the here + now

Sometimes you have a story. A story to share because someone needs to say "I'm not alone" This story of mine you can either look at and say I so don't get this or you may read these words and think this is me. I am a jealous wife.  And it's not good. I've grown, which is good, but I still have work to do. "I know you were checking her out" "You wish you were married to her instead of me" "I know you wish I was as tiny as her/pretty as her/smart as her/sweet as her" Right now the story for you either stops now or you keep reading because you feel so over it all. The fearful feelings, the tightness in the shoulders, the arguments, the feeling of not good enough that consumes every thought.  Let me tell you --- YOU are seen. God sees the brokenness, He sees the desperate thirst for something and that something is Jesus. And things CAN get better. You don't have to search through his emails and text messages. You do...

  Hello everybody! My name is Brittany Morse, and I live in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (Go Thunder!) I love to write, listen to music, eat sushi and hang out with my family.  I am married to an incredible, wacky & creative guy Joey, and we have the two most handsome & wonderful boys Elijah & Isaiah .  (if you are wondering why this random girl from Oklahoma is writing, let me explain:) I didn't always live in the Boomer state. Katie and I actually grew up in the same youth group together in Lima, Ohio and I was so honored when she recently asked me to guest write and share with you what has been burning my heart for so many years.     When I was a teenager, I knew I was different. Not in the snotty "I am better than you" way, but in a way that even then I didn't quite understand. I was raised in a Pastor's home, so we moved a lot, so I had to rely on my family and God. They were all I had. I look back and I am SO thankful that I went through...

Yes, my hair is a mess, but headed to the gym later this morning anyway. If we were having coffee what would you tell me?

Ok, let's be honest, without going totally insane, because anyone who knows me knows I'm a bit on the crazy side. 1. Healthy Living Truth is eating healthy {not this low fat messed up diet we have been conned into believing} but eating real foods makes me more alert. Bread hurts my belly, sugar makes me a bit detached, but good foods, help me to focus and keep going.  Along with eating healthy, working out is good for me. The endorphins are amazing. Working out can help give me focus, a time to pray, to think, to release stress & tension.  2. Coffee Come on, you knew that would be on my list. There no explaining here. I love coffee, it loves me. End of story. 3. Social Media Not all stay at home moms want to be involved with social media, but I do. I find community. I find encouragement as a christian, a wife, a mother, a bleeding heart in the world of orphan care.  Two parts of social media I want to share: She Reads Truth : I alwa...

(This is not a paid post, because thus far, have never done so, this is purely from me because I love it so much) The day before Thanksgiving my best friend called me to let me know she had just drove by the YMCA and that on Cyber Monday they we having a deal: join for free {no activation fee} & first month free. We (me, her and our husbands) had been discussing getting a y membership, more than the current membership we had but CHILD WATCH!  On Cyber Monday, Cassie & I went and signed up.  I love it. So much gym equipment, no waiting for machines. And classes galore. And child watch, you receive 2 1/2 hours to work that rear off kid free.  It's not just the working out, that is good for the body, but the time. Not all moms, in all seasons feel the need for that time for self and that's ok. When the twins were babies I would get so angry when people said I needed time away, because in that season I didn't, I wanted and needed to be with ...

I'm going to try this spaghetti squash again. It'll be ok. I'll just force it down.   ///// Reality, I just couldn't. It's ok not to like the healthy spaghetti squash, but when you do want to eat healthy, here are some of my favorite meals.  Sea Salt Cinnamon Sweet Potato Hash Browns   Story is I had two sweet potatoes and knew nothing to do with them but bake them and  smoother  put on butter & brown sugar so I went to my always reliable friend, Pinterest and found this recipe from my girl  Kimberly  -- It is life changing, I tell ya. LIFE.CHANGING. Your taste buds are going to jump for joy!!!  Cauliflower Soup Yes, may seem odd, cauliflower?! It's so yummy. Perfect for the cold evenings. Fajitas We're you starting to wonder if we eat meat? Because we do, my massive grocery bill can prove that! We love tacos here, but lately we've  I've been loving these fajitas -- they taste 100x better than what you'll order at Chili's....

