Surprised by Motherhood

It's been almost exactly a year since I blogged.  It has been an awesome, crazy year!  We just closed on our first house on Friday.  For almost 10 years we have lived in apartments and now we have a place that is ours.  Not a home, because home is where your family is, so all the apartments have been home, but something that is really OURS!  It's weird.  I have many other wonderful and not so wonderful things to share, but those are for another day.  Today is about Surprised by Motherhood by Lisa-Jo Baker. 

I LOVE this gal's blog.  I Facebook share almost every single post she writes, so when I heard she was actually writing a book, I freaked out a little- ok, a lot.  I was so excited.  My husband laughs sometimes because I talk about Lisa-Jo like we are friends, even though we have never met or talked.  When I read her blog, I am encouraged.  I feel like I am sitting down to read words of encouragement from a close friend.  (P.S. Lisa-Jo, if you read this and you are ever in the Seattle area, I would love to have you over for dinner and dessert.  I can bakes TONS of stuff.)  I have only read part of the book, since it doesn't actually come out until tomorrow, but I can't wait to read it all!

Here is a part in the first few pages that just sang to me:

        "But I would do some things differently. I would throw away most of the parenting books that made me feel like I was somehow failing at this most important test of womanhood-being a mother.  I'd throw out the advice about what I was doing wrong or should be doing differently or should aspire to be doing. I'd just revel in the daily, sleep-deprived merry-go-round and eat a lot more chocolate cake.
    Also, I'd go up to tired moms dragging screaming kids through Target and give them flowers. I would stop every single new mom I ran into with chocolate and promises that they could do it. I would tell them they're my heroes-for every month of pregnancy, every 3 a.m. feeding, every booboo kissed, every diaper changed, every plate of food they never got to eat hot."

Ok, I need to stop quoting the book or I will just type it all.  :-)  And that is just from the prologue where she explains why she wrote the book.  It just keeps getting better as you read.  I had tears running down my face. Good tears from being encouraged at a time I needed it. She writes, "You are much braver than you think."  Tired tears.  Tears from remembering the sleepless nights with little babies.  Tears from the melt-into-your-shoulder baby snuggles.  Tears of joy and laughter. 

I want moms to feel encouraged.  That is why I had been the MOPS Coordinator for so long.  MOPS helped me when I didn't even know I needed it.  This book will encourage all moms, no matter what stage of motherhood they are in.  If you want to be encouraged that motherhood is not a competition and we can all learn from one another, please head on over to Amazon to order the book: amzn.to/1hO81ji 

Also, check out Lisa-Jo's blog at: http://lisajobaker.com/ LOVE IT!!! 

I could write a TON more, but now I need to go snuggle this little monkey girl that is hanging on my arm.  :-)
   
 

Worth It

     I love to help people achieve their dreams.  One of the ways I have done that is by weight loss counseling.  Actually, that was the first place that I learned that I loved to help people figure out what they want and how to get there.  I met with hundreds of people.  That job was when I learned to help people dream their dreams and break them into doable pieces.  It was awesome.  I am excited because I am getting to work with someone again to help this person see dreams come to life.  I want to help people breathe life into their dreams.  Let them see the great big things that God has. 
     After meeting with the person the first time, I drove home in the clouds.  I love to help people dream.  It is the best feeling to see that spark in someone's eye that tells you maybe, just maybe, they believe what you are saying.  They believe this dream that they have had for such a long time, this dream they had hidden in the basement of their life somewhere, a long time ago, could actually happen.  They are worth this dream.  You are worth it.  Dust off that dream you had.  Go find it.  Hunt for it until you know what it is.  Then tell yourself, "I am worth it."  You are worth the sacrifice that it might take.  You are worth the hard work.  You are amazing and you have fabulous things to give to the world.  Thanks for reading.  :-)

What's Happenin'?

