The Gypsy Mama — Snapshots of life lived between countries, callings, and kids.

What I learned from almost 2 months almost unplugged

February 26, 2012

I just got back from Blissdom. It’s a blogging conference hosted by some super awesome women in Nashville for the last five years. And a lot of super awesome people attend. But it can induce a case of “I’m-not-good-enough-oh-my-goodness-how-will-I-ever-keep-up-itis” in even the best of us. As the last night wound down and women sat around [...]

Pin It

Read the full article →

Five Minute Friday: Grit

February 24, 2012

Around here we write for five minutes flat on Fridays. We write because we love words and the relief it is to just write them without worrying if they’re just right or not. So we take five minutes on Friday and write like we used to run when we were kids. On Fridays we write [...]

Pin It

Read the full article →

On why you need to keep on writing especially when you don’t have time

February 22, 2012

“I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure.” ~ Eric Liddell, Gold Medalist, 1924 Paris Olympics I can’t cook. I can’t paint. I can’t sculpt. I can barely decorate my house. But when I write I feel a sense of purpose [...]

Pin It

Read the full article →

100 Ways to Encourage a New Mom

February 20, 2012

The last of my three kids will turn one next month. I didn’t expect I would be this sad or this gut-busting happy at every change in her either. There’s nothing like the baby year and the friends who encourage you through it. Thank you to everyone who encouraged me through each of my three [...]

Pin It

Read the full article →

Five Minute Friday: Delight

February 17, 2012

Around here we write for five minutes flat on Fridays. We write because we want to, not because we have to. We write for fun, for joy, for discovery at how much creativity is crammed in our heads and even if we just unlock if for five minutes it can paint the world in dazzling [...]

Read the full article →

When you’re sure you can’t do it you need a friend who believes you can

February 15, 2012

Two years ago I sat on a park bench eating orange sherbert ice cream and telling Holley all these dreams that were crammed so tight inside my heart I could hardly breathe for fear of splitting down the middle. I told her about my sleepless nights. I told her about the desperate desire to be [...]

Read the full article →

The gospel according to motherhood

February 13, 2012

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. ~1 Corn. 1:27 I came by motherhood backwards. It was never my intention or my dream. It was a slow revelation that “barefoot and pregnant” was not a phrase ever [...]

Pin It

Read the full article →

Five Minute Friday: Trust

February 10, 2012

Around here we write for five minutes flat on Fridays. We write because we want to, not because we have to. We write for fun, for joy, for discovery. On Fridays we just write without worrying if it’s just right or not. Won’t you join us? (<—Tweet this!) 1. Write for 5 minutes flat – [...]

Read the full article →

Because your story matters more than your stats

February 8, 2012

Child,” said the Voice, “I am telling you your story, not hers. I tell no one any story but his own.” C.S. Lewis, The Horse and His Boy (The Chronicles of Narnia p.176. But what if my story isn’t important? What if it’s small and stitched together with load after load of laundry or hours spent [...]

Pin It

Read the full article →

What you’re not good at is only half the story

February 6, 2012

I’ve been staring at the brown wooden paneling in my daughter’s room for months because I’m too afraid to paint it. I don’t know how to pick paint colors. Or spackle. I’m not good at home decorating, or picking out tchotchkes or fabrics or frames. I don’t know how to sew. My culinary skills are [...]