44

     It's my 44th birthday today. GULP! Today I have felt really thankful.  I was thinking of things I am thankful for and some of my favorite things that make me smile.  I decided to do a list of 44 of my favorite things.  Some things are little and need no explanation and others I have wanted to write about for a while so hear we go!

1. My wedding rings.  I had my rings redone for our 10 year wedding anniversary because my diamond actually chipped and started to shatter when I had hit it just right.  I never wanted to change the style but they melted my actual ring and made stackable rings that I could change up how I wear them.  I love them.

2. My job at Wellspring Preschool.  I love the kids and women I work with.  Many laughs and love.

3. Nashville Flea Market.  Held on the fourth weekend of the month.  Lots of venders and I LOVE flea markets!  I have found many treasures there.

4.  Barre Amped.  A workout I have done for a year and have built muscle I never knew that I had. You can buy the videos on amazon.

5. Aldi's french vanilla coffee.  It is cheap and it's my favorite.  True coffee people might gag but I love it.

6. Brown leather purses.  I have a lot of them in different styles.  I bought an old worn used one at the Nashville flea market and I get compliments on it every single day.  I think  I paid $15 for it.  I LOVE IT!  I always gravitate to the same style of purse all the time.

7. Day planners.  I love to write and I can't do a calendar on my phone.  I have used an Erin Condren planner for the last 5 years but I am switching to one slightly cheaper from Plum Paper this year.

8. Wasi tape.  I use it most in my day planners to mark off vacations or visitors.  It makes the planner extra cute!

9. Colorful pens. Very protective over my pens.  I use them in my bible, day planner, note cards….no one uses mama's pens.

10. ESV Journaling Bible.  I love the ESV version for my bible reading the best and I love to write and take notes.  This gives me the opportunity to do both.

11. The devotional "New Morning Mercies" by Paul Tripp.  I have written about it many times.  In my opinion, it is the best daily devotional out there.

12.  The podcast "Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey".  LOVE!  Obsessed!  Want to be Jamie's BFF.  We don't have cable right now so I listen to her a lot.  I found her while packing up our apartment this summer and I was hooked!  I work out to her, cook to her, clean…LOVE!

13.  Jen Wilkin bible studies (I trust what she teaches) and also her book "Women of the Word" on how to study the bible.  Love Jen!

14.  Amazon fire.  Lucy took over my old iPad and I couldn't afford and didn't need a new one.  The Amazon Fire does everything I want and need.

15.  Amazon Prime.  Life changer.

16.  Essential Oils.  I'm not obsessed but there are a few I love and I do believe that some of them really work.  I buy Young Living oils and Thieves (to fight sickness) is my go to oils.  I rub it on the girls' feet when they are getting sick and I diffuse it.  They love it!

17. Epsom salts. A must after barre class!

18. Modern Calligraphy.  I want to master writing this way.

19. Dear Mushka jewelry.  Love the woman behind it and the message of each piece of jewelry.

20.  The Faded Farmhouse and The Tin Cottage.  My two favorite local stores.

21. Soccer games.  There are these two players.  You might have heard of them? Ivy and Lucy Elliott? Yea, I could watch them play all day!

22. Pinterest

23. The Wet brush.  I cannot brush my hair with any other brush anymore.  Love it!  Great for kids also.

24.  Target $ section.  AWWWWWW…..

25.  Local Coffee shops.  (Shout out to Muletown, Barista Parlor, Fido, Frothey Monkey)

26. Trucker Hats.  The worn looking the better.  The only hat I feel like I can pull off.  Part of my soccer watching attire.

27.  5 Daughters Bakery.  Nothing like it.  Nobody disagrees.  100 layer cronut.  It's not just a donut.  I'm sure Jesus will serve them in heaven.

28. Instagram

29.  Spotify/ Amazon Music

30. Yeti cups (or a knock of they sell in the camping section at Walmart that is exactly like it and WAY cheaper).  It's hard for me to drink out of anything else.  It's a MUST for summertime.

