How often do we choose yucky?

This morning my dear son was having a very rough morning. His new “army” shorts were very dirty from a well-enjoyed picnic yesterday and he did not understand why he could not wear them today. As we were 20 minutes into the upset, driving to church for school, I told him he could choose to have a good day or have a yucky day. His little voice piped from the back seat, “I want to have a yucky day.”

We intentionally can choose the type of day we want to have. Sure, not everything will go our way. We will have moments we don’t understand, ones we don’t agree with, and ones we certainly don’t like. But when it comes down to it, we can choose to have a good day or a yucky day.

How do we deal with those frustrations and disappointments? Do we trust in the Almighty One to sustain us? Do we find joy in the things our Father finds joy in? Can we look beyond ourself in the circumstance?

I pray my days are filled with good ones I choose to have not yucky ones. And I pray my son changes his mind today and has a good day.

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Tagged by Katie – 8 random facts…

I doubt I will be able to think of 8 random facts about myself that are entertaining to the readers of this blog, but I can’t let my friend Katie down, so I will give it a go!

1) I HATE, mean HATE getting up in the mornings. I am a bad wife in the AM. I am a bad mom in the AM. And I am probably a bad friend then too if someone asked. My dear husband lets me sleep in beyond when our 3 year old wakes, but I know it’s because he doesn’t want to deal with my sucky attitude rather than being a loving gesture!

2) I am addicted to coffee, but only good coffee. I refuse to drink a cup of Folgers or Maxwell House. It has to be ground bean, good coffee. Also, the cup it is in matters to me.

3) I have a few OCD tendencies. I cannot have towels and pictures crooked, must straighten them. In my house, and others. I also count things. Don’t ask. I can tell you how many doors and windows we have in our house, how many ceiling tiles are on the ceiling in my office at work, and many random other things.

4) I love Jazz music. There is no station that remotely resembles the music I like. It just mellows me and is like a mini-vacation. I like cleaning my mom’s house because they have on-demand music and I listen to it while scrubbing the toilets.

5) One day when I grow up, I don’t know what I want to be. I love teaching preschool children. I also love being around other people. I hate 9-5, but loved working for an interior decorator in college. I have a flair for artsy, and don’t like structured. I want to further my education because I love to learn and would like to go as far as I can, but still am not sure what exactly I want to do. Cooking though. I love cooking. I could see myself with a Food TV show.

6) I am a psuedo-crunchy mom, more than most people think. I never thought I’d be this way and don’t even know how I did it. I wanted to cloth diaper my kids (husband wouldn’t let me), I delay vaccinate, try not to medicate, make my own bread, use organics, cook most everything from scratch, extended BF with my first son, had drug-free birth, would like to homeschool (but know I can’t), we gentle discipline, and make some homemade cleaners. I also like to try homeopathic remedies. There. It’s out. I hug trees. (Thanks Laura!)

7) Having pink hair last week was liberating. I felt a sense of freedom in doing something so out of the ordinary for me. I tend to stay “safe” and actually enjoyed it. Then again I like being the center of attention (in a good way). So, it got that attention. Maybe blue hair next? A tattoo? Who knows?

8 ) I adore my children, but need to daily pray for the fruit of the Spirit to be a halfway decent mom. There’s only so many “WHY?” questions one can take, screaming frustrated toddler moments, and thrown and refused food before you start to lose it. God gives me what I need to make it through the day, but why does it seem like He never gives any extra?

Well, that’s it! Hopefully I didn’t bore my readers too badly. Really.

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why is it?

At church tonight we had two speakers that talked about recent mission trips. One of the men works with a local ministry here to minister to the homeless downtown as well. One common theme I noticed, and in my memories of being on several mission trips myself, is that on a mission trip – you’re there to evangelize. You don’t think twice about sharing the gospel with anyone you meet. The message of hope you share to a third world country is possibly the only message of hope they may hear. Why don’t we do this in our own world? Don’t we want our families to have hope? Our loved ones? Our children? Why is it more comfortable for us to go to a foreign country to tell people about Jesus than doing it to our co-worker? I think part of this is that we expect churches to do it. Is that what scripture says? Matthew 28:19 says “Go.” Does this mean to literally “go” overseas? Inner-city? What about “go” to the cubicle next to you? What about “go” to your parent’s home? What about “go” to the restaurant with a good friend looking for hope? We need to have more boldness and courage to preach a message of hope, forgiveness, and grace to those close to us. Don’t wait for the church to do it – it may be too late.

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I think I can see the light…

I am SO excited about everything that is happening right now. Really, if I weren’t this busy, I’d be bored. I secretly like it. Shhhh….

 We had an awesome turn out for our MMO Open House tonight. It is incredible to think we have opportunity to minister to 28 kids and their families. I know God is going to do awesome things this school year. We have a great team of teachers, the families are great, and I am very excited. I feel a bit out of my comfort zone, but that feels good…

I am really excited about Sunday and our new classes/programs too. It’ll be exciting seeing how the kids respond to it. I am also excited to be equipping parents more with their child’s spiritual growth.

