A Bad Day & A Beautiful Reality.

After a LONG day, Jason and I crawled into bed last night. As we turned out the lights, I knew they would soon be turned on again when the morning intruded. I quickly thought about how much I would dread another day like the one I had just had. It had been hard, and I was weary. On top of lots of little things just going wrong,Silas had been pretty bad- and I was ready for a much better day with a much more obedient 18 month old. If those teeth coming in could just hold off a little while longer and give both him and I a break... maybe we could make it. In the dark, I whispered to Jason: "I know I don't deserve it, but I sure would like to have an easy day tomorrow". Jason, as he usually does, quickly said- "I hope so too, is there anything I can do?" I replied: "You could take Silas to work with you?" We both laughed and then he sweetly said, I can't but I will pray for you. He began to pray for me- mainly in praying for Silas and his disposition to be much better. As he was ending the prayer, the Spirit gently revealed to me that Silas was not the problem- as much as I wanted to blame him, or the bad service at Sonic, or the broken phone, or the messy house, or the lack of time to accomplish all I was supposed to- none of those things were the root of my "bad day". My ugly, sinful, self reliant heart was the problem. Those things are the result of living in a fallen world- but my attitude about those things was the result of not clinging to Jesus and refusing to seek Him for patience, grace, endurance. All to often I buy into the lie that I pretty much have to give in to snapping at that person who makes me angry, or losing my temper when things don't go as planned, refusing to be gracious when that person hurts me for the 100th time- I mean- what else can a sinful human do when faced with those realities, right? WRONG. I am so very wrong. Instead of buying the lie I should be buying the truth that my Father gives me in Isaiah 55:1-2 - “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. (Isaiah 55:1-2) In this case- this is the "rich food" my weary soul needs: As a believer I have the right to boldly approach the throne of grace and beg the Spirit to help me, to cling to the promise that there is ALWAYS a way out of temptation, a way to obey because of the faithfulness of Jesus. (1 Corinthians 10:13). There is an UNLIMITED supply of everything I could possibly need to fight a "bad day". And the good news is that everything that I need, has already been bought, already won for me, already given- to me- FREELY. The cross and the empty tomb secure my victory every day- every moment. And to not abide in that truth, to not wield that weapon which is the surest reality- is sin. It is foolish and stupid sin. And I must fight it- because why would it make sense to give in when I am guaranteed victory if I just trust the Gospel and flesh it out in my life? In moments like these, I find this verse to be so beautiful. "HIS divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, THROUGH the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world..." (2 Peter 1:3-4) Now THAT is a verse dripping with hope. And hope is what we all need. And hope is what we have through Christ. He defeated sin, death, Satan, and as His friend, I have everything I need to crucify that "ugly, sinful, self reliant heart" that keeps popping up. As I rocked Silas earlier I find myself singing "Come, Ye Sinners"- which is exactly what I needed to be meditating on. The last verse is what captured my gaze and I hope it captures yours as well: "Lo! The Incarnate God, ascended; Pleads the merit of His blood. Venture on Him; venture wholly, Let no other trust intrude. None but Jesus, none but Jesus Can do helpless sinners good."

6 Years Ago....

A boy drove over 7hrs and through 4 states to meet me and take me out on a date. No we are not an E-Harmony couple...it's just the way our story went.
I have a hard time being motivated to update this blog but this anniversary is worth writing about and well... I better write when the desire is there.
6 years ago I was really good at blogging (believe it or not)- for any of you who remember the good ole "Xanga" days! This is where I kept up with lots of friends- but mostly where I wrote about who I was, who I wanted to be, who God was, and what He was doing in me. My best guy friend Andy had a xanga blog as well and I am glad he did; #1 because he was always encouraging to me and #2 because his blog was where Jason found me.
The story goes likes this...
Jason saw a comment I made on Andy's blog one day and he'll tell you that he found my picture attractive so he clicked on it and it brought him to my blog. He did a little research and apparently became interested because the next thing I knew, the boy was leaving comments left and right on my blog. I of course did my own research and read through his blog posts- and quickly discovered this guy knew his Bible and even more attractive- he seemed to know the God of the Bible -very intimately. But he was over 7 hours away from me, and honestly I pondered the possibility that this guy may be a psycho- or at least that he may just "look better on paper" than in real life. =)
So I asked Andy about him after Jason started stalking me. Andy responded that he knew him from college (before he transfered to WBC, where I was), and that he was a great guy. To say Andy's opinion of a "great guy" meant ALOT to me is an understatement. So I decided not to call the police on my stalker yet and let things happen as they may...
Eventually Jason got my email and after several days of writing back and forth, he asked for my number and we began lots of long talks on the phone at the end of most days. This boy was COUNTRY! His username was "fromcrowville"- where the heck was Crowville!!?? So he was country.... and he was soo many other things as well.
I quickly began to look forward to our nightly phone calls. I had no idea at first that this would ever go anywhere- but I had never enjoyed talking to anyone as much as I had him and so I began to pray for him- and for us. Within a couple weeks he asked if he could drive up, meet me and take me out on a date. This would mean he would drive almost 8hrs and through 4 states which also meant he would probably need to stay a couple days and actually make a trip out of it.
So 6 years ago today I was anxiously waiting in my sister's living room in Memphis- talking to my friend Lynsey about the craziness of this whole situation. I confessed how I did worry that things would just be different in person and voiced all my scary "what ifs": specifically- what was I going to do if he got here and I just didn't "feel" it. He would be here for several days- so there was a lot of pressure. Lynsey, being the good friend she was said "If it's just not working, text me, and I will make up a story to get you out of there." Ha!
So honestly- that was the plan.
But when the door bell rang- I nervously went to answer it, opened it and within minutes I knew these next few days were at the very least- going to work out in my favor. =)
He was adorable- charming, funny, laid back, sensitive, but most of all he was himself. He was comfortable with who he was and that made me comfortable with him.
We ate dinner that night with my sister and brother in law. Then we walked around downtown Memphis and talked for a long time just sharing and being with one another. BEST.NIGHT.EVER.
I remember going to bed that night thinking- " I am so glad the Lord is sovereign- that He has not always given me what I wanted, when I wanted it. I am so thankful that I have not lowered my expectations for what I want in a husband- because it is realistic to find one who does truly love the Lord and who is man enough to lead me and display the Gospel to me."
The next few days we went to the zoo, coffee shops, watched movies, had a picnic, went grocery shopping, and even made dinner together one night and then it was time for him to go back to Texas. I knew as we said goodbye that day that this was it- he was the one. He was everything I had thought and soo much more.
Long story short we began having serious relationship conversations as soon as he got back and marriage quickly came up. He came back a few weeks later to meet my family and then I went to meet his family during Easter break. I also went and met his friends in Texas and just fell in love with them as well.
By the end of May I felt like the Lord gave me the go ahead to transfer to Southwestern Seminary where Jason was at. So I moved- and 10 long months later he finally proposed and we got married in 3 short months after that.
Six years later we have the real deal. My marriage to Jason has been by far the instrument the Lord has used to sanctify my heart most. Jason, on a regular basis, shows me Christ. And he does it in the softest ways- he is a true servant to me- and to our almost 6 month old baby Silas. One day I will write about how he shows me Christ.
So there ya go- a short version of how the Herrington family began.