29 Oct 2014

Grace and Peanut Butter and Chocolate

by | posted in: Books, mothering, parenting, Uncategorized | 0

grace peanut butter and chocolate

I’ve already reviewed this book for Crossway and I stand behind everything I say.  But, in this post I want to encourage (mostly Moms) yall from some of the highlights that I read.  I’m grateful for Gloria’s writing, examples, and Christ-centered encouragement to other moms in the world.  Many things I could relate to – and no matter what stage of mothering you are in, I’m sure you can to.

“It’s tempting to view everyday life merely as a monotonous cycle of making the beds on to be in them again.” (63)

Don’t let life be mundane to you.  I know we have to clean and cook dinner and change diapers and run car pool.  But, don’t be ok with that.  That is when life gets boring and we get discouraged.  Make fun things happen, change your attitude – don’t live there.

“Controlling my circumstances wouldn’t fill the void in my soul.  You can’t organize your way into communion with God.” (78)

I see this in myself a lot today.  My littler toddler is sick.  I can’t take them anywhere I normally go because he would be around children and I don’t want him to get others sick.  So we are at home.  In a small townhome, all day.  Well, I can’t control that.  Now I can either apply the gospel or live in a bad mood the rest of the day until they go to bed?  It is choice!

“God is greater, more powerful, and more mysterious than we could ever dream, and it will take an eternity for him to reveal to us his magnificence.” (92)

God is our reward – not the perfection of heaven.  He is infinite and no matter how much we seek to know him on this side of his presence – we will never know him fully – because He is inexhaustible.

“Our craving for admiration is diluted and the praise of others is muffled as we serve with the strength God supplies.  Why would we take credit for the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives?” (105)

This is an area of biggest struggle for me.  God is the one who does the work and needs to get all the praise for it.

“I need God’s grace and something baked with peanut butter and chocolate.” (138)

Perhaps my favorite line in the book!

“I forget that homemaking is not primarily about my personality; it is primarily to adorn the gospel because the grace of God has appeared.” (155)

Another one of those needed statements that I will need to think through.

This book is highly marked up and I’m shipping it out today to a friend who will also love this book.  There are many other things I highlighted that I’ve talked about with friends or my husband because they bring up too much hurt from past relationships.

Mom – keep pursuing the gospel in your parenting!  God has got this!  Be encouraged!

 

27 Oct 2014

Fall Bucket List with Toddlers

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Fall Bucket List for Toddlers

I feel like my life as a SAHM of two little toddler boys is always crazy.  Whether we are sliding down slides, playing in mall play yards, eating junior frosties, donuts, or mandarin oranges, or anxiously awaiting Daddy’s arrival from work each day – every day holds smiles, tears (of course), and hand holding.

The Fall, being that it is my favorite season, holds more planned activities for my littles.  So, I’ve wanted to come up with a bucket list.  Some of which we have already done, some which we will save for when Oma and Granddad arrive around Thanksgiving, and some which we might not get to get this year.

Savor every moment.

Bake Pumpkin Cookies or muffins or cake – just bake with pumpkin!

Pick apples (and eat them).  This year we won’t get to an apple orchard, but it is a fun activity and I’m sure the boys will love it in years to come. They do love to eat the apples we get from Trader Joes.

apple picking

Paint pumpkins (or other fall vegetables)

Painting Squash

Play in piles of raked leaves (we don’t really have a yard, so this may have to wait until another year or two as well)

Take Pumpkin photos

Elijah at Kinsey Family Farm

Watch It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.  A must! (Which first aired today in 1966, shortly after my Mom graduated high school)

Make Thanksgiving garland (we started this last year – adding a leaf a day in November)

Send TY notes to the pastors of your church (October is Pastor Appreciation month)

Watch Luther (ok, this may not happen for a while, but they need to learn about this great man of God and what he did for all of Christianity in the 1500s.

Go on a hayride.  We did this with Elijah during his first fall and missed our opportunity by mere minutes this year, but will certainly aim to do it again in later years.

