Home Sanctuary

His Eye is on the Sparrow

Matt. 10:29-31

Good Monday morning, Company Girls! This little nest is in the rosebush right outside my front door and I couldn't resist sharing it with you today.

Know that God is with you and is watching over you with great delight. He is covering you with His grace and keeping you safe in his care.

You are in my thoughts and prayers today. I'll be back to my regular posting schedule in just a couple of weeks.

Love, Rachel

Why should I feel discouraged,

Why should the shadows come,

Why should my heart be lonely,

And long for heaven and home,

When Jesus is my portion?

My constant friend is He:

His eye is on the sparrow,

And I know He watches me.

I sing because I'm happy,

I sing because I'm free,

For His eye is on the sparrow,

And I know He watches me.

"Let not your heart be troubled," 

His tender word I hear,

And resting on His goodness,

I lose my doubts and fears;

Though by the path He leadeth,

But one step I may see;

His eye is on the sparrow,

And I know He watches me;

His eye is on the sparrow,

And I know He watches me.

Whenever I am tempted,

Whenever clouds arise,

When songs give place to sighing,

When hope within me dies,

I draw the closer to Him,

From care He sets me free;

His eye is on the sparrow,

And I know He watches me;

His eye is on the sparrow,

And I know He watches me.

~Civilla Martin/Charles Gabriel

The Gift of Hope

"The end of the world as we know it." ~ every other Facebook status

I've heard a lot of gloom and doom since the election, and today I want to encourage you to, well.... put a lid on it. At least in front of the kids.

Yes, I know. I'm well aware that there are big huge problems facing us, and we have social issues up the wazoo. We must discuss them. But sometimes we get so wrapped up in talking about how bad things are and how much worse they're going to get, that we forget about the little listening ears that are taking it all in. To kids, all this grown-up talk can be scary, frightening and depressing. And it can leave them feeling hopeless about their future.

When you're ten, you should be dreaming of being an astronaut, or a doctor, or a fireman... not worrying about whether your family will survive a future holocaust. A six year-old shouldn't have to overhear talk that our country going to hell in a handbasket. A high schooler shouldn't have to think "why bother?" because the world might end. We need to filter the information we present so that it is age-appropriate and constructive.

Today's Small Thing is to give your children (and everyone around you) the gift of hope.

Refrain from talking about political catastrophes and instead, talk about your child's dreams. What are his gifts? What can she contribute to this world to make it better? How can God help us be lights in our neighborhoods? What can WE do to make a difference?

There is so much we can't fix around us. The economy, immigration, unemployment....but none of that means anything to someone who just wants to color with you, or be pushed in a swing, or have you listen to a new song they found on itunes. Don't rob your children of the joyfulness of life because you are disappointed in the election outcome. Speaking positive and hopeful words will communicate to them that you trust God to watch over you no matter what. Regardless of the political landscape.

God has mighty plans for the next generation of kids, and it will be amazing to see them rise up and take them on. We need future astronauts and doctors and firemen and mommies and daddies who believe in Him, and whose parents gave them the gift of hope in the midst of turbulent times.

Song of the Day: Hope Now, Addison Road

I'm Not Crying, I've Been Cutting Onions

 "I'm making a lasagne......for one."

 

Oh, those guys from New Zealand, Bret and Jermaine, still crack me up.  "I'm Not Crying" is one of those songs that goes straight to my soul because of all the denial. The excuses.  The sadness. It would be heartbreaking if my heart wasn't already liquid.

This silly song reminds me of the denial and excuses we tell ourselves when we don't want to face (or admit) the truth. 

• I don't count calories because I'm not good with numbers.  
• I don't implement my housekeeping schedule because I feel too boxed in.  
• I sleep in late because I have to search the web late at night.  
• I don't exercise because I'm too busy.  
• My poor tummy needs a milkshake because of the spicy food. 
• I'd be a patient mom if my kids weren't hyper.  
• If I didn't have so much to do I'd be willing to play hanky-panky with my man more often. 
• The Bible is boring so I don't need to read it.  
• I only watch soaps for the hairstyles. 
• I can't give to others because we won't have enough for ourselves. 
• My husband doesn't deserve my respect because he makes mistakes. 
• Smoking helps me keep my weight down.
• I'm not bitter, but I won't ever forget how I was wronged.
• This new purse will help me get a promotion.

