What Do You See?

When our oldest son, Mitch, was a toddler, he used to race around our culdesac sidewalk on his little red firetruck. He was fast and wore out several pairs of the hi-top Converse sneakers he wore with his cute little overalls. 

Fast forward to about five years ago when I purchased a firetruck for our first grandbaby, Gracie. It’s been hanging around our house ever since and both Dommy and Dori play with it too. But…it’s not a firetruck after all. One of my brilliant adult children told me to look more closely. It’s actually a red car. I’ve been seeing what I thought it was, rather than paying attention.

I look at an object, or a person, or a situation but don’t really SEE what it truly is. There are also times when I can’t SEE what God is doing until much much later. (Or I might have to wait until we I get to Heaven.)

Mike and I just finished the Prime Video series, “House of David.”

It’s the story of David being anointed King by the prophet Samuel and it reenacts his victory over Goliath. It’s told in the Bible in chapters 15-17 of 1Samuel. The prophet is sent by God to Jesse’s home to find the future king among his sons. (King Saul has NOT been following God so he is to be replaced.) At first Samuel is confused on why God has chosen the youngest and smallest brother who tends sheep and plays the harp. It’s a really good show to binge watch before Easter!

“For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the 

outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” 1Sam16:7

In our current social media/beauty-obsessed culture, how often do we stop and really LOOK at the heart? The MacArthur Bible Commentary says the Hebrew concept of heart embodies emotions, will, intellect and desires.The life of the person will reflect his heart.

I’m late to the “Wicked” movie game, but I finally saw it a couple weeks ago. It’s quite obvious that the characters couldn’t look past Elphaba’s green skin to see she had a kind heart. In the original “Wizard of Oz”  we saw what a fake the wizard was and how much the Tin Man desired to receive a heart. 

I want to be a person who can enjoy beauty without forgetting to look beneath the surface to what really matters. That little red firetruck car that is parked beside my loveseat has nudged me to look more carefully and put on my “God Glasses.”

I’ll leave you with this thought from a Susie Larson devotion:

“May Jesus lift your chin, open your eyes, 

and show you what you cannot see—

promises He intends to impart, 

and ways He intends to use you.”

In His Grip, Jane

Embracing Spring: A Season of Renewal and Change

Spring in the PNW has finally arrived. Along with the expected rainy days I see the tulips and daffodils starting to bloom, and the trees near our house are turning a beautiful pink color I can see evidence that a new season has really begun.

I heard a term this week called “Lifequake.” Have you heard of it? The definition is, “a major transformative life event, whether planned or unplanned, positive or negative, that causes significant upheaval and necessitates major changes and a period of transition.” Our family has certainly weathered quite a few “Lifequakes” in the last several years; two children went through divorces, another experienced several pregnancy losses, and then Mike was diagnosed with throat cancer. But now, things are looking brighter…

My oldest son’s wedding in Vegas last month was delightful and he’s working his last day on the Boulder Fusion Academy campus as he prepares to move to Franklin, Tennessee next week to join his new wife.

(Yes, they’ve kind of been apart the last several weeks.) Somehow Mitch also fit in a flight last weekend to Los Angeles so he could run his fourth marathon.

In early March we got to celebrate our California daughter and son-in-law’s baby boy who is expected to arrive in late May. We held an evening shower and it was so special to gather with family and friends to acknowledge this much-prayed-for little one. 

Sweet baby Dori is going to have quite a change at her house in a couple months when she becomes a big sister! We can’t believe we’ll have five grandchildren by Summertime!

One of the most noticeable changes around here is Mike’s health.. His energy is coming back. He’s doing some workouts at the YMCA, and working in his home office each day for Pro Nexis and Wingman. We get to go to church together, and even had a couple date nights. He’s now my designated driver since wine tastes terrible to him.

