Everything You Do, Says Something About Who You Are

Everything I do, says something about who I am.

When I play a game, I can’t just cheat and then say, “it was just a game.” No – how I play that game says a lot about my character and values.

The same is true for my work ethic on the job, my honesty with money, how I treat others while I’m driving – and even, how often I go to church, or in what condition I leave my table in, at a restaurant.

EVERYTHING, that you and I do – reflects on who we are, what we believe about others, and about ourselves.

We may think a lot of the things we do, don’t matter in the grander scheme of things in life. We may think no one is watching, or that someone else deserves our reaction, or attitude. But the thing is – it’s not about THEM. It’s about US.

Who I am, matters to me. It matters to my spouse. It matters to my kids and my friends. And it matters to my Lord.

Companies are now checking into social media accounts like twitter and facebook to see how someone carries themselves. Drunk photos? Swearing in your statuses? Badmouthing someone else? You may not get the job. Because WHO YOU ARE MATTERS.

We never just represent ourselves. We always represent someone else, as well as ourselves. Our parents. Our faith. Our employer. Our church. Our city.

We matter.  We matter because we are valuable.  We are worth something.  Shouldn’t we start acting like it? Shouldn’t we start BELIEVING it?

Dress – like you matter.

Carry yourself – like you matter.

Speak – like you matter.

For everything you do, and everything you are, matters.  Whether you feel forgotten, overlooked, or ignored – you matter.

Start believing it. Start acting like it. And start feeling it.

An Empty Well Cannot Continue To Give Water

“Step outside of your comfort zone.”

“Be generous.”

“Be involved.”

“Don’t be selfish with your money or time.”

“Think of others before yourself.”

All words we’ve heard. All important words TO hear. It’s important to realize where our lives may be out of balance, and where we may have lost some priorities along the way.  It’s good to sift ourselves and put things into focus from time to time.

These words can do that.

BUT – there are moments and times, where these words can also wear you down. These words – if not used in a balanced way – can cause us to neglect taking care of our own emotional and physical well-being.

I’ve seen it happen. I’ve HAD it happen.

An empty well cannot continue to give water. Nor can a person who gives so much that they start to wear down themselves in the process.

We NEED rest. We NEED time to ourselves. We NEED money to pay our own bills and provide for our own families. We NEED to feel safe in our own comfort zones.

None of these things is bad. They are the very things that help us stay whole and healthy. They help us feel confident.  It’s just that from time to time, we need to stretch our horizons a bit.

We can’t JUST focus on ourselves. And we can’t JUST focus on others and forget ourselves. Neither is good. Neither is healthy.

So if you’re one of those people who gives of themselves until the point of exhaustion….. ease up a bit. Allow yourself the freedom to tell someone “no” and be guilt-free about it. Tend to your own emotional, physical, and spiritual needs. Then, when you are on more solid ground, dip your toes in the water of being stretched again.

This world needs us. But it needs healthy, confidant, grounded, stable, and HAPPY us! Keep that in the mind the next time you hear someone tell you to go outside of your comfort zone.

Someone Is Fighting For You

Some days it can be hard to feel noticed. Some days, let’s admit it, we feel alone. Not valued. Ignored.

I think of all the people I’m currently praying for. And I think of all the people I HAVE prayed for in the past. I think of the people who have told me that they have prayed for me. And this one thing I know – SOMEONE IS FIGHTING FOR YOU through prayer.

I know we all struggle with self esteem, and value at times. But I also know, that there have been people who have cared enough to pray for you. They’ve prayed when you’ve asked, and they’ve probably cared enough to pray for you when you DIDN’T ask. Because they love you.

There are people in your life, and in my life, who pray for us specifically, and unspecifically. They pray because they know of challenges and struggles in our life, and they pray because God prompts them to.

I know that if you are a child, chances are so great, that your parents, grandparents, or aunts and uncles have fought for you through prayer. Maybe they’ve physically fought for you, as well. But they’ve fought for your future… for your life.

