Be Still

I am not often still.  At home I am always doing something.  Working in the yard, working on my job, cleaning, playing with kids.  Even in recent times when I am feeding my newborn, I find myself creating to do list or rearranging furniture in my mind.  I take moments that I could be still and look stuff up on the Internet or like this moment, I blog or check facebook.  I don't take the time to be still and to be honest, it is just hard for me to be still.  I have to be doing something, right? 

Last week I was weeding my flower garden and wondering where all the time goes.  My husband and I have had moments lately where we feel we have way to much to do and not enough time to do it all.  How do we fit time for each other, time for our kids, time for our church, time with God, time for our home, time for work, and time to sleep in to a day. Like a whisper I heard "be still".  I thought, how can I be still, I have so much to do.  But over and over I just heard "be still". 

I believe God was answering my question.  In Psalm 46:10 he says, "Be still, and know I am God." I will know him better and my relationship with him will deepen by volunteering at church, by teaching my kids about him, reading my Bible, going to church and prayer.  My marriage will be better when I take time to nourish it, my kids will benefit from quality time with us, our home will benefit from us taking care of it. But I am also realizing I have to take time to be still.  I have to be still.  To know God requires sometimes I be still.  He said so.  BE STILL AND KNOW I AM GOD.  BE STILL. 

This too will take practice and discipline, but I know I will deepen my relationship with him when I am still.  When I am still he can reveal to me what he wants me to know, where he wants me to be.  I can hear him better when I am still.  So I am going to do that.  I am going to schedule time to be still and listen and wait for God.  I am going to be still so I can know God.  Because, that is the most important thing.  And when that happens, I think everything else will be greater too.  

Jaxon

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Emily newborn

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Photo Book

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Jaxon Loren is Here!!!!!

Jaxon Loren made his introduction into the world May 31 at 4:34 pm.  He was 7lbs 7oz and 20.5 inches long.  He is an absolute blessing from God and we can't image life without him.  Our hearts are overflowing with praise to God for a healthy boy and a wonderful and safe delivery.  It amazes me how my heart explodes with love the moment I meet my baby for the first time, and this was no exception.  He has a proud big sister who loves to hold him and sing to him and a big brother who makes sure we know when he is upset and tries to comfort him.  They both are excited he is here too!  I have an amazing husband who has made life simple and easy since his arrival and I have fallen in love all over again with the father of my children!!!  Life is GREAT!!!! 

Waiting

The last weeks of pregnancy seem the longest to me as I anticipate labor and meeting the little person who has been growing inside me.  This time is no different.  I am ready to hold this little boy in my arms and not in my belly.  I am ready to kiss his sweet head, watch him eat, watch him sleep.  I AM READY!!!!  Apparently he is not, but he still has two weeks of bake time left before his due date.  I guess I will keep waiting.

The pantry is stocked, the bags are packed, the Big Sis and Big Bro shirts are ready.  The house is clean, your car seat waiting, all we need is you little man.  We are excited and we can't wait!!!!

Flashback

I love how a sound, a taste, or a smell can instantly transport you somewhere else.  When I hear a certain Enya song I am in the Colorado Rockies, because I listened to it the first time I went skiing there.  When I smell the perfume Escape, I think of my friend Heather.

This past week I bought a new detergent.  When I pulled the first load from the dryer I was at my grandma's house.  I don't know if it is the detergent she used, but it smells like her laundry, like her kitchen (which is where her washing machine was) when she did laundry.  I smiled and couldn't stop smelling my laundry.  I washed everything that day.  That night when I went to bed, my sheets (freshly washed) took me back to spending the night at her house.  I was a little girl again, wrapped in my grandma's love.  This week I have constantly been smelling my fresh laundry just to be transported back to when she was here, making fried chicken, telling the same story over and over and just to remember her face a little more clearly this week.  I don't think I will change my detergent again.  So, if you see me sniffing my shirt or burying my nose in a load of laundry (which is kinda weird I admit), you know I am thinking of my grandma and thanking God for a very precious gift to me of memories.