An Encouraging Friend

    It was Hot! The heat index was 100 plus degrees. The humidity was thick, really thick. I wanted to tell the girls I wouldn't be able to make it. I thought of a million excuses of why I couldn't run. But when it came down to it they were all just excuses and I knew if I ran I would have no regrets after. I knew if I didn't run I would have a million regrets the rest of the night...


   We started later than usual and we all talked about how it was too hot and we didn't really feel like running. We laced up our shoes, suppressed those negative thoughts and we hit the pavement. A few minutes into the run and I was feeling like a million bucks. Yes, I was hot but the stress of my day was escaping my mind with each step that I took. I ran past cute little kids on their bicycles and happy families that were playing in their yards. My side started hurting but I ignored it and continued pushing through.

    I had 3/4 of mile left when I started wanting to walk. I fought the urge and continued on. Then my side was really hurting I was in pain! I slowed to a jog and with about a half mile left I started to walk. I really hadn't been walking long at all when I heard a voice behind me. It was one of my girlfriends, she was yelling "keep going Brooke! you got this!" as much as I wanted to walk I picked up my feet and finished my run strong.

   I was so thankful for the encouragement because without it I most likely would've finished the last half mile walking. The encouragement reminded me of the blessings that our friends are. God blesses us with friendships with the intention that we encourage each other in our walk with Him. I am thankful for friendship and I pray that I am a source of encouragement to those around me. May we all build each other up in our walk with Christ and be there when we see a friend who is weary :)

Bath time Stories

   It's a new trick she's picked up the last couple of weeks. She now knows how to open the drain in the bath tub. She loves to open the drain and then listen to the water as it leaves the bathtub at a rapid speed and flows down the drain. Then everytime like it's the first time, she looks up and realizes all at once that her beloved bath water is leaving her tub. She looks at the water, looks up at me. Looks back down at the water, back up at me and then the tears begin to flow. I close the drain and all is better in her little bathtub world (until tomorrow's bath when she opens the drain).

  This scene is redundant, hillarious and pitiful all rolled into one. Yesterday was a messy day. We played outside and Meritt got sweaty and dirty so before lunch we headed in for a bath. The scenario that I described above played out and I got her out of the bath all the while trying my best not to cry at how funny and cute it was. Yesterday afternoon I spray painted a piece of furniture and Meritt played in a huge pile of dirt. Her hands, feet, and seersucker bubble all covered in dry dirt. So for the second time we headed in for a bath.

   It was during the second bath while Meritt was looking at her water and wondering why she couldn't enjoy the water in the tub and the sound of the drain all at the same time without having to sacrifice either that I was struck. Over these last couple of weeks I've thought how funny this little bath time scenario is. Yesterday I became reflective of my own life. How many times have I ate whatever I wanted, only to look down at the scale to find that the numbers were growing? Much like Meritt I've looked up and thought why can't I have both? Whatever I want to eat and still weigh 120? I have focused on things and people more than I have focused on God only to stop and wonder why I feel like God is so far away? Again I look up and wonder why can't I put all the things that bring me pleasure before God but still have God stay right beside me?

   As adorable as the story of Meritt in the bath is, it was also a reminder to me that I can't have everything. I can't have all the pleasures of this world without consequences. Every choice we make has a consequence. Whether we lose bath water or we get a speeding ticket. Every choice has a consequence. May we all be aware of our choices and stop and think before making decisions.

Hot! Hot! Hot!

     This past Sunday we got to church only to find that the air condition was not working in our sanctuary.  As it got closer to time for church to begin the sanctuary filled up with hundreds of people sitting side by side and immediately beginning to sweat. Brian and I had a little baby crawling all over us with rosy red cheeks from the heat. When she started to get fussy I took her to the staffed nursery where it was much cooler. I contemplated staying in the nursery myself and enjoying the cool air but I decided to go ahead and go back to the sanctuary.

   I went back to my seat and immediately began to regret my decision. I found some paper and like most everyone in the sanctuary I began to fan myself. It felt like we sang a million songs. It felt like peoples prayers went on and on and on. During a song while I was fanning myself something behind me caught my eye...I turned around to see a couple of rows behind me an entire row of inner city kids who were all participating in worship and not one of them was fanning themselves. I know several of these kids living situations and I know that they do not live in homes or apartments with air condition. I found myself putting my paper down and I stopped fanning myself. I started praying to God thanking Him for the little things that I take for granted. I thanked Him for kids like the ones sitting behind me that weren't complaining but instead were just thrilled to be at church and willing and ready to worship under any circumstance.


   The songs seemed to go a little faster and the sermon was over in a jiffy. May we all stop and look around and say a prayer of thanksgiving for the blessings that we take for granted all too often.