Ice cream and giggles

Have I ever mentioned that my two youngest sisters are the cutest lil' girls ever?
Well, they are.

It was a somewhat busy day, so I ended up taking Hannah to piano lessons, while Miriam and Lydia tagged along. After dropping Hannah off we took a quick trip to the local ice cream shop. I'm trying hard to promise myself that this will not become a habit...

After picking up our treats we headed to the park to enjoy the beautiful weather, and I had the blessing of enjoying my adorable little sisters. They were chatting away, making silly faces, and laughing for really no apparent reason.

I love these girls. Their smiles, giggles, and funny faces are so precious.
But they're growing up fast. Too fast. I want to treasure these moments while I can, because before I know it they'll be all grown up.

As a side note...many thanks to those of you who commented on my last post! I'm glad to report that Flash is doing great and seems to be 100% better. Praise the Lord!

Learning to wait...learning to trust

Earlier today I had a very different post in mind than the one I write now. But it's crazy how much can change in just a few hours...

Late this afternoon I noticed that Flash, my horse, was acting somewhat strange. She seemed to have trouble balancing, yet she still had an appetite and seemed alert. Even after talking with a family friend and a vet, there really is no definite diagnosis. The symptoms are still somewhat vague and could cover a number of different things, but the vet said to wait and see how she's doing tomorrow. So now I'm just waiting, and I'll admit that it's really hard.

But even in this, God is teaching me to trust in His perfect plan. As I was giving Flash some medications tonight, He brought to mind a verse that I had read this morning in my devotions:
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." - Romans 8:28
It's still really hard. I have no idea how serious this is going to end up being, and it's so easy to let my mind run away with thoughts of what could happen. It could be a very serious illness or disappear by tomorrow. I just don't know. But right now I choose to trust in His perfect plan, knowing that He has it all in His hands. It's amazing how much peace comes with knowing and believing that God is in control.

I don't know what tomorrow will bring, but I'm going to keep on waiting...and trusting.

I want to live like that

 

I want people to see Jesus in me, even if they don't know me.
I want my praise to be more than empty words.
I want to have a faith that is accompanied by action.
I want to be a light in the darkness.
I want to make a difference.
I want Christ to be glorified in everything I say and do.
I want to live life with purpose and passion.
I want to be a living testimony of God's love and mercy.
I want to be so passionately in love with Jesus that He is the only reason I live.
I want to live like that.

These are things that have been running through my mind a lot lately. When I reach the end of my life, I don't want to have any regrets. When I'm standing before the throne of God, I'm not going to wish that I had lived my life more on my own pleasures...I'm only going to wish that I would have lived every single moment for my Savior, holding nothing back.

There are times that I let fear of man direct my actions and words - and it's not something I'm proud of. As I was driving home the other day I was thinking about this, and I'll have to say that the more I thought about it the more silly it sounded. The conclusion that I came to was that the fear of man really hurts your testimony and greatly reduces the options of how you can serve the Lord. Life here on earth is a mere second compared to eternity. So what if some people consider me weird? I want this life to be lived for the Lord, not for people's opinions. Christ has changed my life, but I don't want it to be just an inward change...it's got to be evident on the outside too.

This life is a journey. Some days of this journey seem to be a continuous upward climb and it's only through His strength that I can keep on going. On other days the birds are singing and the skies are blue and I just want to lift my hands in worship of the Lord. I want every step of this journey, both easy and hard, to bring me closer to my Savior - I want every step to glorify Him, knowing that in the end nothing else will matter. I pray that the Lord would instill in my heart a burning passion for Him. A passion to live this life for Jesus, and Jesus only.

I want to live like that.

Colossians 3:1-4 (NIV)

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.