31.  Sonic Happy Hour.  It has ruined me.  I can't bring myself to buy a drink at full price when I can buy it for half off daily from 2-4.  I get off work at 2 so…..

32. Ivy Elliott praying.  The sweetest sound to my ears.  It's sincere and beautiful.

33. Lucy Elliott reading a book to me.  That girl is impressive!

34.  Ballet flats.  Kelli Elliott doesn't do heels.  Kelli Elliott falls down a lot.  Kelli Elliott needs to be close to the ground.

35.  Glitter eyeshadow.  I wear it every single day.  It sounds creepy but I hope I make it work.  Younique has a great one and so does Mac.

36.  Grace.  I want to know more of it.  "For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your own doing, it is a gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."  Ephesians 2:8-9 

37.  Country Living Fair.  In the spring, Country Living magazine brings their fair to Nashville.  It is THE BEST!  I save my money for that one!

38.  Joanna Gaines.  Everything about her.  Love her style, decorating, show, blog….everything!

39.  Tito's.  My neighborhood mexican restaurant.  I have my "usual" usually AT LEAST every other week if not every week.  I call it the "neighborhood hang".

40.  Singing.  I grew up singing in the church and it has been one of my favorite things to do in my whole life.  I have been grateful to God for every opportunity.  So thankful that He would have ever used me.

41.  Iverson Carpentry.  I guess I will call it that, what my Tennessee pops has created for me.  I will cherish his pieces forever.

42.  Estate sales.  LOVE THEM and the surrounding Nashville area has some great ones!

43.  My girlfriends.  Man.  I could cry.  I am beyond loyal to them and they are loyal to me.  Besides my family.  There truly has been nothing in my life that has been sweeter.  Ride or die.  I don't even have to name them.  They know and most of you do to.

44.  My family.  My mom here. My siblings. My girls….. when I wanted all boys, then the Lord gives me two girls that fit me to perfection.  They are two of the biggest lights in my life.  And Matt.  He was tailor made for me for sure and I love doing life with him.

Thank you Jesus for these blessings!  I'm a blessed girl! xoxo

He Takes Away the Sin of the World

     My heart has been so heavy the last couple of days.  Hearing of a couple Matt and I used to know "back in the day" who have lost their 6 year old foster daughter, ripped away from them at the decision of DCFS.  You can read about it here www.lexipetition.com It brought back so many memories of my Sissy.  I in no way want to compare my situation as they had their little girl for 5 years and I had mine for 8 months.  My Sissy never called me mommy but she did cling to me as I put her in that car on the final day (and many family visitations during those 8 months).  Another difference is they have taken this Lexi on a  social worker's interpretation of a law and not really for what the law was intended to do, that never happened in my case.  But the "why" is the same.  Why would God allow both girls to be taken from loving Christian homes?  An answer that I will never understand.  Through social media there have been other stories popping up, public infidelity within the church, terrorist attacks, a joke of a presidential election, others too sad to name…I woke up thinking, I don't know if I have it in me to watch the news today or be on social media.

     I opened my bible to the book of John this morning, needing to be close to Jesus.  I got to the middle of chapter one where John the Baptist saw Jesus coming and he said,"Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29) I cried.  We needed someone who would take away the sin of the world.  I saw some pictures last night on social media that reminded me in just a glimpse how wicked and sinful this place really is and we need rescuing.  We need someone to take it away.  The good news.  He did.   Or He will.  He paid the price and He is going to come back and make all of this right.  This week is Easter.  Such a sweet reminder that He died for all of this.  This is not how it all ends.  He came as the Lamb of God, the ultimate sacrifice, to take away the sin of the world.  He came to rescue us.  In days like this it gives us hope.  I need hope.  Hope there is something better than all of this.  A better future.

     For those of you who don't have hope, those who don't believe any of this and are discouraged.  If you want to read more about the hope I am talking about you can in the book of John in the bible or you can privately ask me.  There is only one man who doesn't disappoint, one man who I have put my trust in even when things don't go my way or He doesn't answer me the way I would like.  When fresh wounds are opened remembering the little girl I lost 6 years ago and yet I still put my hope and trust in Him.  I keep reminding myself that if life was perfect, filled with love, I would never see my need for Him.  I would never want Him.

