I grow...
...to love him more each day.
Mr. Wonderful has changed me (and my life)
for the better.
It's hard not to wake up every day, immediately thanking God for giving me him.
...and I hope there is never a day that goes by that I forget to thank Him for what He has given me.
Even in the busiest of days, I take just a moment to say thank you...
...because I want God to know how much it means to me, how much Mr. Wonderful means to me.
...and because I want to never forget to be humble and appreciative of things.
I know I was only 24-years-old when I met Mr. Wonderful, but I had all but given up on the idea of finding a man that was exactly what I had always pictured myself to find. I wasn't surrendering to the idea of being alone, but I was coming to grips with finding someone that was only... halfway what I expected.
My daddy always told me to never settle for less than what I deserved, and truth be told, I had begun to think that maybe because of my past, I didn't deserve the same things that I had always imagined in a man:
someone who loves me for who I am
someone who is imperfect but in my eyes is perfect
someone who told me all the time how loved I was
someone who loved me as much as I loved them
someone who would do anything in the world to make sure I am happy
someone who was just as big a nerd as I was
someone who loves the same things I do
someone who loved nothing more than to be in my company
someone who touched my face and kissed my lips in a way that showed adoration
someone who loved me so irrevocably that I never doubted their love
someone who wants to live a happy life, not based on monetary needs
someone who is willing to work as hard as me to maintain happiness
someone who is always honest with me
someone who is my best friend
(and the list goes on)
...and last year, out of nowhere, I met that someone.
Who knew that he was 1,500 miles away in Colorado...
who knew that he was going to love me better than I could've even imagined...
who knew that I would be taking the biggest leap of faith in my life to find true happiness...
who knew that he was so perfectly imperfect that I can still hardly believe it sometimes...
who knew that we would fit so well?
Oh, wait...
that would God.
The one responsible for each of us.
The one responsible for bringing me and Mr. Wonderful together.
So, why wouldn't I thank Him every single day for Mr. Wonderful?
He deserves more than that, but if that's the least I can give Him in return?
I'll give it to him... ten fold.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Thursday, March 29, 2012
The best place.
THIS:
Serenity
was exactly what I needed to read, at exactly the right time.
(...thank you, Paula.)
I have been getting uber frustrated at the smallest things for the past week and a half, almost two weeks.
I blame it on Mr. Wonderful's work trip and its seemingly-never-ending 'return home date' moves.
I need to calm down.
I need to relax.
I need to realize that things aren't always going to go as planned or the way that I - or we - might want them to.
I need to remember: it's in His hands.
He has a reason for why everything happens.
...and everything has worked out.
Mr. Wonderful will be on a flight tomorrow morning at 10:30 a.m. and will be returning to Birmingham at approximately 12:30 p.m., where he will then be greeted with a giant bear hug and some kisses from yours truly. :)
Boy, do I need him here.
He has this amazing way of calming me down, whether I'm sad... or upset... or angry... or frustrated... or feeling any ol' feeling other than happy.
(and sometimes even to take me from happy to elated to over-the-moon)
It starts with gentle forehead kisses, and I wind up snuggled in his arms.
It's the best place in the world.
Serenity
was exactly what I needed to read, at exactly the right time.
(...thank you, Paula.)
I have been getting uber frustrated at the smallest things for the past week and a half, almost two weeks.
I blame it on Mr. Wonderful's work trip and its seemingly-never-ending 'return home date' moves.
I need to calm down.
I need to relax.
I need to realize that things aren't always going to go as planned or the way that I - or we - might want them to.
I need to remember: it's in His hands.
He has a reason for why everything happens.
...and everything has worked out.
Mr. Wonderful will be on a flight tomorrow morning at 10:30 a.m. and will be returning to Birmingham at approximately 12:30 p.m., where he will then be greeted with a giant bear hug and some kisses from yours truly. :)
Boy, do I need him here.
He has this amazing way of calming me down, whether I'm sad... or upset... or angry... or frustrated... or feeling any ol' feeling other than happy.
