Baby Brother

Today my little brother turns two officially! While we have already had the party, and in his mind he is already two since he ate the cake, today is the official day of celebration. I remember sitting in church on Sunday morning, getting a text from my dad saying the baby was on the way and that he’d call when he could. Since he was a premature baby things were a little different, he was about two months early and the first couple of days we couldn’t even hold him. But now you wouldn’t know the difference! Today Sean is crazy, sweet, fun Sean!

Baby Sean with the IV in his little head.
He was so snuggly, even then!

            The Easter Bunny brought him home and was a surprise to Shannon when she woke up on Easter morning (probably not the surprise she really wanted!). Over the past two years I’ve loved to watch Sean grow and change and develop his big personality. Though I’ve been away at school for most of his life he still greets me with absolute excitement when I come home. He loves trucks and trains, playing with Shannon, running around outside, reading books, and learning new things!

The first time the terrific three was all together!

            Sean has brought me indescribable joy. He makes me feel loved, he makes me laugh, and he makes it hard to say goodbye. God’s shown me how love doesn’t have barriers, I wasn’t around for the part of Sean’s development when he was learning who people were and yet he still loves me a lot. Sean shows me how to be excited for everything, because everything to him is still so new and it allows me to see the world through his wondering perspective! Matthew 18:3 tells of when Jesus is talking and “he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.’”

            God has used Sean to remind me of this verse constantly! Children are awestruck by the world and God’s wonderful creation; they want to experience every part of it. And they also believe full heartedly, without fear or holding back. Just like we should follow God and his commands. The children knew Jesus better than the adults because the trusted him and through that they were able to witness the amazing things that he wanted to show them. That is the kind of faith I want, and that is the kind of faith and perspective that Sean reminds me to have.

The boy who stole my heart!

            Today I celebrate my baby brother. Who will always be the tiniest little baby with the biggest heart, who got my genes for height but has a personality to fill the room, and who has a wonderstruck perspective of the world that inspires me daily. I love you little buddy!
*Joy of the day: Knowing that I will always have a buddy, not matter what!

Rainy Thursday

            I love the rain. I love the sound it makes when it hit my umbrella. I love the way it seems to dance as it falls. I love the way it has of calming everyone down a little bit. I love how everyone’s umbrellas, rain jackets and rain boots make the gray pop with color. I love how beautiful the rain truly is.

            Sometimes rain does have a way of changing your plans, but they usually just make your plans a little cozier. You’re given a free pass to curl up with a blanket and a cup of tea, or to do crafts, or to snuggle up with friends and watch a movie. While there may be other things that you’d like to be doing that the rain has prevented, look around and see what you get to do because of the rain!

            If it weren’t raining this morning I wouldn’t have worn my favorite scarf, to have that extra hug around my neck. I wouldn’t have come back right after class, snuggled in with my fuzzy blanket, turned on calming music and gotten a lot of work done. I wouldn’t have changed lunch plans to eat with a friend who I haven’t seen in weeks. I wouldn’t get to see little pieces of personality on campus through people’s umbrella choices. I wouldn’t have made myself a cup of my favorite tea and eaten a cookie from my grandma. There are so many things that I would have missed this morning if it were sunny!

            Like so many other things God puts in my life, rain has a way of making me calm down. This week I have been rushing around getting ready for this test, trying to keep up with my other classes, trying to keep myself healthy, and still stay in touch with society. It’s already Thursday, and I am tired. I had a list of things to do today, but because it’s raining I just want to stay wrapped in my blanket and do those things later. So that’s what I plan to do! God gave me rain today to rest. To calm down, take a step back, and just listen. This is why I love the rain. It forces me to let God be God, and for me to rest. Exodus 14:14 says “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” The rain forces me to be still, to let God fight for me because I am only going to wear myself out.

            On days when I wake up and it’s raining, I’m excited! I’m excited to rest, to be snuggly and to put my to-do list aside because it will still be there tomorrow. The rain is a reminder that I am human, and I am constantly wearing myself out and if I don’t take these moments to rest God will give me opportunities to seek His peace. Today I am thankful for rain.

*Joy of the day: Dry socks! I didn’t realize my rain boots had holes in the bottoms of them, so when I cam back from class my feet were wet and cold. I’ve never been more excited for dry and warm socks!

Some of my favorite rainy things: 

• A website that sounds like rain (very calming)
•  Singing in the Rain
• Colorful Umbrellas 

Thank You

            The other day I found a quote that said “what if you woke up today with only the things that you thanked God for yesterday?” It made me take a step back. What did I thank God for yesterday? Did I thank Him for everything? What if I forgot something important? Then in the midst of these “me” centered questions I realized it has nothing to do with me.

