Share your thoughts

I should be cleaning the house in preparation for whoever may decide to come and look this weekend, but...I am struggling to be in the mood and find the energy! My man took the kids out for donuts and then they came by to get the Gator and ride to the park. It is so quiet and peaceful and I just want to lounge. So here I am...

More details on the beach trip...I enjoyed so much the fellowship we had with each other and with the Lord. We have decided to take #1 out of the Christian school where he is enrolled for the fall, take #2 out of the preschool where he is enrolled for the fall and homeschool. I really must admit that I do it wondering how it will out work out, but I can honestly say that I am confident that the Lord wants me to set my fears aside and trust Him. He would not let me release my desire to homeschool! No matter how many obvious advantages there are to putting them in school (i.e. having a new baby, moving to a new house, husband starting new company at home). I know my family and some friends may think I am crazy, but being in His will really is the best place in the world to be, isn't it?

So for you all who homeschool or are thinking of doing so, here is the curriculum I am using for #1. For phonics, writing and literature we will use Veritas Press. (It's a classical curriculum that is rich in literature and humanities.) For math I am deciding between Horizons and Math-U-See. For music we will use Classical Kids once a week and maybe start piano. For art I am using Drawing With Children and a series of books from Veritas Press on various artists. I am going to follow the read-aloud program mapped out by Sonlight. For Science and History I am creating my own units. I got on such a kick at the beach that I have August through November planned already! We are studying animals in August, including birds, farm animals and zoo animals. We will take field trips to the farmer's market, a farm and the zoo. In September we study the ocean and apples. We will go to the aquarium and an apple orchard. In October we study fall things, leaves, harvest, pumpkins, scarecrows, etc. We will have a fall party and take our annual trip to North Carolina to see the fall folliage and go to the pumpkin patch, etc. In November we will study nursery rhymes and Thanksgiving. We will have a Thanksgiving party. I am excited about all of the curriculum, but I am most excited about the unit studies. As a former teacher, it is exciting to plan my own units. Each day mainly consists of reading a book on the topic and then doing a project. Sometimes the project involves building or artwork or a game. For example, we will make a barn out of a refrigerator box and write a play when we study farms. When we study apples we will go apple bobbing. When we study birds the kids will make bird houses with their Daddy. I hope we can do all of the fun things that I have imagined in my head!

So here is our schedule. **If I am boring you to death I am so sorry! I just know that I love to see other homeschooler's ideas and I am on a kick, so I am sharing it all!

8:00 Breakfast and Bible time with the kids(We should all be showered, dressed and have beds made by now!)
8:30 Morning chores (Laundry, bills, email, dishes)
9:00 School
-pray
-fine motor activity (lacing, beading, legos, etc.)
9:15 Math lesson
-#2 will listen to lesson, do his own workbook
9:45 Snack/Mom read-aloud
10:00 Phonics/Writing lesson
-#2 will do his own workbook and practice beginning writing
10:30 Literature
-#1 will read-aloud to #2 and then answer comprehension quesitons
11:00 Go outside and play or ride bikes
11:30 Unit study and project
12:00 Lunch
12:30 Free play/Mom folds laundry
1:00 Rest
2:00 M-Drawing lesson
T-Errands
W-Field trip or playdate
H-Music lesson
F-Mercy ministry or library
The rest of the day is for play, play, play!!! I am looking into a support group and classes at this church. These classes offer fun ways to get together with friends who are homeschooled. They have p.e., music, art, etc. We will probably not play a sport until the spring. Both the boys want to baseball. Any way, there you have it...our fall in a nutshell. We will be starting school on August 7th so that we can take a 2 week break to welcome our sweet #3 into the mix. We'll see how that transition goes and if 2 weeks is enough! If you homeschool, share your thoughts and ideas with me!!

Beach pictures

Back from the beach

We had the most wonderful time. I try not to have unrealistic expectations of vacation. I never know when someone will come down with a virus or when it will rain out all of our plans. All I knew was that I needed time to pray, rain or shine, sick or well. God graciously gave me that time and so much more!

