Happy Mother’s Day!

I have been incredibly fortunate in my life to know and have close relationships with my mother, both grandmothers, one great-grandmother, and now also my mother-in-law and step-mother. And while these wonderful ladies have literally been mothers to me in every sense of the word, there have also been others in my life who are “like mothers,” including aunts, older family members, and various long-time family friends. All of these women have made significant impacts on my life in their own unique ways in the things that they’ve taught me, the ways they’ve supported and encouraged me, and the examples of love, grace, kindness, and transparency they’ve shown me over the years.

Let’s face it: where would we be without the “mothers” in our lives? Mothers give life and not just in the physical sense, but in the emotional, psychological, and spiritual sense as well. The world today, in all of its difficulties and challenges, cries out in need for more mothers – those who nurture, provide, extend love and compassion, and spur us on to be our best selves and accept us even when we’re at our worst. I feel very blessed to know so many women who have been there and done just that for me in my life.

Today I, as well as many of you, will set aside this day to spend time with those women who have mothered us, celebrating their beauty, strength, goodness, and faithfulness to us and our families. It is a wonderful opportunity to let them know just how much they mean to us and the ways our lives are better, changed, and different because of their positive presence. I hope to show my sincere appreciation and give the ladies I see and talk to today back even just a small portion of all they’ve done for me because they deserve it in so many ways.

To all of you who are mothers (literally and figuratively), I thank you for your remarkable contribution to the world, and wish you a most happy and blessed Mother’s Day!

Insta-Lately

Good Sunday Morning and Happy May! I’m writing again today from my favorite lakeside retreat. With the weather being absolutely incredible this past week, I had the opportunity and felt inspired to take quite a few pictures on my beloved iPhone (what would I do without this oh-so-handy technology?!?), so I’ve decided to share some of those moments I captured as my post for today (from left to right)… Enjoy!

1) I went for a two mile hike at a nearby park after work on Monday. After being inside all day and busy with various projects, my soul was in need of a break. As I was on my way back to the parking lot, I found this little wonder of a tree alongside the trail.

2) May is National Runner’s Month! This ad was in Runner’s World magazine and upon seeing it I took pause, reminded of the reason I run: for the freedom it gives me. What do you run for?

3) My girlfriends and I started our Girl’s Night Out Bible Study on Wednesday. This time around we are journeying through the Book of Malachi. At the end of Week One’s homework, Lisa Harper writes, “My hope and prayer is that…you’ll become more convinced than ever before that our Creator Redeemer is sovereign, merciful, and absolutely enamored with you!” I’m totally up for that…and alongside my sisters…what could be better?!?

4) On our way up north yesterday, the hubby and I made a stop in Holland to visit the Tulip Time Festival. We walked through the downtown area – perusing shops, the art gallery, and visiting the arts and crafts fair. Tulips were in full bloom everywhere we went. It was lovely!

5) While in Holland, we stopped at Crane’s in the City café/bistro and ordered a Turkey Apple Jack Panini for lunch. Sliced turkey, bacon, swiss, and red onion dressed with apple butter and honey mustard, grilled to perfection on wheat bread. Oh.my.goodness. It was AMAZING! I will definitely be making this at home!

6) Last night, my dad and I caught the sunset together at the beach across the street from our marina. Is this not glorious?!? I feel so lucky and blessed to have grown up watching scenes like this every summer weekend and appreciate that I can continue to enjoy this alongside family and friends even now.

7) I finally finished this dandy of a book last night before bed and wow was this book ever convicting, but in the best possible way. It reminded me that because I have been given much, much is required of me. It has served as the inspiration behind my recent “purge” of all the excess in my life: clothes, possessions, etc. If you’re in need of anything, let me know because I probably have it and can stand to part with it (LOL!). In all seriousness though, this book made me think more about where I place my desires and those things I treasure most. Honestly, I want my first love to always be God and to live my life from that, but oh how I do fall short of this goal more often than not! I was encouraged by what Jen Hatmaker wrote toward the end of the book: “Believe it or not, God can still change us. Not just our habits but our hearts.” I am thankful for His love, compassion, mercy, and grace that are at work in my heart, mind, spirit and soul to change me into the woman He has called me to be.

8) The sunrise over our marina this morning. I stand in awe of God’s beauty and goodness as He ushers in this brand new day.

9) And yes, life is good, ALL the time. Amen.

What’s Your Delight?

I’m writing this morning from the great up north. We have successfully opened up our little “home-away- from-home” for the spring/summer season and are eager to start our enjoying our weekend getaways on the shore of Lake Michigan. After a long winter and rough start to spring, we are ready to let the good times roll!

