Successful Summer

Sometimes life seems like a blur. I don’t know if you experience the same thing, but because of my Event Planner brain, my life is a continuous stream of “Plan. Execute. Recover.” I then humorously like to add my favorite line off of every shampoo bottle, “Lather. Rinse. Repeat.”

In my last post - yes, the one that was dated in June - I was in the planning stage. I stood at that very place where one often has to envision with great clarity what the next leg of the journey will look like. It seemed daunting and overwhelming, but then I realized God brought me here and He’s always with me. Who was I to fear?

This summer consisted of:

- Ten weeks of “Hamlet,” my theatre company’s tenth annual Shakespeare-in-thePark production.
- Twelve weeks of two very difficult courses towards my MS in Mental Health Counseling.
- Sending Zoe off to “Jump Start” to help her overcome her incredible shyness in preparation for Kindergarten.
- Preparing both girls for the annual Harvest Festival Mini Miss and Jr. Miss pageants.
- Keeping a flower garden alive and beautiful.
- Keeping vegetables growing in the zaniest weather patterns I’ve ever experienced.
- Spending every last moment I could find, swimming and playing with my children during what might possibly be my last summer of unemployment.
- Keeping a house clean.
- Keeping a husband happy.

The list goes on, but these were indeed, the most important highlights.

He leadeth me again. I rested in His hands. I gave it all to Him and He blessed my every step with His presence.

“Hamlet” was Gaspipe Theatre Company’s greatest triumph, thus far.
I was able to maintain my 4.0 in my coursework.
Zoe did beautifully well in Jump Start and let’s just say it was Mommy who did the most crying the day the girls started school.
The pageants took place yesterday and both girls made me burst with pride.
The gardens are still alive; the vegetables are still coming.
I can truly say there is not one ounce of regret in me for time lost with the children this summer. We spent every moment we could as a family, creating memories which I hope will last their whole lives.
My house is still clean.
Yesterday, Derek and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary. With God’s help, we continue to strengthen our marriage every day.

There were bonuses, too. Because of my obedience in returning to Milton, despite my internal kicks and screams, God is bringing my greatest dream of creating a Center for the Arts to life. I will be working with the Milton Library to create a Center for the Arts in the new facility that the Library just purchased.

And finally, as if I deserved one more blessing, at the end of my twelve weeks of school, when everything was finally settling down, by some miracle of miracles, God gave me two weeks off to write. These two weeks off from classes began the very day the girls went back to school. My agent had made contact with a couple of publishers who were interested in my book, I just couldn‘t find the time to clean it up and finish it out. But God gave me two glorious weeks of clarity and insight (and a quiet house) and last Tuesday, I gave birth to my new manuscript, “Climbing Out of the Daddy Hole.” Prayers for “Uncommon Favor” are greatly appreciated.

I will admit, after the plan was laid out, each step of the way was a bit blurry. I had moments where I felt like I was standing outside of myself, watching myself in action. I mentally would stop myself and experience a “reality check”. “I’m doing it. I don’t know how, but I’m here and it’s happening.” The final performance of “Hamlet” came and went. Zoe got off the Jump Start bus one last time. The grades were posted. The pool closed. School started. I submitted my book and received my agent’s approval.

The Recovery periods from each and every item on my list were glowing. There’s no better word to describe them. Every task, every paper, every show was a complete success.

Now it’s all in the past and I sit here, planning out the next leg: two more classes, a residency in October, cheerleading practices, birthdays and Christmas. The list, again, goes on.

But there’s something different this time. There is no dread, no feeling of being overwhelmed. I suddenly understand the very heart of Philippians 4:13. “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

My God is in me, above me, beneath me, before me, behind me, on either side of me. He has my back in all times. He restores my energy, my strength, and gives me hope with every new morning. When the storms are raging, I‘ve learned to praise Him. He is my All in all.

Is He yours? Have you yet learned how to go to Him as a child and let Him be your Daddy? Have you learned to trust? Have you learned to obey? Have you experienced the awesome magnitude of Him working through you and the blessings of dreams realized?

Go to your Father and lean on Him. Then plan, execute, and recover. Psalms 23 should assure you that “His goodness and mercy will follow you” and “out of you.” John 7:38 reminds us, “shall flow rivers of living water.”

It might possibly be that the blur you experience is when God completely takes over and works out the good for those who love Him.

What an awesome, humbling, amazing place to be - caught in the blur of our Master’s work.