So True

Someone made a cartoon out of my life!

Sadly, this is me.

This is about as me as it gets, really.

My life story.

 

Poor Vincent.

 

 

 

 

Conversations About Jesus

Jesus is a very real part of our home and family.
As much as we know how, our home is ordered around the belief that not only is He real, but He is very present with us.
We try to do things that please Him.
We stay away from things that wouldn't please Him.
We teach about Him.
We sing to Him.
We pray to Him.
We thank Him for everything.
We read about Him.
We talk about Him.

Because He is so central in our home, because we talk about Him so much,
because we try to point everything back to Him and make application of Biblical truths from life situations-
Because He is in our work, in our play, in our day, in our night- Lydia knows Him.
She believes in Him. She loves Him.
She sings about Him. She knows stories about Him. She talks about Him. She talks TO Him.

Seeing and hearing the faith of a little girl, watching it develop, grow and blossom, is priceless.
Sharing in conversation with her about Him, hearing her words as she learns more about Him, it is truly a great joy.
Her faith is so real. Her love for Him is so real.
It is a beautiful thing to behold. It's something to treasure. Something to protect.
It is a responsibility to Vincent and I, that we would hold that fragile (yet strong) faith, nurture it, and help her along as it grows with her as she moves through her life experiences.

I have started recording the conversations she has with me about Jesus and the talks she has with Him.
They are so precious and I don't want to forget them.
They show her tender heart toward Him and the things of God and I want to not only keep them for myself but maybe one day give them to her so she can remember the first little sprouts of faith that started to spring up in her heart from the seeds we are planting.

Here is sampling of some of my favorite conversations.
Some that have made me smile. Some that have made me cry. Some that have made my heart turn to gooey mush in response to the tenderness and faith her words convey.
Precious Girl, your faith teaches me about my faith. Your faith touches not just my heart, but the very heart of Jesus.
Every word you say about Jesus must be a sweet sound in His ears, as well as mine.


L: Mommy, will Jesus never leave me?
Me: No, Jesus will never leave you.
L: Kinda like you will never leave me?
Me: Even more than that! Sometimes you aren't near me, but Jesus is always near you.
When you are older, you can ask Jesus into your heart and He will live in your heart forever and then you can go to Heaven someday.
(Pause)
L: Jesus, can I come into your heart so you will always be with me?
I love you, Jesus. Thank you for always being with me.
(Mommy trying not to cry from the pure sweetness of it!)

This one she says a lot-
I love you, Daddy.
I love you, Mommy.
(Looks up and whispers) But most of all, I love Jesus.

During devotion time Lydia didn't know what to say one day so I told her to tell Him what she was feeling.
She bowed her head and said- "Dear Jesus, I'm sooooo tired. In Jesus name, Amen."
Good enough. In fact, there have been times that's about all I've said, too. :)

She says this about once a day-
She pauses from play and randomly says "Jesus, I love you so much!" and then she goes back to her play. I'd love to know what she is thinking about when she does that.

Mommy, what is my soul? Where is it? Is it like my heart? What does it mean to have my soul saved?

Mommy, what is the difference between God and Jesus? Are they the same?

Mommy, what does it mean to hide God's word in our heart? How do we do that?

L: Look at all those hearts, Mommy! (Valentine's decorations)
Me: Those are really pretty.
L: Jesus lives in my heart, doesn't He? But He lives in Heaven too.
Jesus is everywhere!
Me: Yes He is. He's with us right now.
L: Hi, Jesus!
(pause) Mommy, if Jesus lives in my heart, I'm going to Heaven someday to be with Him there, right?
Me: Yes
L: Are we getting ready to go there now?

Jesus healed Daddy's ouchy. It's a miracle!
Jesus does miracles. Like the 5 loaves and 2 fishes. He did that! I like that story.

Can I play with Jesus today, Mommy? I really want to play with Him. Can I share my toys with Him?

Most times, after doing something really good- being helpful, being really obedient, etc.- she will say,  "Do you think God just smiled at that?"

