#FridayFive :: Five Joys

These joys are so simple, yet so very important to the season of life that I am currently in. I would love to continually post Five Joys for my week. I will be posting later about 'Joy being found in Servanthood;' however, at this point in time, my brain can only handle composing these 5 things that bring me great joy.

Running
I need this outlet. Running is therapeutic for me and it is necessary for my sanity. The pounding of the pavement and my heart inside my chest, it's both challenging and life-giving. Joy is found in each difficult step, knowing that I'm running towards the prize.

Hot Showers
As of late + being a momma, self-hygiene got pushed to the back burner more often than I would like to admit. I never realized how beautiful a hot shower truly was until I didn't get to do it nearly as much. :) Hot showers are relaxing and rejuvenating and this momma needs more of them! I'm sure those around me would appreciate it as well.

Snuggles
Baby snuggles are the absolute best and I get so much joy from it! Harper is probably the best snuggler around town. I want time to freeze when we snuggle. I often stare at her--taking every tiny thing in. I long to notice each hair, breath, and grasp. Having this perspective makes each moment with her special, and I'm often reminded that my longing for my daughter is like my longing for my Savior. I want to learn everything about our Creator because He loves me. He knows me.

Date Nights
It's so very important for my husband and I to be intentional in spending time with one another. I don't want to lose sight of our first love for one another. Date nights are a routine and it's an event that is very much looked forward to.

Good Books and Quiet Time
I've always enjoyed reading, though it became a chore while in school. As of late, I feel that this joy had been rekindled! I was blessed to have been on the launch team for Jen Hatmaker's book For the Love in March. It was exactly what my soul needed. Since then, it has sparked an interest and true enjoyment in reading once more. I have now taken part in several book launch teams and I cannot say enough about the joy I get when I read and recommend these books to friends! I've also begun to have a better, and more consistent quiet time because of this deepened desire to read. God is so good. I have seen how He has used each of these launch teams to pull me closer to Him.

What are five joys in your life? What brings you joy? Link up to Mrs. Disciple and share your #FridayFive!

Thankful Thursday

It's Thursday! It's time for me to reflect on this week and express thanks for each and every thing. The good, the bad, and the ugly. :)

I am thankful for family time. Tyler had to travel, so we are enjoying some evenings at home. I love the simple things that we do as a family--cook, eat, bathe Harper. They are seemingly uneventful, but I love it. We are also planning to take Harper to see her first round of Christmas lights this weekend--it should be so awesome!

I am thankful for the opportunity to serve. We enjoyed a ladies staff day this week and I loved getting the opportunity to serve Blue Santa. We wrapped Christmas presents--and if you know me well, you know that I am awful at wrapping gifts. It was a challenge, but I loved it. I had a great time of community as well.

I am thankful for challenges. Challenges for me come in many forms--wrapping Christmas presents, writing for someone's blog, stretching myself, etc. I am thankful for those challenges because it gives me the opportunity to push myself and grow! Life is made sweeter when I can grown, stretch, and become better at something.

I am thankful for the opportunity to watch sweet Harper grow, change, and develop. She's changing rapidly. I don't want to miss any of it! Last weekend I watched Inside Out and I loved it. I want to cherish each memory with Harper.

I am thankful for Christmas lists and Amazon. Amazon Prime is a beautiful thing and has allowed me to knock off a good portion of my Christmas list. Prime has allowed me to shop without leaving the house, and it arrives at my house in TWO days. Everyone needs this in their lives.

I am thankful for hard days. Hard days make the easy days so much better and sweeter. Without the difficult days, I would grow tired of the good days. My innate desire is not to be satisfied with what I have, even the good days can become expected rather than treasured. I want to treasure each and every day!

I am thankful for simple truths. I often read aloud The Jesus Storybook Bible or Bedtime Bible Stories to Harper and I am often reminded of these beautiful, simple truths. Sometimes I need those reminders stripped down and simplified.

I am thankful for Advent. Other than gathering around an Advent wreath and lighting candles one Sunday per week in December, I don't remember knowing or participating much in Advent while growing up. Now that this will be Harper's first Christmas, we are looking forward to Christmas traditions with her. I want to be intentional with her, for her to see that the Advent season is all about the anticipation, waiting, and trusting in the coming of Christ.

I am thankful for fulfillment in Jesus. Advent is important in that we learn about Jesus being a true and better Adam. A true and better Moses. A true and better Noah. We no longer have to offer up a sacrificial lamb because He is the Lamb. We no longer have to light a menorah because He is the Light of Life. He fulfills all of God's promises. 2 Corinthians 1:20, "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God."


What are you thankful for?

