Serious About Faith. Light-Hearted About Life.
Next Monday is Martin Luther King, Jr. day.
This day means much more than just a day off of school and no mail delivery.
Whenever I think of the great MLK, I think of service. I ran across this quote a couple of months ago and have been waiting to work up a graphic and share it with you.
Now seems like the perfect time. [Read more…]
Hiya, peeps.
It’s Five Minute Friday time, that moment in the week where I link-up with Lisa-Jo Baker, she gives us a prompt and we write. For five minutes flat. No editing, no over thinking.
So how’s about we cut the chit chat and get to crackin’, eh?
Today’s prompt: SEE
AND GO! [Read more…]
7 Days Time has been a long time in the making. There are literally hundreds and hundreds of hours logged writing, researching, tweaking, linking, praying and rewriting represented here in these archives.
And I would love nothing more than to share it all with you. That’s right– it’s all at your fingertips.
Below you will find some of the blog “series” we’ve done, as well as posts by year/month. If you want to find something via topic, tag, keyword or category, be sure to utilize the handy-dandy search box at the top of each page, or browse the “tags” or “categories” widgets on the footer and sidebar. There are 450 (and counting!) blogs posts here at 7 Days Time, so dig in!
I am praying that the God-driven content here at 7 Days Time encourages your heart, inspires your life and leads you to walk in His light!
Bible Verses: Hidden Ah-Ha Series
Finding Jesus in the Everyday Series
Calm Your Anxious Heart Series
10 Commandments of a Growing Family Series
2013 Blogs
2012 Blogs
2011 Blogs
HEY HUSBAND!! I am over this deployment and am so ready to transition from being cact-i to cactus!! #WaitingIsMoreFunWithPuns#CactusPunsAreAlwaysOnPoint #HomecomingCountdown
HEY HUSBAND!! Aren’t “chew” done with deployment yet?? I’m ready for you to be ‘bacca in my arms! #StarWarsPunsAreOutOfThisWorld#NeedMoreCoffeeInThisMugSoImNotSoSpacey
HEY HUSBAND! Did you know that the homecoming homestretch is apparently an implied License to Chill? #WhenIGrowUpIWannaBe2#NotStaged #HopeHePullsThrough #MamaWasSweating
HEY HUSBAND! My excitement for this deployment to end is… (wait for it…) “mountain” everyday! ⛰
HEY HUSBAND! Yes, it is true that deployment really “bites” sometimes, but you are always and forever the apple of my eye!
Oh Mama. It was good to see you and spend some time together, even if it was just a few short days. Safe travels back to the ocean (I mean Kansas).
***
Deployment Log, Day 224:
1. Good news, my friends! The very annoying cloud of “Blah” lifted yesterday morning, after 7, well, blah days.
2. I am SO relieved. Feeling that way is no bueno!
3. I had been wracking my brain and searching my heart for the why behind the blahs, and I think it was a combination of several things: transition out of school for the summer (which means I’m less busy, a good thing– but gives me room to feel the feelings–yikes!) those pesky woman hormones, too many processed carbs and sugar #ThornsInMySide and just #DeploymentLife. Glad we made it to the other side of THAT!
4. Mom got here Friday afternoon and I dropped her off at the airport today. Although the visit didn’t go as planned (what IS it with Texas and causing stomach issues in my parents when they arrive?) we made the best of it. Grown-up companionship was welcome!
5. At church Sunday, I was able to have a much needed ugly cry, which has been building for several days (See points 1-3). It felt good. Messy, but good.
6. I also had a revelation that I was just tired of being strong. People say, “Oh girl, you don’t have to be strong all the time,” I kind of don’t agree… I mean, I’m not saying “strong” in a sense of being warm and fuzzy and bubbly all the time. Or faking it till I make it. But I DO have the strong one in our household right now. My normal let-me-be-unstrong-and-ugly-cry-in-your-arms person is deployed. So when I say strong, I mean steadfast and stable for the kids.
7. Thankfully, *IF* *IF* this deployment concludes when it is *ISH* scheduled, we *COULD* be 91% *ISH* done with it!!! That’s an “A.” I can totally get on board with THAT!!
8. I just learned today that Magic Eraser will take red paint off of a husband’s large white truck from a mishap I had with the Dunkin Donuts Drive Thru pole a month ago. I AM SO RELIEVED about that too!
