I am thankful for:
A cat named Dewey who comforted both of my sick children this week by snuggling them the entire time they were camped on the couch. One Monday & Tuesday the other Thursday and Friday. I believe he even found the time to snuggle up my husband who filled in the sickness gap on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Currently everyone's seems healthy again (just a little fatigue going around)!
Smiles on faces
Anticipation of a good night's sleep
Lysol Spray
Lysol 4-n-1 Cleaner
Pine Sol
Windex
Febreese
Comet
Friday, February 11, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
My first Valentine!
Last night at church, there it was! My little guy walked up to me with a "surprise" and handed me the very first Valentine that he's made for me. When we were trying hard to become pregnant, this was one of those things I dreamed about and there it was in real life! It was as real as a Valentine can get: it says "Mommy" and his name and is in the shape of a big heart, and it made my heart soar. Especially because he made a production of having it hidden in something else and presented it to me as a hard made gift.
These little things are so special, and the delight in his eyes as he gave it to me was so heartwarming. It make me wonder about God and how he must feel when we delight him. Psalm 149 tells us to praise him and he delights in us! What a great feeling, so much more so than even my son feels from giving me a Valentine, to have the Lord delight in us as we praise him!
These little things are so special, and the delight in his eyes as he gave it to me was so heartwarming. It make me wonder about God and how he must feel when we delight him. Psalm 149 tells us to praise him and he delights in us! What a great feeling, so much more so than even my son feels from giving me a Valentine, to have the Lord delight in us as we praise him!
Praise the LORD.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
his praise in the assembly of his faithful people.
Let Israel rejoice in their Maker;
let the people of Zion be glad in their King.
Let them praise his name with dancing
and make music to him with timbrel and harp.
For the LORD takes delight in his people;
he crowns the humble with victory.
Let his faithful people rejoice in this honor
and sing for joy on their beds.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
God is in control!
Note to self: God is in control!
I have a confession to make - I really, really like my life to run smoothly! I enjoy it most when events of each day are well planned, organized, and everyone is happy. At some point along the way, I had to admit that these desires involved some control issues and that I needed help with my problem! I now refer to myself as a "recovering controlaholic", because I still struggle with these issues on a regular basis but I depend on my very big God to keep me in check.
Looking back on my life I really can't blame anyone for making me this way. It's true that I grew up in a large family with parents whose amazing management skills and work ethics combined could probably conquer a small country! They were quite balanced, however, and still let us have plenty of spontaneous fun. Perhaps it can be traced to that sinful nature I was born with that really likes my own way the best!
I made it all the way to parenthood before my calm little world was shaken and I realized that I couldn't keep things as smooth and ordered as I would like. Our first daughter was the model baby, sleeping through the night at six weeks, and causing me to pat myself on the back for being such a calm mother. Then our darling second daughter arrived and even though I followed all of the same great techniques, she did not sleep through the night for a very, very long time! When number three child, our first son, arrived, any sense of control and order I still clung to flew away and I went into survival mode! Because of my relationship with Jesus, I did a lot of admitting that I needed help and learning to relax. Even though I could no longer have a "quiet time", getting alone with God, I kept opening my Bible to look for insights on how to stay sane.
One verse that really hit me hard that God still whispers to me when I'm stuck on my seemingly superior plan, is from Proverbs 3:7, "Do not be wise in your own eyes..." The verses that come right before this much needed reminder help me to relax and not get hung up on my great plans. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." (Having straight paths means I won't be wandering in the darkness or getting stuck in bad detours!) This is one of those treasures in the Bible that tells us so clearly what to do and offers a wonderful promise for those who do it! Why do I make things so difficult for myself when all I need to do is give God control (the little that I perceive I have!) and let Him show me the best way?!
Over the years my Heavenly Father has allowed me many lessons in this area; He is so gracious that way! The experiences of going overseas as missionaries and adjusting to a new culture rivaled some of my parenting challenges. Everything I had known in my home culture was ripped away and I had to adjust to a strange, new way. I struggled deeply during our adjustment time and it was only through letting God's Word light my path that I was able to embrace my new surroundings and love the people to whom I had come to minister. During these years God mercifully changed me so that when the hardest test came along, having our precious daughter, Lisa, taken from us by illness, I was able to keep holding on to Him and believing His plan is best.
