Multitudes on Monday

2143. medicines to alleviate flu symptoms

2144. Scott waiting to go hunting until the Mama felt a little better

2145. Scott taking Buddy-Ro hunting with him so as not to leave me with all 3 kiddos...and the flu

2146. Scott and Buddy-Ro getting their first deer together on Christmas Eve

2147. celebrating Christmas Eve with Grandma at her assisted living home

2148. celebrating Jesus' birthday with cupcakes

2149. waiting for the kiddos to wake up on Christmas morning

2150. Peanut's expressions as he walked into the living room first on Christmas

2151. making Christmas wishes come true for the kiddos we cherish

2152. spending Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with all of our family together

2153. medicines to help Mama make it through all of the celebrations ;)

2154. a full week to rest and get well

2155. NO ONE ELSE got the flu :):):):):)

2156. the love of our Father who sent the most special Gift to us all

Isaiah 12:3-5, With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. And you will say in that day: “Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples,     proclaim that his name is exalted. Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth."

 

Multitudes on Monday

2133. warm blankets to curl up with when Mama gets a fever

2134. a kind husband that lets me rest and rest and rest

2135. mentally planning on feeling better by Christmas

2136. how no one else show signs of catching whatever I have (and praying it stays that way)

2137. going to a movie with my mom a few days ago and enjoying time and popcorn together

2138. almost all of our Jesse ornaments hanging on our Jesse tree

2139. a cake and frosting ready to make to celebrate Jesus' birthday on Christmas

2140. reminded again this year how sweetly God loves us to come down to be with us

2141. thinking of Mary holding and cuddling and nursing and kissing our sweet baby Savior - as any good mother would

2142. the Hope that we have because Love came down to be with us

Revelation 7:12, "“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

Oh time...

Time, you just keep ticking on by these days even though I so desperately want you to slow down. These pictures have popped up over and over today on my computer, and I am just a mess over them!!



He was so tiny!! (just 11 pounds at 9 months) Oh where has my tiny Peanut gone? I know, I know...I am happy that he has come SO FAR and that he is a growing, healthy boy. But, still. He's my baby. The baby.

It's very hard to remember details about when my First Baby was itty bitty at her first Christmas, and the memories from just last year are already a bit hazy. I am so thankful for the memories that I know we will make and enjoy and capture in pictures next week...but goodness, Time, you just go by so fast these days.



 

2121. the way Peanut runs and grabs my legs when he gets scared

2122. how Birdie has really come in to her role as big sister and will play with Peanut while I cook supper or get a shower...without being asked. Thank you, Jesus!!

2123. unexpected hugs from Buddy-Ro

2124. gingerbread houses that are messy, colorful, and super fun

2125. "Mama's famous chicken, peas, and rice one-pan supper" that Birdie loves

2126. spending time with my favorite stylist, Hanna, who always makes me look more beautiful than I actually am

2127. getting to chat with her and confide in her - it's great when your stylist is also your friend :)

2128. hiding Christmas presents from the kiddos in plain sight that they don't notice

2129. how Peanut reacts every morning from our Elf on the Shelf - and always blames Daddy :)

2130. Peanut's reactions when we see Christmas lights outside

2132. celebrating Daddy for his 41st birthday, and loving him more each passing year

Psalm 28:7, "The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him." 

Ordinary is just right

There are days when I feel like it all goes wrong.

I don't get up early. I don't get my quiet time in before the day starts. Milk is spilled. Clothes are forgotten in the washer. Bath water wasn't emptied the night before. Strawberries mold in the fridge (even though we JUST got them). A library book gets a torn page. Reading lessons don't go smoothly. Math is frustrating. I don't get a shower. The dust keeps dusting the furniture. Legos are lost. Toothpaste is smeared all over the sink. Dirty clothes don't make it into their baskets. Clothes don't match. Shoes get too small too quickly.

But these days are still just normal ol' days. And they are short-lived and over in the blink of an eye. 

The thing I love most about pictures is how they capture those moments that are gone in a blink. For me, they are the best reminder I have of how blessed I am. Of how even when days go wrong, the memories we are making together are going "right."

