Life in the midst...

A lesson in blooming...

2011-11-03T22:56:00.002-05:00

A brief trip to the backyard today presented me a lovely suprise. All three of my rose bushes were not only flowering but doing so in abundance. I marveled at the beautiful colors that swayed in the wind and the sight of those colors in the midst of the bright green leaves. I grabbed my pruners to cut some roses and as I did so, I felt so many thoughts welling up inside me. I was pruning those branches and I couldn't help but recall the numerous times I have heard sermons or bible studies talking about how the Lord prunes each of us in our lives. He systematically cuts away the dead or unnecessary branches so that we might become more fruitful for Him. A wonderful analogy and one worth remembering but that wasn't what struck me today.

I thought back over our summer here in Dallas, the intense heat and unrelenting dryness. I didn't pay much attention to those rose bushes in over 100 degree temps and lately we've had lots of wind and rollercoaster temperatures. The conditions may not have been ideal but those roses had the two things they needed, sun and (eventually) rain. God provided for the most basic needs and despite the other harsh conditions, there they were, those beautiful, fragrant blooms.

I couldn't help but wonder if that was the true lesson for me today. God promises to provide for my needs and He does. He doesn't promise that my circumstances will be ideal but I am challenged to find the joy and by faith to proclaim His goodness and mercy in the midst of those struggles. I am supposed to bloom regardless of hardship and, in doing so, point back to the one who sustains me and cares for me. In those moments, God is glorified.

God is in the details...

2011-05-11T06:49:00.004-05:00

We have been trying to teach our boys that God cares about them. Not just whether they follow Him or not but I mean really care. The hairs on their head, whether they are clothed and fed or even if they get something they have been wishing for. It's an abstract thought though scripture is clear about His love and care for us.

We've (Scott and I) been going to the homeschool bookfair in Arlington, TX for about 7 years now. We usually go by ourselves but 2 years ago, we took our boys. My youngest was 6 then and not thrilled about wandering aimlessly around booths filled with curriculum and the latest and greatest in homeschooling. That is, until we found a booth selling wooden swords and daggers. The kind that any little boy would love to have to fight the odd dragon in the backyard. He was smitten. We put him off with promises that next year we would get one. That didn't happen. We attend the bookfair on Sat. but it runs on Friday which is the busiest day and things often sellout. Such as it was for the swords and daggers last year. There were none to be found. So when this year approached, we promised that if we could find one, we would get it for him.

We considered going to the bookfair on Friday just for the purpose of buying the dagger however, it's awfully far and would definitely make a lower priced toy a more hefty purchase. So we waited. Saturday came and we were up and leaving but 30 minutes later than I wished. I was frustrated because we were running late and feeling the push to get there to begin our search. I decided, as I should have earlier, to pray. I know that God cares about us and my son so I took the time to make a request that we find a dagger for our youngest. We arrived at the bookfair and the parking lot was already very full. I'm talking hundreds of people or perhaps more not to mention the thousands that had been there on Friday. We checked in and made our way to the booth we knew would have the goods. As I approached, I saw it. There in the rack, a wooden dagger. I grabbed it instantly, held it close and shared with the booth owner that I was so glad he still had one because our 8 year old had wanted one for a while now and I know how quickly they sell out. I was beyond excited.

The booth owner smiled and told us that he had been very busy and had almost sold out of the swords but he was glad we found what we wanted. He went on to share with us that he had brought lots of swords and shield but had only brought one dagger that year. ONE! That dagger was set aside for us to purchase for our son. In that moment, I felt humbled and thankful and amazed that God saw fit not just for us to be able to get the toy for our son, but that He made it so abundantly clear that He had been in the details.

It was amazing to share that story with our son when we saw him. I gave him the dagger and he immediately began to envision the battles and slaying that would take place. I asked him to stop his battles for a minute and began to share the story. I told him that God had set aside that dagger just for him. He had the man make it just for him. I have never seen such excitement or wonder as he repeated, "he made it just for me?"

Day by day, hour by hour God is present offering His love, encouragment and miracles if we take time to look. God is in the details and He loves you.

Anticipation - a celebration and a conference

2010-12-13T11:14:00.002-06:00

It's here!! Christmas. I love this time of year for a number of reasons. The decorations, colder weather and the general excitement that comes with having 3 boys in the house who are eagerly awaiting the day. The thing I love most is our time spent doing the Advent wreath as a family on Sunday nights. We started this when our boys were much younger (1 1/2, 3 and 5) and now at 11, 9 and 7 they look forward to lighting their candle, reading the scripture and proudly sharing the name of "their" candle. In the hustle and bustle of everything around us, it is a wonderful way to stop and focus on why we celebrate. The birth of our Savior. It is my hope that you will take time to stop, focus and breath in the words of Luke, "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord."

I also anticipate the registration for the Mom Heart conference put on by Whole Heart ministries. I will be attending my 5th year this February and am eagerly awaiting the refreshment, encouragement and recharging I get from this wonderful time. Please take a minute and look at http://www.wholeheart.org/mom-heart-conference-2011-dfw-tx/

Time marches on...

2010-07-19T07:19:00.002-05:00

An I seem to be running behind to catch up. Since I last posted my middle son went from a small 8 years old to a big 9 and is now in Webelos. My youngest is now a Wolf in cubscouts and my oldest will turn 11 on Thursday. 11!! I can't believe it. Sometimes I think time isn't so much marching as running as fast as it can.

10 years ago this past June, my husband and I were blessed to become the parents of our oldest. We stood before a judge in Orenburg, Russia, answered many questions and were declared the legal parents of our sweet son. Fast forward 3 years and we sat in a Developmental Pediatricians office to hear the news that our sweet, gentle boy had autism. I was mentally prepared at the time but there is something about hearing it said out loud and seeing it written in a report that makes it....real.

That fall when he started ABA therapy at 4 yrs old, he was barely putting 2 words together. We prayed that he would meet that milestone by Christmas. And here we are countless therapies, doctors appts. and miles driven, hours spent praying, crying, hoping and laughing. Special diets, supplements, treatments and boatloads of $$ spent.

Thursday July, 22 my oldest son will turn 11. He is an opinionated, Jesus loving preteen who speaks in sentences and paragraphs, love cars and wants a Nintendo DS for his birthday. He still has some struggles and there is more work to be done but God has blessed us with an amazing son. Not because of his "progress" but because of who he is.

Happy Birthday son. I am blessed to have been chosen to be your mom and am a better woman because of you in my life. God bless you in the coming year and may you always know you are loved immensely and that you, my son, are a child of the King.

