Twelve Years Today

A Special Gratitude List

~ It's been a blessed twelve years....never short on love or grace.

~ He still kisses me goodbye.

~ He still loves me with a roll-up-your-sleeves, we're-in-this-'till-eternity kind of love.

~ And I still love him.

~ I still respect him.

~ He still chooses to see the best in me.

~ He still loves my legs, though they're varicosed and no longer well-muscled.

~ He still tries very, very hard to be a good father, despite the insanity of littles around here.

~ He still prays with me.

~ He still provides Bible commentary just like a theology professor would do (seriously, I love it!).

~ He still savors time alone with me.

~ He still wants me for a friend.

~ I still want to spend the rest of my life with him.

~ He's still perfect for me.

~ I still love his birthday suit.

~ I'm still amazed at God's provision for my heart. 

Happy Independence Day!

Tonight it's just me, Jack Hamster, Titus Treefrog, the tap of the computer keys and the roar of the air conditioner (and the neighbor's obnoxious home fireworks, which will probably wake the girls momentarily). I turned on the air conditioner in hopes the roar will drown out the bangs.


My husband and boys went to watch fireworks and catch fireflies.  They sit in a grassy parking lot in a nearby town, with two sets of aunts and uncles and all the first and second cousins (my dad's side of the family).

I'm not there...again this year.  Two tired children I can handle.  But four? I simply don't have it in me, folks.

Let me tell you about Mary, age 4.5, who misbehaved her way out of the festivities.  

A few times in her short life she's had sleep issues.  The past year or so though, we've had smooth sailing. Her pattern has been to fall asleep around 8:15--within fifteen minutes of being put down. She wakes up between 7:15 and 7:45 AM., and even with all the summer exercise, she hasn't seemed overtired.  

Four days ago, she started getting up to draw or play with her stuffed animals, while I was in another room with Beth.  This delayed her falling asleep, which makes for a frustrating night at our house, because my next task, after putting the girls down, is to go to the playroom and read to the boys.  

When everyone falls asleep on schedule, I can do this whole routine on my own without too much stress.  Husband has worked nights for so long, I'm used to it.  

Cue the stress, with Mary's new issue.  The worst was last night.  She was still awake at 9:30 PM....her eyes indicating exhaustion.

Last year, at age 3.5, Mary went to the fireworks.  I simply put her to bed a little early, and then husband got her up at 9:00 pm and took her and her brothers to the festivities.....while I stayed home with Beth, who was then 18 months old.

Tonight, since she fell asleep so late last night, I bathed her and put her to bed at 7:00 PM, telling her if she got out of bed and played, she wouldn't go to the fireworks later tonight.  

I heard a little noise in there around 7:45 PM, so I peeked in, finding her mattress at a weird angle, and several things on the floor--indicating she'd been playing.  Fixing her mattress and putting her back in bed, I told her the disobedience cost her the fireworks. 

Sharing with her how frustrated I was with these sleep issues, I asked her why she was disobeying.  She had no answer, other than she was looking for a long-lost stuffed animal. (That's tonight's excuse).  Next, I told her she had to ask her Heavenly Father to help her obey....explaining that it was too hard for her to obey on her own.  We all have to ask for His help, I reminded her.

She's stubborn, that one.  It took a few minutes to get her to say..."Lord, please help me to obey."  She's also very sensitive, being crushed in spirit and weepy for awhile, when we have to speak to her about behavior.  For the most part, she's been an easy child to handle....up until now.  

Her sleep needs couldn't have changed this drastically, in a few days time.

There is a bonfire at my aunt's house tomorrow night, but our family goes to church Sunday nights.  We told the boys Daddy would take them to my aunt's after church, Mary included.  I'm sure someone will have some kind of sparkler at my aunt's, so Mary will not completely miss the Fourth of July wonder. 

I plan to come home after church and put Miss Beth down, missing the bonfire. It's hard enough with her on Sunday nights, coming home from church at 8:40 PM, and not getting her down until about 9:00 PM.    

It doesn't bother me to miss festivities and crowds right now.  There's so little quiet time here........I kind of like it.  :)  

Plenty of time left in my life for fireworks, God willing.  

Next summer Beth will be 3.5 ( it's only with sniffles that I can type that). Old enough for fireworks, with just a little fussiness the next day.

So, what about you?  Anyone staying home with littles this weekend?

Here is a wonderful incourage post about the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence.  

Happy Fourth of July!

Guest Post: Amy's Prayer Warrior Journey, Vol. 4

Here are links for Vol. 1, and Vol. 2., and Vol. 3

When Trials Come.....

