adventures

The Day My Son Thought I’d LOST IT!

by Karmen |

“Mom, this is crazy.”

Is what he said just before we marched around a picnic table in our backyard seven times.

I’m sorry, you did what???

We marched around a picnic table in our backyard seven times.

Who: the cowboy, me, and our two boys.

Where: on our farm

When: Wednesday afternoon, July 14

What: I placed a #PrayBig journal in the middle of our picnic table and asked my family to pray with me as we marched around it seven times.

WHY??? Because sometimes God calls us to do crazy things to show us how GREAT He is!!

Remember that BIG DREAM I shared in a recent post? (If you missed it you could read about it HERE)

It had been seven days and no word. I submitted the When You Pray Big Things Happen journal and #PrayBig products for consideration for the Dave Ramsey/Christy Wright Business Boutique. I’ve already seen God do exceedingly and abundantly more with this little journal than I ever thought He would or could so, why not? Desperate for a yes or no because the unknown makes us CRAY, right? Recently having read the story of Joshua thinking about the wall of Jericho, what he must have felt like facing such a task and pondering the question, what is my current Jericho?” That thing that seems impossible..too big? Too far out? Too crazy? Something only God could do?

For me, the thought of #PrayBig + anything related to Dave Ramsey seemed just, too BIG, too grown-up and mature for me. It’s Dave Ramsey for crying out loud.

But the idea of marching and praying wouldn’t leave me alone. So I did what I do. I told J, “I have a crazy idea.” And then, he did what he does. He looked at me exhausted with raised brow and said, “Ok, let me hear it.”

“I want us to place a #PrayBig journal on the picnic table in the backyard, march around it seven times and pray.”

“Ok.”

“OK?!”

“Yes, ok.”

Before he could change his mind or I could talk myself out of it, I grabbed a journal, we gathered the boys and headed to the back yard.

I shared the idea with the boys. Without hesitation, my younger asked where to stand as my older declared, “Mom, you know this is crazy, right?”

“Yes son, I know it is, but sometimes God calls us to do crazy things to show us how GREAT He is!”

And with that everyone got in line. J lead us, and I began to pray out loud as the boys followed us around the picnic table.

Lord, we trust you. We believe your ways are higher than our ways. We’ve asked you to enlarge our territory and provide opportunities for us to speak of your goodness. You are faithful, good and true. We rest in your perfect will and want no more and no less than exactly what You want for our lives. If you bless us with a yes, we will praise You as long as we have breath. If You say no, we will praise You still. If You say wait, Lord, we will wait. We fix our eyes on You the Author and Finisher of our faith. In Jesus name, Amen.

As we headed inside I whispered within, “Lord, do this one for the boys. Grow their faith.”

The next morning during my quiet time I felt a prompting to fast. Something you should know. I don’t fast much. I just never have. That’s one of the spiritual disciplines that has always intimidated me. What if I don’t do it right? What do I fast from? How long do I fast?

So many questions and so often when I don’t know what to do I opt to do nothing.

But that day it was evident. Knowing I wasn’t mentally prepared to fast from food and convicted over how much time; I WASTE ON SOCIAL MEDIA!!!!!!!! the decision was easy. I will remove the social media icons from the home page of my phone and every time I think of vegging on white space I will pray. I will declare, “Lord, Your will be done in my life.”

Before we go any further a few noteworthy mentions: God is God, and He can allow or not allow whatever He so chooses because He is God. He is sovereign and Lord over all. He is rich in mercy to ALL and is better to us than we deserve. Sometimes when we pray, He says yes, sometimes He says no, and sometimes He says wait.

Now, finally, as I removed the last icon from my phone’s home screen and just as I go to lay the phone down, I felt it vibrate.

A number I did not recognize from Nashville, TN.

“Hello, this is Erin from Dave Ramsey Solutions. If you are still interested, we would love for you to join us as a VENDOR at the BUSINESS BOUTIQUE!”

My legs became noodles, and I found myself short of breath as I offered my-cool-don’t-FREAK-THE-FREAK-out-response,

“Sure, I’d love to come.”

We exchanged info and said we would be in touch over the next few weeks. I couldn’t hang up fast enough.

I wanted to tell J, and I couldn’t wait to tell the boys. Particularly one.

I tiptoed in his room, whispered, “Hey bud, guess what?”

Sleepy. So sleepy he cracked one eye open.

“Hey buddy, guess what? We got a yes! #PrayBig is going to the Business Boutique.”

