I'll take a coffee with that muffin.....if I can find it

My friend sent this to me this week.......I found it extremely amusing and frighteningly life-like. Enjoy!

If You Give A Mom A Muffin

- by Kathy Fictorie

If you give a mom a muffin,
She'll want a cup of coffee to go with it.
She'll pour herself some.
The coffee will get spilled by her three-year-old
She'll wipe it up.
Wiping the floor, she will find some dirty socks.
She'll remember she has to do some laundry.
When she puts the laundry in the washer,
She'll trip over some snow boots and bump into the freezer.
Bumping into the freezer will remind her she has to plan supper for tonight.
She will get out a pound of hamburger.
She'll look for her cookbook. (101 Things to Make with a Pound of Hamburger.)
The cookbook is sitting under a pile of mail.
She will see the phone bill which is due tomorrow
She will look for her checkbook.
The checkbook is in her purse that is being dumped out by her two-year-old.
She'll smell something funny.
She'll change the two-year-old
While she is changing the two-year-old the phone will ring. (Of course!)
Her five-year-old will answer it and hang up.
She remembers that she wants her friend to come for coffee on Friday.
Thinking of coffee will remind her that she was going to have a cup.
She will pour herself some.
And chances are,
If she has a cup of coffee,
Her kids will have eaten the muffin that went with it.

We ARE that homeschooling family.....kind of.....

I intended to blog about our homeschooling "journey" all year.....obviously that was a pipe dream of mine. ;-) Things just got way too busy, and that was the last thing I was sitting down to think about.

But now that the school year is almost done, I can sit back and take a look at the last few months.

I must say that after a school year of teaching my children at home, it turned out much differently than I ever imagined it would! I came into the year with preconceived ideas of homeschoolers, of how school should "look" and of how I would be as a teacher. Some of my preconceptions played out as I thought they would, but most things look completely different to me now.

After this year, I am by NO means an expert on homeschooling. But I do think that I have learned a few things, that might be of help to those contemplating homeschooling. It is often an intimidating step to take, and it always helps to know others have gone through the same thing and have found ways to cope.

Here are 5 things I discovered along the way this year.....things that may or may not help you as a new homeschooling family. But if you are anything like me, it is just nice to hear someone else say what you are thinking or feeling or wondering. ;-)

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1. You must choose the right curriculum/program for YOU. You will get lots of advice from everyone under the sun about "the best homeschooling curriculum" to use........but what works for one family might not work for you. You need to be fully convinced in your mind of what you are looking for and then seek out the curriculum that supports that. Several factors to consider when looking for a curriculum:

*What kinds of extracurricular subjects do you want your children to study?
*How much time will you have and what type of learning will your schedule support?
*What is your budget for buying homeschool materials?
*How "hands-on" do you want to be in the prepping/lesson planning part?
*Do you want a curriculum that is all-inclusive (meaning only from one place or publisher) or do you want to use different resources for different subjects?

2. You need to give yourself lots of prep time before the school year begins. Homeschooling is a totally different animal than sending your kid off to school everyday. You must be prepared mentally and environmentally (meaning, having your house prepped for homeschooling). We did not plan on homeschooling until 2 weeks before we started, so needless to say---I was NOT prepared! By second semester, I had worked out a system and organized the school area but it was kind of too late. We were so far behind by then that I still felt a bit overwhelmed. Next year, I will have everything in place BEFORE school starts, so that we can begin on the right foot.

3. Homeschooling is more productive if you engage your children in outside activities and in cooperation with other homeschoolers. By this, I do not mean that it is imperative that you be in a school co-op or something similar......but I do believe that kids need contact with the outside world. lol
Because I provide childcare in my home for several friends, this limits the amount of time we can go on field trips, etc. We do attend church regularly, so my kids had steady social contact every week, as well as playing with the (many) kids in our neighborhood. But next year, I am going to make sure our schedule allows time for us to meet up with other families, thus providing my children with interpersonal contact within an educational setting. I think it is good for children to evaluate themselves in comparison to others at times. We all need this, right? :-) If you only learn and study around your family, you may come to believe that your way is the only way, and that is not true by any stretch!

