Lauren Sparks

The Sparks Notes

Marching Out of This Month…and Grace and Truth Link Up

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Bottom o’ the month to ya!  I hope everyone is starting to thaw a bit.  Spring has pretty much sprung here in Texas.  We never really know how to dress this time of year.  The morning chill begs a sweater, but the afternoon sun cooks you in it.  75 degrees feels warm and glorious in the sunshine but rather frigid with clouds and wind.  I will long for it all, though, in a couple of months when it’s 100 degrees all…the…time.

 

Allie started this Women’s History Month by treating us to a school choir concert themed Pop Music of the 80’s, 90’s and 00’s.  If I closed my eyes I could swear I sat in MY high school auditorium instead of hers!  Spiral perm, gravity defying bangs and all.  She sang a fun and peppy rendition of Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves.  I love to watch her perform – especially accompanied by Chuck, Shelby, my parents and twin sister.  That’s  her  in  front  in  the  green  shirt!

 

My girl left the concert to go straight to our church’s version of Disciple Now weekend.  The next week she competed in a classical solo and ensemble contest.  We still await results.  Shelby started back to school that week as well.  I hear the angels singing the Hallelujah chorus now.  Her recovery progressed remarkably.  However, mom and dad worked hard to care for and entertain her lo those long weeks.

 

My niece Olivia turned 10 on the 11th and treated family and friends to a private screening of the new Tom and Jerry movie.  We enjoyed the company more than the show.  That kicked off a week’s Spring Break from school for my kids.  Since my husband took off work two weeks previously to help with Shelby’s post op care, we stayed home and kept it low key.  He did take one vacation day to take us to the Dallas Zoo with a few thousand other people.

 

The last weekend of their school holiday, Allie went on a mini-mission trip.  Shelby went to stay with my mom, dad and PawPaw.  The earth has traveled around the sun quite a few times since Chuck and I have had two nights alone in our house.  A good time was had by all.

 

This week I had a rather frustrating start back to work after nearly two months off.  I confess I’ve complained too much.  But I also gave thanks on March 23 for 4 years of cancer freedom.

 

I’ve done a little more reading and a little less TV watching in March.  Probably a good thing.  After hearing several people I follow talk about Open Book by Jessica Simpson, I gave it a look see.  Celebrity memoir isn’t usually my go-to, but I wanted to learn about her transition from Baptist preacher’s kid to Hollywood sexpot alcoholic.  Very interesting to see how she weaves her faith in God – even if it’s very different from mine – throughout her life.

 

Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey helped me escape tougher things with a romantic comedy obsessed heroine’s quest for love AND the job of her dreams.  I used Prayer:  Approaching the Throne of Grace ($3.69 on Kindle as of this post) for my daily time with God and my prayer life did receive a much needed boost!  (Full disclosure:  I’m a contributing author.)  And speaking of being an author, Steal Like an Artist:  10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon gave me good ideas in a quick and easy read.

 

Eating Mindfully:  How to End Mindless Eating and Enjoy a Balanced Relationship with Food by Susan Albers contained no real new information for me.  But my latest read, If I Were You by Lynn Austin, may just be the best novel I’ve devoured in a long time.

 

My husband and I did watch the short series Defending Jacob on Apple+.  I had to limit us to 1 episode a night – and it had to be pretty early – for me to be able to sleep.  This peek inside the criminal mind was dark, twisted and pretty fascinating.  We also started the new Superman and Lois. If you have recommendations for reading or watching, please do us the favor of leaving them in the comments!

 

Well, I pray as time is ticking closer to Easter that you take more of that time to turn your mind and heart to Jesus.  And as always, I love you, I thank you, and I pray April treats you well.

 

Now for this week’s featured link up post!

 

Laurie from Meditations in Motion managed to entertain me, lead me to empathize with her, encourage me and mention one of my favorite authors all in one post!  Check out Guilt, Shame, and a Little Grass Skirt!

