Our Chautauqua Adventure - Journal Entry July 8

Posting this from a journal entry written the summer of 2014.... because I FIND JOY IN... looking back on tough times & seeing God's faithfulness through the entire experience...

A day in the life of our Chautauqua Adventure - Summer of 2014 - July 8  (all pics from 7-8-14)

There are openings here in CHQ throughout the remainder of the summer -- EXCEPT that one week. Ken Burns will be here that week. If you can come any other time than Week 7 there should be no problem finding housing :) We are just in the beginning of Week 4.

#JoyDare No. 2767. Beds Made Before Noon

... and then there are those mornings when the caregiver of a little one, whether that caregiver be Mommy, Daddy, G'Parent or someone else, just pushes things aside on the kitchen table for their own breakfast plate :) I post a lot of pictures via Twitter and on my blog & my Facebook page that might give the appearance that I have it all together. Let's just keep it real... I don't. 

Our "Castle TreeHouse" for the first 44 of our 54 days here at Chautauqua is small... VERY SMALL!  And, taking care of a toddler full-time (while mommy takes classes) is something that takes a LOT of time & energy. This morning I found myself preparing her breakfast & then pushing things aside to carve out a place for my own plate. I had to chuckle over the things I was dining beside.

I glanced up from my seat at the table & caught a glimpse of our bedroom. I smiled as I saw the two single beds (aka a trundle bed!) all made up & ready to serve as a place for changing diapers and changing clothes. That will be our place to sit to read a book or play a game. If we get a chance, we'll watch a portion of a movie (a KIDS MOVIE, of course) sitting there. The upper bed is my writing spot while the baby plays with toys, puzzles & baby dolls in her Pack N Play. Writing time is quite limited these days too :)

When I caught the view in front of me, I said...

Celebrate the little things & don't get stressed by something that seems to be a big thing today!

So, one of my "JoyDares" for the day is having the beds made before noon! 

The Chautauqua adventure continues!

Sometimes I Hear Voices

The other day I was on the other side of town - where we lived for 15 years. I ran into a familiar store to pick up a few items. I was armed with my list. I only needed six items. Almost two hours later, I walked out of the store. 

I don't know what it is about shopping... but, it makes me even more crazy than normal. Shopping almost always makes me anxious. It doesn't relax me at all. It doesn't make me happy. It makes be feel out of control and helpless and very crazy!

As I was pushing my cart through the same clothing section for a third or fourth time, I noticed that I was talking to myself -- NOT audibly. I'm not yet THAT crazy! I was telling myself things like:

• You'd better check those racks again. You probably missed what you needed the first few times around.
• Are you forgetting to look for something? Take a moment. Think it through. Don't miss something. You know how you hate to shop. You don't want to have to return anytime soon!
• What about this coming fall? What will she need for this fall? Oh my goodness... what do we have at home for the fall??
• How much money is all this stuff going to cost me? Should I put a few things back??
• Didn't I just come in for a few items? Why am I here still?
• You know, it wouldn't hurt for you to look for something for yourself!
• Wow, the LOML is gonna kill me!
• Why am I here so long? I have things I need to do at home. Please... get... me... out... of... here!!!

As the questions came, I chuckled to myself and thought, "Yep, when I go shopping, I hear voices!"

I"m sure Paul wasn't talking about ME SHOPPING IN YEARS TO COME when he wrote these words...

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6 NIV

However, I'm thinking that God knew that for me... prayer & shopping would go hand-in-hand! I am NOT a fan of shopping! 

Well... except when I'm with this girl...

Best shopping partner... EVER!!

Have your curiosity??  Check out these posts:

• I Really Thought I'd OUT GROW Crazy!
• I'm Crazy... and OLD!
• ... I Have a Theory on That!

Linking with Ann Voskamp - A Holy Experience today... 

HOPE, Life Can Be a Struggle 10-29-13

If I was asked to sit down & list the times that God has been faithful to me - through protection, by giving me a peace beyond understanding, while walking through the illness or death of a loved one... through a lot of things - I could probably come up with 25-30 examples in no time. Yet, when I'm in the middle of a struggle, I question once again, "Why is this so hard? Why is life such a struggle?"

It seems that it's no time from when one task or challenge is met until another rears its ugly head. My depression & anxiety issues don't make it any easier. And, then there's those feelings of inadequacy I fight from childhood & youth days. It feels like a lot of energy has to be exerted to move through almost every day. It takes hard work & trusting in God to manage many things that life throws in our path! What inspires me to do it?? Hope in my Lord!

This is why we work hard and continue to struggle (suffer in some translations), for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers. 1 Timothy 4:10

My identity is in CHRIST
& His Word promises strength for the day. 

Life can be a struggle.  But, with God, I allow HIM to fight the battle. I thank God that I am able to wake up each morning with a sense of hope, renewal & strength for life's struggles and for life's JOYS!

Linking October 2013 with The Nesting Place

 for the 31-day Challenge