I’m starting a new blog series called Transformation
Tuesday. One Tuesday per month you will find stories of transformation on Bird
In A Tree. I’ll talk about all kinds of transformation, relational, spiritual,
physical—really anything is up for grabs! For this first installment I wanted
to feature Peter…as in Peter: apostle of Jesus Christ. I love Peter and I think
he is perfect for the first TT post because he is so radically transformed!
It’s Easter. It is here. He was He is exactly who he
promised he would be. More than that! He is who the prophets promised he would
be! He is who God promised he would be! Easter is TRUE.
Sometimes I just feel like giving up on this whole writing
business. And with Easter approaching I somehow feel like if I skip out on my
Easter posts, then I’m done for good. I can’t imagine a world of writing without an Easter post in it. So since I’m not giving up on writing just yet (I
feel like this has to be a normal writing torment right?), here we are.
So tomorrow the forecast is right below that dreaded little
line…the freezing line. So I will
write my (hopefully, please please please) last Winter Writing installment of
the series. Thankfully I did find myself saying “That’s one nice thing about
winter” just the other day.
The nice thing about winter is that when you go grocery
shopping you can still stop at a friends house after, or get coffee, or go
shopping for other stuff and not worry about your food spoiling. Winter (at
least in the Midwest) is like living in a refrigerator or sometimes like living
in a freezer.
And that’s all folks. That’s all the good that I could
possibly muster out of winter. And I hereby promise that if it gets below
freezing again…I’ll….well…I’ll….just go…and…get myself a brown sugar latte AND
a scone.
Is it just my “news” feed or has there been a humungous baby
boom over the past few months? It seems like everyday there is another newborn
and new parents to congratulate! That’s awesome. But with all the newness that
comes with adding a member to your family….there are a lot of new things that
parents just had no idea were waiting for them.Alright, listen…no I mean….LIST-EN. This blog is meant to be
wholly and completely ENCOURAGING.I refuse….REFUSE…to take a stance or use this blog as a platform for my personal
convictions to become some sort of judgment on other parents. After much much
soul searching and conviction over the past 4 years I can honestly tell you
that I DO NOT CARE HOW YOU BIRTH OR FEED YOUR CHILD. When I say “I don’t care”
I mean I don’t publically or privately concern myself with your family’s
decisions. I do care very much in the sense that a wonderful thing has happened
in your life and I can’t wait to hear all about it as a friend. And I’m so
happy that you found what works best for your family, that is indeed an
exciting discovery! Now you that you know what this post is not, let’s get into
what exactly this blog is.
Mommies and Daddies of new children,
Congratulations! I know you are so so overwhelmed by the
love that just swelled out of your heart and all over your life recently.
Whether this is your first baby or your fifth, whether your child came by way
of biology or by adoption, whether your new child is a baby or a walking,
talking, child with a mind of their own, life as you knew it has turned upside
down! There are three things that I want to say to you, with my whole heart.
First, even though you are totally overwhelmed by love you are probably also
overwhelmed by the total recall of your old routines and lifestyle. It is ok
and normal to feel those conflicting emotions! It isn’t selfish to miss the
freedom and sleep that isn’t readily available to you right now. Now that you
are a parent you will forever live in this vortex of tension and conflicting
emotions and desires. The vortex is your home now, embrace it. Seriously
though, learn to live with a balance of
continual sacrifice and continual blessing. And it is a balance, because if
you martyr yourself for the sake of giving your child everything, you will find
yourself at a breaking point and your child spoiled with an entitled view of
life. If you continue to treat yourself as #1 and treat your children as
accessories for your life, you’ll miss out and raise defeated children who
chase love from other people because they grow tired of seeking it from you.
Learn to accept the balancing act. You will come to count the minutes until bedtime
and hold your breath until they sleep, but then you’ll sneak in their room and
risk it all just to kiss their adorable little sleepy cheeks. The more you
welcome the tension (versus fight it), the more content you will be. But all of us out here in the world of mommies and daddies know what you are feeling and we have all felt the same way! Becoming a mom or dad is a huge adjustment!
Continue to nurture your marriage and your relationship with God, secure in the
fact that strength from those relationships will propel you as a new parent. Do
not ever fool yourself into believing that cutting corners in your walk with
God or your spouse will give you more time or energy to be a parent.
My second piece of advice is this (mainly for mommas): DO
NOT allow yourself to get sucked into pinterest, instagram, and facebook.