(and sometimes even to take me from happy to elated to over-the-moon)
It starts with gentle forehead kisses, and I wind up snuggled in his arms.
It's the best place in the world.
Friday, March 23, 2012
Murphy-3, Lindi-0
I've said it before:
When it rains, it pours.
This week has been what school calls "Spring Break," but if you ask me, it's been more like "Let's see how much we can do to make this week not so fun for Lindi."
Mr. Wonderful left this past Sunday for Chicago for work.
What originally was a week long trip has turned into two.
To make matters better, we were supposed to go to Tunica to meet his sister and brother-in-law for a fun trip to what we were calling our "Tortuga."
Now that's not happening AND I won't see him for another week.
...then...
I got into an argument yesterday with someone I haven't argued with in a long time.
I left crying because I didn't want the fight happening.
Positivity. That's the attitude I've adopted over the past year.
It flew out the window yesterday because I got upset, which I promised myself I wasn't going to do anymore because it's not worth it.
...and THEN...
Today, I was going to spend the day to myself, shopping and just relaxing.
Who wants to vote on how that turned out?
If you guessed that something went wrong, you're right.
My car won't crank. Probably my alternator.
And it can't be fixed until my dad gets home, we jump off my car, drive to Auto Zone, make sure that's what it is, and he goes through the hour long process of changing the alternator.
...in other words:
Murphy-3, Lindi-0
Worst. Spring Break. Ever.
When it rains, it pours.
This week has been what school calls "Spring Break," but if you ask me, it's been more like "Let's see how much we can do to make this week not so fun for Lindi."
Mr. Wonderful left this past Sunday for Chicago for work.
What originally was a week long trip has turned into two.
To make matters better, we were supposed to go to Tunica to meet his sister and brother-in-law for a fun trip to what we were calling our "Tortuga."
Now that's not happening AND I won't see him for another week.
...then...
I got into an argument yesterday with someone I haven't argued with in a long time.
I left crying because I didn't want the fight happening.
Positivity. That's the attitude I've adopted over the past year.
It flew out the window yesterday because I got upset, which I promised myself I wasn't going to do anymore because it's not worth it.
...and THEN...
Today, I was going to spend the day to myself, shopping and just relaxing.
Who wants to vote on how that turned out?
If you guessed that something went wrong, you're right.
My car won't crank. Probably my alternator.
And it can't be fixed until my dad gets home, we jump off my car, drive to Auto Zone, make sure that's what it is, and he goes through the hour long process of changing the alternator.
...in other words:
Murphy-3, Lindi-0
Worst. Spring Break. Ever.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
better than Harry Potter.
At dinner last night with Mr. Wonderful and my parents,
he began to get a glimpse into the crazy wonder that is my family.
He handled the bundles of information with...
...well...
...shock and awe?
...or was it poise and grace?
When it comes to my family, I'm not sure which you'd call it.
We're a handful, both individually and together,
so it was probably a bit of both.
But sitting there with him,
"on the tip" of the knowledge "iceberg,"
(his analogy, actually)
glancing lovingly over at him as he soaked it all in,
I think I fell just a little bit more in love with him...
...if you can believe it.
He makes me... better. A better person.
...and I'm pretty sure it's contagious.
There's a change of attitude in people when they're around him.
I realized it last night as I watched him,
getting to know my parents,
laughing with them,
touching my hand in this...
...reassuring way that he has...
...as if to let me know that no matter what,
everything will be all right.
Even my parents seem to dance to a different (and genuinely happier) tune when he's around.
It's like magic.
Contagious magic.
...like, better than Harry Potter. ;)
...and I can't wait to see the magic unfold in our lives together.
he began to get a glimpse into the crazy wonder that is my family.
He handled the bundles of information with...
...well...
...shock and awe?
...or was it poise and grace?
When it comes to my family, I'm not sure which you'd call it.
We're a handful, both individually and together,
so it was probably a bit of both.
But sitting there with him,
"on the tip" of the knowledge "iceberg,"
(his analogy, actually)
glancing lovingly over at him as he soaked it all in,
I think I fell just a little bit more in love with him...
