Weekend Watch: Graduation Edition – 5.17.13

(Brag alert)

My husband graduates from Missouri State today. To say that I am proud is an understatement, I am elated and deeply proud of all that he has done to reach this goal. For our entire marriage (six years) he has been dedicated to finishing his degree and now at the end we can take a deep breath and after enjoying the excitement of the accomplishment, can continue to seek the Lord’s will for our family. Exciting things are ahead for the Copeland’s!

Five reasons why I think this accomplishment is pretty stinkin’ awesome: (in no specific order)

1. Not only is he graduating, but he is graduating WITH honors. Summa Cum Laude.

2. He is the first from the Copeland side of the family to receive a college degree.

3. Having a full-time job AND being full-time in school is crazy, but he did it. And did it well.

4. Being a parent while in college is also not easy, choosing to play with the girls and putting off homework until they were in bed was a common decision…and worth every minute.

5. Despite my plea’s to skip homework or my effort to convince him that he didn’t HAVE to read every sentence in every book, he worked at school as he does everything else with excellence and dedication. I called him a nerd but really I am in awe of his work ethic.

Congrats, James. You did it!

p.s. also he can dance…

Weekend Watch 5.11.13

Since it’s Mother’s Day tomorrow:

Now if that doesn’t encourage you then I’m not sure what will!

Happy Mother’s Day, you are mighty!

Also…here’s one for a laugh:

Weekend Watch 4.26.13

Back in action for your weekend entertainment…if you like what you see SHARE it!

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the usual read for Mom’s…this one is a good one!

It’s Ok If You’re Not Enjoying Being a Mom This Week by Lisa-Jo Baker

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the story of a miracle that my husband witnessed in Africa

Rain In The Desert from the School to the Nations Blog

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the Easter service that was on FIRE…Literally.

I personally like how the guy portraying Jesus did not miss a beat. Fire couldn’t keep him down!

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the Garden of Eden restored?

The Quest to Save the Garden of Eden from theatlantic.com

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the pastor commentating numb-chuck practice…in a parking lot…HILARIOUS!

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Weekend Watch 3.5.13

Happy April. A little bit of everything for your enjoyment…and remember if you like what you see or read SHARE it!

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in regards to some current politics (which I normally shy away from):

7 Questions for Christians About the Gay Marriage Debate 

“We cannot see government as the ultimate decision-makers or ultimate law-makers. We live in a monarchy, and our King is perfect. Put more faith in Him than in the Supreme Court or any other governmental body.”

from Relevant Magazine

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in hopes to make you laugh:

*beware at the end she does end with a not-so-nice word*

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in order to shed some light on homeschooling:

18 Reasons Why Doctors and Lawyers Homeschool Their Children

by Kathleen Berchelmann, M.D.

“Homeschooling isn’t right for every family or every child.  I can’t even predict what the future holds for our family—will we continue homeschooling through high school?  I don’t know.  But for now, we’ve found a way for our family to be very happy growing and learning together.”

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 in bringing awareness to adoption:

watch this video about our friends the Ogden’s who are adopting a son from Ethiopia…

Call2Mercy from Kelly Hunter on Vimeo.

 

bags, buckets, and boxes…

Stuffers. Hoarders. Crammers. Packers.

Call them what you may, but my girls absolutely love stuffing small things into some type of container. I find them all over our house. A bag with small princesses, waded up fake money, bracelets, a pretend apple, and sometimes (if I’m lucky) an old school picture of James that he has “gifted” to the girls. Or sometimes it’s a large box closed up appearing empty but actually holding one tiny special animal.

“Shhhh, Mommy she’s sleeping,” my daughter warns.

Sorry, I wasn’t aware that the box was a bed. Or that that plastic animal was real.

Filling bags full of toys has at times taken up large parts of their afternoons, accompanying them to far away places. You see, one bag is not enough. When I say they fill bags I mean they fill bags! Four or five bags a piece usually will be enough to get them to their “fairyland” or “princess castle” and they are satisfied. Once they have arrived what do they do? Dump them out of course! Explosions of toys, dolls, blocks, and randomness spread across the floor and when asked why they need so much they respond simply:

“We just do, Mommy.”

So here is my thought, we have all heard the baggage analogy, the idea that points out that we all carry around past pain, mistakes, failures with us when we should give them to God. While this is true, this is not where I’m going with this…

When my daughters empty out the contents of their bags nothing is as it was created to be. A car is now a carriage, a spatula is a fancy wand, and a tiny plastic animal is now a sleeping baby. Every thing they packed has a specific purpose. Something about the bag, or the box, or the bucket changes what goes in and produces something valuable coming out.

My bags may be full of pain, of mistakes, of regret but what if they came out of the bag as stories of redemption, wisdom, and fearlessness? The explosion does not have to create more chaos. In fact the explosion can produce tools to be all that God created me to be; to expand my realm of influence beyond what I have settled for currently.

So whatever may be filling your bags today, allow God’s transforming power to turn it all into something to be valued. Stop carrying it just to carry it, but use it to show God’s never ending love and grace for His children.

Remember, in this case what goes in does not have to be what comes out.

Weekend Watch 3.29.13

Celebrating my Savior’s resurrection this weekend. May you experience His power and love as you reflect on the incredible act of love He showed in His suffering and in conquering death. “God is not dead, He is surely alive!!”

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“Sometimes knowing exactly where you are on your God-sized adventure helps. It’s not that you’re in the wrong place, it’s just called the middle and it’s not what you thought it would be. So don’t turn around or give up.”

Read more of “The Middle: When Pushing Through Brings Joy”

by Stephanie Bryant at (in)courage.me

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He is Risen! On thinking about Easter:

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A Must Read for those with Daughters:

“Raising Daughters in a World That Devalues Them: 7 Things We Must Tell Them”

 by Kristen at wearethatfamily.com

“I’m raising two daughters in this world and my heart cries for Jesus to rescue us all. But until He does, I can’t always protect or shield them, so I will tell them the truth. I can’t change (all this) in the world, but I can prepare them for it.”

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 On struggling with math:

Happy Easter!

Weekend Watch 3.22.13

In the News:

Great article on Pope Francis “What the Pope Means for Evangelicals”

found at relevantmagazine.com

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Our friend Victor is changing the way we think about education with Experience Institute.

Check it Out:

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Who doesn’t love a Kid Weatherman? This one is the best:

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On challenging the church for radical change:

Jen Hatmaker’s “And Then the Conference Uninvited Me to Speak”

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And finally, Storytime with Mya (audio only):