Christmas 2015

Our Christmas was wonderful and we still have one more to go! We had a great time with my hubby's mom and step dad on Wednesday and we enjoyed all day on Christmas Eve with my family, and then we left at 730 am to head to Wisconsin Dells just us 5 for a waterpark vacation! We had THEE best time! The boys were in heaven and seriously so good the whole time!! And they all slept great and through the night and they all napped too! More than we could have asked for!

Lane was so big doing ALL the big slides and all by himself! I was so proud of him! He was so brave!

Luke was loving it all so much but his favorite was the big wave pool....that knocked him down one million times and he still got up with a smile every single time! Such a go getter that one!

And Lyric was so chill! He LOVED the water and never fussed one bit! The first day he literally just seemed in this euphoric state of not knowing what to do...almost mesmerized. But by day two he was a splashing, happy, go getter himself!

And of course the enchantment of the place being decked out for the holiday, the amazing restaurant we went to that served your food on a train, and the uninterrupted time was AHHHMMAZZING!!

Unfortunatly Day three got canceled because the night of Day 2 I got the flu! And it was awful! I knew that I would feel so much better just being at home and not being achy and miserable in the hotel and I surely didn't want to risk one of them getting sick while we were there especially since we had to check out the next day at 11am....so we packed up and headed for home that night. I was BEYOND bummed we had to leave...I was so looking forward to a great breakfast and then one more 1/2 day at the water park buuuuttt I am thankful for all the moments that we had there this weekend....it felt like time was standing still and I loved that!

Christmas is so special for so many reasons...but the biggest reason....

His name is Jesus, Immanuel, God With Us.

I get the extreme honor to do announcements at our church and before I begin I have the opportunity to pray with our congregation right after praise and worship ends. I am completely floored every time I get to stand up and do that because ME imperfect, falls short daily, needs serious help, 

of all people...ME? Well thank God it's not of me when I get that opportunity and I have HIS words and not my own in that moment because LORD knows (literally) that it would not be good if it was not OF Him!

I always spend time preparing my heart a few days before asking Him what needs to be said...sometimes it is more clear than others. One Sunday morning specifically I sat through most of praise and worship writing down all these things that I felt on my heart I needed to say and said nothing of what I had prepared to pray about and sure enough after service a guy came up to me and said "that prayer was wonderful and just what I needed to hear." SEE all GOD! How would I have known that? Well on Christmas Eve morning even though I had thought for a few days and jotted down a few things I literally woke up thinking of these words...

He is the Wonderful Counselor, Lord of Life, Lord of ALL, He is the Prince of Peace, Mighty God, Holy One.
Remember Amy Grant? Well she made a song about those words once and wouldn't you know THAT morning when I went to the gym IT came on my Pandora Christian station which randomly was playing holiday songs every second or third song for the past few weeks! I was shocked because I had kind of forgotten about that song. I mean who plays Amy Grant anymore? I have listened to Klove and The Message station a lot this season for Christmas songs and never heard it. Anyways I was overwhelmed with His presence and just had to take a second to let that soak in.

GOD. WITH. US.

Like how can I possibly process that? But folks HE IS WITH US! 

JESUS!!

May that spur you on today as you quite possibly face some challenges.  I know that so many of you are hurting right now.  Life is hard and messy and the struggle is real.
Jesus knows all about brokenness.  This is why He came.  To fix the broken things.
To comfort the one who feels alone.
To offer acceptance and unconditional love to those who feels rejected.
To give grace to the mama who feels like a failure.
To bring peace to the person who struggles with fear.
To be hope for those who suffer physically and mentally.
To bring light and life to a world that often feels heavy and dark.
And Jesus didn’t come just to BE with us, He came to transform us – to sanctify us and make us look more like Him.
I recently read a blog with this amazing quote from Elisabeth Elliot,

“The pathway to holiness is located right where you are. In those circumstances, in those relationships, in that tiredness, in that challenge. The grace of God to make you holy is right there.”

