Random Reflections

Family Bonding

2012-01-29T20:44:00.000-05:00

What is better? Having the flu go through our family within 36 hours or have each of us take our turn over days? The jury is still in deliberation. That said, there is really no good answer.

I was reminded of a few things:

~My kids truly are the best

~I am thankful that I have a master bathroom

~I am thankful that there are three bathrooms in our home

~My husband goes far and above the call of duty

~TV is not a bad thing

~At least I did not have to cook

~Tomorrow is another day

New Twists and Gratitude

2012-01-25T19:32:00.001-05:00

The voice on the other end of the phone began the conversation questioning whether there was a chair close by for me to use. That can never be good. Her next statement that our babies’ mother was four months pregnant . . .with twins . . . made my heart pound, my voice accelerate, and my mind ask, “Why.” I searched for a chair.

I know little of how the next few months will unfold. The trial date may be in jeopardy. We continue to hope, to pray, to fight, and to wait.

We practically cannot take in any more children. Seven is a lot. My heart would love to wrap my arms around those little ones to protect them, but I know that is impossible. I do know that those little ones are a gift from God no matter how you look at it. He is far greater than I to take care of them.

I thought yesterday that I have not written a gratitude post in a while. I think now is a good time. God, help me to readjust my thinking, calm my heart, and remember how awesome and powerful you have shown yourself already.

I am grateful . . .

That God knows both the beginning and the end
That hugs are free
For a two year old who loves to sing “Jesus Loves Me”
For safety over many hours of driving
For free moments, frustrating moments, fun moments, and fearful moments for I know that God orchestrated them all before time
For falling snow . . . and melting snow
For prayer warriors all over the country
For a good night’s sleep
For teachable moments and life lessons learned every day
For second chances
For non-discriminating abundant love

More Thoughts From Mark

2012-01-20T15:48:00.001-05:00

Do you ever wonder who Christ sent in to Jerusalem to secure the donkey he would ride triumphantly later that week? Christ chose only two of his disciples. There were many. Were the ones chosen the most agreeable? Was he confident that they wouldn’t argue at such an unusual request? Were they simply available?

Did you ever wonder why later that week Christ cursed a tree just because it did not have any fruit? Wasn’t it normal for a fruit to be barren out of season?

Did you ever picture the scenes one by one of Christ’s entry into the temple, his arms wiping the tables clear, his voice bellowing the warning, his righteous anger pouring onto the religious sinners?

I just love the following verse in Mark, the passages where the above questions originated: “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone’s opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God.”

I wonder how different my life would be in light of Christ’s example of decisions in real life, discernment of good and bad, and disgust of sin. My life would exude truth more obviously if I did not care about what others thought.

Mark’s gospel continues to prick my heart where I am.

Marriage?

2012-01-11T19:38:00.002-05:00

I grabbed her in a wild bear hug as she made her way from the office into the kitchen. She may be almost 18 and heading to college next year, but she is my girl none-the-less. She may be taller than I, but my arms still fit round her sweetness quite well.

In that brief moment of conversation, Angel reminded me that she will be going to college and may never really be coming back. She may just find someone special and get married. Oh, can’t you just feel the twinge in my heart! Then again, that would be a wonderful thing. Not that she will not be back to stay, but that she will have found someone to spend the rest of her life with, a husband.

Marriage is a beautiful gift given by a loving all-knowing God. I am blessed to have been married for 21+ years. It is much about the courtship and the marriage ceremony, but it is so much more than that. I reminded Angel that marriage is a good thing to plan for, but marriage is just the beginning.

Being married means that are able to spend the rest of your life side by side with your best friend. It means you have a forever partner both in ministry and in parenting. It means that you should never be without a date on a Friday night. It means that you have a hand to hold when things get tough and when things are not. It means that you have someone to share life with – both the good and the bad – until death parts you.

I love my children. It will be a long time before our nest is truly empty. Angel is our first child, though, to spread her wings a bit. I would love for her to land not too far from home. Marriage may not be ultimately what God has planned for her. I pray, though, that a very special Godly young man sweeps her off of her feet and loves her more and more each day for the rest of her life.

Mixed Up

2012-01-09T22:06:00.001-05:00

My emotions look like a pot of stew: all good stuff but all mixed up. The babies’ hearing determined a trial date for the beginning of May – good. The court granted the mom additional visitation time – not so good. These little ones will have been with us almost two years by the time that the trial occurs – not so good. They will be in our home for sure until the trial – very good.

