thanks to Laura, for this guest post. I personally needed to hear this…enjoy!
I’m realizing that maybe the most precious part of my day, my mama-daily-grind, is wrapped up in 30 minutes.
30 minutes of intentionality.
30 minutes of out-of-sight iphone.
30 minutes of presence.
Life is hectic, too hectic frequently, am I right?
Some days I’m not sure whether I’m coming or going. In a whirlwind that is my life: sticky-snack messes, laundry, cooking, ministry, exercising, emails…the important things can get lost.
Misplaced in the shuffle.
I am a task-oriented person. And as much as I adore people and relationships, the task is my default.
What can I do, accomplish, conquer? How?awesome can be today?
And while productivity can be a good thing, it can often leave myself and my family in a sad, lonely state.
I mean, if an extra load of laundry is separating me from memories made and tighter bonds formed with my 4 loves, it’s all for nothing.
So, in my recovering rules-bent/legalistic self, I am reminding myself to live out a guideline, a goal if-you-will.
Spend 10 intentional, glorious minutes fully-focused, fully-present on each child, everyday.
And yes, I know what you might be thinking. 10 minutes isn’t really that long of a time frame, Laura. I get it. And I totally agree.
But if I can aim for that 10 minutes, it is my starting point, my recovering addict-of-merit beginning.
I remember when Landon (our oldest) was a baby and toddler. I would spent hours upon hours with him. Gushing at his cuteness, peering over his crib. Stacking blocks and knocking them down with ensuing precious baby giggles in his room. We’d go for walks, read books…nearly all of my time was for him and with him.
Now that sweet boy is nearly 5, Charlotte is 3 and Aiden turned 1 at the end of March. I’m a busy mama.
Landon loves playing Lego’s or Playmobile guys right now. His creativity and desire to engage in conversation and the “big boy” world just blesses my heart.
Charlotte prefers her princess castle. Ariel and Sleeping Beauty often have lunch, discussing what pie to bake or their latest princess dress. She is my girlie-girl?to the core.
Aiden, as a typical 1-year-old, is a wildcard. We can read books (okay, one book at time), build a block tower or play peek-a-boo. He’s my easy-going love.
I try to engage with the kids where they’re at, in whatever activity they want Mama to play.
Life has it’s ebbs and flows, and this season is a bit nutty. Beautiful, but nutty.
We all have to start somewhere. And after taking inventory, this is my somewhere.
In what areas of your life are you sensing the need to be more intentional?
Through Unspeakable Joy,
Laura
you can find Laura on her blog, Facebook, twitter, and instagram.
was it all a dream?
It’s Sunday morning and I’m sitting in the corner leather chair of our local Starbucks, trying to wrap my mind around all I just experienced last week in Rwanda. For some reason, the re-entry this time has been really hard. Maybe because I’ve highly anticipated this surprise dream trip since the very beginning of 2014? Maybe because it’s summer, and coming home meant being thrown back into full time mom mode? Maybe because unlike the last few trips I’ve taken, I don’t have another one on the calendar just yet? Maybe because that trip was unlike any trip I’ll probably ever take….
I don’t know what it is, but it’s hard. I’ve been re-reading my posts, and instagrams, and reading through all of your comments this morning. trying to take it all in…
I loved getting to share on the blog about Grace and how she has empowered me and given me purpose in my work as a Noonday ambassador.
I loved getting to share about Baraka and the work that IJM is doing in the field and how like her, we can all be advocates. We can all sing a song of empowerment and justice together – think of what could happen when we all just play our note? Together we make a beautiful song.
I have another post I can’t wait to share with you this week about International Justice Mission and how we can all join hands and be part of their work of bringing justice to the poor. I am fired up about this organization, y’all – they are the real deal. and I can’t wait to share that passion with you.
Are you doing the She Reads Truth justice plan right now? it’s not too late to start – I’ve loved studying and learning more about biblical justice and what we, as believers, are called to. Download their new app for free on the app store, or follow along on their website here.
this feels more like a public service announcement. but y’all, I still don’t have the words. I pray that as I get a little bit of time here and there alone to process, that I’ll continue to share stories with you here. As my bestie Brynn told me before the trip, “I don’t feel like you will fully process what this trip means until long after you’ve returned”. So true, Brynn. I’m diving into an ocean here, and there’s a lot to swim through.
finally, I’m clearing out some samples to make room for my fall Noonday samples – and having an AUCTION style 36 hour shin dig over on my personal Facebook page starting Monday morning at 8am CST. Starting tomorrow at 8am CST, even if we aren’t Facebook friends you should be able to access the album. You can find it here.
well friends, that’s about all I can muster today. I just had to pop in and tell you a little bit about where my heart is. I would appreciate any prayers you want to offer up on my behalf. Enjoy your Sunday.
Baraka.
