unconditional love. From our happiest, shiniest joys to our messiest, in-the-gutter brokenness, and in every moment in between, we are so, SO loved. God sees our "hot mess" and makes something beautiful out of it. <br />
<br />
Have you looked at yourself the way God does today? <br />
<br />
__________________________________________________________________________________<br />
Check out what my friends think of today's word on their blogs: <a href="https://sojourner4jesus.com/">Steph</a>, <a href="https://bigrubberbandball.wordpress.com/">Shawn</a>, <a href="http://practicingresurrectionlife.com/">Brian</a> & <a href="https://hkostelnick7.wordpress.com/">Heather </a><br />
<br />
<br />Lindsay Evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03752633435737741558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950072543867569658.post-76019858644363295762016-02-11T14:14:00.002-06:002016-02-11T14:14:33.394-06:00Voice<br />
Twice this week (and it's only Thursday!) opportunities to be a voice for orphans in Russia presented themselves. Two different people I hadn't seen in a while asked how my recent trip was, and while I reveled in gushing about my friends in Velikoretskoye, I also got to be a voice for the plight of the orphan in Russia. Now, twice in one week is pretty rare, I'd say, but it was a good reminder to me that opportunities to be a voice for the voiceless are all around me, every day.<br />
<br />
There's the friend who's struggling and needs to be reminded they kick ass, or the co-worker who feels like a failure and needs to hear how talented they are. There's the homeless man who sits in the same place on my route to work every day who could use five bucks and a little human connection.<br />
<br />
Our voices have power, friends. Here's to using that power for good!<br />
<br />
<i>Speak up for the people who have no voice, for the rights of the down-and-outers. Speak out for justice! Stand up for the poor and destitute! Proverbs 31: 8-9</i> <br />
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<br />
In what way can you a be a voice for the voiceless today?<br />
__________________________________________________________________________________<br />
Check out what my friends think of today's word on their blogs: <a href="https://sojourner4jesus.com/">Steph</a>, <a href="https://bigrubberbandball.wordpress.com/">Shawn</a>, <a href="http://practicingresurrectionlife.com/">Brian</a> & <a href="https://hkostelnick7.wordpress.com/">Heather </a>Lindsay Evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03752633435737741558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950072543867569658.post-54511852137555880142016-02-10T10:22:00.000-06:002016-02-10T10:22:59.708-06:00GatherThe season of Lent begins again today, Ash Wednesday, and once again, <a href="http://www.rethinkchurch.org/articles/spirituality/2016-lenten-photo-a-day-practice">Rethink Church</a> has offered up a photo-a-day challenge. Because we like to <strike>torture ourselves</strike> grow in our faith, some of my friends and I will virtually <u><b>gather</b></u> to blog every day of Lent with a specific word in mind: <br />
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Here's the truth friends...<br />
<br />
If my people weren't gathering with me to do this, I'm not sure that I'd be on board for 47 straight days of blogging. It just wouldn't happen. But there's something about gathering in a community (virtual or not) and doing something together that makes it more powerful.<br />
<br />
We gather to eat, to watch movies, to celebrate a new baby, to remember a loved one who's gone, to see friends get married, to watch a kid's basketball game, and so much more. We gather because it's how we're meant to live...together.<br />
<br />
Faith is no different. We're meant to do faith together. To hold each other accountable, to lean on each other, to make mistakes, to cry and laugh and love and learn...together.<br />
<br />
Who do you gather with to share life?<br />
<br />
__________________________________________________________________________________<br />
Check out what my friends think of today's word on their blogs: <a href="https://sojourner4jesus.com/">Steph</a>, <a href="https://bigrubberbandball.wordpress.com/">Shawn</a>, <a href="http://practicingresurrectionlife.com/">Brian</a> & <a href="https://hkostelnick7.wordpress.com/">Heather </a>Lindsay Evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03752633435737741558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950072543867569658.post-78455752216848272862016-01-15T11:06:00.000-06:002016-01-15T11:06:04.974-06:00Things I Said This WeekThere are things I never thought I'd hear myself say...and then parenting happens. And so do these phrases:<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>Put the swords down and get some pants on.</i><br />
<br />
<i>Please don't throw Yoda at your brother anymore.</i><br />
<br />
<i><i>Licking your shoe is not funny.</i></i><br />
<br />
<i>It's not nice to pee on your brother.</i><br />
<br />
<i>Don't put your butt in my face until you get some underwear on.</i><br />
<br />
<i>Floss is for teeth...not toes.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
These sweet, cherub-faced boys made me say every single one. That's right. Don't let them fool you.<i> </i><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06845145378577132823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950072543867569658.post-20244843479130208442015-05-28T14:20:00.000-05:002015-05-28T14:22:57.161-05:00If I Can Craft . . . So Can You!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
You guys . . . I totally MADE this wreath. With my hands. And no help.<br />
<br />
Well . . . let's be honest. Me and Pinterest are like this (crosses fingers). It had every potential to turn into a Pinterest fail, but turned out pretty cute, right?!<br />
<br />