    I held my two girls tight last night as we prayed for Lexi.  My two beautiful girls that could have been taken from me up until the moment of adoption.  Reminded what a miracle that was in itself.  They are two of God's greatest gifts to me.  If there would have remained Sissy in our lives, there probably would not be Lucy.  Ivy reminded me of that.

Sorry for the rambling.  I look over all of this and it is a hodgepodge not making a lot of sense. (As a lot of my posts usually do). :)  This week as Resurrection Sunday approaches, I am going to continually thank Jesus for bringing us hope.  That day when He rose from the grave, He ushered in hope.  He paid for all of this ugliness on the cross.  It is finished.  Hallelujah!

   

An EXCITING start to 2016

We were going to wait to share this news but people are starting to post things on Facebook so I asked Matt if I could write on my blog today.  Let me just say that I am BEYOND excited to not be writing about my struggles with waiting in trials. I know I must sound like a broken record but I almost feel like this place is my diary.  So…I want to document what's happening with our family.     

I feel like I need to address the last few weeks.  The last weeks of December were a big struggle for Matt and I .  We found out on Christmas Eve (Ivy's birthday) that Matt didn't get a job that he was REALLY hoping for.  The reason he didn't get it was because through his background check we found out that he never graduated from college.  WHAT????  He walked in graduation, we had a party, I have been paying on his loans for 18 years and he even took me on a cruise to celebrate being done.  He has three classes to finish and he has started the process.  But long story short, he lost the job because the info. on his application was inaccurate.  The weird thing is,in  his last three jobs he needed a college degree.  It was a hard pill to swallow after he had applied for jobs for a full year straight with hardly any interviews and this job looked so promising.

As you remember (if your my friend on Facebook) I wasn't handling things very well.  The Lord used this time to reveal things in my life that I was desiring  more than I was desiring Christ.  In my mind I was desiring treasures on earth way more than desiring Him.  With this job gone, He stripped any hope of those things entering my life anytime soon.  It has actually been a sweet time between me and the Lord.  I know that He is the only One that satisfies. I wish I  wouldn't struggle so much with it but I do.  He continually shows me why I need Him so much.

So….last Friday a friend set up an interview for Matt in medical purchasing here  in Nashville.  Matt has wanted to get into medical purchasing for a couple of years but everyone wants medical purchasing experience.  He went to the interview, came home not really knowing either way how it went and in less than two hours the company was calling to offer Matt the job.  We just sat there and cried.  My mind kept taking me to how much I have struggled, how I have fought the Lord to gain control of the situation, how undeserving we were and then he blesses us with this.  Pure undeserving grace.  We were waiting to tell people to make sure the background check went through but decided to announce it today.  Matt's birthday.  So the girls and I bought him a "manly" lunch box to take to work.  It comes with compartments and ice packs so that he can bring a salad or hummus and veggies.  He loved it!

  

He is so excited to work.  He is so cute, he reminds me that he's going to work on February 1 just in case I forgot. The company is also close to his Dr. so he can go for chemo during his last year of treatment.  He hasn't worked in 2 and a half  years and the man is ready.  Best. birthday. gift. ever!

Christian Karma…and Merry Christmas!

It has been WAY TO LONG!  The funny thing is, over the last couple of months, I have been introduced to people who know me from this blog!  I doubt they will be reading now because they probably think that I have abandoned it.  I told them I only write when I have a major urge to say something and today I felt that push.  I love it that people read but today I needed to write to remind myself of something I fight far too often.