We knew in our heads that these little ones may be with us only temporarily, but our hearts swelled with love, pushing aside the potential pain and heartbreak, to delight in the now. Delight may be a strong word as two and three year olds bring their own set of frustrations and wildly crazy days. They push every button both literally and figuratively. Yet they have captured our family for good.

Today, I am mixed up. Tomorrow may be the same. I am so thankful that my heavenly Father designed all these emotions and cares about my today and my tomorrow.

Yeah for . . .

2012-01-08T18:36:00.003-05:00

A washing machine that spins

My sweet hubby who spent his Saturday fixing the washing machine

A cord of wood delivered and piled for use in our fireplace

Christmas decorations boxed up for another year

My first Valentine from my little one

My Sunshine’s silly scribbles and smiles

Easy Sunday dinners and lazy naps

INDOOR soccer leagues in winter

Happy, healthy children

Hope

Ladies with whom to share in Bible study

Fun photos

Forget It

2012-01-04T19:25:00.001-05:00

Angel and I discussed real life in real time as we transported our three cherubs back home from their weekly visit with their biological mom. Sometimes the words are shadowed by cries or questions from the back seats. This day, all was quiet. The babies were worn out and ready to go home. Our conversation settled on what will happen to these little ones tomorrow, the next day, ten years from now. People and circumstances have molded their young lives. As molding often brings, there have been wounds left to heal. Would their hearts be damaged forever? Would what our little guy saw be etched into his mind indefinitely? Would there ever be a point of complete healing? These were all good questions.

At the end of ourselves and our sadly limited understanding of life, we must desperately scramble into our Heavenly Father’s lap and ask Him for He alone has the answers. When I shake my head or throw my arms up in frustration, He gently speaks to me and cups his hands on my face to say, “Listen and watch what I have already done.”

He sweetly reminded me that day that He knows all about these children. He created them. He is all about memories, yet He also knows how to forget. Thankfully, God has chosen to forget the yucky, disgusting, morbid sins in my life. He chooses to remember them no more and throw them as far as the East is from the West. Who am I to think that he cannot help these children forget their yuckiness?

Both my heart’s hurt and wishes for these little ones fall so short of God’s exuberant love and purpose for them. Thank you, Lord, for new memories. Thank you for what you have done for me and what you are going to do for my children.

I'm in love

2012-01-01T22:04:00.001-05:00

I am so in love with my husband. I know, I know! Enough with the mushy stuff! Tough if you don’t like it. Despite all the absolute crud out there and disregard to the beauty and sanctity of marriage, I am going to give a shout out to my sweetie.

He asked me to marry him 23 years ago. We have had our share of ups and downs. We have laughed and cried. We have talked into the early morning hours and have sat in painful silence. We parent together, work together, worship together, and learn together. I would be lost without him.

He sends me cards for no reason. He watches our children so I can catch a break. He takes his turn at early feedings. He does dishes and sometimes puts his own clothes away. He changes the oil in my van and makes sure that all the bills are paid. He kisses me before he leaves and kisses me when he comes back. He appreciates me as a mother, a teacher, and a woman.

Though he knows how extremely valued his role is a father, he places high priority on our marriage. I enjoy and anticipate every moment we can spend together.

My sweetie understands how essential it is that I am home with our children. He works hard so that is possible. Yet in all that, he works diligently to balance work and home.

His love for God steers his actions. As a result, he is able to lead our relationship and our family in a way that pleases God. He is a man that I look up to. He is not perfect. He makes mistakes. He is human. I love this man.

Squiggles, Swipes, and Swirls

2011-12-18T20:39:00.002-05:00

Angel settled in for the evening at home with the babies. My Little Man, dressed in concert attire, packed his trumpet and headed to the van. That left my Little One and Princess to join Sweetie and me for the middle school Christmas concert.

This particular night was nothing unique except that there were only four of us in the pew waiting for the concert to commence. To pass the time, my Sweetie pulled out his new Xoom and opened a drawing app. This intrigued my girls. Only one swipe of the finger and he passed the tablet to my Little One. She made another single mark and passed it on to Princess. She followed suit, made her mark, and passed the Xoom back to Sweetie. Squiggles, swipes, and swirls of different colors and widths produced a picture that none of the three anticipated as the result. Each one began with a different plan. Their plan changed at each turn. In the end, the design bore its own stamp of individuality.

