It's all about you!

Most often we allow our circumstances to determine our expectations. When those expectations exceed we then can step past our right now’s, with assurance that there is hope.  Every single moment we find ourselves in does not define us because life is ever changing.  Just because you have experienced a pattern in life doesn’t mean the next thread can’t be sewn a whole other direction. You are able to rise above addictions, depression, abuse, loss, hopelessness, failure and it all. You are able because you have a God that is big enough to take your hand and lead you out of the gray into light.

It’s easy to be in love with the familiarness of the pattern. Changing has to begin from within yourself. You cannot change for someone else because that someone else is bound to let you down sooner or later and then ultimately you are left with you. If you truly didn’t change for you there is a good change those old habits are going to be the first thing you fall back on.  

Today I just want to send a short blog to my readers and say keep trying. Condition yourselves to dream about the good instead of constantly reflecting on the bad. Shoot for beyond the unreachable and know you are not ever alone. I promise you this, even when you think there is not a single way anyone else could relate to what is going on in your life, there is. We all have our things we are getting through. Find a wiser person to confine in, pray, open your bible and read. The answers are there if you want them.  Always remember to choose wisely what you turn to and who you confine in.  But, most of all just choose a better life because you are worth it. You are strong enough.

" I’d love to take time to pray for you or send an encouraging word your way. Because I care about you. Have a truly blessed week readers. Remember there is hope."



Life,

Life is like a merry-go-round Your destination never found Circling you back where you seem to begin A journey that seems to never end. And now it's time for you to get off A new ride and adventure waits to be sought Eager for the ride you await to be on Standing and waiting your turn won't be long. On your new ride you expected something vast. Excepting nothing changed, different ride, but same past. Many rides, many choices. Only one you must take. The enjoyment and pleasure is up to you to make.

"Life" By Chantelle (Dailey) Hull

When I think of a father.

Last night our assistant pastor preached on relationships with our father. He did a really good job and made some great points. People around the room spoke about their earthly and heavenly father, while I listened quietly. Some had great fathers and some did not. This subject is one of the hardest for me. I honestly don’t like to sit in a room and hear people discuss their relationships about their fathers. It makes me sad, it annoys me and I find myself very uncomfortable.  I did not grow up with my biological father and even though I have known him for 5 1/2 years now, I still really don’t have a father. I don’t call him when I have a flat tire, or when I need money, or when I accomplish something…. when I am sad, or happy, or my kids get sick, or I get a new job. He was not there when my children were born, or when I got married, or when I road my first bike, or learned to drive.  He does not come see me or call. I don’t even have his phone number anymore. I honestly know him less then I know my neighbors down the road from me. I did have 6 step fathers throughout my childhood. They all were good to me. But, they came as quickly as they left and not one of them had a fathers love for me. When I think of an earthly father I see nothing.

For me an earthly father is what you see on tv.  Which leaves me believing in them even less then I believe two headed sea horses. I would love it if my earthly father was not so often compared to a heavenly father. It makes it really hard for me to separate. I personally think they are two different things. A human relationship cannot be compared to a spiritual relationship because humans are horrible. Humans let you down all the time. They leave, they are selfish, and they just are… humans. God never leaves us. He may love us as we all envision a father should love us but I like to believe he is more than we can even grasp.

It has taken me lots of effort to allow and understand that my husband is just as much of a parent as I am a mom to my children. It scares me for them that they have such a relationship with him. Even though he is the greatest father I have seen in my whole life I still wake up every day and am amazed he is still around. I am so grateful my children get to have that wholeness that having a father brings. It warms my soul." I am learning through my children how to have trust in a father. "

I want to get to a point in my relationship with Christ that I can allow Jesus to be my father without falling back on my earthly father perspectives. This entry is probably completely off on a Christian point of view but this is my journey and at this point in my life I am still trying to overcome this area.

Chantelle D. Hull

But most importantly....love.

