Jesus, coffee & cows

As soon as I received the Yes & Amen devotional kit in the mail this week, I tore into it and dove right in. I don’t know if it’s the abstract florals, or the vintage type, or Junelle’s love of sheep that sucked me in, but I’m smitten. Because of the season of life that I find myself in at the moment, I loved the premise of Day 1. The passage from Isaiah 55:12 has such a literal application for our current situation. “For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace.”

We are on the very edge of a move across the country. It’s a move that we anticipated and planned over the last ten months. It moves us from my beachy homeland in Texas to mountainous rural Virginia, back to the cattle farm where my husband grew up. It is a move full of newness for me, familiarity for my dude, and big big change for our family. The whole thing is so exciting!! And yet, there is this thing that’s happening in our home currently. We have started packing, and by “packing” I mean: pull out all the things until there’s no room to walk, collect massive amounts of boxes to fill the rest of the space, and then walk around in circles pretending not to panic. Our new house on the farm has caused loads of stress, as everyone warned it would, and what felt like a dream has morphed into a nightmare. We are literally just trying to survive. My heart is in shreds over it. I had these visions of grandeur, serving to the very last second, smiling and loving and soaking up my Texan friends, while visiting the beach once a week with the kiddos. I’d begin farm life with no shortage of vitamin D and beautiful brown shoulders. Everything would go according to plan, and we would shed tears over leaving, but be embracing the dream with open arms. I wanted to go out in joy and be led in peace. Imagine my surprise when I read those words as a devo prompt. Then imagine my surprise when I read the focus of the devo being how we greet the day. Shew. I’m going to be completely honest with you, because I’m happy to stop lying to myself about it, and share the bitter truth of my current condition. The lack of joy and peace in our home has nothing to do with my circumstances, and everything to do with me. I have neglected the proper greeting. Instead of focusing on what’s right, which is a whole lot, I’ve gone cross-eyed staring at what’s wrong. I’m just a daily dose of Jesus, coffee, and cows away from going out in joy every single day we have left in Texas and beyond.

If you’ve followed my journey for any time at all, then you know that I love Jesus more than anything this world could conjure. That’s a given. If I had to choose something that helps make me a better person, it would be coffee. And if I told you something that makes me just plain happy, it would be the reality that I will be doing what I’ve always dreamed of, homesteading and farming…. because cows, yall. It’s the life I always wanted for my wild boys, and it’s getting so close. When Junelle asks how I plan on starting my morning, I know that it’s got to be gratitude over the things that resonate deeply with me.  And when she asks about my happy noise, I know I have to put lyrics to one of my favorite songs, and a nod to my favorite “noise.” Cows are noisy creatures, but I’ve never known something so peaceful as my mom-in-law’s farmhouse, sitting on the porch listening to the cows bellowing in the fields. They always have something to say. So do I.

May this day find you counting your blessings in all the ways that make your heart giggle down deep.

Illustrated Faith Yes & Amen Devotional Kit | Illustrated Faith by Bella Blvd Be Bold Bible Mat | Illustrated Faith by Bella Blvd Precision Pen .65 | Illustrated Faith by Bella Blvd homespun Oh My Heavens alpha stickers | Illustrated Faith by Bella Blvd She Blooms Enamel Hearts | Kuretake watercolors | white Signo gel pen