O, To Be Like Thee

There is something, and I am sure that most if not all parents would agree, so very humbling about parenting that sometimes just takes my breath away. Especially lately. Benjamin will be three (yes, THREE!) in just a few short months. He’s at that stage where he is repeating everything we say and paying attention to every little detail. He’s always got those beautiful blue eyes peeled wide open, just soaking it all in. Absorbing it. It’s amazing because I believe so many people underestimate how much information these tiny little minds can store. It’s humbling because it reminds me just how careful we need to be, because one thing that this little person wants to do, is … well, everything. Everything he sees us do.

It reminds me of a hymn that we sometimes sing … “O, To Be Like Thee” – you know the one? It gets me thinking … Benjamin really looks up to us. He really wants to be like us as much as possible. He wants to do what we do. He wants to say what we say. He wants to eat what we eat (which is difficult if what we’re eating has eggs in it – yes, still working with that allergy). He wants to drink what we drink (unless it’s a soda, because he thinks those are ‘yucky’). You would think sometimes that he would just be thinking desperately, “O, to be like mommy” or “O, to be like daddy”.

You see, he puts a lot of effort into being like mommy or like daddy.

And we sing “O, to be like Thee, blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art” … but do we always put that effort into it?

Me … well, I will be the first to tell anyone that I’m not perfect. I do my best – sometimes not even that and I’m ashamed to say it! But it’s true. I don’t always do my best. I could do more. I know I can do more.

Oh! to be like Thee, full of compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wand’ring sinner to find.

Loving … forgiving … tender and kind. Full of compassion. I can do better than what I’m doing now … certainly, I can.

So when Benjamin mimics me, he can also be mimicking Christ. Does that make sense? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if I could instill that in him … to put even more effort into being Christ-like when he’s older?

It starts with me, though.

Humbling, right? Sobering. My toes are all sorts of sore from treading on them this past week as I’ve been milling this thought around through my head, wondering why we sing such songs and never really take them to heart … Ouch, Kristen. It starts with me.

It starts with soaking up God’s word … and desiring to live Christ-like. O, to be like Him! I know I can do so much more than I have been. Y’all pray for me. I don’t always have my priorities in the right order.

Oh! to be like Thee, blessed Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

Oh! to be like Thee, oh! to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

Clean

Happy Friday!

Today has been a busy day for me so far. Right now Mariah is napping. Benjamin was in his crib earlier until I started hearing delighted squeals and raspberries coming from his room, so I retrieved him {so he wouldn't wake up Mariah}. Now he is sitting here at the table with me eating his fruit snacks and ritz crackers. Me, I'm eating a Special K protein bar, which doesn't taste too bad, to be honest. I'm also thinking about the Daily Scripture.

Did you see it?

“And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” - Deuteronomy 6:6-7

One of the reasons I added the daily verse was not only to share a verse a day with my friends, but because they are often thought-provoking for me. I like to take the verse and meditate on it throughout the day. On days where I do this, my day always seems brighter.

I love that verse, Deuteronomy 6:6-7. It puts in perspective the real, true responsibility we parents have. There are so many parents who make the biggest fuss over the littlest things, like having the perfect appearance, having nice cars, having a pristine home, doing exciting, fun things all the time. I'm not saying any of those are sin - but sometimes we prioritize and forget what should be at the top of the list: God.

Benjamin loves his Bible Class. Whenever we go to church, he always runs into his classroom before we've even started, before anyone even gets to the building. He loves to see my Bible and to turn the pages. He is all smiles when we sing his favorite Bible class songs. He loves to look through his animals and hear about creation.

I love that he loves Bible class. There are some days when he is a bit too cranky to really love anything, but usually Bible class is very fun and exciting.

But, Bible class will not be the main source of Bible learning. There are so many teachable moments throughout the day, and I need to make it a priority to take advantage of this. I can spend all day cleaning and doing laundry and organizing, or I can spend the majority of my time teaching my son about God and the Bible and Jesus and the Church. I did this for a while yesterday when Benjamin and I were in his playing with his toys. We listened to his Bible Song CD, and Benjamin enjoyed it.