Love, Mom

A lesson from a stranger...

2010-04-09T08:06:00.002-05:00

I was at the post office a few weeks ago standing in line and there was a small boy looking at the greeting cards. (yes the post office sells greeting cards now) The woman manning the passport office saw him and asked him not to play with the cards. His father looked back at him and asked him to come over to him. The little boy looked up at him with a scared/embarassed face and the man said this, "it's ok son. You didn't do anything wrong", put his arm around him and stood waiting for service. He finished his business and left the building.

A few minutes later I saw this same man with his son walking into the post office striding purposefully past the lines and straight to the passport office where the woman who spoke to this boy was sitting. The man walked to the door and after initial pleasantries he said this, "I wanted you to know that I told my son he could pick a card. He was reading them. He wasn't playing with them. This boy wouldn't do that." She quickly apologized and he restated that he understood but his son wouldn't do that. No anger or raised voices involved. He simply came to the defense of his son.

I was moved by this and felt the tap tap tap of the Holy Spirit on my shoulder. How many times have I been in a store when I see someone walking down the aisle and my children move over and I *gulp* apologize for their being in that person's way. I know I'm not alone in this and there are times when a quick, "I'm sorry" might be appropriate. But, I was made painfully aware at that moment how often I apologize for my children instead of standing with them. I so quickly shift from their mother and protector to someone who apologizes because they are behaving like children.

I thanked God the revelation. I was supposed to simply walk in the post office and mail this box but I was forced to stand in line because it wouldn't fit in the slot and I'm not one to cut in line to hand them a package (everyone has been waiting after all). In that moment, God gave me a glimpse into my own shortcomings and reminded me that He stands with me at all times. I am to do that with my children.

From that moment on my heart was awakened to the reality that so many times I am "siding" with complete strangers as I apologize for my children when no offense has been committed. What message am I sending to them when I do that?

Not a message I wish to send so I am paying attention, catching myself in the act and asking for God to hold my tongue when appropriate. God is gracious and things are better but, as is true of other things, it's a work in progress.

Time flies....

2010-03-09T06:50:00.002-06:00

I've had many moments in the last 2 weeks where that has been my primary thought. My youngest turned 7 last week and as I entered the family room on the morning of his birthday, he greeted me (bouncing up and down) with "I'm 7 mama!!" and I'll blink and he'll be 18. It may sound dramatic but I know that my years with these precious gifts from God won't last forever.

I remember telling my husband, "they will only be this age today, tomorrow they will be one day older and will change." I was probably hormonal at the time but it's true! As much as it seems they never grow out of phases and they have been "like this forever", there are subtle changes each and everyday and they are growing literally before your eyes.

While waiting for my oldest to finish therapy yesterday, my 8 yr. old spent some time sitting on my lap. Actually, I scooped him up and cradled him across my lap like I did when he was much smaller. He looked up at me and those 8 years flashed before my eyes. All of the nightly feedings where his sweet face would look up at mine like I was the most treasured person in the world. His sweet smile and giggle as I tickled him and his delight as I sang and rocked him to sleep. He quickly jumped down when the doctor entered the waiting room but, much to my delight, climbed back on my lap when he left and happily stayed there, looking up at me with that same sweet face.

Enjoying our children in the midst of fevers, meltdowns and power struggled can seem like such a hard thing to do but, if we don't, we run the risk of someday asking, "where did the time go?" I'm sure I will ask that question no matter what but it is my goal that I will cherish each moment with my boys. Live in the moment, if you will. There seems to be so much emphasis placed on going and doing with our kids. I encourage you to take a moment and look in their face, see their joy and soak it in.

A fantastic mom and mentor to many recently posted these thoughts http://wholeheart.typepad.com/itakejoy/

Slow down and savor those moments today.

"Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from Him." Psalm 127:3

Heard around my house....

2009-12-08T21:53:00.002-06:00

Returning home from a visit with a friend, my 6 yr old (who should have been asleep) finds me and asks me to come lay with him. He returns a little while later saying , "come on Momma. I have a pillow laid out for you so your head with be cozy. I even laid it straight for you. Will you come lay with me now?" How can I resist that.

Boxes were delivered today with shoes for the boys and slippers for the youngest. After trying them all on, my middle son ran through the house urging them all to get their slippers on and they could be "slipper buddies". So funny!

The sounds of the Mr. Magoo Christmas Carol today. What a fun way to study a little Charles Dickens.

Excited talking about our trip to Ohio, the cold weather, whether it will snow and Christmastime in general.

We are a hub of activity here.

Praying you are enjoying the celebrations of the season and the joy of Celebrating the birth of the King. Merry Christmas!!

Looking forward to eternity...

2009-11-11T13:12:00.002-06:00

I wish that I could say that I always am looking forward to eternity. In this busy world with responsiblities galore, I sometimes see it as more of an escape than the reality of a life spent worshipping the King.

My youngest son (6) recently prayed to ask Jesus to live in his heart and be his Savior. What a complete joy that is! Knowing that he made that decision on his own with conviction from the Holy Spirit. Wow!! How amazing that my husband was the one who prayed with him and that I had the fun of celebrating with him.

Now, I'm seeing the fruits of that decision. He has a real interest in eternity. Several days ago, he was asking us what heaven would be like. We told him we weren't sure and asked what he thought. He went on to share that he believed that God was setting up a house for he and his mom, dad, and brothers to live in and spend forever together in. I can't argue with that.

Today, he was asking if children can die and go to heaven. I explained that yes, they can. His sister, Abigail, died as a baby and now spends each day with Jesus. My sweet boy then asked, " when I get to heaven, will Abby be my sister again?" I explained that she was his sister here but when he gets to heaven, he'll get to meet her and she will indeed be his sister again. He went on to describe the number of people he couldn't wait to meet or see in heaven.

Once again, I find myself needing to take notes on how to live from my kids. My son is thoroughly enjoying being 6 and all that goes with it, however, he also has an eye on eternity and is waiting for it expectantly and excitedly.

Thank you God for the wise words that come from the mouths of my children. I am truly blessed.

The Mom Heart Conference is coming.....

2009-11-01T19:56:00.002-06:00

To Dallas in February 2010!!

This conference is a fantastic way to get encouragement in your walk as a mom, homeschooler, wife and daughter of the King!

I have attended this conference the past 3 years and I never fail to leave feeling as though I'm ready to tackle the hurdles I face, and ready to seek God in my homeschooling, mothering and in my relationship with my husband.