Her name means blessing, and a blessing she is. Baraka never liked her name, but once her pastor father told her the meaning, she wouldn’t dare change it. Her name gave her identity, it brought freedom and empowered her, as she says, to bless people and be a blessing.
Baraka is the client care team leader for the IJM field office in Kigali, Rwanda and she is my hero. As we sat around the table, leaned in, and sipped our coffee this week we learned about the ridiculously hard but worthy work that IJM is doing around the world to transform lives and entire justice systems. My friend Jen wrote a fantastic post yesterday explaining the importance of the work that IJM does in developing countries, and I urge you to go read her post (here). Can we go back to my friend Baraka? Good, because I like talking about her. Baraka is the woman who makes IJM’s clients feel safe. She accompanies them to their interviews, facilitates counseling for them and more than that she gets to know them. It’s all about relationship with Baraka, and once she establishes that trust, her clients feel safe with her. Her goal, as a client care worker is to help her clients reach a level where they can freely share.
  Rwanda has a young justice system, and counselors + client care for abused girls is still a developing program, yall. Baraka is paving the way and going before so many. I’m confident she’ll watch this country continue to raise from the ashes. In her words, “When God creates you with a purpose, he gives you the energy and passion you will need. Knowing God and knowing it’s not my work but Gods work through me.” If that doesn’t make you want to pull up a chair and have a cup of coffee with her, then well.
Baraka is the new face of advocacy in this country. She is rising up, building relationships and giving her life away for others.
fighter. campaigner. promoter. spokeswoman. ADVOCATE.
photo cred: Kelle Hampton
the same words could be used to describe every single one of our 600+ Noonday ambassadors around the country, and most definitely our leader + founder, and my good friend Jessica Honegger.
We too are advocates! We too are all about building relationships. This is a new way – and while it’s an idea that might be hard to grasp at first, please hear me out on this.
The reason why we advocate for and are able to create economic opportunity for the vulnerable in 10 countries around the world?
It’s our artisans.
The passion in our hearts is to empower them to create their own sustainable business. We aren’t giving them a hand out, but a hand up. We don’t believe giving these artisans a “hand out “is a sustainable long-term solution to poverty. Instead, we come alongside of them. We cheer for them, we are spokeswomen for them, we promote their work by creating a marketplace for them. We are creating dignified work for them.
Our desire is not only to advocate and empower them, but to watch them grow. We are delighted in the beauty of their work, and when they grow, we grow. We work together, the artisans and us. We are women, and they are women. Neither is better. We are growing and learning from each other along the way.
I learned so much this week from our seamstresses about hard work. I watched as Grace + Esperanze designed their first item all by themselves. I watched as they kept their cool working with material they hadn’t worked with much before. I watched their strength to press forward, to not give up, and to be proud of their work.
With all the #StyleForJustice team, 25 Noonday ambassadors and 13 seamstresses gathered today, Charlotte declared that our ambassadors give them more zeal to work knowing that their are women in America representing them.
With tears in her yes, Jessica told our group today that together we are “singing a song of empowerment, a song of justice” and I love the picture that we are each singing our notes and together creating a more beautiful world.
For me personally, becoming a part of our ambassador family has allowed me to be an advocate and voice for our artisans in vulnerable places all over world. The relationships I’ve built within the ambassador family and several of our artisan groups in east Africa are irreplaceable. These are my people, and I’m honored to use my voice and advocate for our artisans alongside of the ambassador family.
photo cred: Kelle Hampton
I’d love it if you would think about how you could use your voice and advocate as a Noonday ambassador. Why not?
because of you
because of you I am empowered. because of you I have purpose and passion in my work. because of you I can help support my family.
because of you I have the courage to travel half way across the world to tell you how proud I am of you, and how much I delight in your work.
you, sweet Grace, have changed my life.
from the outside this scenario might appear backwards. but don’t be fooled. When you sat next to me at lunch today, and told me that you have the skills you have because of me, I cried.
I cried because you have no idea what your strength, my friend has done for me.
your story is one of deep loss, and heartache, but you have overcome.
when the world would have told you to give up after you lost your father, aunts, and older brother in the genocide and were forced to flee your village at 5 years old holding tightly your mothers hand…you didn’t give up .
you overcame.
you believed in yourself, and you had hope.
even when the world laughed and mocked you for not being able to your education, you instead pursued an opportunity to go to sewing school.
When I came to Rwanda 3 years ago as a new ambassador, and heard of the opportunity to partner with Grace to send her to sewing school, I had no idea that all these years later I would actually be getting to design and sew with her! I couldn’t have imagined on a Sunday afternoon in October that a friendship would be formed between 22 year old Grace and I. Her’s is the story I will be telling at all of my trunk shows this fall.
I meant it when I said today that you (and all of our Noonday artisans!) give me purpose. you give me something to believe in, a way to spend my life for the poor and the oppressed from my small town in west Texas.
It’s not just me, I know I speak for the group of 600+ ambassadors who are back at home right now advocating on your behalf. We are championing you in living rooms all across America and are so proud to have the opportunity to share your stories with the world.
