My Mini Me

Mother's day with my family was perfection. Mom said it was "The best mothers day ever!" It may have something to do with the fact that all of us kids are old enough to really do things to bless our mom. Emilie baked a delicious dessert. Landon went out and picked up her favorite breakfast. Drew wrote a heartfelt card. I cooked Sunday lunch. It was great. Mom got to be queen for the day...although she deserves it everyday.

This mothers day, I actually got to walk in my Mom's shoes a bit and get in on the action. Because my mom was out of town earlier in the week, I was left to the carpool lines and tending to the house. With Maddie Kate's preschool throwing a mother's day tea one day, Mom had me attend on her behalf. I felt unworthy of wearing the crown that Maddie had so lovingly glued plastic gems on. The preschool director did tell me to wear the crown after introducing me as "a big sister standing in for mom." Maddie's class sang some songs and then we went to the classroom for tea.

As we sipped "tea" (which was actually pink lemonade) and munched on Mint Milanos, one of the moms kept staring at me and Maddie together. She said, "I know that she is adopted, but I can't get over the resemblance!" I get this a lot. When MK and I are out together people try to figure us out. Even more so when it me and Maddie and my mom. I think people are trying to figure out who the mom is! One lady while at a yogurt shop asked, "Are you her mom?" When I told her that I am her big sis she said, "You look so much alike!" I love telling people that actually, she's adopted. It is such a compliment and a God-thing that Maddie and I get so many of these comments. She is such a blessing and I always share that God is into the details of our lives. Maddie is a very special girl and I am so thankful that God brought her into our lives through her heroic birth mom. Here is a picture of me and my little mini-me...

Celebrating

I loved being reminded in Psalm 43 this morning that God is my JOY and the DELIGHT of my life. Sundays are my special day for celebrating just all that my God is to me. My favorite way to spend a Sunday other than worshiping and serving in my church is to bask in His presence in the great outdoors. On a particularly beautiful Sunday you can find me squirming in the pew just ichin' to get outside and enjoy God's creation.

Christian and I are both so grateful to God for the joy and grace and love he brings to our relationship with him and with each other. We love celebrating all that he has done to save and redeem us. I look back and remember this celebration we had just a few weeks ago. It was the perfect Sunday; gorgeous weather, Christian's birthday weekend and precious parents to join in the fun. We have so much to be thankful for.

Then I will go to the altar of God,
to God, my joy and my delight.
I will praise you with the lyre,
O God, my God. (Psalm 43:4 NIV)

Home Sweet Home

Home. That word means a lot to me. I have always made my home with my family. My mom, dad and four younger siblings have made our house a home to me. After a big move from Texas to the "far east" here in Georgia I so appreciate home. Home being wherever the people I love are. I have found that It's not so much about the where as it is the "who".

That brings me to the sweetest news. As a married woman in June, I will be sharing a HOUSE with my amazing husband. God has blessed us as of our closing date April 23...exactly 2 months before our Big Day...with a little, 1950s, 4-sided brick home in the historic area of Marietta, Georgia.

I still don't think it has fully set in that we are homeowners. How many 19 and 20 year olds do you know that own a house? I don't ask that to brag, but you have to see just how much of a God-thing that this is. Just look at it! How could we be blessed? I relate to King David when he declared,"Who am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? (2 Samuel 7:18 NIV)

All that being said, I feel so strongly that this is God's house. This home is to be used for his purposes and we are committed to practicing hospitality; using this house as a tool to love people and draw them to the cross.

I have been an emotional mess the last couple of days. I have truly felt God's presence in such a tangible way. My sweetest friend flew into town this last week to help me work on the house. It totally blessed my socks off. I have never been so sad at the Atlanta airport. I am literally tearing up thinking about dropping her off. We made memories in the house. These memories are so special because they are some of the first in this new place. I will call it home soon and I know that those moments laughing and painting the kitchen, eating Mamie's cupcakes from the square and sitting in the grass while we were locked out, they will be what help me to make the transition.

Here are a few precious pictures. I can't wait to begin posting "before and afters" of the house soon!

A Sweet Smell

I love good smells. A particular scent has the power to bring a sweet memory to my mind and pleasure to my heart. One of my favorite smells is my Pink Sugar perfume. I've worn it since the 8th grade and now Christian loves the smell of it too. It's the signature smell of Lindsey Johnson. I adore a cup of jasmine green tea. Ive always wished that the smell of its steamy goodness could be incorporated into a perfume. If it was one I would be spraying it on by the bucketful! I love the smell of a clean baby. I've baby sat enough to know what a great smell it is and I've taken advantage of lots of cuddles from these sweet smelling little ones.

Ephesians 5:2 talks about the most fragrant of all things to God. "Follow God's example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." (Ephesians 5:1, 2 NIV) Jesus gave himself for us; he died on the cross for our sin when we were the ones deserving punishment. He was the ultimate sacrifice and the most fragrant of offerings to God.

I am so thankful to Jesus and what he did for me on the cross. The way I can respond to this incredible gift is by doing what the beginning of Ephesians 5 says. I want to follow God's example in his Word; living as a dearly loved child and walking in love. I want to walk in and respond to the kind of love that led Jesus to give himself for me. I want to make my life a fragrant offering to the Lord. I pray that I can bless Jesus and that I can bring a smile to his face. May I always aim to be a sweet smell to you God!

Miss Right

Guy/girl dating relationships in our world today can be so "me centered". People are so caught up in wanting to be "happy" that having a significant other becomes just another thing to help satisfy unquenchable desires. A person can't make you happy. You can only find fulfillment and true joy in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

It occurred to me recently that girls are often on the hunt for "Mr. Right". We spend our time going gaga over the handsome actors in Hollywood and keep our eyes on the best guys in our friend groups. The truth is that, duh, there is no such thing as a perfect guy.

What if we, as girls, started trying to become Miss Right? What if we spent our time looking to God for our identity; searching God's word and allowing him to mold us into godly women? I believe that the result of this would be gorgeous ladies- inside and out! I cannot begin to imagine the impact this would make on girlfriends and guys around us. Our world wants to see something different. Let that difference be Christ in you! Become Miss Right, a girl that attracts the right kind of guy!