Smiles

So yesterday I was listening to the sermon at church and like most Sunday mornings I saw a light bulb come one. We are in this series called "Love Revolution." It is basically teaching us as a church how to love others without being loved back. To selflessly love. It is like that list I posted a few weeks ago. 100 Creative Way To Love Others.

The sermon wasn't about my "light bulb." It was just a random light bulb. So, when I am out and about with my kids. Whether is be at the grocery store, the gym, on an airplane (not sure when that one will happen again after last weeks travels!), in my front yard, in my house, or at the mall, I am 100% focused on doing what I need to do without the kids breaking something, tearing something up, screaming at the top of their lungs or me losing it. I am sure most of you understand that.

As our pastor was teaching yesterday I realized that my focused face isn't a very nice face. So, I probably look ticked off, like I hate to be a mom, like I hate my life, etc. I don't want people to see me in that light. As most of you know from reading this blog I am pretty 'real' and don't sugar coat a lot of things, but always being ticked off, hating to be a mom and hating my life are NOT ME.

So, my 'light bulb' moment came when I realized that I can show other people love by blessing them even while I have 2 kids that I am trying to tote around. I can hold a door open for someone. I can smile and say hi. I can give someone an extra hand if they need it. My kids are better behaved than I give them credit for. I have the time and energy to do this. It may be what that other person needs to make their day.

In other news - I was doing a photo shoot on Saturday with a friend from high school. Her mom was up helping and we were talking about our womens ministry at church. She gave me her two books that she had written. I took them to someone at our church yesterday and although we already have our fall study lined up it these books could be a possibility for the spring. I am going to read one of the books, while Susan reads the other one, so I am sure I'll have lots to talk about here on the blog. The one I am reading is called Plan A Mom in a Plan B World. We plan to switch when we are done, so then I'll be reading Plan A Woman in a Plan B World. Very excited to share with you as I read!

Mommas

Mother's day is this weekend and so I thought it would only be appropriate to talk about mommas. I mean I talk about them every day, but I guess I really specifically talk about some of the commands the Bible give us at mothers.

Before I dive on in to some notes that I have written down I have to say a little something about mommas. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect motherhood to be so challenging and rewarding at the same time. I have learned over the last 3 years that moms are a special kind of 'breed." Yeah, I just said that. Cause we are. We are pretty awesome!

I know I have said this before, but I think it bears repeating. There is no right way to be a mother. There may be right and wrong decisions as a mother, but that doesn't mean that you mother the wrong way. Learning from wrong decisions and remembering the good decisions can help you be a better mother. The Bible talks a lot about mothers and I wanted to share some of them with you.

Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no on will malign the word of God. Titus 2:3-5

Paul wrote this letter to Titus to encourage him and to also give him guidance in instructing new believers. The first 2 things that Paul instructs is to teach the younger woman to love their husbands and love their children. Then later he says to be busy at home. I pray that Paul wasn't talking about housework. I like to interpret that as busy with the kids. Giving them the attention that they need!

These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Deuteronomy 6:6-7

Teach your kids about the commandments of God. Be available to them when they are ready to learn. When I read this I read about a mother who is involved with their kids and not just a 'baby sitter.' God designed relationships to be interactive and that include the relationship you have with your children.

Fathers (mothers), do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4

Okay, so we can get all technical and say that the Bible says fathers, however I think it should say 'parents.' I really didn't know what exasperated meant, so I googled it and basically it means to irritate or make anger. That made me giggle. After knowing the meaning of that word I would like to rewrite the first part of this verse to say, "CHILDREN, do not exasperate your parents." Haha! A few things come to mind when reading this verse. "Bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord" - That takes being involved in your kids life, sitting down and teaching them about God, about the Bible, about Jesus...etc.,

Remember the day you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, when he said to me, "Assemble the people before me to hear my words so that they may learn to revere me as long as they live in the land and may teach them to their children." Deuteronomy 4:10

Teach, teach, teach your children. Sunday school, public school, private school, pre school, ANY school. They are all good things, but I truly believe that the responsibility of really TEACHING our children is ours (moms and dads). When it comes to academic studies I most definitely need the help of teachers who have studied the subjects they are teaching. I know I'll need to read Jayme's kindergarten textbook and by 2nd grade I probably won't be able to help her with her homework. I don't mind someone else getting the credit for teaching my kids chemistry. However, I DO mind someone else getting the credit for teaching my kids about the Bible, about Jesus, about God, and so on. I want to be the one to teach them about Him. I (with help of course!) WILL be the one to teach my kids about our Heavenly Father.

