One month till we land in Munich, Germany! Today Cory started all of his testing for co-infections, Lyme Disease, and a full panel work up. We became bandage buddies and I finally have a partner in all these pokes… Eeeeek!
We also got our international drivers licenses!!! It’s getting closer and I’m getting more nervous, but the kiddos excitement to see another country is a welcome distraction from all that we are facing in the near future!
On one more note, after a lengthy doctors appointment this morning, we have decided to catheter my arm so that I won’t be continually poked all week, every week… This is going to be helpful, but the reality of the severity of all of this somehow set in with just that one simple piece of news… Please pray for peace for all of us, and that little Grey, who is at the age where she’s realizing that her mommy isn’t like lots of other little girls’ mommies is going to be seeing more and more visible signs of this disease. She is also struggling getting used to me being at the doctor every weekday… She is crying when I leave and asking for extra cuddles and attention. The big kiddos seem all too strong until a “bad” night is upon us, and then fear sets in. Please pray for protection over their thoughts, that their young hearts can handle the extra burdens and that they be filled with JOY in it all! Pray that Cory is given Gods wisdom in all areas of providing for and protecting our family. Pray that he has productive days for work, enough energy to make meals, and can let down and relax/ laugh even in the mundane day in/ day out trials.
Thank you for sharing in our Beautyfull Mess… We treasure each one of you on this journey with us!
Once again, it has been a while since my last post here for many reasons. There have been some really, crazy hard days and nights filled with much pain, we are pressing through the hard times and savoring the good times. We had Lucy’s 11th birthday as well as Cory’s birthday yesterday, took a spontaneous camping trip for one night at a local lake and enjoyed the Independence Day with family and friends after starting it off with a full morning of being at the dentist. We have fought fiercely for good days… we need them more than I can express right now after having such a rough couple weeks.
Along with some of the fun activities we have had, we have also done TONS of research, asked so many questions of doctors, and have settled on a course of action that will take our entire family as well as my parents to Germany on August 5th. Cory and I will check into the St. George Klinik in Bad Ailbing, Germany on August 7th through at least the 21st. My parents will be taking care of our kiddos while we are in the hospital receiving treatment to irradiate the Lyme Bacteria from our bodies. This hospital is the only place in the world that offers this specific Extreme Hyperthermia treatment and they only treat Lyme Disease and Cancer patients there, both with great success. We will also be undergoing extensive detoxing treatments, testing, and other things that are yet to be decided until our arrival. Though we are very, very hopeful that this treatment will get here and be over with so that we can move onto the post treatment protocol and be one giant step closer to being able to do all the things we dream of doing as a family… I am filled with nerves, worries of the unknowns, and all the travel logistics for our family. I am of course nervous of being put under general anesthesia for seven hours two times for each of Cory and myself while our bodies will be heated up internally to such high temperatures that it will kill the disease causing bacteria in our bodies. We know that this treatment is what we are supposed to do, but doing it is still filled with unknowns and fears.
Please pray for our family in this soon- coming journey, Please pray for peace, wisdom, safety, and many, many, many good days ahead! Please pray for finances to be in place, please pray for our kiddos to feel safe and secure as their parents are starting to have daily doctors appointments and that is unsettling to them. Please pray for overall healing in all five of our bodies and strength and health for the five of us and my parents as well.
I know that where He leads us, He will be with us.
I will be journaling here on my blog this 30 day count down until treatment starts next month, so please read along, share and pray when you think of us.
These days are tough… but the nights are even more so. Last night was yet another one that this disease hi-jacked. The pain overtakes me, the convulsions begin, I lose the ability to hold my head up, my arms go limp, and my legs can bear no weight, tears start to flow involuntarily, I pass out half a dozen times from the sheer pain, and utter fear sets in.
Thankfully, last night I was able to get Grey all tucked in moments before all the pain started. Cory was outside having an airsoft war in the dark with Hayden and Lucy was on the couch, also nursing a migraine when all I could do was hit the couch and focus on breathing through the intense pain that hit like a brick wall.
Moments later Cory and the two bigs were by my side talking me through my breathing, offering iced tea, rubbing oils on my feet and head, rubbing my neck and back, and most importantly; praying… asking God to take it all away.
