gypsy for Jesus?

I blame you, cute gypsy girl from Sherlock Holmes. 
The true story is I most definitely fell asleep during Sherlock Holmes, but every time I woke up I thought - "man, I want to be a gypsy". The jewel tones! The full, nappy hair that I already have! The floppy hat! The blatant disregard for editing when it comes to accessories! I want to be a gypsy!". 

And then I found a $3 floppy hat from H&M and it was on. 

And heaven help me, ya'll. 
I may have had a conversation with my husband where I may have used the phrase "gypsy for Jesus". If I can spiritualize wearing floppy hats and flowy skirts, I will try. 
No for real - it still seems right to me. 
Except gypsies are notorious crooks. 
Oh well. Maybe we can give them a new reputation?


Bring on the bangles. 
And please tell me I'm not the only weirdy who gets hooked on some sort of visual scheme and wants to integrate it into every single ever loving piece of their life. 
Chevron anyone? 
Missoni knows what I'm talking about. 
either way -
this gypsy loves yall. 

win-win.

Love to support adoptions? yes. 
Love God's word? yes. 
Want to shepherd your kiddos well? yes. 
Know any kids anywhere? yes. 


This, friends, is what we call a win-win. 

If you don't already know about Truthcards, trust me - YOU WANT TO. 
My friend Jenna, who is a super genuine loving and beautiful mama to three beautiful bebe girls, started a company with her husband making flashcards of scripture for kiddos. 
Truthcards are INVALUABLE in our home and I know they'd be a blessing in yours. 


Not only is Jenna a great mom and business owner, 
but she's also a super precious friend. 
And this week, she's donating the profits of Truthcards to her friends Jessica & Travis as they raise money to adopt a little girl. Here are Jenna's words about their fundraiser. 

Jessica Carpenter is one of the most beautiful people that I know, both inside and out. Over the past several years, I’ve had the privilege of seeing the Lord increase her beauty with His refining fire. Recently, a big part of that process has been the fleshing out of His call for their family to adopt a daughter. I picture Jessica’s mind like an incredibly organized whirlwind. She reads, thinks, talks and types faster than anyone that I know and is a social networking queen. The Lord is using these gifts for His glory. Jessica and her husband Travis have become a voice for the voiceless orphans of this world. Through their call to adopt, they have read books, attended conferences, hosted a conference, joined an Adoption Missional Community and more… Jess has tweeted, blogged, Facebooked and told the world about it along the way, opening many hearts to the idea of caring for orphans (James 1:27) along the way. The Carpenter family has a goal of raising $28,000. For Jessica’s birthday, I wanted to give her the gift of easing the burden of fundraising. So, through Saturday, February 25, all proceeds from Truthcards sales will go directly to the Carpenter Adoption Fund.

And knowing Jessica, I have to agree. She's a serious joy. And a whirlwind o' goodness. 

So here's my encouragement: 

buy truthcards, because they're amazing. 

but also because this week - they go to help bring a baby girl home to a family. 

You can read more & buy Truthcards right here. 

You can read more about the Carpenter family and their adoption here. 

You can also follow Jessica & Jenna on twitter, because they're awesome:). 

like an arrow.

this girl is learning that walks in the snow are the best

I'm still praying and mulling over what the Lord wants from Naptime Diaries in 2012. 

I know it's February. But I just moved, so I'm giving myself some grace:). 

I can't get away from the phrase "a true story" no matter how hard I try. 

At the same time I feel burdened to tell an absolutely true story, I feel this new and fresh burden to keep my life safe. And over time I've noticed a completely parallel burden emerging to keep this story safe. 

Because it's only my story for a split second of the day.

And then it becomes everyone else's story and how much right do I have to tell that?

So while my favorite blogs to read are those where I can saddle up with a cup of coffee and hear a sister's heart and see her days and learn from her and laugh with her, I realize I've offered none of that myself. I've been the quiet girl at the coffee date which is literally the exact opposite of who I know He's made me to be. 

So here it is friend. 

Do you have some coffee? 

I'll tell you straight up that this HCG diet is making me lose my taste for coffee. 

Hence the tea I'd be drinking if we were together. 

And that is a heart issue. I'm laughing now, but it's true. 

Because if I'm not a coffee drinker, who am I?

Through laughter I'd agree that I'm a daughter of the most High King. 

But Oh, I love some coffee. 

pink pancakes

Anyhow, you wanted an update? 

Well, we moved to Fort Wayne two weeks ago and we are living in a sweet and precious limbo. Nick is spending the bulk of his days at the church and figuring out his place there and I'm with the Connolly brood and in the other times we're figuring out how to have a family-run Etsy shop. And we're living with our precious new friends and we're awed by their graciousness and we're in that funny limbo of wanting to stay in a perpetual sleepover and yearning to give them their own space. Yearning to have our own space, you know - just so that we can have THEM over.

kiddos crafting it up. 

And community is a precious limbo too. 

