A friendly reminder to myself - in my silly, injured state (cut my thumb doing chores and now have five stitches and a non-workable thumb) - and to all the mama friends trying to make Christmas magical for their families.. don't be a Grinch in the process.

Slow down. Take a breath. Maybe five minutes. Turn off the lights and stare at the Christmas tree. Kiss your husband (maybe twice). Remember the last funny thing your child(ren) did. Laugh out loud. Drink some tea. Forget about the commercials and self-induced anxiety of too-high expectations.

“Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!”
― Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!      

It has been a rainy week and a half in the soul for me. Many hours spent holding a sick, not-so-sick and then just plain teething baby (tooth #6 has appeared!). Days filled with doing the right thing by postponing social engagements and then wondering why I am not getting anything else done. Yesterday, the babe was happier and I reorganized the pantry cupboards as part of our ongoing struggle against a little mouse crusader who thinks he should have a home in Sunnyside Cottage. The answer is no. Friendly mice with good manners only appear in books.

I do appreciate rainy days for how much they lend themselves to thinking. The steady thrumming of raindrops on our tin roof turns my thoughts into dreams and principles and deep meditations. I feel like the weightier things of life are easier to grasp on rainy days.

So I have been thinking on things like hospitality and family values and what we need to be happy. Considering the concept of giving kindness to strangers and what that means and what is my motivations (selfish or unselfish?) and how to receive gratefully. I felt this concept keenly a few days ago. While in a retail store, a young woman approached me while I was holding Devereaux and looking at a baby winter hats. She smiled, took a single pink rose from the bouquet in her hands and said, "for you." I was stunned and simply said, "thank you." And then I smiled for the next hour. I didn't question why she gave me a rose. I just accepted it for what it was --- kindness freely given. And I was challenged by this gesture to a complete stranger.

Kindness to strangers is a concept demonstrated throughout Scripture.

Maybe it's the time-change or maybe it's going to sleep earlier each night. Maybe it's the end of wedding season, and finally getting caught up on household chores. Maybe it's resolving to enjoy every single thing I do, and to be kind when people are not, and to not sweat the small stuff. Maybe it's the increasing awareness of God's presence in my life, and the simple reminders from the Spirit to let the love of God constrain me. Maybe it's just a change in my attitude-a decision to turn my focus away from how much I have to do towards how thankful I am for breath in my lungs and chores to accomplish and family to serve and being saved by Christ. Or maybe it's a combination of all these things.

I feel like I'm coming out of the fog. Out of the fifty-mile-per-hour pace of life and into living peacefully, slowly, reverently. This past weekend was like heaven on earth. And you know what I did? A whole-lotta laundry. I am very, very, VERY thankful for time to do laundry. It's sounds weirder than a three-dollar bill. I'm okay with that.
It was a pure, happy, continual labor at home and I loved it.
I cleaned the bathroom at 8:00 am on Saturday morning.
I trekked up and down the stairs about 40 times, with laundry baskets and without.
I ironed a mountain of clothing.
I read a cookbook. Yup, almost a whole cookbook.
I conquered the dishes begging to be scrubbed.
I hugged my husband as he did the usual 12-hour study Saturday.
I cooked. Slowly. I had promised my husband a dessert this weekend, and I thoroughly enjoyed the process of baking this delectable apple tarte tatin from Eat Drink Live. If you're not as classy as the cookbook I got the recipe from, and have no idea what that is (like me), it's a French upside-down tart. Caramelized apples topped with pastry crust, then baked in the cast iron skillet. Basically, AWESOME. Brandon agrees quite enthusiastically.



So yeah, I have a slight blogging obsession with themes and being chronological. When what I'm writing doesn't fit into the theme--or more practically, the title, sometimes I don't blog. It's sad. I am trying to overcome it, because I love the idea of sharing more of our life on this little space in the Internet, even life that is random and messy and not-quite-chronological. I have summer road trips and autumn photos and adventures and so many things to share. Hold on to your hats, folks, I'm blogging again.
I'm sharing what's on my heart.

