What If?

"Andrea, you are going to be a wonderful woman of God one day."

My mom would tell me that every night as she tucked my little girl self in my little girl bed. 

I remember believing her, but the idea of being a "woman" was so far away, it was a bit hard to wrap my little girl mind around.

After that mom would ask me "what-if" questions. 

"What if  a stranger asked you to get in their car?"

"What if you got lost at the mall?"

"What if a friend tried to influence you with drugs?"

What if?

She was trying to equip my little girl self with a little big girl wisdom. 

She knew the importance of asking good questions. 

This morning, as I sit in the quiet of the day's beginnings, I have so many "what if's." 

What if  I lived every day fully surrendered to Christ?

What if  I set aside one hour of my day to read the word, and meditate on it's truth?

What if  I let me anxious heart, rest more in the peace that surpasses all understanding?

What if?

Attending the Proverbs 31 ministries, She Speaks conference this weekend was a gift. I learned so much in 2 days and am still processing all of the truth and beauty I heard from the hearts of some amazing women. 

But, what if my mom wouldn't have funded that trip?

What if  I had not met those women who changed my life and the way I think?

What if  I had not had the courage to meet with a publisher?

What if  God specifically placed every single woman, 750 of us, in that time and place for a reason and a  purpose?

He did. 

I know it.

I felt it.

I saw it.

What kind of what-if questions do you have?

Try listing a few today, and begin listening to what God has to say?

Because what-if he has an answer that will change your life forever. 

What if a blessing is waiting right around the corner for you, friend.

Don't miss it.

Don't miss a thing.

2 Chronicles 7:14 says, "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

What if we humbled ourselves and prayed?

What if we heard from Heaven?

What if our land can still be healed?

What if, my friends, what if?

Hope you enjoyed your landing

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

andrea

How many times have I missed it?

Tonight I'm wondering how many times I've missed it.
You know.
His voice.
The voice of the creator.

Because the more you hear Him, the more you realize He's been there all along.
And then you start to realize it's you.
You're the one who missed His voice. Not because you're a bad Christian or don't love Him. It's just what as humans,we've learned to listen to the voices of other humans because we can see the mouth of the voice we hear.

It's sometimes hard listening to an invisible voice.
But friends, listen longer and let your eyes see new things.

Let the invisible become visible.
Hear him tonight in the thunder.
Let the rain leave you listening for the next drop of his voice.
Listen to Him in the form of your child.
Hear His whisper when your head graces your pillow upon the evening's end.

Bless the Lord, oh my soul and yours.
Remember that it doesn't matter how many times we've missed it.
What matters most is that you are open and willing and ready for the next moment.
Because he is already there with words for you.

I hope you sleep soundly and awake satisfied. (Psalm 17:15)
Hope you enjoyed your landing.
(I love hearing from you, friends and value your comments.)
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
andrea

Belonging...Do you have a place?

Three questions for you, reader.

1. Where do you feel your best? In other words, what place allows you to embrace your best self?

2. What do you do in that place?

3. When do you go to that place and how often can you be found there?

Got your answers?

Here's mine.

1. Although I have many places that I love, right now that place is my studio. When I am there, I am embracing the unknown. My studio has evolved since it's humble beginnings back in November. Each day the shape of it changes and in turn changes me. I like that.

2. When I am at my studio, I think. My curiosity for life sparks. My imagination takes flight.

There, I tutor 8 brilliant students. These students are my teachers. They teach me about who they are and what they want to become. We spend time building upon their passions, while recognizing their areas of need and intended growth.
There, I teach creative classes. I watch people create and I encourage them to say yes to their ideas. I have witnessed some serious creativity in this creative place. They are my teachers and my friends.
There I throw parties. I've seen princesses paint and an expectant mom open gifts of expectation.
There, I meet with God and friends over coffee and bread.
It is there, I learn about life and love and living out what I learn.

3. I go to that place on Monday's, Tuesday's, and Thursdays, just for a few hours at a time. Sometimes I go down late at night when my home is quiet and my baby is in bed. I am away from this place more than I am present, because my other place is my home and I cherish my time with family.  I hope to one day spend more time there, working full time. But that's not my choosing. It's God's.

Think about that place  today, friends.
Think about what that place looks like, sounds like, and smells like.
While you're thinking about that place, embrace the place you're in at this very moment.

It's sacred. So belong there for now, and dream about what it may become.
That's all I did.

