old hymns

I’ve heard that a child is closer to God because of their innocence and open hearts that have yet to be hardened by the world. For me, I disagree. I once was that child. And I can unfortunately admit that my heart has been hardened by the world. I am not sure if I have made the conscious decision somewhere along the way to listen and look for God in my everyday, or if He was waiting for this time to become more apparent to me, but recently I see Him more and more- even when I’m not looking.

I once was lost, but now am found.

I also read an article last week about the hymn, Great is Thy Faithfulness and how it is a somewhat broad phrase in terms of praise, but can be so personal to each individual. And guess what was on the bulletin to sing in church last Sunday after reading that…yep, I may or may not have soaked up every verse of that powerful song like never before.

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.

My newest obsession- besides still giving a good swing at whole holistic lifestyle thing- is reading devotionals about being a Godly wife. Loving him like Jesus does, as Eric Church would call it. And quite frankly, I can’t get through most of them without crying. But I like it. A lot.

This is a short one, but I promise to write again soon of all the latest in my life. Lots of changes lately!! But I want to leave with one thought:

The zest of a lemon is minuscule compared to the whole, but it’s by far the tastiest. I believe the same goes for life. Don’t overlook the small and often unnoticeable things because they are often the best parts of life. They fill it with the unexpected and memorable times. And of course, that’s why they’re called the ZEST of life! (Sorry for the pun, I had to.)

Love always,

Addie

“You know it’s a good day when the organist starts to play the hymn and Papa starts to cry. That’s how you know there are familiar angels in the sanctuary, singing through the notes in the old hymns.”

not A merica, THE MERICA

Happy day-before-the-Forth-of-July! I want to take a moment to reflect on the glorious country that I call home. This blog is dedicated to the men and women who love this place enough to put it all on the line, and for that I am forever grateful. We so often take our freedom and liberties for granted, so I encourage everyone to revere this great nation and all that she stands for. Never forget the history this soil holds and all that it has overcome, and all that it continues to promise.

Two of my favorite quotes about life are about as equivalent to being American as it gets: “If you want to be happy, be” and “If you don’t like where you are, move” perfectly explain the majority of human problems as well as the solution. We are lucky enough to live in one country with 50 very different states- if you don’t like one, you’re sure to find one that you do. Though I have visited less than half of the states (so far), I still have an endless amount of respect and appreciation for each one for the depth and character they add to our “melting pot.” Here’s a list of the 50 things I personally love about our 50 states, even the one’s I haven’t been to yet…

Alabama- Football. And one smokin’ hot guy with manners! (aka, Alex)

Alaska- Deadliest Catch, dog mushing, and Mt. McKinley making the tallest point in the biggest state

Arizona- Grand Canyon

Arkansas- the LAKE

California- the pursuit of happiness and self always seem to be welcomed out there…and they have the huge trees in the Sequoia National Park

Colorado- Hiking, skiing, and the first place I ever saw a wild prairie dog

Connecticut- strangely entertaining hunting locations and nice homes

Delaware- the first of the great states, Fishers popcorn, and the lady bug being the state bug…

Florida- Disney World—so magical!

Georgia- Peaches, golf, and peanut festivals. It can keep the gnats, though.

Hawaii- Beaches everywhere…that’s a dead give away.

Idaho- Potato chips, hot springs, and the Nez Perce legends…they should have kept the Appaloosas…

Illinois- Chicago, the greatest rival to the Cards,…and the home of some of my best friends from college.

Indiana- Purdue. Agriculture forever.

Iowa- the crookedest street in the world, Snake Alley

Kansas- can’t say much because I was raised to hate a Jayhawk, but thank goodness for farm country

Kentucky- One word: Bourbon.

Louisiana- Cajun food and Swamp People

Maine- Lobster

Maryland- I read once that their Mcdonald’s offer crab rolls…

Massachusetts- Smarty pants schools that beat Asian math and science scores everytime.

Michigan- Detroit and vehicles- thanks, yall.

