Minnesota!!

I'd Rather Have Jesus

I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands.
I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand

Than to be the king of a vast domain
Or be held in sins’ dread sway.
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause;
I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame.
I’d rather be true to His holy name

Than to be the king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin’s dread sway.
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.
He’s fairer than lilies of rarest bloom;
He’s sweeter than honey from out of the comb;
He’s all that my hungering spirit needs.
I’d rather have Jesus and let Him lead

Than to be the king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin’s dread sway.
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

Please Pray

Our pastor and his family have a camp, and tonight the dorms and office burned to the ground. Please pray for everyone there. No one got hurt, but they lost everything in those buildings. All their records of kids who had been to camp, etc. I know how overwhelming it can be dealing with this...it brings back memories. Please pray for my pastor, his wife and kids, and the staff.

the weather outside is frightful

I was going to update yesterday, but the internet was down, so I couldn't. I'm just grateful that we still had power because a lot of my friends lost theirs for a while.

I decided to make a valiant effort to go to work yesterday. I looked out the window when I got up and was disappointed to see that the roads looked manageable lol. So, I got up, got ready for work, jumped in my trusty car, backed out of the garage, and got stuck in a snowdrift that used to be the driveway. My dad had shoveled the 5 inches of snow off the driveway the day before, but now there was another 4-6 inches on it. I called my daddy to ask him to come help me get out heehee :), and then exchanged my dress shoes for boots and went out to attack the snow drift IN MY SLACKS!!! I lasted long enough to get it cleared away from my car so I could pull it back in the garage, and then I had to go in because my fingers were numb. Did I mention the wind chill was sub-zero?? I called the office to let them know I was going to be late. My dad got here and we tried for like 30 minutes to get my car up the driveway, but alas! Our efforts were in vain. I had to ride with my dad in his four-wheel drive truck, and after seeing the roads, I was glad I didn't try to drive in my car.

I drove my car to work today, and the roads were better, but I was still very cautious.

This brings back a memory from last winter. It was my last day at Hobby Lobby, and I woke up to find snow covering everything. I decided that wasn't going to stop me from going to work. After all, loyalty and dedication are noble qualities, and I'm no quitter, so I was determined to go, especially since it was my last day. No one was going to call me a wimp!! So I dug my car out from under 6 inches of snow and set off. I didn't get too far down the road before I realized that was THE STUPIDEST THING I have ever done. You see, my family was all gone to Oklahoma for the weekend, and only Kaley was at the house. As I drove by all the cars in the ditch, I realized that could easily be me sitting there, and I would have no one to come get me. Back in Oklahoma, I could have called my Grandpa (or a myriad of other people) and he would have come to my rescue with four-wheel drive. But up here, 10 months ago, I had no idea who I could call to come get me out. The only person I could think of was my pastor. I kept driving because there was no point in turning back, but I was praying like crazing and vowing that I would never try anything like that again!! Ah the lessons you learn when you are young!!

And so the adventure of life continues! :) I hope everyone is staying warm this winter! I'll try to post again soon!

Blizzard!!

We are in the middle of a blizzard! The excitement never ends around here lol. I couldn't make it to work today and I don't know if I'll be able to make it tomorrow, either. All the schools are canceled so everything is pretty much shut down. I'm kind of enjoying it. I love time to stay home and get stuff done. I'm still trying to get my bookkeeper's certification out of the way. I have two exams hanging over my head and I'm ready to be done with it! I worked on it a lot last week since I was off work due to the slowness of the accounting business this month.

I'm house sitting this week; hanging out with Max and Shack. Maybe I'll get bored and post pics of my furry friends. :) It almost seems like vacation since I didn't have to go to work today!

Okay, big news of the week: My little sister... my baby sister... turned 9 YEARS OLD yesterday!!! I almost cried. No kidding. Yes, I'm an emotional person! Come on, wouldn't you cry if your little sissy turned 9?? Okay fine...I'm weird. :) We took her ice skating since she's been wanting to do that for months. It was her first time to go, and she had a lot of fun. I will try to post pictures sometime because they are too cute! Even dad got out there and tried it which was hilarious and very entertaining!! I got it on film, and I'm sure we'll enjoy those memories for years to come. Then we opened presents, watched a Christmas movie, prayed that we would get snowed in. :)

I'll keep you posted on the blizzard conditions!! Hope you are staying cozy and warm where ever you are!!

