I love Easter! I love, love the big family gathering we commit to every year. I love the food we eat only at Easter. I love the kids and their goodie baskets and the eggs and the candy and, well.... just all of it!
I especially love all that the holiday celebrates. I am so very thankful of the sacrifice Jesus made -
Hebrews 12: 1-3 1Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also (A)lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us (B)run with (C)endurance the race that is set before us,
2fixing our eyes on Jesus, the (D)author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him (E)endured the cross, (F)despising the shame, and has (G)sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3For (H)consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary (I)and lose heart.
His joy was in knowing that by His sacrifice we can live in the love of a relationship with our Heavenly Father.
I don't love that I don't live in true appreciation of that sacrifice 24/7. I don't love that I take for granted the work of the cross. I don't love that I have to start over again every day... praise God for who He has been for me and His new mercies every single day.
I also don't love that while I was blog-cruising (I like that better than blog-stalking!) my friend Carrie's hilarious blog, I forgot about my ridiculously delicious (and expensive - read that as 5 cups of nuts!) home-made granola in the oven. Yep, I burned it. and yes, I cussed. I couldn't be mad enough with out throwing "dammit" out there a time, or 5. boo. Yes, Jesus, please help me!
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Thursday, April 14, 2011
In my mind's eye
I am the mother of two amazing and beautiful young women. Before they were born, I started praying that they would have good husbands. I have prayed that prayer as regularly as I've prayed any prayer over my girls.
We are very blessed that the Lord brought the perfect man for Leigh Anne and can't wait to meet Lara's husband to be someday. While I've prayed for the "one" that the Lord has for the girls, I will admit that I've "shopped around" for son-in-laws! I have found a few that I would love to have marry my girls. More often, I see young men and admire specific traits and add them to a "wish list" for my son-in-laws.
I am continually amazed at how many great young men we know! There are SOOOO many, that I could never write about all of them, but a few really stand out in mind tonight.
Spencer loves Mallory so much. I love to watch him look at her. It's all over his face! Bradley's a great husband and dad. I love how he continually talks about how great a mom/wife that Shawn is. He really loves her and it is so obvious. I want those traits in my son-in-law! I want him to love my daughter like Spencer and Bradley love their wives.
Michael is so smart. He lives his life to honor and glorify the Lord and it is so evident that he is focused and hard working and is planning for a future for Hannah and their future family. Kyle is so faithful and loyal and a man that walks in the peace of the Lord. He is a stable foundation for the life he and Cayla live. Steven loves being a husband and father. He loves that he is a family man. He loves Danielle and their precious baby. He has made major life changes to assure that he can be all he can be for them. He changed his career so that he could be happier and be with his family as much as possible. Those young men are awesome, Godly men that are stepping into the role God has for them as heads of their homes. I want my son-in-laws to take that calling seriously and be as good at it as these guys are!
There are so many other traits I want for my girls in their husbands. I could go on and on. But honestly that isn't the real reason for this post. This is another post about Will... I hope you don't find it depressing. That is absolutely not my intent. It's just that Will's birthday is coming up and I was with some people last night and today that made me think...
There are two young men in my life that when I look at them, instead of looking for traits I want in a potential son-in-law, I see the young men I wish my son had the opportunity to grow up to be. I am positive that poor Jody and Jason have noticed me looking at them strangely. They probably think I'm either a crazy, old lady (ok, that one is true) or a creeper (that, I am not!). I can't help it. I look at them and my momma's heart just wants to burst wide open.
I see a quirky face that Jody makes or hear Jason make a comment to me about the Lord or listen to either of them talk about their ministries and my first thought is, " I bet that Will would have done that." or said that. or thought that. I hope that Will would have had a heart for the Lord like either of these young men. I would have loved if he would have been the husband that Jody is to Sarah or Jason is to Amy. I would have loved being the grandmother getting to watch Will be a daddy like either of these guys.
I am positive that Will would have been crazy funny like his daddy - Jody makes "Steve-like" comments and I can't contain my laughter. I am positive that Will would have been compassionate and sweet to me like Jason is. I love to sit and talk to Jason - I am so thankful for the times when Jason came to my office to take care of insurance business and spent the next hour just talking with me and being kind.
