Thankful....to dwell in the dash!

I have a cemetery in my front yard. Well, just a few feet beyond my front yard.  In fact, its the view from my bedroom window. Kinda creeped me out at first. Especially one rainy morning when I opened the blinds to find a group of people at a grave-side service! But now it serves as an almost daily reminder to me of the brevity of life. Morbid? Not really. Just a fact. Each of the dear people lying there had a life just as real as mine. And each one of them has a soul that resides in either heaven or hell. What made the difference in their eternal destination? Simple. What they each personally chose to do with Jesus and His free gift of salvation while they resided on this earth.

Some of the graves are particularly interesting to me. Like this one -

Aren't our lives just like that?
Our name is there.
We exist. We are born.
We each have a dash (our life).
And then there's the end of our life on earth.

Most of the tombstones represent completed lives. They had their chance...their own gift of life...and now they dwell in eternity.

But for right now...I still dwell in the dash! And I want to make each day count for Christ!

I'm thankful...I'm not a princess.

Today was "The Royal Wedding" of Prince William and Kate Middleton. She looked stunning on this "fairy tale" sort of day. The whole world has been absolutely obsessed with the event for weeks. As beautiful as it all is...I wouldn't trade my life for Princess Kate's. I have a quiet life. I live in a normal brick ranch. I spend most of my days cleaning up house and doing laundry...but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

My husband is wonderful and I love that I'm the one that gets to love and care for him. Nobody else. Its my job. And I still get a kick out of the fact that I get to kiss him just because I can.:) I get to spend my life with my best friend. And there's no fear that paparazzi is going to push us apart.

My son keeps me on my toes all day. He's a "spitter" so I am forever changing his outfits, wiping up puke and washing spit up rags. But I love it. Days and evenings are spent picking up little rattles, rearranging the play mat and playing games like "peek a boo" with a laughing 4 month old. Every time I find a pair of of little socks lying on the floor, I smile. I smile because they are cute. But mostly I smile because of the little feet that fit into those socks. I smile because I have a sweet son to pick up after: a blessing not to be taken lightly.

The house isn't immaculate and I'm not a gourmet chef. But I try to work hard...and I feel so blessed.

I loved watching the exciting and beautiful event! I love a good fairy tale as much as the next girl;-) But though I'm genuinely happy for "the royal couple," I think their life pales in comparison to mine.

I would never trade my life with a princess.

(photo from glamour.com obtained through google images)

Spring

I love our evening strolls. 

Tonight JB and I stopped along the way and took pics of all the spring foliage. Today....I am especially thankful for the gift of spring. Its so refreshing. I've been thinking recently how beautiful creation really is....even though it is under the curse. Can you imagine what it was like beforehand? No weeds....no destruction....just beautiful. And one day I'll live in the new earth...a perfect one. :)

Anyway, as I said. I'm thankful for spring. And evening strolls with my sweet son.:)

HE IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED!

"...He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. 

Come, see the place where the Lord lay."

  

Sunday's comin!

I am thankful for....The Cross

Today is "Good Friday." I love the cross. It has made and does make all the difference in my life every day. Thank you, Lord Jesus for dying in my place. For becoming my sin on that cross. Thank You for becoming the acceptable sacrifice. Oh, beautiful, terrible cross!

 To think that - 

"...when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)"

(photo from www.missionventureministries.wordpress.com)

Baby Chatter

Every morning my son is a chatter box! We sit and have big conversations together. I love it....I simply love it. I even get excited to walk around the corner into his room just so I can see his smiling face. Then a few minutes later....all the talking starts.:)
I'm God's child. And today my son is a reminder to me of how much God loves to hear me talk to Him in the morning. Could it be that He gets excited for me to wake up? He longs to see me smile and hear me talk to Him? My "chatter" may not be any more coherent then baby talk sometimes....but its a precious and humbling thought to me that my Father would want to hear it.
May my bond with my Heavenly Father be sweet.....may He love it when I wake up in the morning.

"My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct it to You, And will look up." Psalm 5:3

Family

For my husband, Michael. For the love and life we share together. He is my best friend and the one who continually shows the love of Christ to me. So thankful.

For my son, John Berkley. Every day begins with coos and smiles. Each day my son reminds me of the faithfulness of God...and how He still performs miracles today.