This holiness begins with a surrendered heart.  Hold everything before Jesus with open hands.  Trust Him to meet every need.
Refuse to let circumstances and feelings dictate your faith.
Declare like Mary, “I am the Lord’s servant, let it be to me as you have said.” (Luke 1:38)

This is joy.

THAT is Christmas.

This is my vow for 2016....in all circumstances that the grace of God is making me Holy right here. Our church does a campus wide 21 day fast (of your own personal choice) in January each year. Last year was our first year fasting (with the church) and my hubs and I fasted from "sweets/desserts". I think I have pin pointed what fast I'll be doing this year (it starts in one week!) and what I will definitely be seeking is that contentment like that quote said (along with some other things.)

Just being all that I am RIGHT. HERE. Not always looking forward to the what will, what should, what if, but the right now and what He has for me now. I'm sure I'll be blogging through my fast as a good reminder of all I learn while I am on it!

Oh and speaking of blogging...since we got an amazing new lap top I am hoping to be back to blogging regularly!! I sure have missed the convenience and quick typing of a lap top!! :)

Beauty regimen 101

I typically do not wear high heels because I am always carrying a baby, or more recently trying to get my almost two year old to walk in by holding my hand, which is about as difficult as getting a stubborn donkey to move (trust me...I speak from recent experience on that one....and it's tough!!)

 The only opportunity I get to even wear heals (besides the occasional date night) is church...and even with that sometimes I  get so into the worship (arms raised, eyes closed, swaying) that sometimes I will lose my balance in the middle of a praise song.

I am not even kidding.  

Normally each and every Sunday and the hubs gives me several sincere compliments about how pretty I look.  

Of course I brush them off with the usual, “Oh, you have to say that – you’re my husband.”

When really on the inside....

{{Insert choir singing the Hallelujah Chorus.}}

Well today he didn't mention anything sooo of course I had to point out..."babe you didn't even say anything about my outfit today". (Did I mention I was wearing heels??) 

I pondered this for the rest of the day and the Holy Spirit spoke straight to my heart on the matter.

It wasn’t just my husband’s affirming words I sometimes brush off when He gives them...but then demand them when he doesn't. 

I DO THIS TO THE LORD, TOO.

How many times does it say in the Bible that I am beautiful, loved, and valued by God?

But how often do I continue to seek the approval of others?  How often do I try new make-up or wear new clothes or high heels to feel beautiful?

When all along the Lord is whispering that I’m beautiful simply because I am His creation.

The world’s standard of beauty is ever-increasing.  We have to be thinner, have bigger boobs, gorgeous hair, clear skin, brilliant teeth…  And we go to all kinds of lengths to attain it.  We want other people to notice us.  It feels good to have someone tell us we are beautiful.

What happens, then, when that selfie we posted on Instagram didn’t get as many likes as we had hoped?  Or when the pregnancy weight is hanging on for dear life despite a healthy lifestyle?  Or the second wrinkles start showing up?

Instead of feeling worthless, we can make the choice to believe the words our Savior says about us.  Words that remind us about who we are and Whose we are.

We are fearfully and wonderfully made.

My boobs might sag a bit and my hair might cause me great stress and confusion on some days, but God sees me and delights in saying,

“I love how I made you!”

This is the message for women today.  We need to stop holding our worth out to the masses and take hold of the beauty we possess through the blood of Jesus.

We can receive His affirmations and they can be enough. 

We can still wear cute clothes and make-up, friends.  

We can still wear heels.

We can still take care of ourselves.

But we must make sure our beauty is defined by God.

And not by the ever demand of "hearing what others" think about us. 

Does it feel good to hear that someone thinks you look nice?? 

Sure it does!! 

But does that compliment or lack there of "define" you??

Not me...my beauty is defined by God. 

Thanksgiving.....and BEING thankful.

I know how easy it is to grumble and complain especially when I'm overly busy with things....and as the holidays approach it seems at times to overwhelm me and I find myself complaining. If y’all are anything like me then you might agree that we are a generation struggling with distraction and discontentment.  We are surrounded with beautiful images on Pinterest and our souls are never satisfied.  We read blogs and long for other people’s gifts/marriages/kids/lives.  We have heads that are filled up with expectations and hearts that are heavy with guilt.

