"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? " - Matthew 6:25-26
Children make you crazy some days, but more than not they also keep you sane.
Today my girls and I spent almost the entire day at our neighborhood beach. We ran into friends, swam in the lake, and dug holes in the sand. The day sparkled in summer sunshine.
We've only been home a couple of days after being down South at the beach with my family (outside of Charleston, SC) and then in Atlanta for another wonderful week with my Mom. After I gather some photos from my aunts from our week at Folly Beach, I'll try to post a few. I was worthless that week when it came to both picture taking and reading! I only took one iPhone photo and read only one trashy popular novel (not really sure you can even call it that) the whole week. Spent most of my time just staring at the ocean, getting some much needed love and encouragement from family, and drinking Jane's rum punch (recipe also to be posted later).
But summer has only just begun, and it took my little girls and a beautiful day today on the shores of Lake Michigan to remind me of Jesus' famous words,
"Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble" (Matthew 6:34).
Beginning to dig a hole...
....and an hour later it was deep.. like really deep.
CS Lewis has a famous quote that preachers love to throw in sermons. I've heard it so much that I hesitate to drop it here, but I kept thinking about it today as I watched these children play with such freedom and joy. He writes,
“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory, and Other Addresses
Many of you already know that Jason is now a solo pastor at Grace Presbyterian Church. Our Senior minister is no longer serving at Grace. This has been an incredibly painful, scary, and overwhelming time for both our church and for us personally. It means our lives over the next year are going to be a lot busier. It means a lot of new work for Jason. It means lots of questions for lots of people. It means nursing school is likely to be put on the shelf again, maybe this time for good. We have been brought to our knees to cry upon God in new ways. We are praying for faith, for wisdom, for compassion, and for grace. And in all of it I realize that my desires are "not too strong, but too weak." May we not be "far too easily pleased," but by His grace long to know God and to know the deep and lasting joy of walking by faith TODAY.
One last note... I've turned the comments off on this blog, but not because I don't appreciate your feedback. My email is listed in my profile if you'd like to drop a note or stay in touch. I'd love it!
One last note... I've turned the comments off on this blog, but not because I don't appreciate your feedback. My email is listed in my profile if you'd like to drop a note or stay in touch. I'd love it!
