fear of the Lord – Page 5 – The Bless Your Heart Blog

Happy 4th Birthday, Sawyer

Happy birthday, sweet Sawyer!!

My phone just dinged reminding me it was your birthday…as if I needed a reminder. You are in my heart and on my mind every minute of every day. At age four, I see you in your princess dress and cowboy boots waving your little hand off to the truck drivers as they pass…I smell the scent of my body spray (that you helped yourself to the last time you were in the bathroom) mixed with your coconut Barbie detangler…I feel your sweet, soft hands on my arms or around my neck and the matted fuzz of pink teddy since he’s always near by…I hear your voice singing “Let it Go” and praise and worship without skipping a beat…

You’re the neatest kid I know! You’re a little bit of an introvert like your momma, but when you’re with someone you love and trust – you are on! I feel so blessed to be able to know you the way I do…

I do believe you have the sweetest, most sensitive spirit on the planet! The way you care for me and daddy absolutely melts my heart. I love the way you leave water by my bed when you get up in the mornings and you sneak out, so I can have “a little more sleep.”

You care for my heart just as good as your daddy does. So many nights I have prayed with you before bed and begged the Lord to forgive me where I’ve fallen short and to help make me a better mother and you are always so quick to tell me I’m “the bestest mom in the world.”

You’re so forgiving – you get that from your daddy. You don’t have a grudging or vengeful bone in your body. I can recall several occasions where you’ve gone to bed and hours later called us back upstairs because you felt bad about something or were afraid you hurt our feelings somehow or felt the need to apologize about something.

You care for and protect your baby like his second momma. And? He adores you, sweet one. He wants to be just like you, I know it! Daddy and I love to see you hold his hand and help him down stairs and feed him his snacks. He’s a lucky boy to have a sister as wonderful as you.

I love your creative mind! You absolutely blow me away when it comes to imagination and resourcefulness! I love to watch you sort through the trash in daddy’s pickup to find something to block the sun or gather his old pop cups to make a vending machine in your play kitchen or the way you tape a box to the back of your pedal car to make a trailer to haul trash in. Seriously, who does that?!

Your memory astounds me; it is truly a gift! You remember names and places and things we’ve done better than I do. When you tell a story, it’s specific and succinct and accurate. I love that you can get us to Denver (or get us home) almost better than I can!

I love the way the world is drawn to you. You’re like this cute, curly-haired magnet that just sucks people in! I’m sure I’m a bit biased, but I’m also a keen observer and I don’t see this with other people as much as I see it with you; everywhere we go, people want to come make conversation with you or say hi to you or give you gifts. You have the ability to affect the world for Christ just by being YOU…people see Jesus radiating out of your sweet little face, it’s true.

You have the heart of a worshiper; a little David. Some of my favorite times with you are when we just sing to the Lord as long and as loud as we can. I love when I hear you singing in the other room, expressing your love to Him the way you know best. Sugar, He loves to hear you sing…

I love that you love all things girlie; the bigger the bow, the fluffier the ruffles and the sparklier the shoes, the better! But you also know how to work and you definitely aren’t afraid to get dirty. That will serve you well…

You have made the past four years the best four years of my life, no doubt. On your fourth birthday, I bless you in the name of Jesus! I bless you in your coming in and going out; your lying down and your waking. I speak to your future and I pronounce it blessed! I bless you with rich relationships with people who point you to Christ. I bless you with good health and a long life. I bless you with humility and forgiveness and grace and mercy that is as endless as you give it now. I bless you with obedience, that you would follow the Lord all the days of your life. I bless the work of your hands, that all you would set them to would prosper and bring glory to the Lord. I bless you with a continued love for the word of God and I bless you with His abiding presence in every way, in every day.

YOU are who I want to be like when I grow up…and you? You can stop growing up any time you’d like…

Praying for Our People

Wrex and I were working downstairs yesterday afternoon and Sawyer was up playing in her room. We looked at each and smiled every few minutes as we heard her worshiping at the top of her lungs. “I’m running to your arms. I’m running to your arms. Nothing compares to your embrace. Light of the world forever reign.”

