~ for our annual exhausting, fun-filled week of Vacation Bible School! Big kids all had jobs, Littles had a blast in their crews, and I cooked and served the pre-VBS meal for 70ish volunteers and their families every night. It was an awesome week of fun and fellowship and Jesus, and I’m so thankful we all got to be a part!
~ for a fun double date with dear friends.
~ for such a fun night with our HERO buddies at the Little Wranglers Party. Always thankful for these amazing kids and their families to be celebrated.
~ for a delicious farm to table feast: buttery blueberry pancakes and rich, savory sausage from you-know-what!🐗
~ for an almost perfect, simple country afternoon: playing with the chickens,
sitting under the walnut tree listening to Cooper
while taking pictures of some new friends,
while kids fished in the creek for the first time.
It was ALMOST perfect because I’ve got two sick ones this weekend.
But I’m thankful. Thankful for run-of-the-mill sickness that will pass. Thankful for healthy immune systems that will bounce back stronger. Every day is a gift. I don’t take any of it for granted. Dear Lord, we DO have so much to be thankful for.
Thanks for giving thanks with me.
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” (Psalms 27:13-14)
“I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”” (Psalms 77:11-12)
I think this was the “most farmer-ish” week we’ve had yet. I still can’t believe this has all happened inside one week.
I’m so thankful:
~ for our first “harvest.” A bell pepper from our little garden…
first handful of blueberries from my Mother’s Day bushes…
and finally enough wild blackberries (we’ve been stockpiling in the freezer since last summer) to make the most delicious blackberry crisp, elevated to next level status by fresh-churned homemade salted vanilla ice cream.
~ for the best spot to sit and watch an afternoon shower.
Or a late night downpour.
~ for my city kids first experience shucking sweet corn. How has this never happened before? How have I failed them for so long?
~ for animal control. We have 3 less creepy crawlies on our farm (killed one myself!) And that’s 3 in 2 days!
Don’t come at me about these being non-venomous, I’ve got too many goats, chickens, dogs, and CHILDREN to be selective. If we find a snake, we are going to ELIMINATE IT. (Sawyer delighted in being the “measuring tape.”)
~ and the craziest project we’ve tackled as a family yet: crazier than a drastic move, crazier than building a barn, crazier than converting a rat hole into a casita…baiting and trapping 7 wild hogs.
AND THEN, after a crash YouTube course, butchering and processing them into fresh ground pork and pork sausage! WHAT IS HAPPENING TO MY LIFE!???
I still can’t believe we are here. Look at this place exactly one year ago.
We had plans for this place, plans for a life in the country with our kids… but OUR vision was SO SMALL.
I look out on the land and every single day I discover something new.
A new wildflower, a new tree, new bird, new terrifying varmint.
The kids love their new binoculars and all they can observe (Tatum K insists she can see better with them backwards).
It’s far from perfect and certainly not always charming and picturesque. Something’s always breaking and somebody’s usually griping, and half the people in my house are teenagers.
But it’s so so good.
Lord, let me savor the moments that will be gone in a blink.
Thanks for giving thanks with me.
“Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” (Psalms 25:4-5)
“I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.”” (Psalms 16:2)
~ for a perfect, perfect afternoon breeze. For Texas Rangers game in the background. For bluebirds on the feeder and kids playing in the sprinkler. For a hot cup of coffee while I sit in my rocking chair and just listen. Soaking in this moment and trying to imprint it deep in my mind.
~ for an AWESOME trip to Dallas to deliver the Gold Network ETX Oncology Clinic Toy Drive donation to Children’s Hospital! You all helped us gather more than 3000 toys, our largest donation yet! It was awesome to collect, count, photograph, pray over, box up, load, and deliver all these toys, knowing the smiles they will bring to kids in the hospital. THANK YOU to everyone who donated!
~ and for an epically delicious trip to Maple & Motor for the best burgers.
~ for a wonderful night of food and fellowship with our CONNECT childhood cancer caregiver support group. We ended up with a “support local” theme, with the best BBQ from Stanley’s Famous Pit BBQ, best cakes and cookies from Laurel & Pearl, and best gourmet caramel apples from The Apple Gal. I treasure these fellowships, because the relationships built and encouragement shared are truly life changing.
~ for my sweet husband surprising me with the most charming little solar lanterns along the goat fence. Aren’t they so cute?