...if you can believe it.
He makes me... better. A better person.
...and I'm pretty sure it's contagious.
There's a change of attitude in people when they're around him.
I realized it last night as I watched him,
getting to know my parents,
laughing with them,
touching my hand in this...
...reassuring way that he has...
...as if to let me know that no matter what,
everything will be all right.
Even my parents seem to dance to a different (and genuinely happier) tune when he's around.
It's like magic.
Contagious magic.
...like, better than Harry Potter. ;)
...and I can't wait to see the magic unfold in our lives together.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Love.
This one's going to be short and sweet...
cause it's getting close to 1:00 A.M., and I am getting a wee bit sleepy...
so here goes...
Mr. Wonderful is finally moved down here to Sweet Home Alabama,
and after a rocky first week of
emotions,
excitement,
love,
grief,
anxiety,
and many others
we have emerged and couldn't be happier.
To put it short and sweet:
"I'm in love! I'm in love! And I don't care who knows it!" - Buddy the Elf
Here's a little picture of us from the road. :)
(Me, Mr. Wonderful, his sister Marybeth, and his brother-in-law Todd)
Love, me :)
cause it's getting close to 1:00 A.M., and I am getting a wee bit sleepy...
so here goes...
Mr. Wonderful is finally moved down here to Sweet Home Alabama,
and after a rocky first week of
emotions,
excitement,
love,
grief,
anxiety,
and many others
we have emerged and couldn't be happier.
To put it short and sweet:
"I'm in love! I'm in love! And I don't care who knows it!" - Buddy the Elf
Here's a little picture of us from the road. :)
(Me, Mr. Wonderful, his sister Marybeth, and his brother-in-law Todd)
Love, me :)
Saturday, January 21, 2012
"A shark didn't come to my house."
Let me begin by saying that I am a firm believer in each individual's right to his or her own opinions about anything in life. Just because I don't agree with it doesn't mean that I'm going to degrade or look down on you. It's your opinion, and I respect that...
...but a few days ago I went to do some of my observations at a local child development center. A friend of mine from school and I were just getting to meet the kids, so we were chatting it up with them...
...mind you, they are 4-years-old so that didn't consist of many topics, mainly just random thoughts such as:
Kid 1: "A shark didn't come to my house."
Me: "Oh yeah? Well, I hope not."
Kid 1: "No, he didn't come because... I didn't dream of it."
Me: "Uhh.... well, okie dokie."
My friend then says something about her son, whose name is Christian. In comes Kid 2 with a response that caught me totally off guard:
Kid 2: "I can't talk about 'Christian' because I'm not a Christian."
Friend: "Well, okay, but I was talking about my little boy so we can talk about him. It's okay."
(and away walks Kid 2)
I sat there in absolute astonishment. The child is merely 4-years-old, and his parents believe so strongly in the fact that they are NOT Christians that they have firmly instilled that in their own children, so much so that they don't even want to be around a conversation mentioning the word... it just broke my heart. He's so young. Doesn't he deserve the time to learn about his parents' beliefs and then make an informed decision later in life about his own, rather than them push that so incredibly strongly on him? To the point where he doesn't even feel comfortable being in a conversation with someone who merely brings up the word 'Christian,' regardless of it's reference?
(sigh)
On the same token, though, it got me thinking:
We, as Christians, claim to be just that. So, why is it that a non-believer is willing to so strongly force their beliefs on their children, but we aren't willing to do that with our own children? To firmly instill our Christian ethics in them?
I'm no parent yet by any means, but I will one day be. I don't want to force feed my children my beliefs about life to the point where they will, without fail, rebel when they're older, but I want to be the kind of parent that instills a more-than-good foundation for the beliefs of myself and my husband... in my children.
I don't want them to fear discussion about other people's beliefs.
I want them to embrace those discussions because it gives them a chance to express their beliefs in their God, their Father.
I think that's what broke my heart the most about Kid 1's comment.
