Baseball Family

In our house, Baseball is an ingredient we don't live without. A majority of our year we spend at the park-playing or practicing, laundry manifests around whether baseball pants need to soak or not, Saturdays are spent preparing to head to the ballpark, which consists or chairs, water bottles, snacks, money, and whether we have the proper shoes on. When we aren't at the ballpark, we follow, tweet, watch and post about baseball, or we sit at home planning our trip to the next ballpark - you know, other 27 MLB parks that we haven't seen yet. 

To say it's important is the understatement of the year.

So, it's also important that we make friends while we are there. 

Can I just tell you how wonderfully blessed I am with baseball momma friends? Momma's who spend just as much time participating in a sport our kiddos love. Each season, we meet the sweetest people and over these last 6 months we have really come to know so many of them outside the ballpark. Some of the boys go to the same school, others live around the corner from us, and others we just enjoy spending time with. It's awesome! One of our momma friends had a baby recently and so we gathered to shower her with girly blessings since after two boys, she got herself a little girl! No doubt she will be decked out in baseballs and bows real soon.

We really are like family at the ballpark. We cheer each other on, no matter what team, and win or lose, we are still friends. 

Thank you Lord for the amazing new friendships!

-Karen

DNOW 2015

I don't believe in coincidences. I believe that everything happens for a reason and we might never know that reason. It is NO coincidence that I posted that song that I am enjoying - Lauren Daigle's How Can it Be and the weekend title for DNOW was Set Free. All I kept thinking was HOW CAN IT BE?? How can it be that Jesus rights my wrongs, breaks my chains, pleads my cause...I AM FREE!

First I must say that I have an amazing husband. Some of you already know that, and some of you are thinking how that lines up with a post about DNOW...stick with me here. He is the biggest supporter of anything God calls me to do and that support often finds him part of my crazy plan to DO. IT. ALL. I try not to overcommit myself, but sometimes it's inevitable. Not only was it DNOW weekend, where our youth group attends a conference and has small group time at people's houses, but our oldest son was participating in Reader's Rally for his school, and our youngest son had opening day for baseball. Now, to say that I was everywhere in Gwinnett County that day would be the understatement of the year. My amazing husband agreed to my crazy plan which allowed the following to take place: Check in on Friday night at our church - I manned the check-in and we actually arrived ON TIME to the event...much should be said about my check-in skills, but I digress...eat dinner with some of our students and attend the first session of the conference, where my amazing husband also comes to hang with me! Did I mention I love him? I drop my chicks back at their nest for the night and head home to sleep for a few hours. Saturday morning starts early: drop David and my mom at the Reader's Rally, leave there to go have breakfast with my 10th grade chicks and attend the conference on Saturday morning, have lunch, go back to pick up David and my mom from Rally where David's team won first in their division!! WAHOO!!! Insert Excited Mom Dance right here. Get them some lunch, drive to ballpark where Noah began back to back ballgames and jumpy house fun at his Jamboree. Insert Happy Momma to be at the ballpark with all her other Ballpark loving momma friends...and happy her son made some great plays on the field today.
I don't remember much after the ballpark...oh, wait, Amazing Husband took me to eat at a Japanese Steak House and we enjoyed our happy little time sans children...and then...we had the reality that we lose an hour this weekend for Daylight Savings, so we better get to bed.

In the midst of that crazy, pulled-off plan, God was working in all of it. Clayton King was the speaker for DNOW. He talked a lot about relationships. He said words I was uncomfortable with, not because I don't understand them, but because this year was different for me. I was sitting there taking it all in because my oldest child is going to be attending our youth events next year since he is going to be in middle school. I was thinking while he was talking how I am not sure he's ready to hear these things, or questioning myself about how much I have communicated with him enough about relationships. I am truly blessed to be surrounded by a very supportive youth pastor and lots of supportive youth leaders whom have older kids and whom have walked this road, so as I am gathering my thoughts for my next convo with David, I am feeling more confident that we are in a good place.
With that being said, I was doubly blessed by being able to spend time with my chicks. God, in His divine wisdom, did not give me a baby girl...but he gave me some of the most amazing girls on the planet when he gave me the chicks I teach each week...and not just them either...God has allowed me opportunities to have deep conversations and lasting moments with a lot of our girls in our youth group...I am fond of so many of them, and I am here cheering them on. As I sat there taking in what Clayton was saying, I was thinking about them too. I was thinking how deeply I want them to make right choices in the person they are becoming so they stay in a mindset of freedom in Christ Jesus - living life to the fullest in His plan - giving of their 'self' to His purposes - magnifying the Creator of their life. I also want them to date and later marry people that exude those same qualities. 

I wasn't able to attend the last session of DNOW (see schedule above) but over 300 youth received the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ that night. That is just under 25% of the kids that were in the room that night. He is moving among our youth. My heart's cry for them is they wouldn't move without Him. He will be their guide. And may it be said of us...of ME...that I stood at the door and held it open for them or that I was being a good waterer. (Right, chicks?)
Oh how I love you all.

Love,

Karen

Song in My Heart

I posted this on Twitter the other day...

"when that one song keeps being on the radio EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. you turn it on, God may be trying to tell us something. #FixMyEyes"

I totally meant to write "tell me something" because clearly He needed me to FIX MY EYES. If you read my last post you will know I am walking a journey right now where I am learning about saying Yes to God. So, when the song keeps coming on every time I turn the car on, my ears, and my heart begin to be attentive if He is speaking to me.

I have always enjoyed the song "Fix My Eyes" by For King and Country. It has all the qualities of a song I like - it has an awesome drum beat and it leaves you singing the opening "oh oh ohs" all the live long day. That's my kids' favorite part! Most importantly the message of Fixing My Eyes on Christ!
The song starts out by talking about reflecting on the past - standing face to face with the younger me and then deciding what to do differently:

I'd love like I'm not scared

Give when it's not fair 

Live life for another 

Take time for a brother 

Fight for the weak ones 

Speak out for freedom 

Find faith in the battle 

Stand tall and above it all
Fix My Eyes on You

As I sing that chorus, I began to reflect on the things God has been speaking to my heart and the passions he has given me. The giving of MY'SELF' was heavy on my mind and the reminder to fix my eyes on Him was just the answer I needed Him to give me. 

When that song isn't playing, I have found a new song that I am enjoying belting out in the privacy of my car - Lauren Daigle's How Can it Be?
How can it be that I am free?

Love,
Karen