As I sit here today writing about last night, I’m reminded of two things: First, I made it through those awful moments last night when I doubted it was possible. He saw me through… gave me strength, and I know my Great God carried me through those moments that were too much for me in my own strength to get through. Secondly, in these horrendous times when it grieves my heart sooooo much that my kiddos have to know so much hurt, pain, and fearful times in this life. I see how strong they are each becoming, How much they rely on their Savior to get them through each minute, and I can truly say that in listening to my son beg God to heal his momma most recently last night… we are raising Mighty Warriors for the Lord! This is not a battle for the weak at heart, it takes courage, faith and trust in God’s promises. He promises a HOPE, and a FUTURE, when we call upon Him, seek Him, and press in. I have recently found my kids together in one of their rooms reading the Bible, explaining how it applies to their lives, how faith is so important to each of them, and I am stopped in my tracks to listen from outside and stand in awe of how only God can take such ashes and turn it into such glorifying beauty for Him!
My heart in sharing all of this is to encourage you… in each trial… do NOT lose heart. You have a God who is bigger, much bigger than all of it! He has these incredible plans for you, your family, He is going to use you and your trial if you submit it to Him. He will take your family through the fire and refine your kids, your marriage, your whole self. It will be hard, trying, and you’ll have your doubts for sure. But trust in the ONE who created you, HE CREATED YOU… just think about that. You may not know what He is doing… but He does! You may not know what His plans for your family are… but He does! I am hanging onto Him at every turn, in each tear that falls, in every twitch, every heart issue, every time I cannot form words and the discouragement doubles up… I choose to hang onto His plans, His will, His ultimate peace which passes all my understanding!
Hang in there dear friends!
Sincerely, dani
The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.
Psalm 9:9-10 NIV
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
3 John 1:4 KJV
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Brace yourselves as I am NOT a pretty “cryer”! I mean it… and I don’t like others to see me cry at all, EVER. It is something I am working on though because crying does help me feel much better afterwards instead of holding it all in… Sooooo, I encourage you to both watch this short video that resonated deeply with me, and to also bear with me while I emotionally share with you about a man whom has seen far too many of my ugly cries, yet stands by my side still.
12 and a half years ago I married my very best friend. I know you’ve all heard that saying before… but for REALZ… I did! We have had a wonderful marriage, full of gobs of joys, three kiddos that stole our hearts, adventures along the way, great blessings, and a lot of medical/ health/ financial hardships too. Instead of sharing about all of that right now, I wanted to focus on this man that I’ve been blessed to share all of these moments, whether good or not so good with!
Matthew 19:6 ESV So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
*Please know this is not a pity party… merely information you need to know to understand how blessed I am by my hubs love, and most importantly to bring a reminder of what God meant when he said “a lasting covenant.”
I have had two different people say that they cannot believe that we are still married or that they don’t know why Cory has stayed with me through all of these not-so-pretty years…. I remember both times very well. The first time was in one of my doctors’ offices and I was honestly shocked. That thought had NEVER ever crossed my mind. The second time was much more personal as it was someone who knew us very well. However, both peoples’ thoughts were very wrong and are quite disturbing when you think about them.
When my hair quit growing, started breaking off, getting very thin, and he can now feel the extensions when he runs his fingers through my “fake” hair: He reminds me what real beauty is.
When my weight has been out of my control because my body isn’t functioning right: He still wraps his arms around me.
When my skin is blotchy, broken out and aging rapidly and we can’t figure it out: He doesn’t look at me any differently.
When doctors told me I was dying two different times: He held my hands and prayed. Together we waded through the scary possibilities.
When I can’t get out of bed in the mornings: He puts on his “Super-Daddy” cape and gets the day going.
When my health bills cost us a house or two: He kept his eyes on our Savior, woke early every morning and worked diligently to provide for our family.
When I need held: He holds me.
When I need a shoulder to cry on: He offers both.
When I can plan the perfect day: I pick HIM… hands down… HIM. HIM. HIM.
Two main things stood out to me in this film…
The First is this: I know that Cory realized when things were very bad health wise for me and I couldn’t do much easily, he chose NOT to take the tasks away that were dear to my heart when it came to being his wife and our kiddos mom. Instead he would assist me whether I saw it or not in an effort to ease the strain on me while still allowing me to feel like I was caring for the four most special people in my life! This was a completely selfless gift that he gave. It would have been much quicker and simpler for him to just do it all on his own, or not worry about doing it at all. But he cares deeply for my heart and that is right where I needed to feel his love.