And perhaps, like my mother said, Kid 1 was merely saying that they're not Christian but that they're Jewish or something of that nature...
but something tells me that's not the case.
...but a few days ago I went to do some of my observations at a local child development center. A friend of mine from school and I were just getting to meet the kids, so we were chatting it up with them...
...mind you, they are 4-years-old so that didn't consist of many topics, mainly just random thoughts such as:
Kid 1: "A shark didn't come to my house."
Me: "Oh yeah? Well, I hope not."
Kid 1: "No, he didn't come because... I didn't dream of it."
Me: "Uhh.... well, okie dokie."
My friend then says something about her son, whose name is Christian. In comes Kid 2 with a response that caught me totally off guard:
Kid 2: "I can't talk about 'Christian' because I'm not a Christian."
Friend: "Well, okay, but I was talking about my little boy so we can talk about him. It's okay."
(and away walks Kid 2)
I sat there in absolute astonishment. The child is merely 4-years-old, and his parents believe so strongly in the fact that they are NOT Christians that they have firmly instilled that in their own children, so much so that they don't even want to be around a conversation mentioning the word... it just broke my heart. He's so young. Doesn't he deserve the time to learn about his parents' beliefs and then make an informed decision later in life about his own, rather than them push that so incredibly strongly on him? To the point where he doesn't even feel comfortable being in a conversation with someone who merely brings up the word 'Christian,' regardless of it's reference?
(sigh)
On the same token, though, it got me thinking:
We, as Christians, claim to be just that. So, why is it that a non-believer is willing to so strongly force their beliefs on their children, but we aren't willing to do that with our own children? To firmly instill our Christian ethics in them?
I'm no parent yet by any means, but I will one day be. I don't want to force feed my children my beliefs about life to the point where they will, without fail, rebel when they're older, but I want to be the kind of parent that instills a more-than-good foundation for the beliefs of myself and my husband... in my children.
I don't want them to fear discussion about other people's beliefs.
I want them to embrace those discussions because it gives them a chance to express their beliefs in their God, their Father.
I think that's what broke my heart the most about Kid 1's comment.
And perhaps, like my mother said, Kid 1 was merely saying that they're not Christian but that they're Jewish or something of that nature...
but something tells me that's not the case.
Monday, January 16, 2012
becoming the victor
"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words. And he who searches the hearts of men knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God." Romans 8:26-27
How you respond to pain and weakness is in your own hands.
That was the overall message of the sermon we received at church yesterday.
"Quit being the victim and become the victor." - Brother Al Geise
...and that is so incredibly true. If we accept responsibility for our own reactions to pain, then we can take control of situations. God doesn't control our reactions to situation - we do. Much like we control our own destiny. God is with us to help hold us up when we are feeling down and out, but we have the power to control our mood.
If I am feeling down in the dumps, I have the power to become happy instead. All I have to do is decide that I'm not going to let things get me down.
Afterall, who likes being down (in any way, shape, or form)??
Not me, my friends.
Not me.
"The Holy Spirit knows exactly where to tinker." - Brother Al Geise
Much like a mechanic knows how to fix an engine,
or a computer engineer knows how to fix a computer,
or a doctor knows how to fix a patient...
The Holy Spirit knows just what to "tinker" with to fix us when we need assistance.
We make the decision to change things, and God knows just where to tinker to fix said problem.
We have the power.
He has the knowledge.
We have the tools.
He has the know-how.
How we respond to each and every situation that is present is directly linked to how we decide to respond.
I can't even begin to list the amount of times that I know in the past that I have chosen to be angry about things simply because it felt easier to be angry than to try and make the effort to push the anger aside and be happy instead. And it hasn't been until the last 7 or 8 months of my life that I'vedecided learned to choose happiness over bitterness, or anger, or sadness...
7 months ago, I met the most amazing man (one who I now know I am meant to spend the rest of my life with)... but also, 7 months ago, I lost one of the most wonderful men I've ever known - my grandfather, my peppy. We lost him to Alzheimer's after a 6 year battle.
