What’s In The Cup?

May 11, 2015May 3, 2015 / morgancreynolds / 2 Comments

In a worship service recently, we sang the worship song “Your Presence Is Heaven” by Israel Houghton. I’m sure you are already familiar with it, but just in case you aren’t, here are the lyrics.

Who is like You Lord in all the earth?
Matchless love and beauty, endless worth
Nothing in this world can satisfy
‘Cause Jesus You’re the cup that won’t run dry

Your presence is heaven to me
Your presence is heaven to me

Treasure of my heart and of my soul
In my weakness you are merciful
Redeemer of my past and present wrongs
Holder of my future days to come

All my days on earth I will await
The moment that I see You face to face
Nothing in this world can satisfy
‘Cause Jesus You’re the cup that won’t run dry

Oh Jesus, Oh Jesus
Your presence is heaven to me
Oh Jesus, Oh Jesus
Your presence is heaven to me

I’ve sung this song before and it always makes an impact on me. This particular time was no different. But, this line I have sung so many times, really struck my heart on this particular day.

‘Cause Jesus you’re the cup that won’t run dry.

I think I came to understand something in a new way.

Jesus never runs out of the answers, strength, provision, wisdom, help, protection, or love….and the list goes on and on….I desperately need!!

Whatever I need, He is!

There it is, plain and simple.

And He NEVER, EVER stops being what I need! His supply is endless. He is endless. It just never runs out! My supplies and resources always run low or run down. But, He has everything I need, when I need it. Furthermore, He knows what I will need before I am even aware I need it. How amazing is that?

As I stare down a new phase of our story, and feel the full weight of the pain and ugliness, my heart is heavy.

I’m not up for more pain, more hurt, more anxiety, or more injustice by misguided people.

I don’t want to live out the big fear made reality.

I said this to God in worship that day. Wearied by just the thought. I’m just not up for it. This fear and anxiety and always looking over my shoulder. The fear of your child having to relive the pain or face down the ugly once again. I have enjoyed my hard won peace. We have fought for and found our peace.

But, God helped me understand He has everything I need to handle the story with grace and peace.

HE is EVERYTHING I need for this leg of the journey.

We won’t fight this part of the battle with old, decayed supply. It is brand new supply from here on out. He has taught me new wisdom and has strengthened me through old battles, which has prepared me for the new battles to come.

Unlike our earthly supply, He won’t grow stale, run down, or run out.

I can rest in Him, without ceasing, and He will NEVER, EVER fail me.

Furthermore, He saw this coming and is fully prepared to lead us all the way home. What a relief and peace that comes from this knowing. He knows my future days to come. He knew this was the future day to come. He knew the weaknesses I would feel and will be merciful to me. He is sufficient supply for whatever I am not.

It stirs my heart encountering the personalized experiences God uses to speak big and powerful messages to me. He knows the grief and the pain that come surging to the surface in a split moment. One text can change things. One email can shatter calm. But, God knows—He isn’t surprised. He is unending.

Life is often unpredictable.

But God is not. Many times we are left scratching our heads, searching for answers. But God does not.

I will rest in the knowing. I will rest in the peace only He gives. I will not look into an empty cup. For it does not exist. He is my cup that NEVER, EVER runs dry.

I am wondering.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation which requires something you do not possess on your own?

I would love to hear your comments (post below). We can learn from each other.

Hope is stirred when a heart has found what it needs…sometimes we need to hear from someone else’s point of triumph or learn from their sting of adversity!

Green, Green Grass

May 4, 2015May 3, 2015 / morgancreynolds / 3 Comments

I can feel it coming! Can you?

Days are getting longer and spring rains are bringing life support for the flora and fauna. The chill gives way to warm breezes. And, if you live anywhere near here, a yellowy film covers every outdoor surface.

One of my favorite signs of the coming season, though, is the green grass and creative, ardent gardeners prepping their plot of earth for summer beauty. Life bursts on the scene after the dead of winter.

Summer is a unique time for me.

I look forward to it. I think I still have a schoolgirl’s mindset. After all, with homeschoolers in the house, I live to the special rhythm of the school year clock.

Days, weeks, months. Semesters and curriculum.

Books completed and boxes checked off.

And here we are. We are not year-round homeschoolers. I definitely need the summer break! Summer break is mainly for me and my sanity! I know my kids would rebel if I even thought about year-round schooling, though.

I need the leisurely mornings and unhurried schedules. But as much as I love lazy days by the pool, I start to get antsy about a month in. There is only so much laundry, straightening and organizing a soul can do before losing her mind! I start to slowly morph into a discontented, unhappy woman.

