Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Him & Hallelujah {The Beginning Of A New Year}

I'm one of those girls who listens to songs over and over and over again.

Words can mold a woman.

And this song...



No exaggeration, I've probably listened to these words more than 100 times in the past few weeks...

It's the end that moves me; that last chorus.

It goes like this...


"I know you came to rescue me
This baby boy would grow to be a man who one day died for me and you 
My sins would drive the nails in you 
That rugged cross, was my cross too 
Still every breath you drew was Hallelujah
Hallelujah!  
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!"


It makes me long for Him.
It helps me understand what I might be able to do with my soul-pain.
It helps me see that whatever He sees fit for my life, no matter how messy it might seem to my feeble mind, or stinging it may feel to my fragile heart, He is worthy of my Hallelujah...  He is worthy of my Praise.

This new year?

She always names the year.

And in all honesty I have no idea how to name a year.

But these past few days, these past few weeks and months, I've longed for Him. I've longed for Him to penetrate my heart, for Him to tell the depths of this messy soul that ALL is truly Hallelujah.

It really is.

If He can hang on a cross for my heinous sins and STILL breath Hallelujah??

Then yes.

Yes, ALL is Hallelujah. ALL is praise.

A Christmas Day of throw-up and fevers... Hallelujah.

A season of Postpartum depression... a season of surrendering to the very thing that you don't want to even admit is happening to you... none of us really wants to be broken... Hallelujah.

Fighting to choose joy when you don't feel joy... Hallelujah. 

Not knowing how to train up these treasures, or how to always choose kindness, or how to be slow to speak and quick to listen... Hallelujah.

Knowing that you ask us to be in community, but constantly battling wanting to just hide out in the farmhouse... Hallelujah.



This year?

Him.

Hallelujah.

Praising His precious precious name in ALL things.

Whatever He brings is sufficient and for His glory.

Whatever. Whenever.

If He finds it necessary, I hope to chose to breath out Hallelujah through it all.

He is sufficient.

He is worthy.

All my praise.

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah!

Hallelujah.







Sunday, December 29, 2013

The Beginning Of Winter Here In This Place; A Day In Pictures


When in need of some joy...



Bundle up...



Walk outside with the ones you love most...



Grab some sleds...



Breath in the farm fresh air...




Enjoy the scenery...



Laugh a little...













And soak up the joy of here, of them, of Him and the way that He's got all the details, all the hard, all the good, all this life, cupped close in the palm of His hand. 

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."

So glad He's near. :)

Thursday, December 26, 2013

What We Gave Each Other For Christmas











It was the first Christmas in 13 years where it was just the seven of us under the farmhouse roof. 

It started like most Christmas' have started. A pile of excited treasures squished together in our bed and the Cowboy reading the story of The Greatest Gift of Christmas. It was still dark outside. The stars glistened as he told of Jesus, the Light of the world. 

We opened presents.
Sang Happy Birthday.
Blew out candles.
Ate a glorious breakfast feast.

And then the littlest one threw up everywhere. 

Maybe it was a fluke thing?

We took the treasures and my Dad to the movies.

The Spunky Girl ran out of the theater and threw up in a trash can.

We drove home... she threw up in the car.

We got home... the littlest threw up all over his car seat.

It__just__kept__coming. 

And the Cowboy and I?

We spent Christmas loving on little ones and loving on each other. 

I sat bent down on my knees, scrubbing the diarrhea out of the carpet while the Cowboy washed the dishes and gathered all the throw-up clothes and began the endless loads of laundry.

I paced back and forth in the living room with the little one who just wanted to be held. The Cowboy looked out from the kitchen, caught my eye, smiled, and mouthed the words "I love you." 

The afternoon passed by slowly. There were movies and laundry and lots of carpet cleaner.

And when the clock struck 7, I was up stairs tucking them all into bed, when he sent me this text with ten tender words...

"Come on down here so I can kiss you goodnight...."

This year the Cowboy and I gave each other the best kind of gift...

The kind of gift that was lived so sweetly on that first Christmas over 2000 years ago.

The gift of... 

Selfless love.

Kindness. 

Humility. 

And tender joy in the messy ordinary of this place.


{The Cowboy made the girls new beds for their little attic room.}








It's strange how hard I try to make Christmas look and feel a certain way each year. How I want it to be fun and beautiful and memorable. 



And yet that first Christmas was probably more like the Cowboy's and my Christmas was this year. It was messy, stinky, humbling, and glorious.

It's not always on the days that are perfectly planned, or on the occasions that are supposed to be extravagant, that I feel tenderly loved. 

Sometimes that tender love shows up on days when Christmas is spent holding sick little ones and washing a lot of stinky laundry. Sometimes the tedious days bring tender moments between a man and a woman. Sometimes the best Christmas' are spent eating cereal for dinner and going to bed at 7:30.

{My Joey, 

Thank you for living Christ-like love towards me this Christmas. 

It is always the best gift that you give.} 






Merry Christmas from our little house to yours. :)

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Snow



There's something about our closet that attracts our treasures. 

We've had many a chats with them to steer clear of our closet but it seems they just can't help themselves.

Then last night, when the Cowboy and I got home from our lovely date, right inside the door of the farmhouse began a trail of little white dots. The further into the house we walked, the thicker the trail got. 

And low and behold at the end of the trail were two tiny treasures, sitting in our closet, covered in bite-size pieces of Styrofoam. 

The Cowboy... well, he was not happy to say the least. 

And this Mama, I couldn't help but laugh. 

The moment the Cowboy walked in our room, their little round eyes got HUGE... they knew they were in a bit of trouble.


The Cowboy made them vacuum the whole house and they both cried the entire time. 

And when they had finished, I asked my Spunky Girl why they had ripped up a giant piece of Styrofoam and sprinkled it over the entire house, she said so sweetly through her tears, "We just wanted to be decorated in snow for Christmas." 

Oh sweet, sweet girl, how I LOVE YOU! :)

I love Christmas with these many small treasures. :)

Friday, December 20, 2013

Hal's First Piano Recital



The Dancing Girl started playing the piano back in September.
This past week she had her first little recital and her and her Papa played a few songs together...
First Jingle Bells, then Silent Night.

And yes, I was the proud, giddy Mama who took a lot of pictures, videoed both of her songs, and might have even let out a rather loud, "Woot, WOOT!" at the end of each song she played. She's seven, so she still glows all happy when I cheer for her in front of all those people. 



And Mrs. Jennie... I can't say enough about Mrs. Jennie. She loves on my Hal in such a way that just blesses this Mama's heart. She's full of encouraging words and she simply delights in Halee and my Halee LOVES going to Mrs. Jennie's house. Mrs. Jennie is not only a wonderful piano teacher, she has become a precious gift of a friend. :)






She smiled from ear to ear almost the entire night. 

She wasn't nervous in the slightest. 

I know I'm a little bias, but I thought she did just super great!!! 

Way to go sweet girl of mine!!!! 

I love the gifts the Lord has lavished on you!!! :)

Woot, Woot!!!!!! :)