Parenting: Have FUN With It!

I have learned so much about being a parent in the 7 years since I became a mom.  And I have a feeling that in another 7 years I'll look back at what I know today and laugh at my younger self for knowing so little.  Parenting is a journey, and we grow each day we are parents.  We learn a little more each step of each day that we spend with our kids.

But one thing no one told me and that I've read distressingly little about is a truth God revealed to me a little over a year ago: PARENTING IS MEANT TO BE ENJOYED!  It's not always fun.  Not all of the time, anyways.  Not even most of the time, at certain stages of our children's development.  But we should enjoy it.  There's a huge difference between joy and happiness; I can't always be happy as a mom, but I can always find joy as one.  Why?  Happiness is circumstantial and joy is transcendent.

Parenting isn't a race to the college finish line, or a trek to the summit of a hard mountain climb.  It's not even a destination at all.  It's all about the daily journey.  And if we can't enjoy our children and take delight in the training of them, then we'll never make it.

A lot of what I've learned has been from watching my husband with our kids, to be honest.  He always finds a way to enjoy them.  He comes home from a long day at work ready to snuggle, cuddle, tickle, read, or play.  He could work 70+ hours in a week and still make sure he takes time to give them his attention and let them know they are a priority in his life.  Even when they are asleep, he lavishes his love on them.  Last night on my way to bed I noticed their door open and peeked in and there  he was, snuggling our son.

He ENJOYS being their daddy.

And his enjoyment of them saturates his relationship with them.  They receive correction from him with such respect and attention because they want  to make him happy.  They take great delight in delighting him!  They are secure in his love of them and know that his time and focus are theirs whenever he has it to give them.  As a result, they respond to him beautifully.

Think about it: if your children are not responding to you as you wish they would, maybe it's time to look at how you allocate your time.  Have you taken time out to enjoy them?  Have you lavished your love and your laughter on them yet today?  When was the last time you took some time "off" from the stress of being an adult and just played with your kids?  It's a great place to start.  Since God opened my eyes to this a year ago, my relationship with our children has been radically altered.  It's awesome!  Even when I have to discipline them or we're having a training moment, I still enjoy being their momma.  I challenge you today: take some time out to enjoy your precious gifts from God!

Linked up with Titus2{sdays}, Domestically Divine

Faithful Friday: Update

This week I'm just going to share in a very real way where I am in my life.  I am one month away from my due date and very sick.  I am having a hard time reading because I am so light headed and woozy from not keeping food down well, and have fallen way behind.  That being said, I am not going to be able to complete my Bible reading in 90 days.  I am, however, going to keep plugging away and finish it as soon as I am able and keep going forward from where I am.

I am learning a lot from this, as I am a perfectionist by nature.  I never give up and I often over achieve.  And right now, I can't.  That made me feel like a failure when I realized it.  I felt like I was going back on my word, breaking a promise to God and to myself.  I felt like I was missing some great thing that God wanted to do in my life.  I felt like I had failed miserably.

But here is what God told me when I cried in His lap: God directed me to this journey.  On it I have been encouraged by other women and met many new ones who offer wisdom and insight.  And the call is not always (or even often) about the destination; it is about the lessons learned on the journey.  It's not about whether or not I can meet my 90 day goal at this point; it's about whether or not I have what it takes to finish what I've started, even though it's not looking like I thought it would.  It's about whether or not I value integrity above accomplishment.  It's about faithfulness.

So I'll still be here on Fridays for link ups and sharing Sue's blog with you on Mondays.  I'll still blog as my health and family time allows.  And after Lil Bit arrives and life gets back to "normal" I plan to get back on track with everything else.  But in the mean time, it's about growing, becoming, and faithfulness.  It's about God's agenda, not my own.

Reflections of a Mom

Do you remember what you thought motherhood would be like?  I mean, before you had kids.

I do.

