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Bless the Lord, O my Soul

November 11, 2013 by HappyGoStuckey Leave a Comment

There are those times in life when you are so very overwhelmed with all of God’s grace to you, that there are no words.

I’ve been there a lot lately. So much so, that I’ve found myself humming, singing, meditating on the same song again and again. It started at the end of September, when amidst a heart of tumultuous uncertainty, I stood surrounded by several of my “mommy friends” as we sang this song with 1200 others at the DotMom Conference. We sang the words, and I was overcome at the sound of the women I cherished so closely, their sweet voices singing of God’s mercy to us all. And it occurred to me, how well God had answered my prayer of when we first moved here. A prayer that cried out to Him to “please, please give me women to share life with.” Having left such a support system, my heart craved close community with other women. And I was made aware, He had answered my prayer– far beyond what I expected.

Again, a month later. Sitting in a room full of other writers. Women who had been strangers just hours before. Other moms. Other Christians. All of us wanting to make BIG the name of Christ in our writing. This song was again part of our worship set. I stood overwhelmed and could hardly speak, let alone sing audibly. But I know He heard the cry of my heart. He heard my singing– choosing to trust and praise rather than focus on the reality of our current uncertain situation.

And again over the last few days and weeks. Days that have proved what we have known all along, that GOD WAS WORKING. And He has.

And we are overjoyed. We are blown away at how He has provided a way for us to continue to serve and worship in our family of faith and to do so full-time. When we moved here in 2010, it was for a job. A job that the thought of confused us. Years in seminary, hoping to join a full-time ministry somewhere and then this? But God had a plan that was so.much.bigger than our expectations. And we have grown and learned and been refined. We have been able to see just a fragment of His desire for us as we loved and worked alongside our beloved small group family. Three years ago, we came here knowing only each other. We immediately joined the community of our church and were challenged and loved; we never even dreamed we would be able to be on staff there. But God has done great things and we are filled with joy! We are no less than ecstatic that we will be able to stay here in our new(ish) home of Augusta and we cannot wait to see all that He has in store for this next chapter.

And all we can say is, “Bless the Lord, Oh my Soul!”

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtwIT8JjddM&w=853&h=480]

Fall Food Love– Pumpkin!

November 8, 2013 by HappyGoStuckey Leave a Comment

It’s officially Fall in these parts. Today I wore flip-flops and I actually regretted it. Yes, I should have known better– but after all I grew up in Florida, where there is absolutely no concept of what is appropriate cold-weather footwear. Flip-Flops are categorically acceptable, even encouraged– year round.

That being said, I cannot locate my box of sweaters. I kept them folded in the top of my closet wayyyy past winter last year, and around spring break– Master’s Week to be exact, my long suffering husband encouraged me to pack-them-up-already. And I did. So well in fact, that they currently cannot be found.

But regardless of my poor choice of shoes and the fact that I keep wearing the same three long-sleeved items that were added to my closet after the “winter is over purge of 2013,” It is CHILLY! And that makes me want to cook comfort food. Namely, soups and all things that involve pumpkin!

So, as you plan to cook this weekend, or prepare your meals for next week– allow me to draw your attention to a few lovely Pumpkin finds (most of which I discovered via Pinterest.)

These Pumpkin Muffins are delicious! We have actually made them several times. They are low-fat, and filled with healthy ingredients which take this from a sweet bakery treat to something which will really fortify you and your people for whatever the day holds. This recipe is very large though, we normally half it and it still makes a dozen good-sized muffins. These are a great way to have the benefits of pumpkin without a lot of added fat, but they still have amazing flavor.

So, yeah… they’re healthy and all– but I *may* have whipped up a little lower fat cream cheese with cinnamon and dash of maple syrup to spread on one… it was a winner.

Moving On. IF you are hesitating opening a whole can of pumpkin for the muffins… let me tell you something you can do with the remaining pumpkin puree. This Homemade Pumpkin Coffee Creamer was one we really enjoyed. Delicious flavor without any ingredients you cannot pronounce. Oh, and we did only do half of the cream– and then I believe we substituted half & half for the rest. Even treats need to be cut back a little sometimes.