{{hugs}}
Lauren

Reflections

I always get really reflective this time of year. Of course, going back to Oklahoma for Thanksgiving brought back lots memories, but I also saw things in a way I hadn’t seen before. It had been a few months since I had been to Oklahoma, so maybe that’s why going back this time was so different. Maybe I just finally understood what God has been trying to tell me all these months lol! :)

Oklahoma represents my comfort zone. Bear with me here, okay?? :) I spent most of my life in that great state, and although I moved from city to city and church to church and had to make new friends and start new things, I was still “at home.” My family was within easy driving distance. I had friends all over. I knew lots of people. I knew my way around, even in the big cities. It was familiar to me. It was comfortable. And I assumed I would be there the rest of my life. Ha! I should have known better lol! But no, Lauren Mills had her life figured out.

And then God told me to move up here. Excuse me? Um, okay…

Leave my family and friends. The dream job. The security. The comfort zone. Little did I know when I unpacked my boxes in my new home that God was getting me out of my box.

So now, 16 months later, I finally understand: God had more in mind for me. He wanted to push me to learn new things. He had bigger and better things in mind for me that He knew I wouldn’t try in my “comfort zone.” I finally see now that this experience has been good for me. I have grown in confidence, I have grown spiritually, and I have a lot more experience now than I had 16 months ago. I can’t believe how far I’ve come.

Confessions of a Military Brat

I always resented being called a brat, but today when my dad (who just got back home two days ago) told me he was leaving again this week and would be gone for Thanksgiving, I realized I fit that description quite well. The little girl inside me put her brat face on and said “WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE GONE FOR THANKSGIVING??? You just got back and I never get to see you and I thought you would be home for the holidays!” I’ve only seen him for a total of 37 minutes since he got back, and now he tells me he’s leaving again. My heart sank inside, but I have to put on my military face and go on. It certainly makes it harder around the holidays. Why is it still so hard? I was born into the military, I should be used to this lifestyle, but it doesn’t seem to get easier.

I only spent a few minutes in self-pity before I was reminded of others who have and are sacrificing so much more than I am. My dad is going on a med-evac mission to bring wounded soldiers home. He could have been one of those wounded GI’s coming home, or he could be one of those heroes who will never come home. But he’s not. He’s alive and well. So why am I complaining that he’s leaving again? I should be grateful I still have a dad.

This Thanksgiving and Christmas, my heart goes out to the lonely families in this country because of our brave servicemen and women who are gone. Please don’t forget to pray for our military and reach out to families who don’t feel like celebrating Christmas because daddy won’t be there. It’s a difficult time for them.

I’m proud to be an American and I’m proud that my dad is a part of the United States Air Force.

In honor of our veterans...

Click on this link to watch the music video "Finally Home" by MercyMe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vw0ZdHprdjk&feature=player_embedded

I love and miss you Dad, and can't wait till you get to come home again!!

xoxoxo,
Lauren

warning: ultra random thoughts ahead

"There's never a traffic jam on that extra mile."

THINK before you speak. Is it...
True
Helpful
Important
Necessary
Kind

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden, and over-burdened, and I will give you rest and peace for your souls." paraphrasing Matthew 11:28-30

Can you trust God with your treasures???

Taco Bell. Merry-go-round. Not necessarily in that order.

Great-grandparents 70th wedding anniversary

licking vintage stamps

warm November nights

fighting to stay awake at work

Dr. Pepper!!!!

craving cheesecake

Good days don't just happen. You have to make it a great day.

Wanna say hi to me?? All you have to do is move your mouse over to the comments link below this sentence and type a message to me. It doesn't hurt...I promise. lol. :) I miss hearing from y'all. (just had to throw that Okie conjunction in there...)

Playing Dress-Up

I did my first tax return on Friday. If you think that has nothing to do with the title of this post, just keep reading. :)

I may have the title of “Accountant” but I am pretty much clueless when it comes to taxes (and actually, there's nothing pretty about it lol). My education and experience to this point have only covered financial statements, bank reconciliations, payroll and payroll taxes, analytical reviews, and introduction to auditing. I wasn’t sure that I wanted to get into the tax side of it because, to be honest, it’s rather intimidating to me. So when they decided to give me some “practice” returns, I tried not to flip out. They wanted me to get used to the system so I would be able to follow along in the tax class next week.