I thought I would have this blissful smile on my face, while my precious cherubs played around the beautifully appointed home I'd created.  In one mental picture, I would be round with child and have others playing happily around my feet in the kitchen while I made a delicious, nutritious, yet amazingly frugal dinner as my husband was due to arrive home.  My hair would be shiny and held back in a pretty clip, I had no bags under my eyes and my makeup and outfit looked great!  Our children never bickered and always put their toys away before I could even ask them to.  In another imaginary vignette, I saw our children sleeping after a wonderful day playing outside and a fun dinner out on our patio.  Hubby and I held hands on our way to the couch where we planned to sit, enjoy the fire in the fireplace, and relax and bask in our love.  Of course, we weren't too tired to do this, nor were there any household tasks left to accomplish at this point in the day.

Fast forward a decade.  We have two kids and one more due next month.  We do have a home, lovingly provided for by my husband's very hard work and not just a little effort on the parts of myself and our children.  But our kids do bicker, the house does get messy, rarely do I look well rested and put together for more than a few hours a week (although I try!), and at this point in my pregnancy I don't often have the energy after the kids go to bed to sit and talk and be enjoyable.

Yet, I wouldn't trade it for the world.  I love my husband.  I love our kids.  I enjoy being his wife and their mom.  I wouldn't do anything else, anywhere else.

Why do we have these mental pictures?  Where do they come from?  What can we do to shatter the myths?  What can we do to prepare ourselves (and others) for reality?

Stay tuned...over the next little bit I'll be sharing about the things I've learned so far as a wife and mom and the things I hope to teach my children.  I hope you'll take a moment to comment and share either a "shocking reality" you've encountered or a question you would like answered.  I'll pray and do my best!

Choices, Choices Everywhere!

Sometimes it's fun to pull out old pictures and journals and reminisce about who you were once upon a time. And sometimes it's not. Sometimes it's difficult to look in the mirror of your past. Last night I pulled out my old journals and began to read. I barely remember the girl who wrote those pages, barely even remember her dreams and passions. Life has this way of taking us along whether we want to go or not, and sometimes we lose who we were.

Sometimes that is a good thing, because we learn how to be a better person. We learn that true happiness really isn't "all about me", but rather all about "who I was made to be." It's all about who we let God make us and how we let life shape us. A wise friend once told me it was inevitable that life would hurt me; I had no choice in getting hurt, but I could choose not to hurt others. Life is full of other choices, too.

We have to choose to love even though it means letting people in.
We have to choose to trust even though we might get hurt.
We have to choose to try even though we might fail.
We have to choose to live even thought death is inevitable.
We have to choose to make friends even though they move in and out of our lives.
We have to choose to give even if all others do is take.
We have to choose to find joy even when all we feel are tears.
We have to choose to laugh even when there's no one to hear the laughter.
We have to choose to see beauty even though all we see are the ashes.

God has entrusted each of us with a life. We are to be faithful stewards of that life, giving it to Him and loving Him. Out of that love will flow obedience, and out of that obedience will flow blessing. It's only through true yielding that anything else will even be possible. It's learning what it's all about.


Take it a step further, now.  What are our choices as a wife, a mom?


We have to choose to sacrifice, even if the cost is great.
We have to choose to support our spouse, even if it means setting aside a personal dream.
We have to choose to make room on the road of life to walk side by side, even if it means we have to do a little construction.
We have to choose to die to self so that we can live as a family, abundantly.
We have to choose to pray tirelessly for the one we love, simply to bless him.  Even if we don't see a blessing resulting for ourselves right away.
We have to choose words of life, even when it feels like it's killing us.
We have to choose to be silent when the words want to explode.
We have to give of ourselves freely, even if the price is high.
We have to recognize that all of these choices are important, but not all will have the result we hope for.  But we should make them anyway.


Today I am going to choose to bless my husband and to honor my children by taking a TIME OUT.  I am going to choose to set aside my "me time" and instead use it to play a game with my kids and make something extra special for my husband.  Sometimes the choices that make the most impact in a day are really very simple.








Be sure to stop by OWNING REDEMPTION and visit Sue and her beautiful wisdom and encouragement for the 90-Day Challenge!


Linked up with: Make Your Home Sing Monday, Marriage Mondays, Homemaker Monday, 

Sabbath Thought

While I know myself as a creation of God,

I am also obliged to realize and remember

that everyone else and everything else

are also God's creation.