If you live in a neighborhood, go to work, are involved in a small group, or have friendships – I’m betting that someone in your circle has brought you before the Lord in prayer. They have waged a battle on your behalf – out of their love, care, and concern for you.

We may feel alone some days. We may feel neglected. Maybe we don’t feel like we are anything special. We wonder, “why me?”  But I’m here to tell you, that you are cared for. You are thought of. It may have been by me. I’ve prayed for classmates, workmates, friends, family members, people in the news, people in the government, names of friends of friends who are concerned – and more. And, you may not have been prayed for by me, but by someone else. But you have most likely been prayed for – at least once – by someone who cared for you.

Let that digest a little bit. Let that sink in.  Someone thought of you. Someone prayed for you. And they may even be doing it now. Today.

You are wanted. You are needed. You are loved.

And someone is fighting for you.

A Special Wedding

My oldest daughter got married a week ago. I don't think it has really registered, that I have a married daughter yet.

What a special, but crazy time the last couple of weeks have been! We've had family and friends fly in and step right up to the plate in helping us put on the wedding. 

It truly takes a village - and we were so thankful for ours!

My daughter's youth pastor from when we lived in Idaho, drove in to perform the ceremony. 

Her nephew carried her late-great-grandfather's Bible, instead of a ringbearer pillow. 

A deer snorted in the nearby bushes as if he was praying with all of us during prayer time. 

The mother-of-the-bride (me) and the bridesmaids all held hands and prayed right before the ceremony...as unknowingly to one another.... the fathers and groomsmen did the same in their dressing room.

Special moments. Special memories.

And so much love!!!

Was every moment perfect? No. It wasn't as dark as we had hoped it would be, so some of the lights didn't show up, and we ran out of some food (which I hope meant that it was yummy!) But - as I tell my daughter, it was "imperfectly perfect." It was THEIR day. They defied the odds of maintaining a long-distance relationship, and he made it through months and months of the immigration process, to come to America from England.

They have an open future ahead of them.

So, I have been very busy the last few months as we've prepared for this big day. Very, VERY busy the last few weeks! But there is no better way I would rather have spent my time, than with my precious daughter. With my loved ones. Laughing. Loving. Embracing hope for a new future in the next generation of our family.

It was all such a beautiful gift.

Not Enough of Me, To Go Around

Some days it just seems like there’s not enough of “me” to go around.

I love to love on others. I try to always give my best and BE my best. But there are just some seasons where I feel like I’m always letting someone down. I feel like there’s not enough hours in the day to do what I need to do, be who I want to be, love on who I want to love on.

And I hate that.

I hate feeling like I need to have two of “me.” I hate feeling behind on things. And if I don’t feel behind on things, I feel behind on taking care of myself and my own emotions and needs.

I’m learning, though. I’m learning that there will never be enough of me to go around. I’m learning that I WILL always disappoint someone – and sometimes, that someone will be ME. Sometimes it will be important to put someone else’s needs and soul ahead of my own. But I need to be aware and recognize, when it’s time to tend to myself. For I can’t give anyone anything, if I’m not giving myself some love too.

I still get a little stressed in these seasons. I want there to be enough of me to go around. But most of the time, I’m learning to make peace with it. I do what I can do. Give what I can give. And be the best me that I can be. Even if that’s not enough for others.

It’s the best I can do. The best I can be. And that has to be enough.

5 Ways To Improve Your Marriage

There are so many tips and ideas for improving a marriage. These are just a few ideas I’ve learned from my own 21 year marriage, as well as observing the marriages of those around me.

1.    Don’t criticize your spouse. ESPECIALLY in public.

Criticizing is a harmful cycle to get into. When we criticize, it usually ends up backlashing on us, instead of doing the thing we intended it to do – getting our partner to acknowledge or change a pattern or behavior.  It’s especially embarrassing when I witness one spouse criticize the other in public. I can only imagine how embarrassing it is for that individual, as well!