When I got home Friday, I told mom I felt like a five-year old girl playing dress-up. It almost felt like I was pretending to be an accountant. I was sitting in front of my computer going “Hmm…what would happen if I push this button? Where is form 8565? What line does this deduction go on? How do I enter multiple W-2s? What in the world am I doing??”

I FELT LIKE SUCH AN IDIOT!!! I love expanding my horizons, but I must admit that I don’t always enjoy the learning process. I like to feel like I know what I’m doing lol, so when I don’t, I get stressed out. New and unfamiliar things tend to scare control freaks like myself…which is exactly why this is good for me. sigh. I hate it when things are good for me…

God has been good about pushing me outside my box these last 15 months. I’m amazed when I think of all the things I’ve already learned since I started working here. I’m sure in time, I’ll be more comfortable with tax returns. Until then, I’ll just have to keep asking stupid questions lol! :)



Okay, I just couldn’t resist, I had to post these pics from my “big” brother’s bday party. Thought you might enjoy them lol! And yes, he weighs more than I do, so technically he is my big brother, which is cool because I always wanted a big brother. :)

The many faces of Christopher Mills...

He's such a dork! (Don't worry, we use that as a term of endearment around our house. If we say you are a dork, that means we think you're hilarious and we love you. )

Yeah, he got this for his birthday. Guess what met me when I came home from work today...

A-M-B-U-S-H

Letter to Heaven

Dear God,

Just wanted to make sure You’re still up there…I sometimes wonder if my prayers get lost in the vastness of space. It’s so hard for us humans to trust that You are still at work when we can’t see, hear, or touch You. Wish I could just come up there for a day or two and watch Your army at work. Maybe then I could know that Your silence doesn’t mean You are inactive.

I wonder if You ever get tired of me asking for the same thing over and over and over… I have prayed so long and hard about this that I don’t know what else to say to You. I feel like I’m "prayed out." I try to imagine You up there, watching me come in again with my requests. Do you smile understandingly as I drag my burdens to Your feet? Do You cry when I’m overwhelmed and I can’t even speak through my tears? Does Your heart ache with mine as I talk to You about what I’m going through? Do You wish You could “make everything better” but know that it is best for me to walk through this?

You say in Your word that You won’t give me more than I can handle. I certainly hope I’m getting close to that point. Maybe the break in the clouds is right around the corner. I hope so because I can’t bear to think that this wilderness will last longer. I’m sorry I’m such a wimp; thank You for being patient with me. I’m believing in faith that You have good things waiting for me.

Write back soon!

Love,
Lauren

Dedicated Football Fan

Maybe it’s because I grew up in the southern division of the Big 12 Conference where football is everything. Maybe it’s because of the southern loyalty I have in my DNA. Maybe it’s the thrill of the sport and the excitement in the air at the games. Maybe it’s the simple fact that my brother plays.

I’m not really sure what makes me go to football games in rain, wind, and freezing weather…but I still go. Win or lose. Easy teams or tough schedules. For better or for worse. I love football. I love it even better when my team wins. And I do my level-head best to take all the trash talk my coworkers and other people dish out at me about my home state team. Dedicated loyalty is scorned these days…but I’ll try to stay off my soap box for now lol.

I’d like to introduce you to upcoming trends: Frigid Football Fashions. I have several simple steps for layering when you’re headed out to those winter weather games. You can modify the colors, of course, for your own team.

I start off with a white thermal shirt. Over that goes the team football shirt, then a hoodie (alternating between blue and red each week). Then I either wear my blue Carhart, or my red fleece-lined puffy coat. I wear microfiber tights under my jeans, and before pulling on my fur boots, I slip on some fuzzy thick socks. Then I top it all off with a hat, scarf, and gloves (in team spirit colors, of course!). I take two blankets to the games: one to sit on, and one to wrap around me. Snuggies would be a great investment for such occasions, and the retail industry knows it because they’ve already got them personalized with your school’s mascot and colors.

By the time you have all these layers on, you may find it hard to move, but try not to think about the fact that you look like a mountain of clothes sitting on the bleachers. Warmth is all that matters, right?? Besides, if you master this art, you will enter into the Dedicated Sports Fan Club. Congratulations.

