A Year Ago Today.

It is been a year since BJ and I officially became residents here in Southern California. Last year, this time we were unpacking our boxes, taking care of 3 month old babies, and very much unaware of what the days ahead would hold for our family. We knew two things for sure, that God had lead us to Los Angeles for a season and that through every season He has taken care of us. 

 Planner. Visionary. Dreamer.

So as unsure as we were about what lied ahead for us we remained certain that we were in the right place at the right time. I am a planner, a visionary and a dreamer so just moving across the country with just enough money to get us there and settled wasn't enough information for me. Since that is all the details God let us in on, I secretly thought out certain details of our season here in California. Some of them were things I was believing would happen and others were things I assumed would happen. If we are honest with ourselves, I think we all do that right? We start a new job, we meet a new person, we move to a new city, or start a new business and we all have things we are believing will happen and some things we assume will happen. Well this year has proven a lot of things for me. A lot of what I had believed would happen, has happened and all of what I assumed would happen didn't. Over the past 365 days (366 actually since this year was a leap year) I have learned a lot of things, here are just a few. 

1. Obedience is better than sacrifice. 

There isn't always a prize or something spectacular awaiting you on the other side of being obedient to God. Often times, what follows an act of obedience looks nothing like we thought, assumed, or even hoped for. We can quickly become discouraged and even question if what we did was the right thing to do. I have learned that when you choose to obey God we choose to live in the land of uncertainty. After we act in obedience we must not look back, hesitate, or doubt, in time He will prove himself faithful.

2. God's primary concern is WHO we are becoming. 

We have heard it said before that our destiny is not a destination but a journey. This has proven to be so true over the past year of my life. God often uses a change in environment, pace, or geographical location to create a change in us.

3. It's all about Him. 

God continues to put BJ and I in situations where others are unable to say, "Wow, look at you guys." But instead, they are left saying, "Wow, look at God." God desires all the credit. He wants the glory. It is in our weaknesses that we are made strong. He doesn't want us to be able to do it on our own. During this past year He has challenged us to dream bigger dreams that only He could make happen. He has asked us to do things that have made us look absolutely crazy and irresponsible to those around us. It has been in those times where we have felt like we had been set up for failure that He was actually setting us up for a miracle.

Where were you a year ago today? What was your life like? How is it different today? What is one thing you have learned this past year? Please share in the comment box below, I would love to hear from you.

TRUTH:                    We can make our plans,
                            but the Lord determines our steps. Proverbs 16:9 NLT

DARE: TRUST God with the details.

Table Scraps.

Most of you know I have 14 month old twin identical girls but some of you do not know that I also have a crazy dog named Graham. When I say crazy, I mean just that, crazy! He is a lot like me and my husband BJ because, well he is crazy and so are we. He is a lover and is always looking to love on someone or to be loved. I feel guilty these days when it comes to Graham, he is in desperate need of a trip to the groomer, he hardly ever gets photographed and there are days where I am sure he doesn't get fed. (we have to put his bowls of food and water up when the girls are roaming around, and sometimes I forget to put it down when they are napping, eating or have gone to bed) But, even though he might not get his fare share of dog food, I am not convinced he goes to bed hungry. He has two little best friends that go by the names of Kennedi and Brooklyn and they are always willing to share their food. 

Crazy Dog.

Graham is not just a crazy dog, but a smart one too. Not only does he have a full bag of tricks, but he has learned to be in the right place at the right time. He has become the girls' shadow, all day every day. He sits under their high chair and eagerly awaits a flying carrot or an entire plate of chicken and rice. Anytime they are in their high chair, you don't have to look very far for him. I must admit, it's been nice not having to take out the broom after every meal. We have never given him table food but these days I think that is all he eats. 

Barking Dog.

Graham likes to pretend he is guard dog and loves to bark at any noise he hears. It almost always drives us crazy and we have to keep reminding ourselves that he is a dog and barking is what they do. Do you know the only time Graham doesn't bark or care about anything going on in the world around him? Yep, that's right, when it's meal time. Someone can literally knock on the door and Graham will not move a muscle. His eyes are fixed on the girls and he is in perfect position to catch whatever comes his way. 

