Investments and securities-

These pictures of Ava and Crew were taken by me as I sat in the big chair in my living room two afternoons ago. I have a great view from my lap, don't I?!

What I can't help but love about these photos, also makes me stop and pause and think, and that is about the contentment, peace and happiness that I see in these images. Crew couldn't be any more peaceful when he sleeps in my lap or when he's all wrapped up like a little burrito in his blankets. Ava couldn't be more happy and silly and she not only knows how much she's loved, but she also knows that she can be herself and she certainly was pulling that off in her butterfly tee and pink glasses here. It made me feel good and I think it's one of the things I feel very strongly about as a mom of young children, and that is that they are comfortable and secure. Nothing makes me ache more than when my kids are hurt- physically or emotionally- or when they are fearful of something- real or imagined. As a mom, I feel so responsible for how they are feeling and even though I know life isn't all just a bed of roses, I do my best to make everyone around me feel loved and secure.

I then turned my thoughts toward some of the big issues and events going on in my life around me and in the world too and thought of how little security there is at this point in time. I'm not talking about airport check stations, but the reality of a scary economic crisis that continues to swirl, the ongoing war and terrorism threats that our nation faces and all the stuff we hear in the news media that makes some of us want to turn off the tv forever and just tune it all out. There's a lot of pain and negativity and hopelessness 'out there'.

Closer to home, I have a neighbor who is left with a little girl after her husband killed himself last week. She is young and I'm sure she is scared about her future. Our 3rd grade teacher at school had a bicycle accident last week...she fell off and hit her head and lies in a coma at this time. These sort of random incidents, added to the news we already hear and worry about, can make life feel a little overwhelming. Surely I'm not the only one that feels this way.

Thankfully, I do not live in fear of the future and the unknown. I do not worry about the value of a dollar or get upset that some of our savings have vanished, nor do I worry about our nation's political future- even as the election grows near.

I will vote and I care about issues...don't get me wrong. I like to be informed and pray about and make wish decisions, but I don't let my feelings get worked up even when I sense a growing concern about the way things are headed.

I like to thank God for the feeling of peace He gives me and many of you- time and time again- even when things seem to be spinning out of control. It's this solid foundation and promises from the Bible that I can turn to when things are going good or bad. I love that faith reminds me to believe in what I cannot see or feel. I know that God has all things in His control and that He can be trusted. My securities lie not in things of this world, but in the Hope of Heaven and the promises of God. Nothing gives me more assurance than reading Truth and resting in fact that there is more to this life than just what we see.

I just wanted to remind myself and maybe some of you today, that when you trust fully in the One who holds the future, there is no reason to be afraid. One of my favorite passages that speaks to this is found in the book of Psalms...I'm happy to share it and hope that it gives some of you reassurance and Hope today. We can laugh and live free and be ourselves- without worry- if we personally entrust our hearts to God. He is my only Hope and security.

Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; He lifts his voice, the earth melts. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Come and see the works of the LORD, the desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; He breaks the bow and shatters the spear, He burns the shields with fire.
"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.