Hayride in North Little Rock

Boo at the Zoo.  This was incredibly packed but also fun.  Our family doesn’t really participate in Halloween, but it was fun to go see all the cute costumes and get their first Halloween candy this year.  No costume needed and completely safe.  And this is held at most zoos.

What is a part of your Fall Bucket List for your little ones?

13 Oct 2014

Shielding Your Family

by | posted in: Bible, creatives, Uncategorized | 0

Gracewear Collection

When I first met my husband, I knew immediately of his love for integrity and his love for the Word.  It was clearly evidenced in his life and speech and faithfulness to the ministry that God had called him to. It still is.  He pursues integrity and fights the sin that so easily entangles.

Before we got married, on my first tour of the entire house which we would share, I walked in to his master bathroom and saw a printout of Ephesians 6: the Armor of God section.  What?  Single men don’t have Scripture on their walls that they are memorizing.  He said he read it every morning to help engage his mind and prepare his mind and body for the battle against sin that would face him that day.  I didn’t know any single men that did this – that took Scripture this seriously – that was just an added confirmation that I was right when I said “yes”!

Our first three years of marriage have been exciting, ever-changing, and hard at times too.  One of the verses that have been such a comfort to me has been this one:

Proverbs 30

I love the truth that I hear and know to be a fact in this verses.  That doesn’t mean that no harm will ever come to me or my family, because the Bible indeed says that we will face hardships in this life.  But, God has promised He will protect me.  I am safe in his hands.  And my family is too.

As I head out of town this week, with our boys, I know I need to pray a shield of protect around this house, my husband’s car, his work place, our church where he will be some while I’m away, his mind, and his heart.  I don’t only need to pray this while I’m away, but I need to pray for him daily that he would remember this truth and the truth found in Ephesians 6 – that God is his armor.

Gracewear Collection

Gracewear Collection contacted me a few weeks back about their products.  Their simple jewelry line whose primary purpose is to remind folks that God has given us an armor.  We are shielded by faith!  Their jewelry is simple and artistic.  I love the shielded charm that I picked out.  I love pearls and I loved the fact that I could wear it or hook it on something that I with me at all times.  What woman doesn’t love jewelry.  And this jewelry doesn’t scream hey – look at me.  No.  It is simple and pretty – creatively designed to not draw attention (1 Peter 3) but to remind of the truth it proclaims and to look pretty.

Christmas is coming up.  And if you’ve already completed your Christmas shopping – then what about birthday, a housewarming gift, a wedding gift, a baby shower gift (because don’t we mommas worry about our babies?). There is always a reason for jewelry.  You can use my referral link to shop and I get credit.  How great is that?

Ladies – our trust isn’t in jewelry, but in the God who created all things for his glory – and we hope in Him to be our shield.

(This post is sponsored by Gracewear Collection, but all thoughts and comments are my own.)

13 Oct 2014

BabyBach Turns 1

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Sebastian newbornThis little boy is so darn cute!

I love him.  I love his little laughs.  I love his crazy faces.  I love how much he reminds me of his daddy.  I love how he looks up to his big brother.  I love how he does The Twist when Daniel Tiger comes on.  I love how he is finally (mostly) sleeping through the night.  I love how he speed walks.  I love how how he has persevered and can finally drink his milk on his own, if we use the right sippy cup, and he’s in the mood to not be lazy.

So thankful that this boy is in our lives.  He is Bubba to most everyone – BabyBach to some – and Sebastian and bubses to me.

I love you much little boy.

I pray that you will grow to look more like your Father in the next coming years, listen to our teaching, and grow in the knowledge of the Gospel.  And stay just as cute as you are now!

Happiest of birthdays to you baby.

Love – Your Mommy

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11 Oct 2014

Let There Be Kisses

by | posted in: mothering, parenting, Shepherding Children, Uncategorized | 2

Let There Be Kisses

I will be the first to admit of multitasking while my boys are awake.  If they are playing, I am on my phone, cooking dinner, cleaning, reading a book, etc.  And I’m not hear to lay blame on anyone else who does that.  Rest in grace, friend.  Walk in grace.  Live in grace. That’s what my husband tells me.