The second is this: I ALWAYS want to be his “partner” and not his “patient”. This is a VERY real feeling that any of you who have been through health issues beyond your control will resonate with. Of course I want and need to be taken care of… but I need to feel needed and wanted in our partnership just as much as I ever have if not more now.
Ephesians 5:25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.
Coaching Hayden
I still struggle with this feeling at times. It is an area that the enemy uses against me for sure. I will always be Cory’s partner… his partner in life, love, adventures, laughter, tears, and anything else we get to live out together. However, when he has to pick up the pieces that I can’t carry; I can buy into the lie that I am just a burden, job or patient to him. So, I am still working on fighting off this lie… because it is simply that: a big, fat lie!
You see, Cory is a man of his word. He made a commitment to the Lord. To me. We made this together and living it out is our only option. There isn’t the “easy out button” that when I get ugly, sick, or frustrating he can’t press it and be done. He lives his commitment out each day. This may not have been a smooth-sailing decade plus, but it HAS been beautiful watching his love for me!
Ecclesiastes 9:9Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of the life of your vanity, which he has given you under the sun, all the days of your vanity: for that is your portion in this life, and in your labor which you take under the sun.
He is the most dedicated, committed man I know. In standing by my side, holding my hand and always choosing to love me, he is an example of Christ’s love. He is a living example to our kids of what a devoted husband, and gracious daddy is and I can wholeheartedly say that I am more head over heels in love with this hunka-heaven than I have ever been before!
~Sincerely Dani
Babes, you have stolen my heart many, many times over by how genuinely you love on me. I am humbled by your devotion to our marriage. I admire how tirelessly and so very hard you continually work to provide for our family. I cannot thank you enough and am honored that you chose me to walk through this joy-filled, ugly-crying, crazy, scary, amazing life with. ~ Loves, Your Girl
“Living It Out” is going to be the theme of the Beautyfull Mess Blog for a while, or at least as long as I can see right now… We all live something out, and I am excited to share with you about the very things that have become my “IT”!
What is your “IT”? I would LOVE to hear from y’all on what yours is… let’s make this a conversation and help each other live out these important things that make each of us tick.
For these last five + years I have constantly been telling our kiddos, my husband, and mostly myself these very words: “LIVE IT OUT”! It is these very words that speak my hearts’ cry, passion, and love. These three words are powerful. They have the ability if followed through on with a heart tethered to Jesus to speak life, hope, love, devotion, and commitment. By living IT out… we can choose to:
Live out our faith in Christ.
Live out His love to our neighbors.
Live out our commitment in marriage.
Live out our devotion to raising our kiddos for the Lord.
Live out a passion. (sports, music, etc…)
Live out convictions. (without legalism- extremely important)
You get it! The “IT” does not only apply to Christianity. This “IT” can be found in anyone by finding what makes you tick… we all have “IT”, we all need “IT”, sometimes we just have to find “IT”. And I desperately pray that yours too will be sought after in our Savior. The very One who made each of us and yearns for us to keep our mission deeply rooted in Him.
For me personally, finding most of my “IT” was simple… but as this world seems ensued in evil, violence, sexual immorality, divorce, lack of commitment to almost everything, and an overall weakening of all convictions where black and white are now blurred into a giant “gray-land”… my “IT” is all the more important! Knowing what you stand for, believe in, and why is crucial. It is not only vital for yourself, but for your children, grands, and others looking to you as a role model.
P.S. The Pratt house is working on the best way to have these three words beautifully inscribed above our front door… I want each of us to look at them, think on them, tap them as we leave and live them out each and every day!
I have been MIA for a really fun reason this last week. We have added a new member to Kua’aina Ranch! My reason stands taller than me, has wayyyyy better hair than me and weighs about 1000 pounds more than me… His name is Maxwell Kailua Pratt or “Max” as we call him. We are in love… all of us! This newest member is an 8 year old Quarter horse gelding, and he is a dream come true for our family, one we have been praying to find for a few years now. We have been getting into a routine with him, trying to remember how to do the simple things like groom, saddle up, and where Max likes to be scratched best! Most of this comes back like riding a bike… but not all. I am super thankful for a mom that got me right back up on a horse, one that remembered how to tie up a cinch, etc… I hadn’t been on a horse in about 18 years, and it is once again AMAZING!!! I am hooked! All three of my kiddos are taken by him, and my hunky hubby handles him better than all of us combined.
We still need to get a full family photo with Max… but it was dark when I finally got him back home over the mountain! So, Cory snapped this quick pic! They were so surprised and thrilled!
