When Strivings Cease

Levi Lusko had some timely words of wisdom in Part 1 and 2 of this podcast (HERE).  He 's written a new book called Blessed are the Spiraling that I'm excited to read/hear soon.

Levi's podcast highlights for me:

• "We need not be alarmed, because Christianity always goes from death to resurrection... God is going to continue to do a new thing, but the new thing often comes on the heels of death."
  
  
• "God almost always knows that even though we want to be coddled, that's not what we need.  What we need is to be challenged.  We need to be told: Hey, come on, there's more in store.  And even though it doesn't feel like exactly the pampering of our soul that we need, it's exactly what is required to get. us. moving."
  
  
• "The moment we sit around focusing only on us, we're operating against the User Manual for what will make us thrive, which is Glory to God and love to others!!  And while we're doing that, we're going to come to life... but not when we're trying to make ourselves the end and the goal and the summation of all our effort."
  
  
• "Hey girl, you are already made in the image of God.  If I could've freeze-frame that moment, I would say, Eve, honey, you can't be more like God than you are right now!  But the enemy's thing is always to get us to audition for a part that is already ours... Jesus was living out of the hidden wholeness - 'My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'"
  
  
• "The Holy Spirit lives in you - the King of kings is inside of you.  You are a vessel containing the ultimate royal figure.  So what do you need to strive for?  ...I can relax into that wholeness.  It's the line from that song: When strivings cease."
  
  
• "We have to be very very very careful that we're not basing our puzzle pieces (the life we are building and piecing together) on a wrong picture... Culture offers us a thousand images and interpretations... My picture has to be the joy of knowing Jesus, the pleasure of being in God's presence... what it's going to feel like to stand before Him!"
  
  
• "New seasons require new strategies!  Your home, your life, your attention - which is finite, is the temple of the Holy Spirit.  And you have to rearrange the furniture in response to the peace God is trying to cause to rest upon you."
  
  
• "Comfort, which we all crave, puts us into cruise control.  Trials have a way of splashing cold water on our face and waking us up from our silly refusal to depend on God for His power!"

I recommend listening to the whole conversation, but that's what stood out to me.  Naturally, I have many thoughts on all of the above and how it applies in my life.  But I'll let the quotes speak for themselves here and let you form your own thoughts in response.

Thanks for being here on this day of five blog posts. =)

I love you and believe in you, and Jesus does too!

❤ ❤ ❤

Five-Star Movies (Quotes)

 

Happy Sunday!  This post, once again, has been inspired by Melanie and Sophie.  They discussed their personal lists of five-star movies, the ones they love from start to finish and have watched repeatedly.  It was a good episode that made me think about my own list.  And just because it seems more fun, I'm posting a random quote from each movie in my Top 25... and I'll share the actual movies list on Monday. =)

1.  "Is there anyone alive out there!?  Can anyone hear me!??" 

2.  "And when they see you, they won't laugh.  They'll salute!"

3.  "I sell cheap books.  I do!  So sue me."

4.  "I'll tell you why we don't calm down - because you're not excited!  It takes two people for a we to calm down, doesn't it!?"

5.  "You have part of my attention - you have the minimum amount."

6.  "I'm totally from the future."

7.  "Gesundheit!"

8.  "Daaad, do Mr. Napkinhead!"

9.  "Pop quiz, hotshot."

10.  "When you cross that finish line, you'll know."

11.  "Of course not, Mother.  I'm only here for the food!"

12.  "Delicious jams and jellies??"

13.  "It is with passion, courage of conviction, and strong sense of self that we take our next steps into the world."

14.  "Strength doesn't lie in numbers.  Strength doesn't lie in wealth.  Strength lies in nights of peaceful slumber..."

15.  "Hey, do you know what the Ice Capades are?  Don't roll your eyes.  They were very cool!"

16.  "He was a soldier of Rome.  Honor him."

17.  "Well, that would certainly explain the hostility."

18.  "I'd choose you any day of the week and twice on Sunday!"

19.  "You told me *not* to think!!"

20.  "I know how to fence, and you don't?  Or I have class, and you don't?"

21.  "We're gonna make them proud, Neville.  That's a promise."

22.  "Cake is my weakness, along with speed and strength."

23.  "And I don't think my father, the inventor of Toaster Strudel, would be very pleased to hear about this!" 

24.  "A box of them would be so nice.  Cheap at even twice the price!"

25.  "There's no need to get sentimental about it, even though we could potentially be buried together!"

❤ ❤ ❤

Photo Friday + Quotables!

Happy Friday the 13th, and Happy 35th Birthday to my favorite billionaire, Taylor Alison!!  I do believe I'll watch the full Eras Tour on Disney+ this weekend in her honor.  Even the Strands game was Swiftie themed this morning. =)

Got off work early enough to take a walk before it got dark yesterday.  Yay for my new airpods, and yay for some time to reflect on a milestone week and potential life changes ahead.

Honestly, it's more surprising to me that I didn't take even one photo on September 4th, although the timing of the one blank day makes sense to me.

Friday Flashback - the fam celebrating Christmas at Gus and Marilyn's in Texas 14 years ago!!

Another morning Peloton walk whilst pondering the stages of life! =)

In family news, the Mini Miss K has a volleyball tournament in Stillwater tomorrow.  And I'm joining Rach and the kids for the Coca-Cola Classic Christmas event tonight - yay!

