Don't Blink

I am a list lover. Like, I genuinely enjoy making lists of things to do, gifts to buy, thank you cards to write. I love crossing things off the list and will even go back to add something to the list that I did, just so I can cross it off. (that could be an actual classified issue, a bit crazy)

But, I think it is safe to say I like being productive. 

This last weekend I had the honor to go lead worship at a Mother/Daughter Retreat at Pine Cove's Crier Creek. I got to take 2 of my girls with me, which was an added perk. If you ever get the chance to a attend anything Pine Cove, I highly recommend it!!

Weekends like these are such fun opportunities to have; getting to meet, share, connect, & worship with other women, that otherwise I would never cross paths with AND might I add, how awesome it is to hear a room full of little girl voices singing powerful words of truth to God - that was truly something special!

But back to lists and such. 

The speaker this weekend, Kelly Chapman founder of Royal Purpose Ministires, had a theme she carried throughout the sessions - "Don't Blink". She even referenced the Kenny Chesney music video for his song by that title (which with mom emotions mixed with pregnancy hormones, had me in full on tears...couldn't decide if I loved her for sharing that or hated her. ha. The link to the video is below, incase you want to go there this morning!)

The idea is not new to me. If I've heard it once, I've heard it a million times "It goes so fast", "Enjoy it while you can", "These are the best days"....... But another element Kelly shared is some stories of people in and around her life who have suffered tragic loss, and although we have experienced quite a bit of that in our own family, this was a good reminder.

She spoke of a 19 year old girl writing a book about the legacy her mom left her, after passing away in a tragic accident involving a drunk driver. She had calculated the DAYS that God had put her mom on the earth with the opportunity to pour into her.... DAYS!!! 

Another very recent story, of a 13 yr old boy who passed away in a crazy random, but fatal gator crash....this time Kelly, the speaker, had done the math for the amount of DAYS that her friend had to be the mother to her son. DAYS!!!

These stories took "Don't Blink" to a whole new level.

When I hear the word DAYS, I think of my planner (naturally) -- but hearing these stories made me think.

I do not know what tomorrow holds - or even this afternoon for that matter. And as much as I view my list as a "good" thing, and a very crucial tool to my managing my family well and preparing fun family moments that we share, etc.; I also know for me, that sometimes, my focus can be on the list and the planning, and I could potentially miss actual real life moments with my kids, because I am focused on what needs to get done.

God forbid this be the case. 

I want to take every moment.....the ones planned for and the ones happening RIGHT NOW and use them to love, pour into, and build up my girls. I have only THIS moment and there is so much I want them to know and so much love I want them to feel....intentional and purposeful things I want to give them......not tomorrow, or when it is penciled in, but TODAY!

I came home from the retreat with a fresh vision and determination in my heart. I have only DAYS with my girls, and I want to make every one of them count!

Wherever this crazy season finds you - I encourage you to slow down and do the same. Take advantage of the now and don't miss the moment before your eyes to invest in these very unique little people that God has appointed you to be the mommy of.

In Honor of Adoption Month: How We Got Here {The Dolemans}

After debuting my song "Make You Mine" last year on Great Day Houston, I was referred to Randy as an artist that might would be interested in playing at a fundraiser event in The Woodlands to benefit the ministry of The Orphan Care Network. I was honored to be apart and it was at that event, almost exactly a year ago, that I had the honor of meeting Randy & Becca Doleman. They are a really great couple with a really great heart for spurring on communities of believers on the journey and involvement of orphan care. And like SO many other stories shared this month, they had no idea this is what God had in store for them! I always love that part. God has got plans people and they don't always match ours!!!

Here is "How We Got Here" from The Dolemans:

Even while we were dating, Becca and I would talk about adoption.  It was something that started in Becca's heart as a little girl, and we easily agreed on an ideal version of adoption for our future family.   

We knew it was a good thing to do and we assumed we would end up bringing home a little girl one day and adding to our picturesque family.  We thought for sure the process would be easier, cheaper, and more convenient than we ever could have imagined.  It was basically one of those things on our “marriage bucket list” that we knew we would get around to one day.

Becca and I attended a conference in Austin about 5 years ago and that dream was crushed.  We knew we would still adopt a child but, for the first time, we were open (albeit unsettlingly) to it not being on our preconceived terms.  We learned about the enormous need for foster families and left that conference determined, knowing that our path to growing our family would involve an element of giving of our family that we hadn’t initially expected.  We knew that God had gone through great lengths to allow us to be his sons and daughters and we were open to whatever that meant we would need to do to obey in this calling to do the same for others.

We chose our agency, somewhat blindly, and surrounded ourselves with great friends and families who were sharing in this calling with us.  We quickly realized the deep need that this community was filling through encouragement, support, and day-to-day friendships that we needed to sustain us through the applications, background checks, placements, questions, behaviors, fears, and joys.  Our conditions were simple: any child, any race, any gender, under 3, for as long as he or she needed to stay.  We were open to the unknown and knew God was planning our family just as he intended it to be.  We welcomed two children into our home through two separate placements.  Both of them brought about a litany of uncertainties and very unique dynamics. 

Through these two placements, we saw very different aspects of foster care.  We learned that we weren’t just housing a child but ministering to their family as well.  This was hard, costly, and beautiful.  Our life has been radically reorganized.  This chaos became our new normal and we have learned to love it.

 We still face new challenges and continue to see ways that God provides and leads our family as we navigate this story of adoption.  

We never could have written this story with our own imaginations, but we are so thankful for the story that God has chosen us to be a part of.

Randy and Becca's calling has also led them to a full time orphan care ministry through an organization called  "The OrphanCare Network". Based out of The Woodlands the heart of TOCN is in serving, supporting, & equipping churches and communities with a "we're in this together" mindset.

Be sure to check out practical ways you can be apart of orphan care at www.orphancarenetwork.org