Kentucky Cornbread

THIS CORNBREAD, y'all.

I'm sitting here, the day after Thanksgiving, looking outside to this gloomy weather, and knowing that this is definitely CHILI weather (with it being the day after Turkey day, maybe I should be thinking of a light salad and fruit, but....nah).  And let me ask, what better side to go with chili than cornbread?

I promise, this cornbread recipe will satisfy any and all of your cornbread needs!  And to add, this was the one recipe I wrote about back in October that was passed down from my beautiful grandmother years ago.  Today, I am putting it out there to all you beautiful people!

Not only is this recipe wonderful, but it is super simple.  Look at this thing; weathered and battered and almost unreadable! I've read it so many times though that I am really close to having it memorized.  Only a few more times and I think I'll have it down.

Any recipe that says "mix all the ingredients together" as the first line is a BIG winner to me.  That means that most likely, it will be easy for me to do and to pull off.  Score #1! 

First I preheated my oven to 450.  Let that preheat, then mix together 1 and 1/2 cups of self rising cornmeal, 1/2 cup of Wesson oil, 3 eggs, 1 cup of sour cream, 1 small can cream style corn, and 3 or 4 green onions chopped fine (I love green onions, so I used the entire 4).  

I used a casserole pan that I use for hot dips and other such things, sprayed it with cooking spray, and poured half the mixture right on in.  After that, sprinkle about 1/4 cup of shredded cheese over the top, pour the rest of the mixture on top of that, then sprinkle another 1/4 cup of shredded cheese on the top.  

Boom.  Done.  Just like that!  Score #2! Put it in the oven, wait 30 minutes, and you've got delicious cornbread waiting to be put with the perfect main dish.  OR, you can eat it by itself!   I do a little bit of both, and every time it is awesome. 

AND...instead of making you try to read the recipe card above (even though I love the old look of the card!), below is a little bit of a more cleaner version.  Score #3!! 

Friends, go and make this! You WILL NOT regret it. :) 

Much love, 

Ashley 

The Middle

Middle child.  Middle School.  MID-life crisis.  In the 'middle' of friends' arguments.

I don't know about you, but I really can't recall many GOOD memories or experiences that come with the middle; unless, of course, it has something to do with the middle of an Oreo.  In that case, the middle is actually incredibly good.

We are filled with excitement in seeing someone's new start. The opportunity of the future and all the adventures that come ahead.  We are inspired to see someone's magnificent end.  The product of hard work and commitment, the success that has come to fruition, or even...a life wonderfully well lived.

Most of the time, the human race, our society, and each of us, only see the hopeful beginnings or the strong finishes.

But what about that middle?  What about when we are in the hallway? In between the opened door and the finishing tape?  The parts where we see absolutely no results, just hard work.  Case in point:  the middle of this blog post while the little girl climbs all over me with her feet on my shoulders and hands in my face..  Forgive the typos.

Speaking of, I feel like we are in the middle with her.  We celebrated her wonderful birth and were filled with hope of a little girl.   We know we want her to be a Proverbs 31 woman who has the beauty of a Christ filled heart; we have high hopes for her future and what her goals might end up being.
And you guys, right now, this middle with her is downright hard.  Tantrum throwing, strong willed-ness (I just learned that you could wipe sharpie off a countertop with nail polish remover), and 'her way or the highway' personality.

I also feel we are in the middle with our boy as well.  We celebrated his wonderful birth and were filled with hope of a little boy..and our first child.  We know that we want him to be a Christ following man who knows how treat a lady, how to be a great father, and fulfill his dreams.  And right now we are in the middle with him as well; helping him develop good study habits, learning hard lessons on life, guiding him as we have embarked on changing schools.  The good...and hard stuff.

In the middle.

And don't ya' know, the devil will come right up in your middle and tell you to quit.  That there is no way it could get better and most definitely not end well.  He will tell us how foolish we are for hoping and will tell you to curl up in a ball and hide until this all finishes up for you, because you surely cannot handle this right.  You will mess it up and regret that you even started for the silly goal that you had in front of you in the first place.

That can't be right. No.  This cannot be what God wants from our middles.  Strong beginnings and finishes are awesome. But He surely doesn't want us to wither like a flower in the middle, turn around and go in the other direction, sit and cry in that dark hallway.  As a matter of fact, we wouldn't have those strong finishes without good, solid, dig down deep, Spirit filled middles.  And I don't mean happy middles.  I mean, putting one foot in front of the other not knowing what the future holds but going on in anyway with a blindfold type of middles.

I heard a song the other day that I have heard many times; in church, on the radio, and such, but for some reason it was loud in my ears and in my head.  Loud to the point where it gave me goosebumps and an intently listening mindset.  I listened to the song at least 5 times in a row with the same Spirit filled conviction of what these middles really mean.  It is a song by Jesus Culture: Waiting Here for You.

Waiting here for you.  WAITING.  Not only is the middle the time we need to persevere, but it is a time where we WAIT.  Wait on God's glory, mercy, timing, deliverance.  Whatever it might be...waiting.  

Waiting HERE...not quitting and going/doing somewhere/something else.  Waiting HERE.  Not changing your environment just to divert and avoid the middle. Waiting here...for HIM to remind us of His promises and His faithfulness. 

