She’s Nineteen Today

There were 10 at the table.

Not really planned.
Evolved.
And I was so content.
Laughter.
So many talking at once.
Full.

You see.
Sometimes hard things come so fast and furious. 
Stepping into joy becomes work. 
You expect heartache.
You expect things to not go right.
So when joy shows up at the farmhouse table it catches me by surprise.

We were celebrating the college girl a day early.

Celebrating  life.
The day she entered this world.

I marvel at this young woman.
Courageous and strong.

Willing to take risks.

Beautiful.

Fun.

She loves fiercely.

Things haven’t been easy for her.
She’s working hard to understand.
Reaching to seek answers.
Sometimes our world doesn’t work out the way we thought.
She’s young to have had so much loss and plans go awry.
But she is a model of perseverance.
Much like her dad.
She is not swayed by much.

Her heart is in another country.

She is focused and driven.

So sitting around the farmhouse table celebrating her was a joy.

God takes our brokenness and pushes us.
We can’t change what has happened.
He can change how our hearts respond.
That dinner table that feels so empty at times;
was full.

One of Elijah’s friends is here with us for a month.
My farmer and I stood in the kitchen listening to the laughter.
We marveled at grace.
Given,
to us.

Happy 19th Birthday my sweet college girl.

Psalm 28:7
The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.