I never thought I'd love this so much

as a newlywed... and a new wife... I often laugh when I find myself doing something I never really thought about as something I would ENJOY.

Like when I do our laundry, wash his clothes, wash the sheets and towels...

Like when I vacuum or clean the kitchen...

Oh, but I always knew I'd love the cooking & baking...

But there's more - a desire to be a biblical wife (and mother someday)... so there's reading about and studying things like submission, what a Christian home looks like, and praying for God's strength to raise children in this world someday. I was blessed to come to know Christ before college ended. In those 2 years, in that small town, in that wonderful church, I learned about God & Christian homes and I saw it modeled by Christian husbands & wives in the church... by biblical women.

I am ever-grateful for those friends who became family, the 2 years there and the 5+ that have followed, as now I watch them from afar and continue to learn...

One thing I am certain of - I cannot do any of this without God, His grace or help.

My hope and prayer is to someday be like the older woman discussed in Titus:

"older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. " Titus 2:3-5

meekness & thankfulness

"God has two dwellings; one in heaven, and the other in a meek and thankful heart."

Izaak Walton 

I read somewhere once that meekness was not being weak, but that meekness was "living like you're not the center of the universe... others are." And that it was "living to advance others, not yourself".

Galatians 6:2 calls us to: "Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."

Philipians 2:3 says, "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself."

Even Romans 12:10 exclaims, "Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another"

This is a week that people all around the US pause to be thankful.

Are we also putting others first? Do we have a meek and thankful heart? 

I want to have a thankful heart always, not just this week... So lets take some time now, but not only this week, to be thankful for all we have and to serve others...

Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You.

Thus I will bless you while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.

Psalm 63:3-4

being poor in spirit

I've had this little notebook for many years.

It contains prayers, thoughts, dreams, scripture, questions, and so much more. It's worn around the edges. It's been loved, used, set aside and forgotten. It's even traveled. 

I opened it Friday for the first time in a year. Last entry is dated 11/1/11. A lot happens in one year.

I've decided to share what I had written August of 2011. I had been reading "Heirs of the King", by Warren Wiersbe. It's a study of the Beatitudes:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 5:3

"The Beatitudes describe the attitudes that ought to be in the believer's life." 

The Poor in Spirit: "Being poor in spirit means knowing yourself, accepting yourself, and being yourself to the glory of God."

• Knowing yourself: your strengths, weaknesses, hidden desires, ambitions, spiritual gifts & natural abilities, and being honest with yourself.
• Accept yourself: don't deny what you discover. You will find it easier to accept others and accept God's plan for your life.
• Being yourself to the glory of God. This means growing in every area of your life. Use strengths to overcome weaknesses and weaknesses to discover the mighty power of God. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

"Every place of God's choosing is an imporant place." 

Evidence of being Poor in Spirit?

• accepting of others
• accepting of circumstances
• accepting God's will for your life, joyfully
• having the right attitude toward things (Phil. 4:12).

"A man is rich in proportion to the number of things which he can afford to let alone."
~ Henry David Thoreau ~

I want to discover my strengths, weaknesses, and all that God has made me to be. I want to use this knowledge to grow, change, and be myself to the glory of God.

But God

While driving a few Sundays ago, I passed a painted traffic box on the side of the road that I hadn't seen before. I love that these are being painted in the city. What is really just an ugly structure of necessity becomes a thing of art and beauty. Painted on this metal box was a harvest with two arms rising up from the bottom. It simply stated "Grow Where You're Planted".

I remember years ago after graduating college I didn't want to grow where I was planted. I didn't want to put down roots. I didn't want to stay. But what an incredible thing it is to let your roots run deep. To truly "grow where you're planted"!

If you're fighting where you are, if you're striving to make what you're trying to do work... stop. Pray. Where does God have you? Where does God want you? If what you've been doing for years on your own isn't working. Stop. Pray...

I never knew what God had in store for me when He brought me back to my hometown. After graduating college I was still jobless. I had applied to jobs all across America, but there I was, back in my hometown... wondering "what now?"

But God.

That's a favorite phrase of mine.

I was fighting, striving, resisting, but God had a plan.

I wasn't content, wasn't always joyful, but God didn't give up on me.

"My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:26

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

So are My ways higher than your ways,

And My thoughts than your thoughts."

Isaiah 55:8-9

I never would have imagined this life I have now. His thoughts, His ways... are truly higher, greater, and more wonderful than I could have ever planned for myself. I'm thankful God didn't give up, that He gently continued to guide me. Thankful He brought me to where I am today. I can honestly say He is able...

