Don’t Forget Whose Child You Are

September 24, 2015 ~ Joy ~ 2 Comments

I love it when a beautiful song comes to mind, playing softly in my heart and soothing my soul.

I often have a song in my heart, and the other day it was “This Little Light of Mine” by Addison Road. One line in particular spoke to me that day. It’s so simple, yet powerful:

Don’t forget whose child you are.

In a noisy world where it’s so easy to drown out the still, small voice of our heavenly Father, it’s so important to remember whose child we are. We are His children. He is our Father. He loves us more than we could ever fathom. Our devotion to Him is so small compared to His devotion to us.

Don’t forget whose child you are.

Our identity is not in our faults, our sins, our problems. It’s not in our past, our present, or our future. It’s not in our title, our degree, our accomplishments, our job, our personality, etc.

We are His children.

He is our Father.

And no one can take that from us.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Yeshua Messiah our Master. (Romans 8:37-39)

Don’t forget whose child you are.

Cast your burden on Yahweh, And let Him sustain you; He never allows the righteous to be shaken. (Psalm 55:22)

Ohio’s Beautiful Things

September 10, 2015August 30, 2016 ~ Joy ~ 4 Comments

Last week my family traveled to Ohio for our annual family reunion. We have been going to the Hudson family reunions (my mom’s side of the family) for as long as I can remember, though we missed some years. It’s a familiar drive, through the Tennessee mountains, past the picket fences in Kentucky, and along the flat highway lined with cornfields in Ohio. It’s a long drive, but a good one, because there are always memories to be made and lots of laughter and fun awaiting us.

Along the way, there were many beautiful things to add to my journal.
Here’s a few:

Pillow fights!
(This is what happens when three teen-age siblings share a hotel room, and I happen to be the eldest.) :)

A lady on the elevator who smiled at Faith and me and said, “It’s so nice to see happy faces.”

This book, that made a lovely travel companion

A sign that a farmer put next to his field that said, “Choose life. Your mother did.”

Dad giving random historical trivia

Visiting Uncle Dan & Aunt Rose’s Victorian home in Michigan
(It was built in 1876.)

There were many beautiful things at the reunion too:

Aunt Debbie’s vibrant plants and flowers

This praying mantis must have thought her flowers beautiful too :)
(Thanks, Dad, for spotting it!)

Splashing in the cold water on such a warm weekend

Friendly neighbors across the street sharing their pond with us

More beautiful flowers :)

Taking a walk down the street together and enjoying the country scenery,
including blue spruce trees

Picking off a couple of the needles and smelling the woodsy scent

It was a wonderful weekend

with lots of laughs

adorable babies and toddlers to snuggle

games to play

and memories made

I’m thankful for Uncle Dave and Aunt Debbie who host the reunion each year to bring our family together

I’m thankful for everyone who comes and makes it a celebration

And I’m thankful to Yahweh for family

traveling grace

and Ohio’s beautiful things

“For יהוה is good; His kindness is everlasting, And His truth, to all generations.”
Psalm 100:5

Summer, Fall, Winter & Random Thoughts

September 1, 2015September 1, 2015 ~ Joy ~ 8 Comments

It’s September, friends.

Can you believe it?

Fall is soon approaching.

I love fall. But fall has one problem. After fall, comes winter.

And winter is something I dread.

I hate to admit it, but it’s true. I have been mourning the loss of the green grass and the sunshine and leaf-filled trees for a little while now, and dreading the cold and the gray. I know I have no right to complain about winters in Alabama. Even if I lived in Alaska, complaining wouldn’t do any good, but still I have this dread.

As silly as it may seem, underneath my dread for winter I see a disposition that too often troubles me. I have a tendency to worry about losing what I love when I should be enjoying it with all my heart. This preoccupation with future ‘”dread” is a sneaky critter. He wriggles his way into joyful moments and worries me with some future misery that he convinces me is sure to happen. What goes up, must come down, right? When I’m so thrilled with life, surely there’s something sad about to happen to zap my enthusiasm.