I lose all perspective and basically, I get bored with my life! I don’t know how to cope with all the down time. Crazy, I know.

So, I have made a plan for my summer. I decided to be proactive this summer and save us all from my mid-life crisis. I figure this is a great way to recharge my creative and intellectual self. I am calling it the Creative Summer Immersive—CSI. (Well, I just decided to call it that since I’m writing my blog post about it and it needs to sound official.)

In a nutshell, I am going to immerse myself in a summer of creativity that will stretch and grow me. Sounds fun, doesn’t it?

I’m rather pleased with myself. Here is my plan:

Find 2-3 artistic/creative projects where I can learn a new artistic skill. (Probably going to hit up Pinterest.)
Continue studying about and working on my writing. (I have a membership to a training/mentoring group I will continue working with.)
Explore enrolling in a free online university class (MOOC) and learn something new and interesting. (Going to check out mooc-list.com.)
Explore drawing techniques I want to learn. (I will probably purchase books on drawing flowers.)
Read enriching and enjoyable novels and non-fiction. (Of course, the library is one of my very favorite places.)

So, there you have it. Not overly complicated or grueling. But, it does allow me to grow and thrive. Can’t really ask for much more that that!

Here’s the deal. I am going to be full of grace towards myself. If I don’t hit everyone of these goals, or maybe focus and become immersed in just one particular goal, then so be it. My thoughts for this are to give myself a plan to work from.

If you don’t aim for something, you’ll hit it.

Anyway, I’m sharing this with you for a simple reason.

Summer is a great time to explore and try something new.

I realize not everyone’s schedule reflects mine. In fact, summertime may not really mean anything new or different for your world. But, you can’t help but notice the new life and fresh growth all around you. Nature shouts out the beauty of new creation. It’s everywhere.

So, why not challenge yourself to try something new, learn a new hobby, or take up something you’ve always wanted to do. Make this a summer of dedication to your well-being. You never know what you just might find out about yourself.

Maybe your need isn’t even about creativity.

Maybe it is taking the time to broaden your world and practice a new service to others.

Maybe there is something innovative you can do for your neighborhood. What does this look like for you?

Maybe you need to purposefully enlarge your circle of friends this summer. Live it up!

Maybe there is some learning you have put off for another time. Go do it!

Just imagine how much richer your life will be by the time summer is winding down. Maybe, just maybe, it won’t be wasted.

We all want richer,

fuller

and

more meaningful lives in this world gone mad.

What are you going to do with this one beautiful life you have been given?

For this, it doesn’t have to be super spiritual, mega-watted or compare to mine or any other’s summer.

You do you!

Just set a goal and be intentional.

In other words, number your days. Give meaning and purpose to each day.

“So teach us to number our days, that we may get us a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12

I am excited. Perhaps it won’t all go as planned. This is not a problem. I am just excited to see what I can find out about myself. Who’s gonna join me?

Here’s your assignment for this week. Start thinking about some new insights, hobbies or endeavors you might be interested in.

How do you want to grow in the three months of summer? Write it down.

Research how to move forward towards these new projects.

Hit the ground running as soon as your schedule allows you to do so–if it is sooner that June, go for it!

I want to hear what you are planning. I will give periodic updates on my summer adventure. I want updates from you, too. Let’s help each other. Pull up a chair and let’s chat….comment below!

Time Out!

April 27, 2015April 26, 2015 / morgancreynolds / 8 Comments

A couple of weeks ago I went out of town on a Momma’s Getaway. Much needed, may I add. As my friend and I were driving around Richmond…and after many wrong turns…we were finally headed in the right direction! And we were praising Jesus!

We were in the historic Museum District working our way to the art museum. I was marveling at how beautiful it must be in the fall. Historic brownstones lined the wide street with incredible, mature trees lined up, gracing the front yards and the median down the middle of the road. In a different life, I think I like the idea of living in some place such as this. I bet full-on spring is amazing.

As we were driving and talking, my friend pointed out the median. There it was. It stretched the length of this major street. Busy traffic was coming and going. She remarked at how nice it was to have that beautiful greenspace on this busy road. It sure made all the difference. I imagine this area of town is premium….it showed. Hmmmm….how our lives really need a median!

Make this jump with me. Our lives need, no, must have, a median. That calming, relaxing beautiful space and time we carve out for ourselves. The time we take to renew our minds and bodies.

As we were finding our way down this gorgeous stretch of Richmond, we realized the small lesson we were learning.

Everyone needs a median.

We all need some space and time that separates all the coming and going to recharge and regain sanity. We need the time to slow down the hurry and frenzy. We noticed that even in our getaway, we were hurrying to do everything we wanted in the short window. Go figure!

