let freedom ring....

yesterday was memorial day. we spent the day surrounded by family and friends, playing & eating and truly soaking in every minute we could squeeze out of the day.

i had lots of thoughts and heard many more of the incredible freedom that we celebrate as a nation...and the high price that is paid for it by the awesome men and women who guard our freedom. truly, it's hard to think of those who lay down their very lives daily to protect and serve without a stir of great emotion and gratitude.

it also brought to mind a verse that's been rolling around in my (oh so spacious) brain lately:

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

John 15:13

this verse is speaking itself into my thoughts and heart layer by layer...infiltrating each and every facet and corner of my life.

yesterday, as we celebrated our nation's physical, political, religious freedoms i couldn't help but think of so many across the globe who weren't celebrating. so many who suffer oppressions and injustices that my heart and mind can't even fathom.

sometimes it's easier for me to stick my bleached-blonde hair in the sand and not think of the atrocities that most of the world's population face day in and day out, while i'm sipping my hot coffee in my air-conditioned, spacious home (with clean, running water). and while that might work for a short time, knowing Christ and being loved by Him propels my heart to love His family as i love my own...no matter where they are or what they are enduring. and knowing that no matter what physical, religious or political persecution or oppression faced, we all have a Hero...who always wins.

a Hero that each and every person alive, regardless of ethnicity, background, social or political status, gender--has. a Hero that indeed has laid down His life for not just His friends, but His brothers and sisters. a Hero that doesn't need artillery, strategery, or a surprise attack. He has all the power, all the strength and all the Love it takes to win the battle that all of us face...daily. the battle for our heart. and indeed He has already won that battle, faced and defeated death itself. no darkness, no opponent, no challenge can overtake Him. He is steadfast, sure, from beginning to eternity. and He fights for all of us. Loves so perfectly...'no greater love.'

that makes me smile, from the inside out.

and then (as if that wasn't enough deep thinking for one day!) it hit me that we all face afflictions. we all have battles we need fought on our behalf. i might have clean water to drink and even more than enough of it to lavishly wash my car, groceries at my disposal, warm beds for me and mine to sleep in...not to mention the thousands of other luxuries that we enjoy from sun up to sun down everyday! but i still need a Hero. i still need Someone to fight for me. i might thoroughly enjoy physical freedoms but fall prey to oppression of my heart and mind. thoughts and beliefs about myself and others that long to see me defeated, paralyzed...sin and death that would love to ruin my life and those around me.

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

What's the 'good news' today? One has already laid down His life for us...that means you too, by the way. One has already come and defeated sin and darkness and He fights for us every second of every day to share in that victory too!! and no matter where i live or what my circumstances, He Loves perfectly, fights for me constantly...and here's the greatest part....He's bigger than all of them combined! this doesn't mean that i'm guaranteed exemption from pain, poverty or suffering. in fact, it's inevitable. but it does mean that the circumstances, afflictions and sufferings that i find myself in--pale in comparison to who my Hero is. and not only is He the winning team...

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39).

He never leaves, never gets tired, needs a break or goes through a selfish phase.

so today i'm so grateful for freedom. for more physical freedoms than i feel worthy of, but definitely way more true freedom than i deserve.

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1

walk by faith, not by sight....

i'm sure you're all (3) tired of hearing about my morning walks by now, but alas, here i go again!

the past few mornings have been REALLY hard to get out of bed. lack of sleep combined with a cold that won't die makes for some long nights and mornings that are coming too soon! anyway, i have hit snooze a few too many times but made it out the door in time to walk for sunrise.

this morning i needed an extra boost, so i headed out the door with a cup o joe in my hand :) not the healthiest choice for a pre-workout beverage, but man...it was good! i arrived a smidge early, which was fine by me...gave me a few minutes to CHUG, ahem, i mean sip gracefully my java and watch the water before my friend arrived.

as i sat staring at the waveless sea, surrounding islands (and condos of course) i noticed some stingrays flip flapping on the surface and also saw two dolphin swimming/playing. it was breathtaking. a gift, wrapped in beauty more pure than anything i could ever create.