As I write this, Mike is getting his port and feeding tube out. I remember that day back in August when the port was put in. It was my birthday and it was a day full of fear. Seven months have gone by and he soon will return to playing in the hot tub with our granddaughter Gracie. The feeding tube was put in during October. I’m so proud of him relearning how to eat/get nutrition without the shakes in his feeding tube. It’s frustrating that his taste buds have changed SO much and things just don’t taste the same. (Sort of like long Covid?) 

We are trying to be patient and looking forward to a trip to Arizona we have planned next month.

We are so thankful that Jesus has been our firm foundation and we are experiencing a Spring full of joy!

Check out the song and lyrics Firm Foundation (He Won’t.)

In His Grip,

Jane

Life Lately

Sweet Gracie enjoying God's world.

Happy Earth Day! I hope this finds you well. In our little corner of the world, it is raining today. It's pretty much the first rainy day we've had all month. The local weatherman said it's one of the dryest Aprils on record. I'm not excited to take a rainy walk but I am grateful that the pollen is getting washed away.

Here are some things I've been learning lately:

Earth day is having its 50th anniversary. I didn't know Earth Day existed until I was a freshman in college at Ball State University. Apparently, I was introduced to more than just beer and sorority life. Oh, and my elementary education classes.

The dog I rescued seven years ago really thinks she's a therapy dog. Sydney, our Australian Kelpie, never leaves my side. Like NEVER. When I get up to use the bathroom, she comes with me. When I go downstairs to do laundry, she follows me. If I go on the back deck, she wants to come too. If I'm sitting on the couch, she's under my feet or beside me. The ONLY time she isn't by my side or behind me is when we go on walks. Then she leads me. 

Sometimes it drives me crazy that she won't leave me alone. (I bet some mamas of littles can relate.) Other times I appreciate her loyalty and remember that she thinks it is her JOB to make sure I am looked after... Sydney reminds me of a scripture verse that is a good one to remember during this pandemic.

"The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." Deuteronomy 31:8

I'm thankful God is always with me and I want to walk in trust just like my cat Thor does on our skinny railing.

Sometimes you just need to turn it around. Literally! For two weeks I thought my sewing machine was broken so my mask-making project screeched to a halt. It turns out, I was putting in my new needle backward. Ugh! If we're grumpy or discouraged, maybe we can flip our mindset around, "Pollyanna-style." Let's try to be glad and look for the good! 

CURRENTLY:

Reading- Secrets of Willow House, the first in a series by Susanne O'Leary. I recently finished The Stories We Tell by Patti Callahan Henry. It was SO good!

Watching- "Murdoch Mysteries" on Amazon Prime. We're on season one and there are 13!

Photo source

Needing- My diffusers going and candles lit. I'm going to need to order more Young Living essential oils soon and another citrus soy candle from Target. My Anthro-candle-diffuser-oil recipe was not a big hit with my husband, so I'm not using it, but maybe you'll enjoy it.

I really wanted the "real thing" so I went onto the Anthropologie site to possibly order a Capri Blue Volcano candle, but after shipping it would be over $40!! I just couldn't do it. 

Creating- I am finally working on photo albums. I will have to write a whole other post on that.

Loving- Playing games and laughing with my adult kids on Zoom (hopefully once a week.) The other thing I'm loving is our new downstairs bathroom color. We Mike painted it a pretty pinky-peach called Embrace. It looks a bit like pink grapefruit and goes good with the new shower curtain I picked from Target. 

Thanks for stopping by to read "See Jane Learn." I hope you're safe and well and making the best of this STAY AT HOME season. 

In His Grip, 

xo Jane

"Pleasant words are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones."

Proverbs 16:24

While We Wait

The Story sisters (back in the day) in our Easter finery!

Hello and Happy Holy Saturday! This day represents the hard day of waiting and wondering between the crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday and the glorious resurrection on Easter Sunday. My bible study friends and I agree; we are thankful we wait in hope and know how the weekend's story ends.

