Note to Self: You Can’t Do It All

She carefully places her bags into the little stroller, stacking and rearranging them until they do not fall.  She then looks longingly at the pillow that she has brought down from her room (again).  She makes several attempts to place the pillow atop the already loaded stroller.  It slides off.  She tries again.  It falls to the ground once more.  She is struggling to keep her self control after an active morning at church, trying to entertain herself as she awaits her lunch that mommy just can’t seem to make fast enough.  Glancing up at me, she says in exasperation, “Mama, I CAN’T get it to work!”  Without hesitating, I calmly reply, “Sometimes, you can’t do everything.”  She insists that she CAN do it and persists in finding a way to have both her fully loaded stroller and her pillow…

and she is all smiles!

stroller1

It isn’t too long, though,  before she starts to trip…

stroller2

to slip…and to proceed to fall completely down.

stroller3  

 

You are probably wondering why I stopped to take photos of my little girl struggling and falling, but as soon as I heard myself say,

Sometimes, you can’t do everything.

the tears began to sting and the words echoed loudly in my mind.     I grabbed my camera, ready to capture what I knew was about to conspire.  For, after all, she is her mother’s child.   I was realizing that I must remember

Sometimes, you can’t do everything.

All the while my sweet daughter was playing and working hard to make all of her items fit the way she thought that they should, attempting to carry more than she really should, I was being the typical multitasking mama.  I was trying…
-to hold back tears due to missing my husband who is away for training for missions,
-to focus on making lunch for my five darling children,
-to locate something that had been lost,
-to keep my toddler content and out of mischief,
-to switch out laundry,
-and to listen to my son brainstorm a list of things he wanted to do that afternoon! 

Oh, the irony! 

Sometimes, you can’t do everything.

 

I am thankful that God has given me this clear visual reminder that I cannot do it all!  It is okay good to ask for help…from my older children, from family members, from friends, and most importantly, from my Savior.  Why do I have such a difficult time remembering this?  Why do I feel like I must do it all?  Not only that, but why do I think that I have to do it all on my own?

 

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.  (Colossians 3:23–24)

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave,where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.  (Ecclesiastes 9:10)

How should I go through my days?
~as working unto the Lord,
doing what He has prepared for me to do for His glory

 

 

I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13)

Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always. 
(1 Chronicles 16:11)

If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:11)

 How can I serve my family when I am weak, tired, and stretched thin?
~with the strength that God provides

 

Yes, I need to work hard and to be diligent, but it is even more essential that I learn to rely on Christ’s strength – not my own.

Easter Crafts

Some (new to us) ideas from online that we tried this week

Colorful Light Ray Crosses from Housing a Forest

cross5 cross1   cross4 cross2cross3

This was a great craft that our four oldest children, ages 4-10, all delighted in completing!

 

and Ukrainian Easter Egg Art from Alpha Mom

egg craft 6egg craft 5

egg craft4egg craft1

    egg craft 3egg craft 2

   egg craft
Our eggs were not nearly as bright and colorful as the original ones in the link above, but the kids enjoyed seeing what would happen with each additional layer of white crayon and paint.

 

Some ideas the kids came up with on their own…

An Easter Scene Peek-a-Box

easter scene materialseaster scene

easter scene message

Our son gathered materials and proceeded to create a scene from the Bible –a cross, empty tomb, and linen cloth – accompanied on the outside with a relevant verse of Scripture from Matthew 28:6!

He is not here.  He has risen, just as he said.
Come and see the place where he lay.

 

and Telling the Easter story through Legos!

The Triumphal Entry…  Mark 11:1-11
(Can you see the palm branches?)
lego triumphal entry

The Last Supper / Passover Meal…  Mark 14:12-26
(Jesus and his 12 disciples, complete with the bread and the cup…)
lego last supper

Jesus Praying in the Garden… Mark 14:32-41
(Yes, there are the sleeping apostles as well.)
lego praying in the garden

Jesus Being Arrested and the Disciples Fleeing… Mark 14:43-50
(The kids included a couple of disciples running away and one cutting the ear of a soldier – well, ahem, a hand in this Lego rendition…)
legos arresting

The Three Crosses… Mark 15:25-26
(complete with the sign stating ‘King of the Jews’)
lego 3 crosses 

The Empty Tomb… Matthew 28:1-10
(Note an angel atop the stone that was rolled away and the fallen guards.)
lego empty tomb1     

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures…  (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)

May you enjoy your Easter weekend, celebrating our risen Savior!

For Daddy

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!!!!

DSC_4501 (3)

From your beautiful 9 year old…
Thank you for giving the best hugs ever!
Thank you for taking me out to lunch.
Thank you for spending time with me.
Thank you for loving me.
Thank you for doing morning devotions with me.
Thank you for praying for me.

From your lovely 7 year old…
Thank you for all the things you do!
Thank you for playing with us.
Thank you for giving hugs and kisses.
Thank you for teaching me to ride my bike.

From your handsome 5 year old…
Thank you for being my daddy – because I love you!
Thank you for giving me hugs.

From your energetic 3 year old…
Thank you for being my daddy.
Thank you for playing trains and Super Why with me.
Thank you for reading to me.

From your adorable 1 year old… (Well, what we thought he might say =) )
Thank you for playing trains and ‘cooking’ with me.
Thank you for giving me food.
Thank you for encouraging me to walk.

From your bride…
Thank you for your love and dedication to our family.
Thank you for being an example of grace to the children and for pointing all of us to our Heavenly Father.

We love you!!!!

Come Awake

easterfeltbd I snapped this photo as two of our girls were joyfully singing parts of ‘Christ is Risen’ after they retold the Easter story with the felt pieces.  Priceless!

portions of ‘Christ is Risen’ by Matt Maher…
Christ is risen from the dead, trampling over death by death.
Come awake. Come awake.  Come and rise up from the grave.
Christ is risen from the dead.  We are one with Him again.
Come awake. Come awake.  Come and rise up from the grave.

Oh death, where is your sting?
Oh hell, where is your victory?
Oh church!  Come stand in the light!
Our God is not dead.  He’s alive! He’s alive!

 

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance:
that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
that he was buried,
that he was raised on the third day
according to the Scriptures
(1 Corinthians 15:3-4)


Jesus said to her,
“I am the resurrection and the life.
He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; 
and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this?”
(John 11:25-26)

Happy Easter!

Eat Your Cake

wearingcake2

and WEAR it, too!

We recently celebrated the first birthday of our fifth little one.  We have given each of our children a ‘smash’ cake on their first birthday.  They do more playing than eating and it is always fun to watch, especially when they reach out their sweet, caked hands to share some with you =)  When our fifth little guy was presented with his cake, the older kids started calling it his ‘pound’ cake – and rightly so.  He dug in with both hands and had cake smeared along both of his arms before we whisked him away for a bath! 

And, since a mother has a right to some reminiscing, here are our other kids with their ‘smash’ cakes for a comparison of messiness…

1stChild Our first child daintily pecked away at bits of her cake.

 

 

 

 

2ndChild Our second child held the record for messiest and best demolition of her cake (until her 2nd baby brother came along)!

 

 

3rdChild Surprisingly, our first boy didn’t dig in as we thought he might.

 

 

 

 

 

4thChild And, our fourth little one was fairly neat as well – but she had fun!

 

 

 

 

Cake, anyone?sharingcake

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...