I am certainly not a crafter<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">—but when I saw how simple this wreath was to make, I thought I'd give it a shot. If you like it</span>, and want to make one of your own, you'll find some very helpful tutorials <a href="http://littlelovelyleaders.blogspot.com/2013/04/burlap-wreath.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://superdoityourself.com/2013/03/02/pretty-felt-flowers/" target="_blank">here</a> and also <a href="http://www.craftaholicsanonymous.net/burlap-roses-tutorial" target="_blank">here</a> from people who officially kick ass at crafts. If I can do it, you can, too!<br />
<br />
Happy crafting!<br />
<br />
Note: I'm thinking about making these for a Russia Mission fundraiser. Let me know if you'd be interested in one and we can work out price/colors, etc. I'll even let you take credit for the "craftiness"!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06845145378577132823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950072543867569658.post-71437447639092041162015-05-26T12:47:00.002-05:002015-05-26T12:47:46.267-05:00Elegy for Bennett's Baby Fat: A PoemI was holding Bennett's little hands in mine the other day, and the realization that his pudgy wrists and fingers are thinning hit me. <i>Hard</i>. It won't be long until his deliciously fat little thighs officially grow into long, lanky legs. Months maybe.<br />
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The revelation made me want to bottle up this last piece of baby-ness in him and capture it in a way that later, I'll still be able to feel how his plump baby cheeks feel against my lips when I kiss him. For me, the only way to do that is in a poem:<br />
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<br />
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Elegy for Bennett’s
Baby Fat<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The fat sausage feet I’ve snacked on </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
for months help you flee from my nibbles.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You say, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Don’t get me</i>
and run circles</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
around our ottoman, dripping</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
baby fat from your thighs and giggles</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
from your mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
fattened that face</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
with milk from my breasts, and now</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
it’s been swallowed up by a boy</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I don’t recognize.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
scoop you up</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
and chomp on thinning forearms</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
that used to double over like rubber</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
bands encircled your wrists.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You say, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Eat food,
Mama</i>, </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
and wriggle from my grasp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
the same way the boy sneaks out</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
from the baby you used to be.<br />
<br />
</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06845145378577132823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950072543867569658.post-50661405194488169172015-04-20T15:55:00.003-05:002015-04-20T15:55:46.999-05:00BennettismsTelling stories before bed:<br />
Bennett: "Once upon a time der were two budderfwies and they names were Mommy and Daddy and <br />
Bennett and Bubby. Once upon a time they were friends. Dee end."<br />
<br />
<br />
Using his manners:<br />
Bennett: "Excuse me."<br />
Me: "Did you toot?"<br />
Bennett: "I just toot from my mouth."<br />
<br />
<br />
On Daddy's baking skills:<br />
Ryan: "I made a green swirl cake for St. Patrick's Day!"<br />
Bennett: "I no like squirrel cake."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj59GdDa30pK7rihpuVvIkyIs9Pnw0nPjtYtkFEgr9viHS-h8r5rqTxnZZpyvu_TqaD8iUVbSLfzsDJr7uLo6LbEDz6k9sd8l2i1_WJvBxsXyFEOdDGHerrr4IkUSVj9zt4kN8UDyQzSXM/s1600/20150411_100017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj59GdDa30pK7rihpuVvIkyIs9Pnw0nPjtYtkFEgr9viHS-h8r5rqTxnZZpyvu_TqaD8iUVbSLfzsDJr7uLo6LbEDz6k9sd8l2i1_WJvBxsXyFEOdDGHerrr4IkUSVj9zt4kN8UDyQzSXM/s1600/20150411_100017.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06845145378577132823noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950072543867569658.post-17835223087175375072015-04-02T08:55:00.000-05:002015-04-03T09:04:48.330-05:00One Word, Five Voices: Breath<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Take a deep breath.<br />
<br />
Feel better?<br />
<br />
Sometimes that's all it takes to slow down and realize the busy we've subscribed to is just that—busyness that we've added to our lives <i>ourselves</i>; busyness that threatens to drown what truly matters most in life.<br />
<br />
So today . . . take a breath. Pause. Pray. Listen.<br />
<br />
What does God have on your schedule for today? <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pausing at the top of Monte Tamaro, Switzerland in 2007.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
