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Tanara McCauley

~ Love Knows Color

Tanara McCauley

Tag Archives: children

The Cookie Jar

07 Wednesday Oct 2015

Posted by tanaramccauley in Faith, Relationships, and Other Topics

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

academics, achievement, amreading, amwriting, author, baking, books, calling, children, Christ, college, cookies, faith, family, galletas, Mom, parenting, passion, priorities, purpose, pursuit, relationships, student, success, writer


“A cookie jar, though beautiful, will always disappoint if found empty.”

My cookie jar is empty.

It’s seen a batch or two–maybe–in the months since I returned home from Mount Hermon’s Christian Writers Conference; but for the most part it’s been unoccupied. Relieved of duty. Free of tenants.

And for a while I blamed my husband.

See, we had a plan. As you probably know from a previous post, my youngest daughter started kindergarten this year, freeing up my afternoons. And according to the plan I would take the first year to write full time with keys blazing and submissions flying.

But somehow in my short, five-day conference absence the plan changed. Just up and flew away somewhere. Out there. Over the rainbow. And in its place: “You need to finish your degree.”

Say wha?

My arguments against this new scheme raged vehement. Very artistic and author-ish too. Something about sensible suits and academic labels, the futility of human standards of achievement, the colors of my creative mind fading…you get the picture. When that failed I took the practical financial approach.

Nothing worked. God has a new plan, saith my husband, and a degree for the missus therein lies.

Well alrighty then, Misters.

That was six months ago. I saw evidence of God’s hand in the orchestration, including a ripple effect in other areas. Then I discovered I could finish much earlier than expected. I snatched that baton and sprinted off with it. On top of that aim I added honor student. And because a writer must always be reading and writing I made sure to check those boxes too. Super productive. No time for baking cookies.

I felt very much like degree people feel. Accomplished. Potentially important. But in what way? And to whom?

The answers came when my son returned home one night from Awana with a list of two things he wanted to do better. One of them read:

Leave Mommy alone when she’s doing homework.

SLAYED.

Reading those words made me consider how many times I’ve said them in the past six months, and how many times I haven’t played Terraria with my son, or done Zumba with the girls, or watched My Little Pony, or baked the weekend’s cookies; all because I’d immersed myself in God’s plan–stretching it into something self-serving–instead of remaining immersed in God who keeps my priorities straight.

My kids are awesome little people. I’m proud of them. And if I graduated summa cum laude and became a bestselling author whose books hit the big screen they’d be proud of me too. And all of it would be a pretty package to behold.

But if the intimacy is not there, if I don’t remain a present, attentive mother who knows them and is known by them–who keeps school and writing and whatever else comes up out of family time–then what we’re headed for is no better than an empty cookie jar.

And that will never be a part of God’s plan.

My jar is still empty, but now it’s only because the cookies are cooling.

Your turn: Have you ever found yourself running ahead (or away) from what God’s doing in your life?

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Kids Cook Fridays

22 Friday May 2015

Posted by tanaramccauley in Faith, Relationships, and Other Topics

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

chef, children, cookbooks, cooking, culinary, dinner, family, friday, parenting, recipes, ree drummond, relationships, TGIF, weekend plans

Fridays have always been a population favorite. They end the work and school week, usher in vacations (or holidays, for my European friends), and offer much-needed breaks. Even the most disagreeable chime in on the popular consensus of Friday’s arrival…ahh.

In my home, we issue up a hearty “Mmmm” as well. Because that’s when the kids get to cook.

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And I’m not talking peanut butter sandwiches or ramen noodles either. During the week, they pick a recipe based on what we have on hand, get a $20 budget for any missing ingredients, and take over the kitchen stove, kitchen counters, and the kitchen sink. (I clean up after myself when I cook, so can they :-).)

My son, who’s not as fond of this routine as his sister… 008
…tends to go for the more practical selections. Whatever can be thrown in one dish and cooked together is a first choice for him.

