My lovies

Just look at those squinty eyes 

and messy hair,

and curved in shoulders,

and missing teeth. 

My all time favorite photo of my all time favorite people. 

That. 

is. 

all. 

:) 

Released!

To be completely honest and bare, I have been discouraged for some time. I enjoy moments with my family and am not depressed but things have been off and the LORD has been bringing me through it. I recognized when things first started this way that it would be a process and I have been diligent to work on it, but I thought it would be so much more time before it all would be light and solid again. But alas, it isnt' so! Sunday morning I sat in church and heard words pour out of a man's mouth on the behalf of God Almighty and I am released. I am free! The parking break is off and life is moving again. My friends, let me tell you how marvelous it feels! I knew all the right answers. I would whisper, "amen" and nod my head. I was exhorted graciously from my husband and more importantly from my Savior. But it takes time sometimes and this was one of those issues. I'm not sharing exactly what it was for really it would do no good knowing those intimate details of my sinful thought life. But I share this tidbit of my story because God calls us to. He says to glorify Him in our lives and that is what I am trying with all my heart to do. He receives all glory. It was Him who softened my heart. It was Him who showed me down the straight path when I wanted to blaze my own damaging way. It was Him who was ever reminding me of His grace toward me. His love. His forgiveness. He healed me yet again and for that I praise Him from the mountain tops! 

Are you in a place where you just don't feel Christ intimately? Don't feel His gentle arm leading, or His voice guiding you? Are you not getting prayers answered? Maybe God has put the parking brake on and He will not allow you to move on because you haven't dealt fully with what He has already shown you to work on. We can't move on because it just wouldn't be best for us to. Remember Jesus wants the very best for you and will do what He needs to do to get you to the place He wants you. 

There is freedom in Christ.  There is wisdom in the Scriptures. There is peace when we walk in His ways.  I encourage you to search Christ and get to know Him. He will blow you away with kindness and gentleness and wisdom and most of all His unending LOVE. 


Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.  ~ Hebrews 12:12-13

The view from where I'm sitting

I lay on my comfy couch, my head upon the cute handmade pillow, The Rend Collective playing softly in the background, my body beside my adorable 8 month son. I look out the spotless window seeing emerald trees swaying ever so slightly from the God given breeze taking a little of the heat away. I stare at the hazy blue sky filled with crisp white cotton candy puffs. My husband is at the store getting me jelly jars to fill with blueberry fig jam. My oldest three children are sitting under a tree 3 miles away with their Granny Great, listening to stories from her childhood mesmerized I'm sure. She tells great stories. My husband is blessed with the same gift of storytelling. 

I just unloaded a van half full of beautiful food to consume. I get teary eyed thinking about the bountiful blessings He gives weekly. He provides. Faithfully. I am grateful. 

I talk with my Mom and sister hundreds of miles away. My daughter types "I love you so so so so so so so so so so much" to her cousin thousands of miles across the Pacific. 

We tickle and snuggle with our children. We read books brought home from the library. We create art. We go on family bike rides. We jump on our trampoline. We make different food everyday, multiple times in a day.  And I take pictures using a $1000.00 camera of it all. 

I am blessed with all of this. And more than what all this means to me, I am at peace with the God that has created it all and given it all and so much more. I know His voice. He knows my heart more than I do and hears my cries and joys and happy songs I sing when only my kids are around. 

I am blessed. Today I remember it. Today I think upon it all. Today I pray for the grace to remember it all tomorrow when it doesn't look so pretty. 

Keeping a good perspective for God calls us to be thankful always because it is fitting for His people.