Story Time

Day 9:  What’s a story from your life most people haven’t heard but reveals something important about who you are?

Not a dramatic story, but in fifth grade, for the first time since young childhood, Miss White (my teacher) decided to read to us after lunch and recess.  We would come back inside and have the option to sit up and listen or lay our head on our desk and close our eyes and listen.  There were no quizzes or tests over what she was reading - it was simply meant for us to settle in and feel calm and enjoy it - and I did!!  She read a few fiction books to us through the course of that year, one chapter per day.  And I really loved imagining it all as I was hearing it.  I remember feeling relaxed and engaged and thinking back then that I wish I could always have someone else read stories to me...

Years later, I am keeping my Audible (and Libby and Hoopla) apps very busy, not to mention all the audio podcasts!  I listen while driving/traveling, while cooking, while folding laundry, while walking and jogging.  I'm an audiobook enthusiast (or an audiobibliophile, if you will), and I give a lot of credit to Miss White for my ability to fully engage my heart and imagination and stay interested as I listen!  So today, I am grateful for good narrators and authors who take the time to read and record their books for myself and all the people like me!! ❤

Time Travel

Day 8:  If you could visit any moment in history—or your own past—for one day, when and where would you go?

Any moment in history? 

I would join the crowd listening to Jesus give the Sermon on the Mount.  There's not really another historical event that could top hearing and seeing Him live here + paying attention to how the crowd reacted to it all.

Any moment in my own life? 

Coming from curiosity, I would love to observe and/or relive my own life on 12-27-1990, 7-23-1996, 9-12-2001, 6-12-2005, 9-28-2007, 12-17-2008, 7-3-2010, 2-17-2017, and 11-14-2024. =) 

For the record, that's the day Mom led me to Christ, the day the "magnificent seven" won Team USA gold at the Atlanta Olympics after an injured Kerri Strug landed the final vault, the day after 9-11 (it would be super interesting to me to re-experience the questions, emotions, and nationwide unity we saw at that point), the day I met JMM at 9121 and knew pretty quickly I wanted to marry him, the day I met Malori, the Christmas party where I met Chettles and Sarah, the VCGO trip on our One Republic beach concert day, my entire 33rd birthday, and my 4-park Disney day!  I'd genuinely love to revisit any or all of those and pay attention to so many little details I likely missed the first time around but would see more clearly now. =)

But since time travel is not a thing (at least until we get to Heaven), I'll continue to write about my favorite memories so I can mentally relive them here... and I'll let this post remind me to be more present and attentive, not leaning on my own wisdom but praying for God to open the right doors and close the wrong ones, and living each day to the fullest right now!!

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Buoyant Themes

Day 7:  What lesson keeps resurfacing - and why might God be repeating it in your life?

1)  Facing hard realities head-on; being willing to repent if needed and/or have difficult conversations with others if needed

2)  Choosing transformation and action over conformity and comfort

They are repetitive because I am stubborn, and surrender is hard.  (Not unique to me.)

Joyce says that you never fail a test with God - He just lets you take the same test over and over until you get it.  That feels true.  

On another note, I heard on a podcast recently that you will always feel a little dissatisfied and/or hungry if your body is not getting the right amount of important nutrients from fruits and vegetables... and my continual "never enough"/dissatisfied feeling makes a lot more sense in that context.  So embracing healthy eating = another lesson that keeps resurfacing!

Anyway, I'm leaving work early now, so happy Friday, friends and family!!

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Courtroom Lessons

Day 6:  What has court reporting taught you about people and human nature?

I don't wanna go into case-by-case details here, but you see a lot and learn a lot in 21 years.  As a quiet observer who loves studying people, I am grateful for all court reporting has taught me.

As I thought about this prompt earlier, this verse came to mind...

I think one of the big things court reporting has taught me is to be more "shrewd."  Not cynical or fear-based or always assuming the worst, but less naive and gullible and easily-targeted. Viewing the world with more cautious discretion and wisdom, being a sharper judge of character, and being more prepared and alert to real evil and danger.  (The Bible teaches that, as well - to be on our guard because our spiritual enemy prowls around seeking someone to devour.)  Sexual predators do the same, and so many parents seem unaware of the threat.  So I am more vigilant, less likely to fall for sob stories or quickly trust people who have a lot to gain by lying, and more likely to want to hear both sides of a story and pay attention to real evidence over passionately-spoken words.  Still, I don't always get it right, and I do always sincerely hope people will turn a corner and change for the better!