And have you forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." Endue hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplines (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreoever, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respect them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplines us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:5-11

I am not going to get into discipling your children, how you should do it, etc. That is not my place. I am going to just say that it is an encouragement to me that God instructs us to discipline our children. I love the last sentence because I have seen this with my own eyes. "Later on, however it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." For those of you mothers that have been through the terrible 18 months - 2 years, know what I am talking about. With Jayme I felt like I was discipling her all the time. Telling her no don't do that. Putting her in time out for tantrums. It was exhausting, but I wanted to teach her that those actions were unacceptable even at that age. And now ("later on") I have a very well behaved (most of the time) 3 year old. I am trying the same thing with my 19 month old and I have to say the exhaustion is a little more with her, but these verses have given me the boost I need to continue in teaching her.

There are so many more verses that I want to share with you about being a mother, but my kids are waking up and so I must go be a mother...haha!

I hope you all have a very blessed mother's day and that you get spoiled rotten because you deserve it!!!

Pleasing Everyone

I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everyone. -Bill Cosby

I love that quote because for the majority of my life I have been trying to please everyone and I have FINALLY come to the realization that I can't. No matter how hard I try and how good my intentions are, I cannot please everyone.

Would I like to? Yes of course. Can I? No.

I will obviously try to continue to please people with an understanding it may not be received the way I want it to be, however there is only one person that I want to fully please and that is God.

Ephesians 1:4 says, "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight."

I will strive to be holy and blameless in His sight.

God will never reject our efforts to please Him. He gave me a gift of eternal life, so I in return I try to please Him with my actions.

Wow God Wedensday

I think that I just need to dive right in to this post because I have a bunch to say!

1. Friends - A little back story. The vacation I was on was to see a friend that went to college with my husband. We met his senior year very briefly, but the year after they graduated we were station in the same place. So we hung out there a bunch, went to her and her husbands wedding the following year and have kept in touch ever since. She has 2 little girls that are my girls age. I haven't seen my sweet friend since her wedding in 2005, so this trip was long over due. Now all that being said, I am so WOWed by God putting friend in my life 7/8 years ago knowing what a blessing she would be in my life today. I knew that I enjoyed her friendship and keeping in touch via email/facebook/phone calls, but I didn't realize how much. God knows what he is doing and it is so cool!

2. Working moms - If you didn't know I am a stay at home mom. And yes, we are busy and yes, it is hard, but is it really that hard? I am not sure. I watch my friend this past week be 4 different people and I was amazed at how fantastic she is at all 4 of them. She was a mommy to her girls (and a good one I might add!). She was a Lt. in the Navy (rocking the PRT!). A friend to me (late nights talking and going to Carrie Underwood concerts!). And a wife to her soon deployed husband. Half off the time I can't take the stress of being a stay at home mom. I couldn't imagine having the responsibility of my kids and a full time job. Hats off to all you working moms!

3. Society - I flew to Maryland with a 3 yr old and an 19 month old. 'Nuff said right? Well, I'll tell you a little more. My 19 month old does not like to sit still, so during take off and landings I had to physically restrain her in my lap. My 19 month old does not like to be restrained. Therefore, there was an all out screaming at the top of her lungs tantrum at each take off and landing. I had 4 flights (2 there and 2 back). So if you do the math that is 8 tantrums. Luckily she was asleep the very last flight, so you can take that number down to 7. I tell you all that to tell you that God wowed me with how nice MOST people were to my situation. I did apologize to everyone around me and they seem genuinely nice about it (although I am sure I was talked about at their dinner table that night). The one person who sticks out in my mind was a woman in the Dallas airport. I had just gotten off the plane and was headed to get our luggage, but I wanted to put Ashlee in the Ergo carrier on my back. I can put her there all by myself, however it isn't the prettiest thing in the world while I am doing it. This nice woman put down her laptop, came over and asked if she could help me. I could have cried at the thoughtfulness of that woman. It made a world of difference to have her help and let me be on my way. If she is a member of Keystone Church, she was definitely apart of the Love Revolution.

4. Moms of multiple children - God gave you some kind of special something. This past week there were 4 girls. 4 very well behaved girls I might add too. However, putting 4 kids in and out of a car or taking them somewhere was an adventure that I would never have the patience to do day in and day out. So, if you are a mother of more than 2 kids, GOD BLESS YOU! I am impressed by you.

Those 4 things are just the ones that are coming to mind right now. Even thought my vacation was exhausting for me (BUT FUN!!!!!) God showed Himself in so many ways!

I would love to hear how God wowed you over the last 2 weeks!

ps - I got to see Carrie Underwood in concert and she sang part of "How Great Thou Art." If you haven't see the youtube video of it click here and go check it out. AMAZING!

I'm Back!

No real post today. Just saying I am back and will start fresh tomorrow with Wow God Wednesday. I have to say that I was very wowed over the last 2 weeks, so I have lots to share.

Also, if any of you have ANY thoughts that you would like me to write about (I'll keep you anonymous) please share. I would love any new ideas and would also love to hear about the life experiences you are living right now!

Have a great day!