_________________________________________________________________________________</div>
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Check out what my friends think of today's word on their blogs: <a href="http://bigrubberbandball.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Shawn</a>, <a href="http://hkostelnick7.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Heather</a>, <a href="http://sojourner4jesus.com/" target="_blank">Steph</a> and <a href="http://brianswanson1.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Brian</a>.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06845145378577132823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950072543867569658.post-23065803962478826872015-04-01T13:46:00.002-05:002015-04-01T13:48:23.338-05:00One Word, Five Voices: Peace<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
I'm not sure I've ever considered Jimi Hendrix to be a great theologian, but his quote about peace has always stood out to me:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit to Pinterest.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There is something about the big ideas of PEACE and POWER and LOVE being so intertwined that it seems illogical why we haven't figured it out yet. It seems so simple, doesn't it—the idea of peace?<br />
<br />
Warring nations, disgruntled employees, hurting marriages, broken children . . . isn't <i>love</i> the missing piece in all of these injustices? Not enough love, forgotten love, too much self-love—that's what's breaking things, that's what's preventing the broken from being redeemed.<br />
<br />
Friends, can we all just take a moment today to intentionally love on someone? Can't we just love without getting caught up in all the technicalities? Who cares if the other person has wronged us, or has different principles than we do, or that we want to be right, or that we just plain don't like them?<br />
<br />
Today, let's just love each other and let the peace of that choice fall over us in waves. <br />
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Check out what my friends think of today's word on their blogs: <a href="http://bigrubberbandball.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Shawn</a>, <a href="http://hkostelnick7.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Heather</a>, <a href="http://sojourner4jesus.com/" target="_blank">Steph</a> and <a href="http://brianswanson1.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Brian</a>.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06845145378577132823noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950072543867569658.post-10985131621021761912015-03-30T10:33:00.000-05:002015-04-03T10:33:53.718-05:00One Word, Five Voice: Live<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
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This moment you're sitting in right now will never ever happen again, and frankly, I feel blessed that you chose it to read this blog entry. This moment you're living in is precious—we only get so many in this one beautiful life we're living.<br />
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I started today with that thought in mind, and already, so many moments have blessed my day: the soft, warm snuggle of a sleepy toddler, the giggle of a friend, shared prayers for my Monday night crew, the generous act of a co-worker, the taste of perfectly steeped tea . . . and this is only the beginning of the day! <br />
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There will be so many more moments to live in fully today—to be blessed by. Let's live in our blessings today instead of all the other crap that drags us down.<br />
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Look around and live as if you're blessed—you are.</div>
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Check out what my friends think of today's word on their blogs: <a href="http://bigrubberbandball.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Shawn</a>, <a href="http://hkostelnick7.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Heather</a>, <a href="http://sojourner4jesus.com/" target="_blank">Steph</a> and <a href="http://brianswanson1.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Brian</a>.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06845145378577132823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950072543867569658.post-17610532505600857542015-03-26T15:50:00.000-05:002015-03-27T15:51:54.038-05:00One Word, Five Voices: Seek<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Paths Straight Proverbs 3:6 Watercolor Wall Art" height="320" src="https://img1.etsystatic.com/049/0/6786895/il_570xN.665515769_syi1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="273" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/206675729/paths-straight-proverbs-36-watercolor?ref=sr_gallery_29&ga_search_query=proverbs+3%3A6&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery" target="_blank">this Etsy shop</a>.</td></tr>
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I'm so bad at this you guys. Seriously, THE WORST. Here's the story of my life:<br />
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<b>Me:</b> "La di da . . . life is good. Yay for me."<br />
<b>Problem:</b> "I'm comin' at cha!"<br />
<b>Me:</b> "I've totally got this. I've mapped out the perfect plan to handle you measly little thing.<br />
Problem shmoblem."<br />
[Proceeds with "perfect" plan and fails miserably.]<br />
<b> Problem:</b> "Ha! You thought I was big then? Now you <i>really</i> better watch out!"<br />
<b>Me:</b> "Oh shit. What the hell am I supposed to do? My plan did not work. My plan was an epic<br />
fail. Hmmm . . . maybe I should pray about this?"<br />
<br />
Aaaand scene.<br />
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Alright . . . clearly I'm being a little cavalier here, but sometimes when I look back on things, it's kind of amazing to me how easily my problem could've been handled had I just sought after what God's plan was <i>first</i>.<br />
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Because his plan for me is always good. It may not be what I want, it may not be easy, it may not come in the timing I'd prefer—but it is <i>always</i> good.<br />