That's not to say that there aren't some days that I would not want to re-live. We've had a handful of those! But most days are just ordinary days, made up of ordinary moments. I find that it's the ordinary moments that melt my heart. Those moments that remind me how quickly time goes by and how much pressure I put on myself to make sure things are going right. You, too?

On my computer, I have about 150 pictures for a screen saver. They scroll through over and over throughout the day, and I find myself stopping many times just to watch and remember. Those ordinary moments, gone so quickly, are some of the sweetest memories I have. And they weren't staged, were rarely planned or expected.

That's how life works, I've come to understand. Our ordinary lives are the most beautiful things of all.

Sitting in an old wheelbarrow.



An ordinary afternoon of playing outside.



Tickled about something, just between the two of them.



The day the tiny one moved out of his incubator.



Her first "pose."



Laughing hysterically just a couple of hours before she cut her head open and had to have stitches smack dab in the middle of her forehead. (And we had to cut that shirt off of her, straight up the middle.)



Singing "Jesus Loves Me" to her stuffed bear.



Looking for fish.



Laughing at his first ocean waves.



Fishin'.



Taking a walk after supper.



A kiss from Cinderella.



Running at the beach.



Here, I found the kiddos sitting IN the sandbox playing. They looked up and smiled.



Buddy-Ro at 4 months blowing bubbles.



Peanut learning to tolerate "tummy time."



 

There's nothing extraordinary about any of these pictures. They are just beautiful moments captured from an ordinary and normal and sometimes messy life. Why do I put so much pressure on myself to do things "right" - when these pictures don't show anything wrong? Mamas, we are doing it right!! Go back through your own pictures (not someone else's on FB or Instagram). Go back through your memories and enjoy those ordinary moments that have made your heart so full. You are blessed, Mama. Don't forget it!!

Multitudes on Monday

2106. sweet encouragement from friends who understand how it is to be a Mama

2107. new mercies every morning

2108. new days with lots of opportunities

2109. celebrating Scott's birthday (and his brother's)

2110. German chocolate cupcakes - that are both Scott's favorite and mine

2111. birthday surprises for Scott

2112. how excited Birdie was to go see Frozen again with her small group - she counted down the days like it was Christmas!

2113. Buddy-Ro becoming more in control of his emotions and his physical reactions

2114. continuing our Jesse Tree tradition and enjoying all of our handmade ornaments this year

2115. the Peanut saying "Mama" and following it up with a kiss

2116. watching The Sound of Music Live with Birdie-girl

2117. introducing the kiddos to truly good and wholesome books and movies

2118. Birdie-girl's excitement over {finally} learning multiplication - she has asked for a year, but this Mama wasn't ready for her to get too big too fast

2119. homeschooling Buddy-Ro so that I can go at his pace and back down when he reaches frustration and concentrate on what really gives him confidence

2120. Scott home on this Monday morning so I could stay in bed until 7:30 while he cooks pancakes :)

Psalm 30:12, "That my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever."

How do you manage?

I have heard said that the number one lie that mothers believe is that "She is the only one who struggles with ________________." Fill in the blank - impatience, keeping up with the cleaning, playing in the floor, meal planning, laundry, etc.

Since I know that it's a lie that I'm the only one who struggles with this, I want to ask - How do you manage the day to day frustrations of being a Mama? Like when you need 5 minutes to do something, but your kiddos just won't give them to you? Or when you need just a few minutes to catch your breath, but your kiddos just don't understand and keep you feeling breathless?

Today had been a relatively easy day. We had a laid back day of school that lasted all day with breaks in between every activity. We played, we watched a movie together since it's been raining, we baked cookie bars, we didn't rush through anything. And I was able to get my shower, quiet time, and coffee finished about 30 minutes before any of the kiddos woke up. The crock-pot took care of cooking supper. An easy day.

But then the witching hour of 7ish hits, and things go down hill. Scott had to go meet a couple to look at cabinet samples right after supper, and about that time exhaustion kicked in for me. The kiddos were playing and singing to the new Frozen soundtrack, Peanut was occupied, so I tried to sneak away for just 5 minutes to my room to accomplish something. I recently got a new laptop, and I wanted to set up my iTunes account and link it with our other computer. A simple task, really, but it quickly turned into a nightmare.