First, I want to add that my family just got back from a trip to California.  We had not been back for almost 4years.  It was a wonderful visit.  We stayed about a week and a half.  The first part was with my sister and brother in law and with friends.  Oh how I have missed these people.  One memory that makes me laugh.  An hour after we got to Ashley's house (I am assuming you know Ashley, wink wink)  I was laying on the couch with my bestie Wendy.  We were talking and I was already getting teary eyed, I said"It is so so good to be with you."  She said,"I know."  I said," I feel like we should snuggle."  I walked over and hugged her.  We didn't hear people come in and a friend walks in and said,"Ummm…. excuse me?"  Haha  I LOVE MY PEOPLE!  We laughed, cried, prayed, talked, encouraged each other, played games, ate Halloween candy, made taquitos at 9pm, celebrated my brother in law passing the California bar exam to became an attorney (YAY HUGH AND HOLLIE!), had thanksgiving with family in Hemet.  So. Much. Fun.  So. Much. to be thankful for.

Matt had a job interview that we had been waiting to hear about.  This is a job that he really really wants.  It is taking extra long to hear if he got the job and it has started to get us both discouraged.  He has diligently…i mean DILIGENTLY been looking for a job for one year.  He has done so much to try and get a job that really the only reason he doesn't have it is because the Lord has kept a job from him.

The Lord has continually revealed to me my sinful heart and the wrong thinking that I have about this situation, who God is, etc. but probably nothing more than Christian Karma.  My good friend said that to me once (I might have even wrote about it on this blog but I still fight it all the time.)  Even as Christians (who say that we don't believe in Karma)we really do.  We think that if we have had hard trials in our lives, we are DUE for something good to happen.   It's about time.  Losing a house? Check. Infertility? Check. Losing a baby ( a couple actually) through adoption? Check.  Job losses? Check.  Leukemia?  FREAKING LEUKEMIA?  Check!!!!  Matt should have been gifted as the CEO of a company by now.  WAIT……NO…..  That is what my sinful heart says but it's not true and I have to tell myself this all the time.

Waiting this long to hear about a job  just seems cruel and wrong.  When you go through something as hard as cancer as bad as that was, this waiting period is just as hard.  My friend Byron says you want to bolt but you can't.  I hate it.  I am not even going to pretend I don't to look good.  I hate it.

I was talking to Matt his morning as we are both discouraged and I had to remind him of all the ways the Lord has blessed us lately.  The ballet, unexpected money for our California trip, a free dinner, I opened up an old wallet the other day and found $200 in it that I used for Christmas presents!  We deserve none of it….. and I can almost hear you shout but you guys do!  But we don't.  And I hate the fact that we don't.  But we don't.  I cry as I type it.

This world is not my home.  As much as I want to make it my comfy home, decorated cute, it's not and I'm thankful that it's not.  I want it to be but I tell Jesus all the time that I am thankful that He doesn't give us what we want but what we need.  When I am in heaven worshipping Him, none of this will matter.  And when that is happening, He is going to shower me with all that I don't deserve.  I would rather have that.

Merry Christmas!

Tomorrow's My Dad's Birthday

I remember being little.  I don't know if I was in preschool or early grade school.  I remember that my dad called Hollie and I into his bedroom and had us sit down.  He got out his bible and asked us if we knew what was in it.  He explained that God had given men His words to write down.  It was God talking to us.  It was important to read it.  I honestly don't remember all that he said about that part but for the first time he shared a bible verse with us.  He read to us Romans 6:23…..

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."  

He explained that one sentence to us and in that he explained the gospel.  Whether you believe it or not, we are all sinners and because God is sinless and holy we deserve death as the payment (the wages) for our sin BUT there is good news.  God's gift to us is eternal life THROUGH Jesus Christ to all who put their faith in Him.

Those who knew my dad knew that he did not always have the softest, most gentle approach but he was passionate about people coming to know Jesus Christ.  I smiled as I read that verse thinking about that day he shared it with us on his bed.  Now thinking that tomorrow would have been his birthday but he is sitting with Jesus.  Feasting at the table with the One who paid that wage on his behalf.

No more Outback Steakhouse gift cards for your birthday dad.  You are eating with the King.