~Maya Angelou

Wouldn't Take Nothing For My Journey Now

Faithful Friday: Walking it Out This Week

I'm getting a late start with this post because it's been a challenging week.  This is my first pregnancy that edema has been an issue and I had to spend 2 days keeping my feet up and feeling somewhat useless.  Today I am up and about, but using wisdom with regards to my activity level.

It occurred to me while I was resting and praying and hoping my family would do okay with the shift in dynamics that the fruit of my parenting was going to be quite evident as my children obviously knew I wasn't up to par.  In Deuteronomy 6 we were admonished to train up our children in the Words of God, to make them part of our lifestyle and to saturate every part of life with them.

I know I try, but I often feel as though I fall flat on my face. In fact, this coming week I'll be blogging about some things I'm learning as a parent so stay tuned.  However, I was able to see something in my children that gave me hope.

They LOVE me.  Their compassion for me and for this little life I'm carrying was staggering.  I was overwhelmed by the care they gave me and how unselfish they could be when it was needed.  A Lil Man only 4 and a Princess nearly 7 set aside any petty arguments they might normally have with each other and played nicely, checking every so many minutes with their mommy to make sure she was okay.  

Faithfulness is essential to growing our faith, but our faithfulness in raising our family, in loving them, in shaping our children's character is also critical.  Because the fruit it yields will eventually sustain the next generation.  That's what Deuteronomy was all about: setting up faith to survive the generations.

Be sure to LINK UP a post of your own to share!

Truth? Dare to Ask The Right Questions

Once upon a time, a great man of God named John Wesley walked the earth and inspired many people.  He started a club that focused on accountability and spiritual growth.  One way the members of this club grew was by asking themselves very hard questions.  A woman who mentored me for a short time gave me a copy of this list and it has been a challenge to me ever since.  Here they are:

1. Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am a better person than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?

2. Am I honest in all acts or words, or do I exaggerate?

3. Do I confidentially pass on to another what was told to me in confidence? Can I be trusted?

4. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work or habits?

5. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self -justifying?

6. Did the Bible live in me today?

7. Do I give it time to speak to me each day?

8. Am I enjoying prayer?

9. When did I last speak to somebody else with the object of trying to win that person for Christ?

10. Am I making contacts with other people and using them for the Master's Glory?

11. Do I pray about the money I spend?

12. Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?

13. Do I disobey God in anything?

14. Do I insist upon doing something for which my conscience is uneasy?

15. Am I defeated in any part of my life? Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy, or distrustful?

16. How do I spend my spare time?

17. Am I proud?

18. Do I thank God I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisee who despised the publican?

19. Is there anybody whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold resentment toward or disregard? If so, what am I doing about it?

20. Do I grumble or complain constantly?

21. Is Christ real to me?

Life Aflame

What do you BURN for?  What incites your PASSION?  What CONSUMES you?

These are questions I've been asking myself lately.  Why?  Because fire spreads; it consumes everything in its path and sparks fires on that which surrounds it.  I want the things that I burn for, that I am passionate about, that consume me to be worthy of sparking interest in others...particularly the little lives that I influence on a daily basis.

I hope to share with them my passion for God, for my home, and for my family.  I hope to spark in them a desire for excellence, a love for nature, and an enjoyment of people.  I want them to be consumed with love and praise and joy.  

And then there are the little things, too.  I hope to inspire them to love literature, to appreciate music, to indulge in the arts.  I want them to take the time to laugh, to stare at shapes in the clouds, and to gaze at the stars.  I pray they learn from me the simple joy of spinning in the rain and catching snowflakes on their tongues, of running through a sprinkler in the middle of summer, of crunching leaves underfoot in the fall, and of seeking out the first blooms of spring.

Yet sometimes I think I'm better at imparting my sarcasm, my skepticism, my hesitancy to trust.  I really need to think more about what I'm imparting, since it's so easy for a small spark to start a big fire.  I want live a life aflame and help them burn and shine and live.  My children are precious little beings, easily warmed or burned by my fire and only I can determine which it will be.

