(1) YouthWorkers

(2) A sweet gift from GS and B

(3) A beautiful quilt from our FLC quilters.

(4) Dropping off NPs phone and getting to see and chat with KG.

(5) Breakfast and convo with JL this morning. Thanks friend!!

(6) Mentor Group with PH

(7) One of my church ladies calling because she has Avon boxes and she thought I might like them for packing. So sweet of her to think of me.

(8) Boxes

(9) Getting to see PKN for a brief little bit as he was quickly stopping by to pick up their boat.

(10) Supper with JL and RS. Thank You sweet ladies!

(11) A new nativity for my nativity collection

(12) Zumba!

(13) New cut and color

(14) Lots of texts and messages from friends scattered to and fro.

(15) KH and CH bringing me my forgotten IPhone charger and glasses. Thank You!!

(16) An hour phone conversation with JK

(17) A call from my sis

(18) DQ ice cream

(19) Texting with my fave!

(20) An hour on the phone with CT

(21) Several comments on how my last sermon was my best sermon EVER!!

(22) A beautiful last Sunday at FLC

(23) A surprise call from CN

(24) A call from JL

(25) Being tightly held in prayer by so many. You are all incredible blessings in my life!

I am linking up for Five Minute Friday. The FMF is hosted by Kate Motaung on her blog Heading Home. Today’s prompt is “Visit.” I love spending time with this crew. They bring me joy! Check out FMF’s new home at http://fiveminutefriday.com

Isnt it amazing how God often knows when we need to get away and take in some new scenery? Last week, my friend EG and I roadtripped to San Antonio, Texas for a continuing education event. This trip couldn’t have come at a better time. It was just what my heart and soul needed.

The days were filled with learning and hearing amazing preachers. I even got to meet one blog friend in the flesh. (Sorry Carolina, next time!) The evenings were spent just simply spending time with one of my most favorite people. This friend has been an incredible blessing and gift in my life. We have helped each other through some hard times in our lives.

In the midst of our visit, we walked on the beautiful San Antonio RiverWalk. I took my picture standing in front of the Alamo. My friends and I got to enjoy God’s amazing creation at Lake Medina. As I sat on the dock, the sun setting before me, I couldn’t help but breathe deeply and finally relax. This visit was such a gift.

The visit ended way to soon. Isn’t that the way it always goes? Yet God knows when we need to return from our visits too. This visit was life-giving; filled with the holy breath of God. I returned feeling a sense of peace and renewal. What an incredible gift!

(1) Talking on the phone with KA

(2) Messaging with MP

(3) Lots of phone calls, messages, etc.

(4) Starbucks Midnight Mint Mocha Frappucino–my new fave!!

(5) A call from JL

(6) Feeling incredibly loved!!!

(7) A call from PMA

(8) Amazing colleagues

(9) A lawnmower to mow my lawn

(10) Roadtripping with E.G.

(11) Time with one of my most favorite people!

(12) Lake time

(13) Chatting with my momma

(14) Watching Brave one night, Fried Green Tomatoes another night, Divergent the next night,

(15) Peace in my heart and soul

(16) Listening to Nadia Bolz-Weber and other awesome peeps at the Festival of Homiletics

(17) Lake time with awesome peeps

(18) A Guest post over at the Mudroom

(19) Getting to hug JP

(20) Watching Honey I Shrunk the Kids

(21) Getting to meet Blog and Twitter friends in the flesh.

(22) Supper–Burgers at Chris Madrids with CG and SH etc

(23) Listening to Yvette Flunder and Otis Moss III–Incredible!!!!

(24) Meeting my blog friend CM and having Starbucks and conversation with her.

(25) Cinnamon Taffy

(26) Getting to hold a baby

(27) A gift from a friend

(28) Lunch with CG, SAJ and AN

(29) Supper with one of my faves and meeting up with a childhood friend who is visiting family here in SA.

(30) Seeing CJ and LA

(31) Safe journey to Texas and back from Texas. Thanks to EG for all of her awesome driving.

(32) A fun welcome home greeting as we got to E.G. and GG’s farm. Lights parade and all!!

(33) Brunch with church peeps

(34) Sweet presents from awesome peeps in my life.

