When it feels like too much to carry...

Overwhelmed.

Tired.

Weary.

Discouraged. 

Feeling like I am spinning my wheels.

This has been me lately. 

A four year old with an attitude who has decided that sleeping at night is not really that fun.  An 18 month old who likes to nurse a few times at night, often clamping down when she is finished.  A house that really needs a deep clean.  Noisy kids that don't allow me to get a word in with my husband.  Another meal needing to be planned, prepared or cleaned up after.  You get the idea. 

Things could be so much harder, I know.  But without a real break or real night of sleep in months (18 possibly) I have felt like my patience is wearing thin, my fuse is getting short and my joy is faded.

Then my hope was restored.

Today I was listening to a service from an awesome church in LA, Expression 58.  Shawn Bolz, the pastor, was sharing a testimony about a business person who gave the management of her business over to the Holy Spirit.  Immediately I realized that is what I had to do.  I know that God alone holds the wisdom I need for every decision I make in life- parenting, household managing and being a wife, friend, and daughter.  So right then I prayed and asked Him to have my life fully and to give me the wisdom I need for my children, my home and my marriage.

What freedom I immediately felt!  Hope and joy returned because I am confident that God is able and willing to help me in all things.  Tonight as I was bathing that sleepy 4 year old it was like time stood still as I looked into her eyes and realized I had the perfect opportunity to pray over her as I shampooed and conditioned her hair.  Instead of feeling resentful at how fussy she has been lately I saw my unique position in her life as her mom to be able to speak a blessing over her and call forth the good things that God destined her for. 

It was powerful and I know it was His leading me. I am confident that if I look to Him and listen for Him, His grace will take me to new places of breakthrough in all that concerns me.

If you are feeling run down, overwhelmed and frustrated I encourage you to do this too.  Give the Holy Spirit your parenting, your home managing, your marriage, your career.  Ask Him to show you how to do things and to impart His perfect wisdom for your situation.  You will be amazed at how much He cares!

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV)

Until recently I always thought about verse 30 pertaining to oxen and didn't really get it.  I heard someone say it is like a person who is carrying two water jugs with a yolk or beam across their shoulders that balances the weights.  By dispersing the load it is easier to carry more weight.  His yolk is easy and His burden light; He makes it easier for us and lightens our load.  He promises that if we will come to Him with our burden He will give us rest!  Thank you Jesus for your rest and for lightening my load!

Home Education for Preschoolers

Little ones are like sponges!  I am constantly amazed at what my two year old daughter retains, often after only hearing or seeing something once!  She is eager to learn and I want to take full advantage of this time and not miss a precious opportunity to teach her about God, about creation and about life. 

I was inspired by reading about what other moms are doing with their preschoolers but didn't want to pay for a curriculum just yet.  I also wanted to have the flexibility to come up with my own plan and not feel like I needed to adhere to someone else's lesson plan.  I wanted the teaching to center around God and give Him credit for all He has made.  I came up with five categories that I wanted to teach Audrey more about:

• God Made Animals
• God Made Plants
• God Made Our Bodies
• God Made Our Earth
• God Made Our Day

Some categories will take longer to cover while others will be only a week or two.  Under each category I came up with subcategories and we will cover one each week.  For each subcategory I make a list of crafts to do together, books we own to read, themes to discuss, field trip ideas and also music or videos to listen to or watch.  We also go to the library each week and pick up quite a few books that correspond with the topics we are learning about.  I try to find a few titles that are educational and a few that are just fun or fiction.  I want this to create a love of reading and learning and not feel like work at all.  I am also giving myself lots of grace- if one week is too hectic to take on a new category we will just put it off a week and maybe continue to review last week's theme.

The Internet has been such a help in coming up with ideas!  I search Google Images for line drawings that can be traced for coloring pages.  There are so many websites offering preschool craft ideas.  When I am feeling not so creative these have been really helpful!  I look for videos on Youtube that would be educational (always preview first!).  There are all kinds of sites like the National Wildlife Federation that offer tools for teaching children.  Whenever I come across something useful I save it to a special folder in my favorites so I know right where it is when I need to refer back to it.

I find that the hands on learning experiences are the most fun and memorable.  Making a craft together, going to a farm or even a trip to the pet store will make such an impression on a little one!  It really doesn't take much to engage your child and make learning so fun.

So far our home education has been such a treat for both of us!  Now every day Audrey asks when we are going to do our craft.  I know I will look back and be so glad I was intentional about teaching her things and spending quality time with her!

Teaching Our Children to Look to God

What is your child's first response when something isn't right?  When an illness causes discomfort, when a fear comes up, when something is out of our control?  And more importantly, what is your first response in these situations?  I wish I could say that mine is always to turn to God in prayer.  It often is, but not every time.  I have tried to teach Audrey to think this way, to look to God when she is in need, and it seems to have worked. 