He sat up and gave me the biggest smile. He knew, and I knew, only God. And, well, that’s better than a personal phone call from Dave Ramsey himself.

So what??

Friend, what’s your crazy? What outlandish thing, DREAM, hard situation or impossible circumstance are you facing in your life right now??

I hope this story challenges you to keep praying. Keeping trusting. Keep believing in our great God. Keep resting in His perfect timing. Keep giving thanks in all things. He alone is trustworthy, faithful and good.

Tell fear to take the train! Have fear grab his pal doubt as he heads out the door!!!!! Fix your eyes on Jesus, be still and know He is God, get into The Word, #PrayBig and march forward into all that He has for you!

Waiting is hard, frustrating and rarely something any of us would choose but God knows best. Truly. And His ways are higher.

And don’t forget or be afraid to believe~

“…. sometimes God calls us to do crazy things so He can show us just how BIG He is!”

And if you are a small business girl or want to be or dream of becoming– COME TO THE Business Boutique! Use #PrayBig for a discount:

Instagram_PrayBig

In other NEW/UPDATES & such:

~Late to the party or still wondering,

“WHAT IS #PRAYBIG?”

Visit & Subscribe to Karmen Smith on YouTube! Then, leave a HUGE!!!! ALL CAPS SHOUT OUT in comments to our friends Chris & Gina Dorough! They are our gifted, generous video editing team and by gifted editing I mean Gina shades out all of my sweat and perspiration because recording videos HACK ME OUT!

~Oh, and we are now a family of 5. Our lives forever changed on July 19th as we welcomed our first foster child. We have so many feelings and stories to share, but right now we’re savoring them offline. We are praying through which stories to share or not. THANK YOU to ALL who have sent messages, given gifts and mostly for your prayers. We are eternally grateful.

~A 40 under 40 nominee! Speaking of crazy! I LOVE and admire and look up to so many of the incredible women on this list and am still searching for a thank you word big enough for those who nominated me to be a part. YOU, seriously, are the BEST! I know that sounds so cliché’ but I am so.very.thankful.for.you.

~Speaking page has been updated 🙂 View here!

That’s all. The End. for now- Sweet dreams. Goodnight.

KarmenSmith_signature

Sharing Secrets +BIG DREAMS+Great Fears

by Karmen |

Is this thing on?

Tap. Tap.

Can you hear me now?

I wasn’t sure if my computer would work it’s been so long since I opened it.

You’ve heard you can’t be two places at once?

It’s true.

To be present offline is to be absent online.

The last month I’ve done my best to be more present in my life offline.

My baby turned EIGHT and still. I can’t even deal.

The farm is busy and H-O-T. Our goat, Sweet Pea, had twins, and all of the HAY is AT-LONG-LAST out of the fields. This year has been the year of repairs. Each trip to the hayfield beckoned a repair to either a tractor, piece of hay equipment or trailer. The cowboy in holy desperation with hands in the air declared more than once, “I’m listening, Lord!!”

tractor

Our garden despite the on-again-off-again rain or lack of is providing plenty for which we are grateful.

garden

Three out of the four weeks in June someone from our family was at Ponderosa Bible Camp.

pbc

I’ve mentioned our boys want to live there, and I’ve decided it might not be a bad idea. It’s quiet, beautiful and tucked away from the busyness of the world. The week I was there speaking our precious friends, Chris & Gina, graciously helped shoot a “What is #PrayBig?” video to be released soon. (Nose shot vs. A selfie stick? Maybe a selfie stick isn’t such a bad idea! )

Speaking of #PrayBig. How about #PrayBig went to CANADA this week?!? A dear friend on mission took 45 journals with her that many of YOU helped purchase! (MUCHAS GRACIAS!!) While there, she met a lady who lives in Georgia who does prison ministry. Because technology is not all bad, I was able to speak to the group via FaceTime a few nights ago, and now a long and short story: #PrayBig is going to be going to the Georgia State Prison!!!! Only God.

In other news, Summer is made for reading, right?

A few books you’re sure to devour:

#1- If you haven’t already, GO NOW! Sure to be a sell-out: A Different Beautiful by Courtney Westlake is set to release August 1. Go PRE-ORDER here–>www.courtneywestlake.com

#2 Fresh Out of Amazing by Stacey Thacker had me at the title. Stacey has allowed me the privilege to be on her launch team. It is set to release September 1. I’ve just started and already sense this will be one to read and reread and reread particularly for those of us who struggle with being all the things to all of the people.