4. You need to make your teaching schedule work with your family's schedule. As I mentioned before, I babysit children in my home. Because of this, I had to take a "non-traditional" approach to a school schedule. I tried to do the 8-3 thing for awhile, but it was not working out. So I rearranged what subjects I taught on what days, and fit classes into slots that I had free throughout the day. And as long as I know my children are progressing and comprehending, I can stick with this schedule because it leaves us all feeling less frustrated.
That said though, your children DO need structure. So making your teaching schedule "work for you" does not mean that you throw all scheduling out the window and allow things to happen as they will. Children thrive under consistency and structure. You need to find a balance that will work for your family while teaching your children life skills about schedules for when they go out in the world alone.

5. I have learned much about my children this school year. Being your child's teacher allows you to learn about their learning style and to observe first-hand how they initially understand things. It also allows you to see their strengths and weaknesses and makes it possible for you to encourage or work on those areas. But being your child's teacher also means that you are the one who has to fight with them (at times) to do their work. :-) Make sure that you are prepared mentally for the challenge of teaching, and plan regular times for yourself to get away in the evenings or weekends. You will need time to re-group and de-stress. And always keep your child(ren)'s progress in mind.......your job is now to make sure they succeed educationally. The balance between parent/teacher roles can be tricky at times, but if you go into homeschooling with an awareness of that, you will do fine!

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These are just a few of the things I have learned this year. It has been a hard year, but I have learned so much about myself and my children. I think our family has grown closer, and I have had opportunities to teach my children things that I never would have, if they had been out of the house all day.

As I mentioned before, homeschooling is not for everyone. But if you are considering it as an option for your family, be sure to evaluate these areas before you make your decision. And make sure that your family avoids the stereotype of.........HOMESCHOOLER. ;-) Here is what I mean.........

A mother's work is never done......

......but things like this make it worthwhile anyways. :-)

Hope your MoTheR's DaY was special!

It pays to dig through your junk

I decided to dig through some file boxes I had stored in the basement this week. In college, I had to put together some files for both of my majors.....so I had quite a few folders to sort through.

As I was digging through one labeled "Devotionals", I found some really great articles and quotes that I had collected years ago. It is always cool to look back at how God was teaching you and what things you were learning in years past.

One article stood out to me.......it was something I had tucked away, back when I only had one baby. As I read through it, I realized that God had intended for me to find it this week. It was something that I have been thinking about lately, and this article could help me act on those thoughts.

It is entitled "A Parent's Prayer Program" by Bob Hostetler, and I found it in a Focus on the Family magazine way back in 2000. The author tells of his desire to instill godly character in his children and how he realized the necessity of prayer for that endeavor.

He lays out a monthly list of character traits or virtues that he prays will be planted or nurtured in his child's life. He includes Scripture verses or passages that encourage purposeful prayer. I loved the list, and am going to use it over the month of May. I might add to it for the next month and continue it as the Lord lays new needs for my children on my heart.

Here is an outline of the prayer program--let me know if you use it or pray in a similar way for your children's hearts:

Salvation~Isaiah 45:8, 2 Timothy 2:10
Growth in grace~2 Peter 3:18
Love~Ephesians 5:2, Galatians 5:22
Honesty and integrity~Psalm 25:21
Self-control~1 Thessalonians 5:6
A love for God's word~Psalm 19:10
Justice~Psalm 11:7, Micah 6:8
Mercy~Luke 6:36
Respect (for self, others, authority)~1 Peter 2:17
Strong, biblical self-esteem~Ephesians 2:10
Faithfulness~Proverbs 3:3
A passion for God~Psalm 63:8
Responsibility~Galatians 6:5
Kindness~1 Thessalonians 5:15
Generosity~1 Timothy 6:18-19
Peace, peaceability~Romans 14:19
Hope~Romans 15:13
Perseverance~Hebrews 12:1
Humility~Titus 3:2
Compassion~Colossians 3:12
Prayerfulness~Ephesians 6:18
Contentment~Philippians 4:12-13
Faith~Luke 17:5-6, Hebrews 11:1-40
A servant heart~Ephesians 6:7
Purity~Psalm 51:10
A willingness and ability to work hard~Colossians 3:23
Self-discipline~Proverbs 1:3
A heart for missions~Psalm 96:3
Joy~1 Thessalonians 1:6
Courage~Deuteronomy 31:6

The randomness that is my world.....

My husband's sister and her husband are here for a few days, so I am much too busy showing them around the area to blog. ;-) But since I know you are all dying to hear my words of wisdom, I will share a few thoughts to tide you over until my next real post. K?