Shaggy Dog.

Like I mentioned before, he is in desperate need of a trip to the groomer so his shaggy hair has pretty much covered his eyes. So, there are times when he doesn't see what has fallen on the floor. What's so cool is although he can not see it, he can hear it and within seconds of that Ritz cracker or piece of cheese hitting the floor it is consumed. I mean seconds! 

Smart Dog.

Why am I telling you all of this about my crazy, smart, table food-eating dog? Well this morning as the girls were eating their cheese omelet (one of their favorite breakfast meals) I had a moment, a BLOG inspired moment.  Staying in the right place at the right time is just as important, if not more important than being in the right place at the right time. Many of you who know me know that BJ and I have always been willing to GO and be in the right place at the right time, but there have been many times that I have not truly been committed to "that" place. ("that" place is not always geographically but could be mentally, emotionally etc) I may have been there in person but not present in my attention, my focus or my commitment. I am a dreamer and visionary and there are a lot things I see in my future. Places I want to go, things I want to experience, people I want to meet, but if I am not careful I can easily overlook this moment. 

Lessons from My Dog.

I really feel like BJ and I have made a conscience decision to be present in this season of our lives. To take full advantage of where we are and to not only be in the right place at the right time, but be totally committed to this season. My dog Graham taught me something this morning. If you stay committed to where you are and embrace the season you are in, God will bless you! God's blessings far outweigh cheerios and table scraps, they are blessings so great that you and I can not even begin to imagine. 

Are you like me sometimes and have the tendency to overlook your present situation? Do you sometimes feel like you are there but not "there"? If so, I would love to hear from you. Share with me in the comment box below some of the reasons why it may be difficult for you to truly commit and focus on your present season.

Me and Graham when he was little.

 

Arghhh!!!

One of my favorite pics of Graham!

Shaggy Dog!!

TRUTH: "There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face."-Ben Williams

DARE: Don't just be there, BE there.

Packing Light.

TRUTH: “Did you ever notice that the first piece of luggage on the carousel never belongs to anyone?” 

                                                                           ― Erma Bombeck

DARE: Pack light.

Celebrate.

This past weekend was a great one! I spent it with some of my most favorite people, I had a lot of girl time, and we celebrated so many of our friend's birthdays. Most weekends seem to pass by so quickly, but this weekend went by at a perfect pace. 

I Love Celebrations. 

I love a good party. I love honoring and celebrating people. Not just because there is usually good food and cake involved, but it's because I think it is so important to take a few moments to let the people in our lives know just how loved they are. There is something amazing about seeing the look on that person's face when they realize that the crowded room or large dinner table is all for them. It is their moment.


Celebrate BIG. 


As I was indulging on my second piece of cake Sunday night I realized that there are areas in my life where I need to celebrate BIG. We have been praying ans believing for God to open up the doors for us to be able to attend a training/ conference. It is held in Birmingham, Alabama. So there are flights, hotels, conference registration fees, and other costs involved. There are dates to be worked out and it truly was/is a BIG ask. Well, this past week EVERYTHING came into place. Flights, hotels, registration fees, and we even have Grammie and Poppie meeting us there to take care of the girls! When the reality of us officially going to this conference hit us, we were beyond excited. This was/is a miracle. We celebrated. This BIG ask deserves a BIG celebration. So we have been celebrating non stop.

 Everyday, All The Time. 


I find myself spending most of my efforts highlighting the trials or situations that are not yet in our favor rather then celebrating what God has already done and what He is doing now. Kennedi and Brooklyn love to celebrate. Every time they finish eating their food or when they put their toys away and even after we change their diapers they clap their hands and sometimes even do a little dance. They celebrate all the time for any reason. So there is a party in our house all day long. I desire the same to be true for my life. To celebrate all things, big and small. Insignificant and significant. Meaningless and meaningful. Everyday, all the time. 