~ for fun (and some not-so-fun) finds in the country. Been enjoying transplanting pretty things we find growing wild into our garden and flowerbeds.
Life is busy and often complicated. Anxiety shows up unannounced and tries to derail joy. But God. Steady. Faithful. True. He gives bright moments, moments of peace, moments of beauty. They are always there if we choose to see. Thank You Father, for a cool breeze on a summer day.
Thanks for giving thanks with me.
“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” (Psalms 16:11)
When we talk about “commencement,” as applied to graduation, we think “the end. The end of school, the end of an era, the closing of a chapter.
But the word commencement actually means “a beginning.”
This weekend, Cooper graduated high school, and stepped into a new beginning.
Cooper is such a bright light. He is hilarious, uniquely gifted, and is equally unwavering and outspoken in his convictions. He is not afraid to do the EXACT OPPOSITE of what is expected. He has challenged us, challenged his teachers, challenged his peers. And (usually) in a GOOD WAY. He challenges me with hard questions and challenges me to trust him when I think he’s crazy. The boy is CRAZY. Crazy smart. Crazy talented. Crazy cool. He is totally one of a kind.
Some people will look at him and not be able to see past the painted fingernails or bleached hair. If they make the egregious error of judging this book by the highly unconventional cover, MAN will they miss out on an incredible story!
Coop plans to move out soon, has a couple of job opportunities to choose from, and has big plans to work hard on his music and producing skills. He’s been a musician for years and has been honing his skills and putting himself out there as an artist.
Most importantly, Cooper trusts the Lord. He has firmly anchored his faith, and knows that God’s plan will ALWAYS be better than his. He understands, “BUT GOD…”
THAT’S why I’m so excited to see Cooper “COMMENCE.”
Even if it wrecks me to see my little Coopy grow up, and my heart can hardly stand the thought of that season coming to an end, I’m ready for this Cooper to BEGIN.
It’s gonna be GOOD, y’all. You’re gonna want to say you knew this kid. I can’t WAIT to see what God has in store for and through this amazing young man I get to call my son.
We love you, Cooper. (Give him a listen & if you’re intrigued, give him a follow. He is streaming on all platforms. @davvec)
Thanks for giving thanks with me.
“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” (Proverbs 19:21)
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)
““Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43:18-19)
I don’t know why God entrusted me with such a large family. It definitely wasn’t MY idea. I just don’t think I have what it takes. BUT GOD. So here I am. And I’m so, so grateful.
Thanks for giving thanks with me.
Words from our pastor back in 2002. (We were expecting our second child. “Isn’t anybody gonna prophesy that they’re going to have a bunch of kids? [Laughter] The Lord is pleased with you because your heart and your mind and your life is built on increase, that you’re excited about increase. And that’s an expanding vision. Just let God be the one that decides how, OK?”
“But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”” (I Corinthians 2:9)
~ for my handsome son turning TWENTY FOUR! Am I ACTUALLY thankful for this? Because when I say it (or type it) it just makes me feel DESPERATELY OLD!
I just really can’t believe it. Colton is a man. Grown. Fully independent and on his own. I look at him and still see the baby that I carried in a laundry basket from my apartment to the laundromat.
It feels like a million years ago, but it was yesterday. I’m thankful he still likes his old mom and dad, and that he chose to spend his birthday with the fam. Crescent chicken, sweet potato fries with homemade ranch, and fresh baked cream puffs was his menu of choice, and we had a great time celebrating him. (Even if he ended the evening getting pounded in ping pong by 9 year old Sawyer.)
~ for the sweet smell of honeysuckle after the rain.
~ for snuggles from our farm babies after a hard week.
~ for the chickies (and duck) graduating from the brooder to their coop. They are hilarious to watch, gangly awkward “tweens” with oversized feet and feathers that don’t fit. It’s fun to watch them grow and get used to their new space.
~ for my brave husband who works his tail off, even doing what he hates the MOST – anything involving heights! His latest project is closing in the gable at the end of the barn and completing the soffits all the way around. Most of this job takes place 14-20 feet in the air. We will celebrate BIG TIME when this job is completed!
~ for such a special, exciting season for Cooper. He’s such an amazing kid. He’s had the best Senior year, interning with his high school principal,
speaking in Jr. High chapel,
and has kept his social calendar FULL. Senior Prom was last weekend, and he had a blast, taking a great friend for his date and enjoying the night with a whole group of friends.
