Lessons from 30!

Today I enter a new decade!  Leading up to today I've been thinking about the many things I've learned up to this point and all the things I'd like to do better in this coming year.  Here are a list of my top ten:

1. Just ask.  When I was younger I'd rather walk out of a store without something than have to ask for help.  Now?  Who has time for that?  I'm the person who you'll likely find talking to the greeter before I even look for something myself!  Don't be afraid to ask for help or clarification.  It saves time and, often enough, saves anxiety as well!

2. Worry less about what others think.  This is an area I've improved on a lot, but hope to continue growing in.  I have spent too much time putting effort into things that don't matter to me in order to "impress" someone else.  Why?  If it's not something I'm passionate about or care about, why waste time on that when I can do something that make my heart light up?!

3. Wear it.  You know the thing.  That outfit just popped into your mind, the one you want to wear, but worry what others will think.  Maybe it's something super fancy or perhaps it's your most comfy pair of sweat pants.  Go for it!  Not sure?  See number 2.

4. Find ways to love your everyday!  Don't wait for vacation or that special trip to enjoy yourself!  Find some special little things to brighten your days.  Maybe it's baking a cake with your kids just because, taking a walk, sitting in silence with a perfect cup of coffee, jumping through the hose in your yard, whatever it is, take the time and DO IT! 

5. Take a moment each day to be grateful. I recently heard someone speak on how gratitude is the fastest way to happiness.  Take a moment each day to consider what you are thankful for.  Write it down, tell somebody, but make sure you recognize life's little blessings.

6.  Accept the change of plans with grace.  This is still an area I need major improvements in.  Life, especially life with kids, can change course very quickly and without warning.  Try not to waste time being upset or frustrated by those changes.  Instead embrace them with grace and move forward.

7. Find what you love and do it!  Discover that thing that makes you smile, gives you life, fuels your fire, and then make time to do it. 

8. Get a smaller planner!  Haha!  This may be specific to me or other Type A's out there, but seriously, get the smaller planner.  Don't schedule a week's worth of chores in one day and be upset when you can't finish it.  You don't, in fact, have super powers!  Try schedule ONE thing to do each day that must get done and then leave it at that. 

9. Find community.  This life is not meant to be lived alone.  Find your people.

10. Take care of yourself - mind, body, and soul.  Ok, here's the major one.  Practice good self-care.  Take time daily to be with God.  He will renew your spirit, give you peace, and guide your days.  And take steps to care for your body.  Don't get me wrong, still eat that cake and love it, but maybe in moderation.  ;)

So there it is.  My top 10 thoughts as I enter this new decade.  There are many more that come to mind as I consider all the areas I feel I've grown in the past several years, but these are my favorites!  :)

There's a Lesson In This

While so much fun seeing all of our families, this Christmas season was long and tiring.  After traveling three weekends in a row we were all so ready to be home where the kids could play with their new toys and we could all sleep in our own beds.  And then on our second day home the littlest wakes up with a stomach bug, followed by the oldest, then mommy.  :(  Not exactly how we planned to enjoy our new toys and time at home, BUT there's a lesson in this . . .

During our driving this holiday and in the days leading up to the New Year, I took some time to sit and consider what I wanted out of this new beginning.  I put in some extra prayer time and Scripture reading and while many were coming up with words for the new year, I felt like God placed this little phrase in my mind - work smarter, not harder.  You see, I'm from the mindset that in order to expect big things (and really feel like you're doing anything worthwhile), you have to work hard and put in the time.  Unfortunately, this mindset has left me strained, stressed, and overwhelmed.  Not to mention feeling like a failure in many areas of my life.  God's gentle instruction opened up a whole new idea.  Slowly He's been showing me to put Him first, follow where He leads, and do only what is needed in each area without going overboard (I often dive in head first and want a years worth of work done in about an hour, just ask my husband!).  

While my children have been sick, I've done countless loads of laundry, cleaned furniture and carpets, snuggled sick babies, and worked only in the few minutes I can each day.  And you know what?  I haven't been stressing.  In fact, I feel as though I've been more successful in my endeavors because I haven't pushed.  I haven't had time to overthink.  And I've been trusting the Lord so much more.  Trusting that He will lead me in the direction I need to be and not trying to do something beyond that.  Accepting that He has good things for me, even if they don't look like what I thought.