The Bible says this:  

"The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him." - Lamentations 3:25 

"Wait for the Lord, be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord." - Psalm 27:14 

"And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you, will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." - Philippians 1:6 

Whatever kind of middle you might be facing.  I feel it.  I feel the desire to stop in your tracks and say, "It's too hard!".  Trust me.  There are times I would LOVE to run to my bed and say, "I'm done."  To say that it's too hard to even take one more step forward.  But, I think that's the point.  Our decision on this middle will either strengthen our faith or find us running from it instead.  It's free will, folks.   

I choose not to say, "this too shall pass".  No.  I don't want to just wait for it to end.  Or to close my eyes and just hope for the best.  No.  I want to say, TAKE COURAGE.  Be strong.  And know that this middle is part of the beauty and the glory of God that makes the ending so wonderful.  I choose to praise Him while I wait, even though I am not sure of the path or the ending.

Guys, He will see you through this middle.  He has to! As I preach to myself, I say, don't doubt the middle!  Don't doubt what God might be doing because, as it says, He will bring IT to completion.  He has plans...big plans, so we, in the middle must pray BIG and BOLD prayers. We don't know the end, we only see the hard work, but He and His plans WILL prevail.

The Middle.  It's where He builds great things.

Much love,
Ashley

A Little Cornbread with your Chili

It's football season! Which means all sorts of things wonderfully fall, including chili and cornbread!  Who can argue with those combinations?  In preparation for this fall season, I have begun prepping my chili making by making my first batch today.  And to add, it just wouldn't be complete without Grandmother's Kentucky cornbread!

You might be thinking...this is a football/fall food loaded post; and don't worry, those are coming.

But not this one! As much as I'd love to spend time on fall, this post isn't that.  It's about southern hospitality and the beautiful nature of my grandmother.  Grandmother has gone on to Heaven, and Grandaddy Scott passed soon after; however, she still remains so strong in me and my sisters' and brother's lives.

I remember when Grandmother gave me that Kentucky cornbread recipe.  It was soon after my wedding and I was asking about her cooking and the skillets she used and she LOVED my interest.  She told me some tips and recognized that I would love to be able to actually use real utensils and cook, because Lord knows, I had a LOT to learn (and still do, but I'm getting there).  I'll never forget it, she literally TORE out this recipe and handed it straight to me and told me to keep it.

I had it stuck down in my purse for the longest time, and eventually stuck it in my recipe book and I even kept it safe through a couple of moves.   She passed away before I had a chance to try it out.

But, one of the first fall, 60-ish degree nights, I decided to make some chili.  My Coach told me how perfect cornbread was with chili and I thought, "my goodness! I have that cornbread recipe from Grandmother!" I ran to the grocery store and grabbed the ingredients and whipped it up at home;  I have to be honest, I was so afraid I would do something wrong.  I probably read the direction 5 or 6 times before AND as I was making it.

It turned out AWESOME.  I'm talking; awesome!  We ate it all with no crumbs to spare. And I so wish I could've told Grandmother how awesome it was. How thankful I was that she had handed it down to me.  How sweet it was for her to just tear it right out of the recipe book trusting that I would one day use it.

Those good ol' southern recipes are more than just southern and more than just recipes.  They are tradition.  They are wisdoms passed on from one generation to the next.  I love the digital age; there really is such good in technology or I wouldn't be blogging!  BUT, there is nothing like seeing one of your family member's handwriting on their personally owned recipe books; especially after it has been passed on.  It inspires me to keep going with my journals (if you don't know me, I have at least one journal in my purse, a couple at my school, and several at home) in hopes that maybe they will be of some value to my children and their children.  It is history staring right at you in the face.

My mom is an artist like her father was; I have two paintings of hers.  One of a Texas landscape and one of my daughter on the beach.  How special will it be to pass it on to my children? And to their children?

So, this southern post is one of encouragement.  Keep on with our technology!  However, keep on with the writings, the church notes, the recipes, the actual paper.  I'm positive your family will be so thankful that you did.

I love you, Grandmother.  Thank you for trusting me with part of your culture and life.  I will treasure that recipe for all time.

Love,
Your Third Granddaughter, Ashley

The MOVE

Well, the time has come!

This past week has been PACKED (no pun intended) with packing...unpacking...throwing trash away...giving things away...packing..unpacking...breaking down boxes...putting boxes up....packing.

Let me be honest, we have moved several times.  As a matter of fact, a friend of mine asked me recently, "Is this the 4th place your littlest one will live?" I sat for a second and thought....No, no way. But, YES, yes it will be.  To give you a little perspective, she is not 4 yet.

Now before you think we are 'hoppers', we haven't changed jobs THAT many times in her little life, but, we have moved quite a few times. Why? One reason is because we wait for the perfect place to raise a family, and in those waiting times, we live in temporary places. We take our time, because to us, that is a vital part to raising a family. We should be expert movers by now, right?  Yeah, not so much! Each move proves to be so different than the other!

The biggest reason we move is because of the coaching world.  We have done two things and have learned from both.  In our 12 years of being part of this coaching community, we have lived SUPER close and we also have lived somewhat 'far' away.  Can you live further away, commute, and still be a super supportive coach's wife?  Of course!!  But from experience, when your husband's season gets going, you will either pack for the entire day and 'wait it out' to support him at his games, OR be able to go home, regroup, have the kids do homework, get a little snack, etc.  To be married to a coach is to be part of a huge, wonderful family.  Being able to support him, have fellowship with the other coach's wives, support the team, cheer them on...all those things are big deals.

So, with this new change and exciting opportunity, we are moving to be close so we can embrace and support the school we will now be a part of!