This is something that is always on my mind. I was fortunate enough to have been taught from a young age to love God and the Bible, and I want the same for Benjamin. I might go a day without folding a piece of laundry or picking up the living room, but as long as I don't go a day without teaching my son, I'm perfectly okay with this.

Clean or not clean, my house isn't going to last through eternity, but Benjamin's soul will - and whether or not his heart is clean in the end is what matters.

Standards.

This is a post for Christian mothers or parents.

Ever since I had a child I have become more aware of what has been going on in the "motherhood" community. I've learned a lot of wonderful things concerning cloth diapering, breastfeeding, co-sleeping, homeschooling, and many other things. However, I've also come across a lot of different things that sort of incense me. Perhaps you have noticed as well and agree with me. Perhaps you don't agree with me. But I've been thinking a lot lately on a specific subject and since I am able to speak my mind on my blog, I'm going to.

I want to talk about nursing in public. It is such a hot topic now days because of the controversy. I believe breastfeeding is the best way to nourish your child. I believe God created our bodies so that we could take care of our children the best way we can. I am all for spreading awareness and all for it becoming more accepted. I am not, however, all for women doing so in public with no discretion whatsoever.

This to me is not an issue of Rights. It is an issue of Modesty, and an issue of God's Standards.

When I recently shared my views about nursing in public discretely, I was told that just because I was comfortable nursing "modestly" did not mean everyone else had to. I was told that my "standard" of modesty was not the same as others and should not be held to others. I was absolutely flabbergasted, because I had stated that as a Christian, I could not justify nursing in public and being immodest in so doing.

It isn't My standard.

It's God's standard.

My standard of modesty means nothing if it isn't aligned with God's standards. God's standards are perfect and all are subject to them. I know that this is sometimes debated, whether those who aren't Christians are held to the same standards, but consider the book of Jonah. Jonah was sent by God to Nineveh to preach to them and call them to repent or God would destroy the nation. This nation was not a nation which followed God. They worshiped their own gods and all in all they were extremely immoral. And yet God held them to His standards, even if they did not worship Him. Just because they worshiped some other gods did not make them immune to the God of Heaven's standards.

God's standards encompass all. 2 Corinthians 5:10 says we will ALL stand at the judgment seat of Christ.

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."

Consider this passage concerning God's standards for us women:

To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. Titus 2:5

We are to be discreet, which means to show good judgment, and chaste, which means to be morally pure in thought and act - also meaning modest.

While I do support breastfeeding and stand behind any woman who chooses to nourish her child in this way, I do believe that God's standards even encompass nursing mothers and we should all make sure we are doing so in a manner that is pleasing to God. So many people also say that it is impossible to modestly nurse a child in public, but I disagree. I nursed Benjamin for a little over 12 months (he's just been weened this week - which is very emotional for me so I'm not going to talk about that) and I have never flashed anyone while doing so! And Benjamin is even one of those children who won't keep a blanket over him. It's possible, with practice.

Next time you start getting worked up about your "rights" as a nursing mother, think about God's standards and whether or not your "rights" fall under His standards.

As I usually say when posting a 'spiritual post', you might not agree with me. But this is what I believe.

Praying Just to Pray

Every day it seems that someone new is requesting prayers for some difficulty a friend or family member is having in their life, or maybe even for themselves. I love to pray for other people. I know God has commanded us in His word to pray for the sick (James 5:24) and to pray for God's people (Philippians 1:9-11) by Paul's example. I like to remember to pray to God for our daily needs (Matthew 6:11), and especially for forgiveness when it's needed (Acts 8:22-24). I pray for strength and to resist temptation when I'm faced with one (Matthew 6:13, 26:41). I even try to remember to pray for my enemies (Matthew 5:44), even though I really don't like to call anyone my enemy. We always pray when we sit down to eat, too!

But I was just thinking today... when do I ever pray just to pray?

I have reasons to pray every day. There are so many hurting people out there. And there are also so many reasons to be thankful and to rejoice! But when do I ever just sit down and pray just to pray to my God? Just to talk? Just to let Him know what's on my mind? Sometimes I just feel like venting and sometimes I go to my husband and let him know what's on my mind and what's got me so riled up. Why don't I go to God like that? When something's upset me, how come I don't just sit down and talk through it with the Father?

