Missing Daddy

The hubby came home today.
He's been gone for 3 days so we were sure glad to have him home.
I don't think Lydia has moved too far from his side since he walked in the door.

Things are always so different when Daddy's not home.
The house is quieter. (Not that he's that loud or anything, we just seem more subdued I guess.)
The routine seems off. (So used to him here that I have to get things reworked into order. I'm way too routine oriented sometimes.)
Nights are longer. ( Daddy makes evenings fun. Tickle time, story time, devotions together as a family.)

When he's away we walk around missing the other person who is supposed to be here.
I have even been known to get downright sappy about it.
We miss his voice, the sight of his face, the sound of his footsteps.
His hugs, his very presence.

But he's home now.
And we are happy.

But I would be remiss to not add this-
Whenever Vincent is away, God is always so faithful to us here. He takes really good care of us.
He keeps us safe. He keeps us strong. He keeps us in His mighty, protective and loving hand.
And He never leaves us.
I do believe that when Daddies travel, Jesus comes extra close to the mommies and children at home. And I am forever thankful.
I look back and see so many times, so many situations, so many details that have Gods handprints all over them when Vincent is gone and I am continually amazed. It's one more way God shows Himself and His care to those who know Him.
And it's one more reason I know that I can always trust Him. He's shown Himself abundantly trustworthy. Over and over again.
Praise the Lord.


Goodnight all!

Forgiven

I've been thinking about what it means to be forgiven.
Forgiven for every offense.
Forgiven for every wrong.
Forgiven not by man but by God, the One we have ultimately offended. The One who had to die for the things we did.
Think about it again. He forgave us completely for the very things that took Him to His death.
And not only are we forgiven for them but we are free from the bonds they create in us.

In my teens and early twenties I must have been on some sort of quest to see how badly I could mess up my life. I think I ran out of brain cells for a few years and just became stupid.
Completely void of any sense.
Too full of myself and doing what I wanted to do to care about anything else.
Like I said, stupid.

But in the middle of my messes God was there. I ignored His voice but He kept after me.
He pursued me even while I was doing things that hurt Him, time after time.
That is His love. That is His grace.

And one day, when I was miserable and broken hearted, I looked up and found the compassionate face of Jesus looking at me, looking at the blackness of my spirit and I heard Him say, "Come away from this, let me wash you, let me rescue you. Let me have your heart."

Flat on my face, I pleaded with Him to forgive me. Oh the many offenses. So much wrong!
How could He forgive it all?

Grace. Amazing Grace.

In an instant all that was....wasn't anymore.
His blood poured over me in cleansing and restoration.
And the LONG list of sins were no longer there.
Erased.
Erased by the very blood that was shed because of them .And on the page they had been listed, there was nothing but a pure white blankness, as if the list of sins had never been there.
No marks of the sin remained.
Pure and clean. Spotless.

The definition of forgiveness is to grant pardon, to cease to feel resentment, to cancel all indebtedness.
But God's idea of forgiveness goes further still.
He removes it as far away from Himself as possible. He forgets it as if it had never happened. He will never bring it up to you again. You are no longer connected to it in any way. It does not define or shape how He sees you. It is all washed away and you are left pure and without blemish or blame.
And completely wrapped into His love.

Because of the miracle of God's forgiveness, today I stand free from all my past.
I don't bear the guilt.
I don't live in bondage.
I don't have to worry about it.
Because I've been FORGIVEN. FOREVER.
I live now in freedom from all the past because I know when God looks at me, He never ever sees what I was. He sees the blood of Christ and His righteousness. He sees a life changed. Redeemed. Brought out of sin and set free to live in His grace and love.

I have left my past and it's sinfulness behind to press on to the life God wants His forgiven people to live.
A life that proclaims that forgiveness with great thankfulness for that work. A life that is different than it was because it has been radically changed and wholly forgiven.
If I'm not living differently, I'm not living in thankfulness for that forgiveness and the work of the cross that brought me that forgiveness.

And because there is, stamped across my heart with the seal of Holy Spirit, the words FORGIVEN,
One day I will stand before Him.
And I won't have to be afraid.
I won't have to hide sin.
I won't have to wonder if I've been good enough (because I could never be).
I will just crumble to His feet in awe and gratitude and cry from the depths of my soul,
THANK YOU, FATHER, FOR FORGIVING ME!

And then He'll take my hand, look into my eyes with great love, smile the warmest most amazing smile one could ever dream of, and say to me.....
WELCOME HOME!

Most Important Of All

The last few days have been a strange mix of crazy.
There's been chaos, stress and busy.
There's been fun, laughter and relaxing.
There's been a little of everything.

So goes the days. So goes life.

In the middle of all the crazy this afternoon I found it hard to make myself sit down and read God's word. I wanted to do the things I needed to do, just to get them done. I wanted my list to be full of nice fat lines through each word as I crossed each item off and I wanted it done sooner rather than later.
But God was drawing. God was whispering.
"Come spend time with Me".
But, Lord, what about this and this and this?
"Come to Me."

