Posts

You were Chosen for This

  You were chosen for this. I’m not sure what “this” is for you in your life, but let me encourage you that you were chosen for it.  Hopefully, this little story will help explain what I mean. I once had a conversation with a good friend (a Godly, church-going-all-my-life type of friend) who was expressing to me a difficult part of her life. With all sincerity, matter-of-factness, and honesty-of-spirit she said it felt like when this difficulty came into her life, God opened up the gates of Hell and told them to “go get her.” 😳 I was shocked that someone could feel that and have the audacity to express that. I had not experienced her deep level of pain, so it took me a moment to gather my thoughts. Just then, it’s as if the Holy Spirit gave me the exact words to encourage her with - and a Bible example to back it up. I replied, “I know it may feel like that sometimes, but the problem with that is this: that’s not how our God operates. Remember the story of Job? When Satan cam...

Accumulation and Identity

I ran across a quote today that really made me think: “We’ll become what we accumulate the most of. Gather love.” – Bob Goff Naturally, after reading that quote, I thought, “Hmm. What do I accumulate the most of?” Being a self-proclaimed minimalist (meaning: I try to cut down on clutter as much as possible by giving away excess items to friends/family and donating to the Goodwill so-much-so that they’re probably thinking I work there part-time by now), I didn’t readily think of anything I “accumulate” or have in excess just chilling out around my house. But then, it hit me. Suddenly, and all at once. There’s that one box. Full of that stack of stuff. Stuff that would make complete and utterly-no-sense-at-all to anyone else looking through it. Stuff that other people would likely throw away. (Because it’s not suited for them.) It’s tailored specifically for me. But it’s not something I’ll ever outgrow, either. (which is probably why I’ve kept it all...

God and the Scribbled-Up Coloring Page

As some of you may already know, my sweet husband Jeff and I started recently volunteering in the Cubbies class at church. (not just any Cubbies class, we’re in Cubbies 1…. which means that we have the smallest, youngest, neediest, yet most precious Cubbies that ever existed) They’re 3-not-yet-4-years-old. These kids are so precious and so little, but already I’m realizing that little kiddos carry within themselves some BIG needs. Some of them need attention. LOTS OF IT. Some need time, conversation, encouragement, and a confirmation-that-they-matter. Some need simple help doing certain tasks. And some, let’s be honest, just need a spanking. But no matter what BIG needs our little Cubbies walk into the room with on a particular night, they all carry one BIG need in common: they need Jesus. We all need Jesus. Although some nights spent in Cubbies 1 can be down-right exhausting, Jeff and I can rest assured that our time spend with them is well-needed because we’re pointi...

Simultaneously Proud and Humbled

You know, over the course of the last handful of years, I’ve noticed that my blog has taken quite the different direction(s). Mainly, because my life-story has taken on new directions, experienced new adventures, and uncovered new lessons to be learned all along the way. Today, as I went about my daily routine, I realized how lucky I am. Actually, luck has nothing to do with it. I recognized, truly, amidst all the life-change, the redirections, and the varied transitions, how blessed I am. For me, the moment came today when I saw my sweet husband’s army fatigues in the house. In that self-same moment, I realized how very proud I am of him, the man he is, the heart he has, the  way he serves our country, and the way he loves me so ridiculously well. At the same time, I became deeply humbled - to the point of tears – that God chose me to be his wife. Seriously, of all the women in the world that it could have been, it’s me. And only me. And always me. There’s somet...

Wisdom: The God-Given Ability of "Seeing Beyond"

If you’ve read the 1990’s Children’s award-winning novel, The Giver , written by Lois Lowry or you’ve taken the time to see the recent theatre-box rendition of it, then you’ll know what I’m talking about when I use the phrase seeing beyond . It’s nothing mystical or oddly-spiritual. It’s simply the ability some (few!) of the characters in the book/movie were born with that enables them to see things other people don’t see. They’re tuned into things like color, for example, when the rest of the world is merely seeing black-and-white. It’s an interesting skill to have, this seeing beyond .   It’s actually quite cool to have an advantage like that over the others. But this ability must be exercised and revealed with caution. For with much privilege comes much responsibility. Just as recently as yesterday, two distinct situations came across the lives of two people that are very dear to me. And they soon, as you can imagine, came to my attention as well. The first situation...

The Vapor-Rich Life

Today, as I drove along my usual winding path (that is the only escape-route out of my apartment complex), I passed several of the same landmarks that I always do. But today was different because God spoke to my heart as I drove. You see, at one point in my journey, I passed by a church on my left side and simultaneously passed a funeral home on my right side. It may be a stretch of your imagination to go here with me; but in my mind and in my car-ride, I felt a tension between life and death in those few moments on the stretch of road winding between the two buildings.  [I would dare say if you were riding shotgun in the passenger’s seat, you may have felt the same thing.] Why? Well, a church building is a symbol of hope and life, amongst others. While a funeral home is nothing short of a symbol of death. (It reminded me of the passage in Deuteronomy 30:15-19, where life and death are sitting in front of God's people as a choice to be made; and God urges them to choose ...

Stay-at-Home Wife Status (Painful to Write, Freeing to "Publish")

     I've been married nearly two months now (Whew! Where does the time go?!) and have not made the time to post on my blog in what seems like, (in the words, voice, and inflection of the beloved Gru), "Forever!"        Some days, I'm just too busy with finding delight in accomplishing daily chores/tasks and/or crafting, creating, fun times, and memory-making. Other days, I'm honestly just too lazy to capture all of my thoughts, collect them together, and string them into something that makes any semblance of sense to anyone outside of my little mind, self, "kingdom" (a.k.a. my house), and world.     But I've wanted to give some updates and some clarifications on the recent updates in my life for those of you that are naturally curious, personally concerned, or simply lacking better things to read at the moment, so here goes:     As many of you know, I'm now embarking on a new (very unpopular, might I add) journey. I...