That Thing I Do Now - Vol 59

Happy Weekend, Everyone!

So last week, I snuck away for an overnight trip to meet with friends... writers... sisters.  It was a quick trip - but somehow we enjoyed time lingering and relaxing and enjoying each others' company with no agenda or timeframe to boss us around!

It was wonderful and more needed than I knew.  I pray that when you read through these Gatherings of Awesome, you find just a taste of what good company writing can do! Make you slow down, breathe deep, reflect and refuel, and maybe even laugh out loud...

Reach up and over and, for the love, out of your Comfort Zones

So I had a fairly open day yesterday and woke up thinking about the #fmfparty over on Twitter! I had the best of intentions in making the party last night and somehow completely lost track of time! I miss ya'll and can't wait to get back into some sort of rhythm and routine because, well - Fall is approaching (#Swoon!) and that usually brings a balance back to my days! Usually...

Anyway - here we go:Five Minute Friday - Our Word Prompt is: REACH

{GO}

"Reach!  Reach Up and Over and Break on Out of your Comfort Zones!"

God has been speaking this to me a lot lately...

"Reach!"  I hear Him whisper it softly, over and over... almost as if it's an anthem, with a rhythm of its' own.  I hear it again and again, like the beating of a drum and the thrum of it all holds a promise of Freedom.

When Community needs to have voices...

...and hugs, and risotto...

   Goofy girls!  I love them so!  

I just returned from a much needed get away.  It was only an overnighter, but somehow it felt like so much rest and refreshing unfolded.  It was one of those times when it wasn't like God showed up tangibly and knocked our socks off or blew us over, laid out... and yet the Holy Spirit was there and all about filling and refilling and refilling some more.  It wasn't as if I could even feel Him doing it as much as when I finally felt full it made me realize just how drained and empty I had been.

That Thing I Do Now - Vol 58

Happy Weekend, ya'll!  I can't believe that we are already nearing the end of August... the end of Summer... (which, if you are somewhat new around here you may not know this - but Fall... #Swoon! Fall is my favorite!)

There have been a lot of great things going around the interwebs this week but I have to admit, I have tried to stay a bit more unplugged lately. I've been on a semi-bloggy break all summer, yet still reading all the things both in book form and in screen form... this week I am unplugging a bit more and connecting face to face, heart to heart... plus - I just joined a gym so... Priorities, people! Still, you know I wouldn't leave ya hanging! Here are some of my favorite finds this week!

You Guys... Interrupted to Change the World!

There's this woman that I stalk follow because I just know that if we met in real life, we would be friends.  We should hang out and do life and live boldly for Jesus.  I mean that in the most non-religious way... I mean it, like - for real - live our every day lives for Him, loving all willy nilly and being about the expansion of His Kingdom. 

It's not that I am already nailing this... it's that she is doing it on a far more consistent basis and I so want to rise up to living my life like this! She shows me a better way... the way of Jesus - all wrapped up in real skin and real issues and real life.

That Thing I Do Now - Vol 57

Can you even believe people are talking Back. To. School. already? I mean - do you remember when back to school happened in September, not August?  This is the first year that we have had no real 'investment' in the whole back to school ordeal! Oh - don't get me wrong... we fully anticipate our college girlie to need a little 'help' covering books, but as far as the back to school ritual of shopping for clothes and backpacks and supplies... we are free. Free, I tell you! (There are benefits to this whole Empty Nester gig afterall!)

I hope you were able to read through last weekend's TTIDN post because it was crazy good! This week is off to a great start as well so buckle up and read on, my friends!

On How It Turns Out We Are To Blame...

Can I start out with an apology... as lame as that may be?  

Here's the thing - I am sorry. I am sorry about a lot of things and what I absolutely do not want to be doing right now is jumping on any sort of bandwagon or trend. 

I mean, honestly... for the love.  
That is not what this is.