Streusel Muffin Moments

Tonight I baked Cinnamon Streusel Orange Muffins with my Lil Man.  We had an awesome time working together!  I have to admit, I missed my weekly cooking date with the Princess Chef so I've rearranged our weekly plans a wee bit to add in a cooking date with her, as well.  The Lil Man was super excited about helping in the kitchen and determined to be very independent...and did very well with it!  We found the recipe online HERE and followed it to a tee, although next time we'll probably personalize it a bit, using the comments of others as a guide.

As always, the first step is to find a WONDERFUL ASSISTANT for your cooking adventure...

then don your aprons and wash your hands.  

Next, we pull out everything we'll need and set it out so it's easy to access.

For this recipe, we used 2 different mixing bowls as well as 2 little glass bowls.  

The first mixing bowl was for our dry ingredients and the 2nd for our wet ingredients.

After stirring the dry ingredients thoroughly and whisking the wet ingredients thoroughly, 

Lil Man carefully poured the moist ingredients into the dry.

Then he stirred them until it was mixed well, but not lumpy.  

At this point we turned on the oven to preheat it to 350.

In one of the little glass bowls Lil Man mixed the filling ingredients together 

and in the other he mixed the streusel topping.

 

We filled a 1/4 cup scoop about half way with batter to measure it into the {greased} muffin tray 

so that the muffin cups would be just under half full.  

Next, we sprinkled about a teaspoon of filling onto each muffin cup.

Then we topped them off with the rest of the batter and generously added the streusel topping.

They baked at 350 for 25 minutes and came out DELICIOUS!

Here are our "outtakes" from tonight...the Quality Control team wanted to taste the vanilla extract.

 

Linked up with:  Tasty Tuesdays, Tuesdays at the Table, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Delicious Dishes, Delectable Tuesdays, Raising Homemakers, Tuesday Night Supper Club, Balancing Beauty & Bedlam,Hearth and Soul Hop, {TITUS 2}SDAYS, Mangoes and Chutney

The Best Nest

It was an interesting weekend, to say the least.  I hit the "nesting peak" in my own unique way and cannot believe I took the plunge to purge while under the influence of late pregnancy hormones.  But I did.  And it feels GREAT!  We have gotten rid of our two large (elephantine, really) bookshelves and I have sorted out enough books to pare down to nearly half of what we had last week.  Aside from some minor panic and the thought of shedding an occasional tear, it feels AWESOME.  I have learned that it is more important to enjoy my home than to fill it with things I think I will enjoy having or think I need to have to enjoy life more.  Too much of a good thing...is still too much.

I've kept the important things in our home...hubby's still around, both kids are still here, and the dogs survived the Great Nesting Attack.  And I didn't get rid of anything chocolate.  However, nothing else is safe.  I'm getting rid of brick a brack, "stuff", things from storage, some Christmas decor, tons of books, and lots of STRESS.  It is amazing how calming it is to walk into a clutter free room.  Clean space is so refreshing.  Minimalism really has its perks (not that I'm to the point of some, but I've come a long way in a relatively short period of time since I started this journey a few years ago).  I've even passed on so much baby gear I've surprised myself.  "Stuff" takes up space...physical and emotional space.  It's true.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed by your home?  Do you rearrange your clutter or do you get rid of it?  I used to pretty it up and create more, convincing myself it was the better way.  Now I know better.  And I thought I'd hit our "happy place"...but those nesting urges are helping me take good to best.  After all, if I'd have my home look a certain way for company, shouldn't I want it to look even better for FAMILY?  They are my highest priority.  And that is my focus today (and really, every day): GIVING MY BEST EFFORTS TO THOSE I LOVE!


Remember to head over to visit author Sue Taylor today for her Monday Inspiration at OWNING REDEMPTION..."Do You Remember" is sure to touch your life!


Linked up with: Make Your Home Sing Monday, {Titus2}sdays

Grab Your Coffee, Pull Up A Seat, & Let's Gab

I realized that in the last 2 months my "followers" on this blog have tripled, and I don't know many of you well if at all.  So I felt like it was time to introduce you to myself and my precious family and welcome you into my life a little bit.

