memories for miles & miles

i recently went back to my hometown to visit family & host a wedding shower for my younger sister. i took jude with me for the weekend & one morning jude & i drove around to see a few of the houses i grew up in. goodness there are so many memories in those 4 walls, the yards & neighborhoods. i grew up there! years & years of growing & learning & being shaped into who i am now. being a kid & dreaming. "that was my whole world, it was all i knew." (listen to the song below by sara groves)

This House (Album Version)

goodness this song evokes so much deep & raw emotion in me. every time i hear this song i want to cry. sweet sweet hours & days were spent playing & imagining. & there are also sad memories of loss & hurt. but as i look at these 3 buildings i am amazed at of how good & faithful my Father is! He never forsook me. in my sin & rebellion He drew me close & forgave me. in my loss & heartache... He has always been close. i grew up pushing Him away, but He did not neglect me or keep His love from me. He sought after me always!

my children are living the days & making the memories that i am looking back on now. these are the days that they will look back on. they are becoming who they will be. they are being shaped by everything we do. Father, fill our home with grace, peace, brokenness, patience, joy. be what's most important to this little family. be honored everyday in our home. 

"He has withheld no good thing."

al

treading water

some days i feel like i'm just doing well to keep my head above water!! & i get sooooooo frustrated with myself! i start thinking, "what in the world am i doing with my time? i'm not being faithful with my days! i'm not spending enough time with them! i'm not discipling them well!" oh goodness!!!!!!! thank You Father for Your great grace & patience with me! oh i'm soooo thankful that just because i'm "mommy" doesn't mean He's finished with me! that i'm still His child & He still works on my heart daily! He NEVER gives up on me! & He is faithful to redeem my time & He is faithful to work in our family even when i am faithless & lazy & not relying on His grace! He works in us always... even when we don't see & we don't know His purposes! 3 sweet little hearts that run around our house all day... it's not MY job to be "god" to them... i'm just a fellow sinner that loves them & leans on my Father to shepherd their hearts & mine as i learn how to love & care for them better. thank You Lord!

al

"the gospel in her home" (what does it profit them?)

"for what end do you send your children to school? 'why, that they may be fit to live in the world.' in which world do you mean--this or the next? perhaps you thought of this world only and had forgot that there is a world to come; yea, and one that will last forever! pray take this into your account, and send them to such masters as will keep it always before their eyes.... surely, if you love or fear God yourself, this will be your first consideration: 'in what business will your son be most likely to love and serve God? in what employment will he have the greatest advantage for laying treasure in heaven?' i have been shocked above measure in observing how little this is attended to, even by pious parents! even these consider only how he may get most money; not how he may get most holiness! ... upon this motive they fix him in a business which will necessarily expose him to such temptations as will leave him not a probability, if a possibility, of serving God. o savage parents! unnatural, diabolical cruelty--if you believe there is another world." -john wesley

what are we preparing them for? for THIS world? building wealth? building knowledge? building success? for what? what is our end goal for them? to make them "good" men & women that look out for themselves & store up "treasures" on this earth? 

we are training their hearts for the world that is to come! to meet their Maker! to love people by His grace & serve Him all of their days! to put Him before all other things & put their selves & their wants & desires last! to be uncomfortable for His sake! to seek His kingdom first!!!

"if our children become our brothers and sister in Christ, their days upon this earth are preparatory for glory that will never end. that's why our primary purpose for these children must not be anything as small and miserable as success. our purpose should be to leverage our children's lives to advance God's kingdom so that every tribe, every nation, and every people group gains the opportunity to respond in faith to the rightful King of kings." -timothy paul jones

read brit's post & tiff's post

share a photo & a few sentences on instagram of how the Father is teaching you about His good gospel in your home. use hashtag #thegospelinherhome.

al

the way i greet these faces

our pastor encouraged us a few sundays ago in how we greet one another in the body of Christ. he talked about how the way we say "hello" will affect how the rest of our conversation will go with whoever we are greeting. i was thinking about my days with these sweet faces... how i greet them each morning or when i've been away from them or after naps... those first few moments will affect how the rest of our day goes. it will affect how they respond to me, if they feel cherished & loved, if they feel heard & cared for. they will know if mommy is in a "good mood" or not. ;) i am, in a sense, setting the "tone" for our day. to get down on their level or pick them up & squeeze them & tell them how much i love them & how much i missed them while they were sleeping or while i was away. seems to set a happier atmosphere in our home than if we just all wake up & get on with our day. :)

what do you do to greet your family if you've been away?

al 

the briggs

sweet little family!

al

ps

there's a burdees giveaway happening over on kateandkuby today!