Does The Latter Diminish The Former...

It's a Thursday...
Another day where the weather can't seem to make up it's mind what it wants to do.
Cloudy one minute...
A peek of the sun the next.
It's NOT raining...so I will take the cloudy, warm, small-peeks-of-the-sun-kind-of-day. :)

Life continues to tick on here in our corner of the country, and I'm learning that every day has something new to offer. Every day contains something that God wants me to learn. :) I love, love, love to learn & to grow & to be stretched but sometimes I wonder if I will ever just have one day that I get it right... That I don't feel/see the need to change... Or a day that I feel I attained that which Christ has asked of me... I wonder.

As I have thought & pondered a vast array of things the past several days, it amazes me how new seasons of life inhibit conception of "new life" from a spiritual/emotional sense. Yes, new seasons breed change, adjustment & transition of the physical sense yet can one make those physical changes without spiritual, mental, & emotional change at the helm? I wonder if some people can & some people can't... I wonder.

I'm an analyzer at heart... I think & I think deep. Therefore, when seasons in my life change, my heart, mind, soul, being, must stretch, grow, adjust & transition as well. And due to how I am wired, that stretching, growing, adjusting & transitioning kicks my analytical mind into overdrive... I need to process & resolve. I desire to grasp & to receive. I hunger for knowing & understanding. I want those changes & transitions to be fruitful & life-giving... Not just for me, but for those that are walking that road with me.

And because of that...I am constantly considering...

Their thoughts...

Their feelings...

Their struggles...

Their victories...

Their well-being...

I want them to thrive.

MaKayla has now been in a courtship with Dillon for three-plus months. I can't even begin to articulate what a beautiful example, straight from God's hand, this reality of provision has been. I fail to be able to put into words what a blessing the process & the progression of their relationship has afforded. Richness. Yet amidst the beauty & the blessing their have been struggles & pain... Effort & difficulty.

Does the latter diminish the former?
Absolutely not.

It's a changing of gears & my gears are currently g-r-i-n-d-i-n-g...

What I can say is that it has generated a deep & wide expanse of refining & purifying for me. A straining of the soul, per se. I feel like my heart & my mind & my soul are being ran through a sieve every.single.day. A skimming of the dross. And what does refining & purifying & straining & sieving & skimming have in common?

What are their purpose? 

They remove the filth & the pollution...
They detect the sediment & the rottenness...
They reveal stench & contamination...

And I can honestly say that the process is inexplicably uncomfortable.

Not because I don't want the grossness gone, but because I don't just want those things instantly removed, I want to learn & grow & change in the process so that I step away unblemished in those areas that were once corrupt. I want to glean so that I can replant those organic seeds that I harvest in the heart of another "field". If I am simply instantly changed, what do I take away that can be reinvested in the seeking life that is walking behind? If I emerge with a miracle, yes, I have a testimony, but do I have wisdom & understanding & encouragement to pass on to another soul that is searching?

I know most reading this aren't surprised by the struggle I find myself in, for the vast majority have been waiting for the fall & the fail... The awakening... The jolt to reality... The inoculation of "the real world"...

For the duration of our child-rearing years others have seen us a overtly protective & sheltering to the point of hindering. They've seen us as having full-control & neglecting the allowance of MaKayla & Mal to have a voice. They've been waiting for the day... The day that one of them would either rebel or take a step of independence... The day that our perfect little kingdom would crumble. 

Our kingdom isn't crumbling... 

It is growing & expanding & changing colors... 

It is being enlarged...

It is birthing new life...

And we are excited.

Yes, most parents/children experience these steps... Independence takes shape... Separation is a reality... Compromise is learned... Much sooner & earlier in life. But for us, this life that God has chosen for us & called us to walk, is diverse. Our continual togetherness... Our team of four... Our consistent schedule... Our default coping mechanisms... Our customary way of looking at things... Is transforming. And with that transformation comes a remolding & remaking... A stripping away of the old, familiar; a regrafting of the healthy & new & then the process of healing. A ridding of generational curses that, over the years, have become comfortable yet in this new season, are apparent need to go.

Isn't that the way it is in any transition in life?