Enjoy your next flight
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Andrea

For when you're running late...

Late was a word I never really liked. 

It was a word that sent anxiety though my body.

It was a word I didn't want attached to my name.

Because I am an "ON TIME PERSON"

Until today. 

Today taught me that sometimes late is just a wait. 

A wait to get you to a place where God wants to use you.

A divine appointment. Not scheduled. Not planned. 

He can't always do His greatest work in plan books and calendars. 

Sometimes His greatest works are done in the waiting. 

I am thankful for the waiting I had to do today. 

I learned about the condition of my anxious heart and how time

had been ruling the deepest dwelling in my soul. 

Today every moment was a precious gift. 

And I never thought the gifts of today would come because of being late. 

Thank you God for teaching me. 

Continue to work on my heart. 

Until next time, 

>>>>>>>> Enjoy your flight

Yard Work

Tonight's words come from the heart of the greatest man in the world. The man who mows our lawn every Friday, and works hard to make our home look great. He is my best friend, my love, my husband.

(Daniel Noles)
When I was a child, growing up at my parents house, one of my spring and summer tasks was to cut the grass. When we first moved to the house, where my parents still live, the only thing we had at the time was a push mower. Now, to begin with, as a child I never really enjoyed cutting the grass. You sweat excessively, sometimes the mower would clog, checking the oil and putting in gas was always an after thought that only occurred when for some mysterious reason the push mower would slowly die. These, among countless other reasons, were just a few reasons I loathed having to cut the grass. That and the fact that we owned almost an acre of land. Yes, even you right now are thinking, I'm glad that wasn't me! My mother even stated to me that at one time I said I would have a yard full of concrete when I owned my own home just so I wouldn't have to cut it! Oddly enough, I think I recall actually saying that.

Fast forward 25 years and my how things have changed. NowI must admit that I don't look forward to mowing on a North Carolina summer day, when it's only 97 degrees and the humidity makes it feel like that of an oven ready to bake something. I still get upset at times having to deal with a lawn mower that doesn't want to start right away, and yes I did check the oil and gas first. However, I do enjoy what yard work has become for me. It's a time to return to the simple task of toiling the ground, getting dirty, and getting back to my roots of what really makes us who we are.
As I've gotten older, I appreciate more of what my parents and grandparents had to do to get to where they were or are now. Things weren't easy and if you wanted something you had to work at it. I'm sure they got frustrated, maybe let a bad word slip once in a blue moon, but they got in there and they worked at it. Besides the sweat, frustration, and dirty clothes, what else did they get from it? I believe a sense of accomplishment. A sense of pride and self worth. A better sense of who they were. A more refined sense of character.

Now I don't claim any form of supreme intelligence on my part and I certainly can't claim wisdom, but I do know that yard work can teach me, maybe us, a lot about who we truly are, what lies deep within us, and at the same time, a way to connect with our past that takes us into our future. I'll take that any day when it comes to doing yard work. You can't put a price tag on that friends!

Now, I think I'll go out and work in the yard tomorrow morning...maybe!

How do we define holy?

Before you read this post, I encourage you to scroll to the bottom and listen to the music in the background of your reading. "What do I Know of Holy," by Addison Road, is one of the most beautiful songs I know. I hope you enjoy it.

According to the dictionary, the word "holy" has two definitions. 

But what do we know of this word? What do we know of a word that seems so untouchable because we struggle with sin daily?

Dedicated or consecrated to God or a religious purpose; sacred: "the Holy Bible"; "the holy month of Ramadan". (of a person) Devoted to the service of God: "saints and holy men".

To me, you can't really put your finger on holy. Because holy comes in many forms. Holy can be ugly and it can be beautiful. It can be dull, bright, easy, difficult, but mainly it's grace-filled. I've experienced it in the dark of the night, when I can't seem to breathe and I've met holy in the dawn of a new day, when my breathe somehow catches itself back into my body's rhythm. 
To me holy means listening. It means learning every single day, by meditating on the word. But it's mostly about loving people like Jesus did. That's what I know of holy.

Tonight I read a blog about a woman who was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2010. Here are her reflections on the word "holy" She truly has a gift with words. You can read more of her thoughts at http://updateonsuzy.blogspot.com/2013/06/defining-holy.html

This morning God reminded me that perhaps it is precisely right here, where I sit, that holiness is discovered. 'Holy' might just be found in holding a hand through anxiety or cleaning that which is dirty or picking up what has been spilled. Because holy is not, has never been found in pristine and perfect. Instead it shines through the messy brokenness that defines our lives.

