Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

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Essence of Joy {lessons from the tennis court}

September 16, 2015 by Kristin Leave a Comment

We went to play tennis Sunday afternoon because the weather was perfect and Greg had been telling the kids we’d go. I was texting with Sarah afterwards and she said, “I didn’t know you played tennis.”

Well, I don’t, actually. I’m really pretty awful.

Greg does. He’s sports guy kind of guy.

The kids don’t really play either. Ben swings the racket like a baseball bat sometimes and a golf club other times. And Cate tries hard and understands the general idea.

We have rackets and bought some new balls after church, but I wouldn’t go as far as to say we play tennis. We laughed and joked around. We gathered all the balls that went in all the wrong directions. We enjoyed the sunshine and each other.

While attempting to get the neon ball back over the net in the right direction, I thought about all the times I didn’t participate in so many other activities throughout the years because I was worried I would do them well enough or someone may laugh at me.

Fear robbed my joy too many times. {Tweet that.}

I don’t like doing things I’m not good at or that have the potential to make me look foolish. It’s part of my Type A, perfectionist personality. But I’m learning – slowly, because I’m a tad stubborn too – to let go of those fears. Take Sunday: Nobody is judging how I play tennis. But I got to hang out with my family and do something they’re interested in doing.

Yes, I thought about taking a book I want to read and camp out beside the tennis courts. But I’m glad I stepped on the court with my favorite people instead.

Team Taylor isn’t going to win any tennis titles, but we had fun anyway. And that’s the essence of joy.

_____________________

It’s been awhile since I’ve shared here, but I’m still keeping a #choosingJOY list of moments, people, places, and experiences that make me pause and notice everyday joy around me. Noting these joys has helped transform my perspective.

515. Surprise baby cake and gift from Greg’s men’s group. 516. Being at the lake for a hot Labor Day. 517. Drone group photo. … 521. People asking if I will talk with them about adoption. Always, yes. … 527. Grandparents Day at school – and Mom being willing to come down for it. 528. Friday evening at the lake with Greg’s office staff. 529. Perfect weather for soccer. 530. Baby shower given by church friends! 531. The diaper cake from Marley and Joann. … 534. Sitting down to watch TV after a PACKED weekend. 535. Colored pens & Precept study.

I’d love for you to join me! Share on social media and use #choosingJOY. Instagram is my favorite place to share.

_____________________
Hey, #ThreeWordWednesday friends, we have some people joining us today from the weekly Works for Me Wednesday link up Mary Carver from Giving Up on Perfect usually hosts. Her blog is getting a redesign, so we’re combining our Wednesday link ups. The more the merrier, right? Plus, y’all know I like a good party. Works for me! 

152 Insights to My Soul

   

An InLinkz Link-up
   
Want more insights? “Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family” is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin’, or subscribe to receive “Insights in Your Inbox.”

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About Me

Telling stories is my therapy and I love sharing them with friends on my porch.

The main characters in my stories are my entrepreneur husband, our high school girl who never forgets, our middle school boy who has no fear, and our joy-filled first-grade girl. As we live out our stories, we seek God as the author of them all.

Learn more about my story here.

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I sat on my porch beneath a blanket and finished t I sat on my porch beneath a blanket and finished this book today. Yes, I’m fully invested in this Cuba saga involving the Perez family. “The Last Train to Key West” by @chanelcleeton is the third in the series. I have the fourth on hold at the library for pickup on Monday. 

I wasn’t sure I was going to love this one as much as I did Cleeton’s first two, but it was a slow-building story that turned stormy. I loved how the three women were in Key West for their own reasons, developed meaningful relationships as they navigated their lives, and managed to survive the storms of their lives and an actual hurricane. 

