Tragic news from my kitchen cabinets

As I was getting my first cup of coffee this morning I pulled out one of my favorite mugs, and I was thinking about the day we moved into this home three years ago.

My friend who was helping me gather up the few remaining things not packed around the house noticed I had a lot of coffee mugs. She tried to get me to scale down some, but so many of them had sentimental value that I just couldn't bring myself to do it.

The one above is from my sweet friend Elise, given to me when my kids were very young.


This is one of a set of two from my sister-in-law. She bought them in Mexico on her Honeymoon. I should probably be using them more often since they are so beautiful!

Obviously this is from New York City. I bought it in the gift shop when we went to see the Statue of Liberty. I would love to go back there!! (NYC, not the Statue of Liberty.)

This is from a gift shop in Destin on our way out of town a couple of years ago. I'm not sure it's ever been used.

My husband bought me this one at Gateway last year. It says "I love a stay-in-your jammies kind of day!". He knows me well.

This one is from my daughter's sweet boyfriend. He bought each of us a mug or cup from Disneyworld last summer on vacation. This summer we're all going back there with them. I can't wait!!

And here is where I must share the tragic news.

As I was pulling mugs out of the cabinet, I quickly noticed that one of my favorite mugs was missing. It was red and it had a picture of Josh Groban on one side, JG on the other. It had been used many, many times for me to enjoy a steaming cup of coffee in. My mom got it for me when he went to his concert a few years ago. It is the closest connection I had to Josh Groban-- as I do love him dearly.

Please read below the conversation I had with my husband this morning. I hope you are grieving with me.

Do they sell mugs at Bon Jovi concerts? If they do, I am SO getting one on April 11th!

10 Things You Might Not Know

Beth Moore is sharing ten things you might not know about her over at the LPM blog today and has asked others to join in. What are ten things I might not know about you?

Here are mine:

1. I married my husband twice in one week. (Had to do with our marriage license.)
2. I don't like any icons on my computer desktop.
3. I love to sing even though I'm not very good at it.
4. I bit my nails for 30 years and I only stopped because I have fake ones now. (Thank you, God, for solar nails!)
5. I love to bake, especially for others.
6. I do better under pressure.
7. I pace when I pray.
8. I treasure my friends.
9. I hate buttermilk.
10. I play Viva Pinata on the Xbox 360 when I want to veg out.

What I did on Friday

I heard on the radio last week that Beth Moore and Francine Rivers would be in my area signing copies of their new books. Getting to Barnes and Noble 3.5 hours early seemed only logical to me, though I was the first one in line. (I wasn't complaining!)



They told us we couldn't pose for pictures with them so I didn't even ask. Then I saw my new friend Robin's blog and she has a picture of her and Beth on her's. Oh well! It was still lots of fun.

I met several sweet ladies in line and we had lots to talk about. I made a new Words With Friends friend, and we're exchanging books later this week. All in all, it was a great time!

I wanted to go because I love both of these women, but Francine Rivers is my all-time favorite author. Redeeming Love is my all-time favorite, best ever, nothing can compare to it- book. The Last Sin Eater by her was great, too. Her new one that she signed is called Her Mother's Hope. (To the right of this screen.)

Beth Moore signed a copy of her new book So Long, Insecurity. I really think she wrote it just for me. I haven't started it yet, but I will soon. I hear that it's amazing! (And why would we expect anything less from her, right?)

This last week we (my husband and I) have talked about making lots of changes around here next year... Like the possibility of my youngest going back to school and me possibly getting a job. I told him that it was days like this that make me very thankful I don't have one right now! :)

Stepping out of my comfort zone

Have you heard of the She Speaks Conference through Proverbs 31 Ministries? In case you don’t head on over there, She Speaks is “a conference where you will receive the tools and the confidence to answer God’s call on your life. You will learn how to make the most of your messages, the nuts and bolts of speaking, writing, leading, and influencing, and have the opportunity to meet with some of today’s top Christian publishers”. (Quoted from their website.)

And why am I telling you about this conference? Because a scholarship will be awarded to someone who explains why they want to attend and what they feel called to do. (Learn more about it here.)

And links up to their blog. Like, today.

Y’all, this is so not like me. I play everything safe in life. I don’t smoke. I don’t ride motorcycles. I even bid too low when I play Spades! So attending a conference like this scares the daylights out of me. The flying alone, the rooming alone (or with someone I don’t know), and especially the peer writing critique groups totally freak me out. (What are they going to critique? I have nothing to give anyone at this point!)

But I believe I need to go.

I have a dream to be a novelist. The only image I have of myself when I “grow up” is sitting at a table in a big bookstore, signing books that I have written, taking the hand of a beloved reader who was moved by the words I wrote, and listening to her story.

Maybe that dream is a bit far-fetched, but maybe at the heart of it is something God gave me.

And a dream is all it’s ever been for me. After being a stay-at-home mom for eighteen years, I am at a point now where I have enough freedom to start stepping out of that role and seeking something new. I’m actually thinking about what I want to do - for the first time ever, really. (I’m not complaining here. I wouldn’t trade one moment I’ve had with my kiddos!)

But it’s not just the writing that I want to learn more about. I also believe the training in Women’s Ministries will be a huge help to me.

I got married and started having babies at 17, and not necessarily in that order. This year I will be 36, and for the past 13 years I have been in ministry in one form or another. I’ve led life groups with my husband and alone. I oversee our church’s nursery at the present time. I’ve prayed for people, loved on people, spoken truth to people-- in love, of course. And the one thing I’ve learned through all of it is this…

I have so much to learn.

But my heart is truly for people. Whether I am writing a great story for someone to enjoy or praying with a sweet young mother who is feeling over her head in dirty diapers and no sleep-- I want my life to be used in reaching the hearts of people and connecting them to the hearts of God.

And I truly hope my life reflects that, conference or not.

My new thinking spot

I still love a hot, steamy bath when I want to think and get away by myself for a little while, but now I have a new thinking spot.

On my deck.

In my lounge chair.

With the birds and the squirrels and no other noises.

(And that blue stuff beyond the trees is the lake.)

I am loving this new deck!