I’ve been learning through having Max on the ranch just how therapeutic time with a horse can be. He is always there in the paddock, stall or the pasture. Max rarely has his own agenda, unless he’s super hungry, so he loves to just hang out. My 9 year old starts her morning by throwing some boots on, grabbing her favorite book, and running down to feed a flake of hay and just spend time talking to Max. She’s spending hours worth of time reading to him, sharing her heart with him, and building a beautiful relationship. He is building trust in her, and she in him. They yearn for time with each other, time to talk, listen, or just be silent together. Sometimes I hear him crying for her when she’s out playing on the property… he whinnies for her attention and keeps an attentive eyes and poised ears towards her most of the time. They have a special bond. One worth tending to. Investing in. A bond worth fighting for.
Lucy finally has her sweet horse! You can honestly watch their love for each other grow…
She could do this for hours…
Grooming
Lucy’s first ride on Max!
I love this analogy of how a relationship with our Father in Heaven can be so very much the same as that between Lucy and Max. Our God is always here for us desiring just this kind of a relationship with each of us. He has a flexible schedule, but treasures each second with us. He loves it when we talk to Him, not just at meals and bedtime with our littles… but when it’s our M.O. for any reason at all. He wants us to read with Him and enjoy each handpicked story in His word. He wants to hear our hearts and live in it. He desires us to think on Him 24/7, and just like Max; He keeps His eyes on us always. His ears are always ready to hear our worries and He promises to carry them too. This bond with Jesus is the MOST precious relationship we can ever have and yet often times we don’t tend to it, invest in it or take time with it.
For me, having Max join us last week has been such a joy. It has also been such a great reminder of the need to tend to my heart. To invest in time with my Savior, to talk to Him as my very best friend, for He is just that.
Hayden was actually just working out… but Grammy got him out there to work through some newness with Max! Instantly bonded!
And now Hayden can’t get enough riding in… too bad someone has to be responsible and can’t take kiddos on rides all day long! 😉
Hayden, Max and Me! Thanks for the pic Lu
And then there was Grey… she had a little bareback ride and experienced a horse for the first time ever! The love was mutual!
We are going to continue loving on and investing in Max. And I find myself intensely thankful for the simple, sweet, subtle, yet serious reminder to keep loving on Jesus, building a relationship with Him, investing time in Him, and keeping my eyes fixed on Him.
You know those times in your life where you feel like you are stuck in an “ugly rut”? Nothing seems to go right, there is more dark than light, more yuck than yummy, more saying NOOOOO than yes, you get the picture! These seasons are REAL. They are not fun. In fact, sometimes they are simply awful, terrible, and seem unbearable. Yet, God allows us to walk through them. He brings us out on the other side. He uses this time to refine us, teach us, change us, bring us closer to Him, and ultimately to show His glory! Sometimes it is truly the worst that brings out the best… like the saying “beauty to ashes”. We’ve all heard it. When you look back on these times of trials, have you seen the truth in the saying? He is still there… cling to Him, His promises, His word.
I know that it seems like nothing new… but I am not sleeping again. I am not even sleeping a wink some nights… like not-at-all. It is horrible. I hurt, ache, and am overly emotional. These last two weeks now have been the worst I’ve had in about two years. I feel desperate, upset, and simply tired. I told Cory just the other day that I know God knows how much longer I will have these three kiddos at home before they are off on their own adult adventures. But I am upset that I have to feel like I do during all of this time in these special moments of their youth. I want to feel good. I want to be able to go run with them in our fields, shoot hoops with Hayden, build forts with Lucy, explore with Grey, and be fun!!! He knows all of this, and yet I am still in this mess… Because even when the sleep doesn’t come… He is still here! He will not leave me, He will not leave you. He is here, and I will bring my praises and my worries to him.
So, for now; I am earnestly praying for healing, sleep, rest, answers. I know that my recent posts including this one sound so ugly. I have been wanting to write and yet haven’t because I want to write about happy things, easy times, and FUN! So, I am going to do two things in my upcoming posts. I want to share with you about how much I am sleeping at night, and would ask you to join me in praying I can sleep! (Not sleeping will kill you… it is vital… please, please, please pray). And I am also going to share with you some of the beauty that I have seen through these last 11-ish years now that I have been dealing with this! You see… that is the greatest thing about all of this. The amount of good, beauty, and blessings that God has given during this season have wayyyyy outweighed the ugly. Let’s dwell on the good while we pray for the bad… I always feel better when my attitude is fixed on praise even when the world around me may be spinning in muck!