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My daughter, on the other hand, has to be scaled back now and then. Otherwise it’d be ten-course meals with drink pairings and a selection of desserts. This is what her table looks like on her nights:

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And if we have guests, she completes the scene with a towel draped elegantly over her arm, serves and refills drinks individually, and personally makes rounds about the table to dish out seconds. Top Chef, thank you.

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Though cookbooks for kids have easy to make dishes, many of them include ingredients that aren’t always the healthiest. So I prefer recipes from sites such as allrecipes.com, or cookbooks such as Ree Drummond’s The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes From an Accidental Country Girl. Here comes Mathias’ version of Ree’s braised beef brisket:

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These nights are fun, but they’re not always easy. It takes longer for the twins to follow a recipe than it would if I were to cook. And the cleanup can sometimes take a military turn. But in the end, they’re learning to accept more responsibility as they get older, and I see them glow when they receive praise for a well-cooked meal.

And should we eat out on a Friday, the chef of the evening gets to choose the restaurant.

All-in-all, we enjoy this family tradition, as it gives additional meaning to the phrase, “Thank God it’s Friday!”

Your turn: What are some family activities or traditions you keep in your household?

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When Mom’s Away…

21 Sunday Sep 2014

Posted by tanaramccauley in and Other Topics, Faith, Relationships, Writing and Pursuing Publication

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Tags

ACFW, American Christian Fiction Writers, amwriting, author, authors, children, conference, humor, parenting, relationships, St. Louis, writers, writing

As I gear up to head to the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) conference in St. Louis, I’m tempted to fret over how my family can possibly manage without me. My husband is off work and my father-in-law will be flying in to keep him company, still I’m skeptical of two men being able to manage every group of the food pyramid (we won’t even discuss cooking it), school uniforms, practice schedules, games, homework, chores, gardening, an all day four-year-old, and countless other things. Not to mention what my two daughters’ very long, exceedingly curly, extremely thick hair is going to look like by the time I return from five days absence.

This short, fifteen-second commercial helped me to put the brakes on all that worrying. When I’m gone, things won’t be done my way. And that’s just fine. While I might find a few things to cringe about if I could watch the goings-on of my household from my cell phone (is there an app for that?), I’d also find my kids safe, prayed over, fed–with something, and happy.

I’m blessed to have a husband who supports my dream. And I’m grateful for a place to go where I can connect with other writers, grow in my craft, worship the Lord, and pursue the next step.

So St. Louis here I come! May the Lord bless, keep and protect my family, and every other family His writers are leaving behind. And for the moms en route with me, here’s to having things dad’s way for a time :-).

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Not Your Daughter’s Music

11 Thursday Jul 2013

Posted by tanaramccauley in Faith, Relationships, and Other Topics, Songs and Poetry

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

children, comedy, humor, jokes, laughter, music, parenting, relationships, singing, singing in the shower, songs

concertsinger

 

“Mom, you okay?”

“Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I heard you yelling.”

And that, my friends, sums up my shower singing skills.

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Compassionate Hearts on Compassion Sunday

21 Sunday Apr 2013

Posted by tanaramccauley in Faith, Relationships, and Other Topics

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

charity, child sponsorship, children, Compassion International, Compassion Sunday, hope, Jesus Christ, letters, ministry, philanthropy, poverty, relationships, relief, salvation

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Compassion Sunday is a nationwide event during which churches reach out to fellow Christians and encourage them to sponsor children who live in extreme poverty all over the world.

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These sponsorships, which provide education in a loving environment, meals, medical care and more, give children opportunities in life and in their communities that they may not have been given otherwise.

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Most importantly, children learn that they are loved and cherished by their sponsors who write and send pictures, and by Jesus who works in the hearts of others to provide for these children and confirm that they are valuable.

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I have witnessed the three children my family sponsors through Compassion blossom and thrive. Since our sponsorship, one learned to read and write at the age of ten, another’s family was able to buy a cow through a family gift, and still another found purpose and self-worth through the youth activities offered at the center. Each of them have become loved and treasured members of our extended family; and recipients of the love, grace, and salvation of Jesus Christ.