Other quick thoughts:

Family court is rough, and I do not envy the judges who have to make custody decisions.

I see a lot of systemic brokenness in the juvenile system, and I am consistently frustrated by the way DHS operates.  

I believe people always have a choice when they screw up or hit rock bottom - 85%+ seem to choose victim-thinking and staying stuck in old patterns, but 15% find the inner grit to put in the messy hard work and change their future path for the better.  I love to see that!

(The above holds true for criminals and non-criminals alike, and I want to be in the smaller group who chooses active transformation over self-pity!)

There is real evil and violence and pain and trauma in the world.  We see a lot of people in their most stressful season, which is true for counseling profession, as well.  Prayer matters, character matters, kindness matters, and anchoring yourself in eternal hope matters.  We all have the opportunity to be a light shining in a dark world!

Speaking of lights that shine in darkness, here's our family pic with the harvest moon/supermoon last night!  Unsurprisingly, the selfie in night-mode failed to really capture it well, but still, yay for God's creativity, and yay for family dinners!!

Our jury trial ended with a not guilty verdict yesterday, and our second trial for this week settled - huzzah!  So today was light and breezy, and I met my cousin, Ashley, for lunch at La Baguette in Norman!  It had been a while, and it was really good to catch up with her!

And their bakery is legit.

Mel's podcast on how to combat overwhelm included some fantastic, counterintuitive advice.  This = my key takeaways, but it's worth listening to (HERE).

And that's all I have for today!

See y'all tomorrow!! =)

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Worldview

Day 5:  Write about a season when your faith or worldview guided you through something challenging.

Truly, that would apply in all the difficult seasons of my life.

But for today, I'll go with pressing through obstacles to earn my Master's degree!  It's an accomplishment and a memory that encourages me now as I pursue my doctorate.

You have to "do your own work" when you pursue a counseling degree -- which means processing your own ambiguous grief, trauma, anger, fear, confusion, etc. to be as healed as possible in your work with others.  Most of us are intentional about facing those things head-on, but if you are not, things in the program are likely to confront you and naturally bring up the things you've been avoiding.  

I would say the two defining components of my worldview come from Eldredge's "Hope in the Coming Kingdom" and Miller's "Hero on a Mission."  When my mind falls into comparison or jealousy, it helps me tremendously to remember that what EVERY PERSON experiences here on earth is partial and incomplete, so that I do not set my expectations too high for anything I am pursuing here, and I remember to anchor my heart in the hope of Heaven!  

It also really helps me to keep a forward-thinking, action-oriented, purposeful mindset where I always have meaningful goals that will benefit me and others that I am working toward!  (Hero on a Mission.)  In times of sadness or grief, it is easier to fall into self-pity, but I'm doing my best to avoid a victim mindset.  I am not helpless, and I am not apathetic.  I want to keep a proper perspective, to meet with trustworthy guides, and to remember my God-given power and agency to choose how I move forward!!

Current top 3 goals:*

1. Earn my PhD (so that I can become a CCU professor)
2. Establish a consistent workout routine and lead with protein (to reach goal weight of 155)
3. Spend 12-15 minutes a day meditating on God's love for me (until I have done it for 30 days solid)

Okay, that was helpful for me to think through.  Adoption/motherhood had been at the top of that list for so long that I hadn't really bothered to set a new relational goal until now.  I've heard multiple podcasts lately with themes around how mindfulness and meditation positively change our brains... along with the value of deeply understanding God's love for us, and I can feel myself being stubbornly resistant to all of it, so I'm going with that as my core relational goal for right now, which will help me choose the next one.

*Donald Miller recommends that we always have 3 goals that are personally meaningful to us -- no more, no less -- and to always add a new one when you reach or change one of your goals.  I love that framework - it gives you a consistent sense of purpose, but does not set any one thing too high!  Obviously, authoring a book will be on my list post-graduation, but not quite yet.

That's all for today.
Happy Wednesday, friends and fam!! =)
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Island Items & Phoenix Leadership

Day 4:  You’re stranded on an island and can bring three items—what are they and why?

