LAURIE: ON WORSHIPPING GOD BY CLEANING CHEERIOS + RAISING BOYS + MOMMING IN OVER YOUR HEAD
Laurie Reyes is the very first just-a-regular-bio-mom I've had on the podcast. She's my in-real-life friend and has taught me truths about God and life and motherhood that are buried down and deep in my soul. Truth: She's my "when I grow up" role model. I'm so excited to share her with the world. This week we talk raising lots of littles, parenting a troop of boys, worshipping God in the mundane, feeling like you're not good at the "mom" thing, the joys of pho and bubble tea, and books and books and books. Laurie is oh-so-wise and just plain real. You'll love her and learn from her right away...as I have for many years. It's a good one, you guys.
• The intro song, The Source, is brought to you by one of the best new worship bands out there, The Evidence. Yes, the frontman is my (talented, brilliant, adorable, Jesus-loving) cousin. No, that's not why I love them.
• Laurie's the one who taught me about worshipping God in the mundane moments of momhood. In our chat, she references Romans 12:1-2: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." I wrote about this whole idea in my post "My Thankful Life."
• Both Laurie and I are big fans of Vietnamese food. If you haven't converted to the pho and bubble tea life, you should asap. I go for shrimp pho with lots of basil + extra jalapenos and a big old honeydew bubble tea.
• Laurie is a rea-der. I fully expected a categorized list of books, and she didn't disappoint:
- Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan is the YA book about a quirky genius foster kid. Definitely adding this one to my list. Maybe consider about reading it yourself before passing it on to your foster teen.
- Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman was recommended by my other obsessive-reader-friend-and-guest, Emily Faith. This one touches on foster care and adoption, too.
- Still Life by Louise Penny is the first book in the series of mysteries that Laurie loves.
- Befriend: Create Belonging in an Age of Judgment, Isolation, and Fear by Scott Sauls has been recommended to me by my bff before. And Ann Voskamp wrote the foreword, so 'nuff said.
- Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Christian in Community by Dietrich Bonhoeffer is by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, so again: 'nuff said.
- The Beck Diet Solution: Train Your Brain to Think Like a Thin Person by Judith Beck. If I'm ever going to have a diet that works, I'll need a good dose of cognitive therapy thrown in.
• Laurie loves podcasts. She recommends Risen Motherhood (Christian momhood) and The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey (fun listen for Christian gals) and Serial (super cool story telling in serial form) and Crime Town (look into organized crime).