It’s nonsense really–worrying about the future–because it doesn’t do any good. But it’s also incredibly human, and something we all have to struggle with, regardless of the facts:

Dreading the cold doesn’t make the winter any warmer. It only steals the sunshine today.

Worrying about the future doesn’t prepare me to face it. It only steals my joy today.

I want to enjoy the last days of summer for as long as they last. And when fall comes along, I want to savor its beauty. I want to take walks through the woods and discover colorful and unique leaves. I want to enjoy the cool breeze that allows me to wear a jacket again. And I want to make memories with my family and friends as we celebrate the fall feasts together (Yom Teruah is right around the corner!).

I want to enjoy the seasons as they come to me, because that is the way that the Creator made this earth to be. It’s the way He made our lives to be also. Life changes. There’s the good times, the rough times, and the in-between times. But all along Yahweh is faithful. He is good. He never changes. And He wants to bring us peace.

I don’t want winter to cloud my sunshine.

I don’t want worry to steal my joy.

Today I want to cherish the beauty of the season and be thankful for my many blessings.

So here’s a few things that I’m thankful for:.

Living Waters, by Brother Yun–This book is incredible! I just might do a book review when I finish reading it.

Living Language Hebrew–because it’s an amazing program for the price tag, and it actually works for me.

27 days (and counting!) till Israel!

This morning–Walking in the damp grass. Seeing how the droplets of dew glitter silver and gold in the sunshine. I’d write a poem about it, if I had the words to describe it.

tobyMac music–because its good and fun and makes me happy. Especially this song:

We Will Have Light

August 23, 2015 ~ Joy ~ 6 Comments

We live in a messed up world, y’all.

I’m reminded of this everyday, with every terrible news report that I happen to hear (though I try not to hear too many), with every heartbreaking story, with every injustice that steals the lives of the innocent, with every tactic of the enemy to destroy what God has called good and holy.

I don’t like to think about these things. I don’t like to let it infiltrate my blog either, because I want this blog to be a place of beauty and joy. But perhaps by admitting that these things weigh heavy on my heart, I can also share the hope that is within me–the hope that’s within all of us that have our faith in something greater than mankind.

If our faith is in mankind, when we look at reality, we will be depressed. But if our faith is in Yahweh, Almighty, if we truly believe that He sent His only Son to die for us. To redeem us. To restore back to Him even the worst of sinners. Then we will have hope. We will have joy. Because we’ve read the end of the Book. We know that His is the victory.

Even in the darkness, we will have light.

Because every terrible news report shows our desperate need of a Savior.

Every heartbreaking story cries for a Healer.

Every terrible injustice calls for the King of Kings.

It all points us back to Him.

The world will try to bring us down. Fear will try to steal our joy. But hope is calling to us. Waiting for us. Longing for us to reach out and hold His hand. His perfect love casts out fear. His joy is our strength. His peace surpasses all understanding.

This is the hope we have as believers.

I’m thankful for this hope. I’m thankful for the friends and family that remind me of it. I’m thankful for the birds that still sing in the tree tops and the flowers that still bloom each spring. I’m thankful for the continuity of life, despite how much the culture changes around me.

I’m thankful for the Word of Life that never, ever changes., and shows me the paths of life.

I’m thankful for the Light.

Florida’s Beautiful Things

August 10, 2015August 30, 2016 ~ Joy ~ 4 Comments

This past week my family went on a vacation to Florida for my grandparents’ 60th anniversary party. It was truly a wonderful celebration and such a blessing to spend time with family (some of whom I hadn’t seen in many years). Now that I’m back in Sweet Home Alabama, I’m realizing some of the beautiful things that Florida taught me. Here’s a few:

Home changes.

