TTAH Tuesday – A Tip From Scripture
This past week I have seen a lot of troubled hearts, including my own. At times, the only sense of peace I’ve had has been when in prayer. So I thought today I’d share this tip, directly from our Heavenly Father – the One who is all-knowing, all-powerful, and whose love never ends.
From the book of John, chapter 14, Jesus speaks to us:
Verse 1 -
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.”
and verse 27 -
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Lord, may we draw close to you and rest in your peace. May your Holy Spirit comfort us and keep us from fear. Thank you, Lord, that we can trust in your goodness, your faithfulness, and your love, even when things don’t make sense to us. Help us to reach out to one another as tangible expressions of your love. Amen.
Please pray with me.
Since the new year started, there have been two moms I know who have had their little boys diagnosed with cancer. It is heartbreaking, and they have a difficult road ahead of them.
Brady is one of three one-year-old triplets. Yesterday his mom and dad found out he has a tumor on his spine. Please pray for him, and his parents Megan and Matt.
Gabriel is a four-year-old with leukemia. His brother is one of my son’s classmates. When he was diagnosed three weeks ago they began chemotherapy almost immediately. Pray for him and his parents James and Joanna.
I share this poem because it has helped me through difficult and sad times in my life. I firmly believe that God is in control and we can trust his goodness and faithfulness, even if they are not immediately apparent. God loves these little boys even more than their parents do. Please pray for healing for the boys, and for comfort, strength, peace, and hope for their parents.
He Giveth More Grace
He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength when the labors increase;
To added affliction He addeth His mercy;
To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources,
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.Fear not that thy need shall exceed His provision,
Our God ever yearns His resources to share;
Lean hard on the arm everlasting, availing;
The Father both thee and thy load will upbear.His love has no limit; His grace has no measure.
His pow’r has no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus,
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again!Annie Johnson Flint
TTAH Tuesday – Get out of the House…
on time!
I’m kind of particular when it comes to being prompt. I hate to be late. Not that I’m saying I never am… I’m just saying I don’t like it. It was so much easier to be on-time when I was the only one I had to be responsible for, you know?
Frankly, it’s one of the things that I’ve had to give up getting all uptight about since having kids. I still try to be on-time, because I think it shows respect for whomever you’re meeting with, but I try not to stress out about it. Things happen with kids. Poopy diapers. Keys locked inside the house (yes, it’s happened a couple of times to me!). Someone not feeling well. Can’t find a shoe. Whatever it is, it’s better not to get uptight. Stressing about it usually only causes my kids to be upset and drag their feet.
So here are a few tips for getting out the door, with kids, on time:
- Get everything ready and where it needs to be the night before. I get the kids’ clothes (and mine) laid out the night before. I prepare the coffee and get stuff out for breakfast. The kids’ backpacks are ready by the door. I haven’t gone so far as to have lunches packed, yet, but I think that’s my next step.
- Wake up early. I’ve posted about this before, but I’ll say it again. Waking up early, allowing myself to have a shower, breakfast, coffee, and prayer time is essential for me. It gets my head and heart in the right frame of mind for when my kiddos get out of bed.
- Have a ritual or list of things for the kids to do in the morning. You know, eat, get dressed, brush hair and teeth, etc. Do it the same every morning. Eventually their little minds and bodies will naturally know what comes next. This doesn’t guarantee they won’t whine, complain, or dig in their feet, but at least they’ll know what it is that they’re supposed to be doing. If you have a particularly difficult time with a child, read this post.
- Division of labor. If your significant other is also home in the mornings, decide ahead of time who’s going to do what – and stick with it, every morning. That way you’re not getting in each other’s ways and there’s no misunderstandings (e.g., “ What? Buford doesn’t have any lunch? I thought you were taking care of that!”)
- Make sure you’ve left plenty of time. Believe me, I know how easy it is to underestimate the time it takes to get kids ready. Just getting them bundled up in the wintertime can take an extra 15 minutes! So plan ahead and leave plenty of time for the usual stuff to happen, and maybe put extra in there for the surprises.
