Refreshing. {Why I Blog}

Wow, I never knew how much simpler things become when you are unable to use a computer for 6 days. My computer got a virus last week and it went into a crazy mode I had never seen. Thankfully, my uncle owns his own computer repair shop. Phew. But when your computer goes down and you know you can't even get it to them for a day and then the weekend comes, well I knew I had it coming.

At first I felt anxious.

It made everything more difficult from work, to my calendar, to responding to emails, to checking my bank account! I can do some of these things from my phone, but some things just weren't going to happen. And blogging was one of them.

But after the first day, I felt total peace. My life got very simple. I spent a lot of time working around my house, taking more photos on Instagram {@hmhawthorne if you have the app!}and spending quality time with my family.

The time where I'm solely listening to them, singing with them, playing with them, and not halfway thinking about something I "need" to be doing on my laptop.

It was refreshing.

But...I'm glad to be back. I had a friend text me tonight saying that she caught up on my blog and how much it touched her during such a tough week and day in particular. She found comfort in a few of my posts and as I read her text I thanked God. I still am thanking Him. She was prompted to in return post about it. Wow. I was once again honored and humbled.

That is truly why I am doing this. 

If something on my heart can reach your little heart where ever you are and the Lord can use my words as His to touch you who is reading this, then my job is done. That is why I am blogging. It may have started as me getting off Facebook and sharing what the Lord was doing within me, and this is now where my path has lead. Getting texts like this in return I feel is God's way of sustaining me and giving me a desire to keep sharing what's on my heart... my story... day after day.

There has been something that has been on my heart lately and I was eager to share it with you.

I want to tell you that no matter if you are writing a blog constantly sharing your faith...writing a blog where you hardly mention your faith at all, or maybe you are writing a blog for a completely different purpose and have no idea what you think about God, or have a lot of questions about what you believe... well... here goes. I want you to know that...

God will never love you any more or love you any less than He does RIGHT NOW. 

God's love for all of us is unchanging. 

In a nut shell, I'm not getting brownie points for blogging and sharing my faith. If that makes sense... I'm not taken off Santa's "naughty list" because I may be a little more bold on this subject. I could very well be getting a few lumps of coal for many reasons. lol. My beliefs are that works are completely unrelated to my faith in God and how God feels about and loves me.

You may be blogging about some incredible God-given talent, like all you crafty people and artists out there, or maybe you are just blogging to share some of your own thoughts and keep a journal of your life as it happens. It doesn't make your blog any less important to God and you are by no means any less loved by God.  

We may feel closer to God when we blog or speak out about our faith, but that is our own heart changing. It is not God's love for us that is changing.

I feel called to share my faith in many of my posts, but that is not everyone's calling. I think sharing your faith can sometimes be fruit of a changed person, but it's not always the case. I truly hope this is making sense. Sometimes these things sound so much better in my head. lol. I just would never want someone to read my blog and assume that I believe I am better than them because I speak out about my faith. No way. That is not who I am or at all what I believe. 

I think remembering that God's love for us all is completely unchanging regardless of the circumstances and how many "good works" we do or how many times we share what we believe is really encouraging. It takes the pressure off of me and you to try to obtain a life or a lifestyle that as imperfect people we will never obtain. Yes, we will always be striving to bring glory to God in all that we do, but we have the Lord to lean on.. His grace is a gift, not something we have to earn. I encourage you to take a minute and think about that. ☺

"I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well." Psalm 139:14

Anyways, that is all for tonight. The Benedryl is kicking in from another one of my strange allergic reactions. I'm getting a blood test done to see if it's a food related allergy. Fun stuff. ;)

Love you all... feels good to be back. Here are some photos from my week without my laptop. ♥

I ♥ rainy days.

I also ♥ carpet lines!!

I ♥ sipping on hot chocolate and getting into the Christmas spirit way too early.

I ♥ mommy and Addy trips to the mall!

I ♥ In-N-Out.

I ♥ watching my babies sleep.

I ♥ watching hubby put together a fun toy for the kids.

I ♥ the little choo choo noises Sawyer makes.

I ♥ this little man that stole my heart.

I ♥ Addyson and how much she loves her friends and going to church.

I ♥ my future track star in training! lol.

I ♥ watching them play in leaves..

I ♥ fall outfits on little kids.

I don't ♥ this. I hope this makes me go shopping because it's so embarrassing. lol!

I ♥ cupcake decorating classes!! Even ones that look like real food!

{Linking up here}