Blessed beyond what I deserve
Monday, August 26, 2019
Happy Birthday Will!
May, 2019
Happy Birthday Will! You're 7!!!-and yet you're still that round faced 2 year old in my mind! You are such a precious boy with a tender-heart and a desire to do right and follow the rules. You had such a GREAT year in kindergarten and you loved your teacher, Mrs. Patricia Ford! You love to ride your bike, you love to go exploring, you love to go to the woods with daddy, you love to build things, you love to catch critters, you love to find treasures. You are going to go to a baseball camp at Shelton State this summer and you're so excited to attend! You love your little sister but she also drives you crazy a good bit of the time. You're reading like a champ but still enjoy being read to. You are still my awesome eater and will try most anything!!! You still claim you're going to marry Caroline Brignac...and y'all have remained the sweetest of friends! You save money well, and only use your money if it's something you REALLY want. I love you so much sweet boy and could not be more proud to call you mine!!!
Happy 5th Livi Lou!
April-2019
Dear Livi Lou,
How are you FIVE??? We are so thankful for the precious, spunky, smart, funny, loving little girl you are! You love to sing, you love to talk, and you cannot go to bed at night without saying, "I love you, have a good night, sleep tight" about 52 times. You have an infectious laugh and you laugh so much!!! You adore your brother, but you also know how to drive him crazy. You love talking about Jesus and asking questions about God, Jesus, heaven, etc. You always bring me so much joy when you talk about your Neeno watching you...or saying Neeno came to see you in your dream. You are a deep thinker and are always asking such thoughtful questions. You love to draw and color and will be doing an art camp this summer. You are loving gymnastics and will be in your first recital next month. You and your sweet friend, Annabeth, are having a joint birthday party with an art/Easter theme! You love your friends well and you are a friend to all. You love animals and you are begging for a puppy! You call your Uncle Scott, Uncle Rat, and you're always making him laugh on our phone calls in the car. You love watching the show "True" and you're already telling me that's who you want to be for Halloween. You love watching the show Spirit and Goldie and Bear. You are still my picky eater but you now love tomatoes which makes me happy! You like chicken nuggets, poppyseed chicken, lunchables, soup, blueberries, oranges, strawberries, raspberries, mac n cheese(blue box only), popcorn, pringles, spaghetti, taco meat, red sauce, and french bread with dipping oil. You are riding your bike and are getting so close to riding without training wheels! You love roller coasters (as we saw when we went to Disney World). Your favorite ride at Disney was the Tower of Terror!!! You love mermaids and unicorns. You can sing the whole Alabama fight song...and you hate all things Auburn (and are vocal about that! LOL). Livi, we love you so much and we pray you continue to be sweet and sassy...and that you will shine for Jesus in all that you do. Happy Birthday sweet girl!
Love, MOM
Thursday, January 3, 2019
Home sweet home...
Home sweet home...
Several years back, I gave my mom a hand towel for her kitchen that reads, "HOME IS WHERE YOUR MOM IS". This little decorative towel still adorns the oven in my parents' home...which is no longer occupied by both parents. Someone asked me the other day how I was doing and I told them I was handling each day as it comes; but that the best way to describe the way I feel on a daily basis, is the way I felt as a child when I was homesick. As a child, like most little girls, I was invited to sleepovers very regularly. What made me being invited a bit different is that I always had an "escape plan" for if I got homesick...which sadly happened a handful of times. I can remember my precious mama dropping me off at friends' houses and her hugging me and telling me, "just remember, if you need to come home, no matter the time...I will come pick you up". You see my mama knew...she knew what my mind was fearing without ever having to say a thing. She knew that I was what she called, "a homebody". I loved home. I loved being at home. I felt safe at home. Home was exactly what the towel says, it was where my mom was. After using the analogy of feeling homesick, I realized that that's exactly what I am...I am homesick. You see the towel is still the absolute truth...my home is still where my mom is. As believers we are all homesick, and longing for a day, when we are no longer surrounded by the pain and sin of this world.