Holiness shone brightly in a dirty, dung-strewn stable. Holiness advanced through washing dirt-caked feet. Holiness radiated from the wounds of a thorny crown and the horrendous reality of a brutal, criminal's death on a splinter-infested cross. Now that was holy. And there was nothing pretty or desirable about it. It met no one's definition of perfection. Nevertheless, holiness found its definition in Jesus.

Think about how you define holy. How you live it. How you see it.

Play hide and seek with it this week.

You may find you in a dark, lonely place- when you're just not sure if there is an ounce of care left inside you.

Or it may find you in the dawn of the morning and kiss your face and say, " I love you."

It's there. 

I'll leave you with a video from a great band, Addison Road. The title is, What do I know of Holy. (Kind of fitting, huh?)

I

lights of heaven...

July in my studio has looked a little like the sky on July 4th.
Lots of lights. Sparks. And constellations of inspiration.

The greatest blessing my studio has lent so far, is that of seeing inspiration spark in a moment's notice.
I love the lightbulbs above heads. The "oh wow's" and the "flickers of fearless creating" and the moment you know the greatest creator is there, working the hearts of minds of children and adults, for good, for a purpose.

A favorite song of mine is "Fix You," by Coldplay. The song was written for Gwenyth Paltrow after her father died. The best line in the song is, "lights will guide you home." I love that notion. I love knowing a light will await when I am away. I loved this line so much that I put it on my chalkboard sign in my studio.

Trays are available for purchase for $10.00 at A Place to Land

And today, I knew the reason I had cared enough to carry it from song to sign.

I am constantly encouraging my kids to use the walls in our studio to inspire their thinking and especially their writing. One of my students looked at my sign and said, "hmmm, lights." "I think I'll write a book called Lights of Heaven." Then he said, "What if we write it together?" Of course I accepted his very serious request.

The next twenty minutes consisted of cutting apart magazines to look for inspiration. Looking for words that reminded us of heaven. (He cut an ice cream cone out, and said that was definitely heavenly). It.Was.Amazing.

We completed the title page today. I like it.

I loved the beautiful firework picture we found.

Thank you Lord for the gift of inspiration. You always provide, always inspire.

 Inspiration is what moves us forward and brings us back home when our light is almost out.

Thanks for letting the lights of heaven shine down on us time and time again. We notice.

We love you.

Look past your perimeter.

Perimeter.
A path that surrounds a two dimensional shape and is found by adding up each side of the shape.

Perimeters close, divide, and create walls.

Perimeters provide safety.

Ahhh, safety- a favorite American word. A word that is the reason for so many new laws, regulations, and rules. And yes, some rules are for good reason. Others just instill deep fears and keep us closed up in our safe little boxed up lives.

We like boxes thought, don't we? We box our lives in and set up walls of safety. We peer out the sides and once in awhile we may jump out, just to play, just to remember how free it feels not to fear. But we usually jump right back in.

Our world needs people, more than ever, to look past their perimeters and break down the walls. There are so many walls people. TOO many.

In the book of Joshua, we read about this man who had courage. He answered God's call and faithfully led the Israelites to the Promised Land. He looked beyond his anxiety and fear and pressed on past his perimeter. You know his legacy. Joshua commanded his men. They shouted and the walls of Jericho came tumbling down.

Bring a wall down today friends cause this world needs to breathe again.
Bring down your perimeters and watch God move you into His walls. His plan. His safety.

May the sum of your life be filled with purpose and intention today, tomorrow and the rest that follow.

When life is a question mark...

Of all the punctuation marks in the grammar world, which one can you most identify with as a representation of where you are on your journey?

Periods mark the end of a statement.
Exclamation marks celebrate
Commas are bridges to the next thing.
And question marks are waiting on an answer?

For me personally my life is a question mark with little exclamation marks, celebrating little things I am experiencing that are new to me.

And sometimes when life is a question mark, we have to wait.
We have to wait on God and what He wants.
And that's a hard thing.

But what if we entered into the question of ourselves, giving each day a chance to change us, to make us new, and prepare us for the answer stirring inside? What if we really let our lives be lived out in fervent faith, pressing onward our prayers, and setting ourselves down to what's next?

