4 years old

Seriously- how in the world is my baby FOUR?
It's not even right!



I'm too tired to write anything coherent tonight, so I'll leave you with a year of John Mark in pictures, starting with his birthday last year.

July 2009- third birthday

August 2009- first day of preschool

September 2009- playing soccer

October 2009- Halloween costume

 November 2009- Indian at CLC thanksgiving feast

December 2009- Christmas Eve

January 2010- being silly!

February 2010- Mr. Potato Head for Daddy's valentine

March 2010-  Medieval Fair Corndog

April 2010- Easter Egg Hunt at school

May 2010- Mallory's Wedding

June 2010- King of the Beach

July 2010- tilt-a-whirl with mommy

take my life

Here am I, all of me.
Take my life, it's all for Thee.

These words were sung six years ago on my wedding day as I prayed for the first time with my new husband.  At that moment, I didn't know much about the road ahead.  I didn't know what our life together would bring.  But I knew that I loved the man in front of me and that he loved me.  I also knew that more than he loved me, he loved the Lord.  As I knelt beside him, I prayed fervently that our life would be ever surrendered to Him.

Over the past six years, life hasn't always been what I expected.  I have struggled, crying out to the Lord in the darkness.  I have been overwhelmed by His goodness, crying tears of joy.  My love has come through fire, with renewed strength and commitment.  My faith has grown and matured as I have learned to truly surrender. 

I don't know what tomorrow holds; I have no clue where our journey will lead us.  But those things I was certain of six years ago- that I have a man who loves me and loves the Lord more- I am more certain of today.

Take my love, my Lord I pour
at Your feet its treasure store
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.

home

I've been feeling nostalgic lately.  Maybe it's the fact that parents of friends from back home are selling their homes and moving to town... or maybe it's all the country music I've been listening to... maybe it's the fact that one of my favorite great-aunts passed away this week... or maybe it's just the heat.  Whatever it is, I feel like my heart and mind have been flooded with a longing to hold onto precious memories from my past.


I've sat down to write this post several times since Friday and I don't seem to have the words.  It's like the emotion is too thick for words.  So I'll try again another day.  But for tonight, I'll leave you with words to a song that has echoed in my mind all weekend long.

"The house that I was raised in still looks the same
The room I used to dream in of how I’d somehow change the world
Some things I’ve done better, some things its hard to say
But when I look in this old mirror and remember all my yesterdays
When I say my prayers, when all of my somedays
Lead me to somewhere...

The only thing that has me standing here is grace."
--Addison Road