     I really cannot believe how much harder it is to blog three times a week instead of everyday.  When I was doing it everyday, I just knew I needed to make time to do it.  Now, I just think, "Oh, I will do it tomorrow."  So...sorry.  I need to figure out a better way, maybe everyday again.  I'll see.  How are your goals for the year or month going so far?  It is the first post of the month, so I want to check in.  Remember, now is a great time to start again or start something for the first time.  Or like me, try to figure out what works and what doesn't.
     I have been having an awesome time with my kiddos.  I have made sure that each week, for the past month, that we have a day at the house.  No running around.  It has been great for all of us.  Yesterday was a very exciting day at home.  We got a new washer and dryer!  They are AMAZING!  We rent, so I didn't pick them out, but they are sooooo much better than our old ones.  After they were installed, I started jumping up and down.  I realize that seems kinda crazy, but I really love them.  It made me wonder, when did I grow up?  At some point, I become the girl who is excited by a new washer and dryer.  I'm ok with that.  I like that I growing up.  It's weird, but I like it. 
     Another event that is strange is that my son is turning five on Sunday.  How can he be growing up too?  Where is the time going?  Next week, I am giving a talk about time budgeting.  All of these things happening are making me ask myself even more, "What am I doing with my time?  Am I making memories that I want to have?  What is important to me?"  I know I blogged about that last time, but it's so important.  As I prepare for the talk, I know that I will be thinking about it even more.  Go make some great memories.  Thanks for reading.  :-)
    

Legacy

     I know I have gone a week without a blog.  Sorry, but I am here now.  :-)  Last week would have been my mother and father-in-laws' anniversary.  My father in law died in 2007.  Their anniversary day got me thinking about legacy.  Even though my mother in law is still with us, I feel like I can talk about some of the legacy that she and her fabulous husband left to the world.  Their legacy to their children was demonstrating a God centered marriage.  I am sure they, like all of us, had their off days.  But they always showed one another love and respect.  My husband and I lived with them for six months and they were some of the most fun six months ever.  We played cards with his parents multiple nights a week.  I loved watching my in laws interact.  Sometimes my father in law would get this gleam in his eye.  We would know that he was about to do something that would make my mother in law laugh or something that she would joking tell him he shouldn't do.  They had one of the best marriages I have ever seen in my life.  I am so glad that not only did I know them, but I am in their family.
     They have left a legacy of good marriage to their kids.  Because when their kids were growing us they saw what an awesome marriage looked like, they are more easily able to walk that out in their own lives.  I am blessed that I married one of their sons.  Because we can walk in a Godly marriage, I pray that our kids will be able to too and so on through the generations.  So the legacy from my father and mother in law will touch generations that are not even born yet.  People that they will never meet this side of Heaven will be positively impacted by them.
     They also showed what it was to love your kids.  This too will, I pray, be passed from generation to generation.  My kids get to know the love of the Grandpa they will never meet here on Earth through the love of their Daddy.  I am so excited I am able to already see some of the legacy from my father and mother in law.  What about you?  What is your legacy?  Our legacies are what is left behind after all the material stuff we had is gone.  Looking at your life now, will your great great grand kids be glad that you were who you were?  Thanks for reading.  :-)

Balance

     If you have been following my blog for a while, you may have noticed that in the last few weeks I have not been blogging everyday.  I have been learning more about blogging the last few months.  What I have discovers is many bloggers do not blog everyday.  I think one of the reasons is so people who are reading the blog, don't feel like they are behind if they miss a few days of reading.  So, I have been keeping a few days in between blogs.  I don't know if it's a good idea or not, but I am trying it.  So I will still be blogging regularly, at least three times a week, I will not be necessary blogging everyday.  I might blog for a few days in a row...or not.
      So, on to life.  I have been trying to spend some days at the house with my kids not having anything to do except be at home.  I realized a few weeks ago that almost everyday for the last nine months, the kids and I have been out of the house for part of the day.  A lot of that was going to the gym.  I am still going to the gym, just not almost everyday.  Balance. 
     I have been thinking about how the way that you spend your time tells people about you.  I want people to know that I want to be healthy and that working out is important to me.  But I want my kids to know that there are times I just want to be with them.  We don't have to do anything else, but be together.  So I am making some more margin in my life.  I want to continue to look at what I am doing with my time and ask what it is saying about me and my priorities.  What about you?  Would people know what you would SAY is important to you by looking at how you spend your time?  Thanks for reading. 

