Tuesday's Top Ten [Church Nursery Duty "Sins"]

I had the privilege of doing nursery duty last Sunday. It was a morning that helped me understand toddlers, stand in awe over cute they are, and that life with them is never, ever boring. I am beyond thankful these kiddo's are in my life for so many reasons, but here's a list inspired by my time with them Sunday morning; because despite how absolutely adorable they are and how each and every situation listed below made me laugh hysterically, it also helped me realize our deep and never-ending need for a Savior!

1. Coveting runs rampant. If one toddler looks like they're having fun with a toy, all toddlers want it.

2. Selfish thoughts are evident, "Even if you're playing with it, I will have it." That goes back to #1, because I want to have the same amount of fun as you, so even if you have the toy, I will get it from you, no matter the cost and even if I'm told, "no, wait your turn."

3. Patience is an unknown skill. 

4. Even if it's yours, it's mine. (Including sippy cups, pacifiers, and lovey's.)

5. Giving love is not always loving. From taps on the head to chubby-armed hugs -- watch out.

6. Toddlers give in to peer pressure too. For example: one baby wanted out. So she slammed both hands on the door and yelled, "da-da-da!" in a desperate attempt to get her daddy to save her from the horrors of the nursery. Once she did this, all babies thought it was a great idea.

7. Toddlers justify over indulgence. EVERYONE WANTS MORE CRACKERS!

8. Playing makes your clothes fall off.  If you take your child to the nursery, but extra layers on, 'cause them shoes ain't gonna last too long (and they may be lost forever, the nursery eats stuff).

9. It's like the tower of Babel in there. Each child has their own unique language. It's not easy trying to decipher 10 different versions of "cracker" (and the weird thing is that despite the variations, they all seem to understand one another).

10. Grudges are held. I wouldn't let one girl kick another girl. Oh man, are girls stubborn! (It was her against me.) I'm not sure who won, but after removing her from the ordeal (making her MAD) she did not want me. After a time I asked her if we could cuddle for a bit and she quite honestly answered, "No." So I asked, "Are you still mad at me?" More honesty, "Yes." (By the way, she did cuddle with me and wanted no one else --despite her grudge-- so I guess something was accomplished in all of that, right?) Either way it made me giggle.

Despite these truths, I also realized this amazing truth as well: that Everyone enjoys the simple things and takes time to stand in awe of it. Like trains going by, cuddle time in a rocking chair, or finding a matching puzzle piece. Trying to teach them patience and sharing do not compare to what they teach me on a daily basis.

I encourage you to find the person in charge of setting up the nursery duty schedule in your church and volunteer your time. Jesus had a lot to say about the value of children, make them a priority, and you'll begin to understand why they're a valuable asset to any church atmosphere and why they're worth every second of our time and energy.

Bennett's Birth Story [Water Birth]

Another incredible story of trust in GOD's perfect timing, thank you Emily for sharing it with us!

--------------------

Bennett's birth, early in the morning of September 5th, was perfect!

I am blessed beyond words with amazing family and friend support God has carefully placed in my life. As I type this, my son is being doted upon by his honorary aunties who I am fairly sure are feeding him mac and cheese and juice, the good stuff he doesn’t get at home. The night Bennett was born, I was surrounded by my three best friends as we planned the final details for one of their weddings and I baked a cake for a coworker leaving the Division the next day. I didn’t feel any different than normal and hurriedly went about the work that needed to be done. Amongst the giggles, printer noise and paper cutter slicing, I stopped to use the restroom. I stood up and turned bright red with embarrassment, I had always heard very pregnant mama’s sometimes pee themselves but thankfully up until this exact moment in time, I had avoided that lovely side effect of pregnancy. I quickly changed and started back downstairs when it happened again…a small woosh of liquid everywhere. The girls called out to check on me. I answered in a quiet voice, “I think my water just broke…” All three were hovered around me in our small upstairs bathroom in what felt like seconds! We decided to call our doula and the midwifery. The midwifery told me I had an appointment at 10 am the next morning to check me and to try to get some sleep. 12 hours later… little did I know... that would be much too long to wait. 

Our doula, who technically wasn’t even “on call” yet, (our contract stated she would be available 2 weeks prior) told us to start tracking contractions as they came. Immediately one of my girlfriends grabbed a note pad and began writing out columns. She is a VERY organized person. Another friend grabbed the computer to begin downloading music for me. I had asked for a good “birthing mix” earlier in the week. The third friend downloaded a stop watch app on her phone. I, feeling no contractions yet, called my husband who was at work, and told him what was going on. He asked if he could finish some things and I said yes but to be ready if I called back. I then proceeded to march to the kitchen to finish the cake I had promised my coworkers! My three girlfriends laughed and followed my every move. About an hour later contractions started and never stopped. 

“CONTRACTION!” I’d yell. 

“Timer!” someone would say. 

“Got it!” another friend would yell. 