I'll post more pics later, but this week went off without a hitch! The weather was beautiful. Somewhat mild for the beach, but plenty of sun. And the kids had a blast. Everyone was happy and well. The highlights for us as a family were playing with the sand and ocean, finding sand dollars, catching crab at night, exploring the fort, fishing with Daddy, and becoming fearless in the ocean. We also enjoyed a beautiful restaurant where the entire center of the facility is a big sand hill with toys for children to play. #1 learned how to drive his own go-cart and #2 got a crash course in mini-golf. I got to sleep in a lot and have quiet time alone when the boys napped. And my man got to go fishing every day. All in all, we all had time to do what we wanted to do and relax.

God was gracious also to answer my prayers and give me direction for this coming year (I refer to the coming year as beginning in September). I enjoyed reading many Psalms, Proverbs and the book of Matthew. We sang lots of praise songs together, my man brought his guitar. What a week! I'll post more specifics later. I hope you all are also having a nice summer!

Leaps

Today we are gearing up for a quick trip to the beach. We go to this same area most years. We rent a small house, it is secluded, and it is near a fort where the kids can play at the "castle" for hours on end. My man goes fishing, the kids swim and look for crabs, and I paint or scrapbook and bask in the sun. We'll take long walks and play dozens of board games. We usually read a book together and ten million to the children.

Our agenda is really special this year, though, and I am so excited. My husband wants to go and really focus on a vision for our family (beginning after the baby comes...we are on cruise control until then!). We have been working on this "vision" for the past year. God is at work in the life of our little family. He has been so gracious to reveal where our gifts are at church and then allow us ministry opportunities in those areas. We could sense His desire for us to have another baby and he has blessed us with this pregnancy. We could sense His calling my man to quit his job, as I talked about in an earlier post, and we have just enjoyed his first week of working at home. And now we are making decisions about other ministries he would have us to be involved in, including homeschooling. We had made a decision to put #1 in school at our church where there is a small K-8 school. I felt pretty good about it, although I had many doubts. (Not about the school, but about the "fit".) And then one day a couple of weeks back, my man says, "This school decision is not "us".)

So there we were, dazed and confused. But decision time is now. So we are going to go to one of our favorite quiet spots and listen to God. Isn't it a thrill to be in His presence and listen? I have a feeling we will be taking another leap of faith. I pray that God will be glorified as we seek to honor Him. So...signing out until Wednesday!

Magical

Tonight was a wonderful summer night. After a cookout with burgers, corn on the cob, beans and pickles, we went outside. The boys ended up running in the sprinkler, playing catch with the older neighbors and riding bikes. #2 rode his tricycle all the way to the cul-de-sac, which is a long way for him. My man played his guitar on the porch and I sat in a lawn chair and soaked it all up. We got to see the sun set and the moon appear. We saw our first fireflies. It was sortof magical. *Sidenote: I am convinced that #1 needs to succumb to a regular afternoon nap. We go swimming most mornings and if he will nap in the afternoon then we can enjoy many more evenings together like this. I'm not sure how to convince a five year old that he needs to revisit the nap era, but we were all glad that he did today.

Anyway, the kids were enjoying dessert in the yard when #1 told me a funny story. He is always making up stories in his head and telling them to himself or whoever will listen. This one was about our house. He named the house "Jackie", which just so happens to be the name of our current real estate agent. Well, he tells me that our house is really a house person. The roof is her hair, the windows are her eyes, the bricks are her skin, and the door is her mouth. When we go inside Jackie, we are really inside her body. He ends with, "My bedroom is her brains. I think the playroom is her heart. The pipes are her blood vessels." The story took a turn for the worse at this point when he said in an eery voice, "And the trees in our yard are monsters...and they grab Jackie, and..." Then my husband started playing eery music on the guitar and they came up with a song about our house, Jackie.

I'm not sure why I shared all of that except that it may prove once and for all what has come out of our mouth several times this week. We are a crazy family! Oh, and I love early summer. Have I mentioned that already?