We are missing something.

WE ARE MISSING GRATITUDE.

And I have determined to figure this out because gratitude leads to contentment and contentment leads to joy and I want that for my kids more than anything. 

I have done some research and am trying to make a way for this to be how my kids are learning about gratitude in our home…

 Say It For Them –

Any time my kids should be thanking me or my husband or someone else for something and they are not, I will simply remind them.  If I have just served them pancakes and they take their plates without so much as a backward glance, I will say, “Thank you, Mommy!”  My kids know that this is their cue to repeat after me.  If they don’t right away, I will keep saying, “Thank you, Mommy!” until they do.  Likewise, when my kids are starting to get grumbly about leaving the playground, I will say, “Thank you, Mommy, for taking us to the park!  That was so nice of you!”  Or if someone starts to whine about what I have cooked for dinner, “Thank you, Mommy, for making this yummy dinner for us!”  This usually quiets their complaints as their perspective is given a helping hand.

Sometimes we just have to PUT THE WORDS IN THEIR MOUTHS.  Then, one magical day, those words will come back out all on their own (I have lived to see this – hallelujah!!).

Just Say No –

Don’t give your kids everything they want right when they want it.  The End. 

But seriously, we need to watch out for this.  We are mommas.  We like to give our kiddos good things.  But often the good thing is to say no and endure the possible, *temporary* fallout (I’m looking at you tantrum in the toy aisle at Walmart) because ALL THE THINGS and instant gratification can muddy the waters of appreciation.  Instead, make them wait for something, work for something, or be challenged to just be satisfied with the somethings that are right in front of them. I am certainly NOT perfect at this BUT I am a perfect work in progress. 

Acts of Appreciation –

Do nice things for people as a way to show your thanks.  The boys and I are always finding little ways to bless teachers, daddy mowing the neighbors yard, blessing the super wash guy with cookies, WHOEVER.  

Biblical Inspiration –

We can’t rely on the old phrase, “Because I said so,” desr friends!  Our children need to understand the biblical truth behind why we do what we do and say what we say, so teach them God’s heart on the matter of thanksgiving.

• We can be thankful that God’s love for us will never run out.Psalm 107:1
• We can give thanks for our salvation. Hebrews 12:28
• We can use gratitude to help us trust Jesus with our worries. Philippians 4:6
• We can give thanks in the good and the bad. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
• We can use songs to give thanks. Psalm 95:2
• We can give thanks for our food because Jesus did.Matthew 15:36
• We can give thanks for what Jesus has done for us. Luke 17:11-19

Model, Model, Model –

This is IT!  Most of what our kids will learn from us will be ‘caught’ rather than ‘taught’, so if we spend a large majority of the time complaining about chores, dishes, messes, our weight/looks, inconveniences, hard things, our homes, people, etc., we must remember that our children are listening.

Instead, get that precious heart of yours filled up with the grace and kindness of Christ.  Let Him remind you of your many, many blessings – your salvation being the ultimate gift.  Let Him remind you that He is in control.  That He loves you and cares about every detail of your life.  Our hearts will be transformed as we make Christ our ultimate satisfaction and we will not be able to keep the resulting gratitude to ourselves.  This will translate into gracious encounters with others.

When the bagger at the grocery store has just carefully put everything in your cart and you thank him, those little ears will hear.

When your husband comes home from a busy day at work and you thank him for all that he does to provide for your family, those little ears will hear.

When you are on the phone with the doctor’s office and you speak kindly and thank them for their help at the end of the conversation, those little ears will hear.

When your children are all ready for school and waiting by the door without 10,000 reminders to get in the car, you will joyfully thank them and they will hear.

When you rise each morning and greet your kids with a smile and commit to rejoicing in the day that the Lord has made, they will hear and see.

And it will make a difference.

And here is the kicker...YOU will be happier as you give gratitude and THAT will teach gratitude!! 

I am so incredibly THANKFUL for our sweet boys and my wonderful hubby!!! This year I decided to do "thanksgiving cards" for our holiday card instead of Christmas cards to change it up a bit! Here are a few of our new family pictures!! 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

What does true love look like to me?