Here's a link for the pages pertaining to the Dallas event

http://www.wholeheart.org/wheventdetail.php?eventid=34

I hope to see you there!!

Thoughts of Thankfulness...

2009-10-28T12:39:00.002-05:00

Fall has blown in so quickly and time seems to be going with it so today, I'm stopping to think about what I'm thankful for.

the sweet words of my 6 yr old as he ponders what heaven will be like, the knowledge that that same 6 year old has chosen to follow Jesus.
The awesome responsiblity and joy that comes from homeschooling my boys.
My sweet 8 year old who requested his own devotion book
Watching that boy read his book, get excited by the message and discuss it with his dad (who has also read the devotion)
Planning for a trip at Christmas to visit family and the hopes for snow.

Beautiful changing leaves that can't help but point to a God who loves beauty and who showers us with His beauty!

Fantastic moments of worship throughout the day. A God who loves me!

There is much to be thankful for. What are you thankful for today?

Trust...

2009-08-13T15:49:00.003-05:00

I love my children. I would give my life for them and I tell them those things regularly. So, why is it that when I ask them (ok one of them in particular) to do something that seems out of the ordinary, he asks me if - it's safe, OK, alright, or whatever else he thinks to ask?

Haven't I told him that I love him and will protect him and provide for him? Haven't I always done that?

And then comes the whisper in my ear, "I tell you the same things, my child. Why do you question me? Haven't I been consistent? Haven't I always provided, protected and been there for you?"

And then I remember that my son, like myself, is a sinner filled with doubt and questions. He asks these questions of me just like I ask them of God.

Still learning........

Happy Belated Birthday....

2009-08-10T13:48:00.002-05:00

To my oldest son who turned 10 in July. I cannot believe that 9 years ago we were celebrating your 1st birthday after returning home from Russia with you a mere month earlier. You are my hero. You have endured more hardships in your young life than many will in a lifetime and you approach them with willingness, trust (in your dad and I) and with the most beautiful smile and optimism.

We are often reminded by others that you, my son, were blessed to come to live here with us. Leaving behind the uncertain life that faced you in Russia. I would contend, however, that we have been far more blessed in our life as your parents.

Because of you, my son, I know what bravery looks like. How encouragement should be delivered. How we should celebrate our small victories as much as the large ones. That a hug and a smile can brighten the dullest of days and that giving up is never an option. I look forward to what God has planned for you in the year to come and beyond. You are a treasure!!

What I know....

2009-08-10T13:41:00.002-05:00

my life is often like a circus
my children are wonderful and I learn a lot from them
I have a husband who is patient and loves me as I am
That if I'm constantly planning the future, I might miss the beauty of today
I may be 41 but I wake each day feeling 18 (but thankfully wiser)
Contentment is a tough place to hang out but it's easier when I take a deep breath and am still
God is always good, always present and loves me (the bible tells me so)
That I have been blessed beyond measure and given more than I could ever have dreamt of in my life

In Memory...

2009-05-26T11:16:00.003-05:00

Abigail was born prematurely to Scott and I while we were in Russia adopting our oldest. She was, in fact, born almost 10 months to the day after our oldest in the same hospital in Orenburg, Russia. The first American to ever be born there. The six days following her birth were a whirlwind of phone calls and arrangements as we prepared to bring her home via a jet from Children's Medical Center Dallas. Scott had to go to Moscow to the American Embassy and get a passport for Abigail. He went on Wednesday and didn't make his flight back in time so he had to stay on Thursday too. He arrived in Orenburg around midnight on Thursday. We came back to the apartment to pack and prepare for the Medical Jet from Children's was coming on Friday. We were going to be leaving that day and Abigail would be flown back to Dallas and arrive here from Russia on Saturday.

We awoke that morning with mixed feelings as we were excited to be bringing her back to a country where conversations with the doctor didn't require a translator but with a measure of sadness as we faced leaving our son in the orphanage and returning for him in several months. It was the most difficult decision I ever faced and I was so torn.

On Friday morning, our translator, lawyer and driver came into our apartment and said nothing. I instantly knew that Abigail had died. In that moment the Lord provided great clarity and decisions were made. We received such an outpouring of love from those around us. Men and women who didn't know us 2 weeks before showed us kindness, compassion and love as we went through an amazingly devestating situation. We now found ourselves halfway around the world, without our parents or family and making arrangements for our deceased daughter. There are too many details to go into here but suffice it to say that God became real through the hands of so many people.

As I write this today, the memories are as real as they were the day they happened. Nine years ago today, my sweet daughter Abigail went home to be with Jesus. She was six days old and beautiful. She accomplished a great many things on this earth in her brief time. There is a measure of sadness at not having my daughter by my side but the overwhelming feeling that a beautiful little girl is spending time with our Savior this very day and that we will be reunited one day.

Living the Christian life is not easy, it is full of joy and struggles but God is always present and always good and our joy is in Him.

Today is not the easiest of days but I approach it full of joy at what God has given to me and full of the knowledge that He is good all the time. Amen.

Abigail Marie Cornell

May 20, 2000 - May 26, 2000

Fun...

2009-04-27T10:15:00.002-05:00

Heard around our house yesterday:

"What is a cocktail?"

Kid 2 - 8 years old "It's something in the ocean, right? You know, like a shrimp cocktail." which was followed with lots of laughter and a trip to the dictionary to see all of the definitions.

A devotion about confession, forgivenss and grace using The Prodigal Son as the example. What made it better were the answers and insights that three little boys bring. Priceless!!

Starting our Monday with thunderstorms, drawing and charades. What a way to start our "work week".

Hope your week is full of fun moments.

Happy Birthday...

2009-03-17T12:36:00.004-05:00

To my middle son. Today he is eight and an absolute delight. He is filled with curiosity, eagerness and a heart for the Lord.

I say this all the time but I often feel that I have gained a much better perspective of my relationship with the Lord by having children. They challenge me with their words of piercing truth. Their innocent questions of extreme depth and their ability to love me despite all of my faults. They look to me for guidance and I often find myself being led by them. How amazing that God would provide me with such a humbling and educational experience rolled up in the sweet gaze of my children.

I am extremely blessed to be a mom to them and I know I've been entrusted with a great treasure.

How thankful I am for my middle son and how I look forward to seeing what God will do in his life. If his years thus far and the sheer volume of lessons he has taught me are any indication, I am prepared for an exciting adventure.

Today I will be hugging them all, but squeezing my middle son a little tighter as he moves a little further in his race (Hebrews 12:1). May he experience the love of Christ daily and may I be an example of His love and grace in my days with him.

