Full of Gratitude

The doors are flung open as the sun goes down over the beach. The sky is pink and blue. Perfect. This beach house is full of happy little girls, full of cheep, frozen pizza, hot and ready, straight out of the oven. Suntanned and worn out from four full days of nothing but the beach. 

The weather has been sunshiny and upper 70s, low 80s. We haven't shut the doors since we arrived.  

I love my life.

I love the craziness and the fast pace. 

I love little girls. 

I love my little girls. 

This week I have found slowness and sweetness at the beach. We have ALL found it. These moments are really sweet. The girls are 1, 3, 5 and 7 years-old right now. And never will they be 1, 3, 5 and 7 again. 

One of my favorite things is slowing down and the moments we breathe deep....as a family.

Digging in the sand for hours. Making sand castle, after sand castle, only to see them washed away or knocked over. No worries, we'll make millions more.  

I've watched little girls who 'want to learn to surf'....learn to surf. They totally achieved it. 

I asked Carlisle what has been her favorite thing so far this week, she said, 'ummm, probably the first time I stood up on my board.'

I've watched a little three year-old who is as tough as tissue paper, afraid of everything, become unafraid and frolic in the surf.

I so appreciate the laziness of the beach. 

Reading my bible to the sound of waves crashing.

Hearing their giggles. 

Dancing with my girls listening to our new favorite girl band. 

Brian and the older two girls caught blue crabs and we cooked them in the frogmore stew for dinner. 

It's such a pleasure watching them interact and love on one another.

I love all of their hearts, their faces, hearing their dreams...they have lots of dreams. 

Especially recently.

This week, I've heard lots about their dreams. 

I remember...They remind me of me. I had lots of of little girl dreams too. 

I wanted to be a dentist. Interestingly enough. I can handle any amount of blood, guts and puking. But wiggle a loose tooth in front of me, and I am ready to pass out. 

God loves the lost. God's desire for the lost is that they are reached. 

So if you are reading this and you think, have I ever seen God's fruit in my life? Ask yourself the most important question you've ever asked. Have I committed my heart to the Lord? 

Are you one who never wants to read the bible, never wants to pray. Never had natural desire for the word. I challenge you to examine your heart. Confess and repent. Ask for Jesus to be Lord of your life. Here's the gospel. Jesus died for the sins of the world. We are all sinners. We have sin running through our veins. Someone has to pay for it. You can't even spill your own blood and be saved. Make sure that you know that you have eternal life. 

'He who has the son has life, he who doesn't have the son of God does not have life.' 1 John 5:11-13

Know before you lay your head down to go to sleep today. And if you are a believer and not bearing fruit. Ask and examine yourself against the Word. Am I watering the soil, speeding time in word and prayer?

Want abundant havest? Pour the water of Gods word into your life.

What a cutie. 

 What a view behind the cutie. :) 

 'Taste and see that the Lord is GOOD! Blessed is the man that trusts in HIM!' Psalm 34:8

(It's hard to separate these two. Even during beach naptime.)

No job, no meetings, no responsibilities except each other and these four little ones. 

I asked Brian, as we sat on the back porch looking out on the sand and waves 'whatcha think about leaving it all and moving here forever'...and he said, 'I'd never go to work.' And the girls said, 'THAT'S OK DADDY! We could surf all day everyday!' 

We laugh and look in their bright, sweet faces and feel the breeze and dream about it a little. And then snap back to reality. 

It's fun, its wild. Don't hear me say its perfect. Its not. 

And it is NOT easy. People ask me how I 'do it'. Many days, it's one foot in front of the other. And I don't get a whole lot of sleep. Which is why I can be a little spacey when you talk to me. And depending on the day a little...or a lot spacey. :) 

I am desperately grateful to the LORD for my family. 
'always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.' Ephesians 5:20

I am compelled to write about it because I feel so humbled with gratitude.

So I don't forget...

Viv: 'Daddy. I smell somebody's breath. It smells like an old beach.' 

Um. There is a 100% chance I did not brush her teeth before she ran out the door this morning for the wind and waves. Wonder whose breath she was smelling... :)  

THIS just happened this morning. A text from Carlisle to her girlfriend.


'Hi! This is Carlisle. I just 
made my dream happen. 
I'm a surfer.'

 The beach's newest surfer girls.

Surfer Girls

They want to surf. 

Not in a superficial, kind-of think-about-it way. 

They want to surf in a I'm-saving-up-my-money-to-buy-a-board kind of way. 

They have bumps, bruises and rashes to prove it this week. 

And we've only been here one day. 

They love it. 

Even her little necklace has a surf board. She's the real deal. :) 

Am I glad to know, what I know, at such a young age. God adores us. And we, are to adore Him. 

Praise God he shows us his love. Constantly. That HE is in charge. That He loves these little girls more than I EVER could. No matter how much I try. 

