We've had a {week} ...

this boy and I.

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Tears.

Frustration.

Anxiety.

Temper-tantrums.

Anger.

Exhaustion.

Prayer.

Love.

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It's not perfect yet.

Not even close.

But God is at work, and my faith in the hope that {this too shall pass} is firm.

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I've questioned my parenting numerous times.

I've questioned my sanity even more.

and ...

{through} it all, I'm learning a lot about myself.

Funny how that works.

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I'm not hiding from it.

I'm not going above it.

I'm not digging under it.

I'm praying and believing my way {through} the valley I've found myself in as a mom.

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In our weakness - we are made strong. {2 Corinthians 12:10}

Trying to stay cool.

How blessed are we to have this river 5 minutes from our front door?!

Especially when it's 105 outside.

Summer. Is. Here.

One last stop.

Our trip was coming to an end.

Just a few short hours and we would be {home}.

Home to our daddy.

Home to our dogs.

Home to our own bed.

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The luggage was unloaded from our car & I had only the conclusion left of Max's book.

Life motto # 675 - travel lightly.

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Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. {Matthew 11:28}

Rest from the burden of a small god. Why? Because I have found the Lord.

Rest from doing things my way. Why? Because the Lord is my Shepherd.

Rest from endless wants. Why? Because I shall not want.

Rest from weariness. Why? Because He makes me to lie down.

Rest from worry. Why? Because He leads me.

Rest from hopelessness. Why? Because He restores my soul.

Rest from guilt. Why? Because He leads me in the paths of righteousness.

Rest from arrogance. Why? Because of His name's sake.

Rest from the valley of death. Why? Because He walks me through it.

Rest from the shadow of grief. Why? Because He guides me.

Rest from fear. Why? Because His presence comforts me.

Rest from loneliness. Why? Because He is with me.

Rest from shame. Why? Because He has prepared a place for me in the presence of my enemies.

Rest from my disappointments. Why? Because He anoints me.

Rest from envy. Why? Because my cup overflows.

Rest from doubt. Why? Because He follows me.

Rest from homesickness. Why? Because I will dwell in the house of my Lord forever.

from Traveling Light by Max Lucado
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We're home.

Not {home} home as in Heaven home ... but home.

And when I find myself reaching for that luggage - those burdens, that unnecessary stress, the worry, the envy, the guilt, the anxiousness - well, I'm going to do my very, very best to remember this trip, this book, this time in my life ... and travel lightly.

My cup overflows with blessings.

The last thing we need to worry about is not having enough. Our cup overflows with blessings.

A crucial question or two -

If focusing on our diminishing items leads to envy, what would happen if we focused on the unending items?

If awareness of what we don't have creates jealousy, is it possible that an awareness of our abundance will lead to contentment?

from Traveling Light by Max Lucado

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Once again, his words have me "thinking."

My time at the beach came to end ... but ended with a truly {beautiful} day where blessings were abundant.

I was the one who witnessed {joy} on the faces of eight beautiful children almost every time I turned around.

I was the one who sat on top of the sand hill and marveled at the glorious view.

I was the one who watched the sun set behind happy, care-free young souls.

I was the one who was livin' the dream.

And just because our time at the beach was coming to an end ... didn't mean that the blessings were going to stop.

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There are blessings in my life that God has given ... abundantly.

A healthy, beautiful family.

A nice camera.

An eye for finding beauty in most everything.

A house to stay in at the sea shore.

Freckles.

Opportunities to share who God is and how great He is.

Words to read.

Words to write.

A blog to share my perspective with others.

Amazing friends and family to read about and encourage me in my walk with Christ.

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My ministry is right in front of me.

Taking pictures.

Reading books.

Writing & writing & writing.

Loving my kids.

Standing proudly beside my husband.

Yep.

All that stuff that life is full of.

Abundant blessings.

Found in amazing vacations ... but more importantly ... found in the every-day moments at home as well!

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{My cup overflows with blessings} Psalm 23

I will fear no evil.

The beach can be scary at times.

The waves.

The uncertainty of their strength.

The pull of the water against the sand.

The steepness of the rocks.

The creatures.

The cold.

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There are some fears in our life right now.

The terrible agricultural economy.

The stand-still selling of our straw.

The purchase of a ranch.

Just to name a few.

I'm not going to tell you that we have a "mask of strength" right now .. we don't.

My prayer each morning requests for strength that only He can give.

Strength that doesn't "still the storm, but strength that calms the sailor."

"Hope is a look away."

{quotations from Max Lucado - Traveling Light}

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This trip seemed to shout ... fear not! Hope is on its way.

It took the anxiousness of everyday -life & stresses away and replaced it with peace.

We're home now, and yes, worry has tried to creep back in, but the focus is where it should be.

Not on the fear of the unknown, but on the solution.

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Day 4 ... tide pools, sea creatures, rock climbing, bike riding, scooters, pogo-sticks, beach fires, and s'mores.

and if you look closely ... you'll see that IAN did come with us!

{I will fear no evil} Psalm 23