I think about Daniel, who three times daily knelt down in his home (while in captivity!), to pray to God. Three times daily! Daniel made time to talk to God, and I just pray when we're about to eat or when I get to thinking about those who have asked for and need prayers. I sing the song to Benjamin in Bible Class "Read Your Bible, Pray Every Day" - Listen to God and Talk to God every day - yet I find that I don't do that half the time! Isn't that awful?

It's something I need to work on. It's something I am going to work on. It's something so crucial to my walk with God, and it needs my attention! God needs my attention just as those I pray for need His.

So, the question for you is, how often do you pray just to pray?

Perfection.

I wouldn't say that I am a perfectionist in many ways. I've already shared my thoughts on why my house is not clean, and many other things just aren't at the top of my priority for being perfect. There are a few things that I will put extra effort into because I feel like it should be perfect, and more often than not it's just me having standards much too high to be realistic. In fact, so many times it seems that whatever it is I am stressing over perfection about, it happens to be something that I have no control over, or perhaps only partial control. Relationships - I want them all to be perfect, but nobody is perfect.

Well, except God. God is perfect. The Divine Trinity. Father, Son, Holy Ghost. All perfect. And everything they do is perfect. I am so very thankful to have that knowledge. To know that whatever God does, it is always perfect. He has perfect wisdom and perfect power. Everything He has done, and everything He will ever do.

God's Word? Perfect.

His scheme of redemption? Perfect.

His requirements for repentance? Perfect.

And while we sometimes try to 'fix' these to our own liking, try to force other requirements into the equation or take some away, God's standards do not change. I take a lot of comfort in the fact that God does not change. There's no reason for Him to change: He is perfect, and all He has done... well, you get the picture.

I am so thankful that we don't have to submit to man's requirements in order to gain Salvation. I am so thankful that we don't have to submit to man's requirements in order to gain forgiveness.

But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
(Galatians 1:8-9)

God's way is the perfect way, God's standards perfect, God's judgement perfect. While I am not perfect, I take great comfort in knowing that God is. While those surrounding us are not perfect

God IS.

And I am thankful.

TTYVDKFQTJTV

Pet Peeve.

I have a few pet peeves. I can't stand it when people enter through the doors marked "Exit", and exit through the doors marked "Enter". It drives me crazy when people drive in the rain with their lights off, or fail to use their blinkers while turning. I could name a few others, but none of them come close to annoying me quite as much as my #1 pet peeve: Unhappy Christians.

I can't begin to describe how irritated I feel when I see or hear a Christian going on and on about how terrible their life is. I'm not saying we can't get angry or we can't have bad days or even that we can't vent (this is a sort of vent really). But there is something very wrong when a Christian claims to hate their life. Maybe we need to reevaluate what truly makes us happy in life. Perhaps we should remember that Christians have been washed by the blood of Jesus Christ, and have hope of heaven. Shouldn't that daily make us happy? No matter what happens, we aren't living for this life, but the next - and knowing that we have this hope... shouldn't that make everything else minor? This life is SO temporary. We don't need to forget that as Christians, we have been blessed with all the spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3).

Christians should be happy. I suggest any unhappy Christians listen to the sermon "I'm Blessed, Are You?" by Eric Owens. Study your bible, pray when you have troubles, and thank God daily for everything He has blessed you with.

Too Much Information!

So, I don't know if everyone has a facebook here, or if any of you noticed any of your female friends on there posting colors as their status, or perhaps you even posted one of yours as well. Whatever the case is, I'm going to address this issue in this blog post. I don't expect everyone to agree with me. In fact, I know not all my friends agree with my opinion on the subject. But the fact is, I was totally infuriated when I found out what the colors meant and even more so when I saw Christian women defending the reason they posted these colors.

Apparently an e-mail went out to women everywhere telling them to post their bra colors as their status on facebook in an effort to raise awareness and support for breast cancer and the victims of this terrible disease. The meaning of these colors were supposed to be kept a secret from the men and in fact the e-mail seemed to indicate that one of the purposes was to confuse men.

