My girl...

seven
lucky number seven.

my girl.

i love her with this amazing force I didn't know existed.
she pushes every button I have...
she makes me better.
she humbles me.
and challenges me.

she dances.
she thinks.
she chases butterflies...
sparkly things.
dreams.

she is honest.
with a biting wit.

and a heart
that loves completely.

she is dramatic.
the leader.
the diva.
the queen.

she is seven
and seventeen.

she desperately wants to be...
so many things
and already
is more than she imagines.

she is beautiful
and smart.
strong
amazing
and
vulnerable.

she is my heart.
my reason.

my girl.

But God...

We have a rule in our home.

Anything you say after BUT cancels out EVERYTHING you said before it.

It benefits you none to apologize if you are going to say ... but and then explain why your actions were justified.

Three letters.

BUT

and they carry such sway.

They can completely rob a conversation of its meaning.

I thought of this a couple of times today. Both times, the thought spurred because of friends that were talking about choices they'd made...
things they'd done...
the people they were before...

and I thought about God.

and how
we stumble through life
making choices,
taking chances,
messing up,
falling down,
digging deep into the mire
going against what we know to do
repeating past mistakes

trying again...

 we are often reminded
of the people we were
before

before grace
before mercy

before

we met a Man that told us everything before the BUT is cancelled...

and everything after is what counts...

BUT GOD demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, He sent his Son to die for us.  Romans 5:8