Writing

Well, this all might be random or just one huge thought. I am not sure. All I know is that I am sitting down to write for a few minutes....we'll see where it goes. My heart is hurting. That is as simple as I can state it. I am confused and in wonder of why things happen at the times they do. I am reminded however of the verses from the last post that have been used in my life in such a timely way over the past several weeks. Knowing there is a season for all things and that the Lord controls that allows me to exhale. When I hear news that breaks my heart it seems hard for me to exhale when I am trusting in myself but God didn't create us to just take things in He allows us to breathe...He allows us to exhale. I am grateful for that this day. I am grateful that we have a Father that wants us to just crawl up in His lap and sit with Him....to be still....to just be comforted. Right now I proclaim the God I know faithful, true, just, and righteous. I know that He has so many names more than my questions and my hurt. He understands hurt and confusion and in the mist of that desires to deliver comfort and peace. I embrace those offerings this day. I know He is who He says He is and does what He says He can do. I believe not only in God but I believe God.
I leave with these verses today in hopes that the Lord will speak unbelievable truth through it. His word is priceless.
Ecclesiastes 7:2-6

Wisdom

2 It is better to go to a house of mourning
than to go to a house of feasting,
for death is the destiny of every man;
the living should take this to heart.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter,
because a sad face is good for the heart.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.
5 It is better to heed a wise man's rebuke
than to listen to the song of fools.
6 Like the crackling of thorns under the pot,
so is the laughter of fools.
This too is meaningless.

The commentary of my Bible explains that more is leaned from adversity than from pleasure. True wisdom is developed when life is the hardest, not when things seem good, even though he wishes this wasn't the case.

New Year

How behind I am in updating this. So much has happened over the past two months. Here are a few recaps:
The highchair was officially retired
Eli turned two
We traveled and saw most of our family over Christmas
Eli is in a big boy bed

Those are just the things on the top of my head right now as I listen to a little Francis Chan. My parents gave me a Nano for Christmas, and I didn't know what I had missed out on these years. I am listening to sermons right now on this. It is an amazing little device. Yes, I am way behind most in realizing this.
Over the past few months a great deal has happened that I have yet to blog about. I know I won't remember it all, but right now I will just type as things come to my head.
Eli continues to grow up before our eyes, although our largest struggle right now is him eating "big boy food" which would include vegetables, meat, and regular people meals. Currently, he is only eating the same certain foods or any fruit you would give him. Other than that he is relatively good right now. Of course, he has his moments. He is rather particular about things, which we are also working on.
He turned two and had a sweet little birthday with a few family members, and his best friend Harper. It was a good evening.
We are blessed by all those that love him so beautifully.
Being able to see so much of our family and friends over Christmas was yet another blessing. We were again reminded of how blessed we are. We were gone for ten days, so it took a little while to adjust to being back, but it has been good.
After being home a couple of days Eli moved to a big boy bed, which he loves for the most part. He has been taking less frequent naps lately, but we are hoping that will change. He has done really well with the transition.
There are also a few more things going on right now with us, which I will write more about soon. Just pray for wisdom for our lives as we embark in to new adventures!

As I am listening to this podcast I am reminded of my largest question for this new year: what is my life about? What do I want it to be about? I leave with that thought and this passage that has encouraged me this day. It is a beautiful chapter with a lot in it but is especially timely for the new year!

Ecclesiastes 3
A Time for Everything

1 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
9 What does the worker gain from his toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on men. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. 13 That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him.
15 Whatever is has already been,
and what will be has been before;
and God will call the past to account. [a]
16 And I saw something else under the sun:
In the place of judgment—wickedness was there,
in the place of justice—wickedness was there.
17 I thought in my heart,
"God will bring to judgment
both the righteous and the wicked,
for there will be a time for every activity,
a time for every deed."
18 I also thought, "As for men, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. 19 Man's fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath [b] ; man has no advantage over the animal. Everything is meaningless. 20 All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. 21 Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and if the spirit of the animal [c] goes down into the earth?"
22 So I saw that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?


...to be continued