First of all, my BABY....my little boy.....turned THREE YEARS OLD on Monday! I can't even think about it too much, because it makes me want to cry. Is this how all mothers feel with their youngest? He will probably be the last too, so that makes it even harder. (Even though I dislike babies....but that is another post for another day......now that you are all mad at me for not liking cuddly wuddly babies. It takes all kinds, alright?!)

Anyway, he had a wonderful b-day, first with his grandparents who were visiting, then with his (forementioned) aunt and uncle, and then will also celebrate with a few of his pals on Saturday, over a giant race car cake. He got everything a little boy could desire........guns, tanks, race cars, a golf set, a coonskin cap, rubber snakes, a motorcycle nightlight, more cars and trucks, etc, etc.

The second thing is that I have started on my next book for the year. I posted earlier about my reading goal for 2010, and it is going better than most of my goals do. (lol) I changed a few of the titles I hope to read, but other than that, I am staying on schedule. Right now I am reading a book that I bought a year ago and never got the chance to start--When Good Kids Make Bad Choices by Elise Fitzpatrick and Jim Newheiser. I am excited to read it and gain some wisdom that I can use to help others and also store up in my "parenting bank of wisdom".....which is not very full right now. :-)

I will be back in a few days....try not to miss me too much!

Bon-bons and soap operas

My friend shared an article (from Boundless Webzine) on Facebook this week. As I read the article, some of the other posts caught my eye. In particular, this one was very encouraging.

Often, we believe that SAHMs have it so easy. And often, they do. But not because they don't have any responsibilities.....no, it is because the world has manipulated them into thinking that staying home does not require any thought or effort or strategic planning. And that is wrong. :-(

I felt that way when I was first married. I did not have a plan. And I thought women who did were....well, frankly....."wifey". lol I had an image in my head of SAHMs being mousy and meek and mindless. But that is far from what God desires for us! Just look at the Proverbs 31 woman!

I am not here to stand on a soapbox and preach sermons we have all heard. If God desires to convict you in this area, He will. You don't need my "wisdom". ;-) But do read the article, and think over your plan for being a wife and mother!

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will.....majorly tick me off!

My two oldest Es are 16.5 months apart.

Yes--you read that right. We are crazy....we have already fully embraced that. Thus why our middle and youngest Es are THREE YEARS APART. ;-)

Anyways, the girls are slowly becoming friends. They are at the right ages now where they can pretend on the same wave length. They are sharing a room again, which they seem to enjoy. They have even started teasing each other about boys.
Wait, what??? *sigh* Yes, it is true.

But they still have many moments where they fight like (rabid) cats and dogs. I now know what the so-called "cat fight" between women truly looks like! They are terrible to each other!

I have really been struggling with finding a good approach to this fighting. Like I said, they really do love each other, and when they are getting along, it is so precious. But then there are the other times. I want to find a way to minimize this bickering and slapping and screaming and hitting and shrieking and.....oh sorry. Can you tell it happens often? :-)

I read this excellent article this morning, which really pointed out some good things. We have also been memorizing some Bible verses about kindness and interpersonal relationships. But I wanted to know--how do you handle conflicts between your kids? Do you jump in and break up every fight? Do you try to smooth it over with psychological reasoning? Or do you just let them pound each other and hope for the best? Inquiring minds want to know.......

Put on your big boy undies and stop crying!

Soooooo.........

Potty training has commenced for the littlest E here in ToddlerWorld. I'm not gonna lie....the first 2 days there were no accidents, and I had started writing my pottytraining manual to share with the world.

Then comes Day 3.

Two poopy accidents, one wet one, and seemingly no remorse for either of them from Littlest E. Hmmm. Now we are on Day 5 and the trend continues.......
But I am not turning back. I tried other methods with my girls, and they did not turn out so hot. In fact, I almost committed myself somewhere after Middle E's experience. So after counsel from a new friend who has 7 children (who is going to argue with someone with that many children?!), I decided to try the "only underwear from this point on, no matter the destruction that ensues" approach.

I should not complain--it really has not been as disastrous as I imagined. Things could be worse....somehow......
And the prize of a trip to CHUCK E. CHEESE **heavenly voices singing** is constantly discussed, which shows me that he is at least thinking about it. :-)

We just have to get over the "fear of pooping in the potty because I rather like the feel of it squishing in my underwear" problem.......

It's not me talkin', kid!

I just wanted to share a quick thought from my devotions this morning.....