Speaking of ingredients you cannot pronounce, I have to say– every now then you just NEED a quick dessert. You need something with a cake mix listed as an ingredient. (Moderation, right?!) So HERE is one of the best Pumpkin “Poke” Cakes I’ve ever tasted. Pumpkin Better-Than-Anything Cake is a good choice for a potluck as it makes a lot.

I would love to try Ree’s Silver Dollar Pumpkin Pancakes, because really– when does she ever lead us astray?!

And one more thing. Though it’s not really Pumpkin but it is in the squash family– Butternut Squash Soup. I love it. I made a giant batch for small group this week and we ate it for a couple days after, but I’m really thinking I need to make some again– and maybe freeze it in individual portions so I can pretend I have a Panera in my kitchen. I’m toying with the recipe a little bit– but I promise to post soon!

Have a wonderful weekend and check the weather before you go out with your toes exposed!!

I Wasn’t Prepared…

October 28, 2013 by HappyGoStuckey 16 Comments

Last night I returned from one of the most amazing weekends of my entire life. I’m definitely still processing all I learned and I’m sure it will take days before I can put into words all that God taught me there.

After the events of the last few weeks, I was prepared for God to speak to my heart in a big way. The spiritual attacks on our family ranged from mildly frustrating to nearly debilitating. There was the sickness with head colds that rounded our family and then the revolting stomach bug that landed our littlest in the hospital over night (out of town!) and then temporarily leveled the rest of us just days before I was to leave for Allume. Not to mention the near final-blow of becoming a “no-income” family just four weeks ago. Throw in a couple appliances breaking down (again.) and I was 100% convinced that Satan was waging an all-out battle to get me to give up and stay home. Through it all, the message was quite clear that I should still go, so went I did. With the anticipation of learning the treasures He wanted to teach me. So I was prepared for something great.

I was not, however, prepared for several other things.

I was not prepared for the lovely change in weather, rendering half my wardrobe useless. (YAY FOR FALL!!!)

I was not prepared to be loved on again and again by the organizers, sponsors and speakers of Allume. I had heard of the amazing SWAG– but oh. my. word! Here’s a photo of SOME of the books and lovely gifts we received. Blessed!

I was not prepared to start making real connections twenty minutes after I arrived. The first person I met was a member of Allume staff who is right now, in the midst of waiting on her 2 adopted daughters to come home from across the world. While working registration together, she shared a bit about how they had been waiting about twice as long as the normal timeframe. I immediately became connected with this mama in my heart, and have committed to pray that God would MOVE MOUNTAINS if needed, and get these sweet girls home by Christmas. Will you please take a minute and pray for them as well? Her name is Christin and you can read a bit of their story by clicking on the link above.

I was not prepared for the friendships! ( I know.) During the Newbie Meet-up Mingle, I seriously wanted to run, not walk, back to my hotel room and watch some HGTV out of denial that anything called a MINGLE was going on and I was supposed to be a part of it. But a few minutes in, I started talking to Amanda, (who frankly had the same blogger-in-the-headlights look) and we found out how small the world really is. So many writers, bloggers, women with stunning hearts and unique spheres of influence– and I was blessed to meet many of them!

I was not prepared for the QUALITY of the Allume Conference. I was completely unaware that this was only the 4th year running, and could not tell from the attention to detail, the beauty of the decor, and the caliber of each speaker! I was 100% blown away and am so thankful to have had a part.

I went to Allume as a “Mom who happens to have a blog.” But I left Allume as a Woman who is confident that God has given her a passion for writing for a reason. I went hoping to become a better writer, but I left as someone who is not concerned with being “good enough” but is focused on being “available.” I am even more convinced of who He has made me and I’m utterly grateful to be able to worship Him in this way. I now understand why I feel most relaxed and content when I am writing. Writing is a very personal form of worship for me and my desire is that it would ALWAYS make great the name of God. My hope is that I will continue to live in what I believe is an aspect of His calling for me.

