Tag Archives: blessings

a bona fide mama on mother’s day

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i get to be mama to this little cutie.

this was my first mother’s day with  my sweet daughter in my arms.  not just existing in hope and prayer or as an itty-bitty in my belly…she is here.  my child.  with her sassy eyeballs and gatsby-esque head decoration.  wearing a delicate, intricate, heirloom christening gown.  ben and i are so honored and blessed to be chosen to parent this precious gift.

on sunday, we dedicated her life to the Lord.  it was such a meaningful day.  thank you Heavenly Father for entrusting us with this gift and calling.

psalm 127:3-5

children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!

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and would you look at my handsome man?  he is such a wonderful papa.  loving and sweet and protective and prayerful and playful.  these two make a mama go all mushy.

a few words on marriage from the renowned marriage counselor, ben affleck

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sometimes, God uses the most interesting of people, places, or things to speak into our lives.  recently it was ben affleck, at the oscars, gold statuette in hand.  he spoke about his marriage during his acceptance speech and it just got me thinking about the true meaning of marriage.  and then i read this article.  good stuff.

yes, there are moments of fairytale bliss - birds chirping and swirling around, flowers in bloom, forest creatures singing, glitter and clouds, and such.  but then there are hard days.  hard weeks.  hard months.  hard years, even.  times that are trying.  seasons of sickness. poorer instead of richer.  when the “worse” part of those vows stares you in the face, knocks the wind out of you, and becomes real.  but i must say that i agree with mr. affleck, “it’s good. it is work, but it’s the best kind of work.” 

my God + my hubby + me  the three of us work at it together.  but it’s the best kind of work.

and in those moments of bliss make you understand that God is true to His promises.  and then you just let out a contented sigh as you bask in the blessings of God.  grateful that He has given you someone to walk with and talk with and cry with and laugh with in this life.  He is a good God.  He is a kind and sweet God.  and He has given me a husband who loves me deeply with the love of Christ and who really truly likes me.  we enjoy each other’s company and have so much fun together.  and as long as we keep walking with our Savior…that love grows truer, our life together is a blessing to others, and the work pays off.

every good and perfect gift comes down from above

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it is that time…

baby shower season is here, people!

i will have plenty of snaps to share with you next week…for now, i am just going revel in the fun of the moment.  it is so cool that a bunch of the most amazing women in my life want to gather together to shower me & e with goodies and blessings and prayers.  pretty overwhelmed by this generous gift.

plus, there will be yummy brunch food!  and i have an entire event devoted to all things baby!  an ideal setting for me to just talk baby stuff without sounding like one of those obsessed preggo ladies…which i indubitably am.  and, i get to open packages for the wee one! tiny things for the tiny one WHO WILL SOON BE HERE.  wow.  is this real or what?  God is so good.  this girl is so loved.  i feel so blissful.  i am just soaking it all in.

i hope that your weekend is glorious.  and no matter what you have planned, take time to savor life’s good things.  and remember that every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

soli deo gloria.

dear peanut

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hi baby girl.  three. more. months.  i cannot believe it.  you are going to be here so soon!  we are in the homestretch, little one.  and speaking of stretch…you are definitely growing and stretching more these days [and so is my tummy skin].  i can feel your movements more and more.  sometimes you give me a surprise karate kick or somersault that makes me want to giggle.  it is so strange and wonderful to feel you moving around in there.  i’m sure you are just anxious to come out and meet everyone.

you must be sensing our increasing excitement.  the decorating has begun.  paint is on the wall.  drapes are up.  your crib arrives this week.  your dresser too.  we even have some tiny outfits that are ready to be placed in the drawers.  things are coming together.  and we are thrilled.  your papa and i are having a blast putting all of the bits and pieces in place.  and i am enjoying all the planning and list making that i get to do.  we are collecting books and prints and pillows and knickknacks.  you are our new favorite thing to shop for.  even when we were out shopping on my birthday, i found myself wandering into a baby clothing store to pick up tiny sweaters and socks for you.  AND, we still have baby showers to come!  the planning for those has started and i am feeling so overwhelmed by the outpouring of blessings, prayers, and encouragement.  you have so many people who want to be a part of welcoming you to the world.  know that you are loved by many, little girl.

what a great time.  thank you for all of the memories and meaning and love that you have brought to our lives already.  soli Deo gloria.

all our love to you, little peanut.

love, your mama + your papa

a day for mamas

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::  happy happy happy mothers day  ::

to my mother.

to my mother in law.

to my grandmothers.

to my friends who are mothers.

to those who want to be mothers.

to those about to be mothers.

to the new mothers.

to those who have been like a mother.

you are loved and valued and appreciated.  for your prayers, wisdom, protection, comfort, help, guidance, example, strength, and love.

may we all set aside this day to hug and shower blessings on all the mothers in our lives.

