Thankful

I'm not normally the one who does the thankful blogs around thanksgiving. But recently I've noticed my negativity. I am THANKFUL that I notice when I'm being abundantly negative, and I'm THANKFUL I have the know how to change my attitude.

Regardless, I feel like I owe it to my friends and family to talk about all the things I truly am thankful for. All the things I'm blessed with even when my complaints seems to overshadow them. Here are 24 things I am thankful for this year...in no special order!

1. I am thankful for my husband. I am married to a man I don't deserve. He is kind...more kind than anyone you know (I'm sure of it). He is patient, gracious, loving and loyal. He keeps my head up, he makes me feel beautiful even on my ugliest days and he holds me accountable to the things I'm working on. He is, in every meaning of the phrase, my best friend. I am so in love. So devoted.

2. I am thankful for my beautiful children. I've been blessed with a daughter who is wise, beautiful, loving, hilarious and so creative. I've been blessed with a son who is so caring, so loving and abundantly happy. My heart is FULL...incredibly full.

3. I am thankful for my parents. I have the world's most incredible parents. They are caring, devoted, wise and always true. They have taught me love, that perfection is unattainable, but that God is refining. I love them endlessly.

4. I am thankful for my siblings and their spouses. Each one is so different and so completely necessary in my life. I love all of them. We have so much fun.

5. I am thankful for my 6 nieces and 1 nephew! They are beautiful, each one of them. I would scoop them up and call them my own if I needed to. Each one is so tucked into my heart, I feel blessed to have them!

6. I am thankful for my inlaws. They are generous and loving...so endlessly devoted to our babies, and so supportive of Jon and I.

7. I am thankful for my grandparents and extended family. Aunts, uncles, cousins...blessed to have many. I love my time spent with them. I love all of them.

8. I am thankful for my friends. Ahhh friends...the privilege of being able to create relationships with people like the ones I have in my life is incredible. I love them. They strengthen me and better me.

9. I'm thankful for my home. We own a beautiful condo we were able to purchase last year. While it constantly stretches us, it is a blessing none the less. I am covered, I am warm, I am comfortable. Thats a lot more than most can say.

10. I am thankful for the clothes on my back...because I have them in abundance, because I can choose my outfit and wear a different one every day. I have too much to be thankful for...how easily we forget to be thankful for even the smallest things.

11. I am thankful for the food in my pantry. I am thankful because even when it's all gone, and we don't have means to buy more, we have people who help us.

12. I am thankful for our cars. A car is a strange thing. Such an overlooked luxury. And we have two of them.

13. I am thankful for electricity. I can see in the dark. I am warm when it's cold. I can cook my food with ease. I can be entertained by film and technology.

14. I am thankful for my laundry machines. My clothes are always clean.

15. I am thankful for running water. I can take a warm shower whenever I want. I can drink a cold glass of water when I'm thirsty. It's endless. And clean.

16. I am thankful for the freedom to do whatever I want, whenever I want.

17. I am thankful that my husband and I have jobs...and even though money is tight, things could be far worse.

18. I am thankful for my humor. This sounds terribly conceited, but I don't mean it to be. I have tough skin, I am able to laugh and make others laugh. I love it. I am thankful for it. Laughter is healing.

19. I am thankful for our pediatricians. When my kids are sick or hurt, I can take them to a place where people dedicate their lives to help them. No matter the cost, I'm grateful.

20. I am thankful for my neighborhood. We live in a place where my kids can play safely, where neighbors are friendly, where lawns are mowed.

21. I am thankful for my bed. I get to sleep on clean sheets, on top of a pillow top mattress, with a giant (and very warm) blanket and TWO big fluffy pillows to rest my head on.

22. I am thankful for my church. I get to go and worship Jesus Christ twice a week...no one stops me.

23. I am thankful for education. For my own. For my husband's. For the future education of my children.

24. Finally, and certainly above all, I am thankful for my relationship with Jesus Christ. I am forgiven when I don't deserve to be. I am cleansed. I am renewed. I am thankful for a God who is righteous and good. I am thankful for a God who chose me and loves me. THIS is enough.

I could add a hundred more things I'm thankful for, but you get the point. We want and want and want...our society is structured that way...and we forget the small things that are so big in the eyes of others.

I am blessed big time.
Even when money is tight.
Even when things seem impossible.
Even when reality isn't pretty.
Even when the world tries to take me down.

I am thankful this year and I plan to remind myself to be thankful for things small and big, every year.

Happy Thanksgiving loved ones.

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...