2011 February | chatting at the sky

when the artist makes it big

February 28, 2011

We love those small to big stories, the ones where the janitor goes from singing in the hallways after hours to singing on a stage in front of millions. We love the underdog — Cinderella, Susan Boyle, the East Dillon Lions. But then if they get too big, something happens. We don’t like them as much anymore. We get picky. We criticize. We envy. And the fickle ways of the world show up, even in us.

Embrace the delicate smallness of your humanity. There is no satisfaction to be found in the big the world has to offer. Take time to look within and consider if that is the big you are seeking. If it is, reconsider. And if you begin to make it big in some area of your life, if success climbs up on your back like a rocket propelled pack, it could become more difficult to remember your own smallness. So ask for it. The Lord has gracious ways of keeping you small; humble, gentle ways. If you’re not careful, you could miss them, mistaking them for rejection, misunderstanding, or failure. But these are your gifts, and each jagged stone of pain and discomfort is paving the way for you to walk your path of true joy.

When you see evidence of that joy, follow it. Fight for it. It will not come from thousands of followers or a published book or an Oscar. Because there is always someone with more fans, more books, more Oscars. Instead, the joy comes in broken, quiet ways; ways handed over only to the heart who is willing to receive the gift of small. And here is where your shoulders will begin to relax, where that crease in your forehead will settle, where your soul begins to breathe again. There is rest and comfort to be found when you wrap yourself up in smallness.

Are you familiar with this small place? Are there ways that you both fear it and long for it?

Filed Under faith, inspired 48 Comments

Weekend Links to chat about

February 26, 2011

The Relevant Conference :: Tickets go on sale at midnight EST on March 1. And that means on the east coast you have to stay up late on February 28th to buy them. So really, they go on sale February 28th really late at night. That always confuses me, the midnight thing. Is it today? Is it tomorrow?

Lara Williams Grace Story :: My friend in real life, Lara, tells a part of her story at Stacey’s place.

Carlotta :: I’ve recently discovered a lovely blog called Pastor’s Girl’s Ponderings. She takes beautiful photos, writes lovely words. And she is only 15. Oh – and I’m linking to her self-portrait challenge tonight because I just saw it and I have a photo of me and my big self up there at the top.

Stephanie :: Have you met Stephanie? She co-founded (in)courage with Holley Gerth, and now she has started her own business. She is a creative mastermind, and her passion is to help you bring out yours.

Sarah Markely :: says “conjuring desire where it has flown is almost an impossible task.” Her words on this are like water and yes.

Let me know if you plan to go to Relevant! I’ll be there too, and we can chat it up.

Filed Under blog business 26 Comments

For When You Need to be Rescued

February 25, 2011

Sometimes I have dreams where I call 911 and nobody answers. It just keeps ringing, and so I re-dial slow like molasses, and wait and worry, but no one is ever there. It’s terribly lonely and panicky, that dream. I know as women these days, we’re not supposed to want to be rescued. We’re supposed to be capable and strong. And there are lots of contexts where I might agree with that, where I see the beauty and God-given yes to embracing who he has made us to be and what he has made us to do without fear.

But there is another part of me that longs for a rescue. Not because I’m female, just because I’m human. And not the kind that provides escape, but the kind that brings freedom. I need healing. Renewing. Belief. I need strong and capable to swoop down and pick me up, to look into these tired eyes and see the weakness that I try so very hard to hide. Is there a person in this mad, beautiful world who doesn’t need rescuing?

{this post has a video, subscribers may need to click over to see it}

Filed Under breathe 26 Comments

the stuff dreams are made of

February 23, 2011

I eat my special K with a play spoon from their kitchen. And in the doing, I realize there’s a reason it’s only for make believe. Cereal doesn’t stay long on flat. But they play like it’s real, and I think about how much they long for their own real kitchens and spoons while I use their play ones because the real ones are dirty.

***

The girl tried out for American Idol and was so thrilled to get her ticket to Hollywood. And so she packed her bathing suit up in her bag, I’m goin’ to Hollywood, baby! But once she got there, her suit sat in her suitcase. There’s too much work to do. I don’t have time to swim.

