Rescue Me!

I awoke Saturday morning feeling completely foul and challenged by uncontrolled hormones. I guess it isn’t enough for a woman to deal with gender attached emotions, so we have to deal with the extra emotions adorned by the season of our hormones. Good grief!

To keep from ruining the family's weekend and embarrassing the family of God, I jumped in the shower, my prayer closet, where the only person that had to deal with me was my Creator. I begged God to rescue me from my thoughts, my attitude, and from my self. I needed my mind regulated because the mind battles within me were beyond my control. I cried out to God and begged for strength to be Christ-controlled and not allow my flesh to have its way. My cry out to God was medicinal and the water seemed to wash away the foul feelings while comfort and peace covered me. Only a living God, who understands me, could have rescued me. Am I ashamed of my weak, emotional moments? No, because although they don’t show strength, they strengthen. Admitting my weaknesses and limitations affirms God’s strength and power. As long as I’m living, there will be more moments to cry out for God’s help. I thank God for not limiting us to the number of times we call on Him because I sure get tired of my boys calling my name throughout the day. Thank God for Jesus!

2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

What's For Dinner?

Hubby came home from work Friday and asked the one question that makes my head hurt - "What's For Dinner?" Auuuugh! My reply to hubby was, "Tongue." Whenever I don't feel like cooking, I tell my poor family to chew on their tongue. I know, I'm such a loving wife and mother. Well, cooking is my least favorite domestic task and hubby knew this when he married me. It's an effort for me to go into the kitchen. Every now and then, I'll get an urge to cook with some excitement, but it's rare, veeeery rare. I'm a baker, not a cook and YES, there is a difference (smile).

The key to my lack of love for cooking is planning ahead. If I plan the meal the day before, it's less effort for me, but going into a cold kitchen and looking at a frozen chicken hours before dinner time is disaster for me. This is what happened Friday and no, I didn't cook and yes, my family survived. Hey, everyone gets a day off from work, right? What about the cook? When is the cook's day off? Hmmm...today is Saturday. I wonder if hubby will want to eat today? Dare I not cook two days in a row?

Help Wanted

2009 is eight days old and this is just a reminder to stick with those resolutions! If you've already slipped up, that's okay! Start over! Each new day is a new beginning - another opportunity to get it right. We fail at our new beginning resolutions because we try to do them in our own power. Our flesh can't handle our desire to do the right thing, but the power of God can definitely empower and equip us for success. Something as simple as attempting to drink enough water daily is something I can't do alone. Exercising, holding your tongue, losing weight...whatever your goal is, ask for God's help and guidance. You can't fail with God! We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us! Happy New Day! Happy New Beginning!

Is My Labor in Vain?

Last night as I watched my boys clean their nasty room, I wondered if my labor was in vain. I'm here with them all day - teaching, correcting, molding, loving, encouraging, sharing, helping and everything else the Lord allows me to do and sometimes they act as if they are orphans. Do they hear my words? Are they listening? Are they grasping the child-like concepts I share? Is my form of discipline working? Where is the fruit of my labor? Well, this morning I felt better. No, my labor is not in vain. I must keep tilling, planting, and watering. My harvest will eventually come, but I must not get weary in my well doing. The only way the enemy will win is if I stop. Okay, today is another day of teaching, correcting, molding, loving, encouraging, sharing, helping, and everything else the Lord has equipped me to do, so I must prepare myself to pour into my young seeds. Prayer, prayer, and more prayer is my preparation. No, my labor is not in vain!

It's Mine!

Hubby and I were talking about the boys getting a paper route, but I was completely against it. Why? Because the route would infringe upon my precious ME time. My prayer/meditation/exercise/quiet/alone time is early in the morning after hubby goes to work and the boys are still sleeping. It actually begins around 4:45-5:00 a.m. The paper route would take that away from me. No! That's my time! This time is necessary to maintain my peace of mind. It's necessary for my sanity. It's necessary for my patience and understanding. It's necessary for compassion. It's necessary to be a loving wife and sharing mother. It's necessary to keep the walls in my home from being painted black. A family will exhaust a mother of every ounce of time and energy she has - if allowed. Sorry family, this time is mine! Mine! Mine! Mine! Selfish? No, I don't think so. It would be selfish for me NOT to reserve this time for myself to help me be a better woman, wife, and mother.

Mind Battles

My relaxing Sunday afternoons are over for a while. Yesterday, instead of sitting in my warm living room wrapped in my purple blanket and surrounded by reading and writing materials, I sat in a hard plastic folding chair in a cold gym watching second-born’s basketball practice. I thought I was okay with the Sunday practices, but had to fight the spirit of complaining and discontent all the way to the gym. Obviously, the battle in my mind was stronger than my will. I enjoy sports and especially enjoy watching my boys play, so where was this trifling irritation coming from?

I recalled my desire to do better and be better this year which helped explain the battle in my mind. The enemy doesn’t want me to go higher in my spiritual walk and wants me to allow simple matters to ruffle my feathers. I will be pulled out of my comfort zone and placed in many difficult situations this year, so I better gird up and get ready. I already know the battle will begin in my mind, so I must speak God’s promises and remember I am more than a conqueror – in every battle. What’s the point of grumbling, mumbling, and complaining when it isn’t going to change anything? It's my attitude that needs changing! With each situation and mind battle, I must remember that God is in control and my will must be surrendered – daily. I thank God for taking my comfort Sundays away and loving me enough to take me to another level.

What will today hold? I don’t know, but I know I serve a God wanting only the best for my life. Have your way, Lord!

Luke 22:42 (NKJV)

“Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”

Daily Hugs

I'm not a touchy kinda person at all, but as a mother, I try to hug my boys at least once a day. Actually, the boys initiate the hugs every morning when they awake. They come to me with sleep still in their eyes and morning breath to hug their Mama. I wish the entire day was as loving and compassionate as our morning hugs, but reality must set in and life happens (smile).

Well, after life has happened and we have experienced our full day of duty, the boys return to their father and me with an evening hug to say goodnight. After all that has been said and done, after all the attitudes have unveiled, and discipline has been done, the evening bear hugs make everything okay. Everything really is ALRIGHT!

It's a blessing to live in the reality of life. My family is far from being perfect, but love conquers all and the daily hugs are God's reminder that He covers and keeps us from sunrise to sunset.

Paper Pusher

I did it! I cleaned out a file cabinet that has been housing papers since 2006. Firstborn said the pile looked like a mini Mt. Everest. For the past few days, I've been trying to clean out the clutter collecting in my home and for some reason it's always paper! Homeschool papers, home business papers, newspaper clippings, business cards, notes, forms, brochures, pamphlets, and whatever else I bring home. Stop the madness! Needless to say, I had an extremely productive first day of the year, but I've only just begun - this was only one out of two drawers. Just think, I had TRASH filed neatly in my file cabinets.