Returning to Ludington after being away for so many months really does feel like coming back home. There are so many memories from my childhood associated with this place, not to mention the time my husband and I have spent together here making new memories, including our wedding and fun weekends spent with family and friends. The simple pleasures of running through the woods early in the morning, reading on the beach, roasting marshmallows over the fire, watching the sunset on my dad’s boat, jet-skiing from one lighthouse to the other, and just getting away from the demands of work and home to relax and play have meant the world to me over the years. These breakaways are what I need to get refocused and refreshed in the midst of life’s busyness.

Being up here reminds me of what’s good in the world, and not only that, but the things in life that bring me delight, happiness, and joy. I was recently reading another favorite blog of mine (A Place To Dwell:  Living an Inspired Life of Possibility) and the author wrote, “Let’s make it a point to do more of those things that move our hearts, inspire us, and fire us up. Let’s live the abundantly beautiful lives He is calling us to live — for Him.” YES! Whether at home or traveling to new or familiar places, I want to be doing more of those things that fill my heart to the brim with God’s goodness.

So what things make my up my list of delights? What does “Living the Good Life” look like for me? Here’s my list…

Early morning quiet time with God, long runs through the woods and countryside, talking and laughing with my hubby, road trips, sunrises, sunsets, journaling, blogging in my pjs, getting lost in a good book, being inspired by others and inspiring others, photography, giving gifts for the fun of it, collaging, walking on the beach, listening to music, cleaning / organizing / de-cluttering / simplifying, trying new recipes, throwing the windows wide open to let the sunlight and fresh air inside, hot cups of coffee (especially the creamy latte kind), planting flowers, bible study with girlfriends, encouraging others, dreaming BIG, decorating spaces to invite creativity, connecting with family and friends in-person (preferably over good food and drinks),  writing in color, making lists (and crossing items off the list), praying BIG prayers knowing nothing is impossible with God, chocolate, sparkly accessories, the color pink, Runner’s World magazine, traveling and adventures, hiking, preparing and training to meet new goals, the hope / beauty / courage / joy that comes from living life to the full with God and letting His Word dwell in my heart / mind / soul, movies with comedy / romance / suspense, Riesling, trips to the bakery, cruising the streets and shops of small towns, Amber beer, my iPhone, driving with the windows down / music turned up / big black sunglasses on, the smell of fresh-cut grass, watching the farm animals sleep and graze in their pastures, golf-cart rides down the dirt road with my hubby, knitting, entering into another’s story fully present and listening, positive social change and justice efforts, living IRL (in real life) / transparent / honest / true to myself and others.

What things would make your list? What is it you want more of so that you can live your best and most full life now? I found the process of writing it all down and naming it inspiring and empowering. If you’re wanting change and to get back to the most important things in life, I encourage you to take the time and write these things out TODAY, and then do a little bit of them every day to live the good life you’ve been called to live.

Have a blessed Sunday, friends!

Half-Marathon Sunday

The tragic events at the Boston Marathon earlier this week shook me to the core. While other tragedies have certainly impacted me, this one hit home. This happened on territory very familiar to me – the open road, at the finish line of a remarkable accomplishment – packed full of runners and spectators. I knew of names, recognized some of the faces of those competing in the race. This time it felt personal and too close for comfort. There are simply no words…

Today, almost one week to the day of the Boston Marathon, I completed my first race of the year, the Lansing Half-Marathon. This was my fifth half-marathon since starting the great adventure of running over three years ago. The weather was perfect this morning: cool, but sunny with blue skies; the city had an atmosphere of peace and unity. Eight weeks and 159 miles of training came and went in anticipation of this day and the hopes to set a new PR and reach a new level of athleticism.

But today was more than just about a PR. And it was more than just another race and the attainment of another medal. It was about exercising not only my body, but the freedom I have to dream, to laugh, to play, and to run in this great country… freedom to do all this without fear that someone or something will take that away from me. Because nothing can and nothing will. The energy and camaraderie of today proved that even in the midst of adversity and tragedy, horror unspeakable, we are conquerors and victors, our spirits stronger than ever before. That’s what I ran for today – and that’s what I will continue to run for in the future. “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed (2 Corinthians 4:8-9, NIV).”