My friend Deidra Riggs has been #GoingThere for quite some time now and in the past couple of weeks some other friends have 'gone there' with her.  I have so appreciated her voice... their voices... but can I just say: Oh my goodness - I didn't even know how vital this was is... how much of an emergency was is at hand.  

How could I not know? But honestly, I didn't.

When Words Bridge the Gap...

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.  

Sometimes, though, it's the words that are most valued... most necessary... most longed for. 

It's the words, whether spoken, typed, or written out old-school style, that bridge the gap of the lost and the broken, bringing hope to stand on and faith to walk right on through!

That Thing I Do Now - Vol 56

Happy Weekend, peeps!  I trust and pray that August is unfolding in all the best ways for you! All the wonders of Summer (and of summer coming to an end) can mix together and make us want to squeeze in all the living that the sunlit hours will allow! (Then again, a shady lounge chair and a pile of good books works wonders, too!)

I somehow managed to collect a Gathering of Awesome early on in the week, and slowly added a few more.  Be prepared... these posts today are such a blessing!

Get Your Fill... Five Minute Friday

I have been painting all. day. long. (I blame The Nester... wait? "Blame" or "Thank"?  Mostly Thank!)  Still - I couldn't not come hang out on Twitter for a bit on the evening of the kick-off of Five Minute Fridays' new host home over at Heading Home (Kate Motaung's blog!)

It was hopping and oh so fun, even though I am exhausted, ya'll!  So - here goes: 

Five Minute Friday - Our Word Prompt is: FILL

{GO}

I have been slowing down and laying back a bit more than is normal for me but it is all part of the gracious way the Lord has been reminding me, over and over, again and again, of how much I need to let Him fill me!

How I can go and go and do and do and even sit and 'be' but if I am not coming to Him, and waiting for Him to refresh me... I can oh so quickly move out of Pouring Out of an Overflow to simply Burning Out on Empty!

The Slow Unwinding Gift of Island Time

"Island Time" ...some would say I operate on it all the time.  

I am, for whatever reason, time challenged. 

I used to blame it on my girlie.  I felt confident that it was all her doing, because before Motherhood I could get to places on time.  Early even. (Sometimes.) 

But since her arrival... well, not so much! 

Here's the thing though: She moved out and I am still not on time.  I am always running about 10 minutes behind schedule. I am working on this flaw.  It helps that I am an Artist. There seems to be grace for the way we tend to let things capture our attention for moments at a time.  Still, I really WANT to break this bad habit.

The difference between being late, and being on Island Time is that when you are on Island Time - there is no late!

That Thing I Do Now - Vol 55

Hey there, everyone! It is August!  Can you even believe it? Well - I couldn't take it... with yet more days in a row strung together in this desert, tipping over into triple digits - I headed for the sea! (Well... you know... -ish! The water anyway!) But part of staying cool this week for me consisted of painting and sealing furniture, reading "Interrupted" by Jen Hatmaker (Oh. My. Gah!) and of course, scouring the interwebs for all kinds of Awesome! (You're welcome!)

As I am pre-writing this, I am now imagining myself seaside, walking along a marina or sipping a latte on the boardwalk come Saturday morning! 

I will leave you with these - which are great, but not as great as what I am doing! (#sorrynotsorry!)

Between End & Begin - Five MInute Friday

I am on vacation... on an island... mostly unplugged - which is, well - glorious! However, I could not bring myself to stay unplugged on this, Lisa-Jo's last week hosting Five Minute Fridays!  I'm not a fan of goodbyes... more of see you laters... and we will.  We will see her later!  And if I have learned anything in these past few years it is the value of leaning in to change and not kicking against it! Change happens... it is necessary... and Lisa-Jo is nothing if not gracious and welcoming and aware of what God is saying.  If He is calling her to step aside... we bless her (and will, you know, continue to stalk her in the most friendliest of ways!)  We love and trust Him in her and we also love and trust Him in Kate... our new hostess to this link up starting next week!