And in family-adjacent news, the Deppens (Carter's guardians) officially adopted Emberlee (Triston & Carter's half-sister on Brooke's side)... and J&K were a handsome groomsman and lovely bridesmaid in their dad's wedding to Emily last month!

I had my friend, Tori, do a watercolor sketch of 9121, the home that represents my childhood... I still have to write on the bottom and frame it, but YAY for this! ❤

A few quotes that made me laugh lately:

In our family dinner convo my last week of college:

Jace:  "So how long were you in college, Mom?"

Rach:  "Well, I took classes for almost two years."

T-man:  "Oh wow, what were you going to school for!?  Was it hair school?"

Rach:  "Nooo... Dad, close your ears!!" lol 

(...She nearly finished her degree at Rose State, then finished the Duncan Brothers program but decided to opt out of a hairstylist career. However, she's in a great job now, and this convo was more funny than serious.)

Attorney about to work through lunch: "I still need to meet with him, but we won't need you... respectfully!"

Judge (already at 12:20ish): "Those are the best words I've heard all day!"

Chettles encouraging Sarah:  "Listen, C's get degrees!  Once you get into the real day-to-day job stuff, that's what really matters.  Who cares about all the anatomy and the terminology and --"

Jon (talking to Sarah while circling his hand in Chet's direction):  "Okay, I'm gonna need you to tune this out!" lol

Abusive Defendant:  "I'll just let God be my witness here."

Annoyed Judge:  "Well, it's gonna be pretty difficult to subpoena God, so do you have anything else, sir?"

(*Me biting my lip to keep from laughing when I saw the DA laughing about that! lol)

Kristin:  "...so that sucks."

Me:  "Ugh, sometimes people suck."

Kristin:  "Most of the time."

Me:  "A lot of the time, yeah...  hmm, I'm gonna quote us on that!" lol

And on that cheerful note, I wish you all a delightful weekend ahead!!

❤ ❤ ❤

Quotables!

Rach:  "But as far as putting the (outdoor Christmas lights) up, was it hard?"
"Like, could I do it?"
"Lol those may be 2 diff questions!"
Me:  

"TATE'S NOT HAVING A TURN!!" -Parker Elizabeth ❤, passionately reporting this critical news every time Tate did something that looked interesting/fun to her for more than 3 seconds without sharing lol

Chet (on the Minnie-backpacks):  "Well, the rose gold is more year-round!  I see red, and I think: Christmas!!"

Me:  "Yeaaah, I get that.  But I see red, and I think... year-round!!" lol

(Group text early in the trip...)

JEM:  How was today? Fav ride?

Chet:  Remove work and add Disney. lol

(When Bill shared some of his breakfast steak...)

Melissa:  "Nooo, get this off my plate - I don't want it!  I'm done."

(Finally takes a bite...)

Melissa:  "Oh, that's gooood!  Do you have any potatoes to go with it!?"

Me:  "How's the waffle?"

Karli:  "Here, you can try some!"

Chet:  "Oh, nooo!  Your fork touched that one - you need to get it from this one - and WAIT - here, use a clean fork!"

Me:  "Oh gosh, that's so extra."

Chet:  "AM I WRONG!??  (Short pause)  I'm not wrong."

Me:  "Yeah, you're not wrong." lol

"How far apart are they!?"  -Town Tavern waitress, asking about the kids' ages

"Mmm, not far enough!"  -Karli, as they were seated next to each other arguing over the magnetic checkers lol

Safari Tour Guide, Animal Kingdom:  "They're actually the second most social animals on earth.  Do you know the most social animals!?  I'll give you a hint: There are several of them on this bus... that's right - humans!

Me, kinda under my breath:  "Nooooot animals."

Chet, feigning anger:  "Made in the image of God!!"

Parker E:  "Winsey, I need this and this!" (pointing at my necklace and sparkly headband)

I ignored that as we were on a short bus ride at NASA, and I wasn't sure I'd get them back easily... so she spoke up a bit and touched them for dramatic effect.

Parker:  "I need your necklace and your HAIR CROWN!!"

Me:  (while giving them to her) "Ohmygosh, I LOVE it - I am calling headbands that from now on!" lol

Me:  "My watch said it was over 10.5 miles and 27,000 steps."

Chet:  "Of course, 3 miles of that was Lindsey walking around the lake in the wrong direction!"

Me:  "100% accurate!" lol

*My free coffee from Joffrey's when I finally stopped for directions after seeing the Epcot ball and knowing that wasn't right. lol  Really nice of them, but sadly, I'm still not a coffee fan!

"I could see y'all were getting close - THANK YOU to Karli for sharing her location since Chet adamantly refuses!!" -Me

"Honestly, I didn't even realize what was happening there. I just thought you were sharing yours." -Chet Lee

"Well, I did that too - I just thought it would be helpful through this trip, and I'm glad Karli agreed!  The first time, I figured you just hadn't seen it, but the second time, I thought: Okay, he is hard-ignoring this." -Me

"Oh - I just didn't understand what it was." -Chet

"But if he had understood, he would've hard-ignored it!" -Karli lol

"Mmhmmm." -Me

"Yeah... I don't share my location!" -Chettles

Judge: "Well, in the State of Oklahoma --"

Sov. Citizen Defendant:  "Hold on - how can someone live in the state of Oklahoma?  See, I can only live in a state of MIND!"

(Completely serious and a bit arrogant, and it was hard for me not to laugh through that whole convo!)

Frodo: "I wish none of this had happened."
Gandalf: "So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us." ❤