{My Mom}

Today was my mom's birthday!!! I am very thankful for my mom, and I love her very much. She has been such an encouragement in my life. God has been working in incredible ways in her life, and I see the wonderful progress. She has been a wonderful friend as well as my mom.

During these past two years, since my dad started his own business, it has been incredible to see the way she and my dad have trusted God when we might not even know where the next meal is coming from!! It has been inspiring to see her grow deeper in her relationship with the Lord these past few years as well. She loves to study the Word of God. To see that in her, encourages me to be more diligent about being in the Word of God, and studying it from cover to cover.

We have had conversations over the past few years (more than I can count) where I will be completely discouraged, and she will talk it through with me, and reminds me that God never will give up on us. Don't look back and worry about all the things you've done wrong (not that we should ignore the fact that we have sinned), but to pray (and if need be, repent) and ask the
Lord for mercy and forgiveness, and then get right back up and lean on Him!!!!! The thing that I am most thankful for, is her encouraging us kids to learn to love the scriptures, and to STUDY, not just briefly skim over a few verses every morning, but to study the Word of God, so that we will be able to discern right from wrong.

The book of Proverbs is one of my favorite books of the Bible, and there are underlined verses everywhere!! There is so much wisdom hidden in this wonderful book, and I realize how sinful and wretched I really am! This verse in Proverbs 5:21, has been a big help in realizing that I am not in control of my life. GOD IS!!!!

Sorry if these pictures aren't very clear!! I hope you can still make out what the verses are. This one, I believe, is Isaiah 40:7.

This picture is of my foot. ;) Trust me, I had to get in a very awkward position to capture this shot. ;)

She has also encouraged me in my pursuit of dance, and has been an enormous help with my passion for photography as well.

I L.O.V.E you mom and it was really fun to go shopping with you today!! Thank you for all you do for our family!!