A while back I was driving to the mall with my children in the back seat. I was about 8 cars cars back as a lady crossed the highway, jumped the ditch and ended up in a line of cars that were coming at her at 70 miles an hour. I watched as all cars came to a stop. Not one car hit her. Instantly two women got out of the car, followed by another husband and wife couple. The two women pulled the small children from the back seat into their arms and the other woman took the driver into her arms and held her as she cried.

This story is a great example how we should love others. What if when we see a person make a mistake we didn’t judge them…..what if we just without thinking of ourselves embraced them with no thought other than instant unconditional love? The people in the car could have been angry with the women and her recluse driving…her mistake, but instead they embraced her with this breathtaking love that I envision Christ to have.

Our actions do speak louder than our words, I completely agree. Although, I think we need to look at others actions with grace instead of assuming the worst so soon. Just maybe we ourselves could step aside from our judgmental tendencies and assume the possibility in that individual. See what we can do to encourage and shine for them. Sometimes people’s actions are a cry for help. Their struggles, their back and forth with their life, in my opinion… is not done to indicate they are representing as phonies to you but just a person crying out for love. Fight for them. Isn’t that what we as the church is here for…the broken?

                                                                  Love beyone Expiations  

                                                            Beleive in the good in others.

                                                                   Fight for the broken.

                                                                   

                                                                     1 Corinthians 13:13

What Makes You Unique?

Art is like your first love that you'll seem to always know.

 Though a thousand miles may part, you'll still feel him in your soul.

 It's the love that seems to bind you. And the beauty that won’t let go.

Shining through a passion of words you'll always know.

Art is like a melody that stops you in your feet, that without even an ounce of recognition has you dancing to it's great beat.

 The beat of love, the beat of home, the beat of something that is never grown.

 For art is always blooming and love is oh so rare. So any chance you may get always chose you there.

 Because if where you will be is where you’ve been here is that moment that can take you beyond the wind.

Lean into your existence, embrace it with passion and grace.

And never remember a moment and excuse it with a waist.

Hey, Readers. Last night my Pastor asked a question. He asked, “What is the thing about you that makes you unique?” As no one answered I thought to myself, I wonder why? Is it because of insecurity’s and fears? Fear that their uniqueness, if said out loud is one that no one else will agree with… is it because our minds automatically can think of something negative instead of positive….or is it because of lack of confidence to be the first to speak up in a group of people. Whatever each persons reason, no one gave an answer. My pastor then went around the room and said a couple of answers he sees in them, himself.

I didn’t answer because I honestly couldn’t think of something I was good at in the split 30 seconds of silence. So today I have decided to take time to praise God for the uniqueness in me that has created. To recognize the beauty in myself. If I would have answered my Pastor’s question last night I would have said this…..

I can set down in 5 minutes and write a poem. I love to mother and am good at it. I have an eye for photography and art. He has given me the gift of writing, as well. When I write it’s like I hear what he has for me to say.  My heart aches for the poor, and for the wounded. I love to give and to be a part of helping others. I love music and to sing. I’m great with giving words of encouragement and knowing when they are needed. I am good at being a friend.

 These are the main things that came to mind when I thought about what make me who I am….. what makes me unique.

God created us. He loves us like we love our children. We are his works of art. Embrace that! Love yourself as much as he loves you. Dwell on his good in you and you can shine with all the brightness he has given. Take time today to recognize your uniqueness and praise him for every single ounce of it.    

The rain, the storms, the hardest nights are your mercies in disguise....

I hear them tell their stories. That very moment they got down on their knees and decided right then and there that they had to give it all to Jesus. How they asked him to come in their life and heart. I imagine most people’s stories go a little something like this….”after a great sermon that spoke directly to me my life just made sense.  I went to the front without even thinking. I just got up and it was like the holy spirit walked me to the front… I laughed, I cried, I felt joy and walked out a brand new person.”  For me, growing closer to Christ seems to be an every day journey.

When I was young I went to the front, asked God to come into my heart and followed by being baptized. Charity Baptist in Rogers Arkansas. John Noman was our pastor’s name. My mom got married there. That church was a memory in my childhood that brought good. Until it didn’t. 

