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I Can Laugh About it Now

October 1, 2021 by Lauren 12 Comments

Do you ever feel like you’re living in a comedy of errors?  I’ve had several days like this recently.  One involved a much anticipated camping trip with our kids and grandkids.

 

We rented a cabin the last week of July at a campsite with tons of activities for kids.  I don’t mind telling you, we paid more than we wanted to, but with four grandkids coming to visit it kind of seemed worth it.  We planned meals, grocery shopped and packed up almost everything we owned before hitting the road.  On the drive, my husband and I realized we forgot our daughter Shelby’s medication.

 

We could manage without a lot of things on this trip, but anti-convulsant medications ain’t one of them.  We decided to continue on to the campsite where I dropped everyone to get settled into the cabin while I darted back home.  Fortunately, our destination sat about 45 minutes from home.  In the meantime, we came up with a list of about 10 other forgotten items for me to grab while there.

 

What usually took an hour and a half round trip became 3 hours on the road due to Friday rush hour traffic in the Dallas/ Ft. Worth metroplex.  But with meds finally in hand we settled into a much smaller space than it looked online.  The common area consisted of a futon with an extremely heavy cushion that kept sliding off of it and 5 backless barstools around a kitchen counter that really only accommodated 2.  The one and a half baths for the 9 of us seemed inconvenient but doable, except that the mirror and lights in one of them hit me about chin level.  I guess I built some leg muscles squatting to brush my teeth and fix my face.

 

I had to scootch sideways between the bed and the wall to get into bed, but managed to get a decent night’s sleep with the help of medication.  The street light (as bright as the sun) right outside the upstairs window offered no help.

 

Let’s Laugh About it Some More!

 

I was glad for the rest I got the next morning when giving Shelby her medications.  I realized that I had not looked at the med minder while grabbing it from the house.  It contained only one dose – not enough for our planned stay.  So guess who got back in the car and made another round trip to the house?  At least a Saturday morning drive didn’t take as long.

 

I hurried back to ready our space and food to host another 11 family members coming in for the day to see our out-of-state visitors (son and grandkids).  Mind you, the air conditioned inside space fell way short of accommodating those of us spending the night.  So we prepared ourselves to hang out on a small covered porch and prayed for a breeze.  We didn’t get it.

 

In the middle of all this, we managed to get locked out of the small, but at least cool, cabin until help arrived.

You just have to laugh.  It’s times like these I’m so grateful that God cares about our lives.  The big decisions, the heartbreaks, the joys and the comedy of errors.

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Luke 12:6-7 NIV says:

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. 7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

 

He cares about every hair that is or is not on your head.  Every little detail!  I pray you take comfort in that today, my friends.

 

And now for this week’s featured post from the link up!

 

I love visiting Joanne Viola’s site.  Her sweet and gentle spirit shines through her words and she often gives me great material to think about it.  If you have a moment, chew on Care today.

 

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1. Share 1 or 2 of your most recent CHRISTIAN LIVING posts. (No DIY, crafts, recipes, or inappropriate articles.) All links are randomly sorted.

2. Comment on 1 or 2 other links. Grace & Truth linkup encourages community.

3. Every host features one entry from the previous week. To be featured, include this button or link back here on your post (mandatory to be featured, but not to participate).

 

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We encourage you to follow our hosts on their blogs or social media.

MAREE DEE – Embracing the Unexpected
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Sharing is caring! If you liked this post, do me the huge honor of using the buttons below to share it to your favorite social media accounts. And if you want to get these essays emailed to you once a week, subscribe!  Lastly, my posts may contain affiliate links and I earn from qualifying purchases. If you buy anything from one of these links, I will receive a few pennies to help offset the cost of this website at no additional charge to you. Thank you in advance for your help.

 

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Praying God’s Word Wednesday #26

September 29, 2021 by Lauren 10 Comments

It’s National Coffee Day and I have a cup of Toasted Coconut as I open my Bible this morning.

 

In Matthew chapter 26, Jesus has found Peter, James and John sleeping when He had asked them to keep watch and pray.  In His disappointment after they let Him down during a troubling time, Jesus said:

 

Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.  The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.  Matthew 26:41 NIV

 

A friend pointed out about this scripture that “anytime we choose sin we fail to consider the future.” 

I sit so convicted of the ramifications of my sin on my life, but the passage also impressed on me that each time I sin, I fail my Savior as the disciples did.  

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Prayer:

 

He is so gracious to us in our mistakes and confessions.

 

Replace the pronouns with the appropriate ones for the person (or yourself) that you are praying for.

 

Praying for you in this.  And don’t forget to share this on social media or with a friend who could benefit.  It would mean so much to me.  And if you don’t want to miss a Praying God’s Word Wednesday, subscribe over on the right hand side of this page.

