"Come As You Are"

This sweet, sweet song has been on my heart. 

It's hauntingly beautiful and so full of truth. 

"Come As You Are"

Come out of sadness

From wherever you've been

Come broken hearted

Let rescue begin

Come find your mercy

Oh sinner come kneel

Earth has no sorrow

That heaven can't heal

Earth has no sorrow

That heaven can't heal

So lay down your burdens

Lay down your shame

All who are broken

Lift up your face

Oh wanderer come home

You're not too far

So lay down your hurt

Lay down your heart

Come as you are

There's hope for the hopeless

And all those who've strayed

Come sit at the table

Come taste the grace

There's rest for the weary

Rest that endures

Earth has no sorrow

That heaven can't cure

So lay down your burdens

Lay down your shame

All who are broken

Lift up your face

Oh wanderer come home

You're not too far

So lay down your hurt

Lay down your heart

Come as you are

Come as you are

Fall in his arms

Come as you are

There's joy for the morning

Oh sinner be still

Earth has no sorrow

That heaven can't heal

Earth has no sorrow

That heaven can't heal

So lay down your burdens

Lay down your shame

All who are broken

Lift up your face

Oh wanderer come home

You're not too far

So lay down your hurt

Lay down your heart

Come as you are

Come as you are

Come as you are

As I listen to this song, with tears falling down my face I am once again so moved by the reminder that The Creator of this world loves us enough to takes us, just as we are. 

"You're not too far, so lay down your hurt, lay down your hear, come as you are."

Just as we are. 

Just as you are. 

Just as I am. 

"Trust In You"

If I am being honest with you all, it's been hard for me to even come to this page.

 It's been over 3 months and I haven't been able to bring myself to come and write a post. 

I have plenty that I want to share with you all and plenty that's been going on in our lives that I would love to get off my chest!

But, the last post was about our sweet Mia that we lost back in February. 

As much as I wish I could sit here and tell you that life has slowly and surely gotten back to "normal" since that sad day, that hasn't been the case. 

I am diligently praying that The Lord will reveal to me what He's been trying to teach us through all of this. I can tell you this much though, I know that The Lord is good and I know that I am His and there is no place else that I would rather be.  

I've found so much comfort (and understanding) in Lauren Daigle's music here lately. 

My three favorites? (If the videos don't work for you, click on the titles and it'll take you to YouTube).

Trust In You

How Can It Be?

O' Lord

These songs have been my anthem the past 3 months.

Here's to hoping that my summer is nothing but uneventful and healing. 

Our Sweet Mia Girl

10 short weeks ago, our lives changed forever. 

This sweet little black poodle came into our home and stole our hearts. 

Mia, our little girl. 

It is with broken-hearts and much sadness that I come to you asking for prayers for Jason and I. Prayers for comfort & peace. 

Thursday, when we arrived home from work, we walked in on an unexpected accident & our sweet Mia was no longer living. We realized that she had choked on a toy. 

There is so much heaviness & sadness in how unexpected and soon this was. 

For any of you that have pets, you know they quickly become family. 

We quickly fell in love with her & her precious personality. 

Her sweet little life was so short and we are so, incredibly sad about the fact that we won't have one more day with her. We didn't know that that morning was the last time we would see her, literally & figuratively so full of life and happiness. The Lord showed His goodness and grace by leading Jason and I, for some reason, to do a cheesy "family hug" with Mia smushed in the middle that morning, something we never do. Something that is now a sweet memory of such a sad day--a sweet reminder that we loved her, so deeply and that she was in fact, family.  

Her little life was so short, but, we are so thankful that The Lord gave us these 10, sweet weeks with our little Mia Girl & we hope to focus on and remember all of the joy she brought to us and our home.

The very next day, The Lord showed His tender love & His heart to Jason & I through a man's daily prayer that I subscribe to:

"Today, I am so thankful for this prayer. The mere fact that my daily prayer from this blog today was about suffering serves as such a present reminder that The Lord cares about Jason and I's sadness over Mia. What a sweet, gentle reminder that He, The Lord of all, shares in our sufferings today.