Our pastor reminded me of this as he spoke this morning. Surely Mary, the mother of Jesus, formulated her own plan for her life. I cannot imagine that carrying the Christ child was part of that initial plan. How would she explain this phenomenon? How would this mark in her life make any sense? Yet, in her sweet submission, she took that next step of obedience and yielded to the eternal mark that God would place in her life.

As God leads me through life, there are marks of different colors, sizes, and lengths etched into each day. The beauty of some marks takes my breath, while others bring tears and hurt. I would love to draw my own plans for life. Had Mary been able to do that, she would have missed the ultimate blessing of mothering the Son of God.

What tomorrow will bring I do not know. I am confident that God will produce a picture beyond my imagination.

Baptism

2011-12-13T11:24:00.002-05:00

My little one was dunked on Sunday, and that made my sweetie and me smile.
Obeying God by identifying with him in baptism often means stepping out of your comfort zone. Many never go there. I have been blessed to have watched all of my biological children step in to the baptismal pool in sweet obedience.
On Sunday, my little one joined two others who, by the way, were new believers at age 70+. For her, obeying God at such an early age lays the groundwork for obedience later. As a pastor of mine taught, obedience brings blessing. I am excited to watch how God will continue to work in her little heart.
She had been asking us for awhile about baptism, but we held off as she is only seven. Granted, we have had other children baptized even younger, but we wanted to make sure that she was doing it for the correct reason and that we were confident in her salvation experience. Last Sunday was her day.

What I Love About my Little Man

2011-12-09T16:03:00.001-05:00

He plays hair dresser with Sunshine and tackle with Daredevil
He knows how to change diapers
He is not afraid to let his heart full of emotion overflow at times
His excitement to try new things is contagious
He knows how to type and is amazing with the computer
He knows how to cook and do the laundry yet is a crazy maniac on two wheels
He is wowed by how God works in the little and big ways
He sings with all his heart and plays sweet music on his trumpet
He still gives me hugs and kisses
He is sweet with the little ones at our church
He knows how to change the fuses in our “bus”
He is a good friend
His giving heart cannot wait until Christmas
He is the kind of kid that likes to go to “Grandma’s” to cook one weekend and to “Grandpa’s” to work on the erector set another weekend.
He blogs
He is really cute (I can say that as his Mom)

Moments

2011-12-05T21:11:00.001-05:00

Up two times with the baby (Tiger) to eat, once with the toddler boy (Daredevil) to quiet his heart about a dark room, and once with the toddler girl (Sunshine) to calm her after a coughing bout made for a earlier than necessary wake-up call to the day. I needed something or someone supernatural to intervene. It had been a long night.

When Sunshine began to whimper around 3:00am, I made my way cautiously down the hall hoping that my cold toes would not meet an unfortunate injury on toys left from the day’s play. My mind slipped from that cautiousness for a split second as I reached into the closet to find an additional blanket. I turned and fumbled over a box of Polly Pockets, hoping that my not-so-quiet response would not wake any other sleepers in my house. Sunshine would only lie down if I promised to stay in her room. I bedded down on the patchwork carpet amid the rubble of Polly’s, craft supplies, and piles of laundry. I had forgotten to throw on my sweatshirt or bathrobe, so as I lay on the pink heart pillow, I pulled a dress left on the floor from the previous night’s concert and lay it over my legs wishing that it would ward off some chill. In my sleep deprived delirium I related my position to one sleeping homeless amidst piles of random stuff, clothed in the basics, and kept warm with only what was available. A far cry from reality, I know, but, that was my reality in the wee hours of today.

Sunshine’s breathing slowed to a peaceful sleep. I crept down the hallway again and climbed into my own bed, pulled my own blankets up around my head, listened to my sweetie’s hushed breathing, and wished for a few more hours of sleep. I think I was dreaming.

My little ones are certainly high maintenance. I am dependent on God’s grace and power in my life to make each day one that matters. I often find it hard to look past today, plan for tomorrow, or even think into the afternoon. Yet, I have to remember that even the moments in the middle of the night that frustrate me are ones written down by my heavenly Father. He sees me cold, on the floor, bleary eyed, on the verge of exhaustion. He also knows what my tomorrows will be. He knows how far these babies will be able to push my limits of sanity and how deep a love will grow in my heart for them.