I'm a 30 year old woman who married her best friend at the age of 21.  In July we will celebrate our 10th anniversary.  Hubby and I went to college together and hung out all the time, never thinking of things "like that"...but "that" is exactly where we found ourselves 4 years after we first met.  We went to school at Zion Bible Institute in Rhode Island at the time.  He was from northern Maine and I'm a New York gal.

Our story is pretty funny and special (at least to us).  The first time he gave me flowers, I actually tried to throw then away...but ended up just giving them away.  That was 2 years before our first date.  On our first date, my Prince gave me a replica of that same bouquet...with the addition of one white rose to symbolize our new beginning.  When he proposed, it was the same bouquet with 2 white roses for our next beginning.  My wedding bouquet...well, you guessed it - the same, but with 3 white roses.  I have all the little notes and letters and cards from our courtship and early years in a scrap book.  I even remember getting squirted by a cherry tomato on three separate dates, which he still says was unintentional.  It's okay; on our wedding day he wore cake.  I thought we were even.  Until we were camp counselors and I wore a pie.  I still owe him for that one ;)

We have lived in Rhode Island and Maine and have been settled in Alabama for the last 6 years.  The Princess Chef will be 7 in just a few weeks and the Lil Man is 4 1/2.  Lil Bit (gender unknown...yay for surprises!) is due to arrive in about 6 weeks.  The Princess Chef has a huge, gappy smile and dimples that will melt you (or at least me).  The Lil Man can charm anyone in a ten mile radius with his sweet words and generous heart.  Lil Bit is our most active baby in the womb, and we are wondering what we're in for when he or she comes out to get to know us better.

We are a family who homeschools and loves it.  We don't have an overabundance of resources, but my hubby works very hard to ensure we have all that we need and I've learned to be be very frugal...and am continuing to learn each day a little more.  I am so blessed to be married to someone with a strong sense of integrity and a rock solid work ethic...as well as a mischievous sense of humor.

I'm a freelance photographer and I think that life behind the lens is not only fun, but an awesome way for me to express myself.  I love candid photos that evoke emotion or capture a moment.  I think we have only 2 posed pictures in our whole home on display.  My favorite subjects are my hubby and kids...but I actually love photographing any children!

I love to dance with my husband and our kids and enjoy music of almost any type...although my favorite genres are worship and country.  The kids have a current favorite worship CD called Paint Your Picture by Julie Meyer...and I highly recommend it.  My favorite country artists are Alabama, Tim McGraw, Martina McBride, Sugarland, and Lady Antebellum.  Favorite song to bump into on the radio? Old Time Rock n' Roll. I still love listening to the 90s hits from my high school days (Third Eye Blind, Three Doors Down, Eddie McCain, Savage Garden, and the rest).  Cheesy, right?  But they do take me back!  I also still have my very first CD even: DC Talk's Free At Last.  The BEST CD of all time, in case you wondered.

I have a weakness for NY style pizza, peanut M&Ms, tiramisu, and Dunkin Donuts coffee.  I can be bribed with chocolate (shhh, don't tell!).  My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving and I collect snowmen which I put out that afternoon and keep out through February usually.  I want to learn to bake bread, but so far my attempts have been pitiful at best.  I'm an avid reader and love Lori Wick, Karen Kingsbury, Francine Rivers, Nora Roberts (not all, but some), David Baldacci, and more.  I think CS Lewis is brilliant and devour anything written by James Goll, Chuck Pierce, or about homemaking and parenting (loving Sally Clarkson right now!).  Someday I want to hike the Appalachain Trail.

My heroes in this life?  My 9th grade earth science teacher, my 11th grade English teacher, and my 8th grade teacher top the list.  Those 3 people have influenced my life from the day they entered it right up to the present.  Mr. L taught me to forgive, to reach further, to try harder, and to make it happen.  Mr. M taught me about faith, literature, dreaming, doing your best, the value of family, and character.  Mrs. M showed me that God can do wonders with a life submitted to him, taught me how to reach out and love people outside of my circle, to hold my head up and walk with faith no matter what life threw at me, and how to laugh even when life stinks.  I hope to inspire my kids the way these 3 have inspired me; they shaped my future and I know God put each of them in my life intentionally; I still thank HIM for them.

