Real Deal – Meet Emily Powell
I want you to meet my friends, the contributors of this blog. They are the real deal. I didn’t ask them to be on here because they have the biggest following or the biggest book deals – I asked them because they are the real deal. Enjoy meeting Emily today! She’s our last one in this series. I hope you’ve enjoyed a closer look at these precious contributors. – Courtney
What’s my favorite guilty pleasure right now?
Ok, this is a little embarrassing to admit, but after the kids go to bed, Alex and I love to veg in front of whatever show we are into (currently, it’s History Channel’s The Vikings) and…eat cookie dough. Yeah, raw cookie dough while snuggling on the couch. Romantic, right?
Favorite book?
I’m a huge reader. HUGE. But, pretty much ever since I first read it way back in college, Thornton Wilder’s play, Our Town has been my favorite. Right at 100 pages, it’s a quick read, but its message is one that I believe was applicable to my 20something self and is even more meaningful with each re-read.
What is God teaching me right now?
Well, I feel like I’m always working on patience and grace, but under that umbrella, He is really showing how to slow down and empathize with my children better. It’s like I can just feel the Holy Spirit whispering at me to take a deep breath and really consider and relate to how my children are feeling.
More In Photos
It’s no secret my middle child, Melody, wants to be a missionary. She already is as far as her knowledge of God and deep love for Jesus which just blows me away at age 7. She is also very in tune to other people and seeks to encourage whenever an opportunity presents itself. A few months ago, she walked into my room and said gave me this, just as a reminder, she said, in case I need to remember God was always with me.
This is the real me and my kids not posing perfectly…my youngest in CVS with no shoes. Sadly, not the first time it’s happened. In fact, all three of my children have attended school at least one day out of their life without shoes. And that’s the real me…usually flustered running out the door late, wanting to be one of those moms that just mosey on out in plenty of time but slowly realizing that mom might actually not exist.
Can’t even remember where I saw this idea, but it’s one of my favorites. I am just not an artwork on the refrigerator person. I love clean and clear and clutter free and my children love to have their creations, school work, etc admired. This the staircase to our basement/garage. I hung a simple Ikea curtain rod and we just use clothespins to clip on any school work, art work, their report cards, or anything else to display. It’s a little sparse now, with just their awards from school hanging since I took everything down at the end of the school year. I love it because we see it often, every time we leave or come home, but it’s not cluttering are main living area. We change it out when it starts to get full. It’s great for having them pick out the projects they really want saved.
How are you today?
How are you REALLY doing?
We’d LOVE to get to know you – guilty pleasure? What’s God teaching you?
The REAL you is always welcome here. In this blog space.
I love it, Emily! Thanks for being REAL. My guilty pleasure right now is chill out time with my family. That means no planned crafts, not forcing them to go outside and be active, and not feeling like I have to entertain them or have a destination or activity every free moment. We have watched them play a lot of indoor basketball, listened to some laughing as they jump on our bed upstairs, and allowed them to get their own snacks. I know this sounds weird. But I needed a break from doing what “I think I ought to do” and just allow us to chill and be together. I like what I read somewhere, “more love, less hustle.” Is the world going to end because we only got on our bikes 3 times this year so far? Or because I didn’t play with them every single time they asked? It didn’t. Wow. We have laughed together, watched movies together, played in the pool together, cleaned the house together, eaten meals together, prayed together, read together and listened as two boys started to learn how to play together. Expectations, be gone! Jesus, come and hang with us!
Paige I love what you are doing! Me too! My job isn’t to entertain them right?!?!
Thanks Emily for being real I love getting to know you better! I’m gonna check out that book and buy one of those ikea rods for my playroom. My husband hates refrigerator clutter but they’re so proud and I want to celebrate that so thanks for the tip!
LOVE it Paige. Sounds like you’re doing all the right things. We ought to be free from the shoulds. Proud of you! I know they probably sense the difference.