I believe that baptism is the public declaration of our private decision to follow Christ.  I believe Jesus’s death on the cross and resurrection absolved me of my sins.

What do you believe?

I am so in love with my husband.  My love for him is tremendously different today then it is was all of those years ago.  My love for him was so young…immature.  But I did love him with all of my being.  There were many times, both before and after our wedding, that I thought our love for one another wouldn’t be enough to carry us through the tough times but it always did.  And I believe now that it always will.  I know now that God made us for one another.  We fit perfectly together in every way.

The biggest difference in our relationship is my trust in his love for me.  I always believed that he would leave me for someone prettier, smarter, more interesting.  My husband is handsome and fun to be with.  He’s a really great person.  Even after five years of us being together though, I was afraid that he would decide our marriage wasn’t worth the work and leave me.  I know now that he will never leave me.  He loves me.  He cherishes me.  He works very hard every day to please me and make me happy.  My husband makes me feel deep in my soul that I truly am loved.  He has given my life the meaning that I always searched for.

Our children are amazing people and I have been blessed to be able to be a full-time mom to them for all of these years.  My husband has always supported that choice and he has worked incredibly hard to help make it work.  He has always supported any of my endeavors.  He encourages me so much and I feel his love surrounding me always.

All this is not to say that my husband is perfect.  He’s not perfect, except for me.  We disagree sometimes.  We get annoyed with one another.  But we always know that, in the end all that really matters is our love for each other.

She keeps talking about how women….well, let me just quote her.  “I knew this message could be misinterpreted as my judging women for not making the same choices that I have.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  I believe that choice means choice for all of us.”  I really liked that!  Then she went on and ruined it for me.  “But I also believe that we need to do more to encourage women to reach for leadership roles.  If we can’t tell women to aim high at a college graduation, when can we?”  That infuriates me!  So women should have the right to make whatever choices they want but if they don’t make the same choices as she did then they aren’t aiming HIGH???

I gave up my career and life plans to not be good at two things but fantastic at one.  Because I’m not in a board room or running a company doesn’t mean that what I am doing with my life isn’t incredibly valuable.  As a matter of fact, if I had stayed on my career path, my children wouldn’t be the incredible people that they are today.  I am a leader.  I have been in a leadership role for 18 years and will continue in one for the rest of my life.  Not only am I a good leader for my children but I am in a leadership role in several other places in our community.

I wouldn’t give up the time I have had with my children and the role I have been able to play in their lives for ANY amount of money.  I can always gain greater degrees, earn lots of money, and climb the ladder in a career but I can never get those years back for a redo.

I think Ms. Sandberg is sadly mistaken if she thinks she has the best of both worlds and can have it all.  She says several times in her book that men get to have “both a successful professional life and a fulfilling personal life.”  I don’t know about everyone but I can list easily the things my own husband has had to give up for his career and most of the things aren’t things I’m be willing to give up.  Maybe that’s because I know what I’d be missing.  I often remind people when they talk about wanting to be like another country in education or another person in life that you can’t EVER have it all at once.  You ALWAY give up something.  Just be sure that you’re okay with what you’re giving up.  I am and that’s what I think we should all (women and men) aim for when making our life decisions.

Today’s word: Brave

Brave is my five year old when he really wants something and has to fight for it even though we are all bigger and stronger. 

Brave is my daughter’s friend that had to buy a dress as the last minute and allowed Emily and me to choose clothes for her to try on.  She doesn’t like her body and opening herself up like that must have been frightening and embaressing. 

Brave is the women in Africa and Asia that live in countries where women are raped and murdered and tortured daily and they still live their lives.

Brave is fighting for the chance to live even when it’s impossible.

Today I am taking some time to let myself be inspired!  How about you?  Want to come with me?

I went into my bathroom upstairs and looked out of the window!  The tree in my back yard has bloomed!  I don’t mean the quiet, pretty bloom it had on it yesterday, but the magnificent cascade of light, feathery, white blossoms it is literally encased in today.  it made me stop and think about what God can do in my life.

One day, I’m just a tree in bloom and the next…well, the next day I’m so beautiful that I make everyone that sees me stop int heir tracks and stare in wonder at my magnificence.

How about you?  What is inspiring you today?