just because

i know g is only 2. i am well aware that i am very new and do not know what life is like raising kids. but from my childhood, hearing my parents talk AND working with teenagers for 15 years now (between TAs and volunteering with YL) i have picked up on a few things. so take it or leave it but here are some thoughts. my mom shared something she heard last week at a conference. the guy said (i'm paraphrasing) "we don't want to raise good kids, we want to raise good adults." amen. of course we want our kids to behave. but it's not all about the kid years. i want g to learn how to be a godly man with character, chivalry, and integrity. i want him to be well rounded. i hope he tries lots of different sports til he finds the one he loves the most. i hope he tries different instruments and other cultural type things...theater, art, etc. and then i hope he finds on he wants to focus on. i look forward to watching him try and learn new things! it's already ...

Proverbs 10:17 says, " He who heeds instruction   and   correction is [not only himself] in the way of life [but also] is a way of life for others. And he who neglects   or   refuses reproof [not only himself] goes astray [but also] causes to err   and   is a path toward ruin for others." (amplified) i had a sweet friend message me yesterday and share how my words (and jokes) about my weight struggles may hurt and trip others up.  my first reaction was to be defensive. but the Lord softened my heart to receive what she said and she was right.  she was so kind and gentle with her thoughts. i know she did the godly thing by coming to me and i appreciate that.  y'all know my heart. i wouldn't ever want my words to hurt anyone. i certainly wouldn't want my 8 year struggle to freedom from this obnoxious sin in my life to cause someone else to stumble. so if i have made anyone feel bad about themselves or their body i am so VERY sorry. ho...

no real point. just thinking... there are things in this world that make me sad: - hearing about middle school kids who are involved in drinking, partying and being punks to kids who don't have as much money as others. good grief. i wish i could just go in there and help them all understand how completely ridiculous all of that is. ugh. - seeing and hearing people constantly  talking about weight loss, exercise, diet. etc. now, y'all know i cant say anything. bc i have been known to post about hard workouts, long runs, sore muscles, etc. and i think that making jokes or commenting on it every now and then is fine. but it makes me sad to see it bombarding media. here's a few reasons why: i dont want my nieces to fall into the trap that i did....i dont want them to get caught up in how they look. it sucks the joy out of life. it has nothing to do with His glory. now -  that being said. i will continue to exercise and eat healthy. why? bc i enjoy it. i like the ch...

i have no clue how people live without Jesus. i'm FAR from focusing on Him as i should. i'm certainly not the best Christian around. but gosh, not having Him...not believing in Him...i couldn't. i love Him so much. i fail Him and i hate it. but i know, appreciate and trust that His mercies are new every morning. (Lam 3:22) and i am so very thankful. being a Christian doesn't make life "easy." it doesn't take away the crap of this world. we live in a fallen world and sometimes its hard. i'm learning to know that sometimes we are in a storm but that doesn't define us. and its only a storm. it will pass. yesterday was rough. i mean ROUGH. i guess i should've known it was coming.  tuesday dee dee taught our growth group about hope especially when we are discouraged. i knew it was for me. i knew it. but i didn't do a good job of obeying what she taught...what God asks of us. (SIDE NOTE: i'm not kidding that my labs say i am pos...

i'm not trying to say i have the greatest husband in the world. i cant say that. i think my dad is a great husband to my mom and my brother to claire so i can't say jay is THE BEST. but i can say that he is pretty special. y'all KNOW he annoys me. really, sometimes i wonder how its possible for him to be so annoying...haha. those times would be: - when he's chewing - when he watches/listens to things loudly on his phone or ipad while i'm clearly watching something on TV - checking his phone while driving or eating a meal w me - farting, snoring and stealing the covers in bed. - leaving his shoes and clothes all over the house - leaving a cup on the counter next to the sink or dishwasher. why? just why? - or leaving trash on the counter next to the trashcan. makes no sense. - peeing in the shower - cranking his truck/motorcycle loudly when G is trying to fall asleep ... trust me. i could go on... but the point of this blog is not to talk about how h...

i love making lists. and i love my mom. so i thought i'd make a list of reasons i love my mom. (in no particular order) - she loves the Lord with her whole heart. she's always learning, growing, and studying His Word. - she is energetic. she has more energy than i do and she's 27 years older than me. - she LOVES food. we text each other when we eat a good meal. most of the time with a picture. my dad and her (along with friends) will travel JUST TO EAT. she's hardcore. - she sent my brother out to buy a birthday cake right before either a tornado or hurricane. not sure which. it wasn't antibody's birthday. she just wanted a sheet cake. - she can out eat ANY man i know. true story. (yet she's little. so.very.unfair.) - she encourages me in my faith. - she prays. a lot. - she loves tea and diet coke like i do. (maybe i love it like she does...makes more sense!) - she is the worlds greatest MiMi (grandmother) - she makes me laugh - she is one of the...