Often, I struggle with feelings of inadequacy when parenting. "How can I tell these creatures to obey when I fail to obey my Father on a regular basis?" I feel hypocritical at times.

As I was reading a chapter in one of my devotional books on parenting, the author said this:

"How can we, who fail so often and so badly, expect our children to treasure our instruction?
You must believe with all your heart that God holds the key to life in His Word. You must believe this so deeply that two things must happen. First, you must tell them the truth the way Solomon does (in Proverbs)--not because you are the standard, but because God's Word is true whether you have followed it or not. Second, you must believe this so genuinely that you change your own ways where you are failing, repent and embrace the sanctifying truth of God." (Everyday Talk-pgs. 119,120)

Such a great reminder! God's Word is the source of truth.....it is not my words that will change my child's behavior, but His Word!

Hotels and laundry and vomit....oh my!

*Note to readers: This post may include some crude references to bodily excrements. I did not say vulgar, just not sugar-coated for sensitive readers. ;-)

If anyone has ever wondered if God has a keen sense of humor, I am pretty sure He does. Let's analyze my past week as an example.......

A week ago last Friday: I was bopping around downtown Denver with my homies, eating all the food I could get my hands on, hangin' in a hot tub, and renting hotel movies like I was at a high school cheerleading convention.

Fast forward to Sunday morning: My son puked all over the church nursery (and himself).
**Quick rabbit trail*** This is a new church, mind you, so I am sure that we will not be welcomed into the fellowship anytime soon after this incident. Anyways......
Got through that illness rather easily. "I can handle this! After all, I worked at Bethesda!" (a few of you will get that...)

Tuesday evening: Had a friend over for dinner--made a huge enchilada meal.
**'Nother rabbit trail****One of my best pans of enchiladas to date, if I may boast a bit.
The eldest E decided to pick up the flu bug left about the house, and spent the wee morning hours hurling (the enchiladas) quietly to herself and then leaving the bowl sitting on the couch (we are still questioning that move) for her brother to spill on the couch and window shade. Good times.....but lest you feel pity welling up, just wait.

She spent the day sleeping and feeling generally terrible. (I hate it when my kids are sick and I have no power to really help. sigh.) She goes to bed, pretty much back to her normal self. I go to bed feeling nasty and knowing what lie ahead for me during the night.

Wednesday night: Yep, I was right. 3am to 7am spent communing with the household toilets. During that time period, Josh got up to leave for the airport. Oh, did I forget to mention that?! Yes, Daddy was leaving for 3 days. Convenient. Just kidding, I am not at all bitter. No, really, I am not. He would not have been any help to me--he doesn't handle bodily excrements well. AT ALL.

So, I lay around the house all day. The children watched more T.V. than most watch in a week. They also ate whatever they could find on the floors because I was too weak and dizzy to cook for them. No, just kiddin'--but they really did have some odd concoctions. Poor kids. Thankfully my sweet friend Chastity brought them McDonalds so they would have one healthy balanced meal.

Wait......what?

Thursday night: I take two Ibuprofen and hit the hay. Wake up feeling totally fine again. Starving, but fine. We even went out for lunch to celebrate at an all-you-can-eat buffet!

Bad choice.

8pm, Friday night. Everyone is tucked in bed, my cup of tea is ready, and my movie is prepped to watch. But what is that sound? You moms know it well. The sound of vomit being projectile launched across the room. I sprinted downstairs, but it was too late. Middle E's bed was covered, as well as her sister's (whose I had just changed that morning). Sigh. Or actually it was more of an agonized gasp.....

I brought her upstairs to the extra bed and settled her in. I figured I would Facebook and wait out the "storm". Around 1:45am, I realized the storm was not stopping. So, I made my bed in the same room. And was up every hour for this one. Poor kid.

So, after my 2 long hours of sleep that night, I arose on Saturday morning to finish up the 15th or so load of laundry from the week. By the evening, the last E was feeling stable, and we headed off to the airport to pick up Daddy. (Who I am positive was THRILLED to be coming back to this...... ;)

If any of you are left reading this, I am coming to my point. Yes, I know...."it better be worth it". (It really isn't.....I just needed to ramble.)