And for me, it's not so much of the physical but of the mental/emotional... It's where my analytical, seeking, wondering, processing, searching soul kicks into overdrive. A desiring to know & understand... In regard to the here & now... And in regard to the days ahead. God has always encouraged me as a mom to see that MaKayla & Mal are ours to lead & guide & protect, until... They are ours to look out after until the day arrives that He provides a young man to take over that role... That role of priest & prophet & protector & provider... That role of making sure her needs are met... Needs of the physical kind yet most especially, needs of the mental, spiritual & emotional sort... And being willing to put her needs before his. One who will cradle her heart & embrace her body... One who will discern her best interest (even if she may not see it as such) & stay true to overseeing the manifestation of that. One who will wash her in the Word of God...daily. Praying with her... Challenging her... Encouraging her to grow in Him. One who will encourage & affirm yet hold her heart of flesh accountable at the same time. One who desires to see the genuineness of her soul & is always willing to make sacrifices accordingly. One who will love her gently & passionately & intimately...with full abandon. One who will see life through God's eyes & their eyes as a union rather than just through his eyes. One who will have fun with her & embark on spontaneous adventure...creating memories & deepening their love & enjoyment of one another. One in whom we are confident we can pass the baton on to & are certain he will take hold, grasp it tightly & will run a steady, committed race until the finish line. One who will carry on where we are leaving off & letting go of...

So much to consider when preparing to release your most valuable asset into the hands of another "investor". And although some would say we are once again being overprotective or unrealistic, God's Word says that we are not to throw our pearls before swine... MaKayla & Mal are pearls of great price. ♥

So much to consider...

Analytical + Transparent = Potential Disaster

And then keeping in check that it's not just about us anymore... There are others to consider.

Putting ourselves in their shoes...
Considering their wants/desires before our own...
Weighing their feelings on the scales...
Contemplating how our actions/decisions will affect theirs...
Realizing that they have a son that will soon be choosing a life of independence as well.

It's a continual process...
And it's hard.

I'm not borrowing trouble from tomorrow, I'm preparing...

And as I seek & search & wonder & analyze & process, I don't just work those exercises of the soul for my strengthening, but for the hearts of the other three that dwell here with me. It's my role as the nurturer & keeper & spirit-setter of our home to look out for those of whom God has entrusted into my care. 

I watch... 

I listen... 

I discern... 

I recognize... 

In order to know...

In order to encourage...

In order to nurture...

In order to understand.

I ask questions...

I dig-deep...

I search...

I seek...

I pray...

I listen...

In order to learn...

In order to gain wisdom...

In order to be enlightened...

In order to understand.

It's who I am.

And I see the fruitful benefit of being proactive rather than reactive... Recognizing the sprouting of a weed before it takes root... Discerning the onslaught of potential destruction prior to it's manifestation... Preparing a field for an abundant harvest rather than turning a blind eye or a deaf ear where thorns & thistles spring up & take over.

And in recognizing & discerning & preparing, I am enlightened to things of myself...

The filth & the pollution...

The sediment & the rottenness... 

The stench & contamination...

The weeds that have taken root...

The manifestation of destruction...

The field with thorns & thistles.

And I am humbled.

The prudent see danger and take refuge,

but the simple keep going and suffer for it.

~Proverbs 27:12

(Sometimes, just for once, I wish I could be "simple"...of mind...)

Reality is...it's not who I am...

It's amazing how much perception changes when one is looking at life through the eyes of their child, rather than through the eyes of their individual, selfish self...

And as I seek & search... 

As I dig-deep & pray... 

As I listen & learn... 

As I am enlightened & gain wisdom... 

I am thankful.

For those who are patient & compassionate...

For those who listen & quietly hear my heart...

Maybe saying something, maybe not.

For those who recognize my weaknesses...

Yet they don't just acknowledge & agree...

They exhort & encourage my wanting-to-know heart.

For those who rebuke...

And then follow that rebuke with positive affirmation.
Cheering me on...
Assuring me that, with God's help, I will get there & I will be victorious.

For those who understand (even though they don't fully understand this crazy heart of mine)...

And assure me that I will get through this...

Stronger...

Wiser...

More Christ-like.

For those "safe people"...

And for as few as they are, I'm thankful for them.

I don't want to just get through this, I want to mature in the process.

And I am thankful for Christ who is ever patient & loving...
Who intercedes on my behalf as I wrestle with the one, true, Sovereign God.

I'm thankful for the Holy Spirit who guides & counsels...
Who comforts & instructs me each & every step of the way.

I'm thankful for a heavenly Father who knows each & every crevice of my heart...
And will not change His mind or bow to my will for He knows what is best & right & perfect.