– #3 I’m late to the party on this one but cannot believe how many of the words in this book God has written on my heart! The Circle Maker: Praying Circles Around Your Biggest Dreams & Greatest Fears by Mark Batterson is THE-BEST- and one of the most challenging books I may have EVER READ!!! Seriously, highlighting every word or every other on most pages. It is that good and has had me on my face.

BIG DREAMS & GREAT FEARS, just so happen to be a couple of my favorite themes because we all have them. Dreams and fears are common denominators God uses to keep us humble and dependent on Him.

What are your BIG DREAMS & GREAT FEARS?

Because accountability is good and this place is that for me, I’m going to be real and share a couple of secrets we’ve been sitting on. I’m going to share because we covet your prayers. And not the, “Praying for you” and forget kind of prayers but the real praying without ceasing kind of prayers. The persistent widow prayers. Bold prayers. The #PrayBig kind.

Fear is entangled in our secret places. It’s in those secret places the enemy whispers lies to us. He tricks us into thinking it’s about us or what others will think of us or say about us when actually, it isn’t about us at all.

It’s all about God.

Honoring Him in thought, word and deed. Glorifying Him.

In Him, we live and breathe and dream and hope.

It’s because of His love for us we can live free from the bondage of despair and death and can share His love with others. It’s because of Him and His love overflowing that we have surrendered to the call to become foster parents.

The tango of “okay God, and no-nevermind, or no, not right now” has been going on for over a decade. We first requested the paperwork to become foster parents thirteen years ago after the loss of our first child. We have sought that same paperwork four times during these many years only to ignore it until now.

Why now?

A year ago this month I visited the Good Shepherd Children’s Home in Honduras. Many tried to warn me and did their best to prepare my heart for the wrecking and by wrecking I mean the undoing. The shaking up! The love overflowing for the orphans I would encounter. Nothing could have prepared me for the goodness of God I experience in that sweet, heaven on earth where the fruits of the Spirit were so thick and evident.

A week later upon returning home, J and I were making our bed one morning when I had the come apart.

“It’s NOT OPTIONAL! We aren’t called to love the widows and orphans when it’s convenient or when we have enough money or when we have enough time! We are commanded to care for them. We can’t put it off any longer. Jesus is coming!”

He looked at me with fear in his eyes not because I was scary although at that moment I was very scary but because he knew it too. It was time.

So, in October, we started the long, wearisome process but because of life, small business ownership, and speaking engagements it is now mid-July and we are just finishing.

Now this, the day before yesterday. The words we’ve been praying to hear and yet knew we would be scared to hear.

“We are looking for placement for a child.”

So here we are, waiting, praying our guts our for the children God has handpicked to join our family. Maybe for a little while and maybe for a long time? Here is where we stand:

There’s not a day ahead God hasn’t seen.

We will trust in Him.

What area of your life is God calling you to trust Him?

Finally, for the BIG DREAM!!

Last year with great hesitation, full of anxiety and inadequacies, I attended the Dave Ramsey/Christy Wright Business Boutique. It was inspiring, life changing and perfect timing because it was exactly one month before the release of #PrayBig.

This year I am making plans to attend again but this time, I have submitted the #PrayBig journal and products to be considered for the vendor hall at the conference.

PrayBig mug

PrayBig Bracelet

PrayBig T-shirt

praybighats_red

PrayBig Necklace

#crazy! I am waiting to hear back from them and would love it if you would whisper a prayer. Whether a yea or a neigh we will praise Him even if…

because

“If you aren’t willing to put yourself in ‘this is crazy” situations, you’ll never experience ‘this is awesome” moments.” -Mark Batterson

So here’s to #crazy BIG DREAMS and great fears!

The best is yet to come!

Much love,

KarmenSmith_signature

Lessons from: May, the flea market, and strangers

by Karmen |

It’s May.

Need I say more?

How ya holding up? Have you and your crew wrapped school? Are you attending graduation(s)? Recitals? End-of-the-year-this-end-of-the-year-that? Gifting out the wah-zoo? And lest we forget decoration, for all the Southerners out there! WHEW!!!!!

How about we press pause on May, take a deep breath and play a game of pretend.

Let’s act like we’re sitting on the porch with a glass of lemonade. ( Sitting. That’s a lovely idea. Who sits in May? Sleep, get up and go until it’s time to sleep again, right?) The kids are playing quietly in the yard. (Remember, we are playing pretend. There is no wrestling, screaming or refereeing in this game of pretend. We are playing a game of calm.) The chickens are scurrying about NOT EATING THE FRESHLY PLANTED TOMATOES IN THE GARDEN!!!!!!!

