Category Archives: Story Time

Hiding

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 3 April, 2014 None comments

The tough part about sitting in the family room during the day or walking around our home, is the fact that we have so many windows. I love the natural lighting and we have so much of it I rarely turn lights on during the day. Unfortunately, the down side of all the windows is the salesmen that come to your door.

Today, I was sitting on the couch while throwing a Jamberry Nail party online as a gentleman knocked on the windowed door. I peered through the window as I hid behind our luscious plant trying to keep myself concealed. He walked towards the car to view the grave in our front yard, or shall I say the ditch we have that’s large enough to be a grave. Anyway, I popped around trying to stay out of site, I didn’t recognize him and simply hide until he walked away.

As I sat back down, I knew he had to of seen me when we walked up to our house, as my back was directly in the window. I hate “hiding” but also do not open the door to strangers when I am home alone with my son.

Thanks to torreyshannon.com

Knowing I was anything but hidden as the picture above displays I felt foolish yet remained in my home, not coming out. Sometimes I wonder how well we hide from life. What aspects do we wish we could run away from and hide, yet simply have no escape to truly be hidden?

I know that I sometimes wish I could hide out for a day or wish it away rather then face the events that lie ahead. Knowing that doesn’t work we still try but what exactly does this accomplish?

Although my reasons for hiding out in my house today were real, I was struck with the fact that even though our plant is large enough to hide behind, there are many gaps allowing my pink shirt to very prominently shine right on through. :)

Knowing I can’t avoid every sales person that tromps to our doorstep I do my best at “hiding” when possible. Luckily, we live in an area that’s not too high in traffic, but do get the occasional “walkers” through the neighborhood. I often wonder where they parked and what they are selling as they do not carry much of anything with them– and this gentleman had a wrench in his back pocket….maybe he thought he could be hired for the ditch out front….not too sure! We shall leave that up for speculation.

Moment of Truth: What are you hiding from today, while the world around remains watching you through the large plant not able to fully conceal you?

Family Time

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 2 April, 2014 None comments

With the sun out and the little munchkin loving outside, we took a family stroll to get coffee and treats. My little man didn’t have lunch but sure did chow down on his cake pop and vanilla milk from Starbucks.

We enjoyed the sun, watched the water, and had good husband/wife conversations. My little man rolled in the grass, chased the ducks and simply laughed his little giggles away.

Michael happy for a ray of sunshine!

We enjoy the family time and great weather knowing it’s ultimately all that matters at the days end.
Concentrating on the fact that he can see himself in the camera!

Chasing the ducks!

Waving bye-bye as we head home. He enjoyed the ride to and from as this was the first time he has sat forward facing in the car seat! So much more to see!

Happiness

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 31 March, 2014 None comments

I keep hearing the phrase “I just want to be happy!” I’ve heard it and heard it and clearly have no words of wisdom to offer back. I can’t provide anyone’s happiness, I can’t make you happy let alone make myself happy. This phrase has hit me in a very peculiar way today…

I stand in the kitchen washing dishes and thinking aloud while praying in between my thoughts that are racing around wildly. I come to this realization that you can’t strive for happiness if you aren’t choosing to live in the happiness of today. You can hope and wish that the future will provide you happiness and your life will be full of happiness but in all reality, are you choosing to be happy in the present? These were my thoughts as I unloaded the dishwasher realizing most the dishes had not come clean. What does this mean for the person who simply wants to be happy? What does this look like while your mother-in-law is dying of cancer? What does this look like in the chaos of the day chasing tiny tots around? What does this look like in an unhappy marriage? What does this look like when finances simply aren’t there? Many of us relate to one of these issues, if not more.

I don’t have all the answers, I don’t have most the answers and in fact, lets be completely honest, I have NO answers. All I know is that I can’t wish happiness upon my future if I can’t accept the happiness of the day. Everyday, no matter how bad it is, has something to rejoice about. I can tell you this honestly as the last three years has been brutal. My husband and I have been in the fire in ALL aspects of life; marriage, job, kids, health, family, finances, friendships, house problems, faith and personal growth. Life is NOT easy and was never promised to be easy, yet we constantly pry for happiness without being thankful for the moment.

Although these past three years have been extremely difficult I still have a lot to be thankful for. My family is healthy, my marriage is still together, my son is an amazing boy, we have a job, we have finances, we have a house, we have one another, we have cars to drive and food to eat. These are only a few things but life can’t proceed without the basics; family and friends. If you have the basics, begin there.