I was born in Florida, and for years after moving to Alabama, Florida still felt like home when I visited there. Now it no longer does. Florida feels like memories, but those memories don’t make me sad anymore, because I’m happy to be living somewhere else. It’s a strange feeling when your heart settles in a new location, but it finally happened. Alabama feels more like home.

DSCN1296 — Cheaha State Park, the highest point in Alabama

Who you’re with matters more than where you are.

My family was blessed to be able to stay at a resort in Orlando for a few days. It was a lovely resort, with pools and beautiful flowers (more on those later), but my favorite thing about our stay there was that my brother and his precious family stayed at the condo with us. Family makes a place special, and we got to make many sweet memories, including a day trip to the beach. Don’t you just love those smiles? :)

Screened-in porches are a taste of heaven.

My sister and I slept on the screened-in back porch of the condo. This was a great arrangement since a) there were too many of us to all sleep inside and b) I was captivated by the idea of sleeping outside, regardless. It was a great place to have some quiet time, with the peaceful sound of the fountain bubbling in the nearby lake. Even when it was raining, I could still enjoy the outdoors.

I truly love flowers.

My dad loves to tease me about my fascination with photographing flowers. I just can’t help it! They’re too beautiful. :)

Childhood friends are something to cherish.

While in my hometown, I was able to spend the day with a friend that I haven’t seen in years. Bethany and I have been friends since childhood, and it was wonderful to get caught up on each others’ lives and talk about great memories that we made.

Going back to places that are dear to your heart is good.

But coming back home to where God has you now is even better.

Treasure the memories.

Continue the friendships.

And allow Him to lead you on this grand adventure called life.

How about you…What are some beautiful things that you’ve learned lately?

Of Backyard Surprises

July 23, 2015 ~ Joy ~ 4 Comments

Sometimes the most delightful surprises are only a few steps away.

You just have to open your eyes to see them.

This happened to me yesterday as I was sitting on the big rock in my backyard (one of my favorite places to read a book). I glanced toward the woods and caught a glimpse of a shady spot that I’d never noticed before.

Jumping off the rock (not from the top of it! ha ha), I ran across the grass to see if it was as delightful as I hoped it would be. Sure enough, the tulip tree branches overhead made a perfect shade from the July sun.

It’s a delightful place to nestle with a notebook and a pen, and start scribbling a poem or two.

It’s here, sitting under a canopy of leaves, swatting bugs, and breathing the humidity, that I feel alive. It’s here that I notice the beauty of small things, such as a butterfly landing in my neighbor’s garden, or the comforting feel of having the hard earth beneath me.

Nope…I’m not a hippy.

But I do love creation, because my Maker loves His creation too. He clothes the lilies. Feeds the sparrows. He knows all the stars by name.

Surely it blesses Him when we delight in what He has made.

I’m thankful for my Father’s world today. And also for this song, because it’s true.

Where do you best enjoy Creation?

A Little of Summer’s Beauty

July 3, 2015August 30, 2016 ~ Joy ~ Leave a comment

I’ll be honest…It feels like I haven’t written much in my beautiful things journal lately. It’s not that there aren’t beautiful things to remember, it’s just that sometimes it’s hard to find words for them. Some beautiful things are best kept tucked away in my heart. And that, in itself, is a beautiful thing.

A Little of Summer’s Beauty

tickets to Israel
{a very beautiful thing!}

reading the beginning of Genesis in Hebrew

♫ The Power of Your Love ♫

a bright, cheery bedroom

teaching Sharon to knit

sticking flowers in friends’ hair

Amy Grace playing hymns

a bird perched on the bay window

soft, warm lighting

being a daughter at home

What beautiful things are you thankful for today?

The Simple Things

June 18, 2015June 18, 2015 ~ Joy ~ Leave a comment

His Mercies are New — photo from pinterest.com

I don’t know what my future will look like.

But I know this much–I want to live a life of simplicity.

Simplicity means walking with my Savior day by day, allowing Him to lead me through life.

