Month: January 2025

Well, 2025 is well underway. January is quite the long month though. I don’t know if it’s because there is no major holiday in January like the last two months have or if my genuine disdain for any type of cold weather makes this month drag on, but for whatever reason it often seems there are 75 days in every January.

This one is shaping up to feel like 175 days seeing how we already had a dusting of snow and cancelled school last week and they’re already calling for another round of wintry weather. I don’t like it at all. Not one little bit. I was made to live in Florida, but Josh wasn’t—so here we are in North Carolina with too many weather forecasts including the words “wintry mix.”

Anyway, this year I am trying to take a photo each day of at least one moment I am grateful for (it seems I need the practice). There are often multiple reasons I am grateful in a day, but I am trying to focus on even the little things and stop to take in the moment with a grateful heart. I will share some of my photos from my 2025 year of gratitude album from time to time for accountability.

Here we go—

These are just a few moments I chose to snap a photo and take in the moment to be grateful. I hoping this practice over the course of the whole year will make me into a more grateful person than I’ve ever been.

I do hope your January is off to a grateful start! You still have 58 days left in this month to give this practice a try…..I kid.

Empty Nest stage is technically when the kids have officially moved out of the home, footing their own bills. Josh and I are not in the empty nest stage. I don’t even think I will consider us empty nesters when Mack goes off to college. I am learning that this stage we are in is anything but empty. There are definitely less people in the house on a regular basis. Less mess. Less drama. Less shenanigans. Less talking. Less planning. Less late nights. Less junk food. More driveway space. But this is a full season! Young Adults keep you hoppin’.

See they do go away, but the breaks are many. Winter Break is a full four weeks. Sounds like a short amount of time, but it really isn’t for kids who don’t have jobs and are entering back into our routines, which abruptly get wonky when they are here. And I am so glad they are here! We love our talks with them. We love hearing how school was and all the stories that go along with this season. There is something comforting knowing all your kids are sleeping safely and soundly under your roof. We are also super tired because we stay up later than normal. We are sometimes concerned with some of these stories they share. We let them sleep late, but wonder if they will ever get up and be productive. We try to squeeze in appointments—eye appointments, teeth appointments, car appointments, and more. The breaks are full to say the least. And though the college girls are back at Liberty, have no fear…another break is coming.

Spring Break is in a mere eight weeks. Then, only eight weeks after that, there is summer break which lasts like 12 weeks. Then we move them back out of home or wherever they land all summer and back in to school.It can be a whirlwind, and all I am saying is this isn’t an empty season at all. There are calmer days when less people are in the house, but as I mentioned— they come back. They come back with all their stuff….so, it can be complicated. They come back with needs and wants and opinions and ways of doing things different than you. It’s hard to see eye to eye some times.

What I do see more clearly when they are under our roof is who God is making them to be. He lets me see ways they have matured and grown in their walk with Him…or not. I see how they are learning to live most of their days without me around them with all of my (amazingly helpful) advice. I also see ways to pray for them. In this season, I think talking less about what concerns me and praying more about it is by far the more effective route. And this is so hard for me. I want to tell them things because surely they want to know what they need to fix or improve upon, right?? The truth is they usually know all on their own what their struggles are, what their weaknesses are and where they could stand to put in more effort. Hearing it from mom or dad just doesn’t do anything but frustrate them.

So as our three have been in and out of the nest over this break, I am grateful for the ways the Lord has opened my eyes to what they need and to hear what is on their hearts, and I know He is the perfect One to go to with their needs and with my concerns and hopes for them. I see ways I need to release them to Him. I see my desperate need to pray to God for them, to ask God to draw them individually closer to Him day by day by day.

Just this week, Ruby spent some time here and then packed up this afternoon and took off to Lynchburg. Molly will be back in Charlotte from a few days in Atlanta at Passion Conference. Mack is in Dominican Republic with his senior class on a mission trip. They are unique and each one is in their own season and on their own journey. I want our home to be a safe place to land for a bit before taking off again. Admittedly, this doesn’t come easy for me. I mean, I am always glad to see them, and I genuinely enjoy being with them. And at the same time, I struggle with the routine getting thrown off with their ins and outs. There is usually a lot of emotion and decisions and dilemmas. But even with all of that, I hope they each sense that we love having them here and we want them to find rest and love and belonging here for all of their days. Anddddddd we want them to succeed out in the world in every way! We want them to have confidence that God is with them always and helping them in every situation they find themselves in.