He has confirmed this to me in a couple ways over the last 24 hours.  First involved an incredible book I'm reading called Breaking Busy by Alli Worthington.  In my reading she talks about our God-given purpose and our need to be obedient to that purpose, knowing He can do so much more through us when we follow the plan He has.  The second was through an audio teaching by Priscilla Shirer. I have a devotional CD of hers that plays whenever I'm driving and in this particular message she talks about hearing a prize winning tomato farmer share how important pruning is to producing the largest, ripest fruit.  She goes on to talk about how sometimes we have to prune good things in order to grow better things.  It's funny because they also both point out various times in Scripture where Jesus Himself reminds the people why He came.  For example, after healing many people, the whole town came out to where Jesus was staying and attempted to keep Him there so He could continue to heal them.  This was His response:

But He said, I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent."  - Luke 4:43

Both ladies pointed out that Jesus didn't just come to do the Father's Will, but that He did the Father's Will and nothing else.  It would have been good for Him to stay and heal them, but that's not what He was called to do.  Just as I am not called to work myself ragged in every area, trying to trudge my own path and force everything to work the way I want under my control.  I must work smarter, not harder.  For me, this means spending more time with the Lord, listening to His guidance, and being obedient even when I don't know how it will turn out.

I'd love to hear if God has given you a word or phrase for this new year.  Or perhaps He's in the midst of teaching you a new lesson.  I'd love to hear that too!

No, We're Good!

For the second time today I had an experience where I get back in my car and think, "Why did I do that?"  Before I tell my little story, let me explain that I am an independent, Type A, "I got this" kind of woman.  I was raised in a family of very strong, independent, Type A, "I've got this" type of women.  I'll be honest, we pride ourselves on the ability to move heavy furniture across rooms, carry ALL of the groceries in on the first trip, keep up with all the chores and schedules, and, in general, do it all.  It has its advantages, but it also has very many disadvantages.  

If you read my last post, you know that we've been in a tough, overwhelming season.  Not because of any one thing, but because of all the little things that add up to make one gigantic thing.  You know?  And, I'll be honest, a lot of my struggle has been because I am (you guessed it) an independent, Type A, "I've got this" type of person. Because let's be real - I ain't got this!  I was not made to have this. I was not created to carry it all. I am not built to run myself ragged. And let's just go right out and say it, I was never asked, designed, or intended to carry and juggle all the balls without any help. In some cases, I wasn't asked to carry them at all, but I decided to pick them up without being asked!  (Anybody with me there?)

One major disadvantage to my personality, is not knowing how to accept help.  I mean, at all!  So now to my story.  I was headed out of the grocery store today with Ruth in the cart, Caleb trailing along beside me, and two giant, heavy bags of groceries.  While pushing the cart back where it goes and preparing myself to carry both big bags and a little Ruth while watching Caleb, a gentleman asked if I needed any help.  Based on what I described (and I'm sure how I looked), the answer was yes.  But what I found coming out of my mouth was, "No, I think we're good!"  Really??  Despite knowing that I could use an extra hand, even then I couldn't seem to accept help.  After getting across the parking lot, loading everybody in, and getting in myself, I realized what I had done.  Would it really have been that awful to let this man carry one of my bags 20 feet to my car? 

Two things came to mind as I kicked myself for not just letting someone help me.  First, was something my mom and grandma often say - "Don't take away my blessing!"  It's used when someone wants to help and we refuse.  We've taken away that person's opportunity to bless us.  Second, was a scripture in 1 Corinthians 10:23 where we're reminded that while something may be possible, it doesn't mean it's right.  Clearly, I could get both bags and both children to the car, but was it beneficial?  Was it necessary?  Not really.  Just because I can do it, doesn't mean I should.  

Lord, forgive me for trying to do it all.  Forgive me for thinking I ever could.  Teach me to accept help from others and from You.  Give me a humble heart, Father, that recognizes my limitations.  Let me be an example to my children that perfection is not important, to focus on the people around them, and to accept help.  Amen.

Change of Plans

Can I be real with you?  Like really, really real?  The last couple months have been rough.  Crazy work schedules, quick trips, crazy two year old behavior, a clingy, fussy baby, many nights of broken sleep, illnesses, doctor visits, prescriptions, missed events, and the list seems to go on.  After talking with a bunch of people I know that I'm not alone and, in the grand scheme of things, my difficulties have been exceptionally minor.  But that doesn't mean it hasn't been hard. 

