Well, it's Friday again. It feels like I was just typing that yesterday. It's amazing how quickly the weeks go. I'm not going to lie, it's been a hard week. Lots of struggles, lots of quesions... but I'm trying my hardest to choose truth over emotions. Anyways.... here are my favorites from this week! 1. Even thought it's been a hard week and I feel like there are so many unanswered questions, I can't deny the fact that God is showing himself to me in random ways. Ok, not random, because God is never random. So I'm thankful for bread crumbs, even when I want the whole loaf. 2. On Wednesday night, Aaron and I went down to teen camp to sit through the last service with the kids, then bring them home. It was an awesome service and God definitely moved in the kids lives. I think back over my teen years and I can say that camp was always a time when I made difinitive decisions in my relationship with God. After the service we got to enjoy the finale lip sych. Here's a picture of some of the campers and a youth pastor being camps version of One Direction.... "New Direction". 3. On Saturday, I was able to have a Mommy date and have Starbucks with one of my former Pastor's wife. They pastored the church I grew up in in Michigan and now they live about an hour away up north in Indiana. We met half way and talked and talked and talked for over 3 hours. I was a young teen when they left our Church, and I've always counted her as one of the women who helped disciple me through some of the hardest years of life (teen years). I feel blessed that I was able to talk and share with her and that I can still be discipled by her through the other hardest years of my life. She was such an encouragement and I look forward to the next time we can have a Mommy date.
4. We moved our girls into the same room on Saturday. Our townhouse is only 2 bedroom and until now (13 months), Macie's crib has been in our room. I wanted my room back. So, we moved the crib in there and it's been loads of fun ever since. I was shocked at how quickly they adjusted and we love laughing at what we hear over the monitor when they are in there together. I'm so thankful that (right now at least) my girls are each other's biggest fan. 5. I'm excited about the challange I have today of coming up with a extremely cheap/free Father's Day gift for Aaron. I know he'll probably read this, so I can't divulge any secrets, but I have a few ideas and I'll share his gift with you guys next week! Happy Father's Day to all the Dad's out there.
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I remember vividly the night Emerson was born. I can remember how the room smelled, I remember the noises I was hearing, I remember every sweet curve of Emmy's face. I remember all of this because I didn't sleep. I laid in that hospital bed staring at her couting each breath. I was too afraid to close my eyes. I was afraid that she would stop breathing and I wouldn't be awake to save her. Over the next few months I had many nights like this. I'd lay her down to sleep and panic because I was consumed with fear of losing her in the night. On those nights I would pray these exact words.... "God, Emmy is yours. I give her to you." Almost instantly when I prayed that prayer, God's peace would rush over me and I was able to sleep. Now that Emmy is older, I don't often have a fear of her not waking from sleeping. My fears have changed. Am I doing it right? Am I holding her back? Am I pushing her too hard? Am I being an example of God so that she is pointed to the cross? Am I expressing love, courage, strength, modesty, and dignity to her? About 5 months ago, Aaron and I decided that instead of just doing a generic prayer at bed time and praying for a few specific family members, we wanted to teach Emmy how to pray for others. I'd seen this idea online and decided to replicate it (another idea pinned here.) We also decided that as Emmy grows and her understanding deepens we'll add more sticks with specific prayer requests and deeper concepts. It was easy to make. I took an empty pickle jar, spray painted the lid pink. I used jumbo popsicle sticks and a pink sharpie to write the names, then tied some silver ribbon around the mouth of the jar. I used a silver craft pen to write Emerson's Prayer Jar on top. Every time she gets in bed, she instantly reminds us to pull a name out of the jar. She loves praying for everyone in the jar and gets excited about each name. She's recently started asking to pull 2 names out of the jar. She'll pray, we'll kiss her and tuck her in and close the door. And then every night I pray... not out of fear for the coming night but for hope in the future God has planned for her... "God, Emmy is yours. I give her to you." |
HEY, I'M JESSICA!
Christian. Wife. Mommy. Daughter. Pastor. Friend. Saved.Redeemed. Beloved.
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