9. Charis had her Kindergarten “Awards Ceremony” in her classroom on Friday. Apparently “Awards Ceremony” is El Paso speak for “Bring your kid balloons and flowers to commemorate their graduation.” Missed THAT memo.
10. But Charis crushed kindergarten this year. Like, nailed it, even with the challenges and changes of deployment. I was so proud of her I legit teared up. She received 7 awards (and no, all of them weren’t “everybody gets a ribbon” kind of thing. Only two awards were that). She received recognition for Art, Reading, Handwriting, Math AND (the most teary-uppy one) Citizenship. Only one boy and one girl got Citizenship. So proud of our girl!
11. To celebrate, I let her pick out a cake and balloons since I missed the first memo on celebratory protocol in West Texas (See #8).
12. She chose a Tres Leche Cake. Seriously, when Jesus comes back, he’s gonna be carrying Tres Leche Cake in one hand and baked brie in the other. #JesusCake #JesusCheese Right, Megan Clayburn, Becky Fouard and Emily Loeb?
13. We still had leftover cake on Monday. So I got up and had to throw it in the trash. I was so blah and emotional I couldn’t trust myself. I’m feeling more empowered and less discouraged in my health/food choices again. THANK THE LORD.
14. Prayer requests: For smooth transition as the school year ends TOMORROW and that I can be present and enjoy the kiddos (and El Paso and life in general) as the last few weeks *ISH* of this deployment tick by.
15. Parting thought: “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” ~James 1:12
***
Alas, ’tis the last day of kindergarten for our girl. And in the spirit of all things growing up, she graced us with two really solid final Musings from Kindergarten Korner…
Charis: “MAMA! I don’t remember how to eat because Malick is distracting meeeee!”
Charis: “When I grow up, I want to be a flamingo.”
#IThoughtSheWantedToBeAVeterinarian #WhoForgetsHowToEat #NotI#WhatShouldICallHerFirstGradeQuips?
It was “Wellness Wednesday” at school today. So parents were invited to come walk with their kids during PE. Except today was one of the like nine days of the year it rains in the desert. So we did PE in the gym. See also: Dancing. To YouTube/Just Dance videos. I. Looked. A. FOOL. (Charis was near the front of the room, so go big or go home I guess). But it was hilarious. 40 something kindergarteners and a handful of brave parents doing the Gummy Bear dance, the Monkey Dance, and the kid version of “Watch me whip it” and “What does the Fox day?” All of that wasn’t part of my plan when I woke up today, but I know it was the right choice when Charis leaned over and hugged me between every song.
PS: I sweated. (Not to be confused with sweared). And my heart rate was definitely up.
PSS: I managed not to hit/fall on/step on any Tiny Humans.
PSSS: Research indicates that Families that do the stanky leg together, stay together.
PSSSS: Flat Daddy was shamming it today and didn’t come with me. I asked him if he was afraid to dance because he had two left feet and he just glared at me.
We, Malick, Charis, Aunt Denise, Flat Daddy, Autumn (honorary Knobloch) and I want to wish our Beloved Leroy Chuck HAPPY EASTER! You were undoubtedly missed at Paseo Church’s sunrise service in the park.
And of course, Blessed Resurrection Day to all of our friends and family across the miles.
If there is not already a milspouse proverb that says “Friends that get inked together, stay together, even if one friend is moving a thousand miles away,” there should be.
Today, my bestie Megan and I were reminded how much feet tattoos hurt… but we now have matching tattoos! The design turned out wonderfully: it is the actual skyline of the Franklin mountains, complete with the Texas star (because Megan lives below it) and also includes the iconic Mount Cristo Rey. The scripture is Isaiah 52:7, which says “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
There’s a lot of symbolism in our tattoos. Probably more than I can fully explain on FB. Our feet as a pair of milspouses have literally submitted the highest peak in El Paso (I was so surprised I did it!) Our feet are called to proclaim the Good News of the gospel, no matter where we go. (In case you haven’t heard, Jesus loves you SO much that He lay down his life for you… there’s victory and freedom in Him!) And while it is true that sometimes the military spouse life can feel like we are wondering in a desert during challenging seasons (hubs deployment and/or hubs studying for the MCAT), there is such incredible beauty when we open our eyes and truly LOOK. This beauty comes from God in the form of landscape, history and amazing people that change our lives.