Each morning I still have to have a little chat with God and with my heart! "God please help me to remember today that You are in control. Nothing is too difficult for You! On my own, I can do nothing that will amount to anything! I need You so much!" Then I look for some new promise in His Word just to cement my resolve to leave it all in His Hands. Those promises are like my daily food and the air I breathe - they keep me persevering even when my life isn't going how I would have planned it!
"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desire of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this." Psalm 37:4,5
"How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear You, which You bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in You."
Psalm 31:19
"A righteous 'woman' may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers her from them all. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:17,18
~Joy Herman
I have a confession to make - I really, really like my life to run smoothly! I enjoy it most when events of each day are well planned, organized, and everyone is happy. At some point along the way, I had to admit that these desires involved some control issues and that I needed help with my problem! I now refer to myself as a "recovering controlaholic", because I still struggle with these issues on a regular basis but I depend on my very big God to keep me in check.
Looking back on my life I really can't blame anyone for making me this way. It's true that I grew up in a large family with parents whose amazing management skills and work ethics combined could probably conquer a small country! They were quite balanced, however, and still let us have plenty of spontaneous fun. Perhaps it can be traced to that sinful nature I was born with that really likes my own way the best!
I made it all the way to parenthood before my calm little world was shaken and I realized that I couldn't keep things as smooth and ordered as I would like. Our first daughter was the model baby, sleeping through the night at six weeks, and causing me to pat myself on the back for being such a calm mother. Then our darling second daughter arrived and even though I followed all of the same great techniques, she did not sleep through the night for a very, very long time! When number three child, our first son, arrived, any sense of control and order I still clung to flew away and I went into survival mode! Because of my relationship with Jesus, I did a lot of admitting that I needed help and learning to relax. Even though I could no longer have a "quiet time", getting alone with God, I kept opening my Bible to look for insights on how to stay sane.
One verse that really hit me hard that God still whispers to me when I'm stuck on my seemingly superior plan, is from Proverbs 3:7, "Do not be wise in your own eyes..." The verses that come right before this much needed reminder help me to relax and not get hung up on my great plans. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." (Having straight paths means I won't be wandering in the darkness or getting stuck in bad detours!) This is one of those treasures in the Bible that tells us so clearly what to do and offers a wonderful promise for those who do it! Why do I make things so difficult for myself when all I need to do is give God control (the little that I perceive I have!) and let Him show me the best way?!
Over the years my Heavenly Father has allowed me many lessons in this area; He is so gracious that way! The experiences of going overseas as missionaries and adjusting to a new culture rivaled some of my parenting challenges. Everything I had known in my home culture was ripped away and I had to adjust to a strange, new way. I struggled deeply during our adjustment time and it was only through letting God's Word light my path that I was able to embrace my new surroundings and love the people to whom I had come to minister. During these years God mercifully changed me so that when the hardest test came along, having our precious daughter, Lisa, taken from us by illness, I was able to keep holding on to Him and believing His plan is best.
Each morning I still have to have a little chat with God and with my heart! "God please help me to remember today that You are in control. Nothing is too difficult for You! On my own, I can do nothing that will amount to anything! I need You so much!" Then I look for some new promise in His Word just to cement my resolve to leave it all in His Hands. Those promises are like my daily food and the air I breathe - they keep me persevering even when my life isn't going how I would have planned it!
"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desire of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this." Psalm 37:4,5
"How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear You, which You bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in You."
Psalm 31:19
"A righteous 'woman' may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers her from them all. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:17,18
~Joy Herman
Friday, February 4, 2011
Thankful Friday!
Right now, I am at my mom's house as is with every Friay. My son is playing with her and I am studying for my classes. I hear them playing and remember the hours and hours my grandfather spent with me doing something and doing nothing. I remember him pushing me on his huge tree swing, playing gin (card game if you don't know), shucking corn, taking me to Rishel's gas station for a lollipop and driving me around Hopwood to see the houses he'd built by hand. I remember him, crippled by arthritis, standing up to yell to me during my high school basketball game because he was so proud.
Pappy was 77 when I was born, I chatted incessantly and he was pretty quiet, he had blue eyes and white hair, I had brown eyes and brown hair, I was tiny and he was huge, we weren't even of the same gender... and yet, we had so much fun together. I can still hear his comments as he tried to cream me in gin. He lived his last years in Florida happily fishing in the Atlantic Ocean every day.
