why we smile straight through the tears...

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,

His kingdom is forever!

*Martin Luther

 

 

weekend outtakes

Happy Wednesday ;)

balloons on the ceiling and finishing well

Before Kate and J married they made the decision together to head to NC for school.  Kate had a good start toward her degree but Jeremy was pretty much starting at square one.  

A few years older than Kate, he had opted out of college and had been working and living the life of gainful employment with things like sleep and savings accounts.  

But they were sure that God was leading them toward ministry, and this would require some further book-learning.

They married soon thereafter and settled into married-student life.

and then God gave them a baby girl.

and then God gave them a baby boy.  

with colic.  and attitude.  and general overall misery ;)

And through it all Jeremy kept pushing/plodding/staggering/bounding ahead toward the goal...

Finishing.

I am so very proud of him for many reasons but one of them is most certainly the finishing.

Finishing college when you dislike most things school, while supporting a growing family and maintaining active participation in ministry is no little accomplishment, it's an amazing feat and a blessing to all of us who have watched...

Nearly every day of these last six years he has dragged his tired self out of bed in the middle of the night to drive 30ish minutes to load trucks for UPS, after which he would quickly clean himself up and head to class or one of his other jobs, depending on the day.   He would fall into bed far too late and then pop up again the next middle of the night.

Before they were married they talked about children and how they wanted to raise them, and Jeremy has sometimes worked three jobs in the same day in order for them to raise their family the way they feel led.

So his days have been a blur of no sleep, multiple jobs, and attending class.

And sometimes doing his homework.

And being a silly daddy with Audrey, and jiggling a certain colic-y boy through the first year of his life.

I know they both very nearly lost their minds more than once in these last long six years, but often with sheer determination, and with my orderly, organized Kate holding down the home front and encouraging him in all things homework....he got it done.

Speechless, is what I am.

And proud.  I'm also proud.

and thankful :)

(A Thousand Gifts #1151-1176)

goals met, and hard work, and finishing well

balloons on the ceiling and meeting their friends

reflecting back, and hearing his name, and weekends full of happy 

sleepovers and pizza at midnight

watching others love the ones I love, and oh the celebrating

her pink toes and his joyous enthusiasm to be with me

tables full of cupcakes and trays full of fruit

dozing while not the driver

early morning breakfasts and clowning around with mom

afternoon naps, and chili's traditions, and discovering the potato soup

remembering God's faithfulness, and generosity, and tender love for us...

knowing it's all because of Him.

...every single bit of it.

 



Happy Monday!

all done

 

 

So this is it...

Today's the day.

 Congratulations, Jeremy!

We are so very proud of you :)

 

Full

What a pretty pretty morning here in Virginia.  As I type I'm sitting on my needs-a-spring-face-lift-but-I'm-okay-with-that back porch with bare feet and a semi decent attitude :)  

I hear a a lawnmower working hard a few lawns away and at least 200 birds singing.  Maybe a thousand, it's hard to tell.

If I had to guess I'd say it's probably about 70 degrees and things are thoroughly green and...settled looking.  Most of blooms are long-gone and the trees and bushes have settled in for what is shaping up to be a long summer.  It looks like it's at least the end of May already in my little corner of the world, which leaves me confused and oddly pleased... 

The last couple of months have my weather senses seriously askew, but I don't care because did I mention all THE GREEN? 

We're gearing up around these parts to celebrate in a SUPER BIG way tomorrow, for our Jeremy is GRADUATING COLLEGE after six long years of school and jobs and a wife and two new babies.  There are no words to describe the busting-out-inside kind of happy for him we are right now.  Seriously, no words.  I'm not even going to try today, but take my word for it, HAPPY.

This week is all about what are we going to wear? and Mom-can-you-bring? and where on earth is the recipe for that dip?  There's also a side order of first grade and gainful employment and touching up the roots (yikes!).  Mix all that up with healthy dose of Peyton and gratitude and anticipation of a full two-day weekend and I'm officially filled up :)

I feel like I should tie all this meandering up with a pretty, red-and-white polka dot bow, pull my thoughts together in tidy presentation, and then offer them to you with a smile and a hug, but after sitting here in my creaky glider for a full twelve minutes just...listening, I find myself right where I started.

Surrounded by birdy serenades and copious amounts of green pulling my eyes away from my words.

The lawnmower has stopped.  I guess my neighbor is all finished...but just this minute another one is starting up down the street.  

I predict this to be quite the productive, full-of-life sort of day.

My very favorite kind.