I will never forget the shrieks of laughter that occurred this past Thursday morning.  We ran, giggled, spun in circles, fell head first down the drive way and haltingly picked ourselves back up for the better part of an hour.  I could give you time to guess what we were doing…but you wouldn’t!  We were chasing shadows. That’s it.  There were no dramatic events or special props we were just enjoying a beautiful spring day and the effects that the shining sun was giving us.  Playing is one of my favorite parts of my job!  For those hours while I look after these children, I get to stop acting like an adult and get down to their level.  I get to relearn life and how each small detail thrills or horrifies them.

As Sam and I chased our shadows, I began to wonder…when exactly was it that I stopped loving the simple things of life?  When did I stop being thrilled by a shadow, or awed by moth?  Children have this unique gift of taking time to smell the roses and appreciate the hugeness of everything God has given to us.  When was the last time I took time out of the busyness of life, to simply enjoy life?  I have found that when I allow the spontaneous, unplanned and sporadic moments to happen and when I have allowed myself to truly appreciate them for all they are, that God has often chosen those moments to whisper his words into my heart.

So here’s the question I’ve been asking myself.  A question that really I think we all need to be asking.  How can I begin appreciating the simple things of life again? What needs to change in my life so that I recognize the simple things as being unique God moments?  Today I took time out for a long walk in nature and a phone call to my Grandma.  Not only do I feel less stressed then I do when I am in constant high gear mode, but I also have a Grandma who was blessed that I thought to call her and made sure to tell me that she prays for me daily.

So what does it look like for you?

Andrea

Ever failed?

I have…a lot!  Sometimes it’s something as simple as burning a batch of cookies or putting too much salt in the pasta.  Other times, I have failed an assignment at school or a not getting the exact job I wanted.  Still other times, my failures have resulted in lost relationships, compromised values, and seasons of life apart from God.  Often I have come to the end of my rope wondering what went wrong…how did I end up here again?  For a burnt batch of cookies…it’s a simple as knowing that the oven was turned on to high or they were left for too long.

But the bigger things are a little trickier to figure out.  Most often I have found that my failures start with the tiniest of tiny steps away from God’s will…and then ever so gradually continue down that path so slowly that I don’t even see it coming until I am so far away from the starting point that it is hard to even remember what happened.

Here’s the encouraging part though…every time I have failed and repented, my walk with the Lord has grown deeper.  Failure has often been God’s way of allowing me to come to the end of myself, realizing that I absolutely must remain humble and allow on him to be in absolute control.  A LOT easier said than done!!!  I once heard a message on Luke 22:31, which is the passage right before Jesus’ trial. I remember the speaker talking about how Jesus didn’t pray that Peter wouldn’t fall into temptation at all, but that when Satan tempted him, his faith would not fail. That when he did fall, his faith in God’s perfect love would not fail him - so that even when Peter reached the bottom of the pit of failure, he would confess, “God still loves me”.

The important thing really isn’t how far you’ve fallen but how much you have learned through it.  Do you remember even at the darkest moment that God still LOVES you?  What are some lessons you have learned in a deeper way through some of your failures?

Andrea

Hi Friends!  This week has been insane with mid-terms, work and starting into term papers…sometimes I wonder if I’m living through it, or just kind of floating along on top while someone else lives my life!  Here’s what I’ve been chewing on this week.

Accountability…do you have it in your life?  If not, find some!  Last semester, I allowed busyness to exclude several mentors and close friends from my life.  It was hands down one of the worst semesters of my life, as far as spiritual growth goes.   This semester, I made it one of my new year’s resolutions that not only was I going to prioritize time for those people to be in my life, but I was also going to choose two or three of them to be completely and totally honest with in every area of my life.

As I have allowed myself to spend quality time with these ladies and share openly with them, I have found that three main benefits have come out of it.

1.   Our relationships are deeper. As ladies of all ages often express a lack of community to me and how much they miss it, I have come to realize how beautiful and enriching it is to have true community.  Not just ladies to drink tea with, but ladies to share LIFE with.

2.    There has been healing in my life. Often times when events of the past hurt us, we go cover the pain and repress the memories so that we don’t have to deal with it.  I was walking through life thinking I had dealt with most of the issues of the past and yet as I started talking to my “big sister”  she was able to point out behaviors and beliefs in my life that are still very much a result of past hurts.  I’ll never forget her telling me that my life is very much like a chronic illness (and I think this can be said of all of us), we walk around in pain…but the more pain we are in, the less we recognize it and the more we just accept it.  It is only when true healing comes that we are fully aware of how much the pain was holding us back.

3.    Though the temptation to sin still pops up on a daily basis, I find that it is much easier to resist it. It doesn’t mean that I’m perfect now, or that I no longer sin.  However, knowing that I am going be talking with someone I love about my actions has stopped me from a lot of wrong.  Whether it is thoughts, entering relationships I shouldn’t be in, or that little white lie.  It’s hard to confess our sin to one another and no one wants to confess more than absolutely necessary!!!

So where are you at?  Who is there that you can have a completely open relationship in order that you might grow and find freedom in your walk with Christ?

Andrea

Hi Girls!  I’m new to this whole blogging communications thing, so here’s what I need you to do:

Pretend that we are all curled up on the couch with mounds of blankets with steaming cups of tea. Cozied in for a deep sisterly heart-to-heart.

Identity…it’s something we all struggle with. We all want to know that we are loved and of high value. In my own life, I have found that often on that quest for identity, this comes from men in my life. Regardless of whether that was my Dad or the latest boy. Value from men has always been very important.

Here’s what God’s been hitting me with over and over again throughout this week:

It’s not about who I am…it’s about whose I am.

If people ask us who we are, it’s a mad dash for an answer…I’m a sister, friend, nanny, photographer, tea drinker, and the list goes on. We need to find answers that will qualify our value in the minds of those around us.

As soon as my identity quest becomes about WHOSE I am, then the answer becomes an overwhelmingly meaningful and simple answer of JESUS’. In this one simple answer I find value because there is nothing of more value than Jesus. My life is not my own, it was never meant to find its value in the words or actions of men. We have been bought with the death of a perfect savior. The maker of the entire Universe calls me his. He treasures and values every intricate detail of who he has created me to be. Only through him are we able to grasp this truth.

God has bought us, forgiven us, and furthermore He holds every road block of life in his hands. He is the beginning and the end. (Revelation 22:13) So what do you think girls? Where do we find our identity? What point of the journey are you at? I know that this truth isn’t yet my reality at every moment of every day. It’s a journey…a place I’m striving to reach. What about you?

Andrea