28 August 2025

gifts from the week.

  • porch time with jesus, jess ray and henri nouwen
  • a note not-so slyly slipped through a handshake 
  • such a beautiful zinnia
  • learning all the brain rot lingo (and making emma laugh)
  • SUCH a good monday! 
  • celebrating jo & sarah with popsicles and a playground!
  • walks with nick
  • wednesday's "classroom" in the backyard
  • bookmark from gloria (and learning i was saying isaac wrong this whole time!)
  • the way the house smelled this morning...the combination of coffee & thieves was just right
  • when helping/serving is a joy and not an obligation
  • morning views
  • both of us showing up at panda express 
  • chocolate cake and pecan pie and rice krispy treats
  • finding the 2 of them like this...him reading scripture to her first thing in the morning

  • fried chicken and pineapple sandwiches (and telling people about pineapple sandwiches....really didn't realize that they're not a thing for most people!!)
  • i love having my family in our home
  • some of my favorite people gathered around the table to celebrate Papa's birthday!!
  • feels like fall 
  • bottled coke! treat tuesday!
  • TRUTH from the Jesus Storybook Bible
  • sharing with friday friends.
  • jonathan and katie's potato salad
  • they won the tournament!! (thanks to jenny k. for sending pictures and videos!!)

21 August 2025

2x2

  • .40 off each gallon of gas (is there no "cent sign" on the keyboard?!)
  • celebrating caroline!! (& that her friends celebrated her with post-its and dinner and all sorts of wonderful things!)

    • healthy birds leave the nest.  2 flying back to college....
    • pretty toes
    • instagram and the peeks it gives into college life
    • eli is literally being prayed over. 
    • henri nouwen's "out of solitude" (and the pages of notes in my journal)
    • such a perfect sabbath setting
    • thursday's pace was better than tuesday and wednesday's
    • splashes of soozi all over the place
    • seeing the Body of Christ come around the Barkdulls
    • lilies & sparrows...and considering them. 
    • no line, no waiting at SB
    • just right liturgy (again)
    • voice texts from logan
    • gift baskets from eden...what a delight to pass them out....

    14 August 2025

    songs and scriptures and such.

    • jess ray's psalm 19  and lilies and sparrows
    • the ivy plant is now eli's 
    • kids in the driveway running and walking and doing all sorts of wonderful things with me

    • "...set their hope in God and not forget the works of God..." Psalm 78 (around v. 7)
    • SSI sweater/sweatshirt 
    • the "God i trust You" coffee purchase
    • enough places for all the people to sleep
    • aaron got his license!!
    • watercolors on a monday morning
    • tasty cheeseburger at the volleyball game
    • 4 people offering to serve in hospitality at CS!
    • breakfast picnic (and kids leading themselves in prayer)
    • well timed power outage 
    • the hokey pokey (and other fun ideas for teaching zoe things)
    • yes. this: 
    • the right liturgy at the right moment....God helps give the best resets
    • juice in the fridge from caroline
    • how, in just the right beautiful hands, a plain piece of paper can become a piece of holy encouragement and truth
    • "He will make you strong and give you peace." Psalm 29:11
    • much needed and much appreciated date night...so thankful for nick. 
    • it all went according to nick's plan at the clingstone game - got the jerseys!  had a great night!!
    • sweet time at evangel's playground (x2)
    • serve day was a success (so thankful for toni!)
    • blessing bag decorating and note writing on a saturday morning

    07 August 2025

    on and on and on

    • sharing the pause app (10/10 highly recommend)
    • a team of 3 for jeeah's hope! laura lea is a lovely addition.
    •  a whole host of folks ready to help
    • celebrating molly!
    • cool weather in august (!?!)
    • jason MADE eli a cajon
    • sweet little conversations with neighbors of cityscape
    • caroline is here! love hearing about camp.
    • sister nails
    • popcorn and cookies and such
    • "do you mind if i do the dishes?" -abigail (nope...don't mind at all)
    • fun little fish thing
    • jess ray's MATIN albums
    • even when things are messy it's an honor to be a part of people's lives
    • good sportsmanship after a rivoting game of skyjo
    • gracie's family's kindness to caroline
    • having eli and logan around
    • treats at open house or verification or whatever it's called when we got emma's schedule at calvary
    • great first day for emma and abigail
    • all things eden church...especially dinner saturday evening
    • gift basket from eden!

    31 July 2025

    some of God's goodies

    • UGA sweatpants. just so comfy. 
    • lunch with emma (i think that made the list last week... i'm still thankful!)
    • good thoughts about MomCo
    • walking with EG, b'fast with LL, visiting with AK...good wednesday morning
    • more family freeze tag
    • first time at eddie's attic - with incredible people seeing an incredible artist (looking for good music?  highly recommend jess ray)

    • thoughtful lyrics, hymns well done.
    • having the college students in our house
    • learning about moon beam. wow. 
    • eli and logan had easy travels to and from texas (and a great time with her family!)
    • women's and men's events at CityScape - knowing the room was full of friendship and fellowship and really amazing people. 
    • fun things:
    • 48 ish hours away with nick
    • shampoo at the front desk (God provides!!!)
    • black dress for S&N's wedding (again, God provides!!!!!)
    • i have been influenced in the best of ways by katie: 
    • walks and runs with good podcasts
    • multiple panda express meals :) 
    • jon & melissa's willingness to stand in for jeeah's hope 
    • pizza with my best friend and a view

    24 July 2025

    little on the short side...but oh so grateful.

    • "consider the wildflowers" everywhere...we see what we're looking for
    • delightful breathe event. just right.  
    • susu's sugar cookies!
    • having eli and logan here for a couple of days
    • CFA, coffee, conversations and connections on wednesday mornings
    • birthday box of goodness from mama melinda ("oh, the beautiful beautiful shoes!" - zgc)
    • meaningful coversations with logan
    • emma wanted to go to lunch! (such a delightful time)
    • zoe's love of the butterfly center...and a butterfly finally landed on her
    • kindness and generosity again and again for me and those i love. 
    • the way the gavins walk with the Lord...their willingness to love and care for the vulnerable is stunning
    • few hours at callaway with lovely friends.
    • the davissons were able to stop in (and the way God provided lunch!)
    • meaningful meals around the table
    • leftover country's

    17 July 2025

    thankfulness.

    • when going to the playground doesn't really make sense but it's definitely right and best
    • the inflatable slip n slide takes waffle friday to a whole new level
    • rain.
    • a dad dancing with his daughter to frozen songs
    • seeing caroline's face and getting to talk to her
    • benjie's help on the side of the road sunday afternoon
    • catching up on my correspondence :) 
    • so much provision in one picture...mainly buddies and snacks.
    • camp empower (it should probably have its own thankful list)
      • human hungry hungry hippos (maybe we should call it hungry hungry humans)
      • every camper, every buddy, every leader, every day.  100% perfect attendance
      • the folks southeast restoration sent to help
      • the way mark practices and lives all of the grounding/regulating techniques
      • incredible leaders. truly. dream team. 
      • watching kids & buddies do brave and hard things
      • orbeez from the get go
      • so many people praying!
      • breakfast brought on time every morning
      • getting to meet and interact with bristol
      • the camper bags had plenty in them! 
      • christal, jen & lisa's help with reset, clean up and pack up
      • everything fit into the pilot to take the supplies back to pine mountain
    • all the swelling went away (again)
    • taking notes from a good sunday sermon
    • fun things: 
    • mike & mallory leading worship
    • gifts from LLcoolJ (speaking that love language!)
    • how some people can just make things better and lovelier - even snacks.