I needed a nap today. I have no idea what this evening will bring. Thank you, God, for each moment.

Individual Responsibility

2011-11-30T19:47:00.000-05:00

Her words poured from her heart, seemingly and unusually incessant, leaving the essence of passion in the air. I watched and listened. Her eyes welled with tears not willing to escape down her cheek, real but unwelcomed by my Angel. She spoke of our great country, individualism, and responsibility.

These are not new concepts. We have taught them for years. Yet, today, as she worked though her college history paper, these thoughts imbedded in Biblical principles solidified.

Jobs are necessary, but now she wondered why others do not know the God-given gift of work and the joy that comes with a job well-done and pride of ownership. Help is often needed in dire straits, but now she wondered why so many depend on the help of others and settle for the minimum, striving for nothing. Our country proves to be the best in the world, but now Angel wondered why so many Christians have relinquished their personal responsibility to take care of others and surrendered it to the government.

God is working in Angel’s heart. Where, when, and how that will be revealed will be exciting to watch. She asks good questions. She wonders how the church should act to make a lasting difference in our community. She wonders how a family, our family, can do more to teach what God has proven to work.

She values what God has established in our country and acknowledges that He ultimately is in control, yet she understands that man’s decisions have far reaching consequences affecting many in their wake. As of today, God is leading Angel into mechanical engineering. She wants to be able to make a difference in the real world. It may mean sitting at a desk and working diligently in an office most likely for a few years after graduation, but she sees God doing something even bigger. She wants to be an individual used by God to help others.

Her emotion was unexpected, but refreshing. Her words blessed my heart as I viewed the slide show in my memories of years of training. She is approaching her college years even more ready to solidify her ideas. I thank God that these ideas are not mine or hers per se, but they are God’s. I pray that He continues to prick her heart.

Our conversation centered on history, government, and individuals today. Tomorrow will bring different challenges, additional thoughts, and more questions. Thank you, God, that your Word is always true and applicable for today. Thank you for times to share real life with my children. Thank you for moments of grace to be reminded that you are faithful in my kids’ lives.

Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?

2011-11-21T14:42:00.002-05:00

I challenged my kids this afternoon. School books were closed, but their Bibles were open. We focused on the many aspects of giving thanks as presented in God’s Word: who, what, where, when, why, and how. I gave them some time to dig on their own and then we sat together sharing what we found in relative quiet as the babies slept dreamily.

We began our discussion with the what of giving thanks. We all know that it is important and commanded, but what really is it? We talked about how it involves others. It often centers on what we have. The more we talked, the more I knew how important it was to dive into God’s Word.

My little one and I searched some of the who’s in Scripture who gave thanks. We came up with a few. Anna and Simeon gave thanks that God allowed them the gift of seeing the Christ child. They had waited many years faithfully serving God. When God fulfilled his promise their immediate response was thanks. Moses exemplified thanks after God miraculously opened the Red Sea and then crashed it again on the enemies of the Israelites. In the New Testament, Luke tells the story of one lone leper among ten who thanked God for gracious healing. Finally, we saw that Paul was thankful for others who made the effort to make a difference in his life.

Angel researched the where of thanksgiving. She discovered many examples in the Old Testament two of which were the temple and the walls of Jerusalem. These were significant as they evidenced God’s work in Israel.

When are we to give thanks? My little man answered that one. Everywhere and in all things. You can’t get simpler than that. Paul’s life portrays one specific example of thanksgiving that wowed my little man. Paul chose to give thanks while in prison and in chains. We all know that story, but as we focus on how it relates to now, it makes our thanksgiving significant as we are nowhere near prison or captivity.

Princess found some great verses on the how of thanksgiving. She found that thanksgiving is not a private thing. It is often loud and done with music. It focuses on others, and involves verbally speaking thanks. It was a good reminder to all of us that we need to be conscious of speaking our thanks.

The why of thanksgiving brought us to a climax in our discussion. We found many verses that presented the love, faithfulness, and mercy of God that demands thanks. When we consider who God is, it should be an automatic response to give thanks. It may be for what he has done or given, but it also involves who he is.

My little one had a tough time grasping the concept of God demanding praise and thanks. Princess helped out by sharing the analogy of trying to fit a major league baseball stadium into our living room. You just can’t do it. God is so big. Our minds are so small. There is just no way to understand all of who God is. Our job is to be thankful in every little (and big) think that we watch him do in our life.

