Waiting

We are in a season of life where it doesn't make sense to add a new person to our family. And yet, God has given me this deep desire that is nagging. Adoption once again is calling and I find myself looking at families that are adopting or have adopted and my heart just aches.

It's a unique pain. Knowing what you are called to do, but knowing the timing isn't right yet. It's also a unique feeling knowing you want to adopt from foster care, knowing that your kids are out there...right this moment. Going through hard times. Going through the painful process that will bring them to you. Oh, how I wish I could scoop them up and comfort them and keep them from the pain. That I could bring them home right this moment and begin to heal their hearts.

But I can't. So I rest in the knowledge that God has his eyes on them. God is caring for them through this pain until they find our arms. Trusting that he will work wonders through this pain in their lives. That he has created them to be strong enough to overcome. That he holds their stories. I can't wait to join the story, but for now, I pray. 

God sees you too. He sees the hope and pain that you carry each day and he carries it with you. You are not alone, he is there with you and so are the rest of us who are waiting. 

Trust is always tested in these seasons of waiting. To trust in God's timing. To trust that he holds my life in his hands. Trusting means letting go of control. Because if I really wanted to I could rip control out of his hands and just move forward, but instead we wait and trust... and wait.

If we tried to move forward with adoption right now the kids God has for us may not be ready yet, and that could mean missing out on the family God has for us. This scenario is such a tangible way to see that there is grace and mercy in the waiting, other seasons of waiting are not so clear.

If you are waiting for healing, direction, forgiveness, understanding, or clarity things are not so simple to see. I pray you will rest in the Father's hands with me and all the others who are waiting. May we find comfort in his grasp and in each other.

If you know someone who is waiting, encourage them. Let them know you see them. That you see the strength with which they face each day. It takes enormous strength to move forward with the everyday when your heart longs for something more.

I see you and God sees you.

Welcome...back!

For those of you who have followed along for a while...welcome back!

If you're new around here....welcome!

I am dusting off this blog in hopes of sharing the sweet moments of my life. From cooking to motherhood and everything in between I hope you will join me as we navigate life.

If there is a topic you'd love to see discussed on here let me know in the comments below. I'd love to hear from you.

Here's to figuring it out as we go....together!

Keeley

Today is my sweet friend Keeley's birthday!

Cannot believe that we sealed our forever friendship with the summer of 2005, over 7 1/2 years ago! When did we grow up?

I loved every minute that we got to live by/with each other through high school and college, sleeping over, pranking boys (or at least trying to), making trips to sonic, and just being us.

Happy birthday sweet friend!

And to wrap up, I wrangled up some old pictures! (in no particular order)

Love you sweet friend!

Tis So Sweet

Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take Him at His Word;
Just to rest upon His promise,
And to know, “Thus saith the Lord!” 

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er;
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
Oh, for grace to trust Him more!

Oh, how sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to trust His cleansing blood;
And in simple faith to plunge me
’Neath the healing, cleansing flood!

Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just from sin and self to cease;
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life and rest, and joy and peace.

I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee,
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
And I know that Thou art with me,
Wilt be with me to the end.


This past year one of my goals was to rebuild my trust in Jesus. Long story short, because of  insecurities and doubts I had lost my trust. I wanted it back, but I knew it would be a slow process. I feel like this past year was healing for me and starting off the new year at church with this song was just right.

It is so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take him at his word, just to rest upon his promise. O for grace to trust him more...

In my past I had taken that for granted, and yesterday was a gentle reminder of just how amazing that is!

Begin Well

Cheers to the New Year! Let's make 2013 a great one! Here are some things I want to work toward:

1. Fall more in love with Jesus.
2. Walk closer with the Spirit.
3. Get God out of any boxes I have put Him in.
4. Use our resources more wisely. Money, time, influence.
5. Get organized. House, work, hobbies, cleaning. 
6. Work on being content. 
7. Pay off the truck.
8. Feed current friendships and create new ones
9. Make time to reflect.
10. Find my rhythm. God, work, home, friends, hobbies.
11. Blog at least once a month.

I decided not to do 13 in 13 like last year, mostly because it is an unsustainable pattern as the years keep going...!

A few of mine came from a great article by Relevant magazine about things to do/know by 25ish. Check it out!

What are your goals, resolutions, hopes for this new year?

In Review

The last day of 2012 is upon us, and as each year in my past has come to a close I find myself wondering the same thing...."where did it go?"

Last year I shared 12 things I wanted to work towards in 2012. In September I revisited them, and here is the final look back.

1. Spend more meaningful time with the people I love. I visited friends, called long distant friends more often, and spent much more meaningful time with Aubrey.
2. Love more and better. Even though this one is vague, and something I will always be working toward, I can say I took steps in the right direction.
3. Admit, confess, and explore my doubts in depth. This is a slow go, and something I am still working through, I am however in a place where my doubts don't scare me.
4. Trust. Trust has been and will continue to be regained.
5. Take time to reflect. Hmm, my journaling was sporadic this year, and I found myself filling my free time unwisely a lot. This is definitely something I am still working into my life as a routine.
6. Explore and "define" what I believe. Explore, check. Define, I don't know that I will ever have it defined, in retrospect, maybe its not wise to define it as it leaves no room for growth.
7. Explore how to live a life of love, peace, wisdom, and justice. This one came from a book, One.Life these are things that I will constantly be maintaining and adding to my life.
8. Visit Nashville. Aubrey and I loved our visit to Nashville! Saw sweet friends and ate great food.
9. Use my free time more wisely. Hmm, as stated above, this is something I am still figuring out. I need to figure out how to work 8 hours a day, and come home and not just sit on the couch until I go to bed. Any tips..?
10. Cook and craft more. YES! I have great friends who love to craft, so craft nights were scheduled and crafts executed! I crafted a lot of Christmas gifts this year which was great, and I learned how to knit! I am also doing more cooking as Aubrey and I are now on a more structured budget.
11. Read more, I'm shooting for at least 6 books this year. Definitely read at least 6 this year, and have definitely reignited my love of reading! I finished one last week, and started the first in a currently list of 10 I am hoping to get through!
12. Live healthier. I think I did this! I started running this summer! When winter came I decided that I wasn't one of those hardcore runners who runs in the snow and ice, so I moved to the gym. However, the treadmill and my knees do not get along, so I moved to the elliptical. Also started doing some videos to tone muscles I didn't know I had... ouch! Currently in a healing process after busting my BUTT the first day it snowed this year. Tailbone...bruised. I also cut back SIGNIFICANTLY on how much coke (Dr. Pepper) I was drinking. Water is juuust fine!

These are definitely things I will carry over with my into the new year, but I feel like I made steps in the right direction of new habits and awareness.

How do you feel as you look back reflectively on your 2012?

Halloween Printables

Round two of free printables!

We don't really do a lot of Halloween decorating around the Hogan household,  mostly because there are no little ones to really enjoy it, but here are some printables to help with your decorating!

Happy Halloween Download

Halloween Collage Download

If you download and print please leave a comment below! I would also love to see some pictures of your printables displayed! Post some pictures to your blog and leave a link in your comment!

Happy Halloween!