day 26 ... brothers & baking

today is my brother rob's birthday.  i am so thankful for both of my brothers and the amazing men they have become.  it's so weird to write that, but true.  they have also become great friends.  i am blessed.

i am thankful for hosting friends in my home for meals and conversation ...

today was also a day of thanksgiving prep.  a large apple crisp, over a gallon of pumpkin purée, pumpkin seeds & two pumpkin mousse pies later, i'm calling it a day.  the cranberry relish will wait until tomorrow.  i love getting to create in the kitchen.

day 21 - 25 ... oops ;)

kinda fell off the posting wagon since i've been on vacation, not for lack of thankfulness, but just because i've ... no, no excuses.  i've been thankful.  i haven't made time to post.  plain & simple.  so i'm posting now.

on friday, i was thankful for a light day full of fun and laughter.  lots of laughter.  as hard as the year has been, i truly love my job, my kiddos, and my coworkers ... and especially the little perks like wearing pjs, sharing meals, playing with paint, & snuggling.  i was thankful for bugles and pumpkin cookies, for get togethers after work, playing games around the fire after a long week, and getting to sleep with a dog.

on saturday, i was thankful for a gorgeous morning walk, coffee in my favorite mug, cuddling on the couch and watching movies while editing pics, panera iced green tea, unexpected free time for a costco run, and a fabulous dinner catching up with a sweet friend.

sunday i was thankful for getting to run in shorts and a tshirt and even for getting caught in a downpour, my incredible church family, being part of a make-a-wish celebration for one of my sweet kiddos at work, and digging deep with our amazing lifegroup family.

monday, i was thankful for being real about the hard stuff, the chance to relax while feeling crummy, and then a reprieve to dive in and clean like crazy.  yes, i'm thankful for getting to clean - that i enjoy it and have that attention for detail.  i am also thankful for my love for and fascination with animals - from house pets to catching mice to rescuing giant salamanders.

today was a sad day.  but still we are called to give thanks in ALL things.  with love comes pain - i am learning to embrace that.  i am thankful for a doctor who cares, for running into friends, for hallmark cards, for holiday shopping, for my tito's family, and that my sweet friend lisa lives in nashville again!

it's been a great week so far.  i'm excited to really dive into thanksgiving mode tomorrow, and hope that everyone can find their own little joys to celebrate, as well.

day 20 ... romanced ...

it was a great day.  the day before break. extra time with one of my sweet kiddos.  an unexpectedly free afternoon to shop and catch up.  reading.  worshipping.  laughing.  

tonight i read about how God romances us through creation - by showing off in ways that speak directly to our heart.  then while riding home i saw a fireball fall from the sky that was 10x more spectacular than the spectacular one i saw tuesday morning.  tuesday was just for me.  tonight was to share.  He knows my heart.

day 18 ... meteors & silver linings ...

i love God's incredible creation.  i love when He answers prayers immediately.  i also love when He closes a door because He knows what's best for us.

the day started off with a meteor streaking across the sky so spectacular that i literally declared out loud in my car, "that was amazing!"  apparently there was a meteor shower last night ... always grateful for those little blessings of getting up early that i would miss otherwise.

then i almost got sick from not taking my antibiotic with enough food ... but in the middle of wondering if i would be able to even make it to school but hating to leave everyone in a lurch, i found out that one of my kiddos was going to be out so there would be someone to cover if needed.  thank you, Lord for quick answers and provision! 

then, tonight, between this morning's adverse reaction and another funky reaction i'm having to something else, i was absolutely exhausted, but had made plans to attend a concert downtown.  i told myself it would be worth it.  God knew otherwise.  by the time i got to the venue, it was already past capacity and the doors were closed.  home i went.  instead i got to watch it on my computer, in my pajamas, while cleaning my room & writing this blog.  i'm so thankful that He knows what's best for us, even when it's disappointing, and inconvenient.

i put gas in my car.  i got to go to the store.  i got an extended conversation with my parents.  and now i get to go to bed.

day 16 ... redefining BUT ...

i didn't post for a couple days because i was busy retreating with this fabulous group of women ...

my heart seriously feels like it's going to burst just looking at that beautiful pic and thinking about all the wonderful memories we made this weekend!  it was such an honor and privilege to serve with our incrdible team ... and it's truly amazing how when you're operating in your sweet spot, it doesn't feel like work at all.

