Forever Beloved

Faith, Love & Truth

An Open Letter To Those Who Have Walked Out Of My Life

Dear those who have left,

I have a lot to say.  I have so many words that I’ve held inside and never spoke.  And today, it’s time.

I will always love you. I know that sounds unbelievable for me to say.  Especially since you’re the one who chose to walk out of my life.  But those words hold true.

You knew from the beginning that I was someone who would always be there for you.  That no matter what your needs were, I would go above and beyond to try my best to meet those needs.  I would care for you and make sure that no matter what kind of day you were having, I was going to be your cheerleader. When you’re having a good day, I was there celebrating with you and enjoying the victories that you achieved. When you had bad days, I was there to make sure that you got back up and kept on fighting. I wanted to see you become a productive member of society.  I wanted to see you succeed. I wanted to see you achieve every single dream and aspiration that you ever thought of.  I wanted you to always choose the high road, no matter how hard that path was.  I wanted to show you what the true meaning of family was. I was the one that loved hard, and fell harder. 

Now that I am done explaining myself, I want to thank you for a couple of things that you taught me while you walked out of my life and chose to go into a different direction, chose to leave the person that would never dream of leaving you for others who you’ve just met, or just chose to lose touch along the way.
I want to thank you for showing me that I have such an amazing heart.  For showing me that I love so hard, and I, in turn, may not get the same. And that is okay. You taught me that I am able to love and care for someone and look out for them because it came from my heart, not because I wanted to gain anything from it. 

I want to thank you for not only walking out of my life, but showing me that the love and care I showed you was all for nothing. Once again, that is also okay. All the while that you were doing this to me, I was in turn learning something very valuable about myself. I learned to never give your all to people in hopes that they will do the same for you. Give your all to them and expect nothing in return.  The truth of the matter is, people will never have the same heart and love you have in your heart.  You can’t love someone into loving you back.  I thank you for not only helping me realize that, but making me a stronger person for doing so.
I want to thank you for showing my children a new-found appreciation for those constants in their life, the ones that are there and never leave.  Though it’s hard for me to see past the hurt and find the lessons they’ve learned, I know they are there.

I thank you for the memories made while we had our relationship, and I will always cherish those times. They were amazing. I am grateful and happy to know that you’re off doing well (at least I hope) and that you’re becoming the best person that you can be, and that is something we should all strive to do every single day.

If you’re reading this, I love you. Though our relationship can never return to what it was, I will always wish you well.  And I pray you always remember to take the high road, no matter the cost.

Meal Planning Monday

Monday – Aussie Chicken and Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes
Tuesday – Country Fried Steak and Cheesy Leftover Mashed Potato Muffins 
Wednesday – Something super quick and easy
Thursday – Mashed Potato Bowls
Friday – Girls Night!  {pizza, cookie baking, laugher, coffee and a Christmas movie}
Saturday – Dinner with super sweet friends
Sunday – Burgers, hotdogs, baked beans and macaroni salad.  My love is hungry for cookout food.

Five Little Words That Shaped My Life

Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, But who can find a faithful man? The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him. 
Proverbs 20:6-7

When I was a child, there were many days I worked alongside my Dad. I was an only child so when he needed a helper, it was me. He taught me how to put shingles on a house, change my own oil and how to change a flat tire {that was accompanied by a lesson on not ever depending on a man to do these things for me}.  He taught me how to drive a 1946 John Deere H, and how to not get the narrow front wheels down in the furrow.  He taught me how to sharpen mower blades, how to replace a universal joint on a ’69 Chevy and how to put on a exhaust myself {that was accompanied by a lesson on ability…I woke to the parts and a note on the table “have the exhaust on the car when I get home”}.  He taught me how to mix bondo and how to braze.  He taught me my hands will always wash off, so don’t be afraid to get them dirty.

During all my days of helping him, there were five little words he would always tell me. Better than I could do. Regardless of the job, how I did it, what my performance or attitude was his answer was always the same…that was better than I could do. It was always accompanied by a pat on the back and a huge smile. 

And I assure you, there were days my attitude was less than stellar.  Especially the nights I had to hold the treble light at 9 pm and pump the grease gun.  Oh, how I wanted to be inside snuggled up with a book.  And I always gave that grease gun one extra pump after he said “that’s good”.  Thinking back now, I probably needed a switchin’ for having a bad attitude.  But I would still hear those same familiar words…that was better than I could do.  

There was so much power in those few spoken words.

From those words…I’ve always believed I could do anything. I’ve always believed if a guy could do it, I could do it too. I’ve never once doubted my ability to complete any task given me. I’ve never been afraid to jump into a job headfirst, no matter the size.  I’ve never felt I had to have a man by my side to start a job, I just go buy the parts and do it.  Those words shaped and molded me into the strong, confident woman I am today.

Oh parents, please don’t be afraid to praise your littles.  A sweet, gentle and kind spirit from a parent makes such a huge impact in a child’s life.  Believe me, it’s not going to spoil them. The purpose of encouragement and praise is to increase positive behavior with the child’s knowledge. Everybody responds well to praise, even adults.

Words of encouragement are so so important to our littles. We see a perfect picture of an encouraging parent in Matthew 3:17, after Jesus is baptized, His Father makes it clear to all of us, just how He feels about His precious son. “And a voice from Heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love, with him I am well pleased.’”

I try to make a point to tell my children how precious they are to me, always. Even if they make mistakes, I encourage them still. No matter how old my children are, from time to time I will just tell them how proud I am of them, how great of a job they did and that I’m so thankful I’m their Mama.

Take a moment today and praise your child.  If you see an area where they’re struggling, offer them some life-giving praise.  Speak those words out loud, speak them when you’re alone or in front of the rest of the family. Then watch your child grow!  Even five little words can change a child’s life.