My dad is my hero. Week after week he visits us and brings muffins to share. Then he spends the day helping with laundry, cleaning, and taking care of the kids. Plus he has a contagious laugh and a winning sense of humor! It is such a  joy to have him around. We have a standing date at this local hot dog place that the kids love to go to when he visits. He and the kids joke back and forth about where we are going for lunch. It is all part of the fun of it!

I have to start taking pictures of him with the kids. They are hilarious together, and my dad is a great sport about dressing up and pretending. Today he wore a crown at the tea party the kids set up. He helped the girls with their dress up clothes, too. It was precious to see them all playing together!

I also appreciate how my father tells stories. He talks about times he spent with my mom, times when I was a kid, and times when the girls were younger. My grandmother, his mother, told stories like that, too. I remember asking her to retell those stories over and over even though I knew them by heart. I just loved the experience of spending time with her and hearing about our family history. I’m happy that my children will have that same experience to look back on.

I treasure these days, and I am grateful that my kids will have memories of my dad visiting each week.

Photo courtesy of rocketjim54

Mothering is an art form. Think about what mothers do every day.

1. Mothers nurture their children. For each child that looks different, though. Some children need Mommy to snuggle them often throughout the day. Other children need the freedom to explore independently and know that mom is nearby to ensure that everything is safe. Moms have to learn what each child needs through trial and error.
2. Mothers discipline their children. All children need to be taught right from wrong, but there are multiple ways to teach children those lessons. Each child responds differently. Some children fall to pieces if you raise your voice while other children need the adult in charge to be assertive and firm.
3. Mothers provide for their children’s needs. How many meals does a mother prepare a day? Moms make sure the kids are well dressed. Moms patch up their children’s boo-boos. Mothers hug and kiss their little ones to tell them that everything will be all right.
4. Mothers advocate for their children. Moms tell everyone how wonderful their children are and what great things their children can do. They insist that the pediatrician look into a concern. Moms call the teacher, the principal, and the superintendent if necessary. Moms research to find answers and follow through on that research. Mothers pray for their children.
5. Mothers love their children. Everything that a mother does comes from love, uncontional love, and mothers are blessed.

Happy Mother’s Day. Enjoy your blessings!

Photo courtesy of ~*~Sheyla~*~

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

Faith is amazing and a mystery to me. I have many questions and doubts, but I believe in God and I love Him. My faith is strong and it is growing every day, but there is a lot for me to learn about faith.

Children’s faith is even more awesome to me. They know so little, yet their faith can be so much stronger than any adult’s. In Nepal I saw children who had nothing but their faith, and they were truly joyful. They sang praise songs. They prayed fervently. They knew Bible verses. They invited me into to their lives, sharing what they had – faith. I was filled with awe. There is a lot I can learn about faith from the children I met in Nepal.

Watching my own children’s faith grow has been truly a blessing to me. They love God and Jesus. They pray and remind me to pray. They beg for me to read Bible stories to them and sing praise songs. They ask big theological questions all day, and I don’t most of the answers to their questions. They also make profound statements about God, Jesus, faith, and the Bible. It is a mystery to me that they are so little, yet they have such BIG faith. Their eyes are open to things that I could never see on my own. It touches my heart. There is a lot I am learning about faith from my children.

I was overjoyed and honored when my four year old daughter prayed with me and asked Jesus to be her best friend forever.

Last night my two year old daughter asked me to read the story of Jesus dying on the cross. We have read this story a few times, especially recently during Holy Week and Easter. At the end of the story, the book leads a child toward accepting Christ. I asked A2 if she wanted Jesus to be her best friend forever. She nodded, and C4 told her that she had to pray. A2 bowed her head and prayed an unintelligible prayer. I think she asked Jesus to be her best friend! Tonight she asked me to read the same story and prayed quietly again. I’m not sure if this means that A2 is saved, but I do know that the Bible tells us that we are to have faith like little children do.

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14

There is a lot I am learning about faith from my children.

Photo courtesy of H_Elise

Tonight our small group studied 1 Corinthians chapter 1. It was a great study! I found myself challenged and convicted.

While reading 1 Corinthians 1:10-16, I was reminded of an article in Newsweek that I recently read. Apparently, some Christians on Facebook are using the term Follower of Christ rather than calling themselves Christian in order to avoid the stigma that comes with that name. The divisions in the church that Paul talks about in 1 Corinthians are still present in the church today. (The Bible is still relevant, isnt it?) Paul tells us that these divisions are not what Christianity is all about. In the end, our focus needs to be on the work that Christ did on the cross. What does that mean?

I immediately thought about brokenness. We are all sinners. We can never be perfect. God purposely has chosen those that the world perceives as inadequate, small, and lesser to do big things (1 Corinthians 1:26-29). We see this time and again in the Bible. Moses murdered someone. David committed adultery and had someone murdered. Jesus was born to a young, poor woman. If we weren’t broken, we wouldn’t need Jesus. God wants the glory for those amazing feats (1 Corinthians 1:30).

At my ladies’ Bible study we are learning about fruit of the spirit, and today we talked about patience. One of the points was that we have to be patient with our circumstances and do things God’s way. The example was the temptation of Jesus. The devil tempted Jesus with getting all His inheritance that God promised by simply taking it. Jesus resisted that temptation because we have to remember that Gods work must be accomplished God’s way.

God is whispering to me about letting Him take control of my life. I need to be patient and let things happen His way in His time. I am broken, and I need Jesus. If I wait, God will get the glory for the work that He does through me.