i've heard it said before that if you want to know your area of calling, then you should look at your area of greatest opposition/attack.  one of the lovely ladies shared this again before we left today, and it brought a great revelation for me.  all weekend, i had been particularly aware of some unhealed woundings - random thoughts & memories that would literally squeeze my chest in pain.  as i lifted them to the Lord this morning, asking Him to show me what this revealed about my calling, His response was almost immediate.

the phrase that had been running through my mind was "there are some things that i really appreciate about you, but ..."  it's amazing how one little word can completely change the meaning of something. it carries so much weight & can cut so deeply.  BUT then God reminded me about the title of this blog ... the phrase He has continually brought me back to time & again.  

Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

but NOW ...

THAT is the crux of my calling.  God has continued to show me why He gave me 1 peter 2:10 seven years ago.  it has been for so many different reasons.  today it was for redefining my BUT.  He is reminding me yet again that how He sees me is what matters most.

don't let someone else's BUT ever trump

God's.

day 12 ... shop til you know my heart

tonight i am thankful for fun shopping - mainly of the grocery variety - excursions.  they are one of my favorite ways to connect with people.  you can learn so much about them based on what they buy, and also have lots of time to chat while strolling through the aisles.  some of my all-time favorite memories involve shopping.  it's a luxury - both the availability and the opportunity - and one i do not take for granted.

day 11 ... laughter ...

today i am thankful for laughter.  it is truly the best medicine.  it's no secret that this hasn't been the easiest year

at work.  staff changes.  schedule changes.  friend changes.  when a kid spends the morning screaming, or STILL can't tell you what a verb is even though you've discussed it every day for 10 weeks, it's enough to make you want to give your two weeks.  but then.  then you get to sit around a table and laugh with your amazing coworkers.  and you're reminded that it's all going to be okay.  you may have woken up early for no reason and gotten a not so great diagnosis, but as long as you can laugh about it, then you have won.

day 10 ... pink linings ...

after a long weekend of little sleep, i didn't sleep well again last night.  then, i got a new schedule at work, which started my day off with a bang.  i made it home with a long list of things to-do, more questions than answers, and even less motivation.  

that is why, today, i am grateful for a quiet night at home and for making myself go outside to enjoy another gorgeous sunset ... 

sometimes you just have to make time to relish the simple things.  some clouds have silver linings.  others are pink.  you just have to stop long enough to look.

day 9 ... not unchanged ...

today i had the privilege of taking part in the fall Encounter graduation - er, commencement - celebration.  

it was such a sweet blessing to see so many of those who had been in my own training, and such a sweet reminder of what God did - and continues to do - in my own life.  

that seems to be the theme lately.  it's what they talked about at the lifegroup meeting i missed tonight, too.  satan would love for us to think otherwise, but as a believer, if we are seeking God then He will not leave us unchanged. what a refreshing thought.

day 8 ... the gift of memory

from the first glimpse of light peeking through the trees, to colors swept across the sky as the sun fell yet again, 

it was a beautiful day of reflection and laughter shared with friends.

relaxing & productive, i treasured simple pleasures that i have so missed, 

and as i turn out the light, i am most grateful for jubilant hugs and friends who don't forget.

day 7 ... the little things ...

i was beyond exhausted today, but i treasured every moment, precious & humorous alike - sleeping an extra hour, a beautiful sunrise/moonset run, building the perfect blanket fort, reading books & playing with trains, shared looks that lead to laughter, snuggles, gorgeous fall colors, curry while curled up on the couch, and yes, even rodents.

that's about as much as my thoughts will form tonight ... mostly i'm just grateful for making it through another day & week, learning & taking nothing for granted.

day 6 ... home ...

yup.  as a follow-up to tuesday, that's my word for the day.

some of it's definitions include "the place in which one's domestic affections are centered; any place of residence or refuge & deep; to the heart"

i know that this world is not my ultimate home, but i have known the sweetness of that here on this earth.  i have also experienced the heart-wrenching void of its absence.  whether in work or friendships, the places i frequent, my favorite outfit, church, a city, or a literal dwelling.  it is where you feel safe, secure & fully accepted.  it is where your heart can find rest & your soul can breathe a sigh of relief.

that is what i am grateful for today.

day 5 ... being the body ...

today i am thankful for rain that held off until right after our walk, finding the courage to speak up, a fun night at youth, considering new possibilities on multiple fronts, and seeing that good things come to those who wait ... and ask the right questions ;) 

in doing my Bible study earlier tonight, i came across this scripture ...