Here’s what I am learning: let there be kisses.  and tickling.  and book reading.

My older son who just turned two is just now loving to bring me a book (usually the Wheels on the Bus) and pat my legs which is asking me to put him on my lap so I can read to him.  I first told him no, then immediately was so convicted by the Spirit that I’ve not told him no since.  It devastated my heart that I would tell my sons no to something as fun as reading a book to them just because I wanted to do something else.  So, even today, as he finished lunch, he ran and got a book, and we read and sang and played with cars at the table while his little brother tried to hold his sippy cup and ended up getting more milk on him than in his tummy. That’s life.

Much of this denial that I give my sons is based on two things:

1.  I think what I have my schedule is more important.  Blogging.  Writing.  Cleaning.  Being entertained with social media.  It all comes down to pride.  I don’t want our family’s schedule to be dominated by the boys – but I do want there to be much more book reading, hand holding, tickle fests than instagram feed reading.  What do I want to communicate: verbally and non-verbally to my boys?  That they are important and time with them is something I cherish – or that things and strangers are more important?  What you communicate in your actions also gives you the door to speak the Gospel into their lives every day.

2.  I try to fill our days with too many things.  We love to be out and about during the days that Daddy is working.  We’ll either go to the park, the mall, the zoo, Bible study at church, the gym, the river, etc.  Atlanta is full of fun activities for families – so we take advantage of many of them.  But, then when we are home I have so much to get done.  I’m not thinking about stopping going so much – I just will have to limit what I think has to be done.  I’m reading Challies’ series on getting things done and it helps me to realize that I’m not God and won’t accomplish everything.  And everything doesn’t have to be accomplished.  Energy is a commodity too.

My boys won’t be little long.  The days are sometimes long and I look forward to having breaks with friends or solo times for being in the word or just running errands.  But, I love their laughs and hand-holding.  My Mister said last night that we better relish the times that they are excited to see us when we pick them up – because that always won’t be the case.  I know it won’t be forever and my boys will stop wanting to sit on my lap for reading sessions, or stop laughing when I tickle them, or they won’t want me to kiss them goodnight.

Until then, let there be kisses.  Everything else will wait!

10 Oct 2014

The Gospel & Relationships

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The Gospel and Relationships

This weekend I’ll be spending 36 hours kid-free with my Mister exploring our town and just hanging out with each other.  I’m thrilled at the chance to do this.  We’ve not done an away trip since last Christmas.  Way too long – but so much has happened since then.  While we absolutely adore our two littles, we know there is much value in getting significant alone time with each other – more than the occasional date night (which I love too).

For our relationship, we thrive when we have quality time together.  With his new job and our season of life, this is not always possible.  So, we value those free evenings and don’t try to fill our lives with too much “other” stuff.  But, we know that we need to communicate well for our marriage to thrive.

He is my husband after all.  We’ve now spent three years being married, and 8 months before that getting to know each other, building that relationship, building trust, building intimacy, having arguments and figuring out how to bounce back, seeking forgiveness and seeing what new way we can apply the gospel to our marriage.  He is most definitely my best friend.  If I have any news to tell – he is the first one.  There is no one I would rather travel with.  I so miss him when he’s gone or I’m gone.

That is how I’m beginning to realize that God is with us.  Yes, I’ve been a Christian for 32 years now.  Wow – that’s a long time – but oh, sanctification is a continual process and Jesus keeps getting sweeter.

I’ve read some Scriptures today that talk mostly about suffering – and we’ve definitely had our share of that in our marriage – but to me, the personal pronouns stood out to me.  And lately, those little grammar wonders have been leaping off the page at me in my reading of the Word.

