My Father's Daughter

It seems like an appropriate time to write about gratefulness. Thanksgiving was 2 days ago. I cooked for about 20 people. I had 3 of my siblings and their families and my mother and her husband over to my very little house. It was great. I spent 2 weeks planning. I made 3 trips to the market. I spent 4 days cleaning. And it was really great. I really enjoyed all of it. I cleaned as an act of service to my family, wanting them to be comfortable in my home. I bought flowers so the house could look pretty and festive. I cooked lots and lots of food, mostly just because I could. I baked my kids favorite desserts in addition to the pies I had planned just because they asked me to. I included the kids in cooking even when it made the process take longer and the clean up a lot harder. Did I mention how great it was? Before I go any farther I need to clarify that none of this got done because I'm so great or because I am some amazing homemaker. No. It all got done because I relied on God

I watched my 5 year old and 7 year old play soccer today and it struck me as I watched them, especially the 7 year old, just how grown they are. They are still little boys but yet at the same time they are young men. They fight me yet they want to snuggle. They are tough and loud and they are quiet and sweet. Each day they move closer to the time where they will not want to be right next to me, the time that my home will not be their home. They will be husbands and fathers. They will be friends and neighbors. They will have ministries, jobs, hobbies. They will have in-laws and church families. They will have triumph and heartache. Instead of my lap and back scratches they will have memories. Hmmm.... with what memories would I like to send my boys off into manhood? Memories of a nagging mother? Nope. Memories of stressed out parents? Uh no. Memories of love, acceptance and service. Memories of a God centered life where we all lived in His grace and showed that grace to others. That so

Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 Fall is just a couple weeks away. I love that feeling that's in the air. It has still been pretty warm up until this week...but that feeling...you can feel it coming. The cooler days and even cooler nights, the crispy leaves, pumpkins, pies, wearing jeans again and actual shoes, watching creation get ready for its winter sleep. I love it. It's my favorite season. Seasons are fascinating to me. I'm not sure I could live somewhere with out the rhythmic change in weather. It's grounding. It tells me what to do, what kind of food to eat, what kind of activities to plan. I can't even shop for one Christmas gift until air begins to whisper that winter is coming. The seasons (as do most things in life) give me a glimpse into God's mind. He set the seasons, not just in the climate but in our lives. We were not made to do all things all the time or be everything to everyone all through our lives. Each season has a distinct calling. And in each season

By Bethany Dillon I would have been so blessed to know this song when I was like 13. It startles me when I realize how much of that 13 year old girl is left in me. I was so unique Now I feel skin deep I count on make-up to cover it all Crying myself to sleep cause I cannot keep their attention I thought I could be strong But it's killing me Does someone hear my cry? I'm dying for new life I want to be beautiful Make you stand in awe Look inside my heart, and be amazed I want to hear you say Who I am is quite enough Just want to be worthy of love And beautiful Sometimes I wish I was someone other than me Fighting to make the mirror happy Trying to find whatever is missing Won't you help me back to glory I want to be beautiful Make you stand in awe Look inside my heart, and be amazed I want to hear you say Who I am is quite enough Just want to be worthy of love And beautiful You make me beautiful You make me stand in awe You step inside my heart, and I am amazed I love to hea

But by the grace of God I am what I am... 1 Corinthians 15:10 It was my birthday this week. 31. Wow. It looks funny to see that in print. I'm 31. This last year has been kind of amazing. Scratch that. It's been REALLY amazing. It's been really hard too. I know me better. I have made real, substantial noticeable progress in my attitude and my temper. I like me. I like me and all my flaws. I know I'm a work in progress. I know God is so at work in my life. I know I can be better by His grace. 31 years. This birthday was much easier than last year. Thirty hurt. I never saw it coming. I never thought I'd be someone who cared about a number. It wasn't just the number though. My clock is ticking. I can hear it. It's quite loud. 30 meant now or never for planning more children (especially since, for us, it would mean a surgical procedure to reverse the first surgical procedure). 30 meant I was no longer in my 20's. I've been the youngest in everything I'

Amazima Ministries International . (In)courage asked us to link up with our favorite charity. I didn't have one I felt passionate about until I read about Katie and her kids in Uganda. Wow. I'm humbled. I've always had a heart for children, children others didn't want or couldn't care for. I have to help, like real help, big help...somehow. God please show me how to help.

Recently I've been thinking about how much I learn in this whole homeschooling thing. My oldest son is only entering 2nd grade and I have learned more about world geography and American history teaching him than I ever did in school. I can only imagine that this trend will continue. This makes me realize 2 truths: 1. Much of what we are taught (especially in large groups without a chance to internalize and personalize it) will be forgotten. And 2. It is much more important that my kids look at homeschooling as a good positive experience than it is that they learn every fact. I want them to love learning. This universe will never be fully explored. There will always be something new to learn. This is the information age which means everything they would ever want to know is at their finger tips (or on their phone). They key is wanting to know. How do I cultivate their inborn desire to know and to understand? How do I help them hold on to the curiosity they ooze with right now? My a

Our entire lives are only made up by a series of choices. Some we have control over some are made for us. Some are insignificant. Some are life-changing. Sometimes the choice is clear and easy. Sometimes it seems that whichever choice you make will cause heart ache and pain. Choices. We make them everyday. You'd think with all that practice it would get easier. Somehow it doesn't.

I'm a nurse. I see families at their very worst. I see parents who go on each day watching their children cope with illness, injury, pain and heartache. Most of the time I remember how sacred my job is: to bear witness and be a part of the process of healing, but there are sometimes that I forget. Sometimes I forget and it becomes a job to quickly finish, a task to complete, an annoyance to complain about. It doesn't happen often but when it does I am thankful for the nudge I get in my heart that reminds me "these are My children you care for". But more than I'm a nurse I am a mom, a wife, sister, a daughter and a friend. These people I encounter on a daily basis are His children too. All of them, not just the really well behaved ones, not just the church-going, verse-quoting ones, but ALL of them. Even the ones who are being hurtful, causing me pain; even the ones that seem to just not get it. " Love your neighbor as yourself " Jesus said. This comma

My goal is to unlearn what 13 years of public school has taught me. Learning does not take place at set aside time periods for predetermined subjects. I seem to, so often, slip back into this thinking. This summer we will learn how to play chess. I will teach my son to sew a button (because he asked me to). We will review times tables and we will play base ball. We will swim. We will read. They will read to me. I will read to them. We will eat ice cream...and make ice cream. We will swim. We will read the bible: the actual bible this time instead of a children's devotional. We will memorize verse and play lot of games. We will swim.

It is spring. The air overwhelms us with the need to rid ourselves of the old, the dirty and make things new and clean. This is true for the dust bunnies under our beds and for the dirt hiding in our hearts. I want to live in a way that is full of honor. A life that honors God, my husband and my family.