Author Archives: Amanda Manney

About Amanda Manney

Hi friend, thanks for stopping by! I'm Amanda. I am a pastor's wife and a homeschooling mom who has a passion to encourage women to faithfully step every day into what God has for them.

3 Quick Tips for a Successful Morning Time

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I am an introvert by nature and need alone time every morning to have a successful and profitable day. I use this time to read my Bible, pray, journal, and prepare myself for the day. If I don’t get that quiet time early in the morning, I am a hot mess the rest of the day. I have done this for several years and have 3 habits that help me to be consistent in my morning time every day.

3 Quick Tips

1. Get up at least thirty minutes before my kids get up.

This tip is the most important. Once my kids get up, I can pretty much just forget any peace and quiet. As hard as it is to get up early some mornings, especially after a late night, my day goes a thousand times better when I get up before my kids.  Once my kids are awake and our day has officially started, it will take me forever to get my Bible reading, prayer time, and journaling done!

2. Light a candle.

My favorite candles are the three-wick candles from Bath and Body Works. I especially love the fall scents like sweet cinnamon pumpkin, apple and pumpkin, and caramel pumpkin swirl. The first thing I do after getting up in the morning is to light a candle. The scent of the candle helps to wake me up and get me moving. It also helps to create a mood of peace and calm.

candle

My Caramel Pumpkin Swirl candle

3. Make a cup of coffee.

The next thing I do after lighting my candle is to head into the kitchen to make a cup of coffee or tea, whichever I am in the mood for. My favorite is coffee with french vanilla creamer. Once I make my coffee, I use my hand-held frother to give it the perfect touch. Once I have my coffee or tea in hand, I head back into the living room to get started.

mug with coffee

My favorite mug for coffee

These quick easy steps help to wake me up and put me in a right frame of mind to start my morning time with God. I want my morning time to be something I enjoy and look forward to, and following these tips help to accomplish that.

 

The Hidden Pain- A Peek into the Book I’m Writing

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lady typing on open laptop

In the writing process

Being Hurt By God

What do you do when something bad happens that is out of your control? How do you respond? I know we like to throw Romans 8:28 around a lot as Christians.

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Don’t get me wrong. I love this verse, and this verse has comforted my heart on many occasions. But sometimes I hear it tossed around too much. Sometimes something happens that hurts us so deeply, and then somebody comes along and says, “It’s ok. It’s all going to work out for good, sweetie. Just hang in there.” And then you feel like punching them. Well, maybe I’m the only one that feels that way. Sometimes, though, life just hits you, and you can’t see how in the world it’s all going to work out. There are no words that help to comfort you.

What makes the problem an even bigger problem is when you feel the hurt is directly from God Himself. Have you ever been there? Maybe it was something you prayed for that didn’t happen. Maybe something happened in your life that you feel God could have stopped, but didn’t.

A Peek Inside My Book

We all deal with tests and trials in our lives, but I think the hardest ones are the ones when we feel like God is against us. It’s the hidden pain we carry– those trials that are too painful and too personal to share with anyone else. For the last six years, I have felt this way. So much so, that I am writing a book about it entitled The Hidden Pain. Here’s a quick peek from one of the chapters.

Boom! I sat up straight in my bed, my heart thudding in my chest. I didn’t know what had woken me up, but I knew some kind of explosion had. I didn’t know what time it was, but it was some time in the middle of the night. I couldn’t find my voice because of the fear coursing through my body. Before I could wake Matt, I heard banging on the front door. This startled me into action. “Matt, wake up. Something’s wrong. Someone’s banging on the front door.”

Matt was out of bed faster than I. He quickly walked out the door of our bedroom and into the hallway leading to the kids’ room. I pushed aside my covers and crawled out of bed behind him. As I entered the kids’ room, my eyes were drawn to the eerie glow coming from the kids’ window.

Just as noticed it, Matt said, “Bob and Debbie’s house is on fire!” (our neighbors.) A second later, he looked out the window and said, “No, it’s our van. Our van is on fire!”

Those few words pulled me out of the daze I was in and propelled me into action.

“Malachi and Madison, get out of bed now! There’s a fire!” Malachi and Madison woke up and jumped out of bed and started down the stairs towards the front door. I grabbed our little girl out of her crib and flew down the stairs behind Malachi and Madison. Matt had dressed lightning fast and was following us down the stairs to the front door where someone was still banging.