Prolonging the inevitable

2009-03-08T01:55:00.005-06:00

Ok. We all know that whenever there is a schedule to be followed, something that needs accomplishing or, we're in a hurry, that it invariably prompts the best, most complicated questions from our children.

So it was this day when we were trying to prepare for bed. I was helping my boys get themselves into the shower when such a moment arose. My son looked at me and asked a question about something that makes him uniquely male. No, I'm not talking about his ability to think entirely different than me but rather something a bit more fundamental.

Ok, now that you know where we're going, the conversation went a little like this. "Mom, what is this part called?" I respond with the appropriate name thinking I've handled that well. And then, I hear, "Mom what is is for and what is in there?" Sigh.

Again, I provide a reasonable response and give the most generic answer I can, "It's part of the man's reproductive system." Ok, now I'm beginning to feel like I'm at a tennis match. Unfortunately, the volley continues. I just want him to get himself in the shower so we can move forward. But here comes the ball again.

"But mom, what does it do?"

I've a feeling this is going to continue for a long time so I take the tack that any parent would or perhaps should, "That is a good question but this is not the best time to talk about that. Let's get finished in the shower and we can discuss it another time."

Ok, I brace myself for another question, or a response I'm not ready to deal with and I hear, "Mom, was it a scientific question?" I look at my son's face and it is lit up with anticipation of my response and I tell him, "Yes, it was a very scientific question." He is now beaming, climbs in the shower and goes about his business.

I am now trying not to laugh too loudly, breath to heavily or allow my children to hear me praising God too loudly. Here I was waiting for a question answer session that could perhaps be neverending and my sweet son simply wants to know if it was a "scientific question". Amazing.

I know there are times that the Lord has things for me to do and sometimes, just like my kids, I'm not ready to or just don't want to so I hope to prolong the inevitable with distractions. How often do I barrage the Lord with questions in my prayer life and fail to listen to what He is saying? I may not be seeking explanations about how things "work" but I come to Him seeking answers when it's not where He wants me to be.

Why is it that my children can be so much more gracious than I? My son was getting the gentle nudge toward what I had planned for him and rather than get angry or try to continue, he simply wanted a little verbal pat on the back as he went about his way.

Unfortunately, I don't always proceed so quietly when I am gently nudged to the plans the Lord has for me. I'm ashamed to admit that I sometimes go kicking and screaming.

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.Jeremiah 29:10-12

The Lord loves us and does have plans for us. We may not always want to step out and do what He wants us to do but He wants us to. And, if we listen closely, I'm quite convinced that He is gently nudging us and saying, "That was a great question but let's do this first and talk about that later." I know I've heard Him say it to me. It is my prayer that I can be as gracious as my children, accept the gentleness and trust my Father as he points me in the right direction.

Amen.

Happy birthday to you!!

2009-03-03T08:00:00.002-06:00

My youngest turned 6 yesterday. He's a big boy and has run around the house telling me that he can't wait until he's 19. I suck in air, and try not to watch as his life flies by.

What is it about all of us that makes us wish for the next milestone? Why is contentment such a hard thing?

I would like to believe that it's only my children who struggle with this but I would be lying. Contentment is often elusive but can be grasped when a concious effort is made, on my part.

For today, I will try to revel in my youngest sons new grown-up status and try desperately to enjoy every last second of 6.

May you find contentment in your life today.

Help for the Humble

2009-02-27T13:37:00.006-06:00

I'm a mom of 3 boys. So, it is no exaggeration when I say that if I had a nickel for everytime one of them said, "I can do it myself", I wouldn't be blogging from my livingroom but rather a lovely mountain cabin somewhere.

I've been trying to wrestle with them through this statement for approximately 8 years and at times I've been successful and other time failed miserably. Another opportunity arose at the Costco foodcourt earlier this week. I was sharing a frozen yogurt with my two youngest boys when I tried to help my youngest dig deep into the yogurt to get to the vanilla. At which point I hear, "I'm a big boy, I can do it myself." I remained calm and quickly thought, "Lord, how to I get through to him"?

I shared with my son that I recognize he's a big boy that I'm aware that many times he can, indeed, do it himself. This time, however, I was trying to help because I love him and knew that I could get the coveted vanilla better than he. I went on to tell him that everyone needs help and it is an act of being humble. I stopped, quickly replayed what I just said and said, outloud, "Huh". To which my almost 8 year old asked me "what?".

I explained to him that God had just taught me something. God is always teaching me something through my children but he just happened to be there to hear me wonder aloud. We seem to be such a self-sufficent society. We revel in our ability to "do it ourselves". We are awarded various ways for this ability but as I reflected on what I had told my son, I realized that this really all comes down to pride and our sin nature.

I'm all for our children learning to be independent from us. It's the kind of self-sufficency I see day-to-day that disturbs me. Merriam-Webster defines it like this -

self-sufficency adj. able to maintain oneself or itself without outside aid ; having an extreme confidence in one's own ability or worth

I want my children to be independent and able to think and provide for themselves. Believing that they are the only ones who can accomplish things or that taking help is a form of weakness is another story. The bible has a lot to say about being humble:

He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.Psalm 25:8-10

The LORD sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground.Psalm 147:5-7

For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.Matthew 23:11-13

Webster tells us this, "Humble: not proud or haughty : not arrogant or assertive"

Accepting help is a good thing. Hard to do in our pride but pleasing to the Lord, I believe, and an act of being humble. It's a good thing and something I hope to cultivate in my boys. In this world where "I can do it myself" seems to be a mantra, may you be compelled to allow someone to help you. You just might be giving someone the opportunity to be blessed too.

Flawed but useable...

2009-02-23T10:17:00.000-06:00

I admit that I've never really cultivated the idea of a quiet time with the Lord. I became a follower of Christ at 7 yrs old but a quiet time is something that has never been established solidly in my life. So I find myself, at 40, working at developing this most wonderful habit. I've always prayed throughout my day, talked about the Lord to my boys but that time of sitting still, reading His word and hearing the Holy Spirit speak to me has been a struggle for me.

So came this morning and I was determined, not by guilt but by deep longing, that I was going to start this day with a quiet time. I got up at 6:20 as my husband left. Got my bible and "Daily Light" devotional book and started. The reading today was about running the race set before us. Throwing off those things that hinder our running and seeking the Lord. It was a great reminder of what we are called as believers to do.

"But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind...I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
Wonderful!!!

