I'm a Mommy!

My youngest little boy is at a very funny stage where everything he says makes us laugh!Sometimes he really does bring tears to our eyes. This age is by far my favorite because of how his little personality is really coming out, and he's becoming his own person. He loves to joke and say things that he knows is not true just to get us picking at him. He told me the other day, in his sweetest, sneakiest little voice, "you're not a girl!"  Well, of course I had to rebute this statement! :)  I then asked him, "well, if I'm not a girl then what am I??"  He says in his "for-real" sweet voice, "you're a mommy."

Out of all the titles in this world I could have, "Mommy" is by far my favorite! As women we can wear many hats and take on many titles:  wife, daughter, neice, granddaughter, mother, friend, teacher, cook, housekeeper, etc...................  but there is something special about being called a Mommy. That title is personal and intimate. Any female is capable of carrying a child, but it takes someone really dedicated to become a mommy. Laying all selfish desires, and worldly wants down. I can't be focused on what's best for ME, and what I want anymore...their needs are greater than mine. I have been given this responsiblity by the Lord to raise these children the best way I know how, with His guidance. Of course, Eric is my partner in raising these boys, but being their mom is not a job I take lightly. I desire to teach them first and foremost the ways of the Lord, and the rest follows. Some days being a mommy is not easy, and I know that harder days are probably to come, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

"You shall love the Lord your God with all you heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up." --Deut. 6:5-7

This is why I'm home with them...to teach them!  I don't want the world views to overshadow their way of thinking. Yes, I believe they need to have a clear reality of the world, but the ways of the Lord should be on their hearts & minds so that they can distinguish the difference and make Godly choices.  This is my prayer for them!

I enjoy being their Mommy and all that goes along with it...playing cars, watching endless baseball games, kissing boo-boos, retrieving splinters, snotty-dirty kisses, and accepting that we will NEVER have a family dinner without someone passing gas or burping! :)
I pray that when they are grown they will look back on these days with fond memories. My desire is for them to "rise up and call me blessed" (Prov. 31:28) not for my own boasting, but just to know I've done my job and done it well.

Side Note:
I have to share that God is good! He provides in ways and through people that amaze me. He is ALWAYS right on time! We have been praying as a family for God's provisions financially, and He is showing my boys that He does answer prayers! I have to ask for His forgiveness for my doubt and unbelief. As soon as I really start to wonder where He is, He shows up and reminds me that it's all in His timing, and I'm impatient! :)  I'm thankful that He loves me anyway, despite all my imperfections.

Do I really have to wear a bathing suit?!?!

The boys, my mom, and myself went to the indoor waterpark, Wilderness at the Smokies, in Pigeon Forge, TN this week for a few days. It is a really AWESOME place! The boys absolutely loved the water slides and play areas...great trip any time of the year, but especially when it's cold outside.  The slides are in one area, so I could see the boys while they were going down them all, and the area for little ones was perfect for Jacob. The only down side---I HAD TO WEAR A BATHING SUIT!! My poor body is definitely not in shape like it should be, and has not seen the sun in approximately 2 years! This was a sight that most probably did not enjoy.

But, just to encourage myself...I looked around and really didn't see anyone that looked "good in a bathing suit". From "hefty" women in bikinis (really, a bikini?! and at a waterpark?!) to teenage girls with "muffin tops", teenage boys with the behind sagging trunks, and the worst of all.....men with hairy backs and chests!! OH MY! I saw things that my eyes are now scarred from!  Seriously, I'm not trying to be judgemental. I'm sure that as I walked around I was placed in a "category" by others, just like I was doing in my head. 

I came to a conclusion during all my observations.....there are NO Perfect People in this world!!  That's a profound statement, right!?! :) Everyone is as imperfect as I am...inside and out! But, PRAISE TO THE LORD, that we can all be made "perfect" through HIM! Thank goodness He only looks at the heart, and doesn't look at our outward appearances. (We should dress and act in a way that glorifies Him, with a modest fashion & clean mouth. But, when it comes to salvation--the inside is what matters.) Through Christ, our old selves (the unclean and imperfect) can be made new (clean & perfect)!  I thank Him daily for taking this Imperfect Female and using me for His Glory! May I always be about His business!

Here's a video of Natalie Grant singing her song, "Perfect People"....where I get my title of, Imperfect Female.  We all have our imperfections, but we serve of PERFECT GOD!

Leaves Changing

I'm sitting looking out the window at all the beautiful colors in the changing leaves. I love the cool crisp air and changing of seasons. Most people I know also loves to see one season come and go...can you believe it, we like CHANGE?!? :)
This makes me think about my life and the season I'm in, and where and how I need to change.

The colors are beginning to burst out!

We have personally been in a "winter season" for the past few months...dead emotionally, financially, and spiritually. But, I know that after the winter comes spring...when everything blooms again and becomes new. I'm looking forward and praising Him ahead of time for how He's going to allow spring to come in our lives.