Ok, game over, or nevermind. #fortheloveofsanity

Our calm game is going to have to take place on your porch because it’s too loud & whack here! (Insert Emoji with one-eye-open, one eye closed with tongue hanging out because that’s a better depiction of May)

Speaking of whack!

boot table

This table had people stopping in their tracks. I’m positive it was the table and not the denim hat that most assuredly would’ve doubled as an umbrella. This bizarre piece of furniture had many pointing, some laughing but most just gawking at this tackiest of home decor. One woman was kicking herself for not finding it the moment before we did.

Of course, I bought it.

I know, I didn’t go looking for the table, but the table found me! And I’m so glad it did because it made for fun and sparked a most refreshing conversation between my friend and me on the way home from the flea market.

“Isn’t it just the best? How flea market finds, hold so many of life’s parallels. How so many things and stuff are discarded and considered to some as trash and to others a treasure? And how the hidden treasures are like individuals in the crowd or tucked away in a corner just waiting to be unveiled, chosen. ”

Speaking of hidden treasures…

My sister & niece invited me to tag along on a recent shopping trip. They were going in search of an outfit for Award’s Day. Excited because we hadn’t been together for a while, upon entering the interstate, barely had gotten out of our mouths how we were looking forward to our day when we spotted her.

A stranger was walking along the side of the road.

I had known it before I knew it as we slowed and began to pull off. I knew we were about to have an unexpected guest. My sister has always been brave & kind and is notorious for picking up people on the side of the road. I remember as a little girl after seeing a man with a sign that read, “Help” her going home, emptying her piggy bank and then, begging momma to take her back so she could give it to him. Giving comes naturally to her, so I wasn’t the least bit addled when she hollered out the window,

“Need a ride?”

Her nod and slumbered posture made evident she’d been walking for a while. I crawled through to the back to sit with my niece as our new-found friend climbed in the front with only a small bag.

“Where you headed?”

“Arkansas.”

Sister looked baffled as I chimed in from the back,

“Well honey, you’re headed in the wrong direction.”

The sweat from her brow and frustrated expression made it more than clear this was not good news.

My sister, who has the gift of mercy assured her we would get her “somewhere” as I began to Google the nearest bus stop.

After a quick call and much to our delight, we discovered there was a bus stop in the city to which we were going and a bus headed to Arkansas scheduled to leave after four that afternoon.

Tell me we don’t serve a God who is into details??

Questions about her journey and her need for a ‘break from life’ filled most of our minutes together. She shared stories of grief, depression and hardship as we counter offered hope, faith and the purposes of God. Before heading to the bus stop we zipped through McDonald’s for some nourishment, doubling up for our new-found friend to be sure she’d have supper on her ride back home.

Upon arriving at the bus stop, it felt very much like we had just walked on the set of Thelma & Louise. The tiny box-like office reeked of old ash and trapped smoke.

“Heellllo?”

“In here.” was her raspy reply. For a second, I was confused and thought we had switched sets because the voice sounded just like Estelle, Joey’s agent from Friends.

As we exchanged pleasantries with ‘Betty’ sister made note of the handwritten sign taped to the credit card machine.

CASH ONLY

“Oh, you’re only taking cash today?”

“Yeah, you’ll have to go across the street to the ATM” barked Betty.

Sister said, “I’ll go. You stay here with Betty and our friend. I will be right back.”

Although I couldn’t and maybe should’ve been a bit addled, I wasn’t because our precious mother had prepared us for this having told us, “Life is stranger than fiction.”

Our friend shared her personal info per Betty’s request, and we all got to know each other a little better thanks to Betty’s s-l-o-w-p-r-o-c-e-s-s-i-n-g computer.

As it turns out, Betty knew some of our people, and we knew some of hers.

It’s a small world after all.

Sister quickly returned with cash in hand. A handshake, and special thanks to Betty, another new-found-friend, we settled the fee in exchange for a ticket to Arkansas.

Leaving our new friend with:

her ticket
25$ cash
a double cheeseburger for supper
a New Testament Bible
a scrap sheet of paper with a few scripture references and our names

…we were back on the road again in search of an outfit for Awards Day.

Ann Lamott once said, ” I think this is how we are supposed to be in the world-present and in awe.”

As we loaded the car, smiling & laughing with tears spilling over our cheeks, we stood in awe of how God had worked out the details of our afternoon. How he had strategically placed a hidden treasure on the side of the road to see if we would stop. How he had another gem tucked away at the bus stop, and to think, we thought we were just going in search of an outfit for Awards Day.