HELLO, THIS IS THE INTERNET. There are no secrets on the internet. I mean, seriously. If an entire manuscript for a book can be leaked out on the internet, don't you think a little secret like what the colors mean will be leaked out too? There were some people that were saying, "This was not for the men to know about, it was supposed to be secret." And although I know this is grammatically incorrect, this is where I say, "Are you for real?!"

I mean, really. Are you for real?!

I do not think it is right to post bra colors on the internet. I know it was for a good cause, I know it was to 'spread awareness', and I know it was supposed to remain a secret. But this is the internet. There are no secrets on the internet. And on top of that, how can a color raise awareness? Especially if it is kept secret? The only thing I felt aware of when I saw all these colors was the number of my friends who had absolutely no self-respect, and no respect for God's commandments on modesty, and no respect for other people.

Woops, there. I let it slip. Yep, I do believe this is an issue that involves overstepping God's commandments.

Telling your friends list about what color your underwear is is nothing short of immodest. The only person who should ever know what my underwear looks like is my husband. You know, there was a point in time when things like panties and bras were called "unmentionables". Or perhaps a more modern term, "intimates". You know, maybe I'm just not a "modern woman", but I feel like private things need to remain just that: private.

I am a young wife to a young husband. Quite frankly, I do not feel like my husband needs to know the color of every on of his female friends' bras on facebook. In fact, we would have a serious sit-down conversation if my husband went around asking women what color their undergarments were, even if it were "for a good cause". In fact, I am quite sure that even if it were "for a good cause" and my husband asked any one of those women what color their bras were, he'd probably get a sharp slap across the face quicker than you can say "ARE YOU FOR REAL?!"

While intentions were obviously innocent - I see that it was supposed to be harmless fun and a secret - when someone spoke out against it saying that it was offensive, I have to wonder why instead of following after 1 Corinthians 8:3-14 and just abstaining because it was known it was offensive, it was adamantly defended.

I saw this mostly after my husband spoke out against this shocking new trend. You know what? We ladies don't know how a man's mind works. And to me, if a man says something is immodest and can create unclean thoughts in a man's mind, it's probably a good idea that we cease in that activity. Consider what a non-Christian male friend of my husband said in his facebook status that night, "kudos to whatever guy thought up this idea of getting girls to post their bra colors on FB." Yep. You know exactly what he was thinking about that night. You never know what sort of thoughts you might put in someone's mind once they figure out that the colors mean you're wearing a fancy bra (or not fancy - or even none at all - yes! some women admitted to that even!). Sinful, sinful thoughts.

"It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones." Luke 17:2

That is what our Savior had to say about those who would cause someone else to stumble! I don't know about you, but that sounds pretty serious to me, and I want to make sure I don't create any sort of stumbling block for any of my brothers in Christ by posting my bra color for all to see!

I'm sorry, I have to say it again. Are you for real? Have we seriously sank so low that we have become desensitized by the world? Have our consciences really been seared so completely? Have we really become as those mentioned in Jeremiah 6:15 who have forgotten how to blush? These sorts of things draw attention to totally inappropriate things, and not to Breast Cancer Awareness.

If anyone wants to spread Breast Cancer Awareness, why not do it with the pink ribbon that cannot be mistaken for anything but Breast Cancer Awareness? Why not give out information about it or perhaps show them the website www.BreastCancerAwareness.com?



Posting your undergarment colors for all to see is inappropriate and immodest. I don't care what you say the cause is.

How would you feel if Christ were your Facebook friend and saw you posting your bra colors for all to see?

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." 2 Corinthians 5:10.

URGENT PRAYERS & My Thoughts on Suffering

UPDATE:

Brian has been released from the hospital, Kristy has a broken back. Please please please pray. He still has not told Kristy.

UPDATE:

Brian is okay, Kristy is being "worked on" - whatever that means. Please keep them in your prayers, still.