One day, maybe our eyes will be opened to the pain Christ has spared us from. Yup, even in hardship I know God has spared us from even greater pain that the enemy longs to place upon me and my family. My husband said it today “we hit the edge of the cliff thinking there’s no where else to turn, you must jump. Just as you recognize that there is nothing left, God releases a little bit of hope. Enough to get you through the next minute, hour, and day. Just when life seems completely hopeless, God gives that small ray of hope.”

Thanks to theminimalist.com

Unfortunately, sin and evil are apart of this world which in turn brings about heartache and pain. Watching my mother-in-law battle for her life against the raging war of cancer has been extremely difficult. Her life is hanging on by a thread and yet she still smiles, she still jokes, and she still has positive talk flow from her lips. I don’t know how she does it! I do know God is faithful and for those watching her battle and fight everyday, I know God is working in our lives as well. What this looks like is incredibly unknown, but there are glimpses of hope, there are moments of happiness and there are moments of peace. So how then, do we obtain happiness when life is falling apart around us?

Dear friends, God is working and he is working in the lives of each of us on so many different levels. For example, I watch my broken husband hang on to the current relationship he has with his mother while years past seem wasted. Battling his mind of hurt and anger from heartache in his childhood that haunts him today while he faces his mom sick in bed. The compassion he feels for her is incredible, the sadness overflows his soul, yet years of pain still reside deep within. “I just want to be happy!” the phrase comes up again. How do people be happy with a life that is so hard and painful? Friends, Christ didn’t promise us happiness, he promised us hope and future! What more than can we ask for? We have our hope and happiness at our fingertips yet we hang extremely loosely as the questions flood our mind; fear and doubt set in. We don’t need all the answers we need to grasp tightly to the hope we have and live our lives full of the promises God has already given. These past three years have been beyond what I could ever imagine yet I still find myself learning that Christ is who He says he is. I have nothing to fear! Although I know this concept, I battle it everyday.

So, my dear friends, if you want the magic key to happiness my answer to you all is simply to live in the happiness of what you have been given today no matter the circumstances. Do NOT dwell on the pain, the heartache or the past! Live today with the glass half full rather than craving a future full of happiness, it’s here and ready for you today, not later. I tell you this from experience while I still learn each day to cling to the moments I am given. It’s not easy but it is possible.

Moment of Truth: Live in the now, rejoice in what you have!

Mama Made a Boo-Boo

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 30 March, 2014 None comments

Boo-Boo time came last night and not only was it sad, but it was mother inflicted! :(

I was putting his jammies on and my thumb made quite the mark on his sweet little chin. It bled a bit but is holding up well. He’s a tough man!

Sometimes I wish he would cry longer as its okay to be hurt and cry. He’s so quick to recover from his little injuries, often I don’t know he hurt himself till I find bruises on his little legs during bath time. He’s so tough he barely makes a peep! Poor child!

Sweet baby!

Babysitter Trials

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 29 March, 2014 None comments

I absolutely love our current babysitter but I haven’t quite figured out how the wage works. Growing up when I babysat, I never knew what my wage was until the end of the night. When the end of the night approached I was given the money for caring for their sleeping child and watching movies on their couch. My mom always taught me to clean up after myself. Even if there were dishes in the sink that had been there prior to my arrival, I needed to clean them or put them in the dishwasher. The expectation was I was “working” for this family, so what they gave me is what I deserved and I needed to be thankful.

Now, having my child I’ve come to see that babysitters have learned to set a competitive wage while us as parents seek for the proper fit. Babysitters these days aren’t “applying” for a job but simply waiting for you to accept their wage. This caught me off guard immensely for a couple reasons. First, aren’t we teaching our children to work and appreciate what they are given? Second, why are our young kids setting the boundaries for the parents?

I haven’t been able to answer these two questions as every babysitter out there is currently setting the wage for our family. My husband and I haven’t figured out how they ‘nickel and dime’ us but it has worked. I have found date night to be extremely expensive even when it only consists of golfing. I’ve also found many people who really want to babysit for us as my son is extremely easy going and sleeps a lot leaving our couch to be kept warm while the television flickers a movie or TV show.