 Last Easter we were in Spokane with most of our family and worshipped at Summit Church.

While we wait for the Coronavirus to stop spreading and the stay home order to lift, we wait in hope... hope for healing, vaccines, our economy's recovery, the simple gifts of going to the grocery without fear and attending church in person. Personally, I can't wait to spend lots of time with my grandbaby and her Mama and be allowed to travel so I can see my other three kiddos and my Indiana family.

Gracie and Grandma

Story sisters all grown up.

This Holy Week has been filled with sunshine here in the PNW and we've enjoyed our deck overlooking our Harbor town.  Slow mornings with coffee and the Word, walks with Sydney, puttering around the house and yard and connecting on Zoom have filled my days. I appreciated what I heard on Rachel and Dave Hollis's "Rise Together" podcast, where she talked about ten years from now and what memories her children would remember of this COVID-19 quarantine. They are working on making sweet memories with their four children. I will remember having lots of time with my normally-traveling-sales-manager hubby and Zoom happy hours with my four+ kids. I will remember waving to ALL the people walking by our house each day. I will remember attending church in the living room, and going to bed each night with a "Sleep on this" message from my pastor and a beautiful praise song on Instagram from Natalie Grant and her husband.

While we wait, be blessed and know that

"He is not here; HE IS RISEN, just as He said."

Matthew 28:6

Thank you very much for taking the time to read, "See Jane Learn." I wish you and your loved ones a very Happy Easter!  We will get through this, together. Stay well and wash your hands!

In His Grip, 

xo Jane

P.S. Below are some of my favorite bloggers for you to check out. Enjoy!

Emily Lex

Thistlewood Farms

Nesting With Grace

Making it in the Mountains

The Inspired Room

My 100 Year Old Home

"Pleasant words are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones."

Proverbs 16:24

What I Learned This Winter: 2018-19

Happy first day of March! Spring is on its way, as well as Daylight Savings Time on the 10th, so it's time to look back at what I learned this Winter. Obviously, I haven't written a blog in three months, since the last time I posted on SJL was at the end of Autumn.
Here are five things I learned:
1. Having my baby granddaughter lock eyes with me and then smile brings SUCH joy! 
Little Gracie is three months old and is quite a happy baby. Unless she's "hangry" Her smiles and giggles are adorable and because her parents are still living in our lower level, I get to enjoy them every day!

2. If the term "spark joy" makes you think of tidying and all things Marie Kondo, then believe me when I say that her technique of totally emptying out your closet and making a mountain pile on the bed does makes a difference.
I have attempted organizing my wardrobe many times over the years but a couple weeks ago I did it "Marie's way."  I emptied my closet rods and shelves and all my dresser drawers onto my bed. It took about five hours, but three garbage sacks got filled with all the clothes, shoes, coats, PJ's and accessories that I haven't worn in the last year, all items that didn't fit or didn't "spark joy." I was pretty ruthless and my minimalist daughter gave her opinion if I wasn't sure about something. I'm slowly working my way around the house. On a side note, the "Kondo effect" has given all Thrift stores a huge increase in donations. Have you watched the new show on Netflix based on the book The Magic Art of Tidying Up?

3. It is never easy to say goodbye to a loved one and grief is a process.
The last time I posted, I mentioned that my Mom had been on hospice since August. A week after her 92nd birthday, she passed away on Pearl Harbor Day.  Even though I knew her passing was imminent, it has still been so very hard.  In early January my husband and I and our two oldest children flew back to Indiana to join my sisters and extended family at my Mom's celebration of life. Her memorial was such a testimony of how many lives she'd touched; in addition to her family, there were former students, former teaching co-workers, friends, and the residents and staff of her retirement home.

A few weeks later I learned of the unexpected death of a friend. Liz and I used to live across the street from each other and our sons were great friends. She was one of the sweetest women I've ever known, and it's hard to fathom that she passed away suddenly. Now that both my parents are gone and I've lost two girlfriends in the last three years I've definitely been contemplating my mortality. I am thankful for my faith and the hope I can claim in life-everlasting with Jesus.

