Lesson(s) Learned

Recently, I read a quote that read something like this: "Parenting is all about teaching your kids how to live without you. The difficult part is accepting success." Man, is that quote so true! Now, granted, there are tons of aspects of parenting that are difficult. {Not *just* accepting success at the end of all your efforts.} Perhaps, the most difficult right now for me is the realization that time is short & stops for no one. Parents must pour into little (growing!) ones as much and as fast and as intentionally as possible in the short amount of time that we are gifted with the presence of our children in our homes. As any parent will tell you.... On any given day, this is not an easy task. Most days are messy. Some days are downright difficult to navigate. But what's important to note is in the midst of it all: Everyday is a gift. And the joy of the Lord is and should always be your all-reliant strength, especially when it comes to raising kiddos. Co...

This morning, I was reading I Samuel 1, and these thoughts came to mind. Hannah's husband, Elkanah, gave her a double-portion of food out of his lavish love for her, but she was unable to eat because of the taunts of her rival. Our Heavenly Husband has given us so very much out of His lavish love for us. What are you unable to feast on today because of the taunts of a rival, the comparisons of a companion, or the whispers of our Enemy?

I read this in a devotion book this  morning and thought I would share... "Every single situation we will face this week is worthy of worship." Every. single.  situation. the good. the bad. the ugly. the pretty. the planned for. the unplanned. the fun surprises. the unwanted nuisances. the problems. the solutions. the unnerving times in between. the things requiring patience. the things you  procrastinate. the things you can easily and readily do "on your own." the things that take only God's supernatural work, strength, power, love,  and grace. This and so much more... is all worthy of worship. 

Listen to this beautiful song I just discovered (thanks to a friend)! Then, read my "Wednesday Wisdom" below. :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGAzVbQC-18 Treat everything in life as an opportunity, not a right. Perspective changes everything from how you wake up in the morning to how you interact with others all throughout your day to how satisfied you feel at the end of every day. Every day. Every moment in every day. Every breath that makes up every moment of every day is a God-given opportunity, not a right. Enjoy the disguised and undisguised blessings He sends you constantly and consistently.

Jealousy of the Ideal I’m sharing this with you because it’s something that just recently came into my life, ran across my mind, and has forced me to think deeply about it for a couple of days now. It’s something I’ve never, ever considered before, but something that is very true and worth thinking about it. Just the other morning, I was reading a devotional by Charles Stanley (my husband has gotten me to absolutely LOVE his ministry and resources), and it was talking about the sin of jealousy. Now, I have a lot of other weak areas in my life, but jealousy really just isn’t one of them. Now, I’ll admit, there are times when, yes, I do look at what someone else has accomplished, attained, etc. and don’t automatically throw a “yay-for-them!” party in my mind. Sometimes, I wonder why God didn’t gift me with that ability, task, accomplishment, etc…. but I don’t dwell there. My mind doesn’t park in the lot of “I want what she has.” For one, it’s just not healthy. A...

House Rules To start, I’m very type A and borderline OCD about the neatness of my house. Everything has its place. I have all my DVDs alphabetized and one day would love to alphabetize all the books on my shelf, by author, subject, title, etc. However, I’m writing this post to myself as a future reminder to reference and to whomever else just happens to be reading it as well. I’m tired of making mental excuses for why people can’t just pop in and out of my house for mutual encouragement and community in the Lord.   Now, I’m a huge advocate for family time, probably more than most people are. If something isn’t helpful for all members of our family or simply doesn’t fit into our family’s schedule, we choose family time over that event, invite, etc. I think family time should be guarded and valued, but I also think our homes should also have a sense of openness to those God places in our lives as well. As I’ve been thinking about this particular subject, the lyric of a Mandi...

So I’ve been thinking for quite a while now that it’s about time I blog again. You see, it’s been a while, and I’ve sort of missed it.  ~But I have a newborn.~ There’s something freeing-and-stress-relieving to me about writing. ~But I have a newborn.~ I feel like God teaches me a lot when I take time to sit down and write about the events in my life. ~But I have a newborn.~ Lately, it’s been difficult to really come up with anything to blog about, because, you see, I have a newborn. And, well…. life truly consists of diaper changes, feedings, and structuring life around the idea and phrase “I have a newborn.” I think you get the idea by now. But it’s totally and completely true. A newborn trumps everything on your to do list. Everything. Every. thing. E.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. No matter what you have planned, your sweet little one will make sure to unplan it and reschedule it for you. For another time. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe tomorrow-in-18-years. But whatever it is –...