my friend pulled up and joined me in awe and wonder of the incredible life happening around us....we saw more stingray feeding (they usually stay at the bottom of the seafloor, but feed on the surface) and another dolphin splashing. my heart was full and thankful...and we had only just begun.

our conversation was weighty in depth and breadth today...not uncommon for a couple o idealistic dreamers :) deep in thought and talk we found ourselves looking inward in contemplation and prayer. our eyes were fixed on the path ahead, yet God kept beckoning us to look over at what was happening next to us. fish were jumping, the sun was a brilliant shade of pink casting rays of purple and orange all over the sky and water beneath, more rays were spinning on the surface and even more dolphin jumping through the water as if it were a trampoline.

you'll definitely find this hard to believe, but it shut me up. :) the things i want to work out, the places in myself and my life that i want to fix and see things happen...He was whispering today to take my eyes off of what is 'seen' and look to what is 'unseen.' had we been intent enough in our conversation, we would and likely could have completely missed the sweet gifts of life and encouragement today. had we kept our eyes on the road in front and not slowed down enough to look over at the water right next to us...well, today would've ended a lot differently.

i think as a woman it's just my nature to be tangible. not only do i want to fix it, i want it done my way and right now please. and faith and trust are so much more than looking to Him until we get what we want. it's simply about looking to Him. keeping our eyes fixed on what He sees, what He loves, what He values...because there is nothing better.

you don't have to live at the beach (although i highly recommend it!) to see the gifts of life and hope that He puts in our paths each day. God passionately pursues His carefully crafted children. you don't have to measure up to some crazy standard or open your Bible at least once a week to qualify. if you're breathing...you're it! He loves you. He wants you. not to control you, but to set you free. you don't have to have it together (i'm #1 case in point for that one). He provides the strength when we don't feel strong. He gives the love when we are tapped dry. He is Life.

2Cor4:18

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Isaiah40:28-31

The LORD is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.

²⁹ He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.

³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;

³¹ but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

2Chron32:7-9

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. ⁸ With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles." And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.

throw away the dang box

A friend of mine and I have been walking the beach in the wee-morning hours lately. We walk a 3 mile stretch of causeway located along some beach literally around the corner from my house (I know, I'm totally spoiled!) What might cause a couple of smart, level-headed ladies to get up before the sun (literally) and do such a thing, one might ask? Exercise. Well, sort of.

We started walking together as a way to 'fit in' a good workout to our day. And well, let's face it...if you have to exercise, doing so along the beach watching the sun come up doesn't suck :)

Pause story.

This might come as a shock to some of you, but I am a thinker. I love to think. Love to learn. Let me clarify...I don't love school or sometimes the process of learning. But I do love to be challenged with new ideas, concepts, thoughts that are beyond what I am currently capable of understanding. In fact, this can be a strength and also a weakness within my also very type-A personality! Obsess much?? Yes actually. When I 'get inside my head' I can most definitely be my own worst enemy. Honestly, getting out of my own head and seeing past my thoughts is a daily struggle.

Resume story.

This friend of mine is a really cool person. Quite amazing actually. She challenges me to think differently, love differently, receive differently than I've ever done before. She's a thinker, like me, but also a dreamer. She doesn't allow herself to be 'boxed' in by expectation, tradition, routine or even culture. It's as if she constantly attempts to see the world in the vibrant colors closer to what God intended...instead of the muted tones and shades that I find myself seeing day in and day out. I love being with her. I feel more aware of the world, the people in it and hopefully see more of what God sees and longs for after spending time with her. She challenges and nurtures me in a very non-specific yet vitally authentic way. (ps...my husband is also a thinker, a dreamer....wonder if there's a pattern here?)

Beyond my gratitude for her friendship and investment in me, I am so thankful for our mornings together. Just today I realized (as she mentioned, "iron sharpens iron...") that who I surround myself with and talk with and live life with is so vital to HOW i live my life. When I allow my to-do list, a busy schedule, or even just my own 'bubble' of life to overtake my days, it is perhaps one of the most counter-productive things I can do. Just starting our day talking, dreaming, walking totally changes the trajectory of my thoughts for the rest of the day. Something tells me that we're doing something equally important for our souls as for our bodies. By the way, another extremely important and wise person in my life has just recently been talking about this very thing as well...wonder if it's something I should be listening to?