Mapping out our course

The past two weeks have been full of ups and downs. I feel like I need a vacation! My man turned in his resignation at work. He plans to work at home doing the same type of consulting. He chose to do this to cut back on his work hours so that he can teach a few science classes at a homeschool co-op, begin to fundraise for the retreat center that we dream of opening, and spend more time with us. All in all, this career change is something we have dreamed of for several years and knowing that the time is finally here is a strange feeling. To make a long story short, his boss went from being fuming angry to completely supportive of his career change. It is awesome to see God work in the hearts of others! So anyway, today is his last day at the office.

We have seen God open major doors in providing us the opportunity to pursue our big dream of having a retreat center. Several extremely wealthy people have expressed an interest in hearing our vision and contributing financially. I am biased, but I believe the passion and determination that my man speaks with when he is talking about this dream of his is enough to convince anyone to want to be on board. So now we are trying to decide how to steer our family in that direction. (We realize that we may not see this longing fulfilled for many years, but we still believe we need to be working toward it.) We need to pray about where to live and how to school the children. There is a lot on our decision-making plate and the time to make these decisions is now! I could go into great detail, but I guess the point is that we need to be covered in prayer. In a month, all of these decisions will be made and we will be living somewhere else preparing for the school year. I am excited and thrilled to see what God has waiting for us this year. I feel more anxiety about unmade decisions than actual changes. Once we have a clear vision of where we are going and what this year will look like for our family then I will be more at peace. It feels so incredibly encouraging to know the God of the universe has our future mapped out and that he is truly going to give us the best thing for our relationship with Him. I keep thinking of the verse in Proverbs, "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps."

So if you think of it, pray for our family today!

The lazy days of summer

I had a "girls night out" with two of my closest friends last night. Our conversation spurred on some thoughts and reflections that I will share soon. But tonight I feel lazy and just want to find my favorite blue blanket and soft pjs.

First, I need to say that I love summer. I am six months pregnant and will probably be hating this hot season soon. But right now spending time with the boys at the pool (I secretly love to go down the water slide as much as they do), eating popsicles, reading the day away and seeing their beautiful blue eyes sparkle against their freshly tan faces is enough to overshadow the heat.

So, here is my quote for the day. It is taken from #1. I was cleaning his ears with q-tip after bath time and he shouted, "Momma, please don't scoop all my brains out. I will die." He was actually serious and not making a joke. I think he's been reading too many Magic School bus books!

Potter's bench

Here's the potter's bench. Read my entry below for explanation.

#3's nursery...give me your advice!

Today our house was peaceful and quiet. The boys went hiking with my sweetie. I cleaned the house and then headed out to shop. I am buying tidbits for #3's nursery. Sidenote, I am really not good with computers and can not figure out how to create a link, so there are a ton of pictures up top. Sorry!

Anyway, I pictured above what I have bought or picked out so far. My question is, see the potter's bench below? I know it is normally found in the yard for gardening, but what do you think about my husband making a similar one for a changing table? I can just picture it with pails and baskets of toys, diapers, etc. We would paint is white with maybe a yellow backing. Is that weird? So far the theme of the room seems to be garden-ish, flowers, songbirds, butterflies. I thought the potters bench would be unique and fun. I am also planning to create a large butterfly painting in oils and a little painting of a nest with robin eggs as well. The walls will be pale pink. Any other suggestions? This girl stuff is fun!!

Smitten

We have had so much fun preparing for sweet #3. Above is a picture of all the clothes that have been given as "hand-me-downs" from friends and family. We have bought 3 dresses, but the rest has been given out of love and excitement. Can you believe that? I am overwhelmed by how much she is loved and prayed for already. I am enamored by the way her brothers think of her and protect her, even now. I absolutely can not wait to meet her.

Here is what the boys had to say about her at dinner last night:
#1:Mom, I can't wait for the fall (autumn) for you. Then you won't be so uncomfortable or get so hot! And you'll feel so good when we meet our baby.
#2:And Mama. My baby's coming out of my po-po soon, guys! Did you hear me? It's gonna be comin' soon!

