'Til we'll be together

We are by the sea this week.  Much like my Mama, the sea feels like home to me.  It's consistant rushing hum in the background is a constant whisper of God's immeasurable greatness and the depth of His love.

As I gaze upon His most soothing, yet most powerful acts of creation my heart is drawn to the beautiful mixture of gentle love and terrible strength that only the Creator can possess.  Each wave is pulled in from the shore and my heart is pulled to my Savior.  The lyrics ache within...

It's just a little while longer 'til I see You
It's just a little while longer 'til I know You
It's just a little while longer 'til we'll be together

I'm am anxious for the days of gazing at the sea together, Him and I.

Book discussion group...

Beth Moore is having a book discussion for her new book SO LONG INSECURITY on her blog. 
I'm joining...what about you?

Friday Favorites: Baby travel

Friday Favorites are back!  Woot woot! 
As some of you know I've been traveling quite a bit over the past two months.  We have been to Walla Walla, Wa, Seaside, OR, Kansas City, MO, Auburn, WA, and Sacramento, CA all since the week before Christmas!  We have one more mini trip back in Seaside next week and then our worldly travels will be DONE for a while!  Yeah for home! 

In the midst of all of these travels Elli has been quite the trooper and I have discovered a handful of products that have made traveling with a baby so much better!  Today I'll only share two because I could go on and on about them all.

Graco Mosaic Lightweight Stroller:  I LOOOOOVVVEEE this stroller!  When we knew we'd be hitting a few different airports I really wanted to find a stroller that wasn't difficult to take with us.  We ended up going to Baby Depot inside Burlington Coat Factory and testing out quite a few models including the highest rated on Consumer Reports.  This was hands down the best one there within our price range. 

Here's what I like about it...
1: I can easily open and close it with one hand which is nice at security check points 
2:  It has a good sized, easily accesible basket.  This feature was simply not available in any other models we checked out.  They were either really small or really hard to get to.  This one was perfect. 
3: It has a 5 point harness but you can only use the lap belts if you like
4: It manuevers easily, even with one hand. 
5: It has a cup holder for me
6: (this is my FAVE feature) it has a recline that's adjustable with ONE hand.  All you have to do is pull on a strap for it to sit up or release a little latch to lower it. 
7. It's adaptable with an infant carseat (we've grown out of that phase, but it'll be nice for the next baby)
8. The individual handles make it easy to slip an extra bag on

Can you tell I love it?  There are a few things I don't love, but they're so minor I don't mind them...
1. I can't easily lift it with one arm (that might have more to do with the fact I'm a weakling)
2. It's umbrella isn't very user friendly and pops off the bars once and a while. It doesn't offer much shelter either.
3. I don't love the pattern we have (Ogee), but it's all that was available at the store.

Okaayyy...here's one of my other favorite new baby things...the Kiddopotamus Tiny Diner .

I'm what my sisters would call a "classic first time mom" and a bit of a germ freak.  The combo leads to a bit of paranoia when it comes to Elli's contact with public surfaces.  Airplanes in particular gross me out after a good friend's daughter contracted impetigo on her face from a plane seat.  So, this little mat was a great solution for my little finger food eater.

The mat is made of a sturdy silicon type material and rolls up compactly into its scoop (aka food catcher) so that it's easy to stow in the diaper bag.  When unfolded it covers a good amount of table surface and attaches with really strong suction cups.  Elli loves to throw stuff off the table and hasn't been able to move this mat yet.

The best part is that this little piece of mind is around only ten bucks!

There you have it!  I'd love to hear what some of your favorite things have been in the past couple months.  Leave a comment and you just might be surprised what treat appear!

Have a happy weekend!

Whatever He wants to say

I fumbled out of bed, baby in tow and sludged into the morning routine. Baby's bottle-Baby's breakfast-playing with baby...then nap time.  Sweet, sweet naptime.
All the while I feel like I'm going to explode.  Echoes of my harsh words from before I had even lifted the covers ring in my heart.  Why?  What is my problem?!  Everything's fine!  1000 different thoughts, lists, and must are floating around in my head.  I need a moment.  Just a quiet moment with no pressure.  I need to find answers.  Really important, big answers.  God will you please answer?!  A harsh tone lifts from my dark heart for the second time today.

Now, I remember.  He came just yesterday during a morning much like this.  He had melted away the invisible pressure that nags my shoulders.  So...I go there again.

I drink in the black words on the white pages and no longer ask for answers, just His voice.  His voice, saying whatever He wants to say.  God smoothes the wrinkles of worry in my soul and breathes hope into my heart.  Not with answers, but with love.  Pure, faithful love.

Answers will come.  In the meantime His voice crumbles my anxiety and satisfies all my needs.  My soul sings.

" The Lord is my chosen and assigned portion, my cup; You hold and maintain my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; yes, I have a good heritage. I will bless the Lord, Who has given me counsel; yes, my heart instructs me in the night seasons.  I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad and my glory [my inner self] rejoices; my body too shall rest and confidently dwell in safety."  Psalms 16:5-9

2010 begins

I haven't blogged for quite sometime, primarily due to the fact that I've been gone 20 out of the last 30 days. Within that time period 2009 left with a shout and 2010 arrived screaming. Until now I haven't had a moment to boil down what I'd like to see happen in 2010 into a concise statement. (You know, one of those "I really want to impress people" statements.)

I read a blog article today by one of my favorite pastor's wives.  In it she discussed this quote...

"Stop feeding what you want to die and starving what you want to live.”

For 2010, I believe this quote explains exactly what I want to do this year.  I want to cause the right things to live and thrive in my life and the useless things to die.  This will mean a painstaking process of purposefully changing what gets fed and what gets ignored.

My heart is begging to love God more fully, live life more healthfully, and cultivate meaningful relationships.  This means I must stop starving those areas by wasting time, making excuses and hiding behind the word "busy".  Rather I must feed these areas with daily time of worship and prayer, physical exercise, healthy food and intentional relationship building.

I'm embarrassed to say it's all pretty basic, but I have yet to live a day in which I could say "I was exactly what I was meant to be, today."  I want to feed that person and starve out the fearful, insecure excuse filled one.

2010 has big things in store and I want to be ready.  So...first things first...

Lord, more than ever before, be the center of my heart.  Remove any ugly clods of hardness, hurt or sin that may be between us.  Help me to love You, honor You and bring glory to Your name.  Please lead me and guide me to be the person you planned me to be from the very beginning.  Cause me to have an appetite for diligence and a soft yeilded heart.  I love You, in Your Name, amen.