*God Himself will be with us as our God (Revelation 21)

*The surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord (Philippians 3)

*That I may know the power of his resurrection (Philippians 3)

*The Spirit Himself intercedes for us (Romans 8)

*His ears are open to our prayers (1 Peter 3)

*That he might bring us to God (1 Peter 3)

Do you hear the personal relationship that is intended and required for the Gospel?  We can’t be second-hand Christians.  WE have to cultivate a personal relationship with the God who created everything.  And you know what – He makes that possible.  He sent Jesus.  He gave us the Holy Spirit.  He will be forever with us – so we can forever know and worship Him.  He’s not going to send His assistant.  He himself will be our God!

And that my friends, is good news.

9 Oct 2014

Engaging Creativity

by | posted in: creatives, Uncategorized | 0

When I wake up in the morning – I stare at the bits of light streaming through our mostly-closed blinds.  I see creativity.  When I settle in for the evenings, I peak out and see the moon winking down on all the city.  I see creativity.  When I stare into the blue eyes of both my babies and see the wonder and excitement about everything that life will hold.  I see creativity.  When I scroll through bloglovin and see the many faces and pictures of blog posts that I read – of people I know and don’t know.  I see creativity.

I would say the first passion in creativity that I had was music.  Piano playing and voice.  I wanted to be Barbara Mandrell – and thank goodness I’m not.  I did sing on the stage at the Strawberry Festival – but that was a lifetime ago.

The next was photography.  I took pictures of everywhere and everything and everyone in high school.  That’s why I was class historian and presented a scrapbook of our class to the school upon our graduation ceremony.

The next was cooking.  I seriously had cooked and grocery shopped as long as I could remember, but not until college did I love doing it for other people.

I didn’t come to love writing until seminary.  In high school I was definitely NOT encouraged in my writing ability – and therefore never though I could write.  And even now, sometimes discouragement sets in, sometimes I remember that I helped create a curriculum and wrote for it the first year – and I remember that we all have a writing style.

Here are the ways I engage in creativity today:

Photography: here is a goal (thinking through my place in life) – I want to continue to take photos and learn and save and do shoots – for the end goal of not only capturing moments and people – but starting a small business when the boys start school.  I don’t have the time to do a small business now, but I can learn all I can for the next 3 years.

Snail Mail: lettering, art, and notecard making is an outlet of creativity.  I love it.  And it brightens mailboxes on other street corners.

Cooking: I still love to cook, plate, and photograph food.  It is something I have to do, but MOST days it is also something I like to do.  I love introducing my men to new foods.  I love making yumminess for other families as a blessing.

Writing: I still do write.  Maybe I don’t get paid – but I write devotionally.  I would like to get better at food writing.  I think all of writing is gift and practice.  My brother is a great writer.  I know many other great writers – and they all have a style that is all their own.  Embrace it!

How do you engage in creativity – no matter the life you lead or the time restraints you have?

8 Oct 2014

What a Stolen Wallet has taught me about the Gospel

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The Gospel in our Everyday Lives

What a morning?  Let me back up – what a 24 hours!

Real life: my mister and I didn’t have the best 24 hours in communicating about finances.  God is good.  Communication is good.  A husband who pursues wholeness in our marriage is good.  Thankful for him.

More than once he’s asked me not to leave my wallet in the car.  I’ve ALWAYS left my wallet in the car (please don’t lecture me).  Never have had a problem.  This morning, I go to get in my car and notice a random hot pink knit glove in my seat.  I have little boys, not a teenage girl.  I thought maybe I’d picked it up from the gym somehow or one of the boys had.  Then I got to McDonalds to get a Diet Coke to drink during Bible Study.  No wallet.  Sorry McDonald’s drive thru lady.  Screaming boys because they weren’t going to get any coke.  Call my husband who is in a meeting.  Look briefly in the house but know its not there.  Realize I’d probably left the car unlocked last night because of several trips I made to the car.  Looked for my emergency cash stash and that was gone too.

Seriously.  Right after having hard conversations about finances?  Really, Lord?