Leave it to #2, right? I can't imagine having two older brothers. I had one that I completely adored...but two? She is a prized possession already to them. They already have their opinions of how to "parent" her. #1 insists that we "not feed her breastmilk, but formula" because "there are hearts on the can and she will love that!" He also has opinions about what she can and can not wear...blue and green are out for her because, afterall, she is a girl! I think about how blessed she will be to enter into a family where we all want and love her so incredibly much. She is truly our sweet joy!

#2 discovers the toaster

Well, we've put our new summer schedule into play. Basically, it begins at 7:00 when the kids get an hour of cartoons in the morning while I take a shower, make my bed, put a load of clothes in, etc. My little #2 is no longer entertained very often by the tube. So this is the second time he has resorted to trying to make his own breakfast. I adore his engineer-like abilities, but he could have potentially caught the house on fire this time! Above is the picture of the instant oatmeal packet that he tried to toast in the toaster. As I was gathering library books from around the house I smelled a burnt smell. I immediately knew he was involved! When I went into the kitchen he said, "Look, I made oat-neal!" He had gotten his cup ready, a bowl out and the packet had just popped up from the toaster. I am so glad that there were no flames! I'm not sure how a paper package did not erupt in the toaster...but praise God for small miracles!

#2 is one of a kind. We have really hit a new independent stage with him. He rebels at being told when and how to run his life. It's kindof funny because I am quite sure that I was the same way at his age. He can make steam come out of my ears...I get so frustrated at him! But I also have to bite my lip to keep from laughing at his little antics. What in the world would I do without the joy and mischief he brings to our family? He reminds me to parent, not out of obligation or for my own good, but out of love for him and for God. He keeps my humble. He keeps the mood light! I love him so much!

#1 cracks the DaVinci Code

Last weekend we were in the car on the way to the library. Do you agree that all theological questions are asked in the car , at breakfast or at bedtime? That's always the case in our family. Any way, so we are driving down the road and just when I am trying to maneuver the big minivan into a u-turn #1 says, "Mama, I have a question." I prepare myself for question number ump-teen thousand for the day. Then he asks, "So, did Jesus really get married?" I compose myself. "Where did you hear that?" He explains that last week when we had a meeting about our Memorial day cookout he saw a pretty green paper in a lady's Bible, pulled it out, and read it. Okay, sidenote, his reading is great but there is nothing off limits now. No more sneaking a peak at People magazine in the grocery line, no more spelling out what's for dinner to my husband when carrots are on the menu, no more shielding him from anything that he can get his grubby little paws on! Sidenote #2, we had a big talk about respecting other people's privacy and leaving their papers and Bibles alone!!

So he had pulled out a flyer for "Cracking the DaVinci Code". We had a great discussion about the truth of the gospel, that Jesus was clearly never married, the inerrancy of Scripture, etc. I tried to explain to him that the author of this book was pretending, and in my opinion it is creepy and unnecessary to pretend such things about the Savior of the world. And then he innocently asked, "Will God forgive that man for pretending lies about Jesus?" And that lead to a whole other conversation about forgiveness and how the man would be forgiven if he asked to be, etc. The conversation ended with #1 telling me randomly that there is this one picture of Mary in the woods and that he sees that picture everywhere and he is tired of seeing that one. I have no idea what he is referring to, but that is how the conversation ended and he moved on to the topic of the summer reading club at the library.

I love teachable moments like these! Isn't it funny what theological ground you can cover with a five year old in the 5 miles between Burger King and the library. And how do they go from playing spy detectives on the BK playground to asking such questions 1 minute later in the car? I am so grateful and amazed at how the Spirit is softening his heart to such big truths and how he is learning compassion and finding a heart for the lost. I am kindof in a panic, though, about what kinds of questions he will have at 10, 15, 18. Yikes! Lord, give me wisdom and patience.

STRESS!

I am overwhelmed right now. We have so much on our plate that I am starting to lose focus on every day living. I have this big rule that I am a much more sane, happy person when I take my life one day at a time. It works well..."tomorrow has enough worries of its own". BUT, I am struggling right now to keep a good perspective.

