As you know, when you're married, sometimes you fail each other.Even if you're surrounded by lots of people with great marriages and you hear lots of messages about how to communicate and how to give and how to love, the truth is, sometimes you just mess up. And in your messing up, you mess up the one you love the most.And sadly, the other person, (the one you love the most) has to suffer the consequences of your choices. Your choice to be selfish, or your choice to say that thing that stings, or your choice to just not talk and to close up your heart and leave them wondering if you'll ever even like them again.And it would seem like no two people could ever really have what all the storybooks tell and what all the movies portray--that never-stopping, heart-delighting, blissfully [...]

Yesterday was a struggle for joy. Some days I just forget the meaning of life. I actually forget why I'm here and what's the point of everything and I sit at the table at the end of the day and mention to Brent that I feel like I'm just existing.My brain gets fuzzy and I feel confused because I look around me and there are so many things to be happy about and to be thankful for...but for some reason, joy just isn't there.What if Who I believe in isn't true? What if we just come to the end and find that all there is, is nothing.Doubt. Worry. Fear.Now, why am I here again? What is it that's so important? Would someone please help me see?I whisper prayers and voice my thoughts. Questions still come.I ask for eyes to see.I stop to gaze at black-eyed Susans. What is the meaning of all thi[...]

Brent is gone to a meeting and Bubby is in bed. I really ought to be cleaning the kitchen and sweeping the floor, but I'm just plumb tired. Besides, it's much funner to just sit here and write about "love" instead.Speaking of love, I'm quite fond of this guy. And for some reason, he still says I'm pretty.Even though my belly's gettin really big and I put "Sun-In" in my hair and my roots are growin out way too fast. And even though I don't look like that girl in the magazine rack at the grocery store...he still whispers, "You're so beautiful." He just keeps looking past all the blemishes and the tired eyes and into this heart of mine and he values things that can't be seen.That's what love does.Do you know what he did tonight? He knew he had a meeting to go to, so when he got home from w[...]

In the early morning, I find myself wide awake. I keep rolling over and close my eyes tight, in hopes that I could just get a little more sleep, but these thoughts keeps rolling and my soul is feeling hungry. So, I shake off the drowsiness and find my Bible and a chair and sit outside.Today I want to see the sky. I want to watch the light breaking in and see the clouds shift and swirl like eddies in the ocean. And it's good for me to observe the birds fly across that great expanse of blue. I open up the Word--food for my soul--and am reminded that God speaks loud and clear and all I have to do is look up to see His existence written out on sky-canvas.The heavens declare the glory of God, and the skies proclaim the work of His hands. (Psalm 19:1)The Lord is God, and He has made His light [...]

A sweet friend just told me some good marriage advice. So good, that I sat there shaking my head and thought...I really needed to hear that. Wait...I really want to do that!Here's the gist of what she said:"When you get married, it's like you're suddenly holding this picture in your hand of all that you want and think your spouse should be. Over the years, you have a choice. You can either hold on to that picture really tight, and shred up your spouse with your expectations...or you can love and accept your spouse for who they really are, and shred up that picture."Lord, help me to build Brent up with my words and actions. I don't want to shred him to pieces by choking him with all the expectations that a girl tends to come up with. I want to be a love-lavisher...like You are to me. But I[...]

There are countless ways that God graces our lives with His Presence...we only need eyes to see.He whispers His love to us in a thousand different languages.At times He shouts it out.We only need ears to hear.There's a joy-song just waiting to be sung with our lives.It's intoxicating and relentless.We only need a heart in tune.Lord, please wash away the blindness from our eyes. Please take away the deafness from our ears. And Jesus, please take the hardness from our hearts. We need eyes to truly see...ears to truly hear...hearts that can feel You. Especially in this daily grime of life. You are our Joy. We long to savor You.

I, Bubby, would like to take the next few moments of your time to instruct you in proper kitty-handling.First, you scope out your victim, I mean, kitty.Actually, any one will do, so long as they are smaller and more helpless than you are.Then, you approach him cautiously and carefully.It's helpful if you coax him with your high-pitched squealing voice while repeating the phrase, "Heeeeeere, kitty kitty kitty....heeeeeerre, kitty kitty."If your kitty doesn't heed your charmful wooing and flees for refuge from the clutches of your tyrannical grip, simply pin him down and reassure him that you only mean him good and not evil.You may sense the need to calm his nerves by singing, "I love you...foreeever...I'll like you....for always...as long as I'm living, my kitty you'll be."Be sure you squee[...]

Today was a hard day. Some days are just like that, you know? I felt like such a wimp, emotionally. Gideon is at this stage where he's no longer very fond of his toys and would prefer to play with cell phones, keys, the lap-top, toxic cleaning supplies, the toilet bowl and all the other "no touchies."And not only that, but he's been getting frustrated so easily. If he doesn't get something right away, he throws himself on the floor and begins banging his poor little head. Or he just starts smacking himself in the noggin while repeatedly yelling, "NO!" Or, then there's the occasional biting whatever is nearest to him...the chair, the toy, my leg.Now, please don't misunderstand. I really like this little guy, I do. And I'm not lookin' to ship him off to Abu Dhabi, just yet. But some da[...]

We recently acquired a slide from a kind neighbor. Now, the story begins...in Bubby's own version, of course.Oh, mother, there's really nothing better after playing in the water hose than conquering a slide.It's actually a great feat to climb this thing while your pants are soakin wet and your diaper's extra heavy and there's rocks in your shoes and your shirt's a-smellin like dirt and grubs.But alas, this feat is not too much for me. You see, I am a Bubby-Warrior. There is no toy slide too high that I would not dare to climb it.I know I'm just a youngin' but I must show the world that there is nothing to fear but fear itself. I think a really important person said that.Now, mama, I hear you chuckling. You may not think I'm so brave, but do consider--this slide may be one small step for gr[...]