The Point of the Post: As I went off for my mom's night away the Friday before this nightmare-ish week, I kind of thought that I "deserved" the time away. I felt that I was entitled to a carefree, lavish evening to put my "troubles" aside. And I think it is true--we moms do need times to rejuvenate and regroup. But my first and utmost calling is to be a wife and mother.....and (as hard as it is) that comes with many nasty moments. :-) As I was throwing my pity party last week, God grabbed my heart and whispered to me, "I have a purpose and I need you to trust and be satisfied."
So often we fall into the worldly mentality that we are "entitled" to a life that goes a certain way--healthy kids, enough money to be comfortable, a perfectly romantic marriage, and a stress-free environment at home.

But God has not promised all of that.

He has only promised to give us the grace to make it through each day. He has given us "everything that pertains to life and godliness" (I Peter 1:3) He only desires to make us more like His Son. We must be content with that! Even when everyone around you is puking. :-)

After my gentle rebuke from God, the blessing of a night away seemed even more that---an added blessing that I do not deserve or even need in order to live my life as a wife and mother. (Not saying I will not take one if it comes along again, but my attitude and mentality has been turned towards our God instead. I do not need one in order to survive and bring Him glory.)

It's all trial and error....with lots o' Bible thrown in

I have been very convicted about my parenting lately. I know I have done the wrong thing in many circumstances.....I ought not to dwell on that fact. But I do need to learn from those mistakes and grow! That is my goal this year--take the mistakes that I KNOW I have made and change them, using Biblical principles that I know are true.

As I was dwelling on this goal, I was convicted about the amount of time I spend praying for my children. I DO pray for them, but not often enough and not specifically enough. Next week (after I have actually found it amidst my numerous files ;-), I will post a list of verses that you can pray for your children. I love using Scripture to pray for others---it is God's truth spoken back to Him.

I stumbled across this poem by Amy Carmichael on another blog. It is such an awesome way of wording what my heart's cry is for my kids. I hope it encourages those of you who are mothers....

For Our Children

Father, hear us, we are praying,
Hear the words our hearts are saying;
We are praying for our children.

Keep them from the powers of evil,
From the secret, hidden peril;
Father, hear us for our children.

From the whirlpool that would suck them,
From the treacherous quicksand, pluck them;
Father, hear us for our children.

From the wordling’s hollow gladness,
From the sting of faithless sadness,
Father, Father, keep our children.

Through life’s troubles waters steer them;
Through life’s bitter battle cheer them;
Father, Father, be Thou near them.

Read the language of our longing,
Read the wordless pleadings thronging,
Holy Father, for our children.

And wherever they may bide,
Lead them Home at eventide.

Getting hit from all sides

Whenever God wants me to learn something, He tends to double or triple team me. :-) In other words, He uses several different situations, mediums, or people to hit me with the particular truth.

You see, I have a child ( I won't mention any names, lest she read this someday and feel bad that I told the blogging world about her sin problems....) who really gets under my skin. She is very strong-willed, and will sin at any time if she thinks it will accomplish what she is desiring to accomplish. I have a VERY hard time maintaining patience with her. In fact, I most often sin in response to her sin. :-(

Over the last few weeks, God has been trying to get it through my thick head that I am not alone in this situation, nor do I have a real reason to despair about it. But every time she acts up and I lose my temper, I throw a pity party and tell myself that I "don't deserve a child like this" and "she will never learn" and "there is no other way I can deal with her". All false statements, but they seem so true when I am muttering them to myself in the heat of the moment. lol

As I was reading through my Bible study book the other day, the author was talking about how we do not always view our lives in light of eternity. If we did, we would not get so bogged down with all of the hardships we perceive ourselves to be bearing. In other words, nothing this world throws at us is ANYTHING in comparison to what Christ endured for us on the cross.

And as if that was not enough to think about, God spoke to me again through His Word and our small group lesson. We are studying 2 Corinthians right now, and verse 17 of chapter 4 stuck out at me.

"For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison..."

These trials that I endure here on earth are NOTHING compared to what they will produce in my life, counting for eternity and glorifying God!

Well, I guess God thought I needed to really solidify this thought in my mind and life. I needed to make it so real to myself, that I would live it out! Sooooo...... as I was reading another book this week (Everyday Talk by John Younts), the chapter described how God wants us to show His holiness to our children. The author talked about how Moses reacted to the Israelites in the wilderness, first properly and God was glorified, and then improperly and God was shown to be ordinary. He pointed out that our responses when we have been wronged need to reflect God's holiness, not ordinary actions. It challenged me to remember that God is "wronged" by us sinful creatures on a regular basis. Yet, His reaction is always holy. As a Christian, striving to clothe myself with His holiness, my reactions to my child's sinfulness need to be holy, not ordinary.