Here is what we have going on:
1.Baby due in September. Not to have a bad attitude, but I am so enormous right now that I can't help but predict a rough summer.
2.Our house is on the market and we are moving across town this summer. Moving is never fun or easy. I have moved ump-teen times, but never when I was pregnant. Should be a big challenge.
3.I am giving up homeschooling and the boys are enrolled in school for the fall. #1 will go to school where we go to church, there is an awesome K-8 program. #2 will go to Pre-K down the street. His best friend is in his class. I feel a peace about them being in school for next year, but a sadness too. Thankfully they go only 8:30-12:30, #1 is off on Friday and #2 is off on Monday and Friday.
4.My husband is MISERABLE at his job. There are no words to express how bad that situation is for him.
5.This is a little embarassing to admit, but I am really depressed about this weight gain! I feel so ungrateful for saying it because we are so thrilled to be pregnant after all that we have gone through. But I am gaining all over and quickly and I dread the post-partum days. I am going to have to work really hard to get back in shape! Incidentally, I have 16 weeks to go and I now weigh what I did when I gave birth to my first child. Yikes!
6.Okay, even harder to admit, but here goes...my kids are out of control! Every time #2 plays independently he gets into something. He tore pages yesterday out of this antique music book that sits on our piano. The music book contains melodies that my man's grandmother wrote when she attended Juliard. My kids are just running amuck since we finished school and there is no routine in the morning. I guess I need a summer routine. The pool opens on Saturday so we will be there mostly every morning. But I can't help but dread that due to having to wear a bathing suit! I would rather have a tooth pulled any day that waddle around in a bathing suit right now!

So I am now reminded of some advice I gave another blogging friend earlier this week that God does not give imaginary grace for imaginary circumstances. Many of my stresses are due to imagining how bad things are going to be that I haven't even experienced. I need to take my own advice, I know. Does anyone else have any words of wisdom?

Fun Monday

Last night was unforgettable for #1...he received his first TROPHY! He was so incredibly proud. You would think it was the Oscar the way he displays it. He finished up his first season of t-ball. We all enjoyed it. We participated in Upward Sports and I was impressed with the devotions and attitudes that the coaches had. It was very low stress and encouraging for the boys on the team. I was dreading "organized sports", but we only had to commit to 2 hours a week, 1 for practice and 1 for game. Notice #2 in the picture on the left practicing running to "first base" behind the bleachers. He will probably start t-ball next spring.

Cute #2 saying: We travelled to the "big city" to go to a museum yesterday. #2 loves the big buildings, cranes, fast cars, etc. He sighed really loudly and said, "Wow, Mommy. Dis sure is a big, wonderful world!" And then he ended with, "When I gwow up, I want to be an en-gwin-eer. Dey get to say WOO-WOO!" I guess he meant a train engineer. His love for speed and mechanical things is scaring me a little!

HOMECOMING

Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, OH MY GOSH!!! My man is coming home! Okay, so it has been all I could do not to post about my sweetheart being gone on a work trip for the past 2 WEEKS! He has never travelled for more than 2 days, and rarely even travels at all without us. I didn't say anything because I didn't want some freak to know we were here alone. I'm a little paranoid. Anyway, he is coming home tonight a day early. I CAN'T WAIT! I have worked so hard to give him a perfect house to come home to. Even washed the car today. And washed the sheets...I thought about how for 2 weeks he had fresh sheets to sleep on at the hotel and then bed and breakfast.

So, anyway, I am so so so excited! You women who have hubbies in the military, I have absolutely no idea how you do it. I admire and applaud you. I am physically and emotionally worn out! Okay, so I'm going to go watch the time tick away...one more hour! I'm feeling that Song of Solomon love, ladies!