What is your excuse today?  Are you avoiding the truth in some area of your life?  See, when we dance around reality, look the other way, or point fingers at someone else, we never get out the quagmire that holds us down.  We wonder why we don't experience freedom and joy in certain areas of our life, but we're never willing to go beyond our denials and "perfectly legitimate reasons" for being the way we are - to live life more fully.

Today's Small Thing is to call your own self out on an excuse.  

Just for today, see how it feels to be free of that big old monkey on your back.  Say it like it is, recognize the truth, and find the strength to move forward.  Your excuse might be silly, or it might be something that calls for real repentance before God. It might feel risky, but oh! the joy you'll find afterward!

I've always said that our home sanctuary is founded on peace, order and beauty. Peace comes when we make things right with our God, love the people around us and pay attention to the small things we do....and we'll never get around to those things as long as we deny that we need to change.

Join me for a No Excuse Day!  Just pick one excuse and tell the truth.  Live free today!

Song of the Day: I'm Not Crying, Flight of the Conchords

Oh, and want to know my excuses? "I don't need to plan a menu because it's just the two of us now," and "No one will read my book if I write it so why bother?"  

I'm turning both into positive statements instead: "I need to plan a menu because it's just the two of us," and, "I can't wait to write my book so people can read it!"

What excuses can YOU turn into positive statements?

Forest for the Trees

On our recent trip to Colorado, I was absolutely enchanted with the aspen forests, displaying their glorious fall foliage on the mountainsides. It seemed like each turn of the road revealed new vistas of the trees in blazing colors - golden, orange, red, green and yellow. It was as if they were on fire! All I wanted to do was get out of the car and walk into one of the forests so I could experience it from underneath the incredible leaves.

One day, we spotted a perfect forest to explore from a vantage point on roadside pull-out. Through our binoculars, we looked across a wide canyon at a blazing hillside, and discovered that a dirt road wound right though it - and after consulting our map, we decided to take a hike there the next day. I couldn't wait to get inside that solid mass of color! 

 

The hillside we spotted from far far away. I wanted to explore THAT forest...the brilliant one right in the center, up high.

And when we got to the interior of that golden aspen forest, it was indeed...absolutely breathtaking. It was a cathedral of trees: quiet, except for the rustling of the leaves above, and there was an incredible sense of wonder that enveloped me as we stepped into the sanctuary. Within seconds, I stopped in complete amazement and turned in all directions. "Ohhhhhhh...." was all I could say. I could hardly take in all the beauty.

 

The floor of the forest was so much more open than I'd expected! There were huge spaces between each white trunk, leaving room for a soft undergrowth of grasses and shrubby plant life. We followed a meandering little animal trail, and admired the towering trees that formed a solid canopy above. I remembered how, from our far-off vantage point the day before, this forest looked so massive and formidible, I couldn't see any individual trees.

 

But from here, right up close, I could see how each aspen had its own space - each had its own uniquely patterned trunk - and it was only waaaaay above my head that their branches touched and interlocked to create their shimmering cathedral ceiling.

That day I was reminded, in such a beautiful way, how in life, vantage point makes all the difference. It is so easy to miss the forest for the trees....or get so wrapped up in the trees that you miss the glorious forest they are creating. I took a deep breath of the crisp air and thought of how many times I've been so focused on the obstacles I've faced that I've missed the grace God was providing for me to get through them. How I would get so tired of the daily tasks of motherhood that I failed to see the progress that was happening right before my eyes as my children grew and matured. Or how sometimes I still get so overwhelmed with the enormity of my problems that I fail to see the individual steps I can take to solve them. I am forever thinking tasks are so big, so intimidating, that I don't see the small, simple things I can do to accomplish them.

Forests. Trees. So often I'm blinded by one for the other.

Today's Small Thing is to change your vantage point.

Perhaps you are facing something that seems just too big to handle and you can't make any sense of it all. Or maybe you have a vision for your life that feels unattainable, unreachable. You can see the solid mass of forest, but not the trees it will take to make it.

Maybe you are stuck in the daily-ness of raising children, a difficult health situation or a job that seems pointless - trees that are blocking your view from a glorious canopy just above you.

I challenge you to step back from your life for just a moment and ask God to help you see beyond it to the to the work He is doing. Allow Him to give you wisdom to see the forest - or trees - that will make all the difference in how you view your circumstance. Changing your vantage point will give you a whole new perspective and will lighten the burden you're carrying because you'll be able to see a bigger picture. Trust Him to show you the details you've been missing, and to give you a grand view of what He is creating in and through you. His beautiful plan for you is unfolding....and you've got a front row seat.