The battle within me is the one aspect that my husband continues to remind me “you get what you pay for!” But there is still part of me that disagrees a little bit when you have a young highschool girl watching TV or on the internet while your son sleeps. My mind can’t quite grasp the concept that I can easily pay over $100 for our date plus babysitter. When I look at my bills at the end of the month and having a babysitter 4 times a month, it begins to look outrageous to me.

Look Mommy, I’m still small enough to crawl in….

The trials of babysitting has been an ongoing issue since my son has been born and it seems we can’t find a babysitter as back in the ‘old’ days; pay what they are worth at the end of the night. I don’t have a problem paying what these girls ask, my problem is that I don’t simply get the choice in deciding what this as they set the wage prior; not me.

Moment of Truth: The trials of not having family around to simply drop Cooper off when needed is a big struggle for me. The struggles of having babysitters that pay an arm and a leg is also a struggle of mine. The end result: I’m thankful I have a little munchkin that is worth paying any amount of money for no matter how his mama feels about the circumstances. :) I must flow with the change in times! Is it worth the battle of a few bucks an hour to have my child in safe hands?

I would love to hear your response…

Ditch Digging Update

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 28 March, 2014 None comments

UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE!

Woo-hoo updating with good news. I officially stopped digging. I officially hired someone to dig. And he officially found the problem. YAY!

Two weeks later the problem has been found- not solved, but found! Our pipe collapsed at the break between the plastic pipe and cement. This is good news all around. No major problem but a collapsed pipe that doesn’t require any further digging or any further snaking. It’s going to get resolved within the next couple days. Our nice young man who has been digging even helped temporarily fix the problem to get us through the next couple days until it is officially fixed this weekend.

6 feet long 4 1/2 feet deep

The temporary fix

Yay! The problem still lies ahead as my husband will be doing the plumbing fix to save us thousands of dollars so the prayer is that he can figure it out and fix it properly. BUT I am happy to report that from here on out should be easier than we had previously expected!

Moment of the Day

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 27 March, 2014 1 comments

This was a precious little moment that simply made my day brighter!

Something about these tiny little shoes on the large floor simply made me smile as I love the spring colors and my little man who wears them. I was remembering when I was pregnant and folding the first load of baby clothes and how little the newborn outfits were. I remember my husband and I envisioning what those moments would look like once he was in the precious little clothes. Here we are now almost 2 years later and I’m still shocked when I see the little things spread out upon the floor. His cute little tootsies and chubby little fingers are the little things I rejoice in.

I am thankful for my little man and blessed to have him healthy as a horse. I couldn’t ask for a better child and a better two years with him. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with him as he becomes a little toddler officially within the next three months. I am thankful and blessed that I can stay home with him and give him all the hugs and kisses he so deserves.

Thanks little Cooper for being my little baby to hold and snuggle so dear! Thanks to my amazing husband for allowing me to stay home with him as this is one of the biggest blessings I could ask for! Love you both beyond words can describe.

Life is Short

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 25 March, 2014 None comments

8 weeks ago I met my mother-in-law for the first time. My husband has had no contact with her for roughly 27 years and little did we know that she lived less than a mile away from his previous work location. Through the no communication there has been a lot of emotion and pain that has had to be addressed for my husband. As the years have past he hasn’t actually had to fully deal with it…until now. Back in January my husband received an email from her stating that she has been very ill and doctors informed her she has only 6-9 months left to live. This shocking news struck my husband to the core. He was speechless, lifeless and full of emotion. Immediately responding to her email we headed out to visit her that following weekend.

She had been diagnosed with Esophageal cancer that had been so aggressive it has taken over her entire body. Through this tragedy, we have been getting together with her and her husband for the past 8 weeks allowing Cooper to put smiles on the everyone’s face in the midst of the heartache.

This past Sunday we were headed out for our weekly visit but as we hadn’t heard back from her in a week, we decided something must be wrong. We emailed, called and emailed over and over hoping to let down the anxiety of “what ifs” we held in the pits of our tummies. My parent’s came down specifically to meet her and be a support to my husband in the midst of this heartache. As we pulled up to the house our conversations fizzled instantaneously as we all process an ambulance sitting in the driveway. Immediate fear plagued my husband and I as we slowly approached the doorway where a stretcher sat. We quietly walk in hoping for the scenario to be better than our fear.