My favorite color changes depending upon what room I'm in or why I need to choose one.  I like certain colors for clothes, different ones for decorating, different ones for accessories.  A gal can never have too many shoes or purses.  A good hair cut can make you feel like a million bucks.  I love makeup, but don't wear a lot anymore.  I do wear earrings every day just because it makes me feel special.  I hate laundry, but I do it anyway.  I love being in the kitchen, and my new favorite household chore is mopping because I got a steam mop for Christmas!

Okay...nice to meet you.  I'm sure we'll get to know each other more as time goes by, but this is a good start.  Who are you?  Feel free to leave me a comment and tell me about yourself; I find it so encouraging when I get to know my readers and peek into your lives, too!

Faithful Fridays: What does it look like?

So what does the fruit of faithfulness look like in your life?

Does it simply mean you've read the Bible every day?

Is it a success at creating a ritual?

Or is it more?

To me it's relationship, romance, wonder, excitement, blessing, emotional investment, a shift in my time allocation.  It's also challenging, frightening, overwhelming, strenuous, and exhausting.  It's a worthwhile endeavor that will reap future rewards, but is also rewarding now.  It means seeing things through new eyes...VISION...hearing things through new ears...ATTENTIVENESS...understanding things with a new mind...TRANSFORMATION.

Yesterday I shared some lessons from the lap of Eve.  There are also lessons to be learned from Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Judah, Aaron, Joshua, the nation of Israel...from the rules and regulations set for holiness...for the fingerprints of God that are evident throughout...for the foreshadowing of the Cross.  All of these lessons are shaping us, changing us, renewing us.

What does it look like in your life?  What's your most transforming lesson this week?  LINK UP and tell us about it :)

Lessons from the Lap of Eve

A long time ago, in the Garden of Eden, lived a man and a woman. Adam and Eve had it made. They lived in God's presence. They walked with Him in the cool of the day, side by side with the Creator and Almighty God. They had every thing they would ever have need of provided for them. Fruit was ripe for eating, animals were there to coexist peacefully with them, and the water was clear and clean. And then came the serpent...

You've heard the jokes about that darned apple. If Eve just hadn't taken that bite, we wouldn't be here, right? Actually, I don't think it had anything to do with the apple (or whatever fruit was produced by that fateful tree). It had to do with the question the serpent asked, and Eve's lack of certainty in the Word. All satan asked was, "Did God really say..." With four small words, that wiley serpent wove a web of doubt in Eve's mind. She didn't have the Word in her heart, or she would have known what He said. Enter: Adam. Eve shows him the fruit, makes a statement emphasizing the doubt created by the serpent, and Adam bites right in. If you read it right from the book, you see that not until Adam ate the fruit were the eyes of both of them opened. What does that mean for woman?

Well, actually, quite a lot. To me, one of the first things it reveals is that we are under man's covering. Even in the garden, even before it was really articulated, we see that God created an order to be followed. Man was the one on the line before God, woman was under his covering. What would have happened if Adam had resisted? Honestly, we'll never know. But part of me truly believes that that would have just been that. 


Another thing that shows is that when the husband and wife are one, both need to commit to a course of action. It reveals just how tightly linked the two of them were that it took both of them sinning to open their eyes. I also take from this that satan knew whom to go to. He knew which one of them would be more susceptible to questions and doubts. That means I need to guard my heart, my mind, my emotions, my ears and my eyes from ungodly influences ... and even more importantly, I need to know what God said so that if anything begs me to question it I can stand on Truth. 


Lastly, it reveals the great influence Eve had over Adam. He trusted this mate that God gave to him, and he willingly followed her lead. I need to be very careful as a woman to wield my influence with caution and integrity, and not to take advantage over the ability I have as a woman to direct the course of things.