My girl is in love & it is an exhilarating sight for the entirety of my being to behold. ♥

And on the "other side" of the pain & discomfort of being washed in the Fuller's Soap, the dross & the sediment & the filth & the stench will be removed & I will be a more radiant, fragrant vessel for His use... Until a new season of life begins. ♥

But who can endure the day of His coming?

Who can stand when He appears?

For He will be like a Refiner's Fire or a Launderer's soap.

He will sit as a Refiner and Purifier of silver;

He will purify...

And refine them like gold & silver.

~Malachi 3:2-3

Yesterday Was One Of Those Days...

It's a Monday...
The day following Mother's Day...
And I'm glad it's behind me.

For the past three weeks I have had my Bible open to the same spot & my ginormous Matthew Henry Commentary flopped in front of me to an unchanged page. Lots of black underlining, scribbled notes & colorful highlighting... After my last candid post I have been seeking & searching...digging & studying in a quest to find the missing pieces that my heart lacks in order to make it function at full capacity. I am full aware that it is out of rhythm... And when it is out of rhythm & not functioning properly, every area of my life is affected...most especially in the area of relationships. It's a stronghold... And a lot of battling with familiar spirits. I'm learning a lot & being enlightened to things I have been oblivious to for the full part of my forty-two-plus years yet like most things, relearning & retraining the brain/mind/soul takes intentional work. Much like "fixing" damaged areas of the heart...they're not necessarily fixable, rather repairable. And just about the time I think I "get it", I lose hold of that which I thought I had a grasp on.

Yesterday was one of those days...

Next to being a Christ-follower & a wife, my greatest passion in life is being a mom... Simply put, it's my career & I take it very seriously. I find great satisfaction & fulfillment in training, teaching, mentoring & nurturing MaKayla & Mal & with the exception of two things, I LOVE being a mom. Those two things would be puking kids & Mother's Day... I detest them both & avoid them like the plague...no lie. The puking kids aspect would seem obvious to most but the reality of vehemently disliking Mother's Day would likely be a mystery to a vast majority.

While Kyle was tilling the garden/weed eating the yard & Mal was mowing, MaKayla & I made a quick trip to our local (twenty-five minutes away) greenhouse Saturday morning (our second trip so far this season). As we drove along she asked me if I knew when & why I began struggling with a day that is set aside to honor me as a mom.

I thought... 

We talked... 

Things came out... 

Some of it I understand...
Some of it I don't.

Bottom line, it's just grossness to me.

She & I ran a few errands, picked up our greenhouse goods & headed for home.

It's not that I'm not grateful for the kind gestures...
Or my mom who has been a solid mainstay of love, friendship, training, caring & nurturing in my life...
Or the other "older" women who have come alongside me in raising MaKayla & Mal.

It's not that I'm not thankful for MaKayla & Mal...
Or that I don't have compassion for the women whose arms are empty...
I just don't like it.

We tossed around our plans for Mother's Day Sunday, I was unsettled & I knew the unsettling was burdensome to MaKayla. The subject was tabled. We arrived home & MaKayla started in on the garden knowing Dillon wanted to come get her mid-afternoon for the remainder of the day/evening. As usual, it took much longer than anticipated yet she was insistent that it get done due to the impending rain followed by sunshine this week that the forecast predicted. She missed out on visiting his grandparents & a local community supper that they had in their plans... :( Kyle & I tried to urge her to go on ahead & we would finish up but she was hearing none of it... She wants full responsibility of the garden & having someone else do "her work" was not an option...period. After the seeds were buried under fresh soil & the plants were securely in place... After she showered & was freshly clothed, her man came in his "chariot" to retrieve her for the evening. It had been a long day of not seeing one another...and a Saturday none-the-less.

My mind was a scattered...
My heart was heavy...
My attitude was less than desirable.

Kyle & Mal silently joined me at the dining room table for a good-long while as I sat with my head buried in my hands; watching as tears streamed endlessly down my cheeks creating a nice little pond in front of me... :) Snot running from my nose & I didn't care. Mal quietly gathered me some Kleenexes while Kyle graciously wiped my nose & cleared the debris. ♥

The possibility likelihood that this could be MaKayla's last Mother's Day at home...
The reality of a best friend being less a child this Mother's Day...
The yuck that this "holiday" predisposes for me already.

