Ryleigh's Vocabulary (Amanda)

My little girl is growing up. :( Or at least a little bit. I remember one of my friends telling me how sad she was when her daughter learned how to say a certain word correctly, instead of in her funny little girl speak. I didn't understand. Until now.

Ryleigh has learned how to say "Hallelujah." Which I've decided is not nearly as cute as "Hallelulah." I'm going to miss that extra l.

And "pussywillow." We have a vase full of pussywillows on the table that she helped Grandma clip from her bush outside. It was so much fun to hear her try to tell someone what they are... "pillywissow," "puhssywissow," "billywillows," etc. But yesterday, she told someone we have "pussywillows." She said it right. For the first time, or at least the first time on her first attempt.

I'm going to miss the pillywissows and hallelulahs. Little Ryleigh is growing up. I guess I'll have to wait for Ashtyn to start talking so I can get a kick out of her vocabulary.

Is my life glorious? (Amanda)

You are glorious!
You make everything glorious!
I am yours!

I heard these three simple phrases on the radio the other day as I was driving. It occurred to me that there is profound power in these words, power to literally change the world. Think about it. Reflect on those words, especially the implications of the final phrase in light of the first two.

God is glorious. That's an easy one. Regardless of where you are on your spiritual journey, I think anyone who has a relationship with Him can agree with that statement. We praise and worship Him for His glory.

God makes everything glorious. This one is also fairly easy, especially as spring is exploding around us. At least I think so. God himself declared all of creation "good" from the beginning of the world. God's creation is glorious, and He can and does make all things glorious.

The third statement can be the difficult one, but is also the most powerful. I am yours. I am God's creation. I am His child, a child of the King of Kings. I think some of us have a gap between accepting Christ, acknowledging Him and living a life that fully reflects that. What are the implications of this? If I am God's, made new in Christ, then I, too, am intended to be glorious. What would my life look like if I remembered this at every moment of every day? What would the world look like if all believers truly embraced this?

I know I don't always feel very glorious. Sometimes I wake up cranky, at least until I've had my coffee. :) I get frustrated with my children and my husband. I'm in a bad mood, and I don't even know why. But I don't think God wants me to be those things, to be "un-glorious." That's my sinful human nature, not what God created me to be.

We are called to be salt and light. We are called to change the world for Christ. We are called to be a reflection of God's glory. But how many of us really live that out on a daily basis? How many of us live truly glorious lives? Lives that reflect the glory of God, the lives we were created to live. If we all remember to live each day with these thoughts in mind, I believe the world would be profoundly and forever changed.

God is glorious!
God creates all things glorious!
God makes all things new and glorious!
God made me and makes me new and glorious!

God is glorious, and I am His. I am made by Him, I belong to Him, and I am designed to reflect His glory. If we all embrace that third thought that we belong to a God who is glorious and makes all things (including us) glorious, it could and would profoundly change our lives and the world around us.

God, help me to live a life reflective of your glory, worthy of the title "child of the King."

Praying you have a glorious day!