Dancing for the Lord

I remember someone speaking a few services back about getting your children comfortable feeling the Spirit of the Lord so that they would never be afraid of it. 

We were watching a DVD of one of the services this week and they were playing Looking for a City.  My girls were hopping and dancing all around the living room.  As I was watching them and thinking about them being comfortable with the Holy Ghost I thought why not practice here?  So I went and got their hands and we started dancing and praising the Lord together.  Don't get me wrong...no one fell out in the Spirit that day; but whose to say that one day they wont.  I have had plenty of experiences with the Lord in my home and who's to say that they can't have their own as well?  I even remember hearing of several people getting the Holy Ghost in their own homes.  I would love for the Spirit of the Lord to dwell in our home always so that whenever they need or want to they can touch the Lord. 

I enjoyed dancing in our living room with my girls.  Another memory to cherish.

Lord I Want to Go

Since Sophia was old enough to relate to music and actually understand songs she has loved the son "Lord I Want to Go, Keep showing me the way...".  When she first started singing it she would clap and say "GO" ... "WAY".  It was adorable.  The other night in church they began to play that song and she sat on the edge of her seat.  Pretty soon I looked down and she was clapping and singing along word for word.  I must admit that some pride crept into my heart.  I know that she also loves to sing "The Wheels on the Bus" etc... but to hear her singing church songs does something for my soul!!  I am so thankful for this. 

To top it all off the other night she was standing in our living room clapping and singing so I decided to go to the piano and play along with her.  We played and sang it several times together while Maya danced in the background.  I could feel the Lord fill my heart with gratitude for the mercy he has shown me and my family.  He didn't have to; but He did.  I hope and pray that she always has a love for this people and this way; and that she gets planted so deep that no winds can shake her out.

Today

9am - Maya dumps a bowl of eggs with ketchup (yes I said ketchup, move on!!!) onto my WHITE dining room chair.

*note to self - must get plastic covers


noon - Maya & Sophia decide to piant my piano with Vaseline

*note to self - hide vaseline


3pm - My 3 year old is afraid to get out of bed for fear of a spanking so she decides to POOP in her BED!!!!!!!!!!


So far we are at 3 hour intervals for disasters. What will happen at 6pm???? Lord help us all!!!

Hard Things

My shortcomings as a mother and wife are sometimes overwhelming.  I think that I should be the supermom  I see others being and then get frustrated when I just...fail.  It was one of these times that I was completely at my whits end and I was crying out to the Lord, begging for help.  I had watched a major character flaw that I fight daily manifest itself in my almost 3 year old.  She is to young to know what was happening; but I felt like the Lord allowed me to see that so that I would realize that even though my children are still young, what I do, what I say; and how I act is affecting them.  They pick up on EVERYTHING!!!  It is becoming part of their character.  Scary I know!!!  I started praying immediately and asking the Lord to help me break that stronghold in my life and not to let me pass that on to my children.  I felt like He heard me; but I also feel like it is something that cannot just be prayed away.  It is something that is going to take some true dedication and hard work.  If I want to be a godly example to my daughters it is something that I must work at.  I must recognize the shortcomings in my life and then when the Lord shows them to me I must commit to do the work.  It is not something that if just left alone it will go away.  Neglect is also a sin!!  So, I felt like the Lord asked me to do something.  It may seem silly to some; but I felt like it was a step that I had to make.  Before this I would wake up in the morning and DRAAAAGGGG out of bed.  Go to get my children and start the day.  By the first 10 minutes we were up that morning I am sure I had already lost my temper and therefore ruined the whole day.  I would be aggravated at myself which then would cause me to take it out on my entire family.  I wasn't really angry at them; but I took it out on them.  This was making for a very miserable day/LIFE.  I would then fall into bed that night to read my Bible and find myself repenting the entire time for all I had done that day.  I didn't feel like I had made a step higher.  I had failed MISERABLY!!!  The Lord dealt with me about starting my days reading my Bible and praying before my children got up.  The Bible says were to get our "daily bread".  What is that bread???  Besides all the things we can think of it is our strength to fight that day.  I was going all day without any strength.  I have not been doing this very long and I don't want you to think that I don't still have bad days; but there is something to waking up before your children and talking to the Lord.  Even if all I do is sit quietly after reading I feel like I am laying my day at His feet and asking Him to be the head of it.  I feel like I am better equipped to face the trials of the day when I know that I have asked Him for help already.  I know this was long; but I really feel that there is something in this for us.  I believe that if we put Jesus first in every aspect of our lives He will fight our battles for us.       

Funny & Sweet Things...

Last Weekend I was getting really blessed during church and had Maya on my lap...I would holler and rock back and forth and she would giggle.  It was so hard to stay in the spirit and eventually I gave up.  I opened my eyes and there she sat staring and grinning from ear to ear.  Gotta Love that.

