Parenting from the OverflowAvailable Now!

I spent this weekend in Oklahoma.  My Pepa is 91 and is nearing the end of his days on earth.  It was a gift for me to be able to go and spend some time with him over the past few days.  Most of my favorite childhood memories involve time spent with Pepa.   We’ve always had a very special relationship and watching him now, frail and dealing with dementia, is difficult.

I tell you that because I had all sorts of big plans for the release of Parenting from the Overflow today.  I wanted to do a twitter party and fun stuff on Facebook … I’d even considered a vlog.

None of that happened.  (obviously)

Instead, I spent three days watching Pepa sleep, answering his questions about what day it was, and being thankful for short conversations with him.  He knew who I was and told me what his favorite song my Scott sings is.  He said I have always been a good girl and when I leaned down to kiss his cheek before I left, I told him I love him and he whispered, “I love you too,” back to me.

Y’all … that is what living in the overflow is all about.  It’s about choosing every day best over good.  It’s about understanding that adding anything affects everything.

But I was right where I needed to be … sitting next to this man who has influenced me in more ways than I could ever count and who has always believed that I would be a writer.

Parenting from the Overflow is not a parenting book … it’s a book about your heart.  It’s about learning to live in the abundance of God’s plans and desires for us and allowing those things to overflow onto our children (and everyone else around us).

Sometimes when we do that, when we live in the overflow of God in us, other things don’t get done.  

Today, I’m realizing there’s a lot that didn’t get done.

But I’m okay … in fact, I’m better than okay.  Because I lived out Parenting from the Overflow this weekend.  I chose to encourage others and to love and be gentle.   I make no promise this book will make you a better parent … but I pray that it does encourage you to be a better child of God, to seek Him first, to walk close to Him.

Today, I’m not going to be doing a lot of promotion.  Instead I’m going to write a letter to my aunt and uncle who have my Pepa living with them and are taking care of him.  I’m going to tell them how much I appreciate the love they are living and the sacrifice they are making.  I’m going to hug my daughter and my husband and treasure a night with nothing on the schedule.  I’m going to call all my other grandparents just to say I love you.

I’d love for you to buy the book … to join me on the journey of Parenting from the Overflow.

But even more, I’d love for you to live in the overflow of God’s great love for you!

Parenting from the Overflow is available for purchase on Kindle, PDF, and print!