The Sweatshirt on the Floor

     At the retreat, the Saturday morning session was about Fear.  One of the Bible readings was when the men dug through the roof so their friend could be healed.  Can you imagine being there and watching a man being lowered through a roof?  That takes commitment.  Our speaker said, "We don't have to act like we have it all together.  When we act like we have it all together, we miss the healing."  If that guy or his friends had acted like the guy was alright, they wouldn't have taken him to Jesus to be healed. 
     It sounds so easy doesn't it?  Just be honest.  We all know that no one has it together, but it is so hard to really put yourself out there.  To really say, "Yep, I have had a rough day."  Or "I made a horrible choice."  Or "I have absolutely no clue what I am really doing in this situation."  The joy comes though, when we can say that to each other.  When we can really be our true selves to those around us.  But we don't open up.  Why?  Because we are afraid.  Fear has us.  We are afraid of what people think.  Or of ruining the image we have going. 
     The speaker talked about how the enemy wants us to be comfortable with fear- to be used to it, not notice it hanging around.  She compared fear to a sweatshirt that is laying on the floor.  You walk by it the first time and think, "Someone should pick that up."  And then you walk right past it.  (Which made us all crack up.)  Don't we do that do?  Walk by the sweatshirt once, twice, three times...an hour.  And we keep thinking that some one should do something about it.  By the third day, you stop thinking about how someone should do something and now the sweatshirt is just part of the floor.  :-)  How many things in life do we do this with?  I know that I do it with things around the house.  (When I got home from the retreat, I went around picking up a lot of things that had just started blending into the landscape.) 
     But, I know that I can do it with fear too.  I get so used to thinking that I can't do something, I stop trying.  I don't want to do that.  I don't want to "trade abundant life for a mundane one" as the speaker said.  I want to be all that God wants me to be, not just what I think I can be.  I want to be ready for God's best for me.  One of my favorite verses right now is Ephesians 3:20, "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us..."  God can do IMMEASURABLY MORE then WE can ASK or IMAGINE.  Isn't that great?!?!
     When that fear comes back, I want to tell it to go away.  I want to have the abundant life that God has for me.  Is there anywhere that fear has become part of the landscape of your life?  Are you walking in the abundant life that God has for you in every area of your life?  What can you do to team up with God to grab a hold of all He has for you?  Thanks for reading.  :-)

I've had it!

     I am taking a little break from the retreat sessions.  We will return, but I wanted to blog about something else, so I am.  :-)  On Tuesday night, as I was sitting eating chocolate chips, raisins, and teddy grahams, I realized I am eating this and I am not even hungry.  In the last week or so, I have eaten 2 1/2 bags of chips, a TON of cookies and cookie dough, just junk.  Some of the stuff I don't even really like that much, I just keep eating it.  I don't know what happened.  I did great with food while I was visiting my family.  Most of the time, I gain 5-10 pounds when I am visiting there.  This time, I was up like 1.5 pounds (some of which was water weight from flying) and I lost that in a few days.
     But, once I got home, I went nuts.  I do not know what all was going on; well, I think there were lots of things.  I was glad to be home.  Traveling had been stressful and I didn't want to have to think about my food once I got home.  The problem, though, is my "not thinking about it" means just eating all the junk I want.  Why do I do that?  It seems silly to me as I sit and eat stuff I know is going to make me feel yucky and bloated in 30 minutes and still hungry, that I keep eating it.  After doing that for almost two weeks, I was just feeling not great.  And I have gained over 6 pounds in the last two weeks. 
    My husband and I watched a movie and one of the people said that when we are trying to eat healthy, "We need to stop thinking, I WANT that but CAN'T have it.  And start thinking, I CAN have that, but I DON'T want it."  Wow...that seems so easy.  I was trying to do that, the problem is I do want a bunch of chocolate.  But what I realized Tuesday was that, yes, I do want to eat it, but I HATE how eating everything that I WANT makes me feel so bad.  So, Wednesday, I actually stopped eating the junk.  It has been a good few days.  I am feeling better.  I wish that it would keep being as easy- trying to remember how yucky I felt will help me I think.  I know that it usually does get harder, but I just want to remember that I don't want to feel gross.  How about you?  Is there a part of your life that you keep doing something that you know is silly?  What step(s) can you take today to change that just a little?  Thanks for reading.  :-)