- Post a list of the day of the week and what you need to remember for school. There’s so much to remember – Monday the kids need money for chapel, Thursday they need to remember their library books, etc. I read once a suggestion to make a doorknob hanger with this stuff on it so you can check it on your way out the door. I haven’t done it yet – but I’m going to.
- Oops – I forgot this one in the original post & I’m adding it now. Do not, I repeat, do not allow TV in the mornings before school. It wastes time. It shifts their focus from getting ready to acting like vegetables. Then when it’s time to go, they complain about having to turn off the show. Argh. Trust me, save yourself the headache and make this a rule at your home!
I’m always ready to learn something new! I’d love to hear any of your suggestions / tips / tricks on how to get out the door on time. Post ‘em in the comments, please!!
Imagining…
2 Corinthians 10:5
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
Today I’m wishing my mind worked a little more like the judges on American Idol. Seriously.
I have a lot of thoughts that probably shouldn’t make the cut. Ones that I need to “actively demolish” or “take captive”. Maybe you do, too.
So here’s why I’m thinking my mind should work more like an Idol audition. Imagine it.
First of all, if the person really stinks, the judges don’t let them linger. There are thoughts that cross my mind that shouldn’t be allowed to linger. I should (figuratively) raise my hand and make it stop. Jealousy, resentment, feeling sorry for myself, just to name a few.
Second, the judges are discerning. They’re professionals – if someone stinks, they know it. I need to be sure to spend time in God’s word to become a professional – to know clearly what would glorify Him and what wouldn’t. Lots of things are black and white. But the gray areas are where I need that discernment.
And lastly, they’re honest. Sometimes painfully. How many times have I told myself what I’m thinking is not bad – maybe it’s justified, or other people feel that way, so why can’t I? I need to be brutally honest with myself regarding the quality of my thoughts.
I know it’s a little silly to compare my mind to an American Idol audition, but I do think we need to consider how to keep our thoughts under control. The direction of our thoughts is so important to our spiritual health. Some verses that support this:
Romans 12:1-2 “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
James 1:13-15 “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”
Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”
Anyone else out there seeking to control your thoughts? How do you go about it?
If only…
We’d sit in lawn chairs
under a shade tree.
One that he planted
and tended.
He’d reach one hand out, take mine,
and he’d ask
“How are you, love?”
My Dad always called me that.
He’d tell me how his garden was doing.
And about his dog, Max.
Maybe we’d hull and
cut up some strawberries.
And maybe we’d
eat them together.
He’d ask me how my
car was doing.
I’ve been through
a couple of cars since he’s been gone.
But he’d know.
I’d tell him about
my kids.
The ones he’s not met in person
yet.
How Lyndsay is
such a smart girl,
bright and strong.
“A lot like you”,
he’d probably say.
How Derek is
a sensitive, sweet, smart, and
athletic young boy.
How much fun they’d have
watching trains together.
How Allison is
such a cutie pie.
How she’s got everyone
wrapped around her finger.
And how she loves to ham it up.
He’d tell me to
take care of my mom.
To love Dave.
To wipe all the snow
off my car before
driving.
He’d tell me all about
my baby -
the one with him in heaven.
I’d thank him for all he did for me.
For loving my mom.
For loving me.
For loving God.
For being the best Dad in the world.
I’d tell him
how much I miss him.
And how I can’t wait
to see him again.
And to join him for the party in heaven.
TTAH Tuesday – Try These Chips!
I totally Aced Differential Equations, or My Current Identity Crisis
Ha, and you all thought I was talking about a new Facebook game.
Nope, Differential Equations was a fun math course I took in college. I think it came after several levels of calculus, or something. Anyways, I got an A.
When we moved last summer, I cleaned out some boxes that were in our attic collecting dust. Twentyorso one or two of them contained old high school, college, and master’s degree stuff. (Did I ever mention I’m a bit of a pack rat?) Actually I was keeping them in case my kids ever need help and I needed my notes to re-aquaint myself with the subject. Really. I can’t make this stuff up. That’s how whacked I am.
