Happy 43rd Birthday to Josh!

There is no one on the planet I would rather spend my days with than Josh. Words always fall short when I try to tell what I think and feel about who he is.

We took him to his favorite steak house for dinner, and he spent part of the time speaking life into each one of us. He told Ruby he loves seeing her interests come to light and encouraged her to lean into the direction God has for her and how He has made her. He told Molly what he admired about her ability to be herself and not be distracted by what those around her do—she’s comfortable in her skin and that’s a beautiful thing. After he told Mack to sit up and quit making jokes, he told him how proud he was of Mack overcoming a few personal challenges and having such a good attitude about school and just loving life in general. And he told the kids how much he loves me and appreciates all I do for the family and how he hopes and prays they are each able to find a spouse that encourages them the way I do him.

As I sat there watching the kids and listening to Josh, I was overcome with gratefulness. He loves us well. He is not a “showy” person at all—quietly, consistently, boldly, faithfully and with humility he lives his life and leads his family and loves the Lord.

And he is mine🥰

Happy 43rd birthday, Joshua Lee. You’re my favorite.

#mollyisfifteen

Our Molly is making lots of appearances on the blog lately. I’ll work to post about the other two very soon!

Molly turns 15 today! She is a great blessing to our family. She’s a peacemaker, and we need one of those in the family!!!! Ruby and Mack are more like pot-stirrers, so Molly brings some calm.

She has always been a very independent little girl….besides that long season of toddlerhood where she followed me around very calmly repeating, “Hold me. Mama, hold me. Hold me, Mama.” No whining. No voice inflection. Just a monotone, consistent repetition of that phrase.

We love you Molly Moodle!!! You’re a great help around the house and keep us connected to people—that’s you’re favorite thing—being with people. We thank God He put you in the middle even though we were caught quite off guard! God knew what He was doing! Happy 15th Birthday!

Might regret this purchase🤣

Molly has been asking for drums for her birthday for quite a while. She’s proven herself to be someone who will teach herself how to play instruments, so we thought we’d give in to her request.

And she’s been practicing and it’s even more of a blessing that school starts back Wednesday because ohmygoodnessthereisalotofnoisecomingoutofthatroom.

This is Molly being silly and posing “like those girls that show their butts in their prom dress.”🤷🏼‍♀️
This is Dad and Mom who are already unsure of their drum purchase but are thankful for a child who wants to learn new things. Molly always has pushed us out of comfort zones. ❤️

More birthday photos to come! It’s not til Tuesday. We probably should have not let her “open” the drums til then.

Sappy

I’m usually not very sappy or emotional really. But I sat down after unloading all the groceries and Molly started playing piano and singing and it struck me that in a few years she probably won’t be here in this house playing piano all the time. What will it be like without music pouring down the stairs??? Oh dear. That’s something sad to think about. I thought a quick video might need to be saved so I can reminisce one day.

All this probably has something to do with the fact that we toured a college this weekend. And Molly, in particular, loved it! You could see her envisioning herself there—meeting people all the time, living on her own with room mates, staying out late, being silly, learning new stuff and just generally having a good ol time. I will miss that booger when that day comes, but I won’t get ahead of myself.

professional pillow mover

I walked into the bedroom holding the two pillows from the couch. I tried them out on our bed. Didn’t like the look, so I picked them back up and tried them in another room in the house. Better. But now the pillows left in the living room needed some rearranging. This isn’t a rare event at my house, this switching around of pillows. Or unzipping covers on pillows to find out if the cover underneath is one I like better or not. So many pillow options. In my moment of pillow moving, I looked at Josh and said, “Who knew so much time of being an adult would consist of moving pillows around?!?!” (he probably thought I should speak for myself)

Seriously though, such a non-important thing can really suck some of my time. 

I am reading in the Old Testament in Deuteronomy as Moses recounts to the remaining people of God all that they have been through together. In chapter four Moses tells them, “Your eyes have seen what the Lord has done….” He reminds them that no other nation has a god like their God. Then he gives further words of remembrance and caution. 

“Only give heed to yourself and keep your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do no depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your sons and grandsons.”

He goes on and tells them to REMEMBER. He says, WATCH YOURSELVES CAREFULLY. And again, WATCH YOURSELVES so that you don’t forget the convenant of the Lord your God that He made with you. He says TAKE IT TO HEART that the Lord, He is God in heaven above and on earth below; there is no other.  

These words are spoken by Moses, a man who didn’t get to actually go in to possess The Promised Land, despite all of his leading of some very difficult people. He didn’t listen and obey completely what God said to him when he was supposed to speak to the rock and cause water to rush out for the thirsty travelers. Instead, he called them rebellious (true!) and then struck the rock twice (probably out of complete frustration!). But that wasn’t what God told him to do. G.Campell Morgan says about Exodus 20:11 that “What Moses did was most natural. Therein lay the wrong of it.”  Wow. Just because something is most natural—or maybe especially when something is most natural—we should take a breath and seek the Lord on the matter. 

Moses spoke to the remaining children of Israel from a pure heart that wanted to warn them that they could miss out on what God has for them if they don’t REMEMBER His works, WATCH THEMSELVES and TAKE TO HEART who God is. He wanted to sober them up completely and remind them of Who is truly in charge and totally holy. Verses 24 and 31 are great reminders from Moses who experienced all of Who God is—“For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God” and “For the Lord your God is a compassionate God and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and soul.” He is both. Don’t miss it, people of God! Don’t go to this amazing land and forget Who God is. 

Moses had seen the people of God turn their back on God and worship a golden calf. He had heard their complaints and grumblings. He had experienced their pride and anger when some wanted his position…and he’d seen them swallowed up by the ground. 

I may not have a golden statue sitting on my mantle to worship in place of God. I may not ever beg to return to some time in my past when I was a slave. It is likely more subtle—like spending too much time rearranging pillows. Or spending money too carelessly because life is just so stressful right now, what does it hurt to roam Target for some treats to get us through this dumb summer? Or maybe I allow myself to worry about my kids’ futures —but, seriously, one second is too much time to worry. Is He God or not? Is there none beside Him or not? Is He for me or not? Is He good or not? Does He withhold good from His children or not? Does He know the plans He has for us or not? Is He worth spending my life for or not?

Just like the children of Israel, I can easily forget His perfect track record. I can easily feel forgotten and decide to take things into my own hands. I can grumble and express my bitterness for what I don’t have that I think I should have or what I do have that I don’t want. 

So as I read from Deuteronomy, I thought to myself, “Kristy, watch yourself so that you don’t spend most of your adult life doing something empty like moving throw pillows from room to room. Pay attention to what God wants for you!”  {And if you’ve been around her long enough you know I don’t count mundane things as unimportant things. Those are sometimes THE very things God is asking me to do with more heart and kindness….the point is to REMEMBER and WATCH YOURSELF and TAKE TO HEART what God is showing you, how He has dealt with you and how to spend your life for Him.}

the end.