‘It’s awful. It’s broken. It’s basically hopeless. Practically speaking, a complete mess. Can we ever find a solution? With the way everyone argues? Unlikely. Just hold on.’
This is how it goes, how we start to feel. The further we go the more we learn. The layers of brokenness, of systems that are failing, of lives that are hurting. We argue at which solution is best. If you don’t see it my way, surely you don’t care. Surely you don’t – see or care.
This is how it’s fashioned, a hamster wheel of blame, and we get nowhere. It’s fashioned that way completely on purpose. So we all stay stuck.
The problems, too big. My thoughts, too troubled. My actions, way too small.
But friend, you have a power to help change things. Because if you believe in Jesus, He has not left you alone or powerless. He has left you His Holy Spirit. He lives inside you. His power dwells inside you. You just need to trust Him and let it out. Yes, He doesn’t need perfection. He just needs you, submitted to His solutions. To what He wants to do through you. His is in fact made perfect in weakness. If you’ll let Him.
My son had a precious toy yesterday that he was playing with. Pocket sized, it apparently holds some magical abilities.
Well he was lost for a time yesterday. “I’ll never find him!” He moaned without hope. “He’s lost forever.” We assured him he probably would find him, and we all hoped as we encouraged him, that it would be sooner rather than later! Well later that night, as we snuggled in to sleep, I put my arm around him and pulled him close. My hand fell upon the pocket of his button down flannel pajama top. There was a lump there. I patted it. And in a second, I knew. “Look what I found!” I beamed you everyone. “It was THERE ALL ALONG! Resting right over your heart!” He broke into a slow and easy smile. Out came the dimple. Settled he was, in love. There. it. Was. What he was looking for.
Friend, it’s time for you to smile that kind of smile again, too.
My son’s toy is just that. —A token, a treasure, as it were. Though it does not actually possess the abilities that it proposes, to see and help you, like much of childlike play, it points to what really does exists. The Divine.
There it is, with you. The Holy Spirit LIVES inside of you? Have you forgotten? We all do sometimes. All of us. Or else the world would look much different. Yet, it still can. We need our generation and the one next coming. To know, and to be reminded. We are not left alone, hopeless, upon some wasteland. He can turn the barren land into a place of springs, the desolate into a fruitful garden. He can do it for you and for me, and for wherever we live. Even if it feels like a barren place, a Babylon or Babel. Where HE IS is transformed. And He lives inside of you, doesn’t He?
He had not left you alone, and He has not left you either, without a purpose. Knowing His power exists and letting it live through you are not the same. 💛 A limited, controlling, religious spirit (even if it has nothing to do with “religion”) will always tell you there is only one way to do it, too. To do anything. It will accuse. It will push you further along, on a hamster wheel of hopelessness. The Holy Spirit? He won’t. He always knows how to guide.
There are a hundred million ways to make a difference, and if the Holy Spirit is motivating it, you will make a difference.
There are talents that He has given you. Gifts that only YOU have. Differences that YOU ARE meant to make. The world may be big and you may be so very small. But that doesn’t mean anything. Not really, when you have the power of The Holy Spirit living side of you.
I’m not sure I can properly put this into words but I’ll give it a try. This week two of “my” “kids” fly the nest. Simultaneously as it works out. Brilliantly, in fact. People have asked me over the years about my “career” choice. The way, when, why, how, where’s of it all. I’d never say much, but would beam at the thought of it all. The questions would often be followed by “what are you going to do NEXT?” Implying that surely this must be temporary. I would always laugh inside, quite sure I was exactly where I was supposed to be. Besides, tell me what isn’t temporary? There are only a few things and job isn’t one of them.
Some things transcend all of this. The truth is, I never “chose” a career. It chose me. I chose a WHY. The where, what, when, and how found me, has found me, over and over. But most of all, the WHO found me. The kids and families I got to help and care for all these years. All whom I truly cared about, they found me. While the world might have thought my job unimpressive from the outside, or even rather ordinary, what I’ve known all along, is really ringing true. It’s anything but.✨☀️💛⭐️ What makes my path amazing is not the path itself or the particulars of it. But it’s the people that I’ve gotten to love and “serve”. They are EXTRAORDINARY 💛
And as some of them fly the nest this week (the youngest ones at least), I know that I chose well. A passing comment, said as a compliment, really spoke more to how that person felt. Loved, cared for and seen. I never needed to be the best, I only wanted, needed to give my best. I chose not a career, but a life.