The unknowing of plans...
The difficulty in learning to share...
(I know...it's an elementary principal that a forty-something woman shouldn't battle...I typically don't...& honestly, I can't think of anyone else but Dillon's mom that I would prefer to share it with...it's just something new...foreign...uncharted territory.)
The sobering acknowledgement of being a disappointment...
And failing to meet expectations.

Have I mentioned that I don't have a fond attraction to Mother's Day...

The three of us decided at 10:30 to make a quick run to the store for a few necessities & as we traveled, I prayed... And as I prayed a word fell off of my heart that the Lord said, "Mendi, you said it yourself. Recognize what you inwardly spoke & remember from the abundance of the heart doeth the mouth speak..." Ouch. Although my mouth had not spoken it, my heart had & that was all the evidence that was needed.

Stubborn...

I could choose to be stubborn, or I could choose to foster a heart of peace & unity. I genuinely wanted to choose the latter rather than the former yet wanting to do it & choosing to do it are two vastly different things. I wanted to be intentional & I was determined to do as such. I would do the typical Sunday routine...that was final.

MaKayla arrived home... We chatted. I still discerned her heaviness.
Good-nights were spoken... We went our separate ways. Our hearts were torn.
Tears fell on her pillow. Tears fell on mine.

Mother's Day Sunday dawned & I emerged from bed earlier than everyone else. I knew I needed to do some journaling & have some moments of solitude with the Lord in order to prepare myself for the day ahead so I retreated to the basement. I wanted it to be a good day. A fruitful day. MaKayla was up shortly thereafter with Kyle following closely behind. We talked & I shared my intentions for the day yet I could tell that her heart was still heavy & hurting.

The possibility likelihood that this would be her last Mother's Day at home...with me...
The reality of a best friend/second mom being less a brother/son this Mother's Day...
The yuck that this "holiday" predisposes for her mom already.

The unknowing of plans (she's a girl that needs a plan)...
The difficulty in learning to share... 
(I know...it's an elementary principal that a twenty-something woman shouldn't battle...but this is all new territory for her...a major learning curve.)
The sobering acknowledgement that this might be the first of a last.

The fact that she had missed Miss Oakley's first birthday party...
Chris & Bri's impending announcement...
And being so far away from one she loves so much.

My girl was hurting. ♥

I gathered my belongings with coffee cup in tow & headed upstairs to begin the "make yourself presentable" portion of the day. :) All was well in our tiny little bathroom as both she & I worked at our "process", in our own speed, while Kyle made biscuits & Mal continued to snag a few more moments of sleep. Comment was made here. A drip of a tear. Response was made there. A drop of a tear. The drips became more frequent & the drops became more steady.

Make-up applicated...
Hair dried...
Lotion on.

Clothes chosen...
Hair straightened...
Perfume applied.

What started as brokenness...
And sadness...
Turned to something else.

A torrential flood came pouring down...

Dillon pulled in to get MaKayla for Sunday School/Church & she wisely met him on the front deck. Instantly he could tell... She tried pulling it together as I watched from a distance & responded to a text from my Bethy... I advised that I wasn't sure she was in any shape to frequent a Sunday school class however she gathered her biscuit & Bible & away she & her love went. ♥ It wasn't long & she text saying Dillon was bringing her back... She had regained her composure along the fifteen minute journey & then her phone signaled a text from her second momma...the one less a son this Mother's Day. ♥ She couldn't do it.

It was a text she so desperately needed yet it solidified her fragile state... ♥
Because that is what she was.

I felt terrible subjecting Dillon to such emotional trauma...

Yet in this family, we're real...and transparent...seen.

For where we are...

Church clothes were removed & while I retreated to the basement, she retreated to her & Mal's bedroom. Kyle retrieved us both where he sat us down & said, "We're going to talk this through & figure this out... We can't keep doing this."

We talked...
We shared...
We discussed.

It's a season...
It's all a season.

And like all other seasons, this one, too shall pass.

It's about staying hydrated in the drought...
And weathering the storms.

It's about growing...
Even when the conditions seem less than desirable.

It's about realizing that this isn't it...
And that it isn't always going to be this way.

It's about understanding that "next steps" in life require stretching muscles of the heart/emotions...
And in the stretching...
There is a degree of discomfort & pain.

It's about resting in peace knowing that all transitions in life are hard...
And that true resolve comes in processing the difficult of those transitions.