Megan and I have known each other less than a year. But goodness, she is a true Jesus soul sister if I ever had one! She’s my person. She’s literally the most compassionate, merciful, unbiased, peace seekingest, kind-hearted person I’ve ever met. When I grow up, I want to be like Megan Clayburn. Lord in heaven, how I shall miss her when we say our see-you-laters in a few weeks!! But after today, we are linked (or should I say inked?) for life!!
I’ve had many proud moments in life. I graduated undergrad with honors. I ran a full marathon and didn’t die. I watched my Beloved Husband rock at his job and be promoted “ahead of peers” in the army. I birthed two beautiful children without painkillers. But TODAY is my greatest* life accomplishment! After EIGHT inspection attempts, driving hub’s truck nearly 1,000 miles after we replaced the battery in an attempt to get the monitors/drive cycle reset (“Just keep driving it,” they said), 4 hours at the dealership and approximately 4,329 prayers, THE TRUCK HAS FINALLY PASSED ITS EMISSIONS TEST. The issue? Dust (seriously, just dust?!?!) in the mass air flow sensor. #GladItDidntCostAMillionDollars#AndAllGodsPeopleSaidAmen
*Only slight exaggeration on the “greatest accomplishment” bit.
***
2. Ok, I admit that even at day 12 we were getting close to homecoming everyday. But it’s way different now that we can almost see the light at the end of this very sticky, sandy, milk-spitted tunnel (thanks, son).
3. It’s been an absolute joy, delight and blessing to have Aunt Denise here. Seriously. That woman needs to update her resume to include “professional shoe-putter-onner” and “kid-bed-putter-to-sleeper” and “fight-breaker-upper.” I feel like I’ve been able to breathe!
4. And speaking of breathing– I went on a sabbatical this weekend. As usual, the time away with just me and Jesus was EXACTLY what I needed for my soul. Nothing profound except sleeping through the night, eating slowly with two hands (and not sharing) and going to the bathroom by myself.
5. Now that I think of it, that IS pretty profound.
6. I could write my own post all about my sabbatical in the little casita north of Las Cruces, but here are the highlights: I slept 10.5 hrs, 11 hrs, 11.5 hrs each night (respectively), and “accidentally” took a three hour nap on Saturday. I read three books and started two more. It is officially sun screen season and lizard season, pecan orchards are AWESOME (especially when they are being irrigated!), New Mexico has onion fields (did not know this) and the Rio Grande is pretty grande, it not very rio-ish (almost zero water in it). Oh, and the three horses out in the yard near the casita brought such joy to my soul. My hostess even taught me to “drive” them like for pulling a cart/carriage.
7. My Beloved has been incredibly busy the last month with EIB (Expert Infantryman Badge) train up and certification (He already earned his, thank goodness!) That said, we hadn’t talked on the phone in a MONTH. A month I tell ya! BUT… Last night we were able to connect and chatted for NINETY MINUTES! 90 precious minutes of uninterrupted husband/wife life talk. I thought my heart was going to explode and was all happy-teary eyed when we got done! (Thanks again to Aunt Denise for putting the babes to bed so we could have our time together).
8. Malick and Charis are still a handful of funniness. Malick is saying more and more words everyday and it’s great. He realized how incredible pockets on his pants are today. And Charis is intermittently frustrated at me because I won’t let her change her name to start with a “K” and that her last name DOES start with a “K” but actually sounds like an “N.” I know, honey. Words are hard. (Better than numbers, though!)
9. I am at the HOMESTRETCH of class for this semester. Three assignments away from summer freedom. (One of those is a 20 page research paper. Hooray said me never). I feel like I have senioritis and I’m totally not a senior. Maybe I have adultitis. Or deploymentitis. I should prob get that checked out before a develop a rash or something…
10. Prayer requests: Strength, focus and motivation to finish this class and finish well; safe travels for Denise back to MN tomorrow (sniffle, sniffle, tear, sigh); Positive attitude and sticktoitiveness for the last several weeks of this separated-by-duty situation. WE. CAN. DO. THIS. #Merica
11. Parting thought: “Rejoice always.” ~1 Thessalonians 5:16
Deployment Log, Day 135:
1. HAPPY HALFWAY-DONE-WITH-THIS-DEPLOYMENT-DAY!
2. Yes, I am yelling with joy.
3. And also yes, I know that it’s the army, so really the numbered days are relative. But at this point, the halfway there point is more psychological than scientific or mathematical. I WILL TAKE IT.
