This is my niece Jessica, or as she prefers to be called, Merida. First off, can we talk about how adorable she is?! And she’s even more beautiful on the inside. I love her sweet heart!
Have you seen the movie Brave? Merida is the main character. She’s full of spunk and ideas and she’s BRAVE!
Among other aspirations, she wants to be Merida at Disneyland when she grows up. And with her gorgeous, red curls and fair skin–she’s a natural! She’s also working on archery {and getting really good!} and plans to do some horse riding in the near future.
Jessica, er I mean, Merida is determined and working hard to reach her goals. She’s one brave six year old.
I feel like some days, getting out of bed requires an extra measure of bravery. Then there are things throughout the day and week that require bravery. I don’t want to let fear hold me back. I don’t want to not do something because it’s scary. I want to push myself, engage, try to new things, love well {even when it’s scary} and live life with courage.
Today I’m working on scheduling tests for David that will mean he’s uncomfortable and has to stay in the hospital a couple nights. And I’m scared. But we need to see if his body is working. I want him to be healthy and to thrive.
I’m working on some new designs that are stretching me creatively and it’s intimidating. But exciting.
I’m working on a session for a conference that I’ll be speaking at in a couple months and it’s terrifying. But I want to do it.
Maybe later I’ll go bury myself under lots of blankets and hide from the world. but right now I’m jumping in and letting it be hard.
I want to be brave.
Are you facing any challenging or intimidating situations?
Oh my goodness, how cute is she????
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8VoUYtx0kw
Oh Lisa, having children with special needs is such a challenge (I have two) but one thing I’ve learned….it keeps us TOTALLY dependent on God. There are days my prayer has been, “Oh God, oh God, oh God” because I just didn’t have words.
Bless you darlin’. He is able. The video link at the top is amazing!! Mandisa sings her song Overcomer with videos of people who have overcome physical challenges. I equate the physical with our mental and emotional challenges. To Him be all glory–He is using you in that way. Carry on.
What a beautiful little red haired girl!! Adorable!
Good for you Lisa, putting on foot in front of the other and doing the uncomfortable. The Lord will be with you in each of the situations that you are facing and you will be a blessing along the way for sure.
Always a delight to stop by!
Chin up…shoulders back…take the first step (you have a sisterhood of women holding your hand). YOU CAN DO THIS!
I love it when you write! Ill be Praying everything goes well for David 🙂
I’m Moving my family of 6 to El Salvador in 16 days….. So I’m in the same “hide under the covers” type of boat. P.s. My little girl wants to be Elsa from Frozen as a career choice! Little girls are so cute.
i love that you are sharing these thoughts as part of your blog! leaning into discomfort is where growth is found, and i heard your determination in each thing you listed that has evoked fear, intimidation, and terror. you have walked these paths before, although it may not seem like it, and you have not only survived, you have thrived. God is there and He is going before you as well as standing behind you, AND He has His hand of blessing on your shoulder–see Deut. 31:8.
onward–be brave!
i’m intimidated by a book i’m feeling He’s asking me to write, so i’ve begun to put words on paper. life is a process, and i want to be faithful to it for His glory.
Could she be any more beautiful?!? And thanks for sharing your hard with us. I think bravery is really beautiful too. 🙂
HI Lisa honey, oh Jessica is just gorgeous. I can tell from her face that she has a very brave soul and oh such beautiful hair!!
I’m facing a total hip replacement on my left side in late February. We are having it done privately (we can’t afford it but public waiting lists in NZ are horrendous IF you can get onto them in the first place). I am scared of the op if I’m honest but particularly worried about the post op time when I get home. We live on 5 acres of land that is not flat and for the first couple of weeks I will have to be more or less house-bound. John won’t be taking time off work so a friend is going to come and stay to help me with normal household things (I won’t even be able to make the bed!). I am not good at relying on other people and my friend (bless her heart) is a very forceful woman who is 20 years older thank I am (I’m 51). Crikey, I have to be honest – I am DREADING having to have her help. I know that sounds really ungrateful and I don’t mean to be but I’m really struggling with this. Top that off with not being able to do gardening for a few weeks, or go up steps into my art studio either and I just want to run, hide and cry.
Re David, I’m sending you extra strong thoughts and loads of hugs. Thinking about tests/possible operations etc is sometimes worse than the real thing. I also need to keep reminding myself of this! Smiles with love from NZ honey
Lisa, your posts this week (gosh, only two days) have hit me at the heart. Thank you for being vulnerable. I feel the same way so often.
As for Merida, if I were a little girl right now, I would have pretended to be her all the time! Growing up as a little girls with crazy red hair, my only role model was Pippi Longstocking and I was her for Halloween far too often. It’s fun to see a spunky redheaded main character! I guess Ariel was too but that was after college for me.
Dear Lisa, Every year I choose a word for myself to hold on to during the year. This year it was going to be magic, but somehow it didn’t really feel ‘complete’. Now, after reading your post, I know it is going to be ‘Brave magic’, which tottaly covers what I will need this year and what I would like to be able to give to my boys. Thank you for being such an inspiration!
PS – Merida is beautiful! Love that toothless smile!
Hi, Lisa. Just wanted to tell you how much I love your blog. Your honesty is very welcome. Sometimes, if we love God we feel we have to be “up” always. But we don’t and God wants to know when we aren’t. I am in awe of you – as a mom, as a jeweler, as a Christian woman. You have a lot on your plate and you handle it all very graciously. I’m praying for David. It’s one thing to go through hard things yourself, another thing to go through a child’s hard things with them. Thanks for your smiling heart AND your times of sharing fear and sadness.