Finding Joy on the Journey in Faith, Family, and all Things in Between.
Every week I write with a gang of courageous storytellers who gather time and again to share lives, and burdens, and blessings, and the everyday ordinary that pulses just beneath each word prompt. And every week it's different. But we all share one thing in common. We are all there to write, from the novice hobby blogger to the aspiring author to the published. We know words mean … [Read more...]
"But doubt is wily and cunning and never, as it is sometimes said to be, loud or defiant. It is unassuming and sly, not bold or assertive - and the more unassuming, the more dangerous." — Søren Kierkegaard She's the strongest woman I know. I tell her this. She is strong and brave. I don't know if she believes me. She bats away compliments with the unsure smile formed by her mother's … [Read more...]
Sometimes I have too many thoughts in my head. Okay, most all of the time. I've looked into Myers Briggs Personality Types again as I've thought of dreams. I affirm the importance of knowing when you're in your element. In reading about all the types, I am beginning to see patterns where God has used me and directions where I feel He is leading me. I am an INFJ if you were dying wanted to … [Read more...]
I fingered the insert in the church bulletin with disdain. Seriously? A teddy bear tea party? I was 20 years old! Why was women's ministry so antiquated? The men's ministry was off to shoot clay pigeons for their gathering and we had to scrounge up teddy bears and doilies and nibble on soggy triangles of cucumber and miracle whip smooshed into crustless Wonderbread? I envisioned the … [Read more...]
It's Friday, and I've thought a lot about the community over at Lisa Jo's this week. I missed last Friday, just had no energy to write and I really missed y'all. So this week I was thinking what this community means to me and lo and behold the word prompt was join. So here you go, a tribute to the Five Minute Community over at The Gypsy Mama. If you haven't joined, now is the time. Five … [Read more...]
I just got back from a mini vacation with my family and did not write at all. But this post has been in the back of my mind as I've seen the twitter stream fill with Hello Mornings devotees, committed to rising early and setting that time aside for God. I will be honest and say that shortly after this post from my archives, I failed miserably at the Hello Mornings and the only time I was up early … [Read more...]
To my dearest Kaia, I know you long for the letters to make sense, to unite themselves and speak to you. I know each syllable is a battle for you and I see you fighting. By the time you are able to read this well, you will have won the battle. You will have put in the hours of tracing your finger along the page and sounding out each painstaking phonics rule with your brows knit tight and the … [Read more...]
There are some things I'm pretty terrible at, like parallel parking. Lets just say, I'll keep circling the block for another space, lest I take someones bumper off. Anything related to hand eye coordination, pretty much not my thing. Or any coordination for that matter. I am spatially challenged. Finding the right sized Tupperware for leftovers always leads to enchiladas spilling over the … [Read more...]
On Fridays we write with gusto, unselfconscious and flat out. You know the drill. 1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking 2. Link back here and invite others to join in. 3. Please visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. OK, are you ready? Give me your best five minutes on: :: Together… She … [Read more...]
There are so many things standing in the way of developing a community. Here are some excuses in no particular order. 1. I am an introvert, people are draining to me after long periods. 2. I homeschool so my days are filled with lesson plans, constant questions, diaper changes, snack times, and exhaustion. Basically the definition of long periods. 3. My house is messy … [Read more...]
There is a lot to be learned from patience, a quality I often lack when mothering. And mentoring. Which is easier said than done. What are we producing in our boys when we are rushed, impatient, and frustrated? I'll give you a hint, it's not strong character, responsibility, and integrity. How do we speak grace and encouragement into our young men? Today you can find me guest posting on MOB … [Read more...]
My sister-in-law Sarah turned 30 something yesterday. I wasn't there to celebrate with her because, you guessed it, still sick. And the last thing anyone wants at a party is a coughing, hacking, wheezy mess. After 13 years of marriage into our strange family, she has become part of my heart. She is a dear friend and confidante. We watch our kids grow up together. We share our trials … [Read more...]
The first step of any introduction is always the hardest. Ok, well maybe that's not always true because I have had some stellar awkward moments after the, "Hello, my name is Alia…," but usually it's true. To avoid awkward moments in my middle school years, and ok, I admit it, even more recently than that, I appear distracted. This is the key to not seeming alone in an unfamiliar group or … [Read more...]
I was planning on finishing up my post on Blissdom but upon arriving home, I was met with a nasty stomach bug. Think of this post as a five-minute Friday. I didn't edit or over think and I'm still as sick as ever so this may or may not make sense. Josh had been gallantly holding down the fort while I was in Nashville. Nehemiah had thrown up all over our bed the night before I flew out so I … [Read more...]
My kids love to play Lego. I join them. We build other worlds in our imaginations. And I sit on the floor in front of their Lego tables criss-cross apple sauce as the kids say. My body can only take sitting on the floor for so long until my feet fall asleep. Completely numb. And when the Lego blocks are arranged and my life summons me to cook dinner, answer emails, or plan lessons; I emerge from … [Read more...]
Copyright © 2012 · Narrow Paths to Higher Places · Powered by Wordpress · Built by :: Fluid Web Studio ::
