March 19, 2012
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{a little monday life}
We had a beautiful spring break.
with weather that actually felt spring like!
unbelievable for march here.
loving it so much. and just soaking it up.
yesterday afternoon Shayne and I took a walk {along with winston}.We walked across the street to the baseball diamonds..
laying on the bleachers in the sun while we talked. {and winston dug holes underneath}it feels so good to be connected like that again. enjoying each others company.
to walk hand in hand. to WANT to walk hand in hand.
those who’ve been there, I know you know what I mean.One of the things that first drew me to Shayne was the ease in which we could talk together..
instantly able it seemed to cut past the fluff and go straight to deeper things.
I like that in him. that he’s not a fluff kind of guy.
{though i do like fluffernutters, but that’s an entirely different thing}
I like how he analyzes life.
how he takes things through the filter of, “what does God think about this..?”he challenges me in my walk with the Lord. again. like holding hands..
something I feel we had lost for awhile there.
as we both were consumed with our own struggles of faith, not able to draw the other one up.selfishness suffocates a relationship like that. faster than anything if not stopped.
So grateful for mercy to see.
and as we’re trying to look and cling to Him as individuals, that again the unity of us is growing.
and the capacity to encourage the other. to keep perspective, to not loose hope.because you can’t pour out what you’re not filled up with yourself.
you can’t point someone else to Christ if you’re not going there yourself!
loved this. here
and yesterday. as Shayne and I laid there on those bleachers, just talking about all this..
there was that moment in the conversation where you’ve kind of exhausted every idea and method and reason.
and you sit in silence, as thoughts swirl.I had just shut eyes and turned my head, feeling the warm sun beat down on my face.
and then I heard him say it. quiet. confident. encouraging..
“ya know, babe.. God is on our side!”and I felt goosebumps, though not from cold.
his words so struck me. I don’t know why.
they’re nothing new or profound.maybe it’s because they touched on my biggest struggle this past year. doubting God’s love.
times of feeling, wow. if this is His love, I’d hate to see if He didn’t like me!and yes. I know, and am seeing more and more, how my idea of His love is so miscued.
the definition I put on it is getting what I want, or having things go as I think they should~
when perhaps.. perhaps His idea is giving what I ultimately need.
bringing me to a place of finding Him as my only Savior. not looking to anything else for that.but though I “see” it, I still feel so completely far most days from getting there.
when life’s pressures come in and sit down on you heavy, and it seems one thing after the next..
no, I can’t say I’m praise Jesusing my way through that all the time.but I will say. that for today. as I hear Shayne’s words come back to me..
I just feel a fresh breeze of resolve blow through my heart -
to keep on. to hold tight. to not give up.because.
He’s not sitting in heaven with His arms casually folded and legs crossed, yawning and checking His nails – -
He’s in it with us! the struggles. the trials.
our marriages. our kids. our finances. our health. our whatever it is..
He wants us to succeed. He’s rooting for us! helping us. ON OUR SIDE!and I can feel the warmth of those words. that truth. beating down.
just like the spring sun yesterday.
“… We please Him most not by frantically trying to make ourselves good, but by throwing ourselves into His arms with all our imperfections, and believing that He understands everything – and loves us still.” A.W. Tozer
*****what about you? any thoughts. a verse. a song. as you start this new week?
mind sharing a bit of that LIFE with the rest of us?
and any tips on how to stop a dog from barking all the time?
yes. that would be life giving round here too. obviously, the whole pretend you don’t hear it thing isn’t working!!
´¸.·¨) ¸.·¨)
(¸.·´ (¸.·´ (¸.·¨¯`♥ amber
Comments (29)
Love the sunset swing photo. Awesomeness.
Also love the reminder that God is on our side! He REALLY is. “The Lord will fight for you and you need only to be still.” (Exodus 14:14).
Great post! It’s so refreshing to reconnect. It’s like a sigh, ahh, yep, we’re still here.
I have no dog tips. Sorry!