"When our Pain feels more real than God's presence"

After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Pet. 5:10-11 (ESV)

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Rom. 8:18 (NIV)

Dear heavenly Father, thank you for the weariness-validating, peace-generating, heart-liberating voice of the Scriptures. Your Word brings us the encouragement we need, at just the right time. Today, I’m grateful for both Peter and Paul’s words about the sufferings we experience in this world. Both of these men were quite familiar with suffering, and both of them were even more familiar with your sovereign might and endless mercies.

I sometimes forget, that until Jesus returns, suffering will be more the norm than the exception. Everything and everyone is broken, so to suffer is to be human and alive. The Day of no more “death, mourning, crying, or pain” is coming (Rev. 21:4); but that Day is not yet. But until that Day, there is you, and all the grace we will need to suffer to your glory.

In the “bigger scheme”, as Peter said, all suffering is just for a “little while”—though sometimes it feels like “all the time.” Father, when life hurts the most, remind us (in our heart of hearts) that you are the “God of all grace”—the one who has called us to “eternal glory”, and that you will most definitely “restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish” us. Make your presence more real than our pain. Make your grace more substantive than our sufferings.

And grant us, like Paul, the joyful assurance that “the glory that will be revealed to us” will make all the sufferings of our brief journey in this world seem like weightless feathers, compared to the weight of glory that will land on us when Jesus returns. Hallelujah! Until that Day, grant us grace to steward our pain as a gift, making us more compassionate and merciful to others. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus, faithful and beautiful name."

I mean, just WOW right? 

It will never cease to amaze me that venues that The Lord uses to speak to our hearts & help us begin to heal. 

As I said earlier, how sweet it is to be given such a gentle reminder that He care about our sadness over our sweet little pup. Thank you Lord for your gentle reminders that show us your heart towards your people. 

We have been overwhelmed and so moved by everyone's kind words, thoughts, & prayers during this time. You all will never know how thankful we are for your friendships, sympathy, and compassion. I can't even look at a text or receive a phone call without crying because of how moved I am by everyone's understanding and tenderness towards this situation. 

Thank you. Thank you for loving Jason and I so well during this sad time. 

Cold Brew Coffee

Cold Brew Coffee has become my newest obsession. 

I've tried to drink black coffee, so many times. 

I know, I sound like a whimp, but I can't. I know I physically can, but I don't like it one bit. 

But, cold brew. 

THAT'S a different story. 

I can FINALLY drink my coffee black. 

What is cold brew coffee?

"Cold brew coffee refers to the process of steeping coffee grounds in room temperature or cold water for an extended period. Cold brew coffee is not to be confused with iced coffee, which generally refers to coffee that is brewed hot and then chilled by pouring over or adding ice"

I've had a few people ask me how we make ours so keep in mind, these measurements are just for what we have/use to make ours.

We have a French Press, like this one here.

We use whole bean coffee--365 Brand from Whole Foods "Pacific Rim, Vienna Roast" it's a big ole bag for about $10. One of the better deals that we've found.

We have a grinder like this one here--one of our most used wedding gifts--we grind the beans for about 10-15 seconds. This ends up being about 4.5 tablespoons (1/3 cup) of ground coffee (not finely ground).

Then, we pour the grounds into the french press and fill it with 4 cups of water. We just use the filtered water from the refrigerator.

Once you've put the water in, we give it a good stir and then put the lid on but don't press down the filter. Just leave it at the top.

Put it in the fridge overnight and when you're ready for your coffee in the morning, give it a little stir/swirl (this helps it to press down easier) and then press the filter down.

Get you a cup with some ice, pour your cold brew over ice and enjoy!

Surety

I would say that most of the time, people see surety as a good thing.  

It can also be vague & sometimes even a little confusing though.

Yet, surety is what I have. 

Surety that The God who loves me, love this little boy just as much. 

Surety that He has a plan and that all that has happened, is part of that perfect plan. 

 I should probably give you some back story. 

At least, as much as I can. 

The school district I work in is considered "low-income" and with that description, I've come to realize that it carries loads of situations that are heartbreaking. 

Things that I couldn't even imagine living through/enduring currently, as a 26 year old adult, that these little 7-10 year old children encounter on a daily basis. 

This IS life to them. 

This is all that they know. 