I can hear those who are closest to me laughing. They just might be thinking I have officially lost it. Resting is not my favorite past time. My husband teases me, asking if I am going to “read”. That’s the code word for sneaking into a nap. It’s no secret, my aversion to naps. He tells me to read when I am frazzled and exhausted. Sometimes I comply. Just sometimes….but not without a fight.

You know the struggle.

Sure, I could take a nap or sit down and chill. But, that just means that much and more will be left to get done. I can’t relax due to the self-nagging guilt for not continuing to get things done. I always figure I haven’t done enough to justify resting. I have a tally running in this goofy brain of mine. If I don’t feel like I have done enough then I don’t get to rest. I am always running from one thing to the next…..and feel guilty if I don’t.

You understand. This life. This one short, beautiful life.

This life often has us running—fast. If one event is good then 2 is probably better. The pressure! We want our kids to be prepared for life and follow their passions. There are the all-too-familiar tasks that just have to be done. No way around that. We are called to serve. Well, that means coming and going. Maybe WE have passions we want to follow….what if? If I don’t jump on this opportunity, right now, it will never come my way again. My new-ish neighbor greeted me yesterday in the grass in-between. “You’re never home.” Well….I am….sometimes. Such a friendly lady with very friendly dogs. I need to make time to get to know her. Time.

So. Much. Pressure.

We are all called.

To what? That is the question you must ask. Periodically take a systems check and make sure the commitments you have made are the best ones for your season of life. Here are some wise words,

“We can do everything, but we can’t.”

Take a moment and think on that. We have to be wise.

That median. It really is a must.

You can make it as beautiful as you want. Take care of it. Make it what you need it to be. Medians break up the chaos and crazy-busy. It gives you a place to take a time out and catch your breath. Each person’s median is going to feel and look different. But, whatever you do, fill it with your beauty. Go ahead. Give yourself permission.

To be truly spectacular in all you are called to do….you have to find the center.

The center of who you are.

The center of your purpose.

The center of it all….your Giver of life.

Life won’t unravel. I promise. And, you won’t find yourself unraveled either. Go ahead, try it! I dare you!

I would love to hear about your median. What does it look like and how often do you visit it? Or, maybe, you need to create one for yourself. Please share in the comments below and be an inspiration to others!

Stop Hatin’!

April 20, 2015April 19, 2015 / morgancreynolds / 1 Comment

Try as I might, I just can’t seem to get it right.

I read something today. It made me think.

Oh, I’ve heard it a bajillion times before. Today, though, it came on the heels of a conversation my sweet friend and I had last weekend. I thought I knew it well. But today I realized I needed to see it from another view—a whole new angle.

We have been created in the image of our Creator. We have been made in His likeness.

In I Corinthians 3:16, it states we are the image of God and His Spirit dwells in us. Furthermore, we should not vandalize and abuse this temple. In my self-righteousness, I often give myself a big thumbs up on this one. Clearly, I have this one down. I take care of myself—body, mind and spirit…not doing the obvious no-no’s. You know, those things the Church has labeled as “not good for me” or “not temple honoring.” Whew! I’ve gotten this one thing right.

But, today. As I was reading that verse in my new book, it slapped me in the face—and heart.

I’m not. I’m not REALLY getting this right.

I beat my self up every day.

Yes. My soul and spirit and mind take a good hard beating. I wouldn’t let anyone speak to my friends this way. Yet, I bet many do that to themselves just like I do.

If you continue reading in Corinthians, we also see God is not too impressed with this world’s wisdom and standards by which it measures things. To Him it is foolish and stupid. He sees through it all.

In fact, it says, “He sees through the smoke-screens of the know-it-alls.” Hmmm. I’m feeling as if that pretty much sums it up in regard to today’s standards, “heroes”, and measurements of success.

So. Perhaps you are already a step ahead of me!

Why then, would we ever want to measure our success or failure or beauty by the standard this world has set up as

THE

standard.

Back to the conversation last weekend.

Sometimes, I look in the mirror and, honestly, don’t like what I see. I wish some things were different. My body, personality, my flaws….you name it. Or how about when I look through the lens of social media.

“She is doing what I want; she’s just done it sooner and better. Look at her accomplishments; I seemed to have misplaced mine.”

You get it, don’t you?

As women, we watch and listen and compare ourselves right up with the celebs and stars and current trends. Or maybe you just look around at those surrounding you. You just compare yourself with your friends and enemies. You clearly know what you don’t like about yourself.

I beat myself up; with every mistake and misstep, I see a giant F!

F is for failure.