4. For everyone who is like, “It’s all downhill from here!” or “You are almost there!” that’s kinda right. I envision it as making it to the top of the mountain, (I need to catch my breath!) and now we have to walk back down. BUT we still have to do it intentionally with caution. Because I don’t need to blow out a (figurative) deployment knee by going to fast or getting ahead of myself. And I have zero desire to face plant on the way down. #AskMeHowIKnow So we will continue slowly, intentionally and deliberately moving forward. One. Step. At. A. Time. #JustKeepMarching
5. But YAY, halfway there!
6. So far it’s been a good week. Tuesday and Wednesday have been the best couple of days I feel like we have had in WEEKS. Nothing extraordinary, but just generally “normal.” Which is SO welcome right now! And nothing has broken this week (except the garbage disposal. It smells gross, but some Young Living Essential Oils are helping me out there.) #NotAShowStopper
7. Yesterday I did fun adult things. Like buy a new pair of pajamas for myself and a hanging shower caddy thing. I’m living the glam life, yo! Be jealous.
8. The shower caddy wasn’t just for “fun.” It’s because I apparently have a lot of “pump” bottles of shampoo/conditioner. Malick thinks all of it is lotion. So after he smeared it all over his hands, face, got some in his eye and was literally blowing bubbles out of his nose yesterday, I realized I needed to put it all out of reach.
9. This week is a big homework week for me (week 6 of 8 week class). Normally, I get twitchy about this, especially since Monday is my big work/study day but the kids were out of school this week for President’s Day. I’m just trying to chip away and write sections of my paper during nap time and planning on (hopefully) crushing the rest of it tomorrow when I am (God-willing) kid free for a few hours.
10. It snowed in El Paso on Tuesday! It didn’t stick of course, but still made my heart happy. (Sorry to all of my midwestern friends that are sick of snow… Feel free to come to EP to visit/live for the next 4.5 months)
11. But seriously. I would love to fill some gaps on my calendar for grown-uppish visitors for the next few months. Hit me up. EP is lovely. And I will feed you lots of W30 food. Or Goldfish crackers. Whatever you want.
12. I realized the other day that this is not a season for me to overachieve. (Duh). Or really even “achieve.” I just need to CHIEVE (I know, that’s not really a word). This isn’t a time for me to build all the muscle, lose the weight, crush the goals, set PRs, Marie-Kondo my house, teach Charis to read and memorize bible verses… I just want to keep the kids alive and try to make small healthy physical, mental, emotional, spiritual decisions on a daily basis. And on the days when the kids have some extra screen time because #MamaNeedsAMinute or they eat a fruit roll-up for breakfast, that’s ok.
13. Prayer requests: Health/protection for the kids and I (and Brandon… seems like the whole company got sick while they were in the field for the last few weeks), continued psychological/spiritual healing for my loved one that attempted suicide two weeks ago (not a lot of positive developments on that front, so that makes my heart so sad!), that I can find joy in the everyday and can finish my current doctoral class strong with no concern of assignment completion.
14: Parting thought:
“You, Lord, keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.” ~Psalm 18:28
It might seem counterintuitive, but I’ve heard that if you are in a challenging season, being generous helps reduce stress. After many conversations with Charis about our homeless neighbors here in El Paso, she asked what we could do to help them. (It was very timely as it was cold earlier this week). Normally, we try to give them a little cash if I have any on me or a “snack” from the console of my car (lately it’s been a pack of tuna fish and a to-go almond butter).
After a long day earlier this week and yet another conversation with Charis about loving our neighbors and being generous, the Holy Spirit prompted me to be a more intentional example for the kids. So we went on an impromptu shopping spree. Then, with Flat Daddy’s help, we made up 10 Generosity kits to carry in the car for those moments when we encounter someone in need. The 2-gallon bag kits include: a jar of peanut butter, socks, stocking cap, tuna packet, chocolate, toothpaste, toothbrush, mints, gum, chapstick, baby wipes, Vienna sausage, juice, fruit cup, moon pies, applesauce, raisins, and a few other items.
Part of our hearts might be in Korea, but we are also trying to spread a bit love here in El Paso. To God be the glory!