Peanut noticed that I was not in his line of sight and began calling out my name and crying and looking for me. Which makes the bigger kids notice that Mama is not in the room any more. They quickly find me. I told them that I needed a couple of minutes to do "just one thing," and to please go back to playing. It never happened. The big kids start wrestling on my bed and the tiny one just stands at my legs clinging to me and crying.

In that moment I just became so flustered. All I wanted was 5 minutes to do something, and I got about 1 minute to simply get started. My selfish side screams, "Just leave me alone!" My guilty mom side screams, "They will only be little once!" And somewhere in between those voices I just want to put a pillow over my head and make it all go away.

I don't know what the solution is. I guess if I was the perfect Mama, I would have simply stopped what I was doing and waited until the kiddos were all tucked safely in their beds before trying again. But you know what? I'm not perfect! And after getting up at 5:30 and being ON all.day.long all I want to do when my kids go to bed is go to bed myself.

So how do you manage this struggle with frustration/flustering? I know making kids have "quiet time" is popular right now...an hour in the day so that Mama can get some things done. But I don't know exactly how to manage that since my big kids share a room. If I split them up, one is still with me - and I'm still not getting anything done that I need/want to.

Days are long. They are full of good and bad and grumpy and laughter and silliness and correction. But my need to breathe often overtakes me, and that is when I find myself flustered and on the brink of breaking. I know I'm not alone in this, but I'd love to hear your thoughts. How do you manage, Mama?

Multitudes on Monday

2092. a delicious Thanksgiving with my Mama and Scott's family

2093. how my Mama is always welcome at all of Scott's family gatherings

2094. very crooked stamps on our Christmas cards, placed by very eager fingers

2095. receiving a card from Christy the same day she received ours - love fun traditions :)

2096. all of our Christmas presents wrapped and under the tree

2097. starting off our Advent season with our family Jesse Tree

2098. surprising the kiddos with Lego Advent calendars to help count down to Christmas

2099. the arrival of "Buddy" the elf....who is already up to his naughty antics

2100. delicious coffee creamer to make my morning coffee a peaceful experience early in the morning

2101. cold nights under warm blankets

2102. cuddling with Peanut in our bed on nights that he can't sleep because he can't breathe

2103. Birdie-girl sneaking up early in the morning to try to catch Buddy in the act

2104. trying to enjoy the stress of Buddy's antics....before the kiddos wake up ;)

2105. the joy of the Christmas season and how it infuses into everything we do

Psalm 69:30, "I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving."

Family Pics

There's the same dilemma every year - do I take my own family pictures or do I pay someone else to do it? While I do wish I could get a bit more "candid" shots of our family together, saving money typically trumps paying someone else. The stress is higher - because it's my own kids and getting everyone to smile naturally and look without me acting like a huge goof-ball behind the camera is quite.the.challenge.

The stress felt too high: It was a cloudy day, I changed Birdie's outfit to be more casual at the last minute, Buddy-Ro wore his sandals (in November) instead of his boots, and Peanut was Mr. Grumps. I really expected to have to take them all again...but was blessed in spite of the stress. ;)

This was the very last picture taken. Birdie said, "Mama, I picked a bouquet for you. Take my picture!" All of her sweetness is wrapped up right here.



Such a handsome boy, who looks older all the time.



Easily my favorite picture of these three EVER!! Thank goodness Daddy was behind me taking on the roll of goof-ball. :)

This picture just cracks me up. The tiny one just needs to get used to it. ;)

20 month pictures. Be still my heart. Slow down, time.

 

I love how standing on a step makes me look so tall!!



This picture now hangs as a 20x30 above our mantle. Absolutely perfect. :)



All of the stress was unnecessary. And these pictures remind me how blessed I truly am.

