Life Lessons From The Garden

Last week, I came home from a surprise trip with my husband to find that weeds and grass had COMPLETELY overtaken my garden.  As I started to pull the weeds and try to reclaim my garden, I mulled over the many lessons I could potential learn from this scenario that I now found myself in.  I settled on two and thought I would share them with you!

Lesson #1: Don't put off until  tomorrow what you need to do today.  

Now, I know that this is not an original thought.  I am not the first to learn this lesson.  Nor will I be the last.  And this is most definitely not the first time that I have had to learn this lesson.  A couple of weeks ago, I had been putting off some major weeding in my garden because I thought I would have time later.  Then I was whisked away on a surprise trip ~ which I'm NOT complaining about ~ and the opportunity I thought I would have 'later' never came.  I came back to triple the work, and after several days of working in the morning and evening (and with the help of my boys), I've managed to reclaim about half of the garden.  

Lesson #2: What might be considered good on the one hand might not be so good on the other.  

What am I talking about?? Well, it all depends on perspective. I want grass to grow in my lawn. However, the minute that the grass starts to grow in my garden it becomes my nemesis and I am constantly doing battle with it.  Grass is wanted and considered good while growing in my lawn.  But that same good thing, in a different set of circumstances, is no longer considered good. 

What do either of these lessons have to do with you? I encourage  you to do some self examination and ask yourself a few questions.  One, what are the 'weeds' in your life?  Are there things in your life that are or were good things, but are perhaps choking out the BEST things in your life? I've found that there are often seasons of life, of friendship, and of activity.  What might have once been a fruitful area of life may not be anymore.  And, secondly, what are you putting off until tomorrow that should be done today? I'm not necessarily talking about work ~ what about relationships? Who do you need to reach out to today? Who has been on your mind, but you just haven't taken the time to make that phone call or send that message?

The opportunities could pass, the BEST could get choked out by the good, and then you might look back and wish that you had done something differently.  Now, I know that hindsight is always 20/20.  And none of us are going to perfectly lead the life that we hope for and dream of.  But let's embrace to opportunity that we have TODAY to work hard and love well!

Blessings to you~Kendra

A Day in the Life

     No two days are quite the same for us.  Part of that has to do with the fact that we educate at home. But sometimes, that's just how life goes. I thought it would be fun to pick a day to document throughout and just see what happens.  *As a side note, I'm always taking pictures.  Before smart phones, I almost always had my 'nice' camera around my neck.  These days, I don't feel like I take as many 'good' quality images as I used to.  But I do capture things that I never used to, and there is a fun sense of whimsy that comes with using my phone to take pictures. :)

     My day usually starts early, with prayer and study time.  And then it's time to let Rox dog, our Labrador, out.  She usually stays close to me while it's still dark, but once it gets light out, she makes sure to remind me to take care of her. :)

The Christmas Tree and Unrealized Expectations

I've been thinking a lot about my Christmas tree over the past week.  You see, when we picked the tree out over a week ago, it looked perfect.  Then we got it home, set it up in our tree stand, and realized fairly quickly that it was not quite what we (I) thought we were getting.  It definitely has a bit of a "Charlie Brown Tree" flair to it.  For this recovering perfectionist, it is enough to drive me crazy if I let it.  And I did.  For the first couple of days after we got it, I complained multiple times to my poor husband, about how it was crooked, or lopsided, and NOT what I thought I was getting.  My response was just plain silly, and if I'm being honest, selfish.  Something didn't turn out like I expected, and instead of handling it with grace and thankfulness, I wallowed in a pit of self pity and ungratefulness...over a Christmas tree.

Now, you might be thinking that this picture of my tree looks just fine. And I would agree.  But I'm just showing you what I WANT you to see, which is the "good" side of the tree. Also, when I went looking for pictures to put with this post, I didn't have any pictures that highlighted the flaws. Why would I want to capture the very thing I didn't like?? I don't know about you, but I do this with other things in my life as well.  I sometimes have a hard time showing my struggles.  It's just easier to "put my best foot forward" or, in an attempt to not have to talk about the struggles, withdraw from connecting with others.

Thinking about our tree this year also reminded me of a time not so long ago when we moved back here to Oklahoma.  I had expectations of how I thought life would unfold.  When those expectations did not materialize, and things got tough, I responded the same way I did with this tree...I complained, I wallowed...and I withdrew.  Now, three years later, I can look back and be thankful that so many things didn't turn out like I had hoped they would at the time.  Because in many ways, life is so much better than I expected!  As for the tree, it has "fluffed out", and with the lights and ornaments on, looks just fine!  It's cozy and very imperfectly real and I wouldn't change a thing about it!  As we head into the second week of December, I hope that you be okay with imperfection and unrealized expectations and look for the things in your life that you can be grateful for!