So on with my story… I found a folder from my Differential Equations (aka in college-speak DiffEQ) class. And you know what? I can’t for the life of me figure out what DiffEQ is. Or what it is used for. Or why on God’s green earth I needed to take the class. My husband tells me he knows why, and he actually uses it at work- but I’m not sure I believe him. (Isn’t that what computers are for these days??). But I got an A in it. And I was awfully proud of myself back then (heck, I still am).
But these days my current challenges consist of solving riddles like ”if I was a sippy cup where would I be?”, “what is the best way to keep a child from having a big ol’ tantrum in front of bazillions of people in a crowded restaurant?”, and “how do I keep two children from screamingkickingandhitting each other alldaylong?”. You might say I’m in a bit of an identity crisis. How did I get from an A in DiffEQ to here?
How did I get from the career-minded earlytwentysomething to the stay-at-home thirty-something mom of three (totally awesome) kids?
Well, I think it all boils down to me listening to God. If you had asked me in 2000, when I was pregnant with my first child, I would never have guessed that I’d be a stay-at-home mom. Never. But here I am.
Going back farther, if you’d have asked me in college if I wanted to have three kids, I’d have given you a resounding “are you crazy?”. I never really liked the little buggers, until I had them. But here I am. A stay-at-home mom who knows that I am exactly where I’m supposed to be. Where God wants me.
I always was more comfortable with facts, figures, lists… anything concrete. Motherhood is far from that. Sometimes I feel lost in relationships and feelings and kids that are far less controllable than differential equations. I wonder if anyone would give me an A in motherhood?
I have my days when I miss feeling like I know it all – confident and good at my job. These days I often feel like I am totally unequipped for this job. And even when I do momentarily think I’ve got something figured out – everything changes. But I love it.
And I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is where God has brought me. To be the mom to these three kids… not distracted by facts, figures, and other problems the workworld can come up with. This job keeps me coming back to Him – the answer to all of life’s problems – on a minute by minute basis. When I was working, I was good at my job without relying on Him. In the job of motherhood, I need to be on my knees daily. And it constantly challenges me to be a better person – to develop those people and relationship skills that don’t come as naturally to me.
As I look back, it’s not hard to see why God wanted me here. Right here, and right now. And knowing that is what keeps me at peace. Even when I wonder what happened to the me that got an A in DiffEQ.
TTAH Tuesday – Free Magazines at the Library!
I’m cheap (well, I prefer the word frugal). However you say it, I’m always on the lookout for a good deal.
As much as I like to read (magazines included), I do not like to pay for magazine subscriptions. After I stopped working, this was one of the things I vowed to myself never to do again – it seemed like a pretty frivolous expense (of course, no offense intended to those of you who do it!).
Recently I discovered that my local library has a bin of used magazines in the entryway (near the drinking fountain, for any of my IRL friends). The idea is that instead of pitching a magazine after you’ve read it, people can drop it off in the bin and let others read it. Totally Awesome, I say!
They have quite a variety of magazines – I’ve seen everything from Newsweek to Good Housekeeping to hunting magazines. Yesterday I picked up a copy of Marriage Partnership which I’m really enjoying. I usually read the magazine(s) I take, then return it afterwards for someone else to enjoy.
So next time you’re at the library stop in the lobby quickly and take a look in the bin. You know, you can do it whilst carrying a baby and trying to corral your older children. And taking their mittens and hats off and on. And helping one of them get a drink at the fountain. And carrying all the books. Because we’re supermoms and we can do anything, right?
Some good stuff from my blogging friends…
There have been a couple of fabulous posts from my blogging friends lately. Enjoy these…
A great New Year’s tip from a MOPS mentor.
and
Some misery (sorry, Pamela) and inspiration from a fellow mommy that will have you nodding your head in agreement, saying “been there, done that”, thinking I’ll cross that finish line, too and just plain laughing hard. (hint: go pee now so there’s no accidents. Really, it’s that good.)
Have a great “Back to School” Monday!
P.S. Read any good blog posts lately? Comment and share them with us!
