Choose Joy, Be Brave, and Love BIG!

Hey Friends!

As I contemplated what I wanted to focus on with my blog this week, I thought about May from an educator's or student's perspective.  For many of my friends who have graduating seniors, it's the end of a milestone.  Side bar - am I the only one who cries whenever "Pomp and Circumstance" plays?  I look at all of the graduates walking in and they have a world of opportunities ahead of them.  And... did you know that Pomp and Circumstance has lyrics?  WHAT???  I found them as I was working on this post.

Here is a few lines:
Land of Hope and Glory, Mother of the Free,How shall we extol thee, who are born of thee?Wider still and wider shall thy bounds be set;God, who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet,God, who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet.

Wow!! Even without words, the music evokes hope to me and then look at the last two lines... God wants you to be BRAVE moving into the next stage of life.  So, to my mama friends who shed tears this week at graduations... you be brave too as you send your precious gifts into the world wherever and whatever that is.

As an educator May is always full of endings.  We end a year with fabulous kids and parents.  We come to the end of careers as some of our favs retire who have served kids tirelessly for 30 years! There are also ends to one school and beginnings at others.  Change is part of the business.  It's hard!  I'm not going to lie.  I hate to see my people move on,  and now I am the one at the end of an era and moving into a new beginning.   It's all the feels, y'all!  

How fitting that I finished my book by Annie Downs this week?- have I mentioned I LOVE her? :)

Her book, Let's All Be Brave , has spoken to me so very much.  She talked about discipline (my New Year's word for the year) is the basis of being brave (my other mantra for the year).   She said, "If you are brave, you are willing to walk the map that is yours, the one with twists and turns you've never expected, and you must be DISCIPLINED enough to stay on the narrow road under your feet.  Step by step.  Each step leads to the next, and before you know it, you are walking in a rhythm of courage."  Sit on that for a moment.  It's so good, right?  

There are so many things that we cannot control in our lives.  All of the unknowns will cause major anxiety if we let them.  It's discipline that controls that.  It's reaching for the hope we have that we know who is in control of all things and walking in faith - step by step.  The first part of this year has had trials for sure.  I have come to know what true dependence on God is.  It's not easy because I'm a "fixer".  I want to handle things but, when I totally surrendered to pray God's will for my life with a period not a comma - so many things became clear.  Seeing how God used the circumstances to increase my faith continued to make me brave on my journey.  I say it all the time.  Life can be hard and messy.  Everyone has their own personal trials and successes.  I am thankful for the people who God uses to continue to encourage me to be brave every day.  

Today, I was scrolling through Facebook and this popped up.  My sweet friend makes the best signs.  When I saw it I immediately text her.  She already knew I would want this.  The post that went along with this sign seriously made me ugly cry with the snot nose and all.    I asked her if I could use the picture.  I added the link so you can order one too. (she doesn't know I'm doing that!)  These are my go to sayings.  So, if you need to remember to choose joy, be brave, and love Big, this is perfect.  

To order your sign:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdtX7Udk2jKeLgHMgDDidFcnFa9vs23c9VWiehHlmnlqwpLZQ/viewform?fbclid=IwAR1RJCDMByreyzh7CqZfT1zfvlFa9vET1D7hopv0JrZmwQS2J-BaGUs_VSo

I'll end with my favorite quote from Hope Floats:  “Beginnings are usually scary, endings are usually sad, but it's what's in the middle that counts. So when you find yourself at the beginning, just give hope a chance to float up. And it will.”

No matter if you are at the beginning, middle, or end of a particular journey - have hope my friends.  You are not alone.  Be Brave and make a difference wherever you are planted.

Have a great week and  BE BLESSED... BE BRAVE and know you are EQUIPPED!

XOXO Stacey

THE SEVENTH LAP--- Don't Quit

Hey Friends!

I know it's been a couple of weeks, but I'm here feeling vulnerable as I share my heart today.  I talk about being brave as a theme for my blog this year.  However, I'm not going to lie.  I don't feel brave today.  Well, the fact that I dragged myself out of bed may be considered brave, but that's debatable.  

I'm going to say that I feel like I lost my way on this journey this week.  I went completely into panic mode for how God was going to turn a mess into a miracle- absolutely not doubting He could just not sure how.  I was melting.  This example may help you understand how I was feeling.  I walked around a store in the section that had signs with all the encouraging thoughts that said things like, "the journey may be bumpy but the destination could be beautiful"  Seriously I almost knocked it off the shelf.  Then there was this tote that said "Life is beautiful, enjoy the ride"  I turned it around.  I know... am I 12?  I kind of thought maybe retail therapy wasn't the way to go this time and went home.

I mean I was praying through these feelings and telling God I was scared and knew that the fear came out of anxiousness.  I'm so thankful I have a tribe of women that I can "Marco Polo" and say, "Girls, I'm struggling."  They are there to pray for me and lift me up.   

Today, I opened my Bible to Joshua.  I pretty much was in tears as I read through the first few verses as I was reminded in verse 5 "I will never leave you nor forsake you.  Verse 6 - Be strong and courageous... then again in verse 7 "Be strong and very courageous...

So basically - God is telling me to be brave - not in my own strength but in His.  Moving on through Joshua, I read where God wanted Joshua to lead the army to march around the walls of Jericho for six days. Then on the seventh day to march seven times.  On the seventh day at the seventh time around the city Joshua commanded  the army to give a loud shout; then the wall of the city collapsed so the army could enter.   Now God could have achieved this in any manner.   I wonder if Joshua wondered if this was crazy?  I wondered if he questioned.  Whether he did or not, he knew at the end of the day he wasn't to question but to obey.  He did and God showed up in a great and mighty way.  

If my current journey is like marching around Jericho - I have no idea what lap I am on.  Listen, this weekend I pictured myself just sitting down and stopping and being done.   It kind of reminded me of the time I hiked in Palo Duro Canyon with my amazing 4th grade team.  I was determined to hike to the "Lighthouse".  We made it to the base of the Lighthouse and I was done.  One of my teammates said, "Oh no, you dragged us all here.  You can rest for 5 minutes, but then we are hiking up the Lighthouse."  So, that's what I did.   Same thing this weekend.   Sometimes you need someone to basically say, "Girl--- wash your face!"

Today I sat at my sweet table on my porch and listened to the birds who reminded me how much more our Father cares for us and ever so thankful for the friends who hold out their hands to help me up.  So whether I am on lap 2 or the 6th lap of the 7th day, of my own personal battle of Jericho,  I will get up and march and know His mercies are new each morning.  He has promised to supply our needs and sustain us.  

No matter where you are in your journey, friend, don't quit.  You never know what lap you are on!

Have a great week!  Be BRAVE (even when you don't feel like you are) Be BLESSED... and know YOU ARE EQUIPPED.

XOXO Stacey