Grace

Life seems always busy these days.  I plan to the best of my ability.  I say no.  I get sucked in.  I say yes.  I balance.  I pray.  I think.  I plan.  I work harder.  I work smarter.  I delegate.  I wake up and do it all over again.  Again and again and again.  

I'm just trying to be faithful with what the Lord has given us 

and where He has led us.  

Sometimes, the grace I need to keep going comes from soaking up beauty in the Lowe's parking lot.  

It was just me, the Rugged Mountain Man, and Binney... because a Golden Retriever is an essential part of choosing a new grill.  

And time just with the Rugged Mountain Man chatting in the truck on the way so we can finish a sentence or two.

We just finished up the Fine Arts season at the Network Fine Arts Festival last week.  It was earth-shatteringly AMAZING.  To see the culmination of months of hard work!  

To watch our young people S T R E T C H outside their comfort zones.  It's so so so good.  

When Blossom1 went to the State Fair Queen competition, she didn't want to me to be burdened by all that needed to be done, especially the parts that had to be handled by me and not her.  

I was happy to do it!  

Until you have your own children, can you really understand what I mean when I say, 

"Baby, when you shine, I shine."  

This sums up a lot of what I do on a daily basis.  Things like making a dragon costume when I feel like reading a book.  Or hunting down Fairy Godmother glasses in the basement for a Fine Arts costume.  Or giving feedback on a dramatized quoting when I just want to go to bed.  Or listening to ANOTHER piano solo.  Or coaching Blossom3 through her worship dance, just one more time.

"Baby, when you shine, I shine."  

It makes me so happy to watch them shine.  It's all my dreams coming true.  

Sometimes the grace for another day comes, gazing out over a beautiful vista while we pose the Fine Arts team for pics.  

Sometimes the grace for another day comes when I lounge on my parents' back porch, stuffed full of ham, mac and cheese, and my mom's best homemade rolls, whilst the small fry perfect the redneck holiday celebration with Ranger rides and mud... and blue skies and breezes.  

May you grasp grace for demonstrating faithfulness another day, friend!