It's about reaching for hope despite the struggle...
And that it's the struggles in life that God uses to shape us, refine us & prepare us...
For what's ahead.

She came around the table, sat down on my lap, nestled into my neck & cried...
As did I. ♥

Relocating to her seat across the table from me, I reassured her...
"Babe...it's a Sunday... Just like any other Sunday. There was one a week before & there will be another a week after. I don't see it as you see it... Mother's Day is simply another day... Another Sunday. It's gonna be okay... It's all gonna be okay & we're going to get through this... Together."

I won't lie. I succeeded in winning the "Epic-Fail-As-A-Parent Award" for the day. I wanted to turn in my badge... Renounce my position... Resign from all manner of momhood. Unworthy... Undeserving... Unqualified. MaKayla & Mal are so valuable & deserve so much more...than me. No lie.

Sometimes you just need someone to reassure you that it's gonna be okay...

Kyle was in the process of doing a project for Mal while she & MaKayla cuddled into bed drifting off to sleep when Tom text saying they were coming for a visit. "We can't do it. We just can't do it. Look at us... We're a hot mess & inviting someone else, even someone who knows us inside & out into the pit simply isn't fair..." Those were the sentiments of my heart. Kyle knew it would be a good thing for them to come... Me, not so much.

My attitude was less than desirable...

I reclothed myself & took a roadtrip to the store for fruit & veggies for snacking & as I pulled peeled out of the driveway in an attempt to release a degree of the frustration I had toward myself, I cried out to God. "What in the world am I doing? And how did I arrive here again so quickly? I am confused... I am so very confused. Please, God. Please help me."

In His very still, gentle, small voice He said, "Mendi, do you remember what I taught you last week about disturbances? The creating of them and the responding to them..." Dagger to my heart.

Yep, I did it again.
Epic fail.
Why did I not remember...

I processed the reality of the words spoken to my heart & I was deeply convicted. "Why can't I get this? What is my issue?" I liken it to the Parable of the Sower & the seed that falls among the thorns... I hear it & understand it & receive it but then I lose sight of it...and forget. Especially in situations that test & try me... Situations where I need to remember it most.

I arrived home, unloaded groceries, located the Bible study book that MaKayla, Mal & I are working through together (on gentleness & quietness of spirit none-the-less...epic fail...) & found the page on disturbances in order to "jog my memory" & refresh my heart. And then I started cutting veggies. Kyle said he had text Tom warning him that it hadn't been a good day for us & it may be safest & in their best interest to wait for a get together. And before I knew it, I caught a glimpse of these... ♥

It was what I needed... ♥
It was what we needed. ♥

The hurting restoring the broken...

The broken nurturing the hurting...

Genuine friendship.

We cried...
And laughed.

We talked...
And remembered.

We shared...
And embraced.

We did real life.

Looking past the struggle of their own...
To meet the needs of us. ♥

And despite the winning of the non-prestigious parenting award for the day...
I'm thankful for grace.

The Bible is re-opened to specific portions in Ephesians...
And Philippians.
The commentary is laying marked up, bare-faced before the windows of my heart.

With the help of a Saviour, I will get there & I will not quit until I do.

The seed that fell among the thorns stands for those who hear,

but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches, pleasures

and they do not mature.

But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart,

who hear the word, retain it, 

and by persevering produce a crop.

~Luke 8:14-15

*Disclaimer: No, I am not dragging my feet in regard to MaKayla's love & devotion to Dillon. I love that kid like I love my own & never would I do such a thing. ♥ Yes, I love Dillon's mom & dad...they are wonderful people & some of our closest friends. ♥ And no, MaKayla has not an ounce of hesitation/reservation in moving forward in the relationship with the one her heart loves more than anything/anyone & the one she longs to do life & grow old with. ♥ It's simply a season in this journey of courtship...♥ and we will get to the other side stronger, wiser & thankful for having walked the extra mile.

The Wait

As I sit down to share the thoughts, feelings & intents of my heart, I notice that my last blogging date was on this day clear back in October...five months to be exact. So many days...circumstances...memories... Life. Uncountable joys...hurts...victories... Time. Birthdays... Holidays... New life & loss just the same. Moments.