Lauren

 

 

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Seeing September in the Rear View Mirror

September 24, 2021 by Lauren 16 Comments

September is almost behind us and it’s national punctuation day (which made me do a double take on whether or not I needed that apostrophe in it’s).  I’ll try to mind my p’s and q’s for this recap.

 

We started the month with a parade!  Homecoming week came early for my daughter’s school this year.  My husband and I pulled the “float” for the choir with our truck.  Our daughter, however, did not ride on it.  She is a leader in a spirit organization and had a sweaty blast interacting with the crowd.  I enjoyed the air conditioning in our Tundra. 

 

The varsity choir sang the national anthem at the game, but she and her two besties didn’t stay for the game.  As soon as they sang the word “brave” we hit the road for my in-laws lake house one more time while it’s still nice and toasty.  The girls played hard on the water, but finding out that we had a close contact with covid put a damper on some of our plans.

 

We intended to go to Baylor’s season opening football game against Texas State with my brother and sister-in-law.  Since they have a toddler who can’t get vaccinated (and who was already under the weather), Chuck and I went to the game by ourselves.  It wasn’t the prettiest win, but a W nonetheless.  And I enjoyed watching my favorite team live and in person. 

 

Out of an abundance of caution, we pretty much spent the rest of the weekend by ourselves at the lake house – even though we are all vaxxed.

 

September Treats

 

I got to have dinner at a new place with my sister and a girlfriend of hers – always a treat.  My twin is an adventurous eater and always introduces me to cool new restaurants.  Left to my own devices, I would eat most meals out within a 5 mile radius of my house.  I mean, Chili’s is ok, but not the only choice!

 

My husband bought me a new computer for an early birthday gift.  I loved my macbook, but it was pretty obsolete and out of memory.  So I picked out another macbook.  This one feels familiar, yet fresh.  I put a new cover on it and changed my desktop photos and it looks so fun.

 

Having good friends over for dinner and then going to my parents’ house met my social needs – for one week anyway.  We got to celebrate my PawPaw’s 93rd birthday while visiting family.

 

September Entertainment

 

In my most leisurely time, I read Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens (I know.  I’m very late to this party.) and Holy Sexuality and the Gospel:  Sex, Desire, and Relationships Shaped by God’s Grand Story by Christopher Yuan.  I recommend both.

 

The hubs and I are watching Truth Be Told on Apple+ starring Octavia Spencer.  She plays a podcaster investigating murders.  And we started Impeachment:  American Crime Story.  Both are pretty heavy so I sneak in reruns of Friends as a palate cleanser.  And now that football season is in full swing, we watch my Baylor Bears and the Dallas Cowboys.  We also sampled the new drama Ordinary Joe on NBC.  Looks promising.

 

If you read this on the day it publishes (Friday Sept 24), I am on my way to New Orleans with my handsome husband to see Leeanne Morgan’s comedy show.  If you don’t know her, google her videos now.  Don’t pass go or collect $200 first.  You will thank me as you are transformed into the real life version of the laughing/crying emoji.

 

And I’ll go ahead and wish my twin a happy birthday tomorrow.  It is the 18th anniversary of our 30th birthday.  I love you, sister.

 

Author friend Rebecca Hastings recently closed out her newsletter in a way I couldn’t help but borrow here.  “I pray that God blesses you today with the joy of looking back, the peace of this moment and courage for what is to come.”

 

And now for this week’s featured post from the link up!

 

I needed Michele Morin’s encouragement from Whatever the Challenge, Because of God’s Love, You Can Stand the Test.  Even if you don’t think you need it, you do.  Read this reminder that God’s got you!

1. Share 1 or 2 of your most recent CHRISTIAN LIVING posts. (No DIY, crafts, recipes, or inappropriate articles.) All links are randomly sorted.

2. Comment on 1 or 2 other links. Grace & Truth linkup encourages community.

3. Every host features one entry from the previous week. To be featured, include this button or link back here on your post (mandatory to be featured, but not to participate).

Grace and Truth_Meet Hosts

We encourage you to follow our hosts on their blogs or social media.

MAREE DEE – Embracing the Unexpected
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

LAUREN SPARKS
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

LISA BURGESS – Lisa notes
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

TAMMY KENNINGTON – Restoring hope. Pursuing peace.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Now Let’s Link Up!

 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Sharing is caring! If you liked this post, do me the huge honor of using the buttons below to share it to your favorite social media accounts. And if you want to get these essays emailed to you once a week, subscribe!  Lastly, my posts may contain affiliate links and I earn from qualifying purchases. If you buy anything from one of these links, I will receive a few pennies to help offset the cost of this website at no additional charge to you. Thank you in advance for your help.

 

To find some great places where I might be sharing this post, click here.

 

 

 

 

 

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About Me

I love Jesus, my husband and caffeine. The order of these can change depending on how tired I am. When my two daughters, stepson, and 4 grandchildren get to be too much, I practice yoga. God graciously allows me to share our adventures, victories and flub-ups from my laptop. May He be glorified here.
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