Labels & Lessons
Labels - short, sweet, helpful little stickers that give us pause and guide us in the day-to-day minutia of our lives. There’s a label on my favorite shampoo instructing me to use a nickel-sized dollop, labels on my Oreos informing me how many a 'serving' is (yes, I should only eat 3) we label each AMD package - instructing our favorite delivery driver where to take the next “You are Loved!” brown box.
Then we have neat little labels to describe ourselves - stay at home mom, working mom, single, married, city girl, country girl, introvert, extrovert and the list goes on and on... We use these labels in order to create connections and bring some rhythm and reason to our lives.
This weekend I met some moms that I hadn't met before and we exchanged the typical information: names, who our kids were, who their teachers were, etc. From there we got down to the business of explaining ourselves and sharing our labels. How many other children did we have? Who is our significant other/spouse? Where do we work? And it wasn’t until after I left that night, and was driving home, that I paused and wondered whether the labels I used to describe myself were what I truly believed to be the most important things about me. If I could do it all over again these are the labels I would use for myself.
*God-fearing: I truly believe God gave me a purpose on this Earth and I try hard to keep him at the center of everything I do and every decision I make. I am striving to live a fearless life filled with his grace knowing that he is by my side Every. Single, Step of the way. This is the truth I cling to:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me." -John 15:1-4
*Wife, mom, daughter, sister, friend: I’m a woman whose most important labels are my relationships with others. My role as a wife and mom is what gets me out of bed at 6:00 every morning and has me collapsing into it at night, and the bonds with my parents, siblings, and friends are some of the most valued possessions of my life.
*Strong, yet compassionate: Not all women are as excited as I am to work in a garage all day and add power tools to her collection… I suppose most men probably aren’t either. My strong exterior covers a compassionate heart that longs for everyone on this Earth to know that they are loved and that God has a purpose for their life.
*Maker: I have always had a love for creating that my mom beautifully nurtured. She would take me along side her while she was creating and taught me the art of creating beauty out of the ordinary. I find this crazy beauty in being able to turn a blank 4'x8' piece of plywood into a piece of art. My mom didn't teach me just to create 'things' but to create a life you love. There are five wildly-different occupants of my home who I help bring together through our common values and desire to serve the Lord, I help create, and inspire, and encourage. I am a maker.
So what are the labels that you hold dear? Do they align with your inner purpose and vision of who you are? Who you want to be? I pray that you take a pause and think about the labels that define who you are, the labels that bring direction to your life and help you find your true self and purpose, and that you will in turn inspire and empower others around you to do the same.
Xoxo, allison
Life & Love
Call me crazy, but the weeks AFTER the holidays are some of my favorite of the whole year. While I love Christmastime and gift-giving, it’s after the wrapping paper settles and the tree is packed away that I’m reminded of the simple beauty of life and the love that envelopes me. Not to mention those weeks also lead into the month of February, a very special time for our little clan. Within the span of 18 short days, we celebrate our first date anniversary, our wedding anniversary, Curtis’ birthday, Elaina's birthday AND Valentine’s Day. By mid-month, I’m always feeling a little sentimental looking at family photos and near-bursting with love…and chocolate.
It’s so amazing to think back on the long, yet seemingly short, time we’ve spent together. How two bright-eyed kids matured from shy and easily-influenced to adults with goals and dreams who built a business, a family, a home… a LIFE. How God brought three little people into our lives who could make our bond even stronger and add so much to a life that already seemed to have all we ever wanted. How the long days of shuttling from work to school to running errands and finally crashing into bed tell the story of our life and our love.
So, to commemorate this “love”-ly time of year, I wanted to share 5 peeks into our story… my favorite love story of all.
1. I asked Curt out on our first date (can you believe that?!) The first thing he said when answering, "I was just picking my phone up to call you" - I will never know.
2. He redeemed himself with the Best. Proposal. Ever. (though I might be biased) My sweet Curtis was supposed to pick me up from the airport after returning home from a work trip to China - he called and told me he couldn't make it - I was FURIOUS. So I took a cab home and found a scavenger hunt awaiting me (roses, our favorite song, candles, such a romantic he is)... and at the end of the scavenger hunt was Curtis on one knee and I said YES!