Grief comes whether we have time to prepare for a loss or no time at all...My Mama's church sent me a little book on grief. It's reminding me how important it is to go through the process surrounded by the love and care of others.

4. The middle lanes are fastest. 
My oldest daughter was driving us up to Seattle one rainy day and she was staying in the middle lane of the highway. When I noticed that traffic was going faster than most of the surrounding lanes, she compared it to swimming lanes. (She was on the swim team one year in high school.) The best swimmers are always given the honor of being in the middle lanes of the pool. This has to do with the wake, etc. If you want to learn more, check out this article.

5. Even though I've never excelled in math, I do know the answer to this: 

Heavy snow and/or wind + tall Evergreen & Cedar trees = destruction

The weather has been crazy all over our country, but February here in the Pacific Northwest broke records. We had more snow here than we've had in 30 years. 

Schools and businesses were closed, power was off for many, and basically, no one could drive anywhere. One of the biggest problems was the heavy snow caused branches to snap and knocked down trees across roads. One of our trees dropped three huge branches onto our neighbor's deck which will have to be rebuilt. When the wind blew our power out the other night it also flipped our tall gas heat lamp off our upper deck to the yard below. It did not survive. The snow was beautiful though, for a time...

I'm linking up with Emily P. Freeman and other bloggers sharing what they've learned. (I LOVE Emily's podcast The Next Right Thing and I'm excited for her newest book by the same name to come out this Spring.)

What did YOU learn over the Winter?

In His grip and grateful for grace,

xo Jane 

Life Lately and Some Favorites

Still no Grandbaby news... Our sweet Sarah is five days past her "due date" and we're all feeling a little impatient. We've been taking walks, getting pedicures, continuing to nest, and getting lots of suggestions on how to convice this baby to put her pretty Mama into active labor. We hope tonight's Cajun Tator Tots help!

We are all trying to wait patiently on the "little woman" which made me think of  the Brad Paisley song. We are also trying to wait patiently for our kitchen to be finished. It's looking doubtful that it will happen before Thanksgiving.

Tomorrow I'll be heading over to the "Festival of Hope," the fairtrade marketplace at our church. Please check it out! It's such a great way to shop and help others around the world.

Here are this week's favorite things:

Book: I finished The Bookshop at Water's End, by Patti Callahan Henry. It was SO enjoyable and delved into the relationships between friends, mother and daughter, love, and small town life in the South. The story went back and forth between the present and past. (Sort of like "This is Us" does.)

Worship Song: "The Breakup Song," by Francesca Battstelli. Fear you will never be welcome here, and yes, there is somebody out there like you!

Quick Campbell's Soup Recipes: Since our daughter and son-in-law live with us, he mentioned some favorite meals his Mom made him. I've done two of them this week (Easy chicken and rice, and beef stroganoff) and they were both a big hit although not super low-calorie. You can find the recipes here on their website.

Friendsgiving: What fun it was to join a lot of my girlfriends from bible study and their husbands for a delicious early Thanksgiving meal. The atmosphere and food were delicious and the company was fantastic. Thank you Lott family for your hospitality! Have you participated in a Friendsgiving before? We've also been hosted by dear friends in the past when we didn't have a working kitchen and/or were in transition. (Thanks Davis and MacIntosh families!)

Holiday Blog Tours: OK, so if you know me, you know I'm kinda/sorta addicted to Hallmark Christmas Movies. While I watch them I am knitting baby girl's little blanket. If I have time to search around on the computer, you will find me getting decorating inspiration from bloggers. I love seeing their homes. Check out "Home Stories A to Z." At the bottom of Beth's post are 15 other homes you can peek into. I like how they often share where they found their products. I won't really need to purchase ANY decorations though, because last week my daughter and I went through ALL our Christmas boxes and took inventory. Then we had to put it all back in the garage because I live with a man who doesn't believe in decorating for Christmas until the day after Thanksgiving. I recommend everyone do this before heading out to any Holiday stores or to buy any new decorations. I realized I don't even have room in my home for what I own, let alone anything new! I do hope to switch up the way I use my sentimental collections of Santas, Nativity sets, Snowmen, trees and Nutcrackers.  