Social media and the like have been the down fall of many a mother. First of
all, most of us are posting the highlights of our day. The HIGHlights, not the low moments, not the boring moments—the
best moments. Don’t compare yourself to that junk. Comparison is TOXIC. Listen
to the women and married couples in your life that you love and respect, but
don’t go on an unending search for the approval of all your friends. Trust me,
living for others is exhausting and joy-stealing. Don’t read peoples rants
online about the best yada yada and the only way to do so&so. People have
been having kids and screwing it up for a very very long time. You know who got
it right though? Yep. The one and only perfect parent-child relationship is the
one we observe between God and Jesus. By grace we are invited in to receive the
perfect Father in God, but we are far from perfect sons. “And from his fullness
we have received grace upon grace.” (John 1:16) Walk in light and enjoy the
richness of a life spent knowing Jesus. Continually come to the table for grace
upon grace and you will be satisfied.
My third little tid bit to impart is simply this: You will
sleep again. It does get easier. I promise. We’ve been there!
Austin and I are reading a parenting book. It is amazing and
so convicting about so much more than the way we parent. But all this parenting
stuff has had my mind so centered on what I am doing, what I am teaching, what
I am enforcing, what I am giving, what my role is in the lives of our kids, but
I realized that being their mom is not just about what I do. I think our society has such a twisted view of
parenthood, they see kids as a burden that we have to reluctantly take on in
order to complete the “American dream.” I even came across this video, which is
made for comical purposes…but what does it say about our excitement to raise
children and include them in our lives?
Disclaimer: This video does have a naughty word. So just...yea be mindful. Also, I don't want to convey any sense of "everyone should have kids now!" so just calm down. I appreciate all stages and seasons of life and don't think that being a parent makes anyone "better." OK. So just...calm down.
Why does society view family like
this? Partly it’s because without Christ as the center of anything…it’s only
driven by self-seeking “me” centered ambition. But partly, it’s because as
parents we have all been guilty of seeking to vent and commiserate about
parenthood (because it is really hard work!) and have left out all the good
parts. Any mom could write forever trying to explain “the good parts,” but
instead I’ll just tell you two little bitty stories. The first story is what
led me down this trail of thoughts, which will lead me to the second story.
A few days ago, my kids were a
couple hours into their favorite pass time: taking all the cushions and pillows
off the couches in the playroom and making a huge pile out of them. They
invited me to come down and get a ride on their cloud. So as I was almost
literally floating on a cloud with my kids, I laid back onto my sweet girls lap
and she started playing with my hair. She was so sweet and gentle; she wasn’t
trying to get my hair crazy (which is always so fun); she was being loving and
affectionate. She didn’t want anything from me; she just wanted to love on me.
Then I remembered a time, the only time, Lyric had done this. There has been
one isolated occurrence of Lyric playing with my hair gently. Usually he is
either trying to make my hair crazy and weird, or he is trying to pull out a
ponytail (because there was a phase when he would start crying and saying “Not
like that mom! I don’t like your hair like that!” whenever I would pull it
back. I guess it’s not my best look?) But during my pregnancy with Lily, I had
migraines almost every day for three months. Eventually the migraines had three
categories. 1.Full blown, take me to the doc and get me that shot that makes me
puke and feel drunk…it would be worth it right now. 2. Definitely a migraine,
but if I turn off all lights I can bear to lay on the couch and let Lyric watch
TV all day long. 3. The beginning of a migraine, if I go and sleep and do my
ice pack and Tylenol #3 (with caffeine) I think I will be ok in a couple of hours. I was in a category 2 migraine on this particular day. I laid on the floor
and put my head on a pillow and just cried. I was in pain all the time and
missing out on so much time with Lyric and Austin and I felt so lonely because I
never felt well enough to go on a social outing. Little bitty 15-month-old
Lyric toddled over and sat down right above my head on the pillow. As he
reached out for my head I winced and said “No no buddy! Mommy is hurting.” But
he leaned over my forehead and kissed me and then stroked my head
gently from my temples to the back of my head and smoothed down my hair. He
sat there like that and did that for ten minutes...that's a long time for a newly walking little boy. (and by the way, I’m totally
crying right now writing out this cherished memory). I felt so loved by my son.
I felt taken care of. I felt less alone. That little boy, my little boy…he
loves me. He loves me so much. And I almost missed it because I was just being
a mommy and didn’t think that he might actually have something to offer
me.