A few weeks ago we were on our way home from church and I casually mentioned having a headache.  Immediately the response from the back seat was, "Mommy!  I want to pray for you!"  After chewing up her snack, Audrey held my hand and prayed a sweet and simple prayer for my head to "not feel bad."  I was so blessed by her quick and correct response to my need.  We have taught her that Jesus heals and I love seeing her child like faith in action.  I am so thankful that the good things we have sown into her are taking root and bearing good fruit.  I feel like I fall so short so often and it is times like these that I feel such encouragement to press on. 

I have seen God's faithfulness all throughout my life.  I know that God still heals based on His Word, but also because of personal experience.  My little sister was born blind.  Her optic nerves had not developed and she was completely unable to see.  My mom took her to three different doctors and they all gave the same diagnosis.  They all said there was nothing that could be done, no hope of her receiving her sight.  My mom refused to accept that her child would never see so my parents took her to be anointed and prayed for at our church (based on James 5: 14 and 15).  The following evening they observed for the first time, Lauren following a moving object with her eyes.  She was completely healed and now doesn't even wear glasses.  This testimony has been such a powerful force in my life.  Even in times when I strayed from God, I always knew that He is real and that He cares about me.  I want my children to grow up with that same sense of God's love and power.

Children are never too young to learn about God and to hear about His love and faithfulness.  They are little sponges, thirsty to suck up anything we put before them.  We must be so diligent to seek out good things that nurture faith and godly character in our little ones!  Spending time reading Christian children's books together, listening to worship music or scripture put to song, and patiently explaining who God is to our children really pays dividends.  Our favorite books to read together right now are two that I had as a child and remember enjoying the rich detail in the illustrations.  They are Big Thoughts for Little People and Giant Steps for Little People.  Both are available through Amazon and teach biblical truths and godly character.  We are also enjoying listening to God's Word from A to Z by Abe and Liza Philip and also the Seeds Family Worship music.  Both are available through the Itunes Store and make scripture memory so easy.

Something Worth Pondering: Forgiveness

"Forgiveness is releasing the captive and realizing the captive was you." - RT Kendall

Forgiveness is such a powerful force.  True forgiveness causes even the most ungodly person to gasp in amazement.  When we give ourselves the gift of forgiving others our own bitterness and anger is lifted and we receive a sense of freedom. 

As Christians we have been forgiven of so much.  In light of all that God has forgiven us of, should we not be quick to extend forgiveness to others who have hurt, taken advantage of or offended us?  In Matthew 18, Jesus tells a parable of an unmerciful servant who owed a debt he could not pay.  The merciful master forgave his debt even though it was equivalent to millions of dollars.  The servant came across another servant who owed him a much smaller amount.  Instead of remembering the mercy he had been shown, he demanded that the other servant pay him in full.  When the master heard of this he turned the unmerciful servant over to the torturers.  What a powerful picture of what we must look like to God when we hold grudges against people.  Is there anyone that you need to forgive in order to walk in freedom?  Forgiveness does not mean that what someone has done was ok.  It only sets you free from the burden of unforgiveness.

Putting God First in Our Traditions

The holidays are behind us now and unfortunately that is a relief to many of us.  The stress and hassles that come with Christmas are really a shame.  One major source of stress is deciding on, buying and wrapping gifts, not to mention mailing or delivering them to each person on your list and trying not to leave anyone out.  In years past I have felt the joy of Christmas diminished because of the pressure to find something thoughtful for each person on my list without going way over budget. 

Well, two years ago my husband and I tried something radically different!  We decided that since it was Jesus' birthday we should give Him something He would like!  So we decided to take the money we had saved throughout the year to buy Christmas gifts with and instead give it to a ministry who would use it to help the poor and show them Jesus.  We believe it is God's heart to love and care for those in need and most importantly introduce them to Jesus.  So we wrote a letter to all of our friends and family letting them know what we were doing.  We asked that they partner with us and send any money they would have used to purchase gifts for us to the ministry we choose or one of their choosing.  That year we selected a ministry that was drilling wells in Africa and this past year we selected Iris Ministries who also ministers in Africa to orphans.  It was so very rewarding to send a check to these ministries who are saving lives and saving souls.  We so appreciated everyone who partnered with us. 

On a much less eternal note, it really made my Christmas less stressful.  Although I did not miss receiving gifts at all, I did miss the fun of giving (at least giving to the people who are easy to buy for like my mom, sister, girl friends, etc!).  We did not go over budget and were able to spend more time together, less at the mall or in traffic.  I don't think we will do this every year but once in a while it is a great way to honor God and have less on your to do list!  How do you keep God first in your celebrations?  I would love to hear your ideas!