Category Archives: saving my life

A new occasional series on the everyday things that show me God’s presence and care.

On this anniversary weekend, it is fitting for the saving my life honor to be bestowed on Michael. This past week was the only week between his summer class ending and the start of in-service. In spite of mountains of preparation for fall classes, he took Kate and Lexi to school with him several mornings and gave me time to work on my own projects and made it possible for me to meet deadlines and feel sane. I am so thankful for how hard he works and how much he chips in around the house to make our lives work.

As I look back on our marriage, it’s been 9 years of consistency in this regard. He is always saving the day and always willing to go the extra mile. He is a good man and an even better husband. I don’t deserve his kindness and daily sacrifice, but I am grateful for them.

Michael, thank you for saving my life, one load of dishes at a time.

A new occasional series on the everyday things that show me God’s presence and care.

This week’s honor goes to our neighborhood pool. The pool that is close and not prohibitively expensive is at the small, liberal arts college in our neighborhood. When I am on the Rhodes campus, I feel like I’m in a completely different world from midtown Memphis amidst all the green quads and gothic architecture.

The girls have always loved the water, so they feel at home. Kate learned how to do a flip off the diving board the week! Of course, with the current heat wave, the water is refreshing. Between the heat and spraining my ankle last week, I’ve appreciated the ability to tread water to get some cardio in. The pool is never all that full, so I’m not too self-conscious about it either.

Because it’s in the neighborhood, we often see friends, which makes it all the more fun. We are so glad we joined the pool. Next summer, we’ve got to do swim team. Thanks, Rhodes Pool, for saving our lives one hot afternoon at a time.

A new occasional series on the everyday things that show me God’s presence and care.

Nothing too traumatic but this week has been a little bit blah. Michael started his summer teaching gig. It’s hot and sticky. The bible stories I am covering for my current writing project are really difficult this week. I tried to get up early and run and ended up spraining my ankle. My sleep has been pretty disordered.

But, it’s felt like a good week. Why? Because I’ve seen people. Every day I saw a friend. They were gracious and fun to be with, even on days when I had hardly any sleep. With one I tried a new restaurant. With another, I explored the YMCAs of Suburban Memphis. With a third, we had a girls’ day and watched Brave with our kids. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, it was a good week for socializing.

I’m also looking forward to seeing one of my favorite people in the world tomorrow, former roommate and all-around amazing G. She’s in Nashville for a family wedding so I’m heading over to brunch with her in the morning to catch up on life and convince her to visit us soon.

A good conversation with a friend or even a few minutes to catch up in the middle of shuffling kids around is such a balm to my soul. Sometimes I forget that, especially during the school year when I can go days without talking to anyone but my family and employees at Kroger. Every once in a while, an introverted day can be a good thing. But too many makes me a little crazy.

Thanks for encouraging me to hang out and live a little, friends. Your invitations and responses to mine are saving my life. Taking a minute to say hello means more than you know as we hit 11 months as Tennesseans. Sometimes we still seem like strangers in a strange land, but little by little, Memphis feels like home.

Kari often posts on Fridays about something that is saving her life that week. What she means by that is some way that God has been present and visible to her. She borrowed the idea from a book I’ve been meaning to read. I am joining in, with occasional posts in this category.

VBS has been saving my life this week. I had planned for the girls to attend one VBS this summer at a sister church 15 minutes away: we don’t have VBS, their friends were going and I knew this particular church would do a great job of communicating truth while having a great time. Then I received my first deadline for a big writing project and it became critical. It was so nice to have dedicated time to write and even meet to edit my finished work thus far, all during VBS. No midnight oil was burned for the first deadline, my stress level was much lower than anticipated, and VBS was certainly a huge factor in making it all happen.

Yesterday as we picked up the kids from their last session, one of the moms from Lexi’s class begged me to sign her up for another VBS next week so her daughter would have a buddy. Two of Kate’s besties from school are also going. I have another deadline in less than two weeks. It’s directly across the street from my favorite Panera to work at with lots of outlets next to booths. Michael’s 6 week long summer school class starts Monday and he’s really busy (as usual, he has never taken a real summer break, teacher style.) So I caved and signed them up.

Thanks to all who volunteer for VBS and allow slackers moms like me to take advantage without judgement. I am very grateful. Kate and Lexi would add their appreciation for every teen VBS volunteer who has ever given them a piggy back ride. (How did that become a VBS thing? I’ve noticed it in Birmingham as well.) I am also thankful to those who write great VBS curriculum that is fun, engaging and teaches the truth.

To all who welcome kids from other churches to VBS, you are saving my life this week. And you are probably saving someone else’s as well.