When we criticize, it creates hurt feelings. Our spouse will have a sour taste in their mouth for us, instead of focusing on the true issue at hand.

2.    Don’t forget small kindnesses.

The longer you’ve been married, the more comfortable you get with one another. Comfort is good, but not so much comfort that you forget what it’s like to tend to one another. Remember when you were dating and you met each other’s needs and did little things for each other? Those gestures go a long way in a marriage. If one spouse is especially tired or needs encouragement, leave them a special note in a hidden spot where they will find it. Do a chore for them, “Just because” they always do it! Think about how nice it would be to go and do something you always do, only to find it already done! Small kindnesses are so inexpensive and easy to do. Their lasting effects on a marriage can not be overemphasized enough.

3.    Forgive and swallow your pride.

Swallowing our pride is a hard, hard thing. But we can’t move forward in our marriages without sometimes swallowing that thing down – no matter how much it hurts. Forgiving and swallowing pride allow room for error. And we all make errors! They allow room for growth. They force us to become more humble and generous.  Marriage should be teamwork. So if your spouse wins at something, you win too. And vice versa. It should be a “win-win” for both partners as they seek to put each other first.

4.    All marriages have bad seasons.

There will be ups and downs in your marriage walk together. You will be “in sync” and “out of sync” with each other. You will want different things at times. It’s normal and it’s natural.  Just because these things happen, don’t panic! They don’t mean you’re headed for a divorce. These are just times you need to work through as a couple. Acknowledge them.  Sometimes the only thing you can do, is promise your spouse you will keep trying to be on the same page as them. Then, you continue to be committed to one another until something clicks and the bad season fades away. It’s a cycle. Because we are human, we all stretch and grow. So do marriages.

5.    Pray.

There may be no greater gift that you can give your spouse than prayer. Sometimes we need to fight for someone we love, when they can’t fight for themselves. Prayer does this.   There may be issues that you aren’t ready to discuss with your spouse, but you can discuss with the Lord. God can prepare your heart (or theirs). He can protect them, give them wisdom, guidance, encouragement…. So many, many things! Prayer can improve your marriage in mighty, mighty ways.

I believe that marriages make us better people. We have to adapt, stretch, grow, be selfless, and I also think they make us healthier people because of that love and accountability we have with our spouse.

The grass is always greener where you water it. So if you want to improve your marriage (and every marriage can always improve), never stop watering. Continue to look for ways to better yourself personally, as well as a couple. 

There is no investment that is greater than family.

We Get Hung Up On the "But's...."

We are “hard-to-please” people.  We desire, wish for, and want things in our lives. But then when we get them, they often don’t seem to be perfect for us. They should have come sooner, lasted longer, had different people involved in them.

We get hung up on the “but’s.”

“But…. God, if only I would have moved here 3 years ago!”

“But…. I had to give up this, in order to get that.”

“But…..it didn’t last long enough.”

We are thankful, BUT, not thankful enough.

We are happy, BUT, not happy enough.

There is always something missing. Something “more” we wish would have been added to the picture.

It’s not enough for us, that we get answers to prayer, because they don’t measure up to what our expectations of them were.

Oh, how ungrateful, and how unthankful we can be!

I’ve caught myself, many times, saying, “But….” And yes, I did feel the feelings and thoughts of those very “but’s.” I do wish some things were different. Stronger. Longer. Gentler. More beautiful.  But I do not want to diminish the gift they already are! I do not want to think so much on what didn’t come with my answered prayer, that I fail to see what did!

A “but,” is only our refusal to accept what is. It’s our denial and stubbornness at play. It’s our pride.

God does SO much for us. He sends us jobs, money, friendships, healed relationships, new homes, and sooo much more. His timing and His ways are perfect. So we can forget about wishing that our answered prayers had come sooner, lasted longer, or arrived in a different package. They are just how God wants them to be for us.

Perfect.

May we stop getting hung up on those “but’s…..” in our lives. They only interfere with our joy and blessings. 