This time around it seemed like we had so much MORE than ever before!  We did some major purging and 'down-sizing our stuff', which was incredible to do.  Even a little therapeutic!

In the end, we ended up with a gazillion boxes (I never seemed to get enough of those suckers - always went back to the store for more), pounds of trash, many things to give away, a few little mishaps (yes, I fell on a chair box trying to get clothes OUT.  It was not pretty, folks.  Not pretty at all), and then a beautiful home to leave for the new owners!

And then, before we knew it.  That was that.  We went to the title company, closed on our house, and went to our new 'spot' until we make final decisions on our next phase!  

Were we sad?  Yes.  You see that spot in the middle of the wood floor? In front of the fireplace? The 4 of us gathered there to pray.  We prayed in THANKS and gratefulness for the roof that God provided faithfully over our heads.  We prayed in gratefulness for the people that surrounded us on all sides.  We prayed and asked that God would abundantly BLESS the home for the new owners. We prayed for all the scripture that is written by us in sharpie deep inside the walls, on the frame of that house, would do exactly as is written.  Blessings.  Gatherings.  Fellowship.  Protection.  We prayed for our family, our adventure, and where it takes us next.  I cried.  BUT, I left with hopeful anticipation and expectation of what God will bring.  

A lot of folks have asked how our kiddos are doing.   I always respond with this:  A wonderful coach's wife, Robin, told me once when I asked about how she dealt with moving many times, and she said, "You treat it like an adventure!  You tell your kids how neat it will be to make new friends, new teachers, and a new house!  It will be so fun!".  There ya' go.  One of the best pieces of advice I have ever gotten.  My boy was just a few months old when I asked her and when she told me that and I hang on to that advice and that IS what I'll do! So...to answer that question...the kiddos are so excited! 

There are a TON of unknowns.  And it makes me a tad fearful at times. 

But, then again, it also makes me incredibly excited.  To know that HE is in control and knows what is ahead for us? And WILL provide for us and give us exciting opportunities?? How can you not get excited about THAT!!  

We are in our new 'pad' now; settled in, and ready to move FORWARD.  Not looking back, but reflecting on the precious times and knowing that MORE memories will be made.  They are being made right now.  

And, thanks to a neighbor in our 'old' neighborhood, our new place is oozing 'cozy, sweet home' from that delicious candle she gave me.  Something as little as a beautiful candle can make a huge difference in this coach's wife's heart! 

Home is what you make it...is it not?  This move has already taught me so much.  We will continue on this adventure with hopeful hearts and excited attitudes!  One chapter closes and another one begins!  Thank you, Lord.  

And yes, that may or may not be M&Ms sitting on the counter.  Don't judge.  

Lightning Bugs and Summer Nights

The night sky made its appearance as we all sat in the pool chairs at my parents'  house, and my dad said to us, "Did you see that lightning bug?"  Sure did.  That little guy, being the first one I saw as dusk settled in, reminded me what it was like to chase lightning bugs. The way your eyes have to strain in the night to see the faint light of these little creatures who seem to never be in the same spot twice.  The way you would run around like crazy with a mesh bug catcher in hand trying to snatch those things!  You were always happy to catch just one.

My little loves' faces were so excited to catch some lightning bugs as it grew darker and darker.  My mom provided a plastic cup with a lid and we went a-runnin'.  The Coach caught one and right then and there, our hunt was complete! It's funny to see the differences in your kids' personalities, isn't it?  While my girl wanted to keep it trapped inside the plastic cup (poor thing had no 'vent' to breathe)
and put it by the nightstand all night, my boy, after enjoying the catch, was desperately wanting to release it.  

After my littles were in bed and the house was quiet, I sat there remembering all the times and nights outside watching lightning bugs and being in that house. Being at my parents' house is always nostalgic. Because we live so far away, when we come to visit, we stay for a while and I always have time to travel down memory lane.  I remember so many summer nights there.  Summer days.  School days.  Holidays...

I remember a Christmas party upstairs with my high school friends and we laughed and laughed while we exchanged presents and ate snacks.
I remember the sound of lawns being mowed on Saturday mornings waking me up, but loving the sound of people taking care of their home.
I remember driving in the driveway after getting a speeding ticket and being so scared to tell my parents.
I remember watching countless movies with my best friend, having sleepovers, and staying up as late as we could.
Speaking of staying up late, I remember writing a research paper on the book The Joy Luck Club all in one night and got one hour of sleep before the next day in school (I made a 95 on that paper, by the way - procrastination might just work).
I remember my mom waking me up for school and knowing she would wait downstairs to hear the shower come on - her cue to know I was 'up'
...and I would turn it on...but I would go back to sleep until the absolute last minute I could (Sorry mom for those water bills!).
I remember loving it when my two older sisters and their kids were there, either for the day, or overnight.

So many memories.  But then, I realized, these are just my teenage memories.  What about the memories of the childhood house?  I began listing those memories out visually in my head, too.   My sisters babysitting me, my younger brother being brought home from the hospital, watching my mom cook, the tire swing, the ditch we would play in, the trampoline with (GASP!) NO net.  

I looked around and thought about what I would do if my parents ever moved and I didn't have to drive to that house anymore.  It honestly made me sad.  But then, I stopped.  I thought.  I pondered.  I loved the homes I had memories in.  I loved the walls that surrounded me.  But that house would be nothing if it weren't for the people who were inside.  It truly isn't WHERE the catching of lightning bugs and summer nights happen;  it's about WHO it happens with.