Guys. GUYS. Deployment has CHANGED ME! (I used to never even LET the fuel light come on AT ALL…)
Whole 30 Food Prep week #8: GUYS! I am late to the party but now have an Instant Pot ? (Thanks Lex!) I need to think and strategize my menu to include Instant Pot Magic, but I did manage to use it a bit for the first time even with kids underfoot/starving/needing all the things. Nothing blew up so yay!
From top left: Instant Pot beef stew, roasted cauliflower, crispy gizzard/heart confit, madras chicken salad, broccoli bagna cauda, chayote squash cinnamon “apples,” jicama fries, turkey sausage patties and sweet potato “buns” (breakfast sandwich with sweet potato slice, sausage, egg, tomato slice, avocado, w30 mayo and another sweet potato slice… so good I thought Jesus was gonna take me home this morning!!), bacon wrapped asparagus and chicken bone broth.
Life hack: If you need a cake baking/decorating confidence boost, choose a cake that is supposed to look like at pile of dirt. #NailedIt
PS: Flat Daddy thinks we are ready for our own baking special on Netflix. We haven’t landed on a title yet. Maybe “Cooking through Chaos” or “Let’s hope it tastes better than an MRE” or “Please don’t lick the spoon yet.”
PSS: Yes, I fished those trucks out of the sandbox. But rest assured, I ran them through the dishwasher before adding them to the cake. Happy Belated Birthday, Malick!
I don’t always post pictures of my breakfast online, but when I do it’s because it is really pretty AND tastes so good I wonder if Jesus is ‘bout to take me home. #Whole30ForTheWin
PS: And no, I can’t pick this up and eat it like an actual sandwich. It requires knife and fork.
Deployment Log, Day 104:
1. The best part about hard weeks or deployment seasons are the incredible people that rally around you (either in person or online).
2. Thanks to everyone who offered prayers and encouragement after last week’s shenanigans. I shared the update on Thursday, and Fri-Sun were MUCH better.
3. My Whole30 Tiger Blood finally kicked in yesterday. YAY! Energy is on the up and up, and my attitude is way less blurg. HOORAY!
4. I love sharing God’s message. I got to preach yesterday at church and it just thrills my Jesus-lovin’ soul.
5. This new week started off a bit wonky (again) today. Since it’s MLK day and kids were out of school, we had a big day trip planned to go to Ruidoso or Cloudcroft to let the kids sled. The amazing Clayburn family even rented a van so we could all go together. We were so pumped…
6. Aaaannnnnd then Malick woke up with a stomach bug.
7. Most parents know that it’s like playing roulette when the kids are not feeling well. Will it be fast and short-lived? Or will this turn into a (literal) hot mess express? We decided we had to be adults and cancel the trip, because we didn’t want any vomit (or poo!) in the rental van for the 2 hr trip, and any sympathetic pukers in the vehicle wouldn’t fare well if it escalated.
8. Being an adult is so lame sometimes.
9. Charis was pretty bummed out, but her little resilient heart is so strong. A few tears and some mama hugs, and we rallied to move on with our day.
10. Thankfully, Malick’s stomach bug seems relatively mild, so hoping his digestive system settles down sooner than later.
11. I am SO grateful for my friend Megan who shares her resilient spirit with me… Because the temptation to just stay at home all day and pout was a very real thing, even though Malick was just a feisty and active as normal. So we rallied and went to the zoon since it is so nearby and would be easy to abort the mission if things went south.
12. We had a great time!
13. Still (of course) missing my Beloved. Everyday.
14. It was 71 degrees today… so we played outside after nap time. It was good for my heart!
15. Last night we left the tv off and “turned on” the fireplace. Charis and I just snuggled and talked while Malick frolicked. It was awesome.
16. Per the strep hoopla from last week and now stomach bug this week, we are all three currently snuggled on the couch watching the Magic School bus episode about Ralphie being sick.
17. Prayers: For Malick to feel totally better ASAP, my continued ability to make healthy choices when under stress/pressure, and for us to fully anticipate Aunt Rita’s arrival on Thursday afternoon!
18. Parting thought: “Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.” ~Psalm 34:10b
Deployment Word of the Day:
Power clean (verb)- The act of frantically bathing the dog because you realized that sometime in the past 36-48 hours he was caught in the toddler’s stomach bug puke crossfire and you only have six minutes until kindergarten pick up. ? ?
