{Theme Thursday} Faith

A picture of faith?  Oh, no prob, totally easy.....

I'm going to be awesome at food next week....or perhaps I'll feel the pressure even more so with an easier topic.

I've been thinking about how to "picture" faith for a few days as I looked forward to this post.  I've thought about the crosses in the various rooms of our house, the tattered bibles, but was still unsure really where to go today.

Then I started thinking about taking a picture of Sweet Pea as an example of faith.  I thought maybe that was TOO much of a stretch, but really, she is a product of faith.  Of going out on a limb and trusting that God has better plans than me.  You see, when I chose my vocation and married Hubby, I stood before the Church and all of our friends and family and promised to be open to God's plan for our lives, especially in how it pertained to having children (you all from the Church remember this, right?....that whole, open to children thing?).  I have noticed a lot over the last decade that the WORST times in my life and our marriage have been when one or both of us tried, in some way, to do something just because it was what we wanted, without regard for our vocation or God's plan for our family.  The BEST blessings in our lives have been when we have said yes....whether that fruit bore children or some other grace and blessing.

So, my faith is really a picture of my husband, my children, and working our way ever closer to the ideal of the Holy Family.  To be in union with God's plan for our lives, even when it means a Flight to Egypt kind of ordeal.  None of us are perfect, but we're works in progress.  It's this I need to remind myself of, when I start to close off my heart to the possibilities God has in store, God's plan is bigger than mine, it's better than mine and just because I don't get what I want when I want doesn't mean that God doesn't love me abundantly (in fact, it's really more proof that he does).  So, my faith is the way I live my life.  I'm sometimes a poor example, as I fall down, but I'm working on being a better picture of faith.  I'm working on being open to God's will in my life even when I'm irritated or upset; to remaining open even as we lose our little SB.  God is filling our lives with so much grace and so many people to help us through this time.  Faith is all around, if you choose to step out of yourself and see it.  And my friends, it's better on the side of trust.  As someone who hops back over into self-reliance and doubt periodically, please let me save you a trip, it's worth a few scrapes to get back over to trust and faith.

The Layers of Our Faith