It means letting go of my complicated worries and trusting His perfect plan.

It means getting rid of what’s crowding out my life–all the unnecessary wants and desires and fears–to focus on what matters.

It means delighting in simple things, because sometimes those are the most important things.

It doesn’t mean that life will be easy–because, let’s be honest, it isn’t–but it means that it will be livable by His strength.

There’s nothing wrong with big dreams and big accomplishments, but those only come after a lot of simple things have been done. Day to day life is full of simple victories. Every time we choose to do the right thing or speak the right words, we have done something great.

And perhaps one day, we’ll see how all the simple things we did each day were bigger than we’d ever dreamed.

What do you think?

When My Words are Small

June 12, 2015 ~ Joy ~ 2 Comments

Hey y’all?

How was your week?

This post is a little different than normal, because I just feel like chatting today.

I love writing on this blog, but some days I stare at the screen and wonder what on earth to say. Most of the time it’s not that I lack things to say, it’s just that I don’t know whether it’s worth saying.

I love words, but words are so small.

They’re too tiny to explain the vastness of the Creator of heaven and earth. I can’t comprehend His love for me. I can’t even begin to appreciate all that Yeshua Messiah sacrificed to save my soul, and how He lived and died and rose again so that all may live in Him.

I can’t capture the beauty of the world around me and fully express the joy that overflows my heart sometimes, and makes me happy just to be alive. And I can’t share the heartbreaking moments either, when I’m a crying mess, because…well…those are personal, and this blog is not the right place to share them. And yet, I try to share bits of these moments on this blog, hoping–and knowing–that they do encourage others.

My words will always be small, because Yahweh is so much bigger.

And that is a beautiful thing.

Fullness of Joy (and other beautiful things)

June 4, 2015August 30, 2016 ~ Joy ~ 2 Comments

photo by my sister Sharon — photo courtesy of my sister Sharon

Sometimes I’m not joyful. Sometimes I’m ungrateful. I can come up with some pretty good excuses for being grumpy sometimes, but still I feel that longing of my soul to “snap out of it” and focus on all the beautiful things in life. Sometimes I need reminded of this verse:

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:11)

Sometimes I have to ask myself hard questions.

Do I let Him lead me in the paths of life?

Do I find fullness of joy in His presence?

My heart longs for life to be perfect, for everyone to get along, and for every day to be showered in sunshine. But this doesn’t happen. At least, not everyday. And as long as I’m living in this broken world, life will never be “perfect.” There will always be a storm cloud looming in the distance, or a worry in my heart that I need to deal with. There will always be tears. And there will always be myself. And myself drives me crazy sometimes.

But you know what?

There will always be fullness of joy.

At His right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Only when I put Him in center view can I see this. Only then can I delight in the simple beauties of life, no matter how small they may seem.

Today I want to find fullness of joy in Him. Today I want to focus on the beautiful things. Today I want to be thankful.

So without further adieu, here are some beautiful things:

new friends that feel like old friends

the sweet scent of honeysuckle

♫ Morning Light ♫

muddy little hands and feet

looking at the world upside down

green leaves against blue sky

hands folded in prayer

shoes that can survive anything

♫ This Little Light of Mine ♫

seeing the bright, full moon through the kitchen window

handmade cards

wearing a jacket in May

French braids

Psalm 103

smiles that can’t be tamed

cold, damp grass beneath my feet

This song–especially this line:

♫ You are everything that is beautiful.
You are all that I long to see in me ♫

Now it’s your turn…What are some simple beauties of life?

Blog of Joy

sharing the random joys of life

memoir

Don’t Forget Whose Child You Are

Ohio’s Beautiful Things

Summer, Fall, Winter & Random Thoughts

We Will Have Light

Florida’s Beautiful Things

Of Backyard Surprises

A Little of Summer’s Beauty

The Simple Things

When My Words are Small

Fullness of Joy (and other beautiful things)