And I blow it. I have to apologize to my girls more than I'd ever want to admit. And they lovingly forgive. How much more our heavenly Father loves and forgives us. 

In the book of Exodus, Moses gets to talk to God. The bible says, 
'The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.' Exodus 33:11 

Seriously. 

How cool would it be to have a conversation with God himself? 

What a honor. Moses was chosen by the Lord, for his great glory to be spoken with. Talking with God was so powerful that when Moses left the Lord's presence, stuff happened! 

First the Lord said, 'My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.'  

When we meet with the Lord, his Presence rests on us fresh. And he gives us REST. 

Want to find REST? MEET WITH THE LORD. 

And the bible also says that God came down to meet with Moses,

'And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, 'The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.' 

And THEN....

'His face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord.' !!!!

Want to be radiant???? MEET WITH THE LORD. 

Seeing a pattern yet? :)

Today marks 1 year since my Mom went to Heaven. I would like to say it gets easier. But it would be more accurate to say it is NOT easier, just different. It's ALWAYS hard. You never stop needing or wanting your Mother, I don't think anyone could argue with that. Mothers are the only ones that are present on our birth day. Our day of birth. The one person that was there to give me life, is gone. I cry when I mention her. 

I still do now and will always miss her.

I rejoice knowing I will see her again, but I wish she was here to be a part of this life...my life...I want my girls to know her. To love her, their Grandmother.

I unabashedly love Christ. I know who I am in Him. And I know WHAT He has done for me. And HE is who rescues me from the sadness of loss. 

I got this email almost a year ago. Loved it then and love it still today as I think of just how much I loved my Mom....

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  Sweet Jennie, I've intentionally waited a little while to send this to you hoping for it to make you smile when you least expect it like it does me. 

  I wanted to let you know what a joy your Mom was to me. One of my favorite memories of your mom was at the baby shower for Carlisle at Stephanie's house. It was just a bunch of close friends of yours and Brian's. At some point, several of us went upstairs with you to feed Carlisle. The first thing you did when we got upstairs was call your Mom. I thought it was the greatest thing because you didn't call to have a private conversation with her, but you called to check in with her and then put her on speaker phone so she could be a part of our conversation. There were 4 or 5 ladies in the room and I remember thinking I would never have thought to do that with my Mom, but was so intrigued to see how it would turn out. 

  
  

  We continued talking with the phone in the middle of the bed and all of us around the bed. I almost forgot several times that your mom was still listening until you asked what she thought about something. She was just there like this intensely comforting feeling in the room. Never judging or interrupting, just sweetly listening and enjoying our conversations because you wanted her to be a part of it. I remember thinking how special that was for so many reasons. 

  This is how every interaction I always had with Mayo was. She had this everlasting comfort and kindness that radiated from her.

  I pray that this is how Mayo will always be to you and Julie and all of your incredible babies, always there sweetly listening on speaker phone and being one of your biggest and most loving supporters. I know she is still always there listening, unless maybe the gamecocks are playing. Charlie and I both think that your Mom was one of the purest most sincere and loving women on the planet. I wish she were still here on earth with us, but also understand why God would want her closer. I hope that one day I can leave this life as proudly as she did. Knowing that I have left behind two of the most loving, caring and sensational daughters and son, and the most angelic grandchildren.

She's crawling and cruising. Not walking. Not even vaguely interested. 

In other news, the girls let their turtle go last week. The turtle that we've had for over a year. Myrtle the Turtle. They wished for her a better life. And so they let her free. And one more four-legged member of our family has come and gone. 

But here at the beach, there are new animal friends to be made. Little Carlisle, the veternarian, has nursed back to health a grasshopper with a hurt leg, rescued a handful of dragonflies from certain death bumping into windows in the house, and most recently, this evening, she brought home a dozen hermit crabs. They now live in a jar on the dining room table. 

The girls enjoy playing make-believe. Typically someone is playing the part of 'Mommy' and the others are the children. 
Today, right before we left for the beach...

Evelyn to Vivian. 'Hey Viv, let's pretend we're sisters.'
Viv said, 'K.'

'Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.' Romans 12:10

After this, Carlisle said, 'Mom, my dream has come true. I'm a surfer.' 

Find little sister, the encourager.

Evelyn is just weeks away now from her 6th birthday. She still takes my breath away with her sweet heart. She's sweet to her CORE. I said it long ago and I will say it again, she's the glue in this family. She loves on everyone so well. She plays well with everyone. She makes everyone smile. 

She's an ENCOURAGER. 

'We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach if it is to ENCOURAGE, then give ENCOURAGEMENT.' Romans 12:6-8

Dinner at the yummiest hole-in-the-wall restaurant I've ever eaten at. 80 and sunny all week. 

'The LORD will fight for you...you need only to be STILL.' Exodus 14:14