"Grow" (2005)

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I had written this for the kids and included it in a scrapbook page back
in 2005. From time to time, I like to go back and copy some old journaling
and include it in my blog in order to be able to look back through the years
and see how I've grown since then. Enjoy....


Brandon, Joshua and Jillian,

I am sure that I have shared my greatest love, my passion in life, quietly from time to time... if not by words, I hope I've shown it by example. The ability to express it with words or pictures and do it justice seems to elude me. Since it is such a large part of who I am, though, I feel it is well time that I share it through my scrapbook album.

My goal is to inspire you, Brandon, Joshua and Jillian. I want you to know not only who I am, but to find strength in who you are.

Simply put, my passion in life is a deep spiritual faith in God's love and purpose for us, especially in troubled times. It would be easy to resent the pain and conflict in my life, to ask "Why me, Lord?" time and time again, when it seems as though hardships have plagued my existence from my earliest years onward. I love that I can trust God, put my life in His capable hands, and say "Let Thy Will Be Done" with absolute faithfulness, even when it would sometimes seem that He has all but abandoned me. Instead of becoming bitter or angry when I suffer, I faithfully fall to my knees, and I express thankfulness that as God's beloved, when I am physically and emotionally crushed like the petals of a precious flower, rather than being destroyed, I am made stronger. My worship and love for God deepens. My soul, much like that crushed flower, emits a fragrance so beautiful and pure that angels weep in quiet understanding. That's how I GROW as a Christian, as a mother, wife, daughter, sister, and friend.

Rather than to shelter us, like the most fragile of flowers, God lets our hearts bleed. It's His love for us that inspires Him to let us feel pain in its rawest form. He created us to withstand everything we experience in life; every ounce of joy and pain is redeemed by God to fulfill his purpose in us. Triumphs and heartbreaks make us GROW closer to Him, makes our faith GROW strong and pure, unwavering, perfect, and ultimately all-consuming.

God's love and purpose for us is my greatest love. As you GROW through life, may it become your greatest love.


Love,

Mommy

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Sea Glass In The Sand

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Originally written in 2005...


Sea Glass


On a recent trip to a beach on the southern shores of Nova Scotia, I found a beautiful cobalt blue chunk of sea glass. With the intent to keep it as a trip souvenir, I placed it in my pocket.

Subsequent visits to beaches near our home revealed more sea glass treasures. With soft shades of green or white, along with the occasional amber or orange, or my favorite, cobalt blue, our collection grew with each new visit to the shore.

In little time my love of sea glass took on new heights, and I become more intrigued. Where did it come from? What did it used to be? How many years had it rolled around in the ocean before finding its final resting place? Who had it in their hands...?

In so many ways, sea glass reminds me of our journey in God's care. We are born, as fragile as glass, and then tossed into life as a bottle might be tossed into the ocean, with a message and a purpose. Years of being seasoned by the waves and the sand takes their toll, but in the process, a beautiful treasure emerges, shaped by the elements and experiences that life has brought.

Unique, beautiful, and colorful. God never loses sight of where we are, and He always knows just when we'll be ready to rest on the shores of life at the end of the voyage. Once there, He will hand pick us and bring us Home.



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