November Today, December Tomorrow

Happy post-Thanksgiving! 

Our family had a fun, low-key day. My favorite kind.  

And call me nuts, but I did a bit of impromptu Black Friday shopping with my MIL and SIL.  We headed out at 9:30 p.m., yes p.m., on Thursday and shopped until about 4:30 a.m., yes a.m.  It was really last minute and we had no intentions of staying out that late, but one thing led to another and before I knew it I was crawling into bed just before 5am.  I won't go into details about setting off Brad's car alarm  and waking up all three of our children, and probably our neighbors for that matter, when I got home.  It's not healthy for me to stay up so late. It adds to my, already scatterbrained, problem.   

But... I did almost complete my Christmas shopping, which is great seeing as I have a 1st birthday party to plan soon.

What in the world? Emmy is already almost ONE! I'm baffled by where the last year has gone. 

 I am going to have to prepare myself for celebrating a birthday that falls in between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I've made a mental note of the things that friends with December birthdays have told me.  

1. Don't wrap her presents in Christmas paper.

2. Don't combine Christmas and birthday gifts.

3. ...

That is all that I can remember. Obviously I wasn't listening too well.  But I figure that I have a few years to figure this out before she starts holding it against me. Ha!   

I can hardly believe that there is only one day left in November, but bring on December. This time last year, our house was full of people giddy about December. December meant that our 'baby sister' was coming! And now, December means that our baby sister has graced our lives for a full year. 

Two births that I love to celebrate, Jesus and Emery!

**December**

Thinking Thankful

My eyes are heavy, but my heart is full. Jesus makes my cup runeth over.  All morning, I've been reciting a portion of Psalm 23. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.  Without having read these words recently, they've been running through my mind all day. And the truth is, it's true.  The Lord is my leader, my trust, my hope, my maker, my redeemer, my delight and, therefore; I shall not want. I shall not want for anything: for more of what is not mine, for less of something that is in my life, for different circumstance, for anything that another has.  I shall not want.  And I love that the Lord does not just tell us these words, but he makes them true in our heart.  He seals them. I shall not want and I do not want.  We can trust the Lord protection over our lives.  We can trust His provision. We can rest in His promises and delight in his precepts.

Last night was restless for me. Without realizing what crime I was committing, I had a *caffeinated* beverage at half past eight.  I wish I were cool enough to say that caffeine does not affect my night's rest, but I'm not.  I was wide awake until after two.  Not long after I fell asleep, Noah came into our room and climbed into bed.  Shortly after, Kayt joined.  It was just one of those wild nights. Kayt and I finally moved to her bed, but the girl was wide eyed and chatty for over two hours.  I dozed in and out of sleep in the dark room only to find myself waking up to another question from a sweet-voiced girl.  Sometime after Brad's alarm went off at 6:30, I fell into a deep sleep.  I cherish sleep.  I loath the lack of it.  But as we all know, motherhood brings those few sleepless nights. And such was last night. 

In one of my dozing phases, I woke up having a dream of being on a long road.  I was standing, looking and I could hear one of my children's voices say, "Mom, you are my hope."  I woke up hearing this.  

I laid awake thinking.  I really felt like the Lord was reminding me of a truth.  And even in the light and rational of today, I still believe this. My actions and life are currently pointing my children to hope.  Hope that is Christ.  At a time in their lives when they are sifting through what it looks like to place your full hope in the Lord, they are watching me.  They watch my reactions, how I spend my time, my agenda, and they listen to my words.  But more than each of those, as I choose to acknowledge the Lord as my Shepherd, I act upon that hope and they watch for hopeful exception coming from my attitude and life. Until the day when my children each understand and make a choice to give their hearts fully to the Lord, their hearts are being drawn towards places of hope.  I am not their hope and I think Jesus that he is greater than even my greatest desires.  I am the first to admit that I am a lousy source of hope.  But I get to point others to Hope.  I get to live out the hope placed in my life. No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame. And us, who hope in the Lord will not be disappointed.  I want to be a trustworthy source of pointing others, my family foremost, to Hope.  

Today, this day before a conscious day of giving thanks, I am thinking thankful.  

I am thankful that I have a Hope.

I am thankful that my Hope speaks.

I am thankful for reminders and spiritual markers so that I can continue to press on in my journey of knowing and loving the Lord more fully. 

I am thankful for callings.

I am thankful for the ones to whom I get to walk in this calling with.