The church split, eventually. The man I called Dad at that time (from 3^rd grade to 7^th) ended up being a crazy person. He admitted to our pastor he had been hiding drugs in my mom’s car so he could sell without the fear of getting caught. To sum it up….. He had a couple of affairs and just ended up being insane.

 One time he locked my mom naked in the hot car for days to teach her a lesson on fasting. I was at my mom’s best friend’s house for the weekend. I am not sure how she found out what was going on…. but my mom’s  friend loaded us up in the van, parked at the top of the hill and quickly explained to me which was the gas and which was the brake…in case I needed it…in case it got bad. She grabbed a bat and went off to rescue my mom. We left him and started over. He ended up getting an apartment a mile away from ours and chasing me down the street in his car as I was getting the mail one day. I don’t think I had ever been so scared in life. My mom met me at our car, we got in and he chased us in reverse until my mom could flip the car around and drive forward. We got stuck on a curb and sat with the doors locked looking forward as he yelled and beat on the windows. Two guys lifted my mom’s car off the curb and we drove to the police station.

No matter where we went he seemed to find us or she’d give it another try. I remember being locked in the bedroom with my mom as he was pounding on the door trying to get in one day. She slung the door open and beat him with his own golf club. The Sheriff told him that day he wasn’t allowed back in his town. I remember him saying, if he caught him back he would take care of it himself. The last time we left was when my grandma died. We packed up when he was at work and left town to Kansas. We left my doll house behind because it wouldn’t fit in the U-Haul.  

In that time period until right now I have been climbing back into God’s arm. Reaching and searching to get back to that place where I really feel him. Since I have been married we have lived our life’s right. But we hadn’t really searched for God until we started going to church about two years ago. In this time my husband and I have both asked God into our life. My husband went to the front when he asked God into his heart. I sat in the chair quietly and asked by myself.

 I feel like I ask God to come into my heart daily now days. Maybe it’s more to stay then to come. I go to bed at night and pray for forgiveness and ask him to just show me his presence in my life. We go to church whenever it’s open. We try to be as active and involved as we can. We watch what we allow on tv and listen to on the radio a little better then before and really try to live as we believe he wants us too..

 I long to be closer to God more and more every moment. I want to grow into that place where I don’t have to fight to be less of this world. Where there is less of me and more of him.

I feel like I slowly melt into any relationship. It has taken me 8 years to finally get to that spot of just trust and true love with my husband. Where he can hug me and I honestly feel a peace in his arms. I feel like every day with God I grown more intrigued and in love with him too. My goal this month is to open the bible and start studying his word. How can you know something without reading the story? It’s time for me to dig a little deeper. To grow a little more.

Chantelle

I love this song…..Laura Story-“Blessings”

Relationships

Maybe this will change with age but I feel like a big half of my energy goes to my friends. Yes, most importantly I’d like to think I focus on my faith, husband and children but in the mix of that is also friends.

According to psychologist Sydney Jourard, most of your joy in life comes from your happy relationships with other people, and most of your problems in life come from unhappy relationships with them. So, basically most of your problems in life are people problems.

Think about your days. Think about something today that has made you smile…I bet your first thought had to do with someone else. We are a social, co-dependent society.  Billions of people log on to Facebook every single day to see what other are doing and to tell the world about their self’s. There is a reason we can’t delete our Facebook accounts or turn off our notifications. We are psychologically dependent on human relations.

I am an extremely social person. I don’t know what to do with my quiet time. I usually turn on the music, text a friend, blog, or call my husband at work. This constant contact with others of course affects my life. If I am talking with someone that is negative and down on life I’ll get off the phone and feel a little down myself. If I am talking to someone that is silly and up beat I will get off the phone and feel happy and content.

How about you?  Do you ever feel like relations with others leave you feeling as if your emotions are a big rollercoaster of emotions that are affected by everyone else’s actions and words? One minute life is great… People are great…then the next you just want to shut the doors and turn off the old social network site and cell phone. How healthy can this be?