There stood 3 gentleman speaking to Marlin, Cathy’s husband while he looked white as a ghost trying to hold his bearings together. Cathy sat in her chair beyond exhausted, breathless and full of pain. That morning she had collapsed to the ground hoping it was from the medication but would not know anything further until she was under surveillance at the hospital. She spoke with us but definitely was so tired and struggling to get many words out. We hugged and kissed her goodbye as they drove off to the hospital.

Little Cooper terrorizing the backseat of our car while my parents tried to entertain him finally came to an end. My parents brought him in and met Marlin. He explained the condition and how the previous week had panned out. We hoped for the best knowing that the ultimate result still remained the same which none of us wanted to address.

24 hours passes and we receive a phone call from Marlin last night giving us our official update. We find out she is progressively getting worse and what happened earlier this week was due to her cancer taking over. My husbands face turned white while the fear plagued his body unsure what words to form next. How do you continue a conversation that has an end result of utter sadness and loss? Both a son and a husband exchanging words about a woman they are about to lose. Watching this play out while I prepared dinner and distracted Cooper was very difficult but knowing I need to be the strong one for the night, I did my best to accomplish this task.

The reality of life is a sad reality. We all come into this world as a helpless babe, while at the end of our life for the most part, brings us full circle back to that same position; a helpless babe! How does one process this reality? Where is the hope for those left behind? The many questions and utter sadness fills the room longing for it to simply be “okay.” Knowing at some point it will be okay, it is still a new normal that will be forced to take place.

My prayer is for those who are left behind is to see the Lord working “all things together for good.” Knowing her fate and feeling confident that the Lord has rescued her and she has a hope to look forward to; perfection with Jesus! The condition of our souls needs to be re-evaluated as we face the reality of death and although most of us want to pretend it doesn’t exist until absolutely necessary, it is a topic that makes people squirm but it’s a good thing to think through asking yourself if this was your last day, do you know where you are going?

Moment of Truth: Life is a challenge in and of itself. Do you live in fear or walk in confidence knowing your life could end at any moment and where your fate lies? Hold tightly to the truth of why we are alive and here on this earth, one purpose; glorify God.

Belief

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 21 March, 2014 None comments

This morning in my bible study I was struck by one verse. The entire study was impeccable and very convicting that I wanted to share with you all the glorious riches we have been offered, but as I neared the end of the study, a verse leaped off of the page catching my attention.

Romans 10:9 most of you have probably heard this verse multiple times in your life, even those who don’t follow God’s word. “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

What brought my soul to such agony while reading that verse was the power in the word “believe.” Many people I encounter regularly openly admit their belief that Christ died for them and was raised from the dead. But as I pondered that statement a little more, it struck me how this word is not talking about head knowledge; not only believing that this took place in history but having a deep heart knowledge of this concept. There is a huge difference here. Head knowledge doesn’t bring the outflow of living in that knowledge, but with the heart, actions will follow. I yearn for all of those who have verbalized that they ‘believe’ Christ died for them and rose again from the dead, but the reality is the power within that statement should bring us all to our knees for what that one sentence holds for all of eternity.

Unfortunately, head knowledge isn’t enough to convince you to walk on the opposite side of the street, the side that feels uncomfortable, the side of the street that brings about gawking and humility. The side of the street that brings about ultimate life, and not only life but abundant life. We walk the side of the street that feels accepted, fitting in, being unnoticed carrying our shackles and chains down the street that leads to death; this is where the enemy tromps. The opposite side has life and is only a few steps away, yet the shackles pull you down, holding you captive. Your freedom is starring you in the face while you let your head knowledge control your next step rather then living in the knowledge that you truly believe Christ did die for you.

Understanding that concept of what believing truly looks like will be the manner of breaking you free from the shackles around your ankle or continuing to live a life of despair. The answer seems so simple, yet we all wonder why we can’t obtain that freedom Christ talks about. It’s our sin that holds us captive and the uncomfortability of walking in truth rather then societal acceptance.

Friends, this is a concept we don’t truly understand the depths of the meaning behind ‘belief.’ Are you walking in that belief that Christ died for you? Or are you walking in a knowledge that Christ died for you while remaining in your shackles, residing where the enemy tromps?

I honestly believe we all long for a life that is abundant; living a life full of opportunity and love. The reality is we have that offered to us and many of us choose not to accept it. “Of all the Jews that had the chance to experience the promised land, only two took God up on His offer.” They say there was about 2 million Jews that were given this opportunity. That’s a 1 in a million chance. Don’t you want to be that one in a million?

