100th post

Well, here it is, the ubiquitous, long-awaited 100th post. I know you are all very excited and sitting on the edge of your seats. Maybe you are even gripping your computer with anticipation. Maybe not. I am not going to put you through some long, boring list of 100 details about me. Those that know me well enough should already know more than 100 things about me. Others can check old blog posts and find out just about all you'd ever want to know. You see, I'm pretty much an open book. Sometimes it's really unfortunate, but I just can't hide my emotions or what I'm thinking. I try, it just doesn't work. Poor Elijah is the same way. There's a Sara Groves song that she must have written for Elijah and me:

You're A Lot Like Me

• Baby I'm afraid your a lot like me
• You can't help feeling everything
• I can see you trying to hold it in
• I see your eyes and your trembling chin
• And for you and myself I will pray
• let our weakness become our strength
• baby there are some holes you just can't fill
• you try and try but you never will
• baby I believe a God who can
• he loves the boy and he'll love the man
• And for you and myself I will pray
• let our weakness become our strength

For this very important 100th post, what I want to share with you about myself is a scripture that I have recently found, fallen in love with and am trying to make it the basis for my life. Why I do the things I do. How I love and try to guide my children. How I love and support my husband. The kind of daughter, sister and friend I try to be. It all comes down to this:

"The King is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your Lord." Psalm 45:11

He is enthralled by me. Stop and think about that, because he's also enthralled by you. I am to honor him with my life because he is my Lord. During a time in my life when I don't feel so beautiful anymore (which I lovingly, somewhat jokingly blame on Ella but mainly on hitting 30), this verse has really struck a chord within me. But it does not speak merely to physical beauty. I mean, I'm sure God sees all of his children are beautiful just as we all think our children are. He can especially see us in this way because, thanks to the sacrifice of the Lamb, when God looks at those who believe he sees Jesus. What kind of beauty does God desire his daughter to have? "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment...it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight." 1 Peter 3: 3-4 My prayer will be that this is the type of beauty I will concern myself with and that God's good work in me continues just as he promised.