Ordinarily Extraordinary

Yes I've Moved

Hi friends! As I said in my last post I've moved my blog. I'm really excited about the move and you can find me here. 

I'm not sure, but some things may have gotten confused in the transfer, namely Feedburner so the new feed is below or you can visit me at my new site and click the RSS button in the menu. 

http://feeds.feedburner.com/OrdinarilyExtraordinary 

Come on over and say hi!

I've Moved!!

Hi friends! My blog has moved and I am so excited! You can now find me here. Come say hi!

Never Once by Matt Redman

Loving this song right now.

Fences Can Almost Always Be Climbed

Fences line the country roads of my youth. Keeping the animals from escape. Keeping them safe.

How many fences do we have in our lives that keep us safe? Sometimes safe does not lead us to our purpose. Safe does not always allow us to grow. 

Do you build fences around your heart out of fear? Has your fear of failing built a fence between you and your dream? 

Do you ever feel others build fences to keep you from becoming who you want to be? Their expectations smothering your true purpose?

To be fair many times these expectations are assumed by us and not overtly given. Perhaps we observe actions or gossip causing us to realize our friends would not approve of the real us. So we hide part of who we are or what we believe. 

I have been a people pleaser most of my life. I have lived wanting everyone to like me. I could see what was on the other side. What I could accomplish. But the fences, their expectations, felt safe. If I decide to scale that fence they won't like me. If I verbalize how I truly feel about certain things they will judge. 

But this fear of failing? This fear of no one liking me? They have built fences around my dreams. 

While I am learning to overcome this need for people to like me, there are still days I hold back. The fear of not being good enough still attacks. 

The thing about fences though? They can almost always be climbed over.

Linking up with Peter Pollock for the One Word at a Time Blog Carnival.

 

Sunday, Monday

My mind stays hurried and unfocused recently. Accomplishing small bits of tasks here and there until eventually complete. Frustrating myself. Poor sleep, immediate technology in part to blame. 

Then Sunday afternoon closing out July I set aside the painting and scrapbooking I plan to do and instead curl up in my favorite chair with a book I started two weeks ago. The Help. I begin thinking I’ll read for half an hour and work on the painting that awaits me. Three and a half hours later I’m still reading. 

I have not lost myself in a book for that length of time in months. Taking a break to exercise I return later in the evening to read more. Another hour and a half later I turn the last page. 

Painting and scrapbooking and all plans other than the exercise abandoned. Something my mind and spirit needed. 

Today I check the mail. An already good day made even better. Our yearly update on our World Vision sponsored child. A new photo showing how he’s grown. Squirt asking again “Can we go to Africa?” “I wish it were that easy,” I reply. Shifting my mind to Writing Joy & other World Vision bloggers in Bolivia this week. Sharing stories of what World Vision is doing. That tug at my heart to apply for a World Vision blogging trips returns. 

Will you follow along on their trip as they share the stories? 

I continue counting the gifts.

476. For all the different birds playing in my yard as I sit on my porch. (7/25/11)

477. For the motivation to push through and write. (7/25/11)

478. For energy & motivation to run/walk four miles after three days off. (7/26/12)

479. For hummingbirds at my feeders. (7/26/11)

480. For cool breeze on a hot summer afternoon. (7/26/11)

481. For new clients emailing to book a session. (7/26/11)

482. For Sherry and Elizabeth. (7/27/11)

483. For getting to talk to Sarah Beth. (7/28/11)

484. Star gazing in the hammock. Seeing a shooting star. (7/28/11)

485. For motivation to move even though wasn't feeling well. (7/29/11)

486. For a day where I accomplished what I wanted to. (7/30/11)

487. For Ann. (7/30/11)

488. For Highlands. (7/31/11)

489. For an afternoon of hours of reading. (7/31/11)

490. For energy to run when all I wanted to do was take a nap. (7/31/11)

491. For losing two more pounds. (7/31/11)

492. For another shooting star. (7/31/11)

493. For a morning with a friend at the pool. (8/1/11)

494. For kiddo deciding he liked his painting he finished when he didn't like it at first. (8/1/11)

495. For energy to go run when all I wanted to do was take a nap. (8/1/11)

496. For our yearly update on our Word Vision sponsored child. (8/1/11)

497. Two afternoon thunderstorms with sunshine in between. (8/1/11)

Time Transformed, Time Abandoned

Warning: Photo heavy post. This week's theme for Photo Friday was 'Time.' Below is my take.

"Why is it I only realize how much I miss the foothills of my childhood when I return for a visit?" I posted this question on twitter and Facebook during a recent visit to my parents'. To which a dear friend replied: "that's why they call it home."