My daughter Sophia and I are so much alike in our temperaments that we tend to clash a lot of the time; but I have been working on our relationship and the other day she looked at me and said mommy "I like you".  Made me feel all gooey inside.  She craves my attention and I am trying to do better about laying my work down and hugging my child.

Sophia loves to talk and Maya loves to feel a part of the conversation...The other day we were driving and Sophia was trying to tell me a story and at the top of her lungs Maya starts jabbering off something no one can understand yet.  Sophia would get louder and Maya would to.  I don't think we ever were able to finish that story; but instead we all had a good laugh.

My Heart Melted

Tonight as Sophia and I said our prayers I noticed that she was mumbling and moving her hands.  As I listened closer I realized she was praying and signing.  She was praying for her Mamaw and Mom and Dad etc... and every time that she would say their name she would sign it.  I stopped praying myself to listen to her and she got embarrassed.  I told her it was ok she could keep praying; but she shook her head no, so I hugged her and said AMEN. Talk about things that melt your heart.
I often wonder what it will be like to watch her give her heart to the Lord.   What will it be like to hear her speak in tongues for the first time.  If I am there for any of those events I am sure that I will feel the same sense of thankfulness that I felt tonight.  God is so good and faithful.
More than anything, I want my children to give their lives to the Lord.  I want them to know the same joy and peace and comfort that I experience everyday.  I want them to have that close PERSONAL relationship with Him.  So that they know that He is there for them whenever they call.
I know that there is mercy laid up for families by past generations that have dedicated their lives to the Lord; but I want to do my part to show them the way.  I want to allow the Lord to take such control of my life that my children can call me blessed.  I want them to look at my life and God's handiwork.  I know that they will see my faults; but I want them to be able to say she had this wrong; but look at how she allowed the Lord to change that.  Look how He made something beautiful out of her life.
Help me Lord to show forth mercy, and love, and kindness to my children.  Help me to help them see Jesus in me.     

Check...

Dinner cooked...check.
Family stuffed...check.
Kids bathed...check.
Kitchen clean...check.
Family asleep...check.
Peace and quiet...check check.

In My Daughter's Eyes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLS0Y40WwlA

Someday I hope that I will be worthy of the love that I see in my two daughter's eyes.  I know that sometimes I will have to see hurt, disappointment, and even anger in those eyes; but I hope that there is joy there more often than not.  I know that I have a long way to becoming a good mother and I pray everyday that even when I mess up the Lord helps me not to do anything that will cause a lasting scar to their lives.  They are my life. 
I love you girls!! 

Sunday School

This Sunday my big little girl (Sophia) went to Sunday School for the first time.  Here teacher said that she did very well.  For the rest of the day she told me the story of Naaman (sp?) the leper.  She said that he was dirty and stinky and had to go into the water to get clean.  I was shocked that she had retained that much information of the story.  She is growing up way too fast.  In the last few months I have seen her blossom before my eyes.  It's so neat to watch her go from being a baby to this little person who can now hold conversations with me...and they make sense.  =D  I feel time slipping away sometimes...   

Things I want to remember . . .

• To allow your kids to have friends over. If they’re in your house you wont have to wonder what they are up to.

• To always allow your children to tell you (nicely) how they honestly feel even if they or you have misunderstood the situation.

• To support Phillip when he makes a decision about the kids.  Back him up.
  
• To love their daddy with all my heart, and not to just say it; but to let them see me show it.

• Remember what you do directly shapes your child’s outlook on life.

• Show your children to Jesus…

Potty Trained

Yep you read that title right. 
I think she has done it!! 
I think the trick was for me to calm down and wait her out! =D 
I think I will remember this as being one of the proudest days of my life!!!

Now in a few months I get to do it again with Maya Lyn.   

Potty Training Day 2

Today was not the greatest day.  I had to leave to take a piano lesson and I think it messed my little girl up.  She had several accidents today.  She had a rough day.  She didn't go #2 either and I think her little tummy hurts.  Tomorrow will be a better day.  I will have to just focus on her the next couple of days till she feels a little more comfortable.  My poor baby :(

Potty Training Fun

Well today was Sophia's first "official" no diaper day.  Last night before she went to bed I told her that today when she woke up all her diapers would be gone.  I showed her where they were and told her that when she came back tomorrow they would be gone.  I told her that it was time for her to use the potty like a big girl.  So I told her lets go brush your teeth and go to bed so that you can be a big girl tomorrow.  I was putting the toothpaste on her toothbrush and when I turned around she had taken her diaper off, climbed onto the potty; and was going potty all by herself!!!  PRAISE THE LORD!!!  I chuckled to myself and prayed "Lord, let this mean that tomorrow will be a breeze".

