Faith in the Unseen

Can you imagine how terrifying but yet beautiful it must felt to know that with in you, the King of kings was growing in your womb? To become a mother is one of the greatest times of joy in a woman's life, to be able to hold a child created in His likeness, with in you for nine months. You spend the next months with not only your stomach swelling but your imagination as well. But can you even begin to comprehend what Mary experienced in her nine months of pregnancy? Outwardly her pregnancy was forbidden, looked down upon, and even tragic. A young girl possibly thirteen at the time, pledged to be married meaning no exchanging of sexual relations, and yet with child. People would talk. People would see her growing belly and point as they whispered their deadly poisonous words. She, without any defense, would be accused of cheating on her husband when in fact she did no such thing.

Inwardly, her pregnancy was anything but tragic, it was a miracle. It was beautiful, inspiring, and even an awesome testament of faith in the unseen. She, who was found highly favored with God, was chosen to carry the Son of God. In a beautiful humility, she allowed God to use her to carry His son.

Mary and others like her, have heard all their lives about the prophecies that have lived through centuries. They had learned that out of her land what come a king. I dare to imagine that Mary never would expect her to be the one to give birth to this man who would save millions from the fiery depths of hell. When the angel greets her with his warm news of great joy, I wonder if she doubted that she, a sinful girl, could be able to be His mother. What had she done that she could be the mother of the savior she had heard about all her life. Did she feel honored, surprised, prideful, or scared, in awe of the weight of responsibility ahead of her.
Whatever emotion, she acted in faith by not doubting what Gabriel told her. She held her head up high as she was chosen to carry the man came to save the people that looked down on His mother. He even came to save her.

Up until this Christmas, I had never allowed myself to think deeply of Mary's role in Christmas. Of course, she was His mother but that is the simple way I would permit myself to think of it as. Mary, though not perfect or needing to be exalted, is an awesome description of faith in the unseen. Now two thousand years later, how do we live by faith? Do we merely skate by the wall of life so we can lean on it or do we venture out blindly to the middle and know that whatever happens to us, we will always have His hand to hold. Sometimes life is dark and scary where we cannot see anything in front of us. But you know what, that's okay. The darkness makes us realize how much we need light from the true source. You cannot appreciate light when you have not lived in complete darkness. : )

"The best garden a woman can grow- is her family"

Wow...what a week! It's been a fairly good week, emotionally and spiritually anyway. Physically, it defintely wasn't the best week ever. Headaches that last for hours, probably two hours a sleep each night, emptying out the contents of my stomach on Wednesday night, slicing open my finger with a knife, and other random stuff all adding to a fun week!
Last night I had the chance to go out to eat at OLIVE GARDEN (one of my absolute very favorite places to eat!) with my work for our Christmas party. It was soooo nice to sit back and relax with everyone not having five hundred children running around interrupting conversations. We exchanged gifts after we ate. I was sooooooooo excited to give my gift to my secret sister! I couldn't even talk to her all day at work because I was wayyy excited. Finally my turn came and I handed the gift over to her. She started to open it and then immeaditely starting crying leading three others to lose it. (to all men: women tend to see others cry and like a chain reaction others will follow) My heart pounded soooooo rapidly seeing her reaction. Her face though streaming with tears, was lit up in complete joy.
I put together a scrapbook page of her family and framed it. I put all of her three things in one gift- scrapbooking, her family, and gardening. I took the pictures of her family (which her husband gave to me) and cut them out like flowers. I used emblishement stickers like bees, butterflies and ladybugs for fun decorations. I labled it Robin's Garden with my quote "The best garden a woman can grow, is her family" It looks soooooooo more awesome then how I am explaining it. Just seeing her face, made the four hour job all the worth it.
I love spoiling people so much! I love buying gifts for them. Whether it's for Christmas, their birthdays, or just because I want too...its just so much fun to spoil people. Anywhoo...I should get some stuff done so I feel somewhat productive (I did get up at 8:00 this morning to babysitt so that was good...but Im aching for a nap. We'll see...)
Oh! To Kevin, the grammar nut, can you look at my love story I posted and lemme know if I made any grammar mistakes that should be fixed, puhweeze? Thank you kind sir.... : )

The End is in Sight

Take it from Liam, rasisins are not yummy especially when they come from your diaper.

Next Wednesday is my last day for this semester! You cannot possibly begin to understand how excited I am for this! As positive I try to be in all circumstances, this semester has defintely rated up there in the worst of all time semesters. The best part is in fact that none of the classes I have grown to hate over the last few weeks serve no purpose in what I am studying to become. Joy to the world...Once I finish, I will regain my life and will have it for a m0nth till I become drafted in the war called school.