#FridayFive :: Five Traditions

This #FridayFive is an extremely sentimental and fun one! We are discussing Christmas Traditions! My family was very rich in Christmas tradition and as this will be our first Christmas with a child, we been reflective over the traditions we both held growing up and those we want to hold onto or create with our own family.

A staple in our house is to watch a Christmas movie -- generally we watch one a night, a few days leading up to Christmas. We love to kick off the Christmas movie season by inviting friends over to watch Elf with us. A family favorite of mine while growing up is A Christmas Story. We love this simple tradition and love to cultivate a sense of community while gathering around the TV with some cider or cocoa.

We snag ornaments from everywhere we travel. This in and of itself has become a beautiful tradition for us. Some of my favorites are from the National Parks that we visit throughout the year. One of the most meaningful ornaments is from Acadia National Park in Maine, as we named our daughter after our time there (you can read more about that here). We love to decorate the tree with those ornaments and reminisce over our time on that trip!

Every year, my family would load up the car and head out of town. When we arrived at the Christmas Tree Farm, we would squish several families onto a hayride. My brother and I would take turns deciding where we would stop to hop off. We would pick the perfect tree and cut it down. It was ours. We worked hard for that tree, sawing, chopping, and agreeing on the 'one.' Once the tree was cut, our family would be taken back to the barn at the front of the Tree Farm and drink cider while the tree was tied to the car. I would love to continue this tradition on; however, my husband is allergic! The best I can make of the situation is to use a fake tree and I now diffuse pine tree oil--which then makes the whole house smell like we have a real tree! Problem solved.

One thing I want to do with Harper is to go through Advent with her. My church had the Advent wreath and we would go through it each week as a family. I also want to partner Advent with being 'others' focused. Harper will help us look to help others, especially so in this season. I'm not sure what that will look like yet, but I know that we will look for ways to love others and express Christ's love for others by the giving up of ourselves.

Every child has a toy that they always want at Christmastime, but some years those toys don't make it under the tree. My parents have since given us one toy that we wanted as a kid, but we didn't get. It's now become a tradition of ours to receive one 'kid' gift each year. This is an absolute favorite of mine because we end up playing with those toys as a family! One year, we all got Beyblades and battled one another for hours. Two years ago, we each got Nerf Guns and played in the front yard--some of those foam darts didn't make it past Christmas day! I genuinely look forward to (and often attempt to guess at) the 'kid' gift that we get. I urge you to do this with your family if you don't already--we all love it and it's such a blast!

 

What are some of your Christmas traditions? Link up with Mrs. Disciple and let us know!

What I Learned :: November 2015

Does time ever stop? This month has flown by. I'll be linking up with emily p. freeman for her 'What I Learned' series for the month of November. That being said, check her site out and read what others have learned during this month and link up your own post, too!

November was crazy--beautiful, encouraging, busy. I've blinked and it's December. Bitter winds whip, ushering in the cold chaos that is the holiday season. Before we embark on the Christmas season, I want to reflect on what November taught our family.

Who actually cares about a red cup?
Grab some coffee and enjoy your life. Honestly, this is hilarious that people were ever upset over a cup. I would much rather grab coffee with a friend and dig deep into each others' lives over worrying about the cup it is served in. I love people, we are funny.

Patience and trust can go a long way!
Wow, the month of November was PACKED with opportunities to be patient. It was hard. Trying. Difficult. Challenging. Ultimately, we put our trust in the Lord and we are BLESSED for doing it. Patience is a discipline--one that I will continually have to learn, relearn, and be reminded of often.

Subway systems are neat.
We visited the Big Apple during November--we enjoyed it as much as we could, with both of us getting sick on our first trip without our sweet baby. One thing we were extremely impressed by was the subway system in NY. If we wanted to get anywhere. Google knew EXACTLY which line to take, when the next one is coming, etc. Technology is amazing.
 
Launching books is a lot of fun!
I was notified of two more launch teams that I am on--Breaking Busy by Alli Worthington and Raising Grateful Kids by Kristen Welch. I love to read and learn and read some more! I'll post more about the books later.
 
Self-reflection is necessary. 
I'm a list maker. A to-do list queen, if you will. Self-reflection helps me analyze what I can do to get things knocked off that list. Diana Kerr is a wonderful Christian Life Coach and she hosted a webinar on finishing 2015 strong--and it starts with creating a to-do list, setting goals, and wanting to achieve them! Analyze your action plan. Tyler and I have been setting goals (both short and long-term) and we discuss them every 6 months or so. I have NEEDED this in my life.

