Some Things Have Been Happening

I'm still in the midst of of my blogger's block.

Which is sad since Sunday was my 3 year Blogaversary.

When I started this blog, we hadn't even been married for three months.

So much has happened in 3 years.

We lived in Louisiana.

We moved back to Houston.

Grant had a new job.

Grant got laid off.

Grant got another new job.

We searched for 67 years for our first house.

We bought our first house.

Grace, Evan, Emily, and Dean were born. Scarlett and Juliet turned 3. One more niece is on the way! (Yes, that makes our grand total SEVEN!!)

I am obsessed with food.

I am obsessed with television.

I don't like to exercise.

I love my husband.

I hate being hot.

I like to be horizontal. **Update: it has come to my attention that the meaning of this sentence is unclear. Horizontal means that I prefer to be laying down or sleeping at all times. Sitting up/standing is not as fun. That's all I meant. This is a family friendly blog, yo.

We love our church.

We love our friends.

We love our family.

I love this blog.

I love all the people I've met.

I love all the people I will soon meet. (Hey KIM and FRAN!!)

It has tapped into my creative juices.

It has released emotion and taught me things about myself.

And now the big question:

Is over 3 years of marriage grounds to change my blog name? Can I still be Jen the Newlywed?

**Afterword: It took me a sweet forever to find all those links and I regretted my decision about halfway through the process. Please click on a link so I don't feel like I just waited 45 minutes. I love you. **

The Song of the Beautiful

Many of us are going through Beth Moore's new book "So Long Insecurity" right now. I don't know about you, but it has been a life-changing, perspective altering book in my life. If you aren't reading it, you should. Even if you don't think you struggle with insecurities. Read it.

One thing I've never been more confident of is who I am in Christ. I am His daughter, His beautiful creation whom He formed with His own hands. He knew the things that would make me tick. He knew the things that would motivate me. And since I've started reading this book, I have had to pray a few times and ask the Lord to change what motivates me. To give me peace in situations that would usually trigger me and slowly guide me in a better direction.

I am so deeply flawed, yet I serve such a perfect God. There are things I don't know, things I don't understand, things I choose to ignore and things I outright rebel against. But I am made complete and whole in HIM. Praise the Lord!

I absolutely love Christy Nockels' new CD, "Life Light Up". I was immediately drawn to the songs "By Our Love", "A Mighty Fortress" and "You are Able".... but in this season of my life and in the midst of the walls I am currently trying to break down, I am really finding such comfort and encouragement in her song "Song of the Beautiful".

Song of the Beautiful by Christy Nockels

The broken, weary and poor
Finding... you are the cure
The weak and dying... glorifying You in it all

It's the song of the beautiful,
Jesus loves me
It's the song of the beautiful,
Jesus saved me
The song of the redeemed
The echoes of those made free
It's the song of the beautiful
Jesus loves me

The fallen back on their feet
The fatherless now complete
The innocent suffering, rising from wounding to find
You were there all along!

It's the song of the beautiful
Jesus loves me
The song of the beautiful
Jesus saved me
The song of the redeemed
The echoes of those made free
It's the song of the beautiful
Jesus loves me

Oh how He loves me
Oh how He loves me
Oh how He loves me
The broken, the beautiful

The prodigal running home
The widow never alone
The one who is waiting, rising and singing,
"You, Jesus You are my all!"

It's the song of the beautiful
Jesus loves me
The song of the beautiful
Jesus saved me
The song of the redeemed
The echoes of those made free
It's the song of the beautiful
Jesus loves me

I find such deep comfort in that reminder. Oh how He loves you! The broken, weary, imperfect, wounded, you.

The Mighty God we serve is capable of the impossible. If you think "I'll never change", think again. He cannot be overestimated. He is powerful. He can accomplish the impossible.

He can take the parts you hate most about yourself and He can make them clean. He can hold your hand when you walk through the most daunting of circumstances. He is ALWAYS there with you. Whether or not you choose to acknowledge Him is where we have issues.

When you're struggling, tired, exhausted, exasperated, why would you choose to go anywhere else but to the Heavenly Father, who brings you comfort and rest?

He is peace!! He is comfort!! He is the affirmation, the encourager, the teacher, the helper, the guide, the shepherd, the One who makes the rough places smooth, the communicator, the listener, the healer, the forgiver, the knows-all-your-secrets and knows-what-makes-you-tick best friend that always knows what to say, the perfect solution, the answer, the thing that makes it better. HE is what you need.

Blogger's Block

March has not been a very bloggity month for me. I just haven't blogged very much, and not for lack of trying. I come here and start writing and then I get bored with myself and delete everything.

See, I just typed out that paragraph, and now I've got nothing to say.

I just took Moxie on a walk. It was lovely, except for the fact that he almost rips my arm out of socket anytime he sees a squirrel.

Last night I made lasagna, it was yummy. Grant is making steaks tonight. The side item is my job and I have chosen 3 cheese tortellini and alfredo sauce. Yes.

Should I start using the tanning cream now? I feel like we are approaching the warmer months and perhaps I should make my legs a little darker so I don't offend people with my blinding light of paleness.

This week is Spring Break. This doesn't really affect me because I am not in school and Spring Break is just like any other week for me. However, I am loving having less traffic. And on Wednesday nights I am usually at church all evening but all events were cancelled this evening so I am enjoying an evening of rest. So I do have little Spring Break happy moments.

I'm watching last night's American Idol performances and none of these songs sound like Rolling Stones songs.

This morning for breakfast I ate a "Breakfast-on-a-Bun" sandwich from Whataburger. It was amazing and did wonderful things for my diet.

Okay, this blog is so painful that I am going to slowly back away.

I'm ending it.

I Had a Diet Coke Yesterday

Yesterday marked exactly one month since my last Diet Coke.

So, I celebrated.

By having a Diet Coke.

We went out to lunch with some friends after church.

It was Mexican food.

At Chuy's.

Did you know that my first date with Grant was at Chuy's?

Different location.

But still, I was all overwhelmed with emotion.

And there were chips on the table.

And the man asked me what I wanted and I said "Diet Coke".

Now, I only had ONE glass.... no refills. The rest of the time I drank water.

So how did it taste?

You know the videos they show on the news when a soldier comes home from war? Where the family is standing there with a sign that says "Welcome Home!" and then they run and hug and cry?

Well it was kinda like that.

Diet Coke is the family running to hug me.

And I am the soldier.