Jesus, please help me to obey, I don't really want to right now so help me.
(a lesson for us?)

How come Jesus never says "I love you" back to me when I say I love you to Him? How come I can't see Him or hear Him but He's real like you and Daddy?

Jesus makes me so happy!

Looking out the window- "God made us such a beautiful world! Look at it, isn't it so pretty?"

L: God made me.
Me: Yes He did! I'm so glad He did.
L: He made my belly button! (busts out laughing) That's so funny!

Vincent: Lydia, why did Jesus die on the cross?
L: Jesus died on a cross because of sin.
Sin is when I don't obey.
He died because He forgave me.
Now I can go to Heaven because He went on a cross.

L: Mommy, today is a happy day.
Me: I'm glad you are having a happy day. Why is it extra happy?
L: Because Jesus is with me and loves me. That's all I need to be happy.

Me: What do you want to do when you grow up?
L: I want to learn about Jesus and be baptized. (We had just had a baptism at church.)
Me: What do you have to do to be baptized?
L: Love Jesus.
Me: What do you want to be when you grow up? What do you want to do for work?
L: Learn about Jesus and go tell others about Him.

And the one that gets me every.time.-
(and she says it a lot, yippie!)
"Mommy, I'm glad God gave me to you!"
"Oh, Dear Girl, Mommy is so glad God gave you to me!"
That has become our nighttime routine but she says it to me at random times during the day.
 Love. it.

Who You Listenin' To?

A Big Blessing

 

When I was a kid there was a collection of music and stories on cassette tape that I LOVED. They were all packaged up neatly in a cheap plastic red case and just happened to be one of my prized possessions. I received them as a Christmas gift one year and I very nearly wore them out. I listened to them so often that to this day, I remember the stories, the sound of the voices and the songs.

Oh the songs! I loved them so.

They weren't flashy.

They weren't loud.

They weren't contemporary.

 

They were just songs.

But more than songs.

They were songs about Jesus. Songs about the Bible.

Sung by kids in simple harmony accompanied by soft music and a gentle beat.

 

They taught me to not just appreciate that kind of music but to love it.

To not just enjoy it, but to let it touch my soul.

And it did. Even as a child.

 

This collection was such a big deal to me that I began to search for it for Lydia.

I really wanted to share it with her.

To teach her early to enjoy music like this. To expose her to music besides the contemporary music of today. To train her ear and her heart to love music that goes deeper than the loud and steady beat music that "makes you want to move" (I'm not judging it, I listen to that too!)

But I want her to really see the pleasure in soft and simple harmony- just music about Jesus with nothing to distract from the message. It's peaceful. It's real. It's truth. It reaches the heart and calms the soul.

It also makes the home a relaxing place to be as the notes float softly in the air.

 

With that in mind, I was determined to find it. The search was on.

It didn't take me long to find it actually.

I was thrilled!

But.... to get what I wanted was gonna cost me.

I talked it over with the hubs and he agreed that music like that was rare and important to the training we wanted to give Lydia, so he was going to let me get it. Just the music collection.

That's really all I wanted for the time being so I was okay with that.

It was a lot of money but we both considered it an investment.

 

So, I clicked online.

There it was- for $100.

I knew I wanted it. I knew it was good. But $100?

Well, I was gonna do it. But I was gonna wait. I just didn't know if it was time.

A few days later I looked again.

I clicked on the music section and........

A little note "You can now get the WHOLE COLLECTION- 10 Cd's- for $30."

I gasped. I giggled. I didn't quite believe it.

So I called them.

The lady on the phone was so surprised she checked the website herself. Then spent 10 minutes hunting down someone who could explain why there was a note on the website that would offer the whole thing for 30 bucks. She came back on the phone and with surprise in her voice, said I could have it for that price but she wasn't sure where that note came from.

I gladly took them up on their ever so nice offer and paid my money.

I couldn't have been happier. I may have even danced around a bit (shhh, don't tell anyone.)

And I'm pretty sure I thanked God about 50 times.

Just for fun, I checked back not long after that, I believe it was the same day....note gone.

