Forgiving

"Charles H. Spurgeon once commented that when we bury a dead dog, we don't leave its tail sticking up out of the ground. We forgive completely, determine to put it all behind us, and go on the way of Christ."

Parenting by God's Promises
Joel Beeke


I love this. I love the freedom when we forgive and when we are able to love the way Christ does.

I never want to be a grudge holder.

I never want to grow bitter and hard hearted.

I never want to hold unforgiveness close to me.

I only want to grow to be like Jesus.

He forgives completely.

May I always do the same.

Walk

Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith... and abounding in thanksgiving.

Colossians 2:6-7

I love this verse. It's my new life verse for the time being.

I love the picture of what it looks like to walk with Jesus, my Friend.

When I do, I stay rooted, standing with Him, and being steadfast, strong and unwavering in my faith.

As I walk with Him, I grow and cultivate more and more of a thankful heart.

May my eyes stay FIXED on Him so I can keep on walking and being thankful.

This is such a sweet truth....

40

Today was my 40th birthday.

Everyone talks about it being so dark and gloomy, such a mile-stone ( which I suppose it is) but I have been so excited and happy to enter this new place in life. I think our world tends to fight it because we don't want to "grow old." That means aging and wrinkles and gray hair and flab and all that stuff the world says is not beautiful. But I truly think it is beautiful to grow old.

I had a life changing moment recently when I was beyond words praising God for allowing me to live to see 40 and that He would bless me in ways I never could imagine.  It was so clear to me that growing old means  "LIVING" and aging means being more seasoned in life lessons and living out what truly matters.

I used to fight the thought of aging and would feel sad about the outward effects growing old had on my body and soul. But now I know that all of that are signs of living and walking in the beauty that comes from JESUS.

As I look at these 40 years that the Lord has given, I am amazed. I see my heritage and the heritage that I am making with my little family. To have the gift of my sweet husband and darling children.. my family-- two families brought together and all the souls knitted through these lineages..I stand in awe and am rejoicing in this most wonderful day.

My 40th birthday.

Thanks be to God for the gift of life.

I feel very much ALIVE.

Susanna is Five

Our dear Susanna Jane. You are the most spirited five year old I know. You bring so much joy to our lives. You add so much flavor and color to any ordinary day. Five years ago we welcomed the sweetest little bundle of life into our family. Happy Birthday precious, darling child. You are deeply loved by everyone you meet!

Love

Mama

Repetition

"Repetition should not be discouraging to us, it should be challenging. ... practice drills are not a waste of time. Having another chance to work on things is not a sign of failure. Having room to improve is not something to be sad about, it is something that should encourage and inspire us. God keeps giving me this to do, because this is what He wants me doing. If this is what He wants me doing, then I will do it with my whole being. He gave me the work; I will not back away from it and say it isn't important. I will not sit on the sidelines of this drill and fuss about it.
The funny thing is that we know well that we learn through repetition. We need to practice songs before we can sing them. We need to try someting over and over before we have mastered it. We have accepted that part of being human. What we appear not to have accepted is the subject matter."

Fit to Burst ( Abundance, Mayhem, and the Joys of Motherhood) by Rachel Jankovic

I love this quote so much.

Here is an example of why I like it and why it hits home to me. After saying 100 times in a day' "Before you speak.. Think!" and it doesn't stick :( and I am saying it again 100 more times tomorrow)--- I can learn to rejoice in the repetition. I can even be inspired by it!

Thank You, Lord for Your refining touches in my life through the stretching of mothering.

Her name might be GRACE

A Wife of Noble Character

^{10 [a]}Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?
She is more precious than rubies.
¹¹ Her husband can trust her,
and she will greatly enrich his life.
¹² She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.

¹³ She finds wool and flax
and busily spins it.
¹⁴ She is like a merchant’s ship,
bringing her food from afar.
¹⁵ She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household
and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.

¹⁶ She goes to inspect a field and buys it;
with her earnings she plants a vineyard.
¹⁷ She is energetic and strong,
a hard worker.
¹⁸ She makes sure her dealings are profitable;
her lamp burns late into the night.

¹⁹ Her hands are busy spinning thread,
her fingers twisting fiber.
²⁰ She extends a helping hand to the poor
and opens her arms to the needy.
²¹ She has no fear of winter for her household,
for everyone has warm^[b] clothes.

²² She makes her own bedspreads.
She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns.
²³ Her husband is well known at the city gates,
where he sits with the other civic leaders.
²⁴ She makes belted linen garments
and sashes to sell to the merchants.

²⁵ She is clothed with strength and dignity,
and she laughs without fear of the future.
²⁶ When she speaks, her words are wise,
and she gives instructions with kindness.
²⁷ She carefully watches everything in her household
and suffers nothing from laziness.

²⁸ Her children stand and bless her.
Her husband praises her:
²⁹ “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world,
but you surpass them all!”

³⁰ Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;
but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.
³¹ Reward her for all she has done.
Let her deeds publicly declare her praise

Every time I read this, all I can think is , "This is ONE AMAZING WOMAN!" I imagine her name being GRACE. To me, this is a picture of a woman of grace whose life breathes grace and gives grace. Gods great love  just pours out on everyone as she speaks and serves.  She seems carried with such ease and joy. She is the kind of woman I just want to drink a cup of coffee with and say,  "How do you do it?" 

I imagine she might say sweetly:

"I'm walking closely hand in hand with my first love, my Savior. We are ONE."

Jesus, I am weak. Make me strong so I can be more like You.

 You are my greatest desire.

Running

I had been running for what seemed like forever. I swung my jacket over the top of the treadmill so I couldn't watch the time tick. I listened to the heavy pounding of my legs and the monotony of each step. All I could think of were my steps and when I would be done. There was no joy in this. I almost quit about five times. I had a window of opportunity to get a quick run in so I was trying to just get it done fast, but it did not seem to be fast enough.

I picked the jacket up and peeked, just KNOWING I was almost done with my 3 miles.

1.1 miles.

No way. That's it?? The steps seemed harder and I started to get mad that I was not done and still had more than I thought.

All I could do was focus on the steps and the end.. never mind the process and the steps in the middle.

No i-pod, no radio, no nothing to keep my mind focused.

So I just prayed. For everything and everyone I could think of. All of my cares were given to the Lord. And guess what?

I was done.


Moral: When life is filled with heavy steps and I'm in the middle.. pray and leave the ending to Jesus. He will get me there.