If I eat too many carbs or calories, I’m a FAILURE. If I forget to have all the baseball gear ready for game time—FAILURE. If I miss an opportunity to say the right thing at the right time—FAILURE. If I can’t figure out how to be in two places at once—you got it–F. I’m severely calendar impaired and most birthday cards that have to be mailed….always late. But, hey! They get them, right? You get the picture. F, F, big giant F!

Instead of seeing the beautiful me, inside and outside, I see the annoying and frustrating flaws. The beating and bashing continues.

Can you relate?

So, my point to my friend was, perhaps we have something another person is praying for.

Maybe someone passing me in the mall, watching on Facebook, or down the street sees me and my life and all that I do right, and wishes some of this was hers. Just maybe? Because, I know we all do it. (And because we certainly don’t show the messy parts and neither do other people).

Other people see the beauty we don’t see.

The words from I Corinthians say it even better!

The Spirit of God lives in us and we were created by God in the first place. That is enough!

Enough is enough.

What more can be added or taken away?

If we can see ourselves as complete in Him, perhaps we can move past our faults and embrace the beautiful us. The God of the universe looks upon us, dwells in us, and says we are good. We are the image of God!

Why would that ever NOT be enough?

What are we saying when we hate on ourselves? What are we saying when we say we aren’t enough?

Not good enough.

Not smart enough.

Not deserving enough.

Not together enough.

Just. Never. Enough.

We are saying the Creator isn’t enough.

I pray we see this verse for what it is. It is a beautiful love note.

As our cultural standards tell us we are not enough, we are reminded we are.

Because of Him…..nothing we have done….but, because of Whose we are, we are enough!

Step up to that mirror and shut off the media. Remind yourself you are created by the Creator Extraordinaire and He calls you enough!

Off We Go!

April 13, 2015April 12, 2015 / morgancreynolds / 1 Comment

A good old fashioned swing.

I think it must be the closest feeling a child has to soaring. I remember as a kid on the playground pumping higher and higher…once I got the pumping figured out. The cool kid thing was jumping from the swing at the peak. Probably not the safest! I was horrified when my kids tried it. My younger brother did it once….landed flat on his back. Hurt himself, he did. Yeah….no jumping from swings, kids!

I think we all long to soar.

We want to soar with our dreams.

Pumping and pumping until we reach the heights. I know I do….but, I really, really want my kiddos to soar. My oldest is a big dreamer. He has always had a creative imagination and I often felt I was trying to hold fast to a bucking bronco. He has always had so much he wants to do. I never could quite keep up! He inspired our made up word—exhausterating!

I never ever want to be a dream killer.

Some dreams are often unrealistic. I want to be my child’s biggest cheerleader. Life has a way of killing dreams. I’m not going to be guilty of doing it. I will train and guide my children on a path which leads to fulfilling their dreams. Whatever God has for them….He will lead them.

Giving them wings is a little like stomping on your heart one day and thrilling it with joy the next. My firstborn is pumping his wings fiercely. As the time grew near for him to soar from the nest, my heart couldn’t comprehend it. I had given so much of my life to this cute little boy who easily held my heart. How was I supposed to give him wings when I wasn’t sure I wanted him out of my nest in the first place?

The fear of the unknown was almost debilitating. Much weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth took place. Until one day, a wise lady basically told me to get over it. I’m not kidding. Her kids are grown and she has a great-grandbaby, maybe two.

But, I was bemoaning on Facebook about the nest emptying of one, and she told me to think of all the greatness to come. There would be great joy on the flip side; an adult relationship with your offspring is incredibly rewarding! But, I have to adjust my thinking. I had to rethink this and keep moving forward.

At first, I have to say, it jolted me.

It felt rough and scratchy.

But, it wiggled its way into my brain and heart.

I sat in his bedroom, after the dorm move in day, and cried my way through the mess that was left behind. I cried and scratched and clawed my way through a week, or maybe just two. Sobbing even, maybe. Until one day, my littlest Little asked if I still loved them—the ones who were still there with me in the nest. I knew it was time to pull on the big girl panties and fully embrace this new day. And slowly, I began to see. I was excited to see him try his new way; walk his own path. His joy was my joy.

When our children soar, our hearts soar with them.

It has been a giving and taking and figuring it all out. You know, the normal boundaries stuff, and the mom in me worrying stuff, and I want you home this weekend stuff. It has been good. Mine is about to finish his first year of college. I can’t even imagine it. Oh, the soaring he has done!

There have been some clunky landings and stormy skies. But, that is the soaring life. How did he get the wings to fly, you ask?