Most of the time I’m spending and
giving and working hard. And it is hard, parenting isn’t supposed to be a blow
off thing. But during all my toiling their love for me is the strong and pure. And on occasion they minister to me and give and share and
those moments are more precious than rare jewels. Don’t let parental
exhaustion (whether it’s experienced firsthand, or you just witness it in your
friends who have kids) overshadow the bliss and blessing that comes from
cuddling with those little people who love with complete abandon, who us give their
whole hearts and build their whole lives on us…their parents.
Recently after I said I had three
little ones, a woman reacted by saying “You are a rich woman.” And she was so
right. And I’m so sad that everyone doesn’t see it that way. Children are a
rich blessing and not one that should be taken for granted. In the midst of
your working…let them love you.
Ok, here we go digging deep to find my inner blog post. (but take note, I always keep my promises! And today it was a frigid 31 degrees below freezing. THAT'S 1 DEGREE PEOPLE!!)
I appreciate winter more because in the winter I make chili more often.
Because I make chili often, I have made an effort to make healthy chili.
Because we started Whole 30 on Sunday I scrounged up our "last meal" on a whim Saturday evening.
Because I generally love black beans, they were in said chili which was frozen from a previous batch.
Because I also really love french fries, I made sweet potato fries.
Because I had a flashback to college, I wanted chili cheese fries.
And that friends is how I found the most amazing, healthy meal ever. EVER.
Turkey chili over sweet potato fries (when baked and homemade are healthy).
Have you ever been around some one who is going through something
really hard. Like really hard. I’ve
had the privilege of walking along side some friends in hard times and I’ve
been walked beside and held up by some wonderful friends. In those times, if
God gets the glory, doesn’t it just keep you coming back? Doesn’t it make you
stop and wait and want to see more of God? As much as you don’t want those
trials for the ones you love or for yourself…doesn’t it just make you thirsty?
Doesn’t it just show you the most raw and gritty picture of the need and
desperation in your own heart? Maybe I’m alone in this, but something about the
closeness of Christ in those trials…it speaks to me.
When we go through trials, we find ourselves wanting to know
that it’s going to help someone one day. We want assurance that God will
actually be glorified. But the glory for God is already there. For those who
are hurting and reaching and needing God, for those who are seeking and finding
Him right where He promised He’d be…you’ve glorified Him. You have shown so
much of the Gospel, you have magnified His name, you have helped us…by your
pain. You have helped us by your steadfastness in the face of suffering. It
wasn’t perfect or pretty, but it was real and it was honest and it was the
widow’s mite. When you sought to love Him as life bruised and beat you, you
showed us how desirable Jesus is for us everyday. When you were carried by God and
rung out the tiniest bit of faith from your broken heart, you challenged us.
Just because there are no speaking engagements or coffee dates or viral blogs
to tell your story…you helped us still.
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained
access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of
the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that
suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character
produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been
poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
(Romans 5:1-5, ESV)
Made it! By the skin of my teeth I made it. From now on I
promise to write a post when it’s below freezing, except on Mondays. My weekend
= Mondays. That’s my man’s day off, so for the next freezing Mondays let’s just
call it a happy surprise if there is a post, k?
So when I took to finding anything else wintery that I am
thankful for…I came up with a big fat nothing. But when I remembered that I
promised I would write about something good that comes from winter, I came up
with this…
Waiting. Waiting sucks, but waiting is good. (yea people it
sucks, and I’m allowed to say that now and if you want refined writing check
back during spring. Oh also, check back when I’m no longer on a 30 day whole
foods only cleanse, I might have a bit more snark until then.) Waiting is not
ever ever easy. Waiting is hard, but it’s engrained into every part of our
lives. Sometimes we try to force things to happen now now now, but that’s not
how God intended it. Look for like a millisecond at the Bible and you will find
lots of waiting. Waiting for freedom, waiting for children, waiting for a
Savior, waiting is what makes the true stories of the Gospel so compelling.
Here’s how we are blessed in the midst of waiting. We are
blessed with the opportunity to press in with all our might to the One who ends
waiting. Through waiting we can connect with the longing with which all of
creation waited for the Son of God to arrive. When we wait with our whole
entire heart thrown into a trusting and authentic relationship with Jesus, we come
to know Jesus and experience his love in rich and emaculate ways. When we wait
we are forced to learn the one lesson that, given the choice, we’d never choose
to learn. We learn the gift of contentment. We learn that contentment is the
only thing that makes sense in the light of all that we have gained, once we
have gained salvation.
