The last month has been a whirlwind. So much good has happened in our home; we moved homes, celebrated our kid’s birthdays and found out we are expecting baby BOY #5. There is so much joy surrounding these milestones. Our family is developing its shape and becoming what our children will grow to remember as their childhood. Simultaneously, we have held hands with friends going through some hard lows: we have listened to close friends who have recently lost their loved ones after long health battles and some unexpectedly.
Meanwhile we have watched the world grieve after Botham Jean was killed and the debates on race, we then watched the world debate the Kavanaugh and Ford testimonies and on equality, we watched as storms hit the Carolinas and heard about their mosquitos. The world is fighting for a better place for their kids or maybe they are just calling out from their own wounds that they are trying to heal. Their cries have gripped my heart. I have been captivated by so many sharing their personal stories. In the ups and downs of the month I am left with an overwhelming calm that says Jesus has already won and his victory was done in love. Love wins. In the midst of the pain, we are reminded that the pain we feel now is nothing compared to the joy that is coming (Romans 8:18).
This month our home has been filled with long conversations as we have watched our family grow and listened to the world speaking around them. We have talked about our view points and we have tried to see both sides, we have talked about how we want to teach our children, and we have talked about how we want to be, we have even discussed in length how to rid of our own mosquitos.
I appreciate deep conversations that challenge our families status quo and make us defend its relevancy. I don’t want to live a luke-warm life, nor do I want to just go through the motions of raising kids. I’m not one to shy away from a hard conversation or making a change. This month has been a good reminder that I don’t know how long I have and I am making my legacy today. I want to create a legacy that teaches my children how to love a broken world, but to know how to not be broken by them. I want my children to know the source of life and that on their darkest days the pain they feel is nothing compared to the joy that is coming. I want my kids to love celebrating. Every.Thing. This month we have celebrated birthdays, gender reveal, a new home, new words (as our boys learn to talk), work goals completed, and started our fall decorating. There is much to celebrate. I want to teach my kids to let their light shine! I pray my legacy is bright enough to spark theirs.