So I sat down and opened His word.
I have to be honest. It wasn't easy to sit there. It wasn't easy to focus my mind on what I was reading.
So I sat there and prayed.
"God, help me block out my to do list and refocus to make this the most important thing right now."

As I read, the words seeped into me. I found myself, once again like many times before, in love with what I was reading. Soaking it in. Finding refreshment, encouragement, strength and peace.
I found just what I needed.

Long after I closed the Bible the words filled my heart with His love.
As I went about the day, it carried me. It helped me. It changed my perspective on the craziness.
And all of this I would have missed had I not heeded the tug on my heart to come to Him.

So many times we get "too busy". We get distracted and so much can get in our way.
Today I was again reminded that the time we spend with God is the most important activity we do in our day.
It makes the other tasks lighter. It gives strength to do what we need to do and to handle what comes our way. It stays in our hearts as a helper, a guide, a comfort, and a joy.
And it makes the crazy so much easier to take.



Wise Words From A Child

What to say when you are scared.....I NEED JESUS AND MOMMY RIGHT NOW!
What to say when you get hurt.....Jesus will heal it soon, I know He will!
What to say when you are really happy about something....Praise the LORD!
What to say when you do something good....I just made Jesus smile.
What to say when you go to bed at night....Thank you Jesus for not sleeping so you can watch over me all night long.
What to say when you just want to talk to Jesus....I can't see you Jesus, but I love you!

Love that little girls heart!

Hello Fall!

(a note before reading- this is a LONG list and probably the only one who would even be crazy enough to read the whole thing is LeAnn but anywho... I think it will at least give the impression that I kinda sorta like fall. Just a wee bit. )

HELLO TO....

Hoodies
Golden autumn sunshine
Pumpkins
Gloves
Good smelling candles, flames dancing in a darkening room as the daylight fades
Hot cocoa
Apple Pie
Cider
Cloudy Skies
Leaves changing colors
Warm cup of tea and smelling its delightful aroma
Soups and chowders
Boots
Bundling up in warm clothes or warm blankets
Chill in the air
Wrapping my hands around a warm mug of something yummy
First frost
Steaming cup of coffee and lattes (oh the lattes!)
Cuddle time
Time with the family under blankets watching a movie
Reading time under a big fluffy blanket with a cuddly child
PJ days
Fuzzy socks
Leaf covered streets and pathways
Crisp breezes kissing cheeks
Foggy Mornings
Diving under the covers, burrowing down and feeling wrapped up snug
My big white fluffy blanket
Rainy days and fall skies
The clouds
The sunsets
Mums
Leaves dancing in the air as the fall silently to the ground
Bare, spindly fingered branches reaching to the sky
Cute fall clothes
Scarves
Corn mazes
Cozy feelings
Bonfires and roasted marshmallows
Long, cool walks in the woods
Apple picking
Fireplaces
Hayrides
The smells
Long evenings with a book
Piles of leaves to jump in
Caramel apples
Baking season
Going on a drive to see the trees
Cinnamon rolls
The way the world looks right before the sun sets
Experiencing God's beautiful masterpiece, His creativity displayed in vast array

 

So Excited Autumn Is Here!

(can you tell?)

Thank you, God, for creating such a special season.

 

The time of the falling leaves has come again. Once more in our morning walk we tread upon carpets of gold and crimson, of brown and bronze, woven by the winds or the rains out of these delicate textures while we slept.
      How beautifully the leaves grow old! How full of light and color are their last days!
What a feast to the eye our woods and groves present! The whole body of the air seems enriched by their calm, slow radiance. They are giving back the light they have been absorbing from the sun all summer.
      ~John Burroughs, "The Falling Leaves," Under the Maples

When The Brain Is Blank

I am in the middle of a post but it's getting late and my brain has already gone to bed for the evening so ya'll are just gonna have to hold tight to the edge of your seats and wait for all my deep insights into life.

 

Tonight you get this.....

And that's better than any of my insights anyway.

 

A Boo Boo

We got around to washing the cars today. They are now all shiny and pretty. Can I get a Yippee!
Lydia enjoyed helping and we had a nice time...
until
She ran too fast and her feet just didn't quite keep up with her. The driveway and her body had a not so friendly meeting.
She feel down hard on her knee and her forehead.

And that was the end of car washing for the day.

From the first screams of pain, I was there. I picked her up, cuddled her and bandaged up the boo boos.
Then I held her until she was calm.
I told her a story about when I was a kid and I fell and hurt myself. I let her know she wasn't alone. I'd been there too. I understood the pain.
And because I had been there, I was gentle with my care.
Because I understood the pain, had experienced it myself, I held her close while she was in the pain. I wiped away her tears because I too have felt them fall.
Because I love the one hurting, I found myself hurting too.