We got to talk to her later about what was happening in Iraq and that was the perfect way to initiate the conversation.

The images coming out of that country are absolutely heartbreaking. I’ve come across a few on Facebook and I can hardly bare to look. I try to scroll right past them as quickly as possible…and then have to remind myself that not looking is not going to solve the problem.

I can’t help but see the face of baby Wryder in this photo, instead…

I get so comfortable in my corner of the world. While we’re out going to family reunions and renovating playhouses and worshiping the Lord in our homes, people are being forced from theirs. They’re running for their lives, just hoping to survive. Children and adults are dying of dehydration, are being thrown off of mountains, beheaded and executed. Our people are dying en masse because they proclaim the name of Jesus.

Join me in praying for our people. We are praying that the Lord shows off in the grandest of forms. We’re praying that the shield of protection around these people is impenetrable and that because of that, ISIS members will have their eyes opened to the glory of the Lord. We’re praying for revival, for shifts, for change, for life.

The homes of Christian (and other non-Muslim) families in Iraq are being marked as such.

It’s a symbol used 1) as a mark of shame and 2) to give permission to ISIS members to kill anyone left in the residence and to pillage their belongings. That symbol is nun, 14th letter of the Arabic alphabet. It’s equivalent to the Roman letter ‘n’ and is the first symbol in words like Nazarene…as in Jesus the Nazarene, as in ‘can anything good come from Nazareth?’…it’s a common Arabic term for Christians.

Some Iraqis around the city of Mosul are standing in solidarity and have began to use this symbol (on social media and in their city) as one of hope instead of shame.

10488083_428374527300687_349373373144429446_n — “We are all Christians”

"Yes I am and I am proud." — “Yes I am and I am proud.”

We will do the same.

Pray for the persecuted Christian all over the world.

Pray that the Lord will show off and protect His people for His glory.

Pray that the genocide stops, in the name of Jesus.

Pray for our people.

Random Rambles

It’s overcast and cool out; my soul is begging for fall! This has been such a mild summer and I have very little tan left on my arms and legs…might as well call it and hide them under sweaters and jeans, right?! Come on, fall…

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Wryder’s namesake and great-grandpa is turning 85 this year and I have the distinct honor of providing decor for the grand event! I’ve got about 10 projects half done and ~~quite~~ a few *ahem* that I have yet to embark upon. For some reason, this overcast weather makes me uber-productive, so I’m hoping to take advantage of that today. I’ve already got these bad boys in the dishwasher…

Stay tuned for a DIY this week! Maybe that will REALLY make me get it done this week…

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Our church cleaned out their library and had tables of free books for us to peruse this past Sunday. For bibliophiles, it was hard not to take them all, but we decided upon these:

Uncle Arthur's Bedtime Stories — Uncle Arthur’s Bedtime Stories

These are the sweetest little stories that discuss character and wise choices and how the Lord would prefer us to live. They’ve been a fun edition to our daily readings and we highly recommend them if you can get your hands on a set!

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I missed my kiddos terribly while I was at jury duty last week so we’ve tried to make up for lost play time with LOTS of playtime. I must say, I have the cutest playmates of anyone around.

This girl throws quite the party and this little guest sure makes them fun!

It warms my heart how well they get along. I’m sure those feelings for each other might change and evolve as the years go on but I hope they only intensify amorously. It’s so cute to see them interact together and greet each other in the morning and give random hugs and pull each other close to sit…

I wish I could say this attentive shot was during our family devotions…but I was letting them watch “Let it Go.” *ahem* Maybe I should start theatrically singing all of our Bible lessons…

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I don’t know about your kids, but Sawyer is a lover of rocks! Every parking lot/driveway/restaurant/farm/house/business/ we visit, she finds at least one to add to her “collection.” Wrex was cleaning out his pickup last night and found a stash under her seat. He brought them in and she put them in a little baggie and showed them to us and said, “These are so I can remember all the places I’ve been.”

It was completely cute and completely heart melting. We talked to her about how incredibly Biblical that was. Over and over in the Old Testament, stones are placed at significant places of significant happenings so that when people saw them, they would remember what transpired there…they would remember the faithfulness of God and what He did.

