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Letting Go and Letting God

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Not a One was Lost

Blue Cotton Memory

Once upon a time, a long, long time ago when the mothers, soldiers, kings and towns and tent-men didn’t realize just how big the world is, but possessed a better understanding of just how big God is – a king lived in the desert with his family, going to and fro over the sands as this big-mighty, world-creating God asked. … Continue reading →

Remember Me Monday #7: Designed for Father Privilege

Blue Cotton Memory

The last day for me at the community pool the summer before sixth grade – my mom had remarried and we were moving far away from where I’d lived since first grade, away from my grandmother and grandfather. My grandfather picked me up that day. I saw him, elbows leaning on the fence, hands clasped, just waiting for me, watching. … Continue reading →

Remember Me Monday: #6

Blue Cotton Memory

“I’ll make a list of God’s gracious dealings,    all the things God has done that need praising,All the generous bounties of God,    his great goodness to the family of Israel—Compassion lavished,    love extravagant.”~ Isaiah 63:7, The Message In the Old Testament, God repeatedly, quietly and loudly, tells his children, “You have forgotten me!”  (Jeremiah 3:32, Ezekiel 22:12, to name a few). It’s a heart cry from a … Continue reading →

Wilt Thou Be Made Whole: God Becoming Father

Blue Cotton Memory

Remember Me Monday: #6 While every day is a Remember God Day, I am inviting you to join me on Monday mornings to come by and remember what God has done for you, for your family. Maybe God sent a cardinal darting out in front of you, as if to tell you, “I’m here,” or broke a child’s fever after … Continue reading →

Eggplant Parmesan for the Soul

Blue Cotton Memory

This is a something old made new blog post – updated, much yummier recipe and a message given heart-tweaks because not only have I grown since I first wrote this, but those who sit at the table have grown – and so have their tastes, and there are new people, new babies. . . and because cooking isn’t ever just … Continue reading →

Remember Me Monday: # 4

Blue Cotton Memory

“I’ll make a list of God’s gracious dealings,    all the things God has done that need praising,All the generous bounties of God,    his great goodness to the family of Israel—Compassion lavished,    love extravagant.”~ Isaiah 63:7, The Message In the Old Testament, God repeatedly, quietly and loudly, tells his children, “You have forgotten me!”  (Jeremiah 3:32, Ezekiel 22:12, to name a few). It’s a heart cry from a … Continue reading →

Love Doesn’t Need Permission – Love Anyway

Blue Cotton Memory

Loving people and being yourself go hand-in-hand. It took me a long time to unpack what others thought of me – or maybe it was my perception of what they thought of me. I needed to catalog the traits, interests, and dreams that were mine, separating others’ traits, interests and dreams for my life. Next, I needed to study what … Continue reading →

Remember Me Monday: #2

Blue Cotton Memory

“I’ll make a list of God’s gracious dealings,    all the things God has done that need praising,All the generous bounties of God,    his great goodness to the family of Israel—Compassion lavished,    love extravagant.”~ Isaiah 63:7, The Message In the Old Testament, God repeatedly, quietly and loudly, tells his children, “You have forgotten me!”  (Jeremiah 3:32, Ezekiel 22:12, to name a few). It’s a heart cry from a … Continue reading →

Remember Me Monday: #3

Blue Cotton Memory

“I’ll make a list of God’s gracious dealings,    all the things God has done that need praising,All the generous bounties of God,    his great goodness to the family of Israel—Compassion lavished,    love extravagant.”~ Isaiah 63:7, The Message In the Old Testament, God repeatedly, quietly and loudly, tells his children, “You have forgotten me!”  (Jeremiah 3:32, Ezekiel 22:12, to name a few). It’s a heart cry from a … Continue reading →

Grace Giveaway

Blue Cotton Memory

When someone loses their grace,give them some of yours. Lost grace momentscould just be the straw that broke the camel’s backor a soul on the edgeof salvation.Grace was meantto be given away, not hoarded,not savedfor those who earned it.It was meant to be shared with both the deserving – but maybe even more importantly, those undeservingof your kindness. Maybe they’ve … Continue reading →