Thanksgiving is centered on our heavenly father the giver of all good things. Our thankful heart, however, should overflow to pour into the lives of all who are in our life.

Who is God to you today? What can you thank him for? Why is it possible to thank him? Where can you thank him this afternoon? When is a good time to express your thankful heart? How are you going to show your thanks to God? How is all of this going to show visibly to others?

Thanksgiving Thoughts

2011-11-15T21:15:00.001-05:00

Thanksgiving came quickly. Didn’t we just start the school year, or was that soccer? No, we just finished soccer. I am so confused. I was told that the older you get, the faster time flies. I do not know how that works, but it does.

I f you spent even a fraction of time in the store or watched any form of media, you would think that tomorrow is Christmas. Every year, it seems that celebrating Thanksgiving is an afterthought. I spend a great deal of time on my own blog writing things I am thankful for. Why is the holiday skipped by so many? Of course, the turkey and fixings are never left out. Nor are the endless hours of football. Gluttony and laziness. That’s it. That is what it is all about. I digress.

How should I approach this special time in our country’s history to remember specifically how God has blessed, protected, guided, and comforted over the past year? I want to keep it exciting because it is. I want to keep it holy because it is. I want to keep it real because it is.

I take my role as mom very seriously, though I fail daily, often. Much of what I do now is a result of trial and error. Many errors. Yet, still I see that taking the time to be grateful makes a difference in my children. Learning how to say thank you at an early age instills a pattern that is lifelong. I choose to look for ways to thank my kids for doing not only the extra but also the routine.

When we enter Thanksgiving week, we try, despite our crazy schedules and the wide age span of our kids, to sit and recall specifically what God has done in the last year. A younger child’s list may reflect their simple faith. As the children grow, so does their faith and understanding of God’s work in their life. How exciting is that?

This year, our home will entertain 18 for dinner. Some of them are little people, but people none the less. I found a fun way for all of us to share our hearts and decorate the centerpieces at the same time. Princess and my Little Man set out this afternoon in search of three perfect branches that will be our Thanksgiving trees. Later they will “plant” them in clay pots which will be placed on our tables. By each centerpiece will be brightly colored leaves, a marker, and string. As we move throughout Thanksgiving Day, each family member will be able to share what they are thankful for by writing it on a leaf and placing it on the trees. I hope my vision of the end product becomes reality. I don’t think we should have any problem.

What are some ways that you have approached Thanksgiving with a thankful heart? I would enjoy hearing about your creativity. How have your children taken part with you?

God bless as you enter this special season of gratefulness.

Gratitude

2011-11-11T22:20:00.001-05:00

Friday came slowly, relieving the insanity of beleaguered days. The evening finally quieted from the din of whines, cries, and occasional bellows.

Those above the age of seven are settling in with books, computers, games, and a snack. Music is playing. Coffee and tea are brewing.

I am thankful –

For fresh apple walnut bread
For a hot frothy latte
Quiet bedtimes
Good friendships for my children
Clean sheets
Beautiful art
Bright yellow leaves dripping off branches
Brisk walks
Chubby fingers and drooling smiles
Old books, new books, e-books, kids’ books

I look forward to the weekend: soccer games, sunshine, a hot dog roast, and coffee with friends. Thank you, Lord, for a new perspective.

Attitude

2011-11-08T21:24:00.001-05:00

Why is it that when I manage to squeeze in a few uninterrupted hours of sleep, wake up at a reasonable time, purpose to bump up the praise music with my kids and pray over each of them by name, that everything falls apart, my patience is thinner than paper, my words escape that should have been locked away, and I feel defeated before lunch?

I love to make excuses. There are none to be made. Rather, I beg forgiveness. The Holy Spirit’s power does not vanish during the years of motherhood. He is still indwelling me, but I have put my own self pitifully on the throne. The Holy Spirit should be evident and without question or excuse: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, thankfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Lord, wake me with a heart centered on you. When I teeter off center, please unplug my ears to the truth of your Spirit. “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight.”

Sleep?

2011-11-02T19:11:00.001-04:00

I really, really hope that my little baby sleeps through the night soon. No, seriously, I am getting to the desperation point. Not that I can do a stinking thing about it. We keep him awake into the evening. We have tried cereal in his last bottle. Both avenues to date have proven ineffective. If he was not so unbelievably adorable I could find myself angry and beyond annoyed. Instead, I am just annoyed.

