A Bedtime Story | Atlanta

Hello Lovlies!! There aren't any pictures in the airport this time. I was really tired and my allergies were going crazy so I slept the whole way there.

(It's really hard to take a selfie with a sleep mask covering your eyes by the way.)

Our class started the night that we arrived. 

This is what our classroom looks like. 

Not one seat is empty either when the class is in session.

I sit way up in the front row. 

(Where you see all of the people standing up.)

This guy is one of the instructors.

He makes those paracord bracelets you all like. 

He brought a bunch for us to take. 

It turns out bankers don't like orange and green so they were left behind.

So I got you each one.

The first night after class, I went for a run to a little trail near the hotel. 

It turns out it wasn't really a full 'trail'. It was more like a dog park or butterfly garden.

But they had this butterfly... so hey- here's a picture of that!

On the way back there was this meadowy-swamp looking area that I wanted to tromp through.  If you zoom in, you can see a tree that has fallen over the river WAY on the back. 

I really wanted to make it down there. HOWEVER-

It was about 15 minutes before dark.

My battery was low on my cell.

It turns out that Georgia is kind of mountainous.

You can't tell by this shot but I'm on a hill that is very steep with a lot of drops 

and the grass was very wet.

So I thought better of it.

The geese weren't sure what they thought about me encroaching their space. 

That guy in the front just kept hissing at me and looking like he wanted to attack.

But the next night, a guy from class, named Conner, went with me to Lullwater Preserve. 

This was a super fun trail that was very 'off road'. It made for lots of blurry pictures!

So, the only one that you'll see is of the back of this waterfall as we ran by it.

Then we went to a Mexican restaurant for dinner. 

All of their light fixtures were made from random metal bins, 

like trash cans, paint cans, ash buckets, etc.

They had a wall of license plates with a giant heart in the middle just for you!

After dinner, I came back to the room and looked through homework.

(See mom has it too!)

BUT THEN--

On Thursday, after class, I went to see Ms. Dawn! 

(It sure is handy when you get to go out of town for a class and you get to see a bestie.)

Here's their new house!! 

(Raymond was inside and Alexis was away at an FFA event.)

They all said to tell you hello.

After dinner, we went for a little scenic drive to see where they work

and hang out.

Here's the house they rented before. 

(Since they're in the process of moving.)

And here's silly Dawn re-enacting where she paces the floor on Thursday mornings 

when we 'walk and talk' on the phone.

Both of her houses were REALLY cute.

(Most of the houses here are though.)

Remember the bumblebee hives that we have throughout town. 

Well, in Georgia, it's all bulldogs for the football team.

Dawn says this is a pretty iconic picture and that I had to take it.

Just disregard that bank competitor sign in the background. ;)

This painted hydrant was next to it. 

I thought they did it for the dog but Dawn says that they're painted throughout the town.

I haven't seen any others but I think they should be painted everywhere.

Don't you agree?!

I stayed the night at her place that night and she took me back to the hotel the next day. :)

SLEEPOVER!!

The night after that, I finally went to Doll's Head trail. 

The trail is located in Constitution Lakes Park. 

It's not all scary dolls or doll parts. 

It turns out that the park is actually the original site of a brick company. 

The structure is gone now but bricks and 'Georgia red' clay tiles are everywhere.

The dolls and all of the other trash come from floods that have happened in the area.

At some point, visitors started pulling garbage out of the river and arranging it like art throughout the trail.

So the rule is, you can't bring trash in but if you can retrieve it from the water or park, 

then you are free to rearrange it or be creative with it.

-And not all of it's spooky.

but some of it definitely is...

Do you dig it?

Jackson, I thought you'd like this one. 

There's a mini human skeleton in the dinosaur's mouth.

This one was a favorite.

There are supposed to be sharpies on the trail but I didn't see them. 

(So we'll bring one, or paint markers if we ever go again.)

Messages and drawings are invited and left throughout the park.

I didn't have a sharpie but I did retrieve this bottle and hung it in the tree

where someone else had tied a piece of rubber.

Each of the people in our class were given a ball from one of our vendors. 

We held a contest and each classmate was supposed to take pictures of our ball from our trip and post them in the app for class. 

Here's one of mine.