As mothers, we tend to our littles when they are sick. Middle of the night cuddles, warm baths, tissues, their favorite cartoons, sleeping on the couch, cleaning up the puke for the tenth time because she still refuses to vomit in the toilet. But what about you? Who is tending to your neediness, because let's be honest, our husbands are not the only ones feeling extra needing when we're sick. We like to call them wimps, but let's face it -- on the outside we're mantling the brave face but really we want to curl up in a ball and cry for our mommas. Let her mommy you. Who is her. Whoever she may be, she may be your real mom. But what if your mom isn't close to you? Let it be your sister, your best friend, your prayer leader from church, the elderly lady down the street, a twitter friend, your husband's aunt. Whoever it may be. Let her mother you. Let her remind you to rest and to remind you the cleaning can wait. To remind you to take it easy. To remind you...

Hello Friday!!! Come have a virtual cup of coffee with me today. If we were having a coffee, what would you tell me  {you know besides, keep those germs to yoself!!!}

She was at the top of stairs, I could hear her singing Frosty the Snowman and when I turned the corner I saw the dancing, and the huge smile & the glitter. And it make me giggle. Sure there is now glitter every where that we will probably never truly rid our carpet of because....GLITTER.  But joy, joy was not hard to find in this messy situation. But I am finding joy in the daily to be more of a struggle than I was hoping for. When I choose joy for my word for 2014, it came from such a deep place of longing of full freedom in my heart & home. Finding joy in the trying to help my son who is struggling with reading is tough. Finding joy when I'm sick & don't have the energy to clean is tough. Finding joy when my toddler still refuses most days to poop on the potty is tough. Finding joy when the bonus we were hoping for didn't happen, which means the broken furniture will remain is tough. I want my joy to come from Jesus, not from the little struggles of my ...

In December my goals were about giving grace and really seeking Jesus during the season. I'd love to say I had some huge Jesus month, where I felt refreshed and satisfied, but truth is I didn't. I was holding onto a hope that I am so unsure of. Waiting on God and being angry for what I thought should happen didn't happen. All the way till December 31st I waited with full hope of the answers to come. For the big present. And it didn't. But isn't that how He works, always in His timing? His ways are higher than mine and even though I am hurt and confused and feel like I'm standing in the middle of a desert screaming "which way Lord?" I know He's right here, holding me in the waiting. While I'm screaming, He's whispering "Be patient." Cleanse Me quote  //  Made To Crave  //  Stay Motivated  //  Color   Like so many January is a time to get back to business -- refreshment, better planning, real foods, exercising, bett...

Kids go to bed. I mentally beat myself up for not being more present. Next day. Repeat. But what if this mental beat up isn't from a place of conviction but a place of comparison. Because all the other mommas are focusing on being more present, more intentional. What if... Then it becomes another lie I'm just feeding myself. That I'm not being a good enough mom. Truth is I'm never going to be intentional enough. I won't live up to my comparison of other mommas, or some idealistic mom I see in a movie.  But He is. My God is more than enough for me and them. He is intentional, when I fail [daily] to be. He loves me intentionally & He loves them intentionally.  Instead I will enjoy my time tweeting for me & for Thrive & Oasis. I will enjoy finding new recipes and scripture and clothing I'll never own on Pinterest. I will be filled with grace filled words on blog posts.  Because the internet is real. People are real. And when community is h...

Joy in the big things And the little things The happy things And the hurtful things Joy in the wee hours of the night putting a toddler back to bed And in the late afternoon when I'm running on fumes Joy when I feel like parenting is too big of a burden And when it fits like a glove Joy when my marriage is rocky And when we're grossly in puppy dog love Joy in the morning  And at kids bedtime {because what parent can't find joy then?!} Joy in the desert And joy in the sunshine Joy because He made me. Joy because He made them. Joy because in all things, even when it all doesn't make sense, He is here, all around. Present.  I may never be an intentional woman, I am a pretty scatterbrained one, He is intentional. Always. Never failing.