I opened the front door and instantly saw the police officer who had been banging on our door. Beyond him was a confusing mass of neighbors all yelling and shouting advice at the same time. The blast of heat hit me the second I stepped out of the house onto the front porch. Stunned for just a second, I glanced over at our van. Our van was completely engulfed in flames. Flames were shooting high into the sky. “Is everybody out of the house?” the officer asked. “Yes,” I weakly managed. Without looking back at the van, I sped down the steps with the kids and followed one of our neighbors to the safety of her home. Another of our neighbors took Maggie from my arms and carried her for me. He told Matt to stay and he would see to it that the kids and I would be safe.

As I walked away from our home and our burning van in my pajamas, I was in shock. I kept asking God to help the firefighters to get there fast. I begged Him to help the van not to explode. I prayed for him to keep my husband, the police officer, and our other neighbors safe. I understood the gravity of the situation. I knew that the fire was too close to our house, and that it was just a mere few feet from our electrical box.

I walked into the neighbor’s house. The lady brought us over to the couch to sit down. With a promise to keep me updated, the man turned and left to go back and see if he could do anything to help. The sweet neighbor lady put on cartoons for my kids to watch. Nobody said a word. My kids didn’t ask any questions. I was glad because I didn’t have any answers for them. I put a hand on my pregnant belly to reassure myself that our baby girl was ok. I kept listening, but still didn’t hear sirens. I couldn’t look out the window because of the fear I felt…

And an excerpt from later in the book…

This is painful. I feel so broken. I feel that God just keeps hammering away at me. But I choose to believe He has a plan. I know He’s trying to get rid of that anger that so often rears itself in this Mama, He is trying to eradicate the pride that stands out so strongly in my life, He is trying to build a boldness for Him in this introverted person, He is working to toughen me up a little bit—so that I am not so sensitive to every little thing people say or do. He has so much work to do in me! Sometimes it’s so discouraging. The only consolation I have is this—because the tests and trials keep coming, He hasn’t given up on me. He believes I am valuable to Him and to His work; He just needs to develop me more. So I wait and allow God to keep working. To keep changing me. To keep testing and trying me. To keep transforming me. Because He values the trying of my faith more valuable than gold.

I Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

I am excited about this book and can’t wait to finish it and share it with you!

 

Have You Ever Tried a Sabbath Day?

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sunrise over the water

photo credit: Luca Bravo

Why Did We Start Having a Sabbath Day?

Our Sabbath day is my most favorite day of the week! Well, maybe it is tied with Sunday– because I do love an awesome day at church, followed by a yummy meal and good company to share it with. Anyway, about a year ago, our schedule was so crazy and Matt and I were constantly worn out and frustrated with each other and with the kids. We decided to start making Monday a Sabbath day for us, just for a few weeks to see if we liked it. Well, we loved it! So we have kept it ever since.

What is a Sabbath Day?

Our Sabbath day is simply a day of rest, and it is based on a principle from the Bible. God, the Creator, Who never is weary, took the seventh day of Creation to model rest to us. He must have really thought it was important!

A day of rest is different for everybody. There are so many ways to incorporate it. A lot of people do a day of rest on Sunday, but our Sundays are too full. Because Matt is a pastor, our Sundays are busy from the Sunday morning service, the fellowship afterwards, and the company and lunch at our house in the afternoon. Sundays are awesome, but not restful. So we do a rest day on Monday. We keep it pretty simple. Here is what it looks like for us:

  • The kids have the day off. I home school, so we have this flexibility. They do school on Saturday instead of Monday. So on Mondays, they are allowed to play all day, play games on a tablet, or watch something.
  • Matt doesn’t do any church work. He has extra time to read, watch something, take a nap, etc.
  • I can’t take the day totally off because I need to cook and keep the house running. But I try to do minimal housework and cooking if possible. I try to read, take a nap, and just relax. Sometimes I do extra cooking, but simply for enjoyment.

Mondays have become a favorite day for our family, but we have to work at it. We try not to  schedule anything on Mondays. We have to be intentional to force ourselves to take the time to rest, read, and rejuvenate.

What are the Benefits of a Sabbath Day?

Having a Sabbath day on Monday totally transforms our week. Matt and I actually get more accomplished in our week when we totally take off Monday. It sounds so counterproductive, but it really works. We also are so much more at peace. And on the weeks that are really busy, and we are just trying to push through, we encourage ourselves with the fact that Monday is coming! We can push today, because we can rest on Monday.