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muddy_bucher

muddy_bucher
“Yes. Go, go, I would not have you back again” “Yes. Go, go, I would not have you back again”
(Elizabeth Bennet, Pride and Prejudice, 1995 film)
These were my favorite photos - the photo of Rossy These were my favorite photos - the photo of Rossy is probably one of the most beautiful I’ve taken - she’s the best mom and the kindest friend. And then the photos of these young men - the groomsmen and then all the friends. These young men are answered prayers - you know - those prayers where you ask God to give your kids friends who lift them up, encourage them, iron-sharpening-iron, accountability friends, laugh together, allowing each other to be who they are, lifting each other up when they’re down- they’re young men like that! I couldn’t let the year end without posting these!
The grooms sister made the most amazing chocolate The grooms sister made the most amazing chocolate cake!  That icing!!!!! Magnificent!
A few weeks ago, one of Cam’s best friends got m A few weeks ago, one of Cam’s best friends got married. Simple, beautiful, elegant, friends like family - exactly what a wedding should be!
End of the year sweetness I want to remember! End of the year sweetness I want to remember!
It’s The Best of Times when Otter, Jeremy Fisher It’s The Best of Times when Otter, Jeremy Fisher, Mrs. Tiggywinkle, and Jemima Puddleduck build blanket burrows, come to market in my kitchen with baskets and pennies, collect laundry for washing and ironing,and come to tea! Conversations all in character. We decided I was Mrs. Josephine Rabbit!
Many have felt isolated, alone, shaken, unanchored Many have felt isolated, alone, shaken, unanchored, fearful, anxious. . . alone. Yet, we aren’t alone. Our Savior is always with us, ready to listen, ready to comfort. He has not abandoned or forsaken His children. He pulls beauty out of the ashes!

“These are the things I do,
and I do not forsake them.” 
~ Isaiah 42:6, ESV

2021 – January is looking better than the last two. No heart valves needing to be replaced. No lung cancer. No spinal surgery. But I’ve learned not to look at any day, week or month with my expectations. I look trusting that He is there. That He has a plan. All I have to do is trust – trust and remember what He has done for me! Maybe the anthem for 2021 should be “Remember and Give Thanks – No Matter What the World Throws at You, God is There for You!”

Let’s Shout our Praises into 2021 that God would send the enemy that comes to steal, kill and destroy packing!

“The moment they began their shouts and praises, 
the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon, Moab, 
and Mount Seir who had come against Judah, and they were defeated.”
~ 2 chronicles 20:22

#bluecottonmemory #cardinals #muddyphotographytn #godsgot2021
There are days when all I want is to be wrapped in There are days when all I want is to be wrapped in a cozy blanket, curled up in chair with a good book and just rest. I cannot remember a day not wanting that, not being tired the moment I wake up until I go to bed. So many parts of me want a rest from the chaos, the busy, the failures (because, you know, on a cushion failure isn’t an option because nothing is attempted), the frustrations. . . the expectations of the Big and Little things not turning out as anticipated.

My expectations are woefully inadequate in comparison to what He can do. In comparison to the one who designed and created me, who planned my life before I was born, who filled it with all the seemingly jumbled up parts of myself that aren’t jumbled to Him – my imagination, my dreams, the space between my imagination and dreams fulfilled – I am too short-sighted. I do not possess the creative genius of my Father. I am just a soul blind daughter of the King dreaming myopic dreams when I rely on my vision.

My expectations of life in the chaos are faint shadows when compared to God’s plans. I’m a slow learner, but I am learning to let go of my expectations of how my life should be, how challenges should be resolved (and when), how heart’s desires are to be filled, how heart-breaks are to be healed. Instead, I am learning to wait in expectation of God’s answer, God’s saving, God’s fulfilling, God’s healing – and Him doing it His way with His plan. 

“And I will lead the blind
in a way that they do not know,
in paths that they have not known
I will guide them.” 
~ Isaiah 42:6, ESV

#bluecottonmemory #nuthatch #muddyphotographytn #godsgot2021
Who wants 2021 to be a sit-on-a-cushion year? I a Who wants 2021 to be a sit-on-a-cushion year?

I am on a journey - and it's a journey with little rest. . . until the journey is over.

Sometimes on this journey, I am tempted to stop, pull out a cushion of their tasks completed, sit on it and sigh, "I have arrived. I have earned my rest free of the chaos, of doing-doING-DOING. It is time for me now!"

. . . and that, perhaps is one of the greatest deceptions of them all. . .

The only time we "arrive" to lay our burdens down, to rest deeply, is only when we are called home - and arrive at the door of our Father's house. In our time here, there is no cushion. No escape from the chaos, though sometimes there is rest from it. There is no "Me" time. - it's His time. 

Like all things He gives us - our giftings, our hearts-desires, our families, friends and children, our possessions. . . our time, our health (whether ill or robust) - they are indeed precious, but how much more precious, how much more valuable, how much MORE their worth, when we give them back to Him, a sacrifice offered of our adoration, our hope, our trust! He is a better keeper of our heart-valuables than I can ever be.
. . To read more, head over to the blog in the link: https://bluecottonmemory.com/a-soul-blind-daughter-of-the-king-expectations-for-2021/. 

#bluecottonmemory  #muddyphotography #housefinch #2021
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