heart – The Bless Your Heart Blog

Family of the Spirit

Oh, my heart. The bestie and the adoptive momma, Nonna, came to visit earlier this week. They hadn’t been out to our new home and with 3 kids, 3 and under, it was quite a feat! That’s how much she loves me, people.

The kids had a good time being wild and wooly together! Wryder and Eva teamed up quite a bit being that they are both three. Day one, she thought he was wonderful! Day two, the new had worn off a bit and she clung to Sawyer most of the day.

There was lots of book reading and stroller pushing and game playing. Dessa mainly ran back and forth from basement to the main floor as she shuffled kids from place to place. That girl was busy!

Nonna is always a hit amongst the grandkids, mine included. She has this knack to see people…and not just with physical eyes…but to see them and get them and call the best out in them. Ask me how I know. The kids are always drawn to her sweet and melodious voice, her loving eyes and open arms. Plus, she has this ability to make each kid feel like they are the most important person in the room. She always takes the time…

It was so nice to have them here, even for just a few short days. These women are two of my most trusted allies, my biggest cheerleaders and staunch encouragers. They are women of deep and abiding love, full of Godly wisdom, brimming in grace and mercy. They have had a HUGE hand in making me who I am today by loving me and mentoring me in my impressionable twenties.

I woke up crying yesterday morning, knowing they would be leaving and it didn’t get much better the rest of the day. These women have been my sister, my mother, best friends, baby deliverers! They make me desire to be a better wife, mother, daughter, sister, ministry partner, lover of Jesus. Their love is deep and true and though we talk and text and email, I miss the days of seeing them multiple times a week…the family dinners…the birthday celebrations…the Bible studies…the long talks…the sense of family that was just right down the road instead of a state away.

The beautiful thing with the family of the spirit, is that the Holy Spirit binds you tighter than any amount of physical proximity can. These ladies are in my heart.

I Heart Heart Day

I know I’ve mentioned it before – I’m a sucker for Valentine’s Day! Hate all you want; I think setting aside a day to really go out of our way to show someone we love them is a fine way to spend our time. Who doesn’t love that?!

For Fun Friday, the kids helped make cupcakes!

Decorating them is obviously the best part…and I always feel like SUCH a good mom afterwards because it really pushes me outside of my comfort zone. I’m not the biggest fan of messes or 501 little, round sprinkles all over the place but I do it because I love them. And it’s fun.

Yep, those are the ones... — Yep, those are the ones…

And, of course, Wryder had to be rewarded for his efforts…

Our sweet friend/mail lady, Pam, brought goodies to the house in the form of chocolate bars (which Wryder inhaled!) and mail from friends. We sent her home with a cupcake, too!

On Saturday, I woke up to this gorgeousness…

I LOVE getting flowers! I vow not to be the woman who thinks they’re a waste of money because all they do is die. They are life and they bring life – I’m a big fan. 🙂

I loved the balloon, too! I remember when I was growing up that I always, always wanted a helium, mylar balloon, though I don’t know that I ever asked for one. It was either my tenth or twelfth birthday, my parents got me several and I was over the moon! I kept them deflated and pinned to my bulletin board until I left for college. I kinda wish I still had them…

Wrexy knew my love for them and surprised me with a huge one! Wryder and Sawyer though we should practice letting the cat jump through the center. I vetoed that. *ahem*

We were saving our steak dinner for Valentine’s day so I decided to make heart hamburgers (with bacon, of course) for lunch.

Nothing says love like beef... — Nothing says love like beef…

The kids LOVED this! Especially the bacon part – a treat around here!

Sawyer, of course, dressed for the occasion – heels and all!

Sunday, we went to church and ate a little chinese food for lunch…

We found out Sayble REALLY likes ice cream like her PaPa!

Oh yeah...that's more like it! — Oh yeah…that’s more like it!

Then we came home to check on the gentlemen working on our shop and barn. The shabby chic will soon be no more as we’re getting tin put on. The shop is almost done and then they’ll throw the sides of the barn on.

I'm afraid I may miss this guy's worn, weathered look... — I’m afraid I may miss this guy’s worn, weathered look…

We have scrimped and saved and my hubby has worked his tail off so we could do this little project; we are so excited that it’s getting closer to done! It’s gonna look pretty fancy around here…or at least a little less shabby.

It was a good weekend! I posted this on Facebook but I’ll post it here, too.

In the midst of all of our Valentine shenanigans, Sawyer made a crown and hung it on the wall at our dinner table.

She said it was so we would remember that Jesus loves us.

My heart delights that she knows this already and I pray she takes Him at His word. He LOVES us…without condition or premise…and despite our past (or even our present) situations!

He IS the lover of our souls; the lead role in the greatest love story ever told. We can’t outrun His love, friends – it will always find us… Let him…

DIY: Conversation Hearts

Today was another gorgeous day out on the Eastern plains of Colorado. I think the family could just feel it, as we were all up earlier than normal and ready to be outside!

We stopped by the garage to do a little spray painting for Sayble’s room (told you I wasn’t quite done) and while we were there, I found some excess pieces of wood from the shelves Wrex made to hold her bunny baskets. The project bug bit me and I had him cut them into squares for me while I grabbed some paint and made a heart template.

I decided to make them into conversation heart blocks – easy, peasy!

Step 1: Cut or find some square pieces of wood and make a heart template.

I grabbed a piece of cardstock, folded it in half, cut a half heart and then continued shaping it down until it fit the boards I was working with.

Step 2: Trace the heart on your boards.

Step 3: Paint your heart.

I really like painting barnwood because it’s usually so dry, the paint dries really quickly!

Step 4: Once dry, paint on your phrases.

I wanted these to look like the little (nasty) conversation hearts that you always received WAY too many of growing up. I did “be mine, ” “love u,” and “hug me” though there are tons of other options – thank you, Google.

Step 5: Display and marvel at your handiwork.

A sweet, simple project for V day!

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. *******