My parents, my siblings.  We are NOT perfect.  We are flawed.  We have issues just as good as the next person. BUT, THEY are the childhood memories.  They created the lightning bugs and summer nights.

I went down the hallway, checked on my littles and watched them sleep for a bit, and I began to pray. I prayed, especially since we have our own move coming our way, that Coach and I would be the memories for them.  That they will be the memories for each other.  My prayer is that when they go and catch lightning bugs again, whether it be with each other, with us, or with their own families one day, that they will remember.  And they will remember fondly of the place, but even more so, their heart will be full thinking of the who they were with.

Here's to more lightning bugs.

Did Someone Say Cream Cheese?

I could eat cream cheese from a spoon.

Don't laugh. I truly could.

I love all cheeses, really, but cream cheese just tops them all.  And oh, how cream cheese tastes so awesome in desserts....and breakfasts...and dinners....and alone...on a spoon.

In looking through all the bagillion of 4th of July recipes across the good ol' 'net, I knew I shant look any further when I stumbled across a recipe with cream cheese involved.  The only drawback...it has fruit.  But, I'll take one for the team since the fruit is 'festive' and matches our beautiful American flag.

Before I begin, I need to tell you three things.

ONE: This is easy.
TWO: It also requires to be chilled overnight.  Just a little FYI for ya' there.  There is nothing I hate more than when I get halfway into a recipe and all of a sudden it reads, "and chill for the next 24 hours before serving", which is also like saying, "if you don't chill for 24 hours, it will be a miserable fail and all your guests will be wondering why you step foot in the kitchen to bake".
THREE:  I use graham cracker crumbs; no crushing of real deal graham crackers for me.  I like to make it quick. :)

This beautiful red, white, and blue cream cheese heaven is from a new blog I have found called,
Mr. and Mrs. Pear (cute, huh?)!  Click HERE to go to their link and see all about them.  Cute couple!

Mr. and Mrs. Pear call this dessert, "BERRIED TREASURE".  So clever, Mrs. Pear!  The fruit is wonderfully buried underneath the cool whip and vanilla pudding.  And don't worry, the cream cheese is there.  Perfectly placed on top of the delicious buttery graham cracker crust.  My Your mouth is watering, right?

This is how mine is turning out through the process...

I'm happy!  It is chilling as we speak right now so I can whip it out tomorrow, throw the cool whip on top, as if I am the queen of the baking world (I'm really not...don't get too excited).

Want to see the recipe?  Click on Mr. and Mrs. Pear's link HERE to get it.

Go grab it and enjoy your BERRIED TREASURE!  Blessings to you and your family on this 4th of July!!!

Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches

That's right.  The title has the word homemade in it.  Therefore, you will be sorely missing out if you do not read.  So, go ahead, and read up!

As much as I wish I could take the credit for coming up with this delicious southern delectable, I cannot take credit for it. Ladies and gents...may I introduce you to My Mom.

It always amazes my sisters, brother, and I how My Mom can whip up all the 3 square meals full along with desserts seamlessly and effortlessly.  It's so humbling; especially when I try to make french toast and she stands by anxiously watching and gently takes the spatula away from me just to 'show me how it's done'.  And why is it, I ask, that by simply taking the spatula away and flipping it herself makes it so much better? It's like there's cooking magic in her fingertips.  And...I'm okay with that.  Aren't 'mom's' things always supposed to taste better, anyway?

So, picture this:

Brownies.
Cookies.
Ice Cream.
Summer Day.

My kids LOVED these.  As a matter of fact, my boy said this is the best dessert she has ever made; then went on to say, "actually, this is the best dessert I have ever HAD!"

Want the recipe?  Of course you do.

A few notes before embarking on this delicious summer dessert!
#1 - This is a GREAT recipe to make with the kiddos!  So easy and fun for them to help make!
#2 -  Whatever you do, do not leave the brownies in the oven for too long or too little.  They will either be too gooey or too hard.  You want the right consistency so you can bite into these little babies and it be ice cream sandwich worthy!

From My Mom's kitchen, to yours... ENJOY!

Monogrammed Ballcap and Sweet Tea Bars

Oh my darlin, dear.  May one not be found without a monogrammed ballcap (spell-check says 'ballcap' is two words, but I say differently).

This little cap was something I bought on a whim through the magical site of ETSY.   I mean, is there ever a better place to by personalized things ONLINE than on Etsy?  Reasonably priced, cute, adorable, and for the most part, good in shipping, etc.!  I actually bought my daughter's napmat on Etsy and it is one of the happiest, best purchases I have gone for.

This hat was bought through SOUTHERN PREP BOUTIQUE...and I have to say, I really like the name of their store.  :)  Who can dislike anything when the name 'southern' is involved??

Their store is so cute and has so many options of monogrammed styles.  They also do phone cases,  totes, shirts, etc.  PRECIOUS! I plan on ordering more from this cute little southern shop in the future.

Here I am sporting the cap!  I love it!!  You can dress it up OR dress it down! :)

To top off this Southern Sunday, I got a wonderful feed this morning from Mix and Match Mama. 

SWEET TEA BARS.  

Say, wha??  It took every bit of will power in my soul not to run out of my house at 6:30 a.m. to get sweet tea to finish up the recipe requirements (all the ingredients you will probably have on hand!).  I didn't, and I'm pretty dang proud of myself.  