On a positive note...I just saw Justin Timberlake walk by as I type my ramblings. I am pretty surprised a million girls haven't flocked him yet being how good looking he is. If your name is Julia, you are the only one who understands who I am talking about is the real Justin who graduated with us, not the ugly guy who sings in NSYNC (however you spell it, Backstreet Boys are sooo much better anyway) Soo Julia, my dearest Sunshine, he is good looking as always but even better he's still the sweetheart he has always been. Remember babe, I am your number one fan! : )

Once the last battle of this semester is over, I want together with people to watch various movies. I am kind of pulling for Elf, WallE, or Kite Runner (anybody besides Julia and Kevin up for seeing it) Anywhoo...today during my long two hour break between classes I have to work at the day care! Make sure not to eat any raisins and have a happy day! : )

New Short Story

***These two amazing people are who I have the joy to call my parents. They have been faithfully married for eighteen years. I love them so much and hope that someday my husband and I will be half of what they are. : )

This is my new short story for Creative Writing, lemme know whatcha think! It's a small-small part of biggest stories I have. Just be warned, my friends that bare the sex called male: Its extremely gushy and romantic, I am a girl and there for I write what would have me both giggling but yet crying as the hopless romantic I tend to be. : )

The Bald Prince Charming

Josh has always been fastidious about his hair, always. This statement rang true while I knew him and before. He constantly had his dark rich brown hair spiked up or styled. One time during a ride home from a football game, Josh fell asleep. The boys took this as a prime opportunity to give him a buzz cut. Josh lied on the cold window of the bus fast asleep unaware of the fact that when he woke up, his favorite thing about himself would be gone. That was the only time he would ever let himself fall asleep in front of those guys.

Now twenty-two years later, he still fussed about his precious locks. The funny thing was that I his wife did not even spend half the time on my hair as he did. I would have been totally happy buzzing all my hair just for the sake of simplicity. When I was diagnosed with brain cancer I finally found an excuse to get rid of my hair but yet through Josh found an incredible way to show his love for me.

I had been curled up on the couch for the majority of the day under a large blanket. My youngest daughter Chloe lied next to me as we watched a movie. I was slowly losing the battle to keep my eyes from closing, I was just beginning to slip away when I heard the front door open. I knew it was Josh so I attempted to sit up and look half way decent even though I did not have any hair.

He walked through the foyer whistling. Once he came into my line of vision, I instantly found no hair on his head. I sat up quickly actually causing a wave of nausea to come in. Once it passed, I looked at him again.

“Daddy, where did all your hair go?” Chloe nearly cried as she ran over to him. He scooped her up in his arms and she felt his head.

“It’s all gone, my little mouse.” He answered.

I had a pretty good idea why his hair was gone but I could not let myself believe it.
“Why is gone, honey?”

He put Chloe down and got down on his knees right before me. He grabbed my hands and rubbed his thumbs into mine. He looked up at me with tears filling his big blue eyes.

“For about a month you have been dealing with having a brain tumor, Kristen. I have had thirty one days to think over how I could be there for you, how I could ease your pain. Whenever you get sick, I try to be there by holding you and bring the hair out of your face. When you find yourself too weak to walk, I scoop you up and carry you like the princess you are to me.

“But despite all that easy stuff, how can I show you that I love you and even more that you are not alone in this? My hair being shaved off isn’t me just helping you not feel embarrassed about being bald, it’s more of a physical reminder that I am going through this with you. Every time you see my hair, or rather lack there of, I want you to remember that you are not alone in this. Okay, Kristen? When people ask what I did, I will gladly tell them the story. The story of how much I love my wife and want her to know I will do anything to prove it to her. My hair being gone is reminder to the kids, the church, to anyone, to you and me that we are in this together.”

I sat on the couch with tears streaming down my cheeks as I felt his head. I could not get over how wonderful my husband was. Over the last month, I confess I wondered if he would be brave enough to do it. I almost hoped that he would but I couldn’t get pass hope because he loved his hair too much. Now, I stood before my bald prince charming and fell even more in love with him.

“So who is the guy that thinks he can get away with hurting my wife?” he inquired putting on a deeper voice. I smiled through my tears. “No one will do anything to my wife and get away with it.”

I leaned in and kissed him. Every girl dreams of the day where her love will do something so drastic for her sake. It could be something small or something big, but every girl can honestly say she dreams of the day when her prince charming does something truly heroic. Though shaving his hair may have come across as simple, it was one of the most romantic things Josh had ever done for me. We sat there with our lips locked, our hair both gone, and our hearts entwined by such a simple act.