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Check out what my friends think of today's word on their blogs: <a href="http://bigrubberbandball.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Shawn</a>, <a href="http://hkostelnick7.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Heather</a>, <a href="http://sojourner4jesus.com/" target="_blank">Steph</a> and <a href="http://brianswanson1.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Brian</a>.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06845145378577132823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950072543867569658.post-10877045777530525612015-03-25T14:05:00.000-05:002015-03-27T14:12:34.475-05:00One Word, Five Voices: Truth<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
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There's an art to sharing truth—especially hard truth. It has to be done with grace, caution, and a shit-ton of love. When you know someone is struggling with something, but they won't admit the truth to themselves, the last thing that will help that struggle is bluntness, right?<br />
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That's because sharing the truth in love takes <i>time</i>. It means investing in someone, caring about them, and standing beside them in the tough stuff. It means being a loving supporter and encourager when that tough stuff threatens to tackle them. It means telling the truth when the truth is hard to tell.<br />
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Sharing the truth in love comes from true community.<br />
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When I know I'm loved and supported and someone has invested time in a relationship with me, I'm much more likely to listen to what they have to say, even if it's hard. Because those people—they're the ones who know me well enough to call me out when I need it.<br />
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And in case I haven't told those people enough . . . thanks for the occasional spiritual ass-kicking. <br />
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Check out what my friends think of today's word on their blogs: <a href="http://bigrubberbandball.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Shawn</a>, <a href="http://hkostelnick7.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Heather</a>, <a href="http://sojourner4jesus.com/" target="_blank">Steph</a> and <a href="http://brianswanson1.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Brian</a>.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06845145378577132823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950072543867569658.post-451402697761097882015-03-24T09:46:00.000-05:002015-03-25T09:47:03.114-05:00One Word, Five Voices: MercyI've always thought about mercy as a benevolent act. It's not about pity—it's about showing love and compassion in a situation where none is expected or deserved. It's powerful stuff. <br />
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The last time I was in Russia, I got to sit with our older kids who were getting close to graduating out of the orphanage and have a pretty deep conversation with them. Truths were shared and trust extended like I'd never seen it before with these kids. They were sharing candidly, as was I, and at one point, one of the girls asked me why I come to see them in Russia. "Because I love you," I said without missing a beat. "You've become family to me."<br />
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I will never forget the look on her face as I looked into her eyes at that moment and truthfully told her she was family. She sat up straighter and beamed ear-to-ear. That declaration of love had been unexpected for her, and it changed how she felt about herself.<br />
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Mercy is powerful, friends. Let's not use it for pity's sake, but instead, learn to lift others up to see themselves as they were created to be.<br />
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<i><span class="text Mic-6-8" id="en-MSG-9652">But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Mic-6-8">what <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">God</span> is looking for in men and women.</span></span><br /><span class="text Mic-6-8">It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Mic-6-8">be compassionate and loyal in your love,</span></span><br /><span class="text Mic-6-8">And don’t take yourself too seriously—</span><br /><span class="indent-1"><span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text Mic-6-8">take God seriously.</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="indent-1"><span class="text Mic-6-8"> </span></span></i><i><span class="text Mic-6-8">—Micah 6:8</span></i></div>
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Check out what my friends think of today's word on their blogs: <a href="http://bigrubberbandball.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Shawn</a>, <a href="http://hkostelnick7.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Heather</a>, <a href="http://sojourner4jesus.com/" target="_blank">Steph</a> and <a href="http://brianswanson1.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Brian</a>.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06845145378577132823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950072543867569658.post-48355348503432488162015-03-23T16:32:00.003-05:002015-03-23T16:33:38.665-05:00One Word, Five Voices: ForgiveWhat grudges are you currently holding?<br />
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I certainly have a few. At certain points in my life, I could have been an Olympic gold medalist in grudge-holding. Forgiving someone is hard, especially when you like to be right [raises hand slowly]. But forgiving someone means letting go of "rightness" to someone who was so clearly wrong. It's the opposite of how you feel, and yet, in the forgiving, there is this bitterness that leaves you instantly, and you realize that holding that grudge was really just you imprisoning yourself.<br />