Here is the beautimous pic of the Mix and Match Mama's Sweet Tea Bars:

Head over to Mix and Match Mama's BLOG  for the recipe of these bars! 

I plan for them to be in my kitchen soon!  

Thank you, Mix and Match Mama!  You never disappoint!  

May the rest of your Sunday be Southern, y'all! 

Summer + Neighbors = S'mores Pie

Who likes s'mores??

If you don't, as my mom would say, 'that's just UN-American'.  Amen, momma.  Amen.  (insert hand raise)

So, what is better than getting neighbors together during the summer and enjoying this age-old dessert?  I can think of nothing else.

When our neighborhood function was planned I thought and thought about what 'side dish' I would bring.  Do I bring fruit?  A casserole?  Nope..I went safe and decided dessert!  Everyone loves a dessert option.  I searched around and Pinterest did not fail me; I found this awesome and EASY s'mores pie recipe. The best of both worlds...s'mores without the mess.

Guys, help me welcome...the s'mores pie from Gimme Some Oven.... We all say WELCOME and THANK YOU, darling s'mores.

I don't know how I can spell this out for you, but this is amazingly E-A-S-Y.  And if I'm totally honest, I usually screw up baking.  So, the fact that mine turned out awesome, is something to be said.  I may have left the marshmallows a second or two too long in the broiling part, but it did NOT make a difference in taste, folks.  

Here's how mine turned out, see how the mallows are just a tad browner than above?  Made it more 'campfire' like, really.   

So, in conclusion, the s'mores pie was a hit and is summertime desserts at its best.  Check out the link above and try it yourself!  You will be surprised at how easy it is to whip this dessert up!  

S'more it up, y'all!  

Jesus, My Captain & A Printable

Yes, I know.  Those don't make sense together; or at least, they don't seem like they belong together.

BUT.  No fear, my friends.  I shall connect the two!

First, I love music.  All kinds.  There is rarely a type of music I don't like.

Second, I also love cute printables to hang around the house in frames, in my kids' bathrooms/bedrooms, etc.  I have a rotating frame that sits in my kitchen and a drawer underneath that holds printables for all seasons; birthdays, spring, fall, you name it.  Needless to say, that stack keeps growing and it makes my heart happy, happy!

And third, I love really good sermons.  You know, the ones that resonate so deep in your soul that you know for a 100 percent fact that the preacher was speaking straight to your face and you felt as if you were the only there getting a personally spoken to word from God!

We listened to one of those sermons this past Sunday.  Coach and I were on the road and decided to play this sermon from our church and I tell you, it was all I can do not to scream AAA-MEN and start boo-hooing all at the same time.  This pastor, straight from Nashville (as a Tennessee born and bred girl, that made me perk up right there), is taking his family through a move and a BIG change and joining the church.  A change that seems a little crazy.  As he began to preach, I said to God and to Coach, "wow...WOW.  this is us.  THIS is how we have felt and are feeling".  Everything he said resonated with us so much that it was as if he was having church JUST for us.  (if you don't know about our upcoming move and changes, click here: We Interrupt This Program ).

Here is the link to watch and or listen.  I encourage you, if you are going through ANY changes at all...any kind of "what am I (we) doing?", or asking "what is GOD doing in my life?", or even, "this seems ridiculously crazy for me to believe or to go for..." This will be the best 20ish minutes you will have today.  Gosh, even if you are struggling with a decision to make or an opportunity that you aren't sure is from God.  I'm telling you.  You will not regret listening to this.  You can even fast forward a little bit to see it to get to the message; it starts at about the 11 minute mark.  You will love it; I know you will.

Watch/Listen to it HERE: http://crosstimberschurch.org/watch/

The pastor mentioned a song; and being a Nashville guy, he has a love for music (yay!), so again, I was all ears.  This song was CAPTAIN by Hillsong.  After the sermon was over, we downloaded it immediately.  Now, this time, I did cry.  One of those silent cries because tears are flowing uncontrollably.  As we go through this season of change, and knowing this is not the only time that change will come, these lyrics are an incredible testament to God's all knowing, almighty power and guidance.  Some of the lyrics...

Through waters uncharted, my soul will embark.  

I'll follow Your voice straight into the dark.  

And if from the course, You intend I depart.  Speak to the sails of my wandering heart.  

Like the wind, You'll guide, clear the skies before me  And I'll glide this open sea.  

Like the stars Your word will align my voyage, and remind me where I've been and where I am going.  

Now, on to the printable...I love seeing words that I feel I need over and over.  The words to remind me who is in control and who is my Captain and knowing where I have been and He knowing where I am going.  Because of this love of impactful words, I have made a printable! Annnnnd... one for YOU to print off, too! And I made it set for this SUMMER season in mind.

Here it is in my frame in the kitchen and the printable itself:

I think I like it!  Of course, there are always things that I would like to change, but the purpose is served.  He is OUR CAPTAIN, our soul's trusted Lord.  He is the one who sustains us.  Let Him guide our sails into where He needs to take it.  

HERE IS THE PRINTABLE FOR YOU TO DOWNLOAD AND PRINT:

JESUS MY CAPTAIN

We Interrupt This Program...