That’s sort of what this blog is; a giant rock of remembrance for me and my family. He has done so much for us and I don’t want them to forget where all of this good comes from.

I don’t think I’ll be forgetting her and her rocks anytime soon.

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If you’re not familiar with Angie Smith, you should be! She has quite the story, the best red hair, an adorable self-deprecation and I swear she’s my sister from another mister…or something. Her latest book, Chasing God, is on sale today for $0.99 (Kindle edition) at Amazon. I haven’t read it yet but if it’s anything like her others, it will be worth the buck. Bought and downloaded!

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All right, I better hop to it! The coffee cup is empty, the play tent is set up and the natives are growing restless; time to camp and then create! Enjoy this cozy day!

The Perfect Saturday

Yesterday just might have been our favorite day of the summer, thus far. We got to spend the day with some of the most God-fearing, solid people on the planet! How lucky are we?!

The summer I was pregnant with Sawyer, Wrex and I ran a trade show booth for his previous employer down at the Colorado Cattlemen’s Convention. We were boothed next to the Farm Credit team and in so doing, made some of our dearest friends.

They were so kind and encouraging and offered up so much wisdom and love regarding the new journey of parenthood that we were about to embark upon. We stayed in touch via Facebook (it has it’s good, it really does!) and then we got to see part of them again the next year.

The next convention was less than a month from our departure date to a new adventure in life and they ministered to us sooooooo incredibly much! We still have the piece of paper with a word they had given us regarding our decision that affirmed all that we had heard from the Lord as well. Seriously, these are some special people.

Besides Facebooking and a few phone calls, that was the last time we had really spent considerable time together…until yesterday! We met in southeastern Colorado for some swimming and picnic-ing and playing and chatting – it was the BEST! The kids all had an absolute ball together and we loved every minute as well.

Wryder and Gunner - how CUTE are they?! — Wryder and Gunner – how CUTE are they?!

The men in deep discussion on a break from their game of washers... — The men in deep discussion on a break from their game of washers…

It’s such a beautiful thing when the Lord connects people in the Spirit. These are people that love Him and live their lives for Him…who are bearing fruit that is evident in the lives of their children…who live their lives with their hands wide open, ready to give and encourage and love at the drop of the hat.

And their sweet kids! They were all so kind and loving and polite and grateful and obedient and CUTE!

We left feeling like someone just breathed a huge breath of life into us! Our steps felt lighter and our souls felt more joyful and we felt hopeful about the world.

You guys, seriously, we adore you – YOU ARE A RARITY in this world! We are so thankful for the time with you! Let’s attempt to make this happen at least twice a year, yes?! And if you’re really serious about that commune thing, we’re in! 😉

Worth 1,000 Words: Country Cottage

Our floral boxes have really come on in the past two weeks and things have bloomed like crazy! ***I contribute their success to my sweet neighbor who took most excellent care of them while we were gone.*** Regardless, the Phipps “Ranch” is looking more like a country cottage…and l love it! If only we could find time to mow…sigh…

Pretend you can't see all those weeds... — Pretend you can’t see all those weeds…

Love this little area... — Love this little area…

And these pink petunias are Wrexy's favorite! — These pink petunias are Wrexy’s favorite!

A little show box full of red surprises!

Volunteer portulaca has sprouted up everywhere!

Today was so incredibly lovely…I even told the Lord that if He wanted to send an early fall I wouldn’t complain one bit! I’d gladly trade these pretties for pumpkins. 😉

Daddio

Happy Father’s Day, handsome!

I don’t say this because I have to or because I’m your wife or because it’s what I’m supposed to say…I say this because I mean it and I believe it…..you’re the best dad I’ve ever met.

You are consistent and unwavering in your love for our children. You don’t love them based on behaviors or actions or attitudes; it’s completely unconditional, no strings attached…you love them just because they are.

You teach them the ways of the Lord and pray for them and over them and with them. You are leaving a legacy of the fear of the Lord because of your love for Him and how you mirror His love to them.

You are gentle, firm and steady; disciplining and teaching in love. I am so glad that I don’t worry about the kids with you; you are slow to anger and abounding in love…a safe place for them to fall.