What is the overwhelming question punctuating your life right now...
Everyone's carrying around one. We are all wondering something.

It's a terrifying thing to do, really.
It's being okay with unknown.
It's saying yes to what may be next.
It's letting go of what you want the end of your story to look like.

Sue Monk Kidd, author of The When the Heart Waits (well known for her book, The Secret Life of Bees) compares the waiting to the metamorphosis of the caterpillar to a butterfly. Within the chrysalis, the caterpillar awaits renewal. In the waiting, chemicals are released, its insides are turned into mush with no parts, and from that emerges a brain, internal parts, head, legs, and beautifully painted wings. If you have never witnessed a miracle, then watch the transformation of a butterfly. I can't think of a better miracle to witness.

So while you wait, remember that creativity and beauty are found in questioning and wondering.
Wherever you are in your journey, let what's punctuating your life breathe. Give your marks space to do their work.

God's changing you friends, whether you are entering into the chrysalis, already inside waiting, or you have just broke free--- He loves you and is working all things for good (Romans 8:28 gives us that promise).

Here is a prayer for you today from The Daily Bread

We stand amazed, God, at the awesome creation You allow us to enjoy. From distant galaxies to beautiful butterflies, You have given us a world that speaks loudly of your love for us. Thank you, Lord, for creation. 

Enjoy your flight~~~>

Dear Paula Deen,

Cooking is something that comes from the heart and soul. It is a venue for expressing love, appreciation, and the value of friendship.... It's something you do well Paula. And what we do well can not be taken from us. 

Yes, Food Network dropped you. Kmart, Sears, JCPenny, and QVC... said goodbye.

You may have been dropped by these few, but you are still held by many. You are held by the one who called you and has used you to serve so many people. And the great thing is -you can still use all the butter you want in the next dessert you make, you can still make your favorite recipes for your friends, and you can still walk with God, living out His will for your life.

We could all learn a lesson from you Paula. We could all stand to put aside our prides and say sorry more often. Unfortunately, you had to do it on National television.

But maybe God is calling you to something new, something better, something totally different.
Maybe he will use you in ways you can't even begin to fathom. Maybe your place isn't on tv. Maybe your next big thing doesn't involve lights and a camera, but hearts and souls, and good cooking.

Suffering is a hard thing. Suffering is that place we hate when we are there, but also it's that place we are thankful for, years down the road when we realize that suffering gave us salvation. Maybe you are being saved right now.

Thank you Paula, for handling this whole situation with grace.
Our media could sure learn a lot from you.

I hope God blesses you in many ways.
See your road through, Paula-- there is bound to be a sweet new recipe waiting at the end of it.

Andrea Noles

Aren't we still little?

What were your favorite things to do as a child?

Here are a few of mine...

1. Writing
2. Crafting
3. Singing
4. Reading
5. Playing in the woods

and I'm happy to say I still continue to do 1-4. I'm not against number 5, I just don't have woods in my backyard, and if I did I'm not sure what people may think if they saw a 5'7, 30 year-old woman in a tree?

But, like I said-- I'm not against it.

Are you still doing any of your top 5?  I hope you are.

Most of us are all grown up though, right?

 Going to our grown-up jobs, paying our grown-up bills. Living our grown up lives.

But the truth is, we're really not.
We are still little kids.
Fearful of our futures
Full of insecurities.

We've exchanged our stuffed animals for cell phones, our blankets for down-comforters, and our books for Kindles.

We still play dress up and want to feel pretty and significant.
We still pretend and play our parts.
We still throw tantrums when things don't go our way.
We still need the same love and attention.

So maybe we are not so grown up after all?

But Jesus is still Jesus.
How we see Him changes, but His love for us doesn't.
Isn't it amazing to think He still loves you the same as he did when you were little.

Be "little" this weekend.
Be artistic.
Write a song.
Dance on your porch.
Paint on a canvas.
And remember you are loved.
You always have been and always will be.

And if you get a chance, will you whisper a little prayer for me?
God is moving in big ways.
I'm eager and anxious and am doing my best to follow His lead.
I am so blessed and so thankful to ALL of you who take time out of your busy lives to stop and read my blog. The more I write, the more humble I become, as I know my words are not my own.
Turning words and crafting sentences is my art right now and has brought me into a renewed relationship with the Holy Spirit. I am praying soon, I can do this full-time, if God wills it. More than ever, I need you friends. I need your prayers. So please, please, whisper a few this weekend and I'll do the same for you.