ORIGINAL POST:

I do not want to make this post. In fact, I feel physically ill just thinking about it. My stomach has been twisted in so many different knots, and I just do not want to tell you all this, but I have to, because friends of mine need your prayers desperately this night, and in the future I am sure for a while.

Today a family which I am friends with and have known for nearly 4 years got into a car accident. They have a 3 year old daughter - one of the most beautiful children I have ever seen - and she did not survive this crash. Brian and Kristy are in critical condition, and we don't even think they have been told yet that their only child did not make it.

I know that most of you do not know this family. In fact, I was not extremely close to them, but they are a part of God's family and that makes them my family too.

Please lift up their names in prayer tonight. Please pray that they come through okay, that the doctors attending to them care for them the best that they know how to. Please pray for Brian and Kristy - when they find out about Helen, I am sure their world will shatter. Pray for strength, pray for comfort. This family has touched so many lives with joy and encouragement. I am blessed to know them, and they need your prayers desperately. Please pray.

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This post I have been working on for well over a week now. I figured that tonight may be an appropriate time to finish it up, and to share with everyone.

You don't have to agree with my views here. I'm posting this in hopes that some people might be encouraged or helped. I don't want to seem like I am saying I know what a lot of you go through when you're losing family members who are very close to you, children or siblings or parents, what have you. I've lost family as well but I will not pretend that I know what it is like to lose a child especially. I do not know the heartache associated with that. I hope that I never will know, but at the same time, I am doing my best to sympathize as best I can.

Please don't take this the wrong way!! As I am a preacher's wife, I do think that I will encounter many instances where I may have to help console people during their time of loss. This is as much (or maybe even more) a study for me as it may be for you as well.

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I want to do a study on God. I feel a better understanding of God is something we need in order to have a good relationship with Him. On the topic of suffering, I think a lot of people have misunderstandings about our Father's nature. I know a lot of people out there say things like, "If there is a God, how come there is so much suffering in the world?" "If there is a God, why did my mother/father/grandparent/sibling/child have to die?" and other such things. There are people who have experienced loss who ask the question, "Why?" I have been there. I have asked that question.

I have heard many people say that the death of a loved one is just "God's will". They often quote Job 1:21 and say, "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away".

In my studies of God and His nature, I have come to the conclusion that this is not so. While Job has stated this, we have to remember his situation. He just lost nearly everything. We've all said things when we were upset, and this is this same sort of situation.

God does not take away.

He just doesn't work that way. The fact is that humanity is just that ... humanity. Human. People have choices, make choices, others may suffer. Things may happen naturally, and while all this is unfortunate, Christ did not come to this earth to save humanity from being human. The righteous and the innocent sometimes are subject to suffering, sometimes even death. God is not blameworthy for having created a world in which righteous, innocent, and wicked people experience suffering or pain.

God is not our enemy. Death is a sting from the enemy, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" I Corinthians 15:22.

Suffering does not happen because of His meanness, His ignorance, or weakness, because God lacks no love, no knowledge, and no power.

So why does this happen? The very first book of the Bible tells us why death exists in this world. In Genesis 3, the serpent tempted Eve and she ate of the fruit and gave to her husband Adam. Because of this, sin entered the world, and thus death as a result.

Suffering happens because sin entered the world. It is not always a result of what someone has done (i.e. a child who is born addicted to cocaine because it's mother subjected the child to it in the womb, or a man dying in a car accident because a drunk driver hit him head on). Sometimes suffering just happens because it is the way of the world.

If God does not take away, then why is Job 1:21 in the bible? I believe with all of my heart that the Bible is the inspired word of God - that He inspired the writers and everything written down has been put there by God's inspiration. However, this does not mean that every word spoken by those in the Bible is inspired. There are lies recorded in the Bible. God did not make these people lie. As I mentioned before, think of Job's situation. It is not hard to understand how he must have felt this way.

When people say "It was just their time" - they do not know this. When people say "It was God's will" - they cannot know this.

I write this to try and help those who may be suffering, and also because I know that as a preacher's wife, this is a topic I will have to deal with. We are commanded in Galatians 6:2 to bear one another's burdens, and it is important that we understand God's involvement in our suffering before we try and comfort others.