{insert passionate spiritual speech here}
I'm gonna talk about buzzwords. I really hate 'em.
Buzzwords. They are everywhere in the Christian world, and consequently, everywhere on the Internet and everywhere in real life.
People looooove to talk about their buzzwords.
Revival! Repentance! Holiness! Healing! Faith! The Gospel! Freedom! Spirit! Evangelism! Discipleship! GRACE (times a million these days)!
Go to a million different Christian "camps" and you'll get a million different buzzwords. They're usually valid Scriptural terms, genuine Christian doctrine and authentic needs in the Church.

HOWEVER.

Ya know what bugs me? Like really-really-REALLY bugs me?
The only buzzword that people don't talk about that much--- Jesus.

It's probably a human thing --- to be fascinated with trends and fads and whatever catches our interest for a month or two. Or whatever we need the most. Or whatever seems the most intriguing at the time. But the truth is -- that current buzzword is not the end-all, catch-all. It is NOT everywhere in Scripture. It is not the answer to everything. Random buzzword is probably not the foundation of our belief system and it is most certainly not the most important thing ever.

I've been there. I might still be there, but the Lord is working on me.
You know what I'm seeing when I open up the Bible lately? The Person of Christ.
You know who I'm enthralled with today? Jesus.

There's something to be said for coming out of the fog of Christian trends and settling down at the feet of Jesus to learn the most important thing -- Him.




Our Sunday evening at-home-date. Slow-cooker butternut squash soup, biscuits and sparkling pomegranate juice. Super romantic because I scrounged around to find those candlesticks. Let's not talk about the fact that I have no candlestick holders so they are in parfait glasses. Candlelight makes even the simplest meal romantic. And instrumental Christmas music, too. :D

I'm actually writing this blog entry from a hotel room. Brandon was sent on a business trip, and thank the Lord, I get to go along! We both dislike being away from each other overnight---like two years of marriage and never been away overnight. I think it's one of the things dating long-distance does for the relationship. Distance = evil. No distance = wonderful. See? Makes sense, right? Actually, it really doesn't have to makes sense to you. :P I'm not offended... moving on...

We just barely got home from our wonderful week-long vacation in Maine. It was blissful. Beautiful. Relaxing. Exhausting (hiking and biking like champs!). Romantic. Scenic. Amazing.
In a word... Perfect. 

I am so glad we went. It was a bit of a sacrifice. Planning out the vacation. Taking off vacation time that we could've saved for during the school semester. Saving up our money. Getting ready to leave in August, which happens to be one of the busiest months. But we did it and it was good. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Speaking of good things, I've been meditating on this verse for the last few days.

"You have given him his heart's desire, and You have not withheld the request of his lips. For You meet him with the blessings of good things..." Psalm 21:3

This is a psalm of David. The non-inspired title on the top of this chapter in my Bible says "Praise for deliverance." We think of deliverance as God bringing us out of catastrophic destruction.... and He does that! But I think sometimes we focus on the horribleness of things that life throws at us, and forget that God meets us with good things.
GOOD things.

My God wants good things for me.
Isn't that what love is? Love doesn't seek its own. Conversely, love seeks good for others.
When God loved me, He delivered me. And daily, He shows His love by meeting me with good things.

I'm not even necessarily talking about material possessions or fireworks or mind-blowing miracles. I'm talking about the little blessings. The tiny bursts of joy when I recognize that God's hand has been working in my life in a certain area for months and I had no idea. I'm talking about experiencing the love of Christ through a friend's helpfulness, thoughtfulness and kindness. I'm talking about.. yes... the beauty of sunsets that takes my breath away, the pressure of my husband's hand on mine, the warmth of a coffee mug on a cold morning, the rush of the ocean as the tide comes in. A child's smile, a soaring eagle, a glittery lake. I'm talking about the little desires of my heart that I never voiced, but somehow God made them happen... And I realize that dreams come true because of an ever-so-loving Father.

