How Sweet It Is.

I love climbing out of bed in the morning knowing that where I am supposed to be in 30 minutes is exactly perfect biking distance from me.

It's a huge relief.

It's nice to know that wherever I am, I can read my Bible, pray, and commune with the Lord.

That's kind of a huger relief.

Don't judge my adjective usage.

The beginning of this semester has been great. Greg started seminary which has been teaching me patience and joy. I love seeing my hubs love his job. That is some kind of wonderful. He has also been a huge encouragement in trying to protect me from the typical "pastor's wife" duties.

Having mono over the summer has really put a damper on my level of activities. Just getting out the door for work seemed like it took all the energy I had stored up for that day. Needless to say, I'm still fighting that and telling myself to rest.

Because of that, Greg has been very careful in the things he asks me to be a part of. For that, I am eternally grateful. I tend to be an "all in" kind of person. It's go-go-go, serve-serve-serve, which is totally ok if your body can handle that. But, at the moment, mine can't.

It's been a battle of guilt and people pleasing.

What will people think if I am not involved where I used to be? People don't know I have mono. So, they probably just think I'm slacking and don't love the Lord.

All those thoughts have to combated with truth. The Lord is teaching me to rest and serve him through different ways. Maybe the best way I can serve the Lord is by just focusing on loving my husband right now. What does God want me to learn from this? In what way is he guiding my heart towards Him? And, am I willing to let Him guide me?

I am so thankful for a hubski who is looking out for me even when I just want to do what others expect of me. He challenges me to bring the Lord into every sphere of my life-healthy or not.

And, not feeling "healthy" and "active" has been it's own thing.

That's for another time...

But, today, I am thankful for you, Greg.

Thank you for not being like me.
Thank you for teaching me different aspects of the Lord's character.
Thank you for loving me, even when I'm crazy tired.

From the night before we got married. Little did I know how sweet it would be to be his.

Complicatingly Simple.

I walked in through our front door, still smelling freshly fallen rain. As I shut the door behind be, I was confronted with another heavenly odor-barley and vegetable soup. I peaked into the kitchen to see if my family was still eating. They weren't, but a big pot of soup was still hot on the stove. Adjacent to the soup was a pan full of parker house rolls (food of the gods, so buttery, flakey, and well just delicious). Ravenous after a run and soccer practice, not to mention my furious Goodwill shopping, I reached for the nearest bowl.

I had downed every last bit of soup and probably two too many rolls. My mother then asked me to give my little sister a bath. I acquiesced to her request and took my little sister upstairs. Just as I was filling up the tub, she looked up at me with her big brown eyes and asked: "Erka, will you be me best friend, like for forever?" I swear, my heart stopped beating. I think I now know how a melting heart feels.

Julie reminded me that life isn't hard. It seems daunting and wearisome to me at times, but really it isn't any more complicated than saying: "Will you be my best friend, like for forever?" Our living declaration should be that simple question asked to the God of all things. Christianity isn't only for the intellectual (yeah, I wouldn't be a Christian...for sure). Sometimes it is our intellect that keeps us from God. To a child, life is simple and sprinkled with few concerns. God doesn't require complexity. All he wants is all of us for his glory.