Family

Leave a comment Posted on Daily Blogs, Faith Journeys, Family

Faith adventures are the best

Provision follows commitment. 

I am a firm and faithful believer in this truth after this weekend. 

  God has answered my prayers about many of the key aspects of my move to Tulsa in January. 

It’s been so cool to see how His hand and influence has guided me-in many unexpected ways-to the answers I needed. 

There’s so much more that I want to say, but I want to use today’s post as a way of saying thanks to God. 

Living by faith is a great adventure. 

I want to leave you with three recommendations:

  1. Be as specific as you can be in your prayers. 
  2. Ask others to stand in faith–meaning they pray in agreement–with you. 
  3. Don’t be unwilling to share what you’re believing for when it comes up in conversation. Who knows if the person(s) you’re chatting with could be the answer to your prayers?

College Weekend gave me a small taste of what is to come. 

I can’t wait to see how this faith adventure unfolds! 

Leave a comment Posted on Daily Blogs, Faith Journeys, Family

Brick Oven Fun

I made pizza in a brick oven!

After the Job And Housing Fair, Dad and I headed over to Karl and Elinnor Tomerins’ house. They are some of my dad and stepmom’s oldest friends from Rhema. 

The fair was great. There is definitely work to be had in Tulsa if you’re not lazy. 

I’ll share more about my next employment endeavor when that time comes. 

Back to the brick oven….

Mr. Karl, Dad, and myself cooked a frozen pizza in the brick oven Mr. Karl built last year. 

We worked on getting the fire to just the right temperature. Dad and I encountered a minor snafu when the stone slab cracked from the heat. 

No worries, though, because we figured it out! 

I’ll end this adventure story by sharing pictures: 

 

Shut the oven door!

 
 

Mr. Karl and Dad


 

Keeping an eye on the pizza

   

The pizza was a little bit darker on the bottom than anticipated, but it was still edible. 

We had a blast making it and I’m glad we had the afternoon to spend with our friends. 

 

Leave a comment Posted on Daily Blogs, Faith Journeys, Family

A great start

Day One of College Weekend was a success! 

Dad and I are having a great time plugging into Rhema and making connections for employment and housing. 

We are also visiting old friends of my dad and stepmom. It’s been neat to see and hear of God’s faithfulness in their lives over the last 20 years. 

Tomorrow will be fun because we’re attending the Jobs and Housing Fair. I’ll be networking with men and women from all different banks and businesses. 

And you know how much Dad and I love to network. We’ll be like to kids at an ice cream shop. 

I’ll tell you how it goes in tomorrow’s post. Right now I’m resting up from a long day. 

Leave a comment Posted on Daily Blogs, Family, Funny Bone

Technicalities and Cuteness

I’m visiting a friend today so my post will be short and funny. 

Courage didn’t want to wear pants today. 

He kept taking them off and throwing them at people. 

I said, “Courage, you need to wear pants.”

This was his response: 

  He technically was wearing his pants so I can’t complain. 

Leave a comment Posted on Business Sense, Character Corner, Daily Blogs, Faith Journeys, Family

All I need is a cup of coffee and a little perspective

I used to be a chipper morning person. My grumpier self told her to get lost.

My younger siblings do not care.

They are loud and boisterous and excited about the day–even if they don’t know what day it is.

“Audra, what day is it?” Caleb asks.

“It’s Tuesday,” I reply.

His response is normally something like:

“Yay! That means we get to ________” or “What are we going to do today?”

Maybe us grumpy adults should be more easily excitable.

We tend to see each day from a more practical, soul sucking point of view. I don’t think we mean to, though, but it’s easy to fall in line with our work hating, wish-it-was-the-weekend culture.

Last night my little brother–in his childlike wisdom–prayed the most beautiful blessing over our dinner.

“Dear God,

Thanks for having us today.

Thank you for dinner and this time with my family.”

Amen.”

Caleb thanked God for letting us live.

And the thunderbolt of conviction struck my heart….

IMG_1692Every breath, every day comes from God. Begrudging my life and all the things I “have to do” is a slap in God’s face.

I understand that we all have hardships and bad days, but our worst day–especially if you live in the West–is someone else’s best day.

The minor inconveniences of our life will not affect whether we live or die. With that in mind, you and I have very little to complain about.

This is not meant to be a guilt trip.

Just call it a good, old fashioned reality check.

Sure, you’re not a morning person but you can be a thankful–yet quiet–non-morning person.

Sure, money is tight but you have food, water, and shelter. A cancelled Netflix account or a month without cable will not kill you.

Perspective has a way of making us honest.

Leave a comment Posted on Character Corner, Daily Blogs, Family

No longer a victim

Sometimes I miss the walls around my heart.

This statement might shock you, but it’s true.

Many years ago, I watched a documentary about Patty Hearst. She was kidnapped at age 19 and a few months later was helping her captors commit crimes.

Seems kind of crazy, right?

Instead of being freed from her captors and returned home, she was thrown in jail. The case led to a long discussion about Stockholm Syndrome, which is when a victim begins to have positive feelings toward his or her captors.

The consensus was that Patty Hearst deserved her punishment, but President Jimmy Carter eventually pardoned her.