Pricilla Shirer said it like this:

“The curse of sin enslaves our souls; it is a lock and chain that keeps us from finding freedom. It guarantees every human a life of separation from God…Church ministers, and messages address lighter spiritual topics that draw crowds without stirring controversy. While we often skip around the very issue that most needs to be addressed, we remain shackled, peering through the fence wondering why we cannot experience true freedom. Until we deal with the shackle of sin, we cannot cross the boundaries that keep us from experiencing an abundant relationship with God.”

Need I say more?

Moment of Truth: Take a moment to ask yourself: Are you living an abundant life, walking in the freedom you’ve been offered? Have you graciously accepted that freedom, or are you walking in the shackles with a head knowledge that Christ died for you unwilling to accept that freedom from slavery? “The Lord has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, from Egypt, to be a people for His own possession, as today.” Deuteronomy 4:20 The Lord has lifted our souls from a bondage that is associated with a hot iron furnace. This is your fate my dear friends, pray that your head knowledge outpours into your heart giving you the response to break free from those shackles.

Lead Me With Strong Hands

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 20 March, 2014 None comments

“Lead me with strong hands”….this song (below) was on the radio as we were driving home from my Mother-in-laws who is extremely sick with terminal cancer. I was driving through the rain while my sick son grasped my hand tightly and my husband perched in the passenger seat sick as a dog who began vomiting at my Mother-in-laws house.

While this song was playing I was realizing the deep need of love we all long for whether that is from parents, spouse, children or God. Sometimes when tragedy hits, sickness takes place or depression sets in, people tend to search in all the wrong places for a love that is fulfilling. I have found when we are at our weakest point this tends to be the only time we find God; or shall I say allow Him to shine down on us. The reality is you can push and push to never turn to God, but sometimes God puts His foot down and brings you directly face to face with Him, nowhere else to turn but to Him and Him alone.

Sometimes we get caught up in life chasing dreams, goals and in the midst of it, forgetting to give back that deep love our children and spouse are so deeply longing for. This songs speaks directly to this matter and not because sometimes we want love and sometimes we lose sight of life, but because this is applicable in every one of us, longing for that deep love and acceptance.

Sometimes we are so sick and down that we can’t face another moment, we need to be taken care of, held and have a strongness surround us to keep us going. This is what I felt on the drive home: My husband weak as could be, vomiting without control, my son with the runniest nose I’ve seen in a LONG time and his poor little ears bothering him. My family needed me, and they needed me to be strong, care for them, love them and help them. So much so that when you can’t make it to the bathroom in time, the walls, floor, shower curtain, bath toys, sink and décor all need some deep cleaning.

The picture I had on this gloomy drive home was nothing more than the reality that relationships can’t fulfill that deep longing we all have. Whether married or single, children or childless you still want love. We were created for love. We often think, if I just got married, boy would that longing simply disappear. Or, If I just had a baby I would be fulfilling that hole inside of me. This isn’t true! Don’t succumb to those lies. Do we want these things? Or course, but let me explain something that we all need a good reminder of: We long for love, but sometimes receiving these two relationships actually brings a deeper hole within. Not because you haven’t found that love and fulfillment, but because you are searching for a person to satisfy something that only God can satisfy. Our relationships are imperfect but God is perfect. He longs to fill that hole HE placed within each of us! God created families and spouses as an earthly picture of what sacrifice and love should look like. Do not place your hope solely in your spouse or your children as God needs your whole heart! By giving this to God, he will bless you with your earthly relationship!

Listen to this song: Lead-me-with-strong-hands

We all put on a façade that assumes our life is held together quite well. We can smile all day long, but on the inside be yearning for something so much greater. We need to seek for advice and wisdom but not fulfillment within those around us. There is a huge difference between these two concepts. Our real home is in heaven and no hole will be yearning to be filled at that point, but right now while in our earthly home we need to be providing a Godly love for our entire family, friends and acquaintances. Please embrace the love Christ has for you, find it and embrace it. Pour it out on those around you! We know they need it just as much as you do!

Moment of Truth: We can and need to be that support to our families BUT with the support of Christ to develop that through us. Pray for grace within your relationships and delight in your relationships that Christ has blessed you with. Pray that God leads you in a manner to love abundantly, pure, and with Gods love; nothing less.