Faith Walk: Station Five

     As we walk to the final station of our faith walk from the retreat speaker, we share about a time we felt alone.  The feelings that come up are so real, so raw. Then the group gets to the gazebo.

                                 I AM Here

Consider: God chose you before the beginning of time, relentlessly pursues you, calls you and woos you.  He promises to never leave you.  He is with you when life is great and on your darkest days. 

 Psalm 139:1-18 “You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.  You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.  Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.  If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand—when I awake, I am still with you.”

 

Challenge: Take turns slowly spinning in a circle.  As you spin, pause and read each sign.  I AM Here!

Reflect: Pause for a moment of silence and acknowledge God’s presence.

 

 

 

     When we felt alone, we weren't.  He was really there.  Even if it didn't seem like it.  Even if we didn't see where He was, He was there. 

     Which of the stations has been the best for you?  Why?  Which was the hardest?  I hope that these last five days have impacted you.  If you would like to share any stories, please feel free.  :-)  Thanks for reading.  :-)

Faith Walk: Station Four

     As we leave the beach and the fire, we walk back the way we came along the shore.  As we walk, we talk about, "Is it easy or hard for you to receive help from others?"  We continue walking until a HUGE tire swing comes into view.  The following is the section of the faith walk written by the retreat speaker.

                    You are part of God’s Family

 

Consider: The moment we believe and receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we become part of God’s family, His body in Christ.  We were created to be totally dependent upon God and one another.  We were never meant to do life alone, but in unity together. 

 

Ephesians 4:11-13, 15-16 “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ… speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

 

Romans 12:3-8,10, 13, 15,18 “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others (mutually dependent on one another). We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully…Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves…Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality…Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn…If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”

 

Challenge: Push 2 ladies on the swing.  Each person has to participate and can only do 1 part.  (Example - 2 on swing, 2 lift and help down, 2 hold flashlights, 2 push, etc.). 

 

Reflect: Whether you realize it or not, God has surrounded you with women to encourage and help you and women you are to encourage and help in this journey of life and faith.  Take a moment to think through your answers to the following two questions: What area in life do you need help?  Are you willing to invest in relationship and help someone else?



     I love this!!!  We are not meant to be alone.  We are meant to be surrounded by community, by those who love us.  We are designed to grow closer and closer to each other.  Thanks for reading.  :-)

Faith Walk: Station Three

     We are leaving the sound of rushing water behind us.  We are walking on a gravel road toward a dirt path along the lake.  The sound of the lake over the shore is peaceful.  On the way there we talk about "What stops you from fully receiving God's love?"  (The following material is from the retreat speaker, not me.)

                               You are Loved by Jesus

Consider: Close your eyes and picture a man – perfect, tender, strong and head over heels in love with you.  He delights in all of you – He’s not appalled by anything you’ve done or will do, or scared of your deepest longings, in fact, He is able and longs to satisfy all your needs.  He’s the lover of your soul, captivated by your beauty.  He watches over you while you sleep, never leaving nor betraying you.  He defends and fights for you.  His sole desire is to be with you now and forever.  This perfect man, your beloved, is Jesus.  Is He enough for you?

 

Song of Songs 2:10, 7:10 “My beloved spoke and said to me, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me…I belong to my beloved, and his desire is for me.”

 

Romans 8:35, 37-39 “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

 

Hebrews 13:5 ^“[God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]”

 

Challenge: Sing Jesus Loves Me, Father I adore You, I love you Lord.  Before leaving, put a log in the fire for the next group.

