So Undeserving...

With a good cup of coffee near my reach & a quiet house I am finally able to sit at the computer for awhile & share "life". In one sense, summer vacation has started. Both of the Bible studies that I have been leading came to a bittersweet close this week leaving an ample, unused amount of time on my hands. This is bitter because I will tremendously miss the women with which I shared these studies for the past several months and for the fact that I won't be "firmly challenged" to dig deep knowing others are looking to me for sound teaching from God's Word. The sweet side is that this ample, unused time will now be directly geared to the intimate nurturing of my family...something I LOVE to do. ♥ I have been intently praying about hosting a morning summer study here in our home, a study that MaKayla & Mal could take part in & glean from, yet I am still awaiting confirmation from the Lord. I'm learning to pray...and wait.

Mal isn't overly excited for school to come to a close for the summer therefore we are just going to continue on in her studies, taking a break here & there when other opportunities arise. This year has truly be a year of growth & maturity for her in so many areas & I am greatly inspired & blessed by her love for learning & through her desire to complete tasks at hand without stopping short. MaKayla has been a great example of such a trait in character for her & for that I am thankful. ♥

I had a beautiful Mother's Day with Kyle & the girls... So much thought, love, time & care went into making the day extra special, just for me... ♥

After we came home from church, we took a minute to snap a few pictures before fixing lunch...

I am humbled by their grace, love & mercy on my life...♥

Besides Christ, my richest gift in this life...♥

Since I'm typically the one behind the camera,

both girls wanted pictures of just me & them...♥

My oldest...so much grace has she lavished on me...♥

My baby...her love over me is unspeakable...♥

Kyle giving instructions as we put up the pool...

Up & ready to fill...

VERY BAD allergy day...

Simply the only way he could keep the spigot of his nose stopped...

Garden was planted...

Gifts were thoughtfully chosen...♥

A new Willow Tree to add to my collection...♥

Straight from MaKayla's heart to mine...♥

Chicken decor that has been influential in the season of life I am currently in...

It is in the breezeway where I see it each &every morning...

A new devotional that Kyle found...just for me...♥

A ceramic rooster that I have been eyeing for over a year now...♥

Flowers just from Mal...♥

Daisies...my fave! ♥

For breakfast they fixed a big bowl of fresh fruit...♥

They also gave me a new FFH CD, some much needed clothing & a super delicious lunch...

Bacon wrapped shrimp...

Asparagus with peppers & onions...

(All grilled by the master chef...♥)

Tossed salad...

Before bed, each of them gave me homemade cards/letters that still adorn our piano...♥

My heart is humbled over the goodness of God to my life as I am so undeserving of a family who loves me beyond measure, chooses to look beyond my uncountable faults & desires to do life with me day in & day out. ♥

"Everyday, not just today, I see what a wonderful gift you are to me and thank God for your beautiful life..." ♥

"You are the best Momma anyone could ever ask for! There is not one day that I don't thank God for your life..." ♥

"You have won my heart to the deepest of depths & I am a man that is completely enthralled with you! You have given me the most precious of gifts with my girls...MaKayla & Mallary..." ♥

The Lord has done great things for me...

I am filled with joy...

What Remains/Survives...

Believe it or not, I'm sitting here on the floor typing up this blogpost while Harrington stands beside me pecking at the keys. Since it's cool & windy today, I brought his blanket & towel out to the living room so he could have some "play time" away from his cage box. MaKayla & Mal are attending to a close friend who needed help this morning so while working on my Bible study, writing in my journal & putting some thoughts/memories/pictures on the blog, I decided to give Harrington some recreational time... He misses MaKayla but for now, it's me or the cage box...

Since Mal knew they would be leaving before she is even typically up for the day & would be gone the majority of the morning, she wanted to be awakened e-a-r-l-y...(by her dad none-the-less before he left for work) in order for her to get some of her school assignments done. She was thrilled with the idea...MaKayla not so much. :)

After a straight week of being ill & feeling less than human, I've enjoyed a morning of study, prayer & quiet reflection.

Kyle called on his morning break which is nothing out of the ordinary yet today his heart was burdened for a co-worker/acquaintance just diagnosed with cancer... This is the second friend who has received the "C" diagnosis this week...
And the news today really hit home...
nearly the same age...
schoolmate...
a young family...

Humbling...

It's been heavy on on my mind/heart ever since he called...
Praying for the family...
Praying for protection over ours...

Situations like this always compel me to take a step back... 

To be reminded of the things I take for granted...
To be ever grateful for the blessing of health...
To think back & savor the moments of the day...week...month...year(s)...

Without Christ in my life it would have a tendency to put a streak of fear through my veins yet with Him ever present, there is nothing in this life to fear...
Even when the storms assail, He is for me...
I remember learning that lesson well five years ago this past month...
Even in the uncertainties of life, Christ is certain...

I daily try to live with no regrets but many times I fall so very short...
A friend posted this to facebook this morning:
At the end of the day, the only questions I will ask myself are:
♥ Did I love enough?
♥ Did I laugh enough?
♥ Did I make a difference?

I penned it in the front of my journal as a reminder...
I want to make each day count...
♥ For Christ...
♥ For Kyle...
♥ For MaKayla & Mal...
♥ For those God places in my path...
I may not be a public figure & to be honest, that really makes no difference at all to me...
I am not seeking man's approval...
Or the applause of those watching...
I am not looking for affirmation from others...
Or recognition from those of seeming importance...
I just want to be faithful with/to those God has entrusted into my care...
For when this temporal life is over & I enter into eternity, my life will be unfolded before Christ...
My works will be tested by fire...
And what remains will be all that matters...
It won't matter what money I did/didn't make...
It won't make a difference what awards I did/didn't win...
Accomplishments by worldly standards will be ash...
And recompense already given here on earth will have no need for recompense in Heaven...

I simply want to live a life of daily obedience/surrender/submission...
For God's glory...
For the good of those He has asked me to nurture...

All of this reminds me of a text I received from Kyle this week...
"I so pray God never chooses to separate us til He comes! I love my beautiful bride!"♥

I have today with no guarantee for tomorrow...
May I live it well...
May I love abundantly...
May I laugh inexhaustibly...
May I make an eternal difference...

For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, 

which is Jesus Christ. 

If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 

his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. 

It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. 

If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 

If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; 

he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.

1 Corinthians 3:11-14