No matter what
Last night as we sat around the dinner table we began discussing what my husband would teach at Awana tonight. He was tossing around a couple of ideas but had nothing concrete yet. Lilla was listening in so I asked her what she thought Daddy should teach. Here is a little window to the conversation:
Me: Lilla, what do you think Daddy should teach on?
Lilla: Noah.
Me: Noah? Well, Noah is a good story but what is the lesson in Noah? (I’m thinking she’s going to say something about rainbows or God’s faithfulness at this point.)
Lilla: No matter what happens you should always listen to God. Even if your friends make fun of you, you should still do what he says.
Me: We really should.
Lilla: Yes, because you know, everyone was probably laughing that he’s building this boat but he kept right on building it. We should do that too, just keep doing what he says.
Michael and I just stared at her for a second, trying to take in what she just said.
Oh, and Michael has a lesson plan.
Pondering
As I peruse facebook, so often I see posts from mom’s and dad’s about how their child won the jump roping the world competition or spelled the longest word in the dictionary with no repeated letters (Uncopyrightable) or how their 1 year old has gone #2, 2 1/2 times that day. (TMI people, TMI!!)
Thank you God
Lately I have been feeling, and if I’m honest, acting, very negatively. It seems everything that comes out of my mouth is negative, I’m harsh with my family, I’m easily irritated with friends, I’m annoyed with the too slow cashier at Wal-Mart, I’m bothered by the sun shining too bright in my eyes, I’m enraged by the driver next to me that is tailing somebody far too close. The list can go on and on. I’m just negative. And frankly, I haven’t liked me lately.
I don’t think many have liked me lately. And the worst part is I notice it passing down to my children. I notice when I am negative they start to be negative too. Particularly Lilla. And it makes me sad. I want my girls to experience the freedom and joy that comes from a life of no negativity.
So I’ve been evaluating why. Why am I so irritated with my husband’s innocent comment about dinner, why do I get angry when I see the crayons spilled all over the living room floor, why do I roll my eyes when I see certain phone numbers on my caller ID, why am I annoyed that everyone has the same struggles on a different day, why does it seem I’m the only one struggling with what I am and everyone else seems to have it easier? Negativity.
It has creeped in and stole so much joy. So much joy. I’m not able to laugh with my children wholeheartedly, I’m not able to enjoy the sun filled days like I should, I’m not able to hear God’s whispers, I’m not able to show grace and mercy. Joy stolen.
So how do I get the joy back? Gratefulness. Thankfulness. Appreciation. I believe when I am focusing on all of the crappy stuff of the world it makes it pretty difficult to focus on all the precious, lovely, many blessings God has given.
Romans 8:5-8
The Message (MSG)Those who think they can do it on their own end up obsessed with measuring their own moral muscle but never get around to exercising it in real life. Those who trust God’s action in them find that God’s Spirit is in them—living and breathing God! Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life. Focusing on the self is the opposite of focusing on God. Anyone completely absorbed in self ignores God, ends up thinking more about self than God. That person ignores who God is and what he is doing. And God isn’t pleased at being ignored.
So last night, as I sat pushing my little one on the swing I decided to just start thanking God. Thank you God for a beautiful night, thank you for the green grass, thank you God for the birds chirping a lovely song…and what I noticed was Anna repeating all those things after me. Just yelling out into the air, THANK YOU GOD. She didn’t care who could hear her, she just said it with her whole heart. My thankfulness and gratefulness passed down to Anna. Thank you God.
Psalm 23:5, “My cup overflows.”
blessed
Tick, tock
Yesterday, I had one of those experiences that just makes time stand still. Takes your breath away and pulls you back in time. 23 years, to be exact.
Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. James 4:14
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6
If you have not made a commitment to this God that loves you and are interested in finding out more, please do not waste another moment. Life is just so short and we are not promised tomorrow.
Here is a great link to tell you more about it. http://www.areyouagoodperson.org/
I’m praying for you, dear reader. I’m praying if not already, today would be your day of salvation.
Ultimate Blog Party 2012
This is my six year old daughter, Lilla. I homeschool her in first grade this year. She is interested in everything pink, ballet and God. Lilla is always making us think with the things she says. She is very bright, very thoughtful and very interested in life.
We recently obtained 8 baby hens. They bring lots of entertainment to our house too. Particularly to our dog!
They are getting ready to be put in the hen house and I’m ready to have them out of my garage!
We have had the privelage of homeschooling our children since the beginning. We are currently working on 1st grade with Lilla and preschool with Anna is just starting.
My girls are the heart of our home! They make our home come alive each and every day.
My husband, Michael, and I have been married for 8 years. He’s a great guy that is a wonderful provider and friend. He loves God, his family and his country. My oldest is a mini me of my husband.
Our youngest is my mini me.
Now that you’ve been introduced to us, I’ll tell you about my blog. I write when I have time, which doesn’t seem like much lately. I like to write about the things though that make me think, make me laugh or that I think would be helpful to others. I also like to record special things in my kids lives.
I hope you will take a minute to say hi and let me know you stopped by so I can say hi to you too!
So full.
I would
Love is all you need
Tomorrow we are going to celebrate the birthday of my first born, my peanut, my little love. 6 years? What? I can’t even process that right now. It was yesterday at this time I was laying in a hospital, waiting, and waiting and waiting for something, anything to happen. Yesterday.