Much love,

KarmenSmith_signature

In other things:

If you love summer as much as Olaf and me, H-O-L-L-E-R!!!!
My baby will turn 8 on June 6th. I will need therapy because my baby and the words “eight years” have me feeling troubled and my womb aching.
The journal will be six months old on June 8th. We are planning some fun things! Stay tuned!! and share this space with your friends 🙂
What do y’all think about Facebook Live? Have you tried it? I’m wondering if that is something I should give a whirl this summer?? please leave your thoughts in comments
I will be speaking at Ponderosa Bible Camp the week of June 19- 24

Fear not friends. We’re all afraid.

by Karmen |

I wish I weren’t so scared so often.

fear

How about you?

Are you a chicken?

Jason and I were at the barn the other day. He was milking Rosie. I was talking. (I know, surprise!) When ALL of the chickens started, SQUAWKING & scurrying for cover!!!

J spotted the culprit just as it flew out of sight. A hawk.

One feathered foul causing such a ruckus for a whole flock of others.

Isn’t that life.

How is it we allow one event, one person, one comment to cause such a ruckus?

Can I be honest? I’m scared. Scared of more than I care to admit but to name a few plus one:

Bombing this parenting gig. It’s hard. And boys are messy and scary. Crude and brave.
Saying too much or not enough
Appearing as though I have it “all together” because social media lies. If I haven’t made it clear here, just ask my husband or my mom or my sisters. They will tell you (if you’ve got time) of the countless ways -I am a walking disaster.
The ideas in my head.

That last bullet is where I’m camped today. There are a couple of crazy ideas that have been bouncing around in my head for a while now, but then I get scared and don’t want to think about them anymore because who enjoys being scared? But then there are these words I share with my boys and lots of women,

“Fear not.”

And then, “Fear not..” reminds me

“Submit yourself to God. Resist the devil and he will flee. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.”

Isn’t it funny how we share words with people and yet we will not hear them when it comes to our circumstance?

I don’t want to be like our chickens. Scurrying from fear. Hiding from what may be out there.

I want to be found more faithful than fearful. You too?

Did you know 85% of the things we worry about never even happen?!

So, here’s a challenge. Find one person of whom you can be completely honest and give breath to your fear. Say it out loud and see what happens. What many have found is once we’ve given the fear life, it dies.

Ready?

Say it out loud, “I am scared of _____________.”

Too scared to say it out loud? Here is mine:

I am scared to finish our memoir. I am scared it won’t be good enough. What if people don’t like it? What if people do? What will the book require of my family?

There.

I said it.

Five of my current fears. Out loud. It’s funny, on this white screen, fears don’t sound so scary. They don’t sound intimidating at all.

A friend recently invited me to join a Facebook group. At first, I thought, Oh boy, another group. But after a brief visit, this one looked different. Jennie Allen started the group. She is writing a new book and has declared she doesn’t feel like she is enough. This woman is the founder of IF: Gathering that has reached hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people for Christ. She has written books, is a wife, mother, sister, daughter, teacher. Her transparency to start this Facebook group on a whim and confess her fear of not being enough inspired this post. Because once she confessed her fears hundreds of others confessed theirs. And then I got all excited because I started thinking about all of the fears that will die because one person was brave enough to say, “I’m scared.”

Okay, before I get fired up again, it’s your turn. Fear not friends. You are braver than you think. You are not alone. Like our flock of chickens, when we are scared together, scary isn’t so scary.

Now, GO! Say it out loud and let fear die!

much love,

KarmenSmith_signature

P.S. A few other updates because I should blog more:

Upcoming Events:

My oldest turns 10 in two days. If you hear wailing and sobs on Thursday- fear not. It’s just me.
If you missed the podcast of the letter, my sister wrote after the loss of our son LISTEN HERE
First Baptist Women, One Nation Under God, Monday, April 18th @6 Fort Payne, Al
RCC Professional Luncheon, Wednesday, April 27th @12 Rainsville, Al
Vernon United Methodist Church, Friday, April 29th @ 6 Gardendale, Al
#PrayBig will be at the Pine Ridge Baptist Church Spring Fling, Saturday, April 30th 9-3
Broadway Baptist Church, Monday, May 16th @6:30
#PrayBig & Fort Payne Feed & Garden will be at Vintage Pickin’ Barn Sale, May 20 & 21, Fyffe, Al