Let’s notice them when they come, and stop them in their tracks. Before they start arriving too often.

You Can Wake Up, Feeling Loved For

It was just another Friday, not that long ago.  I woke up, grabbed my phone and was preparing to scroll through Facebook, before I took my daughter to school.

I got that little alert noise at that exact moment. Someone was on periscope. I went to check it out, and it was a lady. She was praying. Praying over us. Praying over us, as writers.

I closed my eyes and let her words pray over me. And it felt so good. It felt so right to start my day that way. I thought, “How wonderful it would be, to wake up every morning, and have someone pray over you!”

I continued on with my morning, and as I was coming home from taking my daughter to school, I was listening to Christian radio. Thinking again, how this just added to the previous prayer in starting my day right. Jeremy Camp was on, singing about the power that we have through God. As if God were reminding me.

Then, it happened. As I was driving, I looked up into the sky, because the sun was coming out. And I saw it.

A cloud – in the shape of a heart. I kid you not.  It was as if God was telling me, “I love you.”

I got tears in my eyes. I grabbed my phone and waited to turn into my neighborhood, so I could pull over and take a picture. It was only about a minute away. I looked up again as I turned into my neighborhood, and that heart cloud was gone.

God placed it there for my eyes alone.  For me. Personally. No one else.  And once I saw it and felt His love, it was gone.

What a different way to start my day! What a PERFECT way to start my day. With HIM.

How often I neglect Him. How often, I start my day with my own thoughts and agenda. No prayer. No Bible Verse. No Christian music. NO GOD.

Oh, what I miss out on!

If only we could all wake up feeling loved for, as I did on that Friday morning. I wish that for all of us.

We NEED Better

We need to DO better.

We need to be better friends. Better parents. Better fighters, for what is moral and right.

We should speak up more. Speak up less. Be wiser. More understanding.

We need to be more discerning. Gentler. More compassionate.

We need to be THERE for one another. Not just in words, but in presence.

We need to strive for excellence in all we do. Go the extra mile. Persevere. Run to win the race in whatever we undertake in life.

We need to think of ourselves less, yet take care of our emotions and feelings, more.

We need to BE better.

We need to have more patience. Slow down. Laugh more.

We need to forgive more readily. Love more freely.

We need to stop taking everything so personally. Let things go. Move on.

We need to yell when things are unfair, and cheer when things are good.

We need to KNOW what is better.

Life is flying by. Slipping through our grasp. People are hurting, dying, and feeling alone. We sooo need to love better.

I want to do better. I want to be better. I want to know what’s better, and love better.

Do you?

When You Feel Like You Are Doing the “Loving,” More Than the “Being Loved”

Man, I hate disappointment. I hate it when someone lets me down. I know it will happen from time to time in life, but I still hate it when it’s my turn, or my families’ turn to experience it.

Heartache.  No fun any way you look at it.

Relationships are tricky. Emotions – overwhelming. They sneak up on you at times, and take over.

You can think something wouldn’t bother you – but then it does.

You can think you’d be brave in a certain situation, but then you’re not.

It’s the intricacies of loving and being loved.  Sometimes we feel like we are doing more of the loving, than of the “being loved.”

And boy, does it stink.

I wish I could tell you there is a way around it. I wish that I had some magical words to help you take these moments with stride.

I don’t.

For I haven’t been able to figure out how to take them in stride, myself. Not for me – and certainly not as a wife and mama; when I see my family members disappointed by others.

What I do know, is that sometimes you win some, and sometimes you lose some. Sometimes others bless us, and sometimes they neglect us. It’s a “spin the wheel” kind of thing. And you never know just who it will land on. The more you care for someone, the more it hurts when they are the ones who disappoint.

It can be easy for me to want to bail on someone when they disappoint me. I want to say, “I’m done.” For if they so obviously don’t care as much as I do, why invest the time? And I do believe healthy boundaries should be set in relationships so you don’t set yourself up to be hurt over and over and over again. So you don’t set yourself up to be used.