This past weekend we had three Christmas parties to attend!  THREE!  One each night of the weekend.  While it was a bit overwhelming, especially since Lucas had to work this weekend, I was also really excited at the chance to get away from the house and celebrate the season with friends.  Cue Friday night's work party where the snow gave me the slight question of whether we should drive all the way in to the city to pick up our children's amazing aunt who would be watching them for us.  Lucas made it there and back without any difficulty and the night was a fun break from the normal.  We did lose power for a few hours overnight, but all in all things went surprisingly well.

Then came Saturday.  About halfway through the day I got a text from Lucas which included a picture of his near swollen shut eye with a note saying he would be headed to an urgent care as soon as he was off because he was pretty certain he had pink eye.  Without getting into ALL the crazy details, we missed our party.  One that we had all been so excited to attend.  Instead we wandered through Sam's Club, had Chic-fil-a drive thru, watched a short Christmas movie, and went off to bed trying not to admit just how upset we were.  The next morning we began to watch Caleb for pink eye thinking he would certainly get it.  That night we were to have another Christmas party with some wonderful friends and, again, we were all so excited (including the kids) until the possibility was raised that maybe we shouldn't go for fear of passing along pink eye.  I literally held back tears as we discussed the possibility.  I know it might seem silly, but after the crazy month we had experienced and the excitement over the party (not to mention all the cookies we had baked!) I just couldn't handle the thought of missing something else.  I'm pretty sure my words and attitude were simple, "I give up."

As I drove Ruth and I to church so the boys could stay home and not potentially share any germs, I felt so incredibly defeated. My opportunity for a fun-filled weekend was once again disappearing and I just wanted a break from it all.  During the last worship song that morning, my attitude was changed.  Not completely, not entirely, but my perspective was shifted as we sang these words:

By Your Spirit I will rise,

From the Ashes of Defeat.

The resurrected King is resurrecting me!

Your Name, Your Name is VICTORY!

It felt as though God was speaking directly to me in that moment.  I had a choice to make.  I could remain upset and disappointed, looking at our weekend and this day as a wasted opportunity for fun or I could find a way to make the best of what we had left of the day.  So I formulated a plan as I drove home to mix up a batch of gingerbread dough (despite the 6 batches of cookies already strewn about the kitchen) and we would put together a gingerbread house as a family that night instead of getting to go to the party.  I was still disappointed, but my new plan gave me something to look forward to and something different to get excited about.  Turns out we were able to attend the party and our gingerbread house waited until the following night to be constructed!

Very often I have a strict plan or schedule in my mind and I can get pretty excited about the things in store for us, but when plans fall apart I discover that I'm not as flexible as I'd like to think.  I freeze.  I keep thinking about what I'm missing instead of what God could be doing.  

Lord, help me to trust You when my plans fall through.  Cause me to look to You for the new plan.  To not get frustrated and disappointed, but to get excited about what You have in store for us.  Amen

Encourage One Another

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. - 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Over the past couple of weeks I have seen so many posts, articles, comments, etc. of moms very aggressively sharing their views on mothering.  While sharing these opinions in and of themselves is not wrong, the manner in which I have seen it is. I read verses like the one above and weep a little.  We are called to encourage one another and build each other up . . . but is that "just as in fact [we] are doing?"  When I read a post, especially one between Christian mothers, that leaves my stomach turning, not because of the advice or opinions, but because of the tone, words, and anger behind them, it hurts my heart.  I'm not the first to say all of this and I'm sure I won't be the last.  Being a mom is hard work!  We have so much to decide on - sleeping, eating, playtime, outdoor playing, screen time, music, education, even diapers for goodness sakes!  And each one of us will make those decisions.  We'll have opinions of why our choice is best and maybe are so convinced at how great our decision was that we want to share it with others.  No matter what decision we make, one thing is the same.  We want the best for our child.  We want them to feel loved, to succeed, to know the Lord, to see His work in our lives, to be healthy, to be encouraged . . . and the list goes on.

I don't know the perfect answer to all of these decisions for every mama in the world, but what I do know is this.  God gave me my son.  And He gave me to him.  I know him better than any other person on this planet.  I know my family better than any other person on this planet.  And God trusted me with them.  He gave me the ability to think and make decisions.  He taught me to trust Him and turn to Him when those decisions are hard.  He taught me to listen to Him and stand firm in obedience even when it didn't make sense to others (or even myself).  How God has led me to raise my children may not be the same as He led you, but know that it doesn't change my opinion of you and it will not change my support of you.  