One of my favorite verses in the Bible displays God's involvement with our suffering. "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." II Corinthians 1:3-4. God is the God of all comfort, not suffering. And what a comfort it is to know that God will always be here for us when we need His comfort.

Remember, He was in a similar situation once, too, as He watched His only begotten Son suffer and die on the cross, blameless and perfect, for the sins of the world.

Benjamin's First Thanksgiving

A total success! Although we were unable to spend it with blood family, we spent it with God's family! We had such a wonderful, meltdown-free, tummy-filling, thanks-giving, laughter-sharing, volleyball-playing (for some), friendship-strengthening Thanksgiving day!

We ate...




And ate ...




And acted really cute at the table, showcasing our new skill (raising and waving arms when we say 'Ta-Da!'), and laughing if anyone even chuckled as if he had just heard the best joke...




Those who could muster up the energy (aka: not me) played volleyball. Benjamin and I sat on the swing for a while and watched...



And we also watched the Gibbs' adorable puppy, who occasionally came to nibble on Benjamin's toes. I don't blame her. Benjamin is so very edible!




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When we got home, Benjamin conked out, and so did I. I expected him to sleep longer, but he woke up after about an hour wanting to eat... and then realized he was still sleepy, so he crawled on top of me and laid his head down, and after I had rubbed his back for a while, he slept again. While it is very hard to breathe and sleep with a twenty pound baby laying on top of you, I also slept, and I loved all two hours of it. It is very rare that Benjamin will even stay still to cuddle with us, much less nap with us anymore. It brought back so many memories of his first few months after birth. I am so Thankful for moments like those.

We woke up sweaty and sweet, and ready to eat leftovers.

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Looking back over this past year ... I have so many things to be thankful for. I am thankful for my husband, who is ever helpful, who goes out of his way to help me out around the house and with dinner and with Benjamin. My husband, who does what he can to make things easy for me, who listens when I need someone to listen to, who holds me when I need someone to hold me after a long day of holding a baby (or sometimes babies). Who is my rock, my biggest fan, my loving spouse... I love you, Carl! Thank you, and I thank God for you!

I am thankful for being blessed with a child, the sweetest boy I could ever ask for, who amazes me daily with his curiosity and love for knowledge (and cookies!). I am thankful for the moments he seeks me out for comfort, for snuggles. I am thankful for the numerous kisses he showers upon me, even the sloppy ones. I'm even thankful for the four AM wakeup calls so I can snuggle my baby and help him go back to sleep (even if I don't feel so thankful at the time). I'm thankful for the messy floors, the dirty laundry, the lost socks and pacifiers. I'm thankful for all the moments I'm able to catch with my camera, and the moments that are much too sweet to interrupt with a camera.

I am thankful for my mother and father, and my brother. I am thankful for the support they have given me, the love and care they have shown me. I am thankful for they love they have for Benjamin. They have always been there and I love them more than they could ever know! I love you! Thank you!

I am thankful for one of the best friends I could ever imagine, my future Sister-in-Law, Melanie. She has been closer than a friend, closer than a sister. I love her so much and can't wait until she is part of our family! Thank you, Melanie, I love you!

I am thankful for my Kindred Spirit, Autumn, and her wonderful family, who have always loved my family, and have always been wonderful family to me! Thank you!

I am thankful for our best friends out here in middle Georgia, Chris and Kayla and Mariah. They have made us grow to love this area with their friendship! Thank you!

I am thankful for the congregation here in Fort Valley, for our friends in Middle Georgia, for our Preachers Family friends, for God's family! To the Gibbs, the Paces, The Duncans, The Johnsons, the Ruckers, The Burnettes, the Adams, and so many more - to many to even think of individually - Thank you!

I am thankful for my blogging friends! You all have been so encouraging to me during this journey as a young mother! Thank you!

Most of all, I am thankful for God, for His Son, for the Holy Spirit, for the Word. I am thankful for my salvation, which I do not deserve. I am thankful for His Church, His comfort, His love, His protection, His blessings!

I am so thankful.

I am so blessed.

"Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations."
- Psalm 100