We certainly don’t have all the answers, here are 5 things we did:

Teach him he can do anything and everything God has for him to do. He stirs the passion of our hearts to do good things. Make sure he knows we believe 100% in him.
Give him solid roots to ground him. Are they gonna be forgotten sometimes? Oh, yes. But, this solid foundation will always go with them.
Shape his life full of opportunities which inspire him to be all he can be with God.
Make sure he knows he has a nest to come home to. Our love is unconditional.
Realize at this point, the “parenting” is pretty much done; we are now in the coaching phase.

I see the shortcomings and misfires in our parenting. This has not been an easy or mistake-free parenting adventure. But, like I told one of my Littles today, we make mistakes, but it has only been done from a heart of love. They aren’t going to like every decision we make, but never forget, it is always made from a place of love.

Love. Real, honest love. This is what makes the wings grow.

What In The World Am I Doing?

April 8, 2015April 7, 2015 / morgancreynolds / Leave a comment

My dad loved the outdoors.

But not just any place outdoors. He loved working in his yard. And, he had the gift! He knew what he was doing. My daddy had a good eye and the green thumb touch. It was so beautiful, I had my engagement pictures taken in our backyard….it was as beautiful as any park.

He knew exactly what it needed and when. He fertilized, watered and trimmed religiously. This yard was sculpted into a tropical oasis.

I’ll never forget, however, the work my brother and I were recruited to do one spring Saturday. Before the grass ever went in, we were on rock and pebble duty. Now, before you think “how hard can that be?”, let me tell you we lived in the hill country of Texas. A sledge hammer was used to set fence post holes due to the rocky terrain. Yeah.

So, imagine millions and millions of rocks and pebbles littering this painfully bare plot of ground. Ok, well, maybe not millions.

As a 12 year old, I’m pretty sure it felt like a quarry!!

But, these pesky rocks had to go to make way for beautiful green grass. In order for the grass roots to, well, take root and thrive, the land had to be prepped. #Loads.Of.Fun. I’m sure he said it built character…….along with driving the green Ford station wagon as my first car. That was my daddy.

Character.

It doesn’t seem we hear that word very much anymore. On any given day I can find an article on Facebook about parenting for good self-esteem; or how about parenting for great intelligence. Maybe, parenting towards tolerance and inclusiveness is the key. Maybe it’s parenting to sensitivity and emotional wholeness and generosity. It certainly does run the spectrum. We can take a look at society as a whole and realize some parenting may be going in the right direction, yet so much is not.

Character seems to be an old-school word.

But, part of giving our Loves roots is shaping their nature into strong, moral beings.

There is accountability and courage to do the right thing—even in a world gone mad.

Character is doing the right thing even when you may not benefit or nobody may ever know otherwise.

Character is looking out for others—being aware of the other person’s feelings.

Character is working hard and serving one another–regardless of how big or small the task or person.

Forgiving and holding your tongue, even when it would certainly be easier to set everyone straight….that should set the standard.

Generosity and graciousness should guide decisions in a world that applauds grabbing all you can get.

Our children must know there is a code of right and wrong. They need a moral compass.

How about respect for human life? Or, maybe simply being respectful.

It may mean taking responsibility for a poor decision without placing blame or running the bus over other people.

Roots.

They provide the moral compass and the centering force for all we do or don’t do.

Imagine the chaos in even the very littlest of our littles when the root system is not cultivated. They feel most secure when clear boundaries are in place. Oh, some things are cute when they are an adorable one year old. But, come 13. Yeah, not so cute anymore. There are so many beautiful life lessons we can teach the Loves God has given to us.

So, here are some wise thoughts to make this happen…..straight from Deuteronomy 11:18-21:

Pray for them.

Tell them.

Show them.

We can’t do it alone. Not in this world we live in. We need God to help us. He knows them better than we do! I regularly pray “help me partner with You as I parent.”
We have to teach them and write it on their hearts. Not only when it’s the cute little baby Bible, but when they are strong and the world is fiercely pitching its message.
“Do as I do….not just what I say.” Live it out when it’s hard, even when it would be so much easier to turn and run. They don’t need to see shallow hype.

It is our job to train them, shape them and send them soaring from the nest. This world needs them! The world needs you to pour into them and expect them to step up and be the very best they can be.

Is it all going to go smoothly? Nope. Will we make mistakes? You bet. But, they can learn from that as well. Love and authenticity goes a long way to smoothing out the bumps. Remember, God gave them to you……and you to them.

Roots and Wings

March 30, 2015March 29, 2015 / morgancreynolds / Leave a comment

Has anyone ever told you

that your job as a parent

is to give your Loves

roots and then give them wings?

634763077931900519-my-beautiful-angel-wings

That is such a beautiful phrase. I love it. There is something about that line that creates such an image of beauty and strength coupled together. And what a dichotomy! Such different words.