I think we all, as mothers, struggle with proper responses to our children and their behavior. I hope that this has been as thought-provoking for you as it has been for me. You would think I could learn God's lessons a little faster though, so He doesn't have to bring a gang of wisdom after me. :-)

If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy......

I have always found that phrase amusing......it always puts an image in my mind. One of a big, loud, obnoxious mother, yelling around the house until her every whim is cared for, as her children and husband scramble to satisfy her demands. Does anyone else imagine that? :-)

Lately, my heart has been drawn to the desire of becoming a godly mother. I think we all desire that SURFACELY--but when it comes down to the hard changes we must make and the difficult habits we must break.......that desire gets set on the back burner.

I often read Proverbs 31, not to make myself depressed by how difficult it seems to achieve, but instead to give myself hope that God has given me an example to follow. All throughout Scripture, God shows us that the mother or woman is the heart of the home. She can sway her husband's heart for good or bad, she can teach her children godliness or evil, and she can care for her home properly or unwisely.

So, I guess that phrase is correct, in a way. A mother's countenance and conversation can make or break the mood of her home. If she is acting in an ungodly manner, then her family members will most likely act that way also. Scary, isn't it?! :-)

I will leave you with these verses. They are always a challenge to my heart......

Proverbs 14:1
The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.


Proverbs 19:13
A foolish son is his father's ruin, and a quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping.


1 Timothy 3:11
In the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.

Titus 2:3-5
Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

(And check back tomorrow......I will be sharing some fun projects for Mother's Day as well as some Mother's Day restaurant deals!)

Working on my bibliography......

Here at Toddler World, we are trying to rustle us up some good books to read.

Well, THEY aren't.

But I am.....

I have been trying to comprise a bibliography of good parenting books, to have as part of my own personal library and to recommend as resources to other moms.

My friend just lent me two that I can hardly wait to dig into--
Grace-Based Parenting by Dr. Tim Kimmel and Everyday Talk by John A. Younts.

So what books have touched your heart and mind as a parent?
Please share your favorites, and why they are important for parents to read.


(Meanwhile, we will be on the lookout for some also.....)

Just be quiet and GO TO YOUR ROOM!

I am telling ya.....God never leaves me wondering what He is trying to teach me each day. I never come away from a time of Bible study and meditation thinking, "That was nice but I am already good in that area.....".

Nope.
It always hits me on the head and overwhelms my heart.

As I studied the next chapter in my Bible study book, I was once again floored by God's direct control over my life, as well as His desire to mold me into what He specifically wants me to be.

Not all of you know me personally....but if you do, you probably are aware that I like to talk. And that I kind of enjoy being the comedian. And that I am also slightly high-strung at times. These qualities combined create a monster. Seriously. It is something that I am aware of, but seldom address.

Who wants to admit that they have a problem? Well, obviously the Lord would like ME to. :-)

Today's chapter is entitled "Did I Really Just Say That?". I find myself expressing that sentiment often...... I will fly off the handle and say something horrible and then immediately feel remorseful for my comment. How about any of you?

Lysa often shares personal stories as she begins her chapters. This one began that way--with a story that I could have sworn was written by me. (Except with a much better writing style....hence why she is an author and I am just a personal blogger!) She described an evening filled with chaos, upheaval and unplanned events. And she described her attitude during it all.....bad reaction after bad reaction, mixed with words that should never have been said. (Oh, how I can relate, lady!)

But then she quoted two verses that she read after all of this had occurred.....

Lamentations 3:22-24~"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.'"

Psalm 73:2~"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

She then described the children of Israel, wandering in the wilderness, being fed by manna from Heaven. She recalled how they were given just enough for each day.

"He didn't allow them to gather storehouses full of manna because He wanted to be their daily portion. He wanted them to come to Him each day and recognize their need for Him. He delighted in them asking, and He delighted in providing for them every time they asked.
That's how they grew from seeing God as a religious being to having a real relationship with Him." (pg. 56) (emphasis added)

Lysa then talked about how we must ask God to be our portion daily. We, in our own strength, cannot be in a good mood or act in a godly way; this can only be accomplished by filling ourselves up with God's Word and the wisdom from it.