These three have stolen my heart… their laughter is contagious and their love is overwhelming!
Some specific prayers for our family include:
Sleep for me… obviously!
(energy to teach school, keep our home tidy, be creative and think ahead with our meals)
More jobs and retainer work for Cory’s business www.lonemill.com
Continued guidance in parenting these three incredible kiddos
We are searching for some calves and a special horse to add to our ranch.
I need to be dedicated to working out again… hard to start over… AGAIN
Thank you to each of you for praying… They are each heard, and we are sooooo thankful!
I have hesitated on writing this out… because I am so very NOT perfect at all! But then, none of us are. We are all imperfect, lacking, speak before we think, etc… Thank you Jesus that through You, we can see perfection and know who to strive towards, we can lack nothing because everything we need is found solely in YOU, and YOU can give us our words and purify our thoughts.
(This pic has NOTHING to do with my post today… but it brings me joy, so I had to share! Love my Hayden!)
So… I started 30 days of “encouraging my man”. I am not following anything; book, or movement (not sure if there is one!). I just felt God impress upon my heart to do this the very day before we found out that we would be looking for a new job. Isn’t His timing crazy sometimes?! So, three weeks ago Tuesday, this journey began. Talk about a crazy time to be only encouraging and not nagging, annoyed, stressed, or flat out mean at times… it has been such a sweet time of simply loving on Cory, encouraging him to be all that God alone has called him to be, listening to him,, walking beside him, praying with him, hashing all kinds of scenarios around with him, and most importantly of all; speaking only positive and uplifting words to and about him! It is something that I always try to do anyways… but I am flawed and even in these last weeks I know of at least one time that speaking to Cory was not done well. It was not done in love. I felt horrible, and was so very thankful for the forgiveness.
I love to talk about the people that I hold the dearest to my heart, share their triumphs and rejoice in their joys! This is all easy when things are going great. So many wonderful things to share… let the bragging begin, right? But I have found that even being full of honest compliments in times of trial, counting your blessings as they are vast even in the not-so-awesome-times, and simply holding your loved one up in encouragement to him and others is sooooo important. It keeps thankfulness, and joy on the tip of your tongue. It helps to keep all things in perspective and realize that the little things that are not worth the stressing over are simply that… LITTLE things (let them go!)!
This is proving to be a constant reminder to remain in God’s word, keep praises on my tongue, laugh much, LOVE more, and truly live in every moment!
I Peter 5:7 “Cast all your cares upon Him, for He takes care of you.”
Honestly… when I really apply this verse to my every day, I know that His shoulders are ready for the burdens of my day, week, year, and life. But honestly, when was the last time I actually; without holding anything back, gave it all to Him?
I am going to continue to do this 30 days of encouraging my hubs… now and hopefully forever! I choose to cast all my cares to Jesus, likely every minute as the stressful thoughts creep up over and over. But being an encourager feels so much better than a stressed out, anxious wife and mommy any day!
The mere thought of trying to play catch up is daunting and one that has paralyzed me from logging into my blog and even saying a quick “hi”, “I’m still here”, “The holidays didn’t actually kill me”, or a simple “HELP ME…”! I know it sounds ridiculous… but with the amount of new things to write about, along with the speed in which they have been hopping on life’s train; my head is spinning and my stomach was in knots! A little too dramatic for everyone? I’ll admit it sounds like it… but here is a brief summary of life since I last signed on:
Christmas 2013 was one we shared with family and friends. Our railing was lined with 25 stockings, and don’t forget Jake, Sammy Sosa, Chance, and Rudy’s too… the pet ones of course! The richest blessings in our lives are these zany people that we are somehow related to. Starting with “Happy Birthday Jesus”, paper shredding, 7 littles running around in pure excitement, a soccer game in the field (almost 60 on Christmas Day), yummy dinner bursting with lively conversations, our huge family photo shoot of the year, and more family coming and going for the next 10-ish days! It was a wonderful time of really celebrating how blessed we are. God is so good!
Bringing Lucy home to teach her is one of the best things we ever could have done. She is re-gaining her self-confidence, beginning to enjoy reading again, believing that she is great at math, and enjoying that her history, science, and reading are Bible based and founded on truths! I have known that God would ask me to school our kiddos at home for sometime now… all I can say is; He is so very Good and His ways are perfect. Now, if I want to pull my hair out tomorrow and throw in the “teacher” towel… let me blow off some stream and re-gain my composure. But I assure you, He is always good!