I wouldn’t trade one day- winter, spring, summer or fall- one jump in the lake, one game of whiffle ball, one book we read- for anything, and for all that it meant to be there. To help others grow, carefully, beautifully, to get to watch so very much of it.
My “why” has always been to help. What’s yours?
The where, what, when, why, how and who of life circumstances will often change. But follow your heart. Listen to your deepest WHY. They will lead you where you’re meant to go. And your talents will make room for you. And looking back, if you’re spending your time and talents caring for others. and really about them, you will see. ✨✨It truly is extraordinary.✨✨ The details will figure themselves out. It’s the hearts that matter most. All of them. Yours, theirs. If you’re lucky enough, you’ll find people that support you in your endeavors. Either way, it’ll figure itself out, just keep going. When first dating my husband, he affirmed that taking care of kids is the most important job in the world. (I knew I had found a gem!)
It’s then, true now. The real truth is, taking care of people is, what’s most important. And there are a million ways to do that. Starting while young is just having the luxury of having a cleaner slate But all people need love. Investing love in others is among the best things that you’ll ever do.
While I watch some birds take off and fly today, I watch others beside me as we jump on a trampoline together. And just like that, the what keeps changing. But the why never does. IT’S LOVE.
So all the mommas (and Dads!) everywhere, keep going. Every act of love matters. And babies, you’re extraordinary.
Every day something will go undone. Maybe it’s your patience, your workout, your prayer time, the laundry or the healthy meal. Fresh air and sunshine, snuggles or paperwork? Every day you have a chance to choose, at least one thing that goes undone in place of another. It can’t all be satisfied at once. It is the very nature of time and two hands. We must choose. Even if there are things for which you might not have a real choice, but circumstances or the undeniable need of things or people, we can choose. Choose where our attention and time and affection even goes.
“Choose you” the world says. “Choose me” says your life. “Choose me” says your littles. “Choose me” says your laundry. “Choose me” says your marriage.
“Choose me” says Love itself. Choose me, in prayer time, or laundry. Choose to look at Me, to look to Me, to let Me help.
When your plate is so full, your schedule so busy, your arms so tired. When your mind needs a break, and you can’t choose anything but what direction your gaze falls, choose the One who chose you. Who knows. Who knows how you feel, who knows how you fail, and love, and try again. Choose the One who knows all about choices. The One who chooses to love and help you over and over again. He knows how to make the wrong things right, how to make calm out of our storms, peace out of our troubled and scattered minds. Choose to see Him and then you’ll see how He makes sense out of ever 🙏🏻other 🙌🏻thing. 💛
In a world of choosing what gets undone, let it be your tightly bound heart- that needs to see how you’re loved, regardless of what ever else goes “undone”. Lay it down and let it rest at His feet a while, no matter the state of things around you. 💛 “Undone” can be a very good thing sometimes. It means something of greater value has happened inside of you. ☀️💛🌈
Standing with my feet at the edge of the pool yesterday, another mom and I got chatting yesterday. We were both making the last, “it’s time to go”, calls. Then my daughter asked for one more jump, for the both of us, and I said with a smile, “Welllll…alright.”
I turned to the mom next me and said, “I mean, it is summer, after all, and we don’t reaaaaallly have to go.” She laughed. “I know. I mean I just have to go make dinner when we get home.” “I know, same!” I comiserated. “I just need to remember. Sometimes I speed up, so I can slow down. But sometimes, I should just slow down.”
This morning I was thinking about that again. In my slow time. My quiet time. That would soon by interrupted by tiny feet. Remembering that wherever my feet are, is important. Right here, alone. Soon, interrupted. Remembering to slow down. Remembering my feet, dangling over the edge of the the pool yesterday. Knowing where they are now. Trying to remember that wherever they are is important.