I was NOT PREPARED to leave my fears, inadequacies, comparisons, and concerns in Greenville, South Carolina. But God is faithful and He reminded me that He is not the author of fear or confusion and that He has placed me right where I am for a time and a purpose!

Photo Dump

October 23, 2013 by HappyGoStuckey Leave a Comment

I feel like it should be called something other than “Photo Dump” but I guess “Photo Deposit” doesn’t really make sense either.

Here are the High’s and Low’s of the last couple weeks, photographically speaking.

Quick Stop at the Outlet Mall on the way to my Parent’s house…. In search of Jeans and socks for the littles– Success!!

So nice to have a home away from HOME! This time, we MADE ourselves take time to enjoy the lovely weather from that gazebo– so refreshing.

Speaking of refreshing, one morning Lance and I got up to go for a walk and my dad mentioned a park right around the corner– I could not believe my eyes when we saw it! It was very similar to a larger park in Wake Forest we used to love! We had a great little walk– aside from almost getting a parking ticket, (we were OUT in the country, so we parked on the side of the road early in the morning– unfortunately a police officer thought our car might be stolen (only in Jacksonville!) and was about to ticket us until another nice man said we had just gone for a walk! ) HA!

Another unexpected gem we discovered was the Farmer’s Market.

I always thought it was kind of a joke and had never been but APPARENTLY, my dad goes there all the time so Lance convinced me to go check it out and it was so nice! *I stand corrected*

Sorry for the grainy photo, but we had a little double date night with some dear family friends which involved amazing food, sleeping in a tad and then more amazing food– coupled with catching up and a lot of laughter. We were so renewed by our visit, but then we always are. We’re trying to nag them into coming up this way one weekend. (Hint Hint.)

This quote was on their fridge… And of course I had to take a picture to remind myself.

Amen!

The next night we had another dinner night with some very close friends, we happen to have kids just four months apart, (the mom and I have been best friends for life and we are only 4 month apart too!) Our second children are only 6 weeks apart– so we have perfectly planned play-dates. Don’t you love the fake smiles on these two? Buddies.

But here’s what happened when we tried to get all four kids. HAHA!!! The minute Abby saw her friend making a break for it, she wiggled out of Lucy’s arms too.

Annnnd, HERE’S where we TRIED to leave on Tuesday. Abby was really happy, regardless of how she felt. But then things went a little down hill.

The next morning, I found myself sitting enjoying THIS while Reading the book below. My mom bought it for me. I think it’s quite applicable to our stage (or anyones!!) of life, don’t you? It’s really good. I LOVE Priscilla Shirer.

Later that day, smiles were hard to come by for Miss Abby.

Here she is sleeping in my lap in the ER room. It just broke my heart to see her so very sick.

By that night, she was doing so much better and when I tucked her in her cozy little bed, (despite being a little tangled with cables and cords from an IV, and 3 monitor leads.) She smiled a little and said, “Mommy, I seepy.” Which of course, melted my heart completely because naturally she WOULD be very sleepy, but she had never said that before. It’s about a new word every day with this little one. Unfortunately, she also learned “OWIE.” in the hospital. Sad.

Daddy made the five hour drive for the second time in two days to come be with us in the hospital.

And then on Friday, we FINALLY headed back home and made it safe and sound!

Sporting our Fall shoes and dresses for a slightly chilly Sunday Morning.

Home Sweet Home!

Wednesday Miscellany

October 16, 2013 by HappyGoStuckey Leave a Comment

Because of the recent turn of crazy events this week, I’m postponing drawing the winner for the book giveaway until Monday– so if you haven’t yet entered, go here and do so: https://happygostuckey.com/2013/10/02/dotmom-part-two-and-a-book-giveaway/

So last Thursday, we packed up the family truckster (aka Suzy the Equinox) and headed to Florida to visit our family down there. It was initially planned just as a way to get out of town for a few days and relax with family, but my entire family ended up being in town so were able to visit with everyone. Lance hasn’t been able to get a lot of time off from work to travel– and suddenly that was no longer an issue. (LEMONADE!!) So we made the trip down there and spent a wonderful few days catching up with family. And by “catching up” I mean, laughing hysterically and eating every kind of grilled meat my Dad produced from his grill. I love my family. Whenever we are all together things are loud, crazy and wonderful. The time together was just what we all needed.