"... But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it." (1 Corinthians 12:24-26 NIV)

oh, that the world would operate by these standards.  and oh, what a challenge to this believer to operate by this standard in the world, even when others do not.

day 4 ... on fake fruit & finding home

today, i was oh, so thankful to get up early and then get to go back to sleep for a couple of hours.  for the freedom to vote, and for the voice of Truth being heard.  for getting projects done, and finding grace for it not being as much as i would have liked.

i also finally got to try pueblo real.  it is the sister restaurant to tito's, the mexican restaurant where i eat once a week ... at least ;)  the decor looks pretty much the same, and the food both looked and tasted the same.  the staff seemed friendly enough.  but it just wasn't the same.  it wasn't home.

it reminded me of fake fruit.  it looks like an apple and feels like an apple, but it lacks the fullness of truly experiencing an apple - the taste, the texture, the crunch, the juice.  you can try biting into fake fruit, but you will be left greatly disappointed.  

there is just no substitute for the shared experience of friends and family - sometimes sweet and sometimes sour, noisy and messy, but always welcoming and comfortingly familiar.  so thank you, tito's.  

thanks for being real.  thanks for being home.

day 3 ...

as i lay in bed bringing this day to an end, the early morning hour and time spent wandering halls seem like an eternity ago.  are they really one in the same?

indeed they are, and as such i am grateful for sunrise walks to greet the day, starting the morning off slowly, chocolate in my mailbox just when i needed a pick-me-up, finding cute baby clothes on sale, tomato basil soup & pimento grilled cheese, quiet productive evenings, and getting to put on my planning brain.

tomorrow is election day.  i'm certainly not one for the over-involvement of government.  the thing is, abortion isn't going away anytime soon, but we can (and should) make it safer, and hold it to the same standards as any hospital ... or ear piercing kiosk for that matter.  they're spending an awful lot of money to spin their lies.  let the TRUTH speak for itself.

be informed.  go vote.

day 2 ...

too busy enjoying all the things i'm thankful for to write an actual post, but suffice it to say that this was a pretty amazing day, full of making memories & sharing music with my incredible friends & family ... truly blessed beyond measure!

take the time to look back ...

I tend to operate with an attitude of gratitude, especially when it comes to Facebook posts, so I don't need a month to make me aware of what I'm thankful for.  But thanks to the accountability of a friend, I will take advantage of this new month to be more intentional about getting some thoughts down in a more structured way.  

So, today I am thankful for sleeping in, a the opening of a new McDonald's by my house, curling up on the couch with a mocha from a friend & reading for hours, finally crossing a few bigger and lots of little items off my to-do list - including filling my house with the colors & smells of fall, inspiring music & beautiful skies that make a run fly by, a taste of home, and catching up on shows and a movie that challenge me to embrace sadness.

On a grander scale, I am thankful for being shown that not being recognized is actually a gift, and for being reminded of just how far I've come.  The women's Bible study at my church is studying 'Captivating' which I read for the first time after moving to Nashville probably 7 years ago.  I'll go into more detail as the month progresses, but I love how this book is highlighting all that God has been doing in my life, especially recently.  

It's hard to see sometimes when you're up close and personal.  Take the time to look back.  It is invaluable.

heading back to haiti ...

I just got off the phone with my best friend from high school.  We rarely talk, but it takes me right back when we do.  Sometimes things just don’t go the way that you expected.  It’s been one of those years for me.  But what I’ve been learning as a result is how it’s the true things that will remain, and give you hope … and that is what brings me back to Haiti each year.

Then I got in the car and heard the new song Hope Can Change Everything, which perfectly captures what we get to do. 

A breath can give you life A hand can turn the page A word can give you strength To face another day Hope...yeah hope
I could be the spark You could be the word We could tell them something That maybe they've never heard Hope, yeah we could give it together

Reaches in the heart Of your darkest night Lifts you off the ground When you've lost the fight Keeps you hanging on Through the disbelief Every day, every step, every dream Hope can change everything Hope can change everything

Through a hand, a word, through ongoing relationships and the promise of consistency when all else seems unsure, we get to bring them hope.  

