Moments with MarLo

I was reading the story of Joshua. You remember him I hope. God used him to bring the Israelites to the Promised Land after Moses was taken from them. I picked up the story near the end of Joshua’s life where he was retelling the Israelites about all that God had done for them, reminding them God has fought for them and had brought about every promise leaving nothing undone (Joshua 23:14).  Then Joshua admonishes them to “fear God and worship Him in total commitment” (Joshua 24:14 MSG). He tells the Israelites to choose who they will serve, reminding them that just as God has been for them, He will be against them if they break their covenant of commitment to God.  Every one of them committed that day to worship only God. Flip a couple of chapters ahead and you find Judges recounting the same story of the covenant Joshua had set up with the Israelites just before he died.  What we see is that the generation that made the covenant kept their commitment but the next gene...

Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s (Psalm 103:2-5 NIV) I’m in the process of coming off some medication that was intended to rid me of migraines yet did not produce the results intended. I’m finding I’m going to miss one of the medicines side-effects—the way my taste buds delight in fruits and vegetables.   Honestly, the way the medicine caused me to take pleasure in these little delectables makes some in my presence feel, well . . . a bit uncomfortable.   Yes, I admit, I sometimes, uncontrollably, moan in expressive response to the explosion of fruit or vegetables entering my mouth as if I had never tasted a blueberry so deliriously delightful or known a carrot to be so immensely tasteful.   If you only knew how good you'...

The word bittersweet has bounced around in my mind all this week.  It seems to sum up best the emotions I'm feeling today.  In a way, it sums up much of what has transpired in my life in the past three years. Two months ago my husband, Michael was in his second motorcycle accident within a one month period while living 1,000 miles from me (bitter) attending his dream school of becoming a Harley Davidson motorcycle mechanic (sweet).  He's been home recovering (sweet) and now it's time for him to return to school (bitter). And so the ping-ponging of emotions go as they run their course within me. I have held on the past two months delighting in having Michael present once again in our home.  I have watched him gain strength and regain his mental cohesiveness following the accident that left him with several broken ribs, a broken and surgically repaired ankle, and a head injury. Though not fully recovered he is in a good place to return to school and com...

Yesterday I returned home from an amazing weekend spent at She Speaks , a conference for writers, speakers, and women’s ministry leaders.  It was my fourth year attending and I was greatly looking forward to the weekend. I was excited to be spending it with my very good friend, Melissa .  I was also looking forward to meeting friends I only get to see once a year, to learning from the amazing P31 speakers and leaders, and to serving where I could.  The weekend did not disappoint me!  At the airport I was contemplative as I soaked in the information and His truth that I had received at the event. I was beginning to miss the friends I was leaving behind.  I was looking forward to being home with my daughter.  I was squeezing in the last bit of fun with Melissa. My heart and mind were very full from the weekend when I boarded the plane. About the time the plane was beginning its decent I was facing a very real need for a la...

I was 17 and had my entire life before me when we first met.  It truly was love at first sight even though it took me a few months to realize it.  But not you.  You loved me from the very beginning.  I was 19 when we committed to love and honor and cherish til death do us part.  Whatever portion of my heart you didn’t already own was captured that day as you stood, strikingly gorgeous, waiting for me to come down the aisle to you.  So much has happened in the twenty-four years since then.  We’ve had our share of really good and terribly lousy seasons.  I’ve disappointed you at least as often as I have delighted you.  And I have held the distinct pleasure of partnering with you as we watched your son grow into an amazing young man with a wife of his own, and our daughter begin to blossom as a young girl.  Best of all, I have been wonderfully loved by you all of these years.  May you in turn know how much I love you my d...

Most days I'm doing well. Very well in fact. Then there are moments where I would give practically everything to see Michael, Right. This. Minute!  I get overwhelmed from something as simple as a text message like the one he sent last  week , "I got a 100 on my test!"   I was so excited for him because he had studied hard and earned the grade he received.  And in that moment I wanted to celebrate with him. I wanted to hug him and be held by him. I longed to eat a meal with him. To sit quietly and enjoy his presence.  That's when the tears slide down my face and the ache in my heart deepens a little more as I ponder the 1,000 miles between us. I remember the very first time we were separated.  I was 18 and living an hour's drive away from Michael. I could barely eat on the days I didn't see him. I had trouble concentrating in school. I hated being apart from him.  Eventually I gave up and quit school to be with him.  ...

As some of you may know my husband, Michael, has stepped into a new adventure.   He is pursuing a dream to work on Harley Davidson motorcycles.   This dream has temporarily relocated him a 1,000 miles from home for the next 15 months as he attends school.   I couldn’t be more excited for him!  And more aware of how much I love and miss him. In a phone conversation the other day, I asked Michael if he thought this separation might be good for our marriage.  Although neither of us likes being apart, we are optimistic considering the timeless saying, “absence makes the heart grow fonder.”  And so we walk. In the two short weeks he has been away, I have had overwhelming moments of a deep sense of being alone.  Surprised at expectations for him to walk into a room followed by reality, his rooms are in another place now.  I never knew I had so many comforting thoughts when he was home.  His truck in the driveway, his tv on, hearin...