This week he and buddies did their “Senior Prank,” with permission from (and chaperoned by) the principal.
And then his very LAST day of school.
LAST day of schoolFIRST day of school
Where did my little Coopy go? So proud of the decisions he has made, the role model he is for his younger siblings (and more others than we are aware of I’m sure), and his courage to be himself no matter what others are doing. He is ready to be out on his own, working and spending time really digging into his music and producing. I can’t wait to see God’s plan unfold in Cooper’s life. I know it’s gonna be GOOD!
Last fall we seeded a rocky, hilly area of the farm with wildflower seeds, a mix of red clover, blue bonnets, black eyed Susan’s, etc. It’s awesome to see more brilliant colors pop up every day, along with all the other incredible treasures that come to visit.
One of the seeds listed among the seed mixture was the Poppy. Poppies are my absolute favorite. I loved finding them growing in my youth in Southern Minnesota, but I’ve yet to see one in Texas, so I was not overly optimistic that any would grow. This week my heart was so happy to see our very first tiny poppy!
It was followed by another little cutie, and other, and then later in the week, two gorgeous full-sized beauties burst forth in all their flamboyant glory!
I couldn’t help but just feel like they were a gift. Truly, a gift from the Lord. I think He loves to surprise us, give us what we secretly hope for, knock our socks off with His creativity and generosity. And do we notice? And if we DO notice, do we actually GIVE HIM THE CREDIT, or do we casually dismiss it all as coincidence? Happenstance? Luck? I know sometimes, far too often, I’m so focused on the pressing “needs” and the latest catastrophe that I’m fretting about that I miss the gifts right in front of me. He didn’t have to give me a poppy. But He gave me 5!
Lord, give me eyes to see Your gifts all around me, and remind me to take the time to pause and actually THANK YOU for them.
Thanks for giving thanks with me.
“Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!” Let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them! Let the trees of the forest sing, let them sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” (1 Chronicles 16:31-34)
“For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” (Romans 11:36)
Wednesday was his bi-annual oncology follow up appointment, and he got an A+. It’s always wonderful to see his care team, they are family to us. And I know it brings them so much joy to see Sawyer growing and thriving today. They saw him through the darkest, scariest days that we all wish we could forget. It’s always on my mind how difficult their jobs are. These doctors and nurses see the unthinkable and keep coming back anyway. They fall in love with their patients even when they try to guard their hearts, which is why their care is so personal and so compassionate. But that depth of compassion means that the hurts cut more deeply than they ever let anyone see. But still they keep pouring themselves out, caring for the sickest of the sick every day. So humbly grateful.
So anyway, the visit was great. And we found a fantastic new-to-us burger joint, and thankfully made it home before all the tornado warnings.
But the rest of this week…y’all. Y’ALL.
This week’s theme: God is good no matter what. No matter the circumstances. No matter the bumps in the road.
We had a lot of bumps this week.
And I didn’t handle it well. In the middle of a stormy, raging sea, I was sinking fast. Because I kept taking my eyes off Jesus.
Everything, JUST EVERYTHING, felt hard and discouraging. Being a farmer is hard. Being a mom is hard.
BUT GOD.
No matter what’s going on, from the big tragedies and losses to the maddening everyday irritations we face, God is good.
I can sit in my rocker and listen to the whippoorwill.
I can see a family where there once was none.
I can see His beauty in a wildflower.
I get to fall asleep beside my best friend in the whole wide world.
I can look in the mirror and see the lost girl He redeemed.
So I’m thankful. I’m thankful that He reminds me of Who He is when I start to forget. He doesn’t let me drown and just say, “Guess you should’ve trusted Me. You had your chance.” He reaches out His hand to me and says, “I know this is hard, but it’s not gonna stay this way. Let Me hold you a little closer through this part. It gets better, you’ll see. JUST WATCH.”
If our hope is in Jesus, our best days are always before us. Because we know the end of the story.
No matter what bumps lie ahead. It’s gonna be GLORIOUS.
Thanks for giving thanks with me.
““Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”” (Matthew 14:29-31)
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus / Look full in His wonderful face / And the things of earth will grow strangely dim / In the light of His glory and grace” (Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus)
~ for springtime on the farm. Watching the world slowly wake up and new life begin to emerge is such a beautiful reminder of the breathtaking creativity of our Lord.
~ for breakfast picnics by the goat pen.
