A Grab Bag of Thoughts and a Question I’d Love You to Answer

July 15, 2025

All Things Southern, blog, Faith, family, Friends & Family, humor

A Grab Bag of Thoughts and a Question I’d Love You to Answer

Hey friends! We’re knee deep into summer now and it is hot in these parts. I do hope you’re managing to stay cool where you are. This is random info, but I’m actually typing from the back porch with the fans going full force because I totally prefer it over the air conditioning. The beloved farmer thinks I’m nuts, but then he is in the heat without the shade and fans. Right? : ) I’ll put up with the AC when he’s home but I won’t be far from a comfy throw.

So, I laughed at myself with that random intro reference because the truth is today’s letter is totally miscellaneous, but we just wrapped the 9th Annual Pops and Keggie Kamp and I wanted to visit with you. Well, we actually wrapped Kamp almost two weeks ago but it takes about that long to get the homestead back in order and feel like putting anything down on record! Indeed, your happy hostess is aging and I can feel it, but I’m okay with that. I just want to honor the Good Lord with whatever years He sees fit to give me.

The Super Six have grown like weeds over the past year. I’ve made a gallery in the laundry room of all the camps and it’s so much fun to look at how much they’ve changed over the years. I’ll put that gallery at the end of this post.

Kamp story? One of my biggest motivations for having Kamp is getting to lead all the grands in devotions. And yes, I’m eternally grateful their parents are leading and training them in the ways of Christ and I’m just coming behind them with reinforcements. This year the grands and I talked about how, at any given moment, we all have the potential to hear the Word of God with a hard heart, a shallow heart, a crowded heart, or a receptive heart, (Mark 4).

We discussed how the way we listen to God’s Word determines the course of our harvest, i.e., our lives. And we decided we didn’t want to be thirtyfold or even sixtyfold believers; we want to be hundredfold believers, so we want to be live reminding ourselves to listen with receptive hearts, receiving the seed of the Word, treasuring and tending it! We chose words from Luke 8:18 to memorize, “Be careful how you listen!”

I had given Kennedy busy work during our devotions. At five, I didn’t think she was absorbing, but her mommy made my heart so happy Sunday morning when she recounted the following conversation she had with Kenny when it was all over. Carey and Kenny were chatting about Kamp when Carey asked Kenny if she learned anything.

“Listen!” Kenny said forcefully. “We have to listen”. And then she told her mommy that “Keggie got it from The Luke” and asked if Carey knew “The Luke.”

Melting right here, y’all. It’s line upon line, parents and grandparents, line upon line.

Changing the subject, but does anyone remember when I gave y’all weekly recipes? It’s been a hot minute since I even shared a single dish. I’ve got cubed steak, mushrooms, and baby potatoes in the crockpot. I’m trying something I haven’t done before. If it turns out as tasty as I hope, I’ll circle back with another email and pass it on! I can’t remember if I’ve told y’all, but I did turn in the manuscript for my next book. I don’t have edits back yet, or a cover, but we do have an official title/subtitle, Don’t Try to Pray Like Her: 15 Simple Habits to Enjoy a Realer, Richer, Prayer Life. I’m so pumped about this one. I hope it helps people learn to linger in prayer because as I love to say, lingering changes everything!

And finally, let’s talk podcasting a minute. You may remember, I host a podcast with my friend Chrys Howard called Rocking it Grand. You can find it anywhere you like to listen to such things, Spotify, iTunes, etc. I enjoy podcasting with Chrys, but the honest truth is that ever since the two of us started, I’ve let my own personal podcast, The Story Table, slide into oblivion. I’m considering doing a series while I’ve got a minute to catch my breath this summer, and before the next speaking season. My question for you is, are you interested? Do you miss it? And if so, what are you interested in hearing? Me interviewing interesting guests? A Bible teaching series? A sequel on Sierra’s family? I’m wide open for you to hit reply and speak into my planning, if you’d like. Blessings, friends!

Hugs,

Shellie

Yep!

A quick photo op with my bestie’s family.

Our tribes have grown and it’d been a while since we snagged a pic!

This last picture comes from our late night boat ride and Fireworks Over LP! One of our favorite traditions. (Kenny is half sleepy, half mesmerized. LOL)