We had planned an all natural birth at the only free standing birthing center in Colorado. I was excited to trust in God and my body, and birth my son naturally in the water. But oh my!!!! If this is just the beginning of labor, stage 1, and thinking, I am totally going to fail at this! What was I thinking!!!! This hurts! Oh Lord please help me, I can’t do this…

Another hour later my contractions were all over the place. No rhyme or reason, no consistency in length, duration, time in between. I called my husband as the pain intensified. "Please come home," I begged. He agreed and said he was leaving to make the 20 minute drive home. I called my doula and let her know how things were going. She agreed to come to my house even though I was only 2.5 hours into labor. I told my girlfriends they could go home. It was late and they all had to work in the morning. Thank the Lord they did not listen to me and leave! I wasn’t sure what I felt. I thought I had to use the bathroom. I kept going back and forth from my bed (yea right-I was trying to “get some sleep”) to the bathroom but I really didn’t need to go. Then I said it out loud, words that scared everyone in the room…

“I feel like I need to push.” 

I was still at home. My husband was not there, my doula was not there. What was about to happen? Immediately my friends called my doula who said we needed to leave for the birth center right away and she would meet us there. She would not be coming to the house. I called my husband who was just pulling into the driveway. My friends rushed me into his car with our “go bag”. My husband called the midwifery as we started the drive. Unknown to me, they told him if there was a hospital between our house and the midwifery, we needed to go there instead. Thankfully my husband knows me too well and we pushed on. The normally 25 minute drive only took us 14 minutes. As I look back I am very thankful we trusted in the Lord and His timing. I felt calm and confident He was with us and taking care of every step along this journey. God really does have perfect timing doesn’t He? 

Our doula met us in the front of the building. I was led into the front room where I had one big contraction. Once I got into the room I just kept asking to get in the tub. The midwife and nurse helped me undress and asked me to lay on a bed first to be checked and to place the monitor on the baby. I responded in tears “there’s not time”. The midwife checked me standing up and told me to get in the tub b/c she felt Bennett’s head! 2 pushes later, 7 minutes from the time we pulled up to the midwifery in our car, my beautiful 6 pound 15.5 ounce baby boy was born naturally in the water. 

As hectic as it seems when I say or type the story, I was very much at peace the entire time. I felt God’s presence and knew he was watching over all of us. It was incredible. 

My husband and I were fortunate enough to have hired an amazing doula who took photos. We got to spend time with Bennett in the tub and then in the bed in the room and he never left our side. We delayed cord cutting and worked on breastfeeding until Bennett latched and sleepily napped on my chest. I took him into the regular bath with me once I was taken care of and able to move around. My husband and I gave Bennett his first bath together in warm water full of healing herbs. 

As I dried off, my husband took our new baby to get weighed and measured then we snuggled a bit longer together as a family. 

Bennett was observed with us for 4 hours and finally the 3 of us went home. Yes, home to our house, our bed, and our dogs with our new baby. It was incredible and peaceful. Ironically we were observed longer than my entire labor. My husband still laughs, he was home with Bennett sooner than he would have been had he have worked his entire shift! From water breaking, to Bennett’s birth, it was 3 hours and 53 minutes. We now know to go to the midwifery immediately if my water breaks for baby #2. Especially if “they” are right and 2nd babies come faster than first babies.

Tuesday's Top Ten [Reasons to Emulate My Husband]

My husband is a rare soul and I just don't brag on him enough, so here's my opportunity to share ten things that my husband does everyday that reflect qualities all men should emulate, because he is a phenomenal husband and father.

1. He gets up at 4 am to work out every day. Now I'm not saying you should do that, perhaps that isn't your thing, but here's why this is so significant. First of all, he's been doing that for over a year now (Dedication & Hard Work) but the reason why is HUGE. He loves to work out, he works out because he feels better as a result, it's his thing and we used to do it together every day after work. When we added our baby girl to the mix that became more complicated. I was no longer able to go with him. When he'd come home from work around 5:30-6 ish and then work out until 7-7:30 ish, he didn't really see his family. Rather than giving up something he enjoys, he sacrificed to make it work in order to have more time with his family. 
2. He works long hours and works hard at a job that is not necessarily his dream job. He has a dream that involves more school, but he set his dreams aside to take care of his family first. I can not tell you how many times he tells me that he works to take care of us, and to make sure that we have everything we need and want. I am spoiled.
3. When he comes home from work, he plays with his daughter while I cook supper. She loves this and so do I. It's so much easier to accomplish this task when she's not at my feet begging to eat and eat and eat. His selflessness in this is huge. I'm sure he's tired from work. I'm sure that there are time he'd rather go downstairs and flip on a football game, but it's obvious that his family's needs are always, always, always above his own or anyone else's for that matter. 
4. He helps me with the dishes every evening after dinner. Do you know how much I enjoy that time with him? Do you know how much we talk during that time together? Do you know how much that simple, 30 minute task means to me? 
5. He spoils me in more ways than I can possibly share here. Let me give you a few ways how he does that: we'll go shopping and he'll always ask me, "Is there anything you want babe?" or I'll be admiring something and he'll tell me, "Whatever you want babe." or we'll be downstairs watching TV and he'll ask me, "What do you want to watch babe?" or we'll have free time on a Saturday afternoon and he'll ask, "What do you want to do babe?" He's always asking questions like, "What can I do to make you happy?" I am spoiled by a selfless man who provides for and cherishes his family on a daily basis.
6. He is quick to apologize. If he has screwed up and he knows it, I will hear him say, "I'm so sorry, will you forgive me?"AND HE HAS NEVER, EVER, EVER GONE TO BED MAD AT ME, and he has never, ever, ever gone to bed when he knows I'm mad at him, he is quick to resolve.
7. He is quick to say, "I forgive you." He does not hold grudges, he thanks me for saying I'm sorry and he loves on me afterwards.
8. He married a woman that is not "Becky Home-ecky" (in other words I am not domestically inclined), but I have never once, not once, heard him complain about a meal gone bad (or having to eat the leftovers) or a messy house.
9. Every day he comes home and listens to me, actually listens. I might tell him about my day with the Bean and show him video's or pictures that I've taken. Or there may be an issue I've been praying about and need his guidance. Or there are times I need him to simply hold me as I cry. No matter what it is my husband is quick to show compassion and I trust him in his advice on how to fix it; because he is wise, which leads me to my next point...
10. I saved this one for last because I believe it's the most valuable. Every day I see my husband spend time in God's Word and every day I see him try to emulate Christ in love, kindness, patience, and gentleness. That's reason enough to emulate this man, because his love for me gives me a picture of how Christ loves his church. (Read Ephesians 5:28-30 and you will know exactly what I mean here.)

