To blog or not to blog, that is the question...

Thankfully, my pondering is a bit lighter than that of Shakespeare's Hamlet.  The last blog post I managed to put together was nearly eight months ago!  Can it be?  I suppose turning forty had something to do with wanting to hit the pause button, to freeze time, to be still and reflect.  Alas, the days kept moving along at a pace that at times seemed too quick to remain in step.  So here I sit, considering what to share, whether to continue sharing through this platform, and the possible frequency at which to share.  Meanwhile, I'll reenter the bloggersphere with a few experiences gone by...

"We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek." Hebrews 6:19-20

     Sister tats: In honor of my baby sister's birthday last August, we four girls decided (perhaps a little spontaneously) to get a tattoo.  It was quite an entertaining experience, one in which you'll just have to ask one of us about in person-ha ha.  I digress.

     The tattoo experience, in many ways, served as a stamp of gratitude and encouragement.  We celebrated the gift of sisterhood and we marked ourselves with a reminder.  The year 2016 was, for at least myself, marked with intermittent periods of grief (more later).  In our time together, we not only commemorated the sharing of DNA but that of an eternal hope.  That hope lies in the fact that one day Christ Jesus will come again to make all sad things come untrue and to make all things new.  It is that hope that anchors our soul.

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.  Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.  The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7

     A theme from God's Word for me these past several months has been that of gratitude.  I was recently listening to a sermon by John Piper from the book of Romans.  It brought such refreshment to my soul.  He poses the question: what can I do for the honor of my Maker?  Be thankful.  He then illustrates it in the following way,

"Gratitude is the echo of grace reverberating through the hollow of the human heart."

I have found that when I reflect on the grace and the mercy of God while giving thanks, there is incredible rest and joy for my weary soul.  When the challenges arise, I give thanks.  When the calm comes, I give thanks.  This is a discipline I am working on.  This stewardship of parenting can swing like a pendulum from rich, fruitful fellowship to deep heartache (more later).  Oh to be like the psalmist, 

"I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth." Psalm 34:1 

Family dinner time is a regular practice of ours.  It is a priceless time of gathering and reflecting on our days.  Sometimes we open the Word together (which has become a recent morning tradition).  Occasionally, we manage to get everyone together for game night.  Below, you can catch a glimpse of a Ticket to Ride (U.S.A. and Europe) play off.  I am thankful for the gift of family.  I am thankful for the joys and heartache that comes along with parenting.  I am thankful to do life alongside of my best friend and husband.  What grace!

      This picture was taken on the first day of school last August.  They have all grown since that time.    It is hard to believe that by September of this year, all five will be teenagers.  We will be parents of five teenagers.  That is still sinking in.  Tony and I have decided we need more vacations - ha ha.

"Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning... O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever!" Psalm 30:5b, 12b

     On Saturday morning, September 3, 2016 our "firstborn" fur baby passed away.  I won't belabor the details of that experience because it still sweeps me over with sadness.  It was earlier than expected and it was difficult.  Who knew?  We surely hadn't anticipated the grieving process for our dog!  

     Tony and I brought Titus home with us to our first house in LaPlace, Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina.  He made the move with us back into New Orleans, the to Hattiesburg, and finally to current home in Wake Forest.  He saw our five children come home from Ukraine and Ethiopia (and would argue that he himself was one of the children - i.e. in his mind, the first and most important, ha).  He was with us the majority of our marriage (almost 11 years of our 13 years).  We had a culture within our home we hadn't noticed as much until he was gone.  On good days and bad days he was there to greet us with eagerness and unconditional love.  He could be demanding at times and perhaps a little spoiled, but we all loved him.   

"About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them." Acts 16:25

     Three days later, with the help of some friends, we tracked down and brought home an 8 week old miniature schnauzer!  We affectionately named him, Silas.  Recalling the story of Paul and Silas in Acts 16.  After being beaten and imprisoned, what were they doing?  They were praying and singing to God!  It seemed a fitting name for the little guy to mark our gratitude for new life and new beginnings.  Even in the midst of sorrow, we can praise God and trust that He is working things for our good and for His glory.

     Had Titus still been with us, we would have missed out on the blessing of having my dear friend, Amber, move in with us for this season along with her sweet dog named Prada.  Prada quickly assumed the role of mama dog to Silas, which has been a tremendous help.  I forgot what puppies were like!!!

     So, there you have it.  A few sights and thoughts to span the abyss of communication (instagram is too easy, yet less therapeutic).  It has been a whirlwind these past several months, but we are grateful.   Back to the question.  It is my hope to continue to use this space to process aloud some of life's adventures, good and less so.  I welcome your comments, your questions, and your prayers!  Grace and peace to you.