You are eager to give them different life experiences and allow them to try new things and new adventures.You never reject their cuddles or hugs or showers of affection…you embrace them! You encourage their loving kindness and they love the reciprocation.You are unafraid to be silly with them and take part in the things that are important to them. We talk often about what’s big in their lives, as you always want to be involved and aware.

You’re never embarrassed by us or make us feel like a burden when we tag along to the sale barn or ranch visit. We know it’s a lot more work with three other bodies around so thank you for always making the time and effort for us.

You’re such a teammate and help to me. From the day they were each born, there’s never a job that you put into my category as ‘mom’…everything is fair game and you help me more than any other spouse I know of. Thank you for that. I love that you want to be a part of the mundane tasks of child rearing and not just the more glamorous ones.

You are gentle and kind, never harsh or demanding. You’re never too tired to play and you do a tremendous job of making us a priority.You love their mommy and you show them that through your words and actions and support; they have a strong sense of security because of that.

Being a dad is no easy task. Society has made it increasingly hard for men to be worthy role models and leaders. There are so many ideas and distractions and dreams and lies and sins fighting for their attention. There is a world and a devil ready to devour them at the drop of a hat. There is a media that sets out to dumb them down and disgrace them…it’s not an easy time to be a man or father. THANK YOU for fighting to do it so well. We celebrate you today! We sing your praises at the city gates! You are a man of noble character, integrity and loyalty, with high esteem for his family. Your greatest mission field in this season is your home and we are living proof that Jesus is alive in you!

Thank you for loving the Lord and allowing Him to shape you into a father after His own heart.

Thank you for loving us so selflessly, so unabashedly, so completely.

Thank you for providing for us so well and for never being afraid of a little hard work.

Thank you for making us feel so safe and secure; you are our rock.

Happy Father’s Day, honey. I am so proud to be the mother of your children.

And Happy Father’s Day to my dad!

Thank you for all you always did for our family to make sure we provided for. Wish we were celebrating together today…we love you!!

Happy Father’s Day, men!

Happy Birthday, Sexy Wrexy!

You are the most handsome of all.

Gracious words stream from your lips. God himself has blessed you forever.
Put on your sword, O mighty warrior!

You are so glorious, so majestic!

In your majesty, ride out to victory,
defending truth, humility, and justice.
Go forth to perform awe-inspiring deeds!

Your arrows are sharp, piercing your enemies’ hearts.
The nations fall beneath your feet.

Psalm 45…a word the Lord gave me regarding you many years ago. I pray it over you still, especially on your birthday.

You are a tremendous man of God and the fact that I get to spend my life with you humbles me daily. I don’t know of anyone more loyal, gentle, loving, kind, forgiving, selfless, gracious, merciful, hard-working, even tempered, servant-hearted, encouraging or capable than you. You are the glue that holds our family together. You keep us grounded and rooted in the Lord and lead us in the ways of righteousness.

I’ve known you for 13 of your 32 years and am so proud of the man that you were, are and are becoming. On this birthday, I bless you with health and vigor – 32’s not that old! I bless you with boldness to shine the light of Jesus in dark places; boldness to be ok with being so different than the rest of the world (it’s a great thing). I bless you with obedience, that you would continue fulfilling the Lord’s call for you and I pray that you will see the fulfillment of His promises regarding you. I bless you with a sound mind and strong hands to do the work of the Lord. I bless our marriage, that it would fulfill you and honor you and bless you right back. I bless your coming in and going out…with the presence of Jesus in all that you do.

I love you, sweet husband of mine. Happiest of birthdays to you!

Oh Momma

Thank you, Lord, for entrusting these sweet little miracles to me. YOU made me a momma and for that, I’m forever grateful…

Thank you, handsome, for choosing me so long ago (and every day since) to be your wife and the mother of your children. I absolutely love our life.

Thank you, sweet munchkins, for letting me smother you in kisses and dote on you and show you off – I’m so very proud of you, ya know?! Thank you for sharing your days with me and for teaching me so much about the Lord; I could never have imagined His great love for us until I had you.

Just being a mother is the best gift I could receive today, though you have showered me with so much more. It’s an honorable, notable job which I am privileged to hold.

