Simplify

I feel like I need to simplify some things. I have simplified my schedule and it has made homeschooling a blast this year. I have simplified what I am involved in and have had rest in the Lord because of that. I don't want to be busy doing just for the sake of doing. I have decided to simplify other things. I want to simplify my dinners. I am cooking things that don't require all day cooking and using my crock pot a lot more. I want to simplify my daily homemaking schedule. I have a plan of doing 2 things on each day of the week so that each thing gets done easier and weekly (laundry, mopping, dusting, changing sheets, etc.). So far, it's working well. I want to simplify those who I surround myself with. This part is hard. I need people around me that are striving for the same goals and we can walk through life together with Jesus. Lastly, I want to simplify my view of God. God is bigger than the way I used to view Him. I feel that I have believed things about God because it was just what I was told to believe. I am beginning to see God like the Bible teaches Him to be, not man's view of Him. I want to remove the misconceptions of Him and see Him the way He intended me to all along. I know there are so many things that I need to simplify. This is just the beginning of a life-long process of growing closer and more intimate with my Savior. I see my imperfections everyday and I know I am loved anyway. I just want to live a life worthy of Christ. So, I will Simplify!!!!

I think I'm losing it!!

Ok. I was so excited this past weekend when Samuel just up and started going potty. We still had a busy weekend so he was still in a diaper most of the time. Today, I have keep him out of the diaper all day. NO ACCIDENTS!!! He tells me when he has to go and he even went and popped while I was doing math with Katelyn. He just came out and said, " I pooped". WHAT???? I was so excited and he has been getting stickers galore every time he goes. We just made a trip to Walmart to get Big Boy Underwear. Now I am watching him walk around in these underwear and I am overcome with sadness. As excited as I am, he is not a baby anymore. He climbs out of his crib, is going potty, and Big Boy Underwear???? AHHHH!!! I didn't think I'd be this way. Don't get me wrong, I am glad that we get to sleep through the night now and he tells us when he needs something. I am glad to see his personality and watch him learn. But I miss my chubby cheeked, bald baby boy!!! I remember when we first had Katelyn, people telling us to cherish it because she would grow so fast. At the time, my thoughts were, good, because then I can sleep again and she can talk and walk and it will just be easier. NOW, I get it. It has gone fast. I am so glad I am here to cherish every moment with them. I see everything they learn and do. I see when they cry and when they want to sing songs. I see when they get mad and frustrated. I want even those hard moments to be cherished and remembered. So, today, I am one sad momma but also a very proud one.

One of Those Days!!!

I HAVE HAD ONE OF THOSE DAYS!!! It has been awhile since my morning started off as bad as it did today. As I look back, my reaction to the things that were disturbing me may have made it worse...;). I have had plenty of mornings like this but this was different. The way I usually get after mornings like that was to remove something from my plate immediately. I try and get rid of the biggest stress asap, which usually is a bot of an overreacting mindset. If we bought a puppy and I started to stress, the puppy was gone by nightfall. If Homeschooling was sooo hard one day, my first thought was to stick Katelyn in school (even though God has called me to do it). If something in the house doesn't look right, I do everything in my power to change it: even if that means buying a new item or going crazy finding a replacement. I don't know why I do that. I don't know if it is an issue of comfort, contentment, or control. It could be all three. Now, back to this morning. As the morning started off dreadfully and I was totally stressed by 9am, I had not thoughts of changing anything. I didn't want to give up homeschooling. I didn't want to ship my kids off. I just pushed through and everything was back to calm by 12. Why is that? I HAVE NO IDEA!!!! God's grace, waking up before the kids and digging into the Word (which rarely happens when its quiet), or growing in the calling the Lord has for me. All I know is that I like feeling this way. I like seeing the stresses of the day as just that, STRESSES. They are not the end. They are not meant to break me (unless God wants them to). They are not my excuse to give up and throw in the towel. I am thankful that God keeps showing me my shortcomings so that I can grow closer to Him. He has so much for me and until I surrender all the craziness that is me, I will stay in chains. True freedom is my desire. Thought I'd share what I learned to day and let you in all my imperfections...haha.