I have zero reasons to complain about this wonderful man God put in my life. I feel blessed beyond words and if those qualities don't speak enough about him, check out these photographs that show it.

Whispering sweet nothings (he does this often) and no, I won't share those sweet nothings with you. :)

Singing to me. 

Every night he reads to his daughter.

Every day he plays with her (she loves to play with trucks, sound effects are always needed).

With his nephew...

With his daughter...

With his daughter...

With his niece...

His look when he saw me... (yeah, this pic makes my heart melt...)

He took me to Disney World for our first anniversary. That's love.

With his nephew...

With his nephew...

Marley was cold...

If you find a man who's goal in life is to be like Christ, do not let him go. Because of Christ, he will grow and grow and grow in wisdom, in love, in his need to protect, provide, cherish and nourish you. He will understand your submission to him as he submits to Christ in his own life. He will be sincere, he will show grace, and you can rest in this one amazing fact: you don't have to live in fear over good-bye's because this world is not his home.

Sunday Social #14

1. What is your favorite Holiday Movies/TV Specials?

A Christmas Vacation!

2. Do you do any volunteering during the holidays if so what? If not what would you do?

Does nursery duty at church count as volunteering? (That's year around, so I guess the easy answer to this question is no.)
3. What is your favorite toy received as a child for the holidays? Our favorite toy growing up was Lego's so every year that's what all four of us asked for and received. I could still get out a bin of Lego's and have the time of my life! 
4. What was your must have item in high school for the holidays?  I was never really into that... so I honestly do not remember.
5. What do you do on Christmas Eve? As a child we went to our Christmas program at church and then opened presents. Now that I have my own family we don't have any Christmas Eve traditions, other than enjoying one another's company.

A Beautiful Adoption Story

One of my friends on Facebook shared this incredible story, the piece I found most incredible was the Father's description on adoption. There are times I can think of nothing else to say but, "WOW." and this is one such instance.

"Anytime I think about adoption I think about my spiritual adoption, about how Jesus went to infinitely greater lengths to adopt me into the family of God. What a privilege it is to, in a smaller way, in a human way, live out some of the truth of the gospel."

And if that wasn't incredible enough he goes on to say this, 

"The nurse just asked us if we're excited to meet our son and I paused for second there because I think it's the first time I heard someone else refer to him as our son."

These are a Few of My Favorite Things!

I grew up watching The Sound of Music and it has always been a family favorite. One of the songs I sing to my own daughter is These are a Few of My Favorite Things! 

(Sorry for the poor quality of the video.) 

I only watched the tail end of Carrie Underwood's performance and thought that she did well enough, however, the original production can never be beat. That is not a slam against Carrie Underwood, it's just that the 1965 version is a classic and will remain as such (in my eyes at least). 

The Sound of Music will always be on my "These are a few of my favorite things..." list! Including this song that encourages us to think of all our blessings in bad times like, "...when the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I'm feeling sad..." and then "... I won't feel so bad!"

Here are a few of my favorite things, that help me when I am sad. Rather than making a list, I decided to write my own version: 

Words on white paper and bling on my finger

Uplifting music and friends who linger

Songs that I cherish and can't help but sing

These are a few of my favorite things

Dressing up fancy and pajama pants too

Cookies and Coffee and baby shoes 

Growing and changing to be like my King

These are a few of my favorite things

Cuddley puppies and crafty wheat beer

Frosty Mugs filled with root beer and cheer

Family love and the laughter they bring

These are a few of my favorite things

When a friend fights

When a word stings

When I'm feeling sad

I'll simply remember my favorite things

And then I won't feel so bad!