My field trip I take my kids on is the biggest outing some of these kids will take each year. 

The free/reduced breakfast & lunch they receive may be the only meals they have that day. 

Most of the time, their homework is done incorrectly (if done at all) because no one at home helps them do it, even though that's exactly what they need. 

What are supposed to be pants are wearing as capri's because their parents can't afford to buy new pants when their current ones get too short. 

One starts to realize just how much we, I, take for granted. 

It's an awful lot and it shows just how ugly my little worldly heart can be. 

Those are just some of the things that we see most often. 

Then, there are days like almost 2 months ago where a student comes into your classroom and you see bruises on them & your heart stops and you feel it in the pit of your stomach and you know. 

Maybe you've thought it in the past, but now, now you know. 

"God knows what He's doing" is what one of my assistants always says and she's right. 

She's so right. 

Surety. 

The moment that little boy was removed from his home, it was like a lamp was lit and he was the happiest, most joyful child I've ever seen. 

He was so loving, which he had always been, but in a new way. 

He was free & he knew that he was safe, finally. 

But, then, only 13 school days later he was back in his environment. 

The stress, fear, and anger were being expressed by him again and in full force. 

Once again, "God knows what He's doing" 

Surety. 

And then today, not even a full 2 months since this all began, he was withdrawn from our school. 

No longer can we know that he's safe at least 8 hours of the day, no longer can we ensure that he laughs, a lot. No longer can we make sure he's getting his breakfast and lunch. No longer can we hug on him and tell him we love him. No longer can we watch him run off the bus and into our classroom. 

Here, right now, there's so much uncertainty.

Just like the last two times, once again, she said it: "God knows what He's doing" 

There it is, the surety. 

After hugging him goodbye and watching him walk away, with his head turned towards the school looking at me the whole time, I felt such a deep rooted sadness. I knew that he didn't fully understand what was happening and I no longer know who would speak on his behalf. 

I felt such a heaviness the rest of the day. 

Then, my Mom sweetly reminded me of Dad's sermon on Sunday. 

A sermon that is fitting for all situations, but great to remember especially for this one. 

"Our God is in the heavens, He does all that He pleases"

Psalm 115:3

This sermon prompted me to ask the question: "What hasn't changed since all of this began happening with this student?"

Our lives are ever changing and we never know how/when they will change. There is so much uncertainty, and that we can be sure about (ironically so).  

But, because of what The Bible says; what realities can I anchor my life to in this lifetime, on this side of heaven? 

1. The reality of the absolute sovereignty of God. 

Once again, "Our God is in the heavens, He does all that He pleases."

"according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will" (Ephesians 1:11)

From the greatest evil that was ever devised by men, came the greatest good--the death and resurrection of Christ. 

Sometimes His sovereignty is mysterious and confusing, but He is good. 

My significance, my security, my identity, my purpose, and my hope in this life, is Christ alone. 

My little student's significance, his security, his identity, his purpose, and his hope in this life, is in Christ alone. 

He is absolutely sovereign & absolutely ultimate. 

Praise God for His sovereignty. 

As my assistant so confidently says, "God knows what He's doing" and that we can be sure of. 

Join me in praying for this sweet little boy and all that he has endured already in his short life and all that he will endure in the future. 

Here's to you, 2015.

2015 has been a doozey.
According to Merriam-Webster, a "doozey" is something that is "unusually good, bad, big, severe, etc." and I feel like all of those words are fitting for this pervious year.
So many things have happened--good things, even some great things, mixed with some mundane and even sad things. Through all of these "happenings" I am thankful that The Lord's mercies are new EVERY morning and not only each year & that His grace is sufficient for people such as me.

Rather than sharing resolutions with you, I want to share some of the many, many blessings that The Lord stowed upon us in the last 365 days.

January:

What better way to start off the year than going on this girl's bachelorette trip to Nashville!

It was so fun ringing in the New Year with this group of friends. 

March:

 Amber & Evan's Wedding at the beginning of March

I helped host my first big wedding shower

Jason & I were a part of the Easter Cantata at church

April:

We celebrated this lady on her bachelorette trip to Orange Beach

 I had my first experience doing true yard work!
Other than cutting the grass, I've never done much of anything yard related.
Cat, my Mom and myself took a full morning-afternoon to spruce up our yard and I have to say, I really enjoyed it. It was SUPER HARD and quite a bit of work, but those end results are so worth it.

