ALY ALLEN | THE BLOG

These past two months have been killer for me. I couldn't figure it out until one day it just smacked me in the face: somehow I lost my joy . Being in the Word, listening to worship music all day long, reading and writing about His goodness. Even all of that didn't snap me out of it. I have this tendency to allow burdens to pile up unnecessarily. My kids are driving me crazy, my husband has been working a lot, I have deadlines and due dates and to-do lists a mile long. I let that stuff swirl in my head non-stop. I think about it, mull over it, rehearse it, problem-solve it , and even make up scenarios in my mind.  As if I need one more thing to think about?  My brain is constantly full, taking up all the room I usually like to save for rational or creative or happy thoughts. It's just a jumbled mess in there sometimes. I''m a melancholy girl, and I can get pretty down when I allow myself to. I can feel down about my own life just as easily as I can about the s...

... may your holiday be filled with family, friends, food and fellowship. and most of all, an overwhelming gratefulness for who He is and all He has done for us. give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever... * check back tomorrow for a fun black friday sale!

today i had one of those crazy shifts in perspective. do you know what i'm talking about? all of a sudden i'm standing there cutting up the pork shoulder to stick in the crock pot and it hits me: i am so blessed to be doing this. all of this. this morning i woke up like any other. you know, an eleven week old baby, crying and hungry. we went downstairs and i made some fresh juice for Reese and myself.  we had orange-pineapple-apple. seriously delicious and refreshing and perfect.  it struck me how much joy i actually get from taking a few pieces of fruit and juicing them up into something yummy and nutritious. something that Reese begs me for every day.  i get joy from that.  i think it's two-fold: that i even have access to nutritious food for my family,  and also that i don't mind doing the work of cutting and peeling and juicing for what would seem like little return. for me, it's a huge return-- nutrition.  and i finally r...

[found here] today, i'm thankful for: our almighty infinite God.  the one who creates, who ordains, who directs, who provides,  who equips, who saves, who redeems, who restores,  who loves more lavishly than I will ever comprehend.  the One who sent His son as the atonement for sin, as the victor over death.  who was and is, and is to come. He who has done great things throughout the ages  and continues now, in my life and yours. He is good.  it would be impossible to adequately express thanks [in words] for what He has done for me. a husband who works hard, today included, doing what he loves.  impacting lives, coaching football, and providing for our little family.  who sees me and notices when I've had a hard day.  who  orders me  to sit on the couch while he prepares for our guests,  cleaning, setting up, serving food [yesterday]. a daughter who could not be more p...

today was it. as far as fall days in southern california go, you know? no changing leaves to play in, or 35 degree weather to brave. but for me, and what i'm used to here in san diego, it was perfect. by 10am i was out of the house on time , to run errands: the bank: to withdraw our weekly cash allotment. walmart : paper plates, party decor, halloween candy, cute little pumpkin candy bucket for my little trick-or-treater. [she was sort of excited about that, can you tell?] trader joes: groceries then home: mac & cheese for R, and turkey chili for me then i finished up this wreath for a birthday gift. i love it and secretly wish i could keep it. luckily i know the gal who makes them so i could probably convince her to make another one ;) then it was nap time. and i worked [my "real job", which is tech support via email and online chat] . while making this: and this is where it got real, you guys. an already good, pro...

i've been i a funk the last few weeks. i'm blaming it on the crazy early pregnancy hormones. but still, i've been in a fog, hit a wall, whatever you want to call it. dare i use the "depression" word? almost no quiet time, barely making it through a day without crying, a lot on my mind, not keeping up on emails or blogs, far from the Lord's presence and peace... you know, just  funky. i hate even one day like this, so the few weeks combined have taken their toll. but this morning i opened my Jesus Calling devotional to this: It is impossible to praise or thank God too much and  Fill up the spare moments of your life with praise and thanksgiving. This joyous discipline will help you live in the intimacy of My Presence. and then i was reminded of the earth-shattering truths i learned in One Thousand Gifts . things like: "it is thanksgiving that shapes a theology of trust" pg 152 "if [His] goodnesses toward you end, [He] will cease to ...

i go to a  large church . i sing in the choir and praise team, with the occasional solo. the music department is  bursting   with talent. i've often heard people say that they don't like our church because it's all a big production, a show. i can understand how it may  look  that way from the outside, but it's so far from the truth. we do have great music, and we have the opportunity to do things that other churches may not be able to do... but i wonder if it would be better to suppress all this talent and not allow it to be used for His glory, so as not to offend anyone? i wonder if it would be better not to bring the gospel to the ends of the earth through a growing television ministry, so we don't look like we're showing off?  i think you know the answer to those questions. anyway, i wrote an email to our choir director/worship leader today because i was completely overcome this weekend by the whole thing. overcome by the power of the resurrection, ...

nothing makes you feel worse than going to the doctor for your coughing daughter, to hear that she has a double ear infection, and one side is really really bad... you feel like a bad mom [for a minute] , until you remember your child is not even two, so she's not great at communicating that her ears hurt. and she's generally happy, so i had no idea she was in that much pain. i just thought she wanted to cuddle because she had a cold and cough. poor thing. but these are the times that i'm so thankful for modern medicine, in the form of antibiotics. so, so thankful. i wonder what people did when there were no antibiotics? surely they got bacterial infections? did they use natural remedies? did they even know the difference between viral vs. bacterial infections, to know which remedy to apply? did they just die, like, all the time , from basic ear infections? this is something i'd love to research. it's that history degree i earned, begging to be useful, i guess . any...

it has been raining for five days straight down here in sunny San Diego i LOVE the rain. i love the sound i love the smell i love the symbolism as i sit here at my laptop gazing out the window at the steady downpour that has not relented for even a few minutes in the past five days i'm reminded of my soul and how it hasn't stopped raining for a few months but it's not the rain you'd think of when you think of trials you'd think that i was saying it hasn't stopped hurting that bad things keep happening you know, " when it rains it pours"? but for me, right now, right in the midst of the storm it's that sweet healing rain that won't stop Jesus is continually, day after day unrelentingly pouring out Himself washing my spirit and my soul in His goodness and His grace He's flooding my heart with life and with peace. and just as I write this, the sun is peeking out I feel as if God is literally saying, right now, to me: "I'm still here...

i love thanksgiving. i love that we set a side a full day, every year, to be thankful. i know that gratitude and thankfulness should be a daily practice and most days, for me, it is. i love that my in-laws have the tradition that before we sit down to eat [and there are about 50 of us there] we hold hands in a circle, and say what we're thankful for. it's a big family and we're very blessed. we have a lot to be thankful for and i love hearing what everyone is thinking about each year. of course there are a few here and there that are always late, so they miss this part... and i have to admit, i hate speaking in front of people, even if they're my family! i will always inevitably cry. i've just gotten used to it now and it doesn't bother me it used to make me want to be late [so i missed this part] this year, i am thankful for about a million things, but i'll try to be concise. immediately, i'm thankful for my new [to me] piano: it was graciously given to...