Articles Archive for July 2007
Understanding »
this is for those of you in a place of difficulty right now. and if you have 2 children that are under 2 that’s probably you.
i had a conversation with a new friend the other day that just had her 3rd child. her oldest just turned 3 right after her 3rd was born. and she had laughter in her heart that overflowed. how is that possible? she said something that goes with what i’ve been planning to post for a while. she said, “once you give up yourself, this is pretty easy!” and that echos what another friend who has 3 children very close in age has been talkin’ about. and is exactly what i’ve been talking with another friend about who is making a life change to stay home.
So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. ~Ecclesiastes 2:17
how does this apply to us? i know how it applies to me. i remember telling a friend when my second was tiny that all i did was refill stuff. refill the soap. refill the fridge. refill the washer. refill the dryer. refill the diapers. refill the baby. i know the first few years of doing this baby-having thing was very hard for me. i kept waiting for them to stop fussing. i kept waiting for them to go to sleep. why wouldn’t they just do it? and the more important issue was why did i want them to stop so badly? because i wanted to get back to my regularly scheduled programming. and it just didn’t seem to be happening. and i was angry all the time. until i gave in and began to enjoy them. in the moment. through the crying. and the result? God has given me the desires of heart. not the desires i thought i had once upon a time. i don’t want to go out partying on friday night anymore. He just changed the desires. He truly gave me the desires that are in my heart.
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. ~Jesus Matthew 16:25
i don’t hate that i have to hold my newest one anytime i don’t want to hear screaming. i don’t hate that i don’t get a hot meal anymore. i don’t resent that any extra money goes to the kiddos. because i gave up. i gave in. and i found my life more abundant than i ever had it before. more full than i could’ve ever imagined. have i lost who i am? not at all. i’m more me than ever. i love to sew. i love to blog. i love to be goofy. i love to read. i love to create stuff. and i get to do all of those things.
and part of what made this possible is my realizing that it’s all a season. every bit of it. and each season is over so quickly. how did my first 2 get so big so quickly? i don’t know, but i’m a little wiser this time around. and i don’t care how hard my 2 year old girl is or how much my infant screams because it will all be gone in the blink of an eye. and i don’t wanna blink.
TheySay »
me: “what do you wanna be when you grow up?”
the oldest: “i wanna do what daddy does. i wanna work on computers.”
the middlest: “i wanna be a rock star!”
and somehow, they’ll both be just like their daddy…
TheySay »
this morning my second born said he wanted to write a letter to Jesus. and on a windy day we could send it up to Him.
after telling him that’s an awesome idea, but that Jesus can see it right now, that we don’t have to send it up he said he wanted to write it now.
and he did.
and then he asked me to put Jesus’ name on it, put it in an envelope and stick it on the fridge. “we can keep it there everyday until Jesus comes back on His pony and then i will get it and give it to Him.”
Somethin' »
i’ve mentioned before that our church has 3 different types of services (the main, the edge, and encounter) we’ve tried the main, and the edge and decided yesterday that maybe we would try encounter. we had heard it was a little more traditional and we thought as pearl said, “maybe there will be more families/freaks with 6 kids and one income.” so off we went. we came in late (always). and immediately i thought, “maybe we should slip out and go to one of the other services.” the people were almost all over the age of 50. most were 60’s and 70’s. but we hung with it. we’ve spent some time in a church where most of the members were this age. so i kinda had an idea what it would be like. running through the songs. looking like they’re already as sick of the music as i am. heaven forbid anybody move. or stand. or look like they even want to be there. and they definitely don’t want you there, especially if you’re new, holding a baby, and sitting in their seat.
and then God surprised me.
i felt like i was sitting in on somebody else’s alone time with God. i looked around and there were couples with their arms around each other. people were swaying. singing. one woman was signing - not to anybody, just to God. there was a man who was probably about 75 in a suit with his hands raised. these people were not doing this, like, in a sensational “look at me” way. it was worship. like i’ve never seen. and there were people of different colors. and in our area of the south to see elderly people standing alongside others that are different (or at least perceived that way) was incredible. i cried. and pearl kept nudging me to look at all of them. and then they said that we could sit if we needed to (keeping in mind the ages). and everybody trickled down to sitting. except one man. he stood. and worshipped his God in his way. my honey said, “now, that’s a strong man.”
and then God surprised me again.
the sermon started. when they post it on the website i’ll link it here. and if your computer will allow you to watch it, i’m begging you to watch it. not because i think you need it, but because it was written straight to me and my struggles this week of feeling poor and forsaken. you will not believe it. i didn’t. i still can’t. how on earth? because He wanted me to know that He will not forsake me. ever. and because i promised to stand by Him and wait, He was faithful. He always is.
and don’t get me wrong. the message was not one of, “if you just hang in there and do what God wants you to do, it will get better.” there was no false encouragement. it was true encouragement. if we follow what God wants for our family at this time - me staying home, having these babies, and trusting Him - He will use us in His plan. because there is a plan. and i want to be in on it. and i’d rather be doing something for Him than living the big life. really. even when it means eating noodles. so, stay tuned for that sermon. and when i post it, please, please, please, get alone for a little while and see what God had to say to me sunday. you won’t believe it.
Draw&Paint »
one of my frequented blogs linked here the other day and i got all inspired to make something other than a quilt. i have never made clothes. except in gifted and talented in the 6th grade - and it was terrible from what i remember. but, like i said, i got inspired. and look what i did!!
notice the buttons up the back…
and here’s the ruffle detail in front at the neckline…
ok, i took one of my old long sleeved button-down shirts. so i spent nothing. and i didn’t have to figure out button holes because the front of my old shirt is the back of her dress. i did it in a few hours and i think she’ll be able to wear it to church sunday. yay, me!! now, i’m ready to make her whole wardrobe!
TheKiddos »
a totally unposed, unprompted, fight-free game of toss the tinfoil ball.
TheKiddos »
look what happens when mama cleans out the closet and daddy gets bored.
