Come Just As You Are

I walked Madelyn into church last Saturday and a sweet lady said this to me in passing:  "I almost didn't recognize her without her bow on today! She looks so different!"
 You see, my daughter wears the cutest and sweetest little dresses with bows every Sunday because a. She has them, so it's a good time to wear them!  b.  She looks so adorable all dressed up! and  c.  It feels nice to look like a put-together family at church who dresses their kids well. (Gulp. There, I said it!)
So when she said this to me, it hit me for a second...We really haven't been letting the church see another side of our family lately because we haven't been more involved outside of Sundays.  Whoops.  I always try to put my best foot forward at church on Sundays...look happy, greet everyone I see with a smile, be encouraging and I tell myself, "Don't let others see you emotional."  I usually say "I'm good!" when people ask me how I'm doing.  (Isn't that the cardinal rule for responses these days? ha!)  I love to build relationships, I love to be there for others, but having others see me anything but content and happy...it's embarrassing and I don't want to make others feel sorry for me or feel uncomfortable.  
So, we were at church for a marriage conference and we all wore typical Saturday attire and I just happened to not put Madelyn's bow on that day.  I dropped the kids off to the nursery area after breakfast and the atmosphere for the Espana duo was not off to a great start because...marriage is hard sometimes.  I just happened to talk to a sweet friend who noticed I was upset and while she was saying kind and encouraging things, it happened....I cried.  Right there in front of all these people that were there to talk about love and marriage and how to grow in it.  She spoke hope into our season of marriage and I felt encouraged, but also was still struggling through my emotions.  It was a bittersweet moment for me.  The morning went on and by God's grace, the atmosphere changed from upset and defeat to fulfillment and hopefulness.  And I realized....I needed to go to church this last Saturday as someone with my "bow off"...as someone who genuinely doesn't have it all together and who needed some wisdom from other married couples who have been through the ups, downs and all-arounds in life together.  And while it didn't go perfectly for me, it was good for my soul.

If you're in a season where you feel like you have to hold it all together and act like a good wife, mom, worker, friend, daughter etc., etc., etc...can I just encourage you that it's O.K. to not be or appear perfectly fine sometimes?  And for people to see us that way?  Can we all just admit that life is sucky sometimes and we can't always fake it till we make it?  And then, that if/when life does get better for us, can we all promise to give each other compassion and grace when others are down?

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.  
Philippians 2:1-2  
Live your life outloud with others.  Please don't keep it to yourself just because it's scary to be vulnerable.  I promise you that when you share your trials or experiences with someone else, they will breathe a silent sigh of relief to know that they're not alone in their struggles and weaknesses.  The devil wants nothing more than to cause divisions, conflicted feelings, isolation and upset among God's children, especially in the church.  And with great contrast, the Lord wants us to be unified, while truly loving each and every one of the people that He's allowed into your life by sharing, empathizing, and encouraging.  And when you share your experiences and wisdom with others, you just never know how much your words can bring life and comfort to ears who need to hear them in that exact moment.

So, I let people see me without my "bow on" on Saturday at church and it was the perfect place for it to happen...a place where I can come to be refreshed, renewed and reminded of His love by God and often through the kindest people who love Him, too.  We all need grace, hope and encouragement in our lives and a healthy church family is just the place to find it through every season we are in, good or bad.  The Lord wants us to come just as we are.    

God's Timeless Love

*February 18, 1984, little Diana Tesch received a sweet little book called 'Peek-A-Boo!  I see you!' by her loving grandparents.  She loved the book and took good care of it.  We know she took good care of it because her mother saved it for all of these years so that her grandchildren could read it, too.  The size of it is perfect for a little toddler, the rhyme is fun and catchy, and the pictures are so, so cute.

So now, here I am, as Diana España, watching my little girl Madelyn España read this book with awe and wonder in her eyes as this book seems like it was made just for her.  She loves peek-a-boo!, she loves rhymes, she loves all of the pictures, especially the ducks, and her face literally lights up when we read it.  See?  

So God gave me a thought and I just really let it sink in.  Someone wrote this book years ago, knowing that little children would love it, tapping into all the loves of little toddler's hearts.  Then, someone, being my grandparents, thought of me and said,"Diana will love this book!!" and then gave it to me for special times to read and enjoy.  And so then I thought a little bit more about it and then it hit my heart.  God knew long, long ago that this book would be perfect for so many little kids, but especially little Madelyn.  I believe God knew long ago that when the author of this book wrote this, He knew who would be impacted by it.  And then He allowed my grandparents to buy this book, knowing that I would enjoy it greatly.  But even more amazingly, this book seems to be hand-crafted for my little Madelyn, who absolutely thinks the world of it.  (The only thing we could add to it to make it more for Madelyn is Elmo.  Boy, does that girl love Elmo these days!)
But seriously, do we even realize or fathom that God loves us so much that He thinks of ways to bring us delight long before it comes to fruition?  I don't think I could've ever foreseen how God has taken care of us and brought us to where we are, much less, that an old book of mine could light up my daughter's world.  But God did.  He longs for us to find delight in the blessings He gives us and it's His honor to be recognized when we do.  I can imagine Him swelling with pride up there knowing that my little Madelyn loves this 34 year old book that came to be with me, her and so many others in mind.  

Now, I'm just talking about a book, y'all.  There are so many other ways that God reveals His love and thoughtfulness towards us day-in and day-out.  And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.  Phiippians 4:19

He's ready to be right there with us to help us along, provide for us in surprising ways, and to show us how much He cares for us in big and small ways.  Are we looking for them?  I'm trying to remember to look to the author of my story, especially when life doesn't seem to be going the way I want it to go all the time.  He is there through it all.  The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.  Proverbs 16:33  He knows what we will go through long before we do and has all the tools we need to be able to get through each and every situation.  

So, just like God showed me He thought of my little girl long ago, He thinks of all of us in all that He does all the time.  We have access to an all-encompassing, mighty Lord who longs to be gracious to you;  He will rise up to show you compassion, for He is a God of justice.  Blessed are all who wait for Him!  (Isaiah 30:18)

Let's all remember to look for all the ways He shows us His great and timeless love.  Because, Peek-A-Boo!  He sees you!  (Cheesy, I know, but I couldn't help myself! :) )   Blessings!

            God's gifts to our family-Matthew and Madelyn, 4 and 18 months