Our words are very powerful....they can rip a person apart, leaving them with the memory of our words for days or years to come. Or they can lift a person up, circling them with God's love and grace. We must be feeding on God's "manna" for us daily, or our words will be used for wrong.

I am so guilty of using my tongue for evil...... I thank God for this admonition to let Him be my portion for each new day!

Is Momma scared or happy?

I just finished reading Chapter 5 in my Bible study book, The Bathtub is Overflowing but I Feel Drained. I saved my review of chapter 4 for this week also, because they are similar in message.

We as mothers are a fiercely protective bunch. We guide and watch and manipulate situations at times, to ensure our children are taken care of. But if you are like me, Satan uses our feelings of guardianship for the negative many times. We become fearful and anxious and overly protective.
On the other hand, we also focus on the spiritual watch care of our little ones. We desire for them to love Jesus as we do. But again, this can become a negative when we put all of the responsibility on our shoulders.

In both of these areas, we need to keep God's will in perspective. That is what these two chapters dwelt on.....

Chapter 4: A Mom's Greatest Fear

Lysa talks in this chapter about a conversation she had with her husband. She was trying to figure out if he worried about the children as much as she did. She finally came to the conclusion that, while he was concerned for their childrens' welfare, she was consumed by it--afraid even at times.
She points out that it is o.k. for us moms to be protective and care about our children's well-being; but we cannot allow our fears to paralyze us and stifle our children. She says, "The reality is that God has assigned a certain number of days to our children, and nothing we do or don't do will add to that number." (pg 35) How true, but how hard to tell our hearts!

She gives several examples from her own life of terrible things that had happened to family members. At one point, she had to mentally lift her child up to the Lord, telling Him that she did trust and she would love Him no matter what He did in the situation. She then mentioned the complete peace that washed over her soul.

While this is an area that I feel I am trusting in right now, I constantly need to be reminded not to fear. I have family members who are daily paralyzed by fear, often hindering their relationships with others and with God. I do not want Satan to gain a stronghold in my life through fear for my children's safety.

Psalm 27:1 says it so well: "The Lord is my light and my salvation--whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life--of whom shall I be afraid?"

Chapter 5: A Mom's Greatest Joy

In this chapter, Lysa focuses on the importance of teaching our children about Jesus. She points out that there are many important areas that we want our children to grow in--manners, emergency skills, education, nutrition, etc.--but we must place their relationship with Jesus at the top of the list.

I love how she described our part in this process.

"They cannot really know Him as Healer unless He has healed them in some way.....They cannot really know Him as Savior unless I help them understand what Jesus saves us from.....They cannot really know Him as Comforter if He has not comforted them in some way.....I must prayerfully help to a point and then step back and teach them how to turn to Jesus themselves."

As I read through the verses that she listed from Deuteronomy, I was again reminded of the great responsibility we have as parents to pass on our faith. This requires me to live a purposeful Christian life--one that is not worshipping other "gods", one that constantly looking for God's hand in my daily living. I must be teaching my children about Jesus and His love, so that they will know the story (His story) that pervades every part of our existence. But ultimately always knowing that it is He Who reaches into their hearts and makes all of that teaching a reality to them!

She listed several ways that we can bring God into our everyday lives. I will leave you with these ideas, in hopes that you will expand on them and be constantly aware of the greatest joy we can have as mothers......knowing that our children are walking in The Truth.

1) Play Bible verses put to music.
2) Make up your own songs using Scripture verses.
3) Read books about missionaries and others who have lived radically for God.
4) Give them a vision for who God created them to be and help them develop their talents for God's glory.
5) Talk constantly about the big and small ways that He is active in our lives.

I know I'm a mom....now am I the worst one?

I told you I have been reading through the book, "The Bathtub Is Overflowing but I Feel Drained" by Lysa TerKeurst. As I mentioned before, it is nothing mind-blowing--just good truths that I really need to be reminded of. I am thankful for the way God reinforces principles in my life, principles that He wants me to apply and live by daily.

I am going to highlight Chapters 1 & 2 today.....I want to share a few of the truths that impacted my mind as I went through this section.

Chapter 1: Who Are These People Calling Me Mom?

Sometimes I feel like this.....how did I become a mother? It is overwhelming and unfulfilling at times (unless you have the proper perspective--a heavenly one!) Lisa pointed out that we have to change our perspective.