I am counting my blessings, and praying for California. I am trusting that God will show his faithfulness to all the victims and their families.

"To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for his own glory." Isaiah 61:3

Thank you for reading "See Jane Learn" and I wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving!

In His Grip,
xo Jane

I will leave you with a photo of my happy husband in his brand new recliner chair that we named "Mr. Comfy." We haven't picked our couch, but at least HE is happy! It should be interesting to see all the guys "fighting" for a turn over the Thanksgiving weekend.

What Matters Most: Wedding Planning for M.O.B.'s

Today is our youngest daughter's 25th birthday and it's been two months since her beautiful wedding day. I learned so many lessons during the year leading up to her special day. I have been a mother of the groom twice and now I appreciate my children's inlaws even more! Thank you Browns and Chandlers for making our son's weddings so wonderful! Here are some stories and tips for any M.O.B.'s (mother of brides) who are planning a wedding:

The budget:
My hubby told our daughter what our budget was and together they created a spreadsheet to estimate how much to allow for the different categories such as; photography, flowers, venue, dress, reception food and beverages, decorations, etc. Except for the dress snafu we did well!

Try to avoid dress drama:
I might have mentioned that my daughter chose her first wedding dress on our first day of looking last October. Yes, I said first because she changed her mind in January. She just didn't LOVE it enough... The store where it was purchased would NOT allow returns (read the fine print!) and she could not find another dress she loved enough to exchange it for. 

Here we were celebrating dress #1-back before she was expecting...

When she was able to come home from Spokane in the Spring, we ended up making an appointment at BHLDN, the wedding section of Anthropologie. Sarah found her dream dress at half the price of the first one. Shipping is free at BHLDN and we had the option to return it. The sales staff was very helpful and the experience was delightful.

We took her "no thank you dress #1" to a special consignment bridal shop up in Seattle to be sold the week before her wedding. I just received an email yesterday saying "Hi Jane, Good news--the dress you placed on consignment with us found a new home!! You should receive your check before September 30th." 

We are getting paid about a third of the original price. That said, let me say it's worth the drive up to Seattle to check out Blue Sky Bridal consignment shop since many of the dresses are still new with tags on like ours was.

Choosing a Venue:
My daughter had an idea for the look and feel she was after, so we started checking out venues in our PNW area as soon as she was engaged. (Actually, she KNEW she was getting engaged sometime soon so we may have started the hunt before he got down on one knee. Shh, don't tell!) 

All the spots we looked at up in the Seattle area were REALLY pricey. We asked friends for suggestions. We took notes and made pros and cons lists. We scoured the Internet. Our daughter had never envisioned wanting to be married at a golf course, but then we took her to Gold Mountain Golf Course. The coordinator showed us the beautiful, rustic, light-filled room for the reception and then drove us out to the woods to see where the ceremony could take place. 

When tears started streaming down her face, we knew it was THE SPOT! It also helped that the cost was totally in the budget we'd set, it was only a 30-minute drive from home and we were open to a Friday evening ceremony rather than a Saturday. The food was incredibly delicious, the staff was super helpful and we would recommend Gold Mountain to everyone!

Wedding details:
Even though we'd had 12 months to plan and looked organized on paper, I began to worry about the logistics of the day as it drew closer. Things like, "how would the reception room get decorated the day-of?" kept me up at night. 