I think as we grow healthier and closer to God we know what to do in the quiet. Maybe even we long for the quiet rather than fear it. We understand that there is no escaping relationships on a daily biases but we learn how to do it all in a right way. We need to learn to become co-dependent upon God. Turn to him for the answers. Then the closer we lean in to God the more protected we are from the ways of society so that we aren’t effect by everyone else’s actions because our eyes are on something bigger than that. I think that will allow us to just enjoy our friendships more, pick them more wisely and give them the very best of us. It will make us better not only in our friendships, but our relationships with our children, with our spouses and even our relationship with the people in our past and future. God’s plan for our life is not misery, chaos, uncertainty, and instability. He wants our relationships to be pure, enjoyable, peaceful and to just work.

Chantelle

A glimpse inside

Who am I? When you look in the mirror and unzip who do you see? Sometimes I like to think you see a little of whom you were, a little of who you are becoming and a little of whom you try to be. As a female I think unzipping is complicated.



We are constantly thinking which means before we even stand in front of the mirror we are worrying about something. May it be our flaws, our child’s coat we forgot to send, our brothers cousins best friend whom we have been dwelling on since last night…since we are most sanely convinced he wasn’t too in love with the tone in our voice when we said hello 2 weeks ago. Which reminds us that we have to bake cookies for his wife’s daughters fundraiser next Saturday, which makes us think about that work out tape we have been wanting to start…mussst kick these last 10 (okay we all know it’s 30) ever fluctuating awful pounds, so that we can JUST suck in and button those jeans we wore a decade ago that won’t be back in style for at least 20 more years, oh and of course this reminds us of that silly costume party we have to find an excuse to get out of since we have recently decided to go to our other friends baby’s birthday that somebody still hasn't gotten a gift for. DING. What’s that sound? Oh well, of course it’s the oven telling you the casserole is done and it’s time to serve dinner. Don’t forget to let the dog out before he poo’s on the rug you just took to the cleaner where you smiled at a handsome Spanish man that you feel guilty for now… which lead you to that chocolate guilt brownie you still have to clean off of your new blouse yuh shouldn’t of bought in the first place, that you are going to re wear ….and not re wash… for date night, tomorrow.



This is real life and it’s hard to find time to be quiet and remember who you are. To remember who your maker is, that knows exactly every thought in your brain, every hair on your head…and yes even that wild hair on your chin you pluck on Tuesdays. It’s time we love our self’s as much as our creator loves us. We need to unzip and set the world aside and work on us from time to time. Just like with a good hair do our souls need a little trip to the salon sometimes too. It makes us better for ourselves. You are important enough.


Be quiet for 10 minutes today. Pray for another 10. See how the rest of the day falls into place after this.



This weekend was busy. My weekend started by a parade of 1st graders and their costumes... then for lunch I surprised my daughter with a treat bag and kids meal at her school. Then I rushed to a different town where I got to go to my son’s first Halloween party. Friday just made me a proud momma. On Saturday we attended an event to support the Down Syndrome Connection of Northwest Arkansas at the Buddy Walk for Down Syndrome Awareness. Great cause to donate to. Saturday evening we watched our friend’s kids, ate a roast and watched movies. Then we ended this fabulous weekend by celebrating trunk or treat with our church family (Abundant Life Church of NWA) and hosted a go-kart station for the kids to get can’t candy.

In theme of my inspirational speech above I’d like to share some pictures of our real life busy weekend we juggled. I found myself eating my way through an extra 5 pounds of my children’s crack candy. You’d think with their wild intake of sugar and the walking I got in this weekend I’d be able to fit in my fat pants at least by today… wrong. Momma is sporting pajama pants this week. Pajama pants and a broken pumpkin bucket still full of all my favorite mini candy bars. Intervention later to come. Stay tuned. ;)



chantelle

Baby steps

There is no way I can tell you all about this fabulous child that changed my life without telling you about the other. Cooper was born on July 9^th, 2007. Weighing in at 7 pound 9 ounces.

When we went in to find out what the sex of our baby was they had said it was a girl, to my surprise. See since I had had a dream he was a boy I was pretty mind set they were wrong and needed to stick that cold camera right back on my rounded belly and look again. I made the sonogram lady re check, cried a little and moments later she came back with those beautiful words, that he was after all a boy. My husband thought I persuaded the tech a little much and we should hold off on buying boy clothes. That didn’t stop me much. His closet was soon full of everything boy within the week. A momma just knows.

