|| From Grace to Grace

Being home for the past few weeks has been an absolute balm to my heart. Words will never do justice to how much I needed this time with my family and the rest I feel makes me unafraid of the coming few months that will be the beginning of a new life for me. I feel peace and assurance in my future and in Jesus Christ, the anchor for my soul. The process, and continued process, to this rest and peace is one that I didn't even realize I was experiencing until yesterday afternoon.

(This will be a post of some of my favorite photos that will pretty much just be random :) Here are five of my six nieces Emma, Norah, Ellie, Winnie, and Lenna, missing Netty and the newest one who none of us have met yet!)

I was driving home from a coffee date yesterday when I got a text from my mom telling me not to "dilly dally" because I have an appointment. "What appointment??" I scheduled no appointment for the day and I was fully intent on sitting at home and relaxing and did NOT want to go anywhere.... uuug, mom. I get home and ask what my appointment is for and she says, "you have an appointment for a massage at the Brickhouse at 12:30, would you like that?" YUP. Then came the tears. And the feels. And the cookies. (When I'm emotional I eat sugar). I could not believe this good gift! My favorite part is the way my mom relates how theses special blessings for me come about and they usually begin with, "your dad is so funny..." My dad is always looking for ways to bless me and to make me feel like a princess. 100% of the time, he nails it and this was no different. There was one final opening for a message before I leave to head back to school and my parents found it for me! It was AMAZING! I felt so, so very loved and undeserving of such a gift!

How much more so does my Father in heaven love to give me good gifts?

"If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"

- Matthew 7:11

I bet the Lord has close to the same reaction as my parents do when he gives a good gift; tries to play it cool, gives the gift, and then cannot contain his glee and hurries me along to go enjoy his special treat. Then when I'm done and walk back through the front door, he meets me at the top of the stairs, bounces from left foot to right foot, and inundates me with questions with a smile as big as Washington on his face.

The best thing about compulsive gift givers is that they LOVE to give. There have been times when I have given a gift and wished that I could keep it for myself or that I didn't have to give it to the person receiving it because I was mad at them. God loves to give gifts. Pure, simple, gift giving. I think about how he gave me the gift of the family I grew up in. As he bounces from left foot to right foot, "Look what I gave you Bree! A father who never leaves, a mother who always loves, and siblings who help you grow! See how I love you?" I think about him giving me the dream to become a nurse and then giving me nursing school. As he bounces from left foot to right foot, "See! See what I did! See how my timing is perfect?! See how I love you through the life you have lived?" Who can count the blessings of the Lord? Who can measure the amount of giving the Lord as dealt out amongst his beloved? My mental image is a raging waterfall pouring from heaven, streams of the water of life, all blessing, all for us, and all we can say is thank you, thank you, thank you.

Jesus is the anchor for my soul and the rest for my spirit. When my mind is troubled, he calms my rabid thinking. The good gifts he gives pour out of him at a rate we cannot keep up with. My encouragement is that we ask the Lord to open our eyes to see what he has done!

Best said by Elizabeth Barret Browning,

"Earths crammed with heaven,

And every bush afire with God,

But only he who sees takes off his shoes,

The rest of us sit round and pluck blackberries."

Look around, see God, take off your shoes, and worship him, for he is good!

(One photo from a friend's wedding with my sister Michaela, me, my dad, and my mom)