ForeverLOVEd

But now, O LORD, You are our Father, We are the clay, and You our potter; And all of us are the work of Your hand. Isaiah 64:8 They catch my eye. In the moonlight that glows against the night sky, I see them. Through raindrops that hit the pavement gently, they turn my head. As the sun beats down its golden rays, I cannot help but stop and look. In and out of seasons, in moments of my life, both good and bad, I recognize their beauty.  They steal my heart, quietly and gently, most often when I'm not looking. I love the roses that line our driveway. Sometimes a million colors are on display as they bloom right and left. Sometimes only the tiniest bud can be seen, because I am looking. Sometimes I completely forget about them, and yet they stay their growing so beautifully. I pull into the driveway, look to my right, and know I am home because of these simple and beautiful roses. There, they line the way in their deep reds, and unbelievable oranges. The sof...

Give me your heart, my son, And let your eyes delight in my ways. Proverbs 23:26 I can't stand it. The click click cllliickk. The flashing light on the dashboard. The sputtering of a motor that has made one too many trips. I can't stand the car troubles that come with being a car owner.  After I send the, "I wish I had a husband who could take care of my car" text, and make the reluctant "Sure, take my entire month's pay to fix my car" agreement, I am annoyed that the car is something I just cannot fix on my own. No matter how many owners manuals I read or YouTube videos I watch, I do not and probably never will be able to fix the car. And for someone who wants instant results and the freedom a car brings, that's quite the predicament. Cars are just one of those things, unless you are a mechanic, or a car person, they require maintenance and an expert.    But to be quite frank, I hate having to rely on someone else. My trust is fragile, and even just...

Every year on our birthday we could count on one thing. No matter how old we were turning, or how busy our day was, we expected a special phone call. I still hear his voice singing over the phone as I sat in the living room in Seattle and on the front porch in Texas. Grandpa made birthday phone calls. And grandpa made birthdays special.  There's really nothing I like less in the world than talking on the phone. Even growing up as I chatted with my sweet grandparents, I got anxiety. It made me uncomfortable to carry on a conversation with someone who's facial expressions and gestures I could not see. The mystery scared me.  My heart even beats a little faster just thinking about it. But year after year I heard on the phone my grandpa, expressing his authentic love for me in the most beautiful version of happy birthday I have ever heard, because a birdie told him it was my special day.  September 9th will never roll around again without me thinking of this man. And more imp...

TJ11  "So will My  word be which goes forth from My mouth; It  will  not return to Me empty,  Without  accomplishing what I desire,  And without succeeding  in the matter  for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:11 The first book I ever read by myself was called "Itchy Itchy Chicken Pox".  It was one of those books that only had a few words on each page. It was a book where all the words had the same root; itchy, twitchy, yucky, mucky. I read it so many times I could have recited it to you verbatim. The book was about Chicken Pox for goodness sakes, and yet I read it like it was the most amazing thing I had ever heard. I was proud. And with that pride came a feeling of endless possibility. If I could read these words, on this page, perhaps I could read anything.  Everyone say a quick prayer that when your kids learn to read they will pick a more entertaining story, but for my parents, Itchy Itchy Chicken Pox was their daughters pride and jo...

“The greatest love story of all time is contained in a tiny white host.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen I remember my First Communion vividly. Baby's breath floated delicately through my braided hair. Light pink nail polish gently shined from each finger. I remember a pretty cake. And the moment I got to process in with the wine to turn into Christ's blood. I remember the special pictures and big celebration after. That day was different. That day was special. And while I didn't necessarily recognize it, in that moment, I do not think in my own life I will ever have a day quite as special. The day I made my First Communion, was the day I got to walk down the aisle for the first time and see my life alive, because of the man who sacrificed His life for me.  As spring rolls around, and First Communion's take place in churches around the world, I'm reminded of the wedding feast. For as long as I can remember, I have loved weddings. There was even a time in my life I thought t...

Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the AUTHOR and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him  endured the cross,  despising the shame, and has  sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2  Being an adult is hard work. Every time when I think I am getting close to considering myself to be grown up, life shows me otherwise. Because working a job is not enough, pile on bills that need to be paid, toilets that need to be cleaned, and food that needs to be bought. Not to even mention, the relationships you are trying to build and figure out and maneuver as you grow from daughter or son, student, sibling, to peer in so many ways. And then the taxes, oh the taxes. And the credit card company who charged you wrong, the insurance that got screwed up, and the little issues that plague our minds and our time.  So when I look at the piles and piles of "to do" that await my adult life, it's a wonder that I even have a moment to stop and think about the ...

The For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. 1 Corinthians 1:25  I can't take anymore advice. Yes, I know, I am old, clearly single, not producing babies, and quite frankly not even exactly sure of my purpose in life. But I might be sick if I read another blog on how to get the guy or see another article on the top ten ways to seal the kiss. I get sweaty just thinking about the 50 I'm engaged, just got married or pregnant Instagrams that flood my feed every day. My heart melts a little every time I get asked about when I am going to FINALLY find my man. And perhaps I bring it upon myself, because I want those things in my life too! I ask you for your tips for love. I want to hear your fairytale. I want someone to look me in the eye and say you will get your turn, and actually believe them. But, suddenly I realized what I want more than that is to stop listening to everyone else's advice and just be mysel...