Random Thoughts Thursday

Breathing in deeply this morning, trying to catch my breath, clear my emotions and settle my heart... and in God's presence I find nothing is impossible.

The past few weeks have been wonderful, exhausting, beautiful, taxing--to name just a few.

I look back to the beginning of September and recall a conversation between my husband and I about our upcoming month's schedule. He was slightly worried I was over-committing...well, you're hearing reading it straight from the fingers of his wife- "you we're and just about always are, completely right, my dear!"

Softball games, homeschooling, major house construction projects, training for a half-marathon, gymnastics, Bible studies... I could go on and on and I'm not even mentioning all of the everyday tasks required of me-as a wife and mother!

Life is full. We wouldn't want it any other way, but it's important to keep my heart protected in the light-still and focused and reliant on Him, cleared of any nagging hindrances that sneak into my heart amidst the busyness.

Almost 2 weeks ago now, my sister Janna was married. It was a gorgeous day. Full of beautiful content and surrounded by friends and family. Janna said YES to Lon and they have now started their life together. God is faithful. Always. Her Christian walk has been an inspiration to me!

We celebrated 2 nights before the BIG day with a "bachelorette" party (i.e. a bunch of friends and family out for dinner, including my littlest girlie)!  Wow, I was just blown away from blessing after blessing during the preparation, set-up and ceremony of this event.  It was simply beautiful. I will have pictures of their amazing wedding someday soon I hope!

My sisters!!

Kathy, a dear heart. Janna, my beautiful friend and sister. And Susan an amazing lady!

Lovely Mothers

Friends! 

I have to say that Beka (on the right) was truly a God-send. She came with Beka (my husband's sister) and her family because she knew Janna from a small group they we're in together in Colorado.  Beka was always there, guiding, helping, corralling, organizing and loving on our children!  We didn't even have to ASK her to do a thing, she was always busy, eyes wide open to impending needs.  I seriously do not know WHAT we would have done without her!

I was blown away once again by how dear my family is to me, to ALL of us! How completely the Lord has blessed our family of seven in every way. A wedding has a way of bringing on the waves of meloncholy and reflection.

I love photography. I love snapping photos, setting up props, editing takes, documenting life, watching personality come out onto film... but one thing that I have taken note of is how I can relate the focusing of the lens onto the main subject of my shoot to how I willingly and freely choose what circumstances to focus my gaze upon in my life. Some days it is easy to get stuck in the negative rut... look at everything hard, unfair and worrisome and dwell in that heaviness. But the beautiful fact about my gaze is that it can be moved and by adjusting my focus just slightly, my view changes completely! It's a state of practice and tiring concentration some days. I pray for help, for desire, for joy and willingly and obediently change my mind and heart's focus to those good and perfect things in my life... and something wonderful happens, I rejoice!

Please check out Kate's website. Pray for her. Pray for all of these dear children in our world suffering today. God knows them intimately. He loves and cares about every single little life here on earth. No one is insignificant to Him.

He's coming for ALL of His children soon.