You inspire us, bring us hope, and encourage us with your joy and courage. You all are my heros! [ and I can't wait to show off the amazing #styleforjustice line to my friends on August 7th!!]
we work together, you and I.
like a cord that is not easily broken, we need each other, to stand back-to-back and conquer.
we can’t do it on our own. two are better than one.
“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken” Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Today I sat on the floor at the co-op and watched Kelle and Esperanza braid a 3 cord strand of fabric and as Kelle held one end, and Esperanza held the other I got this great picture of the importance of partnership. That fabric would not have been completed had one of those women been braiding alone. It took both of them, working together, harnessing their gifts and in the end creating something beautiful together.
Noonday Collection is committed to partnering with artisan groups all over the world, not just with our sewing co-op in Rwanda, but also with our growing artisan group in Uganda, our new partnership in Haiti and fabulous groups in 7 other countries!
Noonday is bringing hope, dignity and economic opportunity to vunerable people all over the world, and it makes my heart so giddy to know that we are a part of that movement. the great and amazing thing is – YOU can be a part too! Sign up to be an ambassador – or if you want to get your feet wet, concider being a part of our first ever #nationwidetrunkshow on August 7th by connecting with a local ambassador and opening up your home to host!
Be sure you visit our #styleforjustice trip page to get more information on IJM + Noonday Collection and sign up for exclusive updates from our trip!
photos by Kelle Hampton + Paige Knusden
continued from “humbled“//part 2 [some of this I posted in my original announcement post of the #StyleForJustice trip, but here's the full post] [I had to post because TODAY, TODAY these dreams really are coming true! I'm headed to Austin to get on a flight tomorrow morning for Rwanda!]
Let me just back up, and remind you that I am a dreamer. Let me remind you of what I posted on 12.3.13 here.
“If you know me, you know that I like to dream. I’ve never been much of a dreamer before the past few years, but now I can’t stop. You see, I think dreams are like stories. Everyone has one, sometimes we are just afraid to say them out loud. That’s been on my heart a few months, yall. If you aren’t dreaming, are you pursuing? Dreaming doesn’t mean everything you dream about is going to happen, but if you don’t dare to dream, will you ever know? That’s why I’ve made it a habit to speak my dreams out loud. To really go for it. [even though it is scary!]”
|
My habit of “dreaming out loud” has taken me some pretty amazing places. On a mission trip with our church in spring of 2011 to El Salvador to tell stories with pictures, on a trip to Rwanda with Jessica to photograph Jack going from orphan to son in 2011, in March it took me to Uganda with Sole Hope as I led my very first blogger trip.
Another dream I’ve been dreaming for awhile, VERY OUT LOUD, has been to be able to go on a storytelling or ambassador trip with Noonday. While getting to travel with Jessica to visit out artisans + also visiting our artisans on other trips alone should have been enough..I wanted to do it with our Noonday family. Jessica had been dropping hints to me about a big storytelling trip this summer and my mind and heart couldn’t help but dream! What if!?!?! It seemed [and is] way out of my leauge. a total long shot that I would even be concidered to be a participant on this dream trip.
well, friends i’m here to tell you that dreams really do come true! Something that I had literally dreamed out loud with a friend HAPPENED TO ME! Something that in my words was “the craziest thing in the history of the world that would never ever happen” happened! y’all! a true “oprah moment!”
saturday morning at the Noonday Ambassador conference after Jen Hatmaker + Jennie Allen had spoken to our crew, Jessica got up and started to announce this big story telling trip that Noonday would be taking to Rwanda this summer in collaboration with International Justice Mission [what?!?!!!] She goes through every name + short bio of each of the 5 big time bloggers that were invited on this trip, and then she proceeds to say something to the effect of…there are a few blogger ambassadors who bring a good amount of traffic to our Noonday website, and it wouldn’t be fair for them to not get the opportunity to go, would it? She says she has 2 names on the list, and then she asks me and Paige to come to the front. I hope I get to see the video of that one day.
Knees shaking, heart pounding, tears streaming….I walked to the front hand in hand with my good friend Paige, as we stood in front of our Noonday sisters and through tears, told them what this trip meant to each of us. I was praying short prayers as Paige talked for the Spirit to speak through me when it would be my turn to get the microphone – and the words that flowed? DREAM YOUR DREAMS OUT LOUD! I spoke of how God had completely humbled me the night before. “I started to believe that there was something more, that there was a bigger story“. my final encouragement?
[me + Paige!]
dream. dream big. say your dreams out loud. you have NO IDEA what God is up to.
« Older posts
|
.png){kind=small}
.png){kind=small}
.png){kind=small}
.png){kind=small}
.png){kind=small}
Most Important 10 Minutes - Life As A Loewen - […] toddler activities and being intentional, head over to my Noonday Ambassador sister’s blog, Wynne Elder to read the […]