My "Glass Half Full" Girl...

I love that my 13 year old can school me when it comes to attitude. Where I see weeds, she sees spontaneous blooms. Where I see struggles, she sees adventure. And when I feel shame for my past mistakes, she has forgotten them all and remembers only the "beauty in the ashes". Oh, how I adore this girl!

Where I Come From
I come from a little house surrounded by the forest and horses.
I come from the smell of fresh air and grass.
I come from two loving people, Steve and Renee.
I come from splashing in the creek and running through the woods.
I come from a 45 min drive to see my beloved Church Family.
I come from a giving Grandma who will always care.
I come from a Grandpa who calls me "sis" and loves me to the moon.
I come from a family who gives everything for me.
I come from a family who is in love with Jesus Christ.
I come from a little girl who loves her God.
This is where I come from.

By: Jasmine 7th Grade English

She makes me want to live better. <3 To laugh harder, forgive faster and love bigger.

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing...Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. " 1 Thessalonians 5:11, 16-18

Gotta love mules!!!

What a crazy story I got today- but it just reminds me why I have never wanted a mule. They are just too stinkin' smart. :) Cougars are pretty, but after living in Yacolt and hearing the stories of them stalking animals and even small children, I am not a fan and so proud of this mule for not only protecting the dogs, but also protecting his rider who was on the ground.

"A couple in Montana were out riding their range, he with his rifle and she (fortunately) with her camera.Their dogs always followed them, but on this occasion a Mountain Lion decided that he wanted to stalk the dogs (you'll see the dogs in the background watching).

Very, very bad decision.

The hunter got off the mule with his rifle and decided to shoot in the air to scare away the lion, but before he could get off a shot the lion charged in and decided he wanted a piece of those dogs.

With that, the mule took off and decided he wanted a piece of that lion.

That's when all hell broke loose for the lion.

As the lion approached the dogs, the mule snatched him up by the tail and started whirling him around. Banging its head on the ground on every pass. Then he dropped it, stomped on it and held it to the ground by the throat. The mule then got down on his knees and bit the thing all over a couple of dozen times to make sure it was dead, then whipped it into the air again, walked back over to the couple (who were stunned in silence) and stood there ready to continue his ride as if nothing had just happened.

Fortunately, even though the hunter didn't get off a shot, his wife got the pictures.

Find the beauty of YOUR diamond.

"A few years ago my engagement ring cracked where I’d had it re-sized. I had it repaired but it was wearing very thin again. While we were in Missouri I took my engagement ring to the jeweler it was purchased from and had them make me a new white gold tiffany setting. I handed over my ring and watched the jeweler pry open the prongs and dump out the diamond. It had an unbelievable amount of gunk underneath it. If nothing else, it would look a hundred times better just from the stone being cleaned! They handed the old ring back to me empty. I waited in anticipation for five days and finally, on our way home from Silver Dollar City in Branson, I got to pick up my diamond in a brand new band. It was beautiful! My round solitaire looked so happy and shiny. It had been a long time since it looked like that. I sort of wished I’d made this investment sooner. If Curtis had given me a brand new diamond three times as big as that one it would not have thrilled me as much as seeing that same one looking just as pretty as the day he gave it to me. Prettier, really, since it represented everything that we have been through and done together.

Our marriages are somewhat like my engagement ring. The core – the diamond – holds a great love story with lots of passion and commitment. But everyday wear and tear and the occasional traumatic event can do a number on the metal that holds it together. Some of our rings could just use some polishing while others need some real restoration. God can do both! Remember that He loves marriage. He created it, after all. I’m praying that God will show each one of us a specific way we can invest in our marriage to strengthen it and bring out its beauty." - Amanda Jones http://blog.lproof.org/

Praying that you find a moment to remember how you fell in love today. Watching too many marriages self destruct, sometimes due to such tragedy and sometimes due to simple neglect, it breaks my heart. I can't imagine how much it grieves God's heart to see us throw away the most special earthly relationship He gave. Fight for it, love. And embrace that today is a new day, and God gives "do overs". Forgive and move forward. I know, easy to say, hard to do. But it is so worth it.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." 1 Corinthians 13