Changing topics here, I would like to give a great big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my favorite brother, Chris!!! He will be 15 years old on Monday. I can’t believe it…my baby brother…15??? He will probably love me for saying this on the world wide web for all to see lol, but I remember changing his diapers and taking care of him when he was little. He was such a cute little boy. sigh. I love you, Bubba!

Here are some pics we took the day Dad got home. This was when we realized he was taller than Kaley. I’ve still got a couple inches on him, but I know it’s only a matter of time before he accomplishes his life-long goal: being taller than I am.

Here are some other pics from the eventful season:

Yes, there are times when even the most dedicated fan has to duck under the bleachers...I was trying to keep my camera out of the rain, okay???

The Mom Shift

I put on my mom hat Wednesday night. My poor little sister has been sick since last Friday, and my mom has faithfully stayed by her side, but Wednesday night, I stayed home with Julia so mom could get out of the house and go to church.

I made Julia pancakes for supper, like any good mother would do lol; after all, that’s what she wanted to eat, and it’s sort of an unspoken rule in our house that we will make whatever the invalid is craving (especially if the invalid is the youngest child lol). Then after I cleaned mom’s kitchen, we went down to my apartment and sat on my couch and watched movies.

I loved staying home with my little sis and taking care of her. It’s been so long since I’ve done that. Now that I work all the time, I don’t have time to do things at home like I used to. It’s rather sad, but makes me enjoy nights like these. I think one of the most special relationships in the world is being able to help raise younger siblings. I’ve been like a second mom to them, so we share a special bond.

After our movies, I decided to read Bible stories to "Queenie Pooh", just like I used to. I read a few, and also read the book “Just in Case You Ever Wonder” by Max Lucado.

I cried.

It’s been a while since I’ve read that book, and I was suddenly reading it from several different perspectives. I was reminded how much God loves me, how much my parents love me, and how much I love Julia.

I just had to post the story on here. This will be a long post, but take time to read it. And never forget how very special you are…

Just in Case You Ever Wonder
by Max Lucado

Long, long ago God made a decision-
a very important decision…
one that I’m really glad He made.
He made the decision to make you.

The same hands that made the stars made you.
The same hands that made the canyons made you.
The same hands that made the trees and the moon and the sun made you.
That’s why you are so special. God made you.

He made you in a very special way.
He made your eyes so they would twinkle.
He made your mouth so you could smile.
He made your laugh so you could giggle.
God made you like no one else.

If you looked all over the world- in every city in every house-
there would be no one else like you…
no one with your eyes,
no one with your mouth,
no one with your laugh.
You are very, very special.

And since you are so special, God wanted to put you in just the right home…
where you would be warm when it’s cold, where you’d be safe when you’re afraid,
where you’d have fun and learn about heaven.
So, after lots of looking for just the right family,
God sent you to me.
And I’m so glad He did.

I’ll never forget the first time I saw you…
your eyes were closed, your fingers were curled in two little fists,
your cheeks were puffy and round.
I knew in my heart God had sent someone very wonderful for me to take care of.

Your first night with me I heard every sound you made:
I heard you gurgle, I heard you sniff, I heard your little lips smack.
I heard you cry when you wanted to eat, and I fed you.

You’re bigger now and do more things.
You can walk and run. You can play and talk.
You can eat and sing and look at books.
You’re not a little baby anymore.

But as you grow and change, some things will stay the same.
I’ll always love you. I’ll always hug you.
I’ll always be on your side.
And I want you to know that…just in case you ever wonder.

Remember I’m here for you.
On dark nights when you hear noises in your closet, call me.
When you see monsters in the shadows, call me.

On hard days when kids are mean and don’t treat you like they should, come to me.
If your grades are bad and your teacher is mad, come to me…’cause I love you.
And I always will, just in case you ever wonder.

Most of all, I’ll be here to teach you about God.
He loves you. He protects you.
He and His angels are always watching over you.

And God wants me to make sure you know about heaven.
It’s a wonderful place.
There are no tears there.
No monsters.
No mean people.

You never have to say “good-bye,”
or “good night,”
or “I’m hungry.”
You never get cold or sick or afraid.

In heaven you are so close to God that He will hug you, just like I hug you.
It’s going to be wonderful.
I will be there, too. I promise.
We will be there together, forever.
Remember that…
Just in case you ever wonder.

