Beautiful, Beautiful World

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1)

It is amazing to think that our Lord created the earth we live in just six days.

I don't think that you have to travel the world to see the awesome beauty of what the Lord created. However, it helps if you have the opportunity to! I was able to visit Europe when I was in high school, where about 50 or so of us were able to tour England, Ireland and Scotland. It was a fabulous trip, but being in high school and younger, I don't remember a lot of the trip or cherishing the time that I spent there. Although, I do remember how gorgeous and green Ireland was -- and the food was actually delicious. And, yes, we did eat at McDonald's in Dublin, Ireland! Trey also took the same high school senior trip where he visited France and Spain.

By the grace of God, a little more than two years ago while dabbling in a sweepstakes hobby, I actually won a bicycling trip to France. It was a shock receiving an email that said we had won a trip for two to the area of Provence in France! Parker was 7 months old at the time we found out we won and we really debated whether we should leave him to go overseas or not. Boy, are we glad that we did! We think about this trip often and always joke that we would move there in an instant (we seriously would!).


What made it even more of a cherished memory is that we didn't just hop in a car and drive around France -- we were on a bike! Even though I was deathly afraid of going top speed down the small mountain roads on my bike (I got cramps in my hands from braking so much -- boy that Lance sure makes it look easy!), it was all erased by the smell of a crisp apple orchard or a grape vineyard that you can see for miles. Definitely like something I had never experienced before. The sweet, refreshing smell of just made lavendar soap displayed neatly in little packages and the bags and bags of spices lining the tables at the weekly French markets is a favorite memory.


One time when we were about to make our last part of the trip into another quaint town, I was just by myself on a long stretch of road in the French countryside. I literally remember the feel of the wind on my skin and the distinct smell of clean, fresh air. I get goosebumps thinking about it - it was so surreal! I go back to this place often when I think of the beauty that the Lord created. It's a beautiful memory when I need to escape the concert jungle of freeways and buildings that clog the beauty of the world around us.




"Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all." (1 Corinthians 29:11)

There was no eating at McDonald's for us on this trip. It was top-of-the-line gourmet French food the whole way. All of it was absolutely fabulous. Even the road side picnics that we had after a few hours on the bike were so good! Crusty French bread, pasta with tomatoes and chunks of mozerella cheese, lots of olives and melt in your mouth French chocolate. And, of course, just about every meal (which were always four or five course) began with trays and trays of cheese -- some of it a little too smelly for me!

I feel so blessed to have been able to go on this journey. In our everyday struggles, it is so easy to forget the beauty of the Lord in the things that he created -- to stop and take in this wonderful land that he made for us to enjoy.


Even though we are not of this world, we are in this beautiful world. Praise be to God for all his majesty!

Eleven Strong

Today is my 11th anniversary...Happy Anniversary Trey! We are way beyond newlyweds now!

I am so happy to have spent the last 11 years married to Trey, my best friend, my stronghold, my confidant. What's more amazing is that we have known each other for even longer. We met in high school -- he was a junior and I was a senior. Hard to believe that we have actually known each other and been together for nearly 20 years! We have gone through the teen years, the twenties, the thirties -- together. We have gone to Prom, funerals, weddings, Ring Dance (whoop!), midnight yells, and several horrible Texas A&M and Texas Tech games -- together. We made it through the death of his dearly missed grandmother and father, the death of my grandfathers and grandmothers, job disappointments, family issues, and several car wrecks and mishaps -- together.

And throughout it all our love has continued to grow stronger and more steadfast than ever before. Whatever stress or circumstance that goes on around us brings us even closer together. I am eternally grateful that the Lord brought a man to me that vowed to seek the Lord with his whole heart. Both of us knowing the Lord really made a difference in our marriage. It made me stronger seeing Trey want to know the Lord more personally.

We have seen each other grow up right in front of one another. What a journey it has been! We never could have predicted what the Lord had in store for us -- each moment bringing us closer to each other. The footprints left behind are the ones that developed us, that taught us how to keep moving forward. My hope is that we will continue to leave the footprints that our children will follow. That our strength together will be what they want to fashion their marriages after. But mostly, I want them to see that the core of our relationship was founded on our discipleship with Christ.


Trey has always been the romantic at heart. When we first met in high school and started dating I would always wake up to find a Trey creation on my car. For months on end he would leave something that he had made -- a cardboard smiley face, a love note, and oftentimes flowers, would be left for me to discover EVERY morning. Sometimes I would find these creations on my car if I had been babysitting a few houses down from his. I still have some of these items and we recently got them out and giggled about how silly they seemed now. He actually spent quite a lot of time putting these things together! But these were special moments in time that the Lord was using to build our relationship.

Although I don't get flowers, special cardboard creations or cards as much now as then, I still cherish every hug, every I love you, every moment spent. And, he still has that romantic side too - I love how he can watch Breakfast at Tiffany's 10 times in a row without me watching it with him!

Thanks Trey for the past 11 years! Can't wait for what is ahead. The journey is so much better with you by my side -- and with the Lord walking beside us both.

I love you.