Being a mama is hard, but you are doing a great job!  How do I know?  Because if you are following the Lord and calling on Him to help raise your child, you are making the best decisions (even the hard ones) and are leaning on the best Father there ever was or will be to give you wisdom.  He knows you and your child intimately, after all He formed your child in your womb (Psalm 139)!  He has plans for you and your child and His plans are good and are never thwarted (Jeremiah 29:11, Job 42:2).

My purpose in this post is to encourage mamas to remember how hard it is and rather than make those decisions harder for other mamas, encourage them.  Offer advice if it's asked for, but encourage whatever decision they make.  If you think they've made the wrong decision, pray that the Lord would lead them to a different decision, but ultimately trust that God will lead them in what is best for their child.  

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. - Hebrews 10:24-25

Dinner and Prayer

Two posts in one day?  Yep, I'm rebellious like that!  I wanted to share something along the lines of reclaiming the table that we've been doing consistently in our house for the last several months.  For many years it has been on my heart to pray for different countries around the world.  I've approached this in many different ways with every attempt ending the same - slowly forgetting the habit until months later I realize I haven't prayed for another country in a long time.  Our solution?  Bring that country into more than just our prayer time.  This may work for you and it may not, but here's what we do:

Each week we have a "letter of the week."  (Our son is only 9 months old, but I want to get in the habit now of teaching him things along the way.)  Last week our letter was "U."  Whatever the letter I go to the Operation World website and find a country starting with that letter.  The next step is the most fun - that country goes up on our Menu board and I find a recipe from there that is as authentic as we can manage.  The results are so fun!  We see that country's name every day as a reminder to pray for them and we get to try new food.  I used to work at a place that taught me a lot about different parts of the world and I miss it.  I got to see first hand what it looked like to introduce very young children to different cultures, languages, foods, clothing, etc. and always loved how it taught children that not everyone will look or sound the same or even eat the same foods, but that we can love them and pray for them just the same.  And that is a lesson I think many of us need reminding of!

One part of this process I have found the most time consuming is finding the recipes.  I've gathered quite a few since we started and thought, if you're interested, I could save you a little bit of time by posting some of the recipes we've used.  Some have become absolute favorites (thank you Ecuador for your Chaulafan de Pollo!) and others give us practice in politely trying foods we aren't used to yet!  ;)  Here is the dish we made from Uganda:

Chickennat

This was a very hearty, warm dish.  The chicken and peanut butter over rice makes it very filling!

Ingredients:

One 2-3 pound chicken (we just used two chicken breasts)

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1 pint (2 cups) chicken stock (I used bullion cubes dissolved in water)

3/4 cup peanut butter (we've found peanut butter in many of the African recipes we've tried)

1-2 egg yolks

Several sprigs of parsley, coarsely chopped (we used dried parsley)

Directions:

1. Rub the chicken pieces with salt and pepper.  

2. Melt butter in a large, heavy skillet or stew pot, and add the chicken and onions.  Cover and simmer over lowest heat, periodically adding stock until you have used it all.

3. After 15 minutes, remove half cup of the cooking liquid to thin the peanut butter. Add to the pot and bring to a boil.  (Times vary depending on how much chicken you used.)

4. Reduce heat and then whisk some of the hot stew liquid into the egg yolks.  Add to the pot and stir to incorporate the egg mixtrue into the stew.

5. Simmer gently until the chicken is done.  Be careful not to heat the stew about a simmer from this point.

6. Garnish with parsley and serve with rice or corn porridge.

Let me know if you try the recipe and what your family thought of it.  We're trying a recipe from Venezuela tomorrow!  I'll be sure to share it with you soon.  :)

When The Storm Comes

Some days or seasons it feels as though the clouds have parted and the very light from heaven is beaming down on you. Everything is going great! Your relationship with God is amazing, you and your spouse are connecting on a very close, intimate level, you feel like you have your feet under you when it comes to caring for the kids, and life just couldn't get any better. It's a mountaintop season and you are loving life.

