To Know You

May 6, 2010 by 2 Comments

I have a love-hate relationship with my computer.  I love it in that it is a large part of this stay at home mom’s means of communication and connectedness with the outside world.  However, I also hate it in that it pulls me in at times, sucking my time and focus away from those that matter most.  I’m hearing His call to draw me closer to Himself, calling me to deliberately choose to go to Him and His Word -instead of to my computer so frequently.  Yes, this probably sounds familiar because I’ve blogged about it before.  God has a way of subtly, and sometimes not so subtly, getting my attention and reminding me of things I thought I had already learned.

Philippians 3:7-14

But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.  Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

When I read these Words (above) and hear this song (below), my heart longs to truly know my Savior more….

from Casting Crowns ‘Until the Whole World Hears’ album

To know You is to never worry for my life
To know You is to never give into compromise and
To know You is to want to tell the world about You
Cause I can’t live without You

To know You is to hear Your voice when You are calling
To know You is to catch my brother when he is falling
To know You is to feel the pain of the broken hearted
Cause they can’t live with out You.

More than my next breath
More than life or death
All I’m reaching for, I live my life to know You more
I leave it all behind, You’re all that satisfies
To know You is to want to know You more
To know You is to want to know You more

To know You is to ache for more than ordinary
To know You is to look beyond the temporary
To know You is believing that You’ll be enough
Cause there’s no life without You

All this life could offer me, could not compare to You , compare to You
And I count it all as lost, compared to knowing you , knowing You

I hear You Lord and I want to know You more…..

Filed Under: Mom's Heart, The Joy of God's Word

A Day in the Life with a Newborn +4

April 27, 2010 by 1 Comment

Warning:  This post was written by a sleep deprived mother of 5.  Proceed at your own risk of encountering incoherent thoughts and run-on sentences.

Day one of being home alone with all five precious kiddos brought this…

the good

  • Our oldest got all of her work with mom and independent schoolwork completed.  (amidst cries from her youngest sibling)
  • Our preschooler didn’t argue about going to his room for ‘rest’ time. (It was amazing!) He played contentedly for a long time – building with blocks, constructing with Super Structs, and playing with his cars and trains.
  • I think I experienced a couple of 5 minute naps in the late afternoon, in between each time the newborn’s pacifier came out.
  • I was able to sneak a leftover chocolate frosted cupcake without any of the kids noticing.  (Any mother can see the importance of this, right?)

the bad

  • I left the school/playroom to attend to our newest little one.  I returned 5-10 minutes later only to find toys strewn all over the floor –See Exhibit A, below. (At least they were educational games and they were learning – Yes?  No?  Okay, this may just be wishful thinking. It is more likely that the toddler just dumped them out.)

toys)

  • While I was reading aloud to the older children and holding our newborn (who was refusing to nap anywhere other than in Mommy’s arms), our toddler got into the pantry, took out some cereal, and was proceeding to locate a bowl for it.  I told her no and I removed the cereal box from her hand.  She then threw the bowl and began to run away from me, throwing toys, a book, anything she could get her little hands on. (Ahh, the joy of having a dearly loved, spunky, red headed two year old…)

and the just plain ugly.

Through groggy eyes and an unguarded tongue, mommy’s impatience made appearances off and on throughout the day.

Be completely humble and gentle.
Be patient, bearing with one another in love. (Ephesians 4:2)

(Yes, even when I’m tired… Ouch.)

In addition, we are also seeing much more of this

laundry(in lingering piles)

and this

clock

(Yes, that says AM. It could start with a 1,2, or 3.  We’ve seen them all!)


which, of course, means a lot less sleep!

But…. it is soooo worth it for this little blessing!
new little one

(In a blink of an eye, this stage will pass quickly.)

So, guard your heart and mind, mama.  Stay in the Word.  Pray for daily, hourly, and minute by minute doses of wisdom, grace, and strength.  Consider His faithfulness.

I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you.
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.  (Isaiah 41:10)

Filed Under: Mom's Heart, The Joy of Children, The Joy of Family, The Joy of God's Word

Trusting God with the ‘What-Ifs’

March 13, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Do you have any ‘What ifs’ looming in your mind?  You know, those nagging thoughts of what if this happens or this?  And, as you wait for what really is going to happen, the ‘what if’ questions seem to increase in intensity within your mind?

When the ‘what ifs’ crowd in, I have to remind myself that God is the blessed controller of all things.  The outcome, that I can’t yet see, will not happen by chance, but by His decree.  It is all in His loving hands – for my good and His glory.

Focusing on what might happen takes my focus off of Christ and places it on my circumstances.  Circumstances change, but God is sovereign and unchanging.   In Hebrews 13:8, it states that.. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. If I dwell upon who He is and think of His character, I am more likely to trust in Him.

Dwelling on my ‘what ifs’ can lead to great anxiety, but trusting in Christ can lead to peace and security in the midst of the unknown.

So do not fear, for I am with you.
Do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
(Isaiah 41:10)

He will have no fear of bad news.  His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.  His heart is secure.  He will have no fear.
(Psalm 112:7-8a)

Psalm 141:8a says,
“But my eyes are fixed on You, O Sovereign LORD.  In you I take refuge..”

Oh Lord, may you quiet the ‘what ifs’ that roar within me. Fix my eyes upon You and Your Sovereign might.  May I take refuge in You, trusting You…

Filed Under: Mom's Heart, The Joy of God's Word

A Non-Complaining Spirit

February 13, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Oh, how I wish that could be said of me!

Instead, God is allowing me to see this much needed trait through the sweet, sweet spirit  of our oldest child.  She has been experiencing quite a few off and on headaches since June, with an almost constant headache for the past two months.  Has she complained and moaned about how bad her head hurts?  No.  She continues with her schoolwork and play, rarely mentioning her pain.  However, if we ask her how dd1_smileher head is feeling, she says, “It hurts.”  “How long has it been hurting?”  “All day,” she says and then returns to what she was doing.  We just recently had an MRI done and it was discovered that she has “Severe Left Sphenoid Sinusitis” infection.  She is now on antibiotics and they are hopeful that by the end of the third week, her headaches will subside.  I am pleased to say that she has handled herself so well as she has had to visit doctors, have blood work taken, and then had the MRI done.

I truly think she is well on her way to hiding Philippians 2:14 into her heart and mind.   ”Do everything without complaining and arguing.”

Maybe I could learn a few things from this sweet child that God has blessed us with.  Thank You, Lord.

Filed Under: Kids' Hearts, Mom's Heart, The Joy of Children, The Joy of Family, The Joy of God's Word

Joyful Singing

February 6, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Who says young children can’t begin to hide God’s Word in their hearts and minds?  Moments like these bring great joy to my heart as I hear and see my little ones joyfully singing God’s Word!

Joyful SingingOur just turned two year old has been bringing the Joyful Hearts Tune binder to her siblings and I multiple times throughout the day.  There have been instances when I have been washing dishes and she’ll come up to me, hold out the binder, and ask with a spark in her eyes, “Sing mommy?”  How can I resist a moment to sit down and share in singing God’s Word with my littlest one?  I can’t!

Thank you, Lord, for the sweet, sweet, sound of children’s voices.

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Filed Under: Kids' Hearts, The Joy of Children, The Joy of Family, The Joy of God's Word
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