Be like Habakkuk. That's what I'm telling myself. It's Sunday evening, I'm sitting here. I'm trying to find a way to encourage and it's because of the One who encourages me.

You see. Our daughter. I can still see the light in her eyes as she talks of her State Competition for FBLA at Reston.  I can still nearly hear her heart pounding with joy and excitement at her anticipation for the competition. Something she (and we) highly hoped she'd win and be able to then compete in nationals in California in the Summer.

But. Then. I got the text message. We didn't even place, she tells us.  And. She's disappointed. She's mad. She's hurt. She expected to win, and she didn't.  And. While that's okay with us. She's had a hard time grasping that it's okay with her.

So I'm trying to Mother her as she needs me.  She's sixteen, but this is the way I can Mother her in this season.  I'm trying to show her it's okay that she lost the competition, because she gave it her best.  She had a memorable experience. She made memories. She's disappointed now, but she can, she will, and she should move forward.  I am encouraging her to do this as today's Sermon rings in my ears to be like Habakkuk.  So. Be like Habakkuk is what I encourage.  Now. Naturally we're not Habakkuk. If the Lord wanted us to be him, then we would've been.  But the Lord created us to be us. And while I say be like, I don't mean it so literal. You see. Habakkuk trusted in the Lord. When things failed, he trusted. In the good and the bad we should trust.  We should lay it all at the feet of Jesus, just as Habakkuk did.  And.  Trust!

Then.  There's this evening.  Monday is coming on full force.  My husband is listing all of the places he has to travel for his work.  Neither of us liking it.  Anxiety easily creeps up on me. Be like Habakkuk, I tell myself.  We need to be like Habakkuk, and lay it at the feet of Jesus.

Then.  There's this new business adventure I've started, a boutique.  Oh, yes!  It's definitely exciting.  But.  Yes, it could definitely be scary.  Be like Habakkuk.

There's farm life.  There's house building.  There's life.  When life has a lot of what-ifs, live by faith. Be like Habakkuk.

 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. ‭‭Habakkuk‬ ‭2:4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Other photos from the last week or two:

Breann and I went shopping.