Back to the real season we're in...FALL/AUTUMN (whichever you prefer to call it!)
I use to look at the leaves and think that they were dying...which they are, but do you know why??  The green material in plants is called chlorophyll, and without it they cannot make food, so they die. Plants also use the carbon dioxide in the air (which is deadly to us), and then give off oxygen which we need to live, along with sunlight to make their food, and this is the process of photosynthesis!  (3rd grade science lesson for you!) :) Learning about this whole process made me think about my own life. Am I drinking from the LIVING WATER? Am I getting enough SONlight? Am I breathing in HIS OXYGEN, or the deadly carbon dioxide from this world? Without these things, I will die too! I want to be alive in Christ and living for Him!

From another perspective......I like to think of the leaves changing colors as not dying, but bursting forth with brilliant, bold colors as in effort to Praise the Lord! So, in this case I want to be a bright RED or ORANGE colored leaf that is glowing with the spirit of Christ in me. So, what are you? A dying leaf or one bursting out with color shining for Jesus?!?

Do Everything...

Do everything as unto the Lord....

Boy, is this a hard thing to do sometimes! In this song by Steven Curtis Chapman he mentions things that I do everday and it gets really boring sometimes. I have to stop and remind myself daily, that the Lord has called me to be at home as a mom and homeschool teacher.  I try not to take for granted that I have the freedom to school my boys at home, and that God provides for us financially for me to do this. 

Through all of the mundane tasks of the day....get up, fix breakfast, clean the kitchen, start school, change Jacob's diaper, get him settled on something, continue school, try to get Jacob to use the potty, more school, then lunch time---fix it, clean up, think about supper and prepare, housework, laundry, finish reading/school work, nap time for Jacob---finally! :)  Supper time--fix it, clean up. Bath time, fold laundry, and BEDTIME for boys!! Then, FINALLY maybe 30 minutes for Eric and I to sit and talk if we're not too exhausted from the day! HA! ...it can be EXTREMELY hard to do all these tasks unto the Lord.

Does He really care if I smile while changing a dirty diaper? Should I really be rejoicing when I have to explain school work for the 100th time to the boys? How can I possibly skip through the house while doing laundry?  Should I be singing praises while in the kitchen where I sometimes feel like a short-order cook?

Well, I may not need to be doing everything with a smile, singing, or rejoicing, but I should do it as if it REALLY does matter....because it does! This is the job that the Lord has given me, and no matter if I were at home or in a public job, it would all become mundane at some point.

I have just come to realize that EVERYTHING we do is important to God...no matter how big or small it seems. We should perform all tasks to the best of our ability, with our whole heart, to be pleasing to the Lord.  I am thankful that He didn't do His "job" halfway. He put His whole heart into everything He did! He even gave His own life for us! How can I complain about my silly little daily tasks?!?!

So, no matter where you are or what you do everyday, try to do it in a way that is pleasing to the Lord. Even if you are just wiping noses and bottoms all day!

Jehovah Jirah! The Lord Provides!

We are in a trying, trusting time right now. After Eric's resignation from the church, we have not had a "steady" income, but our bills are paid and we're able to eat! :)  We hated the fact that our main source of income was from the church, but that's just how it was since I'm at home with our boys. (which I wouldn't give up for anything...that will be another post!) 
This past Sunday after coming home from church, the boys realized that the front tire on my vehicle was busted, completely flat! How did this happen?!?!  Just sitting in the driveway! Of course I got a little emotional. This was something that was going to have to be fixed that we didn't have the money for.  Well, Eric being the optimistic (trusting) one, told me not to worry, that God knew that tire was going to be flat before we did, and just to be thankful that we were home and that it didn't blow while driving down the road. Ok, ok....I know all of that, but my faith and trust does lack sometimes. That's why I love when God really shows me how good He is!
Monday morning Eric took the tire to a local guy to be checked out. In the meantime, Eric came home for lunch from a job he was doing. (Praise the Lord he had a job that pays!) When he went to leave his truch wouldn't start!! I would have loved to have seen his face at that moment!  He said he sat there and thought....it's the battery, but he couldn't pull mine over to jump it off to see for sure that's what was wrong, it was on jacks missing a tire! HA! HA!  (Sometimes we do have to laugh! "A joyful heart is a good medicine...--Prov.17:22) So, he called my mom and got her vehicle to jump his truck off.  He went to my dad's store.....a guy had just left after purchasing a new battery for himself. Turns out that his battery wasn't actually bad. Something else was wrong, but he insisted on a new one.. So to our advantage his battery was good and gues what?!?!?  It fit Eric's truck perfectly and worked liked a charm! A FREE BATTERY!!  Saving us around $60.00!!  GOD IS GOOD!!!! 
Later in the evening the guy had my tire fixed. Thankfully it was a tiny hole that he was able to plug, and did it for FREE!! 
I say all of this to say this.....
Sometimes we do forget how gracious and merciful our God is, and that He is concerned about the "little" things in our lives. Every detail matters. He does care, and wants what's best for us. He does know the things we're going through and are going to face. He just wants us to trust Him. Put into action the things we always tell everyone else when their facing trials. It's easy to talk the talk of faith, but how well do we do walking it??