Roots, wings.

The nature of roots makes us think of an earthy, gritty, life-source, sustaining and supporting foundation. The essence of wings calls to mind flight, self-supporting strength, beauty, resourcefulness and gracefulness. It seems to me there may be a connection between the two.

The symbolism can’t be dismissed.

Parenting.

The word alone can intimidate you. In one moment, you may go from feeling completely in control, to feeling utterly out of control in seconds. You might be on track and feeling successful one moment, but in a split second you realize everything is not as it appears. You often lack sleep; you just may find your interests and passions intertwine or collide with late night talks full of tears and reassuring hugs. It’s not an easy world in which to raise children. You exhaust yourself by always being diligent and on guard. If you’re wise, you realize you need divine help in taking these Loves from birth to flight. And you don’t get a whole heck of a lot of time to accomplish it. A mom further down the road than me offered this valuable piece of wisdom when my oldest was barely two…..the days are long, but the years are short. On many occasions, this helped me keep my perspective and make wiser decisions.

There are so many joys in parenting.

One of my all time favorites is watching my Loves find their passions and dream big dreams. There’s nothing like the “I love you” or “Thanks, mom” that comes from hearts genuine with feeling. Watching your Loves learn from their mistakes, and trying their best not to repeat the same mistake…..whether they do or not, to see the effort to learn is what matters. Knowing your kids are making the right choices along the way–when choosing the wrong would have been so much easier–brings so much joy. Gooey kisses and slobbery hugs go a long way to making parenting easier.

I am focusing over the next two weeks on the topic entitled “Roots and Wings”. Almost 20 years into this parenting gig (that’s a LOT of toddler and preschooler years!), and I often say to my kiddos, “This isn’t my first rodeo.” I really like to remind them of this. Especially when they think they have a new take on a particularly time-worn lesson. My Honey will often remind me, to my chagrin, he isn’t a first-time parent. I haven’t experienced it all, by any means, and I’m sure my other two at home have some surprises for me along the way!

Here are a couple things I have learned along the way.

Whether you were parented well or not does not determine your parenting ability.

I also know God gave you those particular children because you have what it takes to get them from nest to flight.

There is such beauty in parenting.

There is loads of grace for it too.

God does not leave us unequipped for the job he gives us.

We just have to look for his hand and be open to his guidance. God says, “I got you!”

He will give you every good thing you need to bring your children up to be what he intends for them to be. He will give you the grace to do all he has called you to do.

Whether that is

parenting + an outside career

staying at home full time + pursuing passions that fuel you,

he knows exactly how he formed you and is working to bring out the gifts he placed within you.

I would love for you to join me on this journey. I look forward to sharing a few things I have learned along the way. I believe God can give you just what you need. I don’t know exactly what that is, but he does. Let’s meet together and see what He has to say!

Two Things

March 23, 2015March 22, 2015 / morgancreynolds / 3 Comments

Two things. Really, that’s it this week.

Honestly, these are two really simple thoughts. But, are some of the hardest to keep in mind when the stuff hits the fan. I’m just keeping it real. I guess it would be more comfortable to think that pastor’s wives or Christ followers don’t struggle with this. This one did…..

It is interesting the beliefs you hold on to and never doubt. Their validity stays in tact until the very essence of them are tested. I think we have all been there. If not, I’m pretty sure it will come. Here they are:

God never leaves you.

God never stops loving you.

There are two types of people.

There is the one who comes through a difficult challenge, gets the t-shirt and decides to use the experience to make a difference.

The other is the one who comes through the same challenge, jaded and disillusioned, bitter and angry.

Same situations, different outcomes. I don’t know. Life throws some pretty nasty curves. And sometimes we might believe we don’t really deserve them. I certainly admit to that one.

I sat on the counselor’s couch. I can still see the picture in my head. Sometimes, in a particularly quiet moment, I still feel the intensity of the emotion of that moment. Such a lost and hopeless darkness…..the darkest feeling I had really felt up to that moment. I thought, “So this is how it feels to not have Jesus.”

For me, I didn’t just have the trauma of my child being sexually abused; for several years I had dealt with deep professional struggles, as well. I had seen things and experienced things that, piled onto the abuse revelation, were causing a very real dark night of the soul. I was beginning to believe God was nowhere to be found and his love felt far, far away.

Many of the beliefs I held so easily before seemed to no longer work for me or my life. I wasn’t sure why He left. It was such a scary place to be and I remember thinking “this is what aloneness feels like.” I was deciding whether to stay in the boat with Jesus, if you will, or get out.