Hahaha this is never a question prompt I would choose for myself - my mind goes dark way too fast. lol  I would need it to be a tropical paradise with abundant, safe-to-eat food easily available - in that case, the answer below might actually fit, substituting a pillow or tent for the knife.  If there are (predictably) scary bugs, dangerous animals, dangerous people, excessive sunlight, lack of safe food, and lack of shelter there, then I'm a very short-timer no matter what I bring.  With my fair skin and hypervigilant mind, it just would not end well.  I mean, I can't even explain how quickly I would deliberately take myself out of Survivor or Amazing Race.  So I'll just let ChatGPT answer this one for me...

Knowing you, Lindsey — thoughtful, faith-anchored, and practical — I’d imagine your answer might blend spiritual grounding, comfort, and resourcefulness. Here’s how I think you might answer:

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If I were stranded on an island, I’d bring:

1. My Bible – because I’d need truth, comfort, and perspective more than ever. God’s Word would remind me that even in isolation, I’m not alone, and it would keep my mind and spirit anchored in hope.

2. A journal and pen – to process my thoughts, prayers, and lessons from the experience. Writing helps me find meaning and maintain emotional clarity, even in uncertainty.

3. A multi-tool (like a Swiss Army knife) – something practical for survival: cutting, building, cooking, or opening coconuts. I’d want to use my creativity and strength to make the best of the situation while trusting God for provision.

Lolol a much better and stronger answer than where my mind first went. ❤

...In other news, today is my 17-year friendiversary with Laura Allison - we met on Election Night 2008!  I'm grateful for lots of great memories together, and praying for health, strength, and peace for her as she continues to recover from surgery last week!

I met with Dr. Burkhart yesterday afternoon, and it was such a good conversation.  He understood everything I've been feeling and seeing lately, and it was oddly validating and helpful to hear him say the counseling profession as it stands today is gradually collapsing - (a sad reality, but at least I feel less overwhelmed and alone in it).  He said it will take "phoenix leadership" to rise up and rebuild it - of course, my mind went straight to Order of the Phoenix - I LOVE that concept and that phrasing, and I was so encouraged to hear him talk about all of that!  He said he loves this profession for what it can be, not for what it has currently become.  And he gave me some solid advice on how to move forward if becoming a CCU professor is my goal!!  Super grateful for these conversations and for his honesty and leadership!

This day two years ago was the final Bedlam game in Stillwater... such a fun memory with Kristin and Frankie, and I'm really thankful I got to be there for it!! ❤

Love this so much! lol

If all goes as planned, we have a misdemeanor jury trial starting this morning, so I'm taking a minute to write a quick blog before I leave for work.  Now I'm off... I hope you have a wonderful day ahead!!

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Not a Coincidence

Day 3:  Describe a small, seemingly ordinary moment in your life that turned out to be a defining scene in your story.

'Twas New Years Eve 2008, and I decided to host a Lifegroup NYE party at 522.  I thought a photo scavenger hunt would be fun, and for reasons unknown (probably me wanting to look impartial), I put Bobbi in charge of delegating the groups.  I mentioned to her that Laura Allison was new and didn't really know anyone but me, and she whispered, "Gotcha, I'll take care of it!"

Then she promptly divided us into 4 or 5 groups, putting Laura in her group and placing me with the random BFFs from Sand Springs that had only come one other time for our Christmas party on 12-17-2008, one Chet Lee Wilson and Sarah Elizabeth Heiskell (now Fulton). ❤

In spite of being directionally challenged and not really wanting to drive strangers all over Tulsa, I didn't really trust either of them to drive my car.  Aww, the irony.  I felt like the odd man out, and all I saw when I looked at their friendship was what me and Josh once had, so I was doubly irritated as we all left the house together. lol

Of course, I ended up having fun with them that night - it's pretty hard to avoid that when you're with two classic ENFPs.  Chettles became one of my favorite Diving Deeper Lifegroup friends soon afterward - (by July, my family was changing our summer vacation timeline so I could be back for his 21st birthday), and Sarah and I made a deep connection over FB messages before building a strong real-life friendship.  Now 17 years later, it's pretty clear to me that God knew what He was doing all along! ;-)

Relationships matter deeply to me, and I'm grateful for these long-term friendships.  And for our gun-play photo shoot that still brings me joy! lol  Honestly, there are loads of little moments where I can look back and see God's providence and plan at work in my life, but this one stands out right now.

Seventh post in four days - kudos to anyone keeping up with all this! lol

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