That note was just for me!

I considered it a blessing straight from God. Really I do.

 

I received the CD's in the mail a few days later and they are everything I remember.

They still bless my soul. I may even appreciate them more now than I did then.

The message in the songs- Real. True. Deep. Powerful.

The music- Beautiful. Peaceful. Worshipful. But somehow managing to appeal to a child.

So much better than some of the flimsy stuff that passes for music now. Especially children's music. Seriously, have you heard some it? Gag! How are kids supposed to learn what good music is and how to sing well with some of that ear-offending junk as examples? Sorry. Was that harsh?

 

Now our home is filled with soothing music, beautiful harmony and sweet voices- blending together in a soft rhythm- creating a calm and worshipful backdrop to the moments in our day- even when the toddler is "lifting her voice" in other ways.

Thankfully, however, she is already learning the songs, has her favorites, and takes time out throughout her play to lift her voice to sing along. I sing along too.

 

 

Here's the link to the CD's- CBH ministries.

TOTALLY worth even the $100.

Next, I'd like to get some of their story books and the whole collection of stories on CD. 

(Which apparently they don't have all 10 CD's right now.) They would equally be a blessing because they are entertaining, have a good message and I really like the idea of LISTENING to stories sometimes as opposed to WATCHING them all the time.

Does the creative brain good, methinks. Worth the investment, I say.

However, we may wait on that a bit.

Soon though.

Prayer Closet

 

 

Found Lydia in our downstairs closet reading her Bible.

 

Guess she's found her prayer closet.

 

:)

Just Don't Breathe

 

There is a soft green haze floating in the air at my house.

It's emanating from my mouth.

Apparently, according to local sources, this particular haze

is strong and hasn't been decreased by repeated attempts to

eradicate it by the normal methods of teeth brushing.

 

 

I have been eating onions a lot.

A lot A lot.

 

I can't seem to get enough of their yummy goodness.

 

I have decided they are the perfect food.

Low calorie.

Lots of health benefits.

And they taste great!

 

My preferred method is

Dice

Coat in olive oil

Give a generous dusting of garlic powder and onion powder

(to add to the breath stench)

Sprinkle with salt

and bake until soft, brown and oh so sweet and yummy.

 

I can literally make a meal out of it.

And I have been. Apparently, too much, too often.

 

 

All was going fine and dandy

and I was happy living in onion land.

But then....

 

One morning my sweet, kind, loving and full of tact husband and I were sitting on the couch talking.

I got too close.

He gasped, cringed, turned away from me and said,

"You stink!"

Oh, Honey, keep whispering sweet words of love in my ear. :)

 

That very same day, my dear, sweet, equally full of tact daughter came running up to me,

stopped and promptly turned away.

She said, "Mommy, you stink!"

 

You can shake off one person,

but hard to ignore two.

I guess my breath was getting a little.....potent, shall we say?

 

So, even though they haven't actually asked me to give up onions

(aren't they nice?)

I am going on an onion break. And I miss them!

Oh I miss them, ya'll!

Tonight I almost broke down and made some.

 

But I miss my daughters hugs and kisses and cuddles,

none of which she will let me share with her when I have onion breath.

She won't even willingly sit by me!

And having a husband who starts holding his breath when I come near him or try to get a kiss....

Not that romantic.

I mean, I like that I can still take his breath away, but I don't think stealing one's breath via onions

has the same romantic thrill.

 

But it has not been without its romantic moments.

My dear sweet man, in spite of the fact that he doesn't like the side effects of the onion addiction, has been very supportive because of the health benefits and such.

He even BOUGHT me onions.

Two nice big, juicy, purple onions full of potent goodness.

 

Who would have thought that romantic gifts would come in the form of an onion?

But seriously, when he lovingly handed them to me after his shopping trip with a handsome, full of love smile on his face, I almost had tears in my eyes (and not from the onions.)

A more sweet gesture would be hard to find.

He loves me enough to buy me onions.

 

 

I love that man.

And I love my onions!