I was reminded, humbled and inspired at the scripture I read. I proceeded to prayer and had a list of those people I wished to prayer for. I found myself praying for my oldest son, who has autism. Prayer for his current treatment using homeopathy. Prayer for healing for his body. Prayer that his speech would become more "typical" in sound and cadence. I have not prayed for better speech because of embarassment but because I recognize that he has begun to notice that he sounds different or is frustrated when he isn't understood. I stopped for a moment and I heard the Holy Spirit whisper, "Moses". I nodded and found myself opening my Bible to Exodus 4:10-12.

Moses said to the Lord, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." The Lord said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say."

God can use my son, speech issues and all for His glory. He can give him the words to say and isn't that the message for all of us. We are all flawed. Some of us have physical issues, some are our own attitude or feelings of inability but God can use us all. If we are willing, it doesn't matter what problems we have in the flesh, He is more than able to use us, even in our weakness.

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in wekanesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Cor. 12: 9-10

Paul has is right. Christ's power is made perfect in our weakness. God doesn't ask us to be perfect, he asks us to be willing.

Autism is definitely a weakness in my sons life, but God can use even that to be glorified and to spread His message of hope.

May you find joy in your weakness today as you see Christ's power made perfect in your life.

Time has flown by...

2008-12-15T15:26:00.000-06:00

Since I last posted. We went on vacation in September to the Pikes Peak area of Colorado. It was absolutely wonderful. I love being around the mountains. It somehow brings the reality of God's creation to life for me. Beautiful!!

We are in full Christmas season preparation and celebration at our house. Last night we added more lights and a train on top of the piano and the boys commented that it looked like a "Winter Wonderland".

Blessings at Christmas as we celebrate our Saviors birth.

Marriage....what is it?

2008-07-17T07:14:00.001-05:00

This was a question recently posed to me by my youngest son (5). I realized that defining marriage to a 5 year old is tough. I proceeded to tell him that when a lady and a man love each other and want to be together forever, they get married in a church and tell everyone there and God that they will be together and love each other and then they may go on to have children. I wasn't sure I succeeded in my explanation but I gave it my best.

My son said to me later that day, "I'm going to marry you, mommy". Now, Scott happened to be around and he repeated this to his dad. Scott replied, I don't think I can let you do that. Mommy is my wife. Child #3 ran out of his room after his dad saying, "but daddy, you have to let me marry mommy." I tried to contain my smiles because to him, this was serious business.

How amazing to be loved and admired so much by your child. It is truly a little overwhelming!!

On Tuesday I was preparing to go to a small group meeting that is listening to some conference cd's from a Wholehearted Women's conference. My middle son asked, " Why do you have to go to this meeting? What are you going to do there?" I told him that I was going to be with these other moms and to learn how to be a better mom. He replied, "but you're already a good mom".

Once again, I was amazed at the love and admiration that my son has for me. I think because I see myself as such a flawed person. I am a sinner and so I know that I am capable of veering off of God's path and trying to make my own way. I see the errors of my ways and recognize how I may be failing. My boys, however, see the parts of me that I often cannot see myself. They choose the good moments, the fun and the times I get it right and remember that.

This is not a new idea. I have had conversations with my own mom about her shortcomings as a mom when we were growing up. She laments the mistakes she made and I remind her that I don't remember those things, I remember her sacrifice to be at my volleyball games. The little things she did to show us she loved us. I remember the good things.

How thankful I am that my boys can see the love I have for them even in the midst of my mistakes. How thankful I am that I have a Father in heaven who loves me so much that He made this possible. Thankful!!

Getting back to normal...

2008-06-16T11:46:00.001-05:00

Ok. Last time I posted, we were finishing up our HBOT treatment with my oldest son. We finished in early May and clearly, there are some things that are continuing to improve post-treatment. We have had improved language, reasoning and generally better expression. I told Scott it's like he's living outside his head. It's glorious!! There was a time when an entire car ride would have absolutely no conversation unless a question was asked of him. Now, he volunteers information; specifically information regarding his thoughts and feelings. This is a huge thing for a child on the autism spectrum!!!! Praise God!

Even though school is out, we are continuing to school throughout the summer. This allows us time to go on vacation when everyone else is back in school and since it's so hot in the afternoon, we play outside in the morning and school toward lunch and then spend most of the afternoon doing other things.

Next week, for the first time every, all of my boys will be in vacation bible school. From Mon - Thurs in the morning, they will attend our churches VBS program. I will have 3 whole hours without my boys. I love them dearly and love spending time with them but this is a novel moment in my life right now as I actually get some time by myself. (grocery shopping doesn't count as time by oneself) The only problem with this is I have a million things I can think of doing and my brain is a little scattered as I ponder them all.

Funny things overheard/seen at my house lately,

my youngest son telling his brothers that his bear has a fever and has "fluenza".

When Scott told our oldest to come practice piano by using his shortened name, he responded by saying, "Daddy, please call me......" his full first name. We didn't know how important that really was to him.

Today, we rode to the soccer field by our house and my middle son brought his bear. He rode stuck through the holes on his bike helmet and dear son even made him a "helmet" by using some string and the bottom of a chuckecheese coin cup. Very creative and cute!!

Life is never dull and more than that, a blessing everyday. I hope your day is duly blessed!

A Diving We Will Go!

2008-04-25T11:38:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted lately because for the last 3 weeks, I have been taking my oldest son to daily (M-F) hyperbaric oxygen dives. As of today we have completed 15 dives and have 5 more to do. It has been tiring as we have had to take the younger two to be with grandpa each morning and make sure we leave the house by 7:30 am to wind our way through traffic.

For those not in the "know", HBOT (hyperbaric oxygen therapy) has been used in the past couple of years in increasing amounts to assist children with autism on their road to recovery. My oldest was diagnosed almost 5 years ago with PDD-NOS (or autism spectrum disorder). It has been a long path full of trials, tribulations and trial and error. But for all of our efforts and by God's grace, he is doing wonderfully and I dare say, moving ever closer to recovery.

More will be coming as we complete our dives and get back to normal. As for now, blessings on this wonderful Spring Friday!! May God richly bless you today!!

What does your badge say?

2008-03-22T04:52:00.000-05:00

My youngest has become quite the social butterly lately. Yesterday, for example, while in line at Target, he looked up and asked our cashier what her name was. She replied and asked his and he answered, "I'm "J", nice to meet you Kristy", and proceeded to give her five.

While at dinner at CiCi's, his desire to meet and greet took over again. As we stood in line waiting to get some brownies, he tapped the leg of the man in front of us and it went something like this, "What's your name?". "My name is Tony." "What's your name?" "My name is "J" , the five year old boy!" I add the exclamation because at this point he was hopping with excitement as he got to pronounce, "the five year old boy!"

