Recent gifts

Spring's first pussy willow, hand delivered to my door by the wonderful neighbor in The Old Stone Home down the road. I love it.



An old print that I was going to sell in a garage sale turned into a chalkboard by applying three easy coats of chalkboard paint. I've been looking for quite some time for a way to bring more Scripture into our home, and this? This is perfect.



This book, which I'm in the middle of reading. It has felt like a drink of cold water to my parched soul, its story telling me over and over and over, "This isn't as good as it gets for you: God has joy for you."



Inexpensive butcher block countertop, purchased while we were in Pittsburgh last week and installed by my husband in a short hour yesterday evening. It's what I've dreamed of since we remodeled our kitchen, especially on this lower counter, and it's better than I'd even hoped.



Old (1870!) postcards that were found in the walls of our house during our last renovations. The matting was a gift from one neighbor, the frame was a gift from my mom, and it was all assembled for me by yet another neighbor. Every time I look at it, I think two things: 1. I live in a really old house and I love that, and 2. there are a lot of people in my life who love and bless me.

I heart them

Our God is jealous for His own

It's been a month since I last updated. This might be a record.

Life has been full, but that's not why the neglect.

There are things going on in my heart. Things the Lord is teaching and showing me. Things He is dealing with me about. Things I am learning, sometimes the hard way, but usually the "I can't believe You bear this long with me, Jesus," way (and, let me just say, His gentleness and graciousness altogether brings me to tears every time). Things that are still too raw to write about, things that force me to dig down, things that come out in half-prayers because I run out of words and even thoughts before I finish praying.

At the bottom of it, though, is Jesus, removing the scales from my eyes and letting me see a bit more clearly.

I'm so thankful for His goodness.

Yesterday, I was driving home from our week in Pittsburgh. The hum of kids talking, laughing, eating, and generally being bored thanks to being cooped up in a vehicle for a solid 10 hours was totally tuned out, along with Daniel's phone conversations taking place right next to me. I felt so overwhelmed-- so taken over-- by how good He is to pursue me.

He never stops.

I would quit on me if I were Him. Good heavens, I've wanted to quit on myself and that's saying something, since I think we humans have quite a tendency toward self-preservation if nothing else.

He doesn't quit on me. Not for a minute. He is relentless, and that is because He is good.

"Our God is jealous for His own,
None could comprehend His love and His mercy."

It keeps playing through my mind and heart. For months and months.

He wants my heart. He wants your heart. He loves us too much to not pursue us.

Even to the point of death, to the cross, to the grave.

In all the dealings and things happening in my life and my heart, this is the bottom line of it all. In every circumstance and situation, this is the final realization that keeps dawning on me, over and over and over again.

And maybe, just maybe, I'm getting it a bit more today than I did yesterday.

And certainly, I am more excited about tomorrow than I've ever been, because I am learning that tomorrow is another day for Him to pursue me more, and that makes it better than anything I've known today or yesterday or the day before that.