It's not always scrappy times.

I've decided to start this post with a layout of one of the biggest blessings in my life...my sweet daughter,Kelsey. The title is 'The Sparkle on your Face'(it's hard to read it.) The journaling is about the makeup she got into.






















I started out writing this blog because I wanted to record the moments in our family that I didn't want to forget. I also wanted a place to share my scrappy stuff with family and friends who live far away. But for me, it's also a place to express what's goinin' on in my heart and life. Soooooo...***deep breath**** here it goes.

Lesa has been one of my closest friends since we were in Kindergarten toghether. We still laugh when we think about this boy 'Jason' who tried to give one of us a ring (in Kindergarten!) We fought over that ring and who he really gave it to in our own lil' five year old way. Ah...memories. That's one of my only one in Kindergarten! From that time on, we lived close enough to each other that we spent time playing at each other's house. To this day, she is still one of my closest friends. This summer we had lots of laughs as viewed some crazy photos of our boat ride together. When we were just in grade school, I'll never forget how she brought her sister when ever she came to play at my house. Shawnie became a friend too.

I'll though I haven't kept in touch with Shawnie like I have with Lisa, my heart is aching for her today. I just found out that her husband was killed in a car accident. I was just speechless when I found out. Please pray for Shawnie, Lesa, and their entire family while they go through this very difficult time.

Yesterday, I was sitting in church and it hit me hard. Pastoring can be very difficult. You are aware of so many struggles that people go through. Some times very private struggles that not a lot of people know about. It can be A LOT to bare.

On Sunday, I thought about all the people who were in church that we going through a lot. It suddenly seemed as though every where I had turned this past month, I had people who are close to me going through crisis of some sort. One after another. I became so overwhelmed.

It was then I heard the Lord whisper to me that it's okay to be sad. I am sad. I am sad for my dear friend who lost her dad and best friend. I'm sad for Shawnie who lost her husband and Lesa who lost a brother-in-law. I am sad for my good friend Kris who's precious doggy was hit. I am so sad for sweet Bradly who lost his Mommy (my friend) to cancer. I'm sad for my friends nephew who has brain cancer and just lost his Mommy in a car accident. I'm sad the family of one of the great scrappers of our community who was also just killed in a car accident.

Overwhelming to think that those are just some of the bigger things going on. But you know what? As the tears flow, I also hear the Lord say that He it saddens Him when we go through these times and don't know how to let Him comfort us. These are things that we aren't to 'bare.' It says in His word that we He will bare our burdens for us(Psalm 55:22)

My overwhelmingness became the result of His great love for me, and it replaced the sadness. We will always have sad times but I'm so grateful for the hope that I have in Jesus that He has my best interest in mind and that he will never give me anything I can't handle.

If you are going through anything that seems to big for you to handle, I encourage you to believe that God can and will get you through when you trust in Him.

God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good. This is a truth that I hold on to. I hope you can too.

I feel so blessed. I do pray that the Lord will pour out His blessing on you this week as well.