Some might see this photo and say “Oh look! Aunt Rita Knobloch must be visiting Flat Daddy and the West TX Knobloch clan.” FALSE. All I see in this picture is a Saint from Heaven bearing gifts of sanity and motivation. #RespiteToTheRescue #GodBlessFamily
Whole30 Food Prep week #4: (from top left)
Prosciutto frittata muffin cups (breakfast), guacamole, taco meat and sautéed veggies for taco salad (supper), cilantro lime cauli-rice (supper side), madras chicken salad (lunch— one of my fave dishes!), roasted broccoli, sweet potato veggie soup, a quadruple batch of salmon cakes (some of these will be alternate supper while others will go into the freezer for future “I can’t even” days) and the first batch of two of jicima fries. Let’s do this.
Fort Bliss Half marathon completion brought to you by Jesus, Revelation Wellness podcast, medjool dates (W30 fuel), pickle juice (sodium for the muscles), Aunt Rita for watching the Tiny Humans and did I mention Jesus?
Flat Daddy apparently wasn’t motivated this morning when the gun sounded at 0730. The sun was barely up and he said that the real-feel temp of 25 degrees made him feel “paper thin.” So he stayed in the car but met me at the finish line about 2 hours and 40 minutes later ish.
Oh, and for like the first time ever, I didn’t run for time or a specific goal. I wanted to finish (check) and run with joy (also check!) I think I’m finally growing up, guys. ??♀️???
Deployment Log, Day 109:
1. Funny how after a challenging couple of weeks, God orchestrated over a month ago for Aunt Rita to come visit THIS weekend. It’s like He KNOWS what we need or something. Weird. #MamaJustNeedsAMinute
2. Malick’s tummy is finally fully back in “alignment” and he is making up for lost time with the few days of stomach bug/lack of appetite. He’s eating ALL the things (again, as usual. YAY!)
3. Per self-care and normal life tasks (ministry, working on school, etc), I normally have three days per week kid free (MWF). This last Wednesday was a GLORIOUS day because it was the first full sans-Tiny Human day I had in 12 days. #IMadeIt #NoMoreGermsPlease
4. I’m so grateful for Whole 30. It isn’t always easy, but I’m on day 21 and feel so good. So balanced. So less yell-inclined.
5. I feel like I’m (finally) growing up and starting to find the balance for holistic health between neglect and obsession. As in, I’m really trying to listen to my body and respond accordingly to hunger, although discerning between actual hunger and emotional eating urges still is a bit cloudy somedays. But progress is progress! 
6. I also ran for joy today in the Fort Bliss Half Marathon. It was my last long “training” run before the El Paso half in about three weeks, so I thought if I was gonna run that long, I might as well do it with a few hundred other people and get some swag out of the deal.
7. It’s weird how seeing a soldier in uniform in normal life (like at Wal-mart or school pick-up) is like a heart-squeezing moment. We miss our soldier so much!
8. Also, I saw a spouse and her service member together the other day. He said something to her, then leaned over and kissed her forehead. Talk about feeling all the feels! (I restrained myself from yelling at the spouse to “PLANT A BIG ONE ON HIM!” You are welcome. #LookAtMeAdult)
9. Is there ANYTHING better than (finally) plopping down into bed at the end of a long day?
10. Yes, actually. If I was plopping down into bed beside my beloved, and not just my small-ish dog. But I will take what I can get right now.
11. I heard a quote the other day on #RevelationWellness podcast about how pain works in our life… “Pain can either make you bitter or better.” I choose better. I spent enough of my early marriage years being angry about the army and its schedule (or lack thereof). I, of course am not like “YAY, DEPLOYMENT!” but it truly is a privilege to serve alongside my husband in this capacity. So that is my heart cry in this season: “Lord, make me better and do it for your glory!!” #TheLittleWay
12. Prayer requests: That this continue to be a weekend of recharging this mama’s body/heart/spirit since I have an extra set of hands for a couple of days, and for continued strength/peace in this season of separated by duty.
13. Parting thought: “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” ~Romans 5:3-4
Deployment Log, Day 91:
1. Well, if Beloved Husband returns exactly on the date specified on his orders (I will give you a second to laugh with me on that one) then we have made it 1/3 of the way through this deployment!