Sure enough he was a boy. I remember before he was born imagining him to look just like Madison for some reason. Madison was still bald at the time of her brother’s birth but Cooper came out with enough hair for the both of them. I was in love instantly…and relieved. He was caught in my ribs and it took 3 men pushing down on my body to get him out and after they finally pulled him out there was no cry. I in panic kept repeating why isn’t he crying, why isn’t he crying…what is wrong. The room was silent for it seemed like a billion minutes and then the most amazing sound in the world came out of that brown headed beautiful child, his first cry. What a relief.  He too was a healthy, perfect child. Our blessing number two.

Cooper is all boy. He loves sports, skateboarding and being outside. He’s a bit of a clown when he wants to be. At home he is always dancing and singing. He scares me to death since 90 percent of the time he is up to something. I don’t think there is one thing he is afraid of. This year he started pre-k. I am learning what free time is like again.  I couldn’t imagine life without him. He will forever be my baby…even if he is a daddy’s boy a little too much.  

Some more steps along the way

You know how they say when you become a mother for the first time and you hear that very first cry your whole life is changed. That really does happen. After 80…. not my fault pounds… that no, I did not get by eating every rice crispy treat in site, a long nine months, 4 different gallons of paint, 24 hours of labor and a cesarean I heard her first cry. Life stood still for the first time in my world. She was perfect. It was like I recognized her even though I hadn’t even held her yet.  I grew up instantly in that moment.  I knew I wanted to do everything in my power to be the best mom I could possibly be.  

Madison is this fabulous child’s name. She is pretty amazing. 6 years old and going on 14. Recently she just lost her first tooth.  She is really good at math and spelling. Such an amazing little artist. She has a huge heart. I can’t help but look in her big brown eyes and thank Jesus every day for such a blessing.  

Before I got pregnant with Madison we lost a pregnancy. I remember lying in the hospital room with my husband after surgery on the O.B. floor, listening to the rain and thinking how are we ever going to get through this moment. I was angry that surrounding me were all these happy new moms and I had nothing. It stormed the whole night. I don’t remember going home the next day. I do remember shutting the baby’s room as we walked in the house.  The months to follow were one of the hardest months of my life. Instead of hope and faith I was doubtful and sad.

Time kept moving and we tried again. Madison was born on  April, 21^st 2005. She was 7 pounds 13 ½ ounces of perfectness. It’s funny how the mess melts away when matter comes into effect. She mattered. She made me matter.

Before Madison I lived at home until I was 17. Life at home was a mess. My mother had been married and divorced 6 times and struggled with alcoholism. We moved a lot until my grandparents both passed and we were left a house in Kansas. From age 13-17 years of age life was pretty insane. I was free to come and go as I pleased and found myself trying to find my happiness in the guys I dated. I could fill a book with stories of this time in my life. I found myself to be an addict to just about everything that was wrong for me. Reckless, with no direction or curfew.

Rock bottom for me should have been when I ended up in ICU at the children’s hospital after overdosing.  I instead I returned home just… more careful with my recklessness. I quietly worked and supported my now drug habit on the side. I drank a lot, smoked more and had no concern for my tomorrows.  

I was on a path to a hard life until I met my husband. He was a breath of fresh air. Nothing like I had ever dated. When I say God puts people in our path to save us, I mean it. 8 years in January I have been drug free. He inspires me to look at others with hope and whole heart. That me as one person can be that light in someone else’s path…that can take their hand and pull them to a place of good…a place that alone seemed unreachable. Sometimes people just need that one person to change their whole life forever. God places people in our life’s for a reason. I can’t help now but to see others in their struggles and bad choices and think by the grace of God there could have gone I….. easily.

