Thursday, February 25, 2010

Thankful Thursday




Today I am thankful for:


Good, hot, strong coffee from Sprouts bulk bins. Kenyan. Yummy!
Gluten/Dairy/Soy-free coconut milk creamer
Organic honey-crisp apples
My Blackberry didn't buzz me once last night
My coworker that understands it's best to wait until post-coffee-time to come say hi
Spring is around the corner
A yard to dig into in a few weeks
Anticipation of warmer weather
My silly toddler that is so verbal and makes me laugh every day
My silly 7 month old that loves to snuggle and "kiss" (slobber/chew on my chin)

And last, but definitely not least...

My sweet husband.

Today is his birthday and even though I celebrate him through the year, today is HIS day. He is my best friend, my north star, my sweet sensitive voice of reason, and the only one in this world that loves me so deeply with all my quirks, sins, and off-days.

I have no doubt that when he was born on this earth...



...the angels rejoiced in Heaven that another boy babe was going to grow into an amazing Godly man and change so very many lives for the better.

Thank you Love for being you...



...for being Daddy and husband and friend and all things wonderful in the W house. Thank you for toughing it out with us on this side of Heaven. You are so loved and appreciated and our lives just would not work without you in it.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Thankful Thursday



Today, I am thankful for...

The warm sun
My silky soft scarf my FIL got in Italy
A job, I might not enjoy, but it puts food in my babies bellies
Health insurance
A short commute
Two beautiful boys that make me feel needed and loved
An amazing husband that calls just to check on me when I'm not well
The opportunity to pray for friends that are hurting

And last but not least...

Hope

There have been many, many times in my life that I've been in so much pain or in such dire straights, that I've lost hope. It's an awful place to be. You're usually by yourself. Or at least it feels that way. Even when you're surrounded by people, you feel alone. It's dark, it's cold, it's eerily silent. Even God is silent during those times. (Sometimes with reason, but that's a whole 'nother post.)

But today, I am not there. On most days, Hope is my constant companion. I can't really attribute it to anything other than Christ. He is my Hope. He has given me Hope. So I guess with those two sentences, one can conclude that He's given me Himself. Which is a true statement.

The Hope I speak of, is not the kind of hope as in, "I hope I get a pony for my birthday!"

"I didn't know she had a pony. How was I to know she had a pony? Why would anybody come here if they had a pony? Who leaves a country packed with ponies to come to a non-pony country? It doesn't make sense..."

(Sorry...a little humor for you fellow Seinfeld fans.)

While I have hope like that in certain details of my life, an uncertain wish, if you will, the Hope that has become my companion is a deeper, more intense, solidified Hope.

Romans 5:1

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we [1] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith [2] into this grace in which we stand, and we [3] rejoice [4] in hope of the glory of God. 3 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.


What's really interesting is the original Greek word for "hope" as it's used in Roman 5:4 is elpis, which means, "a confident expectation; to anticipate with pleasure". I kind of equate it to the hope a bride feels when she is engaged to be married. Is she hoping the wedding takes place? Is she hoping the groom really shows up? No. She knows. The reason the bride has this type of hope is because she has had a relationship with a man that has proven himself worthy of her trust, so she believes that he is going to show up and the wedding will take place and all will be wonderful.

If she's not sure of either of those things, then there are other issues at hand other than using the wrong term for hope.

So the hope described here is not the same hope that we usually use in the American English language we're familiar with.

So what is this Hope I speak of? I have a pleasurable, confident expectation that there is something better. There IS something better! Ultimately, my Hope is someday spending eternity with Christ and my loved ones in a much better world than the one I live in. But that Hope even bleeds down here to life on earth. I have Hope that God will provide for my needs. That He will not leave me, ignore me, play favorites of others over me. He wants the best for me and wants to give me my heart's desire. Could that be a pony? Perhaps. But not likely. What He does want to give me is a life filled with Goodness and Peace. Like any other parent, He will do whatever is possible to give me the tools to do what I'm meant to do...love others. Whether that be by encouraging words, a kind act, a sharing of experience, a hug...or sharing Him. He will always, always, always give me the opportunities to do this AND to give me the tools to do it.

What a wonderful piece of knowledge to live out in my daily life! I have what I need, when I need it, always according to His time and will. How can I ever go wrong in that?

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Weeknights

In the chaos of the week, each day there is a little sliver of time that I call heaven: when Daddy comes home. Usually the boys and I are still in the midst of dinner, but Daddy jumps in and the the good stuff begins!

Playing...



Bathtime is a lot of fun...



...for some of us.



After baths the exercise routine begins. A.K.A "one little monkey jumpin' on the bed."