This past week was a difficult week emotionally.  First, my girls and I were in a car accident.  Everybody involved was fine, our insurance will cover the repairs, and my girls recovered quickly from the scare.  We had to talk about it many times in order for them to process, but it did allow us the opportunity to praise Jesus for keeping all involved safe.

Second, my grandma, who is 96, is slowly passing away.  It is very difficult on my mom, who is basically the only child to really help my grandma, out of the four total children.  I talk with my mom daily and I know the loss is weighing on her.  I simply don't know how to help or what to say. I feel the loss too. My grandma was so important in my life.  She and my mom were the ones who led me to Christ and taught me how to live as a Christian.  My grandma never had much all of her life, but she was the most positive, joyful person I have ever met.  It is difficult to say goodbye.

Then, my husband got some news that left him feeling extremely saddened and emotional.  He needed support, patience, and understanding.  

All of this, added to my everyday stress of keeping up the house, caring for the kids--one who follows me everywhere--and trying to prepare for my part-time summer job, left me exhausted. 

.....He Is My Comfort, My Strength

My comfort and help came from the Lord.  Not to say that I handled all of the above situations appropriately at all times.  But, I am thankful for my relationship with Jesus, which grows and develops so much through my times of prayer.  I am thankful I have Him to go to for forgiveness, comfort, understanding, and strength.

Praying for Our Sons

This gray tree frog is also pictured below.  They turn green, brown, or gray depending on their environment and on humidity.  Our family is delighted with our new pet, whose impressive jumping makes him quite exciting.  Females are one to two inches, and males are two inches or less.  We believe Titus Treefrog is a male.  "Let's make him a Biblical frog!" said Paul, naming him Titus (the book we had just finished reading as a family).

Praying for Our Sons

Our Father, may my sons......

...love their families as Christ loved the Church, sacrificially--as their own father does.

...develop a disciplined prayer and Bible reading regimen they'll take with them to adulthood, holding it as sacred.

...support their families to the best of their abilities, working hard and smart, putting God, love, and family above self-serving ambition.

...spend time guiding and investing in their families, directing them in the ways of the Lord, leading them in selfless love.

...marry strong Christian women, from strong Christian homes, who will display biblical conduct.

...leave their families and cleave to their wives, in biblical fashion.

...have no reproductive health issues (if it be your will), producing as many children as you bless them with, raising them for your glory.

...choose godly friends who are willing to uplift them, admonish them in love when necessary, hold them accountable for Bible study and consistent prayer, and sexual purity.  May my sons provide the same godly counsel for their friends.

...stay sexually pure always--heart, mind and body.

... exercise self-control regarding their own hobbies and interests, never putting them above God or family needs. 

...accept with gratitude, never bitterness, whatever circumstances God orchestrates for them and for their families.

...lead their families in godly stewardship of resources, always having a heart for the home church and for the poor and needy.

...love their siblings always, developing life-long friendships with them, enjoying fellowship, guidance, loyalty, and support.

...honor their parents.

A Day in the Life of a New Prayer Warrior, Week 5

This week marks 42 days of consistent prayer.  The prayer was a blessing, as usual.  But, my goodness it was a hard week otherwise!

I failed again at staying on top of library due dates.  Taking back a truckload of books and some movies, I was unaware that the movies were late at fifty cents per day per item.  A surprise awaited me.

After picking many new items, we made our way to the counter.

"You have a fine of $17.50, and when it's more than $10.00, you can't check anything out.  Would you like to pay today?"

Gulp.  Hadn't I just renewed those a few days ago?  Or was that the other district's library system I got into?  


Husband, who wants the library to be free, will come unglued.  We must drive a little further, I tell myself, to a library with Curious George DVD's, that only charges ten cents a day per item. A library in the same district as our other main choice, so I'm only receiving one set of reminder e-mails.

We drive to this further library, and we're delighted to find small pet animals in cages, as well as a beautiful children's section, complete with both Barney and Curious George DVD selections, as well as a ton of Magic Tree House books, and Boxcar Children books.

The library fees weren't the only waste of money this week.

I bought $13.00 worth of 7% ground turkey from Walmart on Monday.  On Tuesday I discovered that the first package was spoiled, despite the July 2 sell-by date.  I threw it out and made french toast that night.

On Wednesday I took a package out of the freezer, partially thawed it, only to smell that it, too, was bad. Adding up the money I lost, I decided to save the second package and return it the next day, even though I didn't have a receipt.  I thawed turkey sausage instead, and we had pasta for the second time in three days.

Turns out, you do need a receipt to return any food, but the customer service lady recognized me as a regular customer, and recognized the meat package, so she gave me a refund (store gift card) for just the one package, since I had thrown out the other.  

