Mornings

Good Morning!! Anyone else roll out of bed with dread? Stumble to the coffee pot, wake the children, begin the morning at a snails pace with only one eye open? I know I do. I find myself so envious of the women who drop their kids off at school wearing a full face of makeup, dressed so cute, their hair so perfectly in place, always chipper & so put together. If I get my bra on before 8am, I consider myself winning! I want to get up a half an hour before my children. I want to read my devotional before I reach for my phone. I want to pray before I open my planner. I used to be so good at it. When did this shift happen? I know that days I begin with patience and gratitude are the best days. I know getting into The Word before I begin my day gives me the confidence to go about my day with peace. Let's face it. We live in a crazy world. I need that daily reminder of who wins in the end! I know I cannot go a single day without my heavenly fathers guidance. If I know all these things, why have I pushed them to the side? Why is it not second nature to reach for my bible the way I reach for my phone or my coffee cup? Habit! That's why. I have not kept my eyes on what is most important. For a moment I let myself focus on worldly things. I forgot to keep my eyes above the waves. Sometimes I need that reminder that the enemy seeks to steal & destroy. I refuse to allow that to happen. So, this morning I am up before my children. I am enjoying this moment to BE STILL! My phone is not in my hand before His word is! I want to challenge you this month to put scripture in your hand before anything else. Take a moment for you before the business of the day comes along. Reflect on the fact that all good things flow through HIM! Trust him enough to guide your steps each and every day. Psalm 13:5-6 is a good focus scripture for me today. "I trust in your unfailing love, my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me." I may be a bit tired from this early morning but I know that my heart is full of the spirit. I pray that your day is wonderful and that God covers you in his love, protection & peace today. Thank you, God for my life at The Ward Zoo!

Anyone else need to focus more on recognizing the voice of the Holy Spirit? Discerning the voice of God gives us the responsibility to respond. It requires action! First we must live out Ezekiel 3:10!

I sometimes struggle between hearing Gods voice & mistaking God's voice for my subconscious. I am learning that God awakens my conscious, He does NOT take it away! I need stillness to discern the voice of God. I catch myself calling my multitasking at #thewardzoo a special skill but that is a false skill. In reality, it is a distraction from the important things God has placed right in front of me. Ever talk to your husband or children while looking at your phone? CONVICTION! Am I allowing the enemy to win by NOT focusing? The enemy will win every time we allow our busyness to invade the space we HAVE to make to be still & listen! Today I am getting into the word & asking God to guide me to what He has for me. I pray for Him to show me how He can use me DAILY. Now, I need to just BE STILL and listen. Creating the space to get in to God's living word is SO IMPORTANT!!

He knows my prayers. Now I want to know His prayer for me. After reading the bonus chapter of Uninvited, I have found MANY places I need growth.

I'm not going to TRULY know all that God has for me or who I truly am in Christ until I learn to be still. Being still is something I thought I was so good at! Man! This book has really convicted me. I'm so thankful God placed it on my heart to read Lysa's book. If you have ever felt left out, pushed aside, forgotten, less than, unworthy, lonely or just plain ALONE.. Pick up a copy today!

There is an online study group that will begin on Tuesday through Proverbs 31 ministry & I would love for you to join us! I have created a private Facebook section to share, discuss & pray for one another. Please feel free to share your story, your struggle, your wisdom & your heart with us. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1625117797800337/ Until Tuesday... Have a WONDERFUL holiday weekend. I love you! Thank you, God for my life at The Ward Zoo

Making time for me

Backpacks, books and regular bedtimes> Yup! It's that time. Back to school we go! Some of us are sad to see summer break end while some of us are praising God that school is back in session. I always think of this time as the storm before the calm before the storm. You see, we rush around to prepare for the new school year, that begins next week, even though we have had an entire summer to do so. The first day of school is easy. Everyone is up on time, without complaint. The whole morning is full of the excitement of new teachers, new sneakers & friends who the kids have not seen all summer. Then, after that first week is under our belts and we are back on our regular routines, I get a little break. No kids. Grocery shopping alone. Heck.. Just peeing alone. Then, every fundraiser, school and sport activity come with a vengence! So, I try very hard to make some time just for me. Time to prepare physically and mentally for the task ahead, time to step away from the day to day parenting struggle, time to just be. I don't think we do this enough. That parenting guilt will get you. Any of this sound familiar? I could treat myself to a pedicure but little Tommy needs sneakers. I could go to dinner with friends and share laughs and a bottle (or two) of wine but little Sally still needs braces. It would be so nice to get away with my husband for a few days but we promised the kids a day trip to that dreaded water park with half the county's population in attendance where we will spend half the kids college fund on over priced snacks and cool drinks. We put ourselves on the back burner but we burn RED HOT all day, every day. We sleep when baby sleeps, wash our faces in the kids bath water before dragging ourselves to bed 3 hours after the kids have gone down only to wake 2 hours before them to try to accomplish something. Anything! Then we ask ourselves... Why am I so tired? Sometimes we just have to let loose. Do something alone or with a group of friends. Just do something that doesn't involve potty stops or a diaper bag. This weekend is our last weekend before school starts. So, I knew I needed to refill my mommy tank. I have a lovely & talented friend, Julie who runs a small art studio above her garage. A group of us get together, drink wine, laugh & attempt to paint under Julie's wonderful instruction.