Grace and Truth_Rules

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

HEATHER HART & VALERIE RIESE – Candidly Christian
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

LAUREN SPARKS
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

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

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And So We Part with October

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Photo by Clarisse Meyer on Unsplash

It’s finally starting to feel like fall here in the South.  And I’d like to start my monthly muster by telling you another way (besides the cooler air) that God showed His kindness to us.  Believe it or not, it involves helping someone move.  During the last two and a half years, my hard-working husband experienced some pretty intense and repeated job upheaval, so the coffers are a little thinner than in previous years.  What we do have, though, is an extra vehicle because the hubs now has a work truck.  So we have two full size pick up trucks.  And God has provided multiple ways for us to be generous with this truck when we can’t be generous with funds.  So kind.

 

Chuck and I got dressed up to finally attend the Double Down for Dravet, a fundraiser for the Dravet Syndrome Foundation.  Spending time with fellow families and hearing one of our favorite docs talk about how close we are to a cure for the condition my daughter suffers from made for a great night.  My daughter also had her first high school homecoming.  For those of you not from Texas, that is a mum she has tied around her neck.  I don’t know how to describe it exactly except to say it is a thing.  If you like to laugh while you learn, my friend Heather wrote a great post about homecoming mums here.

 

My best friend flew in for a weekend we have been looking forward to for six months.  We did a wood sign painting class, watched Baylor (Sic ‘Em!) and Dallas football and went to a Popcast Live Show.  If you don’t listen to the Popcast podcast with Knox and Jamie, you are missing out on about 100 laughs a week.  My BFF and I connect across multiple states over this weekly ritual and the live version was, although more expensive, much more fun.  And I only cried a little when I put her back on the plane.

 

Allie had her first official high school choir concert and we are sooooo excited about her future her musical endeavors.  Shelby bowled in the Special Olympics area meet and brought home a bronze medal.  I think she likes the medals even more than the bowling.  Our church threw a 20th anniversary celebration for our neighborhood with food, games, rides, magic shows and an outdoor service.  After attending, serving and playing, we made an exhausted b-line to Sonic for Route 44’s.

 

I’m always happy to see the return of fall TV.   A new This is Us season always debuts the week of my birthday.  Because God is good.  We are trying a couple of new shows.  Bob hearts Abishola is a cute 30 minute sitcom and Almost Family fascinates me in a train wreck/can’t look away sort of thing.  Time for reading mostly eludes me.  I fall asleep entirely too quickly.  I did start Rosemary:  The Hidden Kennedy Daughter, but have yet to finish.  And I’ve been re-reading The Road Back to You:  An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery in order to lead a discussion of it with a group of friends.  The Enneagram is having a moment.  If you haven’t looked into all the fuss, I highly recommend this book.  I even wrote a review of it here.

 

I picked up a new snack on a whim while standing at the check out.  I couldn’t find the exact flavor online, but these are close.  These chips are yummy but the flavor is strong.  And there has not been a gum or mint yet invented that can handle the breath they left me with.  I had to basically start my day all over with a brush and floss!

 

The rest of our month feels like it took place in one doctor’s office or another.  Allie has continued follow up and therapy for her concussion and, although not fully released, is working diligently to catch up on the school work she missed while impaired.  Shelby moved to a less restrictive version of the drug trial she continues to benefit from.  Yay!  Chuck, now that he is 50, started his grown up journey to longevity by finally scheduling with a primary care doc.  A family member endured a big surgery (I don’t want to tell someone else’s story – hope you understand), and the whole family suffers from congestion and cough.

 

To finish the month on a fun note, the winner of the Quest Q and A Study Bible is Leslie Coffey!  Please check your email for details on getting your prize!  Thank you to all who subscribed to enter.  I hope you will stay for the fellowship.  And…I dressed up for Halloween with my co-workers.  Can you guess what I am?  Drop your comments below.  I know it’s punny, but I just can’t help myself.  And I love you, I thank you, and I hope November treats you well.

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