The tile below says 'Selfie line starts here'

So my little red ball and I got ours taken together.

Mr. Ball got his picture taken with some of the dolls too but we didn't win the contest.

They said our pictures were too creepy. -Those chickens! (Just kidding.)

Ethan, there were a few little brick towers throughout. 

I thought you'd like those.

The park itself is quite beautiful.

-and marshy.

The dolls were a little creepy but seeing so many people from all over

come to retrieve trash and leave a mark, kind of made it enchanting.

Oh and Jackson, this might just be the tiniest lizard that I've ever seen!

Take a look at it, compared to the size of the nail.

Then Saturday we had a group field trip to The World of Coca-Cola.

Atlanta turns out to be the home of Coke.

When you first walk in, there is a Coke bar so that you can get a free soft drink.

Then we sit in a small room. This guy Emilio is pretty funny. 

He tells you a little history about Coke.

Then shows you a movie that gets you all happy and makes you want to cry.

It's supposed to show how people connect over Coke.

You'll be pleased to know, several guys in our class cried.

I did not.

This guy below has been making Coke so long, he's turned to stone.

Just kidding. It's a statue in the pretend kitchen.

Here's an old delivery truck.

(The door just so happens to have the driver's name on it. 

It's 'Reginald'. Too bad I couldn't get in it.)

Here are signs from other countries. 

See if you guys can read them. 

Sophie, Coke has sponsored the Olympics every year that they've been in Atlanta.

At the Olympics, a torch is lit (with fire). I think that they are supposed to represent a friendly wave and passing peace from one season to the next.

So here are the torches from all of the years that Coke has sponsored the event.

Here's a wall of the different bottle drinks that Coke makes.

There were many more bottles than what you see here.

Here's an area where they make Coke and fill the bottles.

It looks a little like the Willie Wonka Chocolate Factory, doesn't it?

Check out this machine. 

It's like a robot/tractor that picks up the bottles and moves them from one side to another.

Oooh and here's the mysterious vault where the original Coke recipe is stored.

(Or so they say.)

Here's a polar bear!

We only had a certain amount of time with our group and 

the line was too long to get our picture taken.

At the end of the tour, you can try different drinks that Coke produces all over the world.

Each silver column in the room represents one country.

There are more columns that what you see here.

You'll find fountain drinks from that country at that column.

They are not the same flavors as ours.

I tried 'Bonbon Anglais' in Africa.

It tasted like banana. YUCK!

But the drink called 'Beverly' in Europe was worse.

No one in our class liked it.

I had to go wash my mouth out with some orange Fanta from the U.S. 

This man is from Turkey. His name is Yavuz. 

I took a picture of him with his camera getting a fountain drink 

and then told him how to say 'cheers' and tap glasses.

Here's me taking a selfie

of him taking our selfie.

We connected over a coke. 

But we still didn't cry.

We smiled a lot instead.

Of course, you have to go through the gift shop in order to exit the building.

Your souvenirs may or may not have come from there. ;)

Oh and this is the crew that I hung out with from class. 

Jenny, Jan, Nikki, and Gary.

After lunch, I tried to head back to that tree that I showed you in the beginning.

But along the way, I found an old railroad bridge instead.

Then I found a waterfall! <3

-And a sweet little family of geese.

-AND an amazing little rock to stretch out on so that I could slip my feet into the water.

But this time, I was able to leave a mark for you.  --No sharpies needed.

I made you a tower Ethan.

Jackson, I found you the biggest stick gun! (It was too big for my suitcase!)

And there weren't flowers here Sophie, so the heart is all for you!

After getting cleaned up, I went out to dinner with that Church family. 

We had to get my cajun fix you know....

All of the girls tried alligator for the first time.

There's a huge Ferris wheel right in the middle of town.

We were going to go on it but the traffic and the line to ride was really long.

We got up early and had breakfast this morning.

We attempted a group selfie but none of us look convinced that it's really going to take place. Dawn is starting to get sassy about it.

Anyway.... I'm still here for a few more days. 

There might be a few more pictures that I can show you when I get home. 

I miss you in the craziest way and can't wait to see you and get those snuggles on!

You know throughout this trip, 

I kept thinking about the differences between fear and love.