Now, it's your turn! Write your own version and share it with me!

We Are ALL Terrible Mommy's

Today is another day in the saga of "my daughter only wants to eat graham crackers" (for every meal, all the time). When I place a wholesome meal in front of her (that she has thoroughly enjoyed in the past) she refuses to eat it and even spits it out when I give it to her. Ahhhhhhh! It's so irritating! When I'm irritated I am not patient or kind. Plus, she is hungry (no matter how many crackers you eat, it can't be fulfilling) and as a result she is uber whiny, clingy, and irritable. I'm at my wits end.

I decided a picture of me at my wits end might help concrete the following description of my frustration...

She's also refusing to play without me. In the past I'd play with her for a half hour or so to start the day, and let her play by herself, give her a task to do with me and all was hunky-dory. Noooooooo, not anymore. She is at my feet all.the.time. clinging to my pants (I hate that), begging for my attention. Crying, whining, screaming for "ca-ca-ca" (crackers). It's impossible to accomplish anything... which leads me to my next rant...

Today is also day (whatever... it seems like an eternity when you're in the midst of it) that she is FIGHTING sleep. And by fighting sleep I mean that she's on the verge of passing out (eye rubbage, looooooong blinks, the typical "I'm so sleepy!" signs) so I'll lay her down, and she will play and play and play and talk and talk and talk for a long time. Today it went on for an hour! She seemed happy, like time to relax in the crib is what she needed, so I took her out, tried to give her some lunch, and decided to try and accomplish something, anything, blah, blah, blah... crankiness continued, refusing to eat, not leaving my side....

It came to a head when I began folding laundry. I'd fold a piece, set it down and she'd yank it off the couch and throw it back into the laundry basket or meander over to her dirty clothes bin and throw it in. I took a deep breath and said this prayer, "Lord, help me." And it was then (as she grabs a piece from the basket and does this cute little rendition of roll-it-up from patty cake) that I realized she was trying to fold it! In my selfish, irritated state I did not realize that my daughter was mimicking my actions in laundry-doing, she was trying to help me! Conviction set in and I had this realization that I am a terrible mommy, unfortunately, as I'm typing this I know other mom's are going, "Honey, I get it! You're not terrible." Yes I am and so are you. We are all terrible mommy's.

I'm being 110% serious.

Hear me out.

I'm studying the book of Romans right now. In chapter 1 Paul's description of sin, of our depravity, leads the reader to understand why we desperately need the gospel. We are liars, haters, boastful, foolish (everything that describes me today and every other day of my life). When we abandon God, God "...gives us up" to our sinful desires. Because of our sin against a perfect and holy God we deserve to die! Paul is very adamant that ALL have sinned, ALL of us are rotten, ALL OF US ARE TERRIBLE!

"None is righteous, no, not one;

no one understands; no one seeks for God. 

All have turned aside; 

together they have become worthless; 

no one does good, not even one. 

Their throat is an open grave; 

they use their tongues to deceive. 

The venom of asps is under their lips. 

Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.

Their feet are swift to shed blood; 

in their paths are ruin and misery, 

and the way of peace they have not known.

There is no fear of God before their eyes." (Romans 3:11-18)

I don't think we can hem-haw around that passage. There is not one of us that can escape the fact that we are terrible people and because we are ALL sinners we deserve death. We do not deserve to be in the presence of a perfect God. "... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) We deserve to die for all that we've done, murderers, haters, liars, and terrible mothers alike.

"For the wages of sin is death..." (Romans 6:23)

Because of what we've done against God (like being a selfish mommy), we deserve to die. Just in case Paul wasn't clear in chapter 3:11-18, we deserve to die.

So on these days when I become so irritated with my child that I want to lock myself in a closet, scream, and then gulp down a glass of wine, what is my hope? Well God had a plan knowing we'd have days like this, weeks, years even, and we'd continue to be inadequate in meeting His perfect Law.

"God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

Christ took the death that WE DESERVE! He lived, he died, and rose again. Jesus Christ took God's wrath on the cross so that His children can enter heaven holy and blameless, despite being terrible!

I must admit the fact that I'm a terrible mother, wife, PERSON, and rely on the Holy Spirit to guide me, teach me, even in my failings as a mommy. You will continue to fall short every day of your life. You will never measure up to a perfect God. There are no good people apart from God. So thank you Jesus that "...if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9) That's it! And that's something I remind myself of daily, especially in moments like this when I'm failing as mommy, despite my best efforts.

And thanks be to Jesus and what He accomplished on the cross because without that one selfless act I would be doomed on days like today, but it's days like today that I'm forever thankful that "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1) Wow. Despite my terrible daily imperfections, I am not doomed. Despite my daily act of trying to be good mommy (and failing), God is good. Regardless of my never ending failures, He is unchanging. No matter how many times I give in to my resolve to yell, scream, shut myself up in the closet, God is faithful. No matter how lazy I become, God is always at work in my life. Despite my impatience, He is patient. Even though I am a terrible mommy, He is perfect. 

