Uncompromised

Rainy, cold day. It didn’t start this calm, running around making lunch for our son, getting everything ready for the day. But everyone walked out the door laughing and joyful, and that alone fills my heart. There is something about hearing those little bursts of happiness as my family heads off to their day, it reminds me that life is full of small, precious moments. If you know me, you know I am a planner. I love my days mapped out, hours marked, and goals lined up. I usually have a list of things to do and a plan for how to get it all done. But today, as the rain tapped softly against the windows, and the house settled into quiet, I felt the Lord nudging me to slow down. So I made a choice, no checking my art sales, my plans, or my classes. Today would be a calm, slow day. And oh, it is good, so good for the soul and for the body. The house is quiet, Moe has been extra sweet, curling up nearby, and it is warm inside. I have been savoring the simplicity of this moment, the comfort of...

When You Feel Like You're Not Enough Wow, it’s been exactly two months since my last post! Things have been pretty busy around here, but I’m excited to finally share an update with you all. I don’t know about you, but some days I feel like I’m constantly playing catch-up with laundry, with relationships, and yep, studies too. It’s like no matter how early I wake up or how much I cross off the to-do list, there’s still this lingering weight. The house is never quiet long enough to think, the inbox keeps filling up, and I forget (again) to defrost the meat for dinner. And then by mid-afternoon, I start to hear that subtle whisper: You’re not doing enough.  Maybe you’ve heard it too. Lately, I’ve been unpacking and trying to make our new house feel like home. It’s been nonstop boxes, tasks, and a scary health moment in between. Some days, I walk into the kitchen or living room and think, Okay, we’re getting somewhere. But then I step into our bedroom, and the boxes are still there. Ho...

We’ve had a couple of snow days here in southeastern Oklahoma, and let me tell you, snow in the South is a whole different experience than what we were used to in Massachusetts! Every time it snows, I remind my husband: “Snow days in the South are the best snow days.” Here’s why: the snow comes just long enough to sprinkle some joy into our lives. It accumulates just enough to play in, snap some beautiful pictures, make snow cream, and soak in the peaceful stillness that only a blanket of white can bring. And then, poof! A couple of days later, it’s gone. No mushy, slushy, muddy mess sticking around for weeks, no grimy ice piles hanging on for dear life. We can just enjoy it for what it is and move on with our lives, snow-free and stress-free. This week, as I watched the snow, the hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” kept running through my mind:  "Morning by morning new mercies I see;  All I have needed Thy hand hath provided,  Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me." It’...