It’s hard to believe I’ve had the privilege of making these trips for 6 years now.  This year’s team is made up of 5 teens, 1 mom, 2 women, a family with an 8 year old who has been on more trips than I have, our pastor, and myself – I am so excited to be sharing this experience with the newbies and the veterans alike.  I know that God has brought us all together for a purpose and is going to do incredible things both through and in us during our time.  We leave in just under 3 weeks, and will be there June 17^th – 24^th.

As that time draws near, I would first ask for your thoughts and prayers in making final plans and preparations, for all travel to go smoothly, for our health and safety while we are there, for unity among our team and with the staff on the ground, and for the maximum effectiveness of our time as we build, serve, and interact with the Haitians. 

And if you would like to be a part of bringing hope to people in the community of Jacmel, our team is still raising support.  If everyone on my friends list gave just $6, it would cover the cost of 3 whole trips.  Would you consider joining us?  You can mail checks to me at the address below.  Donations made to Restore Haiti are tax deductible, and just put June trip in the memo line.  Or you can give online HERE.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read, and for your encouragement & support.  We couldn’t do this without you.  I pray you find the hope of that which remains in your own life, as well.

Christine Blundred
4007 Pavati Trace
Spring Hill, TN 37174

my life as an african violet - part 1

not since my days of having to water the plants as a chore have i been very good at keeping plants alive.  at some point in the past year, i received an african violet as a gift.  i was fairly certain i had killed it at one point, but it miraculously came back to life and has been flourishing, so much so that it has quite outgrown the small plastic container it came in.

 
i began to think about finding a nice new pot ... until someone told me that they are very sensitive to transplantation and often don't survive the process.  upon initial research, the task of transplantation became increasingly daunting.  needless to say, it's been a couple of months and my african violet still sits on the kitchen table in its original container.  as i sat there contemplating it while enjoying my coffee this morning, i was thinking that it didn't look too happy and how i really need to take care of it before it's too late.  and then i was struck by the similarities between my life and that african violet.

for starters, we need regular watering ("but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” - john 4:14) and ample [Son]light (“I am the light of the world. whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” - john 8:12).  without these things, our soul quickly withers.  with them, we can experience life abundantly ("I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." - john 10:10).  we must also be careful not to have too much water or light.  that is to say, if there is not proper drainage so that living water can flow through us to others then we become bogged down and moldy, and if we keep all the light for ourselves then we become scorched ("drained of power, dismayed and put to shame. they are like plants in the field, like tender green shoots, like grass sprouting on the roof, scorched before it grows up." - isaiah 37:27)

however, with proper moisture and light, we WILL grow up.  and with growth comes change.  we can not stay in the same pot forever.  but how often, as we begin to consider a necessary change, are we quickly overwhelmed at the prospect?  what if it requires too much of me?  i've already got such a good thing going right here.  but do you really?  if you stay where you are, your roots will become strangled and prone to fungus.  and so i began to research again ...

there was such depth in what i learned that i will save it for another post so as not to overwhelm, and simply leave you with the challenge from my kitchen table ...

with this new year has come such a sense of transition and call to change.  will i heed the call, no matter how daunting it may seem, or will i remain unchanged and risk the cost of stagnation and strangulation?

i believe i see a run to home depot in my near future :)

innocent & set apart ...

nothing terribly profound to write this morning, but i just love sharing how God's Word is living and active!

last night, before going to bed, i wrote this status -

thankful that God is my defender ...

as one who often worries too much about what other people think, it is a sentiment i have returned to repeatedly in the past year.

then, this morning, my daily reading included psalm 4:1-5

answer me when i call to you, O God who declares me innocent. 
free me from my troubles.  have mercy on me and hear my prayer.

how long will you people ruin my reputation?
how long will you make groundless accusations?
how long will you continue your lies?

you can be sure of this:
The Lord set apart the godly for Himself.
The Lord will answer when i call to Him.

don't sin by letting anger control you.
think about it overnight and remain silent.
offer sacrifices in the right spirit, and trust the Lord.

what a powerful and timely reminder that we are set apart and declared innocent by God.  but we also must share responsibility by maintaining a right spirit and trusting in Him when we face opposition.  they are lessons i am struggling to learn - i may need to paint these scriptures on the wall so i see them every day :)  my prayer is for God's grace and strength as He grows them in me this year ... and the same for you, as well.