Multitudes on Monday

2077. quiet drives with 3 happy kiddos

2078. a baby boy and a bigger boy who sleep so well in the car

2079. visiting Meredith and not having to pack a lunch or go out because she had it covered

2080. not having to venture out with 6 kiddos for lunch when the high is 43*

2081. listening to kiddos play well and laugh and giggle

2082. a real fire in the fireplace

2083. putting up our Christmas decorations

2084. Peanut pointing and laughing at the trees as we turn them on every morning :)

2085. only 1 ornament being broken while the family decorated the tree (broken by yours truly)

2086. how excited the kiddos get about their ornaments from when they were "little"

2087. five stockings hung at the fireplace

2088. our beautiful Nativity placed in the center of our home to Center our Christmas on Him

2089. a happy and healthy 20 month old Peanut

2090. a big sister with the biggest heart

2091. hearing Buddy-Ro beg Daddy every night to WRESTLE!!

Romans 7:25, "Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

Multitudes on Monday

2062. the CFA that allows Mere and me to meet for two hours with our kiddos

2063. a clean indoor playground for the kids to run around and play

2064. CFA - because ALL 3 of my kiddos will eat there

2065. CFA Dr. Pepper on days when I just want to have one

2066. trying on fun jewelry with Meredith and enjoying ourselves

2067. enjoying the kiddos act like crazy people trying on pair after pair of sunglasses in Target

2068. the kiddos not breaking any of the said sunglasses ;)

2069. fun kitchen items that I needed (pot holders) that were unexpectedly on clearance when my items were "rung up" at Kohl's

2070. spending 1:1 time with Birdie-girl as we strolled through the mall and went in just about every store she could possibly want to go.

2071. going at Birdie's pace and enjoying things through her eyes

2072. pretzels from Auntie Anne's :)

2073. great cream for my hands that are already so dry from the cold weather

2074. help making ornaments when I have waited until the last possible day

2075. our Jesse Trees for the kiddos, and for our family devotions at Christmas

2076. friends who just "get me" and love me anyway

Psalm 67, "God! Let people thank and enjoy you. Let all people thank and enjoy you.
Earth, display your exuberance! You mark us with blessing, O God, our God.
You mark us with blessing, O God. Earth’s four corners—honor him!"

Before You Judge

We as parents all know what it's like to be judged. We are certainly judged by those without children all of the time. For anyone who is reading this who doesn't have children, here's a warning: For all of the times you say or think, "My child will never..." or "If my child ever acts like that s/he will be punished." - If/when you have your own children - You will eat your words ten-fold! That's a fact.....isn't it, Mamas?!?

But perhaps the most painful judgements come from other mothers. People without kids, they just don't know better. But people with their own children - they do know better. And their judgements hurt.

The other day I was at Chick-fil-A with all three of my kiddos eating lunch. It was a day that we had a peaceful meal - no drinks were spilled, no food knocked off the table, no one complained about what s/he got to eat. It was a successful lunch! But there was this other mother who did not have such a peaceful CFA outing. Her kiddos were rowdy at the table, spilled their food, and caused the mother a bit of stress. To top it off, she had to take her two small kiddos to the bathroom by herself. Now this is never an easy task, but for this mama it was monstrous ordeal. Her little boy who was probably around the age of 3 was not happy at all about being in the bathroom. He pitched a fit and screamed so loud that the entire restaurant could hear him. The entire restaurant.

As I looked around, I saw the same thing: huge eyes on other parents, looks of "What in the world?" passing back and forth between people, and the shaking of heads in judgement. It was as if all of the other people in CFA had forgotten their own child's last tantrum. They had forgotten how difficult it was just to get to CFA with children in tow, just an hour after their own child pitched a fit about putting on his shoes or her jacket.

That poor mama did not need judgement. What she needed was a standing ovation for surviving the bathroom with two small children and the ability to come out with her head held high!

Why is it that we are so quick to judge others? Why do we forget that we struggle with our children and their meltdowns? Why do we forget that being a mama is hard? No matter what stage we are in with our kiddos, challenges are always there. Is it because we want so badly to portray a "perfect image" that we put up a front of judgement toward others? Are we too proud to recognize our own faults, but not too proud to point out those of others?

I'm not sure exactly what it is, but Ann Voskamp calls this the "measuring stick" that women use. Whether it's used to cut someone else down or to build ourselves up, "measuring sticks always become weapons."

Comparison robs you of the joys of your own life, and it robs others of the encouragement and support that they need. That we all so desperately need.

