Well friends, I'm back! With more pictures of my favorite little sister. This little ray of sunshine keeps our whole house alive and entertained.. Not just because she woke me up at 8 this morning wanting to play (and does every time I get to sleep in), but also because she is so sassy and LOVES to model and pose. She never fails to make us laugh.
Mom has taught Mary Alan how to fix her hair before taking pictures.. She has MASTERED it. She paused me before I took more pictures and said, "Ivy, wait just one second. Mom told me to make sure you can see my hair so I can look pretty." Then she started making adjustments...
I think after being around all teenagers plus all
of our friends, she has got the hands-on-hip pose completely down solid. She is constantly wanting to be around all of us and be just like us in everything we do or say.. We all have to watch what we say because this little sponge soaks it right up. The other day mom and I were in the kitchen and MA was playing with her toys and started singing Uptown Funk by Bruno Mars. I had to tell her that that song is our secret song and we can't sing it in front of anyone because we can't let them hear our secret song just so she would stop singing it.
These pictures below of MA reminds me of Psalm 100. She laughs constantly and it is contagious as anything. She is always jumping, skipping, running, and hopping all over, well, everywhere. In psalm 100, it says to come in to The Lord's presence with singing, to serve The Lord with gladness and make a Joyful noise over all of the earth! Mary Alan reminds me that in everything, I need to have joy and be glad because no matter what, laughter can make any situation better.
I will be going to college at Auburn University this upcoming fall, and ever since I told Mary Alan that, she asks me every time I leave the house if I am going to Auburn. I tell her that I won't be going until the end of the summer, but some things just don't stick because the next morning when I leave, she asks me again. I am so excited for college, but I am so sad whenever I think about leaving my favorite little nugget. I tell her everything (even though she is 4 and forgets within five minutes) and we hang out all the time. When people confuse her as my daughter, I just play along because why not! She's adorable and I hope to one day adopt from somewhere because it has been such an incredible experience.. and great conversation starter!
Lately, I have been taking time to sit back and think about what I believe and why I believe it, especially since college is coming up and I want to be sure in my convictions. My sunday school has started going through different religions and comparing them to Christianity. I think it is so interesting and very convicting to think about. Many religions are completely devoted to what they believe and will do anything to defend their god/gods. I think about our country and how we have become so desensitized to this. Our nation is predominately Christian, yet we allow for so much corruption and bashing of The One True King who died to give us these freedoms that we have, and so blatantly take advantage of. He was beaten and nailed to a cross with the weight of all of our sins, every sin of every person, and God turned away from him. Jesus did this for us to have the opportunity to live a life and share his word with everyone. He didn't die on the cross so we can stay glued to our phones all day, barely talking to anyone, taking selfies on snapchat and trying to get more likes on our instagram picture than we did on the last one. No. He did it so we would be able to have a relationship with Him and live freely in the spirit of the God who created us. He wants us to be bold and share the good news of what He has done! We can't do that if we are stuck to our cell phone constantly. The song 'Forever' by Bethel Music has been stuck in my mind lately. I encourage everyone to go look up the lyrics and listen to it because it will give you a new perspective on the crucifixion. He is calling us to step out of our comfort zones and let the spirit lead us! Also the song 'Come To Me' by Bethel Music has completely convicted me. This song is about The Lord proclaiming to us who He is and what He wants of us. He wants us to not look to the right or to the left but only to Him; to cling to Him and not let the desires of the flesh sway us off of the narrow course of life. I strongly encourage everyone to think about the thing or things that have been the greatest barrier blocking you from The Lord. What is keeping control of your time and building the brick wall that you feel is unbreakable between you and The Lord? Good news! He can break it. Pray that He will convict you of what is consuming your time and try to give it up for a while. See what He can do in that time!! Listen to Him and don't be swayed to the right or to the left. Keep your eyes on Jesus.
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life and few find it. Matthew 7:13-14