But, I also believe – no, I KNOW, that I have disappointed others. And I didn’t mean to.  I would never intentionally hurt someone else. So, maybe, I need to give others the same grace that I would like extended to me when I disappoint.

Grace.  And mercy.

I would still like to enjoy “being loved” as much as I enjoy “loving.” I would still like to be blessed, instead of neglected. But I know I can’t go through life accepting one, without the other. That’s not how it works.

So, I continue to love. And I continue to get hurt.

And I continue to live. 


That's the price of love.

Forgive Yourself

Ever since we were little, most of us were told to forgive. We had to forgive our siblings when they hit us, or stole our candy, or did something not nice. We were to forgive that mean girl in class, and the neighborhood bully.

Because it was the right thing to do.

That still didn’t mean we didn’t get hurt. Our feelings got hurt as we grew up. Sometimes, we physically got hurt.  And a lot of us stopped wanting to forgive.

It’s easier at times, to lash out at someone who does something stupid, than to focus on our own short fallings.  We want to protect ourselves. We want to stop from getting hurt any more. Ever.

But in our quest to stop hurting, we forget to acknowledge some of our own feelings. Some of those feelings that have turned inward on ourselves. 

“Maybe that person was right.”

“Maybe I don’t deserve this.”

“Maybe I should have stood up for myself more.”

Maybe. Those maybe’s can kill us inside.

Chances are, some things in life were our fault. But some, were not. Only we know for sure. But we can’t keep living there – in those moments of pain. The more we try to stuff down those hurts, the harder it is to move on and be free.

Yes, we need to forgive. If only to release ourselves from the grasp someone else has on us. If only to understand and know, that we too, will need forgiving for something we do at some point, somewhere in time.

But it takes time. And it takes love.

Do you love yourself enough to be able to let go of your hatred? Your bitterness? Your anger?

It’s okay. It’s okay to be happy, even though you went through great sorrow.

It’s okay to laugh, even when you’ve shed so many tears.

It’s okay to want to be alone at times. Or not to be alone at times.

Your feelings are yours alone. Yours to feel. Yours to embrace. For feelings keep us soft. They keep us moving and growing.

So forgive yourself. Forgive yourself for holding onto something that is so personal. Something that impacted you in such a great way. You’ve been hurt.

But forgive and let it go. Release it. Don’t carry it with you anymore.

It’s time to be free from those hurts and not let them own you any more.

This Need We Have, For Acceptance

From the moment we are born, it seems that we all crave acceptance. It starts with our babies craving to be held and loved. And it continues on throughout our whole lives. This need we have. For acceptance.

For some of us, this need is fostered by families who never seemed to value, or appreciate us. For others of us, there’s something inside of us, that truly seems to be our own worst enemy, as we look out into the world and see others who we think are better, more beautiful, smarter, more gracious, more athletic – whatever. Whatever it is that we think we are lacking.

We often, don’t give ourselves a chance. Not when we think we’d be better off if we were someone else.

That’s why “he’s” are changing into “she’s.” “She’s” are changing into “he’s.”  “He’s are liking “He”s instead of “She’s” and vice versa. There is no self-acceptance.

The thing is – if we can’t accept ourselves, no one else will ever accept us either. We can change our looks, our gifts, our jobs, our surroundings – but we are still “we” on the inside. Our brains, our organs, our very souls – cannot be changed. We were made to be who we are.

Everyone – EVERYONE – is a gift. A unique, special, priceless gift. EVERYONE has something to add of value to this world. Sometimes, yes, we are hindered by others in our life, or our surroundings. It may take courage and great strength to seek out healthier environments and input into our lives. But who we have in our lives, doesn’t change who WE are. No one can put a label on us that we don’t accept!

We all have a God-given identity. And it’s beautiful. We can spit in the face of it, we can try to change it – but it still exists underneath all of those layers.