Well, this is what I have learned in the last 4 hours:

1.  God will never tell a child He loves I Told You So.  He doesn’t spitefully throw our sins back in our faces.  He doesn’t haughtily say that He is right (which He always is).  He lovingly graces us with his continual presence even when we fail. Oh the joy and assurance of the gospel.  My husband didn’t tell me I told you so.  He graciously waited where he was till I got there so I could have 2$ in cash for the day.  He called all of our credit cards and the cops to get the ball rolling for a police report. All of this while fighting ATL traffic on his way to work.  I really just wanted him to tell me I Told You So and get it over with so I could have my punishment and go on with my day.  Oh, the last words he said to me as he walked toward his car was “go in grace.”  Oh, how he loves me – because Jesus loves him!

2.  Acts 2 is graciously lived out in our local church body.  I had just gotten our cash envelope for the week of groceries.  Gone.  This morning – God is so gracious.  Thank you ladies for your gracious giving and your prayers.  It was a tough morning.  God is good.

3.  God has told us He will provide for all of our needs!  Matthew 6 tells us many of the things that we could and often do worry about – and how God has commanded us not to because he is faithful.  He is faithful.

4.  Also, a lady in our Bible study group this morning asked the question of how will Christ be exalted every moment of our lives.  I then mentioned this incident this morning.  I wondered if I have the opportunity to meet the young girl who stole my wallet how I will respond.  How will I show her Jesus?  I thought of her as I drove to church this morning: does she have parents who care?  Does she know Jesus?  Is she dealing with guilt that only Jesus can remove?  Why did she feel the need to steal my wallet?  What will she turn out to be when she grows up?  Oh, Father – change her heart, right now!

Do I believe God?

8 Oct 2014

Pursuing Marriage

by | posted in: marriage, Uncategorized | 0

Pursuing Marriage

Today, we celebrate.

Today marks the day that my Mister and I have been married three years.

In some ways it seems like a lifetime (just the past 6 months seems like a lifetime ago), and in some ways it seems like we’ve just begun.  Instead of writing a thank you card to my love to tell you all of his wonderful qualities – which the list would go on forever – I though I would tell you three things (for three years) that we are learning to pursue in marriage.

Pursue: to find or employ measures to obtain or accomplish – especially over the long haul or for the duration

Pursue Intimacy.  This isn’t just sex – though pursuing sex with your spouse is definitely wonderful and a lovely gift from God.  But, beyond that – pursue knowing each other, pursue dreaming together, pursue hand holding, pursuit snuggling, pursue date nights (without the kids), pursue the little things that make each other smile.  Pursue Intimacy.

Pursue Love.  This may seem crazy that we would have to pursue that as we journey together in this thing called marriage, but believe me, it is so much harder than I ever thought.  3 years ago, a great friend of ours Landis read that (for memory) 1 Corinthians 13.  I thought oh, I know this.  But, then I got to review Ryken’s book on Love and then read it with some ladies in Little Rock – and I fail miserably at this…DAILY!  Pursue forgiveness.  Pursue putting the other first.  Pursue not thinking of yourself.  Pursue patience…when the days are long and they get even longer when traffic is bad.  Pursue giving.  Pursue the One who enables you to love.

Pursue Holiness.  Set apartness.  Pursue that with each other.  You are not for anyone else…you are for your spouse.  Your eye should not go in any other direction but that of your spouse.  Something I say to Elijah all the time when it comes to helping him obey are : “Don’t even look at sin.” and “I’m helping you make a wise decision”  Both of those apply to being married.  Don’t look at sing.  And help each other make wise decisions when it comes to pursuing holiness.

And the one thing I’ve learned the most in three years of marriage: my holiness and the holiness of our marriage is only by GOD.  His Son Jesus imparted His righteousness to us.  We shelter under the cross and live by the power of the risen Christ and the empty tomb.

Therein lies the strength of our marriage.

Photo props to GreenFlash Productions

Here’s to a number of years more, my Love.  Happy Anniversary

Happy Anniversary