Long story short, if you were wondering what my decision was (LOL), I stayed in the boat with Jesus. In reality, I heard a sermon about staying in the boat with Jesus. My husband preached a fabulous one that day! But, I had to have some schooling in order to truly understand and develop a deeper knowledge of who Christ was. He revealed both his amazing presence and great love for me. See, he hadn’t really left and he hadn’t stopped loving me. The clouds were just so dark I couldn’t see the light. I couldn’t see his hand. I could, however, hear his heartbeat for me. I had to remember something I had learned years prior….another great sermon from my Honey.

Here it is, “When you can’t see his hand, trust his heart.” Right there. Nailed it.

I began to hear his heartbeat through the people he surrounded me with. I could hear his heartbeat through prayers that were prayed for us by people near and far. I could hear his heartbeat and trust his hand more and more when I began to truly believe what he had taught me in the light.

This week’s blog is pretty simple. Psalm 23 says he is our shepherd. When we go through Death Valley he stays right next to us. Here’s my thought. I wouldn’t take my child, leave her in the darkest woods, tell her to find her way out and leave her to do just that. No, I would stay right next to her and walk out together. She would probably get scared by the sounds and the wind. It would probably be quite overwhelming. But, I would reach out and hold tightly to her hand. So, if his beauty and love chases after us every day, that means even in the darkest places he is busy loving us and keeping us.

Pretty simple.

Pretty challenging.

But, if we learn these things in the light, we can rely on them in the dark.

Matt Redman wrote a song “Never Once”. It is a declaration of God’s faithfulness in the hard places in life. I heard it on my drive to church this morning and knew this was to be my blog post for the week. My assignment for you this week, if you will, is to listen to the song.

I can heartily sing this and know it is my declaration this week. How about you?

All Shall Pass

March 19, 2015March 18, 2015 / morgancreynolds / 2 Comments

Our life is full.

Seasons come and seasons go.

This season is very full….of beauty.

I’ve had seasons that I felt looked nothing like this. I failed to notice the exquisite beauty.

I’ve spent enough days frenetically tending to my littles. Many long days and nights filled with much one-on-one with my babies. That season felt very isolating. At times, my heart and brain fought and struggled against the craziness that is mothering babies, toddlers and preschoolers. I didn’t always readily recognize the beauty of those moments.

I’ve had struggling seasons full of angst as to what my purpose is in this life. Mothering, yes. Loving my man, yes. I knew there was more. Not better, just more. Not as much living in the moment, but struggling and wrestling with life. Some seasons are like that. It seems that insecurity and feelings of inadequacy are often at the heart of striving and struggling. Who am I really in Christ? So tightly wound up in the angst, I failed to appreciate all the beauty to be found here.

But, one thing I am learning is the art of soaking in the moment.

This just might be the cure for the struggle. We may never pass this way again. So, I will look at moments and turn them into memories. Time is fleeting and life is changing. Sometimes in the middle of pain and the Shadowlands, it seems as if the pain and dark will always accompany us throughout this life. But, this too shall pass. Even here, there is so much beauty waiting to be noticed.

Seasons.

Back in the Shadowlands, I use to wonder if we’d ever be able to laugh again. There was so much ugly. How was I ever going to be able to look back at pictures of my babies and not grieve and ache for what should have been or what was? For so long I could not pull out albums and look through the memories. I felt robbed. I couldn’t scale the divide of before….and after. A divide that is definitely there. Maybe it will never go away. But, the pain of that season is turning to more of a scar, and so, I can take glimpses and survive. I am learning to trust the beauty I find.

In this new season, I am learning so much.

This learning is fun.

I’m learning to take the moments and turn them into beautiful memories.

I look at my Loves and know time is passing and each moment is beautiful. No, the moments aren’t always as full of grace and joy as they should or could be. Sometimes, I get frustrated and irritated when things don’t turn out like I want. We run crazy with little margin and meet somewhere in the middle. We disappoint and turn mole hills into mountains.

We forgive and love fiercely.

We show up and cheer each other on.

We open our hearts and listen.

So much is right. So much is beautiful.

We don’t usually travel far for Spring Break. Usually it is the unsung holiday. But, this year was different. Oh, the memories we have made and the futures we have dreamed about!

Time is passing. I see it.

Who knew all the life we would live in these years? So much more is hoped for. So much beauty is to come.

But, we have to be willing to notice it.

How long does it take before we realize our lives are already full? How long before we realize beauty lies even in the cracked and messy days, or years? If we don’t notice it now, it will slip silently away, lost for the ages. If we don’t notice it now, how will we know it when we see it later?

It takes stopping and looking and breathing.

My, the crazy days leave us breathless and tired. We slump and sling and harden our hearts. We can’t even hear the whisper of the call of beauty.