2. I think that calls for cake…
3. But today is Day 3 of Whole 30 (or for me, Whole 88). So that’s a no-go. #HardboiledEggsItIs
4. We (obviously) made it back to Texas. Perhaps I should have posted and been all like, “YAY, HOME SWEET HOME” or something, but we hit the door and I was like, “Oh crap… I forgot I have to parent these Tiny Humans. And unpack. And get groceries. And food prep. And, and, and…” So it has kind of been a touch busy with vacay detox and prepping for all things new year.
5. Costco was a hopping place on Sunday when I rallied our Tiny Human Troops to retrieve munitions. Ran in to two other gals from our Battalion and the lovely Janette from church. Happy heart moment. 
6. I have mixed feelings about being back “home” and done with any major (planned) traveling for the next 6 months. Part of me is relieved. But of course, the other part is fantasizing about sitting on Grandma Lex’s couch watching Dr. Pol, not thinking about class/emails/long runs and engaging in some laissez faire parenting.
7. I would love to laissez faire parent here, except my husband has entrusted me to keep the house standing. So there’s that.
8. When we were traveling back to Texas, Grandma Lex asked if she could get a gate pass to help us through security and see us off. THEY SAID YES.
9. Friends, I really think that moment rivaled what it feels like when Jesus welcomes us to heaven. I thought I heard angels singing and the lights got really bright.
10. It was awesome. I sweated a lot less.
11. We made it through security and Lex looked at me then said, “Girl, you did that by yourself last time? You are crazy.” I couldn’t argue with her.
12. The travels went incredibly smooth, so I am beyond grateful for all of your prayers. The only way it would have been better would be if another adult was along for the entire ride OR if it was a non-stop flight (but those don’t exist from SF to EP).
13. The planes were very small… Only 4 seats across from SF to Denver, then I was surprised that Denver to EP was a three-seater!
14. The cramped quarters made the logistics more, let’s say… entertaining.
15. I wanted to tell everyone on the plane that I was truly not stressing out, but just simply struggling to shove all the people, things, and animals into their rightful locations in a timely manner. I’m cronking my head, making weird noises and did I mention, sweating?
16. Note I said SWEATING not SWEARING. Big difference. (Hit my head hard enough once that it was pretty close).
17. Charis almost left her “ducky” (like a lovey-duck blanket that she has had since birth) on the plane in Denver. We were down the ramp on the tarmac (see #13 about small plane probs) when she panicked. We had a short layover (1 hr) so we had to turn around and book it. (I have a “spare” duck in the checked luggage for emergencies, but she doesn’t know it exists yet). This whole thing was a great LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER BECAUSE SHE TOLD YOU TO PUT IT IN YOUR BACKPACK moment.
18. I have amazing people in my life. My best-good El Paso friend Megan retrieved us from the airport. She’s a milspouse and a mama of a Tiny Human too. So she GETS it. She brought the kids fruit snacks and a sucker each, and handed me a thermos of hot tea, a jar of almond butter with a spoon, an apple and a clementine. Yes, this woman GETS traveling by oneself with small children. What a blessing.
19. Yesterday was a rather Monday-est Monday. I broke my favorite coffee cup beyond repair and my intended long run started out ok-ish, but got cut way short. (Lest everyone think I always crush every single run/workout… I don’t). Let’s just say that after a couple of miles my body suddenly remembered that it had just switched to eating Whole30 and thus decided that was the moment to have some pretty major and extremely unanticipated digestive issues.
20. In a non-deployment season, I would say that my favorite things would be reading for fun, shopping at Target, coffee dates at Starbucks. During deployment, my favorite things are sitting down and sleeping.
21. Prayer request: Transition back into real “routine” when school starts up for Charis on Wednesday (and for me next Monday), for my body to get the W30 Tiger Blood flowing sooner than later (so that the hangover and kill-all-the-things stage is not long or painful).
22. Parting thought: “My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.” ~Isaiah 32:18
***
Our school district cracks me up. They have an auto-calling system for info/announcements/reminders, which, due to my current deployment brain, I greatly appreciate.
However, they called tonight to remind me that school starts tomorrow and “please be sure to send your child to school.” Trust me, auto-message. I DIDN’T FORGET. It took all my self restraint today not to walk around the house yelling, “CHARIS!! 12 hours and 49 minutes until it’s time for school!”
*Update: 12 hours and 48 minutes.
***
First day of Ballet/Tap dance class! Flat Daddy wanted to go, but we couldn’t find him the right size/kind of shoes.
