Blog Posts

I’m writing over at Momnesia Guest Blogger today! The theme fellow coach’s wife Julie Short and worship leader Sarah Mclaughlin Sharing the stories we want to remember, and the ones we wish we could forget. I’m thankful Julie reached out and asked me to share. Today I’m sharing a lot more about my pregnancy with Levi than I’ve ever shared before.

Here’s a Preview:

Elijah’s first birthday fell on Mother’s Day. It was a busy weekend filled with a baby shower and birthday party. By the time Mother’s Day came around I was understandably exhausted, but that didn’t explain the other symptoms I was experiencing.

Sure enough, a quick test later confirmed I was pregnant. Twelve months earlier the same test was embraced with celebration, this time, only fear. I was under strict instructions not to get pregnant due to complications with my first pregnancy. Additionally, as an assistant football coach for a Division 3 college, my husband’s salary was not where we needed it to be to support a family of 4.

I waited as long as I could to share the news with friends. Due to the classification of a high-risk pregnancy and frequent ultrasounds, we shared the news that we were pregnant and having a boy all at the same time.

Celebration from others did little to quell my fears. In fact, with each approaching week I wondered if I would even meet my second child. But I didn’t share much more than that the pregnancy was high risk. It was hard to convey the reality of the situation because in many ways it felt as if I was watching everything play out from the sidelines.

You can read the rest over at Momnesia

I’m writing over at The Glorious Table today. Here’s a preview:

Every week I organize our family’s vitamins and medicine in pill boxes according to each member’s health needs. The process isn’t labor intensive, but I don’t delegate it because it’s important to me that everyone has the resources they need to stay healthy.

Yet almost every day the same scene plays out in our home. A child is coughing and sneezing. The child starts sniffing—loudly. Then I ask, “Did you take your allergy medicine today?”

I don’t have to be in the same room anymore to know that, when prompted, my sons then get up and take their allergy medicine. But the craziest thing is that they can cough and sniffle for hours until I ask that question. They rarely take the step to care for their own needs without prompting.

I could excuse my sons’ choices as teenage forgetfulness, but I can’t help but consider how similar my actions are when it comes to daily life choices.

• How many times have I confessed to a friend how fearful I am about something only to have them ask, “Have you prayed about this?”, and then realize I’ve not yet paused to pray?
• How many times have I opened my Bible study homework and realized I haven’t read my Bible since last week’s homework was due?
• How often does a conflict arise in one of my relationships because of a lack of tending and care?
• What about my personal health? Am I as disciplined about what I eat when my clothes fit comfortably as when my tighter jeans push me to walk a few extra minutes on the treadmill?

The reality is sometimes we need an outside influence to remind us we have the tools we need—sitting right in front of us—to improve our lives. We don’t have to walk through life coughing and sneezing, and we don’t have to live in fear.

Head to The Glorious Table to read the rest.

One of the harder things for me to figure out through the years has been the balance of what I can do versus what I can’t do without. The challenge is that some of the things that most breathe life into me also seem to conflict with football at first glance.

Coaching can feel like an all encompassing lifestyle, so to consider adding something that conflicts with that feel exhausting. Ultimately though, what I’ve learned is that my time is my own, and while there are a lot of things I am capable of doing well, when my calendar consists of only those items I will slowly wither.

So how do you balance what you can do versus incorporating things that give you life, but don’t necessarily align with everything else going on around you?

The answer: Very Intentionally

It takes time to know what breathes life into you. There are plenty of things that feel energizing, especially whey they are new. There are also many things we do to help our family or husband or team that we convince ourselves we love doing because someone needs to do it and we know our efforts are appreciated.

Still, it is impossible to argue with the fact that when given time to do the things that energize me I am my best version of myself. It is worth the effort to figure out how to incorporate the best of the best into my calendar regardless of how much it seems to conflict with everyone else’s preferered daily schedule.

The balance of what I can do versus what I can’t do without means adjusting what you say no to and limiting your yeses. There are some things that need to be dealt with, like jersey washing, concessions, fundraising and game day. And there are some things that don’t need to be dealt with, and depending on your life stage it may be that exact same list.

Regardless, by choosing one or two ways you can pitch in and volunteer to help instead of stepping into every area that is open you will leave space for opportunities you would prefer to explore.

Your most powerful commodoy in most situations is your time, so use it wisely and make sure you consider whether the opportunity before you is one you can do, or one you can’t do without.