7 random thoughts

Please don't let the utter randomness of this blog scare you away. I have a few minutes (they are few and precious) of quiet and my mind is racing. So here are my random thoughts:

1. Check out Jeremy and Christina's blog if you want to see a really cool (and funny) picture of how God has used two whities from Austin to offer new life to a precious little Ethiopian baby named Nate (watch the coming home video. classic). Pretty inspirational when you think about the fact that we are all adopted by God the Father through Christ; I am almost jealous of the way Nate will understand this profound and glorious truth in a way I struggle to grasp daily.

2. Being a stay-at-home mom is hard. I'm not going to sugar coat it. I don't think it is any harder than anyone else's situation, I just have a new understanding of what a transition this is. All of the sudden you are your own boss (or you cry at dinner to your husband because you are afraid he has become your boss and you hate the feeling that he is evaluating your work performance based on how clean the house is or how tasty dinnner is that night...even though he totally isn't and just wishes you would stop crying all the time...or so I've heard). There is also the shift in your own relationship with the Lord, although I don't really know how to describe it. I feel more dependent, more needy, more conscious of my sin than ever and more crippled in my ability to "do ministry" than ever. Hmmm...

3. Having joy is an elusive thing these days for me and yet we are told to have it. It is a command! "Be joyful," the Bible says. That is my ultimate battle these days- to trust that God is good and that this life is not as good as it gets. Life is beautiful, but it is also full of heartache. If you don't know Christ and trust that He alone can save you from yourself and ultimately an eternity apart from God, then what is the point? I really can't imagine what life would be like without my precious Jesus. He alone keeps me from checking myself into a mental hospital at times. So, please join me and pray for JOY!!!! I think a thankful heart is a necessity for believers.
4. When Emmy toots, it makes me giggle. Then she starts giggling and her face scrunches up and I just want to squeeze her forever. I can't wait to see what Cletus is like.

5. Facebook is my nemesis. I either get on and am encouraged to see an old face from long ago, or I get on for 40 minutes and have the life sucked out of me because I get caught running down a million rabbit trails. I have limited myself to checking it once a week now.

6. I want to be more like Christ. Anyone know the easiest way to do that? No? Didn't think so. Actually, I can watch my two friends Ronnie and Sharon Smith and get an idea of what it is like to walk faithfully with the Lord. Our pastor said this past Sunday, "Nobody cares how you start your life with Christ. Ultimately, people are watching to see how you will finish."

7. Here is one of my favorite videos of Emmy lately. She makes me smile.