This too shall pass. Though, I do hope that it is a quick phase.

Having a baby in the house brings blessings beyond my imagination. My kids adore him. His smile lights up the room (even in the middle of the night.) He keeps me young. It is either that, or I will age rather quickly.

Please forgive my whining. I truly would not trade this time in my life for anything. God has brought us through heartache and loss and has given us more than we could ask or imagine. At least for today. As the weeks, months, and now year have progressed, it appears more positive that these three little ones will stay with us. That, of course, may all change very quickly.

Today, I gave my baby cereal for the first time from the spoon. He loves to stand up on my lap while his chubby little fingers grasp mine. He has found his voice. I am waiting for the first time that I hear “Mommy”. It has only been three months since I first laid eyes on him, but life is moving so quickly.

I need sleep. My children need me. LORD help us all.

The Friendly Letter

2011-11-01T13:42:00.002-04:00

My little one has a pen pal. The relationship is superficial at best, but for a little girl, having another little girl to write to is always a treat.

What struck me as I sit across from my little one in the midst of piles of books, papers, and computers (yes, that is plural), is that writing is such a powerful learning tool. Just last night my sweetie and I were chatting about that. Our conversation centered mostly on how writing as an adult is extremely more enjoyable than when I was young. Now, I look for time to write. I enjoy the economy of words. For my little one, the passion is not quite there. It could be that she has not yet learned how to type. That skill changes things up a bit. However, I am amazed at what her little hands are putting down on paper.

It is a simple friendly letter, but she is communicating so much. She has had to utilize the capital and punctuation rules that we have been working on. The spelling patterns that she has learned now have to be fleshed out in words that are not on a spelling list. She is truly being a friend in her choice of words. She is communicating her heart by simply wanting to know more about her friend.

Writing a letter takes time, especially if you are writing it by hand. Even more so if your mom makes you write a rough draft first. When was the last time I sent or received a letter? Why is that answer so convicting?

We are always learning. My little one learned more than she knows just writing a friendly letter.

Thoughts on Halloween

2011-10-31T21:17:00.001-04:00

OK call me the scrooge of October. I don’t scrounge for the latest and cutest costume. The exterior of my home does not resemble a graveyard. I did not pick up our pumpkins until today, Halloween. Well, that I really should have done weeks ago, but I just didn’t. Somehow, despite all that, I truly do not feel that my kids feel deprived.

We did make a special dinner, calzones. Our new bread maker worked its magic this afternoon preparing two batches of dough, and we worked together to make our meal which turned out delicious, I must say.

Our small pumpkins look adorable (all seven of them) sitting on the family room mantle. My little one had a blast designing her happy faced, crooked smile pumpkin and helping her daddy to cut it out. My little man went at it by himself and was proud of the results. Princess went to work with a sharpie and made the most adorable faces for our babies’ pumpkins as well as her own. I am not so sure where Angel was hiding. During all this, my sweetie found “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” on Hulu. You know, the 1966 classic.

Throughout the evening, we entertained goblins and ghosts, pirates and princesses at the front door. Some were a tad scary, so scary that my babies would not cross the line into the hallway. At the sight of one monster, my little girl jumped on the table into Princess’s arms. It took awhile to convince them that the scary monsters had gone away.

We enjoy sharing candy with kids from the neighborhood. We just don’t take the so called holiday outside our home. It isn’t for any Biblical conviction. Our family has made a decision to not take part wholly in what our culture is building to be a holiday on par with Christmas. We do not make a big deal of it with our kids. The fact that we didn’t get our candy until yesterday and our pumpkins until today says we really do not put a high priority on Halloween.

What we do like to do is spend time together with our kids. I love to be creative with them. I enjoy their smiles, their pride in their work, and their attitude of sharing with others. It is not that our kids do not like to dress up. On the contrary. Princess had our little girl in a tutu and our little boy in a borrowed soccer uniform complete with shin guards and over-sized cleats. It did not matter to him that he had to keep pulling up his too big shorts. Our little baby sported a pumpkin bib as well. Not that he really cared. He spent most of the time asleep. My little one enjoyed floating around in her own world dressed as a lady bug. My little man outdid them all. He said he wanted to dress up for Halloween so he donned dress pants, a belt, a dress shirt with tie, and snazzy new dress shoes. Way to go!