“A spiritual kingdom lies all about us, embracing us, altogether within reach of our inner selves, waiting for us to recognize it. God Himself is here waiting our response to His presence. This eternal world will come alive to us the moment we begin to reckon upon its reality.” A.W. Tozer

My question to you: how will changing your perspective transform your world today?

Yes, It's Possible

I asked my husband once why he had dreamed of climbing Mt. Everest when he was a young man.

"I don't know," he said thoughtfully. "Maybe because it's POSSIBLE."

It's possible because a man named Sir Edmund Hillary proved it is. He and his companion Tenzing Norgay did what no one had ever done...and opened the way for climbers and dreamers to make it to the top of the world because it COULD be done. And while most people see the failed attempts at Everest as reason not to try, for some undaunted souls, the fact that some HAVE made it is enough for them to embark on the journey of a lifetime.

Last week, Tom and I felt as if we'd made it to the top of Everest. You see, we had a "second honeymoon" in the very area we'd spent our first one - in the mountains of Colorado....and this time we had a vantage point that allowed us to look back and see the climb we've been on. In the scramble to the top - getting our last child out the door and finishing a huge work project - we suddenly realized that the possibilities we'd only dreamed of in the beginning had become a reality. It was unbelievably exhilarating, and we acted just as giddy together as we did the first time around!

 

Yup, just as giddy.

Back when we were a couple of kids in a Datsun pickup on our way to Breckenridge in 1983, we had a lot of hope and just enough courage to believe that we could make it on our own epic journey. Unfortunately, we saw a lot of attempts by others that didn't end well. Marriages that started out strong but fell victim to storms, fatigue or injury along the way. Each casualty put a small measure of fear in our hearts, knowing how easily it could happen to us. That could be us, we'd say. Don't let it be us.

So we grabbed hands and just pressed on. Through college classes, babies, sicknesses, the shoulder pads and perms of the 90's, through the kids' school years, the failed businesses, the empty bank accounts and flat tires. Thankfully, along the steep path there have been enough sunsets and flowers, tea parties and sand castles, knowing smiles and inside jokes to make each step seem doable. Possible.

With each step, we learned what IS possible. And I hold up the Flag of Possibility for you today so that you can believe, and take another step yourself...no matter how faltering it may be. Keep pressing on.

It is possible.... to have an epic love affair with the person you are married to.

It is possible to re-ignite your passion for one another, even after a long, bleak season.

It is possible to make it through financial stress, parenting, illness and loss. It is possible to be faithful to your spouse.

It is possible to forgive.

It is possible to raise children who don't rebel.

It is possible to send children to public school and see them remain not only true to their faith, but be leaders of their peers.

It is possible to have a good family in spite of the mom being easily distracted by clouds, butterflies and 20% off discount signs.

It is possible that being organized is overrated.

It is possible to know that God is deeply in love with you, and cares for you....infinitely.

It is possible to enjoy your kids' teenage years.

It is possible that your really naughty, exasperating toddler will become an amazing young adult.

It is possible to trick people into thinking you're an awesome housekeeper by occasionally hiding clutter in closets.

It is possible to find small nuggets of joy each day, if you take the time to look for them.

It is possible to live for Jesus and still have a regular job.

It is *possible* to multi-task, but *probably* not well.

It is possible to enjoy each season of life, especially when you realize that none of them lasts forever.

It is possible for dreams to come true if you're willing to work.

It is possible to be a late bloomer.

It is possible that you'll face some really hard things that will defy explanation and easy answers.

It is possible for a family to love being together.

It is possible for a marriage to last forever - and still be sweet.

It is possible to reach the top of a mountain, one small step at a time.

 

What are YOUR possiblities? Maybe you're in a tough spot and it's hard to see any around you. I know just what that feels like, because I've been there, many times. And yet, here I am....looking back and seeing just how many possibilities actually became realities. God is faithful and is always working behind the scenes to give you strength for the journey.

Today's Small Thing is to grab a handful of hope and take a deep breath of courage.

With each step you take, you are that much closer to the top of your mountain. Knowing that others have gone before you - and made it - proves that it CAN be done. It IS possible...and you're on your way to planting your own flag at the summit, I promise. Keep fighting for your marriage, keep looking for moments of joy, keep on being a good mom today. Keep dreaming and praying and doing. Matt. 19:26 "but with God, all things are possible."

It is possible that the best is yet to come.

Back to Us

Our youngest child, Grayson, left for college on Sunday.