This past week here in the Midwest it has gotten cooler. Which means I suddenly get verrrrry cold.

This is a very huge issue between my hubby and I because he is always very sweat and I am always very froze! (Improper usage intended...this is how we talk about it)

Which is not unusual because since we have been married we have battled this in our house! Even my sister in law use to call him the thermostat nazi because nobody is allow to adjust it(when he is home! :) 

Being cold this past week, however, was a problem because I when I get cold, I get shakey and cranky.  

Super dramatic I know. 

And before I lose you from the most boring blog post ever hold on tight because here is where it gets good. 

So I do what any normal person would have done.

I turn to my husband and ask him if I could put my hands in his armpits. Or under his shirt. 

Not because I wanted my hands to smell like man deodorant, but because ARMPITS ARE WARM.  And sometimes I just neeeeddd to warm up.

You know what my hubby does?? 

He says YES.

And my heart for him grows 50 times bigger for him. 

Who in their right mind would say yes to freezing cold icicles to be placed on them?

There were no dozen roses, there was no expensive vacation, and no fancy restaurant date.

I’m pretty sure that this is going down as one of the most strange sentences I have ever blogged (and I would imagine that most of you don’t even have a category for this kind of weirdness), but it was with my hands in my husband’s armpits that I felt the rich reward of a love committed to doing life together.

Forever.

The stuff that makes forever marriages isn’t really in the grand romantic gestures, but in the small, day-to-day sacrifices.  The little moments where one spouse chooses to love and serve the other without hesitation.

I am quite gifted at turning every light on in the house, as well as leaving various appliances plugged in and um ON!! (Last night for instance...after making dinner and baking dessert the usual "babe do you still need the oven" question was said with complete normalcy in his voice.) 

Obviously the hubby loves this about me.  Except not.  But he happens to be quite gifted at turning lights out and remembering to check every appliance in the house before we leave.

And he does it faithfully, without complaining (well, maybe a little complaining because, well, the house could burn down and it cost a lot extra) 

I make sure our pantry is stocked with all of his favorite snacks.

He gets the boys dressed when he knows I need to do my hair.

I put his clothes away.

He laughs at my mistakes (like running out of gas A few blocks from home.)

I admire the way he does the lawn.

I scratch his arm before bed.

And all that and much more 

 is TRUE LOVE, I tell you.

These things certainly aren’t glamorous, but they sure are pleasing to God.

My point?  Don’t stop doing these little things.

What if you do these little things, however, but you have let a seed of bitterness and resentment creep in for one reason or the other. 

Here is my encouragement to you – confess it.  Repent.  Try seeing your hubby as God does – with unconditional love – remembering that God’s heart for marriage is to love through patience and kindness, to look to the interests of the other, to not be easily angered or keep a record of wrongs (1 Corinthians 13).

To love and never give up.

And to pray like crazy for your man and your marriage.

It's worth it.

Because when your hands are cold, it’s nice to have someone who will let you stick them in their armpits.

Honesty alert......

Surrender
verb    sur·ren·der    \sə-ˈren-dər\
: to give up completely or agree to forgo especially in favor of another

In order for the relationships in our lives to thrive, we have to learn to improve the weaknesses and tone down the extreme strengths of our personality…we have to break the habit of acting the way we do and then commit to working hard every day to not go back to those same habits. In doing so, we must all learn to surrender. First and foremost, to God’s authority and then to the emotional needs of those who surround us.

Just to give you some background as you read, I am mostly a chaotic lion, with melancholy bumblebee undertones and a splash of a hyper puppy.

I am a lion, hear me roar.

For me, productivity is not just a want or a desire. I have a NEED to achieve…to get things done. Therefore, the demanding baby years were very difficult…because you can’t possibly get anything done in between the cycle of feedings, changings, rockings and bathings.

I HATE to be late.

I am goal-driven, I am productive, I am successful…and if I’m not careful, I will WEAR OUT the people who surround me on my quest to achieve. I must choose to consider the needs of the others on my team, and I must pay careful attention to their energy level as we work.

