Connection

My word for the coming year is connection.

...I considered being cheesy and going with "vision." #2020vision  I also considered the words respect or kindness, but healthy connection encompasses those qualities.

When I think about what is most important to me, what can make or break any event, where I want to invest more of my time and energy, where I want to keep growing and improving, where my heart really thrives, and where my life can do the most good for others, the answer is always found in meaningful connections. ❤

So I want to make that a priority and be more intentional in cultivating healthy relationships with friends and family.  I am seeking relationships characterized by mutual love, respect, forgiveness, consistency, vulnerability, and joy/fun!  I want to listen well, to encourage and uplift, to create memories, to share what's on my heart, and to be willing to have difficult conversations occasionally.

"To love people requires that we keep growing personally."  ~Shasta Nelson, Friendships Don't Just Happen

I also want to prioritize connecting with God... heart connection over head knowledge.  That means pursuing quality time over quantity in my Bible reading this year.  

I'm still brainstorming on specific ways to create more meaningful connections.  **Meaning real face-to-face or voice-to-voice (or even writing back and forth) connections as opposed to social media or hoping people take the time to read whatever I post here.  I'm realizing this blog needs to serve as a smaller side thing for me to process through stuff and no longer a perceived method of connection.  It offers one-sided communication at best, and these days, it's usually not even that.  But I want to love and know others and I want to be known and loved, so I'm willing to change a few things to foster rich and encouraging REAL connections.  What I know now is that I want to end the year feeling closer to God, closer to the people I love, and closer to reaching my personal goals and dreams.  And those things are all connected to each other in more ways than we tend to imagine. =)

Also, I did get cracked up when I Googled the definition of "connection" for the blog, and the second item listed was "a supplier of narcotics."  Hmm, not the kind of connection I'm seeking. lol

Anyway, that's all I've got for today.  Enjoy your last weekend of 2019, and I'll see you in 2020!! ❤

Merry Christmas!!

Christ by highest heaven adored,

Christ the everlasting Lord!

Late in time, behold Him come,

Offspring of a virgin's womb.

Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see,

Hail the incarnate Diety!

Pleased as man with men to dwell,

Jesus, our Emmanuel!

Hark! the herald angels sing,

"Glory to the newborn King!"

That song is in my head tonight, and I love those lyrics.  

Merry Christmas, friends and fam!!  ❤

As you see above, Dad was released from the hospital yesterday afternoon.  (His leg is still very red, and he was randomly diagnosed with AFib, but they say there is no sign of further infection and that his white blood cell count is back up, so we're very thankful for that.  And we were obviously happy he could join us for everything yesterday and today!)

From my perspective, it's been a really good and rich two days.  After helping Mom make the chocolate cake icing in between a couple rounds of taking groceries and presents to the Parrish house... we all met for dinner at The Feast (a buffet-style restaurant in Midwest City).  It was tasty and fun, and the Miss K requested to sit by me, which always makes me happy.

Then we went to the Parrish home to open presents and eat desserts.  T-Man was super excited about his MacBook Pro, so that was fun to see. =)  

It was our first Christmas without Grandad, and the first time we didn't have Blake with us (he is a first year resident in Arkansas and had to work these two days).  So our usual grandparents/grandkids pic looks a bit different this year. 

Rachael made some awesome ornaments to honor Grandad, and Babah gave us a Robin Hood DVD that he'd ordered for us before he died (we used to watch that movie a lot when he would babysit for us). ❤

Babah stayed with us at Mom and Dad's last night, then this morning, we all went to the Parrish house for Christmas brunch.  We also opened the gifts that Jace and Kyndal bought at the school store, which were completely precious, as was their excitement in seeing us open them. ❤

This = the card on my gift from Kyndal Faith. #preshface  So much cuteness... the handwriting, the misplaced "from," the running out of room for the word "you." lol  I LOVE it all! ❤❤

After our family brunch, I took a lovely Christmas nap. lol  The Myricks brought us some tasty sugar cookies, which was awesome and thoughtful of them!  Then the Parrish fam joined us for a lasagna dinner + cheesy bread + dessert leftovers + the kids showing us all their latest tricks.