 

As you can imagine, it was an emotional day. We had decided to keep things lighthearted and to try not to start talking about old times as we ate a leisurely brunch and then packed up his car....and that did help - up until the last hug.

Man. How do you put eighteen years of love and pride and happiness and sadness and excitement and heartbreak and fun and memories into a goodbye? There's just no way to describe it.

Watching his car drive slowly down our dusty driveway is something I'll never forget. We heard him stop, just beyond the trees and out of our sight, to pay his respects to the pond before he pressed on the gas and headed for Texas A&M. Our ears strained to hear his wheels disappear down our country lane.

We sat for the longest time on our creaky wooden lawn chairs afterward, staring up at the sky through the leaves and gazing at the driveway...and that's when the tears really came. "I can't believe it's over," we said more than once. And we talked about our favorite memories with the kids and how much we loved being parents. What a gift we've been given.

The past couple of days have been a roller coaster of emotions. We will see Gray again on Sunday for the Freshman Convocation, and that has given us something fun to look forward to. And as the heartbreak has eased, we've started to feel excited, even euphoric at times, that we made it. We made it. Our kids are amazing adults and all the hard work and daily stress of parenting is done.

Now it's just back to us.

We've been staring at each other like a couple of newlyweds, in awe of the power of love that has brought us through raising our family and creating our history. We never got fancy trips to Disney World and our camping trips were few and far between, but we had our kids and we had each other and it was enough. And now it's the two of us - the same couple that was crazy in love all those years ago, and we feel exactly the same about each other as we did back then.

Except now we know the rest of the story. All the lines have been colored in and we can see the picture clearly. We know that despite some tough times that stretched our marriage and our faith, we kept going, and it turned out... beautiful. Not perfect, but beautiful... because it's our own story. It turned out beyond what we could have hoped for, when we were those two kids who brought home that first baby from the hospital and wondered what the future would hold.

It's been an amazing ride. We are so very grateful.

Housekeeping Advice for New Moms

I love talking with moms of babies and preschoolers, and I often get questions about how to handle housekeeping responsibilities with the demands of taking care little ones at home. Maybe the reason I love sharing my tips is because I struggled with this a lot myself as I tried to juggle a baby on one hip while looking at the mess that was supposed to be my living room. It's what started me on my quest for creating a sanctuary.

Recently, a reader named Jennifer emailed me and asked it this way: many of the housekeeping schedules I have seen don't seem to be made for mommies with really little ones.  How did you survive infancy and toddlerhood while maintaining a home sanctuary?

Today, I'd like to share with you from my (edited) email to her. Maybe you're right smack in the baby-makin'/baby raisin' years and could use it....or maybe you're long past diapers but know someone who might need some encouragement and you can pass this post to her - either way, we are women helping one another along. It's what we do. This is not meant to be a comprehensive list of tips and advice, just my "shoot from the hip" thoughts.

The baby and toddler years, to me, are the toughest parts of the parenting/homekeeping journey. With my three kids, I felt like I should have T-shirts that read "I survived my baby's first year!" for each of them. Seriously, that first birthday felt like a huge milestone for me because I just found myself very stretched in during that time, to say the least. I loved my babies, but I did not always love the work that went the baby years. I was tired a lot.

People always tell new moms to use baby's nap times to get things done but I found this advice useless. You should know that I always took naps when the babies napped and never got anything done when they slept.

 

How do you make a housekeeping schedule work without either being a slave to it or giving up altogether? I think it's best to find something super simple that will work for you in this season. A year from now, you might find that something completely different will work because your baby will be able to play a little on his own or stay occupied while you work on the house. This is a passing season that will change - and a lot of the chaos will go away with it.

 

My suggestion is to keep things as easy as possible.

 

1. Focus on one task at a time if you can, for example, work on laundry on Tuesday (random pick). Keep after it in between snacks and boo boos and diaper changes. Don't use laundry day to run errands or clean out drawers. Whatever you don't finish, leave until next Tuesday if possible. Then you don't even have to think about it for a whole week and it is off your mind. Buy plenty of underwear. :)

 

 

2. Have a basket, bin or drawer in every single room that you can throw toys and clutter into on a moment's notice. Get your toddler used to picking up at sorta regular times - before Daddy gets home from work, before bathtime. Use a timer and set it for just a few minutes so he learns that picking up is a game that is quick and fun.