I will share that I completed the race with a new PR of 1:47:34 (8:01 mile pace) – which means that since September, I have managed to cut over 7 minutes off my best time! All praise and glory to God! As my running mantra professes: I can do ALL things through Him! I am beyond thrilled and amazed with today’s success, but even more humbled by what God has done in my life through this gift He has blessed me with and the empowerment and strength He has given me to keep pressing forward. I could not do it without Him and the wonderful people He has placed in my life who encourage, support, and inspire me to let nothing stop me from going hard after my dreams and goals! He is GREAT and Life is GOOD!

 “And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us…” (Hebrews 12:1, NIV)

Currently

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I heard of this blog post idea from one of my favorite blogs, Eat Live Run, awhile back and thought it might be a fun thing to do on this lovely Sunday morning.

I’m currently…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reading… a three-week devotional focused on the topic of prayer with the #SheReadsTruth online community. So far we’ve covered prayers of praise, confession, petition, and intercession – and this week we’ll finish up with prayers of kingdom advancement. LOVE it!  I also just began the newly released book, “Bread and Wine,” by Shauna Niequist. I absolutely adore Shauna’s books – they are always filled with heartfelt stories and wisdom (I often find myself underlining and dog-earing numerous pages) and this latest one even includes a bunch of recipes! I am looking forward to lazy afternoon of soaking in its pages!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Planning… to run the Lansing Half-Marathon next Sunday! I’ve been training for the past seven weeks and just completed my last pre-race long run this morning. I’m hoping and praying for great weather and a fabulous run alongside the other participants. I’m also asking God to give me the speed and strength to set a new PR – my running mantra: “I can do ALL things through Him (Philippians 4:13).”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eating… fresh organic granola with blueberries, and I just went to Trader Joe’s last night and picked up some new organic, gluten-free ingredients and snacks to try out in the weeks to come. Love me some Trader Joe’s – totally worth the 45 minute drive!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drinking… a Vanilla Latte (sugar-free, reduced cal, no whip) from Biggby! It’s the perfect weekend post-run treat, and totally satisfies my morning coffee craving.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Listening… to the Passion 2013: Let the Future Begin album. This is a live album recorded at the annual Passion event in Georgia. I heard about this from Beth Moore’s blog and I’ve been listening to it non-stop. It fires me up in the mornings on my drive to work and helps me stay upbeat when I’m doing chores, cooking and baking in the kitchen, blogging, etc. It would even make a great workout playlist. My favorite songs on the album are “God’s Great Dance Floor” by Chris Tomlin, “Burning in my Soul” by David Crowder, and “My Delight is in You” by Christy Nockels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inspired… by the blogs, books, and teachings of others, specifically regarding the topic of our callings, finding meaning in our everyday lives, and living abundantly in the here and now, as He’s invited us to do. As I’ve mentioned previously in other posts, I feel God has been speaking to my heart about the dreams He’s given me, and He’s been helping me to prioritize things and start taking the steps to make these dreams a reality. I know it’s going to be a process, and I’m not even sure of all that it will entail, but I know He’s with me through it all and that whatever He has planned is for my good (Jeremiah 29:11 and Romans 8:28). I recently read the book, “Freefall to Fly,” by Rebekah Lyons and was able to access this free printable of a quote she uses in the book and I framed it and placed it in my home office to remind me to dream BIG, take the leaps in life, and find my wings along the way!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Excited… to have dinner with a long-time girlfriend tomorrow night to celebrate her birthday and catch up on life; for the Freedom Tour (hosted by Catalyst School in Seattle) which is coming to Lansing next weekend – I’ll be attending Session 1 on Friday night entitled, “God’s Original Design” which discusses how to embrace the truth of God’s unique design for our lives; for heading up north in a couple weekends to begin another wonderful spring / summer season at our “home-away-from-home” on the shore of majestic Lake Michigan; and kicking off Girl’s Night Out Bible Study with some amazing girlfriends on May 1^st where we’ll be delving into “Malachi: A Love that Never Lets Go” by Lisa Harper.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loving… heart-to-heart moments with my hubby; fresh cut flowers; counting gifts each day as part of this year’s Joy Dare; curling up in the home theater at the end of the day to read or watch tv or movies; time to think, pray, dream, run, and connect with others; and just plain LIFE in general! It is GOOD!

 

 

 

My Favorite Things / Thirty-One Party

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love waking up with a feeling of satisfaction. That’s how my day has started today. After a wonderful Saturday spent in a full house of family and friends, I feel incredible thankful and blessed for all the amazing people whom God has put into our lives, and to have a home where we can all come to share in life together. This is what it’s all about – community, fellowship, support, and encouragement – for the respective journeys we’re all on. This is the stuff that makes life so good and so rich, and I am honored to have been host to such an occasion.