            God has blessed me continually, and I have been too buried in myself to say thank you. I began to think of all the things that I didn’t thank God for last night as I fumbled to say a prayer before falling asleep. There are the obvious ones that I would miss; my family and friends are a probably the most important. As I began to list all of the things I would miss I began to think of the littlest things that make my day so much brighter.

            I love pictures, I love all the decorations around my room and I would miss the little things plastered to my wall that give my dorm room/prison cell some personality. Pictures also contain memories and stories, things that you can’t get back but can capture in a photo. I would miss music. There are so many types that can go with any mood or feeling, it’s a form of pure expression and creativity, and it often articulates what words can’t convey, particularly in worship. I would miss my walk to class in the morning, the peace that falls over my campus and the stillness. I would miss the sound of laughter. I’d miss fruit and peanut butter. I absolutely love fruit and would probably starve without peanut butter!

            Luck for me God doesn’t take things from me just because I forgot to say thank you. He blesses me when I least deserve it and does so continually! Psalm 37:4 says “take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” All I need to do is find joy in God, who has graciously given me eternity, and he will bless me abundantly. It doesn’t say if you do x, y, and z only then will God give you something good. Trust God for your salvation and you will be blessed, even if you forget to say thanks.

            “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever” 1 Chronicles 16:34. Say thank you because he has been good to you! Not because you’re afraid he’ll take away his blessing but because you are truly grateful for the abundance that you have, the big things, the little things, and everything in between.

            So “what if you woke up today with only the things that you thanked God for yesterday?” What would you miss? What are the little things that bring you joy throughout your day? Look around and you’ll be amazed with all that God has blessed you with!

I'd miss his beautiful artwork!

*Joy of the Day: spending time with a very dear friend and seeing the Lord work in her life and through her willingness to serve!

Germs

Stuffed germs! (A must for nursing...)

            For the past couple of days I’ve been a victim of preschool germs. My half sister (I’ll call her Goober here) had been sick for the past couple of days with something a friend gave her at preschool. Despite my efforts of hand washing and avoiding coughs, I caught the germs. While I’m feeling much better now the beginning of this week was a little rough, but through all this sickness I’ve enjoyed one thing. Rest.

        My favorite part about being sick (sounds backwards right?) is that you have nothing to do, no schedule to keep, all you need to do is rest. As I began to feel better it was nice just to lounge around, without a busy schedule to keep up and coffee dates to go to. I enjoyed watching 27 Dresses and Tangled over and over again, dozing off when I wanted to! It was the first time in a long while that I had been able to read for pleasure.  While I wanted to be up finishing some dresses that I had started or putting the back on my quilt, these germs kept me in bed getting some well needed rest.

        In Genesis when God created the earth even He took a day of rest. “Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” If the creator of heaven and earth took a day to rest, then shouldn’t I? Why should it take a bunch of preschool germs to make me rest? Shouldn’t I take care of myself and take a step back from the full schedule, the to-do lists, and the rushing?

        My sick days were a good reminder that I need to rest or God will make me rest, because we weren’t meant to live these fast pace lifestyles that most of us have found ourselves trapped in. And it’s okay to put aside the to-do lists and just relax. Take time in your busy week for yourself, to rest and restore yourself both mentally and physically. God didn’t intend for people to go seven days a week, but to follow His example and rest! One of my favorite Psalms starts with “truly my soul finds rest in God (Psalm 62:1).” It is a good reminder that God will restore me when I’m weary and tired. So if you’re tired, run down, exhausted turn to God and He will give you rest, peace, and hope.

*Joy of the Day: watching girlie movies with my mommy, all snuggled up with warm cups of tea!

Merry Christmas!

            Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you have had a lovely morning, full of family and surprises and joy! I hope you’re also able to take some time today to remember why we celebrate today, why today is such a special day that should be honored.

            On this Christmas throw a party for Christ! It is His birthday after all. Take a moment and really think about what you are celebrating. Are you celebrating all of the presents that you got this year? Or are you celebrating that God gave you the ultimate present and there is nothing else you could ask for?  I know there is nothing that I could ask for that could make me happier. There is nothing that can be wrapped, put under the tree, or bought in a store that can compare to the joy that I have found in my relationship with Christ. It has been my favorite present, so today I am going to celebrate it! Celebrate Christ’s coming to earth as a baby, celebrate my relationship with Him and celebrate the wonderful things that He has promised to do in my future! What else could I ask for? This sounds like a joyous day of celebration to me!

            On that day many years ago an angel appeared to a group of shepherds and said to them “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11) So do not fear either! This is the happiest day, celebrate it! For your Savior came to this earth as a baby, because God loves you so much He gave His son as the ultimate gift. If you want to read the whole Christmas story look at Luke 1:26-38; 46-56; 2:1-21!

            A very Merry Christmas to you and may the joy of Christ be with you on this wonderful day of celebration!

*Joy of the day: spending time with my family and friends, enjoying their company and their silliness!