 

3. Realize that starting a new family, regardless of how long you've been married, means huge changes in your life (and how you see your role in life.) This is great stuff, but also stressful stuff. Add to that other circumstances, such as job issues, in-laws, tight finances, illness, etc, and all of that really affects your ability and motivation to do much more than survive. And survival is good! You should give yourself credit for that. Don't measure your "success" as a homekeeper on the basis of such eventful years. Dishes can wait, kisses won't. Don't let what what is "undone" rob you of the joy to be had in gooey smiles, finger painting and playing peek-a-boo. There will be plenty of time to become a housekeeping goddess as time goes on.

 

4. Don't set yourself up for failure by biting off more than you can chew. Aim low if you have to, but just aim at something. They say if you aim at nothing, you'll hit it every time. :) Instead of having the goal "Have the whole house sparkling every day," shoot for "I'll have the dishes done each night before bed so I can wake up to a clean kitchen." Small victories are powerful and they lead to more victories. Hence, the "Small Things," my personal coping strategy.

 

 

5. If a simple schedule is just not doable (and many, MANY times I've abandoned all hope of having one) just work on daily Minimum Maintenance. Seriously. And then just jam stuff into closets when someone comes over if you need to - ha! A schedule is a tool - and if it doesn't work for you, then no big deal. Just be willing to revisit it periodically because one day you might find it's just the thing for THAT PARTICULAR season.

 

6. Don't compare yourself to others, and stay away from the blogs that make you feel "less than." You know, the ones with beautiul pictures of people's fabulous crafts and gorgeous decor and gourmet cooking. Inspiring? maybe. But mostly, they make us feel dissatisfied or worse, like failures. Listen. You are EXACTLY who you are supposed to be for your husband and baby. You are their gift and they are yours. You will make it. Believe that.

 

 

Almost all older moms will tell you - "enjoy this time." I'm so glad I took those words to heart when my children were small. No, I didn't enjoy poopy diapers or teething or temper tantrums, but I did try to focus on the idea that those years would be fleeting, and I should try to make the most of them. My "baby" boy turned 18 last week - and he was a clingy little guy for the first four years of his life. He thought I should hold him from morning until night - it was extremely inconvenient and tiring ;). I felt I got nothing accomplished until he was in school - LOL. Those years were messy and frustrating, but I loved them. And the memory of that time in my life is very, very special. He (and my other two kids) are proof that blubbering babies eventually turn into beautiful young people, and now I can mop my floors to my heart's content, which is still practically never.

 

 

Today's Small Thing is to take a moment to share one piece of advice you might have for a mom with little ones who is trying to keep up with the tasks of homemaking. 

What is something you wish you'd known then that you know now? Or what trick did you learn that helped you deal with the mess and chaos that are naturally part of that season of life?

 

If you are a new mom, what is your biggest challenge right now? Perhaps someone will chime in with something that could help you! 

 

Special thanks to Jennifer, for allowing me to share from our emails today. 

Song of the Day: Baby Mine, Bette Midler

 

Many The Miles

We celebrated Mother's Day on Saturday evening. And it was delightful.

The family set up a table in the pasture and we had a delicious dinner of steak, chicken, baked potatoes and all the fixins.  We talked and laughed and told stories. I was sung to and given some thoughtful cards and gifts. A fabulous homemade tiramisu nearly put me into a coma of happiness.

I look at these beautiful young people and simply beam inside. They have turned out so great, and I am completely amazed by them. I love being their mom.

I wish sometimes that I could have been able to peek into the future and see this evening. Over the years, there have been far less stellar, and maybe even painful, Mother's Day celebrations in which I would have been grateful to see how my motherhood journey would turn out. There have been so many times along the way that I've simply been tired of the whole thing. Ready to throw in the towel, or at least considered taking a long vacation, alone.

I'm pretty glad I stuck it out, knowing what I know now.

Galatians 6:9 says this: Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

We have reaped a harvest from the hard work of raising our family. It wasn't fun shelling out spankings like dollar bills or watching our two-year olds take tantrums to a whole new art form. I didn't enjoy saying "no" to PG-13 movies or separating arguments over who got more ice cream. The bedtime rituals that got stretched beyond my human tolerance level and the constant reminders to please, PLEASE pick up your stuff, wore me down, man. The road ahead seemed awfully long at times.

And now I find myself on a slippery, downhill slope toward the finish line, and it is bittersweet. I don't want it to end.

Are you at a place in parenting where the road ahead seems awfully long? Listen, don't give up. Keep putting one foot in front of the other. Keep doing the hard stuff that will reap rewards later. And for all the tough things you deal with, look for the treasures along the way that will buoy your spirits and lighten your load.

