Moments

I was so disappointed that I went off and left my camera, thus missing this special day with the kids. Oh well, maybe next time. At least I'm taking the time to write about it, right?

Today was an on and off sunny day, a little chilly around 50 degrees, and somewhat disappointing after having several days of 75 degrees. The girls and I headed to town to pick up Luke at preschool and found the diggers working on the road just across the parking lot of the school. It took me twice as long to get the girls inside because Kayla was engrossed in the digger action. With all three buckled and back in the car, my little preschool reporter proceeded with his rendition of the day's activities. Mid story, he asked if we could have a picnic. My heart was heavy as I explained that it was too cold to have a picnic in the park. I wanted to go to the park too. Just then I recalled a chapter from a book we are reading in the mom's group entitled "Jump In". The chaptered challenged moms to find an activity to "jump in" with your kids. After a quick "thank you" to my heavenly Teacher, I turned the car around and headed towards McDonald's and proudly screamed out "CAR PICNIC" !!!!!
Much to my delight I head a "Yay" and a "WooHoo".
We picked up McDonald's and drove back to Luke's preschool. We parked on the edge of the parking lot and opened up the back. I spread out the picnic blanket and we piled into the back with our food to watch the digger. It was such a precious memory counting the many dump trucks that came and went, laughing at the silly way Krista ate her fries and just taking time to really ENJOY my kids. All the thoughts of spending $8 on lunch (when we had a full fridge and pantry at home), faded away with every point and wave at the machines and the workers. With one last little "ByeBye Digger" we ended our lunch and headed home.

It wasn't until later that afternoon that I truly took time to reflect.
With the time spent on our picnic I was behind on the daily chores. I piled two overflowing baskets of unfolded laundry on the bed. I was about half way through when a little princess head peaked around the mound of clothes. "Hi Mommy", and with that Kayla climbed up. She crushed my fears of "helping" and was content just to sit next to me while I folded and folded. With just two shirts left to fold I felt a little hand on my back, followed by a pat. I sat there as my two year old ran her hand sweetly up and down my back, all the while praising God for her. It is awesome how God gives the gift of affection to women and to see it displayed at such a young age moved me to tears.

These are the moments that make life worth living, and it is these precious moments that I need to seize and treasure, because they are just that- moments- that will pass if I don't.

How fitting the Motivation for Moms today:
Show your children that you appreciate them by doing something special just for them, like making their favorite meal, or taking them out for an ice cream.

Submission

I have so many wonderful things to share, but will only choose just one for now.

It all began with the sermon on Confessing and Following Christ (http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=33008208227). Throughout the message Pastor Olivetti discussed the very topic of selflessness. Needless to say this has been a hot topic around our home for a couple of reasons, which I will gladly discuss in another post on another day.
I never want to miss an opportunity to share about my husband, Eric. I'd like to preface this by saying, HE IS NOT PERFECT, and I'm NOT proclaiming him to be. Having said that I will say he excels in the area of selflessness. He is constantly forgoing his own pursuits of happiness for the betterment of our family, and some days just for the simply things that make me happy. This is not to say that he lives miserably. Far from it. :-)

I met with a friend recently who said this, "You always put him on a pedestal." Her words have been on my mind and I cannot seem to shake them. So.....

I began to explore just what a pedestal is:
—Noun

1.	an architectural support for a column, statue, vase, or the like.

2.	a supporting structure or piece; base.

—Idiom

1. set or put on a pedestal, to glorify; idealize.

In thinking more on this He revealed many things to me. In reflecting back on the words of my friend, I found myself placing him on a pedestal more often than I realized. Eric is the leader and supporting structure of our family. If you think in terms of a building, God is the structure in which our family is build on and under. Eric is our column that upholds the structure. Let me clarify, Eric is not supporting God, in the sense that God needs to be held up. Eric supports His ways, plans, instruction and will for our family by bearing the weight. Without a good support system the building would crash. There is a reason Eric is the man and leader of our home and I am the wife, not the head.
I also realize that I need to be careful not to put Eric in a position of idolatry. The only reason Eric is who he is, is because of his Heavenly Father. I need to make it clear to those I talk to it is He that has made us and now we ourselves.

It is a wonder what God has done in Eric's life and the man He has made Eric to be. I truly marvel at God's plan and His way to execute without fail. When I describe our marriage the best word I've found is fascination. He fascinates me because Eric is an outstanding example of God's grace, in the flesh. The Lord brought him out of a pit and restored him to be a proclamation of not only His grace, but His power over this world. Hallelujah, I say.

I realized that I should put him on a pedestal. God chose this man for me to follow, is molding him daily, helping him to mold me daily and allowing us to glorify Him while here on earth.

Submission, for me, becomes as easy as waking up in the morning. In the beginning of our marriage, I packed up and followed Eric to Indiana. Through the years I resented him for it. I've had to asked for forgiveness on more than one occasion for this. I've also realized that it wasn't just me fighting Eric, but me fighting God's will for my life.
As stubborn (strong-willed) as I was and sometimes still am, God had to pick someone truly amazing for me to follow. Not only that, but God has given me such a deep love and respect for Eric that I don't have trouble following him. That doesn't mean that I don't have opinions, nor do I have trouble expressing them. However, true submission can only be taught by Christ through His relationship to our Father, and then for me to mimic through my marriage to Eric.

I shared of making Eric a top priority. I have met my three challenges better on some days and have fallen short on others. There is ALWAYS room for improvement. :-)
Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to go improve by giving my man the longest back-scratch he's ever had! Did I mention he reminds me of an old bear?! :-) HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Priority - The Hubby

Last night Eric and I discussed what it means to be a stay-at-home mom. I won't quote him because this is a "g" rated site ;-). Having to take care of the kids for the past two days while I was sick really had an impact on him. He was more than happy to return to his "desk job and his computer" today. I was filled with love!