Before you judge, dear one, look to the One who is the ultimate Judge. Look to the One who knows your inner heart and see what He may want to expose in you. Look to the One who knows the inner heart of that other mama and see how He may want you to encourage her.

Life is too precious to judge others, so before you judge look out from your heart. No one needs more judgement in her life. We judge ourselves harshly enough anyway.

"So then, let us follow after things which make for peace, and things by which we may build one another up." Romans 14:19

Multitudes On Monday

2048. a weekend retreat with Buddy-Ro that was just for Mamas and their boys

2049. sword fights with noodles

2050. Nerf gun wars

2051. camping out (in cabins) with 12 friends

2052. seeing how boys are all so much alike - high energy, rough, give them a sword or gun and space to run and they are 100% satisfied!!

2053. connecting with other Mamas who have boys and laughing at each others' stories

2054. spending quality time with my friend Christy

2055. Christy letting me drive her van....since I got car sick on the way to the retreat

2056. coming home to a little girl who missed her Mama

2057. Desitin for the tiny fella who is cutting his eye-teeth

2058. framing our new family pictures

2059. laid-back evenings full of dancing and ballon games and tickle fights and ice cream and giggles and no TV

2060. my Honey, who is so good to our family and to me

2061. for the Veterans who served and who serve today to fight for our country and our freedoms

Psalm 118:29, "You’re my God, and I thank you. O my God, I lift high your praise. Thank God—he’s so good. His love never quits!"

The God-sized hole

Last night we went to our small group where we meet with five other couples to "do life" together for a couple of years. We have been sharing our "stories" in order to get to know one another and be vulnerable with one another so that we can be REAL together.

All of our stories are different. But they are all the same. Everyone one of us has pain and disappointment and hurts in our lives. From those who look like they have perfect lives to those who carry a little more weight on their shoulders. We have all been in the same place. The place where we have felt the emptiness, have tried to fill that emptiness, and we had to make the decision of what to do with it.

We all have a hole inside of us that we long to fill. We fill it with sex, alcohol, drugs, perfection, control, friends, children. But those things never fill the hole. They can't fill the hole - because they do not fit. We all have a God-sized hole that ONLY He can fill. All of us. We are no different. Jesus isn't for the beautiful, the rich, the good, the smart, the organized, the middle class, those who have it all together. Jesus is for the broken. And we are all broken.

It does not matter who you are or where you're from or what you've done or how you've lived or the decisions you've made. The truth is there is no other way to fill the emptiness inside of you except through the cross of Christ. He loves you. You, with all of your mistakes and your bad decisions and your sins. He loves you. He loves me, with my sins and my struggles and my bad decisions. God only sees you through eyes of love. And once you give your life to Christ, God does not see your past mistakes and sins. He only sees the love of Christ that has washed over you. When you come to Christ, you come by the way of repentance. You turn away from the bad and turn to The Good. You admit that He is the only One who can change you. He can. He will.

So many of us look at the world and have a hard time believing in and trusting God because of all the evil in the world. I have been one of those people. I have seen first hand injustice and unfairness and evil, but I have come to understand that the world is not evil because of guns and bombs and war and abuse and lust and greed. The world is evil because of the hearts behind those things. Hearts that are empty do evil things.

The cross is offensive because it demands a new lifestyle. Sin is a disease that is incurable without God's love. Yes, the cross is offensive, but God's love is not. God watched His only son die a horrible and painfully cruel death - that we deserved. But God knew that the only way for us to be cured from the disease of sin was by the blood of His son.

Grace. God's grace fills that hole that each one of us has. Grace is something that we do not deserve, but it is offered to us anyway. And that is what God offers. Amazing grace.

I encourage you to watch this message from Billy Graham. It has two people in this video that you would not expect - a gang member and a girl who was suicidal. But God rescued them. He didn't judge them, He loved them. He loves you.

http://youtu.be/bba2Dqaw6SI

Y'all. And me vs. I

Do you have a "thing?" You know...something that drives you bonkers?!?

