Promised.

Do you ever get wrapped up in so many things that you feel like its impossible to even get your barring on reality? I'm there. In fact, this is like the story of my life.

I have periods of time where I feel totally in control. Everything is just as it should be...in the right place...in the right position. But most times, I feel all spread out...spread way too thin. I feel stretched and bent so uncomfortably that I get worn down. I feel like I'm working for everyone else, I'm caring for everyone else...and everyone else forgot to take care of me.

Don't worry, I'm not depressed. But seriously...can I get an "Amen"!? I don't think I know a single person who hasn't been in this very position. It's amazing what I try to do to fix it...drop an activity, keep a week free of stuff, clean my house until every inch is shining...and all of it is just so temporary. Trivial at best.

We can choose to live this way, day in and day out, always trying to work through it all on our own. We can constantly depend on the relationships in our lives to sustain us emotionally. We can work and work to make things look good...but it's all worth so little.

I imagine myself walking next to God. On my back I carry my family, my friends, my home, my work, my life. All by myself, I carry the weight and work endlessly to keep on my feet. Why wouldn't I depend on God, walking next to me, to help me carry it all? Just as you'd depend on anyone to help you carry a heavy load...so should I depend on my Lord for his help.

When my relationship with God is firm, so is everything else. The pieces fall into place...things work out. Worries seem silly. Blessings are abundant.

How do we forget this? Constantly forgetting this? Even though it's been PROMISED to us?

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30 ESV)

Lord, forgive me for thinking I have control over this. Forgive me for relying on the care of others for the fulfillment of my soul. YOU are enough. YOU are enough for me. Help me remember this, and seek you first in all things.

"All I want is my momma"

I remember being little and having that feeling of fullness and love when I was in the arms of my mom or dad. It was safe, it was relaxing, it was happy. When I was sick, when I was hurt, when I was sad, when I was afraid...the only place I'd want to be was in the arms of my parents.

I feel blessed to have memories of that. Even as a 29 year old woman, I still feel that way. It's a feeling you can ever part with, and I'm eternally thankful to my parents for blessing me with that lifelong assurance.

Just last night, I came home from small group and Liv (my 4 year old) was still up waiting for me. It was about 9:30p (about 40 minutes past her bedtime), and she was exhausted. I wrapped her up in my arms and asked her if she was sleepy. She responded with:

"I'm so tired...and all I want is my mommy"

I can't even explain what kind of joy this brought me. To know that my kids feel that same fullness and love in me that I have in my parents is so important to me. I am her safe assurance...WOW...how did I get so blessed?!?

With all this said, I can't help but think of how much our Savior wishes and hopes that in our adulthood, we would seek His arms for that fullness and love we instinctually need as humans. That same assurance ours parents gave us as children is the assurance the Lord offers to His children. Who wouldn't want to live in that?

My role as a parent is going to be one that my children learn from. The assurance, love and promise that I instill in their lives will be what they compare to the assurance, love and promise the Lord has for them. With that in mind, I think I finally understand my purpose in parenting...to teach my children about the relationship they can have with Jesus Christ through the parent/child relationship we cultivate with each other. I want to emulate the Lord in all I do. There is no failure in that. That's most certainly a promise I can cling to!

Hello Anthropologie :)

This summer was a rough one. Financially we were expecting more money, and ended up with less. I was "let go" of my hours at The Music Room for economic reasons, and things were looking pretty crappy. Jon and I had been overcome by the reality of our financial position...but instead of letting it "take the throne" in our lives...we chose to have faith that all this was happening for a reason.

God is good. We know that for sure.

I needed a job. Anthropologie held open interviews last week, and after pining over my interview outfit, I went in to see if I'd fit the bill. Being in there, talking to the manager and employees, just being around their product...it all felt right. My interview went really well. Something I've learned over the years is that there is no use pretending to be something you aren't when you interview for a new job. Let yourself be you and pray that "you" is exactly what they are looking for. They said they'd get back to each of us within the week. My week came and went, and on Sunday, I called in eager to find out if I was the lucky pick.

I got the job.

I was practically screaming on the phone...the excitement was not containable! I got the job. I am working at anthropologie. I get to work with their product...the beautiful clothes, the amazing accessories, the sophisticated home goods. I get to help women choose outfits using the most beautiful and timeless clothing to choose from. I. AM. THRILLED.

I understand that having a job is a necessity for most (duh), but my position has always been that its just as important to LOVE what you do as it is to have a job in the first place. My 12 years working at The Music Room has taught me so much about people and retail. I am beyond thankful for all I've learned, because now I get to take my knowledge and pair it with my passion. This is going to be a good ride :) Praise the Lord for His faithfulness!!

With all this said...I thought I'd share a few of my favorite anthro looks :) Enjoy my friends...and come visit me.

OBSESSED!

New Look

I've had my old colorful blog far too long. Now for something a bit more...me. Hope you like :)

Happy Birthday My Great Love

Today, October 12th, it's my husband's birthday. In honor of his day, I thought I'd share with the world what I know of my love of over ten years:

1. He is an amazing husband. He's a leader, a comforter, he's loyal, compassionate and always loving to me. He is my partner in every sense of the word. He is my sweetest love...and every day we love each other more. I never though our love could get bigger, but it has.