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o sovereign Lord, thou art the creator-father of all men, for thou hast made and dost support them; thou art the special father of those who know, love and honour thee, who find thy yoke easy, and thy burden light, thy work honourable, thy commandments glorious.  help me to hate and forsake every false way, to be attentive to my condition and character, to bridle my tongue, to keep my heart with all diligence, to watch and pray against temptation, to mortify sin, to be concerned for the salvation of others. o God, i cannot endure to see the destruction of my kindred. let those that are united to me in tender ties be precious in thy sight and devoted to thy glory. sanctify and prosper my domestic devotion, instruction, discipline, example, that my house may be a nursery for heaven, my church the garden of the Lord, enriched with trees of righteousness of thy planting, for thy glory; let not those of my family who are amiable, moral, attractive, fall short of heaven at last; grant that the promising appearances of a tender conscience, soft heart, the alarms and delights of thy word, be not finally blotted out, but bring forth judgment unto victory in all whom i love.

the valley of vision

 

anything you can do…the annie oakley syndrome

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anything you can do, i can do better.  i can do anything better than you.  no, you can’t. yes, i can. no, you can’t. yes, i can. no, you can’t. yes, i can, yes, i can!

annie get your gun

and that’s not all.  annie goes on to sing a laundry list of things that she can do better…

  • she is greater than you
  • she can sing anything higher than you
  • she can say anything softer than you
  • she can hold any note longer than you
  • she can say anything faster than you
  • she can sing anything sweeter than you
  • in what you wear she’d look better than you
  • she can even buy anything cheaper than you…

doesn’t it feel like sometimes, we are all secretly [or perhaps, more blatantly] singing this song to one another?  constantly one-upping and competing and comparing.  yuck.  how often do i pull an annie oakley?  what is this need to be better than everyone?  why am i competing?  why do i compare myself to others?  a pretty pathetic state of things if you ask me.

and i think that this syndrome can be especially true of women.  sometimes it is as visible as an overt assault and sometimes it is veiled by a toss of the hair, an extra coat of pink gloss, or a backhanded compliment.

we set the stage and put ourselves on display in a real-life pageant of sorts [more like three ring circus or cage match].  welcome to…the who is better show!  it is caddy and absurd.  fighting it out over who has the best wardrobe.  who has the prettiest hair.  who has the biggest house.  who has the greatest career.  who has the cutest children.  who has the sweeter voice.  and yes, even who thrift store shops better.  [i can buy anything cheaper than you]  it isn’t just about looking great,  it is about looking greater than you.  we hold up mirrors and yardsticks and scales and bank statements to compare and see who comes out on top.  these blatant comparisons and competitions eat away at our relationships.  and, they eat away at our contentment.

what’s worse?  the quiet comparisons.  the ones you say to yourself and keep tucked away in your mind.  the ones that eat away at you.  the deadly comparisons that make you feel less than and unworthy. you know.  the ones that sound like…look what she is wearing, i wish i could pull that off.  i wish my skin looked like that.  if only i had her curly hair.  if only i had her straight hair.  everything always works out for her.  she gets to stay at home with her children.  she gets to go to work and engage in meaningful pursuits.  i wish i could cook like her.  i wish i had her metabolism.  ashes, ashes, we all fall down. 

the world is ripe with opportunities to compare and compete.  why do i engage?  even if i do win in one of the aforementioned categories, that fleeting joy will soon be overshadowed by the misery and disappointment of losing in the others.  what a mess.  and yes, we all fall down.

truly, i should never ever strive to be “better than you”.  and in reality, most of time i am just competing with myself.  my concocted ideas about what i think i should be and what others think i should be.  this just leads to more comparison and competition and discontentment.  the only thing that i should be striving for is holiness.  to image Christ more and more.  to grow in my likeness to Him.  if i am going to look to anything as my model for life, let it be Christ.  i should only press on and strive for the heavenly prize.  a woman who fears the Lord shall be praised.  who cares about what others have and do.  i need to fix my gaze on Christ so that i begin to reflect more of His beauty.  less time looking in the mirror – more time looking at His Word.  less time focusing on others – more time focusing on His mercies and grace and shekinah glory.  less time competing with others – more time allowing Him to shape my life.  less time comparing – more time contemplating my own actions.  as my pastor used to say…God has given each of us a bag.  a bag with contents uniquely purposed for you.  an assortment of talents and graces and blessings.  each one a good gift given by the Father above.  we must learn to use what God has given us.  and, to keep our noses in our own bag.

here’s to not being nosey or sticking our nose up at others.