Parents of Teenagers...

Working as a co-coordinator in the nursery-two's area at church grants me the wonderful opportunity to really get to know my volunteers (25 or so each Sunday). I spoke with some parents/volunteers this weekend about the differences between the toddler stage and the teen stage. Most of the differences are quite obvious, but one of the differences just stinks.


Right now Logan and Olivia need and WANT their mommy. Selfishly, I really want it to stay this way (the wanting part, I am really hoping Logan will be potty-trained someday (smile). Realistically, I know it may change. We are going to start praying now that God gives us the wisdom, as parents, to nourish a healthy but always SUPER-CLOSE relationship with our kids. I have read about the difference between a 4th grader and 5th grader. In 4th grade, your parents still know everything. In 5th grade you don't think your parents know anything. So while we really don't care if they think we know everything, we want to always have a really close - but we can give them the distance they need - relationship.

The verse that really gives me peace about all of this is (and I can't remember where it is, Isaiah I think?)

"Great is my children's peace, for they are taught of You (God)."

Thought Provoking Questions

Riding in the car (coming home from meeting Susie and Deanna for breakfast, fun seeing you girls!) Olivia raised some interesting 3-year-old questions about Jesus...

Olivia: "Look mom, a cross on that church, Jesus died on the cross."

Me: "You are right!"

Olivia: "Was he on the back of the cross, or the front?"

Me: "I think the front"

Olivia: "Did his brothers do it?" (I think she is thinking of Joseph here)

Me: "Nope"

Olivia: "Did he just die?"

Me: "Yes, for our sins"

Olivia: "what?"

Me: another long-winded explanation of forgiveness, etc. followed by a pretty blank stare...

Sometimes I feels SOOO unprepared to answer questions that seem so simple but to a 3-year-old are so complicated! I know she has heard this answer over and over, but I can't imagine trying to process it in her little mind! Praise God He reveals Himself in ways we can each understand. For instance, I told Olivia, one day, that even though we can't see God He speaks to us all the time, like when the trees are blowing in the wind, He is saying "Hi Olivia, I love you". Now when we see the trees moving in the wind she says "Hi God, love you too!".

Stop in your Tracks!!!

Stop in your tracks! Take in God's miracle-wonders! Do you have any idea how God does it all, how he makes bright lightning from dark storms, How he piles up the cumulus clouds— Job 37:14 (Message)

In Central Indiana, we awoke to storms. I couldn't go running so I sat in our living room, while the rest of the house was asleep, and enjoyed the storms. They never get old to me, and God always seems so close during a storm - funny, as I wrote that I realized that is just how it is in life. When we go through storms we can lean on Him even more and He feels so close.

Thought for the Day

I receive a couple online daily devotions via email. One of them asked this question today:

"Can Strangers See Jesus in You?"

This is a VERY simple, yet thought provoking question. I pray that as I am out and about, in everyday life, my actions, attitudes and conversations reflect who is living in my heart. AND equally as important, during our precious family times at home, including the frustrating moments, my kids and my husband, would also see who is in my heart.

My New Motto

I heard this quote over the weekend and am adopting it was my new motto!

"I am too blessed to be stressed!"

I love that! It just seems to instantly put everything back into perspective! Don't forget to thank God for all of your blessings today!!!

Short Prayer

Some nights Olivia is just too tired for a long prayer, here is her current short version.

"Dear God, Thank you for everybody we love and everybody we give and everybody we know. And all God's kids say AMEN!"

I'd say that about covers it!

Beth Moore

I am participating in my first Beth Moore Bible Study, Living Free, and I love it! It is really thought provoking and stimulating. I also checked out Beth's book Believing God, from the library. This morning, during my quiet-time, I came across a really neat quote.

"God's words are omnipotent.
Our Words are potent."

Praise You in This Storm

I am so blessed to have two wonderful, strong grandmothers. Grandma Wolfe had a spirit about her that was amazing! She kept her spunk alive and it was wonderful! Grandma Mounce has broken her hip, she is scheduled for surgery today. She is STILL praising GOD! She knows that HE is still in control! What an example she is! I am so blessed with the influence of two VERY strong women in my life.

I love the lyrics to the song "Praise You in This Storm" by Casting Crowns.

I'll Praise you in this storm / And I will lift my hands / For You are who You are / No matter where I am / Every tear I've cried / You hold in your hand / You never left my side / And though my heart is torn / I will Praise You in this storm.

Thank you God for the people in my family. They love you and have taught me all about your love and grace. They have covered me in prayer my whole life, and now I want to cover them in prayer. Thank you for blessing me with an awesome family! God is Good!

Weather-Watchers

Watching the rain is one of my FAVORITE things to do! I think the kids are going to love storms as much as I do. They were watching out of the window in our room and when Logan saw lightening, he would say "Uh, Oh!" It was fun to sit with them and watch the rain. I wish I could see inside their minds to see how they are processing things. I imagine that Logan thinks the rain is a big sprinkler.

Olivia informed Logan that he was NOT to push her because she did not want to fall out of the window. Which reminded me of the time she accidentally shut the front door when I was checking the mail and it locked! I had to break our bedroom window and crawl through. AND I was 8 months pregnant with Logan! Whew, I am done reliving that memory! Praise God for His hand of protection!

