Ever just sit and try to think up something profound to impart on those around you?
You know...  Facebook asks "What's On Your Mind?"

Some people just say the first thing that comes to mind.
Some say the most ridiculous thing they can think of to:
a - make people laugh
b - tick people off {on purpose} or
c - just because they can.
Then there are some who I think sit all day long and think up the most
profound thing they can possibly conjure.
Sometimes I think it's impacting.
Sometimes I think they're trying to prove a point.
And sometimes...
Well, sometimes I think "Dang it! Why didn't I come up with that?!" Then I'm back to thinking about what profound bit of "wisdom" I can speak type
into existence. 
What is it about our make-up that compels us to
{NEED} to be profound?
Is it Pride? Is it a feeling of insignificance?
Is it a lack of identity?

{Why do we strive to be better than the next person?!}

The Mommy Wars
The Popularity Contest
The Pintrest-y Housewife (my craftyness is better than yours) Contest
We're living in the Ultimate Rat Race...
And our culture tells us
{It's Healthy}

If someone can do something better than me,
I must be a failure.
If someone gets attention for something that I did too, I must be insignificant.

Ahh... but how wrong we are.
While we strive to out-do our peers
and shine brightest in the middle of the sun, we achieve nothing.
Nothing but a false sense of self.
We lose sight of what matters.
We fall short.

I think
{especially in the realm of Christians}
we believe that if we say and do enough to "bring glory to God"
that we'll somehow get just a liiiiiitle more approval.
Even though we know that
we are saved by GRACE through FAITH and not by our own works so that none of us can be proud and boastful in our actions,
(Ephesians 2)
we still somehow manage to
get ourselves into competition.

{NEWS FLASH}
We can do
NOTHING
to find greater favor with God!

Should I repeat that?

We can do nothing
{AT ALL}
to increase the love that God has for us.

Can we just say
{"Praise God!"}
for that?!

What greater love is there?
No need to impress.
No need to outshine.
No need to be
{profound}.

We are who we are and where we are because of a plan far greater than our own.
We have weaknesses and strengths so that we might be grown and shaped and used
as part of this greater plan.

The Rat Race is
{OVER.}

The competition is {WON.}

You, in your simplicity, weakness, shame, pride,
guilt, are
{profound}
Let's take our mind out of the game and put it to much better use.
Let's focus what we have to give and just give it, imperfections, and all.
{Let's live simply, knowing that we are treasured by God}
Let's rest in the perfect, {profound}
love of Christ.

The last few month have been...
{insane}
to say the VERY least.

Work, School, Band, Births, School, Work
{oh yeah family time}
School, Work, Band,  {eat sometime, at some point...}

Who's idea was it again to have BOTH of us in school at the same time?
{Oy!}
We've had good days.
We've had not so good days. And we've had just downright
{rotten}
days.

Eden turned 3 which just boggles my  mind.
That was a good day!
She was the most beautiful little princess on her special day.
I thank the Lord for her every day.
She's such a beam of joy in our life.
On the darkest of days the Lord has used her to remind us of His enduring goodness. 
My husband is a rockstar!
{yes, ladies, I am beyond fortunate}
He's done so well at juggling work and school and life.
He's been full of bad jokes lately
{that's really nothing new}
and it has helped to lighten my heart.
I am so thankful to be able to call him my husband
and even more thankful that he puts up with me and my
{psychosis  idiosyncrasies}  and still continues to comfort me while I cry
and tell me I'm beautiful when I feel so very far from it.
I'm pretty sure I got the best end of the deal!

Our family has journeyed a rough road
this past year and the next few weeks promise to be bumpy. 
As I think back and remember the ins and out of this journey,
I cannot ignore the perfect guidance from God.
He has sustained us in ways that I honestly don't understand.
Finances have worked out perfectly where they really... just {shouldn't have} Schedules has been so perfectly synchronized that we've been able
to meet the needs of our family and still manage to complete
some MAJOR tasks.

I think back on this year of
hurt
blessings confusion provision love longing... and the constant is always
the goodness of our God. 
I cannot begin to explain it because honestly I don't get it. 
We have been used and stretched far beyond
my wildest imaginings.
We have been blessed and loved more than I can say "thank you" enough for.
God has given us a beautiful mess of a life and I just wouldn't have it any other way.
Thank you for your love and prayers for our little family. As we head into this season of remembering our sweet Daphne and her very silent birthday,  please continue to pray for us and please remember her with us. She has been the biggest blessing in growing our little family while we sorely miss her presence here with us.
Pray for Eden as she is really wanting a sibling
and so far, it's just not what God has for us...
Pray for Evan and I as we grow that we would be examples of Christ in all we do. 
And please know that I thank God for you everyday.

Blessings my dear friends,
I promise to be around more often...