Who do you spend your days with? Do you live authentically in relationship with others? Those who might be different than you? People who challenge you, who encourage you, who nurture you to be the YOU that HE created you to be? Or do you live inside 'the box' that has been put in front of you?? Why do we fill our calendars with 'should-do's' instead of what makes our hearts pump most vibrantly? Don't get me wrong, I'm so not telling anyone to abdicate responsibilities and just go crazy wild....but indeed to reflect honestly about what it is that makes you feel most alive.

Here's the really good part....after asking yourself these questions....the next step is not just to DO some of those things, but to do them...with others, for God. The thing is, if we go through our days just doing what makes us happy for the primary sake of our own happiness, we worship ourselves. We become our own god...and then comes the frustration that those around us aren't 'serving' and 'worshipping' us as we'd like. Ouch. And now this is where the box gets demolished.....our good and God's glory and purpose are NEVER exclusive. HE made you...on purpose, with gifts and strengths, weaknesses and vices...temperament and personality. Unique...there's simply NOT anyone like you. And the good news is that there's not supposed to be! Be you. And just as we need different kinds of foods to nourish our bodies to function properly, we NEED each other to truly function as He intended. Can we survive without each other? Short of a mental breakdown, sure. But we won't thrive...we won't be living in the fullness of potency He created us to be.

Find Him...and you find the best, most alive you there is. I recently read, and am seeing it to be true that "the clearer we see God, the clearer we see oursevles."

So throw the box away...better yet, stomp it to death! Break out of the mold and the 'this is the way we've always done...' and dream. Dream big. Have coffee or dinner (or a walk) with someone who might challenge you to see life, do life differently. Be real, be you...and you will undoubtedly find the heart of God. He made you...He loves you...and He loves it when we see life in color! "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free!" (Gal 5:1)

2 steps forward, 1 step back....

So I've recently undertaken a new 'hobby.' I use this term loosely, as it's not exactly enjoyable...yet. I have a feeling it will be once I get the hang of it, but frankly right now it's beating me in the face.

Strategic shopping, coupon-ing, shopping the ads, stockpiling=making the grocery budget stretch as far as possible. Not a typical hobby I'm sure you're saying to yourself, I know. And it's frankly more of a necessity than anything, but with the time and energy it requires it HAS to be considered such...if not a job.

I'm reading a book, cutting online coupons, subscribing to budget-saving-blogs, gathering weekly store ads, menu planning and trying to combine as many deals as possible to stockpile our pantry and freezer. They say it takes about 6 months for this methodology to begin to substantially save your grocery budget real dollars (i.e...actually not spend as much weekly/monthly). And they also say (warn, actually...) that until that point...this process can be VERY frustrating. I'm here to tell ya people, it is!

Well, I spent the better part of today in the kitchen preparing meals for our family (the hubs mostly, since I'll be out of town most of the week). Earlier in the week I accompanied a very saver-savvy friend to Costco and was able to get quite a few deals since we split most of the meat, chicken, etc. She is quite the home economist herself, so she also sent me home with some good, cheap, easy meals to try with our purchases. I know...I'm so spoiled :)

Back to the kitchen. The plan was to prepare pork enchiladas, baked ziti and chicken chilli and freeze for the coming week's meals. The pork enchiladas and ziti went off perfectly! The chicken chili on the other hand...well...lets just say that the bird and I didn't quite see eye to eye. I ended up having to toss it. Maybe I'll try again tomorrow?

Hello World! I'm back!!

I hadn't realized how much I love to write, until we discontinued my former blog a few months ago. I honestly didn't think I'd ever want another, since we seem to spend endless hours on facebook...what's the point, right? Well fb might be useful for posting pics and chatting in small spurts, but definitely not the outlet of expression my heart has obviously been missing!

So here we go again....not as an authority on anything this world has to offer, but instead just some honest thoughts and dreams as we journey through life together. Hope that you'll check in now and then...would love to hear your thoughts and dreams too!

For now, it's time to close the Mac and get out into this beautiful sunshine with a couple of cutie-pies!! Happy Saturday...see you soon!