Julie friend!

Friendship, in my opinion, is one of the greatest blessings we have here on earth. But it isn't easy - deep and lasting friendships require mutual vulnerability and the choice to trust.

A friend is someone who will tell you the truth, in love, no matter the cost. Conversations are real. They see through hurt, lies and perfectionism to the real you.

Today, "Julie Friend" turns 30, and I am blessed to have spent the past nearly 10 years (wowdley!) with her as a friend.  As I think back on our friendship, I reflect on some things she has taught me:

1. Live for Christ fully.

2. Be persistent with pursuing friendship (I can be bad at this sometimes).

3. Don't put God in a box.

4. Life is too precious to spend it caring too much about what people think.

5. Worship freely and fully.

6. It's okay to sing Celine Dion at the top of your lungs as you drive through the wilderness on the way to Florida in sparkly bras.  Yes, I do have a wild side.  No, most of you will not see it.  Bring Julie Friend around and you just might, though.  ;-)

7. Be consistent.

8. And honest.

9. There are people in your life you can be fully real with.

10. And they won't reject you.

11. If two girls can make it through liking the same guy...at the same time...while being roommates, their friendship can probably make it through just about anything else.

12. Road trips are fantastic.

13. Sometimes, you laugh so hard you end up {literally} rolling on the floor.  And that's okay.

14. Dressing up is fun.

15. It's pretty cool to be serenaded on your birthday to a violin solo, walkway of candles and nice dinner.

16. Let go, let God...trust your relationships to Him.

17. "Tramp stamps" can be fun. ...we recommend the temporary kind.

18. You can be passionate and literate.

19. Know why you believe what you believe.

20. Don't give up on your dreams.

21. If you lost your car, it is not necessarily because "it was STOLEN!"

22. Sometimes, it's okay to not be okay. God can handle it.

23. The best definition for certain prediciments often come in the form of a made-up word.

24. Celebrate life and live it to the fullest.

25. Love freely.

Thank you, Julie Friend, for being such a great friend and blessing to my life!  Happy birthday.

 

 

 

Be a Hero on Saturday

Being a hero can mean a mulitude of things. Very few people I know actually don spandex and masks and go out to the streets of Metropilis or Gothum to fight crime. Admittedly, though, being a hero often means taking action. But taking action in the little things can bring huge and eternal results!

I'd like to invite you a yard sale this Saturday - you'll get some great deals and you'll be a hero to Matt and Kim's coming adopted son or daughter.  True story.  No spandex necessary.

Spread the word!

"God does not command that we do great things, only little things with great love." Mother Teresa

Moments like this

There are those special moments in life that grasp your heart in a way you never expected. The experiences of joy that catch you by surprise and supernaturally put your life right back into the perspective you know God intended it to be in from the beginning.  After all, we were placed on this earth to love God and love others - created for relationships so deep and meaningful that silly drama falls by the wasteside. 

Now, let's be real. That is SO easier said than done. It's really difficult for me sometimes, okay, okay, most times to keep life in that perspective. To choose believe throughout the day that God is sovereign and so very worthy of trust.  Despite His faithfulness and love time and time again, I still forget. Want to be in control. Fear the unknown. Stress. Worry. (Sigh). Yet, He remains faithful and shows us His love each day in the most remarkable ways.

Recently, during a wondrous "put life in perspective" vacation with my husband's family, God dropped a bit of heaven in my lap. I got to spend time with  them (such a blessing!), including my 14-month old nephew Pace. The little guy spent much of his time roaming the beach house, playing on the deck, and eating in the messiest and most adorable fashion. During a particular time of inquisitive play, Pace suddenly straightened with a thought, turned around, toddled right over to me, put his sweet little hands around me and laid his head on my chest.  That simple, intentional hug blessed my heart in a way I never expected.  (...within two seconds he straightened right back up and resumed play - but still!)  :)

Today is one of those days that I choose to remember that moment and savor life.  Loving God. Loving others. Living joyfully and faithfully. That, my friends, is what life is all about.

Gymnastics

Plan A never works out quite the way you think. You know this, and so you come up with Plan B - a good alternative, but with too many variables. The odds of Plan C being needed are slim to none, but you gotta think through the possibility just in case.  Then there's the infamous Plan D...the one that is never, ever gonna need to happen but you instate it to give the higher-ups the assurance that there is that back-up possibility.

And no matter how much you plan ahead, the actual implementation ends up being something like D to the E with a smidgen of C add in some A and minus the B, alter Plan F to be more like G, throw in some X for good measure and pray for the best...all the while being flexible to additional changes and adjustments.

Ah, the joys of event planning.

Worth the Wait

"To the whole world, you may just be one person. But to one person, you may be the whole world." - Anonymous

Love is inspiring.

Not "love" as the world sees it. Not the kind that comes and goes. Not the type that is only there to make you happy. No, that love is common, easy, passing ... and, therefore, not really love.

I'm talking about love that is real. true. faithful.  The kind of love that is best described without words, but by the view you have looking up from the foot of the cross.  The love that you choose. The love that defies selfishness, requires perseverance, defies time and inspires others.

I've been blessed to see this love in many ways throughout the years. It's the love that a certain rocket scientist had when helping his ornery granddaughter (i.e. me) through painful nights of algebra homework. It's the love of a mom who has always been there. It's the love of a husband who makes you laugh when you're stressed, holds you when you need to cry...aaaand won't let you take out the trash. :)

Most recently, I have witnessed this love vividly in the lives of my brother and sister-in-law who are expecting a baby through adoption, a reflection of God's gift to us described in Romans 8:15. Our Heavenly Father has put the call of adoption in their hearts, and it's amazing to see how much they love their child already, without yet knowing the gender, location or future birth day. They have waited many years to be parents, and they have done it in love. It's only a matter of time now.  And that is nothing to God or His love.
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To hear more about Matt and Kim's journey, visit their blog. Please pray for them and, if you feel called, support them and life in this venture of love by making a paypal donation through their site. They'll be amazing parents!  :)