There is one thing that would probably be good for you to understand about me before even beginning to read this post;  I loathe change.  Unless it is an obvious "good thing" in MY simple human mind for me personally, I hate change (controlling, much??).  I was the little girl who threw a massive, flyin' off the handle fit when her parents told her she was going to a neighbor's house to swim but on the way surprised her to a trip to a fun theme park.  I was the one who made schedules for the summer days when in first grade and ANY change in the plan ruined my attitude and the day itself.  That girl when my mom told me they were thinking of going to the beach for Christmas, I cried for hours.  All because I didn't want the change.  Predictability, normalcy, schedules; it's what I like.  Learning to bend gracefully has been a hard and tough thing for me, but I'm getting there; little by little, I'm getting better. On top of this, what I'm also learning, is that God stretches you in areas you NEED to be stretched! EXPECT that to happen!

Enter... "The Call".  

When my husband got 'the call', I politely, sweetly, yet loudly firmly, said, without skipping a beat, "Well, that's so nice.  But you can go ahead and tell him no, honey".  You see, this call was a job opportunity, and as many people well know...when you marry a coach, you also marry the opportunity and chance to make moves a little bit more than your average 8 to 5, Monday through Friday worker.  This was one of those opportunities that makes your heart pitter patter a bit but then the raging wave of FEAR comes over you like a monsoon!  And, then you have to ask, is this something God really wants for us right now?  What is this interruption, and most important, why?? We were settled, happy, at a school that our kids loved and had only been to and known, and surrounded by people who invested in us and we happily returned that investment to them.

My husband challenged me/us to truly pray about and listen to see what God wanted us to do with this little 'opportunity' (I thought, wow, he's still considering it?).  Well, fantastic.  NOW what.  To say I was a little frustrated was an understatement.  Even though I was a 34 year old woman, wife, and mother, keeping it all together on the outside,  inside I envisioned myself stomping my feet and pouting just like I did when I was young when things changed.  I had several pity parties in the days to come.

However,  I took my husband up on the challenge and reluctantly began to pray knowing that when He would speak, I would need to listen and follow.  I had to fight against the feelings of being afraid of what The Lord would say.  Have you ever felt like that? That if you don't pray and go about your own plan, then surely things will stay fine? And if you do pray, things might possibly get out of control and you won't be able to have your say in it? I have.  And I, unfortunately have chosen NOT to pray in some past instances for fear of what The Lord might show me.

I knew the stakes were high, so I prayed insistently and every moment I could for God to give me an answer. I prayed in the morning and at night and in between when the situation came to mind.  I read about how to know if it is God you are hearing or if it isn't.  I posted this verse and this saying up where I could see it when I left the house and when I came into the house.

And little by little, bit by bit, I began to trust HIM more and pray more and specifically ask for not my ways but for His to prevail...

And folks, I tell you.  When I surrendered to His will and prayerfully asked Him to move and show us clearly, God opened door after door after door.  Moment after moment after moment.  Moments where I would be together with my Coach and we would just look at each other in awe of what we just saw or heard.  Little things and moments where I was by myself and just an impression would be placed on my heart.   The things that were coming out of our boy's mouth in talking about faith, and being together as a family (he, at the time, was not in the 'know' about what his parents were currently praying for or the decision at hand).  Sermons that were on being BRAVE, COURAGEOUS, getting out of your comfort zone, and expanding your work for the Kingdom.  Books I read suddenly became obviously pointed to the circumstance.  One quote in particular came from Life Interrupted by Priscilla Shirer: 

"Hold your own plans loosely and stay ready to submit to His.  Consider them to be more important, more desirable than anything you could dream up on your own.  He has come down to you with intentionality and purpose because He loves you and know that you are never more securer than when you're in His will." 

Hold your own plans loosely.  Have I ever done that?  Nope.  So, why now?  

Because His purpose has GOT to be greater than my own thought up ideas, schedules, and normalcy. And then, when we both needed it most, my prayers changed.  Instead of praying for ME to get an answer, I began to earnestly pray for my husband, the spiritual leader of our family, to get an answer and then...it happened.  

We both got home on a Tuesday night, after praying for a few weeks, emotionally exhausted and we both looked at each other and almost said simultaneously, "We're taking it." (and it's 'we're' because in this coaching business, it's always and has to be WE). 

When it came down to it, our only two reasons we could come up with for saying 'no' was because of our comfort level and the fear of failure.  Those were the only two things we mustered up.  Two not very good reasons at all and definitely two reasons that were not of the Lord.  One verse I came up on while spending time studying these 'life interruptions' was: 

And what I learned from this and the wise words of Priscilla Shirer, as followers of Christ, we are not of people who 'shrink back', we are to "follow God wherever He leads, no matter the cost".  

So, here we go.  Making really big changes; moving locations, switching doctors (that's a huge deal to me!), saying goodbyes and meeting a whole new set of people that we believe God has ordained for us to meet. Who knows where this path will lead. The goodbyes are tough and hard, especially when you feel you are all but blood related with the people you have done life with.  And truly, it's not goodbye, but it is a change of pace with them.  I don't expect this move to be easy, there are lots of things that are still needing to find their place in the puzzle, but I DO believe that The Lord has great things in store.  God has prepared our hearts and souls and we are excited for what is to come and for the families we get to meet.  We are excited to see God move and are ready to embark on this new chapter!  The icing on the cake? I get to watch my husband build a program and do what he does BEST.  

As Shirer would say: This interruption? A Divine Intervention.  

Standing In the Gap

Ahhhh....the coach and the playoffs.  What a relaxing, fun, exciting time for a coach's wife, right? I mean, gosh! At least we made it here, right?!?

