Monday’s gratitude list……..

I am sitting here on this Monday morning in an empty house.  It is a strange feeling, but a very needed break.  I get a whole hour and a half to myself today.  My desk is situated in the nicest spot, in my opinion of the house.  I get a wonderful view out my front window.  There are trees, sunshine and a view at my fenced in yard.  I can hear the birds and watch the squirrels scampering about looking for their winter food,  My tomato plants are still looking great loving this warm end to September.  The smell of rain is still in the air, but it is drying up. 

I love nature and I worship the creator of it!  The Lord must love beautiful things.  Since we are made in His image it is no wonder that there is all of this beauty and that we love it.  Just putting two and two together. 

I am continuing my gratitude list today.  It has been a little while since I have added to it. 

 

190~210

~My children~

~The beauty I see outside my window~

~eating a meal with my boys and best friend and then staying up until 1 am visiting with her and enjoying a Jane Austen movie~

enjoying the giant pickles

~that my children can be so silly that they make me laugh and light hearted~

~enjoying a morning visit with my mother-in-law Saturday~

~lunch out with my best friend and a sweet little girl I miss so much~

~A worship song sung over me by the Lord (through a lovely singer) about how much he loves me and wants to be with me~

~and that I have it in my iTunes library to play anytime I want to (My Beloved by Kari Jobe)~check it out if you want to know how the Lord feels about and sees you!

~watching my baby boy being touched by the Holy Spirit and responding to a tug at his heart to be closer to the Lord~

~seeing myself even more for who God sees and being able to look at my image in the mirror and seeing beauty.  He made me how I am and He sees beauty and perfection.  Healing of the mind is wonderful~

~teaching my children this~

~learning something knew about the Bible as I was teaching the Kid’s Church yesterday….guess the teacher was also the student and always will be~

~A quiet rainy Sunday afternoon spent with my boys playing a game~

~the sun shining through my window as I read the word of the Lord and listen to Worship music~

~that the Lord orchestrates time off for me that I so desperately need, even if it is only an hour or two~

~my friends thinking of me as my husband is away and checking in on me yesterday~

~the beauty of the word of the Lord~

~this flower made by my son for me~

~my boys and I are no longer sick~

~my husband will be home tomorrow evening~

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Psalms 139 is my verse of choice today

I wonder if that is how God sees me???

My favorite thing about my job as a daycare provider also about being a Mom, besides the hugs, is watching when a child learns a new thing.  I am watching a little boy that is about 21 months old and the last couple of weeks have been fun.  He is learning his words, instead of screaming to get what he wants.  He is learning his colors and about his world.  The best is watching him “read”.  His favorite activity is to sit with a book on his lap and chatter to me about what it might say.  I only understand a few of the words, but the stories are great!

He is learning that if he turns a basket upside down then the things inside will fall out.  If he gets hurt I will pick him up, say its ok and he will go about his day-usually doing the same thing that got him hurt in the first place.  Hmm that sounds familiar.  Right now his needs are basic.  He needs love, comfort, food, clean diapers and someone who is understanding. 

The next stage of kids are the Pre-school/Kindergarten.  They need me in their minds less, but they also need me more.  They have a definite view of life and that it revolves around them.  Man they are cute though!  This is when they are learning what words mean, how to play make believe with another child, and how to let go of needing Mom or their caregiver for everything.  They still run to you for comfort if they get hurt, but nothing solves hurts better than that invention called a band aide.  They question all that you do or say, but that is part of the learning process.

Both of these stages you can have great conversations with, but I am learning that the ages that come next especially since it is my kids is the school age.  The opinions have knowledge behind them, sometimes they only have enough knowledge to think they know better than Mom.  I love to visit with my kids and see what they are thinking.  I love to teach them the “deeper” part of things.  The light bulb still goes off with new discoveries just like the toddler.  The hugs are still there, but happen at sweet and unexpected times.

Children fascinate me.  My favorite thing to do is sit down, ask them a question and then just let them talk.  You can learn so much about how they think, if what you taught them they got or do you need to re-teach them.  I know that God has done this with me.  Lets me talk and think and then steps in and re-teaches me.  If I get hurt he patches me up and if I do the same thing again he re patches.  He delights when I run to him, just for a hug.  Just to know that he is still there.  Still in control, even though in my childish way I am trying to be in control.  I read his word and pray for understanding, so he calmly and gently puts me on the right path to understanding-sometimes a few time over again.

Psalms 139

Sometimes I look around and realize that life is not how I planned it.  People I was always close to are gone, or at least not a part of my daily life.  Friends come and go-friends that you always thought you would be close to.  You move from one house, school, Church to another.  Life changes just like the sand after the waves hit it.  It is something that you know will happen, but are you ready for it.  Have you ever stood on the sand as the wave is going back out to sea and felt it slowly coming out from under your feet.  You can try to dig your toes in deeper or let it go and see where it takes you.  There is only one constant in my life that has never changed and has been there since my conception and that is God. 