After the Parrish fam left, we finished off Christmas night by watching the end of The Patriot (more of a 4th of July movie, but I still love it) and the end of Die Hard!!  Yus, please! =)

*That was on a channel that's playing 24-hours of Die Hard in honor of Christmas, which is incredibly funny to me.  "Now, I have a machine gun.  Ho...ho...ho!" lolol  Aww, the Christmas spirit... yippee-ki-yay!

Anyway, I really hope you had a Merry Christmas, as well.  And if not, I hope that Jesus was close to you and that you know you are loved deeply by God!  ❤

Since we took approximately a million pictures, here's a slideshow so I won't have to post them all individually here. lol

And that's all for now.  

"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!!

It's Christmastime, so let's do it up right!

Candy canes are fine, Christmas trees are okay,

But the reason for the season is Jesus' birthday!!"

~Yo-Ho-Ho Christmas cassette tape, circa 1992  ;-)

A December to Remember

"And in despair, I bowed my head.

'There is no peace on earth,' I said,

'For hate is strong and mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good will to men.'

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:

'God is not dead, nor doth He sleep!

The wrong shall fail, the right prevail

With peace on earth, good will to men.'"

❤ ❤ ❤

Merry 'Christmas Eve' eve, friends!!  I hope you are well.

Emotions tend to be intensified through the Christmas season, for better or worse.  On top of that, this has truly been a strange month with some extreme highs and lows, all jumbled together in the paragraph below:

My closest high school friend's older brother was killed in a tragic plane crash on December 1st.  He was only 38.  Twelve days later, another friend (a 38-year-old woman) died after a terrible injury from a traumatic fall.  That kind of news is a shock to the system, stunning and hard to process.  It is also a loud reminder that life is short.  On December 10th, I received a thoughtful email that reconnected me with an old friend.  Inspired by her courage and kindness, I sent an important message and received a wonderful response I never expected.  I had a random Bells Palsy scare last Sunday that left me sobbing, but it turned out to be facial spasms that went away when I got more sleep.  Thank you, Lord!  We got some unexpected good news last week that will hopefully change things for the better at CHA for Rach.  Of course, this month has also included several fun Christmas events, and I'm thankful for good times with great friends!  My oldest nephews, Triston and Carter, were in a bad car wreck on December 18th... they were both very shaken up, and Carter Lee broke his collarbone. =( Yesterday, Dad was admitted to the hospital with a growing staph infection from an old wound that has not healed properly.  We are still not sure how bad it is or whether he will be out in time to celebrate with us tomorrow... which will be our first family Christmas Eve without Grandad.

So prayers appreciated.  My heart is still pondering and processing all of the above.  Those losses feel amplified as Christmas approaches, and I find myself praying for Babah, the Wombles, the Shields family, and many others experiencing their first holiday season without someone they love.  Also praying for swift healing for Dad and for Carter.  At the same time, my soul is full of deep gratitude right now.  Life is short and time is precious, and I am grateful for strong connections with supportive friends who can help me process these things.  Overall, I feel relieved that my life story feels more integrated and less fragmented now... there is mercy over judgment, peace over pain, and unity over division... and it's good.  So I'm thankful for God's timing and grace in tearing down some old walls. ❤

* * * * * * *

Now a mini-update:  Sarah hosted a game night on Friday... good food and fun games and memorable conversations... here are a few pics! =)

And a Chettles gif that makes me happy... oh, snap!!

Two Tweets that I found relevant and worth saving this week:

Finally, a few hospital pics... Dad's leg (left calf), Jace hopping in the hospital bed to hug him, and Rach talking to Bill Lemieux, who arrived before any of us got there.  (Super thankful for great family friends, as always!)  ❤

I guess that's all I've got tonight.  Not a very Christmasy post, but that's okay.  It's been a crazy month, and I'm not really sure what tomorrow holds for our family or whether it'll be our first Christmas Eve at the hospital.  But in the larger sense, none of us really know what tomorrow holds.  So remember that life is short, and cherish the people you love!  ❤

I hope your Christmas Eve and Christmas are lovely and that you find time to recenter and connect with Jesus!!  "To the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen."  ~Jude 1:25

Top 10 Favorite Moments

Happy Friday, friends. ❤  This month is really flying by!

