The Coach and Kids: October 2014

Friday, October 24, 2014

My Gift

Wow! What a birthday! Facebook was so humbling to scroll through all the posts. I will say again. I am the lucky one. To know so many amazing people. Thank you for a simple thing. Thank you for the messages. You have NO IDEA what that meant to me today. I sat overwhelmed in my chair tonight looking over everyones kind words and was just blown away that the Lord has blessed me so much. With family and friends who are just incredible. People who love the Lord with all their heart, mind, and life. It was so humbling to have so many people text me or send me a message from all across the world. From back home, from school, from Seminole. Do I really get to live THIS life?! This is truly crazy. I am such a blessed southern girl. I am pinching myself right now because today I just felt loved. That meant so much because I think for the first time since the move I gave myself permission to miss home. And I stopped (really stopped) to do just that. To miss my friends (I'd love to sit with so many of you and talk). My family (miss you bunches). My pets. My church (miss you dearly). Through all the thoughtfulness today know that I was truly reached. The Lord used that as my gift. To look back and love the life I've been blessed with. And absolutely be blown away with how fabulously the Lord weaves our lives together with who we meet and get to do life WITH. That was the best gift.

I sat in all this reflection to read Psalm 139. OH MY WORD! This is a read every birthday for a reason. It is so incredible to be so loved by God. To be so planned for. To be thought of before anyone else knew me. There are many things that I want to do. There is so much left to learn. So many people to reach out to. There are few things in this world that have meaning without the precious love of Jesus. There are few things that I can do from here that would mean more than what He has given me. Oh How he loves me, oh. How he loves me, oh. My heart sings because He knit me together. Quirky, goofy, driven, passionate, fun-loving. Forgetful, comfortable in my skin even if you're not ok with me. Me. Sometimes it is nice to give ourselves permission to just bask in that kind of love over us. And I did tonight. After coming home from the game, Jody and the kids crashed and no movie night happened as planned. Mom made her way to bed after talking with me. And there I was. By myself. No TV show, movie, or book could satisfy. God met me in my chair, my room and poured over me. Showed me things about myself in these years I've been alive and reminded me that I am loved. As completely as I will ever be loved. He reminded me that I'm here for a reason. I'm here not to be comfortable. I'm not here to just live here. (As if I could forget why I'm here....but I fully intend to enjoy this place as well.) He reminded me that it is important to listen to His voice. TO know His voice. To ask for His continual direction. To take things to Him first. To be recharged by His Spirit. To be directed and live by His Spirit. To love the people he has let me live in community with. To ask how they need to be loved and treated. To meet them where they are and only by His Spirit make a difference in their life. Like so many have made a difference in my life by their encouragement, words, prayers, cards, calls, texts, and walks. We are here to live this life together not apart. I'm thankful for connections that span distance. Those are bonds the Lord gives us and strengthens through Him. Keep up your day to day faithfully. Live overflowing. Outpouring. Pursuit to give Him the glory He deserves and that we do not. He is so good to us. He is so good to me. What a birthday to sit and close today with my King. My God. My Comforter.

I found a new doctor this week. Rechecked thyroid levels. I've been pretty good, pretty regulated and dreaded having to change. God provided that. Someone who was compassionate and listened to my history. Really listened. And at the end of the visit said, "You're pretty amazing to do everything you have done through that. Something like that might have slowed most people down. You just kept on going refusing to be derailed." I am nothing. God did that. And I will add He did that to prove that His Strength, His Spirit is enough. Even with good care, there's an end. There's a stop. He is a provider like no other. My energy who keeps me on path, supplied, and focused.

How nice it is to close a birthday in fellowship with Him. I'm so grateful to have known Him this long. Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus.....

OCEANS
by: Hillsong

You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand

I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise my soul will rest in your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand
Will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You've never failed and you won't start now

So I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior

I will call upon Your Name
Keep my eyes above the waves
My soul will rest in Your embrace
I am Yours and You are mine

Sunday, October 12, 2014

The Love of Family

Thursday after school/work Kent & Sharla and Jill and the boys started the long trip to Steamboat to visit. It was a weekend marked on the calendar that we all looked forward to for a long time. I had stashed back meals for the weekend and as always, had a blast planning the menu!

They were supposed to arrive Friday after lunch early afternoon. I was working and in typical clinic fashion, I silenced my cell phone and ignored the loud rattly, vibration against the wooden desk. I called them back an hour later before several of my last patients. I'M SO GLAD I DID.

Jill told me that they had been stopped on the road to give a statement for the horrific crash they had witnessed on Rabbit Ear Pass about 18 miles outside of Steamboat. She said that they were re-routed and would be on the road longer than expected because the pass was now closed due to the wreck. A woman had been swerving violently lane to lane and they had called 911. While on the phone reporting it, she hit a fuel tanker head on and burst into flames. They watched as the car burned, helpless to do anything. Thankfully the trooper arrived within 3-5 minutes on-site and attempted to put out the flames. My heart dropped as she told me knowing that they had all just witnessed something terrible, the boys included.

Thankfully they got to my house about the time I was getting off work. It was the best feeling in the world walking into a loud, noisy, excited house. I laugh thinking back about Friday night because we were all SO glad to see each other we were practically sitting on top of each other on the couch, in each other's face talking and completely content. I knew at one point I was sitting right next to Jill talking and the rest of the couch was open. I DID NOT CARE. It was so good to see her and everyone that I was literally glad to be near all of them again...and obviously near meaning as close as possible. (LOL)

Needless to say, we had a great weekend of foods, fall festivals, parks, shopping, games, church and togetherness. It just does not get better than that. Kent giving me a hard time for nothing and me egging him on. Sharla and I delving deep into our discussions about what God is doing and where we want to go with Him. McKenna talking about work and home and knowing that we were now just hours apart! Callee and Reece screaming and running through the house. Jill and I just enjoying watching the kids play and catching up. Game night of mexican train dominos and Hedbanz and senseless laughter til you can't sit up straight and laughing just because you forgot what was really funny in the first place. These days are what memories are made of. These are the times when you wish family were closer, but thankful for the technology that makes it partially possible. The only thing that would have made it better was to see my dad and see our dogs again too.

I'm so grateful for my wonderful family. Each one of them is special. I love those boys and miss them. I miss the big family meals and weekends we had back home. I'm glad McKenna and Callee are close to us. It does make me dive deeper into why I'm here and why we said yes to Steamboat and fellowship. It is giving us more of a chance to become a closer family ourselves. I was reminded of that tonight as Reece read me a book and as Cale ran wildly through the house. While we are missing our family we are thankful for the experiences that God is giving us here. What a wonderful place to have an adventure and become the best version of therapist and self that I can become. Lord teach me as I go. Lord teach us how to listen and let you lead.

Oh the memories they give us!

Granny teaches Reece what a SONIC cup looks like.