Waiting for the wretched awful winter to finally stinking
end, will not make the spring better but the way that I wait will determine the
quality of my life now, today. Because today, I wait.
So here's the deal, when you follow a pastor's wife's blog...Sundays you probably aren't gonna get a lot of meat. For substance...I defer you to yesterdays post.
Today it's below freezing yet again....I'm mustering up some sort of thankfulness or positivity and here's what I've come up with.
1. Cold weather makes ice cream less appealing. For an ice cream addict like me, that's a good thing.
2. Cold weather makes me wear socks all the time and use lotion from the tip of my toes to the top of my forehead sometimes twice a day...therefore my toes and feet look way better and don't need the pampering they do in warm weather seasons. Also, who cares if I get a pedi or not cause no one ever sees my feet!
When your drained and running on fumes, and the days are
long and the winter is cold. Sometimes in those moments Jesus is all there is.
When your spouse is crashing down from the week and your crawling out of this
week’s pit, there isn’t a lot you can do for each other but hope to meet
somewhere in the middle. When the kids are being kids and swinging on your mood
swings, the patience runs thin and the energy is low. When the sunset is dull
and the coffee is inadequate, then excitement is trampled and survival is the
goal. When “run down” and “worn” and “thin” and “empty” are the only adjectives
in your mind, where do you go from there?
In those moments, I’ve found myself thinking“I guess Jesus is what I’ve got today.”
I think that to myself as if it’s a bad sign, as if on the days where all I’ve
got is Jesus—I’m defeated. But He answers me sweetly “Come to me, all
who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you,
and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest
for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew
11:28-30, ESV)
In Jesus all needful
things are laid up for you. Then enjoy your continual allowance. Never
go hungry while the daily bread of grace is on the table of mercy. ~C.H. Spurgeon
When all you’ve got
is Jesus, you’ve got quite a lot.
I’m pumped. Let’s get our worship on today. We’re alive!
Fist pump it, jump, do that little one foot stomp…worship free and happy. I’m thankful for the student ministries Winter Jam weekend today. It’s always a crazy insane weekend….but when we get
to sneak up and join them for the dance party worship time (aka the first three
songs of the night that my kids won’t risk yelling out and interrupting a
serious moment) at the beginning of the weekend, I remember what it’s like to
have fun and worship from pure joy.
Christians should be the most fun, most happy, most awesome
people out in the world. We have the most to sing and dance and yell and raise
the roof for. We can laugh at the days to come because the light is the future
we walk into…not darkness, not fear, not shame. LIGHT!! Some days are serious and
life is still full of trials...but let’s not pass up the days for dancing. I’m
compiling an “Alive” playlist on Spotify, feel free to follow it and know that
me and my kids are having a straight up dance off in our playroom this Sunday
morning before we head out to church.
There are three winter things I am more thankful for than
anything else in the world. In sequential order: my marriage (December 13),
then Lily (February 15), and then little Fletch (February 19). And today I’m
most thankful for that sassy pants sweet girl since after all, it was two years
ago today that she made her way in typical Lily fashion. She is the only child
that gave me totally debilitating migraines for three months of my pregnancy,
the only child who broke my water at home, and she was the easiest and sweetest
delivery. Very Lily of her. She caused a stink, made herself known, and then
was so sweet that we didn’t mind at all. Because of all the migraines I had
very strongly suspected that she was in fact…a she. Since I had only a handful
of “normal” migraines in my pregnancy with Lyric, I just knew that there had to
be a gal in there messing up my already fragile hormone/headache situation. As
soon as our ultrasound showed us her little lady parts I started crying and
said “I knew it was her. It’s Lily.”
My sweet and sassy (I’m not just saying that because it is a
common pairing of characteristics, this girl is 100% sweet and 100% sassy)
little girl has changed our family beyond what words could describe. In her I
see my own strengths as well as some future “growth areas” for Lily and
past/current areas for me to grow in. She is thoughtful and cautious, but still
brave within her own timing. She is funny, but unaware of how funny she is. She
is sweet and such a little cuddle bug and quality time girl. She is stubborn
and sure of herself, but takes time to warm up to new people. When I look at
Lily, I see a tiny peanut who loves the girly girl things of life: getting
nails painted, having her hair done at my vanity in front of the mirror,
dressing up like a princess. But she makes the best little sound effects for
cars, trains, rockets, dinosaurs, and monsters. She keeps up with Lyric playing
rough and tumble in the playroom, all while mothering baby Fletcher and keeping
a close eye on him. Once I even caught her pointing her finger at both brothers
who were sitting on the ground as she towered over them (all 2 inches of her)
saying “Obey me. OBEY….ME!” I have no idea where she got that phrase as my
children obey perfectly and by instinct, I never have to remind them to do so.