~ for a fun outing with my girls to the Gresham Barn Sale.
~ for Samantha enjoying being a Kite Buddy with a Kindergartener. How is she finishing 8th grade????
~ for more projects getting done on the barn. We’ve been so focused on the casita, there are a few details that need to get finished up. This weekend we tackled the track for the barn doors. Now we just have to build them!
Our photographer (Gavin) yelled, “y’all should kiss!”
~ for memorable moments as Cooper draws to the end of his Senior year. Each year, the graduating seniors walk the halls of their elementary school to an audience of their parents, teachers, and the elementary students, who clap and cheer and give high fives. It was special and exciting for Sawyer and Tatum K to see their big brother coming down that hall. And to make the event even more meaningful, Cooper had been selected to speak at chapel. He boldly encouraged the young students to not worry about what others thought about them, and to find their worth and identity in Christ. We are so proud!
~ for the great honor and privilege of Gold Network of ETX being chosen by the G.I.V.E. program of the Women’s Fund of Smith County (Girls Investing in Volunteer Efforts) as their nonprofit grants award recipient. Our own HERO, Aneesa, was our champion in the group. She first notified the group of our organization, and then advocated and fought for us all through the selection process. What an incredible honor!
◦ Time feels like it is stuck on fast-forward. As another school year winds down, and we prepare to graduate another senior, it once again becomes glaringly clear that the days are long but the years are short. It’s easy to wish the days away when the maddening and the mundane seem to be stuck on repeat. But they are priceless and fleeting. Lord, give us endurance for the everyday. To love well. To lead well. To drink You in deep. To pour out to others. And to remember that there is always, always, ALWAYS something to be thankful for.
Thanks for giving thanks with me.
““Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure. “But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.” (Psalms 39:4-5, 7)
“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?” (Psalms 8:3-4)
~ that my baby girl had a great birthday…but i am NOT OK that she is SIX! I still can’t wrap my mind around it. She is the spiciest little firecracker, but also the sweetest at the same time. She seemed to love sharing her birthday with the joyful celebration of Resurrection Day, and we all enjoyed her cake AND pie around the campfire.
(Somebody also lost their very first tooth!)
~ thankful that even if it was for just a moment, I had all my Loves together.
~ thankful that we pretty much OFFICIALLY BECAME A FARM last week, adding 3 goats, 13 chicks, AND A DUCK to our menagerie. We are learning as we go, but the kids are definitely loving all their new babies.
~ for our new chicken coop, just waiting for the chicks to grow large enough to graduate from the brooder. Love our little barnyard setup as it slowly begins to take shape.
~ for a fun day representing Gold Network ETX at the Jr. League of Tyler’s “Touch a Truck” event. Sawyer had a blast looking at all the various classic cars, community service vehicles, and construction equipment…even a helicopter landing! We we were able to share the mission of Gold Network with lots of friends from the community, and even met a new HERO family.
Our dear friend and HERO, Trenn, achieved his ultimate healing in the arms of Jesus this week.
He battled long and hard through unspeakable pain and setbacks, and did so with courage and grace. He was loved by everyone who had the great privilege of learning his story. Please pray for his dear family, as they learn to navigate life without the boy that has been at the center of their world. Pray for the doctors and nurses who did everything they could for him, and provided such loving and compassionate care for the boy they fell in love with. People don’t really think about how deeply and personally they feel these losses.
Oh, how I hate cancer. Losing another friend never becomes routine. It doesn’t get easier.
I keep trying to make myself post that Gold Run registration is open. But I stop myself before I do it. Because WHO CARES!? A mama is crying herself to sleep tonight without her son. Who cares about a STUPID 5K!
But then I remember why we do what we do. We have to raise awareness. For Trenn. For Sophie. For Ceely. For Eric and Olivia and Michael and every other kid we’ve lost. And for Sawyer and Mason and Aneesa and every kid who’s still here. We have to raise money to take care of these families. Raise money for research. Keep fighting for training and better care for our children. It’s NOT A STUPID 5K. It’s a mission, a God-given ministry to families that need hope.
We are not giving up. EVER.
We’ve changed our name from Tyler Gold Run to East Texas Gold Run, to better reflect the broader community we seek to serve. Join us September 23, 2023. Run. Or walk. Or donate. Registration is open. Help us make a difference.
““Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God ; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”” (John 14:1-4)
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