I leave with a piece of art that I will take home and lovingly hang in my hallway as a reminder of the laughter I shared with friends without any interruption from my children. Even though our guests think it's one of the children's paintings that we hang out of parent obligation, I consider these paintings a true work of art. They represent a piece of me. A memory made. A moment I took just for me. All that healing laughter makes me a better mom & a better wife. So, throw out the guilt. Stop running a million miles an hour without a breather. No one is perfect. No one does it all, all the time. Don't compare yourself to that 'perfect mom' in your child's music class or push to be the top volunteer. Let it go! Take the day off. The laundry can wait for tomorrow. No family ever died because you went out & left pizza money on the counter! Show your children that everyone needs alone time. That you don't always have it together. That you choose to do things that bring you joy. That's what we want for our kids. Isn't it? Happiness, personal growth & confidence.

(Artwork by Julie Tucker, that I desperately tried to mimic) Well, be the example. Take care of you! Make time just for you. Even if it is only once in a while. I am sure we all need more of those moments but for now, the painting in the hall reminds me how blessed I am. Find your work of art & showcase it proudly! Thank you, God for my Life At The Ward Zoo

Am I the only one?

There are days when I think.. Am I the only one who does this? Am I the only one trying to please people I don't really know? Am I the only one feeling like I am not doing enough? Am I the only one who cannot keep my house clean or the laundry done? Am I the only mom who seems to loose her temper on a weekly basis? Am I the only wife who wishes she could give her husband the attention he deserves without neglecting my children? The answer is NO! We all have our strengths, we all have our weaknesses, we all fail, stumble and sometimes fall. Finding a balance in being a mother, a daughter, a sister, a wife.. a woman is tough. I have come to realize that I don't have it all together and that is ok! There comes a time when we have to say no to some of the busyness in our life so we can say yes to the things most important to us. I picked up an incredible book called The Best Yes by Lysa Terkeurst. http://lysaterkeurst.com/the-best-yes

She has incredible insight on wise decisions in the demanding lives we keep. I have also realized we need margin in our lives. We seem to live life in fast forward and being 'extreme' has become the norm. We have no space in our lives for anything that isn't on our perfectly scheduled calendars. We fill every minute of our days. Now, don't get me wrong. I am all for getting the most out of every day. The most important things... For too long I have been saying yes to every request for help. PTA, church, favorite organizations, friends in need of something. For what? I like being needed, I love being the friend everyone can count on, the mom others look up to. Then one day in deep prayer I realized I can be all these things without pushing myself to the limit! I am the daughter of a king! I am enough. Right here. Right now! So, this week I said no. ME!! I said no. It felt so freeing. I had extra hours in my day to do all those things I was complaining about not having enough time to do. I even made my bed! I made a homemade dinner.. and dessert! It felt so good. Now, this is a feeling I could get used to! If you are one of those moms asking if you are enough.. The answer is yes! Seek your peace. Fill your home with joy by being filled with joy instead of filling your schedule. Create that margin in your life. Give yourself a break. You don't have to be everything to everyone. You were created on purpose, with a purpose, for a purpose! As for me, I am going to find happiness in saying no until I can find a better balance for my family. That way when I give a yes.. I can give all of me because I am not spread so thin. Thank you, God for my Life at The Ward Zoo!

Time for a life change! Going to start here. Wanna join me in this adventure? Get your challenge supplies here: https://www.advocare.com/150947723 Don't forget to share your progress. I am here to empower, encourage & help! Thank you, God for my Life At The Ward Zoo!

Even on days like today...

Today. Today marks 1 year that we lost an incredible part of our family. Even on sad days like today, I choose to trust! I choose to believe that God has a plan for us all. Even though my heart is broken, I know that God recognizes every loss we face. He knows our lost loved ones are gifts to be treasured & a part of our hearts forever more. I refuse to walk through life completely void of hope. Instead, today I choose joy. So, as I pack this cooler & my hubby loads up his fathers race car.. I am FILLED with this blessed assurance that only comes from my faith. We are going to spend the day doing what Poppy (Al Rash) loved to do. Get the family together, get out in the sunshine, inhale some race fuel fumes & Burn rubber! I encourage you to call someone you have lost touch with, someone who you have differences with, someone who needs to feel God's love. Be the light. While I know that Poppy loved me and knew I adored him, I wish I would have said more. Wish I could have told him not only that I loved him but HOW MUCH he meant to me. Know that tomorrow is never promised, so do whatever you have been putting off TODAY! I love this quote by ― Steve Maraboli.. “We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past. But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power to shape your day and your future.” Make today count! Even on a day like today... I thank God for it. Psalm 118:24 tells us; "This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it." So, I shall! I am thankful for every moment I shared with Pop. Thankful that I was loved so deeply & constantly encouraged by such a wonderful person. I will be FOREVER thankful that he raised an incredible son that I am so blessed to call my husband! For these and SO MANY other reasons I am thankful I had him in my life. He can never be replaced and I will miss him for the rest of my life. Thank you Pop, for changing my life. For helping me become the woman I am today. Join me in celebrating a wonderful man. Join me in celebrating him and so many others who sacrifice so much to serve our country & protect our families! Thank you, God for my Life At The Ward Zoo!