Chasing Blue Skies

One Thing That Makes All the Difference Wherever You Are

I carefully led my toddler boys to an empty square of grass on the patchwork of moms and tiny children, content to sit for as long as my boys would let me. The local Easter egg hunt had been a raving success, so James and Ethan were anxious to explore every bit of their booty. The air wasn’t too chilly, but I wrapped my jacket around me tighter anyway. We had recently moved, and I still felt uncomfortably out of place in our new town.

That’s when I noticed her, the petite blonde holding a cute, wavy-haired little boy who was happily pulling stickers out of eggs and putting them on his shirt and jeans.

I don’t remember exactly how we struck up a conversation, but Rebecca and I chatted comfortably from the get-go. We shared common ground as military wives new in town, and things just flowed easily from there. Before I packed up my tired kids and their Easter loot, she kindly invited our family over for dinner.

We were friends for a few months when God gave a cherry-on-top blessing by making us neighbors for almost three years before my family moved again.

Years later, both our families once again live in the same neighborhood. Her family moved here a year before mine, and for the first time we experienced what it was like to live in a new place with old friends.

People, it made all the difference.

I’m still surprised how God used that spring day and an open patch of grass to stage the beginning a favorite relationship. He arranges our futures in the most unsuspecting ways, doesn’t He? Every move we make and direction we follow has a purpose. Even if you are new in town, you are not out-of-place but comfortably and completely in His place.

Sometimes, just knowing this makes all the difference.

If you are sharing your own surprise or unexpected memory of spring, here are some things to remember:

1. New to link-up’s or have questions? Read this first.

2. Since we all dig surprises, please surprise another writer by leaving a comment on her post *or* by giving her a facebook shout-out or tweet. Use the hashtag: #outoftheblue.

3. Be sure to include the out of the blue banner {see below} in your post or link back to Chasing Blue Skies so your readers can join in the fun. That way, we can all easily find each other.

Next week’s prompt: How did God use a Scripture verse or passage to speak to you in a surprising or unexpected way?

<a href="http://chasingblueskies.net/?cat=47" title=""><img src="http://chasingblueskies.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/outoftheblue_final_draft_A.jpg" alt="" title="" style="border:none;" /></a>

Also, the winner of Alexandra Kuykendall’s book The Artist’s Daughter was Melissa! Congrats Melissa, and you should have already received an email from me!

May 9, 2013 4 Comments Filed Under: Friendship, Military

For the Mamas and Mama-Mentors {Free Printable!}

By Kristen

Every so often, as my almost-taller-than-me children and I cruise the aisles at the grocery store or Target, some sweet soul will notice one of my sons sporting his favorite Maui t-shirt. They want to know: Did you vacation there recently? Once they find out we lived there, they follow-up with the same question: What’s that like?? But given the drive-by nature of grocery store encounters, we have to answer in a way that sums it all up.

So, one of us usually gives an answer along the lines of,

“It had it’s highs and lows, but we wouldn’t trade our time there for anything!”

It’s a whole lot easier to say this than go into all the details.

When I think of all that encompasses our lives as a Mama, I think the same words pretty much sum up our job title.

“It has its highs and lows, but we wouldn’t trade our time there for anything!”

free printable version here

If you would like a little extra something special to give your own mama or mama-mentor in your life, maybe print this off and place it in a frame or card for her?

Mama: Such a simple word for such a busy calling.

Much love to all the mamas, aunts, friends, and mentors out there who freely and generously invest in others.

Enjoy your day, friends!

May 8, 2013 3 Comments Filed Under: Being a Woman, Family, Holidays, Parenting

When You Want to See Yourself More Clearly

By Kristen

He finds me in the kitchen stirring jambalaya and adding parsley to the crockpot bowl. He sidles up next to me and almost whispers it,

“Guess what happened today, Mama?”

I turn to find his eyes flickering warmth like a good spring day and ask, “What happened today?”

