2013/death/faith/family/grief/loss/love/memories

The Bright on a Dark Day

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As expected, today is here. Not quite as expected, I didn’t count down and wait, watching the calendar and the clock until lunch time rolled around on the Tuesday of Short Course.

Let me back up. Last year, August 7th, our world was rocked. I wrote a post for Jamie Ivey’s Dreaming Big Dreams about it a couple of weeks ago, it was scheduled to post this Monday. It seemed like perfect timing. A few days after I wrote the post, I was up tossing and turning through the night feeling anxious about August. About August 7th specifically, but also about significant dates (and days due to the nature of our Short Course schedule each year) that surrounded it. Remembering the tough season that followed and the tears and time it took to work through what God was doing in my heart. I remember grabbing my phone and downloading Oceans, setting it to repeat, and writing. There was a stirring in my heart that I needed to process. I wrote to Him. I processed. I sang. I probably cried.

From my prayers that night:

Saturday can’t happen again. Tuesday can’t happen again. Thursday can’t happen again. The final Saturday can’t happen again. The song–the promise–the Wednesday in between can happen again. You bring life and light. You bring peace and joy. I pray You would cast out my anxiety and help me to focus on love and light this week… Use this week to remind me of Your promises. I pray I can rest in You… 

And you know what? He did. As I read the post for Jamie Ivey Monday, I prayed prayers of gratitude that he had taken those anxious feelings from me. Even for the inkling yesterday when I felt a little tense about packing up and leaving College Station, I was able to remind myself He has already taken it. I was able to look at the photo of Baby Gray from that Tuesday last year and remind myself of love and light. When I remember that photo of Baby Gray, I always remember the photos from our back porch later that afternoon as well. They were bright on a dark day.

Truck
Living Color

They remind me of the beauty in God’s promises. The unending love He has for us.

2013/blessings/family

Life, I Prayed

Posted on by Mrs Gray / 2 Comments

Some mornings, I just sit back and realize how blessed I am to have this life. I am able to enjoy time with my son and my husband each day. I am able to work and do things I enjoy from our home. We live close to our families, so we get to see them regularly as well. I am living the life I prayed for oh-so long ago.

Aquarium

There are days I forget that, though. I become angry or frustrated too easily or start to feel burn out setting in. Those days, I just have to remind myself of the good, the blessings. Take a few deep breaths, pray, cruise with the music on blast and the sunroof open, write, and just refocus on what matters.

2013/Aggies/football/Johnny Football/tailgate

To the Aggie Family, He’s One of Us

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Dearest Aggie Family,

I took the time yesterday to read this article, and while I don’t normally take stuff like this further than a discussion in the living room with my husband, I couldn’t shake the thought of it from a parent’s point of view. From a family member’s point of view–because Manziel is just that, family. Our Aggie family.

Game Time

Why, then, are so many Aggies so quick to throw him under the bus? Let the media do what the media does, but we are Aggies. We celebrate each other and defend each other and protect each other. We shouldn’t be mad he doesn’t go to class on campus; we should be trying to fix it–together. We should want him to experience the Texas A&M we know and love in all its glory. He’s not a legacy player. He came because he could play ball. Rather than convincing him it’s one of the greatest places on earth, we’ve made it a place he can’t stand to be. A place with so much pressure and so much on the line for him that it’s not fun anymore. He’s not having fun.

I’m not at all defending his behaviors and his choices, but I do think we’re going about it all wrong. I’ve watched the clips of his questionable off-field behavior. I’ve seen the tweets. I get it. He’s twenty. He’s a star. He’s acting as most twenty year-old stars would. Let the media spin it and drag him through the mud if they must, but let them see the Aggies standing together for their quarterback in good times and in bad. When we’re fueling the fire, we’re hurting ourselves as a whole. What recruit wants to come to a school where they’re getting eaten alive by their own? What small town kid who’s intimidated by such a big school anyway is ever going to believe we’re all in this together when we can’t even get behind the kid that’s leading our team back into the wonderful world of football?

If the Aggie network is truly hundreds of thousands strong, why aren’t we going about this in a way that Aggies do? Where is the honor, the truth, the valor, that is an Aggies’ claim to fame?  

We are the Aggies, the Aggies are we
True to each other as Agggies can be… 

It doesn’t matter if the SEC gets it. It doesn’t matter if ESPN gets it. Maybe it’s time to quit worrying about them and start taking care of our own.

2013/Baby Gray/clothes/Fashion Friday/independent/toddler

Birthday Suit

Posted on by Mrs Gray / 2 Comments

Sometimes all that’s needed is a box and a birthday suit!

Birthday Suit

Then when it gets cold, he will calmly explain that a jacket–not clothes–will make him feel warm (the AC was out that day; I’m pretty sure he just wanted to wear the jacket).

Hoodie

If, heaven forbid, we have to leave the house, he will dress himself and tell me how “cool” he looks. But, I must be careful not to snap the photo before he has straightened his hair. Big no, no!  

Cool

Later, he might ask to wear “girl shoes,” much to Mr. Gray’s chagrin. I think it’s funny.

Wedges

Truly, there is never a dull moment around here.

2013/faith/family/love/memories/relationships

Engage the Heart

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Sometimes I get so caught up in the daily task of things that I’m not enjoying the blessings I’ve been given in this life. I’m not truly taking in the fact that I get to spend (pretty much) every day with my son as he grows and learns. I get to spend (almost) every evening with my husband as we wind down together.

Family

I hate that I let the tasks get in front of the relationships sometimes.

It happens in other areas, too, though. I let reading my Bible (because I’m supposed to) get in front of my relationship (walking, talking, living, breathing) with Christ. I let straightening the Coffee Bar get in the way of loving on the volunteers who come to serve each week.

I’m taking a step back from the task mind view and engaging in the relationships I have. Taking in the hearts that are around me. Loving people and letting the rest fall into place.

Trying something new and linking up with the Heart + Home Link Up today.