We must mark it. Make an altar of it. See it for what it is.

This beauty given us by God….this holy place that points us to Him.

So, to the ones who are seeking fuller and brighter seasons, they are coming. To those in the messy and crazy season, find the joy and beauty that is staring you in the face. The beauty can be exquisite if you look for it.

It’s there.

Sometimes it is wrapped in the most unlikely tapestry.

Perfect My Enemy

March 9, 2015March 8, 2015 / morgancreynolds / Leave a comment

Perfectionism. Conjures up a whole range of emotions. Kinda makes you feel anxious and guilty. It’s a hard taskmaster who is never satisfied or pleased. It is the nasty twin of Excellence. Nothing is ever quite good enough to receive that seal of approval. In its wake are half completed or “never out of the gate” goals or dreams. And probably should receive the title of “the mother of procrastination”.

MY SCARY TALE

I walked down the hall and opened the door. I realized I shouldn’t have done that!

I have a 14 year old…a teenage boy. Need I say more? I shook my head and shut the door. I glanced into the game room. Probably shouldn’t have done that either. I should really keep up with these rooms better.

I headed down the stairs. Doesn’t anybody know how to put away the box of cereal and throw out the empty gallon of milk? And, look at these sofa pillows on the floor… The floors. Why can’t people take their shoes off and put the pillows back on the couch after the movie?!? Truthfully, why didn’t I get this cleaned up last night before bed? If I would just stay on top of things, it wouldn’t look like this!

Everybody knows I stay at home and educate my children. What would they think if they saw the house like this? I am such a poor home manager.

And speaking of homeschooling…..I just know my kids are gonna be the ones that aren’t “smarter” than the average kid. For goodness sake, they all have to be so we can prove homeschooling is better! I am failing! They don’t take Latin and we don’t finish all their subjects every day.

Grrrr.

Speaking of deadlines! I guess that bill is gonna be late! Out of the corner of my eye I see the little gift left behind by our adorable four legged baby. Should have trained her better. Oh yeah….that blog post….why didn’t I catch that glaring grammatical error?

Get it together, sister!!

Sounds fun, doesn’t it? Well, that’s my brain stuck on perfectionism.

And, I’m not exaggerating….not by much, anyway. You should live in this head of mine when perfectionism has moved in and has set up housekeeping.

I imagine there are quite a few of you in the same boat.
I was told once that maybe I should try thinking,

“I am okay just the way I am, but I can do better.”

I have learned that comparing myself to others leads to one of two things. One, it leads to pride. I decide I am indeed better than my comparison. Or, two, I conclude that I leave a lot to be desired and fail miserably. Before I know it, I am on my way to a toxic lifestyle. What a slippery slope! From there, my day-to-day life is spent on the merry-go-round of the unachievable.

I can’t imagine perfectionism is very good for the heart and soul, much less the mind. I realized I needed to give myself room to be human. Not only do I carry that for myself, I find I expect it from my crew. My family needs me to conquer this thinking.

One day my sweet song bird told me nothing she does for me is ever good enough.

That hit me between my eyes. It hit me hard.

I didn’t even realize what I was doing to her. Who wants to try anything or help out when they know it will just have to be done again?

Somewhere along the line, I felt my self-worth depended on how well I put my house together or how cute my kids looked or how smart they appeared to be. After all, this is what I do. This is my job. If I am going to do something, I better do it right the first time….with extra effort for good measure! Too much comparison was going on!

I believe excellence is attainable.

I think as Christ followers we should strive to do excellent work. The tricky part is when the shift happens.

Excellence shifts over to perfectionism and our self-worth soon becomes based on our performance. And, not only does it damage our own spirit, but it is toxic to those we lead or do life with.

No one can really achieve perfection and still keep margin and peace. What relationships are damaged and what hearts, beside our own, are we stomping to death? We beat ourselves up and our loved ones get caught in the fight.

What can I do today to kick perfectionism in the teeth?

Be aware of the comparison trap. What circumstances, stressors or frustrations make me more vulnerable to comparison?
Be aware of the control trap. Insecurity begs for control. Relinquishing control can be freeing. Life can be beautiful, even if I’m not in charge!
Be aware of the mind chatter. I would never let someone talk to my friends or family like I talk to myself. I deserve grace, too. And in large doses!

Grace is a wonderful healer of wounds.

Whose standard am you striving to live up to? Who are you trying to copy? What negative messages are tearing you down? And what arbitrary deadline are you living under…..thinking if you don’t get this task done today and to this highest standard, you will be marked as the failure of all.

Perfectionism is a harsh taskmaster. Please give me grace!

Amberly reynolds

sweet sage lane

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