Decision making can be scary, but is ultimately rewarding!
I suck at making decisions. I would rather somebody else choose for me, because I know that I would be happy with anything. Unfortunately, that does not and cannot happen all of the time in this life. I made a tough decision this month...and I am proud of myself for it. I was given a super simple tip from a friend, she said to flip a coin with the two sides of the decision. As you flip it, you know in your heart what side you want it to land on--call it before it lands, and that is what you truly decide. It sounds so flippant; however, I was pleasantly surprised with how true this coin flipping has been for myself. I also realized that I was attempting to please the masses, instead of doing what was best for me.

People SWIM in the ocean on Thanksgiving.
That is crazy! They are brave. I enjoyed some time at the beach over Thanksgiving, but nothing was more bewildering to me than those that were swimming--and they were not in wet-suits or anything. We also heard some crazy Black Friday stories, but we decided to #optoutside and go to the beach instead. It was awesome--a fire, s'mores, and the ocean.

November, you've been a treat! Looking forward to what December has to offer!

She Reads Truth :: Psalms of Gratitude, Day 3

Day 3 of She Reads Truth's Psalms of Gratitude has commenced! I would love for you to join me in digger deeper within Psalm 34:1-22.

This is a beautiful section of scripture packed with blessings and promises from the Lord! I am overwhelmed by His character that I have learned and been reminded of in this passage. The authors of this devotion want you to dig deeper into each gift that we are given in the specific verses below:

God’s gracious gifts to me!

verse 4:  He answers me

verse 4:  He delivers me

verse 5:  He sees me

verse 6: He hears me

verse 6: He saves me

verse 7:  He delivers me

verse 7: He protects me

verses 9-10:  He provides for me

verse 15:  He sees and hears me

verse 18:  He is near me

verse 18: He saves me

verse 20:  He protects me

verse 22:  He redeems me

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Those who seek the Lord will not lack any good thing. Psalm 34:10

Because of His gracious provision, I will continue to be grateful. I am grateful for the truths found in scripture and seen to fruition in my own life. Lord, may my eyes be opened to Your blessings and provisions. May I continually turn back to You, in all things, and give thanks!

What new things are you learning about God while reading these Psalms of Gratitude? 

#FridayFive :: Five Thanks

Hello on this Black Friday! I'm going to be linking up with Mrs. Disciple for this #FridayFive--Five Thanks!

1 Chronicles 29:13, "Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name."
Psalm 106:1, "Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever."

If 'giving thanks' is in scripture multiple times, there must be a reason for it. I know that it isn't in our human nature to be thankful, rather it is an attitude and discipline. Hebrews 12:11 says that a discipline at the time is unpleasant; however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those that have been trained by it. I am currently in a season of training. Looking at each facet of my life and training my mind and heart to be thankful in all circumstances, as Paul learned to be content in everything. I yearn for that.

On Thanksgiving day, my husband gave me a wonderful gift--he took care of our sweet baby and allowed me to shower and get ready in quiet. While getting ready, I was reflective of what season of life we are in and why we should be thankful. I was reminded of a wonderful book that I had the opportunity to help launch this year.

In Jenny Simmons' book The Road to Becoming, she breaks down each season of life:  the dreaming/destruction, burying, lostness, waiting, and becoming. Her beautiful words bring me comfort for whatever this season of life it is that I am in, He will meet me there. I am thankful for each season of life, as I've been through each one, and I want to reflect and express my gratitude. I can see His hand in each season, and for that I am THANKFUL!

Thank Him in the Dreaming and Destruction
Life happens--both beautiful and sad. During this season, we are thankful that God is sovereign. We understand that He is in control, though it may not come easily. He paves the way. Lives are made new each day and sometimes that life is taken away. We can doubt God during this season or we can lean into His gracious arms. I've done both, and the doubting I did allowed me to draw closer to Him in time. It's how you handle the destruction that reflects your heart.

We are thankful because He is still there when all else fails.
We are thankful because He is the rock we cling when hard times come.
We are thankful because He is beside us in the midst of suffering.

Having walked through both dreaming and destruction while trying to start a family, I am so very grateful for the truth found in scripture.

Psalm 46:1, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble."

We thank You because, in You, we dream and find hope in the season of dreaming and destruction. We thank You for trust, strength, and desire in this season. We thank You for hearing us when we call.

Thank Him in the Burying 
Burying something is the acceptance of it being gone. The control you think you have over things is not truly in your hands. In the burying of these things, you soon realize that you should hold loosely to them. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't love well or fiercely nor should you live in fear that all will be stripped away; rather, you should live and love each day accepting that our hearts are made for things not of this earth. Our hope is in Christ alone.

We accept the grief that comes with burial. Grief allows your soul to heal. Burial brings grief and grief will eventually birth hope. We are thankful for that painful, yet magnificent, process!