I learned to save every grocery receipt.....especially in summer when you can't be sure how safely meat has been handled by truck drivers and meat personnel.

In the midst of these frustrations, bank keys got lost.  A. big. problem.

Next was the frustration of trying to restore order to my disheveled house (from thorough searching for keys), when on a daily basis it's all I can do to get dishes and laundry done. 

But the prayer went on.  And the Spirit spoke.  And I listened.

And he said:

So much of our mental energies are focused on success, or the lack thereof.  We are tossed in the winds of life, reeling and reacting to perceived storms.  Lost keys and thrown away money and the sinking feeling that we're never moving forward.  That never-moving-forward feeling confounds us.  We want success with every fiber of our being. Our sense of wellness seems to depend on it. 

But what does God want?  At the end of the day, what makes Him happy?

He cares about two things only.  And success is not one of them.  

You've been underemployed for two years?  Is it getting embarrassing when people ask questions?  Your career success doesn't matter to God.    

Can't seem to keep the mud off your porch, or the finger smears off your glass door?  Getting embarrassing when people come to the door?  Your housekeeping success doesn't matter to God.

Can't seem to keep the living room free of unfolded laundry...or the kitchen counter free of paperwork? Does it seem like you'll never have a company-ready house? Your organizational skills don't matter to God.

Can't seem to keep the four-year-old from whining at the grocery store? Feel frustrated?  Your success at raising robotically good children doesn't matter to God.

Can't seem to keep the nine-year-old OCD child from clinging to you at the store, looking petrified?  Getting tired of the stares?  Having perfectly balanced children doesn't matter to God.

The Bible tells us, and we all know, what really matters to God.  

Matthew 22:35-37

One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."

Mark 12:31

The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."

My monumentally important lesson this week?  Stop focusing on how things are going--whether good or bad.  God doesn't care if we failed on a dozen levels this week.  His question is.....did we love Him, did we put Him first by spending time with Him?  That's the only success that matters to Him.

When we pray we get the Holy Spirit, who then helps us love the Lord our God with all our hearts and with all our souls and with all our minds.  We can't obey the first commandment without the power of the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit's power is tapped......yes, that's right......through prayer!  We need to pray to be filled.  We need to pray so we can obey.  And it isn't a chore.  It feels wonderful to love God through prayer, especially once it becomes a habit.  Get through that first difficult part of defeating Satan--who continually convinces you that you're too busy to pray--and wait for all the good stuff.

Loving God through intentional prayer fellowship, followed by a Spirit filling, makes us capable of the second commandment.....loving your neighbor as yourself.  

Everything that happens mustn't be summed up as success or failure. That's a worldly perspective.  Every happening is an opportunity to love God and our neighbor. Every single one..

Have to go in for some chemotherapy?  Praise God and love on the medical staff that waits on you. 

Owe the rather snobby library lady some money?  Praise God and love on her while you cheerfully pay up.

Lose money on meat?  Take the exchange transaction as an opportunity to praise God and love on the lady behind the counter.

Did husband lose some keys and make your life a little miserable?  Praise God and love your husband, showing him infinite grace, while you look for keys and straighten the house. (My husband extends a saintly amount of grace toward me.  I am forever in grace debt to him.)

Is your special-needs son a handful in the store?  Don't mind the stares, just praise God for disabilities, and love your son unconditionally, strengthening him by being the merciful face of Jesus.

It took a comically difficult week, and 42 days of prayer, to teach me how simple life really is.  God and love.

Don't react to life's ups and downs.  Don't get up in the morning with expectations...or with dread.  Be a rock that is not swayed.   



And remember, to pray is to love God with your whole self.

Don't have half an hour every day?  No problem.  If you can't sit down to pray, do adoration and confession while you make breakfast for your baby and toddler.  


Then, when you rock the baby for morning nap, do thanksgiving and two supplications. 


When you shuffle laundry, do two more supplications.  


While clearing lunch away, do two more supplications.  


Any time you ride in the car, do two supplications.  


While you stand at the stove that night, do two more supplications.  


While washing hair in the bath, do two more supplications.

The point is, by the time you fall asleep that night, you will have fulfilled the first commandment.  It doesn't have to look neat and tidy.  Start it in the morning, finish it by bedtime.  God is honored.

Remember, once you've done the prayer, your part is pretty much done. The Holy Spirit will fill you, and enable you to love God and your neighbor. He will actually put love into you and make you act accordingly. Just do the prayer!

Previous posts in this Day in the Life of a New Prayer Warrior series are here: part 1; part 2; part 3; part 4; part 5, part 6.