3. Our wedding day was the coldest, windiest February day in Iowa and I had my bridesmaids wear spaghetti strap, knee length dresses with open toe shoes - what was I thinking?
4. Parenting has been the best and hardest job. 'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger" plays loudly in my head often - please tell me I'm not the only one...
5. And my favorite AMD memory is the moment Curt decided he was going to leave Corporate America so we could live our dream and 'have our own business'.
This week I pray that God blesses you and yours with a reminder of how loved you are. Xoxo Allison
With Brave Wings She Flies
Here we are already in the second month of 2018. At times January felt like it trudged along day by day as the snow fell and the gray days outnumbered the sunny, but as I flip the calendar to a new month, I simultaneously wonder how we’ve arrived at mid February (the hubby's birthday, Valentine's Day, our baby's birthday, our anniversary all within 5 days...) it ALWAYS sneaks up on me.
As I sit and reflect on where we’ve already been this year, it’s easy to count my blessings. My heart is warmed by the memory of joy on our kids’ faces when we told them the news of not one but TWO snow days, the pride I feel when another store is stocked with art from our AMD team, and the satisfying tiredness that consumes me after completing a project I’ve poured my heart and soul into. My life is abundant with love and blessings.
But it doesn’t take long for my thoughts to turn to those who are going through enormous trials right now. In particular, a dear friend battling cancer. When people around us hurt, it’s typical for us Midwestern folk (myself included) to want to help in some way whether shoveling sidewalks in the winter or providing a warm meal. I was yearning for a way to help my friend, and in such times, I turn to this gentle reminder: “The Lord will fight for you, you need only be still.” Last night as I was sitting down to rest my mind, turn on 'This Is Us' and call it a night the Lord encouraged me to provide not only my friend, but women of the greater AMD community with the best gift I could – HOPE.
So, I decided to bless 10 brave women with a random act of kindness. We like to call it our 'beautiful blessing' - a sign of course... because that's what we do! Until now the AMD team has chosen people in our 'circles' that we know could use a little uplifting to bless with a sign of encouragement. But last night I felt like I needed to reach further than our circle... So I reached out to you all on Facebook and Instagram to share about a brave woman you know who was experiencing a hard season. In turn, I promised I would send out one of my signs to the first ten women to provide a bit of light in their darkness. I wanted to remind them that bravery resided in their own hearts and most importantly they are. not. alone. I was hoping for 25-30 responses from my followers, but I was overwhelmed by the enormous outpouring of love received in a very short time. Countless people sent stories of women who needed hope in their lives, as I read through every story and journey I was left with tears running down my face thinking about all the hurt that was being endured. Until I heard the Lord say to me, Allison it is not the women who are hurting that are reaching out... it is their friends, moms, sisters, co-workers, grandmothers, daughters, grand-daughters - it is these women surrounding and lifting up the women who are struggling that left ME feeling full of hope and peace and most importantly I saw God's love in action here first hand, it was absolutely beautiful. As I began to tell the 11th, 28th, 39th person that I already had 10 brave women to bless I received a random Facebook message from a beautiful soul named Kari offering to bless 5 more women. You guys I'm moved beyond words of the power of love. I laid in bed last night until 1:00 overwhelmed by how beautiful this world we live in is. How beautiful and generous our community is and how blessed we truly are. All because of one brave woman in Iowa fighting the hard fight, 15 more women have been blessed and my heart to bless more of you has been stirred. How? I don't know... When? I don't know... but what I do know is that God has a plan for each and every one of us that is greater than we will ever know, greater than we can even imagine and his love is beautiful.
As we move on toward next week’s holiday of love, I encourage you to offer up love and prayer to those around you. If you feel like you should bless someone - do it. If you feel you should tell someone you love them - do it. If you feel you are being called to a random act of kindness - do it. Take on this week “with brave wings” and be someone’s hope and encouragement.
Xoxo, Allison