 “…clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” (Colossians 3:12)

To me, sitting in bed in comfy clothes working on my ipad for a couple of uninterrupted hours has the same relaxing, energizing effect as a 2 hour nap. And, if I actually accomplish the task(s) that I started, I might as well have spent the afternoon at the spa.

I am not easily frustrated with my children  and it takes a lot for me to "need" a break BECAUSE 

I Am completely dependent on God’s peace and self-discipline.

“But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

Lyric watches more TV than my other two ever did....it drives me insane and I hate it but I am thankful he likes it because it is and always havs been helpful to "use" it with having three kids that were three and under when he was born. Now I have to be conscious to not over "use" his love for it and I feel convicted when I do or need to. 

My work IS my home , but my home is not as perfect as it always should be for being a job. 

I am pretty much constantly doing something and I don’t really need too much sleep. People tend to say to me, “I don’t know how you do it all!” Though I might silently think, “I don’t know how you don’t,” I respect the fact that my productivity level is both undesirable and unrealistic to most everyone else…including my family members who have to live with me.

I think the idea of posting Minimum Speed Limits is a brilliant idea. When I’m driving, I often think that people should be ticketed for driving TOO SLOW. Seriously. Do they not see the NINE cars backed up behind them?!?

I have a hard time mentally letting go of TO DO. And, I don’t have to “work” to “work.” I have a tendency to fill up pretty much all of my free time with volunteer opportunities, helping others, or taking on other creative projects and endeavors. I USE to have to be very careful to guard my schedule so that I didn't literally explode but once I had Lane I found that no matter how busy I was I would never allow any sort of work to take over my family time. And I felt CONDIDENT in the word NO!! 

“Play” is not awkward to me. When my children ask me to play with them, I do and I LOVE IT!! But when they are busy out playing together or asleep or at school.... I have to consciously resist the urge to do dishes, fold laundry, follow up on an email, etc..... When they ask me to play with Legos I literally put on music because it's just not as active as I prefer! But, I choose to engage in play because the joy and connectedness I feel with my children when we play together has a powerfully positive effect on us all. Laughter is life-giving!

Doing stuff IS play to me. And in times of stress, getting stuff done becomes an obsession, a release, a place to go where I know I will be successful.

In my life, it is true that opposites attract. My husband is just about exactly as an old golden retriever as I am a lion. Though we balance each other out so nicely, I find that it is tricky to surrender my choaotic nature and allow my husband to lead our family…in a very different way than I would. But, by choosing to offer gratitude and grace rather than criticism and control, I have a husband who is willing to help wash his work clothes, change diapers, give baths and much more…and he even makes chores fun to do together! How great is THAT?!?

I am GREAT at setting up routines and schedules, rules and consequences for my family, but I have a tendency to be rigid with them. When my golden retriever husband is not around for me to bounce ideas off of, I have a tendency to enforce rules and consequences too harshly. I must remember to think before I yell…and use my words well.

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs that it may benefit those who listen.” (Ephesians 4:29, NIV)

I can totally identify with the Little Blue Engine in “The Little Engine That Could.” I THINK I CAN do pretty much anything by myself, and most of the time, I am right. If I’m not careful, my plan can get ahead of God’s plan. And, that just tends to create chaos for everyone involved. I often repeat to myself, “Just because I can do this, it doesn’t mean I should.”

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.” (Psalm 37:7)

Proverbs 31:26 is the verse I look to for inspiration in my day to day interactions:

“When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness.”

I am a lion. 

It feels good to be back on my blog...I was just feeling the need to roar!

3 out of 3

We don't have kids that get sick often.....well hardly ever actually! 

It's not because I'm a germ a phob I swear!! 

Lane has been on medicine once for an ear infection (at 11 months old....and that is the last time he has had a fever!) Luke has been sick a little more than Lane...as in an extra cold or two but he also has only been on an antibiotic one time! And Lyric has never been on any medicine or really sick besides a little cold until now! 

Now as far as the flu...I can't say any of them have ever had it necessarily. Luke and Lane both threw up last year during fair week. But both times it was ONE puke each kid....so surely that doesn't classify as it. And with the sickness they are just getting over Lane and Luke each threw up just once!! 