Lily has enriched our family, while bringing a little
delicacy to the scene. When I picture her saying “Yeah” and her little grunty elongated
giggle I can’t hide my grin. She is a precious and unique little girl and she
is my very very favorite thing on this cold February 15th.
Aaaannnnddd….we’re back! Yesterday was a glorious respite
from the freezing temps (at a whole 34 degrees) and today the high is 21.
So…here we go with the Winter Writing. Right now I’m basically in the most
picturesque writing position one could be in. I’m sitting at our dining room
table (which has been nicely cleared off from its usual piles because we have
guests this weekend), sipping on a latte that a friend brought me, rereading a
beautiful love note from my husband while I watch the sunrise. I wasn’t kidding
when I said picturesque. This weekend of my life won’t be the most romantic
because of church activities, but I will cling to this morning and all it’s
wonder!
Today’s winter glimmer of gratefulness is all about hair!
Haha and you probably thought I was going all deep since I’m in my nice cozy
quiet place. A friend gave me the idea for this post last week at bible study
after I was apparently having a rare wavy hair day haha! We got into a whole
discussion of humidity, of which there is none during the winter. So I am
thankful for no humidity for my wavy/shaggy/lion mane hair days. I’m also
thankful for the cold dry air because my scalp just can’t take a bunch of
washes without drying out. Therefore, I only have to wash my hair every three
to four days, which is an amazing time saver! Woohoo! So winter, my hair thanks
you (even though I do have to double up on moisturizing products).
It’s 4:09pm and even though there was a definitely warm
front around here, it is definitely still below freezing. You might have
thought I forgot about my promise, but I didn’t, I’ve just been up to my eyeballs
in bulk shopping and laundry. But while I’ve been huddling in my sweats today
(my JHHS sweatshirt is STILL the best sweatshirt for a lazy day), I’ve been
thinking about one of the things I’m most thankful for this winter.
I’m extremely thankful for the friends who have braved (and
I literally mean braved) the cold, snow, and ice for play dates and for friends
who are beyond considerate of how difficult it is for me to run certain errands (cause of the whole three toddlers business) and so they lend me a helping hand. If it weren’t for these women, I think I would
have lost my mind this winter.
After a couple of months of such severe weather, cabin fever
is wide spread and just being around other people and in someone else’s home
has the power to improve my entire week. Being invited into a woman’s home and
welcomed to grab a cup of coffee is just the warmest possible situation I can
imagine being in right now. Maybe it’s the southerner in me, maybe I’m just
being sentimental, but I just adore opening homes, talking, laughing, and
making the most of what we have to work with this winter. Quality time for me,
is the best way to spend time. It’s the best medicine.
Also, a strong remedy for my grumpy winter disposition—help
and kindness from others. I’m not typically the type to ask for help. In fact,
just typing that makes me want to somehow prove that I’m strong and self
sufficient and efficient and resourceful. Ah *sigh* will I ever get past all my
apparent control freak tendencies? Anyway, on more than one occasion a couple
of friends have made my day just so much better through thoughtfulness. If it
weren’t for one of my friends, I don’t know how Lily would have such great (and
cheap, this gal is THE best bargain hunter I know) winter weather gear. And
another friend went above and beyond when she did a mundane but necessary task
for me. Another friend almost always comes bearing lattes. I feel so loved!
And now it is becoming very obvious to me that I have
basically been writing a post about my love languages today. Quality time and
gifts, and my friends have delivered and thus delivered me from a very grumpy
winter. Thank you ladies (and my husband and children thank you as well).
So there is one thing that I’ve loved from the earliest days
of this winter. I know this as fact, because I wrote it about it in my spiral
on October 17th, long before I knew what I was in for this winter.