 

Reflect: Take a silent moment to receive God’s lavish love for you.    

 

 

 

    

 

     His love from us is perfect.  He will not let us down.  He knows what we need.  Ask Him to show you more and more of His love for you.  Thanks for reading.  :-)

Faith Walk: Station Two

     Remember, this faith walk series was from the speaker of our retreat.  She listened to what God wanted her to do and AWESOME stuff happened.  The faith walk was one of those things.  Please take the time to just sit and read through each part.  If you were at the retreat, do it again.  Let God remind you of what He said or listen to Him speak something new.  If you were not on the retreat, ask God to speak into your life and what He has for you. 
     We are walking to Station Two of our Faith Walk.  Remember, it is very dark.  We are heading toward rushing water and there are trees around.  On the way to the next stop we discuss, "What would you do in life if you knew that nothing was impossible and you could not fail?"  A slight breeze is blowing.  It is cool, not too cold, but getting there.  We stop right before a small wooden bridge. 

 You are Here for a Purpose: To Go and Share God’s Love


 Consider: We can choose to stay in the safety of the lives we create or we can step out into the dark, uncertainty of faith, offer our lives to God, and arise to live and love through Christ.  

Ephesians 2:8-10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Matthew 28:18-20 “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

John 14:12-13 “ Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”

Isaiah 61:1-4 “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.”

 

1 John 3:16-18, 4:7-12 “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth…let us love one another, for love comes from God...This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him...Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”

Challenge: Hold hands and walk single file onto the bridge.  Once everyone is on the bridge, stop.  

Reflect: Be still and listen to God’s voice inviting you to step out in faith.  What is God inviting you to?  Whom will you serve, where, and how? 



     Are there things that are stopping you from stepping out?  Ask God to take those things away and make His voice clear to you.  Thanks for reading.  :-)

Faith Walk: Station 1

     After listening to the first session of the women's retreat, we had a faith walk around the camp.  It was DARK outside.  We did have three flashlights in each group, but it was still very dark.  On the way to each station we would talk about the discussion question.  Then at each station we would read scripture and do an activity and reflect on it.  I am going to list each station and the scripture we read and the activity we did and what the reflection part was.  I think that I am just going to do one station per day.  I want you to really take the time to think about each of these answers for yourself.  I know that this is longer than most of my other posts, but PLEASE read it.  God did great things through this faith walk.  I know that He can use it here on this blog to really change people too.  It was written by the speaker of the retreat, so it is her and God, not my thoughts, until the break at the end.   


     Station 1:          You are fully forgiven & free to forgive

Discussion: Share a sin you need God to forgive or one needing your forgiveness.

Consider: Sin and unforgiveness are a burden we were never meant to bare.  They weigh us down and stop us from moving forward in life, love and faith. There is no sin so grave that the Lord’s grace cannot remove and fully forgive or empower us to forgive as He forgives us.

Scripture: Read

1 John 1:9: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Psalm 103:1-12: ¹ Praise the Lord, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
² Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
³ who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
⁴ who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
⁵ who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

⁶ The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.

⁷ He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:
⁸ The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
⁹ He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
¹⁰ he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
¹¹ For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
¹² as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

Ephesians 4:32:  Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Challenge: Harness one person to the rock.  Once harnessed, try to move/climb the wall.  (We were harnessed to a VERY HUGE rock!  You could not move at all once you were attached to it.) 

Read Hebrews 12:1-2:  Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Reflect: Take a silent moment to release your sin or unforgiveness to Jesus, lay it at the foot of the cross, and receive God’s full forgiveness, forgive yourself, or make the choice to forgive another. 



Wow...How freeing is that?  Jesus died so we didn't have to carry a burden that we were not meant to bear.  Allow His loving sacrifice to cover you and those around you.  Thanks for reading.  :-)

Live Big!