Happy Mother’s Day to all you mommas out there!

…to those of you who’ve prayed to join the ranks, I stand with you in prayer that the Lord would open your womb…and soon!

…to those mommas who have lost little loves far too soon, my heart aches for you, especially today. I pray the Lord showers your day with extra helpings of grace. More so, I pray that you have an intimate relationship with Him so that you may be reunited with those sweeties one day…

…to those of you who are struggling in relationship with your mother, my heart aches for you, too. Relationships are messy and satan comes to kill, steal and destroy them. I’m praying for humility, renewal and forgiveness for both sides…

…and to the special moms, sisters, grandmas, great-grands, aunts and cousins in my life, both of blood and spirit, who have mothered me, mentored me and loved me, I pray that you are remembered near, far and forever for your loving sacrifices. You have my heart…

Step Up

Do you ever wish you could un-see things?

We ventured out to the park today because it was so splendidly nice out. I think I’ve written about it before but when I hole up in my little house on the prairie, it’s easy to lose perspective on the rest of the world. I get so used to our daily grind and how we choose to do things…then my naivety kicks in and I start thinking that every family is like our family. Oh, how I wish that were true. Not because I think we have it all figured out – by no means is that the case – but I do know that our children are loved and safe and cared for and fed and nourished and disciplined in love; they are not abused or scared or hungry or alone… It’s not that way for every kid, or even most kids, although it should be.

As a lover of justice (and humanity, for that matter), it’s hard for me to see someone treated poorly, especially a child. While we were playing, a little girl got in trouble for something by someone who didn’t talk to her not one time until it was time to go and they were displeased with something. Obviously, I don’t know all of the details, but I know what I saw and what I saw was ugly. I’m not saying she was physically abused in front me…had that been the case, I would have had no reservations in stepping in and/or calling the police…but she was treated extremely poorly…especially for a child. She was screamed at and handled roughly and shamed. It just makes you wonder what she goes through at home if her caretaker was unafraid to put on this show in public.

I know we all have bad days and bad parenting moments when we don’t always act the way the Lord asks of us (me included). Sadly, I don’t think this was an isolated incident. I was told by a friend, “She’s the kind of girl that will be really happy to get to go to school all day.”

Oh my soul. As a deep feeler, these kinds of things pain me; physically hurt me. My heart feels so shredded and I feel so helpless.

I spent my drive home just pleading to the Lord on behalf of this little girl and for those who care for her. I was begging Him for justice and safety and love for her – is that too much to ask?!

I’m not naive enough to think that what I saw is the worst any child has ever been treated; I know that’s not the case and the fact that that’s not the case intensifies the pain of the situation. We need Jesus. Our world needs Jesus. Our kids need Jesus. We all need Jesus.

Stuff like this makes me just want to hole up in our little house, do what we do and stay away from the crazies and the injustices of the world…but I’m certain that doesn’t solve anything. I don’t know what the point of experiencing that today was but my soul is stirred. I want to be part of the solution, the revolution, that changes the familial unit for Christ. A Bible teacher once preached a mantra that said, “What we struggle with and do not sanctify in ourselves will become a monster in our children.”

Struggle with anger and don’t work to change it? It will be amplified in your children.

Struggle with pride and don’t work to change it? It will be amplified in your children.

Struggle with self-worth and don’t work to change it? It will be amplified in your children.

Struggle with __________ and don’t work to change it? It will become a monster in your children.

As parents, we have got to wake up to the responsibilities bestowed upon us! Whether our children were “planned” by us or not matters not; they are now in our care and it is our duty and obligation to do right by them.

I’m so tired of seeing people/parents thinking they can birth a child and do nothing to actually raise it/teach it/love it/guide it/esteem it…

I’m so tired of seeing people/parents do “what their parents did” because that’s all they know… (Look at this generation…that’s not working (for the most part)!

I’m so tired of people/parents thinking that what they do and what they say has no bearing on the kinds of adults their children will be…

I’m so tired of people/parents putting their jobs, addictions, bank accounts, friends, social lives, etc. in front of their job as a spouse and parent…

I’m so tired of satan killing, stealing and destroying people and parents.

