She is so calm

May your Christmas shine bright with the light of Christ, may the holy spirit comfort you if you face this special day with the loss of a loved one in your memory, may God bless you if you find yourself lonely or in financial bondage.

As we celebrate this year, let us not just think of ourselves and all the gifts and festivities. Let us instead focus on the reason why Christ was born in the first place. He came to save the world and give hope to the hopeless and rest to the weary.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

My idea of the perfect house has changed over the years. It use to be that I just wanted to ‘own a home’ with the perfect exterior, an extra bathroom and just enough backyard. Then, all I wanted was a clean house. That is understandable right?…Now, all I want is a house that is inhabitable.

I was loving myself and the impression people got that I ‘had it all together’. 

I’m not saying that I don’t appreciate a new appliance or a spotless living room; it’s just that my priorities have changed. Cleanliness is not next to Godliness…Enough people have seen our old farmhouse on it’s worst days to convince me that perfection doesn’t bear any importance.

It is sad that I wasn’t willing to maintain the status quo for my family-but had no problem getting everything all squeaky and shiny to impress guests. I was loving myself and the impression people got that I ‘had it all together’. 

Expect the Christmas tree to be leaning like the tower of Pisa and three days of laundry still waiting to be put away.

Sooooo….if you come over, expect clean enough with some glue on the floor from homemade picture frames and  g*ldfish cracker crumbs on the rocking chair. Expect dirty dishes in the sink and sometimes on the counter and the table, too. Expect the Christmas tree to be leaning like the tower of Pisa and three days of laundry still waiting to be put away. Also expect a joy filled husband, wife, children and (it is my hope that you experience) the love of Christ permeating our house. 

Last night, the wind was blowing so hard and howling so loud that you would of thought that a tornado was going to blow through the house at any minute. 

Today, while I contemplate the thoughts that went through my mind during the wee hours of this morning (when I thought again that the roof was going to blow away), I think of all of those who have absolutely no shelter or blankets to keep them warm. I wonder what they were doing last night on the streets of Philadelphia, while I sat in fear of the loss of creature comforts. (more…)

It’s not everyday that people get the chance to ride in the van with superheros.

Today, I was driving to the bank and running some errands all while planning a surprise dinner for my husband.

In the midst of all this thought, I happened to look up and catch a glimpse of a sight that made me smile…

but first, some background information…

My second oldest son gets embarrassed really easily. He is often shy in public and occasionally cries in crowds when the attention is suddenly turned to him. Recently, in MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers-great organization; worth checking into; some also accommodate homeschooled children-a +), my son made a mask out of foam. It was a mask make from orange, white and black shapes…a tiger mask to be exact.

Anyways…Back at the ranch-I caught a glance at this child; whom of which was very nonchalantly wearing the above mentioned mask. He acted like it was his normal identity-like I was the one acting strange and out of sorts. When I opened the car door at our final destination, he asked me-straight-faced-if he could wear the mask when we go into the store. Hmmmm…ummmm…no? 

Tonight, as I write this, I think of how much comfort that mask gave my son. At first, I was perplexed at why my son would choose to wear something so ‘bold’ that would draw attention to him.

How often do adult masks do the reverse of what we expect? How about the struggle that we have to appear as if we ‘have it all together’? What are our purposes for that? Do we wear masks to draw attention to us, or deflect attention? Can you think of any other masks that people wear? 

Hmmm…the house needs a major cleaning. I have to finish the pioneer cabin lesson from Tuesday. I need to take a shower (didn’t get a chance yet-I’ve been breaking up fights from the boys since the moment they woke up this morning) I have to finish the knit scarf for my mom for Christmas (I didn’t spill the beans-she already knows). I have to wash my husbands work clothes…and five other loads of laundry + bedding. Dishes from yesterday need to be done (hey-it has been worse; sometimes they sit there for a week). All the floors need vacuuming and the bathroom definitely needs cleaning. Our bedroom has to be organized. I need to put away the laundry in the boys room. I have to come up with a unit study for next week…the list does not end.  I’m not done yet…I have about twenty more things to add to the above list. Yet, I am not supermom. No one knows this more than God.

There have been times when I am so overwhelmed with all that needs to get done that I do one of two things (I wouldn’t suggest either one) 1. go on strike or 2. sit down and cry.

God has me look at it another way. Be Still, he says.  Rest in me. Come spend some time wih me and I will show you what needs to be done. 

It is so easy to get overwhelmed with all the items on our to-do lists piling up each day. Our priorities and Gods priorities do not have to clash. When I spend time with my Abba and ask him to help me get done with what HE would want me to that day-the list becomes drastically different. What he thinks is important is usually not at the top of my list. I do not feel overwhelmed when I do things his way…instead I feel such a strong sense of accomplishment.

I hope that you get all that HE would have you to accomplish done today

The link below is to a blog that has some funny misinterpretations to some popular songs.

 http://www.baylyblog.com/2007/12/bang-me-in-the.html