Something Beautiful

I have so many thoughts today. First one- I skipped blogging yesterday and broke my consecutive streak. Devastating, I know. Yesterday was a great church service. We are so happy that our friends, the Hellebusch's, are attending the same church. The sermon yesterday was about being a sheperd. Our culture is so self-centered. It motivated me to not think of myself so much and put others first more often. Seems like a simple concept that we've heard a lot through the years, but it's not that simple. Selfishness is embedded in the very core of our being. I don't know about you, but things that are found deep within me are hard to shake. I only heard this sermon yesterday and already there have been several situations where I've been mindful of my selfishness. My next thought: When I grasp a concept that I completely understand and fully embrace...a concept that I really want to put into action...I mean, I really really do...Why is it so hard to just do it? Goodness gracious. I get it, I understand it, I want it. The next step is to do it, right? Maybe that's easy for some, but not me. So, I'll keep trying. I realize I'll never get it all right here on the earth but "we'll understand it better by and by".

I was rocking my baby to sleep the other night and she wasn't having it. Finally, she laid her head on my shoulder and I began to hum to her. She was still a little wiggly so I started to sing the words to what I was humming. I made my way through about 15 hymns and she was sound asleep. It was one of the most precious moments I've had with her yet--the first time I have been able to successfully sing her to sleep. The last song I found myself singing was "Something Beautiful: something beautiful, something good. All my confusion, he understood. All I had to offer him was brokenness and strife, but he made something beautiful of my life." I thought to myself, whoa...story of my life. About a year and a half ago, my life was one big pile of brokenness and strife. And that's the nice way to put it. Look at all of the beautiful things that he has done with my life. It amazes me! What a wonderful time to realize it--while laying my beautiful daughter down for a night of peaceful sleep and rejuvenation.

Yesterday, after church, we spent the afternoon at the Hellebusch's for a bar-b-q. It was absolutely beautiful weather. Emily will need sunscreen soon! I can't wait to take her swimming this year mostly so I can pick out a really cute bathing suit for her. We came back home last night and had frozen TV dinners (I got 2 nights off this week :) ) while we watched several episodes of Lost. During those episodes, I was mildly distracted by our wedding pictures that were being uploaded online. Lucky for me, I can multi-task pretty well. This TV show that I'm hooked on gets scarier and scarier. Why do things scare me so easily? It's a TV show...seriously. Anyways, I don't mind having a distraction for the scary parts that I'd rather not watch.

Emily is down for a nap. She woke up right after J left for PT this morning around 6 am. I put her in bed with me and we cuddled and slept 'til 8. That was the 2ND most precious moment I've had with her lately. It's rare when she is still enough for a cuddle moment. We enrolled in TriCare during her morning nap today so this afternoon nap should be a long one. Maybe I'll have one myself. Roast is for dinner tonight. Thank you grandma Price for the crock pot!