8 Things I Learned in June...

Emily Freeman, over at Chatting at the Sky is linking up today and wanting to hear about things we have learned in June. I knew I had to play because June has really been a great teacher and I like great teachers. It's been a fun month and I hate to see it go, but I have a feeling July is cookin' up something real good for us.

So June, here's to you.

My 8 Things

1. My MaMa Lee always recommended the best books to me. The last book she recommended before she passed away in November was the biography, And God Came In, by Lyle Dorsett. It was about C.S Lewis's wife, Joy Davidman Lewis.  Like Lewis, she was an atheist for much of her life.  But she said she met God in a half of a minute and knew immediately she had been defeated. She confessed that she was not, after all, the master of her fate and the captain of her soul. She proclaimed that ever since that half-minute she had been changing into a different person. She set out to remake her mind. This reminded me that everyone has hope, regardless of where you have been and what you have believed. It's a great read and will always be on my shelf, right next to Mere Christianity, by C.S Lewis.

2. Brain Games is one of the only shows that I will watch without doing anything else. I don't need to eat, to write, to have a computer anywhere near me. I can rarely sit and watch TV without piddling. I love learning about the human mind and why we do what we do. And no matter what we figure out, I'm convinced we aren't meant to understand it all.

3. The more I write, the more God speaks. Writing a book is definitely one of the hardest attempts I have made in life. It has humbled me, required more faith than ever, but more than anything it is inspiring me to live out the words God breathes through my fingers. I always want to mean what I type, and live so my life mirrors that.

4. I like to hang out with old people. And you should to. Our family visits an elderly couple in our church every Monday and I always come home a little wiser. I have learned how to make a no-fail pie crust, heard about great scriptures, and listened to stories of love and loss. When someone has walked this planet for 80+ years, we better stop and take a listen and I'm glad we take time to do just that.

5. I've learned that Jennie Allen's heart is EXPLODING with God's love. My friend Sara, at    http://chasinggirlzandchaos.blogspot.com  introduced me to her book, Anything a few weeks ago, and I am loving the words God has given her to share with the world. Here is a video that asks the question, What if we gave God everything by doing ANYTHING he calls us to do?


6. I've learned to see things differently, by looking a little longer. I've learned to hear things differently by listening a little closer. Inspiration is everywhere and often, least where we expect it. I saw a license plate on our way to the beach that said, Krupa. I thought it was a neat word, so I looked it up and this is what I found. It is a Hindu-Indian-Christian name for a female meaning grace, mercy, favor, love, passion, compassion, forgiveness, blessings, and hope. WoW! I thought my name was cool because it meant "strong." I sure hope I meet a Krupa one day.

7. I learned that I love Audrey Assad's music, especially the song, Wherever you Go. So so good.

8. (A sum of my thoughts)  I'm learning that maybe's can be a good thing and sometimes no's lead to yes's. I'm learning how to have a more eternal perspective, while keeping my feet on the ground and my head towards heaven. I'm learning that "right words" come and go but God remains. He chases us. He loves us regardless if words sound good or not.

I hope June has been a good teacher to you. Jump over to Emily's blog, to link up and share what you know.

Our stories and lives are meant to be shared, and when we share we make space for more. Here's to June and all that will come in July!

She is a traveler...

She is a traveler. She sees. She hears. She speaks. She wonders and wanders. Her luggage is light. Her flight is uncertain. She carries no map. Desire, freedom, and adventure is her runway. She looks at the world gratefully and collects perspective at every corner. 

Who is the traveler? The traveler is me. The traveler is you. 

Where will we land between here and heaven?

Think about all the places we land in a day. We step out of beds, take showers, brush teeth, eat breakfasts and walk into our own little worlds. Each of our  little worlds exist inside the circumference of God’s vast world.

Yet our creator is with us in each moment. His hand is stretched out still, guiding, leading, and showing us the way. He is preparing a place for us to land when this life is over, a place we will never understand until we arrive. Isaiah 55 confirms this when God says, "My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts. My ways are far beyond anything you could ever imagine."

So what can we do, where can we go, and who can we reach between here and heaven. 

Make a difference. Be a small part of God's voice and may your life today, bring a bit of hope to our world. It needs you. 

Unpacking Isaiah 6

For the past month I have been "unpacking" the book of Isaiah, so to speak. Taking out every single word, spinning thoughts, and trying to turn truth from one of the most challenging books in the Bible.