Random thoughts on a funny day

*Who invented the food tray, anyway? It is a marvelous idea for picky eaters like mine who don't want their food to touch! I got these at Wal-Mart for 97 cents!
*#2 prayed his newest prayer that makes me laugh and I quote, "Dea-uh Jesus, Tank you for dis day. Tank you for someting. In Jesus name, Amen." It's so heartfelt, too.
*I had to pull an enormous tick off of #1 today in an oh-so-sensitive area. He asked after screaming for ten minutes over the approach of the tweezers in such a private area, "Did it suck the life out of "it"?"
*Saw turkeys in the library parking lot. That was interesting.
*For those of you who REALLY put off cleaning your oven, like me, I found the cure. Easy Off Oven Cleaner...Fume Free! You spray it on and in 2 hours wipe everything away easily with a warm rag. I had been smelling the burned food from the bottom of the oven for weeks. This little chore took no longer than 10 minutes once the spray had settled for a few hours!
*On a more disgusting note, my man scaled a few fish and put them in the back of the bottom shelf of the frig, unbeknowst to me. I found them when I returned Tuesday from being out of town for 4 days. Then I remembered that he said he was going to "throw away the fish that he caught because they had been left in the cooler over night". I should have known that he wouldn't throw away a prized catch. So I came home to week old fish that were spoiled to begin with. There is no way to express the smell in my frig. I used soap and water, clorox, baking soda. I still smell it a little. Thankfully, the other food does not taste like the smell. But I did go through the produce and zyplock everything. This task of de-funking the frig has been the smelliest chore that I can remember around here since #1 had chronic toddler diarrhea! I think this may be the first time in the history of our marriage that I have had a clean oven and a clean frig simultaneously. There's always a silver lining, I guess.

Checklist accomplished

The main events of the day:
17 weeks to go until we meet our daughter...what will her name be??? I wish we knew!

Those of you who read my blog about housework and how I am determined to do it myself will laugh at this...the house cleaners came today. I know, after all that great advice I still called for back up! But the house sure does smell and look great, and sometimes by golly that is worth $80...but not usually!
My cousin sent baby clothes...oh my gosh, I have never seen so many pink things! Wow!

#1 smushed his finger in the door at gym class. I felt awful for him! I hope the nail doesn't turn a funky color! The picture is blurry...my camera is acting up again! Ugg...

Today I finished all the menial, yucky paperwork and phone calls that I have put off for the last month. (the insurance bill that I didn't understand, the reservation for Memorial day cookout at a park which I almost didn't get due to procrastination, cleaning out the car, organizing the pantry, faxing a few documents, calling ump-teen people about little things, etc., etc.)

My laundry room has less than 10 items in it that are dirty...praise the Lord...and my pantry is full!

AND...my mom is in town and took me out to dinner! Yah-hoo!

Proud to be a Momma

Wow, it has been a busy 4 or 5 days! We spent the night with friends on Thursday (THANK YOU ANGELA FOR A WONDERFUL, FUN NIGHT!!!) and then off to my parent's house all weekend until late Monday night. We are back in the groove today.

Back to reality, I read the most thought-provoking entry on another blog today. It could not have come at a better time for me. I will plainly admit, motherhood has been somewhat drudgery for me lately. I have been LONGING to be alone. I have had an especially deep need to paint and listen to QUIET music and read. The dirty floors, dishes and clothes have not been met with a happy, content attitude from me. So here is what I read today that refreshed my heart and soul and pointed me back to Christ. It is an excerpt taken from Elisabeth Elliot. Don't you just love her?

