Surprising Freedom

The perfect home.  The perfect family.  The perfect life.  So much pressure!

I'm embracing a pursuit of a different sort.  Embracing imperfection.

Laughing instead of crying when my perfectly planned day turns imperfect.  Embracing my quirkiness - like my desire to break into dance moves whenever a fun song plays (even if I'm at the grocery store).  Seeing wrinkles as "laugh lines".

"Imperfection is a form of freedom."  
- Anh Ngo

Imperfection is not only freeing, it's more fun - because it's real.  So drop a petal or two and stand out from the crowd.

Silencing the Lies

Pound. Pound. Pound.  I can hear the the echo through the neighborhood.  Heavy construction all around us.  Houses being framed.  Bricks being laid.

There is no peace.  Quiet time with God isn't quiet time when there is no quiet.  So I face the day on my own. 

How'd it go?  Not well.

I am in a perpetual state of feeling overwhelmed.  An anxiousness I can't shake.  A pounding in my head (ok - that one is warranted).  It is so obvious the better choice.  I need time with the only one that can re-frame it all. 

Nothing can fill me up like time with God.  He changes my outlook.  He gives me rest from the chatter in my brain saying "do more", "be more", "you aren't enough".  He gently whispers - those are lies.  Don't believe them.

You are enough.  You are loved.

Don't believe the lies.  Let Him fill you with truth.

Wagging Smile

Happy thought of the day: A dog smiles by wagging it's tail.  Dogs smile a lot!

Glimpes of Heaven

Some days I try to imagine what my sweet boy, Jenson, is experiencing in heaven.  It must be amazing.

Until that day, I'll hold onto glimpses of heaven...

Glimpses of Heaven

It doesn't happen every day
But on certain days I see

Little tiny windows 
Into how heaven must be

A blue sky filled with streaks of white
A colorful sunset greeting me at night

A stranger with a big bright smile
A friend going the extra mile

The sunshine warming me inside and out
An encouraging word that erases all doubt

The intricacy of an orchid in bloom
A twinkling eye that lights up a room

Springtime when new life appears
A friend providing a listening ear

Beauty in diversity
God giving me fresh eyes to see

And the greatest glimpse into heaven
Love that transcends human understanding

Too Fast

"Mommy, slow down.  You're walking too fast,"  Sydney says as she pulls my hand back trying to get me to stop in my tracks.

I realize with my long legs moving at a brisk pace, it must feel like sprinting to her.  I'm reminded this is not the first time recently she has said these words.  And this time we are simply going to get a slice of pepperoni pizza at her favorite California pizza shop "Pizza My Heart". 

This is supposed to be a day to be with my daughter, just the girls.  I don't have any deadlines.  I'm not even over booked.  All my normal excuses for why I'm walking so fast don't apply.  Really, what am I rushing around for? 

Sometimes I can get caught up in the rush of life.  It's like I'm walking on a fast-paced treadmill - I keep going faster and fast, but I'm not really getting anywhere.  

With Sydney's astute observation, I attempt to shift out of high gear into normal speed.  But old habits are hard to break.  She reminds me again two days later.

"Slow down.  You're walking too fast."

Step off the treadmill to nowhere.  Slow down.

Kristin

His Purpose

Dear Brave Butterfly,

Reminder from the psalmist...

"The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me."
- Psalm 138:8

Cone Head

Dear Brave Butterfly,

Our dog recently went into heat - further proof it was time for her to "get fixed".  She (Miley) came home from the surgery with a big cone on her head.  A big cone and a very sad face.

Miley is tiny (around three pounds) and one of the happiest little dogs ever.  But the cone changed everything.  Her normally happy face went to sad and droopy.  Her eyes pleaded with us to please take this crazy thing off.  She'd trip on it as she walked in the door after being outside.  She'd run into couches with it.  This simple little device weighed her down and impacted the entire way she saw life.  It stole her joy. 

It made me wonder how often I'm wearing a cone on my head.  How often do I see things through such a narrow lens that I weigh myself down with worries.  How often does "cone vision" steal my joy? 

God's view is so much bigger, and when we each remove the cone we can see things more from his perspective.

Miley's cone came off about a week ago, and she is back to her joyful self.  A reminder to remove the cone and be free.

Kristin