Psalm 139:1-18 (New Living Translation)

Psalm 139

For the choir director: A psalm of David.

¹ O Lord, you have examined my heart
      and know everything about me.
² You know when I sit down or stand up.
      You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
³ You see me when I travel
      and when I rest at home.
      You know everything I do.
⁴ You know what I am going to say
      even before I say it, Lord.
⁵ You go before me and follow me.
      You place your hand of blessing on my head.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
      too great for me to understand!

⁷ I can never escape from your Spirit!
      I can never get away from your presence!
⁸ If I go up to heaven, you are there;
      if I go down to the grave,^[a] you are there.
⁹ If I ride the wings of the morning,
      if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me,
      and your strength will support me.
¹¹ I could ask the darkness to hide me
      and the light around me to become night—
¹² but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
   To you the night shines as bright as day.
      Darkness and light are the same to you.

¹³ You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
      and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
      Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
¹⁵ You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
      as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
¹⁶ You saw me before I was born.
      Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
   Every moment was laid out
      before a single day had passed.

¹⁷ How precious are your thoughts about me,^[b] O God.
      They cannot be numbered!
¹⁸ I can’t even count them;
      they outnumber the grains of sand!
   And when I wake up,
      you are still with me!

I find comfort in this knowledge and am very thankful.  Life isn’t the way I thought it would be and that is ok because His ways are perfect.  I am who He made and I will do what He says I should do.

books :) Another funny blog about us

From the time I was a child until I was married for about 5 years I hated reading.  The schools would make me read to do book reports, so I would read the Ramona books or books about cats.  The good news is that there are about 8 Ramona books and numerous cat books in school libraries, plus we moved to a few different schools, so I was able to do the same reports for different schools.  Now I wouldn’t recommend this to children for many reasons, but that is what I did. I hated to read.  It didn’t catch up to me until about 7th-8th grade when they wanted me to read at my grade level.  Well I was stubborn and refused to read any more than they said I had to. 

I then expanded my reading list to Anne of Green Gables and all the following books written by Lucy Maud Montgomery as well as the Love comes Softly Books by Janette Oke.  Also the book An Old fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott. I would read the books that the school made me read plus these books over and over and over.  I read them all so often that I had to buy them a couple of times because they were falling apart.

Then I married into a family of literature lovers and readers!  Oh no, how was I going to fit into this family.  Every time we all got together, for a long weekend or a vacation, we would visit, eat and then a couple of people would find a corner and read.  My husband spends about 22 hours a day reading….not a joke.  He once ran his bicycle into a pick-up because he was reading and riding (don’t tell him I told you).  My son started reading fluently at 2 1/2 –3 years old.  I was lost and didn't know what to do.  I tried to pick up a liking for reading, but it wasn’t happening, so I would just reread the same books over and over.  I could tell you all of the stories, probably word for word. 

Then one day about 8 years ago I picked up a new book and I loved it.  It only took me a couple of days to read.  I then read another book, and another, and another.  I ran out of books.  Then the library became my friend and then I started buying books.  I have also joined book clubs.

This has carried on to the point, that now if I have extra money I am looking through Amazon.com and Christian books.com.  My favorite stories are Christian based 1800 love stories.  I will always have a special place for Ramona, Anne and Polly, but I am so glad that my interests have expanded.  There was a whole world out there to explore.

I never understood my husband and his need to have so many books.  Now I do.   I love the feel of holding a book, the smell of an old or new book and not knowing what you will find between the front and back covers.   Between my husband, myself and our boys, we could probably open a book store…..that is if any of us are willing to sell any.  You see that is the other thing.  We keep all of our books!  Jason especially.  My room could be a library.  We have several book cases and totes full.  I love to read books and give them away if I find the right person for the book (if it is a favorite, then I will buy it again). 

So if you want to know what we are doing at any given time, the answer is reading. 

The huge question now is what will a family of 4, that love to collect books do when faced with the question….to buy an e-reader or not?  It would of course mean more than just one or two…we all read at the same time.   :)  I am not sure how that will be answered.  I am scared to find out, since it is a spendy investment.  It would definitely save us luggage space when we travel  lol

missed opportunities

I was sitting at a school waiting to pick a child up after her day of classes.  While doing this I was watching people.  This is one of my hobbies.  There were kids and parents going here and there, most in too big of a hurry.  A woman and her child caught my eye.  She reached down in a motion that the child mistaken, as did I, for a hug, but that is not what she was doing.  The woman was only trying to take off the the little boys back pack so he could get into the car, but if she had been looking down at him and not been in such a big hurry she could have had a great hug. 