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It gives me great joy to announce that this Compassion Sunday nine more children were paired with sponsors through my small town local church! I am excited both for the sponsors and the children who will benefit from their love and generosity. And while grateful for such a response, I am bold enough to ask for still more sponsorships. If you have never before sponsored a child, or if you currently sponsor a child but have room for more, visit the Compassion website and sponsor a child today.

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Touching Lives With Distant Hands

14 Sunday Apr 2013

Posted by tanaramccauley in Faith, Relationships, and Other Topics

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blessings, changing lives, child sponsorship, children, Christian, Compassion International, Compassion Sunday, give to the poor, hunger, Jesus Christ, lends to the Lord, parenthood, poverty, proverbs, relationships, touching lives

Compassion Sunday is almost here. April 21, 2013 is a day of hope for thousands of children who live in impoverished conditions around the world. It’s also a day of opportunity for the rest of us–an opportunity to share our blessings and touch the lives of these children by sponsoring a child.

Proverbs 19:17 reads, “He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD, and He will pay back what he has given.”

My family and I sponsor three children through Compassion in the countries of Bolivia, Rwanda, and the Philippines. Building relationships through letters, hearing from them how our support has impacted their lives and the lives of their families, and developing deep love for these children who I long to see face-to-face one day have all been part of the ultimate payback for us.

There is no blanket solution to ending worldwide poverty, but you can be the solution to ending it for one child. Visit Compassion.com and sponsor a child today.

Then come back next week on Compassion Sunday and sponsor another one! (Though I’m joking, by all means go right ahead if you feel led to :-))

And may the LORD take what you have lent to Him and do wonders with it.

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My Iron Sharpener

25 Monday Feb 2013

Posted by tanaramccauley in Faith, Relationships, and Other Topics

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all times, best friend, children, Christian, encouragment, family life, friendship, God, iron sharpener, love, maid of honor, mothers, proverbs, relationships, wives

A friend loves at all times… (Proverbs 17:17)

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Ten years ago she stood behind me fastening the last clasp on my wedding dress. She adjusted my veil, told me I looked beautiful, then reminded me of the signal I was supposed to use if – before the “I do’s” – I had a single doubt about my committment to a lifetime kind of love.

This morning she leaned across the middle console of my truck and gave me a tight squeeze, then rushed with her family through the airport doors to catch their flight home.

My best friend. My iron sharpener (Proverbs 27:17).

Our weekend was spent staying up far too late while indulging in sweets like ice cream bars and vanilla scones. And while we laughed and vented about the adventures of our separate family lives and all the happenings we’ve missed out on since we last saw each other, we parted encouraging one another in our roles as wives, mothers, and daughters of the Most High God.

Facebook friends are one thing. Pew pals another. Twitter ties…they’re cool.

But a true friend, the kind who loves at all times – even when you’re hard-headed and difficult to love – is a rare and precious gift. A gift worth thanking God for.

Who’s your forever friend deserving of thanks right now?

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Two Are Better…

31 Thursday Jan 2013

Posted by tanaramccauley in Faith, Relationships, and Other Topics

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Bible verses, children, Christian, collage, comfort, Ecclesiastes, encouragement, family, friends, frown, hugs, inspirational, love, mending, parenting, photos, pictures, quality time, relationships, restoration, siblings, sisters, smile, support, wipe away the tears

Tears are never as bleak when there is someone to wipe them away…

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Rich, Famous, Poor…And More

08 Wednesday Aug 2012

Posted by tanaramccauley in Faith, Relationships, and Other Topics

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

children, dream car, dream guy, future, games, imperfect, marriage, mash, perfection, picket fences, planning, rfp, stepford ct

Do you remember the game RFP-MASH? It consisted of a rectangle with three lines drawn to the left (with the names of three love interests on them), three lines drawn to the right (with the names of three dream cars), RFP – MASH written across the top (standing for rich, famous, poor – mansion, apartment, shack, house) and numbers written across the bottom (starting with 1 and ending with the highest number you achieved when you drew a swirl).

