My Front Porch Looking In

Let me start off by saying I have always hated the Lonestar song "My Front Porch Looking in." I found it corny with obnoxious sayings every single time I heard it on the air.. "There's a carrot top that can barely walk with a sippy cup of milk. A little blue-eyed blonde with shoes on wrong cuz she like to dress herself.. and the most beautiful girl holding both of them. The View I love the most is my front porch looking in!"..  See.. I mean full of CORNY CORN CORN. .I was so irritated when Lonestar put out this song after big hits like "No News" and "Amazed".. but, lets admit, Lonestar puts out some pretty corny songs in general. .

However, yesterday when I was driving down the Hefner Parkway and it came on.. I found myself really listening to the words and realizing.. this is also the view I love the most.. My front Porch Looking in. Lately I have become sentimental in realizing how big the Lord has blessed me. The girls will turn 10 in May and they are truly incredible humans. They are kind. They are funny. They have manners. They respect people and authority. They asked Jesus into their hearts. They Love Church, animals, sports, their dad and I, their grandparents, and each other. I mean, seriously.. this time is very sweet. Yeah, I know, I know.. teenage years are not far away and I may be singing a different tune then, but in this moment the times are sweet. And I DO have a blue-eyed blonde that usually doesn't have ANY shoes on because she says "She goes her own way." and I love that! 

I know the bible tells us there will be trials, and I'm trying to live in these sweet moments and count my blessings now because I know we are all just one phone call, one car wreck, and one medical diagnosis away from life-changing news. Everything can change at the drop of a hat, and I know eventually, there will be a really hard season, so right now its been fun just 'enjoying' my life. I've had friends who have lost their parents way too early.. friends who are dealing with a child who has cancer.. A co-worker just had to have part of his leg taken off due to an illness. You can look around very quickly and see your blessings. Whats the old saying, "If you look around you will be thankful for your own problems,".. and that is so true. I've recently re-signed up to be a hospice volunteer and once again, you see how someone's whole world can change with just a single diagnosis. I'm realizing that these are the 'sweet' spots I will want to look back on when trials do come, and I know they will. 

The World is harsh these days. People are hateful..even more hateful behind a keyboard. As a parent, there are a million keyboard warriors daily telling you that you are doing the wrong things for your kids.  You feed them too much sugar, your vitamins are wrong, you should have them in 10 sports instead of 2, You are an idiot because you don't vote for X School board candidate.. I mean it's seriously never ending. The Shaming, the bad-mouthing, the judgment. Social Media can be a true nightmare. I can't imagine my 14-year-old self trying to deal with all the constant scrutiny that is brought upon kids today.. and the parents are even worse! You can't tell me HALF of the people who say things online would actually say those same things to your face. Its unreal. Our kids are exposed to things so much earlier than they should be and there's very little we can do about it. Someone always has an opinion..But remember that's just what it is. THEIR Opinion.  It seems like an overwhelming task to raise a great kid these days.. but I'm doing ok for now with these two! 

Crosslee has found something she loves in Softball.. Londyn Loves playing the piano and singing. They are both incredibly different but somehow, that makes them really love each other which is another blessing for Jordan, and I. Jordan is loving his new gig at Love's, and I love that he gets to know and work with all the good folks I met while I was at Love's. A few years ago I would have never thought I would be where I am now. I had always hoped my radio career was just 'on a break' and not over, and I'm so happy to be at a place where I'm back on the air, and can also be home for my family. You can always see your biggest blessings in the rearview mirror! Who would have thought losing my radio job would turn out to take me on an amazing journey.. where my husband would end up working with all my Loves friends! God has a great sense of humor. 

Yes, I have the same crap going on that you guys have.. Dealing with 56 things going at the same time.. having something going on every night of the week.. Electronics that don't work half the time, knees that are ready to give up daily, and I STILL somehow have plantar fasciitis in my left foot..We will always have stuff going on that annoys us.  BUT.. if you put that into the big picture, those things are pretty small in the grand scheme of things..County your blessings folks, enjoy the sweet moments! 

I'm grateful because I have a fantastic job I love, an Awesome Family, A great Church, I'm healthy, my family is healthy, and I have really great friends. I can't complain about anything right now if I'm being honest, because right now, the view I DO love the most, is my Front Porch Looking in! 

PS.. I still don't like the Lonestar song, but.. I can appreciate the lyrics a little more. ;)