Jesus' calling.....my calling!!!

God showed up this morning while I was reading. My reading was all about knowing your purpose that God has called you to, waiting on Him, and trusting His faithfulness. In this season of life, this was perfect for me to read today. I thought I would share some scripture that I read. Jesus knew His purpose. The prophet Isaiah foretold it centuries before His birth. Let this be our purpose as well:

" The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."                                                                

                                                                                                                   Isaiah 61:1-3

Here is a quote of encouragement:

Live everyday to fulfill your personal mission. God has a reason for whatever season you are living through right now. A season of loss or blessing? A season of activity or hibernation? A season for growth or incubation? You may think you're on a detour, but Go knows the best way for you to reach your destination.

                                                                                                               Barbara Johnson

When she thinks I'm not listening.....

 There are those days when you feel like you say the same thing over and over and no one is really listening. " Can we put the dirty clothes in the hamper which is only an inch from where you dropped them?" or " Can we throw trash away in the actual trash can instead of just leaving it on the counter?". Those are just a few of the thousands of things I feel I repeat every single day. There are days when I teach Katelyn what it means to have a happy heart while she obeys and that the way she talks to us should be respectful and loving because that honors God. I feel, most days, it goes in one ear and out the other. UNTIL....... the other day when she didn't know I was listening. She was with Samuel in his room changing his diaper and getting his clothes on so I could finish getting ready. I heard her say, " Samuel, show me how you can obey with a happy heart because that makes Jesus happy." and "Samuel, mommy is working hard in the house, we need to talk nicely to her because God put our parents in charge of us and they love us." WHAT????? SHE HEARS ME????? I wonder sometimes why she doesn't want me to know she hears me or if she does and now she's ready to pass it on to her little brother. Anybody who knows my children, they are loud (which I blame on my northern husband..hehe), busy, has never ending energy, strong-willed, and selfish. They were born sinners. Some of those things are just who they are and I need to cherish their personality with grace and patience. But some of those things are because they are sinners just like their parents. They are not perfect and never will be. That is why training and teaching them to love Jesus and others is our goal. When I realized that Katelyn was listening to me and was even applying it, I melted. I realized that all the time and effort I pour into her for the glory of God is worth it. It is my calling. This is the life God has called me to. There are days when I feel unheard, unappreciated, and invisible but God sees it all and then shows me glimpses of it in my children. I guess I wanted to encourage parents: THEY HEAR YOU!!!!! More than anything: THEY SEE YOU!!! Does what you say match up with what they see? This parenting thing is hard but joyful all at the same time. I will mess it up at times and have to apologize over and over, but my God promises that in my weakness, He is strong. Thank you Lord that she hears and sees me. Please let me see that as the High Calling that it is. Thank you for this life and for motherhood.

THIS IS CHURCH!!!!!

I saw this video and I can't stop thinking about it. This is my vision of what church should be. I have felt so busy doing " Programs and Productions" before in churches that I walked away exhausted and tired more than excited and glorifying God. WE ARE THE CHURCH....CHRISTIANS. The building is not, the programs are not, the music is not, the productions are not. Those are all great things but that is not all. If Jesus is not in the center and the reason behind it all, then you are not doing Biblical Church, you are doing Religion. I can't wait to begin the journey Josh and I are on and see amazing things God will do. I have to step aside though and let Jesus become first. This is hard to do. I hope this video impacts you and the way you view Christianity. Let today be the day you see people the way Jesus did.

Change is a Comin'

If any of you are like me, CHANGE SCARES YOU TO DEATH!!!! The lack of security that comes with change is terrifying to me. In the last 6 months, change has been all I have known. My life has been uprooted in many ways and God has seemed very quiet. But, change is a comin'. God has been spoken very loudly and we are ready. This time, I am more excited than scared. Oh the fear is there but I working through it with my Savior. That is all I will say. More to come!!!