My husband commented to me earlier this week that he's been wearing his new age like a badge of honor. And, he has. Many things are now linked to the fact that he is five and he is tinkled pink by this.

Likewise, my middle son recently had a birthday and turned 7. Now he doesn't go around proclaiming his age for everyone but his "badge" has become that he got a Nintendo DS (from his uncle) and some Heeleys skate shoes. He is now "M" the DS-playing-skate-shoe-wearing boy.

And, of course, not to be outdone, my oldest also has his badge. He loves vehicles. Specifically cars (Nissan Altima, Nissan 350z) but closely followed by trucks (Dodge Ram, Semis). While he doesn't go around announcing that he is "N" the car loving boy.... Oh, wait. He does! He tells anyone who will listen what he loves and thereby shares that which he so closely identifies with. His badge, if you will.

As I lay in bed this morning (it's now 5am) and couldn't get back to sleep, it struck me that my children are illustrating perfectly the need for identification. We all have this intense need to identify with someone or something. This revelation, though not completely new, certainly illuminates the intense need to help and guide my children on their path.

Though their "badges" right now are harmless enough, not too far down the road, they could become much less so. How much more crucial is it that I share the love of Christ so that they can have/make the choice of their badge reading "follower of Christ".

I recently read someone's opinion that we shouldn't share our faith with our children. Rather, we should allow them to come to their own decisions and not "influence" them. Besides being unscriptural, my children are perfect examples of why this is not valid. We all have this inherent need and can only make an informed decision of what badge to wear if we are exposed. While I cannot control whether my children choose to be followers of Christ, I can control whether or not they hear the message and recognize the opportunity that has been laid out before them.

Blessings to you as we celebrate the resurrection of our Risen Lord. May it be a time of celebration, confirmation and adoration. And as you go about it all; what does your badge say?

Happy Birthday....

2008-03-13T12:47:00.000-05:00

To my youngest. His birthday culminated with a tiny gathering at the local pizza/game place with immediate family and Grandma and Grandpa. He loved every minute of it. He is now a big 5 year old and very proud of it.

Something I started in the past few years has been to include my boys in the preparations for their celebrations. For my youngest that meant dictating the type of cake he wished for, getting a birthday list for gift ideas, deciding on the pizza place, going to the party store to gather decorations and "goodies" for his guests (brothers) and ended with great celebration as he helped make his cake and got to lick the beaters. Every inch of his body was taken over by excitement as he prepared and anticipated his birthday. It was glorious to watch and I'm so glad that the Lord has blessed me with this particular joy.

And so, after the pizza and cake were eaten, the presents opened and the general merriment was coming down from it's intense climax, I reflected on the joyful experience. It occurred to me that the preparation for the party, the total involvement of my youngest in it all contributed a great deal to his excitement and enjoyment. Isn't that a picture of the great love the Father has for us? We could simply exist here on this planet waiting expectantly for His return and eternity, but God, in His intense love for us, has allowed us to be a part of the preparation. How glorious!

I've got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy

2008-02-22T16:11:00.001-06:00

down in my heart. Or should I say that my youngest son (4 soon to be 5) does. Not only is it in his heart, it's in his eyes, his smile and most of all the constant dancing and excitement that accompanies him everywhere he goes.

So it was today. It's a beautiful day here and having gotten a coupon for Gymboree from a friend, I decided to check out the local store. We got to the new local shopping area and the boys were enthused. We parked and made our way into Gymboree and they were now getting excited. After some searching and looking and asking them for help, my youngest proceeded to find some underwear with airplanes on them. He brought them over jumping up and down and asking if he could get them. It's almost his birthday and any 4 year old who is that excited, should get the underwear of his choice. He produced them for the clerk and proudly announced that he was getting new underwear.

I paid for all of our finds and he asked for his own bag for his underwear. He proceeded to hop, spin and proudly display his new underwear in a clear bag for all to see. He was truly experiencing joy.

It occurred to me that he is capable of expressing the kind of joy I often feel but in my adult world, I can find myself tempering it's expression. How amazing to let it all go and really enjoy the smallest and seemingly most mundane things in life. It so awesome to realize that God cares about us down to our new underwear and to truly praise Him in all things.

I love my children and especially love that I have such wonderful examples of how to express joy. What a loving God we have!!

"And He shall be called......"

2007-12-13T21:49:00.000-06:00

I love Christmas. The celebration of our Lord's birth. The decorations, the special twinkle in the eyes of my boys and, well, everything. One of the great joys is spending some time several nights a week venturing out to see the beautiful Christmas lights. We love to snake our way through neighborhoods in the area as we ooh and ahh over the twinkling lights. The boys talk almost nonstop as they share what they are seeing and make sure that everyone else is also looking in that direction. As you can imagine, it gets pretty loud in our car. Three boys 8, 6 and 4 in kind of a verbal race to the finish. Each talking louder and faster as they try to draw attention to their favorite lights of the moment.

So it was tonite. After eating dinner out we ventured into some nearby neighborhoods and had been roaming up and down the streets when all of the sudden the boys began to tell us they were ready to go home. I would have questioned whether my hearing were going at this point or even if something were wrong but they all insisted they were tired, even the youngest.

We were turning our car down the final street when my youngest blurted out, "Hey look, there's baby God." Of course he was referring to a nativity scene someone had put in their yard. But after a brief chuckle I began to mull over his statement.

It occurred to me that despite his preschool age, he had uttered what struck me as more profound than much of my own teaching about the subject of Christ's birth to him. In that brief sentence, he had rightfully labeled the God of the Universe incarnate. It seems, sometimes, that the term "baby Jesus" gets used frequently and almost a little loosely. Perhaps not by you or me but in labeling God's son and God himself, "baby Jesus" it seems to slightly diminish who He was/is and what His mission was. He was indeed a baby and Jesus but He was so much more and for people who don't understand that, it may not communicate to true meaning of CHRISTmas. As my small son spoke, it occurred to me that as Mary and Joseph looked down on their newborn, they were indeed looking at God. He was before time began. He and the Father are one. And yet, here He was coming to this earth, in the flesh, to walk among us and talk and teach us and to demonstrate the unfailing love of God.

May the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus be with you as you celebrate His birth. And may you experience the joy and wonder of that beautiful night nearly 2000 years ago as the God of the Universe descended to us.

"For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be
on his shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Might God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

Everything is negotiable...

