what I found in my closet yesterday.

We are pretty cramped for space right now in our house. As a result, Titus' closet houses my clothes, most of the kids' toys, all of my scrapbook stuff, and a small, three shelf bookcase for my books. (All three kids' clothing are on hangers in Eden and August's closet. Whew.)

Yes, a bookcase in a closet. Stranger things have happened.

God has been speaking to me greatly through the 1 Peter Bible study I have been doing for the past six weeks through Hello Mornings. I really felt the need to begin to journal specific verses He points out to me in the morning, so I began digging through that closet-bookcase in search of a journal to use. (My entire life is basically recorded in journals, starting from about the second grade on. We have a box full in the basement.)

The kids were wild during my journal search, rolling around, throwing stuffed animals, basically having a good ol kid time. I was stressed. I began to fuss, to yell. They continued to play rambunctiously. My voice got higher. Their play became wilder. My fingers quickly thumbed through old books and journals when I came across this:

It was a journal Brandon and I kept in the kitchen when we were first married. We would write letters back and forth to each other as newlyweds, encouraging one another. 

Then, a few pages later, I read this:

It was not dated, so I am unsure when I wrote it. Or how many kids I had at the time; I would assume it was only Eden at the time, considering the age of the journal. But after literally just yelling at my kids, then opening a journal that I had not looked at in years was NOT a conscience.

"The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouts of a ruler of fools". {Ecclesiastes 9:17}

"Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord. The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words promote instruction. Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones". {Proverbs 16:20-24}

"A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger". {Proverbs 15:1}


So, I found a journal to write down verses. I found verses in the journal that I wrote long ago, unawares, for my future self.  And I found old love letters between newlyweds that need to continue to fill the pages.

What have you found in your closet this week?