Despite my fears, the bridal party not only looked amazing, but they pitched in and helped me. We were able to take a lot of our candles and other decor items up to the venue the night before when we went to the dress rehearsal. I won't go into all the details, but between my daughter-in-law Amy scaling a ladder to hang the macrame hoops and the parents of the groom (Thank you, Vanderlindas!) assisting me in securing the greenery to chairs out in the woods after family photos, it all got done! 

It was simple and perfect and none of the guests knew I'd had a few moments of angst getting lost while driving a golf cart (my first time) loaded with lanterns and greenery out to the woods alone a half hour before I needed to be dressed for family photos. 

As I watched my darling baby girl walk up the aisle with her Daddy (my wonderful husband of 35 years) toward her forever love, all the preparation was worth it. Such JOY!

Does, Don'ts and Tips:

• Create a To-Do list on Google documents.
• Do NOT get sucked into buying a dress the first day you look.  
• Do NOT say "yes to the dress" until you've gone to at least two or three locations and tried on different styles. It really doesn't take months for dresses to be shipped so don't think you have to choose WAY in advance. 
• Preferably choose a bridal salon that has its options hanging where the bride can see them.
• Do be open-minded. Our daughter wanted her oldest brother to officiate her ceremony and Mitch did an amazing job. He also wore the "hat" of D.J. and saved us a bundle of $.
• A day-of coordinator is probably worth the money! 
• If the budget doesn't allow for a day-of coordinator, don't ask the bridesmaids; ask your Posse of girlfriends! 
• Location matters. Pierce County is cheaper than King County, and only having to drive half an hour was helpful.
• Once your daughter has chosen her reception decor, stop looking at Pinterest and Bridal magazines!
• If it's a Summer wedding, have more white wine than red.
• Ikea, Craig's list, friends, are all good resources for decor. It doesn't have to be new or pricey to look good!
• Simple is best. The focus should be on the couple, not impressing the guests.

I would love to answer any specific questions you might have if you have an upcoming wedding to plan, so please feel free to ask in the comments section and I'll get back to you!

I will leave you with this... Mama might have a stressed-out bride if she is in charge of a High School yearbook and accidentally finds herself pregnant 5 months before the wedding!! Thankfully the yearbook got completed and looked fantastic, our daughter managed to pack up and move across the State a week before the wedding AND she was a lovely expectant bride!

God, who is always good and created marriage, blessed Sarah and Nick on July 6th. 

Everything that mattered most was accomplished, and the day was amazing. 

THEY ARE MARRIED and the countdown to our first grandbaby, their sweet baby girl, is only 57 days away! WE ARE SO EXCITED!

In His Grip,
xo Jane

P.S. So here's a ridiculous thing that happened. With dress #1 (the reject) we were given a $200 accessory allowance. AKA trick to get us to buy on day one. When I picked up the gown to take it to the consignment shop, I reminded them of the $200. I got to choose an accessory. Who knew a hair comb could be so expensive? I can't even... It did look pretty!

Thanks for reading "See Jane Learn" and I look forward to hearing from you!

What I Learned This Summer

1. Without a "to-do" list, I procrastinate.
So, I was going to link this post to Emily P. Freeman's blog like I usually do at the end of each Season, but alas, I didn't write in time even though I know Summer is over. I wrote two lists this week using apps on my cell phone; Evernote and Apple Reminders. I wanted to see which was easier to use and I think "reminders" is the winner. It automatically makes the little circles I get to mark as I complete each task. I can also use it to make shopping lists.

2. Keep at it.
When I organized and "staged" our home last Fall when we thought we were moving, I packed away items that we wouldn't need until Spring or Summer. For the life of me, I could NOT find my sandals. I had one pair and flip flops but not the rest. This went on until late July when I was cleaning out my husband's side of our walk-in closet. I spotted a white kitchen garbage sack on the floor under his shirts and guess what was inside? Yep, about four pairs of sandals. Who knows why I stashed them there instead of in a labeled box out in our garage. Speaking of our garage, that leads me to my next lesson...
Lesson Learned: Clean and purge your closet often. I love this article written by Courtney Carver (no relation.)