Today as I was running around trying to get caught up on the laundry, I stopped and stared at our wedding picture for a minute. Eric looks so young without his goat-tee. (Pretty sure that's not the correct spelling of it). I said a little prayer of thanksgiving for Eric and turned my prayers to our children. Mid prayer, I felt a little thought creep in. 'What do you children see?' When I look at that picture of our wedding day it reminds me of how much I truly LOVE Eric.

I dropped to my knees and begged my Heavenly Father for forgiveness.

I read somewhere that "Marriage is falling in love many times...with the same person." This is so true! I find myself falling in love with Eric over and over. But when I really stopped to think about it, I don't always SHOW Eric that I love him, especially in front of our kids.

I made a list of things that I am determined to improve on.
1. Improve the atmosphere.
Eric always calls when he's on his way home. I need to take that time to create a positive atmosphere that he is glad to come home too---despite the circumstances. I will greet him at the door with a hug, kiss and welcome home. I especially want to teach this to my kids. Daddy coming home is going to be a celebration everyday---despite the circumstances.

2. Spend more time together.
I am constantly complaining that 'we don't ever do anything together'. Which is not true. I need to use everyday opportunities to spend time with him, and make them enjoyable. I've decided to start working out in the evening and I know this is something that he wants to do, too. So I'm going to formally invite him to join me in exercising. Every time. Not an open ended invite.

3. Show a little PDA from time to time.
I don't want to scar my kids for life by making out with Daddy at the dinner table, so instead I've decided to offer a little peck from time to time. I married my prince charming. (Even if prince charming can clear the room with his farts). :-) Seriously, our kids need to know love is wonderful and God's love is even greater.

So here are my three new challenges to make Hubby a priority.

Priorities

Having to stay in bed alone with my thoughts I've started to re-think my priorities.

I've teetered on the edge of throwing my hands up in the air and giving up. It's a hard job for me, being a mother of three. I find that I have been keeping a tally of good days and bad days, without even realizing it. My fuse has become shorter and shorter and my despair greater and greater. For some reason I'm struggling to find a balance with three kids most days. In thinking more about why I keeping feeling this way I discovered that it was not everyday that I felt like I was fighting a losing battle. The bad days are those days when my housework has fallen behind or I haven't been able to have my special time with the kids. One thing that has greatly helped me has been to re-focus my priorities. Fun things for myself that I enjoy, time with my kids, time with Eric, a good attitude, my mom's group, bible study, the house, and different things I do for our church are some of the large catagories on my plate. Sound familiar?

I found my family suffering because I had too many things on my plate. I love to serve. Mike Holmes said, "Jack of all trades, master of none." When I looked at my plate and the things that filled it, I found that the things that I wanted to focus on where being pushed aside to make room for the small things that were of some "less" importance. I have since cleared my plate of some of those small things and I've turned my focus back to the ministries I feel God is leading.

Our merciful God promises not to give us more than we can handle. It's easy for me to feel that I should bear the load. When, in truth, God gives me the load so that I turn to Him to help me carry it. God has blessed me with three children. I need to rely on Him for strength instead of a can of Coke ;-).

To be honest, when I really took the time to think about why some days seemed so much harder than others, I was ashamed at what He Revealed. On those bad days I look at my job as a mother as a burden instead of a blessing. I love being a mom and I need to find that joy on the dark days of despair.

I need to see my role as a mother as a challenge. A challenge from the Lord to glorify Him, lean on Him, grow in Him and teach His children through all this. How? I've decided to use the "brainwashing" method proposed by Rebecca in a previous post. I need to change my thinking and replace my negative thoughts with His word.

Mark 10:27 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God."

Here is the first verse of many, I'm sure, that I will hide within my heart for the days that I feel burdened instead of blessed.

A friend from far coming near

I have put off posting about my excitement with the approaching events of next week, but after reading the words from a friend most dear to my heart, I feel the time has come.

I have the pleasure, and I mean pleasure, of meeting a gal who has been a mentor to me for some time now. My mother-in-law, (though she is not referred to as such) has graciously given me a wonderful gift; the opportunity to meet Rebecca. I love the way Mom sees a time when she can do something for someone else, seizes that opportunity and takes it beyond expectations.

So I bring the question to those who are married.... What is your relationship with your mother-in-law? I have the pleasure of seeing this woman, show love to my children that can only be compared to the same love I share with them. It's an amazing thing to witness how much they truly love her. She has made a home for them within her home. Not only for my children, but for me as well. It is my home away from home. It's the silly things that touch my heart like forgetting to get corn bread mix at the grocery store. I just called Mom, and of course, she had some and brought it over. Did I mention the only way I even made it to the store was because she was watching my kids? She had earned my respect instead of demanding it. She built our relationship on the foundation of our shared love for my children, a bond that is stronger than any girl's lunch, shopping trip or gift. But I will admit when we do those lunches and shopping trips I "force" myself to have a good time :-). HA!

Now that I have been blessed with this opportunity to finally meet the Rebecca (I only know through her writings and photos), I am excited and nervous. Christi Mary Warner said "A true friend is one who know all about you and likes you anyway." I have learned so much and have grown so much as a person because God has used her to mentor me in a time when I needed it most. I am thankful she is not perfect. I have found great comfort in knowing that she shares the same struggles.

1 Thessalonians 5:11- Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

How can I let this person know how much I respect, admire, love and cherish our friendship? I have this opportunity to meet my mentor, what can I possibly say to express my appreciation? Can a hug say too little or more than words every could? I hope the latter.

As she reads this I can imagine Rebecca's thinking that I'm putting her on a pedestal. There is no room for disappointment because God doesn't make disappointments.

So there! ;-)