Wrong.  Oh, so, so wrong.

I will never forget the first year we went to the state playoffs.  We had to have a hotel room and me and my 4 year old boy were happy to tag along with my wonderful coach of a husband.  I had no idea what was going on.   I mean, goodness, my previous experiences of being in a hotel room equaled vacation, fun, relaxation, and pool time.

Oops.

I had no idea the amount of PREP went on preparing for a state game.  Oh my gosh.  None.  Coach's meetings, watching past games of the opponent online,  lots and lots of room checks for the boys,  lots of pep talks, arriving at least a couple of hours before game time, and even more than that, LOADS of prayer.

Let me put it to you this way, I promised/vowed/committed to never get the same hotel room as my husband during a state-semi/state game.  Never again. Ever. Ever, EVER.

BUT....I didn't live up to that vow.  I, through some painful growth moments, learned to understand and SUPPORT my husband in his preparation.  I was there to pray, support, love on, and give him every ounce of 'go get 'em, honey!!' as possible.

This weekend of state semis was no different in my role.  Oh, well, wait.  It was a little different.  My little gal decided to have a reaction to her antibiotics and I had to scour the town that playoffs were in (mind you, I have never been in this town longer than 5 minutes) for a local Walgreens for my pedi to call in another script.  Do you know how badly I wanted to complain to my husband?? Do you know how badly I wanted his help?  But guess what, ladies.  I didn't.  I had to put on my big girl panties and DO IT.  With the help of our pediatric nurses who are great, and making a few phone calls, I got it done. And you know what?  It was slightly empowering and I felt so good that I didn't bring my husband, who was OBVIOUSLY in another state of mind, into something that I could've handled.  Coach's Wives, you can to do it.  Trust me, you can.

My role is that of cheering on my husband and praying that he will have the guidance of our Lord to act on and to listen to.  A praying wife for her husband.  Watching him this past weekend after so many years....has been more special to me than ever.  I know so much more.  I have learned so much from fellow coach's wives; Charlotte, Arija, Robin, Roxanne.  I have observed and listened to what he needs from me as his wife.  I want to give him my all; even though, I don't act like it all the time.  I love him.  I want him to succeed.  The hours, the time, the sweat, the tears, the thoughtful act of where to play boys and the strategic, WISE thoughts behind every decision.

My Coach...is the smartest baseball guy around.  I am not kidding.  Shout out to his parents for making him an amazing SMART baseball man.  Watching him is nothing short of amazing as much as it is baffling.  I have so much respect for him.

SO...Coach's wives.  What advice can I give?  To stand.  Stand by him.  Be ready to cheer him on and watch him, and watch him and be proud.  No matter what anyone else in the stands might say.  Lose your hearing, ladies (thank you, Charlotte).  Don't believe them.  He is YOURS and he is smart and he loves what he does.  Be that cheerleader (no, I wasn't one in HS) that he needs. Be there for the fall, the rises, and the in betweens.  Stand by him.  He needs for his wife to not only love him, but to know that even though schedules and life are crazy, you are okay and that you are there to pray for that win...to pray for those decisions...to pray for those moments that he doesn't know what to do. You stand in the gap.  Stand there and hold his hand, because even though he might act like he may not need it at times, I can tell you from experience, he does.

Power to you, Coach's Wives!  I am cheering YOU on.  Go.  Stand.  Cheer. Him. On.

I love you, Coach.

All In!

On this day of last year, we prayerfully, thoughtfully, and after serious research, 

decided to go ALL IN with something that we have never done before.  A company built on health and wellness.  One that, unknown to us, would become a huge blessing not only physically but in all sort of other freedoms!  

Talk about out of a comfort zone!  This is IT!  We have said no to many things, MANY, many things. I could make a list, but for time's sake, I won't.  For some reason, Coach thought we should go for this.  A nutritional supplement that made us feel years younger and so much more energized to keep up with our life.  My response, though, at the time?  "Don't lose any money, honey!"  I loved the new energy I had gained and just an immense amount of feeling better, but was scared to death.  And...guess what? Money is something he didn't lose! 

If you had told me a year ago that we would travel to Vegas, New Orleans (I have learned to ADORE that place), drive a NEW CADILLAC...I would have laughed.  I think I probably would have been kind of offended too. As if thinking, "What? You think we need this? Shame on you! We are just fine!".   But wow.  Our Lord is so much bigger than our tiny imaginations and thoughts.  

"Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man, this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'" - Matthew 19:26

NOTHING.  Is impossible.  Please, don't put God in a box.  We are a coach and a teacher, y'all.  We don't drive Cadillacs or go on exotic trips.  We love the life God has bestowed upon us.  We love everything about it and what we do.  We wouldn't change it for a lifetime of riches.   We also know that God brings opportunity to our door.  We can either say yes, or say no.  You measure those opportunities and you make sure that it doesn't go against The Word of God.  You make sure it doesn't go against your morals and priorities.  

Your FAITH.  Your FAMILY.  Your CURRENT JOB.  Then, you go forward.  

We went forward.  And it has been, for us, a complete blessing from Him.

There is no reason everyone on this planet shouldn't experience the freedom that we can have!  Go after your dreams and don't stop!

Love,
Ashley 

Baseball Wreaths, Anyone?

I am twelve glorious years into being a baseball coach's wife.  12 years.  After all this time, I finally have something on my door to represent this ridiculous fun schedule that we live January through May!

