Tuesday, January 14, 2014

(in)courage

The heat is intolerable.
Her face is flushed.
Her little cheeks look like lollipops, white with red centers.
And the little stick supporting that lollipop is nearly collapsing from over use.  
 
Layer after layer has been peeled away.
 
That baby girl is a cancer survivor.
Our baby girl.

I am a guest writer on Dayspring's (in)courage website today.
Be blessed! 
 
 
 


Thursday, January 9, 2014

Champions

Our dear friends are moving.
I am heart-broken.
Yet, I'm so excited for them (I can't quite use an exclamation point yet).
They aren't moving to another city or another state.
They are moving overseas.
 
They are brave.
And they take the truth:
"I can do all things through Christ"
And clasp it in their precious, moldable hands.
 
We had one last weekend together.
We possibly won't see them for two to three years.
Our kids have grown up together.
She has three boys; I have two girls
But they love each other with a love I have yet to see among most kids.
Our girls cry their hearts out when they have to be separated.
 
And my friend ...
I was determined I didn't need a friend when God brought her into my life.
I determined I only needed Jesus.
And He blessed me with her ...
Just because He can.
 
This post is to say a temporary goodbye
To the most precious family I never tire of ...
To the ones who love me when I say ridiculous things ...
To the ones who love me when I don't know what I think about anything ...
To the ones who love me unconditionally in spite of me.
To the ones who love me even when I spit on their French fries.
Because ...
They have a Jesus kind of love.
 
Their path won't be easy.
But God will bless them in the journey ...
Just because He can.
Trust God's path to victory!
Run like the champions you are through Christ.
And meet Him at the throne to receive the victor's crown.
 
My precious friends. They are like my little brother and little sister. Aren't they gorgeous?! 

Me with my "little sister" ... she is ten years younger than I am, but that didn't phase her one bit!

Our kids ... my girls, her boys.

Good friends.

Our whole gang!

Our whole silly gang!


Thursday, January 2, 2014

Choose

When pain pierces into your heart and your head
And sadly, you see where your choices have led
And undoubtedly, you have made your own bed
And you wonder about shelter or will you be fed
And you're tired of a hand out and begging for bread
And you grow weary of tears from living with dread
And being surrounded by the living dead
And you're tired of happiness dependent on meds
And you're tired of finances forever written in red
And you're tired of two steps backwards, only one step ahead
And you're tired of being tired, no strength, not a shred
And you're tired of hanging on by a very thin thread
And you're contemplating relief from a cartridge of lead
 
Choose Jesus instead
 
Born in a lowly manger bed
The disciples He led
5,000 He fed
A price on His head
Sweat drops of red
Up to Calvary was led
Suffered and bled
His blood freely shed
Punished for sin in our stead
Rose 3 days from the dead
The Bridegroom to wed
Our daily bread
Who hates sin, every shred
Who loves you, every thread
Will judge the living and dead
 
Jesus ...

No more tears, no more dread
You will not be misled
And everybody said?



Amen.

By Shelli Littleton Copyright 2014