So.... Jason and Jody (or Sarah and Amy - who are much more likely to see this!) - listen up.
I am not creeping on you. I am not crazy. I am not trying to make you uncomfortable or make our time together awkward. But if you see a far-away look in my eye, or if you think I'm staring at you a certain way - I probably am. It's not you, it's me. I just may be trying to see Will in you, a little. I hope that's not too weird. If it is, I apologize, not sure I can change it, but I apologize.
Anyhow, I just think you are great. I am certain the Lord looks at you and is pleased. Your wives and children have the best husbands and dads. Your employers are lucky to have you. Your friends have a tremendous gift in you.
And trust me, your moms are blessed. Yes, they are.
We are very blessed that the Lord brought the perfect man for Leigh Anne and can't wait to meet Lara's husband to be someday. While I've prayed for the "one" that the Lord has for the girls, I will admit that I've "shopped around" for son-in-laws! I have found a few that I would love to have marry my girls. More often, I see young men and admire specific traits and add them to a "wish list" for my son-in-laws.
I am continually amazed at how many great young men we know! There are SOOOO many, that I could never write about all of them, but a few really stand out in mind tonight.
Spencer loves Mallory so much. I love to watch him look at her. It's all over his face! Bradley's a great husband and dad. I love how he continually talks about how great a mom/wife that Shawn is. He really loves her and it is so obvious. I want those traits in my son-in-law! I want him to love my daughter like Spencer and Bradley love their wives.
Michael is so smart. He lives his life to honor and glorify the Lord and it is so evident that he is focused and hard working and is planning for a future for Hannah and their future family. Kyle is so faithful and loyal and a man that walks in the peace of the Lord. He is a stable foundation for the life he and Cayla live. Steven loves being a husband and father. He loves that he is a family man. He loves Danielle and their precious baby. He has made major life changes to assure that he can be all he can be for them. He changed his career so that he could be happier and be with his family as much as possible. Those young men are awesome, Godly men that are stepping into the role God has for them as heads of their homes. I want my son-in-laws to take that calling seriously and be as good at it as these guys are!
There are so many other traits I want for my girls in their husbands. I could go on and on. But honestly that isn't the real reason for this post. This is another post about Will... I hope you don't find it depressing. That is absolutely not my intent. It's just that Will's birthday is coming up and I was with some people last night and today that made me think...
There are two young men in my life that when I look at them, instead of looking for traits I want in a potential son-in-law, I see the young men I wish my son had the opportunity to grow up to be. I am positive that poor Jody and Jason have noticed me looking at them strangely. They probably think I'm either a crazy, old lady (ok, that one is true) or a creeper (that, I am not!). I can't help it. I look at them and my momma's heart just wants to burst wide open.
I see a quirky face that Jody makes or hear Jason make a comment to me about the Lord or listen to either of them talk about their ministries and my first thought is, " I bet that Will would have done that." or said that. or thought that. I hope that Will would have had a heart for the Lord like either of these young men. I would have loved if he would have been the husband that Jody is to Sarah or Jason is to Amy. I would have loved being the grandmother getting to watch Will be a daddy like either of these guys.
I am positive that Will would have been crazy funny like his daddy - Jody makes "Steve-like" comments and I can't contain my laughter. I am positive that Will would have been compassionate and sweet to me like Jason is. I love to sit and talk to Jason - I am so thankful for the times when Jason came to my office to take care of insurance business and spent the next hour just talking with me and being kind.
So.... Jason and Jody (or Sarah and Amy - who are much more likely to see this!) - listen up.
I am not creeping on you. I am not crazy. I am not trying to make you uncomfortable or make our time together awkward. But if you see a far-away look in my eye, or if you think I'm staring at you a certain way - I probably am. It's not you, it's me. I just may be trying to see Will in you, a little. I hope that's not too weird. If it is, I apologize, not sure I can change it, but I apologize.
Anyhow, I just think you are great. I am certain the Lord looks at you and is pleased. Your wives and children have the best husbands and dads. Your employers are lucky to have you. Your friends have a tremendous gift in you.
And trust me, your moms are blessed. Yes, they are.
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