I got this idea from Pinterest (I bet you've never heard that phrase before, right??), and on a whim decided to go for it!

Here it 'tis!

Pretty cute, huh?!?  

Here's the cool part and the wonderful thing about social media.  A friend who follows my Instagram account saw this lovely little baseball H and wanted one for herself!  So, what does one do?! Say YES!  

I had a great time making hers.  It ended up a tad different, but I still loved it just as much if not more than the H I had made for myself.  

Who wants the flowery, frilly wreaths, anyway?  Let's all go for the initial!  And don't judge when I put a flower wreath up later. ;)  

Dear Courageous Momma, The List Can Wait

Raise your hand if you're a Do'er!

Lord knows I am.  I am a bonefide DO'ER.  I am amazing at to do lists.  The best.  I am rock solid on getting things done and not slowing down enough to, let's say, smell the roses. I would make to-do lists for one single day that would put anyone's weekly to-do's to shame.  I am proud of this because, frankly, I knock things out. I get 'er done. I am loud and I'm proud about this one strength in my life.  Until I look back and see a weekend of to-do's instead of days of memories.  It actually takes EFFORT for me to slow the hey down.  And honestly, when we are in the middle of Coach's season, everything revolves around supporting him and his team and slowing down is just NOT an option.

So, when my sweet friend (I shall call her God's Gift to Getting Me Out of My Comfort Zone) brought up the opportunity of us attending a mother/son weekend with her and her son at Pine Cove in Tyler, TX, this is what I thought:  "Yes, Yes, YES!  Oh, that sounds great!  I mean, really great! I can't wait! What great memories will be made!"

And then the pitch forked little red angel yelled out, "For someone other than you, you crazy momma!  We are in the thick of your husband's baseball season for crying out loud!  District games are serious!  Not only that, but, don't you have a full time job?!  You know you would much rather be at home doing things that need to get done and feeling accomplished, because we all know too well that Monday is a-coming sooner than later, you know!? Oh, and let's not forget this 3 year old that would need some assistance while Coach has his games!"

I could've easily said no, and my sweet friend would've understood because of the season I am currently in.  But, I didn't.  Surprisingly, I didn't. For a miraculous moment, I felt the urge and importance of this mother/son weekend with our precious friends,  and I said yes.

I had no earthly how everything was going to get done.  The weekend, like all others, was jam packed.  And, if I'm frank...I was a tad nervous about not having everything in line and taken care of before leaving.  But then as sure as the rivers reach the seas, GOD.  Then, GOD.

God happened.  And like He always does, in perfect timing.  Why would I doubt?  When I know he BLESSES us when our hearts and intentions are in the right spot?

When God happened, this is what I mean:
 - A precious family friend offered to watch my girl while I was gone.
 - I, by the amazing grace and mercy of our Lord, got everything done before leaving school and ready for the Monday that was coming with TIME to spare (rare, folks, rare I tell you).
 - The weather...was BEAUTIFUL!
 - I packed the evening before and finished all laundry and tidied the house before the Friday school day (huh!? I to this day do not understand that).

We jumped in the car with anxious and excited hearts, the 4 of us, and headed out.  And The Lord prepared my heart.  Oh, did He prepare it.  I was SO excited.  So excited to have some precious moments with my son that have been taking a back seat since his little sister had been born while also juggling crazy football and baseball schedules.  Those to-do lists couldn't have been further from my brain.  I had no idea what to expect.  No clue.  And this is hard for me, because I'm a person that loves a schedule.  But what I experienced cannot ever be taken away from my boy and me.   What we experienced together as mom and son cannot be paid for.  It just can't.

We ziplined, we spent worship time with other moms and sons, we did a devotion together, we fished, we shot some bow and arrows,  some BB guns, we did a ropes course. I got to look him in the eye during that ropes course and say, "come on now, be brave! You can do this! Let's do this together!" without Coach being there to back me up.  My boy had to trust ME, his momma.  We played games and we WON a nighttime game with our friends and new friends that we had developed in just the short 24 hours we were there, and we celebrated together in a display of whooping and hollering and acting like the 9 and 10 year olds we were with.

The other mommas and I got to listen to Tracey Eyster of the "Be The Mom" book for 4 glorious mom sessions.  Oh my word...please, mothers, go to her website and order that book!  Ordered mine and cannot wait to get on reading that one.  All proceeds go to Pine Cove Project 319!  Amazing. I plan on putting up a post on just what she taught us.  It is irreplaceable.

My boy and I had a little Q&A session together one afternoon and one of my questions to him was: "What do you want to learn more about from me?"  His answer?  A staggering and life changing answer.  "Mom, I want to learn how to be serious.  Because, you know, you're very serious." Ouch! Not that serious is necessarily bad, but, ouch! Did I really want that to be the one thing that he learns from me?

Wow.  He sure didn't know me in high school or college, now did he?

My heart dropped.  I have become this rope pulling momma who knew how to get him to get things done.  I was good at it.  The one who barked orders and pulled those good ol' reigns in before things got (God forbid) out of control. But, I will give myself some grace and realize that without this weekend, I would have never had that moment to realize that before it got to the point in the future where I wish I would've known that.

I am so thankful that The Lord brought my sweet friend, who knows how to make some good memories and slow life down, into my life when He did.  Or else, I might've missed this weekend and kept on keeping on with those darned lists which can always, ALWAYS wait.

Spend the time, mommas.  Put it down.  It can wait. Take it from me, whatever it is, it can wait.