***

Sometimes you ask the kids to help you clean and they surprise you with their willingness and ability. And you give them checks on their little board because they earned them. And then, you go check their work.But you smile in spite of yourself, because they are kids after all. And you consider your goals, how maybe the goal you thought you wanted isn’t the best goal after all, that your heart and efforts may be better spent enjoying the process, the humor, and the life rather than constantly reaching for the future, the dream, the clean.

Pretend spoons never get dirty. And it isn’t a mistake to bring your bathing suit to Hollywood, exactly. But real dreams take real work, and to keep them neat and tidy is a mistake, I think. Making your dreams come true isn’t always so dreamy. And it’s always good to remember the most important thing.

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD, “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.” – Isaiah 55:8

Surely that applies to everything – to the everyday things of mothering and loving and to the someday things of maybe and impossible. When we begin to realize our dreams and we discover they are nothing like we thought, remember the ways of the Dream-Maker are different. And that dreams have nuts and bolts, too. If they didn’t, then surely they would fall apart.

Filed Under faith 59 Comments

on making a decision

February 22, 2011

For the last 12 days, I’ve been struggling with a decision. I’ve been up too early and too late, I’ve cried and worried and made up my mind and then changed it. Ten times. All this time, I was waiting for a feeling of peace, and it never really came. That’s what it can be like with big decisions. Until you decide one way or another, there actually is no peace to be found.

Sometimes you have to get your feet wet before the water moves.

And so last night, I got my feet wet. I emailed Shaun Groves and said yes, I will go with your team of bloggers to the Philippines. Yes, I will fly over the Pacific ocean. Yes, I will open my eyes up to see what Compassion is doing in the lives of these Filipino children and their families. Yes, I will write the stories I see. Simply, yes. And art takes on new life yet again. And yes becomes the pathway to peace. And questions and worry and fear scurry for shelter, at least for today.

My husband has wanted me to say yes from the very start. He is brave on my behalf. I had to sort through some stuff and some things before I could believe him. But here we are, and there we’ll be, and it is good.

I am so thankful for this opportunity to go and to see. I hope you will follow the stories as Kat, Linsdsay, Stephanie, Tsh, Keely, Shaun, Patricia and I travel at the end of May.

Filed Under Compassion Philippines, faith 90 Comments

the magic of morning

February 21, 2011

Are you the wife of a pastor? Christine Hoover and I are chatting about that over at her place today. Visit us there to join in the conversation and offer your words of wisdom.

***

The morning shows up right outside my window. I get up in the dark and all I see is me in that window, reflected back, tired. And then slow morning comes right on time like a dream, a whisper. And I can’t see me in the glass anymore. Light does his work there – takes away our tired reflections, opens up the way, shows us the rocking chair and the tree line and the sky.

I need morning today. I need to wrap the light around me like a shimmery cloak and wear it to the grocery store. I need the new fresh squeezed orange juice mercies; to stand up and stretch and shake off the sleepy, tired ways of the last few weeks. I need morning to come up beside me, take me by the hand, and lead me down the quiet path of joy. I need a year of mornings.

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” -Lamentations 3:22-23

What do you need today?

Filed Under breathe 33 Comments

a little story of grace

February 18, 2011

After a little bit of a crazy week, I’m happy to be over at Stacey’s place to share a little story of grace. She writes at 29 Lincoln Avenue and today, I write there, too. But first, I have to tell you that my book has a cover now . . .

That’s not it. That’s a photo from outside my office (I know that sounds very profesh, but my office is also my laundry room, so don’t be too impressed). I can’t show you the cover yet because I have to wait until after the sales conference next week. But if you like me on Facebook, then you already know that even though the cover image isn’t up, the book is up on websites like Amazon and Barnes & Noble now with my name and everything. Turns out Emily Freeman is a popular name for authors so according to the websites, I’ve written a slew of books. But you and I know that there’s just the one.

Still, seeing it show up with a release date and everything makes it real. And also impossible to turn back. Not that I want to, but there are those moments. It’s good to remember the grace. And so I write a little story of grace this morning, of how it all began. Join me there?

Filed Under a writer 22 Comments