Truthfully? We lost him years ago, but physically he passed away 7 months ago. I wasn't sure how to react... he was the only grandfather I had left (aside from my great-grandfather, who is 94-years-old and healthy as an ox, by the way). It didn't matter that he technically hadn't been with us for years. In my heart, I know he knew who I was. He fought that battle, he fought it with as much strength as he could muster... and in the end? He didn't lose, in my mind.
Nay, in my mind, he was victorious beyond measure. He held on as long as he possibly could, and in the end, he wound up in a place far grander than you or I can imagine. He is in Heaven with our Father, with my big sister, with so many loved ones... that is a true victory.
It was because of this realization that I realized my strength and power in making a decision between happy and sad, in making a decision to feel how I choose to feel. Indeed, I did feel sad at the death of my only living grandfather, my Peppy, a man who had taught me so many things throughout my life, but at the same time... I felt a sense of peace and happiness for him. Because from that point on, he was whole again. He knew who he was, and who I am, and who my family members are. He was himself again. He was... victorious.
Healing isn't easy, but it is possible - because we control our reactions and our outcomes. We can choose not to be the victim but to instead be the victor.
I'll just leave you with that thought.
(cause it sure is a good one)
:)
How you respond to pain and weakness is in your own hands.
That was the overall message of the sermon we received at church yesterday.
"Quit being the victim and become the victor." - Brother Al Geise
...and that is so incredibly true. If we accept responsibility for our own reactions to pain, then we can take control of situations. God doesn't control our reactions to situation - we do. Much like we control our own destiny. God is with us to help hold us up when we are feeling down and out, but we have the power to control our mood.
If I am feeling down in the dumps, I have the power to become happy instead. All I have to do is decide that I'm not going to let things get me down.
Afterall, who likes being down (in any way, shape, or form)??
Not me, my friends.
Not me.
"The Holy Spirit knows exactly where to tinker." - Brother Al Geise
Much like a mechanic knows how to fix an engine,
or a computer engineer knows how to fix a computer,
or a doctor knows how to fix a patient...
The Holy Spirit knows just what to "tinker" with to fix us when we need assistance.
We make the decision to change things, and God knows just where to tinker to fix said problem.
We have the power.
He has the knowledge.
We have the tools.
He has the know-how.
How we respond to each and every situation that is present is directly linked to how we decide to respond.
I can't even begin to list the amount of times that I know in the past that I have chosen to be angry about things simply because it felt easier to be angry than to try and make the effort to push the anger aside and be happy instead. And it hasn't been until the last 7 or 8 months of my life that I've
7 months ago, I met the most amazing man (one who I now know I am meant to spend the rest of my life with)... but also, 7 months ago, I lost one of the most wonderful men I've ever known - my grandfather, my peppy. We lost him to Alzheimer's after a 6 year battle.
Truthfully? We lost him years ago, but physically he passed away 7 months ago. I wasn't sure how to react... he was the only grandfather I had left (aside from my great-grandfather, who is 94-years-old and healthy as an ox, by the way). It didn't matter that he technically hadn't been with us for years. In my heart, I know he knew who I was. He fought that battle, he fought it with as much strength as he could muster... and in the end? He didn't lose, in my mind.
Nay, in my mind, he was victorious beyond measure. He held on as long as he possibly could, and in the end, he wound up in a place far grander than you or I can imagine. He is in Heaven with our Father, with my big sister, with so many loved ones... that is a true victory.
It was because of this realization that I realized my strength and power in making a decision between happy and sad, in making a decision to feel how I choose to feel. Indeed, I did feel sad at the death of my only living grandfather, my Peppy, a man who had taught me so many things throughout my life, but at the same time... I felt a sense of peace and happiness for him. Because from that point on, he was whole again. He knew who he was, and who I am, and who my family members are. He was himself again. He was... victorious.
Healing isn't easy, but it is possible - because we control our reactions and our outcomes. We can choose not to be the victim but to instead be the victor.
I'll just leave you with that thought.
(cause it sure is a good one)
:)
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