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Forgiveness sets you free.<br />
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Still, we hold grudges. Remember those few I mentioned earlier? It's hard—and someone telling us to just "get over it" isn't fair. Sometimes it's not that easy. But you know what is?<br />
<br />
Breathing.<br />
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That's how forgiveness starts—taking a deep breath and unclenching our angry little fists long enough to accept an apology, give someone the benefit of the doubt, give the person who's wronged us some grace. All it takes is that first deep breath . . . and eventually, forgiveness comes just as easily.<br />
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Take a breath . . . now who can you forgive today?<br />
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Check out what my friends think of today's word on their blogs: <a href="http://bigrubberbandball.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Shawn</a>, <a href="http://hkostelnick7.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Heather</a>, <a href="http://sojourner4jesus.com/" target="_blank">Steph</a> and <a href="http://brianswanson1.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Brian</a>.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06845145378577132823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950072543867569658.post-36556798150271000192015-03-21T09:03:00.000-05:002015-03-23T09:05:04.480-05:00One Word, Five Voices: StillIt's hard for me to be still—to <i>just be</i>.<br />
<br />
I'm a doer, a fixer. If there's a problem, I want to start working on it immediately. I want to solve it, fix it, patch it up and make it right. For obvious reasons, this all becomes an issue when the problem isn't something I can solve on my own.<br />
<br />
Occasionally I'll be forced to be still and rely on God to show me the answer. It's in those moments that I realize that's what I should've been doing all along. That's what I should always do first—be still. Let God's voice be heard.<br />
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<i>Be still and know I am God.</i><br />
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a.k.a. . . . I've got this, Lindsay. Chill out. Just <i>be</i>.<br />
<br />
The answer always comes when it's supposed to come. It's not always when I want it to come, and it's not always the answer I'd like it to be, but when I sit in the stillness knowing it's from God, how could I want anything else? <br />
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Check out what my friends think of today's word on their blogs: <a href="http://bigrubberbandball.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Shawn</a>, <a href="http://hkostelnick7.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Heather</a>, <a href="http://sojourner4jesus.com/" target="_blank">Steph</a> and <a href="http://brianswanson1.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Brian</a>.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06845145378577132823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950072543867569658.post-49379328240829256872015-03-19T08:38:00.000-05:002015-03-20T08:38:47.402-05:00One Word, Five Voices: LightWhat has been your darkest hour? Perhaps it was a rough patch at work or struggle with depression. Maybe even a divorce or the loss of a loved one. In those dark places, what was the light that broke through?<br />
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Love.</div>
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In all the times I've been in a dark place in my life, the light that breaks through that darkness is <i>always</i> love. The kindness of a stranger, the support of a friend, the help of a neighbor. <i>Love</i> is the light that can reach through even in the darkest of nights.</div>
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How can you be the light to someone else today? </div>
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Check out what my friends think of today's word on their blogs: <a href="http://bigrubberbandball.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Shawn</a>, <a href="http://hkostelnick7.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Heather</a>, <a href="http://sojourner4jesus.com/" target="_blank">Steph</a> and <a href="http://brianswanson1.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Brian</a>.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06845145378577132823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950072543867569658.post-2748166155308048292015-03-18T14:29:00.000-05:002015-03-19T14:29:11.771-05:00One Word, Five Voices: Believe
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I’ve always loved the quote “Believe there is good in the
world,” but over the last couple of years, I’ve been seeing the quote pop up on
Pinterest with “Be the good” highlighted within the phrase, and now I love it
even more!</div>
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It’s such a simple thought, but so profound at the same
time. If I want to believe there’s good in the world, I need to BE part of that
good. The same holds true to other things I believe, right? </div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I believe bullying
should come to an end</i> means I will strive to raise boys who put others
first, and stand up for those who are being bullied.</div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I believe marriage is
forever</i> means I will continue to love my husband even when it’s hard, and
always stay committed to what we’ve built.</div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I believe human
trafficking is appalling</i> means I will work to fight the injustice of