If you did play this game, you’re probably already smiling at the rush of memories this post has provoked. If you didn’t, you missed out on some serious adolescent wishful thinking.

Playing determined by process of elimination such things as your socioeconomic status (though we wouldn’t have dared use such a bourgeois term at the time), and how many kids you would have.

The goal was to create the perfect future. You let “fate” decide which of your dream guys (or girls) would be waiting for you at the altar, and which ultra-expensive car would carry you off to your honeymoon (though fate was subject to a redo if you ended up poor or living in a shack).

Ah, the bliss of naiveté.

For soon enough we learn that every picket fence at some point needs new paint. In other words: life’s not perfect.

And if we’re wise, we quickly stop chasing the fairy tale and get down to the risky business of living. We may even find that the real deal, with all its promised imperfections, makes the version we rigged look as dull as Stepford, CT.

With that in mind, what fancy goals did you have growing up? And how did they play into the life you now live? If you played RFP-MASH, I’d love to hear if you ended up with anything on the list from the many times you played! I didn’t…and boy am I happy about that; though I wouldn’t turn my nose up at that Lamborghini if it ever fell into my lap ;-)!

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Kids Come With! To China and Beyond…

18 Wednesday Jul 2012

Posted by tanaramccauley in Faith, Relationships, and Other Topics

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

adventure, Bahamas, Beijing, children, China, entertainment, escapades, family, Fiji, foreign food, Great Wall, Hawaii, kids, Korean bulgogi, Lego, meke, memories, Peking duck, poi, souvenirs, stay at home mom, travel

I’ve parasailed in the Bahamas, snorkeled the reefs of Hawa’ii, traipsed the rainforests of Puerto Rico, and danced the meke in Fiji; none of which – as awesome as they were – outshines one of my latest escapades: hiking up the great wall of China…with a twenty pound baby strapped to my front. Oh, and her kindergarten twin siblings at my heels.

And I had a blast doing it.

This new life, the one that comes with larger suitcases, excessive head counts, and hand sanitizer at the ready, is the antithesis of what I was nervous life as a stay-at-home-mom would be (though there are days when we stay in our pajamas and flaunt our very wild uncombed heads like they’re the new chic).

(Um…we’ll skip that picture).

The adventures of life are far from over. I behold a new sight, then get the added pleasure of watching my young ones behold it too. And dinner at home is easier to serve after they’ve braved foreign dishes like marinated octopus, Korean bulgogi, Peking duck, and Hawaiian poi (some of which received rave reviews, and others to which they replied, “Maybe I’ll like it when I’m older” – respectful kid-speak for “Ugh! That’s really gross!”).

Of course we travel less often. Nothing depletes the entertainment fund faster than three extra tickets, three extra plates, three extra attraction entry fees, and a host of “kid souvenirs” (a.k.a. easily broken toys). But when we go to a place where “memories that will last a lifetime” are on the list of amenities, we forego the stereotypical hype of getting away from our kids. We pack those extra bags, grab some mini Lego sets, make sure all the media devices have earphones and a years supply worth of batteries, and we board the plane.

Why? For many reasons. One, the time we have with them flies by in a blink, and even those days are not promised. So while we’ve got the time, we spend it with them. Also, we want them to know early on that the world is not confined to their little house and the small city it resides in. The world is huge…and their options in it are limitless. In addition, we adore these little people. They’re just fun to be around. And when it comes to the different landscapes and scenery, we just can’t help bragging to them about what a great job God did yet again. Of course we take time out as just a couple. But when we go big, they don’t stay home. We line our little ducks up and hit the open sky, or the open road, or the great big blue. Whatever the mode of travel, these kids come with, and I know we’ll treasure that choice as long as we live.

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