This is my last "Decade in Review" post.  I've had fun taking a look back and reflecting on some key lessons and big memories, and I'm blown away by what God has done in my life over the past ten years and even just this month!  Here are ten of my favorite moments from the past decade, which are so impossible to narrow down, so these are just listed in random order as they pop into my head -- some fun and some serious.

1.  The "Forbidden Broadway" ice cream sundae challenge, Serendipity, Vegas 2010! =)

2. I don't have a picture from this exact day, but on one of the many LaFortune jogs with Bobbi back in the day, she was upset about something and trying not to think about it... so I suggested that we quote verses back and forth to get our minds on better things.  And we jogged along for 3 miles going back and forth with every Bible verse that we could think of.  It was fun and it kept our minds off life drama and running pains, and it seemed to have a strengthening effect all around!  =)  (I've done that in my head a few times at Planet Fitness since, but there was something special about saying it out loud with a friend.)

3.  The OKC road trip in April 2011.  Lots of fun memories that weekend... but what stands out to me is JEM's Justin Bieber quotes! =)

4.  Words won't really do this one justice, but this quiet, picture-perfect moment in early September 2013 was a turning point for me.  While holding my precious, cuddly newborn niece for a while and admiring her tiny little fingers and beautiful eyes and innocent spirit, singing to her and praying over her future, God was at work shifting something in my heart.  Right in the midst of the darkness of depression and feeling discardable and very shaken by several massive disappointments, a lot of things became really clear to me.  I decided that day that my niece and nephews would not grow up wondering what it might have been like to know their Aunt Lindsey... that my family would not ever have that dark cloud of confusion and avoidable loss hanging over them, that Satan would not be victorious there.  I made a very firm commitment to seek God and choose life no matter how difficult or dark things became.  My mindset is in such a healthier place now that it feels strange even writing about that, but it happened and it mattered, and I am inexpressibly thankful for God's comfort and grace through that season!! ❤
(*And would love to listen and be present and help you find your way through the darkness if ever you find yourself in a similar heavy place. There is more light ahead, and it's worth holding on.)

5. Deciding to start the Friday night dinners! =)  All of them were great, but what stands out in my mind now is our going away pool party for Mindi where we all shared stories and encouragement and prayed over her! ❤

6.  Sarah Elizabeth baking some monkey bread to comfort me when I was upset... and everything going terribly wrong and becoming hilarious! =)  I left that night in a haze of smoke from the burned butter, but feeling better about life. "Sorry for choking you with the stench of my failure!" is still one of my favorite Sarah quotes. lol

7.  Introducing Chet & co. to Pitch Perfect. lol  A memorable movie day, and one I've laughed about now that it's become one of his favorite and most-quoted movies! =)

8.  Ziplining over Niagara Falls with Dad and Bill... one of many awesome new experiences I had in Canada! =)

9.  Babah and Grandad's surprise gift for us on Christmas Eve 2015... I'm so thankful he got to be there for that!  =)

10.  This year's Super Bowl Party at Mom and Dad's house... fun times and laughter and good food with all the family friends + celebrating 30 years of their league + planning Rick and Connie's wedding! =)

And in conclusion, here's a happy slideshow with 100 pictures (10 per year) through the past decade!!

 

That's all for now.  Hope you have a lovely weekend! ❤

Thankful Thursday!! (102)

"Great is our Lord and mighty in power;

His understanding has no limit."