2. He is an unbelievable father. Our kids fill with joy at the sight of him. He lays on the floor every day after work just so they can crawl all over him and laugh as he tickles and cuddles them. He teaches them the way of the Lord. He teaches them patience, respect, honor and love.

3. He loves his family. I'm not just talking about the four of us. He loves his mom and dad. He loves his mom and dad in-law. He loves his grandparents and still talks about his grandparents who passed many years ago. He loves his aunts and uncles and his cousins (both biological and inlaw alike). He loves being an uncle to his 7 nieces and 1 nephew. He loves his entire family unconditionally...and always wants to be around them.

4. He loves his friends like he loves his family. He is a devoted, loyal and caring friend. He is the guy you want next to you in all situations and I thank God for his "brothers"...who have very much stepped into the roll of siblings when he had none.

5. He works hard. There are men who provide for their families, but I believe there are few who do it with as much passion and focus as my husband. He works hard for us...he's smart, he's an artist and he's always grateful for the work he is given.

6. He loves the Lord. This above all things. My husband is the most Godly man I've ever met. There is never a question about whether or not Jon Lindstrom puts the Lord above all things. Those that know him closely know this well...and as for me, there is no earthly place I feel safer than under the guidance, comfort and protection of my husband. All because I know his heart belongs to Jesus.

My husband is the greatest man I know. I love him beyond what I could imagine and I praise God for bringing him into my life. Everyone should be so lucky to find such partnership. Jonathan, I love you. I love you so much. Happy 32nd Birthday <3

Always yours,

Lindsey

Looking beyond man

I don't believe we truly understand the righteousness of the Lord.

We get hints of it...glimpses of his GLORY...and it rocks our lives. But I believe those glimpses are just that; a FRACTION of who the Lord is. A detail of his majesty.

I imagine heaven. I imagine the immense JOY of meeting my Maker face to face. I remember the overwhelming, heart-popping-out-of-my-chest moment when my husband asked me to marry him...or when my beautiful children were born...and I think..."THIS IS A FRACTION OF THE LOVE MY SAVIOR HAS FOR ME??" it's mind blowing.

Sometimes I wonder how it will be possible to survive being in the presence of the Lord. How are we capable?

All this to say...we live our lives seeing the Lord through dirty glasses. We dig Him out of muck and search endlessly for Him within a sea of hatred and desolation. How easily we lose Him...how easily He get buried beneath our sinful nature.

Constantly refine yourselves, dear friends. Constantly strip all that's unnecessary so you can experience a glimpse of the GLORY of the LORD. I am so unworthy.

The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times. You, O Lord, will keep them; you will guard us from this generation forever. On every side the wicked prowl, as vileness is exalted among the children of man. (Psalm 12:6-8 ESV)

For it is you who light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness. For by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.
For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?— the God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless. He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights. He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great.
You gave a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip. (Psalm 18:28-36 ESV)

We are unworthy...and still He loves us. I'm in awe. My life for the GLORY of GOD...

Ruts

Since getting back from camp...I've been in a rut.

My kids were making me pay for leaving them so long...

My leg hurt from my injury to it at camp...

Nothing seemed to be going right for me...

Work even seemed too overwhelming...

No one seemed to care...

Ruts are funny things. Its almost like you can't even explain them. When asked why I was in my rut, everything ran through my head, almost as if I searched for a problem within every single thing, relationship, detail of my life...and tried to blame it on that. Yet the blame never fits. You never feel settled with where your reason rests. You end up talking circles and still not feel better by the end of it. Its a rotten emotional place to be in.

I often wonder what God is thinking while He's watching me in my rut. Arms crossed, tapping His foot with a smirk on His face...thinking to Himself, "She knows the remedy, just wait for it." Yet our stubbornness feels like a heavy cloud that's near impossible to break through. Every so often we look up...and still we choose to stay put. Why we do this to ourselves, I'll never know.

Last night, I tried to describe it to my husband. It was unsuccessful, until I came to the conclusion that my rut was ultimately my lack of contentment. Jon followed that by telling me...

"You're trying to fill your voids with things that can't fill your voids...

therefore, not content."

So simple. I can't fill my voids with my husband, my children, my family or friends. I can't fill the voids with things that fail too. And as the Lord sits there tapping his foot at me, waiting anxiously for me to invite Him to fill my voids...I realize how simple it all is. The Lord is always waiting...patiently waiting with open arms for sinful me. Never-ending love and mercy...forgiving me for my stupid rut. Reminding me of my abundant blessings.

It makes me realize how inferior we are to our King...and yet we matter to Him. I matter to Him. How is that even possible? Why should He care? Yet He does.

This morning I woke up feeling His new mercies. I woke up realizing that maybe my rut was necessary. Maybe I needed to realize that my life and all that is in it isn't what I need most...that the Lord is all I need for contentment, and within that contentment, I will find joy in all the blessings HE has given me. Certainly not a new revelation in my life...but one I think we all should be reminded of on a regular basis.