In the quiet moments, I have that heart-burn-in-the-bottom-of-your-stomach ache that screams, "WHY DID YOU LEAVE A PLACE WHERE YOU WERE KNOWN?". A place where you could cry at community group, you could go to breakfast with your best friends with only five minutes prior planning, you could pop in for a playdate, you could drive two hours and cuddle with your sister and your mom or let your kids play with their cousins. And that fleshly voices deceivingly asks, "What if you're never known here? What if you're misunderstood here? What if you don't fit here?". And in an instant, the deeply implanted truth of His Spirit reminds me that I'm known by the One who named me. Argument over. 

gloriana at the vday party

But the obvious for me would normally be to jump in. In all ways. Volunteer, Serve, Meet, Greet, Play, Talk, Get to know, Build. And yet, sweetly, this time - I feel like the Lord is reminding me of hindsight. And I can look back on other seasons of transition  and see myself clambering to make and to build and know and to jump in, and it was just too much for this small-plated-sister. So instead, no matter how many wonderful women I meet or how many playdates I am tempted to set up right now, for the most part - I'm just living. Meeting the needs of our crew, and our business, and looking for a place to settle so we can then, dig into some community. 

precious arrow painting by Hello Hue, a vday gift from my man. 

My friend and discipler, Elizabeth, said something that blessed my heart so much I am claiming it. Begging the Lord for it to be so. When I told her the story of Fort Wayne and moving and Gospel Community, she said - it seemed like an arrow. (which is of course a precious reference for me) But she said it's like when an arrow is being pulled back to be set free and it is pulling and stretching and painful. She compared that to the season we've just walked through. It's not been miserable or tormenting, but it's been stretching and pulling and hard in plenty of ways. And she spoke that it seemed that this next season was the letting go of the arrow - to fly forward. 

Is that such a beautiful thing to speak or what? 

And I'm saying, Yes Lord - let it be.

I think we've been pulled and stretched and I can almost perceive that the Lord is holding this arrow very still as we settle. As He aims us. Gets us ready. And maybe sloughs off some of the debris left still on our hearts. 

And I pray He lets go soon. 

And I pray He sends this family out into His world, for His glory. 

Fast and gentle, mighty and humbled. 

Like an arrow. 

vday.

In honor of the day, I want to tell you one thing I love about each of my valentines. 

Nick: I love that you are so incredibly quick to forgive. I've never seen you not forgive.
Elias: I am obsessed with your ability to comprehend biblical concepts. I am positive that you understand the passover better than I do. 
Gloriana: Oh girl. I love your nod. Your incessant, hopeful, helpful, persistent little nod of your head. Only a mama can know what lies behind a nod like that.
Benja: I love that you're breaking out of the old I'm-going-to-pretend-like-I-don't-like-anyone shell. Nala the dog, Ben at church, and me - we're all on to you. You LIKE us. 


In all seriousness, Connolly Family: I love you guys. 
I don't deserve to be the wife and mama of such a special brood. 
I love you all so much. 


And also in honor of the day, how about two new prints and a QUICK 24 hours sale? 
If your hunny forgot to buy you a gift, 
or you forgot to buy your hunny a gift (oh gasp)
or you just need an excuse for some new scripture prints in your home - today's the day. 

Until midnight PST, use coupon code VDAY30 for 30% off everything in the shop! 

Like, maybe, specifically, these two: 

psalm 139

do everything

Or any of these oldies & goodies.

it is well, strength & dignity, tears, greatest

But most of all, have a precious valentines.

Tell somebody you love em. 

And tell them who else loves them. 

Amen?

double me over

On that morning, I'm so upright. 
In my own eyes. 
Popping or crawling or dragging from bed and starting the work. 
Like the woman who cares for her house as I 
clean them
dress them
clean me
dress me
feed me
Fuss and pester over the hairs and the old mascara and 
the too tight pants. 


And hours passed and
there are bites of the tongue
and sweat on the brow
and children to herd
and cars to park
and then
We're there. 


Hopefully, hopefully. 
In the throne room. 
Before Him, with our brothers and sisters
calling and crying and keeping our eyes fast on Him. 
Fingers over my mumbling lips and then arms 
thrust in praise. 


And then.
Doubled over. 
Hunched in my chair 
as I feel the weight of Him
cleaning me
(by His blood)
dressing me 
(in righteousness)
feeding me 
(with his goodness and wholeness). 


And the rags I'm wearing feel like just that. 
And the paint on my face feels like just that. 
I'm just a lady. 
Doubled over by the goodness of God. 
Staring down at a journal, a coffee cup, some shoes that now 
make me feel silly for trying to 
dress up this life. 


If you can 
Well, You always Can. 
Double me over, Father. 
On the Monday.
On Thursday. 
In the middle of the day. 
In the middle of the night. 
Pry my fingers open till I relinquish every
shred of mighty or strong or capable. 
And fill this weakened 
doubled over girl
with Your strength alone.