~Psalm 147:5

Today, I am thankful for:

1.  A fun Wednesday lunch at Lori's with Laura, Kristin, and Tiffany... followed by a lengthy coffee house chat with Kristin, whose gentle wisdom is always appreciated! ❤

2.  A strong friend group where we show up to help with painting projects (the Fultons' living room and kitchen this past Saturday) and always have fun together! =)

3.  Photo-booth fun and catching up with a few old friends at the Moss fam's Convivial Cozy Christmas party on Friday!! =)

4.  Becky and Larry, my next door neighbors, bringing me homemade Christmas cookies last night... so nice!!

5.  Fun times playing Phase 10 and drinking hot chocolate with ALL the marshmallows at the Woodlake group this Monday!!

6.  Celebrating my 11-year double Friendiversary on Tuesday with my favorite ENFP friend-soulmates, Sarah Elizabeth and Chet Lee!!  So much thankfulness for these two! ❤

7.   God's unlimited understanding (see verse up top)... when we begin to glimpse the scope of His plan and work in our lives, it leaves us in awe.  We serve a brilliant God who is faithful to bring beauty for ashes, and I'm praising Him for His redemptive grace this week! ❤

New Relationships (Decade in Review)

SO MUCH happens in a decade!!!  One of the best things to come out of the past ten years is the new relationships I have formed with friends and family members I didn't know (or that didn't yet exist) on this day ten years ago.  It is crazy to think how different my life would be without these people who have become so significant to me now!

(*To be clear, I met Chettles, Sarah Elizabeth, Kristin, Laura, etc. before 2010, so that's why they are not featured here.)

Listed by Order of Appearance in My Life.  (Click name for link to Tribute post.) ❤

1.  JEFFREY EDWARD, aka JEM, February 2010 -- who knew when we were dancing the Copperhead Road and Boot Scootin' Boogie that we'd end up being such great friends ten years later? lol  I met JEM at the Caravan, and I have lots of fun memories of dancing with him and the other guys there.  Then there was my Valentine's party (which he still refers to as the "Lonely Hearts Club"), followed by the infamous roach incident, and then the Vegas trip of 2010 that really solidified our friendship. =)  He cancelled other plans so he could be there for me on one of the worst days of my life, and I will not forget that.  I am thankful for Jeffrey... for his generosity (example: he paid for several meals and bought everyone tickets to see Zarkana when we went to Vegas in 2014), his hilarious stories (J-Biebs and the airplane come to mind), his finesse and canivery (getting me to go on the hike in Vegas), his love of reminiscing and looking through scrapbooks (makes it feel more worth the time it takes to create them), and how much he loves this blog (like reminding me about quotables or asking me to write a memory post about an NYC trip I wasn't there for). lolol

2.  TRISTON MICHAEL, aka T-Man, May 2010 -- I met adorable tiny toddlers T&C for the first time on Mother's Day in 2010 (here), clearly having no idea that they would end up being my nephews and taking up so much space in my heart and life! ❤  I love how my relationship with T-man has changed as he's grown from a three-year-old to an awesome preteen!  We FaceTime and email and play fun texting games, and I love learning what he's interested in right now.  He's helping plan our family's Disney trip details, and I'll be going to Washington D.C. with him and his 6th Grade class this coming April! =)

3.  CARTER LEE, aka Carterman, May 2010 -- I met the boys on the same day (obviously), and it's been a privilege to watch them grow and learn more about their hearts and personalities!  Carter is fun, athletic, naturally cool, and tenderhearted.  I'm praying for so many good things for these kids and their futures!

T&C through the years. ❤

4.  KARLI MARIE, May 2011 -- I met Karli during the Diving Deeper Lifegroup days, where it was obvious that she had a lot of Biblical wisdom and spiritual maturity as one of our leaders.  She and Chet started dating and eventually got married, and now they have Tater-tot, who's one of my favorite toddlers to hang out with!  Karli is a great wife, mom, decorator, and hostess!  The Wilson and Weatherford families mean so much to me, and I feel thankful for the way Karli and her family accepted and embraced me because I know my life would look very different now if that were not the case.

