Heart notes

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I've been thinking about God a lot this summer. Just thinking about all of his creations - flowers, birds, fish, rain, humans, relationships, love, joy, sorrow, etc. These are the things that consume my life currently.

Here's our patio with all of our flowers. I am kind of obsessed with flowers this summer. We don't have cats or dogs, so flowers are my pets, I guess. I love our patio, and when its not too hot, I enjoy sitting out here in our "jungle" and sipping on lemonade.

Here is a photo of my crazy hibiscus tree. It decided today that it wanted to bloom some yellow flowers in addition to its pink blooms. Next to the hibiscus tree is my crazy lantana flowers. I have found with these little guys that they need lots of water, nurturing and room to grow. Kind of like humans, huh?

In addition to flowers, we have fish! The hubs finally completed his year-long project of building a fish tank, and its a beauty folks. Here are two newest fishies - Bon and Jovi. They are a mated pair of cardinal fish. They are kind of high maintenance, only wanting the best food.

So, back to God. Sometimes in this big world made smaller thanks to the likes of Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc., I begin to compare myself to others, and begin to feel heavy thoughts of worthlessness. I find myself comparing my body, my clothes, my career, my home, my successes, and feeling less than everyone else. Once these thoughts/lies take hold, I find myself striving for perfection in all areas of my life, which makes me tired and want to give up because I'm never going to be enough. I'm never going to meet the expectations of this world. These thoughts are so futile and hurtful to my heart, and I know they are hurtful to God's heart as well, since he has blessed me with so much more than I deserve, and loves me enough to send his only Son to die for me as a ransom for my sin so that I may have eternal life with him in heaven. 

Thankfully, God has been speaking so much truth to my heart lately. I like to think of them as "heart notes" - reminders of God's love for me. On Saturday while I was preparing to go spend some time with a sweet friend, God began to tell me about how precious, beautiful, perfect and loved I am by him. He created me to glorify him. I am his creation. His masterpiece. He delights in me. In his sight, I am perfect. And he wants me to see myself as he sees me. He does not want to me to live up to the expectations of this world. He has overcome this world. And in him, I am enough. I am free to be me. And that is such a beautiful and precious gift. I am so thankful for God and his truth he speaks to me.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. ~ Matthew 6: 25 - 34