Happy Birthday Charlie

So yesterday, this handsome fella turned 19...

and all I got to do was to wish him a happy birthday over the phone.

This growing up thing is tricky cause when I look at this 19 year old...

I still see this 3 year old...

Now I have hard evidence that little boys never truly "grow up"...

*grin*

but it's not really the same thing...

Happy birthday Charlie!  I pray that no matter how "adult" you get, you will still be so... 

oh what's that word...  

Oh yeah...

So "CHARLIE"!

Missing...

If we had missed this, my heart would be not be whole. 

Would I have known exactly what we had turned our backs on? 

Likely not, but I know with a knowing that hurts my heart, that I would have spent my entire life searching for that which was never realized, trying to fill the cavern in my heart and not fully able to fathom the loss.

Please ask me about adoption...

There are so many children waiting who will likely age out and never know the love of a forever family. Will they know what they have missed? Yes, I think they will and it breaks my heart.

Please ask me about adoption...

There are so many families out there who will likely turn their backs and never know the love of broken-ness. Will they know what they have missed? Tragically, no, I don't think they will. 

This world makes hearts numb. This world deceives and so many sleep walk through a life that could be so much more, could be all that the Lord intended it to be.

Please, if you feel as if there is more to this life than what the world tells us is good, please ask me about adoption.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Yes, the most wonderful time of the year came again this year, the much dreaded anticipated Virtual Christmas Card Picture...

only this year, the kids actually behaved better than the dogs!!!

Go figure!! 

And while I am still not totally satisfied with the results...

at least no one was injured in the process - Charlie!!...

there were no tears - Charlie!!...

from the kids or me...

no electronics had to be threatened - Caleb!!... 

and Hubby never had to raise his voice!

shocker!!

And ya know what...

I missed it!

I missed it all!

I missed the tears and the tantrums and the injuries - Charlie!

and the deep Daddy voice...

OK maybe not that one!

*grin*

I missed it all because my kids are not acting like kids anymore...

They are growing up and acting all mature and stuff!

Harumpf!

I don't have any excuses for the dogs!

Unless they were just trying to make me feel better!

Yep, this crazy Christmas picture thing started with our very first Christmas as an engaged couple in 1995 when all we had were doggies!

Never could we have imagined what the Lord had in store for our lives and good thing cause we likely would have said...

"Yeah, thanks but NO thanks!"

But He knew that we needed time...

LOTS of time!

LOTS and LOTS of time!

*grin*

Through the years, as our family grew and the Christmas picture got harder and more exasperating, it sort of became a part of the whole Christmas picture tradition....

how dare the kids mess with my Christmas picture tradition and actually behave - hehe!

Oh well, there's always next year and the hope of better out-takes!

Merry Christmas and Happy 2019 and yes, the doggies were back on the sofa in no time...

I mean how could you stay mad at that face!!!

Contentment

Was listening to a sermon this morning and the message was just so good. He spoke of the spirit of discontent that is so rampant these days but woven throughout the sermon was the Lord's promise to us: "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you.'"

NEVER WILL I LEAVE YOU. NEVER WILL I FORSAKE YOU.

He spoke about the culture of discontent, that people are chasing the very things that leave them feeling discontent.

"If your focus in life is wealth, you will never be content because there will always be someone wealthier."

"If your main focus in life is your looks, you will never be content because there will always be someone more beautiful."

"If your only focus in life is your business, you will never be content because there will always be someone more successful."

I laughed out loud at the example that he gave: "The man who has 6 kids is far more content than the man who has 6 million dollars because the man who has 6 million dollars always wants another million!"

Wow! We must be super content!

Who knew??

*Wink*

When your focus is on the work of God, on Him, you will be content because "Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you!"

He also spoke of an ancient Chinese proverb:

"If you want to be contented for one hour, get intoxicated (happy hour - hehe)"

"If you want to be contented for 3 days, get married."

"If you want to be contented for 8 days, kill your pig and eat it."

"If you want to be contented forever, learn to fish!"

Jesus said that for true contentment we need to follow Him and become fishers of men - because...

NEVER WILL HE LEAVE US. NEVER WILL HE FORSAKE US.

I am not always content but the times that I am are the times that I feel the closest to God, regardless of what is happening around me. He is so good and has made the way clear for us to be with Him forever. How tragic that so many will chose to chase contentment here on this earth, this life that is so fleeting, when they could have contentment here and forever. 

Lord, help me to speak of You more often and to show the love of Jesus.