I travel ninety miles to visit my parents every couple of months. A few weeks ago when I went I took a new route for part of the journey. One that took me through an old military base that closed in 1999. As I drove through an area of Fort McClellan I had never seen I was struck by how time had changed the area surrounding my childhood home.

I visited the base as a child. My dad as a member of the National Guard had privileges on base, but my visual knowledge of the base was limited. Driving along an area in the eastern part I realized the government owned some of the most beautiful land in our county. Untouched by habitation or development.

When it was announced in 1997 that Fort McClellan would close everyone worried what impact it would have economically. I haven't studied the economic impact now twelve years later, but it seems that the county is doing as well as any other area in the country considering all things. While a portion of the base belongs to the Alabama National Guard the majority of it has been given to the city. Many of the homes are being remodeled. Businesses are moving in.

I saw signs of growth. Base homes remodeled and sold. The senior officers area known as Buckner Circle showing signs of life. These more upscale homes of the base restored and now home to civilian families. Bicycles and swing sets dot the back yards.

Time has transformed these areas.

Yet other areas remain abandoned. As the detour wound me through the base I was struck by the dichotomy, the juxtaposition of it all. Vines overgrown, grass too high around buildings now empty with stories untold.

Time transformed. Time abandoned.

To view more of these photos visit the set on my Flickr here. I'll also be sharing more photos I took from other areas of the county in the coming days.

Conversation

Playing along with the Photo Play at High Calling Focus. This play's theme was 'conversation' and I thought of this first look photo that I took at my sister's wedding. 

Swings

Many hours I spent pushing our nephew in his toddler swing. Graduating to a big kid swing pushing until he learned to pump his legs. It seems not so long ago. Now he's seventeen.

Then as a mom and not an aunt I spent countless hours pushing my own son. Pushing as he laughed and laughed. The simplest of joys lighting up his face.

What is it about swings that bring such joy? Such delight?

Perhaps the soothing motion of the back and forth, up and down. How many naps did my son take in his baby swing when nothing else would soothe him? One of my dad's favorite places to sit is his front porch swing. There is a comfort in a gentle swing. 

Is it the thrill you feel inside as you go higher and higher? Or is it the feeling of almost touching the sky? That you can go higher and higher. Do you remember the rush of pumping your legs swinging higher and higher and leaping out of the swing? Seeing the ground you know you can jump and reach the ground with relative safety.

Life is filled with certain uncertainties. Our pastor shared a message series recently entitled Doors about God's will. His moral will and His sovereign will. One point he made in the message about God's sovereign will was that we can expect uncertainties. 

We live by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7

God isn't going to give us all the details. If He did we why would we need Him? 

We have to grow in our faith enough and learn to step out in trust. If we don't we will never know how high we can go or feel the joy He wants us to know.

We have to leap out of the swing even though we can't see the ground beneath. The irony is that when we learn to leap is when we will find His comfort and peace. 

Are you learning to leap?

Linking up for the Swings Blog Carnival at the blog of Peter Pollock. 

The Wind Almost Unseen

Early morning sun falls through the east facing window as I sit in my favorite chair reading devotion for the day, journaling thoughts and prayers. Glancing out the window I see wind blowing through the tops of trees. But not the shorter trees or lower limbs. Only the upper branches. I watch morning after morning as the wind drifts among the tops unbeknown to the life below. 

How often do we feel like God is silent? Or not working in our lives? Nothing seems to be falling into place. The job didn't work out. The relationship failed. Disease still ravages. Resistance seems to discourage at every turn. 

Again I'm brought back to the thought that even though we cannot see His hand at work doesn't mean He isn't working. Just like the wind couldn't be seen in the smaller trees and lower branches doesn't mean it wasn't there.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9NIV

His ways are not our ways. We cannot always understand. I continue listing the graces. Counting the gifts. Giving thanks. 

Smell of fresh summer rain. (7/17/11)

Bright moonlight through the trees. (7/17/11)

A hummingbird flying & hovering a foot from me. (7/18/11)

Birds in the crepe myrtle as I sit on the porch & read. (7/18/11)

For my favorite red chair in the living room. (7/19/11)

For the gift of prayer. (7/19/11)

For waking up to a thunderstorm. (7/20/11)

For wind blowing through the tops of the trees. (7/21/11)

For twitter friends who encourage. (7/21/11)

For new music by Shaun Groves - Third World Symphony. (7/21/11)

For the neighbor mowing at 9 instead of 6. (7/22/11)

For a rainbow in the rear view mirror on the drive back from Auburn. (7/23/11)

 

Photo Friday: Summer/Winter

Summer:

Winter:

Linking up with xoxo, Trina for Photo Friday.