He received a letter from me the night he died... I was 15 and he was 93. We went to Florida and dumped his ashes in the Atlantic Ocean (illegal, I know!) I threw my hard earned state track meet medal in the ocean for him. He made such an impact on my life and I still miss him so.
I am so thankful for this time my mom is spending with my son. Not only because I get to study (yay!) but most importantly for the memories they are building. They don't play gin yet, but they play a lot of other things (right now, it's "car dealer") I remember how proud I was to see Pappy at my basketball game, and I saw that same proud glow in my son's eyes when he saw his grandma at his Christmas play. I can only hope that my mom is able to make the same impact on my son that her dad had on me. I think she's off to a great start... and she packs some great lollipops.
Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of future memories and family.
Pappy was 77 when I was born, I chatted incessantly and he was pretty quiet, he had blue eyes and white hair, I had brown eyes and brown hair, I was tiny and he was huge, we weren't even of the same gender... and yet, we had so much fun together. I can still hear his comments as he tried to cream me in gin. He lived his last years in Florida happily fishing in the Atlantic Ocean every day.
He received a letter from me the night he died... I was 15 and he was 93. We went to Florida and dumped his ashes in the Atlantic Ocean (illegal, I know!) I threw my hard earned state track meet medal in the ocean for him. He made such an impact on my life and I still miss him so.
I am so thankful for this time my mom is spending with my son. Not only because I get to study (yay!) but most importantly for the memories they are building. They don't play gin yet, but they play a lot of other things (right now, it's "car dealer") I remember how proud I was to see Pappy at my basketball game, and I saw that same proud glow in my son's eyes when he saw his grandma at his Christmas play. I can only hope that my mom is able to make the same impact on my son that her dad had on me. I think she's off to a great start... and she packs some great lollipops.
Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of future memories and family.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Turn Off the Radio
I'm not good with things dueling for my attention. I think it explains why our efforts to have our children closer together were thwarted. One needy thing at a time. God knew.
I'm also a slow learner, preferring to blame something or someone else for my shortcomings. For a long time the car was torture. The ten minute drive to Target felt like a week.
I was used to getting into my car and turning on the radio and driving to my destination. Then Abigail started talking. Then she started having conversations. Then she started asking questions. And expecting answers. (How dare she, right?) The days of tuning out toddler babble were over. And I would spend the time with dueling noises--the radio and the girl.
This went on for a while, an embarrassingly long while. All I wanted was for Abigail to be quiet in the car.
Then I read a little homeschooling book about a method of educating children designed by Charlotte Mason. She observed in her original writings that when a child was thinking she was talking. There wasn't another way for a child to think. (Of course she also observed that adults can think and talk independently often talking without thinking.) It changed my perspective. Perhaps the girl should win the duel. When she wants to converse in the car, the radio is turned off. If she is making random noise, I reserve the right to turn the radio on and ask her to be quiet.
Turning the radio off in the car and in the kitchen has so relaxed me as a mother. I have allowed myself to be invited and to accept the invitation into her head and her heart. The things she thinks about are amazing, the questions she asks confounding, and the way she looks at the world intriguing.
I know some of you are like my husband and exist with background noise. My point isn't that you must mother as I do, but rather to accept that their chatter is an invitation to know them well.
Train up a child in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6
(While this verse appears to say that if you teach your child about God, he will never turn away. But it has more to deal with teaching your child about his unique design and the ways he can go with that. Getting to know the unique person God has entrusted to us is imperative to giving them this training.)
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Fun Question...for YOU!
I know this will be hard for some of us, seriously. Let's just focus on ourselves...and take a stroll down memory lane.
Many of us wanted to be many things as we grew up. I went from FBI agent to dolphin trainer. Swimming with the big fish by day...secret agent by night. Hey, it could happen!
As I grew my interests changed.
Writing (all kinds) is my passion (remember I am just focusing on myself).
However, my secret hidden "OH I so wish I could (be) _________________!"
Is...sing!
What's yours?
Many of us wanted to be many things as we grew up. I went from FBI agent to dolphin trainer. Swimming with the big fish by day...secret agent by night. Hey, it could happen!
As I grew my interests changed.
Writing (all kinds) is my passion (remember I am just focusing on myself).
However, my secret hidden "OH I so wish I could (be) _________________!"
Is...sing!
What's yours?
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