I started to title this post "Where Religion Meets Relationship". I immediately deleted it.

All I could think was there isn't enough coffee in the world to help me write this post.

This week I sat with my young life girls and we talked about prayer. We talked about it being an act of obedience, how it has many different forms, and how it defines our relationship with our creator. We decided to get our booties in the habit of prayer before the start of each day by just texting each other to say we are praying. I am helping this week by prompting them with the YouVersion Bible app verse-of-the-day. and a short prayer related to it. They are sharing requests for prayer and beginning to see what a prayer community looks like...

...just a group of people who love Jesus and want to be in relationship with Him, together.

All the things...

I have this grand idea of what I wish my life looked like.

It's pretty.

That vision is full of pottery barn furniture in a spotless house, kids who always listen, money that never ends, and having the time to do all the things I want to do, including ministry, blogging, family time, crafts, and worship.

It's a fairy-tale. Plain and simple. My life has never looked like that and probably never will. I will not ever have all the money, or all the time in the world to do ALL THE THINGS. I might someday have some pottery barn (knockoff) furniture, and my kids sometimes listen (rarely). I do get to do ministry, build stuff, and worship, but I feel like a frazzled mess through most of it.

and that's okay. 

I'm stating this to remind myself that it's alright to not have it all together all the time. It's fine that I am basically starting over (again). The beginnings of Spring and of Fall seem to be my renewal seasons. Funny how God does that. He takes this time of natural change and allows me to be a part of it.

Handle With Care

Thursday was a busy day here. I was facing a day of lots of prep for hubs and I to head to RadDog (roadtrip) for Young Life. After I had sent the kids out for the bus, Brooklyn came inside in a panic. The kids had spotted a bible at the end of the driveway. It was soaking wet from the rain. I told her to bring it inside.

My heart sank when I saw it. It was worse than I had imagined.