Back to the rain. Next to the incredible magnificence of the ocean, watching the rain makes me feel close to God, not sure what it is exactly, but I feel His presence so strongly. Perhaps it is the power behind the storms. It can be sunny and calm and then the clouds roll in along with the storm. It makes me realize how perfect God's plans are for us and when we seem to be going through a "storm" in life, He is promising sunshine on the other side. So I have become an unofficial "weather-watcher". Checking the radar often when storms are in the forecast.

Ask... Seek... Knock...

I was meditating on the verse in the Bible this morning that instructs us to ask, seek and knock. To me, that really is persistence in a nut-shell. We are to ask God for what we need/want (as long as it lines up with His word), seek His promises in the Bible that pertain to that request and then knock, which to me means, stay persistent. Keep believing, keep claiming those promises.
Olivia seems to have this ask, seek, knock thing down. She is a persistent little booger and as annoying as that can be sometimes, I need to be more like her! She has the innocence of a child (often times her requests do not line up with the "Book of Mommy" she is to follow. Example: M&M's for breakfast.... I am thinking no." But she is persistent.
I felt God remind me that He perfects us through patience and since I didn't receive the patience gene, I have to dig even deeper to stay focused and positive while we are believing, claiming and being patient. So if you ask me how we are doing and I shout out "God meets all of our needs in abundance!" and "God gives wisdom to those who seek Him!" and "God promises to meet us at our level of expectation, so we are expecting great things!"... I am just practicing my persistence. :)

The Perfect Running Partner

I LOVE to go running in the early morning. I don't get to do it often, but when our schedules allow (i.e. Tommy is home to watch the kids) I love to go. This morning I was about to reach for my iPod when I felt God say "Leave the iPod, let's talk instead". There is something about the stillness of the early morning, birds singing, the breeze blowing the trees, a freshness that today is a new day. We had bad storms last night, but this morning everything was calm. I am so thankful for God's promise, "If you draw near to me, I will draw near to you." He is never late, never judgemental, always encouraging. The PERFECT running partner.

God's Beauty (Even in the City)

There is a creek behind our neighborhood that is so secluded and peaceful I can't go there without thanking God for all of the beauty He made for us to enjoy. This little slice of heaven is so secluded, you can't see any homes, businesses or traffic. This is a new place for our family to go walk in the water, throw rocks (over and over and over again, Logan could do this for hours!) and just enjoy God's beauty together as a family.

Peaceful Sunday Afternoons

I love peaceful Sunday afternoons. After church, Tommy and the kids are napping, and I steal a few minutes on the sofa with a cup of coffee and a good book!

A Prayer for our Children

I found this prayer and I love it!

"God, this is your child. I give him/her to you in a new way today. Give me love, patience, understanding and wisdom, Lord. You lead them. You work in their little hearts to lead them into bright futures full of promises and right choices. Help me not to confine them into the people I think they should be, but give You the freedom to work in their lives.
Amen"

It truly is the little things....

As a mom, and homemaker, there are certain parts of my daily routine that bring my heart such peace, if even for a split second, in that moment, while doing something so seemingly mundane, I am able to stop, and see even more of God's goodness (acknowledging that my home is a gift from Him) in my life and reflect on a personally peaceful moment and let it fill me. When my bed is made I feel a wonderful peace, I keep walking in our room to see it. I know it won't be long before it is covered again with laundry to fold, and no doubt a child crawling under the covers during a game of hide-and-seek. But for this moment I can enjoy the pillows all lined up and the covers smoothed out. Mom, I can now really appreciate the wonderful home you kept while Brad was messing everything up.

The Joy of the Lord is my Strength... Nehemiah 8:10

I love this verse! I truly believe we can find joy everywhere and anywhere, in our days, if we are willing to look. The past few days have been a struggle between a "wonderfully expressive" 3-year-old and her "I just want to have well-behaved children" mother. Yesterday during time-out Olivia said "I don't like this game, it is NOT fun!" I laughed right outloud and suddenly my day was put back into perspective. Parenting is not always easy, but God provides SOOOO many opportunities for joy and laughter in our days, are we looking for them? A few opportunites for joy I have already been blessed with today...

1. All 4 of us snuggled in our bed watching cartoons this morning.

2. Olivia's good report, "I was so good this morning for grandma, and so was Logan!"

3. A wonderful hug from Logan, while he ran his fingers through my hair and smiled.

4. Olivia saying "I love you" in sign language.

5. Olivia saying "Logan is the best Logan we have ever had"

6. Having a wonderful mother-in-law who loves to sit with the kids while I run out for a couple hours.

7. Fountain Diet Coke (need I say more?)

8. Tommy told me I looked pretty today, (Ok, I actually showered and got dressed before he left so he was probably confused, but I loved the compliment anyway!)

9. Olivia needed dry clothes in the middle of the night last night and when I was done tucking her back into bed she said "Thanks, mom".

10. God made the sun shine today.



Dear God,

Thank you for all of the joy you bring into my days. I promise to do better at recognizing it and thanking You for it.

Amen!

I know the plans...

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you hope and a future."
Jeremiah 29:11

This verse has been in my mind all week. I just love the promise it gives us! I know the little worries that we allow to take up space in our thoughts (gas prices, money, etc.) can easily be given over to God in faith when we claim promises like this one. I am so glad we don't have to carry the weight of this world on our shoulders. God is ready to take any burden from us and never give it back!

Prayer

Olivia says some great prayers, they are so simple.

"Thank you God for all of the children who don't have enough to eat. It is very sad. You must hurry. It is important."

So sweet and innocent, quickly followed by:

"Thank you for Aerial (and then a list off all of the princesses)"