HOWEVER. The morning we were planning to leave, at about 4am, I heard a sound that no mother ever wants to hear. A sound that chills one to the bone and brings with it the fresh horror of waiting for the next time the sound occurs. It is the sound, of vomit. Poor Abby became sick and proceeded to throw up SEVERAL more times. Once it seemed the worst was over, we loaded up the car, said our goodbyes and drove away. Well, we got as far as the gas station before IT happened again. Heading back to my parents house to get her cleaned up revealed that what seemed a brief hiatus in the illness was just that and she was NOT better. Certainly not better enough to travel five hours. Unfortunately, Lance had a few appointments he couldn’t miss back home so he had to leave us here and go on back. So, here I sit in my parents home, praying both that she is over the worst and that Lucy will not succumb to the wiles of the dreaded stomach bug. Wait, do I sound dramatic? Just a tad? Oh. Everyone hates for their little ones to be sick. But I’m not sure there is much worse than stomach bugs. Except maybe head lice. Yep. that mite be lousy. Ha! Sorry, my sleep has been a bit limited, therefore the puns are more plentiful and less funny.

I noticed something about being “home” this weekend. You’re never too old to be a kid in your parent’s house. I realized that as I observed each one of my brothers enter the house and immediately check the cookie jar. Luckily, my girls had not yet cleaned out all the Oreos but Abby sure was working on it, especially once she learned to say, “Oreo?” and no one could resist her charms. Seriously though. At one point, most of the grand kids were sitting around watching the cartoon Robin Hood and most of my siblings were walking around whistling or humming the songs from the movie which we must have watched a million times as kids. There is something so cyclical and cathartic about that. It seems for just a moment, nothing has really changed and we are all just kids around the dinner table, except now there are more of us, and we are all parents ourselves. But our whole family, whether joined by birth, marriage or choice– we love each other.

And I’m thankful that you CAN always go home.

Especially when you need to stay a little longer to allow the maelstrom of puking to pass. Ha!

Happy Wednesday!!!!

The Unexpected Ministry of a Four-Year Old

September 30, 2013 by HappyGoStuckey Leave a Comment

It was exactly one week ago at the kitchen sink that I saw it.

Lance’s car pulling into the driveway. Two whole hours early. (Complete with the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.) I immediately knew. All those prayers we prayed for God to make our paths straight and clear? He had begun. He just closed a door. He had just made one thing end in order to bring about something else. And as we grappled with different emotions and tried desperately to take deep breaths, PRAY… and we had an audience. They were playing with dolls in the next room.

We put forth every effort to remain upbeat and joyful, so as not to frighten them… the older is SO perceptive. Especially in those next few hours. At one point, she found me *hiding* in the pantry, questioning the next step. She said, “Mommy. I LUD (love) you. Do you KNOW that I LUD you? I do. I LUD you A LOT.”

That was the first of many instances this week that God artfully used the beautiful, innocent love of our children to pour balm on our exhausted and tentative hearts.

And not just through our children. God has brought encouragement from every. single. corner. of our world. Everyone we have come in contact with has been so kind. So thoughtful. So quick to want to help. So generous. The amount of kindness we have been recipients of has been so much more than a huge blessing. It’s been HUMBLING.

Yes, this causes us to realize what great family and friends we have. But more than that even, we realize (again) how great our God is. Every little thing, keeps saying. “I love you. I’m faithful. And I love you.” Every well-timed song we hear, ministers to us in our season of uncertainty and causes us to stop. And worship the God who saw this coming. He heard our 3 years of frustrated prayers as we prayed for an open door. He heard and He acted FOR us.

