Muddy Musings (alliteration points!)

If you missed it somehow, this little corner of the earth is underwater right now, at least mostly. Boulder, CO is a lot of a wet wreck, but at least we can't complain about the heat now. 

My personal corner of the world is pretty dry. The creek is up and the road is washed out in a spot, but we're doing well otherwise. 

Rain makes me muse-y, and this week is no exception. Riding home on the tailgate of the truck from mucking in a culvert or two, I realized how darn grateful I am for all those things that I take for granted most of the time. Like electricity (now that it's back) and showers and the fact that we're essentially self sufficient for short amounts of time up here. I'm grateful that we have heat and no basement to flood and a nice buffer of space between us and the creek. I'm so thankful for our neighbors who bring my Grandma things like a generator for her oxygen, and for all the great people who live up here. I'm thankful for my incredible senior class, most of which is out helping someone else right now, even though they're mostly all flooded too. I'm thankful for rain and it's moisture, even though this has been destructive. In a way, I'm thankful for the destruction. James 1 tells us to thank God for all things, so I'm trying to remember that. I'm also learning to let go of things because of the rain, and I'm sure others are too. I'm thankful for how darn awesome the community is too. I'm thankful for the toaster especially. 

If you're the praying sort (or even if you're not!) pray with me for the emergency crews out there this week. For the 20 unaccounted for people in Boulder County. For the people who have houses and cars underwater and who just have damp carpets. For the people who are pitching in to help others and the public service companies. For every family out there. For every building, especially the schools (and nonprofits). For everyone who can find a silver lining in this and for everyone who can't. Thanks be to God that he's sovereign through this and over the wind and the rain. 

Stay dry, loves! And if you can't do that, then accept your socks are wet and dive into the adventure:) 

Xoxox Lo

[A reminder we all need]

Hello, beautiful person! 

You are valuable beyond belief. You, yes, you. This is addressed directly to you. 

Your value doesn't come from if he smiled at you today or if she hit on you. It doesn't come from your performance in a sport or your gym class or how well you pay attention in choir. Your value isn't decreased by the fact you tripped down the stairs today or increased by how well you recovered it. You aren't more or less valuable because half the school is talking about you or because you memorized your part early. Just because your relationships aren't exactly swell doesn't mean you are any less or more valuable. You aren't extra special or extra average because you got your college apps in already or because you have no idea what you want to do with your life, or if college is even in the mix. What your parents, teachers, friends, siblings or strangers think about you doesn't change the fact that you are extraordinary, valuable, and loved beyond measure. Nothing can change that.  

You are exquisite because Daddy made you that way. He adores you and thinks you're the coolest person ever. That's pretty rad, if you ask me. What's better is that He always stays the same, so you can do NOTHING to lose or earn his love. It just is. 

So breathe in and exhale slowly. Relax, and know you're in good Hands. Know that while it's a great idea to study for this or practice for that or just be a generally kind or studious or whatever person, it doesn't make you worth more or less. You're excellent just as you are. Keep smiling:)

Happy weekend, loves! 

All my love, 

Lauren 

Letters and Birthday Wishes

Hi friends! It's been a while, hasn't it? Maybe M and I will track down more free time this year to bop here more often (aaaand maybe not). 

Just a few thoughts coming your way. Ready? 

First off, it is the lovely Madeleine's EIGHTEENTH BIRTHDAY! (Sorry about the shouting. I'll warn you next time) Soooo... A round of Happy Birthday is in order. But that's obnoxious to type, so sing it in your head. Madeleine, (shouting, coming up) THIS IS YOUR BIRTHDAY SONG; IT ISN'T VERY LONG. HEY! 

Next order of business: just take a moment and find 5 things you're legitimately grateful for in this moment. 

Mine: 

1. Spit 

2. That-after rain smell

3. Contacts 

4. Clean drinking water 

5. Hot showers

Just take a minute and thank Daddy for those things. He's so, SO good to you and me. 

My wonderful newly-turned-21-year-old brother (so many August birthdays already!) has brought the blog Today's Letter's to my attention. Go check it out sometime. I think her ideas are rad, and therefore I'm borrowing her little letter idea (the one that I assume the blog is named for). But go find hers for the real deal. 

Dear contacts, I wish we got along better. I wish we saw eye to eye more often (pun  vaguely intended and intentionally left), and I mostly wish I could see better when I was driving because you weren't acting up. Dear Ryan, thank you for making me laugh so much. I hope that things brighten up a little bit for you:) Dear pride, I really need to learn to let go of you. You like to masquerade as confidence sometimes, and that sucks. Stop doing that please. Dear mom, thanks for dinner. Dear Madsauce, happy birthday, princess. Olive you! Dear need for validation, why have you been acting up so much recently? I wish you weren't so dear to me. Calm yourself. 

Happy Monday, one and all! Know you're so loved and lovely, and know that you're not alone in whatever nonsense you're going through. 

Xoxox Lauren

Little Talks

What if you talked to God as much as you talked to your best friend?

Think about it.

I'm one of those people who will walk around texting or Facebook messaging someone all day. Generally it's my one of my best friends, and we talk about everything from what we're baking or eating right then, to our pets and families, to our least favorite capital letter to write, to deep stuff like fears and hopes and secrets. Those of you who talk to your boyfriend or girlfriend or spouse 24/7 can also relate to this- you cover everything possible, and mostly you just don't want the conversation to die. I will make ridiculous observations or say things that probably wouldn't come up otherwise to help a conversation stay alive.

So what would it look like if I talked to God like that? I generally don't, and get trapped in this idea that I need to just bring him my heavy stuff, my shortcomings, and my negative emotions. I've been treating God like a counselor instead of like a best friend.

Part of this probably comes from me misreading 1 Peter 5:7, which reads, "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." I once took this to mean that while, sure, God cared about all of me and all the good things too, he just wanted to hear about what scared me and how good he was.

But that's not right. God cares about all of me- the fears and shames and negatives for sure, but also my hopes and dreams and what I made for breakfast today and which pair of mismatched socks I picked out this morning.

Luke 12:7 says, "Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."

If God cares about how many hairs I have, I think he also cares about the rest of my (and your!) life. He celebrates with me and smiles with me and loves to hear from me, whether it's about socks or sin.

I don't put much stock in resolutions, but this year and every year following, I'm going to try to make a conscious choice to talk to Daddy more frequently, about everything-- the good and the bad.

I pray that this year will be a challenge and a blessing for us all, and that "Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith-- that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and dept, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God" (Eph. 3.17-19).

All my love,
Lauren