The historical fiction story offers hope:

“It’s strange how your life can change so quickly, how one moment you can barely eke by, desperation filling your days, and suddenly, out of the unimaginably horrific, a glimmer of something beautiful can appear like a bud pushing through the hard-formed earth. There’s so much broken around us; maybe all we can do is try to fix each other, do what we can to preserve these precious moments in a world where there is so much sadness and loss. … Maybe some would say my dreams are too small. Perhaps they would dream of railroads that go over the sea, great, wonderful things. Maybe others want riches and jewels, a chance to travel the globe. For me, this is enough: A corner of paradise in this wretched world that I am able to call my own.” — Helen in “The Last Train to Key West” by Chanel Cleeton

#KHTreads #bookstagram #booklover #librarybooks #historicalfiction #weekending #favoritethings #choosingJOY #bookquotes #bookreview
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Wright Road needs a permanent solution for when Wildcat Creek rises. A bridge seems to be the best idea, so the creek can rise and flow beneath the road rather than flowing across it and washing out the gravel on top of the culverts. 

I know it’s an expensive fix and would take local government working with state government, but I wonder how many times the road has to break before it can be truly repaired.

#callowaycounty #kyweather #kentuckyweather #countyroads #countryliving #reallife #murrayky
In a week filled with all the parenting emotions, In a week filled with all the parenting emotions, God has provided conversation with friends who understand, new mercies, a few walks and talks with a friend, and cinnamon rolls on a rainy Friday afternoon. I’ve been reminded when we are vulnerable and share our real lives, friends bring truth and goodness — often in ways we don’t expect but bless us anyway. 

#bettertogether #createdforcommunion #reallife #momlife #weekending #parenthood #choosingJOY #favoritethings #livingfaithfully
People ask when I have time to write. The truth is People ask when I have time to write. The truth is I like to make time to write, but sometimes it happens in the cracks of my days — at Panera, in the Notes app on my phone, at the library before I pickup my kids, or while I’m waiting on kids at activities. This week I edited my manuscript while Rachel practiced soccer. 

#momlife #writerlife #selfpublished #bloggerlife #authorlife #soccermom #thirdchild #createdforcommunion #bettertogether #favoritethings
I needed this weekend. The UK Wildcats didn’t I needed this weekend. 

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I finished it today during commercials and timeouts. And now I’m going to start “When We Left Cuba” as another basketball game also gets going. 

#KHTreads #basketballseason #weekending #bookstagram #reallife #booklover #librarybooks #KindleOasis #Kindlebooks #favoritethings
What a fun night! Basketball is best with friends What a fun night! Basketball is best with friends and food. So thankful for all these provisions and others in my life. Oh and a Cats win is icing on the cake. 

#MarchMadness #weekending #basketballseason #bettertogether #choosingJOY #BigBlueNation
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#reallife #basketballseason #wifelife #choosingJOY
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For quite a while now, I feel like I’ve been living a day at a time. I used to be able to see my life in larger chunks of time and anticipate and prepare accordingly. Now, I slap things on the calendar and then deal with them as they come. Navigating life with two teenagers and a first-grader is the best and hardest thing I’ve ever done.

Honestly, this moment-to-moment living has been good for me and helped me rely on the God who created the stars and rivers that still exist in our world. Focusing on where I am helps me take slower steps, trust God to provide, and remember I’m not in control. I’ve felt an internal shift with my relationships — with my husband, kids, and friends. I’ve felt behind on laundry and dishes and piles of papers. But I’ve also felt a refreshed nearness to God. 

I’m going to rest here while believing God created life and light when there was only darkness and continues to order my days. 

#livingfaithfully #choosingJOY #momlife #faithlife #preceptstudy #genesisstudy #genesis #beginnings #reallife #PorchStories
My friend @ashleelyoung told me about this memoir, My friend @ashleelyoung told me about this memoir, but I knew nothing about Sutton Foster or her story beforehand. She’s a TV actress and Broadway singer and dancer who processes her life — complicated family life, love, loss, spotlight, infertility, adoption, motherhood — by creating. She creates in the kitchen, on stages, with yarn, with paint, with her hands, and with her mind. But her story really is all the experiences and emotions that inspire her creative work. I enjoyed this one. 

#KHTreads #memoirs #bookstagram #booklover #audiobooks #audible #bookreview
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