She was fine before long, although for about 30 minutes she walked with a lot of (exaggerated for dramatic effect) groans and hobbles. She even mentioned at one point she needed crutches.
Silly girl.
But as the evening wore on she was dancing and running and being herself. The only time she mentioned it was when she was showing off her Dora band aid.
I found myself enjoying even more all the dances, all the laughing, all the singing, all the smiles, when not long ago there had been pain and fear on her tear stained face.
As I put her in bed, prayed for her and tucked her in with a song and silly kisses (part of our bedtime routine) I thought again how very much parenting mirrors our relationship with God.

How many times have we tripped and fallen and found ourselves hitting hard against an unyielding and painful circumstance?
And every time- EVERY TIME, from the first scream of pain, Jesus is there.
He picks us up, cuddles us and bandages up our wounds.
And He holds us. And He tells us about a time when He got hurt. Hurt beyond anything we have felt. He reminds us that we aren't alone. He's been there. He understands our pain.
And because He's been there He is gentle with His care of us.
Because He has experienced it too, He holds us close and wipes away our tears because He knows about the tears that comes with pain.
And because He loves us, He hurts when we hurt, too.

And in His love for us, He stays close by and watches over us until we too are ready to dance and sing and smile again.
And I'm guessing that when we do, it brings joy to His heart just as it does to a parent who rejoices over the first wobbly smiles through the tears and the giggles that say "I'm okay now". When the tears are gone and smiles again brighten our faces, I believe Jesus smiles, too. He delights in us and I believe our smiles delight Him the way the smiles of our children delight us.
And then, with a smile still on His face, He reminds us once more that He loves us and that He's not far away and that He'll always take care of us.

And then we too, can fall asleep, tucked into His warm embrace. Knowing we are safe, loved and cared for. Knowing that though pain will come, because God is there, it won't last forever and there is healing and smiles ahead.

A Peak Into My Day

TODAY

What did you do first thing this morning?
Got Lydia up and dressed
Made her breakfast
Ate my breakfast- Leftover sautéed onions

Have you been out and about today?
Went to MBM, Lowes and Munson Park. Oh, and the post office to mail a package to LeAnn!

Munson Park Pics

How's the weather?

Warm and sunny, blue skies...nice day

What's on the agenda for the rest of the day?

Cleaning the cars

Wish there was time for a nap

P.S. Didn't get to cleaning the cars. Didn't get my nap. But here's some pics of the evening.

A Walk To The Park

Daddy Monkey

Best moment of the day so far.
Playing with Lydia at the park
Laughing with my Hubby 

What's on the menu for supper?

Bulgar Wheat

Chickpeas with curry sauce

Are you planning something fun today?

Already did the fun, now we work.

Did you hear any good songs today?

Least favorite part of the day.

Haven't had a cup of coffee yet

5 senses- What's filling them right now?

Taste- The lingering taste of the handful of chocolate chips I popped in my mouth as I walked past the cabinet.

Smell- Fumes from the recently stained deck

See- The wind blowing the leaves around as I look out over beautiful, freshly stained deck

Hear- Crickets, squeaky dryer and the breeze whistling through the trees

Feel- The breeze through my open window

Favorite Bible verse for the day.

The LORD is my light and my salvation- whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the stronghold of my life- of whom shall I be afraid? 

Psalm 27:1

Anything else to share?

Ended the day with this- God's Amazing Work

 Good Day.

Thank You, Lord

 

Challenged

Sometimes my cousin LeAnn, comes up with great ways to encourage me.
Sometimes she comes up with ways to keep me on my toes.
Sometimes she thinks up ways to add more craziness to my life (in an amazing and wonderful way)
And
Sometimes she does all three at once.
She's good, ya'll.

She has just challenged me to a 30 day blogging challenge.
Blog something every day for 30 days.
I agreed because it sounds so fun and it'll MAKE me get back in the game when I've been too distracted to do so lately.
Thanks, Lee.

So, here's to the start of all the fun!

Be Still

In the stillness of the night-
My heart anything but still
It beats in rhythms of the broken
As I fight with my own will

Struggling with the reasons

It has to be this way
I cry the tears of a war torn soul
To weak to even pray

In the moment of such pain

I turn my troubled eyes
To see if He is watching me
To see if He's heard my cries

And there in the night I find Him-

He's closer than I knew
And when I look upon His face
I see tears in His eyes, too.

Not only has He seen me

Not only has He been near
But He entered my pain with me
And bore the feelings and my fear

Then I close my eyes and rest

Knowing I don't fight unaided
The battle may keep raging
But in my heart the fight has faded.

A peace I cannot comprehend

Has settled in my soul
And while the fight is going still
Victory is mine, in His control.

For this moment I will rest

Tomorrow I'll take up the sword and fight
His presence goes before me
So peace is mine this night.

My heart is calm because He came

And whispered "Peace, Be Still"
"The battle's mine, I've overcome,
Rest within My will."