slavery through raising awareness and giving money and time to the cause.</div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I believe kindness
matters</i> means I will attempt to be kind to those who treat me poorly.</div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I believe orphaned
children should feel loved</i> means I will go out of my way to love on
orphaned kids to fill that gap in their lives.</div>
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Believing something isn’t just about saying you believe
it—it’s living, active, and full of motion in your life. Believing is doing.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This artwork available on <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/150232905/believe-there-is-good-in-the-world-be?ref=sr_gallery_20&ga_search_query=believe+there+is+good&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery" target="_blank">Etsy</a>.</td></tr>
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Check out what my friends think of today's word on their blogs: <a href="http://bigrubberbandball.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Shawn</a>, <a href="http://hkostelnick7.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Heather</a>, <a href="http://sojourner4jesus.com/" target="_blank">Steph</a> and <a href="http://brianswanson1.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Brian</a>.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06845145378577132823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950072543867569658.post-27002366141532814702015-03-17T16:07:00.001-05:002015-03-18T09:17:04.903-05:00One Word, Five Voices: EndureEndure is such a harsh word. When spoken properly, there's even a drawn-out length to the second syllable. Appropriate, I think, considering it means to hold out, tolerate, suffer patiently, or even . . .<br />
to become hardened.<br />
<br />
In life, we have to endure pain, unfairness, hardship and suffering. These are the things that make us who we are once we overcome them. But somewhere in the mess of all of that struggle, I think it's easy to just start enduring life itself. <br />
<br />
Here's the thing . . . I don't want to <i>just</i> endure life. I want to live it! I don't want to just go through the motions every day—I want to feel and experience every bit of this life I've been given. Matthew West has a song called "The Motions," and the chorus speaks to this same idea:<br />
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<i>I don't wanna spend my whole life asking,</i></div>
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<i>"What if I had given everything</i></div>
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<i>instead of going through the motions?"</i> </div>
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We are made to be living—<i>really</i> living this messy life we've been handed. When my everyday starts to feel like a grind of work, feed kids, love husband, call friend, sleep, repeat . . . well, that's just me missing the point.<br />
<br />
To quote Jen Hatmaker, I'm just going to "go ahead and live [my] one wild and beautiful and spectacular life." Simply enduring is not an option. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This print available on <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/212513157/life-is-rare?ref=shop_home_feat_1" target="_blank">Etsy</a>.</td></tr>
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Check out what my friends think of today's word on their blogs: <a href="http://bigrubberbandball.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Shawn</a>, <a href="http://hkostelnick7.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Heather</a>, <a href="http://sojourner4jesus.com/" target="_blank">Steph</a> and <a href="http://brianswanson1.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Brian</a>.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06845145378577132823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950072543867569658.post-19392825278026695852015-03-16T16:26:00.000-05:002015-03-16T16:26:09.557-05:00One Word, Five Voices: WildernessThe wilderness and I do not get along. I like running water and air conditioning and Starbucks. I've even only been camping exactly once in my entire life, and when I woke up in the middle of the night to an ant army parading <i>inside</i> the tent, I quickly decided to forever loathe the out of doors.<br />
<br />
Alright . . . maybe <i>loathe</i> is too harsh a term. Let's just say I'm not a fan.<br />
<br />
Not ironically, I'm not too fond of metaphorical wilderness either. Being alone in a time of hardship seems terrifying. I need my people to hold me up, surround me with prayer, and show up at my doorstep with Ben & Jerry's if needed.<br />
<br />
I <i>need</i> community like I need air in my lungs.<br />
<br />
That's how we were created to go through life—together. None of us is all alone in the wilderness of life—we've got each other to lean on, thrive with, laugh with, love. Whatever is going on in your life today, I pray that you understand you are not alone in it . . . because no wilderness is a match for the community God has placed around you.<br />
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Check out what my friends think of today's word on their blogs: <a href="http://bigrubberbandball.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Shawn</a>, <a href="http://hkostelnick7.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Heather</a>, <a href="http://sojourner4jesus.com/" target="_blank">Steph</a> and <a href="http://brianswanson1.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Brian</a>.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06845145378577132823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950072543867569658.post-37901078735284361292015-03-14T09:44:00.000-05:002015-03-16T11:31:53.301-05:00One Word, Five Voices: SearchSearching for something isn't all that hard these days, is it?<br />