If you are a mom, in any season of motherhood, and would like a day filled with laughter, encouragement, and refreshing, then I would greatly recommend you sign up for one of the 2012 Hearts at Home Conferences!  Hurry! The  BEST VALUE REGISTRATION Deadline  for the March 16-17 National Conference in Normal, IL, is  February 15  (that’s next Wednesday)!  Click here to learn more and join me for the 2012 Hearts at Home conferences!

In 40 days, my husband, Michael, will be moving a thousand miles away to follow after a dream placed in his heart.  I am so very excited for him and this opportunity while I am already beginning to imagine what the next 15 months might look like without his daily presence.  Those thoughts fill my mind and heart with sadness. Sometimes life is hard.  Very hard.  And in those hard places all I can do is trust.  Psalm 17:7 says "But blessed is the man who trusts me, God, the woman who sticks with God.” (MSG) Sticking with God for His long-term plan fills my heart and mind with hope.  I can see beyond the 15 months to a place He has for us.  To a restored family even more blessed for having been apart.  And I believe. I believe that God is in full control of every need and longing.  Every place our hearts will feel sorrow and our minds will feel alone.  For in those moments I will rest on the promises of Him walking with...

We talk often about the faith of Abraham in the story of how he was willing to sacrifice his precious son, Isaac. I cannot imagine God asking me to sacrifice my child or the faith required to follow through on such a request.  I pray I never have to find out. But there's a part of the story I've never heard discussed but have often pondered.  What does the story look like from Isaac's perspective.  Isaac walked silently up the mountain.  He understood a sacrifice was to be made and when looking around he asks his father where was the sheep?  Abraham simply replies that God will provide and they keep walking.  But then Isaac finds himself bound and laid upon the altar in place of the lamb.   The story doesn’t share what Isaac thought of the situation.   Was he scared or angered at his father.    Did he cry out or beg for mercy?  Or was he, as is implied in the story, simply silent and trustin...

I remember as a child getting excited about Christmas. Dreaming about the possibility of gifts I might receive. Today, I decided to take advantage of some free time and wrap up Lydia's gifts.  I was not prepared for her response upon the site of them.  I knew she would squeal with delight. I expected the requests to open "just one."  What surprised me, however, was how her eyes filled with tears as she placed each of her gifts beneath the tree.  Almost breathlessly she responded, "oh, I don't know why I'm crying."  It caused me to think about the gift of Christ.  The gifts He continues to pour into my life.  Have I, with child-like abandon, responded with pure delight at the simple fact that I have received a gift from the heart of Christ?   May we all take note of this simple response from this precious child.  It wasn't the number of gifts or the potential of what each package contained, rather the understanding that she is loved. ...

One of the things I have struggled with lately is my attitude at work. Some of my grumbling stems from the work itself but more so how I sense a lack of respect for who I am by those assigning me the tasks.    I have been asking God to help me with my heart condition.  I know I am to do the work as Christ did, as a servant with a glad heart, a s if "unto Christ ." I have tried to respond in gratefulness while inside I wrestled with my seething pride. Then, just this morning my good friend, Melissa Milbourn  sent me the following scriptures. Psalm 37:6-7 “He’ll validate your life in the clear light of day and stamp you with approval at high noon. Quiet down before God, be prayerful before him. Don’t bother with those who climb the ladder, who elbow their way to the top.” (MSG) Luke 14:11 "For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." (NLT) 1 Peter 5:6 “So be content with who you a...

A sanctuary is a place of refuge, a nature reserve, a holy place 1 .  Lately I have sought sanctuary.  I have found a portion of it in a little park near where I work.  However, the sanctuary I seek is not found in a place.  Rather, it is my wholehearted desire to meet with Jesus.  I seek Him in the park, I seek Him when I rise in the morning, as I go through my day, and as I lie down at night. It’s not only a place of refuge but one of relationship. How my soul responds to these words: “Everyone who confesses that Jesus is God's Son participates continuously in an intimate relationship with God.” 1 John 4:13 (Message) I am seeking a continual relationship with Jesus, the One who knows me better than anyone else. Have you walked with Him lately?  Have you sought His intimate relationship?  Go now for He is waiting for you. _______________ 1 Dictionary.com

Today marked the start of a new year bringing it with some incredibly sweet moments.  I love my birthday not for the gifts but for the opportunity to pause and celebrate life. My day included lunch with a wonderful friend, Melissa Milbourn , who lives 2 1/2 hours away!   (Road trip! Yay!) Melissa and MarLo An abundance of Facebook posts, text messages, phone calls, and emails from family and friends  offering witty, sentimental, and incredibly thoughtful birthday wishes!  (Words are my love language so I felt nothing but love all day long!) Time spent shopping with my adorable little fashionista, Lydia.  (Shopping might be my second love language.)  Lydia  Who slept most of the trip (both there and back!) Love the sleep mask! A quick rest stop where we had too much fun taking photos of each other! Followed by dinner with my Mom, Dad, Grandma, and Aunt Alice!   We had S'mores for dessert then ...