What a sad missed opportunity, but that isn’t what I was thinking.  What I was thinking was how many missed opportunities have I had with my kids, my daycare kids and the kids I minister to at Church.  Also missed opportunities with visiting with my husband, family and friends.  Most importantly with God.  I missed a huge opportunity of spending time with God this morning and almost forgot to wish my son a Happy Birthday.  I was too consumed with worry over our finances.  Last night we were hit with a surprise, but instead of hitting my knees and asking God to help us figure out what to do I got on my worrying hat and tried to bite my nails down to almost nothing.  What did that accomplish, just a sleepless night, lots of tears and almost missing the most important day of my 9 year olds life.  I am so grateful that I remembered and gave him is birthday hug before school.

We got the boys off to school, unfortunately due to my tears they were worried about me all day, so I had to explain to them that all was ok.  They should never have known that we had even the slightest worry today, since it turned out to be just fine.  I quickly fixed my priorities.  I went to God and to God’s word.  I asked a wonderful friend to pray for us today as we worked through our problems with God’s help.

During my break I balanced and checked and did all the bookwork to figure out what was needed to be done.  We were fine, tight but fine.  When we don’t let God handle the “stuff” in our lives we get overwhelmed and needlessly worry.  I had procrastinated on things I should have stayed on top of and so the problem was bigger in my mind then in reality.   God is in control and is taking care of us.  This is his promise to his people, made so long ago.

After getting my mind put back together I decided to ambush my son with love after school.  I heard him get home and got to where he couldn’t see me.  I bounded out of the house yelling HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!  Then I grabbed him and kissed him all over the face.  Then found out how his day was.  I then let him know that I was sorry that I got him worried this morning.  We had a great after school visit about all that he did.  I plan to never miss another hug or talking opportunity with either of my son’s.  I plan on never missing one with my husband or other people.  I especially plan on never missing one with God.

Now to ambush the other boy, since I can hear him opening the gate now lol

Happy 12th Birthday Eric!!!!!

12 years 9months and 2 weeks ago an angel was sent into my life that would help the Lord to change me, my life and the life of many others.

 

 

When I delivered my boy on September 9th, 1998 he was 9lbs 4oz and I had lost about 40 lbs in 7 minutes.  LOL  HE WAS BIG, but even bigger were the blue eyes at looked up at me.  I knew that this child needed me, but I didn’t realize until much later how much I needed him. 

 

When you see my son the first thing you see is that he looks like my father, but when you talk to him, he is just like his Dad.

 

Eric is a reader, a thinker and a dreamer.  He loves deeply and fights even harder for those he loves.  I know that God has set my son apart special.  I know that the struggles Eric faces now in life, God intends to use for HIS purpose.  My boy is unique, special and amazing. 

 

The meaning of the name Eric is Always Ruler

Being a new Mom this year!

I am a Mom.  That sentence all on its own sounds like nothing, until you get a look at the “job” description.  I am a professional dish washer, laundry washer, sweeper and at vacuuming.   I am an “expert” in math, reading, writing and anything else the teacher throw at me.  I am an expert in behavior issues, health issues and again anything else that can come at me in a day.

The most important part of my “job” is that my children learn about the Lord. I am to teach them how to serve Him and have a relationship with him.  Part of this is to lead by example and the other is to teach them.  My favorite time with my boys is when we are in the car driving somewhere.  I like to talk to them.  To make them think and to teach them.  We talk about everything from what the mountain ranges are called, what is to the east or west of us, what they want to be when they grow up, to how to talk to God.  The list goes on and on.  When we are not talking we are singing or just enjoying the view.

This year, as I keep stating, is the year of letting go.  I am letting go of the reigns a little and giving them more responsibility.  They are going to learn that with responsibility comes rewards and consequences.   I have posted in each of their rooms a responsibility chart that tells them what they need to do each day and what time they have to be where.  I have also bought them alarm clocks and watches.  They will be rewarded when I don’t have to remind them or give them warnings and of course the opposite when I have to.  My plan is to wait until they get home from school to talk about how they did in the morning and at school to decided weather or not they get their reward or punishment.  My goal there is to make sure that what happens in the morning doesn’t effect their school day.  Such as today, my youngest will not be happy with no computer after school today, but morning routine should go better tomorrow :)

So far it is going well and the learning has started.  We are taking it one step at a time.  I am going about this with a lot of prayer and patience.  I am armed with the Word of God, books by amazing people-Stormie Omartian, Dr. Dobson, Dr. Kevin Leman and others- and my experience of 12 years.  I know that they are going to grow a lot this year by my letting go and letting God be in control.  I also feel that I am going to grow a lot this.  I see changes in all of us this year!

 

Proverbs 22:6
Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.