Happy Mother's Day!

A day to celebrate being a Mom.  Does it get any better than that?  I wanted a day of rest...no church, no laundry, no to do lists...and I got it!   (I also asked for no conflict...and pretty much got that too)
At first I felt a little guilty for asking for that....so much to do, so many commitments...but then I got over it!!  I enjoyed it, I soaked it up, I loved it! 
These days with these little ones are not forever.  I want to look back and cherish it.
Have I messed up?  Only everyday.  But every morning, I get a fresh new start. 
I pray that as my children grow up, that their love for me will grow too.  I love my Momma.  I love being with her, talking to her, cooking with her, shopping with her and the list goes on and on.  I want that with my kids...I pray that when I call them they don't cringe, when I visit they look forward to it and  that they want to come "home" to visit!!
Yesterday was a day to celebrate mothers, but I also celebrate the ones that made me a Momma and the ones that showed me how to be a Momma.  So thankful.

Easter is here!

I love to celebrate Easter...all.year.long.

It is overwhelming to me to dwell on it...to really think about all He did for me.  

I was reminded this morning...that He walked alone for ME. He took on MY sin.  He paid MY debt.

I love the song "Never Once."  It is one of my favorites.  When I am singing it...I wish that my voice was so beautiful that I could stand on that stage and just belt it out...

"Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say...
Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful"

When I look at my life, there are so many scars and struggles...things that broke my heart and brought me to my knees.  Yet with EVERY single one...He never let me walk alone...He was faithful.

We began preparing for Easter last Sunday with our family.  We dusted off the Resurrection eggs and every night we gather around to crack open an egg and explore the Easter story.  Our family is at so many different levels,  it is hard to find a time in the evenings between homework, reading, baths, activities...that we can all gather around.  So we made it optional for the big girls...but every night when Silas announces it is egg time...here they all four come.  That blesses my heart.  I love the interaction between them...Silas asked last night "Who in the world is this Caesar?"...before Beau could answer, Clara was giving a brief history lesson for Silas.

I have been reminded every day when I go to the mailbox and find 3 or 4 more college letters with my oldest child's name on it...that my time with my babies is very limited, so today I will cherish it.

Thankful that they are each learning that they will never walk alone.  Thankful that they know that Easter is not about the bunny but about a Savior.  Thankful that they know the story inside out and that each of them have made it part of their story.  

Bring Faith to Life

I am going to go with bringing faith to life in my children.  I have four...they are all so different, from the way they look, the way they learn, the way they act...and in the same way the way they have responded to God.

Molly, the rule follower, accepted Christ when she realized without him she would literally die and go to hell. She heard it, she believed it, she repented and she accepted him with a child like faith at the age of four.

Clara, the skeptic, she doubted that anything could be that simple or true.  At two, she questioned me on why I would choose to believe that Jonah could seriously live in a whale...absurd she thought.  She really struggled with turning her life over to Christ and the struggle began when she was very young.  I watched her fight a spiritual battle for several years and then one night she threw her hands up in the air and said..I am not fighting anymore...we prayed together and when we finished she said "whew I feel so much better!"...she was about 8.

Ellie was not much bigger than a toddler.  She loved Jesus...she wanted him in her heart and on our way to pick up the girls from school, she told me we needed to pray right then...and we did!  She knew what she was doing...she holds onto it.  

Silas did a lot of questioning, a lot of learning and a lot of thinking on his own.  He fretted but didn't stress.  Then one night he told me he was ready to ask Jesus in his heart...I got ready to pray..and he said ..Mom this is something I need to do on my own.  And he did...out loud in a room by himself.  

All four, so different.  All four, so real.  All four, life changing.  All four, a true commitment.

They all grew up in the same house, the same church, the same Bible.  But they all accepted it in their own time and in their way.  

For me, I wanted them to know the truth and I wanted them to accept the truth.  But, I knew there wasn't a magical age or prayer or whatever...that they had to do it on their own or it wouldn't be real.  So, our job as parents was to teach them the truth...pray with and for them...and let God do the rest.

I am so thankful, that each of them have accepted Jesus as their personal Saviour.  I am so thankful that they have that foundation laid and that they will be able to build upon it..precept by precept.  I am so thankful that not in my own power, but in His along that their faith was brought to life!

from panic attack to johnny cash

I love to see God work.  I love to see Him answer the prayers of His children. 

On day 2 of school at about 7:30, while sipping my morning Diet Coke...I get a call.  It's never good when the phone rings before you have finished your Diet Coke.  It's Silas' sweet teacher on the line and she lets me know that the boy is having a major panic attack...I talk to her and to Silas.  I promise Silas that I will be praying and I offer to his teacher to come in.  She says to give her 15 minutes to see if she can overcome it...I quickly jump in the shower knowing there is no way on day 2 she can overcome this!   I was wrong...she handled it - with grace and love.  She texted several times throughout the day to let me know how he was doing.   I thanked God all day for placing him with a teacher that loved and cared him so effectively and efficiently.  What a blessing. 

We continued to pray, his grammie and granddad continued to pray and we asked for 2 people that mean the world to Silas to pray (Mrs. Elizabeth and Mr. Michael)...they prayed too!

The rest of the week went fantastic - I received serveral emails and texts letting me know that Silas was having a great week.  Thank you Jesus!

On Friday night , I thought I should probably send a text thanking her for a great week.  Really...I should have fixed her dinner, taken her flowers, washed her car....Anyway, I get a text back.  This is what it said "did you know that your sweet boy is a johnny cash fan and because he loves him the rest of the class does?!"

Seriously?  No, I didn't know that.  I actually had no idea! 

Who knew that a little boy that "freaked out" on Tuesday would have enough confidence on Friday to convince a bunch of 1st graders to get up and dance to Johnny Cash?  I sure didn't know...but I know someone who did.  I'm so thankful that my life is held in his hands and I am so thankful for people in Silas' life that are faithful to go before the Father and pray for his mercy and grace to cover his little llife.

First Day - 2012

 

The first day went perfect...no tears, no forgotten lunches, no homework.....

Day 2...well that's a story for another day!