The porch light is off. The candy bucket is sufficiently filled to satisfy our family’s sweet tooth for awhile. The babies are in bed hopefully dreaming sweet dreams, not ones with scary monsters.

I kind of like enjoying today with my kids without getting too overwhelmed with what culture dictates as Halloween.

Gratitude

2011-10-27T22:37:00.001-04:00

"Let the peace of God rule in your heart." God's Word pierces through the chaos of life and the questions of uncertainty.

Baseball is not my forte. I watch because my family watches. I often hear comments about the umps and their calls, how they make the worst calls, how their strike zone is inconsistent. Yet, without these umps, the game would be chaos. Umpires hold a level of authority whether you like their calls or not.

God's peace needs to be the umpire that rules in my heart, keeping in check the two opposing voices sitting on my shoulders. Do I choose right, speak truth, worry unnecessarily, live peacefully? I need His peace to rule – no complaining, no arguing. Choosing gratitude is choosing peace. Being thankful means letting God make the calls.

I am thankful –

For God's forgiveness that makes forgiving possible

For second opinions even if it means more testing

For early Christmas presents

For a bread machine that allows me to bless my family with fresh bread

For my precious mom who reads between the lines of my emotions and comes to do my laundry

For baby smiles, toddler hugs, and big kid chats

For time to read Grace for the Good Girl

For freedom to teach with flexibility

For prayer time during midnight feedings

Glimpses of Today

2011-10-20T21:44:00.002-04:00

Early morning feedings
Late morning shower
Mountains of laundry moved from piles in my bedroom to piles in the laundry room to piles on the couch to most likely piles in the bedroom again
Three loads of dishes
One insane trip to the grocery store with three babies in tow
Pizza lunch date with my sweetie
Extended drive for my toddler boy in order to get him to sleep
Trip to the lab to drop off a “specimen” from my toddler girl
Deep conversations with my big girls in response to unwise decisions involving students in their classes
Watching my baby stare in awe as he finds his hands for the first time
Hanging with my family as they watch game two of the World Series
Sharing excitement with my Angel as she got her SAT scores back which may make her eligible for a scholarship
Chatted with my brother for a few minutes just to catch up Spent time on school work with the kids
Changed sheets on three beds
Climbed into bed with a good book

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

2011-10-19T19:43:00.002-04:00

Often schooling fits in between driving, dishes, and diapers. My perfect world would leave abundant time for each child for me to dive into every subject with gusto and passion as well as read and cuddle with my babies. My perfect world does not exist. So today, I am grateful for a few quiet moments with my little man. We tackled two themes in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, his literature book for this month: injustice and growing up.

Sixth grade boys find many things to keep them busy. Schoolwork, though, is not a high priority. Keeping my little man involved in a book requires a near intervention of sorts. He has complained for weeks that this book was “boring” so I approached our discussion with a lower expectation than I should have. He pleasantly surprised me. Somehow, he got it. He understood how racial prejudice affected everyone. He read between the lines and saw the injustices and the hurt. He lamented that no person should have to grow up that quickly worrying about their next meal or how they were to protect themselves from angry bullies. Roll of Thunder was not a feel good book, but it certainly was a good book for my little man to read. Listening to his heart today made my day worth any hassle.

Lord, impress on my little man’s heart even more your love for all of us. Give him boldness to fight against any prejudice. Show him how to love and care for others. Thank you helping us to grow up in your perfect time.

Moments Captured

2011-10-19T19:04:00.003-04:00

This is a year of both firsts and lasts. I intend to enjoy them both. Cuddling with my little boy while chatting with Angel is a dichotomy blended with a blessing. I would have never imagined that I would be mothering seven children at once, yet here we are. Angel, though, is heading off to college within the year. We find ourselves reminiscing while at the same time anticipating the exciting things awaiting her.

Last weekend Angel had her senior pictures taken. She is an outdoors, casual, no-frills kind of girl. I felt a studio session would not fit her well, so I asked a friend from church to utilize her talent and her DSLR to capture this special time in an outdoors photo session. I followed, smiling, sighing, pushing a stroller as I watched my beautiful daughter pose in her own casual way.

On that gorgeous day in October, I stopped and captured time in a picture. Angel’s life will change. She will meet new people, stretch her brain, and attempt new things. Forever, though, one thing will never change. She will always be my beautiful, firstborn daughter.