May:

 We celebrated God's goodness through Lakeland Presbyterian's 25th Anniversary!
This was such a fun day celebrating all the The Lord has done through LPC and how it's grown so much over the past 25 years.
It's so neat because we've been there for 20 years now so we've actually seen/been a part of the growth of this church--this is home, this is family for us.

 This link will take you to a really neat video one of our church member's made for the celebration

Pastor's of the past & present

This year, on Mother's Day, Mrs. Emily went to be with Jesus.
This woman was something else. I am so thankful & blessed to have known her.

My sweet husband got Employee of the Month for the PPSD

Mary Claire graduated from Nursing School

We celebrated Blair on her bachelorette trip

This long time bestie of mine got married

June:

Our annual Ship Island trip to celebrate our Coco!

Aaron & Blair got married, finally ;)

On a fun side note, we went to a total of 13 weddings this year alone--and were even in some of those. 

July:

Thanks to a few generous women in the church, I was able to start my new hobby, cross stitching

 Jason's 2nd Annual Griswold Family Beach Trip

Celebrating my 26th Birthday

August:

I started my 4th year of teaching & Jason started his 5th.

I got braces, for the 2nd time.

 We enjoyed a weekend in Memphis for the Moon River Festival--it was amazing!

September:

Mary Claire and I participated in The Walk to End Alzheimer's in memory/honor of our Dad's Mom, Innie.

Marked 3 years since Jason & I had our first date at this same restaurant

This sweet previous student of mine came to visit! Highlight of my school year.

October:

My handsome hubby celebrated his 37th birthday

3rd Annual BYOP & our first Halloween to actually be at our house. It was so fun having Trick-or-Treaters! Our neighborhood Trick-or-Treated on Friday night because the weather Saturday night was supposed to be terrible

We went to our first wedding held on Halloween Night

November:

We killed it with our Chewie & Darth costume for the Reformation Celebration at church

Jason & I celebrated our 2 year anniversary
(picture is from our honeymoon before we swam with dolphins)

 We got this sweet little Mia girl.
The day after Thanksgiving we rode to Brookhaven and got our first dog!
A little toy poodle.

 She has been a lot of work but so much fun.
She's becoming more and more enjoyable each day.

 Not to mention, she's adorable.

That face!

Oh, and she loves herself a good something to chew on.

December:

We participated in our 2nd Christmas Cantata at the church

 Christmas Eve Service at the church

Our 3rd Griswold Family Christmas together & the first year to have every. single. person. there.

It was fabulous. 

As you can tell from all the pictures, we had a year!
I am looking forward to 2016 and all that it has to bring.

I'll end this post with Scotty Smith's prayer from his blog "Heavenward":

 This is what the Lord says: “Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches. But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that I delight in these things. I, the Lord, have spoken!” Jer. 9:23-24 (NLT)

Dear heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of a new year, and thank you for all the grace you lavished on us in the past year. There wasn’t a day you didn’t send new mercies and sufficient grace (even when we ignored them); and you steadfastly delighted in us, even when we delighted in anything else but you. Because of Jesus’ finished work, your love for us is irrepressible, immeasurable, and inexhaustible. It’s also the passion and power you use to make us like Jesus. We worship and adore you, for so great a salvation.

And now, in response to the words you spoke through Jeremiah, this is our prayer for the upcoming year. May it be a year filled with getting to know you better and better, and serving you more and more passionately. The lust for praise and power, riches and relationships, comfort and control will be unrelenting. But Father, we want intimacy with you to seize our hearts, schedules, and energy.

May knowing you—in renewed and fresh ways, compel us to love mercy, work for justice and walk humbly with you this year. May we dance and suffer, work and pray, serve and love, all to your glory. Pour out your Spirit in our churches, and give us an invigorated love for our particular church families, as messy as they may be.

May we live each day this year confident of your great love for us in Jesus, surrendered to your sovereign purposes and providences, and filled with longing and hope for the Day Jesus will return to finish making all things new. 
So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ merciful and mighty name.