The thing I’ve loved this entire winter is that in this season I can see the
sunset from my dining room every morning. During the other seasons of the year
I can’t really see it because there is too much foliage in the way and also
because it comes at an unspeakably early hour during the summer. I love the
leaves and I miss how promising and lush and bright they are in the spring. I
love how the summer breeze blows them around so they look like shiny green
sequins. I love how resilient and bold and beautiful they are in autumn. But
even though all that is true, I love when they fall in the winter because I can
see everything so clearly. Because in winter, when my heart inevitably breaks a
little saying goodbye to the colors, my view becomes clear and I experience the
best sunrises. I know that it’s only because of the desolate barren of winter
that I appreciate the sunrise so much. When the trees have full branches of leaves
for my eyes to feast on, I don’t even look for the sunrise. Yet, even the most
gorgeous trees cannot compare to the morning fire ablaze in the sky.
I need that fire burning low in the sky floating just above
the ice. I need the reminder that even in the most bitter seasons there is
beauty, even if I can only see it through one window. And surely if such
radiance can show its face on the worst days, then how much more can I find joy
in the day-in an day-out annoyances. Surely I can get past the bulky coats and
the constant losing of mittens and the tantrums thrown because “No, you can’t
walk on the ice by yourself,” and the cabin fever and salt stains everywhere.
If God can evoke such paradise in the sky when it feels like the clouds
themselves might be frozen, then I think I can endure the herding of children
to be loaded into the car. (Seriously, someone should do an experiment. Which
is harder, herding kittens or toddlers?) I’m so thankful for the sunrise on
winter mornings. I’m so smitten with the myriad of colors in the sky when
everything else has been stripped of its shade.
One of the weirdest things I’ve ever experienced is the
bright reflection that shines off the snow and illuminates everything…even in
the middle of the night. Yep. It’s SO weird. The snow reflects even the softest
moonlight times like a bazillion. It still kind of freaks us out. But one thing
I kind of love about it is that I can see my favorite person lying in bed next
to me, pillow talk is so much sweeter when I can dimly see his smile. And on the days where the sun is out,
the reflection from the snow makes the sunlight in our house all the more
bright. I love that we get natural lighting from sun and earth during the
winter.
Today is the beginning of Baptism Weekend at our church, and
then we will celebrate with our friends. I adore baptism weekends. I’ve always
loved witnessing baptisms and hearing testimonies of believers, but in the last
few years I’ve come to cherish them. When we had our miscarriage, I found myself
desperate to hear testimonies of God’s work. I knew in my mind He was still
good and still at work in my life, but it didn’t feel that way. The first thing
I said to my husband in the car after our doctor explained that our pregnancy
was over was the phrase “I just really didn’t want this to happen.” It’s so
plain, but it was all I could muster in that moment and it was so true at the
deepest core of my heart, no matter how simple it was. That day I began to
crave the testimonies of others. I just needed to know that the God I was
relying on was living and active, not an idea or a figure of history, but ever
present in my time of need. Through scripture and the Holy Spirit and the love
of others and the testimonies of people around me, God proved himself over and
over. The glory of God shone in my heart with such persistence, and yet on the
outside I was mourning and experiencing death in an unfamiliar way (literally
as well, we found out I miscarried on February 17thduring our first winter here, and
in Iowa that is guaranteed to be a cold day). Strangely enough I don’t remember
one day of winter in February or March, because what was happening in my heart
was so vibrant. Sometimes it was vibrantly dark and sad, sometimes it was white
hot, sometimes it was a soothing warm, but God was molding me and moving mountains
in my life.
I love celebrating new life while it’s so dead outside. What
a picture of grace, what a picture of the passionate love that saved us from
our sin. I’ve always loved things in contrast. I love warm soup with something
crunchy, I love my hot apple pie with a scoop of ice cream; I love wearing my
hair wild and shaggy when I wear a button-up shirt with a preppy cardigan. I
just love life in contrasts. But seeing baptisms, especially of five people I
care about, during the coldest winter of my life. Favorite contrast by far.
Yea, so here's the deal. My baby did not sleep much last night so neither did I. So here's what's good about winter. Straight up, this is real life and sometimes a momma has to scrape the bottom of the barrel to find a little honey for her yogurt (that started as a metaphor but ended as a real life testimony about my breakfast).
1. I love that because it's cold, when Austin gets up with the kids and lets me try to catch up on some sleep, it is really easy to do under my big fluffy down comforter.
2. I love coffee. I love it all the time, but something about winter time makes my love multiply. Which isn't great for the budget, but alas here we are.
This is the 4am picture I took of us to see if Fletch's eyes were still open. And yep they were. No such luck.