 

 

 

 

Tomorrow's Menu-

Onions with a side of mouth wash. :)

 

Cookie!

HAHAHAHA

What Love Looks Like Part 2

(Read previous post first)

No post about lasting love would be complete without a post on my grandparents.


To the world a romantic picture is a couple, young and in love, and in some cases, plastered together in a passionate embrace.
Although possibly more ascetically appealing to some, it is not a picture of romance to me.
A picture of romance is a picture of two people who have spent a life time together and are still in love. A couple who has stood the test of time. Weathered the storms, shared the joy. Walked the journey of life together, for better and for worse.
And hasn't quit.
That is romance.
That is my grandparents.

For all their married life they have worked hard, loved hard and lived well.
They are an amazing example of what love should be. What it can be.

My grandfather has been a hard worker all his life.
He built the house they live in to this day with his own hands right after they were married. He has worked hard for everything they have.
He has provided for, loved, sacrificed and cared for his family and the people around him all his life.
He didn't quit.
Then he got sick.
And grandma, who had always worked hard herself, tending to her family, her home and a ragtag bunch of other people that filtered in and out her life, turned her attention to caring mostly for her husband.
She hasn't stopped.
Her care for the man who always cared for her is a task she stays about.
Most days it's hard. Most days she moves past the pain in her body and the weariness in her heart and loves by serving.
Such has been her life.

And still they love together, still they smile, still they laugh. Still they bring joy to all who come near.
Through the hard stuff, through the good stuff, through raising their family, through a lifetime of service to their family and their church and their God, they have loved.

Grandpa, do you know that everything you worked for, every sacrifice you made, every caring word and deed you have done (and there have been so many) is not just appreciated but remembered? If they aren't all remembered by the people whose lives you have touched (how can people remember so many special things done by one person?) they are most certainly remembered and recorded by our God?
Do you know that you are a hero? Better than any superhero to me.
Do you that you are the most special man I have ever met and I am blessed by the love and gentleness you have always shown me and your family?
Do you know how much you are respected by so many people because of the little and big things you did every day?

Grandma. Do you know that the work you have done all your life matters?
Do you know that the work you do now is not unnoticed?
The work you do now is great and meaningful and worth far more than you will ever know.
Press on, weary soul, it is not in vain.
Do you know that you are the joy of my heart? My friend, my prayer warrior, my highest goal of the woman I want to be? Do you know you are appreciated and loved beyond belief?
Do you know that your tender touches, your gentle guidence, your sacrifices and everything you do has always meant the world to me and has helped shape and define my life?

Both of you- Do you know that all you have done and all you do will be rewarded? There is a special crown in heaven for you for the life you've lived.
God sees all you've done. And it has all been for His glory.
Your lives and the love you have for each other and those around you IS the living example to me of 1 Corinthians 13. You do all with love.
And you are loved for it.

 

 

 

Thank you, God, for these special treasures, priceless jewels, in my life.

What Love Looks Like

Come Grow Old With Me, The Best Is Yet To Be!
True Love Never Ends

Vince brought home a Sunday School handout a few months ago that I just by chance ran across.
It was an explanation and practical living guide on 1 Corithians 13 for our marriages and family.
I read it and decided I needed to keep it where I could see it.
So I took it.
The words convicted me to the core. I cringed and groaned and "ouched" my way through it and thought about how often I fall oh so short of displaying that type of love to my husband.
I have it written in the back of my Bible now and it has been a source of encouragement and challenge to me ever since.
Encouragement because this love isn't just how we are to love others, it's an example of how Christ loves us.
Challenging because love like this doesn't come easy.

In today's world, in today's marriages...in our homes, in our community, in our churches...this type of love is a high standard not often thought of, let alone aimed for, and far to rarely achieved and practiced.
Love is such a flighty concept in our culture. Shallow. Empty. And all together to easily thrown away.
How many people around us even know what real, true love is?


True love grows with the years.

