Family Photo Shoot

One of the things I wanted for my 30th birthday was family photos taken. A friend of mine does photography & is fabulous so we finally got in with her (did I mention she was fabulous?!) You all know that a semi-pro photographer is what I want to be when I grow up- or my babies do a bit, for that matter, so I had researched my little heart out for poses & outfits & such leading up to it.

I was so pleasantly surprised due to the fact that little Miss Annsley was loving the wide open space & wanted nothing to do with posing for pictures (unless of course, we didn't want her in the shot) Ahh, the twos are beginning all ready... Anyways, here are a few of my faves!

Peace over understanding

God says he'll give us peace that surpasses (beats, exceeds, overrides, eclipses) understanding. So why does it seem that most of us (or maybe just me), at least initially, beg for understanding when trials come our way? Instead of trying aggressively to decipher how whatever is happening (or threatening to happen) fits into or affects our plans, we should be asking for peace. This peace (calm, serenity, quitetude, stillness) is what will benefit us much more than understanding because it will enable us to continue to focus outwardly on loving others despite the turbulance all around us. Seeking understanding forces us to focus inwardly as we wrestle with self-preservation. So my prayer for me and all of you this week, especially in light of last weekend's events, is that we learn to seek peace immediately and continuously and avoid that crippling quest for "Why?". Have a blessed week!

Welcome back

Time to start blogging again. My year and a half sabbatical is over. Since I blogged last, we've moved to North Carolina, had two more kids, I've changed jobs three times, got selected for Major, started teaching a Sunday School small group, turned 32 and 33, yada, yada, yada...

So, needless to say, I've grown a lot just by virtue of the experiences and changes we've gone through. I will tell you this. God is so much bigger than I thought! His plans are infinitely larger than what my mind can conceive, and his ability to bring those plans to fruition is infinitely stronger than my faith can perceive. His plans are life-long, not just limited to each individual circumstance that I face, even though I try to limit Him to one crisis at a time, as if He is surprised at what is going on in my life.

Also, I've learned that, while my attitude can't inhibit what God is doing in my life, it can definitely: a) hinder my ability to enjoy my life and experience His peace, and b) hamper the leadership that I exude with my family, at work, and as a Sunday School teacher. And, my attitude is completely up to me! I control if I only see the bad or inconvenience in every situation. God only intends experiences for my good (not necessarily my immediate emotional happiness, which is where I get hung up), but I can, by choice, take everything as a punishment or withholding of some sort on His part. Thus, I wear a look that says I just ate some sour grapes.

It's all about perspective. Do I let myself believe the age-old lie that God is conning me and that this experience/possession/achievement is really all that I need to be happy? Or, unlike Eve and Adam, do I tell the devil to take a hake and trust that the Almighty Creator, my Father, has only good intentions for me. It's really not that far of a stretch if you think about it. After all, I'm a dad and I would never, ever do anything to my kids that wasn't for their growth and benefit. And, as imperfect as I am, if I am that way, how much better at it is God? Also, I'm created in the image of God, bearing the Spirit of God, and my tendencies are to bless my children and look out for them (feed, clothe, protect, nurture, educate, LOVE, etc.). Wouldn't those be His tendencies and concerns for His children? Just connecting the dots people...

So, anyway, that's what I've learned over the silent months. I just had some stuff to sort out, you know? Well, I'm glad to be back. I hope you enjoy my ramblings. Please offer your comments, thoughts, points of view, etc. I'd love to learn from you!