There are so many benefits to a Sabbath day.

  • It slows you down. It’s a break from the rush of every other day.
  • It’s a chance for extra rest.
  • You get a chance to spend time doing whatever hobby you choose, without feeling gulity.
  • It brings peace to the rest of the week.

What Does a Sabbath Day Look Like?

Here is what a recent Sabbath day looked like for us. Matt and I both slept in. When the kids got up, they just grabbed a tablet quietly. We got up refreshed and relaxed, lit our favorite apple pumpkin candle, opened all the windows to let the fresh fall breeze in, and grabbed our Bibles (and I grabbed my journal), and we sat and read our Bibles and prayed quietly at the dining room table.

After we finished, we moved into the kitchen to do some food prep for the week. Matt came in and helped, and we worked together and just talked. We cut and peeled apples for homemade applesauce from the apples we picked at a farm. I put some pork in the crock pot for dinner, and made a brunch of banana bread, kielbasa, and eggs for everybody.  After everybody ate and cleaned up, the kids went back to playing. I grabbed a book and read for a while. Then it was naptime for everybody.

After a good nap, I got up, prepped dinner, and made some paleo brownies for dessert. Everybody got up from their naps, helped get ready for dinner, and then sat down to eat. After dinner and clean up, I had time to read again for a little bit. Soon it was time for bed for the kiddos. We got all four kids in jammies, teeth brushed, and in bed and read to them for a little while. After that, I worked on my lesson plans for school for the week, and made my meal plan and grocery list for the week. I finished off the night with a little bit more reading time.

I told Matt that night, it had been the perfect fall Sabbath day. Now every Monday is not that perfect, but we are trying.

What Could a Sabbath Day Look Like for You?

So many people do their day of rest differently. Here a few ideas to get you thinking.

  • Maybe Sunday works best for you. You go to church, grab lunch out (so you don’t have to cook), come home, get a nap, and read. Sunday evening is church, or small group, or family time at home.
  • Some ladies do a half day one day and a half day the next day. For example, maybe Friday afternoon into Saturday morning is your Sabbath day. Friday afternoons are a time of rest and free time. Dinner is pizza delivery so you don’t have to cook. You watch a family movie together and get to bed at a good time. Saturday morning is a chance for more free time and an easy brunch, or everybody takes care of their own food. Then once noon hits, the schedule picks back up; but you don’t schedule anything on Friday nights or Saturday mornings.
  • Or maybe your Sabbath day is during the week. Maybe it’s Tuesdays. After you get the kids off to school, you take the remaining hours until school is done to rest, and do something that rejuvenates you. Maybe you grab a cup of coffee and do your Bible reading and prayer for the day. You fit in a nap and a chance to watch that movie you have been wanting to. When the kids come home, you are rested and relaxed and ready to jump back into “Mom” mode.
  • Note: Don’t underestimate the need for a Sabbath even if you don’t have kids or are single. You still need scheduled time for rest, doing something that you enjoy, and a break from your crazy schedule.

Is it Worth It?

It takes time and creativity to make a day of rest work with your schedule, but the payoff is so worth it. Start small. If you can’t take a whole day off, pick an afternoon or an evening. Try it for just three weeks and see if you don’t notice a huge difference, like we did!

 

Letting Jesus Carry Me Through Today

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My Attitude Stinks

Yesterday, my attitude stank. I was cranky, despondent, discouraged, and frustrated. I was frustrated with some circumstances in my life, I didn’t feel like eating right, I didn’t feel like being nice to my kids, I felt like I deserved a break.

Matt talked to me and tried to encourage me, but I was in a foul mood. It was just a bad day. I decided to go to bed early and get some good sleep. Amazingly this morning, I woke up encouraged, filled with hope, and ready to face the day.

What Was the Difference between Yesterday and Today?

So what was the difference between yesterday and today? Both days I spent time with God in prayer and Bible reading. None of my circumstances changed from yesterday to today. The only thing that changed was my attitude and a good night’s sleep. I woke up this morning to a fresh new day. I was reminded of one of my favorite Bible verses.

Lamentations 3:22-23 says, “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is they faithfulness.”

I often hear people misquote this verse. They say that the Lord’s faithfulness is new every morning. While it is true that God is always faithful, that is not exactly what the verse is saying. This verse says that God’s compassions are new every morning.

Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines compassion as “a suffering with another; pity; commiseration; a mixed passion compounded of love and sorrow.” If we put this definition back into the verse, it says that God suffers through our day with us in pity and commiseration mixed with love. Why does God do this? Because He knows and understands we live in a sinful world full of grief, heartache, problems, and pain. He simply chooses to walk with us through the pain each and every day.

So if you feel like you can’t make it through today, remember that Jesus is hurting with you. Lean on Him and let Him carry you through today. Tomorrow will come, and just as sure as the sun will rise, Jesus will be there again to walk beside you.

I Have Nothing To Prove

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nothing to proveTrying to Prove My Worth

I just finished reading the book Nothing to Prove: Why We Can Stop Trying So Hard by Jennie Allen. It was such a great book! The title alone says it all!

I have spent so many years of my life trying to prove my worth, trying to measure up to the next person, trying to find my value in what I do. After years of trying and failing, I have finally come to realize– It’s not going to happen. I am never going to measure up to somebody else because I am not them. I am me, and I am learning to be okay with that.

There is so much peace to be found when we finally realize and live like we have nothing to prove. In her book, Jennie says,

So many of our problems come when imperfect people try to act as if they have it all together…We hide behind images we create of happy, clean, impressive lives. We are exhausted. Because if you create an image to hide behind, you’ll have to spend all your energy holding it up.

It is the simple things that will change the world… You do the simple work of loving God and loving people. It is messy, hard, not too glamorous. And that sounds like Jesus.

If you are tired of trying to measure up and live up to everybody else’s standards, then I highly recommend this book. It’s an invitation to look at life from a completely new point of view– one that realizes you can stop trying so hard because you have absolutely nothing to prove!

When You Can’t See God Working in Your Life

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When You Can’t See God

Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:

On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him: (Job 23:8-9)

These verses written by Job thousands of years ago, accurately describe many people’s lives today. Have you ever felt like Job– that no matter which way you turn, you can’t see God working in your life? I have. Sometimes life gets so complicated. We try our best to do all the “right” things. We go to church, we read our Bible, we love our family and care for them, we are kind to others… we do everything we are supposed to do. Yet, we don’t feel His presence, we can’t see Him working in our life, and we sense that His hand of blessing and favor is not on us.

What do you do when you hit a dry spell like this?

God Sees Me

Job was facing deep discouragement when he wrote these verses. He had just lost all of his wealth and possessions and his children. During this time of tragedy, he looked for God but couldn’t find Him anywhere. He knew God’s hand of blessing had been taken off his life, but he didn’t know why. Job questions God’s presence during this difficult time, but he moves on rather quickly in the next verse.

But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. (Job 23:10)

During this season of life when he couldn’t see God, Job chose to believe that God was still actively involved in His life. He trusted that God was watching over him and taking notice of what Job was doing.

It is during times of discouragement and uncertainty that I have to choose to believe that God is actively present and watching over me. Questioning God during this time doesn’t help. I have to trust that He sees me, even though I may not be able to see Him right now.

lady walking on path

Photo credit: Geran de Klerk

 

Questioning God Doesn’t Help

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Questioning God sounds so horribly wrong, yet most of us do it the moment a trial comes into our life or things don’t go as we had planned.

I have been reading the book of Job as a part of my morning time. Job has so many amazing hidden gems in it. If you have been around church for any length of time, you are probably familiar with the story of Job. Job’s ten children died on the same day that he lost all his livestock and servants. Soon after that, Job lost his health. Job went from being incredibly wealthy and a well-known man of means, to a nobody who lost everything.

Where Is God?

Job 23 finds Job in the midst of his suffering. He is desperately trying to understand what is going on in his life and where God is during this time.

Oh that I knew where I might find him (God)! that I might come even to his seat! (verse 3)

I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments. (verse 4)

I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me. (verse 5)

As you read these words, can you feel Job’s desperation? His greatest desire in the midst of his  trial is to find God. He wants to argue his case before God. He wants to ask the questions that we all desire to ask of God when we are in a trial. Why God? Why me? What have I done wrong? Where are You? Do you see my pain? Do you care?

Will God Answer?

