Five Years

Spending the past 5 years with my best friend has been quite the adventure.

We thank God today for keeping us strong for five years and look forward to many more years ahead!

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FOUR

FIVE

Father's

There isn't anything like a Father's love.  I've always been a Daddy's girl and always will be.  I was raised by an incredible man of the Lord.  He taught me many things.  Like how important it is to love others, to serve, how to tie my shoes and blow a bubble.  He taught me that sometimes it's ok to say yes, but sometimes no means no.  When the answer was usually "yes", those "no moments" were a real bear.  He taught me how to come through heartache and to shine no matter what.  He never gave up on me and always told me "as long as I did my very best, that's all that matters".  He loved me big every single day.  He showed me.

He would write us all letters, he would hold my hand--even in front of my friends, he would offer a handkerchief out of his back pocket whenever needed, he would dance me to sleep, and showed me my great desire for music.  He would tell me he loved me before he left and before he went to bed every single day and he'd hug me until I decided it was time to let go. He still does some of these things now.  He is a good Daddy.  The best I could ever ask for.  He taught me to follow my dreams and because of him I'm where I am at today.
I married a man who is now the father to our daughter.  I never knew that a man could love someone so new.  From the moment she arrived, his love for her was abundant.  There are so many days that I stand back in awe of his love and care that he shows her.

 He's a Daddy who loves unconditionally, he will play guitar and sing to her, he reads her stories and even uses the silly voices.  When she's sad, he's patient and calm.  He plays in the floor with her and shows her how to love her toys.  He feeds her, holds her tight, and prays for her now and for her future.  He's the best Daddy that we could have ever asked for.

I can't wait to sit back and watch him teach her how a girl is supposed to be loved, and how to tell others about Christ.
I was told many times while pregnant that you never really understand God's love for us until you have a baby.  That's one of those "advices" that actually is true.  There really isn't anything greater than a Father's love.  I am so grateful to have had a father who loved me unconditionally growing up.  I am thankful to have a husband who is an incredible father and leader in our household.  But, I am even more thankful for our Father's love.  Sacrificing His Son for our sins is the ultimate price and the ultimate act of love.  Many people celebrate Father's Day without fathers and that breaks my heart into 1,000 pieces.  But I find comfort in our Heavenly Father who loves us unconditionally, who brings us Life, who comforts us, and who is always there for us to run to His arms.  And He will never let go!

The Sound of Grace

What makes us who we are?  What defines us?  When we meet someone we usually introduce ourselves by name, family, and then what we "do".  Our profession.  Sometimes I wonder why what we do is so important.  In today's society so many people get caught up in status, job title, vacation spot, travel, cars, house, clothes, the list goes on.  We get so caught up in all of these status' that it consumes our every being and makes us "who we are."  Then we forget about what we are actually supposed to be here on this earth for.  These things begin to leech onto us and change our mind set.  They slowly consume us into monsters of greed, hatred, jealously, and coventry.  Before we know it our lives change.  We lose things, our relationships fall into shambles, we lose people who were special to us, we make horrific decisions, and we ultimately spin out of control until everything flies off of us and we have nothing left.
We've all been here.
It's a nasty and dark place to be.
It seems like when we've hit rock bottom, we always search around in the dark rummaging for any hope that's left to save us from the misery.  We search for some thing to relieve us from the pain.  Sometimes we search and find the wrong things.
When we put our hope into anything or anyone that is not Jesus, they fail us.  Every time.  It's so easy for us to put our full trust and faith into things and people, but so hard for us to forgive whenever these things fail us.  And then we run from these things and get new things.  That's when the spinning begins.
Why is this so hard to figure out when the answer is always right in front of our faces?  There.  All the time, chiming in our ear and pounding through our hearts.  It's just easy to not see it when we've been subdued to "things" for so long.  It's what we've been used to.  But the truth is, when you are thrown flat on your face, you can find your strength to just roll over and grasp on to a little hope to look at what is up above you.  Hope.
We serve a God who loves us.  Everyday.  Even when we don't talk to Him, or spend time building the relationship we must have with Him.  He's still there whenever we sin and turn away from Him and break His heart.  He's still there with arms wide open.  He took all of our nasty sin that we've already and will commit and was beaten, struck, humiliated, and tortured, then hung on a cross to slowly die.  For us.  Our sinful selves--He died for us when He certainly did not have to.
So why do we find it so hard to forgive and to love? Why is it so easy to ridicule and to judge?
We must have grace.  We must be more like Christ.  Search for him in the darkness when you've lost it all and when your lying on your back rummaging for any little thing to help.
Find comfort in the fact that He's been waiting for you all along.  He's waiting to rescue you from it all and to help you along every step of the way. Things aren't always going to be easy.  Why would they?  God wants us to learn to submit to Him and He wants to teach us to be more like Him.  And that takes time and experiences.  Share the grace that He's given to us with others so that when they see you, they really see a reflection of Him.
Blast the sound of grace so loudly that people are engulfed by the melody and want to hear the rest of His song.