As long as I trust in HIM, this mommy job is one that He is using for His glory, no matter what I do or say. Hallelujah, because today... today I'm a terrible mommy. Tomorrow isn't looking so hot either. So I will take a deep breath, say a quick prayer, give thanks for His grace, and rely on the Holy Spirit. Without that, my terrible, earthly, fleshly self is hopeless and lost and terrible.

These are the qualities of the Holy Spirit that I need in parenting: patience, kindness, self-control, love... and according the the Bible NO ONE possess's these qualities without Him because of our sin. Outwardly we might try to work on these things, but it's the heart that matters and if our heart is not right with God, those qualities will continue to be surface level. In order to be a good mommy, I must embrace the fact that I am a sinner in need of Christ, and once I allow the Holy Spirit to intervene, I am good at this job only because He's giving me HIS perfect qualities.

Side note: I think that from now on when I hear a mother exclaim, "I'm a terrible mother!" I'll agree and say, "Yup, we are all terrible mommy's. Thank goodness for Jesus Christ's grace and for His perfect example on what it means to be a good parent. We must simply be willing to let Him guide us as we go. Rely on Him." And that's that.

--------------------

This post may come as a shock after reading my recent argument about this amazing job we call motherhood. I'm not taking back what I wrote there, I meant every word I said, but we cannot embrace the truth -- that God gave us the ability to nurture life -- unless we truly embrace the source of that ability!

The Legend of the Candy Cane

Last year a good friend gave me the book titled The Legend of the Candy Cane by Lori Walburg.

The illustrations by James Bernardin are beautiful that make the story come alive. I kept it in our Christmas tub and Bean pulled it out asking, "Dis?" (which means this). I cried as I read the legend behind the candy cane and the message of hope behind it. I'll forever have a different view of candy canes and it'll always be a central piece of our Christmas celebrations.

I highly recommend you get the children's book and check out this website that has this free printable -- and what an amazing poem.

Have a wonderful Christmas celebration centered around Christ our Lord and glorifying HIM.

A MUST Read Story! [His Law and His Love]

As I study Romans (again) I went to John MacArthur's website: http://www.gty.org in hopes of finding a sermon or notes on how he summed up chapter 2. I found some fantastic stuff! Here's a piece I couldn't wait to share!

At the end of a sermon he shared this amazing story (I simply copied and pasted directly from his sermon):

When tribes roamed Russia, much as the Indian tribes roamed the Americas. The tribes which controlled the best hunting and the choicest natural resources were the tribes which had the strongest and wisest leaders. The single tribe which controlled the very best of the territory was the tribe with the most powerful and the most wise leader.

One particular tribe maintained its control of the choice land because its leader was not only the most physically powerful but the most wise of all. And the success of the tribe was due to the fairness and the equity and the wisdom of the laws this great leader gave and enforced upon his people. His word was law and among his greatest laws were that parents must be loved and honored. He also said that murder was punishable by death and stealing was to be severely punished.

The tribe was prospering greatly when suddenly a disturbing thing began to happen. Someone in the tribe was stealing. It was reported to the great leader that this was going on and he sent out the proclamation that if the thief was caught he would receive that severe punishment, ten lashes from the tribal whip master. Stealing continued despite the warnings, so he raised it to 20 lashes. It went on so he raised it to 30 lashes. And finally he raised it to 40 lashes and knew there was only one person in the whole tribe that could survive that lashing and that was him because he was superior in strength.

Finally the thief was caught. To the horror of everyone it was his own mother. The tribe was in shock. What was the leader going to do? His law was that in everything parents were to be loved and honored. But thieves were to be whipped. Great arguments arose on the day of judgment as it approached. Was he going to satisfy his love and save his mother or was he going to satisfy his law and have her die under the whip because she could never endure that.

Soon tribal members were divided and even making wages on what he would do. And finally the judgment day came. The tribe was gathered around the great compound in the center of which a large post was driven into the ground. The leader's great throne sat in the place of prominence and with great pomp and ceremony the leader entered, took his place on the throne and the silence was deafening.

Soon is frail little mother was brought in between towering warriors. They tied her to the post. The crowd murmured in debate, will he satisfy his love at the expense of law? Or his law at the expense of his love? The tribal whip master entered, a powerful man with bulging muscles, a great leather whip in his hand and as he approached the little lady, the warriors ripped her shirt off, exposing her frail little back to the cruelty of the lash. Everyone gasped. Was the leader really going to let her die?

He sat staring without moving. Every eye was darting from him to the whip master and back again. The whip master took his stance, his great arm cracked the whip in the air as he prepared to bring the first lash upon her. In every heart was the question, would he allow his love to be violated or his law?