My hope & desire is to get caught up... I've missed this time to pour out... It's therapy for me. And it's an opportunity to put "stones" in place for MaKayla & Mal in future years. A place for them to look back & remember... God's goodness & faithfulness & purpose & promise & provision. Even in those moments when the fog was so thick we couldn't even begin to see or understand. And still is. Even in those situations where nothing made sense & the sorting out of it all seemed like an impossible task. And still does. Yet we pray & seek... We rest & wait... We stand firm on the Rock who is secure & unmovable.

But for this evening...

My Dearest MaKayla~

Tonight you are out celebrating... ♥
Spending time... ♥
Relishing... ♥

You are with the one your heart loves. ♥

For so many years you have waited & wondered & waited & prayed & waited & hoped & waited. ♥

The day God jolted your heart & spoke ever so clearly that His plan was different than your own, you have been in "the wait". You traded career for servitude... You exchanged financial gain for simple living... You surrendered a life of independence for a forever of submission... You yielded a 'you life' for a 'He life'. And you have done the trading & exchanging & surrendering & yielding with grace & beauty. You have lived the wait with resolve & purpose & passion & intentionality. ♥

As your momma, there have been times that I, too have wondered, & yes, I humbly admit that I've doubted & questioned as well. Yet in my days of doubt & questioning, you always reminded me, "I know what God has spoken. I am certain of what God has promised. I will wait & He will be faithful." ♥

Sitting here on the couch tonight, I reflect back on days/years gone by & I am inexplicably grateful for how the One who loves you most instructed your pops & I in the raising & nurturing & training of your precious life. How step-by-step He showed us how to bring you up in His image & for His purpose. His desires for you rather than ours... His plans for you rather than the normalcy of society... His perfection for you rather than what culture expects. For the majority of the trek it's been a going against of the grain & so incredibly tough at times yet as we arrive at this place in time, the ridicule & mockery & insults & belittlement have been every bit worth the beauty & delight we now behold. ♥

The signaling of an incoming text on my phone & the subsequent photo that followed (no different than all the others that you send me) filled my heart with joy. And once again made my heart thankful. ♥

For this one that you deemed would never work & could vehemently profoundly list all the deal-breakers associated in a relationship with him... (yet you didn't stand a chance as so many who love you both were intently praying for God to align your hearts to/with one another... ♥)

Has clearly stolen your heart. ♥

And your affections... ♥

Over these past four weeks, we have witnessed the piece of you that was missing, be discovered & strategically put into place through the means & in a way that only God could accomplish. ♥

We've watched you fall in love with this one whom you had closed your heart off to yet God divinely softened & opened so that He could fulfill His, before-the-beginning-of-time, plan. ♥

We've seen you invest yourself fully into this "deepening of friendship" relationship only to discover that he's the one you long to live the remainder of your life with... ♥

We've observed you giving your heart away... ♥

Enjoying this season... ♥

And having so much fun in the process. ♥

The glimpses & peeks & gazes that we, as your parents, are blessed to take in, are so reminiscent of ourselves nearly 26 years ago...and we stand in awe of the goodness & faithfulness & workings of the great & mighty God that set these things in motion. ♥

And as I reflect, I am humbled...

Humbled that I doubted...
And questioned...
And wondered...

Humbled of the uncertainty of my heart.

Yet God reminds me that many times when we doubt & question & wonder, it is then that we are most enthralled & intrigued & captivated through the might & majesty of His sovereign hand at work in our lives. It is then that we know it truly had nothing to do with us but everything to do with Him. ♥

I am thankful. ♥

Thankful that we can't take credit or applause...
Rather we can give Him glory...
And share the testimony of this promise that He spoke & fulfilled.  ♥

He is so worthy of our praise.

So as I sit here this night, I am grateful that we encouraged you to not awaken love too soon...
That we challenged you to guard your heart...
And protect your purity (physical & emotional) at all cost.

For the sake of Christ...
Yourself...
And Dillon.

I am grateful that the One who loves you so much more than we, compelled us to raise you with all diligence according to His Word. And that He equipped us & strengthened us & guided us each & every step of the way. And that His grace resolved your heart to wait. ♥

Thank you for listening to His voice... ♥
Considering His counsel... ♥
Obeying His instruction. ♥

Thank you for being intentional & faithful in the wait. ♥

Precious one, you are a treasure. ♥
And we eagerly await in anticipation as to all that God has in store. ♥

For always... ♥
Forever... ♥
A million Swedish fish plus more than you could ever begin to count... ♥

xoxoxoxoxoxo~
Momma

...I have found the one my heart loves.

~Song of Solomon 3:4