I challenge you, Woman of God:

• Delight in your covering. Exalt in your submission. Revel in the freedom of being a woman, protected and cherished.
• If you are married, be in unity with your spouse. Pray together, always seeking God, so that the two of you may move forward in God's purpose and not be derailed from the path He is directing you down.
• Know the Truth, guard it carefully in your heart, and do not be easily led to doubt the Word of God.
• Be a woman of integrity, using your influence with caution and faithfulness, never abusing the trust others have in you.

Linked up with Marriage Mondays

Confessions from a Mom: From Fear to Joy

I remember well the day I found out I was pregnant with our first child.  I had a melt down.  Then I went into denial.  Then I wanted to tell everyone and have a party.  Then I started to panic: What if I'm not a good mom?  What if I screw everything up?  What if I don't know how to be a mom?  I'd never done this before, after all.  How would I know what to do?

I also remember well the 3 a.m. reality check that helped me figure out we were expecting our second child.  I was terrified.  After all, I loved our first child so completely, how could I possibly come close to loving this new baby as much?  It just couldn't happen.  My entire heart was wrapped up in the life of our daughter; how could I split my heart in two?

And then a few months ago I found out we were expecting our third.  This was a huge shock, as we did not think we could have more children and had decided that we were a two child family.  Yet this time it was a little bit different.  I understood that I didn't need to be perfect to be a good mom.  I still don't understand the mystery of love multiplying, but I do know that I'll still have enough love to go around.  And yet, I still have fears.  What if I don't have enough patience for three (I barely have enough for two on some days!)?  What if I can't homeschool a third one (heck, two is hard enough on some days!)?  What if I can't balance my time well and my other two get jealous?

There are always fears.  There are always frustrations.  And there always will be.  However, I have to choose.  I can either survive the Mom Years or I can revel in them.  It was about three years ago that God asked me in my quiet time a question that would revolutionize my life: HOW ARE YOU ENJOYING THE BLESSINGS I'VE ENTRUSTED IN YOUR CARE?  

It was the first time I'd realized my kids weren't mine.  And it was also the first time I'd really though about enjoying them, as opposed to merely loving them and raising them.  God wants us to delight in the good things He gives us.  He wants us to treasure the things that He treasures.  The parenting years are not meant to merely mark time; they are meant to revel in, to delight in, to enjoy.

Have you lost your joy in parenting?  Did you ever have it to begin with?  Can you look at each one of your children and know in your deepest heart that you not only love them, but you enjoy them?

I know that it's not all a walk in the park, and that there are "those" days.  That's normal.  But overall, what is your reaction as a parent?  When God rocked my world with His inquisition, I knew I had to change.  I needed to overhaul my perspective, my actions, my emotions...I needed a total overhaul.  I began to intentionally invest time in each of my children every single day.  I purposed to spend at least 20 minutes with each of them having fun...no work...just fun.  We would read a book, turn on the stereo and dance, make a play-do sculpture, go for a walk...it just had to be fun.  I wanted them to enjoy me, the mom.  It wasn't long before I began to delight in them!  Sometimes I find myself getting too busy and not enjoying them as much as I should and I have to remind myself of what I learned back then and shift my priorities once again.  It's so worth it!

Linked up with: WOMEN LIVING WELL

Sweet Cinnamon Cornbread

The Princess Chef and I decided to take a break from desserts...but we did stay with sweet food this week.  We had a lot of ice and snow this weekend and wanted something toasty for dinner, so we decided to make some cornbread.  I had a recipe I've been playing with and wanted to try a new spin on, so we made a Sweet Cinnamon Cornbread and served it up with a tropical fruit salad.  Everyone was a big fan, so we'll actually share the recipe here ;)

Grab your Special Helper (mine is the Princess Chef) and pull out all of your ingredients

(Please note the huge gap in the smile...that was her New Year's memory this year...front tooth GONE!)

 

Next, preheat your oven to 400 degrees and place the Secret Weapon inside.

What's the Secret Weapon you ask?  It is the most important part of making delicious cornbread.

A CAST IRON skillet.

Put about 1/4 cup of oil in the skillet and roll it all around to coat it well.

Then place the skillet in the oven and "bake" it at 400 

while you mix everything else together (about 10-15 minutes).

