Being the Mom I Want to Be

I am finally becoming the mom I want to be. It has taken me a long, long, time to get here. Now...you might wonder where here is, so I'll tell you.
Here is a place where I truly enjoy my kids, and my life... most of the time...nobody is perfect! And- speaking of perfection, not looking for perfection is another huge milestone in parenting for me. I have learned that every criticism I have aimed (even mentally) at another parent or their child has usually come back to bite me on the backside! Grace is such a great equallizer. A critical spirit is like walking around on a hot summer day with gum on your shoe-it gets everywhere.
I am learning to see the world through the eyes of my children instead of always expecting them to see through my eyes. It's nice to visit ten or even twenty again sometimes!
You know those things you think you will remember you don't, at least I don't. I want to experiene my kids, imerse myself in the people they are becoming each day, not just remember them. They are worth the effort.
I have great kids!
Blessings,

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

I'll be fifty on my next birthday. I am not sure how I feel about that.

When I look and my daughters, they are so beautiful, their eyes are bright and unlined, their skin smooth and flawless and their smiles radiant. They don't know yet what I known for a while -youth by it's very nature is attractive. Perhaps that is why our culture chases so hard after it and why the enemy of our soul tries to despoil it.
I look at my reflection and realize the face in the mirror will never be nineteen again and that's okay. I like the lady in the mirror...most days. She reminds me of my mother strong and resourceful. Our eyes are the same hers and mine, small and full of fire, but the eyes of the lady in the mirror relfect memories that are mine alone.

The nose is definitelty Dad's, the chin too. I think the chin is from my Scotch-Irish Grandma and traveled across the sea from England with her. It's definitely a family chin-my Aunt Rho has it and so do my uncles. I am sure the "chin" goes back for many generations. There is much about the lady in the mirror that is unique; a merging of differnet cultures and characters, all on my face!
My life has been a good one. Each life have heartaches and sorrows, frustrations and disappointments and mine is no exception to be sure. And there are times-okay I'll admit it-when I wonder what it would be like to be young again. Would I make different choices ? Would the mistakes of the past be repeated? I am grateful to an all wise God that those choices have been kept from me.

I love my children very much but I know the road ahead will have heartaches for them and I am glad not to have to walk the road of my youth again. I do hope to be here for a long time to help them and to comfort them on their walk but the truth is "Life is a hard place to grow up."

To have a life without heartache means you have closed your heart to all the love and hope God has to offer and that is not realy living at all! Life was meant to be so much more!

I pray with my whole heart that my children will make their choices in life carefully because these life-choices will have an eternal impact on their lives and the lives of others. We truly do not live in a bubble.
I am excited for my children, they each have so many firsts still ahead of them and I pray that they will learn to listen to that still small voice that will willingly lead them if they will listen, He says in His word that HE wants to guide us with His eye. I am convinced there are GREAT things God wants to do in each of their lives. A unique work of God that without their obedience may not be completed.

Friday morning thoughts...
Blessings,

Finding My Christmas Moment

Each year I ask God for a Christmas moment; a small quiet block of time to be alone in His presence. A special time when He can share His heart with me. It is during this set aside time each year, when my heart is still, that God has touched me deeply. These Christmas moments have opened my understanding about different aspects of Christ's birth, life, death or character I might have missed otherwise.
Christmas means different things to different people. I have wrestled within myself in the past over some of the traditions surrounding Christmas. I have wondered what a Christmas- that truly honored God- should look like. On those Christmases past even as I struggled God has always smiled. Even when it seemed we had nothing God has provided materially for our family and made a Christmas where there seemed to be none. Because He has done this for us I don't wrestle (as much) with the materialism or the controversies that arise over Christmas. Instead I revel in the season and look for was to make it special. The fact the God has done so many Christmas rescues in my life has caused me to focus less on the material and concentrate more on the spiritual and emotional aspects of Christmas. I now look for ways to extend the season as long as possible!
Our tree is up and simply decorated. We have cookbooks spread out on the counter and are trying new holiday recipes as well as making the old favorites. Christmas books collected over the years are out and we are reading inspiring Christmas stories each day. The Advent wreath is on the coffee table and we've been reading about the many prophesies fulfilled by Christ...some prophesied over a thousand years before His birth! We look forward to lighting the next candle on our Advent adventure.
As I try to lay for my children a foundation of Christmas traditions that tie them to the truth of Christmas, my heart is content. I feel ready for Christmas though I have not purchased one gift.
Blessings,