No Vacancy

My friend shared this story with me last Saturday; she heard it from a coworker who either saw it on Candid Camera or heard it from someone else who saw it…I’m not really sure, but it was on an episode of Candid Camera. It totally blew me away when I heard it, and I just had to share…

A coffee shop had a sign outside which read “National No-Change-Day.” The camera showed customers paying for their orders. The cashier would put their money in the drawer and close it without giving any change back. The customers got very upset about this, but the cashier would calmly point out the sign and explain that it was “National No-Change-Day.” This didn’t seem to appease the customers.

Eventually, one customer came in, ordered some coffee, and paid with a twenty. After watching the cashier put his money in the register and then close the drawer, he asked if he was going to get any change back. She once again explained the unique holiday, to which he simply replied, “Okay” and got his coffee and walked out. The other customers who were livid about getting “ripped off” followed him out and asked why he didn’t get upset about this.

He said, “I decided a long time ago that I wasn’t going to let anyone rent space in my mind.”


Wow. Do you realize the power of that mindset?? It really sank in on Monday when I went to work. A couple of my coworkers came in my office and asked if I heard about what happened Friday when I was gone. They explained that one of my coworkers (Coworker A) came upstairs Friday morning and noticed that my office was dark and I was gone. She immediately investigated and found out from one of my other coworkers (Coworker B) that I had taken the day off to go the zoo with my friends. What I didn’t realize was that Coworker A had asked for the day off, but didn’t get it. Sooo, Coworker A was basically furious that I got the day off to go to the zoo. She promptly went around the office and made sure that everyone knew what I had done and that it wasn’t fair. She apparently was yelling and cussing and throwing a tantrum.

When I heard this, several things went through my mind: I was sorry I had to ruin everyone’s day by unknowingly making Coworker A mad; I felt guilty about taking a day off to do something fun; I felt hurt that she would take my good name and smear it in the mud by saying things about me that were untrue and cussing me out behind my back; I was dreading the confrontation and interrogation that would surely follow.

I felt like my whole day and week were ruined. What a way to start off Monday! I sank back in my chair, good feelings gone. Then, I heard God say to me, “You don’t have to let it ruin your day or week. Don’t let anyone rent space in your mind.”

Immediately, I felt a weight come off my shoulders. “You’re right! I don’t have to let her ruin my day.” What a freedom. I am now determined not to let anyone rent space in my mind.

I’ve had to work with some challenging people who love to do whatever they can to make me miserable, and they are quite good at it!! But I’m not going to give them the satisfaction of succeeding. I vividly remember something my mom told me years ago. At the time, I was having trouble getting along with a certain sibling who I thought was so annoying, and this simple statement she made has forever changed my life: If you can learn to get along with (insert sibling name), you can get along with anyone in this world.

That is so true. You see, the problem wasn’t really my sibling…I was the problem!!! I had to learn how to get along with people no matter how much they annoyed me or made me mad. What my mom told me is so true. God gave me this sibling to teach me this lesson. He knew I needed to learn how to get along with anyone. I’m so thankful I learned that before I had coworkers. I can see the importance of learning this while you’re young; you definitely have to have this getting-along thing down.

Just for the record, my coworkers are much worse than my sibs, and I now get along with my family just fine!

Hope this has helped you get rid of some of your “renters.” Be free!!

Omaha Adventure

Some of my friends and I went to the Omaha Zoo on Friday. It was cold, windy, and rainy, but I had so much fun! It is a really neat zoo; definitely a place to add to your list of things to see if you haven’t been there yet. I would love to go back sometime, especially with my family.

We started off our trip by stopping at a gas station for pop so we could use the coupon Melissa had lol, and we parked by this sign:


That’s when I knew it was going to be an exciting trip. lol jk!!! I think the sign was there to keep people from leaving their cars at the gas station for extended periods of time. Besides, I knew it would be a fun trip because I love hanging out with my friends…I wasn’t worried about illegal procedures. :) The rest of the trip was normal, except, of course, for the rain, bitterly cold winds, traffic jams, etc!

Here are some of my favorite pics from our memorable zoo trip:

This picture was taken just for Julie. I personally think gorillas are ugly. I mean, come on, how can someone who doesn't like cats think this wrinkled, smelly thing is cute???

I had never seen a black squirrel before...