2007-11-29T15:50:00.000-06:00

Or so it seems in the world of my boys. My oldest was in speech therapy yesterday and so it was our regular Wednesday Target trip as we waited for him. We had combed the store looking at all of the wonderful decorations and what toys were must-haves for Christmas when the call of the potty was heard loud and clear. So off we went and found the restroom. My boys are now wanting their own stall (in the women's of course) so we entered and they promptly took the first stall they saw.

I stood outside the door giving them their privacy but thankful for the little crack between the door and the frame as I monitored their progress. All was well until it came time to flush. It is the most coveted moment in bathroom activites. The complete joy my boys can derive from moving that small stainless steel handle and the loud roar of water is amazing. And so, the negotiations began. I heard my 6 year old say that it was his turn and his younger brother (4) said it was his and so they were at a stalemate when my older pulled out the idea of using "rock, paper, scissors" to decide.

As I peaked through the crack, I could see my two sweet boys, standing across the toilet from one another, pants still down (getting the flushing done first is a must) and discussing the game. I heard the older ask the younger what he was going to be and then the older chose based on the answer. It went something like this, " what are you going to be?" "I'm going to be rock." " then I'm going to be paper because paper covers rock."

It wasn't a fair competition but somehow the little one was satisfied that he had lost the game and his brother promptly flushed and looks of pure joy crossed both of their faces. I found myself trying not to laugh and marveling at how two small children can navigate the world of negotiation with such skill (though perhaps not fairness).

My boys bring me such joy and frustration and a million other things but suffice it to say that I am more grateful than I can say for the opportunity to be home with them. There was a time in my adult life when I wasn't sure I wanted to stay home with my children. I grew up with a mom who worked and who was always present and available and so I had a great rolemodel in the realm of working moms.

But, there came a time when I sensed that the award I received at Girl Scout camp when I was ten, "Little Mother award", was more than just a coincidence. I was made for this. I cannot imagine being anywhere else or doing any other job. And, for that matter, this is more than a job. It's one of the most important decisions I've ever made in my life.

I often hear people comment that they cannot believe that they get paid to do their job. Most of them have glamorous lives or amazing jobs and they love what they do. Well, I don't have a lot of glamour in my life, or what many would consider to be an "amazing" job and the pay isn't very good, but I cannot believe that I get to live my life doing this. I am so thankful that God lead me to this career and that my husband and I were of a like mind about it. Everything is negotiable, but my career surely isn't. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Finding Joy in the Unexpected

2007-09-11T17:54:00.000-05:00

We just finished our history from 1st grade about a month ago and we ended with Ancient Rome. How great it was, then, when my husband heard and advertisement for an exhibit at the Dallas Museum of Art for "From the Ashes of Vesuvius". We thought it would be great to take the boys and let them see the artifacts that were uncovered in the ruins. What a perfect way to end our year and to usher in our study of the Middle Ages.

So, today was the day and we arrived at the museum around 11:15 ready to see the exhibit. Each boy was armed with a notecard with approx. 6 words that I thought would be easily found in the signage and pamphlets about the exhibit. They were told that upon finding all of the words, they would be able to get a dessert at the end of the trip. How cool for them!! (I was patting myself on the back for the idea)

We entered the exhibit with each of them feeling a little antsy (not a good thing for an exhibit displaying ancient antiquities) We looked for words and were finding them and moving along. We came upon some urns that would have been in existence around the time of Christ. What an amazing thing to ponder!!! The boys weren't that impressed (they feigned a little interest) and we moved on.

We then happened upon a small room where a video was being shown. I smelled trouble but apparently the video was a simulated walk through towns surrounding Vesuvius before the eruption. It had captured their attention and they were sitting nicely.

After the movie and awhile later my husband shared with me that my oldest son was very impressed that the Roman Villas had pools in them. Here we were looking at pieces in existence from first century AD, some from around the time of Paul and even Jesus and my son was impressed with the pools in the villas. Perspective is everything!!

Here's hoping you find your joy in unexpected places!!

Here I am to Worship...

2007-09-06T22:15:00.000-05:00

My youngest son at 4.5 yrs old has the most wonderful desire to sing. He hums to himself throughout the day and love to sing songs he hears on cd's in the car and that he learns via Sesame Street and such. My favorite singing though, comes at night after we've prayed and I'm laying in his bed and he's trying to prolong my leaving his room. It is then that he asks me to sing praise songs with him. His favorite song, by far, is "Lord I Lift Your Name on High". He has been singing that earnestly for many months and is happy to burst into song for others and share is rendition. It is wonderful!!

Tonite, he was pulling out more songs than usual because we have been listening to some of our kids praise cd's in the car. He asked me to sing, "You are Holy". We started the song together and he was singing clearly and sincerely. It was so sweet. Here I was laying in bed with my 4yr old singing praise to God and my heart was melting and the special moment that we were experiencing.

Then it happened. One of those moments that as a mom you love and dread at the same time. Your child is being very sincere and they say something but don't use the exact words that should be used and you find yourself trying to maintain your composure.

The words go like this:

"You are Holy"
(You are Holy)
"You are Mighty"
(You are Mighty)
"You are Worthy"
(You are Worthy)
"Worthy of Praise"
(Worthy of Praise)

We were singing our voices rising together and then we got to the line about being worthy. Well, at 4 my sweet son isn't capable of the "th" sound in words and so it becomes, "You are Wormie". What makes that so sweet and funny is that not only was it not the right word, but "Wormie" is a character, specifically a caterpillar, in a childrens video by Max Lucado. My boys love them and to add to that, #3 has a stuffed "wormie" on his bed each night. So as my son told the Lord of the universe that He is "wormie", I smiled and kept right on singing.

I'm a little envious of my children. Not for anything that they have done but for the pure joy and innocence and clean slate they have right now. They worship without preconceived ideas about how it should be done, what they should sing or worries about singing the wrong words or the wrong notes. Their focus is on singing to God. That's it. I wonder how different things would be in our churches and our lives if we lived more like that. What if, we forgot all of our preconceived ideas and just focused on God. I cannot begin to imagine the changes in the world, but I certainly can see what it does for my boys. Pure Joy!!

The Devil made me do it.....

2007-08-27T15:40:00.000-05:00

Ok. Before anyone thinks we really believe this, I will dispell it and tell you we don't. However, we have been talking with our middle son lately about Satan. Specifically who he is and what his role is in the world (because he asked us).

