I watch you sleep

I watch you sleep
each and every in and exhale
a precious gift.
Memorizing the curve of your lower lip - I think you have my lips -
admiring the miraculous - tiny nose
eyes, ears, fingers and toes.
There must be a tiny slip-of-a-soul
buried in your small frame. Though
I can't see it, I know it is there.
The wonder of tiny you - smaller than life - I won't forget as you grow.
Someday when you are large I will slip in to watch you sleep,
already knowing the curve of your lip - yes, you have my lips -
admiring how you've grown - nose
eyes, ears, fingers and toes.
Your soul knit with mine
and I will never - not once! -
complain about the noise, the dirt
the laundry, the expense and the work.
For as I watch you sleep
I know you are worth every drop of blood He paid
and after that, what can I ever have to say?
Sleep on, beautiful blessing,
reminder of the God who Heals.

psalm

Why so downcast, O my soul?
Lift your eyes to the LORD,
the maker of heaven and earth.
He will hold you in His hand
and wipe away every tear.
Rejoice, for despite disappoinment and pain,
you are on the Victor's side!

Valentine's Day

For our Valentine's Day date, my Valentine and I drank Mighty Leaf African Nectar tea in our romantic mugs:

Just One of Those Things

My last post got me thinking...

I really could write a book about Starbucks, you know. I could call it "Starbucks, How I Love Thee!" Anyone who knows me even a little bit knows that if I have an indulgence, it is Starbucks. I would rather spend my caloric budget on a latte from Starbucks than just about any other item made for human consumption. People laugh when I say that I have a deep emotional connection with Starbucks.

It's just one of those things. I can explain it, but would anyone really want to know? Part of my emotional connection goes back almost ten years to when I was dating a very fine young man (who just so happens to be my Husband now). Some of our very best dates were evenings spent at Starbucks, sipping overpriced drinks and chatting. My "love language" is quality time, so to me there is no better bonding time than getting to know someone over coffee. I'd never had Starbucks until then, so it was a special treat. I loved spending time with my boyfriend like that. He loved that it was a relatively "cheap" date. :)

I think that's the root of the emotional connection. It was a place where I felt warm, comforted, and deliriously happy, so I started to associate warmth, comfort and happiness with going to Starbucks. That was the beginning!

I am bold.

Recently, I went to Starbucks with a friend. (I should write a book about my Starbucks experiences.)
The barista was wearing a pin that said, "I AM BOLD."
I gasped, "I need one of those!"
She said, "Seriously? Because we have extra..."
I exclaimed, "Yes! I would totally wear that at work!"
So, she gave me an I AM BOLD pin and I've been wearing it at work. Because I am bold.

And the word is...

I took a few days to decide on a word for 2012. The previous two years' words came to me easily and without hesitation. This year, I had to really search for it. I prayed about it, thought about it, and talked to Gabe about it before I decided. I think that 2012 is going to bring a lot of change for our small family. Change can be very good; we can't grow without changing, so growth brings change. However, I've noticed that growth can sometimes be painful.  No matter how good the change may be, it always seems to bring pain of some kind! It might be a bittersweet pain, but it's pain nonetheless! 

This year, I want to trust God more. I want to believe Him when He says that He loves me and cares for me. I want to believe that He will work all things for good.  I want to believe that He will use me for His glory. So my word for 2012 is TRUST. I am going to focus on trusting God in word and in deed, in thought and in truth.