3. I am beginning to understand why some families have a storage unit.
In the interest of attempting to become more of a minimalist and less of a sentimental hoarder, I have been judgemental about people that have storage units. "Why would someone pay money to store things they aren't using?"Maybe, just maybe, they have a Newlywed couple living downstairs who needs to store most of their belongings, plus shower and wedding gifts, and they don't want to have it taking over their garage!
Lesson Learned: Every family has a story and goes through the changing seasons. Don't judge.

4. What? I can't hear you!
If you have a friend that smiles and nods when you're telling a story across the table and it makes you wonder if they were really listening, it could be that they have some hearing loss and they just couldn't hear what you said. I've had my hearing checked years ago but I've been getting frustrated lately that I miss some conversations. I finally made an appointment at Costco for a free hearing screening. ugh! Not sure if I'm happy that it confirmed that I definitely could benefit from hearing aids. I am NOT that old. They are NOT that cheap or covered by insurance. We'll revisit the idea sometime in the future.
Lesson Learned: Hearing aides will help but they're expensive. Boo.

6. Take advantage of opportunities!
I've been a Rachel Hollis fan for a few years. She is an author, lifestyle blogger, podcast host, and general encourager that I discovered on social media. I could almost be her Mama, but her words resonate with me. I've read her fiction books and own her first cookbook and New York Times bestseller, Girl, Wash Your Face. When I learned that she'd made a documentary movie and it was being shown one night at local theaters in early August, I bought tickets for my daughter and me.
I am SO glad we went! My Sarah was very inspired and took great notes. We definitely left feeling empowered. I've attended marriage conferences, MOPS and Southern Living@Home conventions, but the "Made For More" documentary was the first time I'd gathered with others to be inspired while watching a movie.
Lesson learned: Live conferences are the best, but any gathering of people is way more advantageous than just watching or reading something by yourself.

7. Fear and Chairs go together.
Every Tuesday morning I head to my friend's property for Bible study with friends. This Summer we read two great books. The first was Breaking the Fear Cycle by Maria Furlough and the next was In the Right Seat by Dean Curry. We had great discussions about anxiety, our fears, faith, and trust. We also became convicted to be ready for any conversations that God brings our way. I highly recommend both these books.

I am a bit stuck right now thinking about finding the right recliner for my husband that will look good in our great room. I am fearful for this chair! I am trying to procure a sofa, HIS chair, and loveseat to replace our broken leather sectional and stay in our budget.  I decided to be brave and reach out to one of my favorite bloggers, (Nesting With Grace) and ask her opinion. Brooke answered my email! She gave me the confidence to continue on my quest.
Lesson Learned: When I need the confidence to fight fear, just ask! Ask your community of friends or family, but especially ask God for help. He hears and he answers.

8. My family packed a lot into the three months of Summer:
We celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary, found out our first grandbaby will be a GIRL, cheered our boys and our oldest daughter-in-law as they participated in another Hoopfest in Spokane, moving our youngest and her fiance' from Spokane to our lower level, hosted a fabulous wedding at Gold Mountain, saw the most amazing view of Seattle on a dinner date at The Golf Club at Newcastle, had fun days nannying baby Hazel and celebrated her turning one, cookouts and celebrations with friends, I golfed for the first time in years, farmer's markets, walks around our beautiful town, a HARD visit back to Indiana to see my Mama, saw whales right next to our friend's boat, prayed for the PNW and California fires to be put out and the firefighters and families as we dealt with smokey skies for several weeks, and ended the season by celebrating my birthday over in Spokane with our middle two kiddos. Whew! I am blessed.

As you look back on your 2018 Summer, I hope the joys outweighed the sorrows and that you were able to make some memories. I'll leave you with some photos of what we packed into June, July, and August.

In His Grip and Grateful for Grace, 
xo Jane