Grammar is my "thing." I'm a total nerd; I admit it fully. And there are two things that just get under my skin. Maybe it's because I used to be an English teacher, maybe it's because I continue to teach my kiddos at home, or maybe because the decline in the English language is just atrocious. Whatever it is, there are two grammatical things that drive me bonkers.

1) Y'all - it's a contraction for the two words "you" and "all," correct? So...it is spelled y'all (that's Y apostrophe A L L). The apostrophe takes the place of the "ou" in you. So, y'all is spelled y'all...not ya'll.

2) Me vs. I - Oh, goodness. This one! So many people think it's 'proper' to say "I" when they are talking about someone else and themselves. However, it is improperly used all of the time! Here is a simple tip to pull out if you wonder whether you should use "me" or "I" in a sentence: Take the other person out of the sentence, and you'll have your answer.

For example: 1) Here's a picture of my husband and I on vacation. -or- 2) Here's a picture of my husband and me on vacation.

Most people say, "Here's a picture of my husband and I." But, take "my husband" out of the sentence. Would you say, "Here's a picture of I on vacation"? NO!!! You'd say, "Here's a picture of me on vacation." So, the correct sentence above would be: "Here's a picture of my husband and me on vacation." Easy peasy!

I know, I'm a nut! And this is just my "thing." Too bad I didn't invent "Grammar Girl" and bring in the moolah! We all have our pet peeves, and we're all driven crazy by something. If your "thing" is, for example, having an ultra-clean vehicle - ahem, just don't bum me for a ride for the next 18 years!

Multitudes on Monday

2037. math lessons with Halloween candy!!

2038. watching Peanut watch the leaves fall like crazy in the back yard

2039. mornings when Scott is home and makes breakfast for everyone

2040. hot showers first thing on a morning that I wake up with a headache

2041. a weekend with just the Peanut while the big kids are away with Daddy

2042. getting rid of our excess because less is more

2043. chapstick for lips that are overly addicted (and there's no way I'll ever try to break the habit!)

2044. a brand new laptop for just me...that won't be cluttered (and slow) by all the kiddos' games and programs

2045. paying cash for big items

2046. investing in worthwhile, life changing programs

2047. organizations like World Vision that invest time, money, and people in saving girls and women

Psalm 118:29, "O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever."

How do you BOO!

We had such a fun time trick-or-treating this year! Birdie-girl was Cinderella in her Wedding Gown, Buddy-Ro was Captain Hook, and the Peanut was a fox. If we heard someone singing "What Does the Fox Say" once, we heard it a hundred times!



Before we left for Scott's sister's house, we got some pics with our cousins/next door neighbors. Birdie-girl is SO outnumbered by boys - with friends and neighbors. But she is well taken care of, and she enjoys being the princess. :)





And then the whole crew of Scott's parents, siblings, grandkids, and cousins met at Karla's house. Everyone brings a pot of something...soup, stew, chowder, boiled peanuts...and we eat before we trick-or-treat.

The Grandkids



Most of the cousins



Best family shot we could get



Trick-or-Treat!! Peanut on the way to his very first house!





These three (plus a Teenage Turtle not pictured) were buddies all night!

The Perfect Family

As women we tend to be harder on ourselves than anyone else could ever be. We look around and feel that we don't quite measure up. We compare ourselves to others; we fall short. I'm not just talking how we feel about ourselves, but also how we feel about our families. You know what I'm talking about. You seem to always run into "them" on the days when you're the most disheveled, the most at-your-wit's-end, the least patient. Hello! There they are, and there you are. Them looking "family photo shoot" ready, and your family looking as though y'all just rolled out of bed. Sigh.

Many times in the Christian world we are told that the "perfect family" doesn't exist - that there's no such thing. But I don't think that's true. I believe that the perfect family does truly exist.

I have the perfect family. And so do you.

Our families are perfectly made up of imperfect people.

When you look around and compare your family to someone else's - you are comparing yourself to other imperfect people. No person is perfect. But families were created perfectly.

The Bible tells us that children are a heritage and a reward from the Lord. I don't know about you, but when I hear the word "reward" I think of something good. Something meant as a specific blessing. And that is what I believe our children are. They were specifically - perfectly - placed in your arms as a blessing from the Lord. That imperfect little baby placed in your imperfect loving arms. Whether naturally born or welcomed through adoption, God knows what He's doing. Those children you have - they were made just for you.  Circumstances may be different, challenges unique, but our families are perfect.