Minnesota- MALL OF AMERICA

Mississippi- Blues music, laid back lifestyles, Mugshots cheeseburgers, and Hail to Dear Ole State!

Missouri- The Bootheel and me, obviously. Although I should also mention the Sikeston rodeo, Lamberts, and the Cardinals.

Montana- the Horse Whisperer and the largest buffalo herd thanks to Ted Turner

Nebraska- corn, corn, corn, and the College World Series

Nevada- Sin City, baby

New Hampshire- first of the 13 colonies to declare independence from England- that’s FREE!

New Jersey- Jersey Shore and all of its awful, raunchy entertainment.

New Mexico- Hot Air Balloon Festival

New York- Sex and the City and the Freedom Tower, all 1776 feet of it

North Carolina- Nicholas Sparks and his fabulous romance novels

North Dakota- Cowboy Country, baby

Ohio- “Cleveland ROCKS!” oh, and so does Clark Gable…

Oklahoma- Oklahoma City, Still Water, Calf Fry, Corona Cartel, I could go on for days about this place…

Oregon- Carousel Horses and their ever-surprising football jerseys

Pennsylvania- HERSHEY’S CHOCOLATE

Rhode Island- home to the oldest operating tavern in the country, the White Horse Tavern, which opened in 1673

South Carolina- Hilton Head

South Dakota- the fact that this is referred to as the “Bad Lands” is just awesome…

Tennessee- itty bitty Paris spared my liquor habits in college and Nashville because, duh.

Texas- the “don’t tread on me” state of mind rules in the long horn state- and I love it!

Utah- Rainbow Bridge, the largest natural land bridge

Vermont- BEN AND JERRY’S ICE CREAMMMMM

Virginia- Gettysburg and the Pentagon, demonstrating the best defense for hundreds of years and counting…

Washington- I don’t remember much about Washington because I was young when we visited, but I did enjoy picking wild strawberries out of people’s front yards…and eating them.

West Virginia- 75 percent of this state is forest…because “mountaineers are always free”

Wisconsin- CHEESE

Wyoming- rodeos, frizz-free hair, and Yellow Stone.

And if you’re not singing “50 Nifty United States” yet………..I bet you are now….

“…each individual state contributes a quality that is great…”

But the greatest of all is knowing that no matter what state you’re in, you’re an American. And if you don’t like it, “man we’ll light up your world like the 4^th of July. Brought to your courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue.”

Here’s a list of a few more great things about ‘Merica:

1. We have the best “away colors”- camo

2. Back to back World War Champs

3. On a scale of one to America, how free do you feel right now?

4. No more prohibition means we can get “star spangled hammered” or “red, white, and boozed” anytime we want.

5. Flags a wavin’, guns a blazin’

6. Merica needed a nice vacation home, so she bought Hawaii.

Ok I’ll stop now. But on a serious note, always remember those that serve so we can call our home the Land of the Free. They sacrifice everything” not because they hate what’s in front of them, but because they love what’s behind them.” (quote from a friend that is currently serving for us)

I hope everyone has a fantastic 4^th filled with family, friends, BBQ, fireworks, and a body of water celebrating our heritage. Let’s put politics and differences aside for one day and revel in the complexities that keep us aware and give everyone a voice, and more importantly, a chance. This is our home, let’s be thankful.

“This Lady may have stumbled, but she never fell…From the sound up in Long Island out to San Francisco Bay, and ev’ry thing that’s in between them is our home. And we may have done a little bit of fighting amongst ourselves, but you outside people best leave us alone. Cause we’ll all stick together and you can take that to the bank. That’s the cowboys and the hippies and the rebels and the yanks. You just go and lay your hand on a Pittsburgh Steeler fan and I think you’re gonna finally understand.”- Charlie Daniels Band

Merica.

Love always,

Addie

“…meals are memorials that teach us how to move, history moves in us as we raise our voices and then our glasses to pour a little our for those who poured our everything for us, we pour ourselves our for them, so they can eat again.” –Jake Adam York, excerpt from his poem, “Grace”