Missy: Star Trek fan, avid concert-goer, and my comrade-in-arms in the youth group lol!

Melissa: interior designer, loves gardening, hates traffic jams :) and is like an older sister to me.

Julie: can always make me smile, loves cranking up the music in her car, hates cats and cold, rainy days. ;)

Me: but you pretty much already knew that...

What Faith Can Do

They started playing this new song on the radio a couple weeks ago, and I think God meant it just for me. I love how He uses music to encourage me. If you haven't heard this song yet, look it up on the internet. Turn up the music and soak it in!

Everybody falls sometimes
Gotta find the strength to rise
From the ashes and make a new beginning
Anyone can feel the ache
You think it’s more than you can take
But you are stronger, stronger than you know
Don’t you give up now
The sun will soon be shining
You gotta face the clouds
To find the silver lining

I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do

It doesn’t matter what you’ve heard
Impossible is not a word
It’s just a reason for someone not to try
Everybody’s scared to death
When they decide to take that step
Out on the water
It’ll be alright
Life is so much more
Than what your eyes are seeing
You will find your way
If you keep believing

I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do

Overcome the odds
You do have a chance
(That’s what faith can do)
When the world says you can’t
It’ll tell you that you can!

I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do
That's what faith can do!
Even if you fall sometimes
You will have the strength to rise

Kutless
"What Faith Can Do"
From the album It Is Well

it's time to talk

Here I am again, trying to put words on a page. I’ve been wondering what to say for the last week. I couldn’t get my thoughts to flow together, so this is going to be choppy, but it comes from my heart, so please bear with me.

I’ve discovered that being honest and open about things means taking a chance on being misunderstood. My hope is that through my struggles and challenges and joys and victories I can point others to Christ and reflect His image, but I guess I have not communicated that very well. I’m going to try to explain:

Life is hard (am I allowed to say that?). Christ never promised it would be easy: In this world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world. (John 16:33) Praise God! He gives me so much hope as I walk this road of life.

I don’t want to be a faker and act like I have it all together. I want to be genuine. I don’t want to be a Christian who pretends to be a perfect person. There are real people in this real world who really struggle with real problems. I believe we need to reach out and relate to them and show them that the heart of Christ is compassionate towards them and He wants to heal their bruises.

Heartbreak is real. Depression is real. Loneliness is real. Illness is real. Painful relationships are real. Seriously, there are so many hurting people in this world…it just breaks my heart. Can you imagine how much more it breaks the heart of God? Who is going to reach out and offer them the hope and love of Christ?

That’s why I write. For me. For others.

My heart’s desire is to bring glory and honor to my Savior. He is more than worthy of our praise, even when we are walking through tough times. He carries us when we are too tired to take another step. He encourages us when we have no one else to turn to. He loved (loves) us when we were (are) still sinners.

I’m not writing this post to defend myself or my actions and say that I’m right and others are wrong. I’m writing this to defend my God. I don’t want to misrepresent Him or bring shame to His name. I’m sorry that I haven’t done a better job of honoring Him.

If you are reading this, and you are going through a hard time, I want you to know that Christ is your Rock and your Refuge. Turn to Him, not from Him.

I’ll end with that. I have some more thinking to do…Is it helpful to be honest and share struggles, or should I only talk about positive things? hmmm… *praying*

Safe and Sound

There is no feeling quite like the relief I felt yesterday when my Dad flew home from war. Catching the first glimpse of the plane coming through the clouds, watching the tires touch down on American soil, seeing their buddies walk out on the flight line to meet them, looking through the window as my dad steps off the bus, and then seeing him walk through the door. He’s home. I have a dad again. Joy unspeakable.

There’s no feeling quite like the emotion I felt as they did roll call. After every name came one simple, yet powerful word: “here.” Spoken from all over the room. They all made it home. Thank You, Jesus!

There’s nothing quite like watching the uncertain and curious gaze of a 10 month old as her dad picks her up and holds her close. You can read it in her eyes: Who is this strange man and why is he smiling at me and touching my nose?

This is what it means to be an American. My sacrifice of a few months without a dad seems so small compared to the huge sacrifice of others who will never get their dad, brother, son, husband, sister, mom, wife, or daughter back.

Countless heroes have died for you and given up the things you take for granted every day. How will you use your freedom?

Never forget, America.