Happy Mother's Day!

Loving the dailyness of life...last night I put my daughter to bed. She usually asks to stay up later on Friday nights and read Last night she asked to read with me! We spent almost an hour looking through her scrapbooks and remembering things she did as a baby, toddler and preschooler. It was a wonderful memory and even more special b/c SHE initiated it!

http://proverbs31devotions.blogspot.com/

Gotta love the internet. The program I need to finish the papers for my meetings tomorrow is not responding....but I can blog. Go figure!

Back to work

The school year started for teachers yesterday. For the first time since my daughter was born 6 years ago, I will be full time. I have a new teaching position with the early intervention program. It has been busy, but fun. I am looking forward to working with the families and seeing the growth of the little ones.

Beach Ball

My daughter recently celebrated her 6th birthday. Among many other things, she received an inflatable beach ball. We don't have a pool, but my father took it upon himself to blow up the beach ball. Her and my almost-3-year-old are having a blast playing with the ball around the house. Since it's lightweight and my kids aren't slamming it, I do not have to worry about things getting broken. What a great idea. It has provided hours of entertainment, so go get a beach ball and have fun!

Great resource

Group's publishing has a Hands-on Bible for kids that is packed with great ideas to teach kids basic Bible stories and principles. It's a great investment. We bought ours over a year ago from the local Christian bookstore. Our kids love "doing" devotions! Here's a link: http://www.amazon.com/Hands-Bible-NLT-Group-Publishing/dp/0842387595

Summer idea

So we are heading into the middle of July. For our family that means vacation, Fourth of July celebrations, and Katie's birthday are now behind us. Other than a camping trip in August, we have 5 weeks of unscheduled "free" days, which means plenty of opportunites for summer boredom to set in. I'm going to make an attempt to blog ideas every few days of ways we curb summer boredom in our house. Here are a few ideas to start:

• Go to the Library - We go once a week to get books and videos for the kids and me! They also have video games you can borrow. I love curling up on the couch and reading with the kids when I'm feeling lazy. When you're finished, take them back and exchange them for new ones!
• Get creative - save old toilet paper rolls, empty egg cartons...whatever you like. Pull out the art supplies and let the kids be creative. For kids (or parents) who may need a little inspiration, try www.dltk-kids.com
• Go camping in your backyard - We inherited a new pop-up camper from my in-laws this spring. We have yet to get a chance to take it camping, but the kids are begging my husband to put it up so we can spend the night in it in our backyard!

Time away

Last week our family headed to the beach, just the four of us. It was the first time we had gone by ourselves with the kids (no grandparents, other families,...). While you can never have a "relaxing" vacation with little ones, it was nice. I actually got to sleep in and do some reading during "quiet time" in the afternoons. It was also amazing to watch our kids. They are amazing. Almost 6-year old Katie (her birthday is next week) has evolved from a quiet follower into a leader (albeit bossy) who wanted to try every wild ride at the amusement park. She loved everything she tried. Micah, 2 1/2 going on 6 has to do everything is sister does. However, his seriousness and thoughtfulness is evident. He has not been the easiest baby/toddler to have, but I've always said God is going to do amazing things through him. I must say, he's starting to develop personality...and you DO NOT interfere with his wants. Yesterday we had a day at a local lake with some friends and he wanted a dump truck to play with in the sand that wasn't his. We had been there awhile, and it was way past naptime...needless to say he cried, no wait screamed would be the better word, the whole time packing up and in the bathhouse. I finally distracted him with a knob in the changing room that could move up and down...after I fought him to get him dressed into dry clothes. I cherish these times with my kids...although they are not relaxing enough in my book to be considered "vacations".

Summer Break!

Today is my first day off of teaching for the summer. Woo-hoo! I do plan to work a few days here and there, but for the most part my plans for the summer revolve around trying to play catch up around my house. I have a list of cleaning, painting and sorting through the things that have piled up around here this past school year. However, God has also been calling me to slow down, to let things go, to put relationships with others ahead of tasks I think need to be done. So as much as I want to "DO", I pray that with God's help I can also just "BE" the kind of mom, wife, friend that he's calling me to be.

Happy Summer!