 Now I KNOW this will all change and clearly that is going to happen with 

"Lane being in school"

 (everyone has reminded me of that:) 

And now after having a little taste of school germs...I do (and will remember to) realize the negative behaviors in myself that need to be pruned out (ie. getting sulky with God when things don't go my way and sickness moves in). 

I took some time to ask the Lord for His opinion on the matter.

Check this out…

““The great thing, if one can, is to stop regarding all the unpleasant things as interruptions of one’s ‘own,’ or ‘real’ life. The truth is of course that what one calls the interruptions are precisely one’s real life — the life God is sending one day by day.” – C.S. Lewis. Do I believe that God authors every aspect of my life?

Absolutely.

Then instead of constantly fighting God on the unpleasant aspects of mothering (say, fevers and barfs), I would like to learn to quietly accept them, trusting that He knows what He is doing.  He is sending them and bringing them for my good.

For my sanctification, even.

So, as we enter sick season, here are some of the things (and a few {hopefully} helpful tips) I have researched and found worked for me in between theinterruptions Massive amounts of ibprofen we needed this past week! 

SICK BEAR

Now I found this idea AFTER they were through the brunt of this sickness but I think it would be such a great idea! How ever in my case-do I buy three sick bears?! That would kind of dilute the purpose but they truly were all sick at the same time....however each one had a "sickest" day so maybe not!? We will have to see!;) So basically you take a teddy bear (Even a  Valentine’s Day left over one with a "heart" (that's my intention) and give it to them! It would be especially helpful for them to hold when you have to give them 10 days of meds that taste(and smell)...

 A-W-F-U-L !!! Bringing them a little comfort might help and the snuggles and intense strangling while medication is being administered hugs would be great for them until they get better!  Then Sick Bear gets a superior deep cleaning and goes back in the closet!! 

Make a Couch Bed

When I was a little girl and got sick, my mom would transform the couch into a bed.  She’d take fresh, crisp sheets and tuck them in nice and tight.  We’d bring down my bed pillows and stuffed animals and I’d curl up on the couch to watch as much Saved Bt the Bell, Full House, TV as I could possibly handle.  She’d make me toast cut in triangles and serve it to me on a TV tray.  I felt like a queen!  I now do this for the My boys and they are more than thrilled at the chance to take up residence in front of the tube.  They ALL are! And that is partially why we probably ended up with three out of three!! 

The Magic of the Cool Washcloth

Best thing ever when I was younger and had fevers.  I still remember the smell of the clean wash towel and the feel of it on my head when my mom would rest it there.  I loved flipping it over in 5 minute intervals to feel the coolness of the new side.  My boys don't love it yet but they will! I tried to put one on Luke's head the other night and he shreaked! (He will love it when he is sucking the water out of it to get some liquid in him when he has the flu and momma won't give him something to drink {just like I did}!)

Medicine

I wish I was that person that brewed homemade herbal teas to bring down fevers and strained garlic or whatever to heal ear infections.  But I am just not there yet – although ya never know...I do make my own granola bars now.  I definitely don’t want to be unwisely pumping meds into my kid every time they get a runny nose, but sometimes medicine is the answer.  You have to do antibiotics?  No sweat. I think that giving our kids medicine can be a great way for us to learn more about God.  I don’t know about you, but my children (well more so Luke) are incredibly disgusted by the taste of most medicines. We actually use to get it flavored and only buy certain flavors of Tylenol! Gag reflexes like no other with that one. He now willing takes it so much better as he is older and we don't have to gently pin his poor, sweet arms and shoot it down his throat!  Sometimes we don’t like the taste of something God has brought our way, but He, as a loving Father, gives it because He knows it will bring about our ultimate healing! AND he always goes before us making a way!! (Lyric's 19 month well baby check up was scheduled this past week on the exact day I knew I needed to get them all looked at! Funny how we already had an appointment and they could all be seen with no trouble at all isn't it;) HE makes a way BEFORE us!