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A few weeks ago, I was trying to remember the movie Ryan and I saw on our second date, and the name was escaping me. I remembered the actors, even the premiss, but could not pry the name of the film out of my brain. One 20-second Google search on my phone and success! (It was <i>American Outlaws</i> in case you were interested).<br />
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There's really no longer much struggle in searching—at least for little daily things. What was that recipe my kids loved so much last month? Google. How long would it take to drive to the beach? Google. What was that verse my friend shared with me about hardship? Google.<br />
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It's easy to find the answers we need to most things now, but is that always better? Recently, I heard a radio host cite some study where researchers said smart phones were making us bad problem-solvers. When all you have to do is pull out your phone for an answer, the study concluded that most people don't even try to think critically.<br />
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It made me wonder if the "easy search" is hurting us in other ways, too. When there's no struggle over searching for something, what do we really learn in the process? Sometimes, struggling through something can build character, make us stronger, help us learn, grow our faith.<br />
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Now I don't know how much searching through a cookbook for that recipe my kids loved would build character as opposed to doing a Google search, but I do know that searching through my bible for that verse from my friend is going to help me learn more than Googling it.<br />
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Sometimes, being made to search teaches us more than we even knew we needed to learn.<br />
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Check out what my friends think of today's word on their blogs: <a href="http://bigrubberbandball.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Shawn</a>, <a href="http://hkostelnick7.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Heather</a>, <a href="http://sojourner4jesus.com/" target="_blank">Steph</a> and <a href="http://brianswanson1.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Brian</a>.</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06845145378577132823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950072543867569658.post-57814955841288111082015-03-13T22:17:00.001-05:002015-03-13T22:17:26.195-05:00One Word, Five Voices: PracticePractice what you preach.<br />
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That one sounds simple, doesn't it? But sometimes, putting into practice something you believe is harder than it sounds. It's why so many Christians get labeled as hypocrites.<i> </i><i>Love thy neighbor</i> doesn't mean love only the neighbors who are nice to you, or only the neighbors you deem to be worthy. It means extending the same amount of love to those you truly love, <i>and</i> those jerks who treat you like crap.<br />
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That's hard. Who among us hasn't said one thing and done another at some point, right? But here's the thing . . . I don't want to be remembered as a hypocrite who couldn't really practice what I was preaching. I want to be the person, the wife, the mom, the friend that others look at and wonder, "What's different about her?" I want people to look at me and see the one I serve.<br />
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I sure as hell am not going to get it right all the time, but the willingness to try is also part of how I'll grow in my faith. That's essentially what practicing faith is. I'm never going to get it all right. I'm never going to be perfect. I can't—I'm only human. But that's okay, because I'm willing to try . . . and grace will cover the rest of it. <br />
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Check out what my friends think of today's word on their blogs: <a href="http://bigrubberbandball.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Shawn</a>, <a href="http://hkostelnick7.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Heather</a>, <a href="http://sojourner4jesus.com/" target="_blank">Steph</a> and <a href="http://brianswanson1.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Brian</a>.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06845145378577132823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950072543867569658.post-56449512756121304522015-03-12T14:32:00.000-05:002015-03-13T14:35:08.568-05:00One Word, Five Voices: StopLent is such an obvious time for stopping something, isn't it? It's when people give up chocolate, Facebook, radio/music in the car, the elevator at work, etc. It's a time to stop doing something so you can fit other things in more easily, like prayer, study and time to focus on God.<br />
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It's why I love Lent. It's extra time to focus on what matters, and put aside things that distract from that, or add something in that helps me focus more clearly.<br />
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That's what can make Lent a dangerous time, too. When the ritual of giving something up every year starts to get in the way of the reason for doing it—that's when faith becomes less about the heart, and more about the rules. And that's never good. <i>That</i> is something that should most definitely stop—not just during Lent, but every day of the year.<br />
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Faith isn't about the rules because we don't serve a God who works on technicalities. Faith is too important for that. We are too loved for that.<br />