Job wants to ask God these questions; then He wants to hear God’s answers. What would God say? Job wants to know and be able to understand God’s answers. The next few words out of Job’s mouth give a really good picture of the wisdom that Job has. Job says in the first part of verse 6:

Will he plead against me with his great power? No… (verse 6)

The word plead here means “to grapple, to contend, to debate.” Job ponders– “If I was able to plead my case directly with God Himself and ask Him all my questions, would He debate with me?” Don’t miss Job’s answer. He answers for God– no. Deep in his heart, Job knows that even if he had a chance to talk to God about his pain and hurt that God would not use His great power to force Job to see things God’s way.

God Doesn’t Give an Explanation

Job recognized that God doesn’t owe us an explanation. Even if He did give us an explanation, our finite minds couldn’t even understand it. God is not going to fight with us to prove His point or debate with us. That is not how our loving Heavenly Father works.

Notice the next few words from Job:

Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me. (verse 6)

Job understood that God was not going to debate with him to answer his questions. Instead, Job understood that God would simply fill him with strength to endure his trial.

We Won’t Get the Answers Now

As much as we want answers, I don’t know that it would change anything. I don’t even know if I would want to know. It could be painful. What if God told me right now why our church plant won’t take off– would I want to know? If God were to tell my mom why she has had a debilitating disease most of her life– would it make it any easier? If God told my dear friend why her precious grandson got cancer and passed away just weeks before his 20th birthday– would the pain be any easier to bear?

As much as we want answers, even demand them, God knows we probably couldn’t handle them. So until we get to Heaven, God just gives us the strength to handle what comes our way.

As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him. It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. (Psalm 18:30, 32)

 

person walking on rocks

Photo credit: Jordan Whitt

 

The Best Part of a Beach Vacation

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Matt with our crazies at the beach

Summertime at the Beach

It’s summertime! For us, that means it’s time to pack up and head to the beach for a few days. There are a few reasons I love going to the beach for a week. First of all, it’s a change of pace. I get to take a break from schedules, to-do-lists, and pressures. I get to spend more time playing with my kids and talking with my husband and extended family. Second, it’s a change of place. Because I am not at home, I don’t have as many responsibilities to tend to. I get extra time to read and relax.

My Favorite Thing to Do at the Beach

But my most favorite reason for spending a week at the beach is the chance to get closer to God. My favorite thing to do is to get up early in the morning, make a cup of coffee, grab my Bible and my journal and head outside to the patio. Outside I feel the cool breeze and hear the lull of the waves. I soak in the peace and quiet and beauty of the early morning and begin the best part of my day.

I open my journal and write down my praises, my sins to confess, and my prayer requests for the day. Next, I pray through those; then I usually spend a few extra minutes just talking to God and telling Him what’s on my heart. After that, I take a few minutes to be quiet and still. Finally, I open my Bible and read.

The peace that I feel when I have finished my morning time with God is amazing. It is always good to spend time with God, but there is something extra special about it at the beach! I always feel closer to God when I am at the beach. I love that feeling of closeness.

Getting Closer to God

One morning while I was at the beach, I read James chapter 4 and came across a familiar verse.

James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you.

I love this verse, and I spent a few minutes thinking about it. This verse is so simple, yet so profound. Sometimes I come to a point where I feel so far away from God. I feel like He doesn’t hear me, like He isn’t there for me. During these times, I need to remember that God hasn’t gone anywhere; He is still right where He was. It’s me that’s moved. Maybe I have gotten too busy to hear His voice in the rush of things, maybe I haven’t spent as much time as I need to in my morning time with Him, or maybe sin has separated me from feeling His presence. Whatever the case, this verse is a reminder to draw close to God once again. I need to stop the craziness, grab my Bible and journal, and spend some quality time talking to God, listening to Him, and reading His Word.

The beach is my favorite place to get closer to God, but I don’t have to be at the beach for that to happen. I simply have to choose to take the time and effort to draw close to God, and He in turn will draw close to me.

 

 

 

The Only Difference Between Winners and Losers

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Desiring to Win

We all want to be winners in life, don’t we? We want to win in our finances, our jobs, our homes, our marriages, our kids, and so much more. I do too; so I read books, listen to podcasts, subscribe to blogs, take classes, and continue to learn and grow. Yet I feel so often like I am not making progress. The goals I had last year are the same goals I have for this year. The dreams I have are just that–they are still dreams. I want to do amazing things and accomplish great goals, yet I feel like I am stuck.