Weekend Retreat

I am sleep deprived and and not very clear headed today. Our women's retreat always falls on the weekend before Thanksgiving so the week prior and the week after are full of activity.It was such a good weekend there was healing and renewal in the hearts of many women of whom I am one.
The theme of the retreat was I Live to Bring you Praise. Many of the workshops had to do with the seasons of life we all go through as women. We learned about enduring difficult seasons with stamina and faith. We learned about living sacrificially and attaining a higher level of maturity. There was such a unity of Spirit and all of the workshops tied into the teachings in the general sessions perfectly.
I taught two workshops on Thriving in a Difficult Marriage. So many women are locked into marriages that are painful for them and it was a difficult subject to teach on. I hurt for these beautiful sisters, as I looked out over the room I could see the pain in some of their eyes.
I wanted these women to see from my own life that God can heal and restore the years the locust has eaten. I wanted to help them use the tools God has given to us in His word to affect change in their lives. We are not without hope!
To easily we forget that if marriage is our model for the relationship of Christ and his bride the church; then enemy of Christ and the enemy of the church is also very much the enemy of our marriages!
I knew I was teaching two workshops but I though one was going to be in the morning and the other in the afternoon . What I didn't realize until I got there was that the workshops were to be back to back so I talked for two hours straight. Today my throat is a bit dry and scratchy but I was honored to be able to share. I know, I know, you all know me and have no doubt about my ability to talk for two hours straight!!!
At night during the game time we played a game called Mafia. It's been around a while but I had never played before. I am not normally a game person but I had a blast. We stayed up until 12:30 A.M. Saturday night playing. I am not sure it is good to know how easily women in your church can put you on the hit list or how convincingly some of them can lie :)
I hope each of you has a blessed Thanksgiving.
Blessings,

Info on Camp FARAWAY

I have gotten many comments lately especially about CAMP FARAWAY.
The sign was apparently put up by some Canadian military who -like One of Eight -are FARAWAY.
When our son saw the sign around base he could not resist the photo opportunity. A picture as they say paints a thousand words.
Our prayers are with all of these men and women,,,prayers they all stay safe and come home soon!
Blessings,

Camp Understatement

Bloggy Titles

Most of us don't get to choose our own names we are born into them or marry into them. BUT we do get to choose our screen names. I have long been facinated by some of the creative names that have passed through my mail box. Okay so I'm the one person that reads bumper stickers and tries to figure out vanity plates. One statement on vanity plates if you can't fiqure them out, why bother? But I digress, over the summer I participated in the Dog Days of Summer give-away and was amazed at the creative titles my bloggy friends had chosen for their blogs. Some were serious or spiritual, others were just outrageously funny but most expressed something about the author. The give away was hosted by Rocks in My Dryer. Case in point the title Rocks in My Dryer, if you have small children -particularly man cubs you have certainly had rocks in your dryer. Some of these creative titles made me smile. Maybe you could use a smile. So here's a few I liked. I am sure at least one will make you smile.
Stretch Mark Momma
Desperately Seeking Sanity
Fresh Brewed Writer
Wilblogforshoes
It Coulda Been Worse
Monkey Giggles
Junk in the Trunk
You Can't Unscramble Eggs
Whatcha do Today?
After a Cup of Coffee...or Two
A Frog in My Soup
Antique Mommy
Between Diapers and Dishes
Chocolate the Other White Meat
Conversations With My Hair Dryer
and my personal favorite...Mommy The Human Napkin! Blessings,

The Great Out of Doors

We are preparing for the first family camping trip in many, many years. I am excited about spending time with the kids. My sketch pad is packed and I am good to go!

The thought that One of Eight and his sweet wife won't be with us is sad to me but knowing this is his last deployment is a relief. God has been so faithful to watch over him on each deployment. I am amazed that we serve such a detail oriented God. Nothing escapes His watchful eyes.

I am looking forward to getting alone with God. It is always so wonderful to be able to draw away and listen for Him, especially when you can be in one of those beautiful places He created instead of a man made structure.

God has a plan for each moment of my life, He is a God of detail. I am not always tuned in to his agenda -because I have my own own agenda. In fact, I often lie awake in at night and mentally plan the next day. Unfortunately for me and my agenda scripture makes it clear that we cannot serve two masters. I have to be able to submit my will and my schedule to God. I must surrender not just the day but each minute of each hour in the day.

You might wonder how you can possibly get everything accomplished you need to. Well, I'm not sure. In all honesty I have never in 48 years turned out the lights at night, climbed into bed and said, " Wow! I got absolutely everything done today that I had planned!"

The nature of the beast is this, we can easily become slaves to work. I don't know about you but I want all of God's blessings for my life. Blessings very often do come in disguise and if we are too busy we miss them .

I am not telling you to throw out your schedule but I am saying don't be a slave to it. Be open to the Still Small Voice. If we will lay our schedule on the altar of God's will we might just be surprised by the Divine Interruptions God sends our way.

Blessings,

Art is Not For Sissies

If I could take a dream vacation it would be to Brightwood Studios, home of artist Claudia Nice. If you are interested in nature study, art, or both you will love Claudia Nice's work. I highly recommend How to Keep a Sketchbook Journal . Between the covers you will find detailed sketches on every page with beautiful hand written notes by the authoress. On page fifteen there are directions for making a field kit. I hope to make one soon for each of

the children.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/1581800444/ref=sib_dp_pt/102-4873205-1864166#reader-link

The link below will take you to the studio web page where you can see samples of Claudia's detailed artwork.

If you have a little boy that thinks art is for sissies tell him Claudia Nice's eye for detail and keen sense of observation landed her a job with the search and rescue in her area as a man-tracker! That doesn't sound sissie to me -and might motivate a little more interest in keeping a nature notebook!

http://brightwoodstudio.com/brightwood_workshops.htm

Blessings,

Post Card From God

Today was a good day overall but even good days can have their stressful moments and today was no exception.
As I pulled up to the drive thru at McDonalds I saw a long legged, scrawny, chicken running about the parking lot. The irony of the situation made me stop and laugh. It was like a post card from God saying
"Hey, stop and enjoy life, don't take things too seriously!"
Thanks God, I love you too.