About a month ago, I planned a joint “My Favorite Things / Thirty-One” party, an idea inspired by my dear friend, Emily, who learned of “My Favorite Things” on Pinterest and who is now also a Thirty-One consultant. I thought this would be a great way to kick off the spring season and just connect with a great group of women. And that’s exactly what we did!

Yesterday was the big day. After a morning of prepping, ladies started arriving around 2:00 and we gathered in the kitchen to share in some of our favorite foods/snacks: Grand Traverse Salad, Banana Pumpkin Muffins, Cake Batter Popcorn, Trifle, and Peanut Butter Cool Whip Cups just to name a few. We chatted, joked, laughed, dreamed, and shared in all the stuff that makes up the busy, sometimes crazy, but good lives we live.

Then we gathered in the living room to share our favorite things. How this works is that everyone brings four of their one favorite thing (in this case, we put a $6 limit on the item brought, so nobody spends more than $24). The favorite thing can be anything from food, drink, book, or craft to household product, health and beauty product, baby product, or kitchen gadget. So, we had a variety of items: Gatorade, Ghirardelli chocolate, hand lotion, Pampered Chef utensils, wine stoppers, journals and pens, Life is Good stickers, Luna bars, travel cups, inspiring and positive wall art, etc. You name the category, we had it covered in some way! Then we each drew four names, and once we drew, the four people whom we picked got our favorite thing. So the beauty of this is that everyone learns about some possibly new things and even better yet, gets to take four new things home with them! Ingenious, right?!?

After this, we then perused the Thirty-One catalogue and products that Emily brought to showcase. I ended up ordering the Punch Bowl Cinch Sac with my name embroidered on it in hot pink, as I think it will be perfect for race days when I need to throw my warm up clothes and camera in there to hand off to the hubby while I’m out running. Of course, it’ll also be good for traveling up to the lake on the weekends too – I can easily through my books and Kindle in there for our short trips!

A couple of the ladies had to take off after this for other obligations, but the rest of us continued to hang out and eat, drink, and talk, eventually making our way down to the man-cave to enjoy music, sports, and laughter, as at this point, we were now in the guys’ territory – so that just added a whole new level of fun to the experience – LOL!

Later we ordered pizza and nachos from our favorite bar and grill up the road and ate that while we watched the Final Four tournament; after which, the food-coma set in and us ladies pretty much ended up passing out before the game was over, the result of a wonderful and full day!

Overall, it was a great day, making for a fabulous weekend! I had been so looking forward to this; being able to catch up with everyone and just do something new and fresh for a change is exactly what I think all of us were in need of after the long winter. It also got me excited for the coming spring and summer months, and makes me want to take more opportunities to host future gatherings and parties here at home. I’m already looking forward to when our next event will be!

Hello, April!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How appropriate that the day after Easter Sunday not only begins a new day and week, but a new month! Hello, April! God is the God of perfect timing and fresh starts indeed, and I just LOVE that about Him! With the turning of the page on the calendar comes all sorts of new and exciting possibilities for the days ahead, and I am daring to dream BIG for the things that He may do in the following weeks!

After arriving at home this evening, I turned on the television to check out the first Detroit Tigers game of the season. (Does anything say, “Summer is coming!” more than baseball?!?) While I was tuning in to the game, I picked up my Kindle and perused some of the blogs I love to visit most. I came upon Ann Voskamp’s post for the day and she shared something so beautiful and right in line with how I’m feeling today, that I think it’s worth sharing …

“Easter Monday faith believes that in impossible darks – impossible light sparks.

Easter Monday faith believes that the tombs places of our lives – are but womb places for new life.

Easter Monday faith believes that Christ tenderly takes our doubts – and says touch my scars …

This faith believes in stones that roll, in grave clothes that fall, in an Easter people who sing hard hallelujahs …

because we believe in resurrections always coming.”

On this day after Easter, the dawning of a new month, I desire and pray for this kind of faith. Faith that doesn’t forget Good Friday and Easter – but that lives in the light of the love, grace, and life that He offers through those days. A faith that hopes with a full heart and can see with eyes wide open all that God is capable of in the here and now, in the busy and mundane, in my best and worst moments. Yes, this is the faith I’m clinging to because I know my God LIVES, that He is ABLE, and that He works all things out for GOOD!

As this month begins, I encourage you to find that which inspires and speaks life to you and to embrace it with all you have. Allow it to give you extra shine and sparkle in your days, and motivate you in new and amazing ways so you can do the things you are called to do! And dare to dream big because nothing is impossible when you believe!

Wishing you a wonderful start to the week and a fabulous month to come – Happy April!