I have discovered that if I change the way I think about something, I can change the way I react to it. If I change the way I react, I can change the way I define myself as a mother. (pg.11)

That made me realize that when my day is going terrible and my children are misbehaving and my house is a disaster, I do not have allow those circumstances to define my motherhood. My focus needs to be eternal and then my reactions will be godly. Easier said than done, but I am committing each day to God before I start it.

She focused on 2 Peter 1:5-7, where Peter paints a word picture of our actions and choices building on each other. What a tremendous passage!!

Chapter 2: I'm the Worst Mom Ever

In this chapter, the author shares a (somewhat) humorous story about a "bad mom" moment in her life. Her emphasis is on the fact that God forgives us for our times of failing, if we are repentant. As moms, we cannot sit around focusing on our failing and using them as excuses for bad parenting. In Scripture, God mentions time and time again His unfailing love and forgiveness for those who fear Him. (Read Psalm 103!)

She points out our reason for failing: our lack of immersion into the Bible and our neglect for personal time with our God.

I needed to read that. I try and try and try (and fail and fail and fail) most days; then fall into bed at night, feeling frustrated and angry with myself as a mother. The reason? I have neglected to have my time with God, in His Word that day! Lisa puts it so well:

We're a slave to the tyranny of the urgent. But how can we continue to pour out if we aren't being filled back up on a daily basis? The flood of demands will consume us if we don't take the time to let God right our perspective, reduce our stress level, and whisper His tender truths of love in our ear. (pg. 20)

I will share thoughts from the next two chapters next Monday. I hope the wisdom in this book will encourage you moms today. And I would recommend reading this book--it has some good thoughts for busy moms!

(Speaking of moms, I think this one is wonderful. I will be keeping her in prayer as she tries to juggle much more than I ever will!)

Mommy Mondays: But for grace.....

Our pastor is doing a series on family, and this week he spoke on "Proactive Parenting". Since I do not feel that I have arrived at all in the parenting category, I was thrilled as he laid out some practical--and very convicting--guidelines for training children.

One book that he referenced much during his sermon was Grace-Based Parenting by Tim Kimmel. He emphasized how impressed he was by the book, so I decided to check it out. I found a great review of it here, and was glad to see that it is highly endorsed by one of the ministry leaders at John Piper's church.

So....I think I will be heading on over to Amazon this week (using my Ebates account, of course!) and buying a summer read. It looks like Tim has written many good books--I may have to buy a whole bundle of reading....

Have any of you read this book? Thoughts......?

"MOMMY MONDAYS"

Beginning today, I am going to focus Monday's posts on things pertaining to mothering. I am personally always looking for new tips, insights, and anecdotes , so I thought it would be fun to find things and share them with my ever-so-faithful readers. :-)

I did not have time today to scour the internet for mind-shattering info though (had to take Littlest E to the dr. to diagnose an ear infection and pick up the meds), so I will just share a book title that I have found helpful.

We are "blessed" with a very strong-willed--and often hard to understand-- oldest child. Sometimes I feel like I am at my wit's end when dealing with her.....I just cannot get a read on her thought-processes! I ran across this book while visiting one of my dearest friends awhile back (at her awesome church bookstore) and bought it to look through. The book is entitled "Aaron's Way" by Kendra Smiley. It was so encouraging....the author gave her thoughts and insights on her strong-willed son, and then each chapter ends with the son's (now grown up) insights into what he was thinking in those situations. As I read through it, I was relieved in a way to realize that I am not the only one dealing with these seemingly unending battles. :-)

The book is saturated with Scripture--many parenting books are not, unfortunately--and the author is careful to always point to the Biblical perspective. I would highly recommend this book, not just for parents of strong-willed children, but all mothers who desire to have a plan for discipline and instruction.

"Parents, every day you have to decide where you'll draw the line--what behavior is permissible and what will not be tolerated. You'll have to be ready for battle every day until your child makes his own decision to stop battling. The hope is that his determination for control will lessen each day. But until he decides to acquiesce, I guarantee you that you will be pushed and tested. The more often you give in, the worse it will get, and the longer the process will take. If you hold firm, your strong-willed child will eventually give up engaging in many of the fights. Don't be short-sighted. Raising a strong-willed child is not a sprint; it's a marathon." pg. 40-41

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

*Hebrews 12:11*

In need of wisdom

Things like this make me realize what a sober task I have in raising my children in our world today. My job as a parent is to equip my children to be discerning.....and then pray!
Have any of you researched this further?
Proverbs 4:13~Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.