Just as the whip master started to bring his powerful arm forward with the first cutting stroke on that frail little back, the leader held up his hand to halt the punishment. A great sigh went up from the tribe. His love was going to be satisfied. But what about his law? They watched him rise from his throne and he strode toward his mother. As he walked he was removing his own shirt. He threw it aside and proceeded to wrap his great arms around his little mother, exposing that huge muscular back to the whip master. And then breaking the heavy silence he commanded, "Proceed with the punishment." Thus both his law and his love were satisfied.

This is an AMAZING picture of Christ and what He accomplished on the cross. 

Tuesday's Top Ten [What Society Tells Stay-at-Home Mom's & the Arguments to Combat Them]

Here's a list of 10 things that society tells stay-at-home mom's and my arguments to combat them. Stay encouraged all you mommy's out there, because you're doing a good job!

1. Motherhood is not a job. I beg to differ. Especially at 4 am when my daughter has puked on me for the 4th time (which means I get up change sheets, do laundry, clean her and myself, rock her, comfort her...). A job means work and mommy's work hard - 24/7. I feel for those mom's who have to work on top of being a mommy. One job is hard enough, talk to those mommy's who have two!

2. You're not a contributing member of society. False. You are raising how many future productive members of society? You're job every day is to teach them the value of hard work, dedication, perseverance, kindness, and love. You need all of those characteristics in order to be a contributing member of society and a good mom. Mom's (stay-at-home or not) will always be contributing members of society.

3. You don't contribute to the family income. Think of it this way: you may or may not bring money into your account, but your job is find as many ways you possibly can to save it. That requires as much work as any job. Plus I know many stay-at-home mom's that find gobs of ways to make a penny here and there, and believe me, a penny helps.

4. You wasted your education. Not true. I can't tell you how many different ways my M.Ed. has affected my life as a mommy and how many different ways being a mommy has affected my being a teacher. Plus I haven't given up on being a teacher. I will always be a teacher - at home, at church or anywhere else. Whatever your profession (doctor, nurse, lawyer, teacher, etc.) you tend to use what you've learned wherever you are, even at home with your children; especially at home with your children.

5. You're giving up on your dreams. Sometimes dreams change, but most of the time your dreams can wait. Here's my take on this: I can always go back to teaching, but I will never, ever get the first years of my daughters life back. I only have 18 years with her and the rest of my life to go after my dream job. Right now, this stay-at-home mommy job, is my dream job. (Another self-side note: I rely on this one fact in my walk with Christ: God is in control. Therefore, if the doors are opened for me to go back to teaching, well, He did that. If not, He did that, and He has something else in mind for His glory. Whatever it be, if I truly trust God and His plan for my life, I should not worry about it. It's not my dreams that matter, but living my life for His glory that does, and right now this is where he wants me.)

6. Staying at home is so mundane. So is being in a square cubicle. I'd rank "staff professional days" or "IEP meetings" or "grading papers" up there with changing diapers. Every job has mundane moments. Have you ever hung out with little kids? There is absolutely nothing mundane about the way they see life. The things they say or do will always keep you on your toes and typically one day is different than the next. It's all how you view it! Not to mention the fact that "stay-at-home" part is optional. It's entirely up to you. Every community has a plethora of stay-at-home mom's looking for opportunities to get out of the house and do something - like taking your kids to a museum, park, or zoo. Some communities even have a mom group to join. Public library's typically have opportunities like book and craft time. Get involved in your community! Nursing homes, for example, love kids and kids love the attention they get there. Life becomes boring when you let it bore you.

7. You're crazy. Who isn't? I think nurses are crazy for putting up with needy patients, gross bodily functions, and demanding doctors. I think elementary teachers are crazy for doing what they do (needy, stinky kids, gross bodily functions, demanding parents...) with no respect or money to show for it. Lawyers are crazy for actually wanting to study law... snooze-fest. Gynecologists are crazy (need I go there?). Are we really that crazy, or are we doing what we need to do because we're being called to do it, just like everyone else - nurses, doctors, lawyers and teachers alike! 

8. There's no creative outlet. Again, that's entirely up to you. You are the manager of your home, if you chose not to be creative with it, that's your prerogative. Believe me when I say there are plenty of opportunities to inspire creativity in your children and there are many outlets for you to express your creativity - whatever it be. (Take this blog as one example...)

9. Don't you get tired of hanging out with the same people everyday? Does your boss irritate you? What about a fellow teacher? Or the person who sits in the cubicle next to yours? Granted, you can get a moment alone in the bathroom (which doesn't seem to happen with mommy's) but no matter where you go, there will always be someone to irritate you.

10. Doesn't it get old to do the dishes, laundry, and make meals day after day? You already have to do those things! Everyone must do dishes, laundry, meal prep, &etc. Instead of worrying about those things AND taking care of my children AND spending time with my husband AND going to a job everyday, I get to do those things, and have time to play, read, write on my blog, decorate, and focus my attention on one thing: my family and their needs. When I had a job I stressed over my 80 some students, my husband, my pets and adding children to that overwhelmed me. Now I "stress" over my husband, my daughter, my pets and savor the moments I spend drawing near to God, which is every minute of every day. I didn't  seem to "have time" for that before. Whether you work at home or not, your families needs should be your first priority; and meals, dishes, and laundry are all part of it.

