My Father's Daughter

I never got to elaborate on my last post and Sherry's great insights from The Well. There is a special peace that floods one's heart when one follows God's will. When I think about my children and spending all my time with them, filling my days with serving them, educating them, loving them, training them...I am so filled with calm and peace. It is such an amazing feeling that I can compare to no other. Sometimes I stop myself when I am reveling in this peace because I never want to be complacent or proud or judgemental of others who live different lives but it has just dawned on me...this is the Peace that Passes all Understanding. When I am not anxious but content living out His Will for my life He gives me His Peace. Keeping my children close to me, involving them in all aspects of my life, making them a priority--their thoughts, needs, hopes and dreams, loving them right where they are, living this life is such a parallel to how Jesus lived. This is who Jesus is to us. ...

As I drove to work tonight and I went by the different decorated houses I remembered why I love this time of year. I had forgotten in all the busyness. For the last two weeks I coordinated a polyana between the cousins, franticly finished shopping (for about 25 people), sent out Chritsmas cards (after getting a portrait done of the kids), bought birthday presents for my Christmas eve birthday boy, encouraged (or forced) birthday boy to write out birthday party thank you cards, wrapped countless presents, made a chocolate birthday cake and fudge icing from scratch, sang happy birthday after lunch on Christmas eve, made pecan chocolate chip brownies from scratch (2 batches), bagged up ornaments and cards for the nieghbors, cleaned, traveled 45 minutes to sister-in -law's for a party at 7pm with tired children...made Christmas brunch--twice (the kids couldn't wait until company arrived at 11:30), made a pineapple souffle for Christmas dinner at my sister's . This in addition t...

One of my last entries talked about 'doubting my doubts' and my faith being based on 'rock solid truth' . I can't help but think it's significant that since my last blog I have found good reason to doubt many of my beliefs. I don't mean losing faith in my God but more realizing that so much of what I believe only comes from traditions of the Church. So much of what I always thought I knew by heart isn't actually in the bible. It has been strange to realize that growing up a 'church kid' can be a bit numbing to what is in the written word. So much of the bible is not just Sunday school stories. I actually have never been so excited about reading my bible and allowing God's Spirit to speak to me rather than taking someone elses predigested version of the truth. Things are not as clear as some would like us to think...and that is OK. God wants to be the one with all the answers. He does not want us walking around thinking we know all there is to...