Such pretty springy pictures! I love it.
i was like “winston? who is winston? not a kid, i know. maybe a neighbor…but why does she think we all know who he is and why is he on a walk with just her and shayne. OHHHHHHHHHHH. it’s the dog.” ha ha
i know how something that is so not new or profound can just STRIKE you! i feel the same way since i wrote my last post about feeling paralyzed. a few days after i wrote it, i was thinking about all of that and i just felt so strongly that it is the time to move past that. that i need to CHOOSE to let go and be happy and dream. i feel so.much.better.
love you, and the LIFE i hear in your post!
love this post… and love that you and shayne are growing together… and that we can know that God really is on our side. love ya, girl!
I can relate to this post… and I teared up reading.. I am so thankful that my husband and I want to be around each other and we love being together and there is such a deep intimacy now. God is on your side.. on everyone’s side.. He is the Restorer and ultimate Provider
So good. So real. Such a look at how God shows up and works in each of our lives and speaks to us in an individual way! I loved that he used way Shayne said to really strike you anew.
Hey Amber,
I made me smile both outwardly and inwardly to see that beautiful time with Shayne and know that it has been hard fought for and such a blessing to see it warm your heart and speak to you. |I tend to be a worrier and so its difficult for me to see the reality of a situation (or perhaps i try to not see it) and i’m always thankful for friends who tell me things like it is…espeically when it comes to my relationship with God. What a great reminder…to know HE is fighting for you. that he isn’t just sitting around or that his strength isn’t limited…but is more amazing then we could every begin to hope or imagine.
i like the little tidbit about when you guys were chatting in the sun above the bleachers, winston was hard at work digging holes at the bottom. that made me grin.
it might be a bit cliche but Caesar Milan’s books are amazing…he has a very interesting way of coming to terms with your relationship with the dog. although it is NOT impossible to teach an old dog new tricks, it does seem difficult. there might be something that catches your eye in this section http://www.cesarsway.com/channel/dog-behavior/dog-barking. I haven’t practised his manner of dealing with dogs but from what i’ve heard its very humane and pretty good.
thank you for sharing, as usual, from your heart and sharing so poignantly with us.
Awesome post, Amber. I love that God is on our side. I needed the reminder. Thanks, Shayne! : )
see? you’re just so good at writing about your marriage.
it’s always so challenging to me. to my heart.
i think having the chance to reconnect is so important, but…so hard to make happen, ya know?
little Reese. she’s getting so big Amber! such a cute little look she has too.
and, like you said; tomorrow’s the first day of Spring!!woohooo!!!
have a great one!
♥~
R
Ahhhh, that’s what I feel like when I read this post, like I’m breathing in fresh air. Beautiful pictures Amber, and I like being able to ease drop on your conversations with Shayne. “God is on our side”, so true yet I walk through most days picturing Him just like you described Him “up in heaven with His arms crossed”. But He’s not!! He’s right with me giving me the strength for each and every step.
How’s it going with Winston (aside from the forever barking)? Looks like the kiddos are loving him
One of my all-time favorite chapters is Psalms 91. It is a part of scripture my dad would read to us when it was storming outside and we were scared. I’ve found myself reading it so much since I’ve gotten married. Wether it’s storming outside or in.
Love the pics and love being reminded He IS on our side!
I can definitely appreciate your words on reconnecting with your husband. After the years of living with my folks, Bill and I were feeling quite “disconnected,” and it took a little time to get that closeness back. I was thinking about that just today as we were driving back from Bill’s doctor appointment – talking about anything and everything. I felt “at home”! Our precious Heavenly Father, Repairer of the Breach!
My niece (the one who knew that Winston was a Portuguese Water Dog) is a firm believer in Caesar Milan. That link is worth a look-see!
@TrentTribe - that’s a great verse. loveLOVE it! perfect for us right now.. so glad you shared it. thanks! <3
@mlt10202002 - haha, too funny!! yes.. winston our neighbor that takes walks with us and likes digging holes under the bleachers.
love you girl~
@mytoesareblue - my brother uses his books. i’ve heard alot of good things about him..
@inanorchard - the dog. oh dear. today was NOT good. shayne is out of town so of course, on his first day gone the dog would jump in the pool, eat the box of dryer sheets and throw them up everywhere {atleast it smelled good} and accidentally knock reese down the stairs! :/ i told shayne.. if i wanted another kid, i’d have one of my own.