We were at a store recently and son #2 was having a hard time staying where he needed to be. We had a conversation about temptation and I explained that with Christ, we have His power to resist temptation but on our own, we fail miserably. I explained that I needed #2 to stay near me and asked him to do his best. A few minutes later, he looked up at me and said, " momma, Satan is tempting me and telling my feet that they need to go over there and look around, but I'm resisting him and staying here." I, of course, commended him on his self-control and continued what I was doing. A few minutes later, #2 said, "Mom, he's at it again and I just feel like my feet need to move but, I'm resisting and staying here." I thanked him for his self-control and commended him on knowing the right thing to do and with a silent chuckle (you can't let him know this is amusing to you), I continued my work.

My second child is so funny and his struggles really give me insight into my own walk with the Lord. How many times do I have a situation where temptation is right there and I give in and barely even acknowledge that I have done it. Here he is, very concious of his struggle and trying to pray and ask for God's strength. How amazing it is for my 6 yr old to be showing such maturity (too convicting for his much older mom!!). God really does teach us through our children. How thankful I am to live daily with such a vibrant example!!

Thursday...

2007-08-23T10:25:00.000-05:00

and so far the day is moving along. 1/2 of my homeschooled boys has finished his work while the other asked to do it after some outdoor play. So many times before today, I would have made him wait and it would have been miserable. Anger, tears and fussing. Not to mention my little one's behavior.

I love homeschooling for many reasons but this is probably in the top three. I can make a decision as my boys mom/teacher that he just might need to climb some trees and dig in some dirt before he does his schoolwork. He will ultimately do better, more willingly and it will be a much better experience than if I sat him in the chair like a taskmaster. I know, as the mom of three boys, that getting some movement in early in the day can make everything better.

My oldest, who happens to be recovering from autism, completed his work first. We are still lighter in our load as we prepare for the beginning of Sept. to get it all in gear, so today's work was Math and copywork/spelling. I was having to handle some issues with my youngest so I left my oldest to his math. In the past, I would have come back to the table to find him either stalled in his place or moving at a snails pace. Today was a different story. I approached the table and he was waiting patiently for me. I said to him, " I need you to keep going please." He simply sat there and as I got closer to his book, I noticed that all of the problems were done and all of them correct. I looked at him to find a smile slowly spreading across his face as I exclaimed, "you finished the page." He was extremely happy about my discovery and excitement. All of this is more remarkable when I reflect on how this exchange could have gone. You see, when I told him that he needed to keep going, he could have, and in the past probably would have, responded with, " I did keep going, I'm all DONE". He would have been frustrated at my request because he had done it all. He showed great self-control and an obvious understanding of the timing of this situation. Autism is slowly disappearing.

I was reflecting to someone recently that the old adage of one step forward, two steps backward was not really our experience on this road to recovery. I feel so much more like it's continuing to move forward but that sometimes we have the privilege of being on the smooth path and sometimes our trip forward takes us uphill, through the rocky terrain and even the dark valley. We are still moving forward but sometimes it isn't nearly as smooth as I would like.

Here's where autism has helped a great deal. Autism has given me great perspective as I mother/teach my two other boys. The understanding of the rocky terrain is just as important for my "typical" boys as it is for my child on the autism spectrum. Life is full of bumps in the road. What a blessing to be able to see the progress in the midst of the rocky times.

Come on in, the waters fine....

2007-07-07T20:17:00.000-05:00

We spent part of our day Saturday with family from San Antonio and Toronto at the local community pool. I love to swim and on most days, so do my boys. Today, as has every swimming day this summer, yielded a 4 year old who is newly fearful of the water. Nevermind that he is a fish in the bathtub and shower and prior to this summer, loved to be in the water. Now, he wants very little to do with it and, as his loving, kind, patient parent, what can you do.

I've had many suggestions sent my way like, "just make him get in, throw him in and he will be fine once he's in the water." All well meaning (perhaps) but nonetheless misguided. You see, if I were to do any of the above, I know him well enough to know that he would be very afraid and it would take the better part of the rest of the summer to undue what I had done. My approach is to let him get used to the water, go at his own pace and eventually, as he did today, he will get in and realize how much he loves it and how safe he really is. My words of reassurance and promises of complete safety along with some gentle nudging did the trick.

I realized, as I do most days, how much this characterizes my relationship with God. How many times have I been in a situation and had faith, trusted His promises and gentle coaxing and made it through having experienced the joy that comes from trusting Him and following Him? Everytime.

It's amazing, then, how the same situation a time later can yield a reluctant fearful me, unsure of placing my trust in Him. Standing at the edge of the "water" much like my 4 year old waiting and unsure as He gently nudges me and reminds of the same promises I know to be true. Gently coaxing me in to experience and enjoy the refreshment and freedom that comes from faith in the one who saves.

Wishing you much joy and refreshment today and everyday.

Pure joy...

2007-06-25T13:28:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I envy my boys. At 7, 6 and 4 they have the rare ability to really appreciate and experience pure joy at life's simple pleasures.

We decided to ride bikes early (after tackling a little copywork, math and history) and had the pleasure of seeing the garbage truck that picks up yard waste. Here they were, my boys, standing at the end of the driveway in bike helmets and one perched on his bike waiting for the garbage truck to pass by. Once it passed, my 6 yr old came running to me shaking with excitement because the man who rides on the back of the truck waved at them. This was major!!

Later, we were at Sprouts (grocery) and upon coming out to the parking lot, our conversation went something like this, "it looks like it rained (#2)." "I feel raindrops (#1)." "It's raining!!! (#3)."

After looking both ways, we made a mad dash to the car. The entire distance from store to car was met with screams and squeals of delight as we got wet. Once at the car it sounded as if we had 20 kids chattering away rather than the 3 we do.

I loved every minute of it!! It's in moments like these that I realize how little time we as adults take time to enjoy the little things. It seems, rather, that those little things become more annoying than endearing. Why is that?

God has blessed us with breath another day. That is reason enough for celebration and praise and yet, at times, I can only see the "to do list" and the negatives. Today I will be try to enjoy those moments remembering that God delights in even the smallest details of our lives.

Blessings

Day one

2007-06-22T11:09:00.000-05:00

Ok. Life in the midst. In the midst of what? When I thought about a blog it was to help our family who is far away know what is happening with our lives. We have 3 incredibly energetic boys and homeschool and then there is everything else.

So, life in the midst is simply what things seem like day to day. There's appointments, bills, laundry and the like but in the midst of all of that are the moments that seem to make it all worthwhile. The glimmers of God working in the hearts of our boys and God teaching me through those same boys. Glimmers of moving forward and recovery for our son with autism and love in abundance.

So, welcome to Life in the midst. I hope it lets you in on our corner of Texas and helps you remember all of the ways that life is truly beautiful.