I'm talking about the good things we take for granted, or we ignore because we're soooo busy doing stuff. What stuff? Important stuff? Sure, but why can't we get-stuff-done while enjoying the good things that God has given (yup, preaching to myself)? Now you might think this is just my vacation-bliss talking right now, but I don't think so. My good things are not relegated to the one week a year where we happen to take a nap in the middle of the day (though that's pretty awesome!).

God meets me with the blessings of good things. 
I want to see those good things and be thankful for them daily.


Yes, we did a two-year anniversary photo shoot.... with my camera & tripod. Brandon called me "clever." I called myself "paranoid" for spending most of the time hoping the camera didn't fall in the water. 
a) the camera did not fall in the water.
b) then Brandon kissed me and I forgot why I was worried. :P 
c) I love being married to him. 

I wrote this just a few days before I became engaged, as I was seriously considering the comments, opinions and words of people that I respected... but could not respect their perspective.

Not "if" they disagree. "When" they disagree.
Because it will definitely happen. Someone. At least one person or two people, and in all likelihood, many more than just two will disagree with what you are doing, how you are doing whatever you're doing, and the person whom you choose to do this dating-thing with.

Even if you've prayed.
Even if you've done everything "right."
Even if you've sought your parents' wisdom.
Even if you staying in the Word, stayed seeking the face of God.
Even if your heart remained open to the Lord.
Even if you were absolutely, completely, wholeheartedly honest before God.
Even if you're walking in total purity of conscience and practice.
Even if all you wanted was to do the will of God.
People *will* disagree.

People will disagree because they don't like your person. Ya know, that person you are considering for marriage. They don't like him, they don't like his choices, they don't like his character. They don't like his job, his schooling, his spirituality. They don't think he's good enough, attractive enough, and the "right fit" for you. They don't think you'll be a good match. They don't think he'll be a spiritual leader. Blah blah blah (the objections all run together after awhile).

People will disagree because they don't like your method---the way that you are walking out your pursuit of marriage. They don't like what you call it ("dating? courting? intentional pursuit? serious consideration?"). They will think their way is better or more spiritual or more Biblical. They will gauge your story by their own story. They will weigh your experience against their own experience --- and undoubtedly, in their mind, yours will be found wanting. They don't like the timing--that you're too fast or too slow. That you're saying the wrong things at the wrong time, you're doing the wrong things at the wrong time. You should have NOT done this or you should HAVE done that.

People will disagree because they don't know the whole story... and maybe the whole story isn't any of their business.
People will disagree because sometimes they're emotionally driven.
People will disagree because they're bored and have nothing better to do than consider everyone else's lives, instead of looking at their own.
People will disagree because they *do* care about you, and feel the need to express caution-- warranted or unwarranted.
People will disagree because this looks different than what they have seen before.
People will disagree because they don't. like. change. They like things to stay the same. As they were. You used to be single; can't you stay that way forever?
People will disagree because they're human. And humans are sometimes disagreeable.
People will disagree because they're prone to making mistakes... and they genuinely want you to avoid mistakes that they've made.
People will disagree because they think life should be fair. And someone should have treated them better. Like people are treating *you*.
People will disagree because it's easier to make snap judgments & speak, than to pray and leave it in the hands of God.

In the end. It really doesn't matter.
Whether their disagreement is sincere or selfishly motivated.
Whether they have wisdom or simply spiritual words cloaking foolish ideals.
Whether their concerns are wrong, right or some muddled conglomeration.

The real questions are:
Am I right before God?
Has He spoken to me?
Am I sure of His leading?
Am I clear in conscience?
Is my life blameless before Him?

If the answers to those questions are YES, let the people disagree.

*The caveat is that sometimes people disagree because you are wrong. Brandon and I have been the on the receiving end of both reeeeally good and reeeeally bad advice about relationships. We are simply thankful that the Lord brought us to a place where we could hear His voice about the most important decision of our lives and the courage to walk that path. That being said, don't marry an idiot and then say "people will disagree" because I said so. NOT what I'm saying at all. :P