The Face of a Miracle

My sweet little nephew was an answer to uncountable prayers..... and although it may have taken him a while to get here I have to say he was well worth the wait.  

I believe that all children are miracles and that they are true gifts from above, but some babies are special miracles because of the means taken to get them here.  

Please don't misunderstand me, I am not saying that those who pray for children and don't ever conceive are being ignored by their Maker.  I truly believe that God hears our pleads and knows our  hearts desires, but not always do our prayers match "His plan".  I know that God doesn't always fulfill our prayers the way we see fit, however He does ALWAYS fulfill our needs.  Sometimes when mothers ask for their arms to be filled with a child God chooses to answer their prayer differently then they had imagined.  

Some babies grow in their mother's womb and some grow in their mother's hearts.  

I am the product of that kind of love.  My grandmother may not have conceived my beautiful mother in her womb but she did in her heart.  She loved and prayed for my mother before she ever saw her face or touched her little body.  My mother could not have known a greater kind of love.  I am so thankful God chose to answer my grandmother's prayer with "His plan". 

No matter what situation we entered this world through we were all born of a great and beautiful love, our real Father doesn't make mistakes... only beautiful creatures with great purpose.

This time the prayer met with "His plan" and we will forever be grateful for the blessing that we have received this week.  I can't wait to see what big plans God has for this beautiful little miracle.

Slayton Miles Bramlee

You were loved into life by the hands of God and when the light hits you just right I can almost see your wings!!

My sweet Slayton, I am so thankful to have been chosen to be your Aunt....

you have already brought so much joy to this world!

Psalm 127:3   Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him.

Your Blessings Are Waiting

God doesn't want to be the magician of our lives, performing tricks for us, He wants to be the Lord of our lives covering us in His blessings.  Sometimes I think that we inadvertently give our "Santa list" to the wrong "Big Guy".  God isn't there to simply answer our requests, that would only limit us to what we could come up with for ourselves, He desires to give us what we NEED in order for us to have the beautiful lives that we deserve.

We all to often get attached to our own idea of what this life is suppose to look like, loosing site of what we were truly created for.  I for one am glad that God's plans for me and my life are bigger than the ones I had for myself.  We can never out dream or out think God.  

His knowledge stretches farther than the borders of this world which allow His plans to exceed our limited understanding.  I have learned to pray for God's will in my life so that I won't limit Him to my small agendas, allowing for His grander ones.

God gives blessing to those who..... look for them before they come

and remember to give praise for them after they have been received.

If we aren't receiving God's blessings it isn't because He doesn't have any for us but rather because we wouldn't recognize them if He did.  When we decide to keep our eyes focused on Him then and only then can we 

feel His presence, see His plan., and receive His bountiful blessings.

God has more for you than some temporary magic trick that only appears to be real...

He wants to give you the world.... but first you must give Him you.

Your blessings are waiting for you!

Galatians 3:14

The Message (MSG)

 ^13-14Christ redeemed us from that self-defeating, cursed life by absorbing it completely into himself. Do you remember the Scripture that says, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"? That is what happened when Jesus was nailed to the cross: He became a curse, and at the same time dissolved the curse. And now, because of that, the air is cleared and we can see that Abraham's blessing is present and available for non-Jews, too. We are all able to receive God's life, his Spirit, in and with us by believing—just the way Abraham received it.

2012 Wish List

Daddy's List

Spend two weeks at the beach

  Go camping and fishing

Spend time with the family

 Not be in medical school

Get work done on the house

Mama's List

Learn more about photography

 Run a race

Organize all lessons before the beginning of the school year

Paint my house (inside)

Do a big service project as a family

Bullfrog's List

Game Night with just daddy

Get better at football

Go to WVU Basketball game

See a police car

Learn to whittle

Big Butterfly's List

Play Soccer

Get nails done

Go to an Art Museum

Go camping

Take a pottery class

Middle Butterfly's List

Get nails done

Take dance

Go swimming

Go to the beach

Go see Hannah

Little Butterfly's List

Spend time with mommy and daddy

Grow Hair

Gain weight

Play... a lot

Learn new words

Love Letter

To My True Love,

I have seen dark times in my life, times where all seemed lost or impossible but now there is a light that shines so bright that I can't help but feel alive.  There was a time when I couldn't believe or see potential in myself but your love has shown me a more beautiful reflection of a person that I never knew existed   You loved me when I couldn't love myself, when I thought no one could.  You have taken my imperfection and and made them perfect in your sight.  You have given me life and revealed to me my gifts.  

Noises and voices of this world use to clutter my mind, telling me that I wasn't good or deserving enough, but your loving voice now overshadows theirs and reminds me of all that is good and beautiful.  I never deserved your faithfulness and yet I received it, never was I worthy of your love but now I am filled with it.  There is no place that I can go that you don't go with me, no pain that I feel that you don't feel too, no problem that I face that you don't endure with me.   

You are my true love, my source of comfort and strength.  I can scarcely remember the me that existed before you, nor do I want to.  It is so amazing to see how your love has changed me and the way I look at this world now.  Your peace fills me, allowing me a freedom that I never knew existed.  Because of your love I have joy in every circumstance, hope during moments of chaos, and strength in the midst of my storms.

I am flawed and have failed you at times and yet your love for me remains steadfast without conditions.  I strive to be the person you see when you look at me, and I long to appear as lovely to the world as I do in your eyes.  

I have heard your voice, felt your touch and seen your face in my heart.  I rest in the palm of your hands knowing that if I am with you than there is none that can truly be against me.  I will walk through the trials of this life with peace and joy knowing that despite my pain there is love waiting for me in your arms.  

Your love has shown me that I am more than the choices that I have made, that I am worthy of forgiveness and grace, beautiful and deserving of admiration....forgiven and redeemed.  There is no greater love than yours and I am grateful to have received it.  

I love you for all that you have been, all that you are, and all that you will be.

Yours Truly & Forever, 
Carrie

Romans 8:37-39

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.