Spinning My Wheels

Sometimes I feel like I am just spinning my wheels; I feel like I am never going to accomplish what I want to accomplish. I take a few steps forward and then everything comes crashing down. We start getting out of debt; then unexpected circumstances and bills put us behind. I start making progress getting my house organized and cleaned; then I get sick and the whole house turns into a disaster zone. Our small church starts to gain a little momentum and grow; then we lose two families. I feel like I’m making progress in being a more loving mom to my kids; then something happens and I totally lose it and yell at my kids.

Getting Back Up Again

I was listening to preaching the other day and heard this quote that caught my attention:

“Everybody wins, and everybody loses. The difference between winners and losers is that winners get back up again.” (Rick Warren, Saddleback Church)

Hearing him say that was such an encouragement, because I fail so often! The Bible has something to say about this concept in the book of Proverbs.

“For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.” Proverbs 24:1

The only difference between winners and losers is that winners choose to get back up again. They don’t give up. They choose to stand back up after failure, brush themselves off, and go at it again.

Trolls Song

My kids love watching the movie Trolls that came out a few months ago. In the movie, Poppy, the main character, sings a song called Get Back Up Again. I love the lyrics! It goes right in line with this thought.

Hey!
I’m not giving up today
There’s nothing getting in my way
And if you knock-knock me over
I will get back up again
Oh!
If something goes a little wrong
Well you can go ahead and bring it on
‘Cause if you knock-knock me over, I will get back up again

Do you have any dreams that you have given up on? What failures have knocked you down?  Choose today to stand up, brush yourself off and go at it again. You got this!

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Girl walking on path

Spontaneous Summer Fun

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kids having fun on side of pool

Pool Fun– my kids and my sister’s kids (minus one of her kids that wasn’t around for this pic)

I am a very planned-out person. I love making plans, schedules, to-do lists, etc. I am not one of those spur-of-the moment types of people. Some people call that boring; I call it productive. Anyway, it is something I am trying to work on. I want to be a more fun person to be around, especially for my kids! Well, this week I got my chance to work on it.

On Sunday night around 11pm, just as I was drifting off to sleep, my phone rang. I picked it up and looked at it. It was my sister. I answered, and she told me that she and her husband and four kids were headed on family vacation the next day. They were going to be stopping just about an hour away from our house, and she wanted to know if we wanted to meet up with them. We only get to see them once or twice a year, so this was really exciting news. I hesitated for just a split second, thinking about how I would make all the details work. I stopped myself before I could talk myself out of it and said, “Yes. We would love to!” We finished talking and hung up.

I realized as I hung up that I didn’t really know any of the details, or how this was all going to work. I looked at my husband and said, “So, we are going to meet up with my sister and her kiddos tomorrow. Is that OK?” He graciously said yes, and we went to bed.

The next morning was a flurry of activity, getting our kids up and ready for the day. They were ecstatic when we told them they were going to spend the day with their cousins. My sister asked the manager at the hotel they were staying at if it would be OK for us to come swim with them.The manager said it was fine. So we grabbed swimsuits, towels, goggles, pool noodles, and packed the van and hit the road.

We met them for a fun lunch at Sonic. Then we headed back to their hotel to get ready to swim. Sometime during the craziness of getting seven kids ages eight and under ready to go swimming in one small hotel room, my husband came and told me that he was going to book us a room for the night. My initial “planner” personality kicked in… We didn’t plan that into our budget. What about clothes? What about cosmetics? But I decided in that moment to put all that aside and just roll with it– definitely something I am not good at doing.

two little girls sitting on edge of pool having fun

Our two little girls– cousins

We ended up having an amazing time! I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time! We had so much fun swimming together. That night we all went to Friday’s for dinner. You should have seen the hostess’s face when we asked for a table for 12! We got endless appetizers and yummy meals and enjoyed talking and laughing some more. After dinner, we went back to the pool and let the kids  go swimming again. I ran to Dollar Tree and got a few cosmetics and then hit Target to grab t-shirts for our family for the next day.

It all worked out. It was a crazy but amazing 24 hours. I can’t think of how much I would have missed if I had said no. It’s summer! It’s the time for crazy plans, pool parties, and family fun. I am so glad I just said yes and went with it!

What is something you have done that was crazy and last minute but turned out awesome? I would love to hear about it! Leave me a message in the comments section!

kids sitting on couch having fun

Five of the eight cousins waiting for a table at Friday’s