Pause before responding

I recently heard this bit of advice in a training that I was blessed to participate in. Then, the very next day, I read it in my devotions. Isn't it funny how God uses various methods to get our attention? Pausing before I launch into my response, opinion, story that relates to the topic (or not) is not something I do easily. However, I have been reminded this week that it is something I need to work on.

A totally unrelated note. My mother-in-law got me a book for Christmas. It's called "Three Days" by Melody Carlson. Reviews say it's an easy read, so I plan to read it during Holy Week as an additional way to prepare my heart for Easter. I also like to read through the events of Christ's last week on earth.

Loving like Jesus

There is a woman in my life I have a difficult time loving. She is, in my opinion, annoying and I do not like being around her. However, due to recent circumstances (probably God-inspired) I have found myself having to be around her more. While I am trying to see her like Jesus, my human flesh still struggles to love her.

This morning in my devotions, I was challenged to do a random act of kindness for to show love for my neighbor. The author talked about the unlovable and how it is often they who need to be shown love the most. Guess who the Lord brought to my mind....this very lady.

Lord, continue to help me in my journey to see people through your eyes and not my own.

Everyday life

I think I have a case of the "February Blahs". Our home has been filled with sickness, the flu bug, colds...you name it we've had it. I am anxiously awaiting spring. What is most discouraging is that God has been silent. No new insights, no encouragement...just living in the daily routineness of life.

Father, Thank you for the gift of spring. Of new life, and a fresh start. Help me to feel your presence and recognize your blessings even in the dullness of February. Amen.

Let's play

Today there are a million "big" projects I could be doing. My kitchen is in desperate need of a thorough cleaning, my file cabinet is overflowing with papers that could be shredded and organized, the kids toys have once again overtaken my foyer. But today my goal is simply to relax and play with my kids. We have no big plans (other than a birthday party my 5 year old was invited to this afternoon) Yes, I will do a few loads of laundry and try to tidy up the clutter and run the vacuum. But I did not make a huge "to do" list that keeps my focus away from my kids today. It is Saturday, and today I want them to have my unfocused attention. Right now they are watching "Bob the Builder" and after that....LET'S PLAY!

Snow Day

Today was a surprise snow day! Our first this year. It was only an inch, but I think the cold temperatures and the fact we haven't had a snow day yet factored into the board of education's decision. So here are some of my favorite things to do on a snow day:

Make snowman pancakes (pancakes shaped like snowmen, decorated with powedered sugar and whatever candy we have on hand)

drink hot chocolate

scrapbook (while the kids do their own creative art stuff)

NAPTIME!!

Reading and extra time for Bible reading/devotions

The kids, of course, love playing outside. Dressing them in their snowsuits and standing outside in cold weather while they play is probably my least favorite part of parenting, but my kids love playing. So today we spent 10 minutes in 12 degree weather playing in an inch of powdery snow.

Isaiah 63:7

I have achieved my goal of reading through the book of Isaiah this December before Christmas. Here are some thoughts on Is. 63:7

We live in a negative world.
God calls us to praise him
People are without work and money is tight
God calls us to rejoice in his goodness
Though we may fall, God will lift us up.

Have a blessed Christmas!

Developing an attitude of gratitude

Even in tough times, I am amazed by how much God has blessed our family. More than anything, I want to pass down an attitude of being grateful for what we have, and sharing our blessings with others to my children. Here are some ways we are trying to do that this season.

Operation Christmas Child - http://www.operationchristmaschild.org/ a project through our children's missions at church. We pack shoeboxes. Both of my children took some of their own money to buy things at the dollar store to put in a shoebox and both were at church the night the children in our church together packed over 120 boxes to send.

Packing lunches for our local homeless shelter - This is something the adult Sunday School classes at our church does. This year, my husband and I will be helping to assemble the lunches, with my kids helping alongside us.

Countdown Christmas chain - 2 years ago, when my daughter was 3, I saw the idea to make a paper chain to countdown the days left until Christmas. Each day we remove 1 piece of the chain. After all, as a kid the time does not go quickly enough and the visual helps them to see how we really are getting closer to Christmas. The first year we wrote someone or something we were thankful for on each strip. Last year, we included some things we could do to help others. My daughter gave some piggy bank money to the Salvation Army, made cards for people she loves, and baked cookies for her class at school.

