Wedding Dress Delight

"Its the age of princesses and pirate ships and the seven dwarves..."

--Taylor Swift

If you aren't a T.Swift fan, forgive me for beginning this post with lyrics from one of her songs, but they are just totally appropriate. That is the stage of life we are walking through with E right now.

Everything is about princesses...and weddings...and being pregnant (even a made-up baby in her belly named Narnia...I'm serious). 

She's been asking about my wedding dress recently. 

"Mama, did your wedding dress drag the floor?"

(because apparently dragging the floor= BEAUTIFUL!)

Last night we stopped by my mother-in-law's house and while we were there The Hubs went upstairs and got my wedding dress from the closet. When we got home, E asked me to try it on. I did, despite it being waayyyy past bedtime. 

When I pulled it out of the white bag it was in, she "oooo"ed and "ahh"ed over it. She adored the beading on it. Then I put it on. Wow! The laughter and light in her eyes was just too precious for words. 

Do you know what had to happen next? 

Yep. She needed to wear it. 

We're totally saving this picture for her wedding day. 

Mothering a Son

Mother-in-law.

Most of us either have one, know one, are one. 

There are many jokes and jabs in our culture about mothers-in-law. 

Growing up in a house full of girls, I never really considered what it'd be like to be a mother-in-law to a daughter-in-law, until I had a son.

All of you mothers-of-married-sons, I'm not sure how you do it. When I think of the future and what's ahead of me, it seems very difficult. 

Those eyes that light up when they look at me now will one day light up for another woman. 

Those hands that reach for and cling to me now will one day take another woman's hand in marriage. 

That look of total satisfaction on his face after he nurses will become satisfaction in the company of someone else. 

The sweet face of my sleeping baby boy will one day be the sweet manly face that another woman gets to wake up to. 

The jibber jabber that sometimes makes it hard to think straight will be secrets and dreams shared with a wife. 

I know it is early (I mean, he's only 7 months old) but it is hard to think about those days if I think of them in my fleshly heart without considering all that Christ offers. 

I'm praying now that God will make me into a mother-in-law that loves and serves her son and his wife. One that has a deep relationship with her daughter-in-law and brings encouragement to her heart. One that prays for the woman my son will marry and loves her deeply and genuinely. One who can let go and watch her son and his wife become what God has made them to become and soar into the dreams, visions, and purposes He has for them. 

I'm praying now for you, whoever you are--the girl who will one day marry my son. May God mold you and shape you. May you be teachable and willing to follow and dream with my son. May you know my desire for true friendship and relationship with you and your children (my grand children). Ultimately, may you follow Christ with your entire being. Be gracious to me as I navigate the waters of our relationship. It won't always be easy and you probably won't understand until you have a son of your own. Just know that I love you for being you and for loving my baby boy. 

And for my son, I pray that you grow into a biblical man who leads by following Christ. Serve your wife, nuture her, love her...like your father has shown you by example. Stop at nothing to pursue the calling God places on your life! I love you. I'm soaking up this time with you as a baby in my arms because before I know it, you will be in the arms of another who loves just a deeply, yet differently than I do. 

I love you, Gideon. 

I will always love you. 

As your middle name so eloquently conveys, you are a gift of God, and I am ever thankful that this gift was given to me. 

Let's catch up

Go ahead and grab yourself a cup of coffee. I'll wait for you. 

Ok. Ready? 

There is so much for us to catch up on! So much has been going on in my life, and yours as well I'm sure! To be honest, the last few months have felt like I've been on auto-pilot just barely surviving the daily demands of life as a wife and mother of two littles. 

Feelings of not being "enough" or not getting enough accomplished (yes, I'm definitely a type-A, doer, kind of person) have been persistent. God, however, is working through those feelings. He has brought me to so many wonderful books that are speaking to me in this season and giving me hope. Hope in knowing my calling (guess what?!? Its different than that of others I know. And that's ok! Comparison is SO my enemy. But that's a whole post in itself). Hope in knowing that this season won't always be here (and that I will miss it when its gone). Hope in knowing he will sustain me in this season!

This season of sacrifice is so difficult for my selfish heart. 

I want to be doing something BIG with my life. Something with purpose. Something that means something! 

Praise God for opening my eyes yesterday to the fact that my calling does have significance. I might not be speaking to hundreds of people, or ushering many into worship, or serving those in great need throughout the world or my city, but I am changing lives. 

Jennie Allen's book Restless is one that I am working through now. She made a statement that stuck with me after I read yesterday. 

I'm not quoting, but basically she said that in the little years she had to change diapers so her kids could change the world. 

Did you get that?

Someone has to change these babies' diapers so that they can change the world!

That's a perspective changer! 

HUGE purpose! I looked at my babes in a new way after reading that. 

Gideon (Warrior), how are you going to turn the world upside down for Jesus?

Eliyah (Yahweh is my God), where is God going to use you and your unique, fun personality to bring others to himself?

And my calling is to prepare them for what he has planned for them! 

Is it mundane? Yes.

Is it hard? Absolutely! 

Is it seemingly-thankless? Some days...most days.

Is it significant? You better believe it! 

So, Mommas--be encouraged. Your ministry to your family is bigger than you can imagine...even when it seems tiny compared to what others around you are doing. Be faithful in the "little" things, because they become the big things.