Lauren Sparks

The Sparks Notes

Au Revoir to October

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au revoirOne more choir concert for us, then Halloween and October will be over.  It’s finally starting to feel like fall here in Texas and the cooler temps are like a balm to me.  Taking my exercise outdoors has been a treat and putting on a sleeve feels sweet.  And yet it hasn’t been the easiest month for me.  Chuck’s doctor wanted to take another biopsy and waiting for the results sent us both into a little tailspin.  I am so grateful that the results were benign, but my reaction to it showed me that my mental health needed more attention that I’ve shown it.  A call to my doctor and a medication increase has me feeling more myself.  So I’m OK with saying au revoir to this month.

 

Nice weather accompanied the last Homecoming parade and pep rally for our high school senior.  This pep rally is no joke – it includes fireworks.  We enjoyed taking Shelby who gave astonished, “yeah”s throughout the display.  It is sometimes sweet to have a child who never grows up.au revoir

 

Allie and her date exchanged mums and enjoyed the football game and the dance.  Afterward, a group of friends retreated out of town to a supervised lake house for the night.  It was even warm enough to play on the water the next day.  On a side note, if you want to go down a fascinating rabbit trail, google Texas Homecoming Mums.  If you are not from here, you will not believe what you find!  My daughter chose to tone it down from the traditional senior mum and garter.  And she was glad.

 

After HOCO

 

My mom, sisters and I escaped to the Texas Hill Country for the Big Boo Cast Live – an in-person version of one of my favorite podcasts.  Together we are carrying some hard things in this season, but it was nice to get away, laugh and shop.

 

While I was away, my husband decided to arrange a date between my daughter Shelby and a friend from her school days.  I wrote a little about Matthew in Graduation and Complex Feelings, and they had not seen each other since that May ceremony.  They were delighted to see each other and go to Lyle, Lyle Crocodile with Chuck.  Matthew held Shelby’s hand throughout the entire show, even as she slept through half of it.  He wanted many pictures taken of the two of them and posted one on his social media.  So precious.

 

In the Middle

 

Mid-October brought Allie’s Fall Choir Concert and an invitation for her varsity choir to sing with the University of North Texas A Capella Choir.  We also worshipped again with Allie leading at church.  And we capped off a musical month with Allie performing in the Sing Out solo show, and her jazz choir performing with Voces8, an a cappella ensemble from the United Kingdom.  My former choir boy husband lapped it all up.

 

October’s Entertainment

 

My sister recommended Glad You’re Here:  Two Unlikely Friends Breaking Bread and Fences by Walker Hayes (the pop country singer and songwriter) and Craig Allen Cooper.  I’m so glad she did.  My ears devoured the audio version in two days time.  I recommend this beautiful story of relational evangelism and community.  Autumn in Sycamore Park by CP Ward popped up as a free Kindle book.  I can’t resist a theme, but confess it’s a bit of a slow slog.  But true to form, I’m not ready to give up on it yet.

 

We went to see Ticket to Paradise with George Clooney and Julia Roberts at the theater.  I loved this old-school light hearted comedy – a lot more than critics did.  And now as this month is almost over, this post definitely is.  I love you, I thank you and I hope November treats you well.

 

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

 

I loved studying Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis a few years ago with my life group and also love that Lois Flowers has pulled out some key quotes for easy access in Mere Christianity:  7 Helpful Quotes for Modern Day Readers.

The Link Up

 

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

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MAREE DEE – Embracing the Unexpected
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LAUREN SPARKS
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LISA BURGESS – Lisa notes
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TAMMY KENNINGTON – Restoring hope. Pursuing peace.
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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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