Don't let society fool you into thinking that mom's are worth nothing - stay-at-home or not. In reality mom's are one of the most valuable assets to any society. God has blessed women with the ability to create and nurture life, embrace it, love it and don't let society take the joy out of it.

30 Day Photo Challenge: Gratitude [Day 17 - 30]

Do I ever have so so so much to be thankful for this morning! My sister-in-law and her baby were in a car accident last night, scaring the beeejebes out of her family and friends, but they are okay! Our prayers were answered, thank you Lord! On that note, it seemed ever so appropriate to publish the last of my thank you's.

I've been terrible at posting my pics on Instagram, and there were days I missed because this month has been nuts. My daughter got the chicken pox - confining us to our house, my husband got a fever that lasted two miserable days, our heater broke, outlets stopped working in our living room... ahhhhh... I found it super difficult to be grateful for anything. Still, it's in these trying times we're called to be thankful. It's in trials that we're forced to appreciate all God has given us. So when I view the events of this month it seems like the work they required were menial details; unimportant, trivial, non sequential in the grand scheme of things. We still have our health, we were able to scrape up the money to fix what needed fixed, we had friends to help us, food to put on the table, warm clothes, and God didn't have to bless us with any of that. So I'm beyond thankful!

Beginning with Day 17 [Memories]

Whenever Kyle and I go hiking or camping or anything outdoors I take something home and add it to this mix. The flowers are from him and each piece is from something special we enjoy doing together. 

Day 18 [Something New]

My slippers! They are super warm and comfy. Kyle took me shopping for my birthday and when he asked me what I wanted, this was first on my list. I wear them everyday - it's part of the stay-at-home mommy wardrobe.

Day 19 [Best Friend]

My husband, my best friend.

Day 20 [Seasonal]

Ever since my first birthday I've have an obsession with Mickey Mouse. I have Christmas Mickey Mouse decor, Valentine, 4th of July... etc.  I simply can not resist the ears.

Day 21 [Where You Sleep]

I love sleep. If I could capture 10-12 hours a day, that'd be just perfect. To be honest, I could've taken a picture of my couch, or recliner, or the passenger seat in my hubby's truck, I do not resist it so I'll sleep wherever. I'm a much happier person when I sleep, because I feel so much better. I can't explain it... when I'm sleepy my whole body aches for it... why fight it?

Day 22 [Clothing]

The day I took this picture, my daughter wore the cutest outfit. I should've taken a picture with her in it. She loves those sparkly shoes.

Day 23 [In Your Closet]

Our closet has tight quarters. I'm actually thankful for a small closet because it forces me to watch what I purchase and keep only what I wear. As you can tell I still need to get rid of some, it's overflowing. I  have a system to my clothes that I like a lot. I store them according to summer and winter. When I get out my summer tub it's like shopping - I forget what I have!

Day 24 [Gratitude]

Thanks to my sister I started a Thankful Journal nearly a year ago. I filled one already and when I got my brand new, clean journal I decorated it. I filled it with quotes reminding me why being thankful in all circumstances is good for the heart. Even on bad days I force myself to find 5 things to be grateful for and my heart is always full as a result.

Day 25 [Artwork]

These are actually terrible pictures and they do not do my sister Mel's work justice, but these pics give you an idea of her talent. This coffee table contains a river scene, fish, rocks and all, that are her handy work. We have one piece that we proudly display in our home, but I can't get a picture of it worthy of showing to you. She's pretty amazing.

Day 26 [Transportation]

My daughters ride.

Day 27 [Daily Routine]

This is Marley's "routine" every.single.day. He's my watch dog.

Day 28 [Nighttime]

My nighttime cuddle buddy. 

Day 29 [Light]

I took this pic a while back on our way home from Colorado and it's one of my favorites. 

Day 30 [Self Portrait]

I actually hate selfies. It's not something I'm grateful for, in fact, I typically stop following people on Instagram if the majority of their pictures are ones they take of themselves. #petpeeve I was actually kinda disappointed to see this on the grateful list, so I scoured my pictures to see if I had any "self portraits" and found this one. The day I graduated from college. I was excited. 

I think next year I'm going to create my own Gratitude Challenge. This is something I definitely want to do again. This is just another wonderful piece of my daily thankful journal, which forces you to see the good in everything and thank God for giving it to you. Thanks for following me on this journey! I'm sure it won't be the end of it. 

Tuesday's Top Ten (Why Mommy's Should Memorize Scripture)

Part of the women's discipleship process in our church (that is highly encouraged) is scripture memorization. Here's 10 reasons why this is a vital aspect of women's time together: 

1. "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." (Matthew 12:34) These are Jesus' Words exactly. He rebuked the Pharisees who (after Jesus healed a demon-oppressed man) said, "It is only by Beezebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons." (vs.26) and Jesus (knowing their heart) told them otherwise (that "A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand." In other words, if he was a demon, why would he cast out demons?) Jesus goes on to explain how to know their heart, "...the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. ... I tell you, on the day of judgement people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." (Ch.12:33-37) Therefore, if I say anything at all, if I offer my children any Biblical encouragement, I want it to be HIS Words, because mine are utterly worthless. If I don't spend time in God's Word, how would I know what He says? And if I don't know what He says then I find myself speaking about nothing worthwhile, and then I'm in danger of that last verse: of standing before God on the day that I meet Him, being held accountable for every word that came out of my mouth. The fear of that alone forces me to take this seriously.

