Loved Child

When I make mistakes, I am my own worst enemy.  Beating myself up, replaying the moment over and over, going over and over in my head what I "should have done instead".  Can anyone else relate? 

It's in those moments I need to be reminded of truth.  God's truth.

You are loved.  Unconditionally loved.  Not a performance based kind of love.  Not a guilt-ridden kind of love.  You are loved simply because you are my child.  I created you.  I loved you before you entered this world.  My love is right here.  Right now.  Embrace it.  I know everything about you.  And I love you.  

Stress Less

Stress happens when we forget who is ultimately in control.  

Decay

I’ve been hanging out with my dentist a lot lately – three crowns and a root canal. 

It brought back memories of my first cavity.  My tooth hurt.  It had been hurting for months before I decided to do anything about it.  Maybe the pain will go away on its own.  Or - maybe not. 

I finally broke down and went to the dentist.  She talked me through what she was about to do, “I’ll numb you up, remove the decay, and seal it back up.”  She injected my mouth with a numbing agent.  And then she began drilling on my tooth.  

Less than a minute into the procedure, the horrible smell of an overheating drill loomed in the air.  I closed my mouth and said, “I think your drill is overheating.” 

"No, that's just the smell of decay," she informed me.  The smell of decay?  Decay was at the root of my pain. 

When decay gets stuck inside, it cause major destruction and pain.  It eats away and destroys.  Decay stinks.

The only way to get rid of decay is by removing it.  You have to let it out.  Yes, it's probably going to stink.  But God can remove the decay inside.  He can heal those hurting places.  If you let him.

Let him in.

Heaven

With Jenson's birthday coming up in less than a month, I've been thinking a lot about heaven (as you might imagine).

What is it like???  Heaven...

Heaven
The best day here times infinity
Is what the future holds
The day we see our Savior
The day we enter home

The journey through this life
Can feel dark, lonely, and scary
But heaven is a place
That erases all bad memories

A place so amazing
Beyond our wildest dreams
A place of love, custom made
For those who believe

So I won't fear death for it brings life
Eternity spent with you
Eternal love and peace forever
As you give life anew

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!