The Tuesday Review: Salt in His Shoes

I grew up watching Michael Jordan play basketball.  With a an older brother who played basketball,  and who was a huge fan of one of the best basketball players EVER, how could I not?? So when I saw this book at the library last week, I just HAD to check it out and read it.  And I was not disappointed!

Having boys myself, I am constantly struggling through how to teach the lessons and life skills that they need to learn...  PATIENCE.  DETERMINATION.  HARD WORK.  These are just a few of the many important things that they are going to need in order to make it in this world.  It is not easy to teach these kinds of things. Sometimes you just need a good story! Salt in His Shoes is that and so much more! I encourage you to go check it out today!  

Expectations: Not so random thoughts about the day

Sometimes I just have to laugh at myself!  Especially when I catch myself in the middle of having unreasonable expectations of myself.  Tonight, I am hosting a Noonday Collection Trunkshow, which I am super excited about!  (I don't purchase jewelry and accessories often, but when do, I want it to be from a company that cares about those that it works with and supports them with a more than fair compensation for their product!)  Oops...back to the topic at hand.

Anyway, in preparation and anticipation of having friends in my home this evening, I had put crazy ridiculous expectations on myself.  Let me just spell it out for you.  I wanted to have my kitchen painted, completely finished and decorated, complete with new light fixture, pictures framed on the shelf, and my wall finished with our school map framed, a new white board up, some fun family photos framed, and the magnetic display board up.  Hello??!!  What was I thinking??  The painting did get done. And the map is on the wall.  But that is IT.  Oh, and it doesn't stop there.  I wanted to have a new mirror up on our mantle, photos updated in the family photo frames, and a coat rack up in the hallway. Of those things, the coat rack is the only thing that was accomplished, with the help of my awesome husband! (Thanks, Babe!)

Why do I do this to myself? Why do WE do this to OURSELVES? Why do we set ourselves up to be disappointed in ourselves?  And possibly make others around us miserable in the process??? Why do we think that things have to be perfect?  What really matters through all of this?  People.  Relationship. And for me personally, having a home that is welcoming and genuinely full of love!  That said, my home will be relatively clean, but it will not be perfect.  I will not have done all that I had hoped to do.  And that is honestly OK with me!

I hope you have a GREAT day and that you will be loving and accepting of who YOU are at this very moment!

October Favorite Things: The Random Things of Life!

I (sometimes) love the fact that I never quite know what my boys are going to do.  They are very creative and are always pushing the limits of what they can do.  Often this manifests itself physically, like with sports or competition between the two of them.  But sometimes it comes up in other ways...like keeping wooly bear caterpillars in a "caterpillar castle" and putting the caterpillars on pencils during school, just to see what they might do. 

Yes, this a real caterpillar on top of a pencil. ;)

October Favorite Things: Books I'm Reading

Today I picked up two new books that I've been hoping to read.  Daring Greatly by Brene Brown seems to speak to where I am personally in life right now.  Her call to live wholeheartedly resonates in my heart.  I've heard great things about this book and can't wait to dive in!


Daring Greatly by Brene Brown

Crucial Conversations, on the other hand, is more of a necessary read for me.  I don't handle crucial conversations very well. I often feel like I failed miserably, did not communicate what I had hoped to communicate, and made matters worse.  Obviously, I have work to do in this area.  Communication is key to all areas of life including my marriage and family life, work, teaching, and so much more.  I'm already two chapters into this book and look forward to being challenged to be more effective in this area of life!

Crucial Conversations by Patterson, Grenny, McMillan, and Switzler

Take a Step

I'm not a writer.  I'm not eloquent with words. Often, I say the wrong thing, or the right thing in the wrong way.  I don't have a huge following on my blog.  I don't exactly know what I want to be when I grow up.

But, there are few things that I do know.  I am passionate about people.  I long to see people walk in freedom.  Especially women.  We are so bound up and tangled up with the past, with fear, with feelings of inadequacy,  that sometimes it's hard to move forward.  I know this because I've been there.

This past weekend, I sat in a room with about 20 other women, along with thousands of other women across the screen and around the world, and watched freedom come, chains be broken, and hearts be encouraged.  The IF:Gathering wasn't and isn't about a specific speaker, agenda, or religion.  It's about women around the world gathering together, being equipped, and then being unleashed to live fully their purposes...purposes that God has set on our hearts. It was beautiful.  It IS beautiful.

I am choosing to take a step in faith toward what I feel God has put on my heart.  And I challenge you to do the same.  "Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified: do not be discouraged, for the LORD you God will be with you wherever you go." -Joshua 1:9

If you want to find out more about IF:Gathering, click here.

I will announce soon what one of my next steps is, as you'll see it on the blog!

**A new study of Hebrews starts Monday (2/16) through IF:Equip and I would love for all of the women in my life to be a part of it!  Let me know if you have questions! :)