But right now, I'm just stuck.

I can't break away from Isaiah 6, when the Lord appears to Isaiah, and he is cleansed and called to serve.Each reading brings a new depth of understanding, yet stirs up questions that leave me wondering more about this prophet's faith.

Mostly, I wonder how in the world Isaiah did it. How did he so quickly, eagerly, and faithfully say, "Here I am! Send me."?

My response may have gone a little something like this.

"But God, what if I get hurt."

"But God, what about my family."

"But God, what about my job, and my house, and...

Here, you give it a try and ask yourself what you would have said...

Isaiah's Commission from the Lord

And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, Here I am! Send me." And he said, "Go, and say to this people: "'Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.' Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed."

Whhhhewwww.
How do you dull a heart and make ears heavy, and blind eyes?

I would have argued back. And the truth is I argue back every.single.day.

I profess faith and say things like, "God is in control." and "God's got a plan for my life."  I profess those things and minutes later, I profess fear. I ask "what if?" questions all the time. I wonder if I'm really supposed to be a writer? I wonder, and question, and I just don't know how to say "yes," and mean it, and live it.

Isaiah was commissioned and he said "yes." He responded with a holy, ambitious, "yes" to the call.
His one and only question for God was, "How long?"

The only bit of information he needed before he left was how long this call would last.
That's faith.

God calls us every single day. We may not have an Isaiah account in which God appears to us and we see the Lord sitting on a throne, with angels singing, Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts.

But we do have alarm clocks that call us out of bed and into the world.
What if we woke up every day, and instead of hitting snooze, we said, 'Here I am, Send me!"?

I wonder how many calls I've missed because I'm too tired, to scared, too wrapped up in myself to even hear.

This week, may you see, hear, and understand God's will for your life, my friends.
May your morning call come, and your response ring truth.

He needs us out there in this dying world.
His kingdom will come. His will, will be done!

Amen.

What I've Learned This Year (Mom Reflections)

You hear a lot while you wait.
Waiting to be a mom was a scary thing.
I remember saying to myself...
"I'll feel okay when I get to the end of the first trimester."
Then I said, " I'll feel okay when I get to week "27."
"I will feel better when I am at the hospital"
"I'll be able to breathe once I am holding him in my arms and know he is healthy."
After I had him I said...
"I'll feel good when I can get him home and my mom will be alongside us, helping us."

I said all those things.
And really, the truth is...
When you're a mom you never fully feel okay, or better, or good. Mostly you do, but some days you just don't. There are days of worry and wondering and watching to see if they are still breathing while they sleep.

And you never breathe the same after you breathe life into another. You never breathe the same because you're holding on to moments, wishing for more time to take back milestones and redo them, just so you can experience, and remember, and watch life happen again.

And you forget who you were. Because who you were freefalls from the plane the minute a new life lands... and you just can't remember you. You lose your life, really. Just as Christ lost his. He layed down life so on earth we could live.

And when I pushed, and screamed and experienced a pain like I'd never known-- I layed down my life for him. And because of that my son can live and he can understand love and what it really means.

You hear about how time grows wings and a propeller and woooshhh you suddenly have a teenager. You hear about  love and how it takes off and never comes back down. You hear about God and how a child is the greatest gift he gives, beside his Grace.

I heard a lot. And all of it was true.

This year has been the most beautiful year of my life. There was good and there was bad. There were tears and confusion and a loss of self. But mostly, beautiful.

Today is Weston's first birthday. He landed last year at 5:25 p.m. I plan to celebrate his life all day. Because life is a celebration in itself. And I don't want to miss out on this day because it will never come back.

I hope we end each year saying, "Wheww, what a ride."
Because life should be a ride. It's meant to be a wild, but beautiful ride.

I've learned a lot and I've learned a little.

Mainly I've learned how to love a little more, and worry 

a little less. Give a little more and take a little less. 

But mostly, I've learned to live Proverbs 3:5-6

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not 

on your understanding, and in all your ways acknowledge

Him and He will make your path straight."

Breathe that in today and breathe out trust as you remember His plan for you.

Enjoy your landings today friends.

And remember to bring home a few souvenirs while you're out in that 
great big world today. 

What have you learned this year?

If you have time to lengthen your landing, take a listen to Amos Lee singing,
"I've learned a lot" It's a great song!