Remembering what courting the extraordinary is all about anyway. The idea that dropped into my heart years ago. That wherever my feet are, there is beauty. Purpose. Promise. Love. I only have to look around. To slow down and see it…
And you know what I have found? In case you hadn’t noticed. Not only the love of family and life and all that is good right here. But the love of a savior, that keeps showing up, and taking me deeper. Him who is right beside me. Always has been. Always will be. What is extraordinary anyway? Extraordinary is Him. Extraordinary isn’t something I make or do or become. Extraordinary isn’t something I can achieve. Extraordinary is something. Like Love, that pulls you in, that’s waiting to be discovered. Pure heavenly love, that sets you free, and doesn’t hold you down, or hold you back. It’s not an earthly imposter that looks like more like ‘accepting’ or ‘holding on.’ Pure love sets you free, it won’t let you down, and it won’t let you fall. Not really. Not the way you might fear. (You’ll get back up.)
Extraordinary is Christ. Christ with me, Christ in me. Extraordinary is here. Extraordinary is now. Already. In this life. You can go ahead and jump… Extraordinary is you and me, set free….
What is it any way, this Communion? Is it bread and wine A little at a time Is it life unfolding? One thread after the next, Unraveling, Without you? Is it daily bread, Is it something new?
Is it bend or break With one small mistake? Is it stretch and fold Just to fit some mold. Or Is it a prayer, becoming?
Is it love, unraveling, This communion? All that I’ve made With my twisted lives And these made up lies Forgetting what’s right there Before my Unseeing eyes Before my selfish lies Before my reprise Write another love song This time let it be new Let it be true
Is it finding you’re Already here And you want to be near. Is it seeing you’re Good Like you said you would Be Here
Where there’s no fear. Not a care Can be found within you and You draw me out of mine, into you
It’s where I want to stay Because I can’t Drive it all away, Without you.
There’s something new. something fresh. that I can’t see Unless I believe You
And I do. Yes I do. You make all things new. It starts here, every day with you, today. Giving you All my worries And leaning in To your grace
You said you’d never leave and When the wolves Snarl outside the door You’ll drive them away, If I turn your way So I do I do
Come and be With me. Communion is real Because You’re Already Here to stay.
Hey, I'm Courtney, a pretty ordinary girl who thinks we've all been called to an extraordinary life and love story with God. I'm passionate about family, faith, motherhood, and the adventure of every day. I write lots of words, mostly because I can’t help it- and I think it's one of the things I was born to do. I hope that something I write encourages you, to walk in your own unique purpose and calling, set free to love and give it away, starting wherever you are today. That's what Courting the Extraordinary is all about. Finding the good all around you, and giving it away. Finding, too, the God of all goodness who wants to walk with you.
I love quiet mornings, coffee, prayer and “work” before sunrise. Quality time with my family is my jam. I can be found grinning ear to ear when we're out on an adventure. Whether that's in our own backyard or exploring someplace new all-together, I’ll for sure note something beautiful about nature aloud-and maybe repeatedly, ha!. Life is a beautiful, precious gift, and an adventurous path to travel! We might as well learn how to love.
Hey, I'm Courtney, a pretty ordinary girl who thinks we've all been called to an extraordinary life and love story with God. I'm passionate about family, faith, motherhood, and the adventure of every day. I write lots of words, mostly because I can’t help it- and I think it's one of the things I was born to do. I hope that something I write encourages you, to walk in your own unique purpose and calling, set free to love and give it away, starting wherever you are today. That's what Courting the Extraordinary is all about. Finding the good all around you, and giving it away. Finding, too, the God of all goodness who wants to walk with you.
I love quiet mornings, coffee, prayer and “work” before sunrise. Quality time with my family is my jam. I can be found grinning ear to ear when we're out on an adventure. Whether that's in our own backyard or exploring someplace new all-together, I’ll for sure note something beautiful about nature aloud-and maybe repeatedly, ha!. Life is a beautiful, precious gift, and an adventurous path to travel! We might as well learn how to love. 