I can’t wait to see what He will do!

It has been a joy to watch my little ones grow in their love for the LORD. With all of the devotions that we have done about Advent, they have started to play “Nativity”. They also talk about Jesus a lot now. It is heart warming to hear A2 tell me, “Jesus lives in my heart.” They have been singing Christmas carols all day long and begging to read Christmas books. I love that their faith is growing so rapidly! It is truly a blessing to watch them as they take their first steps in faith.

I am learning from my little ones, too.

• Pray when you are afraid.
• BELIEVE that Jesus loves you because He does.
• Be joyful in everything that you do.
• Be thankful for your blessings.

Thank you, Lord, for teaching me through my children. I am truly blessed by them every day!

Photo by Mess of Pottage

We had a great time with our first big Advent calendar activity! I think that I am more excited about doing each of the activities than the kids are. Getting started definitely has built the excitement for me, and today things went so well! Go to my sister blog, Homeschooling Coach, for the complete lesson plan if you are interested.

Today I tried to convey the message that God is always with us and will always be with us. I tied the idea into the Christmas tree by saying that the tree is an evergreen and stays green all year long. We use that kind of tree at Christmas to remind us that God is always with us. We also sang “O Christmas Tree”, and I made the song into a finger play. We made our own Christmas trees, too. When E got home, we picked out our Christmas tree together. Of course, I took tons of photos to commemorate the event. This will make a great scrapbook page; I can’t wait!

This Advent season is going to be a lot of fun for our family.  I am hoping that the kids will treasure these memories for years to come. I know I will.

After days like today, I have to say that living as a mom is such a blessing!

My kids make me laugh. They are such funny little people.

I love watching them play and listening in on their conversations. It is such a beautiful sight to see these two small, individuals develop a relationship with each other. It truly warms my heart when I see their kindness and their compassion toward one another.

C4 is so proud that she can take care of her sister. She loves helping her put on her shoes and showing her how to do things like put on her jacket. When A2 complains that she can’t do something, C4 is happy to encourage her that she can do it. C4 also loves to motivate A2 to clean up the toys; she follows my lead. She will make one of the stuffed animals cry to go to bed, for example, and A2 will oblige and put the stuffed animal to bed.

It is also a pleasure to watch the kids soothe each other, too. They share a room, and when one is crying and sad, the other will climb into her sister’s bed with her. We have pictures of them sleeping in the same bed. It is so precious.

I truly am thankful that my children are building a strong friendship with each other. They really care for one another. It is a blessing!

Photo by nancybcrow

Balancing it all seems impossible in our busy world. I have been trying to find a way to organize my life so that I am able to finish the things that have to get done and still have time to do the things I want to do. Isn’t that everyone’s situation?

One clear answer that God has given me is to ask for help. We prize independence in the US, and that has been detrimental to our lives. God created us to be in relationship with Him and others. (Luke 10:27) We cannot do this thing called life alone! So I have been taking the initiative to ask for help. God has even blessed me and my family with the help that we need without us asking for it.

One example of taking advantage of some help is the winter clothes scenario. Switching our seasonal clothes has been a huge undertaking for me. It has actually taken me 3 weeks to complete the project! I have to remind myslef that we have two young children who demand a lot of attention and care. We also have very little storage so our clothes are stored in the attic that is only accessible with a ladder. It takes two people to put things up there and take things down from there. E is in school part time and out of the house 2-3 nights a week. Of course this project is time consuming! My wonderful father has been a huge help for me, though. From caring for the children to helping me organize the clothes, he has done it all. I could not have finished the project without him!

God graciously provided me with the help that I needed because I asked for it! I am eternally grateful for that blessing. I just need to remember that God wants me to remain in community with Him and the people in my life who He has blessed me with. I need to pray and ask for help. I also need to take the help that is offered.

I am learning to balance it all by asking for the help that I need to do the things I have to do. Along the way I am doing the things I want to do – build relationships with the caring people in my life!

Photo by Cane Rosso

What a blessing I have received today! A friend, KB, who I am just getting to know, graciously offered to take my kiddos out for a couple of hours so I can get a break. I am so thankful that God put this on her heart. God knows that I really do need a little bit of time to myself to relax and enjoy His gifts. (1 Timothy 6:17) With E in school days are pretty long for me and the workload is pretty hefty. God provides everything we need, though! (2 Peter 1:3-4) I am going to put my feet up and relax with my wonderful God!

Photo by JuliaRosien

I had a ladies’ night in with my college buddies last night. We had a great dinner and dessert together in someone’s home. Then we spent the night chatting and sharing the current events in our lives over wine. It was great to see everyone again. Life gets so busy that we have to be intentional about carving time out to keep up and see each other, so now we are getting together every 8 weeks or so.

What I love about getting together with this group of friends is the history that we share. They know about pivotal events in my life that have literally changed who I am. I never have to get them caught up on why something is such a big deal to me. I also know that these girls love me. They have been through major milestones and everyday life with me. The list of our experiences goes on, and they appreciate my quirks! We are able to pick up where we left off every time we see each other even though we are not part of each other’s day to day lives anymore. That means the world to me.

I left the ladies’ night in last night refreshed even though I am utterly exhausted tonight as a result of staying out a bit too late. What a blessing it is to have friends who I can be real with. I know that they will love me through it all - including setting me straight when I am headed in the wrong direction and encouraging me when everything is all right.

That’s authentic, unconditional friendship.