@babybreathblossoms - love that passage. thanks for reminding me.. i think i’ll read it before going to bed in a sec.
@pettybunch - ”Repairer of the Breach!” i like the sound of that! amen that He is !!
Two songs for my Monday.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpScEpriWZs&feature=share
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwKPMqxmvGc&feature=share
Blessings! God is faithful!
Maybe you need to call in the Dog Whisperer!
Lately I have been feeling drained, unfocused and a bit sad. I don’t like feeling this way. I know God is with me even in this uncomfortable place, and I trust in His grace that it will get better. It is one of those times when I cannot give my feelings any heed. I have to stand in faith and know that it will be better. God is so faithful to bring us through. Yes! He is on our side!
“because you can’t pour out what you’re not filled up with yourself.
That means we HAVE to be spending time with God, to live by Faith and not by sight – I know, it’s easy to be sidetracked by what we see 
you can’t point someone else to Christ if you’re not going there yourself!” This is exactly what we heard at church on Sunday
I’m so proud of you that you’ve not given up, that you didn’t harden your heart, but humbled yourself to seek help in bettering your marriage – I’m confident you’ll both become stronger in your faith, your trust in God! I’m praying your marriage will be even stronger, better than you can imagine!
Heb. 11:6 you can never please God without Faith, without depending on him!
“he challenges me in my walk with the Lord. again. like holding hands..
something I feel we had lost for awhile there.
as we both were consumed with our own struggles of faith, not able to draw the other one up.”
We are there now. A valley that we’ve been going through for some time. We are both excited for our move and leaving what we think is a oppressed area.
Recently our times together, as a couple, have been sweet. We’re enjoying holding hands, talking sweetly, sharing secrets, and sitting close together on that bench seat in the big truck!
God was so good in bringing us together and keeping us together.
Lovely post. Loving the Tozer quote. Must add that one to my quote journal.
Every day I am amazed that He drew me to Himself. I didn’t deserve it and still don’t.
Praising Him for His sovereignty…which gives me hope and strength to endure..
D xox
aw, Winston is such a cute name for him!
Really love your first three pictures here especially the silhouettes on the swings.
Man, that such an awesome thought that God is on our side. I can’t imagine being on the other side trying to fight against Him.
I loved your post!…photos that captured one small foot on another…the sunset….and the Tozer quote blessed me to tears!
hello awesome pictures how beautiful of a story.
Love the swing set pic and the last one of Reese and the pooch ~
and if God is for us, who can be against us???
how ’bout no one.
keep swinging.
and holding hands. My grandmother, when asked what held her 60 year marriage together – and happily in love – she said
never go to bed angry. always kiss seven times a day. hold hands.
seems simple? haha. course not, but maybe it’s true after all.
lys
My heart was heavy the other night. I was feeling the pain of our dear friends struggling with their child, and another friend whose husband left her. I was feeling the pain of a family recently walking out of our church, and I was feeling my pains of insecurity and typical mommy exhaustion. That old familiar saying, “I just can’t do it all” kept circling around my thoughts. Just then, my husband came into the room with an armful of stuff that needed to be put away and immediately I thought, “That’s what I feel like. I’m carrying so much right now, and it just needs to be put down.” He put it down and came to bed. —–Simple as that. He put it down and found rest! It dawned on me. That’s what God wants from me! He asks me to put it down. He will carry it all. He already has redeemed it all. He just wants me to com, and lay it at his feet.
Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Oh, my. These words just went straight into my heart today. You know how sometimes your heart is just so full and trying to process it all and you can’t get it out? Well that’s where I’m at. Can’t even formulate a good comment response here. But know that I heard and understood. Sending love today ~
Great thoughts once again! Loved that last picture of Reece with the dog, and her little curls, so cute! Happy Spring!
)
Great pics…I love Spring! Cant wait til it arrives here! Need me a li’l spring sunshine real ba-a-d!:) As always, love your post… reconnecting with your soulmate is always sooo good!!
A precious reminder to me this day!