H O P E
Happy New Year! We’ve entered into a new stretch of days, weeks, and months all conjoined together. Full of seasons, greens, flowers, fluffy white snow, beautiful fall foliage, beach vacations, peach picking, and barbecuing.
I am not someone who gets too wrapped up in the world’s hoopla over “New Year New You”. The media I think over does it a bit. Magically motivating everyone with their newly found annual dose of HOPE. Hope that their waistlines will shrink, they’ll exercise more, sock away more moolah into savings, tend to broken relationships, etc. They get crackin’ on cleaning out closets, garages, and whatever else in hopes that their life would be at least a smidgen better. That they are taking steps in the right direction.
That’s all peachy but I personally try to have a New Day New Me approach. Each and every day the Lord is working in me to strengthen, teach, and perfect. In a word, he’s molding me. Renewing my mind and purifying my heart. That is, you know, how the Lord intended His work in us – everyday until the day of Christ. #Diligence
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Christ Jesus.
I am so thankful that not only do I get a new year but a new day, a new morning, and new mercies. EVERYDAY! Not just one short season a year in January. So, this year, let’s push past January and try a more biblical approach… New Day New Me. Everyday.
In the spirit of HOPE, I wanted to share an area of my home that is precious to me. It symbolizes what’s to come and my hopes & dreams. This area is located right down the hall from our master bedroom, a mere 7 feet from door to door. It’s the nursery to be. It is a large room currently empty except for a few storage items. But most exciting than that room is its closet.
From the outside, it’s nothing extraordinary. But, OH, the inside. Behind its delicate glass doorknob is a treasure trove of goodies for this little bundle that will surely be loved more than any other child in this world. The love I have stored up is now overflowing but will certainly not be empty at the time the Lord opens our womb.
Let’s turn that knob and take a peek inside.
In the years leading up to my wedding day, I had nearly a small attic full of kitchen items and housewares in my hope chest. By the time my wedding day came, I had nearly everything needed for cooking and decoration. That was an emotionally easy hope chest to build.
But, for years, I hesitated to start one of these for baby to be. I thought “what if it’s not in God’s will for us to be a family?”. “What if our womb is never opened?”. These thoughts still plaque me today and perhaps they are not unreasonable. It could very well be that the Lord does not plan to give us children. I sure hope He does. But, it may never be so.
But despite that reality, my heart still tells me to move forward with the dreaming processes. This hope chest is part of that… amongst the plethora of Pinterest Boards I’ve created… I’ve got my nursery almost completely planned out… ahem…
The hope chest is a collection of items I’ve seen here and there and just had to have. The best part is that not everything was bought by me. Some of these items were added by friends and family who believe that we will be standing with arms full one day. How’s that for awesomeness!?!?!
That’s right. The people surrounding us are adding to this little gem of a closet, too. Precious.
The tidbits I have so far are clothing pieces that I loved when my little cousin Amber wore them (thanks Tam!), stuffed animals, a piggy bank (thanks Brett & Janice!), soft blankies…
Stickers for pregnancy milestone pictures, a wrap from Papua New Guinea (thanks Zack!), a WubbaNub Pacifier (thank you Shelby!), and a beautiful handmade placard with Luke 1:45 on it (thank you Trisha!)…
LOL it’s so funny. I don’t have a clue how to use some of this but my friends say they’re the greatest. I’ll just have to take their word for it at this point. Teehee
Spring 2015, I was preparing for a laparoscopic procedure. The day before my surgery, I decided to do two of my favorite things – get a pedi and buy some baby HOPE chest stuff. PB has some of the CUTEST baby things. {sigh} If money were no object.
Um, I wonder what my nursery theme will be??? #Elephants
Over the last year or so, I’ve started keeping the encouragement cards I get from friends and family. They too keep my hope alive. In today’s world, most of my “letters” come by way of emails, texts, FB mail, and Instagram mail. So, I can’t really keep those… unless I print them… which I may do…. start a binder, Jil! But, let me tell you, if you have sent me any of those words of hope, THANK YOU! I love every one of them!
There are a few other items not pictured here but you likely will see in some of my other photos on Instagram or FB. My sister-in-law made me a morse-code bracelet that says “Always Fight Back With Joy” (thank you Sommer!). Also, a dear friend made me a necklace with Luke 1:45 on it (thank you Lindsey!). It’s absolutely gorgeous and I LOVE IT! Every time I wear these beauties, it reminds me of the beautiful hope & promise that is found in His word.
Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord. Luke 1:45
What about you? Infertility or not, when you were trying to conceive, did you start gathering goodies ahead of time? What about before you were married? Did you have a wedding hope chest? Aren’t they fun?!?!?!
Leave a Reply