This brings me back to the walls around my heart. It’s easier for me to disengage than to risk pain. My dad and stepmom call me out on it all the time.

“Audra, you know what to do. You always have a choice.”

The gap between knowledge and action trips us up all the time.

  • You’re a diabetic who refuses to cut back on dessert.
  • You’re a procrastinator who refuses to turn off the TV or computer.
  • You’re an alcoholic who refuses to leave the party lifestyle.

It’s easier to give in than it is to put up a fight.

The hardest part in my own journey is knowing that personal responsibility still knocks at my door.

IMG_1563If I hide behind walls, I am choosing to hurt someone else.

Even if I didn’t mean to.

Even if I did.

I can’t blame psychology either. Stockholm Syndrome is real, no doubt, but it can’t negate the power of choice.

You and I are not victims anymore.

Those tired, old excuses for poor behavior won’t get us far.

Leave a comment Posted on Character Corner, Daily Blogs, Family

Surviving an emotional hangover

Have you ever had an emotional hangover?

You share something really personal and the next day you think:

“Why did I do that?!? I should’ve kept my mouth shut.”

I’m a pretty private person, which might seem like a strange statement since I blog every day. We share 200-300 words a day, right? Daily blogging has been a stretching experience for me.

Allowing people into my head space every single day is scary. I’m like a Puritan when it comes to my emotions. If my ankles are showing that’s just too much!

There have been many times I’ve shared with you guys and felt sick to my stomach.

“Did I say too much? What did I just do?”

I only bring this up now because I’m working on a project with my dad and stepmom. You’ll get to hear more about my reconciliation journey. For those who are unfamiliar with my story, this series would be a good one to follow. (And that’s all I’m going to say for now.)

This project will be a BIG stretch for me…

I need to find a nice rock to rent and a stash of brown paper bags.

I realize this post is a bit melodramatic. (Aren’t hyperboles fun?)

No one likes vulnerability, but we all crave it. We’re constantly watching and testing those around us to see if they’re genuine.

And yet, many of us are so scared to share.

Dear friend, I’m right there with you!

Fight the urge to hide, okay?

Hiding helps no one.

Find an outlet to share your gifts and stories with others.

Know that I’m here to help you however I can.

Leave a comment Posted on Daily Blogs, Family

Ending well

Bad days happen. 

Today was one of them…

My entire afternoon was wasted. 

It was a situation where I’m partly to blame because I didn’t push hard enough for an answer (an answer that would have saved me three hours). 

I left the store with tears stinging my eyes while also being extremely angry. 

Not fun…

I’m not a super emotional person, so emotional situations wear me out. 

The evening got better, though, when I watched the new Cinderella with the kiddos. 

We had popcorn and everything. 

 

Courage is king of the popcorn bowl

 
Rainy days–and bad days too–rarely stop kids from having fun. Their innocence is such a sweet gift. 

I want my siblings to stay as innocent as possible, to never lose the gift of finding joy in all situations. 

It’s easy for adults to be cynical. 

I hate that…

I want to be more like my little brothers and sisters. 

Their ability to trust and forgive and love and laugh amazes me. 

I never want them to lose that resilience. 

The day was pretty stinky, but it ended well. 

Leave a comment Posted on Daily Blogs, Family

Birthday fun

Today’s post is going to be very, very short. 

I want to wish my little brother, Courage, a happy birthday. 

He’s a little cutie that brings great joy to our family. 

I’m posting this at his party, so I gotta go. 

Happy Birthday, Courage!!!

  

Leave a comment Posted on Character Corner, Daily Blogs, Family

Internet 101: Learn what’s appropriate

I don’t have any kids of my own, but I strongly disagree with shame based parenting.

If your kid does something wrong, I agree there needs to be consequences.

You can discipline your kid, though, without humiliating them.

I read a story about a young girl who allegedly committed suicide after a video was posted online of her father cutting off her long hair. She was being punished for “getting messed up” which I think refers to drinking or doing drugs…not really sure.

Either way, I don’t know how cutting off her hair would help anything.

To be fair to the stories I read, the police are not connecting the suicide with the punishment. It does, however, bring up the conversation of shame based parenting.

Here’s some of the videos floating around YouTube this year:

  • A parent encouraging a child to beat up a sibling
  • Children standing at intersections holding up embarrassing signs
  • Parents berating their children

I know we’ve talked about this before, but not everything has to be posted online!

Videoing someone on his or her death bed is inappropriate.

Live tweeting a funeral is inappropriate.

Videoing discipline is inappropriate.

Once again, not everything has to be posted online!

The fact that someone has to say “This, this, and this should be kept offline” is absurd.

Being vulnerable in today’s world is hard enough without the threat of your most intimate, sometimes heartbreaking moments being posted online for all the world to see.

And how would you feel knowing that the people who are supposed to love you the most–your parents–are trying to humiliate you?

ALWAYS think before you post.

  1. Will this content cause another to suffer?
  2. Why do I want to share this with others?
  3. What if it was me?

More reading:

http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/shame-parenting-expert-article-1.2347317

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3111907/Girl-13-commits-suicide-jumping-bridge-video-dad-cutting-hair-punishment-posted-online.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sherrie-campbell-phd/inspire-healthy-self-este_b_6437472.html