What about you? Do you find yourself spending more time focusing on what you are going through instead of taking a minute or two to celebrate what you have already been through? What can you celebrate today. Please share with me by commenting in the box below.



TRUTH: 

 I bless God every chance I get; my lungs expand with his praise.

 ² I live and breathe God;
   if things aren't going well, hear this and be happy:

 ³ Join me in spreading the news;
   together let's get the word out.

 ⁴ God met me more than halfway,
   he freed me from my anxious fears.

 ⁵ Look at him; give him your warmest smile.
   Never hide your feelings from him.

 ⁶ When I was desperate, I called out,
   and God got me out of a tight spot.

 ⁷ God's angel sets up a circle
   of protection around us while we pray.

 ⁸ Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—
         how good God is.
   Blessed are you who run to him.

                                                                                                           Psalm 34:1-8 MSG


DARE: Celebrate BIG!!!!

Tough Decisions.

Last week BJ, the girls and I went on a road trip to Phoenix, Arizona to attend a conference. We love road trips! It has usually been the place where we talk and dream about all the things we want to accomplish in our lives. I guess it serves as a visual parallel between the road trip-journey and our real life- journey. This wasn't the first time we had been gone to this particular conference, in fact we had been several times. The first time we had gone was when we were just dating over 6 years ago. I remember that trip like it was yesterday. That trip was so significant because it was the first time we talked and dreamt about our future together. During that conference we were all asked to write down the vision for our life; things we wanted to see accomplished in our lifetime, our goals and our dreams. 

 Write it Down.

BJ and I wrote down a few things we wanted to accomplish personally and then we wrote down what we wanted  to accomplish together. If you know anything about our story, you know that we knew we were going to get married before our first date. (so it wasn't too weird doing this before we actually married) This wasn't the first time we had shared what was in our hearts, but it was the first time we wrote them down. We prayed over our dreams and ultimately placed them in God's hands.

Make it Plain.

So here we were driving to this conference we had attended 6 years ago, but this time we had been married for 5 years, we had moved across the country twice, we had two little girls in the back seat listening to "No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed" and we were traveling with a team from the Los Angeles Dream Center (our church and place where BJ is on staff) This was quite surreal on so many levels. 

Memory Lane. 

We talked about the vision we wrote out 6 years ago and as we went through them one by one we realized that many of those dreams and goals we wrote down we have already accomplished! It was so exciting and it gave us great perspective of this crazy adventure we have been on together for the past 6 years. The past few years have been filled with great times, amazing moments, tears of sadness, betrayal, loneliness, obscurity, victory, doubt, faith, risk and fun. They have been the most amazing 6 years of my life and I wouldn't change or trade not a single moment of them, honestly. What I can say about every moment and season over these past 6 years is that although they have been made up of a lot of things, one thing remains the same. These past 6 years have been made up of tough decisions. 

Defining Moments.

We have had to make some tough decisions: Decisions to move across the country, to move across the country with 3 month old babies, decisions to leave great positions, decisions to trust God in the most unsure times of our lives, decisions to forgive people who have hurt us, decisions to take positions that we knew technically could not provide for what we need, decisions to not defend ourselves or our reputation but allow God to fight for us, decisions to give when we knew we didn't have anything to give, decisions to not give up, decisions to not care when people have thought we were/are crazy, decisions to stand for a cause that is unpopular, decisions to believe that we have not been forgotten, decisions to honor and defend those who have not defended us, decisions to stop pursuing relationships and people God has removed from our lives. The list could go on and on. 

Tough: strong or resilient.

I don't list these tough decisions so that you could give me a pat on my back, but instead to paint a picture of what it means to have vision for your life and to submit that vision to the One who has the power to make that vision come true. Over 6 years ago we gave God the WHAT and He has determined the HOW. Each moment, each season, each tough decision has helped us grow and mature into the people He wants us to be. These decisions are not called TOUGH for no reason. They have been extremely tough to make and I would be lying if I said that we handled them the right way every time. But I am so thankful for a God who is rich in grace and who knows the intention of our hearts. Our desire has always been to please God and to do what He has asked us to do. We are here today with so many of those goals and dreams accomplished not because we are amazing and deserve an award, but because we have learned to see that what is in your heart is often hidden behind a tough moment only to be received after a tough decision.