God knew that we would look outside of our little worlds and compare "ours" with "theirs." He knew that we would go buy bigger and better and more possessions to keep up with the ideals of this world. But we can't do that with children, can we? We simply take what He gives us. He could not give your family anything greater than what he already has. Those children who drive you bonkers? They were made specifically for you. Those kiddos who are so different than you? They were made specifically for you. Those kids who call only you Mom? They were made perfectly for you.

Don't waste time wishing you could have the perfect family. You already do. Don't compare your family to another based on any worldly standard. If we simply look through the eyes of our Father, we see that He only gives good gifts. Our families were made by our loving God who took imperfectly people and had them create the perfect families. Not perfect in talents or appearance or performance, but perfectly made for us.

 

Multitudes on Monday

2022. family portraits that turn out beautifully

2023. an overcast sky so no one is squinting in our pictures

2024. laughs and smiles captured to enjoy forever

2025. pine cones to throw when the tiny fella gets grumpy

2026. fall candles and warmers to make the house smell cozy

2027. extra vitamin C to help chase colds away

2028. warm coffee and tea and hot cocoa to sooth sore throats

2029. the tiny fella fitting into 12 month clothes!!

2030. breaking out the kiddos' fall/winter clothes and enjoying their cozy looks

2031. fun finds on sale for the Mama - who hasn't been shopping in a very.long.time

2032. printing sweet pictures to send to Wayua in Kenya with letters from our family

2033. kiddos getting school things out and doing lessons for fun together

2034. the kiddos enjoying learning...even when they think they are just playing

2035. breaking out the manipulatives to do math with Buddy-Ro

2036. Birdie picking flowers for her bouquet

Psalm 109:30, "But I will give repeated thanks to the Lord, praising him to everyone."

Have Your Way

Music speaks to me in ways so deeply that I can't explain it. So many times I have heard the Spirit speak to me through music - especially those times when I've been unable (or unwilling) to hear from God.

This song speaks out the deepest prayer of my heart. A prayer that I want so desperately to pray - but I've been scared. My fear holds me back from the unknown, the what ifs, the how will it work out?

But if I truly surrender myself to my Savior, I have no fear. My whole life is His. And I want Him to have His way. I don't know what His way looks like. I don't know what plans He has in store for me. I have been scared out of my mind because I am a neat and tidy and box-it-up-and-put-a-bow-on-it kind of gal. But I can't let fear keep me from living a surrendered life. Jesus has so much more in store for me than I can imagine. It might not be what I have expected or anticipated - in fact, it probably won't be those things. And that's OK. The Bible tells us that His ways are perfect because He is good and that He loves us. If I truly believe that, then surrendering my life to Him should not feel like a burden. It should feel like a breath of fresh air. I can take the burden off myself of working out my own life and allow my Savior to do it for me.

There have been a couple of areas that I have clung so tightly to that they have started to become burdens to me. Areas that are so close to my heart that for them to become burdens is absurd. One of those is my children and their safety. I can become wound up in fear that I miss the opportunity to watch them bloom. And that's not how God created a parent to be.

Another is all that I have seen throughout my travels to Haiti and Africa. Before we start arguing about serving the poor here in America...let me just lay it out there that this is my burden. If your burden is for the poor and homeless in America, then I encourage you to get out there in your community and serve. But for me, my burden is for all the wretchedness I have seen. My eyes have seen, my heart has hurt, and my life has been changed. But what do I do with that change? Is fear holding me back?

The greatest desire of my heart is to lay my life down at the cross and give all I have to God. It's all His anyway. I want to walk in all He has for me. Good, bad, ugly, dirty, beautiful, wretched. Because what He has for me is so much better than anything I have for me. I don't want to be great by the western world's definition. I want to be great because I lived a surrendered life.

My whole life is Yours.

I give it all surrendered to Your name

And forever I will pray Have Your Way.

Have Your Way.

http://youtu.be/bvNdybdyeOc

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