Far too often, I think it is sought for, thought to be found but left out in the cold when it gets hard. Thus, true love is never obtained. And so the search for it goes on.
What a tragic tale of a society who has left true love behind because it gets hard- finding temporary passions and emotions a sufficient substitute for a short time, no matter how cheap it is, because it just seems like less work.
Love, in it's true form is never shallow, empty and discarded.
It is deep, full and never ending. Committed, faithful and strong.
But yes, it takes work.


1 Corinthians 13- the love chapter- is the true love test.
It calls to the heart to love deeper than it could go on its own.
Honestly, we can only achieve this love through the help of the very One who created love and also commanded this kind of love in the hearts of His believers. He sets a high goal for us and only He can help us reach it.
A love that is portrayed in this manner can only be lived out from a heart that has Christ at its center. If Christ is not King there, these love qualities cannot exist within.

It is not in our human capacity to be characterized by a love like this.
It is a love that goes against every fiber of our natural flesh.

It is completely contrary to the world's viewpoint. It is totally opposite of fleshly thinking.
Those who live by the flesh do not and cannot understand it. They may even resist and mock it, it being so contrary to their heart and mindset. The world just simply doesn't get it.

But for the believer- we are called to more, commanded to be more.
We are to love like Christ. Live the love out like Christ.
His love for us demands that we exemplify His love to others.
We are to let our lives be shaped by it, our attitudes be changed by it, our actions characterized by it, our thoughts purified by it, our words tamed by it, our hearts purified because of it.

The following is the article I stole borrowed from Vince.
I have no idea who wrote it (I'm guessing our pastor?) or where it originated from but it's good stuff.



How To Have A Good Marriage Based On 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8

Love...
Suffers long  Patient, over and over again, no matter how many times they offend or mess up
Kind  merciful, considerate, extends kindness even when it is not deserved
Does not envy Doesn't get jealous "You always get your way" "You always get what you want"
 "We always do what you want to do" "What about me?"
Does not parade itself  not boastful Doesn't say "I told you so"
Not puffed up  Not arrogant or prideful, doesn't think one should be above another or is better than the other
Not rude  unbecoming, doesn't ignore, interrupt, devalue or easily pass off what the other says as unimportant
Does not seek it's own  self centered, insists on your own way "My way is best, do it my way!"
Not easily provoked  angered easily, irritable, never seeks to intentionally hurt. No temper flares when wronged or when disagreed with or annoyed.
Does not think evil  Keeps no record of wrongs, doesn't bring up the past.
"You did this.." "You always..."
Never thinks the worst of the other person.
Does not rejoice in iniquity  Doesn't get happy when the other person does something wrong so you can point a finger and say "You do it too!"
Rejoices in the truth  Takes pleasure in good, encourages each other in righteousness. Always promotes good in your own life and in the life of the other individual.
Bears all things  patiently endures all wrong committed against them. Doesn't try to get even.
Believes all things  Has faith and trust in the other person.
"I believe you can be all God wants you to be and I will help you get there" "I believe our marriage will be better."
Hopes all things  An expectant hope. Expects good will come. Expects good in the other person. Expects good in the marriage. Expects God to work.
"As I become what God wants me to be in our marriage, He will bless our home."
Endures all things  Puts up with all things. Big and small annoyances.
Remains steadfast. Will never leave.
Love them no matter what they do or how they act, because no matter what you do, Christ always loves you.
Side note: Sadly, because of the world we live in, I have to add this. Certainly in the case of physical abuse, it is wise to seek protection and council. That is an entirely different set of circumstances.
Never fails  Never quits. Never gives up on the other.
"I will always love you."
"I will always love God."


For further reading that goes along with this in some ways, read this article. Full of great advice on how to have a more loving marriage.




Still havin' fun living life together.

