God's Blueprints

I’ve got the coffee pot brewing, and the rain is coming down in sheets. I have soft music playing, with a blanket tucked around me, and my dog at my feet. A journal lies open, and ready is my pen. My heart is full of words, but oh where do I begin?

Over the last couple days, my mind has returned to Psalm 20:4- “May he give you the desires of your heart and make all your plans succeed.” After a period of caretaking, my heart is so open and ready to chase my dreams.

As many people who find themselves in caretaking roles do, I put my life on hold. I wanted to be there for my sick mama and my working daddy and my little sister. But after a year and half, I grew afraid that I would remain at home for the rest of my life, doing the same things, day in and day out. I had almost forgotten what it was like to dream.

One day I came across Galatians 6:9 which says, “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

That was exactly what I needed to hear. There is good coming if we do not give up. That’s His promise to us.

How faithful is the God we serve! He used different people and several quiet times to reinforce His point. I could hear God urging me to move forward. Each person I talked to reminded me of Jeremiah 29:11. I typically nod when reminded of that, but after several people brought that particular verse up in such a short period of time, I started to really listen. Gang, He has SUCH great plans for each and every one of us. Do you think that he would bring us into this world just to abandon us? No! He wants to use us and our circumstances to draw people closer to Him, not for our own glory, but for HIS glory.

This caretaking role is not my role forever. I have to opportunity dream! I have the opportunity to take the gifts that the Lord has blessed me with and use them for His glory, to do something I love. I trust in God’s blueprints for my future. I trust that he will fulfill my desires.

Isn’t it such a glorious thing that the Lord gives us the ability to dream?

~Bethany

bittersweet life.

 

“the writing’s easy, it’s the living that is sometimes difficult.”

—charles bukowski

Love, Ever After

Today is my sweet parent's 24th anniversary. Twenty-four. Is that not an incredible accomplishment?

I feel like in today's world, we're lucky if a marriage lasts 72 days, much less twenty-four years. I have no idea how they've done it. Actually, that's not true. I do know how they did it, and how they will continue to do it. My parents love Christ first. They love each other second.

My generation longs for the passion and the romance of true love. I am so blessed to see it in action everyday. It's the way Daddy gets up in the middle of the night to help Mama. It's when Mama reminds me to make dinner so that there's food on the table when Dad gets home. It's the alarm set on Daddy's phone to remind him to take Mama out to dinner, just the two of them. It's the outfits Mama sets out for Dad, so he doesn't have to dig to find his clothes. It's when one calls the other in the middle of the day, just because they want to talk to each other. You'd think they'd be tired of each other after twenty-four years! Ha.

Here's to my parents, Steve and Mariana. Here's to surviving 24 years of marriage, and here's to another 24 years of marriage. Here's to love and laughter and health and fun in the future. Thank you for putting the Lord first, your relationship with each other second, and us girls third. Thank you for loving us girls.Thank you for being such an inspiration. I love you both.

Proverbs 18:22- "He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord."

Ephesians 5:33- "He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church."

Hebrews 13:4- "Let marriage be held in honor among all."

"All that I'm after is a life full of laughter, as long as I'm laughin' with you
I'm thinkin' that all that still matters is love ever after, after the life we've been through
'Cause I know there's no life after you"

"Let me call you sweetheart
I'm in love with you
Let me hear you whisper that you love me too
Keep the lovelight glowing in your eyes so true
Let me call you sweetheart
I'm in love with you"

Anniversary Playlist:
May I by Trading Yesterday, Never Stop by SafetySuit, A Thousand Years by Christina Perri, Everything Is Okay by Turn Off The Stars, Falling In by Lifehouse, You And Me by Lifehouse, She's Everything by Brad Paisley, Hundred More Years by Francesca Battistelli, Bless The Broken Road by Rascal Flatts, L-O-V-E by Nat King Cole, Just The Way You Look Tonight by Frank Sinatra


Why Marriage………..by Mari Nichols-Haining

Because to the depths of me, I long to love one person,
With all my heart, my soul, my mind, my body…

Because I need a forever friend to trust with the intimacies of me,
Who won’t hold them against me,
Who loves me when I’m unlikable,
Who sees the small child in me, and
Who looks for the divine potential of me…

Because I need to cuddle in the warmth of the night
With someone who thanks God for me,
With someone I feel blessed to hold…

Because marriage means opportunity
To grow in love in friendship…

Because marriage is a discipline
To be added to a list of achievements…

Because marriages do not fail, people fail
When they enter into marriage
Expecting another to make them whole…

Because, knowing this,
I promise myself to take full responsibility
For my spiritual, mental and physical wholeness
I create me,
I take half of the responsibility for my marriage
Together we create our marriage…

Because with this understanding
The possibilities are limitless.

 

~~~~~~~XO, Bethany

pick a little, talk a little.

 

 

"I know I chatter on far too much... but if you only knew how many things I want to say and don't. Give me some credit."

 

-Anne Shirley, Anne of Green Gables

Mentally Incapable of Dressing Myself

As of late, Texas weather has no idea what it wants to do with its life. In the mornings, it is chilly, but by the afternoon it's hottttt and by evening it's cool. Can we pick a temperature, please?

A friend of mine and I were discussing how we are mentally incapable of dressing ourselves for weather like this. You start out with pants, only to get hot and have to change. A couple hours later, it's too cool for shorts but too hot for pants. So you change, again. It's enough to drive a person crazy.

Here's to stable weather. I pray you come soon.

~Bethany

"the most beautiful people..."

 

"The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These people have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with a compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen."
 

 

Dear New York,

Ah, New York City, we will have to wait until spring to meet. It seems as though Hurricane Sandy has foiled our rendevouz. 'Tis too bad; I was rather looking forward to it.

Broadway, I anxiously await the day I can skip into one of your theatres. 9/11 Memorial, I can't wait to stand in awe of you. Times Square, please don't blind me with your lights.

My dreams have been filled of crowds and cabs, subways and singing, gawking and gazing. I will happily wait til spring if it involves my safety. Here's to spring, NYC. We shall meet soon.

love, Bethany