Today's Small Thing is meant to lighten your load just a bit. Take a task that makes you weary and give yourself credit for doing it anyway. Coming off a Mother's Day high might be difficult, so let's ease back into real life with this one. Don't wanna follow through with the discipline you promised to give out? Sick of folding that last load of laundry? Tired of reading "just one more story?" Ready to throw up at the thought of another day of cajoling through chores and homework? Take heart, because today is the day you will not only get "skins on the wall" but points on the Tally Sheet!

POINTS: 50 for "not becoming weary in doing good" in the task of your choice.

If you aren't in a parenting season, simply put the points to another type of good deed.

Priscilla Shirer and her mom, Lois Evans, talked about Mother's Day here - love it!

I'm posting on Writer, Interrupted today

Three posts in one day on my blog is a record for me!  But this one doesn't actually count, because I'm just telling you about a post on someone ELSE's blog today.

I've been thinking about "lingering."  Hop on over to Writer, Interrupted and see what I'm talking about!

Have a Traveler's Mindset

Are you on a journey?  I am.

My life has never taken the "easy roads."  Oh, there have been some grand views and great adventures along the way.  But there have also been deserts and thickets, some big boulders and steep mountains.  I've wondered sometimes if God was such a great leader why He'd take me on such a meandering, difficult path.

And yet I believe that He has always been there, helping me along.  Even in those times that seem so dark, there is something in my heart that tells me to keep on going, keep pressing on.  It's His voice, telling me that HE knows my destination.

I love Psalm 84, because it talks about a journey. It's an ancient song that tells of longing, even fainting to see and experience the courts of the Lord, which was His temple in Jerusalem.   And as the writer describes the beauty of God's sanctuary, he pauses to talk about the trip to get there.

The rest of the Psalm is beautiful (and I encourage you to read it), but that's our verse to think about this month.  Just like last month, I'd like you to print off the verse at the end of this post and stick it somewhere that you will see it.  It's not one of those bland verses on a greeting card.  It's one you can sink your teeth into, and really be motivated by.  It's one to chew on and I love it.

Here are a few "Travel Tips," taken from this little jewel of a verse:

Pack Lightly.  Nothing slows you down like unnecessary baggage.  Why struggle along with the burdens of guilt, anger, and bitterness over the past?  Let those things go. Right now, today.  God is fully able to handle anything you give Him.  You'll be amazed at how much easier it is to travel when you aren't lugging big old bags that don't have anything in them but garbage.

Pack Lightly, but Pack Some Heat.  The trip will take you through some dangerous territory, so you need to carry some self-protection.  God's word is our weapon of choice against the enemy's attacks.  Hidden in its pages are power and life. The more you know, the better you can fight off Satan, who would love nothing better than to leave you stripped and broken by the side of the road.  That ain't gonna happen when you're packing a serious weapon, and you aren't afraid to use it. Oh yeah.

Stay with your Group.  Find some good traveling companions, the kind that help you along, not bring you down.  Why, how about some Company Girls??  It's important to have people in your group that are familiar with the way, because they've been there before.   I love what's happening in our little sisterhood...we're encouraging one another every day, cheering for our victories and offering a hand to those who need it.  Don't wander off!  We need each other.

Hang on to your Ticket.  That means: know where you're going. When you set your heart on something, it means you have decided on it.  You aren't changing your mind.  You aren't turning back around.  By golly, you're gonna make it!  No matter what happens or how discouraging the trip may be, you've set your sights on your destination and that's where you're going.  And you WILL succeed.

Finally, Know Where Your Strength Is.  Strength for the journey doesn't come from your gene pool.  Lordy, I was BORN a quitter!  Strength comes from the Lord Himself, and this verse tells me that there is blessing in that very fact.  Whooeee, I like that I don't have to manufacture all that muscle by myself.  When you are feeling weak, just remember that He has all the strength you need to keep going.

I see these Small Things as a wonderful part of ALL of our journeys through life.  God has an incredible plan for each of us, but sometimes we don't see how or where is He is taking us.  Just keep believing, just keep trusting.  Keep putting one foot in front of the other.  Eventually, we'll get to a spot with a panoramic view that will blow our minds.

We'll say, "Look where He's brought us!  Look how far we've come!"

Girls, the trip will be worth the view.

POINTS: 30 for printing off the verse and putting where you can see it!

Let us know: Where are you in YOUR journey?  We want to cheer you on!

Download PS84-5A.pdf If for some reason the PDF file doesn't work properly, just use the small jpg above and I will get it fixed tonight for you.