Then there are those other times. Where you know God is there, but the dark clouds have rolled in and it seems like the thunder drowns out His voice as the lightning strikes and the rain comes down so hard you have to duck your head, close your eyes, and just run for shelter. That might seem a bit dramatic, but maybe you're there right now and it is all too real. Or maybe it's somewhere in between. The last several weeks have been a stormy season for my family and I in general. My step dad was very ill over the summer (I'm talking ICU ill) and is still not out of the woods although being out of the hospital. In the last week his sister had emergency surgery for an infected finger, then his mother passed away, then...then....then.... You get the idea. It starts to feel like the rain will never end and with each bolt of lightning comes another unexpected, blinding blow. I confessed to my husband and my God the other day that I just don't know what to do. I hate seeing my loved ones suffer, but know there is little to nothing I can do to "fix" the situation. It is unreal the number of ways God has spoken encouragement to me over the last several days following this confession. I don't have a tried and true way to resolve this, but I can pass along the tidbits of encouragement He has given me and encourage you to make the same confessions if you find yourself in a similar situation. And understand, the situation itself hasn't changed, but my perspective has been adjusted. Here are just a few encouragements:

The morning after making this confession I was trying to get my 8 month old fed, changed, dressed, and happy to go to our bi-weekly Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPs) meeting.  And it was just one of those mornings.  He refused to eat, had to be changed again before we got out the door, and cried in the car seat until he finally settled down . . . and we ran into traffic.  During this time God gave me the peace of mind to pray – "Lord, do something!  I can't do all of this."  And suddenly a song came on.  I don't normally have the radio on, but Jesus knew.  It started like this – "Well forgive me, forgive me if I'm wrong, but this looks like more than I can do on my own."  Boy did that get my attention.  It was my prayer!  Here's where it ended:

I can do all things
Through Christ who gives me strength
And I don't have to be
Strong enough
Strong enough

("Strong Enough" by Matthew West)

I don't have to be strong enough.  In and of myself I'm not strong enough.  BUT God is!  I can have peace knowing He is strong enough and I can rest easy in that.

The next encouragement was very simple.  As we left that meeting I got behind a mini-van whose license plate was very simply "God Wins."  What a great reminder!  Yeah, life is tough right now, but in the end I know that God wins!

Many of the troubles my family faces right now I find hard to believe will every truly change.  They are "impossible."  Things I have grown accustomed to and, if I'm completely honest, I have lost faith will ever be different.  So here's how God got me there:

We say, "I always failed there, and I always will."  Consequently, we don't ask for what we want.  Instead, we think, "it is ridiculous to ask God to do this."  If it is an impossibility, it is the very thing for which we have to ask.  If it is not an impossible thing, it is not a real disturbance.  And God will do what is absolutely impossible.  [My Utmost for His Highest}

Did you catch that?  God works in the impossible.  Too often I get bogged down in the idea that it will never change and so give up on praying for it . . . instead of going to the only One who has the ultimate power to reach down and change the impossible.  Man was that convicting to read!  So when I feel utterly helpless and out of control as I face hard situations, what am I to do?  Go to the One who is in complete control.  Don't write off prayer as "doing nothing."

Last one, I promise.  Sometimes we face hard moments.  We pray and ask God to do something, work in the impossible and nothing happens.  The person passes away, the illness gets worse, the finances don't appear, we don't get that promotion, and the list goes on.  What then?  It's a tough question and one that many people answer by walking away from their faith.  Here's the thing.  We need to trust that God is in absolute control.  He knows our situation, sees our pain, feels our pain, and has a plan.  His plan is not always what we want to happen, but we can trust that it is good because He cannot deny Himself.  He is a good Father. 

I heard this song on the radio that tough morning and it really encouraged me (and had me crying).  As I read over the words I find myself not just enjoying it, but making it my prayer and declaration.  Perhaps you'll do the same:

Letting go of every single dream
I lay each one down at Your feet
Every moment of my wandering
Never changes what You see

I’ve tried to win this war I confess
My hands are weary I need Your rest
Mighty Warrior, King of the fight
No matter what I face, You’re by my side

When You don’t move the mountains I’m needing You to move
When You don’t part the waters I wish I could walk through
When You don’t give the answers as I cry out to You
I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in You!

Truth is, You know what tomorrow brings
There’s not a day ahead You have not seen
So, in all things be my life and breath
I want what You want Lord and nothing less

When You don’t move the mountains I’m needing You to move
When You don’t part the waters I wish I could walk through
When You don’t give the answers as I cry out to You
I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in You!

You are my strength and comfort
You are my steady hand
You are my firm foundation; the rock on which I stand

Your ways are always higher
Your plans are always good
There’s not a place where I’ll go, You’ve not already stood

When You don’t move the mountains I’m needing You to move
When You don’t part the waters I wish I could walk through
When You don’t give the answers as I cry out to You
I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in You!

