Happy Mother's Day

I have a bird house in my back yard. It's been there for a couple of years but this Spring a cute bird family decided to move in, build a nest, and lay their babies in there.

So right now the eggs are doing what eggs do in there. I think they are probably cozy. It's an amazing little house, if I do say so myself.

The best part about it all is watching the comings and goings of the mom and dad. I'm typically up by 6:30 every morning so I get to really see them in action. Most of the time they are perched on the fence right by the house just making sure everything is going well. The mom or dad will slip in the house every now and again and then come back out again.

Well, today I heard some serious chirping going on outside so I went to the window and looked out. There was a grey looking bird I'd never seen sitting on the fence. He looked like he was up to no good. I could see it in his little bird eyes. Then out of no where the momma bird came swooping in and started attacking the grey bird. I mean she was seriously dive bombing that bird. Full on protection mode was in effect.

It was awesome.

And it made me think. My mom would do that for me too.

She'd definitely dive bomb someone trying to hurt me. In fact, she probably HAS done that before.

That's what makes my mom the best.

Mom's are special. I got lucky enough to have one of the best mom's on the planet.

So Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers out there. Thanks for protecting and loving your little ones.

Emotional Eating?

The question of the week is .... is what I typically partake in (on a nightly/daily basis) emotional eating? The answer is ...................... yep.

Darn.

I thought I had all my emotions folded up neatly and put away ... and then this pops up.

I starting thinking about it one day when I was poking around the fat on various parts of my body wondering why in the WORLD I can't lose weight. I've been trying to eat better and work out 4-5 times a week. I did a really darn good job of it for about 6 weeks and then when I wasn't seeing the results I wanted I began to retreat back to the hot fudge and whipped cream desserts of my past.

What is it about that stuff that draws me back in? Why can't I just stick with the things that I know will help me eliminate the dreaded muffin top?

What is it I ask? Emotions.

Gag.

Food is good. Food is comforting. Food is my friend when I feel like I don't have any. Food is the other friend that is invited to a meeting with a real friend. Food. Food. Food.

This is a huge issue for me ... and millions of other women in the world (including Oprah). So I know I'm not alone in this. I just don't want to deal with it.

I don't want to deal with the fact that 99% of the time I eat, at home, when I'm not even kinda hungry because I'm alone and I actually realize I am alone. I don't want to deal with the fact that I cook food on the weekends because I like to pretend what it would be like to cook for a family. And I really don't want to have to deal with the fact that the food gives me moments of complete joy in the middle of times that I am greatly lacking in that department.

I don't want to deal with it. But I have to.

I have to face the facts and deal with it. And I will. I'll deal with it.

I just don't want to.

What Does Your Witness Look Like?

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what my witness looks like. I don’t think I’ve put much thought into it before because I have felt like most of my life the people I was around, the majority of the time, just knew who I was and what I was about. That isn’t the case anymore.

I’m surrounded by new and wonderful people every day. Some of them know the love of Jesus and some of them don’t. Neither position makes one group better than the other. Both sets still require me to shine the light of Jesus.  

So because of that, I’ve been trying to figure out what my witness looks like. Some people’s witness comes in the form of words. Beautiful, comforting words of life and therefore people see the love of the Lord through those words. Some people’s witness takes form in their actions. They can care for and love on people in a way that leave no doubt that Jesus was present. Some people’s witness manifest itself in silence and compassion and they  just leave a mark on the hearts of the people they are around.

I’m not sure what mine looks like.  I'm not sure it really even matters ... I just pray that I have one. I pray that I am planting seeds. It’s not my job to change someone, that’s the Lord’s work. I just hope that the seeds I am planting are those of love and hope. I want the world to see what joy comes from knowing Jesus Christ.

I have no excuse for the lack of posting I've done here. None.
I'm sorry.

Here are a few photos for now.

NEEDTOBREATHE at the Ryman

Hung out with NEEDTOBREATHE after the show and got to go on the stage at the Ryman.

My friend Chris August turned 30.

I planted these flowers and they aren't dead ... yet.

All For The Hall concert 2012.

Snicker Popcorn.

No caption needed.

Psalm 90:12-17

Oh! Teach us to live well!
Teach us to live wisely and well!
Come back, God—how long do we have to wait?—
and treat your servants with kindness for a change.
Surprise us with love at daybreak;
then we'll skip and dance all the day long.
Make up for the bad times with some good times;
we've seen enough evil to last a lifetime.
Let your servants see what you're best at—
the ways you rule and bless your children.
And let the loveliness of our Lord, our God, rest on us,
confirming the work that we do.
Oh, yes. Affirm the work that we do!