Living All In

I almost missed this week.   My day job is running me over. You mothers know the one.   That job that starts at the crack of dawn (if you’re lucky enough to sleep that late) and continues until way after dark. Some days, parenting is amazing.   There are fairytale sparkles, little birds that help with the laundry and moments you are lost in the wonderment of motherhood.   Then, there are weeks where you’re slogging through the muck, hoping for a light at the end of the tunnel, and all you want to do is go back to bed because, let’s face it, “adulting” is hard. So, let’s tackle gratitude this week. Robert Holden said “The real gift of gratitude is that the more grateful you are, the more present y ou become.” I want to be present.   Not in my phone.   Not in the TV.   Not focused on next month or next year.   I want to be right here and right now, because when this season of chaos passes – as it will all too quickly- I want to remember it. Consequently, I’ve picked three thin

Welcome to "Tackle-It" Tuesday !  Yesterday, I read the most beautiful blog post.  Helpful, Encouraging, Inspiring. I cried.  Then I commented.  Then I hid, because how could I hope to write something half as meaningful with my insignificant pen. Watch out! I’ve got compare-it-itis, and I think it’s contagious. We do that to ourselves. We compare. And we let the comparison keep us from our purpose, our work and our destiny. When the truth is -  we are ‘wonderfully complex.’ (Psalm 139:14 NLT) Not one of us is like the other. Each voice is beautifully unique and special. Romans 12:6 (NLT)says “In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. ‘ It goes on to list several gifts, adding after each, the admonition to do it ‘well.’ I have been given the gift of motherhood, so I will do it well.  The gift of writing, so I will write well.  And the gift of encouragement, so I will encourage well.  In obedience to the Giver, not to raise myself o

I keep seeing these cutesy nick names for blog posts, so I’ve decided to name mine.   Since the theme of this blog is ‘living all in’ and I’m a closet football fan (shh...don’t tell anybody) we’re going to have “Tackle-it Tuesdays.” Photo By Maryland State College of Agriculture (now the University of Maryland). (University of Maryland Libraries) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons I like Tuesdays.   First of all, they’re not Mondays. Can I get a witness? Second, that’s the day I started blogging. And third (I firmly believe you should have three reasons for everything) it keeps me on a schedule, which gives my Type A personality ‘all the feels.’ They will always be short and sweet.   Mostly because I’m creating these works of genius while my 4 year old blessing regales me with tales of super heroes and snot. But also because, like my (almost) 5 foot self, good things come in small packages. This week, let’s tackle Spring Break My kids are on spring break thi