Category: Relationships

Dear Mom

I am blessed to have many supportive people in my life. From my husband to my family to my friends, God has surrounded me with loved ones who are there for me when I need them. One of those supportive people is my Mom, and today I’d like to write her a letter as a tribute to all that she’s done.

Dear Mom,

Where do I begin? You’ve been there from my birth almost thirty-five years ago until now. I know that there is never a day that goes by that you don’t think about me, pray for me, and love me. God has truly blessed me with a Mom who supports and encourages me no matter what!

You put my needs before your own. You are always ready to help in any way that you can. You don’t mind when I call you – and then call you again – for help with cooking a new recipe. When I was undergoing ECT (Electroconvulsive Therapy), you drove me to and from my treatments, which started at 5 o’clock in the morning! You give of yourself…and then you give and give again.

You send me cards with sweet messages (and coupons!) in the mail to brighten my day. 🙂 You send me Dunkin’ Donuts gift cards so that I can get out of the house and grab a little treat when I’m feeling low. When I have something that needs to be sewn, you graciously sew it for me. And you and Dad help us update our home! I know that there are many more things that you do for us, but I wanted to list a few that stand out to me.

I’ve been especially blessed that our relationship has been so close. Whether it’s calling or texting each other at the same exact moment, or sharing our prayer requests so we can lift each other up, I’ve always felt that I can talk to you about anything and know that you will listen and provide Biblical advice. I know that I can trust you, and that means a lot.

So for all of these things that I’ve mentioned, and the many more things that I didn’t mention, I’d like to say: Thank you. Thank you for all that you’ve done. And I love you very much.

Your Daughter,

Crystal ❤

 

Photo by Melissa Askew on Unsplash

Books and Coffee: The Perfect Pair

I was blessed to be able to visit Barnes and Noble this afternoon with my Hubby. It was a nice time! 😀 We browsed through the store and looked at all kinds of interesting books, and then we sat in the cafe and sipped on drinks and nibbled on tasty confections. To be more specific, I had an iced Salted Caramel Mocha and a cinnamon scone, and my Honey had an iced White Mocha and a piece of apple crumble pie.

Some of the books that I perused were the Divergent series by Veronica Roth, the Hush, Hush saga by Becca Fitzpatrick, and the Maze Runner series by James Dashner (if you couldn’t tell, I enjoy Young Adult Literature, and I also enjoy series). I’m thinking about using a gift card to buy the Hush, Hush series and diving into a new adventure! Have you ever read any of these books? If so, what did you think of them?

All in all, it was a nice little “date,” and I’m grateful for the time that we shared together. ❤

Reaching Out in Love

Earlier today, I was a little unkind in how I treated someone. At the time, it didn’t seem like a big deal. But as I was driving home, a song came on the radio that gave me goosebumps. I had heard the song before, but this time it really convicted me and made me think about my actions.

The song is called “Save My Life,” by the Sidewalk Prophets. It talks about reaching out to other people. About looking into their eyes, and actually taking the time to see the hurt and pain that might be there.

So often I breeze through my day, not stopping to consider those around me and what they could be going through. Maybe that person who seems “annoying” at the time really needs a friend. Maybe a favor done for someone, even when it’s inconvenient for me, could encourage that person to make it through the day. Maybe a word of truth spoken in love could actually mean the difference between life and death for someone.

I know that there have been people in my life who have done this for me. My family never ceases to amaze me with how they support me on every side with words of encouragement. I have friends who are understanding of the things that I struggle with and who don’t poke fun or dish out judgment – they just love me. And most of all I have my Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave His life so that He could have a relationship with me. So that He could really know me. And so that He could love me in spite of all of my shortcomings.

Is there someone you need to reach out to today? Even people who seem like they “have it all together” need support and encouragement. Because the truth is, none of us really “has it all together.” We need each other. And we need to be willing to come alongside others with the help and hope that God has given to us. ❤

Photo Credit: Julia Caesar