I will trust in You!
I will trust in You!
I will trust in You!

["Trust in You" by Lauren Daigle]

He Delights in Me

Comparison.  My greatest temptation and the one area of my life that brings me the most sorrow, disappointment, and displeasure.  Perhaps this isn't an area you struggle with, but it has been a lifelong issue for me.  I compare my abilities, possessions, relationships, accomplishments, etc.  Every act I perform is held up next to someone else's similar act to see if I measure up, to see if I'm good enough.  When my son was born I had so many things I wanted to do with him - things I wanted to teach him, show him, and experience with him.  And in many ways I have done much of what I hoped to . . . with one small problem.  Each thing I did carried with it a question - "how will this compare with what so-and-so did?"  My old nemesis had sneaked its way into my relationship with my son.  Instead of doing things simply to enjoy him and love him, I did it in response to what others were doing.  I have been told over and over again, as I'm sure many mothers are, to cherish this time.  It seemed like such a strange suggestion.  Of course I'm going to cherish the time I have with my son.  Why wouldn't I?  And that is truly what I hoped to do, but comparison chipped away.  Trying to measure up and be "super mom" took away from just enjoying him.  It robbed me of the joy in the moment.   

This morning as my little man napped I read this verse and it has been on my heart all day:

He led me to a place of safety; He rescued me because He delights in me. - 2 Samuel 22:20

Here's the truth, God delights in me.  He rescued me and saved me not because of what I could do for Him or because of what I own, but because He created me and loves me.  There is no comparison.  He sees me as I am and delights in me.  I don't have to measure up.  I don't have to compete.  The same goes for being a mom.  Comparison makes me forget that God gave my son to me.  He will lead me in how to raise him.  He will teach me how to love my son unconditionally.  And how He leads me will very likely be different from other moms.  Is it wrong?  No.  It is better?  No. Is it a competition?  No.  I can delight with God in how He uses other moms in the lives of their children as I stand in amazement at how God leads me to be mommy to my Caleb.


I feel like Paul where he essentially says, "I don't speak as someone who has it all together, but I press on towards the goal" (Philippians 3:12).  I don't have this figured out.  I still struggle with comparing myself to others.  But what I take hope in is that Christ has grace for me and He will continually lead me as I venture ever farther into mommyhood.

You are NOT alone!

The other day I was driving down the interstate with my little buddy in the backseat.  We were coming up to a particularly bad area known for traffic so I merged into the far left lane in hopes of sneaking by the worst of it.  I had just started thinking how few cars were on the road when we came over the hill and were met with parked traffic.  :(  Apparently there was a very bad accident up ahead that had closed all lanes.  So much for making good time.  No worries though, little guy was quietly playing with his toys . . . until we had sat there about five minutes.  Suddenly he was wailing.  I assured him I felt the same way about the traffic and understood he was getting hungry, but there was nothing I could do.  We were suck in the far left lane next to two semis.  As 10, 20, 30 minutes passed I started becoming frantic.  My little guy was clearly miserable, needed mommy to hold him, and we were stuck!  I tried to turn on my blinker, but the semis couldn't go anywhere.  Finally there was a bit of a break and I hoped beyond hope that someone in the lane next to us could see our predicament and would let me over . . . no such luck.  I ended up calling mom (aren't moms great) who in turn called the state police to see what I should do (we had no idea when traffic would let up, only that little man wouldn't stop until he was out of that seat).  Basically, they told me to turn on my blinker, lay on the horn, roll down the window and yell at people - whatever I had to do to get to the off-ramp.  If you happen to know my personally, you probably know that's not likely to happen.  But as the traffic began to move again, a mom in the car next to me had begun to notice what was going on and motioned for me to come in front of her to get off the interstate!  Thank you, Jesus, for this mom who understood!  Who not only understood, but risked being cut of by others to let me in!!

Ok, that was a long description, but do you know the feeling?  You're having a hard time with your child, whatever that may look like, and you just want someone to give you a sympathetic smile, a helping hand, or even just to not look at you in judgment?!  Thankfully I was the only one who was bothered by my little guy, but I needed someone to help, someone to notice and offer assistance.  I heard a story the other day of a lady who brought her baby girl on a plane and was met with judgmental stares and rude comments . . . until the woman next to her offered to help.  Suddenly, that mom didn't feel so alone anymore.  Didn't feel so judged, so helpless.

