For the first time in as long as I can remember we didn’t have any plans for the weekend—nowhere we had to be. Saturday was absolutely gorgeous and we spent the entire day outside: cleaning the chicken coop, planting plants, running around with Ali, cleaning out the garage. Sore muscles and sunburns but it was worth it, so refreshing and relaxing, just the three of us breathing deep and living our lives, going on. The judge’s pending decision pops back into my mind all the time but I shush the anxious thoughts and do my best to just be. To keep moving forward.
Her Testimony
01/03/2012I debated about whether or not to share this because I know not everyone will get it. If you’re not a Christ-follower, it might sound totally random. I still wanted to share. The word testimony is thrown around a lot in Christian circles. Basically, it’s my story—who I was and how I got to who I am today. But when God gets ahold of a life, it’s really His story. Sharing my testimony brings glory to who God is and how He has turned my life around. It reflects His character, His power, His goodness and faithfulness.
Jump to the surrender day. Right before we were called back to the judge’s quarters I took Precious to the restroom for a diaper change. On the way there, someone stopped me.
“Excuse me! Excuse me, ma’am?” I turned towards a heavy black woman with a kind face, expecting her to say Precious was about to lose her sock or something along those lines.
“Oh! Look at her!” she said. “I’m just here with my sister,” she patted the woman next to her, “but we saw her from across the room and I said, ‘I have got to touch that baby!'”
And that point, I had turned toward her and I was thinking, wait—touch?
She reached out and put her right and on Precious’ right thigh. “Oh, she is a blessing!” she squealed.
I smiled. “She sure is. She’s like this all the time; she’s the happiest, most content baby we’ve ever seen.”
“That’s going to be her testimony!” the woman declared back.
And that was that. I went on with the diaper change and the rest of the court process but what she said kept resonating. She didn’t know who we were or anything about our situation. For a stranger to call my daughter a blessing would not be terribly uncommon but to use the word testimony. Her joy is going to be her testimony. We’ve seen it already. I’ve been telling people, even at just a few months old Precious already has a great testimony. She has been through so much yet she has been protected, she’s right on track developmentally, she’s beautiful and healthy, and she’s truly joyful and content. We believe God has great plans for her and none of what she has come through has been random or by accident.
Her joy is going to be her testimony.
Coming Home
06/07/2010The Pioneer Woman ran a photo contest last week called Coming Home. Originally, this photo was posted in the contest called Happiness. Tears welled up in my eyes when I saw this photo of a soldier returning home from Iraq to his wife and 6 day old baby girl.
Joyful reunion must be one of the greatest feelings God created. There is nothing else quite like the immense joy of coming back together after a separation filled with pain and longing.
Jason has been away on a tour for two weeks. (He’ll be home today – YAY!) I know two weeks is nothing compared to what military wives or even what many other musicians wives go through. But its still a long time and I’ve missed him bad. But these photos of Coming Home have helped me remember without being apart, we wouldn’t have the immeasurable happiness of being reunited.