"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21



do not waiver

I'm not very political... I don't like to talk about politics and I wasn't going to here. But the question was posed to me: what are your post-election thoughts... what would you write about?

So here I am... wondering what I would write about the election!

As the election grew closer I prayed for change. Whether it be a change in president or a change in hearts. Change isn't a bad thing, it can be a really good thing. It can bring new perspective, new life, new ideas, and new situations. And I like new.

After all, God makes us a new creation in Him. And that is not bad at all!

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

2 Corinthians 5:17

OK, before I get way off track... back to the topic at hand...

So, we don't have a new President. Some people are happy about this, some people are devastated. Do not waiver, fellow Christians, do not grow weary. God, in His infinite wisdom and power, is still on the throne...

"Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,

For wisdom and might are His. 

And He changes the times and the seasons;

He removes kings and raises up kings;

He gives wisdom to the wise

And knowledge to those who have understanding.

He reveals deep and secret things;

He knows what is in the darkness,

And light dwells with Him."

Daniel 2:20-22

We're even commanded to submit to authority...

  

Romans 13:1 

So we pray and trust.

We keep our hope locked up in God and not the government.

And we keep moving forward.

what will their life be like?

The hubby and I sometimes talk about the generations to come. We wonder what the world will be like when our kids are growing up...

            what will public school be like?
            what issues they will face in their lifetime?
            what new technology will exist?
            what will the government be like?

We've even talked about what they may think of us! Well, our kids will grow up knowing we didn't live together before marriage, but what will their generation think and those following? I tell people now and they're a bit shocked. Outside of the church community the reply I receive is blatantly "oh really?" How much more rare will even this be?

The only thing I keep coming back to, my hope, my assurance, is knowing that I can trust in my Lord. Whatever trials may come, whatever issues we face in the years to come, my security... and that of my family, will rest in Jesus Christ.

"It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man." Psalm 118:8

some days start early

Sunday morning started early. 3am early. The hubby had to be on a plane at 6am for work. I was the lucky one to be able to fall back asleep for a few hours after he left.

When we first started seeing each other and things began getting more serious. It took me a few weeks before I was ready to say, "ok yes...we're together". I somehow knew early on that if I was saying "yes" to dating, I was saying "yes" to a lot more.

We both knew early on we'd get married someday, yet we never talked of it!

So when we finally said "we're not single, we don't want to be single, we're together, we've been together for a while!" in my heart I was accepting it all. And that meant early mornings, late evenings and days with him gone. BUT I knew I'd rather be with him, with his job taking him away from home, than not be with him at all.

So occasionally there are 3am alarms and being woken up by a kiss on the forehead when he returns past midnight. But I love him with my whole heart and I love my life.

And so last night while I was missing my hubby, I thanked God for our home. I thanked Him for the time I had to do a load of laundry and vacuum so that while my hubby IS home, we don't have to worry about that sort of thing. And all of this... fills me with joy.

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

a family of two

This family of two LOVES saturday morning. No 6am alarm. No job to get to. It's all cozy clothes and coffee. Before we were wed we talked about the traditions we wanted to start. One of them - big saturday morning breakfasts!

So far there has been pb & j pancakes one morning, and french toast, eggs & bacon another.

Great conversations, great coffee, and great food, all shared at our table set for two.

This morning... the smell of apple crisp is drifting from the oven...

We talk about life, traditions, and what we'd like to share with our children someday. What will be their favorite memories, favorite meals at home, favorite traditions?

What do we hope to pass on? A passion for life, a love of food, maybe even the tradition of big saturday morning breakfasts. But MOST of all, we hope to pass on a love and knowledge of Jesus Christ, a desire to know Him and talk with Him. To trust in Him.

And we want them to grow up in a family with parents that love each other. We know this is only possible with Christ...

Proverbs 22:6

Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it.

the day job

Monday to Friday

8am - 5pm...

I sit at a desk,

in an office.

I have a hard time being content here sometimes.

Ok ok, more often than just sometimes. But I just got MARRIED! I want to be home, cooking, cleaning, making a home, getting things organized, and researching new recipes! I want to be with my husband when he has days off during the week. We're best friends after all! We would spend every minute together if we could.

But, as I said, I have this job that takes me away from home. But God has called me to be fully present when I'm at work, not to be dreaming about what I'd like to cook when I get home. I'm to be a diligent worker, not a distracted dreamer.

So I struggle daily, knowing it's God's plan for me to hold this job right now. God has me in this office for a reason and I want to find joy even in the "mundane" days and tasks.

Lord, open my eyes and give me a greater heart for those around me...