A lot of people in my class thought I was crazy for going to doll’s head trail because it looked so scary. (I can't blame them. I don't like scary things either.) But labeling it with fear on the outside, without digging deeper into it, would have made me miss the sweet parts to love on the inside. When I came back to class, many of my classmates were intrigued by my experience and decided that they wanted to go see it too.

But life is like that in a lot of ways. We can be afraid of presenting projects in our classes. We can be afraid of telling people how we feel, especially when we don’t understand ourselves or know what we need to say. We can be intimidated by homework or the shortage of time and resources available for things. 

Sometimes we can even be afraid that we, ourselves, aren’t enough for whatever task we’re facing.

But if we allow fear to keep us from moving forward, or from giving our best, or accepting what’s ahead, then we often stay in a place that feels ‘less than’ or not good enough. –or we feel like we’re missing out. 

But when we embrace all of it with love and expect that God shows up, or that great things can happen in every circumstance, we often learn that we are right. 

We’ll get what we expect!

You know 1 John 4:18 says that ‘There is no fear in love. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.’

When we expect love and look for the good-

AND then when we actually find it;

it often makes us feel more of the love that this life has to offer. 

When we challenge ourselves in those hard places, 

it can make us feel better about ourselves too!

Basically, don't listen to the opinions of others. Pray about all things. Listen to the things that call your heart and follow where they lead believing something good lies ahead. Those things will mean the most to you in this life and it might even inspire others a little.

I’m sure that’s a lot to chew on right now but we can talk about that more when I get home. I do know that I most definitely LOVE each of you and I expect a lot of smooches when I get back. Sweet dreams! I love and miss you.

For other bedtime stories, click here. Scroll to the bottom and click older.

Sometimes scripture can be difficult to relate to. Especially when it seems so old-fashioned. The book of Titus is no exception here. We wrapped up our study last week and it urges women to be ‘busy at home’ [Titus 2:5].

I know that statement ruffles the feathers of many of my lady friends. I can also admit that ideas about being a homemaker have bothered me at different times for different reasons. -But in a multi-tasking, social and success focused, always connected culture, it’s difficult and nearly ‘impossible’ to just be home.

Many of us can admit that we’d like a change of pace. But finding out how to work that in is difficult when ‘we’ are in such demand. -Another meeting or committee, a kids game, a social event, the second job, school, the endless errands…

However, those same passages also talk about self-control, tempers, and discipline.

Sometimes being on the go means that we neglect rest, eating right, quality time, managing finances, follow through, or caring for something that we’ve been given.

With that, we can become tired, frustrated, in debt (not only financially), depressed, anxious and so on.

Did you know that this same book that points to being 'busy at home', also urges women to LOVE their families [2:4] and submit to their husbands [2:5]? It instructs leaders to manage FIRST their children and their home [1:6-8], then to invite others into our space (no matter your conditions) with hospitality [1:8].

While many of the things that we do are born of love and great intentions, they are simply more than we are required. Real love, puts our hearts and attitudes in check, above the errand or the service. [1 Cor 13:1-13]

You can honor your family and your neighbor MORE with 15 minutes of heart to heart in your pajamas, in a dirty house, over a cup of coffee or cocoa, than with any material wish or grand activity here or there.

Before I tell you to go with me and check it out, first know this:

While checking a chapter or passage off my list every day certainly held its value when I got my start in the Bible.

The penetration and piercing of my heart is where I’ve have found the most ‘connection’ and change.

I found more of that when I allowed myself as much time as needed to comprehend a chapter. (Be it days, weeks, and even months…) Breaking apart line by line, every word in the text. -Even when I think that I know what the text means. Then meditating day and night (Ps 1:1-2), examining my heart (Lam 3:40), Praying (1 Thes 5:17), and writing down the revelation (Hab 2). (Without a deadline.)

His Word is always right on time

In recent months I’ve seen my temper at it’s best and also at it's worst. I’ve also begun to finally accept how much weight ‘REST’ truly has on our spirituality and emotions.

Its timeliness with my reading of the book of Titus was no mistake or coincidence.

You see, I have continued trying to make my home more of a focus. I even kicked this year off with a parenting class in January.