I still remember the day my heart longed to have a child of my own.  The day I begged God to some how, some way, show favor on me with a child. Fourteen years later I gave birth to God's answer to my prayer. Today Lydia turns 9! Each passing year tugs at my heart.   I delight in watching her grow into a beautiful young girl, while at the same time I'm incredibly aware of how few the years are between today and the moment she'll spread out her wings. To know Lydia, to soak in her sweet beauty, look into her brilliant eyes, or receive a smile surrounded by adorable dimples is to see the handiwork of God.  She makes me laugh (often), she's the first to notice if someone needs help, she's also witty and loves a good practical joke. She is a graceful dancer, loves fashion, enjoys cooking, and would own a cheetah if that was allowed. She loves to hang out at home, watch movies, eat ice cream or anything dark chocolate, and pray. Lydia is a gift enjoyed eve...

Heart's at Home's Third Thursday Blog Hop is asking the following questions. How are you like your mom? How are you different from your mom? My mom is one of my best friends.  I look forward to talking with her every day and am blessed to have her so close. But as much as we enjoy spending time with each other we aren't exactly the same. We are alike in the following ways: We both love to read, especially a good mystery or books that inspire our faith. We love to travel although I prefer to fly and she would much rather drive. We love to serve in our communities and church.  She has served on several Boards and is currently serving with two different outreach programs. I currently serve on Hearts at Home's Board of Directors. We love being moms! (She also loves being a grandma!) There are a few ways we are different. She is an introvert and I am an extrovert.   She loves to cook (and she is amazing!) and I have an aversion to the kitchen. She has a typ...

What if my life was captured in the Bible? This question tripped me up one day.  Unable to land on an answer it continues to consume my thoughts.  There are a lot of stories in the Bible of people who's faith was tested in some way or another.  Most of them inspire me with how they faced their challenges, clinging to hope, resolving to trust in God despite their circumstances.  Then there are those who's choices took them down a destructive path. And so I wonder. If my life was captured in the Bible would it tell a story of faith or failure? What about you?  Have you ever thought about the story of your life and what it might say to others? Would our lives emulate those who's stories have been told before ours? Are we like Eve?  Tempted by what we don't have rather than what we do? Too impatient to wait on God to teach us; enticed instead by what others whisper in our ears? Are we filled with jealousy like Cain or greed like J...

Miracles come in many forms. Sometimes we dismiss them as mere coincidence. Sometimes we don't even notice them especially when the miracle takes place in our heart. A year ago my family was facing a significant change. My husband was battling some health issues and was unable to work. I was having a difficult time watching him struggle amidst determining how the decreased income would impact our family, while also figuring out how to make everything appear normal with our then seven-year-old daughter. Needless to say I was quite stressed. I prayed fervently for my husband's health. I did my best to make sense of our dwindling finances, and I continued to reach out and educate myself in order to best help my daughter understand what was going on. I was also trying not to lose myself amidst the trying circumstances. I wondered about my ability to handle every thing. Some days I just wanted to cry all day and release the burdens I was feeling. Other days I was upset over ...

I'm full! I knew I would be following the Hearts at Home conference this past weekend but I'm always amazed when even my own expectations are surpassed. I've been reflecting on all the great information shared by this year's speakers.  Jennifer Rothschild   encouraged me with her own vulnerabilities, Chonda Pierce  reminded me how good it feels to laugh, really laugh, and Hearts at Home founder, Jill Savage inspired me to think more intentionally about the impacts of my parenting on future generations. Beyond the main sessions, Moms Night Out, and workshops, I made new friends and met up with many I already know and love. Yes, I'm full and so much better for it. The smile on my face perfectly matches the gratitude in my heart for the many blessings I received this weekend. If finding renewed energy and appreciation as a mom is something you need join us at one of the conferences this fall and make plans to join us at the National Conference next Marc...

Perhaps you have a friend, or a group of friends, with whom you always look forward to spending time. You laugh and cry together, eat your favorite foods, talk about life for hours on end, and walk away from the time together feeling better than before you went. Well, if you're a mom, sometimes those opportunities are a bit harder to come by. With kids activities, time with your significant other, work, home, or perhaps even school, there just doesn't seem enough time for you, let alone time for your friends. I know how you feel. That's why I make certain to include at least one day a year just for me. That day is spent attending the Hearts at Home conference in Bloomington, IL. This year it will be held March 11-12 . Before you stop reading let me dispel a few myths some have regarding the conference. MYTH #1 - The conference is for stay-at-home moms. TRUTH - The conference is for moms who work full-time (like me) or part-time outside the home as well as for thos...