Whoa, I’ve been bogged down in my chain-unlatching, and I’m not stopping the work, but mercy – a girl’s got to breathe! Sometimes I’m not as bogged down as I sound, not so complex, but once in a while my writer’s voice gets so intense that I have to put my hands on her face and say chill the dump-cake out.

Things are often simpler than they seem. Writing in a journal and asking God questions – it’s simple, and for me a secret space like that is proving necessary. Waking with the words “hope of my salvation” whirling around my head, I take it for what it is – a simple message from God. Angrily stomping my 5 year old to time out, and then later having to tell him that I want to be gentler and show him the hope of my salvation, I felt simple when I took the time to laugh with him today.

“But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation” (Thessalonians 5:8).

I’m tired of losing my head, and it’s been a while since I thought about the hope of my salvation as being what keeps my head on straight.

I can think of a few simple reasons to really take that hope and let it protect my head. My boys are the ones who know what’s up, and if they’re anything like me, they can sniff a fake from a mile away.

“Children are unpredictable. You never know what inconsistency they are going to catch you in next.” — Henry Ward Beecher

Here’s to responding in simple hope this weekend!

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Now I’m bummed to ask for this kind of stuff. Seriously. I regiggered my email/rss feed situation and had multiple emails send out which is all kinds of annoying. We’re starting at a zero now because I switched from wonky feed burner and also had to reset the feed this morning, which is kind of sad news bears. Even if you signed up this week (grrrr), click on this new little button here for updated feed?  

If you think I’m alright and want my words in a fancy simple email in your inbox? Put your email address in this little slot:) 

Now after all that. The only other thing I need you to do is leave a link to your favorite latest best youtube videos in my comments. Glory to goodness, let’s laugh.

There’s a freedom I hear about that I just don’t always recognize in my life. I long to be free so much that maybe I’ve built a habit of feigning it. I would love it if you would like to join me in exploring this path to true freedom, A Study of Chains in 31 Days. {Thank you so much, by the way, for walking with me.} Are you ready to shirk these chains?