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Whatever it is you're stopping for Lent, I pray that it draws you closer to the knowledge of how truly loved you are, and draws you away from a list of rules followed out of guilt. Because that, my friends, is not how we were created to be living.<br />
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Check out what my friends think of today's word on their blogs: <a href="http://bigrubberbandball.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Shawn</a>, <a href="http://hkostelnick7.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Heather</a>, <a href="http://sojourner4jesus.com/" target="_blank">Steph</a> and <a href="http://brianswanson1.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Brian</a>.</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06845145378577132823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950072543867569658.post-30329915739606746972015-03-11T18:41:00.000-05:002015-03-12T18:41:44.257-05:00One Word, Five Voices: WiseSometimes, you can have years of study, research and knowledge about a situation, but still not be wise enough to handle it.<br />
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I felt that way before I became a mom. I read books on breastfeeding, talked with experienced moms about what to add to the registry, and made lists of milestones and dates they should be hit. I stuffed myself full of knowledge in preparation for his arrival and still didn't feel ready. The thing is . . . wisdom didn't come from any of those places—it came from an ability God gave me—the fact that I knew my baby better than anyone.<br />
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True wisdom is proper discernment. It's knowing when something just doesn't feel right and having the moxie to change course if needed. It's being able to trust, and for me, have faith to hear what it is God wants me to do in a situation.<br />
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That's hard sometimes. Usually what God wants me to do is uncomfortable, or at the very least, not what I would necessarily choose on my own. Sometimes it means going against the status quo, which can be even harder. But what I continue to learn is that on the other side of whatever that situation is, I am always wiser, always stronger, and always more faithful.<br />
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So do I still gorge myself on information when I'm unsure about something? Sure. It's in my nature. But the more faithful I've become, the more I realize I must also indulge in a heavy dose of prayer and discernment as well.<br />
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Check out what my friends think of today's word on their blogs: <a href="http://bigrubberbandball.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Shawn</a>, <a href="http://hkostelnick7.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Heather</a>, <a href="http://sojourner4jesus.com/" target="_blank">Steph</a> and <a href="http://brianswanson1.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Brian</a>.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06845145378577132823noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5950072543867569658.post-12748639196228774642015-03-10T22:24:00.003-05:002015-03-10T22:24:44.628-05:00One Word, Five Voices: KnowledgeToday's word had me thinking about how much we truly seek to understand and learn about those around us every day. What knowledge can I say I really have about my co-workers, neighbors, acquaintances? <br />
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Maybe that lady at work who always seems so cranky and quick-tempered has an aging parent she's caring for that's stressing her out. Maybe that goofy guy who won't shut up at the library has no one else to talk to. Maybe the kid who's picking on your kid at school gets beaten every night when he comes home. I'm sure every single one of us can pinpoint at least one person who is a thorn in our side at times, but how many of us can say we seek to understand why? And furthermore, how many of us try to reach out to that person and get to know them better?<br />
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I'm as guilty as anyone when I say, "Yikes! Not me!" It's human nature to protect ourselves and stand up for ourselves when we've been wronged. But when we start to learn about who someone is, scars and all, something happens. We gain knowledge. We start to care more. Community is built and somehow, the things that drove you crazy don't bother you as much, or they start to not happen at all anymore, because instead of hurting and lashing out in anger, the other person softens . . . because now they feel <i>known</i>.<br />
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The famous philosopher G. I. Joe told us that "knowing is half the battle." I jest here, sure, but in reality, that's so true! The more you know about someone, the less likely you are to get angry at them over silly things, and the more grace you extend to them when those little things happen. So here's a little challenge I gave myself over Lent: get to know someone I can't stand. Who knows what might happen by Easter!<br />
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Who can you get to know a little better?<br />
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Check out what my friends think of today's word on their blogs: <a href="http://bigrubberbandball.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Shawn</a>, <a href="http://hkostelnick7.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Heather</a>, <a href="http://sojourner4jesus.com/" target="_blank">Steph</a> and <a href="http://brianswanson1.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Brian</a>.</div>
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