Jesus Wept

     I was going along my merry way this week.  Self centered, with a divided heart.  Thinking about all the things in my life I wish were different, all the material things that I was concerned with….then it happened.  A close friend of mine was having a medical emergency.  There is nothing like that to swoop you out of your self centered life and remind you what really matters, what is important, and who is in control of it all.
      As I was helpless and thousands of miles away, I drove home from work and started begging the Lord on her behalf.  I was crying and fighting anger as I prayed.  "LORD, WHERE ARE YOU?"  I've had a lot of silence from Him as we have been really praying that Matt will get a job soon and as that has been weighing on our hearts, this happens.
     One of the hardest parts to go through in a trial is when there is no movement.  Nothing. Nada.  Hanging out.  Trying to keep your mind set on what's true.  But it weighs on you.  Then when an even bigger crisis comes.  BOOM!  It wakes you up.  I went from praying about these things to pleading with the Lord on my friend's behalf.
     On my way home,  it started to drizzle rain.  It was like a few tear drops.  It reminded me of Jesus talking to Martha when Lazarus died.  Her brother had just died and she said to Him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."  Jesus saw her weeping and those with her and then it says that He wept.  (John 11)  I know that His weeping was because of our fallen world and that results in sorrow and death but I also know He loved this family.
     I was reminded how much the Lord loves Matt and I.  How much He loves my friend.  He hurts when we hurt.  He is a loving God.  That also means He is going to do what's best for us.  He is building in us endurance, character and hope. (Romans 5:3-4)  He is in complete control and He does answer prayer.  My friend turned out to be fine (for now) and I cried again as I got this news.
     Man, life is hard!  It makes me long for heaven.  As I continue to wait for a job for Matt, give my friend's health up to the hands of Jesus, look at Him with a clearer focus, I just want to remember that He cares.  He loves us.  We are His.  He isn't up in heaven with a metal rod moving things as He pleases without any care on how it affects us.  He weeps for us.  With us.  Something so simple but a comfort to remember because I easily forget.  Sometimes the more theology (stuff about God) you know, the more it can cloud the simplicity of what is true.  His love.  His care.  His concern.  His best.
     No matter what you are going through, whatever you are waiting for, whatever answer that hasn't come yet.  He loves and cares for you too. Praise Him.

The Heart Wants what it Wants

     As I should be studying John for an upcoming lecture,  I am thankful to the Lord that He has taken me to Philippians.  I have been in a funk the last couple of days.  It could be that I have been sick but also I have really been asking the Lord for some things and frankly, He has not answered in the timely manner that I would like.  I begged Him yesterday for some answers and He remained silent.  Normally I wouldn't mind sharing with y'all the desires of my heart but I know it would turn into…"You and Matt deserve it with all you've been through." or  " I totally understand."
     As I was reading through Philippians today Paul writes,

"Indeed, I count everything as loss, because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ." 

 I just looked at that and thought…"But the heart wants what it wants….. and it wants!"  Really,  I want to say that I count everything as loss but I don't.  I "want" bad.  Yesterday I read in Philippians 2:13

"For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." 

 That verse tells me two things.  One,  it is God who does the work in me.  I can't do it.  My heart is sinful and selfish so I need Him.  But secondly, it tells me that the work is for HIS good pleasure.  Not mine.  His ultimate will will be done in my life to accomplish His purpose.  As much as that hurts sometimes, I get it.  Philippians 2:5  says why.  So that "you shine as lights in the world." Frankly, most times we shine brighter through trials than we do with out them.  I have had more conversations with people going through hard times because of the hard times I have been through.
     So how does God do that work in me?  verse 16 says,"Holding fast to the Word of Life."  I have to cling to Him.  Be in God's word so that He can comfort me.  Abide in Him.  Let Him transform my heart and mind. Even when it stings and I have this internal struggle.
     Yet, if you think He doesn't care, Paul reminds us in 4:19

"And My God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

Not every want but every need.  And sometimes we get mixed up what we want and what we need.  My heart wants what it wants….and it wants…but clinging to my Savior with hope that He will turn those wants into something similar to His.

"O to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander,Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love;
Here's my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for They courts above."