There's No Such Thing As Perfect Timing

We thought we were so smart. A few months into our second pregnancy, my husband and I relished in the fact that we had timed this pregnancy perfectly. By the time the baby would be born, our son would be three, well on his way to being potty trained (if not already there) and we would have oh so few issues - because he'd be three.

Did I mention that we thought that we had timed this perfectly?

Anyone reading this who has more than one child is rolling with laughter right about now (as is my mom, even though I am an only child) and as it turns out, I am relatively sure that God is having Himself a pretty good chuckle right now too.

You see, the past few months have been a very somber reminder in my house that we are not in control and as much as we make plans and hastily hope that they are the right plans, ultimately, we are not the ones holding the blueprint.

I realize that this revelation isn't a new one. However, as I sit here in the pitch dark of my living room - eyeballing the hallway to make sure that my son doesn't get out of bed for the ump-tenth time tonight - there seems only to be light coming from my laptop monitor, while in truth there is endless light coming from another source in our home.

That source is Jesus Christ.

Truth be told, He has put a tremendous amount of light in my son. I have had to remind myself countless times recently that there is more to my son than the occasional temper tantrum and the absolute refusal to go to bed when I ask him to. I am truly convinced that he has the heart of a servant. In fact he has a huge heart. He is always concerned about the well-being of others above himself (yes even at his age), he is always eager to help you or ask you if you would like a snack too and this age has also brought him the ability to tell you randomly that he loves you before he offers you a kiss.

Needless to say, there is no perfect timing when it comes to bringing children into this world - they come in God's time only - and I find myself humbled (and a bit humiliated) for even thinking that just because my son didn't go through the "terrible twos" didn't mean that he wasn't going to have challenges at some point. (Insert God's sense of humor that it happens when I am eight months pregnant and new to being a stay-at-home-mom!)

So, here we go. There are merely two months until our new addition enters our family and I have come to terms with the fact (at least for the time being) that this isn't going to easy, but one thing is certain, it will be perfectly imperfect and that is fine with me.

Why Do I Blog?

You can call me a blogging beginner. I just started this journey a couple of months ago, but I have already discovered a network of people who have similar interests, many of whom have taken the same leave-your- day-job-for something-you-love plunge!


I was one of those people who loved school, even college. I actually enjoyed writing 30 page research papers. (Call me a nerd, it's OK!) While I was in college, I took a newspaper journalism class and found that that was something that I hated! Only facts, in the same who, what, when, where, why and how format- each and every time. I discovered that it wasn't my thing. 


It wasn't until I took an intern position at a magazine that I truly found my passion for writing and the kind of writing that I enjoy the most. I like to call it "creative non-fiction" and blogging has given me an awesome opportunity to write about anything I want, anytime I want, and share it with my friends and the whoever else in the world wants to read about it. (Color me flattered that you want to read what I write, by the way!)


In addition to writing, I am a photographer and love to share that creative work as well, and the two have proved to be a fulfilling combination in my life. Blogging for me isn't about standing up on my soap box about social issues, though I sometimes talk about subjects that are of social concern. For me it is the opportunity to gather around the virtual water cooler and share.


And share I will continue to do. Come join me!

DIY - What Not to Do

What started out as a "brilliant idea" recently turned into a what-not-to-do. An FYI, I come from a relatively long line of DIY women and this gene is not lost on me. 

So, when I found a pin on Pinterest about making seeded paper, I got that familiar spark of enthusiasm, excitement, and I am pretty sure that look in my eyes that says that this could be the next big thing for me to add to my shop!

Essentially, seeded paper is good 'ole paper with flower seeds embedded in it. The recipient can then tear up the card after they receive it, hopefully read what you write first, then plant the paper and flowers will soon follow. It's the perfect "gift that keeps on giving". Hence my initial enthusiasm. 

Much to my dismay, I think I added way too much water when I "blended" my paper. It was taking forever to dry, so I put it aside...

...and kind of forgot about it...

I am fairly certain that the paper is not supposed to sprout before it gets to its recipient.

I wanted SEEDED paper not CHIA PET paper!!!

Like my mom said, at least she's not the only one this kind of thing happens to. Which, by the way, happens to everyone! (That's my story and I am sticking to it)

  

Needless to say, any future attempts at making seeded photo greeting cards will be done with pre-made seeded paper.

Winston Churchill said it best, "Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm."

I am confident that, eventually, failure will lead to success. Let's hope in a "rags-to-riches" sort of way!

Kindness

The world - via Justin Timberlake - tells us to bring "sexy back," but yesterday my pastor - via the Bible -   encouraged me and his congregation to bring kindness back.

It is such a small, simple request, but yet one that has the ability to speak volumes when given the chance.

Recently, I read a story about a woman who was attempting to hail a cab outside of her New York City office building. As if that wasn't hard enough in and of itself, she was doing so with a broken leg and a set of crutches, making it nearly impossible.  Seeing the trouble the woman was having, television host Hoda Kotb, came to the woman's aid, hailing her a cab and giving the cab driver the money to take the woman wherever she needed to go.

"No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted." 

            - Aesop (Greek fable writer)

This may seem like a random post, but for whatever reason, when my pastor mentioned the phrase "bring kindness back", I immediately thought of the Justin Timberlake song and couldn't help but chuckle to myself right there in the pews.

I laugh because it's such a random connection, but I think the underlying message is very important.  We all struggle with the messages that the world sends us and, Christian or not, we really may not want to follow the world's lead. And that is OK.

"Be kind and compassionate to one another..." Ephesians 4:32