“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison…” 2 Corinthians 4:17

Bring Comfort to Another

Now I have got to do this for my sister in law once but I am now going to be even more attentive to the needs of my friends when their children are sick because one my my bffs brought my family a take and bake pizza AFTER she picked my son up from kindergarten for me! The next time I realize one of my friends has been so busy wiping noses that she had not made it to the store for food in days, I'm going to bring them take and bake pizza!! I did a Ding-Dong-Ditch a bag of a random frozen pizza(for dad), Gatorade, rice, and of course Elsa chicken noodle soup for my sweet niece and didn't even make a thing for them!! But even some popsicles, hand sanitizer, cleaning wipes, tissues, etc. to bring a much-needed spot of hope to a friend with sick kids would be amazing! AND Lane's cousin Calen sent a card In.  The. Mail. 

He was so blessed by that and I was so so blessed by that gift of a simple pizza!

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Snuggle Time

When the boys got sick their normally strong-willed, busy self became a little sweeter, a bit less active, and a lot more attached. Lane asked daddy like non stop the first day if they could snuggle! And I got the chance to actually hold my ‘baby’ for longer than a millisecond and bring him the kind of comfort only I, as his mama, can bring.  Isn’t it funny how, for many of us, we want our mommies when we get sick?  Even though I know the my Hubby loves me so much and would do almost anything for me, he will not stand at the toilet holding my hair back and stroking my head gently while I puke like my mom used to do. So, cherish those extra sick hugs, sweet mommies.  Try not to rush off too quickly to get back to Clorox-ing absolutely everything in the house because when he’s away at college and catches the flu, you’re going to be the one he speed dials at 2 am simply because he wants to hear your voice.

“The person who rests in the shadow of the Most High God will be kept safe by the Mighty One, I will say about the Lord, “He is my place of safety… I trust in Him…” Psalm 91:1-2

God did a great job of (gently) reminding me that....

“A joyful heart is good medicine…” Proverbs 17:22

Step Up the Prayers

When things are easy, we can easily fall into the trap of not recognizing our need for God and therefore not spend as much time in His presence.  When my kids were sick, I found myself pressing in deeper, memorizing Scripture verses, reading the Word, and praying A LOT.  I held them and said words of comfort in their ears. Prayers for healing. Prayers offering the hope of a place where we will be one day that does not have the Chicken Pox or Rotavirus.  And as I practice this, I realize that it ends up being more for me than for my children because I am drawn closer to my Savior.  I am reminded of His goodness, the greater purpose, the taste of his strength (as opposed to my own), and He was revealed to me like no good time ever could have!! 

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4

Another Opportunity to Surrender

Does anyone else struggle to remember on a daily basis that our kids are not our own??  They belong to God.  Period.  So when they get sick we cannot react by tightening our grip and stressing out.  Sickness is beyond our control.  Instead, it is a chance to hold our babies out before the Lord – like Abraham did with Isaac!! 

“And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” Matthew 26:39

Your Child Gets to See What a Servant Looks Like

Mommies, our homes are places where our children get to experience Jesus, firsthand.  There is no better time to share the tender and unfailing and perfect example of Christ then when you have a little one in need.  It would be easy to walk around all tangled up in a ball of anxiety and frustration when my kids got sick. To be tense and fearful and in a hurry to see them get better.  To grumble and complain about everything that got barf or poo on it or fuss about having to miss church or a fun once a year thing (a.k.a....paint the town) And God forbid one child get the other child sick too!!

BUT after this minor sickness they had I feel the urge to let go. I am finally learning what it means to truly serve – as Jesus did.  Instead of staring at them with a giant burden in my spirit, I am going to try to always joyfully ask my sick boys, “What can I do for you?” and “Is there anything you need?” because I believe this is what our Savior humbly modeled for us.  He knelt on hands and knees to wash the dirty, nasty feet of His beloved friends.  He laid gentle hands on ill children.  He had compassion on the great crowds and healed their sick.

But more important, He died on the cross to cure the most awful, wide-spread, debilitating sickness of all –

Our sin.