I am thankful that my Hope is also a Shepard.

I am thankful for contentment.

I am thankful for the living word of God that he chooses to activate in my life.

I am thankful for a God who pursues me, even in the dark of night.

I am thankful for renewed energy.

I am thankful. 

School Actin'

This morning was an early one in our home.  Noah and Kayt were up early, but Brad and I were not as eager (as they appeared to be) to roll out of bed.   Thankfully, Brad volunteered. By the time that we were getting ready for school, the morning had turned to drama.

Let's just say that a few tears were shed.

I was trying to help Noah get dressed in his second shirt choice and he was telling me how he did NOT want to go to school today.

While dressing the boy who normally dresses himself, we had the following conversation:

N: I'm not going to school today.  I'm really not.


M: Yes you are. So why don't we stop and pray and ask Jesus to help your attitude towards school change and help you have a great day at school?

--so we prayed---

N: I'm still not feeling happy about school.


M: I know. But I know Jesus will help you feel happier and happier about school as the day goes on.


N: I still don't want to go.


M: I realize that, but I don't understand what is making you feel this way. What's going on?


N: Mom, don't you know that I am just "school actin'?"


M: No, I didn't know that. What is school actin'?


N: You know.


M: I do? Help me remember.


N: It's just something kids do. 


M: When they don't want to go to school?


N: Yeah.  It's what kids do when they don't feel like going to school, but their moms and dads make them go anyway.  They 'school act.'  


M: I see.  So, when kids don't want to go to school, they act like this to see if their mom or dad will let them stay home?


N: Yeah. But you didn't do it right.  You were supposed to let me stay home.  I knew you were going to make me go anyway. 


M: You did? 


N: Yeah. 


M: Well, at least we both agree that you should go to school today.


N: No, I don't agree, but I will go. 


M: Thanks. I think you will have a great day! And look... Jesus is already helping make your heart happier.

----a few minutes later---

N: Mom, since I told you about school actin' can I stay home?  Maybe I could tell you about more things that kids do.  Would that be fun?


M: You are so funny! Maybe you can tell me AFTER school? 


N: I will probably forget by then. 


--- a few minutes late---

N:What is that thing I was doing called again?


M: You mean "school actin'?"


N: Oh, yeah. School Actin'!

So there you have it!
My boy let it out of the bag.  It's called 'school actin' and apparently they all do it.  Don't let it fool you, parents.  Stand firm.  We can't let 'school actin' over take us!

A Fire Under My Buns

My guy read the previous post and asked me, "What is the big news?". 

No news really...just life...three lil' ones...lots of daily laughs at the things they say...some moments of frustration tossed in...and all the other things that encompass the life of a busy family.  We are blessed.

This morning we wrapped up our fall Bible study completing "Me, Myself, and Lies." Ever done it?  This is the first Jennifer Rothschild study that I have done.  There were many practical takeaways.  

We ended the actual study a few weeks ago and have filled our last two week with guest speakers.  Today, a friend came and spoke on meal/menu planning and freezing food to have on-hand.  She really got me excited to take our meal planning to the next level. --that's some serious lingo regarding making a menu--  I already love doing this, but I get really excited over new ideas and always enjoy conversations like this with friends.  It is a fun way to serve and care for my family (even though that is hard to remember at 5:30 when I'm chopping veggies while trying not to fall over a child or trying to keep another from eating all of the pantry contents before I get the food on the table) and I do love cooking.  I love it even more when I realize that I am the person that the Lord chose to care for my family in this way. My planning and preparedness brings glory to the Lord because I am doing it to promote peace in our home.  

Isn't it great how realizing our purpose, in any role, gives joy to daily tasks? 

Before this session, I started compiling a month-long menu of my family's favorite meals.  I'm fine tuning it now.  I would love to share it when I get completed.  

I would love to know how others meal plan.  What works for your family? I am ALWAYS open to make adjustments. 

A Big Texas-Sized HOWDY!

Oh, snap... my blog works!

(Oh, snap! was the popular saying when I taught third grade. Fun days.)

I clicked on my blog link tonight (which I have not done in days), decided to attempt to log in (which I have not done in weeks), and it all went off without a hitch (which it has not done in months).  But I feel very unprepared to write as I have not done this in so long.  Blogging is a groove, you know? And let's just say that I am out of the groove.

I will leave you with this and shall return tomorrow with something of more sustenance.

Any guesses on the big news happening in our home???