I don’t believe there is ever a time in our life’s that we reach a place of sanctity. Where we have the right to judge others and feel above them. That we are better because we choose good. Good is seeing someone in their struggles and loving them anyway. It’s being there for them beyond self… judgment free. It’s giving your last bit of cash to the man on the street, not because you want him to go buy a meal with that money instead of beer but because you want him to know he is loved. I think it is important to never forget where you came from and if you have been blessed enough to come from good, remember by the grace of God you stay there.

I would like to encourage you each to do a random act of kindness today. Send a word of inspiration to someone just because. Open a door for a stranger. Smile as a person walks by. A little love of Jesus can go a long way.

Dear God,

Is life ever perfect? Is anything ever fair? Does anybody really love us? Do people really care? Is the grass ever greener? If we pray can we get there? Can I close my eyes and remember an unfamiliar smell? A glimpse of where I have been and yet where I long to go. Where we laugh just for fun. Where getting lost is just routine as we fade amongst the sun. As we all get a little older we gradually lose our sight. Forgetting who we are and how good it fills to fight. To fight for those who love us. To embrace the ones who care. To pray with all our hearts because God will lead us there. Back to the place where laughter and joy only grow. To the place that we most miss ourselves, in the love of arms that show. That shows through self or anger. That will hold you through that night. That is the wind beneath your hunger to once again fly a kite. Because without that wind that moves you are yet just lying still. And still is going nowhere. And going nowhere is never to fill.

Chantelle hull

My Journey into happy ever after.

"The older I get the more often I find we all have a story. We seem to be spending our next pages trying to overcome the already written. Some of us try to bury it so far we can barely even remember who we were. Others crutch onto it for sympathy like a lost limb. But, sometime a few of us complicated souls find how to overcome the mess, to bloom into something amazing despite. This is my journey."

First off I want to say I know without God completely taking his presence in my marriage and our life’s I would not be right here at this point. I have been there done that and God is the answer. The only answer. He makes me feel safe, he never leaves me or fails me, he is that unconditional love that we all search for. Mistakes make us stronger if we let them and with God at the wheel he can lead us to our path that we can spread his love in spite of all the mess we got ourselves into. I promise without him in the lead life is messy. But to find him is peace to our broken soul.

(In each blog I will try to include one of my poems. Stay tuned!)

Before the good sometimes there is a rock bottom. We can fight the waves but sometimes it is that rock bottom that pushes us to find that place of smoother waters. Where maturity overcomes our selves. Where God is a necessity and good is around to stay.

I have spent a lot of my adult life blaming my surroundings for my messes. Even though I have came to realize we have to forgive the past and move on with our future it's been rough. It's hard to own up to your own steps. We are the ones doing the walking after all.  Sure life is rough, people fail us, bad things happen to great people, people die, people leave, life is always changing but good things happen too. And if we take a moment to really look at the world through happiness all those bad things seem like a grain compared to all the good.

As you join me on my story, through the mess into happiness I hope you are inspired to embrace each moment in recension that it's just a part of a story, that with a little faith lead me to a place of happy ever after.

I encourage you all to search through the yeasterdays. Write it out. Pray it out. Do whatever it takes to be an overcomer of whatever it is that holds any part of you back. But in the end give it to God. He is big enough for it all.

Destine for death, heart ache she wept, traveling alone on her broken road. Alone often, when she was not even so. Drowning in a life that she ought not to be even dibbling in, for she knew the wages of this road came from her own sin. Surrounding her was a black mess, that only she could escape, only she could confess. For she chose to mold to this surrounding of death, drowning so far in love with the mad, where only the saved could see the severity of the bad. The bad that consumed her, that was eating her soul and mind alive, that for year came as familiar as the longing to find. To find her place where she didn't just fall into this life but rise above it, to a place of great sight. Even in dark the membrane of light will still shine, that can lead us to a road that will rescue our own life. By the grace of God we can be found, and fall into a life that's sound. That's bright and happy and destined for great. Where the soul will escape the enemy of hate. Where she can stand on her own two feet, love her creator in her own skin, even with knowledge of the place she has been. Because he forgives us, he makes us brand new and fills our heart with light that is true. That will never fail us, will never end, will never judge the dark whole we were in. Destine in light to find her place, only because of his saving grace.

Chantelle Hull