We sponsor a little girl (yearround) who is the same age as my daughter through compassion international. www.compassion.com/default.htm It costs $32 a month and my daughter writes the letters (with help) and prays every night for her friend. We also have researched what life is like for a child in Peru, and how they don't have things we have.

Hope this gives you some ideas!

-Sandy

In my weakness, He is made strong

Hebrews 4:15-16 "This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it."

As I read that passage, it was easy to list my weaknesses, those many many times when I give into my flesh. Yet the last verse made me pause: if I come boldly to the throne of my gracious God, I will receive his mercy and grace to help me when I need it.

What a comfort to know that God is so tender and merciful. In our Sunday School class this past week, our teacher shared a thought. What if when we went to sleep at night, we prayed as we fell asleep, as if we were falling asleep in God' arms? I love the idea of falling asleep in God's arms. Like a little girl cuddling on her daddy's lap.

Fall Fun

I love the fall. Carving pumpkins, jumping in leaves, trunk-or-treat... Yes, I did say "trunk"- or-treat. This is the fifth year our church has sponsored this event. People decorate their car, van or truck trunks with a theme and we pass out candy in the church parking lot. Anyway, it is a great outreach to our community. This year I was blessed, as a non-christian co-worker who I invited to bring her son asked if she could decorate her car trunk with her son. Of course our youth pastor (who organizes this event) was excited to have her, and I was excited to be able to have a fun event to be able to witness through, and I was pleased that several of our ladies went up to her and made her feel welcome. It just goes to show you that witnessing opportunites do not always have to be super-spiritual events. Often it's the fun stuff that reaches out to our unchurched friends. Our pastor says building relationships is probably the most effective thing we can do to build God's kingdom.

to do list

My to do list looks more like a book than a list. I feel as though I'm drowning and no matter how hard I work, I can't seem to get any closer to the top.

In times like these, I need to look at what I've accomplished, and the things that I've done that will count for eternity:

Yesterday I...

I spent quality time with my daughter - baking cupcakes for a special activity for our toddlers at church and later doing a puzzle.

I had an opportunity to have lunch (even thought it was McD's) with my husband and have some "alone" time to chat and laugh

did 7 loads of laundry (ok, I know that one doesn't count for eternity, but it makes me feel a little less stressed)

visited with my parents for a little while on our deck when they brought the kids back from their outing, enjoying the beautiful fall day.

ate a (pretend) meal meticulously prepared by my son and enjoyed every bite...to which he laughed and squealed with delight.

Father God,

Today give me a desire to do the things that really matter to you, and let the rest just "be".

Amen

Teamwork

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to participate in a Teambuilding session with some coworkers. I must admit, at first I was not looking forward to it. After all, I had plenty of paperwork to catch up on instead of "wasting" time. However, at the end of the day, I felt it had been a great day. A group of us had to work together to balance a "boat" in the woods, transfer a can of "hazardous" liquid using a spiderweb like contraption, tossing as many koosh balls as we could around the circle without dropping, and get as many points as we could by tossing tennis balls into buckets - the catch being we couldn't move our feet from where we initially placed them. I learned that I have grown a lot. I used to not speak up in a group at all, but yesterday I found myself offering ideas to help our group complete the task at hand, and making a fool of myself lying down in the back to block tennis balls from rolling off of our carpet. Needless to say, today I'm a little sore.

God does not call us to spirit of fear and timidity. I am sometimes fearful of what others think of me, critical words that may be said behind my back, fear of not fitting in. When I find myself feeling fearful, I try to remember that God's opinion is the only thing that matters. When I am doing things He calls me to, I cannot do them alone. I need my brothers and sisters in Christ and I need to be able to work cooperatively with them to achieve our task at hand. I also need to speak up when I have an idea that I think might help us achieve that task more effectively, without worrying what others might think.

created beautiful

Wow! I've posted 2 days in a row! Our Women's Bible Study started back last night after a summer break. This session we will be focusing on how we as women are created beautiful by God. Last night we played a game in which we had to give ourselves a point for each "mindless" thing we've done. Such as locking ouselves out of the house, the car, leaving the iron on, forgot an appointment...and so on. There were 18 items and the winner had only ever done 9 of those things. In fact, most of us were up around 14 or 15. This just goes to show that we are all human. We make mistakes and it is only by God's grace and mercy that we are saved.