God's Choice!

Another mom from our Moms in Prayer group challenged us to not let our praying hands get lazy over the summer, and gave us each a 3 x 5 card to write verses on to pray for our kids.  This morning I was picking out verses to pray for my kids and came across a great devotional in my Mom's Bible that went along with the story of Hannah praying this for her son, "I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of Him.  So now I give him to the LORD.  For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD " (1 Samuel 1:27-28).  The devotional said this:

- Have you ever prayed Hannah's words as your own?  I have several times.  Eagerly I've asked for God to take charge of my children.  Out of fear that I might "ruin" them, I hand them over to Him.  But as I give my children to God, I often hear Him ask:

"Do you really trust me with your children?  Do you trust me to get them to school safely?" 
"Yes!"  I respond.
"Do you believe that I can guide them through an illness?"
"Of course!"
"How about deciding if they will marry - and who?"
"Better you than I!"  I say.
"Then do you trust me to select the very best mother for your children and for who I want them to become?"

We can be the mothers our children need because God divinely chose us for the job.  Don't doubt it.  He knows what He is doing.  And aren't we glad? -

This devotional made me feel so much better.  As my kids are getting older and are both in high school now, I feel a sense of urgency in my role as a parent to teach them everything they need to know and have definitely felt the pressure mounting.  But it really began to sink in today that God chose me to raise my kiddos.  He knows what He's doing, and I'm just a part of the overall picture - His perfect plan.  I ask Him for help everyday, because I can't do it on my own, and I am so grateful to have Him to partner with.  But I'm even more grateful that He believes I'm qualified for the job.

A Gift Unwanted

Last week one of the 3 Gifts I was on the look-out for was a gift unwanted.  I was wondering what it would look like because the only gifts I've ever opened that were unwanted were re-gifted gifts.  You know, the ones where the seal is already broken on the box and someone gave it to you because they didn't want it.  But even then, the Pollyanna side of me always says, "Well, it's the thought that counts."  And then I always try to use the gift with that in mind.  But I specifically gave this unwanted gift dare special attention and found that the unwanted gift was in me.  As long as I have been on the Joy Dare I have been more positive and grateful than usual.  So when I started complaining the other day and my son Riley had to remind me of my bloggy spot "Smile Awhile" I had to smile.  Since the Joy Dare, any negative or complaining thoughts in my head are unwanted by myself and those closest to me who are caring enough to point it out.  If we view our children as teachers instead of trophies, we will submit ourselves to the lessons we learn from God at their hands.  Lessons of patience, of creative problem solving and in this instance with Riley - lessons of accountability.  Thank you, Lord, for helping me find a gift unwanted through the eyes and ears of my son. 

Uno, Dos, Tres....Crotch-o

I've been doing my Joy Dare's, looking for 3 gifts everyday that God has blessed me with, and what I'm finding out is that I usually find bonus gifts along the way.  Today's Joy Dare is:  3 Gifts from your Heavenly Father.  Well, I could find a million gifts from my Heavenly Father, so I have to think about the top 3 that I consider blessed to have in my life on a daily basis.  The ones that I thank Him for all the time - the best of the best.  That's easy - Keith, Robyn and Riley.  My family.  Last night we were all taking care of Robyn who is recovering from getting all 4 of her wisdom teeth pulled.  She is getting the royal treatment, one of which is dibs on the TV.  Her wish is our command, and her latest was to watch some of her favorite movies from her childhood.  So we brushed the dust off of the VCR and all of her old Disney VHS tapes like Lady and the Tramp, Peter Pan, etc.  Little did we know that there would be a gem of an old family video in the VCR.  As we powered up the old VCR, an old Christmas home video appeared on the screen.  There on the screen we saw the cutest 6 year old Robyn, an adorable 4 year old Riley and a much less stressed looking Keith and Regina.  We all watched with wide-eyed amazement as we saw what was our family years ago.  So different, but yet the same.  Still completely in love with each other and seeing each others needs and wishes be met.  As a mom I suddenly felt like I was on a roller coaster of emotions.  Seeing those moving pictures of my children evoked feelings that ran the gamut from heartfelt joy to bittersweet regret - wishing I could hold those little children again and tell them I loved them so much.  I continued to watch as a game of Candyland unfolded in front of my eyes on our nice, new, big, flat-screen TV from our latest Christmas.  There was Robyn, Riley and Uncle Matt enjoying a game from all of our childhood days.  As Riley counted out the moves for his little gingerbread man to go 2 colored squares on the board, he happily counted "uno, dos".  Then Riley broke out some lines from Shrek's 'Livin la Vida Loca' duet with Eddie Murphy and Antonio Banderas:  "uno, dos, crotch-o, hit it!"  Everyone bursted out laughing at his pronunciation of the word "cuatro" as "crotch-o".  It made me realize that there is a bonus gift from my Heavenly Father that I wanted to acknowledge - Gift #4 - Gift cuatro or "crotch-o".  And that is His protection over all of us and that He has sustained us and kept us happy and together all these years.  Just that morning I was reading from the Psalms in the Bible as I've also been doing a 30 Day SPA = a 30 day Summer Psalm Adventure.  I'm reading 5 chapters in Psalms a day for a month.  Psalm 5:11-12 says, "But let all who take refuge in You be glad; let them ever sing for joy.  Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.  For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield."  Thank you, LORD, for your blessings all these years and that we are still together, spending time together, laughing together, loving each other and taking care of each other.  You have surrounded us with your favor and we are so grateful.

Naming my Blog

Now that my kids are older, they are out and about a lot more and I find myself with actual free time.  What am I gonna do? - I ask myself.  I have poured myself into my kids' lives for so long that it's all I know.  Sometimes as moms we have a tendency to lose ourselves while we raise our kids.  I don't want that to happen.  So I started thinking that I should start a blog.  I like to journal, so blogging can just be a fun way to post some of what I journal about, pass the time and give me something to do when my kids are out living life with their friends.  So it was settled.  Then came the job of coming up with a name for my blog.  I start brainstorming everything about myself...I'm a praying mom, I have a Pollyanna kind of view of life - trying to look on the bright side and always on the lookout for God's gifts, I work at the library, love my family, and my faith is what keeps me going.  O.K. this should be easy.  NOT!  So I decided to pray about it because that's what I always do when I need help.  I said a prayer for some God given inspiration and decided to call it a night and think about it later. Not long after my head hit the pillow did a memory from my childhood just pop into my head.  A song that my brother and I used to sing on car rides with my dad started playing in my mind.  "Smile awhile, and give your face a rest.  Raise your hands to the one you love the best.  Then shake hands with those nearby and give to them a smile."  Nice song - you might be thinking, but my dad used to drive my brother and I bonkers by changing the words all the time.  "Smile awhile and give your nose a rest...raise your elbow to the one you love the best."  "Thanks Dad!"  I say to myself.  "You would pick that wouldn't you?  But it works."  Even though my dad has been gone for 7+ years he still gets to me.  God and Dad are smiling down on my bloggy spot and all is well with the world.