***
Self: “Hmmmm, what shall I do on the first Friday back from the holiday vacation?”
Ah yes. Do a 12 mile training run (plus 1.1 mile cool down to = half marathon distance). #WhyGodWhy?!
I don’t think I could classify this workout as a run. It was more like a shuffle. And I didn’t “crush it.” I think it was more of a “slow execution of the task.” Honestly, my heart and body were not at all pumped up about it. Right as I pulled into the parking spot to start the run, I got a phone call that saddened my heart and made me want to grab a Diet Dr. Pepper and scrap the whole re-attempt of this long run that flopped on Monday. (Side note: Don’t worry. Everything is fine with Husband/deployment/kids. Totally unrelated phone call).
Clearly the energy and “Tiger Blood” from Whole30 isn’t rolling yet on day 5 (I didn’t think it would be). Starting at mile 2, my bod was like, “Um, where’s our energy source? Processed sugar? Manufactured carbs? Also, are these new shoes? And didn’t you get up earlier than normal this morning while intentionally fasting caffeine during your corporate church fast for the next 21 days?” (Side note #2: I did bring dates along as my energy source. But my bod probably doesn’t know how to fully capitalize on their awesomeness yet).
Shuffle or not, I’m declaring right now that I am proud of my body. She hung right in there till the very end, even if she was squawking a bit along the way. To God be the glory and cheers to everyday breakthroughs!
***
Today, Flat Daddy was assigned a very special mission: to capture footage of the extremely elusive creature, “milspouse domesticus.” She rarely ventures into the domestic portion of her habitat, but constant monitoring of her recent movements indicated that she would indeed make an appearance today, in an attempt to make and can Whole30 compliant salsa by herself for the first time since leaving the nest so many years ago.
Flat Daddy kept hidden for the duration of the cooking/canning process to catch a few sacred glimpses of milspouse domesticus. However, he soon lost sight of her when the project was finished. He did get a lead as to her current whereabouts when, after the first jar went “POP!” to indicate a successful seal, he heard the voice of milspouse domesticus in the distance yell, “Thank you, Jesus!”
***
Well, my friends. Tomorrow is my birthday. And I turn 33. #YayYikes
I don’t mind birthdays. And I don’t think there is really anything extra significant about turning 33.
Except this year, God has been on the move. A lot.
Actually, He has been at work hardcore for the last 11 years. Actually, most of my life.
But I digress.
This year was a year of freedom. Of breakthrough. And so I want to share my story and celebrate it. (This is probably going to be a long-ish post. So get comfortable). #YouveBeenWarned
I do not write this post as “WOW, look at me! I’ve arrived!” Because I haven’t. Not hardly. I absolutely celebrate the victories large and small that I have conquered through the years, but even more so, I rejoice that God was behind every mile ran, every pound/inch lost, every reset moment, every positive food choice.
I also do not compose this blog as a weight-loss how to. This is about my spiritual journey more than anything. Yes, I know (in my head) that God loves me no matter my pant size or that pesky number on my scale. (He loves you too, BTW). I know (in my head) that I am fearfully and wonderfully made, I am beautiful, etc. This is my journey of getting my heart to really believe those truths and LIVE them out. To live as a Jesus girl capable of victory in this area of my life. To be able to go to the doctor’s office and not be completely terrified of what the scale is going to say. To turn to God instead of the fridge when things in life get stressful.
I’m still learning more and more about WHO I am and WHOSE I am. I have Jesus-gut feeling that this will probably be a lifetime process.
And so, here’s my fitness story and how God has transformed me from feeling defeated and discouraged to hopeful and healthy. [Read more…]
A lot of the following information was adapted from G.I.F.T.E.D to Serve Curriculum that Kelli Wommack and I co-wrote when I was stationed at Fort Benning. I recently delivered this info via a sermon at Paseo, so buckle up for Part 2 of 3! (If you missed Part 1, catch up here.)
***
After we have been enlightened about what gifts the Holy Spirit has so generously bestowed upon us, we must encourage them to grow.
Matthew 25:14-28 shares the Parable of the Talents. Do you remember what the first two servants do with their talents? That’s right! They invested them and doubled it for the master. Remember the response from the master to those servants?
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’’ ~Matthew 25:21
But what did that third servant do? Yep, he buried his talent. He stored it away because he was afraid. Remember the response of the master to that servant? [Read more…]
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