     This blog is based on the teachings of the speaker at our women's retreat.  She described how in life, we all have a "plate."  When we are first starting out in life, it is mostly our self and God on the plate.  She had a plate with different fruit.  She and God were both big apples.  Then she got married- add an orange.  She got a job- add a lemon.  She had five BOYS- add five oranges.  She has friends- add some limes.  She does ministry- add a few tangerines.  Then she has to do things like housework- add a bunch of grapes.  You can see that soon, there is not enough room on the plate for everything.  So, she makes herself a little smaller-a tangerine.  Then later, she needs to be a little smaller- a grape.  She makes God a little smaller too.  Because, you know that He understands.  He won't be mad.  He WANTS us to do all this stuff right?!?! 
     Even with making herself and God as small as she can make them, there is not enough room on the plate.  The awesome thing is, God's power works best in weakness- He tells us that in the Bible.  So, HE can take all of our stuff- our relationships, ministries, tasks, all of it.  Instead of us trying to fit it all on our little plate, we can give it to Him and He is our ginormous fruit bowl.  He can take it all- IF we actually give it to Him.  So, give Him all of your life, every bit of it, even if you think it seems like He might not want it, He does.  Give it all to Him and LIVE BIG!!!!!  Do NOT shrink yourself anymore.  Our Heavenly Father loves you and knows that you are important.  Come to Him.  Let Him hold all of the things of your life that seem to just be falling uncontrollably off of your plate.  He can handle ALL of you.  He WANTS all of you.  You are not too much!!!  He is more than enough.  Let Him love you well and let Him allow you to LIVE BIG!!!!!  Thanks for reading.  :-)

Warrior Women

     The women's retreat this past weekend was about being Warrior Women.  Our speaker described how we can make our life fuller and fuller and fuller until we become less and less.  And sometimes we can make God less in our life too.  We looked at the fear that we have in our lives.  Talked about being tired and weary.  Then we looked at who God really wants us to be, what He really has for us.  It was an awesome weekend.  I am going to be blogging more about it, but I just wanted to give you a little time to think first.  Do you feel like a warrior for God?  Or are you hiding under the covers, afraid?  Are you making God bigger in your life or smaller to make room for other things?  More tomorrow.  Thanks for reading.  :-)

Checking In

     Sorry that it has been a few days since I have blogged.  I was on a women's church retreat this weekend and had no internet.  Then yesterday, I felt like the jet lag was finally catching up to me.  Anyway, I'm back now.  :-)  Since this is the first post of the month, I wanted to check in to see how you were doing with your goals for the new year.  Remember, we don't have to wait for January 1st to make new goals.  Look at the goals you set for this year.  Are you a sixth of the way done with them?  When you look at some of them, do you think, "I have not worked toward that at all, but I'm ok with that"?  If you do, let that goal go.  Probably it wasn't really your goal in the first place then. 
     It's ok to change your goals.  We want to continually evaluate what we want our life to look like.  As I live each day, I try to look and ask if this is the life I want.  If a part of it is not, then why?  What can I do to change it?  If so, what can I do to make it even better?  Keep making your life more and more what you want it to be.  The way to do that the most effectively is by setting goals and then actually working to make them a reality.  I hope that you are achieving or closing in on some of your goals, but if not, today is a great day to start!  Thanks for reading.  :-)

Home Sweet Home

     Back to my regular life.  Today I did laundry at my own house, loaded my own dish washer, and cleaned up my own house.  There is something really nice about that.  I love being on "vacation," but there is a great quality about being in your own home.  It is enjoyable to see my kids playing with their friends and my friend drinking a Starbucks with me here in my home.  I know I have written this before, but I want to make each moment that I have count.  I want to enjoy each moment that I have with my husband, kids, and friends.  I feel like that has been a theme that I keep seeing.  Thank you to everyone who is helping to teach me that.  My parents and sisters when I am able to be with them.  My mother-in-law when she shares from her love, her life, and her loss.  My son's preschool teacher who tells me not to worry about what it will be like when I have to send my baby to kindergarten next year, but to enjoy each day as it comes.  My friends when we get time to connect and laugh with each other.  My kids when I watch them grow more and more everyday.  My husband when we talk about how crazy it is that we have been married for almost nine years already.  How did that happen? 
     I want to make each day count.  I saw this quote on a friend's Facebook post, "“Harold Hill: You pile up enough tomorrows, and you'll find you are left with nothing but a lot of empty yesterdays. I don't know about you, but I'd like to make today worth remembering.”  ― Meredith Willson, The Music Man: A Musical Comedy.  How about you?  Are you making today worth remembering?  Thanks for reading.  :-)

Finally!!