YOU are valuable. YOU are irreplaceable. YOU have what it takes to be a man, to be a woman, to be a husband or a wife. Believe in yourself. Believe in the God who made you. It’s the only way you will ever truly feel peace. It’s the only way you will ever truly feel love.

Accept yourself as you were made. For you were not a mistake. You were not a “mess-up.”

You were – and – are – a gift. And you can’t be replaced. If you lose yourself, we lose you too.

You are loved for being you. The REAL you. The “created” you.

I promise.

To Be With Someone In Their Moment Of Hurting

Sometimes there are no words. Nothing you need anyone to say. Sometimes, you just need someone to hold you in their arms. To feel that they are there with you in the moment – loving you.

Sometimes we don’t always know what to say to someone else. We don’t know what to do and we understand that we can never fix their hurting heart. But we can love them. We can hold them when they cry. We can be there with them – in the moment.

Sometimes, we are by ourselves in the silence. No one is there with us. Yet, we are still hurting. Still feeling. Still needing. And in that moment, there comes to us a sense of peace and warmth. Despite the grief or loss we are feeling, we strangely feel wrapped up in love.

That’s God.  He is there with us in that moment. In that silence. He is wrapping His arms around us, loving us.

A gesture like that is so huge. So encompassing. It shows us we are not alone. We are loved. We are cared for. We will make it through.

Love is everything.

Touch is everything. It speaks loudly. Its impact lingers long after we leave. It heals. It helps. It loves.

Sometimes there ARE no words.  There IS nothing we can do  - except love. Except be there. Except hold someone in our arms and let them hurt with the knowledge they are not hurting alone.

That alone, is everything.

There Will Always Be Someone Who Doesn't Understand You

Can you live with it if you’re never understood?  That thought occurred to me one day when I was “rationalizing” in my head how someone was never going to understand what I’m all about or what I do.

And I wish they did. But, I’ve come to accept that they may never appreciate who I really am. They may never completely understand who I am as a person, or what I do for my family, or for others.

I’ve come a long way.

There were times in life where I’d fret and toil in my heart and head over the fact that someone didn’t “get” me. Now, I understand that there will always be someone in life who DOESN’T “get” me. There will always be someone who doesn’t like me. Someone who misunderstands what I’m about.

I will be misjudged.

I don’t like it. I don’t want it. But I’m making peace with it.

I’m making peace with the fact that some people will never understand my heart and soul because I’m learning to accept myself more. I’m learning to have more peace with who I am, and I’m learning to place more value in what God thinks of me, than the world.

It doesn’t mean I don’t care. It doesn’t mean I don’t have wishes of understanding or acceptance. It simply means I’ve decided not to prioritize those thoughts in my head. I don’t want to give them space where they can tamper with something good and valuable that I’m doing (and being).

I am who God has made me to be. And I’m trying to be the best ‘me’ that there can be. That has to be enough. It has to carry me through the times when others think less of me than I’d want or prefer.

Some people may never appreciate you. They may never truly understand who you are. They may never “get” your heart. That doesn’t mean their assessment of you is right. It simply means they don’t understand. But I promise you, there WILL be people who DO understand you and DO get your heart , for God always tries to encourage our hearts when we’re doing our best to stay the course in life.

Friend, you and I will both be misjudged at times. Many more times, probably. And I’m sorry for you, for those times. But I pray that you can accept who you are enough to carry you through those frustrating moments. For you are valuable, and valued for the unique and special person that you are.

Just “be” the best “you” that you can be. Find peace in that.  I have.

Sometimes We Rely On the Wrong Things

Sometimes we rely on the wrong things.

We get to where we don’t know what we’d do without that certain person in our life.

We rely on the salary that our job is producing.

We get into a habit of thinking that someone will come through for us if we don’t plan accordingly.

We rely on having certain things always available to us.

We get ‘lost’ when these things change, or are taken away. We don’t know how to function, or what to do.

Navigating changes in life is normal. But it can really throw us for a loop when we’ve come to rely on that person or thing so much, that we don’t know how to live any differently.