"Motherhood and Profanity"
But what have buying groceries, changing diapers and peeling vegetables got to do with creativity? Aren’t those the very things that keep us from it? Isn’t it that kind of drudgery that keeps us in bondage? It’s insipid and confining, it’s what one conspicuous feminist called “a life of idiotic ritual, full of forebodings and failure.” To her I would answer ritual, yes. Idiotic, no, not to the Christian–for although we do the same things anybody else does, and we do them over and over in the same way, the ordinary transactions of everyday life are the very means of transfiguration. It is the common stuff of this world which, because of the Word’s having been “made flesh,” is shot through with meaning, with charity, with the glory of God.
But this is what we so easily forget. Men as well as women have listened to those quasi-rational claims, have failed to see the fatal fallacy, and have capitulated. Words like personhood, liberation, fulfillment and equality have had a convincing ring and we have not questioned their popular definitions or turned on them the searchlight of Scripture or even of our common sense. We have meekly agreed that the kitchen sink is an obstacle instead of an altar, and we have obediently carried on our shoulders the chips these reductionists have told us to carry.
This is what I mean by profanity. We have forgotten the mystery, the dimension of glory. It was Mary herself who showed it to us so plainly. By the offering up of her physical body to become the God-bearer, she transfigured for all mothers, for all time, the meaning of motherhood. She cradled, fed and bathed her baby–who was very God of very God–so that when we cradle, feed and bathe ours we may see beyond that simple task to the God who in love and humility “dwelt among us and we beheld his glory.”
Those who focus only on the drabness of the supermarket, or on the onions or the diapers themselves, haven’t an inkling of the mystery that is at stake here, the mystery revealed in the birth of that Baby and consummated on the Cross: my life for yours.
The routines of housework and of mothering may be seen as a kind of death, and it is appropriate that they should be, for they offer the chance, day after day, to lay down one’s life for others. Then they are no longer routines. By being done with love and offered up to God with praise, they are thereby hallowed as the vessels of the tabernacle were hallowed–not because they were different from other vessels in quality or function, but because they were offered to God. A mother’s part in sustaining the life of her children and making it pleasant and comfortable is no triviality. It calls for self-sacrifice and humility, but it is the route, as was the humiliation of Jesus, to glory.
To modern mothers I would say “Let Christ himself be your example as to what your attitude should be. For he, who had always been God by nature, did not cling to his prerogatives as God’s equal, but stripped himself of all privilege by consenting to be a slave by nature and being born as a mortal man. And, having become man, he humbled himself by living a life of utter obedience, even to the extent of dying, and the death he died was the death of a common criminal. That is why God has now lifted him so high. . .” (Phil. 2:5-11 Phillips).
It is a spiritual principle as far removed from what the world tells us as heaven is removed from hell: If you are willing to lose your life, you’ll find it. It is the principle expressed by John Keble in 1822:
If on our daily course our mindBe set to hallow all we find,New treasures still, of countless price,God will provide for sacrifice.

Thank you, sweet Jesus, for showing me once again the beauty and honor in the calling of motherhood. Keep reminding me, I pray, as often as my vain heart forgets!

A case of the pouts

We have a case of the POUTS! Could it be due to being overly busy this week? Could it be due to spending the night in a hotel and keeping the kids up until 11? Could it be due to eating too much junk food this week? I am praying for wisdom and patience.

Here's an example of the mood around here. I just went to put #2 down for rest time. I started to sing him his favorite lullably, "The Lord Bless You and Keep You", and he said, "Be quiet, Mommy!" I kissed his forehead, said sleep well and bolted for the door. What a little grump! I wasn't sure whether to cry or scream. Then I go into my room where #1 has been given the opportunity to read for a while, which I thought was a gracious treat considering he went to bed at 11 and could use a nap. He is pouting under a pillow because I made him put his toy away. Again, I chose to get out of there fast. I said, "Enjoy your books!" and closed the door.

It has been 5 minutes and #2 is asleep. I can hear #1 reading away. I am thankful that I won't be further frustrated by one of them rebelling against rest time. I pray God will give us grace to deal well with one another the rest of the day. Where's all the testosterone? I am used to two easy-going, some what less emotional boys. Yikes! Bedtime has just moved up an hour!

A Good Read

I have been reading this WONDERFUL book! It is called For Men Only: A Straightforward Guide to the Inner Lives of Women. Okay, so it is not addressed to females. But I read For Women Only last year and devoured it! So I had to see what the author and her husband had to say about the inner lives of women. I can't speak for all women, but they have me pegged! I have actually found myself crying at how well this book articulates the feelings that I have and find so hard to explain. My husband and I have really made an unusually deep effort to be "real" with one another. I feel like he is closer to me now and knows me better than ever before. And yet sometimes it is still hard for us to understand "what lies beneath". These two books have really helped us both.

Here is one quote from For Men Only, but it doesn't even begin to do the book justice at all.

"The top 5 things that make a woman feel secure:
1.She feels that the two of you are close;
2.She sees that you make time together a priority;
3.She sees your commitment to her;
4.She sees that you are active in the life of the home;
5.She sees you making an effort to provide (AS LONG AS THAT DOESN'T CROWD OUT 1-4)"

If you want a quick read that can transform your marriage I highly recommend this book!