We found out that the kiddos have a water born parasite in their gut. Our poor little ladies were really uncomfortable for two whole weeks. Now the boys have this plague, though we are beginning to see light at the end (we think!) I had mentioned to hubby man that buying stock in 3 year old undies would have been a wonderful idea as I could not keep up on the laundry… I have never seen anything like it. But again, with two weeks of poop up to my elbows and sleepless nights on end; I can confidently say that our God is always incredibly good!
This last week let down the hammer… Cory woke me up Wednesday morning after a work call and relayed that the Corporate office that he has worked in for these last 6 plus years was closing and he would be without a job soon. Out of the blue. No warning. Not something we had even really considered. For a job… this was the bomb-digity… we hadn’t imagined life without it… didn’t really want to try. All I knew to do was pray. The kind of prayer where it was raw, half empty of words, and yet a prayer of thanksgiving. Thankful for the job, thankful for the adventure ahead, and thankful that my best friend, myself, and God were there together in that moment. We are still wading through the questions, the possibilities, the opportunities, but are resting in the arms of the One writing the words of this novel. A story that one day we will see beauty in, chapters that lead to life abundantly in Him! While using the brains he has given us, we are also resting in His promises, waiting on His timing, seeking His direction, and knowing that He has “plans to prosper us, and not to harm us. Plans to give us hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 He is good time after time.
I feel God saying; “There is much beauty in this mess.” And I choose to trust Him for He is good!
Every Tuesday morning at 10:30, I find myself in a constant smile. A smile because my little peanut is the happiest little dancing princess I have ever seen! She is focused, goofy, confident, timid, she is happy, twirling, giggling, jumping, pointing her little pink ballet slippers, and smiling because she was quite possibly born to dance!
It is the simple moments in life like this half hour I have the second day of each week that remind me to enjoy each moment just like my Grey Everly is. It reminds me to count my blessings… count them one-by-one, count your little blessings, see what God has done… (is that how the saying goes?) I have started to make it a point to do just that. I stand at the windowed door and watch her in her sparkly, poofy, purple tutu and thank God for all the blessings that come rushing through my mind:
I thank Him for:
My husband who is a wonderful man of integrity, commitment, courage, diligence, strength, and faith. A husband committed to me in our marriage covenant between God and us. A son filled with a tender heart that hurts when others hurt, has an entrepreneurial spirit, and made me a mommy for the first time. A “Squish” who is seriously the sweetest of all girls with a passion for helping the needy, she is beautiful inside and out, and is goofy when I need to laugh most. A little peanut that we were never supposed to be able to have… (doctors said I would die if I had another baby), this little one has a passion for life, and is so gentle. I thank Him for: Our home, these 10 acres of possibilities, a pond to float on and soak in each sunbeam, a barn and arena for Lucy’s someday horse, Mountains that literally look like they were placed out my front porch each day to stare at me… (I am still in awe each day I see them… God cares so much for each of us), the gift of photography that He has shared with me, and that I get to share this gift with clients who have become dear friends, Salvation He alone offers me freely, and my list just keeps rolling on…
This routine always leaves me feeling overwhelmed by His pure goodness that I did NOTHING to earn, yet He so freely shares in every breath I take. Does that overwhelm you too?
So, tomorrow is another “dancing day” for Grey, and I cannot wait to watch her as her little three year old body dances like no one is watching and is once again bubbling over with joy… I pray that each of you takes a moment to count your blessings, no matter how little they are.
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“Living It Out” is going to be the theme of the Beautyfull Mess Blog for a while, or at least as long as I can see right now… We all live something out, and I am excited to share with you about the very things that have become my “IT”!
You know those times in your life where you feel like you are stuck in an “ugly rut”? Nothing seems to go right, there is more dark than light, more yuck than yummy, more saying NOOOOO than yes, you get the picture! These seasons are REAL. They are not fun. In fact, sometimes they are simply awful, terrible, and seem unbearable. Yet, God allows us to walk through them. He brings us out on the other side. He uses this time to refine us, teach us, change us, bring us closer to Him, and ultimately to show His glory! Sometimes it is truly the worst that brings out the best… like the saying “beauty to ashes”. We’ve all heard it. When you look back on these times of trials, have you seen the truth in the saying? He is still there… cling to Him, His promises, His word.