So, the next time you hear that first sniffle or get the middle of the night vomit-covered-bedroom call, we, as moms, can find purpose, joy, and strength in our hands and knees scrubbing of snot and yak, knowing that, in a way, He did it too.

“But He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed…” Isaiah 53:5

What MOPS means to me...

I was completely honored to get to share with my MOPS group..."What MOPS means to me!!" in our monthly newsletter!! And since MOPS has been a huge blessing and a large fundamental resource for me in raising these boys I wanted to share it on our blog so I will always have this memory of how special it has been being apart of this lovely group!! I came to the group not being that close to anyone or having any family in it and I have become great friends with these women and am beyond grateful for the huge family dynamic we now share!!

Here is a picture of the insert and the message typed out to read better underneath!  

Please let me start off by saying I am completely honored by being able to share what MOPS means to me! Those of you that know me know this is no easy feat considering I am a pretty dramatic person and it is hard to portray my passion through (just) words! And I must say the impact MOPS has had on me is something I defiantly  am passionate about!! 

 

Luke 1:49 He has done GREAT things for me. 

I could begin a list of all the great things (He) and MOPS has done for me but the greatest thing is this...

I found confidence in who I AM as a mother. 

Joining MOPS is probably one of thee biggest blessings I have ever been given!

Once I grasped who others are as moms and let go of my opinion of them I was able to find myself ! 

I was able to say Yes I know I made "this decision" and of course- I wouldn't change one thing about it and couldn't be happier BUT-yes it is hard sometimes!! (especially when it came to having three boys in less than four years!)

MOPS has given me an insane sense of normalcy which is so needed for us striving to do it all moms! 

It has taught me that....

A bad moment doesnt make me a bad Mama!! 

And it definitely and most importantly encouraged, strengthened, and heightened my understanding of HIS grace! I have a keen sense like never before because of the encouragement I have received from my fellow mommies but also in all the awesome messages we have studied  from the curriculum! I remember hearing once from a video that...

"I was made for my children in all my entirety. Failure and all!! And they were made for me!" 

Like how refreshing is that!? Just grasping that fact is like a breath of fresh air for me!  What a peace that put deep down in my ever trying and tired soul. 

 I find myself feeling different after I leave, and while I'm there. I place myself into this place...a place of...

Surrender. 

 

I have learned to surrender. 

Surrendered to Gods will...it isn't always the easiest....but it is always the best. 

And being able to do motherhood with a bunch of other women that they too are trying to control every moment and surrender every moment (and sometimes at the same second) sure does help!! 

Not only is in informative on a deep level but it also helps moms to be creative, find fun ways to celebrate holidays, surprise their husbands, plan meals, etc.

Boogers, bums, and never-ending need for food is kind of time consuming when it comes to little people. So this help is so much appreciated. 

I will never forget the first time I came to this MOPS group..I was nervous out of my mind because it was my VERY first outing by myself with all three boys(the baby being just 4 weeks!)

But the second I arrived at the facility, all of my nerves melted away. 

One word – AMAZING.

Walking through the door I saw a bunch of precious, super real women gathered together with the sole purpose of rocking their God-given Mom calling.

They had come because they wanted to find community.

They had come to laugh or cry (a roomful of pregnant/nursing/or toddler-rearing women?  It will happen, people) or whatever they needed to do to feel heard and understood.

They had come for the childcare. 

They had come to have a delicious bite of breakfast  that didn’t include microwaved pancakes, stale cereal, or nuggets for that matter. 

They had come to lift each other up in the face of sleeplessness or breastfeeding issues or to encourage one another through the stomach bugs and terrible 2s toddler challenges.

They had come to get crafty.

They had come to be mentored.

 They had come to be inspired.

That day I went to MOPs I decided that I would be back even when I had a kid bawling on my hip because I knew I was going to need those girls in my mommy-ing journey.

It has changed me...it made me

Be courageous 

enough to always see the greatness in others and courageous enough to defy popularity and stay true to what GOD has for me and the COURAGE to know the difference! 

It makes me feel like the "real me". 

I could not be more grateful! 

MOPS...helps mom's (especially this one) build a happy(ier) home.