It’s never healthy when we let one person or one thing in life fill us up completely.  It’s important that we do what we enjoy, and that we seek to be happy – yes. But allowing someone or something else to have that much of a hold on us is dangerous indeed.

Only God can fill us up completely. Only God doesn’t change.  And with Him, we will never feel ‘lost.’

I think it’s always good when I look back and see how I’ve taken something in my life for granted. Whether it was a working dishwasher, having two cars, or simply having enough $ to buy what we need. Whenever something comes up to take away one of these things (or something else,) it shows me how much I rely on it. It brings perspective into my every day, and how I go about it.

I want to be able to count on certain things in my life. But I don’t ever want to rely on them so much, that should they be taken away, that I am destroyed.  For I want to know my own mind, my own heart and soul, and my own abilities DESPITE what (or who) is or isn’t in my life.

And with God, I can handle all things. For it is from Him that I get my strength.

And it is ON Him only, that I want to rely.

There Will Always Be Critics

There are moments in life where we all feel like we just can’t seem to please anyone. It’s as if we are blasted from every side no matter what decision we make. 

We’ve all been there.

Those moments in time, hopefully, have taught me a thing or two.  The biggest thing I think I’ve learned from those “you can’t please anyone” moments are, that there will always be critics in your life.  If you achieve something you’ve worked hard for, there will be those who are jealous and feel like you are “lucky” or you don’t understand what being in their shoes is like. There are others who will deem you lazy or who think you lack perseverance, if you never achieve what you aim for.

It’s that way with almost everything in life.  There are those who won’t cheer you on no matter what you do. They may be jealous. They may be hurting inside and can’t come to a point where they can enjoy seeing you happy. They may be lonely. They may simply not understand.

Critics can hurt. Words do hurt and actions do hurt. So when someone criticizes you for something you’ve done, it’s normal to feel the sting of it. The thing is, we can’t let the sting stay with us for very long.

It has to be enough for us, that we know inside of our hearts that we are on the right path in our life. We have to know that we’ve prayed, sought God’s guidance, used the best wisdom, discernment, generosity (whatever the situation calls for) – that we can. We have to know that we are right with God. And that has to be enough for us. For the critics will shout, they will point, and they will glare at us no matter what.

Don’t let them win. Don’t let them steal your joy or your passion. Pray for them and then take their condemning voices out of your head.

God said we would be persecuted. It’s a given. So when the critics are aimed in your direction, just know that it’s a part of living the Christian life and walking the Christian walk. Stay humble, stay kind, and let God deal with the rest.

The Ordinary - Can Become The Treasured

Sometimes in the routine and hustle of life, we can miss the ordinary, common moments that will be so special in our hearts and minds for years to come.

My daughter was singing in the bathroom recently, before school, and I thought about how I’m going to miss hearing that singing in the mornings the day when she leaves home.  It’s something I’ve enjoyed for years, but never gave a lot of thought to how something so regular, would become something so treasured, down the line.

I can honestly say that I think I will feel the same way about my other daughter’s messy room. It already makes me smile instead of scowl, like it used to. She is my “creative–messy,” - that one. I know one day, that room will be spotless…. And empty. And I will miss her mess.

Life. It’s what we make of it.  What may seem ordinary, routine, or even an inconvenience at times, can end up becoming something that makes us smile.  For there really is no boring and ordinary life. Life is all a gift. An intricate gift; complex at times, but unique, special, and worth celebrating all the same.

Photography often shows us this special way of looking at something that might otherwise seem mundane. A stunning soft-focused shot through leveler blinds on the window. A pet sleeping on the couch. A steaming cup of hot soup. Dirt-riddled hands and feet on a toddler that has enjoyed play in the out-of-doors.   

Moments. You can almost smell and taste them.

ALL of life is special. All of life is a gift.

Please don’t ever take it for granted. Not the slow moments, the quiet ones, or the ones filled with noise and hustle-and-bustle. It all carries with it, its’ own beauty.

Beauty of life.