Hi friend,
Thanks for stopping by. Can I tell you something?
It was a long day. A good day. A fun day. A day that found me singing when the evening came. But it was a day that I cooked and served dinner to my four kids and then cleaned up dinner and gave them all baths without daddy here. (insert: I am SO grateful for my amazing husband who is normally wrestling on the ground during dish cleanup) Daddy was away for the entire day and I am not used to entertaining the kids while cooking and cleaning and doing baths. (insert: mama is no fun at bath time) Daddy usually does baths. Daddy is super fun at bath time. I on the other hand don't like splashing and just want to finish bath time so it can be bed time. No excuses, but because I have an awesome husband who is such a present and hands on father, I am not used to doing this and things sort of crumbled. It was a "we don't need to brush our teeth tonight, let's just go to bed" night. {Maybe I shouldn't have tried cornrowing my daughter's hair for the first time on a night like this?} Sometimes I wonder how God could use such a flawed person like me as a mother. I felt defeated. We ended the evening with mama holding my precious babies in my lap explaining how I need a Savior, too. I was able to share the Gospel with my children because of my mistakes. Because of my sin and shortcomings I was able to show them what it is to ask God for forgiveness and seek theirs as well. A beautiful mess. Beauty from ashes. And that is how God can use me. A night that I didn't have to feel defeated because I am not defeated. Christ who died for my sins lives and reigns and the Spirit is living in me. And when the Spirit prompts, don't quench it. I am not defeated. Greater is He who is living in me than he who is living in the world. After our big group hug and four kids tucked into bed, I went downstairs. I praised God for forgiveness and the freedom we have in Christ. And then I went straight back up to each one of them for some 'noses' because mama rushed past that during our bed time routine. And it was so sweet. God is so good.
"Your children are the greatest gift God will give to you, and their souls the heaviest responsibility He will place in your hands. Take time with them, teach them to have faith in God, be a person whom they can have faith. When you are old nothing else you've done will matter as much." -Lisa Wingate
"There is no such thing as a perfect parent. Just be a real one." -Sue Atkins
And now for the links:
The Day My Son Gave Up On Me by Lauren Cormier at The Huffington Post Blog
3 Ways To Raise a Pharisee by Loving My Lot
Thanks for stopping by. Can I tell you something?
It was a long day. A good day. A fun day. A day that found me singing when the evening came. But it was a day that I cooked and served dinner to my four kids and then cleaned up dinner and gave them all baths without daddy here. (insert: I am SO grateful for my amazing husband who is normally wrestling on the ground during dish cleanup) Daddy was away for the entire day and I am not used to entertaining the kids while cooking and cleaning and doing baths. (insert: mama is no fun at bath time) Daddy usually does baths. Daddy is super fun at bath time. I on the other hand don't like splashing and just want to finish bath time so it can be bed time. No excuses, but because I have an awesome husband who is such a present and hands on father, I am not used to doing this and things sort of crumbled. It was a "we don't need to brush our teeth tonight, let's just go to bed" night. {Maybe I shouldn't have tried cornrowing my daughter's hair for the first time on a night like this?} Sometimes I wonder how God could use such a flawed person like me as a mother. I felt defeated. We ended the evening with mama holding my precious babies in my lap explaining how I need a Savior, too. I was able to share the Gospel with my children because of my mistakes. Because of my sin and shortcomings I was able to show them what it is to ask God for forgiveness and seek theirs as well. A beautiful mess. Beauty from ashes. And that is how God can use me. A night that I didn't have to feel defeated because I am not defeated. Christ who died for my sins lives and reigns and the Spirit is living in me. And when the Spirit prompts, don't quench it. I am not defeated. Greater is He who is living in me than he who is living in the world. After our big group hug and four kids tucked into bed, I went downstairs. I praised God for forgiveness and the freedom we have in Christ. And then I went straight back up to each one of them for some 'noses' because mama rushed past that during our bed time routine. And it was so sweet. God is so good.
"Your children are the greatest gift God will give to you, and their souls the heaviest responsibility He will place in your hands. Take time with them, teach them to have faith in God, be a person whom they can have faith. When you are old nothing else you've done will matter as much." -Lisa Wingate
"There is no such thing as a perfect parent. Just be a real one." -Sue Atkins
And now for the links:
The Day My Son Gave Up On Me by Lauren Cormier at The Huffington Post Blog
The Hard 'No' (Consistency with a Strong Willed Child) by Shannon McKee
3 Ways To Raise a Pharisee by Loving My Lot
Thank you for sharing your real life example! And I enjoyed these readings very much! You always pick some good ones! The one about the strong willed child was especially encouraging! We musn't give up! But we must perservere!
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