2. "As we focus our minds and hearts to understand the Word of God, the Holy Spirit will continue to illumine it and write it indelibly on our hearts." (Furman, G. Glimpses of Grace, p.170) Gloria Furman tells us that we will gain tremendous benefits from "persisting in prayerful meditation on passages of Scripture." By saying a verse, chapter, or book (yes, book) over and over again we are meditating on His Word and allowing it to seep into our very innermost being. Not only that, but the Holy Spirit will constantly bring it to mind, especially when we need it.

3. "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer." - Psalm 19:14 The Israelites sang this Psalm of David and those aren't the only words that we should emulate, "More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter than honey and drippings of the honeycomb." (vs.10) They = God's Word. We should desire God's Word above ALL else, through his perfect Word we will be transformed into His image because God's Word is all about HIM.

4. Memorization is Observation. There are 4 key ingredients to studying Scripture: Observation (Author, Audience, Purpose, sentences, word meanings, historical context, etc.), Interpretation (Am I interpreting it correctly?), Correlation (Does my interpretation match up with the rest of Scripture?) and Application (After all that, how does this apply to me?). Observation is the piece that takes the most work and the piece that women struggle with the most. It's our brain. We were designed to connect everything to everything. In studying the Bible that can be a curse and a blessing. A curse because while we should be observing the text, we skip to correlation and sometimes we "correlate" incorrectly. Skipping steps is a big no-no if you want to make sure that you're INTERPRETING Scripture correctly. Which God does not take lightly. It's HIS Word and it was written for a very specific purpose. We often miss apply Scripture because we can't wait to get to verse 10 when we should be meditating on verse 1. By memorizing verse by verse we are in essence forcing our correlating brain to slooooooow down and meditate, which is so difficult for us multi-tasking, thinking-of-100-things-at-once, Mommy brains.

5. Keep  Your Way Pure. "How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes! With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word." - Psalm 119:9-16 (Underlining is mine.) This Psalm does not need much explanation, but there are a few things you should know about it: it's an acrostic poem that we lose in translation from Hebrew to English :( and the theme is "The Word of God." Psalm 119 sums up our whole purpose for existence: to know God and glorify Him. There is no other way to know Him than through His Word. The Israelite's memorized this Psalm (alphabetic poems make that easier) so they would always remember that their hope is in His Word (vs.81, 114) and that "it's a light to my path" (vs.105) and and and and... Psalm 119 is one of my favorites and it's worth reading and knowing. In order to keep your life from sin, and to help your children do the same, do as this Psalm suggests: store up His Word in your heart.

6.  "Scripture that is read or recited from memory is the purest form of biblical encouragement. As you use the Bible to encourage your children, you are relying on the Holy Spirit to direct your words and God's Word to them. ... If you ask the Holy Spirit to give you something to say to your children, He will. It doesn't matter if your message is ten words or ten thousand. If you offer it in the power of the Spirit, it will be effective." (Clarkson, C. Heartfelt Discipline, p.111) By relying on the Holy Spirit to speak through you, you will emulate the qualities of the Holy Spirit which are love, patience, kindness, selflessness, self-control, gentleness... all qualities that are impossible to have within you all the time because you're an imperfect, sinful human being. By making God's Word the Word of your heart, those are the words you will speak to everyone, and most importantly your children.

7. Memorization is for Multitaskers! For busy mommy's it is nearly impossible to find a time to sit down and actually study God's Word without interruption; you can memorize and do dishes at the same time!

8. There will be battles and we need to be prepared. You may not always have your Bible. So when you need to say something, pray that the Holy Spirit will give you the words to say. Then trust that He will bring it to mind when it's needed. 

9. There are two things God values most: His Word and His Name. "... you have exalted above all things your name and your word." (Psalm 138:2) So if those are the two things He has exalted above EVERYTHING, I want to make sure I pay attention to it and teach my children what God has exalted above all else.

10. The Words are like medicine. And every mommy needs soul medicine, because there will be tough days and if you focus on the hope found in God's Word, those loooong days will seem like milliseconds in eternity. By feasting on the Word and making it your obsession, you will seriously need nothing else.

I always think of the movie, The Book of Eli when I think of memorization. He knew the entire book and the book wasn't lost as a result. It's one of my all time favorites...

The Holy Spirit can and will use His Words, make them the Words of your heart for all those reasons and more.

--------------------

After writing this I Googled "Memorize Scripture" and found this website that offers 10 more reasons to memorize His Word: Rooted Families. I thought it was worth sharing because the reasons are phenomenal!