I'm fairly certain that if you're a mom, you've experienced that feeling.  So what do we do about it?

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. - I Thessalonians 5:11

In simple terms, help each other.  Look out for each other.  Rather than give judgmental stares or unwanted advice, offer a kind smile.  Ask if there is anything you can do to help.  Meet a visible need.  Be the mom who shows other moms they're not alone.  Let's build each other up!

And to the mom who let me over - THANK YOU!

Choices

Have you ever had a night where your sleep gets interrupted over and over?  If you're a mom I'm sure that answer is yes!  That was last night around this house.  My son is typically a GREAT sleeper.  He started sleeping through the night at eight weeks and only slept longer as he got older . . . until a few nights ago.  Apparently we've entered into something called the "four month sleep regression."  Basically, he stirs more often during the night and sometimes needs a little more encouragement (rocking typically) to get back to sleep.  We know this is a phase that we can help him maneuver through, but when your baby is screaming and crying at 4:30 in the morning you start to wonder if he'll ever sleep again!  Needless to say, we all got a little less sleep than we're used to last night.

Now to the very honest part, I am grumpy when I don't get enough sleep.  And, to be perfectly transparent, I am angry at whatever I feel like has robbed me of that sleep.  Follow that train of thought and I was not very pleased with my son.  As it came time to get him up for the day and I started towards his room I was stopped with a thought.  It doesn't have to be that way.  I have a choice.  I can either choose to be grumpy, focus on the lost sleep, stress out that my son has started a bad sleep habit OR I could recognize that today is a gift and take joy in it.  After all, I'll never get today back with him.  With this thought in mind I remembered how my mom describes my grandma waking them up in the mornings and took a page from her book.  As a wake up greeting and a reminder for mommy, I entered his room singing,

This is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made, that the Lord has made!  I will rejoice, I will rejoice and be glad in it! (Psalm 118:24)

It's not easy to make that decision, but I'm so glad I did.  So far our morning has been full of smiles, playtime, and my little one going down for a nap without any tears!  :)  I just may have to make that our every morning wake up!

Mommyhood

This was taken at our son's dedication.

Since my last entry on this blog I've celebrated two years of marriage to my best friend and welcomed a son into our family!  Clearly, it has been quite a while since I have felt prompted to write!  About a week ago I was folding my son's clothes as he napped in his crib and my husband did dishes downstairs when it suddenly dawned on me - this is my purpose!  Ok, not the folding clothes, but that's part of it too.  I realized how much joy I got out of doing things to take care of and encourage my family.  I love playing with my son, reading him stories, helping him learn to sit up, singing him songs, rocking him to sleep, even washing his cloth diapers and folding his clothes.  I love fixing dinner for my husband, keeping our home clean, decorating for the seasons, praying for us as a family, and making sure we have clean clothes in the drawers.  I love being a wife and a mommy!  And I've come to the realization that I need to share this joy . . . along with the struggles, challenges, good days, and bad days.

Let the whole world know what He has done.  Sing to Him; yes, sing His praises.  Tell everyone about His miracles . . . Search for the Lord and for His strength, and keep on searching. - I Chronicles 16:8-9, 11

This was my devotion the morning I really started to ask God whether I should attempt to start blogging again.  The idea had been on my mind for a couple weeks, but then I would think, "I don't write well," "when am I going to find time to do that," "what would I talk about anyway," and "what do I really have to share?"  Finally, I decided to ask God what He thought!  Haha!  (Bright idea, right?)  I prayed, explained to him all the reasons that I shouldn't even try it, and then turned to my Bible where I read the passage above.  Here's what it taught me:

1. Who cares how you write?  If you're following God's prompting He'll give you the words He wants on the page.

2. "Search for the Lord and for His strength."  Not mine.  He will give me the time and energy to write.  I don't need to stress about it.

3. Talk about "what He has done."  It's not that complicated.  Talk about what God is doing in my life, my son's life, and our family's life.  The good, the bad, the complicated.

4. What do you have to share?  "Tell everyone about His miracles."  My son is a miracle.  Every life is a miracle and everything God is doing in our lives is worth sharing. It is through sharing that we can both cry and rejoice together.  We grow together.

So here's my disclaimer.  My grammar is not great.  My mind doesn't always work in a linear fashion.  What I'm going through may not match your life at all.  But I'm going to do my best to be real, honest, and share the amazing things God is doing in our lives!  I will "sing to Him; yes, sing His praises!"