"For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come". Hebrews 13:14
In college, I can remember going home for the weekend and my mom running out to the driveway to greet me...because that's who she was. She greeted us with open arms, with kisses, with so much excitement and exuberance. She greeted us this way my whole life...even as a parent, I would pull into their drive and the kids would spot her rounding the back corner of their house to get her hands on us all. Today, as I consider my past homecomings with my mom, I can't help but tear up considering the homecoming she received in heaven on December 17th, 2017. As a new year begins, I am so thankful that I have a homecoming to long for...and more importantly to live for. The Lord has given each of us a purpose and will use each of us to bring honor and glory to Him. There is such an amazing assurance in knowing that the Lord's hand is in every detail of our lives...even in our failures, our disappointments, when we feel we are at our worst...He is there. He will take all our brokenness and piece it together to bring beauty from ashes. I pray that as we all embark on a new year, that we will cling to the hope that comes from new beginnings. Jesus Christ offers the greatest new beginning of all in the salvation and new life that comes from knowing Him and loving Him. I celebrate this new year that my mom had a new life in Christ and because of her love for Jesus I can have peace in knowing that HOME IS WHERE MY MOM IS. If you're reading this, thank you. I truly cannot thank my friends and family enough for all the love, prayers, and encouragement as I continue to share my grief journey. Thank you all!
-Bethany Smith
Several years back, I gave my mom a hand towel for her kitchen that reads, "HOME IS WHERE YOUR MOM IS". This little decorative towel still adorns the oven in my parents' home...which is no longer occupied by both parents. Someone asked me the other day how I was doing and I told them I was handling each day as it comes; but that the best way to describe the way I feel on a daily basis, is the way I felt as a child when I was homesick. As a child, like most little girls, I was invited to sleepovers very regularly. What made me being invited a bit different is that I always had an "escape plan" for if I got homesick...which sadly happened a handful of times. I can remember my precious mama dropping me off at friends' houses and her hugging me and telling me, "just remember, if you need to come home, no matter the time...I will come pick you up". You see my mama knew...she knew what my mind was fearing without ever having to say a thing. She knew that I was what she called, "a homebody". I loved home. I loved being at home. I felt safe at home. Home was exactly what the towel says, it was where my mom was. After using the analogy of feeling homesick, I realized that that's exactly what I am...I am homesick. You see the towel is still the absolute truth...my home is still where my mom is. As believers we are all homesick, and longing for a day, when we are no longer surrounded by the pain and sin of this world.
"For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come". Hebrews 13:14
In college, I can remember going home for the weekend and my mom running out to the driveway to greet me...because that's who she was. She greeted us with open arms, with kisses, with so much excitement and exuberance. She greeted us this way my whole life...even as a parent, I would pull into their drive and the kids would spot her rounding the back corner of their house to get her hands on us all. Today, as I consider my past homecomings with my mom, I can't help but tear up considering the homecoming she received in heaven on December 17th, 2017. As a new year begins, I am so thankful that I have a homecoming to long for...and more importantly to live for. The Lord has given each of us a purpose and will use each of us to bring honor and glory to Him. There is such an amazing assurance in knowing that the Lord's hand is in every detail of our lives...even in our failures, our disappointments, when we feel we are at our worst...He is there. He will take all our brokenness and piece it together to bring beauty from ashes. I pray that as we all embark on a new year, that we will cling to the hope that comes from new beginnings. Jesus Christ offers the greatest new beginning of all in the salvation and new life that comes from knowing Him and loving Him. I celebrate this new year that my mom had a new life in Christ and because of her love for Jesus I can have peace in knowing that HOME IS WHERE MY MOM IS. If you're reading this, thank you. I truly cannot thank my friends and family enough for all the love, prayers, and encouragement as I continue to share my grief journey. Thank you all!
-Bethany Smith
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