I'm not a resolution kind of girl, but I have to admit the new year has got me thinking about what I need to improve. Mainly, I've been doing a lot of worrying about the future. Things have just been so incredibly awesome that I'm waiting for something to go wrong (that's just in my nature, I think).
I have seen a lot of suffering lately. Well, not so much as "seen" as "read about." There just seems to be so much heartbreakingly terrible stuff going on. The kind of stuff movies are made about. Yet, in it all, those involved are full of hope and trust in Our Lord. It's inspiring.
Of course, I don't take the positive from it. Instead, I just bawl my eyes out, reading blog post after blog post and news article after new article. Sometimes I cry so hard I can't see. I pray and cry, cry and pray.
Then I look at my family and how perfect everything is and it scares me.
I also spend a great deal of time worrying about losing this amazing point in time. My birthday yesterday probably didn't help with that. The years are just whizzing by and I want to stop it all and hug my babies forever.
Infertility dragged on so slowly. And now these years with babies have only just begun, yet I'm already worried about them leaving for college.
It's all so silly. Yet so normal, I'm sure.
My husband had a talk with me the other day about embracing today and living in the moment and all that good stuff. So that is what I resolve to do. Or try to do.
So... instead of worrying about the future, I will focus on a wonderful New Year's Eve weekend. It was relaxing and fun and great to be with family. It was spent with a trip to see Grandma and Grandpa's beautiful new home...
And to celebrate a belated Christmas...
Sweet cousins played...
And boys watched some football...
The whole family was in town to celebrate my father-in-law's 60 birthday...
I discovered Grandma and Grandpa's new screened-in porch has some amazing lighting...
And, speaking of smiles, we took a family picture with Clara smiling (self-timer, once again!). Maybe it's my overwhelming desire to capture these moment in time, but I just love family pictures...
This is what I prayed and waited for for so long. So I will focus on today - which is so joyful - and sweet baby hugs from a boy who needs his Mama and butterfly kisses that Clara just loves to give. I pray for those suffering and put my trust in the Lord.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Phillipians 4:4-7)
I LOVE THIS POST! It is so me! I am a natural pesimist! I am always waiting for something to go wrong...mainly because it alwasy does! Nothing in my life works out the way I want it to, but I have to say that sometimes after the pain and suffering...things are better than I usually can dream of (because I never dream of things turning out good...lol).
ReplyDeleteI try to be thankful for each day, but usually just complain at the end of the day about everything that didn't go my way.
I love the verse from Philppians. I used to read that all the time during my years of childlessness. I think I need to keep reading that because my crosses are different now, but I still need joy!
Beautiful pictures x
ReplyDeleteI LOVE THIS! I too an not a resolution person but am working this year on living for today. I cannot continue to have all sorts of anxiety over what's going to happen next week or next month or next year. I'm sure it's not healthy! I'll be thinking of and praying for you as we both work on this.
ReplyDeleteThat is a beautiful family picture!!!
I can definitely relate to this post! I even woke up today and made a promise to God that I wouldn't worry about ANYTHING all day long. So far we've been doing pretty good, although the day isn't over yet!
ReplyDeleteI agree, there is so much to be thankful for. Let us rejoice in Him, in good times and bad. It just happens we are in those good times right now.
Great post, beautiful pictures! My 14 month old son has the exact same monkey footie pajamas :D
ReplyDeleteGreat outlook...I love this post. Those pictures are amazing! No wonder you want to freeze time...those kiddos are beyond adorable.
ReplyDeleteThis is a beautiful post. Thanks for sharing! I'm so happy everything is going so well for you. I know it's tempting to think that something terrible is just bound to happen simply because things are going so well right now, but instead of worrying about the future just be grateful for the now. Gratitude eradicates worry. There is simply no room for worry when our heart is full of thanksgiving. I love that Phillipians quote at the end. Rejoice in the Lord always!
ReplyDeleteI'm a worrier myself. I have been that way since I was a kid. Working on it, though. I have always loved the bible verse you quoted. Thanks for posting that. Love the pics, too!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful!!! Although there are no babies here yet, I have found myself worrying too much about the past and present!! Your blog post has hit my resolution tight there on the head (in a good way of course) and is reminding me that this whole "cherishing the moment" thing doesn't get easier with babies either. So glad in working on this for the New Year.
ReplyDeletePraying for you and your sweet little family-that all those beautiful memories are cherished often!!!
You were an art major in college or something like that, weren't you? Beautiful photographs, those toy saint statues you made at Christmas were incredible, all your crafts and things are gorgeous - you have a real gift. (Well, among many others!) I don't suffer from anxiety, per se, but I have spent my whole adult life waiting for God to drop the other shoe right on my head (so I know there's more than one way to get to that regrettable tendency). Joy is an elusive thing - in my mind, holiness requires not merely suffering, but misery. Some day, God willing, I will see another side to this. Good for you for finding joy today.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful beautiful pictures K! I love the one of your family on the porch. Perfect!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this reflection as well. It's one that we all need to remember. I was just talking to Mike last night about how it's always something in life. There's ALWAYS something to worry about, something to be anxious about, something that causes us to draw closer to the Lord, right? That's all we can do, is rely on Him. And like you said, focus on the JOY! That's been my word of focus with this baby.
I absolutely love how red your little guy's hair shows up in these photos :). Too precious, the both of them.
ReplyDeleteOk, first, your family is gorgeous! I do the same thing whenever I can get someone to take a picture of the four of us as a family, I do - for the same reason, I feel these happy moments flying by and I want to capture them all and save them forever! I could have written this myself. NEVER in my life have I experienced this much joy and so little misery. Every day that my babies are healthy, we are healthy, and we get to spend our lives as a family of four is such a blessing. I'm sure you remember that I wrote a post awhile back along the same lines - waiting for the other shoe to drop. Things can't STAY this good for too long, right? And yet, here we are! So I am enjoying it. I am the happiest I've ever been and I LOVE it:). I hope you can enjoy every moment, momma! No sense worrying about what is to come. We can't control it anyway, lol! I'm so happy that all is so well with your family:).
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful post! Love the photos of your family! And the verse on having no anxiety... yup... I need to work on that too. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post! I wish I could be worry-free in 2012.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous photos -- your in-laws' new home is beautiful!
Love the Bible phrase and I just LOVE your family photo! Such a good (and hard) thing to do in just enjoying the moments. :-) I identify with everything you write.
ReplyDeleteIt's like you're in my head lately! :) Ever since Marshall was born I keep thinking, "Can it really be this perfect?" Like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop... I just need to relax and enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful family pic, by the way!