(35) Talking with KJD on the phone

(36) CH’s ordination

(37) Laffy Taffy from RocketFizz Candy

(38) A wonderful week

My sister and sat in a dark theatre waiting for the movie Silver Linings Playbook to begin. I knew from watching the previews that the movie was about mental illness, but that’s all I knew. I found myself squirming: How would this movie impact my sister and I?

Read the rest here: http://mudroomblog.com/daughter-mentally-ill-person/

I am linking up for Five Minute Friday. The FMF is hosted by Kate Motaung on her blog Heading Home. Today’s prompt is “Mom.” I love spending time with this crew. They bring me joy! 

Her laugh envelopes the room. Her face wears the lines of deep sadness and joy as she lives with a mental illness. Her smile lights up a room. She is filled with the most amazing faith. She seriously would give the shirt off of her back to someone in need. She loves her family and especially my sister and I with such an immense love; a love that is so deep. This incredible women is my momma.

Now she lives in an assisted living facility surrounded by nurses who care for her every day. She is still here, yet pieces of her are fading. Her memory isn’t as sharp as it once was. Her weekly phone calls have become almost nonexistent. Yet when my sister and I walk into her room, her face lights up with such joy and unconditional love. She yearns deeply to be a Grandma and continually asks both of us when this is going to happen. I know her heart is in the right place, yet it is hard to try and answer her.

This incredible women has taught me so much about life and living. Despite the challenges of life, she is full of so much love, and life and light. She has always trusted in God. She lives each day to the absolute fullest. She is one of the first to invite the outsiders into the circle. She has never let her illness get in the way of who and whose she is. I hope that I am half the woman she is.

There are indeed things I would change. I wish mental illness wasnt part of our story. *But then I remember that mental illness is indeed a part of our story and has shaped all of us into who God has called us to be. In sharing our story, in sharing the fact that I am a broken, blessed child of God; but more importantly Sandy’s daughter, I live out our story; a story of an incredible mom who has never once let me doubt that I am loved. And because of that love, I have found the courage to be brave and share our story; a story that I hope helps to break some of the stigma that comes with living with a mental illness. “The bravest thing you’ll ever do is tell your story.”—Brene Brown

Happy Mother’s Day Mom! I love you for all you are!

*This is where my five minutes ended. I just had to finish out my thoughts.

Mom with her Girls February 2017

(1) Beer and Hymns with some of my faves

(2) Chatting with BA on the phone

(3) Friends who check in with you

(4) Chatting with my sissy

(5) God’s grace

(6) Getting through Becky’s service with only a few tears.

(7) An amazing community surrounding me

(8) Texting with SH

(9) Trinity Circle at the nursing home

(10) Coffee and conversation with MH

(11) Zumba with Gina at Curves

(12) An old friend stopping by my office. What a great surprise VS!

(13) The movie Gifted

(14) Talking with PH

(15) Gorgeous weather

(16) A great send-off/farewell for Paige and a great Confirmation Sunday.

(17) A sweet note from a little girl after worship.

(18) An epic PLN

(19) A sweet gift

(20) The most amazing awesome circle of friends

(21) Some weeks just call for some ice cream!

I am linking up for Five Minute Friday. The FMF is hosted by Kate Motaung on her blog Heading Home. Today’s prompt is “should.” I love spending time with this crew. They bring me joy! 

When the well runs dry and there is no words to be found

Should you still write?

When the words are overflowing and brimming to the top

Is it then that you should write too?

When the world is filled with darkness and the loss of hope

And everyone seems to be clinging to the light and looking for hope

Is it then that you should write too?

The Word is a gift

given to us by God

through the birth of God’s Son Jesus Christ.

I can’t help but turn to the words of John 1

“In the beginning was the Word,

And the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

All things came into being through Him.”

The Living Water given to help us share

through our own words

To share when the the well is running dry

Or the world  is dark and looking for hope

and also when the cup is overflowing and brimming to the top.

There are times I find myself searching for the words

And other times when the words spill out onto the page easily

For all to read and to see.

Wherever you find yourself today,

With a cup brimming with word goodness

Or with you searching at the bottom of the well to find your words

You should write; write until the words bring healing and wholeness.

Write knowing Jesus is the Word made flesh

that never leaves us or forsakes us.