    Note:  I wrote this yesterday and it didn't get published.  :-)   I am at my home!  Our flight last night was so delayed that we would have missed our connection and would have been stuck at the Chicago airport for 24 hours.  So, I had my parents come back and get the kiddos and I from the airport, after we had already been there for over 2 hours, and we stayed at their house again last night.  Then this morning, about 12 hours from when we were at the airport, we left again to go back to the airport.  We went to Washington DC on an hour flight, had a 3 1/2 hour layover and then a 5 1/2 hour plane ride home.  The kids did really well, but I am still VERY tired.  Thank you all for your prayers.  Tomorrow, I hit the ground running into "normal" life again.  :-)  Thanks for reading.  :-)

On the Road Again....

     I can't wait to be OFF the road again.  Traveling will start when we leave my parents' house at 3:45pm eastern time to go to the airport.  Then we will leave on a plane at 6:25pm and have a short ride.  We will get on a plane for a longer ride (after perhaps jogging through the airport).  Then by 1:37am we will be home.  Please pray that the trip is good for the kids and I and that they sleep on the long flight.  Thanks for reading.  :-)

Family Time

     I have had a lot of sister time the last two weeks.  I have three sisters.  They are 6, 7, and 10 years younger than me.  It has been fun to get to do the things that they like or talk about their lives.  My middle sister is getting married in July.  We went wedding dress shopping, talked about the wedding, reception, pictures, and tons of other things.  We also played games together (with our Dad and her fiance) and talked about tons of other stuff. 
     I have another sister who has a little baby girl just four and half months older than my two year old.  It was fun to watch the kids play together and to talk about what was going on with the kids.  Also, we bonded over an iPhone game.  You know those ones that you play and there really isn't a point.  Well, she has one on her phone because her little girl likes to watch it.  I played on her phone some while she was at my parents' house.
     My baby sister is in college.  I got to learn more about her classes.  Tonight she baked cookies for us.  The kids, my Mom, my baby sister, and I went shopping today.  It was tons of fun to just hang out with her and learning more about who she is.
     I love hanging out with my Mom and Dad too.  They are my friends.  I enjoy seeing how my kids light up around them.  My kiddos want to play with them all the time.  I enjoy talking with them about little things that are going on in life and big things too.  I talk to them often on the phone, but there is something different about being in the same room.
     I know that we are coming back in four months for my sister's shower and her wedding, but it is still hard to say goodbye.  I know there will be tears at the airport.  I try to teach my kids that it is ok to be sad that we are leaving-we will miss PaPa and Mima and their Aunts, but also we are going home to Daddy.  So, we can be excited about that.  Emotions are weird, aren't they?  Learn about those around you.  Be joyful when you are around them.  But, it's to be sad sometimes too.  Tomorrow I have to remember that it's ok to feel all the emotions that the kids and I are feeling as we travel.  I want to do a good job of letting them feel.  Thanks for reading.  :-)

Time

     Time is funny.  Why do the last few days of my trip to see my family seem so precious?  It's not that all of the time isn't special and important.  When you live as far away from family as we do, any time together is life giving and treasured.  With that said though, when you know people are leaving soon and you won't see them for months, or when we are driving to the airport, I want to breathe in every minute.  Not waste a thing.
     Why don't we always live like that?  Treasure the people we are with when we are with them?  Enjoy where we are while we are there?  I know that I am better at it now.  But i could be better.  i want to actually engage. I want to be making memories.  Go make some memories with the people around you.  Thanks for reading.  :-)