...although Bubby tries very hard to make it two little monkeys...



But being the little brother is kinda hard sometimes...



"I'm outta here!"

Monday, February 8, 2010

Fishers of...



Dinner time is usually the time we get a funny conversation or two with Monkey. Last night was no exception. He was talking about what he wanted to do after dinner.

I need to preface this with the fact that we have two outdoor dogs. Just keep that in mind...

JK: Go fishing!
MM: You want to go fishing? But it's raining today. Where are you going to go fishing?
JK: Fishing outside. (pointing to the backyard)
MM: Fishing in the backyard? But there's no water to go fishing in. It's just grass.
JK: (mulling over what I said)
MM: You want to go fishing in the grass? What are you gonna catch?
JK: Dunno.
MM: Are you gonna catch frogs?
JK: No! (giggling)
MM: Are you gonna catch snakes?
JK: No! (giggling more)
MM: What are you gonna catch?
JK: (thinking...) Poop!

Hmm. Yep. That's about right.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Thankful Thursday




Ten things I'm thankful for today (in no particular order):

Central heating
Umbrellas
Covered parking at work
The fact that I'm gainfully employed
My baby's fever went away last night
My husband that adores our boys
Cinnamon Chex (Thank you for the recommendation Fords!)
The crockpot that's at home cooking my dinner
Organic honey crisp apples from Whole Foods

And last, but DEFINITELY not least...

My amazing women's Bible Study on Wednesday nights!

I'm working on a lot of things in my life right now, but improving my attitude is one of the top three. Interestingly enough, that can't happen without improving my relationship with the Lord, which is AT THE TOP of my list for 2010.

The study I'm attending on Wednesday nights is Beth Moore's Breaking Free. CANNOT say enough about what I'm learning there. Not just from the class video and the book, but from the amazing women within those four walls. It's an intense study. Homework FIVE nights a week! But I have made the decision that no matter if my homework is done, or my day is bad, I AM going to that study every Wednesday!

The highlight of the study last night that really spoke to me: I MUST get in the Word every single day. If I don't, it's like going for a walk in a Texas desert loaded with rattlesnakes without a shotgun to keep me safe. My ammunition is starting (or ending) my day with quiet time with God.

The side note that I must mention that I LOVED, was the important of reading scripture aloud. Satan hates to hear God's Word read aloud, and in reading it aloud, you can make him completely flee! Wow...what power we have supporting us!

While I am not going to be legalistic or militant, I am going to just make this part of my new routine, like brushing my teeth and taking a shower. I do it randomly, but it's random because I don't plan for it. I haven't been able to figure out how to do this in the mornings, so I'm doing it before bedtime. While not ideal, every night I do it, it's a precious sweet time. I enjoy it! I'm so thankful for the changes that God's making in my heart. And can't wait to see what the changes will bring this year!

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Mommy Happy?

The last month or so, Monkey seems to be very in tune with my emotions. I don't know if he's learning about happy versus sad at school, maybe? But anytime I raise my voice or get frustrated with him, he always asks, "Mommy happy?" He has asked me this almost once a day for awhile now. It's made me realize how often he must see a grumpy or frustrated countenance. I've been working on it, but the stresses of the period of life we're in sometimes gets the best of me.

The other night, he wasn't listening to me when I was trying to dress him. He was too busy dancing around nekkid when I wanted him to get his feet in his pajamas.

MM: (raised, stern voice) JK, Mommy said stay still and put your feet in your 'jamas.
JK: Mommy happy?
MM: No, Mommy is not happy. I am happy when you listen and obey.

He then grabs my head in his hands and plants a big sloppy kiss on my nose.

JK: Mommy happy now?

How on EARTH am I supposed to keep a straight face through that? LOL!

MM: (totally starting to lose it with giggling) Yes, Mommy is happy. Thank you for loving me.

JK: Tank YOU Mommy. (steps into his pajama feet)

This boy. Gracious! I later realized I was trying to quell his silliness, when I should have been dancing with him. I missed it! The opportunity to be joyful with him. The opportunity to make a memory, if not for him, then for me. God was handing me a tiny little wrapped up present...a sweet moment with my firstborn and I was busy worrying about making bedtime.

When am I going to learn?!?!

This adorable, innocent child desperately wants to be independent and yet wants to make sure I approve of him.

He is my SOUL in so many ways!!!

Lord, I am learning, please be patient with me. Please help me to remember to not stifle his sweet, active spirit. Help me to remember that in order for him to have life, I need to give up my own. It is by my example that he will either learn to love or be legalistic. Please help me to not let You down. Help me to not let him down.