5.  KYLE BRANDON, aka Tall Kyle, May 2011 -- I'm thankful for Kyle's kindness and chivalry, for his thoughtful Thank You notes, his telling facial expressions, and the way he quietly serves others!  At my first Friday night dinner, we all named something on our bucket list, and his was seeing Celine Dion in concert... an answer that cracked me up and made me happy!  That dream will come true when she comes to Tulsa in February, so I'm excited to get to be there for that... I feel confident that Chet and Kyle will be more psyched about it than me, Karli, or Sarah! lol

6.  JACE MICHAEL, aka Jaceman, February 2012 -- Oh, the Jaceman!  So cute and cuddly as a baby... and so much joy and fun and extroverted entertainment now!  I love that he befriends everyone he meets and feels the need to greet them even when he can't remember their names. lol  I think it's crazy but really cute that he has a long-distance girlfriend (Claire) whose family moved to Italy, but they've kept in touch and sent each other notes for the past three years.  He's super active and full of energy, but will occasionally sit down long enough to read me something or show me his notebook.  In the pic below, he told me it seemed like I wasn't "the real Lindsey" with my hair fixed like that.  That and his "gift giraffe" are two of my favorite Jace memories. lol

7.   KELLY MARIE, August 2012 -- I met Kelly through the DDLG, and we became closer when I joined the Women's Lifegroup that she was leading in 2013.  She was an awesome leader for that group for the 4-5 years we all met, and I have several fun memories with her (including this fair trip on the day I held one of their chickens for the first and last time - lol).  She's a great wife to Jeff and mom to sweet Ellie!  I'm thankful for her kindness, her thoughtful notes, her feisty side, and the friendship I have with their family!

8.  TIFFANY JOANNE, April 2013 -- I met Tiffany when we were all sharing testimonies at the Women's Lifegroup.  She spoke up and briefly shared her story, and I immediately wanted to talk to her one on one.  When I found myself with an extra Justin Timberlake ticket later that year, she was the first to speak up wanting to join me... so that was the first time we really hung out and got to know each other, and it's such a fun memory!  We became movie buddies and formed a close friendship where we've had a lot of fun but also supported each other through heartbreak and loss, and now she works with me and Laura in good ol' Creek County!  I am thankful for Tiffany's kindness and friendship, for our shared love of old school rap songs, for the memory of us going to Hurts Donuts a week or so into our "fast from sweets,"  and for her example of resilient joy and strength!

9.  KYNDAL FAITH, aka Mini Miss K, August 2013 -- This preshface can always brighten my day!  She's equal parts sweet and sassy, tomboy and girly girl, sensitive and fierce... and I love that!  I love that she gets excited to see me and asks to sit by me.  I love the expressive way she tells stories about her day, and how committed she is to practicing her gymnastics moves until she gets them right.  I think it's hilarious that when she wore her hair in a ponytail this summer, she said, "Look, now I'm Lindsey." (*Must wear my hair down more often.* lol)  She's funny and smart and playful and adorable.  Her tiny heart is very relational and sensitive, and she's already experienced more worry and heartbreak than any 6-year-old should have to deal with.  I'm praying for her heart and soul to continue to heal (along with her brothers, who each express their pain differently), and for them to grow up feeling confident and secure in how much they are loved!  I'm so very thankful I get to be their aunt, and for all the joy and great memories they've given me!! ❤

10.  ELIZABETH JANE, aka E-Beth, March 2017 -- One of my newer friendships (which is strange as it feels like we've known each other longer), but definitely one of my favorite people!!  I love having an OKC friend again that I can visit when I'm in town, and I love our long conversations over fried okra and BBQ... or pizookies. lol  Talks that range from politics and church stories to favorite foods and movies to crazy work stories and book projects and life goals!  I'm thankful for fun game days with her and Jonathan!  And I'm thankful for Elizabeth's sense of humor, her encouragement and kindness, her example of personal strength, and of course, her great proofreading skills. lol

Where, oh where would my life be without all of you!?

*The very long list of friends I've met in this decade also includes but is not limited to Brittany Bolt, Jon Foster, Angie Gomez, Elizabeth Cheney, Lindsay Hainzinger-Johnson, Evan and Jessica Myers, Audrey Bixler, Lynette Layden, and my Evergreen Lifegroup!!  I'm deeply grateful for the way God works through every person He brings into our lives... strong, supportive relational connections are so valuable to our mental health and happiness!  I am also thankful that God Himself is ever-present and faithful, even as our personal relationships naturally ebb and flow!! ❤