Happy Valentine's Day

 

A Great Big Love

See what great love the Father has lavished on us...
1 John 3:1

...in me he takes delight.  Psalms 18:19

He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17

 ...while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8

...abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. 
Psalms 86:15

[Nothing] shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.   Romans 8:39

This Valentine's Day, while celebrating the love God has blessed Vincent and I with, I am also focusing my attention on God's love for me. And His love for all those who have believed upon His name and have come into a relationship with Him. A loving, intimate, life-changing, all-consuming, loving way-down deep in your soul kind of love relationship.
In reading what the Bible tells me about God's love for me I can only sit in awe.
Why would such a holy God love me so much? Why would a perfect God love someone so imperfect?

Because it is His charachter. Because it is His heart. Because He chooses to.
Scripture says that God IS love. He is the source of it. The spring from which it flows. The highest example of it. The very reason it exisits. The very reason we can love others.
It is the only perfect, unconditional, unswerving, faithful to all eternity-love.
And it's aimed at me. At you.

The God of all eternity. The King of all Kings, Ruler of all.
The God who is all-seeing, all-knowing.
He has seen and known me, in the places of my heart where no one else sees- the good, the bad and the very ugly- and  He love me.
He has seen my very best and known my very worst-
and He has chosen to LOVE me.

Not just in a quiet way but...

*He lavished (an extravagent bestowing) love on me. Extravagant love.
*He delights (with great joy) in me. With heartfelt pleasure.
*He rejoics over me with gladness and singing. When He looks at me it makes His heart sing.
*He loved me so much He died for me. While I was at the most unworthy of that love.
*He abounds (fully suppliled, to the fullest amount) in steadfast (fixed, unchanging, steady, firm) love. For me.
*Nothing can tear us apart. Nothing can make Him stop loving me. Nothing.

That's the love of my God for little ole undeserving me.
That's the love of God for all of His undeserving people.

Every day, at your greatest moment.
And every minute of your life, even at your lowest point,
At your best and at your worst-
GOD LOVES YOU!
Completley, Amazingly, Boundlessly, Extravagently, Unfailingly, Joyfully.
Without exception.

In the moments you are doing great things for Him and in the mundane, everyday tasks.
The moments of glory and the times you are down in the trenches, struggling, fighting, hurting, doing the hard stuff.
Wherever you are, whatever you are doing
that task is made lighter with the perspective that at that moment,
God is looking at you with love and delight shining from His eyes.

Because of that love we, as His children, are guarenteed
Help
Hope
Peace
Comfort
Strength
Refuge
Forgiveness
Wholeness
Joy
Abundant life
His righteousness
Grace
Protection
Care
Freedom
Significance
Adoption into His Kingdom as a child of God
An eternity with Him

And so much more!

Thank you, Lord, for your love!


On such love, my soul still ponder,
Love so rich, so great, so free;
Say, while lost in holy wonder,
“Why, O Lord, such love to me?”~ Kent

***
The Love of God, how rich and strong,
Forever faithful-eternity long.
It will not falter, it will not fail,
Sent Son to die and save from hell.
What a loving Father, what a friend,
That loves a man in darkness of sin. ~ ?


Click on the link below to hear
A Little More of God's Love

A Loved Little Girl

 

This is a picture from yesterday. Just a random moment in the day.

She wanted me to take her picture

So, of course, I did.

 

Sometimes I look at a picture of her and I think,

"She's getting so big."

Where does the time go?

 

As she grows, I teach her many things.

But above all- I want her to KNOW.

That she is loved.

 

Little girl, you are so loved.

May you always know that.

Not just loved by Mommy and Daddy.

Not just loved by your family and friends.

(And you are LOVED SO MUCH by us.)

 

But, please Precious One,

may you always know

that you are LOVED SO MUCH

by Jesus.

 

Remember this truth all your life.

It will shape you

and make you live life differently

than those around you who don't know this truth.

Learn this truth, be changed by this truth.

Live your life in the knowledge and comfort and

influence of the fact...

 

YOU ARE LOVED

 

And because you are loved- by the King of the Universe-

you can confidently and boldly

proclaim-

 

I saw this picture on Facebook.

It is my prayer

that Lydia will understand

and believe this for her life.

 

That she will live in the light of the truth of these words.

 

Because of His love this is true.

Because of His love

it is true for her.

Always.

No matter what.