One Decision Away.

I don't know where you are in your adventure. I don't know what the vision for your life is. Maybe your vision is to marry an amazing man who will one day father your children and make you the happiest woman on the planet. Your tough decision might be to continue to believe that your prince charming is out there and not to settle. Maybe you are not fulfilled in your job and you have a vision to own your own business. Your tough decision might be to submit to your boss, not complain about your workplace meanwhile putting a business plan together for your future company. Maybe what you envision for your life looks nothing like your current situation. Maybe your tough decision is to take a risk and stop doing the same things day in and day out expecting them to change. I don't know where you are or what you envision for your life, but I do know that you are one tough decision away from seeing what is in your heart become a reality. 

Are you at a tough decision crossroad? If so, I would love to hear from you. Please comment or share in the comment box below.

TRUTH: "Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.

                                                                               -Philipians 4:13MSG

DARE: Decide to make that tough decision.

The Happiest Place On Earth.

TRUTH: "If you can dream it, you can do it."- Walt Disney


DARE: Make your world the happiest place on earth. 

Disneyland.

This past weekend we took our girls to Disneyland. To say that I was excited is an understatement. It was like Christmas all over again. All week I would explain to the girls that we were going to see all the Disney characters, ride fun rides, eat cotton candy and have the best time ever. I knew my daughters had no idea what I was talking about, but they could sense my excitement and would get super enthused. They would respond to me by clapping their hands, dancing and even snapping their fingers. Their beautiful eyes would light up as I would go into great detail about our day at Disneyland. They were excited because I was excited even though they had absolutely no clue what I was talking about.

Tomorrowland.


I could hardly sleep the night before our big day. My girls on the other hand slept like babies. For them, tomorrow was just another ordinary day. But tomorrow was not so ordinary, tomorrow was going to be a special day. Before closing my eyes, I leaned over and whispered to BJ, "Tomorrow we are going to Disneyland and the girls have no idea." Tomorrow came early and we made our way to the park ready to have a perfect day. It was a perfect day. The girls were happy from beginning to end. We did all that I had planned we would do.  We saw all the Disney characters, we rode fun rides, we ate cotton candy and had the best time ever.

Fantasyland. 


I think we were in Fantasyland when I caught myself just starring at my girls; it was as if time stood still. It was either because I was captivated by the moment or it was because the line for the Dumbo ride seemed to never end. Either way, I had a moment. A BLOG moment. How many times have I gone to sleep at night thinking that on the other side of today awaits just an ordinary day?

Adventureland. 


This life we live should be defined as anything but ordinary! Instead, it should be defined as an adventure. There are memories to be made, experiences to be had and opportunities to be taken everyday. I have slipped into the "routine" of life a time or two but I want to get up in the morning with the same excitement I had when I woke up knowing we were going to Disneyland. My hopes is that this doesn't come across cheesy. I don't want to live for the weekend or be the person that wishes Monday thru Thursday away. I want to live everyday with great expectation, believing that tomorrow will be far from ordinary. How about you? Have you found yourself in the routine of life? Have you counted down the minutes until school or work lets out on Friday so you can begin to enjoy yourself? Or maybe you have found ways to keep each day fresh and full of great excitement. If so, share your experience by leaving a comment in the box below. I would love to hear from you.

TRUTH:    

 So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you

                                                                                                                                -Romans 12:1,2 MSG

DARE: Break out of routine and live tomorrow a little not so ordinary. 

Daddy, B & K in their Minnie Mouse Shirts.

Brooklyn received a CELEBRATION Pin for walking up stairs all by herself!

Mommy and Kennedi

Brooklyn pointed at EVERYTHING she wanted to see!!

Our FIRST ride!

Us! xoxo

When time stood still... Far from ordinary....

The girls having FUN! K(back) B(front)