Author: neeserisms

Jesus Follower. Coffee Lover. Proud Auntie. Vinyl Collector. Work in Progress.

The Stories We Don’t Like To Tell

by neeserisms

What’s going on?  I mean, what’s really going on?  Not on your Facebook status or your latest Instagram pic.  What would happen if we shared what was really going on?  What if we talked more about the messy middle?  What if we talked about the unfinished parts?

We love a happy ending, don’t we?  We love the finish line.  The final product.  The end of the story, but you know what I’m finding?  Most of life is that “in the process” part of the story.

The part of the story where we’re not sure it’s going to work out.  Where we wonder if we will fail?  Where life gives us a big plot twist.  Will I be able to make it?  Will my circumstances ever change?  No one wants to sign up to share this pep talk! Continue reading “The Stories We Don’t Like To Tell” →

When Mother’s Day is Hard

by neeserisms

It definitely makes one feel vulnerable to share what your heart feels so deeply.  To let your heart bleed on “paper” for all to look at and comment on.  Please know as I write this I’m not looking for comments or fixes or platitudes.  I am simply using my voice to tell my heart’s story in the hopes that it will help ease the pain and loneliness that one may feel in their own story.

Moms are deserving of a day where they receive home-made cards, flowers, lunch made by someone else and extra loves as a “thank you” for all they pour out on others day in and day out.  Everyone in my immediate family is a mom, most of my friends are moms and they are some of the most amazing humans I know, who love big, try hard and do so in countless, selfless ways.  Moms Rock!  So, I don’t write this post to detract from all they deserve but to put voice to what I’m fairly certain is not only a heartache known to me. Continue reading “When Mother’s Day is Hard” →

The Blessing of Heartache

by neeserisms

I’d much rather write a blog post titled, “the blessing of success”, “the blessing of victory”, “the blessing of discovered dreams”, those all sound pretty sweet! “The Blessing of Heartache” doesn’t really thrill me, but I am learning that there is truth in it.

The situation itself doesn’t matter because hurt is hurt, right?   I don’t know about you but I don’t like feeling hurt, I just want it to go away.  I will attempt to ignore it, numb it, block it out, whatever it takes, to just not feel it! Continue reading “The Blessing of Heartache” →

That’s Saturday

by neeserisms

Yesterday as those who follow Jesus we reflected on His great sacrifice for us on the cross.  We thought about what He endured willingly so that you and I could be free.  Tomorrow, Easter Sunday, we will celebrate His resurrection and victory over death and the grave!  The enemy is defeated and the victory is won!

But, today is Saturday and no one talks a whole lot about it, yet I think a lot of our time as humans on this earth is spent in Saturday.  We live in that in-between space. Continue reading “That’s Saturday” →

Waking Up From A Dream

by neeserisms

Waking Up For A Dream

Dreams can be funny things and by funny, I guess I mean not so funny.  Last night I dreamed about someone, someone I used to know. I wasn’t thinking of this person as I drifted off to la la land and I don’t spend a great deal of time and energy thinking about this individual on a regular basis, but for whatever reason they made what felt like a very real appearance in my dreams last night. Continue reading “Waking Up From A Dream” →

What’s Love Got To Do With It?

by neeserisms

Love

I can hear Tina Turner in my head now, “What’s love got to do, got to do with it, what’s love but a second-hand emotion, what’s love got to do, got to do with it, who needs a heart when a heart can be broken?”  Good question and she’s got a point!

I have thought often over the years that people are the best and worst part of life!  I know that may sound harsh, but let me explain.  Family and friendship can be so beautiful and sweet.  It is truly one of life’s greatest gifts to have someone who knows you in all your imperfectness and loves you still.  There is also the fact that if we love, we will get hurt and that part isn’t my favorite!  Relationships of all kinds at their best take time, work, attention, compromise and you will walk through times that are just plain hard.  I have just recently walked through this where I felt like I had poured into someone, let them in, only to have them betray me.  It was shocking, it was unexpected, it hurt deeply, it still stings and my immediate reaction is to want to shut down, put walls around my heart and not let anyone else in. Continue reading “What’s Love Got To Do With It?” →

YOU Are Valued

by neeserisms

Image 12-10-17 at 2.03 PM

I was driving out-of-town this past week a couple of hours from home and pulled up to a stop light when I saw a sign posted that read, “You Are Valued”.  How awesome is that?!  Cause sometimes we need a reminder, don’t we?  I know I’ve been needing a little reminding lately and I was immediately thankful for whoever pounded that sign in the ground to remind me in the midst of a cold, foggy, quiet commute.

I want to remind you today.  In case you are doubting it or maybe it’s been a while since you’ve heard it and even longer since you’ve felt it.  YOU are valued! Continue reading “YOU Are Valued” →

All I Ever Have To Be

by neeserisms

On what should have been an hour and a half drive on a weekday afternoon, there was an accident on I-5 that made drive time turn into a 5 hour forced bonding time between myself and a work peer.  To pass the time while sitting there, we talked and after a couple of hours, started trying to entertain one another by playing various games we recalled from childhood family road trips.  My co-worker decided to play a game of “What’s your favorite?”, which led to her knowing much more about me than I would normally divulge to a colleague.  What’s your favorite color?  What’s your favorite movie?  What’s your favorite food?  What’s your favorite song?  I can’t answer that one!  I mean, there are so many, and it depends on what type of music, what mood I’m in, what memory its associated with, how do you pick one child over the other?!  The question actually stressed me out! Continue reading “All I Ever Have To Be” →

Fiery & Faithful

by neeserisms

Image 10-7-17 at 7.52 PM

As I sit down to write this post, I am struck with the fact that you won’t be reading or commenting on this one.  I could always count on you to take a couple of minutes to read whatever I was sharing, you only gave a compliment when you meant it, so when I got one, it meant a lot because I knew it was completely sincere.  This is just one of the many things I loved and appreciated about you and there is so much more.

You had strong opinions, not a whole lot of gray area with you.  Spunk and internal fortitude were very natural for you and you had a deep sense of right and wrong. Continue reading “Fiery & Faithful” →

Top 10 Golden Nuggets From My Pastor

by neeserisms

Today marks my pastor and friend’s last day as lead pastor at our church after 18 years of faithful leadership.  I have been blessed in my life to have some wonderful, godly pastors, who have taught me so much by both word and example, who have encouraged and challenged me, who have invited me into their homes and hearts, but today I want to share with all of you the Top 10 (cause there’s a whole lot more) golden nuggets I think of when I reflect on the gift of Pastor Leif Holmes to the Church and to me personally.

1. The fruit of the spirit evident in my life is more important than the gifts demonstrated through me.  Am I loving, joyful, peaceful, patient (uh oh), kind, good, faithful, gentle & self-controlled?  God always cares about my character more than my performance. Continue reading “Top 10 Golden Nuggets From My Pastor” →