Next, mix all of the dry ingredients together

• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 TB baking powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• dash of salt

Then, whisk together the moist ingredients in a separate bowl and then blend them into the dry ingredients (we use the mixer!)

• 4 large eggs
• 3/4 stick of butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 cup oil (we use vegetable)
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tsp vinegar

Now, CAREFULLY pull your skillet out of the very hot oven and place on a trivet.

Actually, first you should turn the skillet to coat again with the oil that is in it.

NOW you can pour your cornbread batter into the HOT CAST IRON and

watch it SIZZLE.  This creates a delicious crust on your cornbread.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 and bake 30-40 minutes, until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

We served ours topped with a delicious HONEY BUTTER (directions at the end) and

a Tropical Fruit Salad.  The Quality Control Team loved it and left only crumbs in their wake!

 

HONEY BUTTER

• 3 parts softened butter (we used 3/4 cup butter)
• 1 part honey (1/4 cup honey)
• Dash of cinnamon (1-2 tsp)
• 1 tsp vanilla

Whip together the butter, honey, cinnamon, and vanilla and serve.

OR

You can also melt the butter, mix it together, chill for a bit, and then serve.

  

ENJOY!

Linked up with: Tasty Tuesdays, Tuesdays at the Table, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Mouthwatering Mondays, Delicious Dishes, Raising Homemakers, Tuesday Night Supper Club, Balancing Beauty & Bedlam, Hearth and Soul Hop, {TITUS 2}SDAYS, What's Cooking?, Full Plate Thursday, Foodie Friday, Make Your Home Sing

The Great Exodus

My spirit sighs. 

Some days are mixed with just the right amounts of grace, grease and Glory.  Today was a day just like that.  It started with a heavy dose of grace as I stood with my faith family and declared the goodness of God.  By noon, I realized that my day had taken a turn for the 'hard,' and that it would require a decent amount of elbow grease to sign off on my many promises.  But by nightfall, or should I say 'snowfall,' the precious Glory of God was undeniable as He painted a picture a white-as-snow picture for whomever would pay attention.  And, so my spirit sighs...


Continue to read Sue's insights over at OWNING REDEMPTION


Each Monday of the 90-Day Challenge, Sue is sharing with us some of her beautiful insights.  Join me here each Friday for a blog link-up with your own posts and some insights shared here, as well.  Hope you are all doing well and be sure to comment and share a nugget about your journey so far...your comments are such a blessing!

Sabbath Thought

Today is a day to rest

To find peace and comfort

To be with family

And to honor God

Today I will read the Word
I will spend time just being

I will enjoy my family

I will focus on relationships

I will honor God

Simply Saturday

Today is going to be one of my favorite days of the whole year.  Why?  There's nothing extraordinary that's about to occur; it's simply Saturday.  But it's special nonetheless.

8 months out of the year my husband works on Saturdays.  He is gone before we wake up and often returns after we've gone to bed for the evening.  During those months, Sunday is his only day at home.  However, we are in that 4 month span of time when we have him with us two days in a row, nearly every weekend.  I can't even begin to tell you what that means to me!

I get to wake up next to the man that I am excited to spend every day next to and to walk through live with, hand in hand.

I get to sit at the breakfast table next to him and across from our children, eating the same food we eat every day.  And yet today, it will taste a little bit better, a little bit sweeter.

I get to snuggle up next to him on the couch and read a book or watch a movie while the kids play and we laugh at their antics.

I get to hug him any time the mood strikes me, and steal kisses all day long.

I get to not only pray for him like I normally throughout the day, but pray with him, which is intimately precious.

We are a very blessed family.  Our children have a father who delights in spending time with them and I have a husband who cherishes me greatly.  He works hard as often as he can to earn what we need to live as we've chosen.  It's a lifestyle not without its struggles, but we make it through them all because we have each other.  In the times that seem dark and impossible, it is my husband who says "It is what it is" and keeps pushing on through until we've all made it to the other side.  In the times that are bright and joyful and simple, it is my husband that makes them even brighter by doing little things to enhance our joy.  

Today is simply Saturday, but it's one of my favorite days of the year.  We are all together, we are all healthy, and we have an amazing man at home with us...all day long!