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."

We thank You for the season of burial, for we know that through this season You are planning greater things. Our hope is in You and You alone. We thank You for allowing burial to happen and praise You for setting eternity in the hearts of men.

Thank Him in the Lostness
When we are lost, we think that no one knows where we are. But, being lost can be a wonderful thing! We can inhabit the stillness of being lost and listen, listen to what is happening around us. Find our bearings. Be reminded of our roots.

Sometimes I feel that God uses the lostness so that we can refocus on Him. When we've become so entangled in this life, when all is stripped away, and we investigate our hearts to find what truly matters. God is at the heart of it all. Lostness strips away the busy, the plans, the next steps. Lostness strips away the noise of this life.

After having two miscarriages, I often found myself crying in the car. Arguing with the Lord. I felt as though I was wrestling the Angel of the Lord, like Jacob at the Jabbok. This is when I felt lost. I recognized that God has a better plan, but I had put my hope in getting pregnant, because that's what others had told me. 'I was young. It's ok,' trying to brush the grief under the rug. The point of the lostness was to accept the burial and destruction that had taken place after the dreaming, and to know that God is who He says He is. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. In an effort to start a family, I put all my hope in that.

Psalm 46:10a, He says, “Be still, and know that I am God..."

We thank You for FINDING us, no matter how far we've gone, You'll ALWAYS find us. We thank You for calling out to us in our lostness. We thank You for the calm and stillness in this season.

Thank Him in the Waiting
I feel as though this is the season that we have one foot in--heading out of, but still in to some degree, as we have been waiting and trusting in the Lord for some clarity over our daughter's health issues. Waiting is hard. Waiting sucks. Even still, I am continually reminded that He is good.

We thank Him because we know that He is fighting for us.
Standing beside us.
Holding our hands.
He is faithful, even in the waiting.
He is preparing the way for us.

Jenny's words hit home with my heart: "I want to finish well--and finishing well means having the patience to wait when waiting is required...Sprinting to the finish line only shortchanges dreams that need divine time to come to life."

God uses this time of waiting to refine us. To grow us. To make all things new. To make us more like Him. It is in the lostness and the waiting that we see glimpses of Heaven, glimpses of what is to become in us.

2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come."

We thank You for Your comfort, protection, and peace during the season of waiting. We thank You for allowing us to wait, trust, and lean in to Your plan.

Thank Him in the Becoming
Our other foot is stepping forward into the becoming. The acceptance of this new 'normal' for our lives and we want to live it.
Live every day and be thankful for each new mercy.
Each new morning.
Each new blood cell that is produced in our daughter's sweet marrow.

We are praising Him because we know that we are blessed. We know in our hearts that we may never have an answer from the doctors, and that is ok! It does not mean that God is any less good. We can find rest in knowing that He is working in us. We rest in His goodness, His blessings, His faithfulness, His promises and His coming again.

John 10:10 says, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." Whatever season of life you find yourself in, may you live life to the full. Rest in His blessings.

We thank You for the becoming. We thank You for the rest we find in You and the life we HAVE IN YOU.

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We are thankful for each season because it draws us closer to Him and allows us to become more like Him. I want to give thanks for each season daily, to train myself to give thanks in circumstances. Training will eventually become a habit, and a habit becomes a state of mind. Lord, train me to be thankful and grateful every single day.

What are you thankful for?

She Reads Truth :: Psalms of Gratitude, Day 2

In Day 2 of She Reads Truth's study Psalms of Gratitude, I am exploring Psalm 19:1-14. This Davidic psalm is written by one who has witnessed creation and scripture. When I look at creation, my busy and weary soul is calmed. Finding rest in what He has created for our pleasure. I am thankful for His goodness, His creation, and His perfection. I am continually learning to seek after Him (our Perfecter) not what the human mind conceives as perfection--I'll never be able to stack up. Because His law is perfect, I must confess my imperfections.


Who perceives my unintentional sins?

Cleanse me from _______________________.

my impatience.
my anger.
my judgement. 
my brokenness.

Moreover, keep me from _______________________.

allowing those sins to harden my heart.
normalizing, rationalizing, and justifying those sins. 

Do not let them rule over me.

Then I will be innocent and cleansed from blatant rebellion.

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You, Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.

 

I recognize that I am broken and that makes Jesus all the more beautiful in my eyes. Thank you, Lord, for being far more than my human mind can fathom, for being bigger than my big worries and imperfections, and for seeing your Son when you see me. 

Your glory abounds, may I reflect Your glory in all I do.

Diving into Psalm 19:12-14, what are some issues you are working to surrender to the Lord?