[caption id="attachment_1528" align="alignright" width="286"] 

Class offered by the MPNNCSB. Shared by the Gloucester Resource Council.[/caption]

With our home being a target, it has forced me to slow down the pace. We are all closer than we have ever been and great things are happening. But what surprises me is that giving my home and family more attention, made me realize how much more time and attention, we need.

It was when the pace started to pick back up that I came undone. And as terrible as that 'worst' moment may have seemed, it was an anchor to the theory about how I manage my energy and where I spend my time.

There was Titus, right in that moment. The words that may seem ‘old fashioned’ in our day, are really commands, that meet what most of our hearts desire at its root.

The urgency of love, family, and taking care of your home, including your physical needs as you are the keeper of your vessel— is really something most of us would say that we’d like more of. But where and how to start?

It’s easier than we think-

One step, one change, or one pause at a time. They eventually add up!

Friend if you’re feeling a bit frazzled or if life feels out of control, look over your calendar the next few months and clear it. Don’t just clear the things that you ‘have to do’. Clear some of the things that you want to do. Designate a place in the home that’s you're studying spot. Then begin to give yourself time each day (at your own pace) to unfold truth.

The truth in scripture and the truth in you.

I am glad to share my notes with you from this study but you will feel a lasting and more meaningful impact when you adopt the practice as your own. No matter where you crack open the book, the Lord will reveal himself in a very relevant way to the place that you are physically.

And if you need a friend to pray with along the way, I’m here.

Love,

Reggie

 

 

What you put on

 

Over the weekend I went to a thrift store just to see if I could find costumes for the kids. The only thing that I saw was a Hulk mask and the muscular torso that went with it for Jackson. I forgot that there should be matching legs somewhere. After all, the Hulk was Bruce Banner by day and wore street clothes before his muscles shredded his apparel. I was thinking (to myself) that muscles and jeans were the perfect combo. It wasn’t until I got home to show Jackson that I realized what was missing.

He was not only excited to put it on, he was convinced that I bought him a hulk nightgown! (Referring to this purple panel of fabric at the bottom of the muscles.) I am not sure how that fabric converted to a ‘nightgown’ in his mind but he was adamant that he was not wearing pants! The whole way home from hockey practice, he was in the seat in his underwear and …hulk parts.

I’m sure that any of you who have children have similar experiences with the ideas and naked ambitions of children… Parenthood is definitely an adventure.

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On a different note…

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Whether or not it’s Halloween, I love listening to children when they are proud of what they are wearing.  Little girls twirl in their dresses and show you all of their accessories. Sometimes thrusting fingers only inches from your eyeball. -The tiaras, the nails, the shoes…. ‘Do you like this?’ ‘Did you see this?’  Little boys exclaim “Watch what I can do!” as they flex their muscles and swing their swords. They crawl and sneak around on the ground showing you all of their smooth moves, now that they are ‘in full character’.

Over and over as I’ve thought about Halloween, it’s been hard to not think of those images and of certain verses that accompany a theme of ‘dressing up’. For example:

Col 3:12 tells us to CLOTHE ourselves in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. (Fruit of the Spirit Gal 5:22)

Rom 13:14 tells us to CLOTHE ourselves in Jesus.

Eph 4:24 and to PUT ON the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness

Eph 6:11 says to put on the armor of Christ.

While I’m sure that there are other verses that could be used here, they remind me that we can choose to be like Christ and to walk with Him.  Not only that, scripture, prayer, and even elements of faith can be mighty in the hands of the warriors that use them and know their power.

It’s not necessarily an effort of the things that we do or the way that we use them but instead the essence of His power at work, in us, when we believe.

The good news is that being Christ-like isn’t only for the gifted or ‘special ones’. It’s not something that’s only attainable one day a year (Lam 3:22-23). Corinthians tells us that we change glory to glory (2 Cor 3:18) and that He continues to perfect His work in us (Phil 1:6-7).

Yes, even though becoming mature in our faith is a life-long process, we can be just as enthusiastic about all that we have each day, in Christ. Even, and especially, when we feel that it doesn't all get ‘covered’. HE is more than enough.

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[Photo Disclaimer: The mask was lost before Monday night... So this will have to do...]