So this evening as I sit by the fire while the snow falls, I am in an empty house basically. It’s just Rolo and me….Mack’s flight got delayed until tomorrow. So I am taking this opportunity to enjoy the quiet, the cleanliness, the book I am going to read, the hot shower I will take, the no-cooking dinner I will throw together, and I will thank God that even though my home is empty for this night, my heart is full with thoughts and prayers for my family and my texts are full of messages from the kids and Josh. Indeed, this season is anything but empty.

Happy New Year! Before January slips on by, I want to document my words for this year. I don’t always choose a word, but these words became very clear to me as I read the Christmas story often in December and listened to advent podcasts.

Might & Reticence.

In my reading of The Christmas Story and stories around that part of scripture in Luke, I came across the word MIGHT.

Mary used this word in her Magnificat to describe the deeds of God…”For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name…He has done mighty deeds with His arm.” Some of the mighty deeds include: scattering the proud, bringing down rulers, exalting the humble, filling the hungry with good things, sending away rich empty-handed and giving help to Israel.

Zacharias, when he can speak again, says God has visited and accomplished redemption, He has raised up a horn of salvation, spoken through prophets about deliverance, rescued Israel from enemies and kept His promises. A Mighty God indeed.

Then there is John who says, “As for me, I baptize with water, but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

Isaiah 9:6, years before Jesus was born, prophesied, “He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace.”

I read an article by Tanner Swanson from desiringgod.com entitled “Marvel in the Manger.” She zeroed in on John and his magnifying of the might of Jesus. John could have used many words to describe Jesus, yet he chose the word “might.” Jesus, born as a baby into this world, is indeed mighty in every way. As Tanner so eloquently describes this might, “It’s the kind of power that is able to endure bouts with Satan and display divine glory.” The Son was God Almighty from the beginning, as we can read in John 1:1. He is and has always been mighty and dwelling on this characteristic of Jesus at Christmas was impactful. Especially as I looked at the smallest piece in every nativity—baby Jesus, Mighty God.

So one of my words for this coming year is MIGHT. The Might of God in my life, in my husband’s life, in each of my kids’ lives, in my circumstances, in my church, in every purpose He has planned for me this year. He is more than able to accomplish anything He wants in every life, in every situation.

The second word is RETICENCE. What is reticence exactly? Webster defines it as, “not revealing one’s thoughts or feelings readily.” It is rooted in a strong sense of personal boundaries and helps one become a good listener. After all, you can’t listen if you’re revealing your thoughts and feelings readily. Some synonyms for reticence include: reserved, withdrawn, restrained, inhibited, shrinking, uncommunicative, unforthcoming, tight-lipped, quiet, silent, private, mum—and my personal favorite— wouldn’t say boo to a goose.

I am certain that if I rightly view the might of God, I will be MUCH slower to reveal my thoughts and feelings at every turn. My perspective of the might of God, His activity and work of His Spirit would give me great pause before I weigh in on every situation. This is a way I can participate with God this year. Look to Him and know His might. Surely this will be the guard over my mouth that I need.

The Lord brought John 3:30 to mind as I was journaling through these two words. And I can’t think of a better one to describe the juxtaposition between these words.

“He must increase; I must decrease.”

Other verses that helped me process reticence were I Samuel 2:13: “Talk much no more so very proudly; Do not let arrogance come out of your mouth.”

Ok, then. Tell me how you really feel.

And Isaiah 57:19b-21 which compares the wicked to the tossing sea, “for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up refuse and mud…there is no peace for the wicked.” Yikes. Lord, hold me back from being like a tossing sea that cannot be quiet but instead spews forth garbage and messes.

If these truths aren’t enough to move me to “not say boo to a goose,” then I am not sure what will.

Lord, You are mighty. There is none like You! As I dwell on this fact and remember Your works in my life and in Your creation, I pray it will quiet my heart and my mouth. Hold me back from spewing thoughts and feelings recklessly. In 2025, I am asking that You would increase in my life, and I would decrease. Only You can do this. Help me trust You more and more! Amen.