“Well, I showed some of my drawings to my friend Harry, and he liked them! He said he thought I was a really good artist.”

I smile big and answer, “Well, that’s because you are a very good artist!”

He gives me a look that says You have to say that because you’re my Mama.

No son, I say it because it’s true. But perhaps it’s more expected that Mama-me would say it. It’s not expected from others, and I think that’s what makes it exciting. I see this written all over his handsome little face: Kind encouragement from others wipe the grime and dust from our own mirror showing us a more genuine, beautiful picture of ourselves.

It makes the real us feel known.

“For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I am known in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” ~1 Corinthians 13:12

God knows us fully, right down to the dustiest corners of our heart. We rest in this always because He loves us always. But sometimes, He surprises us by dropping unexpected encouragement into our laps from other folks, the kind of encouragement that can turn an inheritance of grief into an inheritance of grace. The kind that surprises us by helping us see ourselves more accurately.

Recently I read a beautiful, poignant memoir called The Artist’s Daughter by Alexandra Kuykendall. I met Alex at Allume last fall and then again in Denver a couple weeks ago. She is honest, genuine, and pure delight – all qualities that dance in her lovely writing.

In The Artist’s Daughter, Alex writes of her childhood as the daughter of a single doting mother and a famous Spanish artist who was not regularly involved in her life. While I have no idea what it’s like to grow up without a father, I can identify with wounds caused by disappointing realities and wishing for different, of wanting to be fully known as only God sees. And really, who couldn’t?

Alex writes of how she learned to turn an inheritance of grief into one of grace, and what this looks like in herself, her marriage, and her mothering. It is a compelling story that touches tender places relevant to my life and probably yours, too.

Because I loved it so much, I’m {surprise!} giving away one copy to one person who links up *or* comment below. I will draw a winner from the total link-ups and comments and announce that winner on the blog next week. But if you don’t want to wait for your own copy of The Artist’s Daughter, you may now find it here or here.

May it bless you as wildly as it blessed me.

Giveaway copy generously provided by Revell.

If you are sharing your own surprise story, here are some things to remember:

1. New to link-up’s or have questions? Read this first.

2. Since we all dig surprises, please surprise another writer by leaving a comment on her post *or* by giving her a facebook shout-out or tweet. Use the hashtag: #outoftheblue.

3. Be sure to include the out of the blue banner {see below} in your post or link back to Chasing Blue Skies so your readers can join in the fun. That way, we can all easily find each other.

Next week’s prompt: A memory of spring that surprises you! I’ll just tell you right now mine might have something to do with all the springtime snow we’ve seen. {Hello, 2 hour school delay on May 2nd!} I look forward to reading how your own unexpected surprise story of spring increased your joy or made a difference in your life!

May 2, 2013 21 Comments Filed Under: Authors Extraordinaire, Being a Woman, Family, Giveaway, out of the blue

Keeping It Real

By Kristen

I threw open my front door this past Saturday and welcomed friends old and new into my home.

I wasn’t the only one, either.

Now just between you and me, a whole lot of my to-do’s for this shindig went undone. I didn’t mop my doggy streaked floors, place freshly laundered rugs and hand towels in the guest bathroom, make my mushroom appetizers, or arrange crafts and ice breakers. I did hang a few Chinese lanterns, fill vases with daffodils and sunflowers, prepare a couple goodies {guests kindly brought everything else}, and set a tea table pretty enough for Princess Kate but laid back enough for us non-royals.

Basically, I prepared things I find fun to prepare while forgetting a lot of the rest. And wonder of wonders, no one seemed to care a lick about all the things left undone.

It was the real (in)RL, where the come-as-you-are philosophy shows up not just in sentiment but in real life. Every heart needs a home to rest in, and who rests amidst polished and perfect?

To those who came to my home: I had loads of fun, and I hope you did too. Thanks for the relaxing conversation and abundant laughter and for listening to my Rambly McRambles self go on and on about crazy stuff. That’s what you get with me.

In real life.