our new fire pit .... hopefully this will be us a LOT this summer.
it IS going to be a warm summer. it IS going to be a warm summer.
it IS going to be a warm summer.
(perhaps if I say it enough, it will really happen :)
this is what happens when mom shows up a week early for
said birthday party for #4..... I HAD to clear my conscience somehow.
I have SO MANY childhood memories of McDonalds,
and these two declare this is the first time I've taken them. hmmmm.
(if only they knew, this most likely will also be the last :)
:: she definitely needs glasses, don't ya think? ::
:: she picked them out.
they both make me HAPPY!!::
around and around we go .... at the WILD WAVES homeschool day.
our family's first go at an amusement park in the Northwest.
lots of wild rides.... in the waves of rain :)
:: the pastor, #1, #2, and #3.... upside down! ::
:: sweet friends make everything (even the rain) ok ::
:: you KNOW you want to experience the "FROG HOPPER"! ::
these two little gals AMAZED me! I would have NEVER gone on
the CRAZY rides they both went on when I was 9!
:: she sure makes that car look good, doesn't she? ::
I have so much to be thankful for.... in fact I'm due a gratitude list here soon!!
Life lately is super busy. It never slows down.
As each day zooms past, as my children get older and older,
I'm realizing more and more what exactly my call
to Motherhood means. What this "kingdom business" that I am called to is all about.
You'd think I'd have it figured out by now. Don't think I ever will.
This I do know, it's daily laying aside my "wants" and my self-perceived "rights."
It's daily, by faith, looking to the Cross and the grace that is extended to me there.
I KNOW I am not living in that grace like I should be.
I know I am not parenting by faith.
So often I parent out of fear.
Earlier this week #1 requested a "coffee date" with me. I gladly obliged,
and we picked up reading in our book Girl Talk (by Carolyn Mahaney and her
daughter Nicole Mahaney Whitacre.) It's been a great, encouraging book for both me and Ellie.
One of the passages written by Carolyn spoke strongly to me:
"Faith toward God is the foundation of effective mothering. Did you catch that? Here it is again: Faith toward God is the foundation of effective mothering. Success as a mother doesn't begin with hard work or sound principles or consistent discipline (as necessary as these are). It begins with God: His character, His faithfulness, His promises, His sovereignty. And as your understanding of these truths increases, so will our faith for mothering.
You see, it is relatively easy to implement new practices in parenting.
But if our practices (no matter how useful) aren't motivated by faith, they will be fruitless."(pg. 65)
How often do I implement "new practices" and they fail?
Am I parenting in FAITH toward a loving, faithful, sovereign, promise-keeping God?
Or am I parenting out of fear?
I am not an organized person.
It appears I'm organized because I homeschooling my children.
It appears I'm organized because I show hospitality
and have people in my home.
It appears I'm organized because I can get 5 children
to church on time..... looking relatively nice and apparently
ready to worship.
WELL, I'm a good pretender :)
Open the drawers in my kitchen, look in my pantry,
or in any draw in my homeschooling room.
Look inside my sinful heart.
I am sooooo far from an organized person.
So often I act (and the pastor can attest) under the
"tyranny of the urgent."
I clean my house when I know people are coming over.
I send out e-mails when I know that tomorrow will be too late.
I renew library books on the day they are due.
I know this is all "reactive" behavior.....
and I know that this is NOT the way I should parent.
I cannot parent motivated by the "tyranny of the urgent."
Sadly, often I do.
I am reminded today how important my faith as a mother is.
It is the foundation for all I will say and do.
If I am not in the WORD, seeking it's LIFE,
all my parenting - all my "new practices"- are going to fail.
I'm gonna parent out of fear.... constantly putting out little "fires."
O, that I may not just react, but patiently bring my fears to the Father,
and WAIT on Him, in faith, until He directs.
Well, this sure turned into a deeper post than originally intended!!
It's good for me to think through these things, and to know that
those of you who love me from afar know how to pray for me.
And those of you who I see day to day.....
feel free to look in any drawer in my home to confirm
what I have said.
Many, many blessings to you dear ones.
Life lately is super busy. It never slows down.
As each day zooms past, as my children get older and older,
I'm realizing more and more what exactly my call
to Motherhood means. What this "kingdom business" that I am called to is all about.
You'd think I'd have it figured out by now. Don't think I ever will.
This I do know, it's daily laying aside my "wants" and my self-perceived "rights."
It's daily, by faith, looking to the Cross and the grace that is extended to me there.
I KNOW I am not living in that grace like I should be.
I know I am not parenting by faith.
So often I parent out of fear.
Earlier this week #1 requested a "coffee date" with me. I gladly obliged,
and we picked up reading in our book Girl Talk (by Carolyn Mahaney and her
daughter Nicole Mahaney Whitacre.) It's been a great, encouraging book for both me and Ellie.
One of the passages written by Carolyn spoke strongly to me:
"Faith toward God is the foundation of effective mothering. Did you catch that? Here it is again: Faith toward God is the foundation of effective mothering. Success as a mother doesn't begin with hard work or sound principles or consistent discipline (as necessary as these are). It begins with God: His character, His faithfulness, His promises, His sovereignty. And as your understanding of these truths increases, so will our faith for mothering.
You see, it is relatively easy to implement new practices in parenting.
But if our practices (no matter how useful) aren't motivated by faith, they will be fruitless."(pg. 65)
How often do I implement "new practices" and they fail?
Am I parenting in FAITH toward a loving, faithful, sovereign, promise-keeping God?
Or am I parenting out of fear?
I am not an organized person.
It appears I'm organized because I homeschooling my children.
It appears I'm organized because I show hospitality
and have people in my home.
It appears I'm organized because I can get 5 children
to church on time..... looking relatively nice and apparently
ready to worship.
WELL, I'm a good pretender :)
Open the drawers in my kitchen, look in my pantry,
or in any draw in my homeschooling room.
Look inside my sinful heart.
I am sooooo far from an organized person.
So often I act (and the pastor can attest) under the
"tyranny of the urgent."
I clean my house when I know people are coming over.
I send out e-mails when I know that tomorrow will be too late.
I renew library books on the day they are due.
I know this is all "reactive" behavior.....
and I know that this is NOT the way I should parent.
I cannot parent motivated by the "tyranny of the urgent."
Sadly, often I do.
I am reminded today how important my faith as a mother is.
It is the foundation for all I will say and do.
If I am not in the WORD, seeking it's LIFE,
all my parenting - all my "new practices"- are going to fail.
I'm gonna parent out of fear.... constantly putting out little "fires."
O, that I may not just react, but patiently bring my fears to the Father,
and WAIT on Him, in faith, until He directs.
Well, this sure turned into a deeper post than originally intended!!
It's good for me to think through these things, and to know that
those of you who love me from afar know how to pray for me.
And those of you who I see day to day.....
feel free to look in any drawer in my home to confirm
what I have said.
Many, many blessings to you dear ones.
Good post. Love those pictures! By the way, Anna, you should know that I return library books only when I have used up all of the renewals PLUS they are a week late. Hahaha!
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