When we woke up this morning I took her to the potty and she was very excited.  I showed her that all of her diapers were gone and that the only thing left were big girl panties. 

We started off the day bare bottomed.  I had read an article that said that this approach would guarantee that she would be potty trained in 3 days.  Hey, sounded good to me.  She made it all the way to nap time that way.  She would say I'm going potty and take off running to the potty where she WOULD ACTUALLY POTTY ON THE POTTY!!!  No kiddin'!!   Needless to say I was very excited.  After her nap I decided to put on her panties and see how that went.  She decided she did not WANT to were her panties.  :o) 

After a little coaxing she decided to were her special Cinderella panties. 

We ended the day with only one accident in which really, it was my fault for not paying attention; and one happy mommy.  Tomorrow may be another story; but for right now we are doing great.

A little side note:  My baby girl Maya Lyn was very interested in the potty today as well.  Sophia would take off running to the potty, mommy would follow to help; and then here comes Maya Lyn.  Didn't matter what she was doing she had to come and sit down in front of her sister while she went potty.  If I had thought about it I would have posted a picture.  I think I spent most of my time cleaning up Maya from playing in the potty instead of Sophia from having accidents.

Awww  well, such is life.  Just another story to write down in my journal for my girls to read later. 

Not very good at this...

I am new at this so you'll have to be patient. 
I really don't know what I'm doing.  :-)

Clean Floor

Ok guys, so you're going to look at this picture and say "This is just a picture of a bare floor. Am I missing something?". The answer is no, it's just a bare floor, nothing special; but it's the story behind this floor that is interesting.


The rest of the story:

I am not a domestic person. I hate housework. I only do it because if I didn't our house would end up on the show "Hoarders" within a couple of days. One reason I hate doing housework is because I feel (as I'm sure others do at times) that I am the only one who knows how. 

To me my house is just a place that I sleep. My life revolves around things outside my home. If I could, I would live in the church and spend my life piddling around there all day. My house to me is not really what I consider my HOME. Which would be well and good except that I am a wife and a mommy. I have realized that my husband and children do not feel the same way that I do about our house. They see it as a place of safety, peace; a refuge. To them it is a home. Because I am the woman of our house it is my job to maintain that safety and peace for them. (lightbulb) I am sure that you all have already figured this out; but it has taken me a while to learn that my family is just as important as my drive to work for the Lord. They are both different and have different responsabilities; but they are BOTH important.

The Lord has been dealing with me about Proverbs 31 and trying to become that kind of woman. The entire scripture talks about NOT being lazy!!

Ex. - ...worketh WILLINGLY with her hands...

... She ariseth also while it is yet night...

... She looketh WELL to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness...

and so on.

A few weeks ago I started out with a strong determination that before I went to bed EVERY NIGHT my children's toys would be put away, the laundry would be put in its place; and the kitchen would be clean. I know these sound like small tasks; but in my house they are not!! I did well for a while and then the snowball effect began. I went out of town to see my sister. Since then it feels like I have been playing catch up; but never the less I AM DETERMINED!!!

Now that I have given you the background let me tell you about the floor...

When we came back from my sister's house I quickly unpacked the suitcases (normally they sit for weeks) and put everything away. Now, because I am short I have to depend on my husband to put the suitcases away. I am NOT telling you this to gripe about my husband!! I have a very good husband!!  I have a point. For weeks I asked him to put them away and day after day they remained. Finally the youth trip rolled around and we needed them again so I asked him if when we got home he would put them away for me. When we came home from the youth trip I immediately emptied them and set them in this small space of floor. I didn't say anything except for once to ask him to put them away. I had determined I was not going to gripe. I was going to see if I could actually keep my mouth shut. By this time the kids have figured out that you can 1) - stack them like dominoes and then push them over, 2) - Stand on them and jump off REALLY HIGH; and 3) that they make great chairs.
Still trying to keep my mouth shut!!

So today I decided to ignore them and start my project of getting rid of toys and clothes etc. out of the girls' rooms. I was working away and Phillip got up to get ready for work. When I opened the door he was taking the suitcases out to the shop. PRAISE THE LORD!!!

That small task that he did inspired me to keep on going. One day I will get this house organized and if I keep my mouth shut sometimes the Lord will answer the desires of my heart. Yes, this patch of floor being clean was a desire of my heart.

So this small patch of clean floor symbolizes something more than just a patch of clean floor. I see victory written across it. No there are still dishes in the sink and toys on the floor; but I am determined that with the Lord's help I will be able to change from a messy person to a well-oiled cleaning machine. :-D

Hope that made you smile today. Keep on working!!