Undoubtedly, we have… moments. Moments when all we see is the sudden turn of events and our complete inability to change things. I was having one of these moments on Friday. Alone for an hour, I tried to fit in a Dr’s appointment. I walked into the reception area to check in, and was directed to a new girl I hadn’t met before. There, plain as day, taped to her computer was a tattered strip of paper, with one verse–

“The Lord will fight for you and you shall hold your peace.” Exodus 14:14

YES. Because when you watch your husband faithfully work and strive and struggle and then be let go… You NEED a God who fights battles and gives peace.

Every little thing He uses to comfort us– it stops us dead in our tracks of frustration and causes us to stand awestruck at what He is doing. Because we know HE IS WORKING.

But when we’re in the thick of it, we falter. We see what’s in front of us, which is a little foggy, and we strain to see clearly… until our eyes ache from squinting to see the clarity that just isn’t there. Not yet.

But, Oh He is Faithful! Faithful to keep gently reminding us.

Through His Word.

Through sermons that seem so well-timed, that surely there is a wire-tap on our phones, feeding our pastor his next topic.

Through the generosity of others.

Through the girls.

Yesterday while leaving church, Lucy (in the backseat with her craft– A paper world she colored and taped the day’s Bible verse to.) Any idea what the verse was? Jeremiah 29:11. And from the back seat, she said, “Mommy? Daddy? God said, For I know the plans I have for you!!!”

This being after the beautiful sermon on trusting God and surrendering to His will–

We just looked at each other and shrugged while laughing around the joy of knowing we. were. LOVED.

Today, I picked Lucy up from school and pulled over to buckle her in. I opened her folder as I always do, and spotted a post-it note from her sweet director.

“NO Tuition due for October. Payment made by an Anonymous donor.”

Meanwhile, from the backseat, I hear my little encourager sing– (and please know, I could not make this up.)

“Oh how He loves you and me…. Oh how He loves you and me…”

I did NOT hold myself together at that point. It was just too much. Too much love lavished on us by people who want to bless us. Too much grace poured out from our Father. Too much hope in knowing He is at work. Too much anticipation as we watch what He does next.

Too. Much.

When there are no words…

September 24, 2013 by HappyGoStuckey Leave a Comment

He’s in one room, I’m in another. Both of us enjoying the last few minutes of quiet solitude before the littles awake. Both reeling from the past 18 hours. Both praying, while not knowing exactly how to pray just yet.

Both slightly relieved, but also slightly brokenhearted. We have prayed for relief. And it has come, but not in the way we might have chosen.

There is a side of us that may have wanted to pridefully “stand up for ourselves” but instead we are humbled. And now we are caught between a hundred different emotions. But the one thing in front of us is TRUTH. We need truth. We need the Living Word to speak to our heart of hearts and confess what we know is true. God is Good. ALL the time. He was good yesterday as we obliviously prepared ourselves for the week. He will be good today. And tomorrow, as we wait for “what’s next.”

This valley comes immediately after a mountain of blessing as I have just returned from a weekend of refreshment and being filled at the DotMom Conference. Throughout the weekend, I found myself overcome with thankful emotion and sober realization of all that God continues to bless with and to BE for us as moms and wives. I came home with my cup full. I’m thankful for that. He gave what I would need because He knew I would need it.

Because as we’ve struggled through the last half-day, the words of encouragement have been rapid firing in my head and heart.

The lyrics from the worship we took part in Friday and Saturday have been “sticking around.” I’ve been reminded again and again of His promises. Yesterday, upon learning our news, I immediately turned on my “Audrey Assad” Pandora station. (so good.) And every song. Every lyric, most taken or developed from scripture– they spoke truth exactly when I needed it.

And today, when there are NO ANSWERS? Promises are exactly what I need.

Times like this require that we speak the truth to our hearts. That we “Remind our Souls” of all that we have in Christ. All that we know to be true.

It’s hard to combat the fear of the unknown in our own hearts. The only way I know is to truly meditate on what is truth. Truly keep speaking truth to my soul. Speaking scripture. There are NO better words of encouragement than we can find than in God’s Word.

“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand.

The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from evil; He will keep your life.

The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and evermore.” Psalm 121