My heart is slivered tonight; I wish I could un-see and un-hear the events of the day…but I can’t…

I can, however, propose a call to action. Step up, parents. You have an enormous, important, future-changing job on your hands – your children. They are worth your time and your effort and your sacrifice. You are raising little adults who will one day be leading their generation. What you say and do today will effect them forever, believe it or not. Treat them with respect and dignity and grace and mercy and love – it covers a multitude of sins, you know. Teach them. Train them. Guide them along. Be slow to anger and abounding in love. Don’t harm them or shame them or abuse them or neglect them or break their spirits. Don’t just revert to what you know or experienced when growing up; refer to the Word of God and make that your standard. Put aside all of the injustices done to you and make life for your kids different. Link arms with other parents and help each other by vowing to do this life together and do this life well. We get one shot with these little guys. I’m not saying that the Lord can’t redeem our shortcomings (goodness knows He does it for me on a daily basis) but we owe it to Him and to them to give them our best; not our leftovers, not our ignorances, not our generational failures…our best.

Pray for children across the city and state and nation and world tonight who aren’t on the receiving end of someone’s best…and especially pray for those getting the worst.

Pray for me…that as much I want to un-see what I saw, that it will continue to spur me to keep seeking the Lord in what He has for me here…because it’s too important to do otherwise.

People Trump Tasks

I don’t have to be tomorrow, who I am today.

The Lord has given us the freedom of choice so I can choose to be different or act different or think different anytime I, well, choose. We have the opportunity to change our futures and to do things differently than the generations before us…for me, that’s a big deal.

The Lord has been saving me from a life of mediocrity for about twelve years and counting. He has soooo much more for us than just surviving, ya know? I have chosen to raise my children differently than I was raised and to have a marriage that’s different than what I witnessed growing up and to base the foundation of my being on Jesus and nothing else.

Those are some of the biggies and they are all things that have come easily for me. I love being a wife and a mom and it doesn’t feel like work to attempt the things He asks in those areas with excellence. There are, however, so many more things that the Lord keeps bringing to my attention that He desires for me…things that I know won’t be easy (for me) but things my heart is longing to attempt.

I want to be more about people and less about tasks. I’m sure to some of you, that sounds easy. For a type A, black-and-white, meticulous planner? Not so much. I’m wired in a way where the to-do list trumps all and being prepared for anything and everything is my mantra. My mind is always looking ahead…what do I need to pack or get ready? What’s next on the agenda? What might cause a problem/throw a wrench in our plans or our peace? How do we avoid that problem? What do I need to do now to make things easier later?

Honestly, those things are constantly on my mind and it’s not even exhausting! Dare I say it’s sort of enriching for me? (You’re worried about me, aren’t you?) Don’t be…about that anyways. 😉

Sadly, things like stopping to talk to people for extended periods of time or jumping in to lend a helping hand or investing in something other than wifedom/motherhood doesn’t always make the cut. To an extent, that’s ok; my family IS my priority, but I know myself enough to know that those priorities aren’t always the reason for my lack of engagement. I’m an introvert and a doer and that doesn’t leave a lot of room for people.

Jesus was a people person. He was a doer, yes, but He cared infinitely more about hearts and souls than He did any physical deficiency or any task that warranted His attention. I’m married to a people person who comes from a line of people persons and they are leaving a legacy of the fear of the Lord because of the time they take to sincerely invest in people. It’s a beautiful, beautiful thing.

When I think back on all the times in my life that I was affected in the deepest ways for Christ, it wasn’t by someone who worked their tail off at a task…it was by someone who took the time to invest in me.

Oh man, I wanna be like that! It’s not something that’s going to come easy for me; it’s going to be something that takes work (I should like that then, yes? Ha!)…something that will require a new mindset and array of habits…but the reward is great and the consequences of not changing are greater yet.

I don’t know what this looks like for sure yet and I’m sure I’ll be stumbling through it for a while…or forever…but I’m determined to make attempts towards that goal. Thankfully, I have that choice and thankfully I have a Father that I know will reward my efforts to be more like Him.

****** People trump tasks. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. *******