Some of us from DF are going to Anderson to Newspring for the 4:15 on Sunday. That’ll be great. I’ll have pink hair and fit right in! I’m looking forward to being in worship, having my cup filled, and learning from God’s word.

My husband is the best in the world! He came to me a few weeks ago and wanted to do a Beth Moore study with me. What?!? I didn’t know if I heard him right. I think he wants eternal brownie points with me. We’re finishing up the frst week of “The Patriarchs” and I’m learning a ton about Genesis and Abram/Abraham. It’s good and our discussion is even better!

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel I think. At least for now. Fall Festival is next on the list.

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when it rains…it pours!

Why does that always seem to be true? Yesterday was the epitome of that law of nature. This week is crazy busy and stressful for our family – JD and I both have huge important things going on — he’s preaching for both the youth service this week (Wed.) and for church on Sunday. I have been getting ready for school that starts next week, training teachers, getting classrooms and supplies ready, and we have the Open House Thursday night. On top of that, as I’ve been talking about – we’re launching all new stuff this weekend for our children’s programs.  Between the two of us, we’ve also had meetings 3 of 5 weeknights this week.

Personally in our family we’ve been just as crazy — well, life is already crazy with a 3 year old boy and a 20 mo. .old boy! Our AC went out on Monday, JD’s car wouldn’t start on Friday, my car has the check engine light which just came on, and then to top it off – the boys are both sick with upper resp. crud and we were in the ER from 11:30pm-4:00am last night with my oldest having an asthma attack. Sigh!

So, needless to say, we’ll be happy when this week is over and we can start anew. In the meantime, it’s great knowing God’s promise that he will sustain us.

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why the same themes?

It seems like the same spiritual theme chase me down each day. They can be summed up by the overarching theme of “trusting God.” Really, when you stop to think about it – whether with your own children, your future, your ministry, or even your marriage – you have very little control. None of it really belongs to us. We work hard, put in time, effort, and a lot of energy – but it then all comes down to trusting God. I wonder if I put the trusting God part first, if I wouldn’t have to feel like I work so hard!

As I enter into bigger things in ministry – a growing school program, new, unfamilar ministry, installation of a professional playground, HUGE events — I realize that my role in them is very miniscule. God is the BIG picture of all of it. When I feel like my inadequacies are squeezing the life out of me, I need to be on my knees even more. I need others on their knees. I need to be in God’s Word, encouraging myself, finding those treasures that challenge me and comfort me.

I won’t even get into the relationship of trusting God and being a parent. Let’s just say, I don’t think I could parent two, rambunctious preschool boys without a HUGE amount of trust in God. One say “trusting God” will come naturally. It will be a way of life and then maybe the precious challenges I face won’t seem like such large tasks.

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one body…

I was reading Ephesians 4 for the second time this week when the following verses stuck out in my head:

1As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

 A few thoughts:

* Am I living a life worthy of the calling I have received? What an intimidating thought! I need to be living each and every day understanding that I have been called and there are expectations that go along with that.

*A few things to be : humble, gentle, patient, loving, living in unity.

*What is unity for people who disagree? Is it possible to live in unity with someone you strongly oppose? According to this verse, we are to live in unity and keep that unity through peace. Peace meaning a state of mutual harmony, untroubled, tranquil, and content.

*”Church” should have a global mindset, not an intrinsic mindset. We shouldn’t be as concerned about our personal success as we should be about the local community of churches and beyond. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father over all. Those are absolutes as well.

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disappointment

Why when you are chugging along thinking all is okay, does a car get stuck on the tracks? Well, I’m just speaking of thing in life going well, a project you’re working on, an event you’re planning, tasks you’re checking off, etc. then something happens that leads to disappointment.

I know disappointment is inevitable. You can have only so many ups without a down. How do you handle them when you come? I heard it once said — We give God the glory for all good that happens. We know it comes from Him. Well, the same about the challenging. We need to know His hand will see us through that too. It is His. Not ours.

I guess disappointments are a time of trusting. They are a time of determination and perhaps a new route of travel. A new way of thinking of something and tackling it from a new angle. A chance for review and change. Maybe just a time to sit back and wait for the Lord to speak on it. Tune it. Take a break. Slow down. Look for the cause of the bump in the road. Need more humility? Learning a lesson patience? What about a lesson on sufficency?

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new look…

I needed a new look. This one is nice.

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failures…

I have failed two major ways this week as a mom. The first was when my husband’s family was over on Sunday, we had all gone to the store, come home, arms laden with grocery bags. Coming into the house, putting them on the table and starting prearations for dinner. A good 10 minutes or so had passed by when someone asked where Benjamin, out little one was. After looking all over the house for him, my father in law mentioned, I hope he wasn’t left in the car. My heart sunk in the deepest pit of my being. We all know the media headlines of children forgotten in vehicles. But, I opened the door to the outside, and no he wasn’t in the car. Thank God. However, he was running from the front yard to my arms screeching “Momma!” We can only figure he doubled back through the front door when we all came inside with the stuff from the store. My heart still feels heavy from that day and my throat wells up thinking about the what-could-have-beens. Not to mention I sure looked like “Mom of the Year” to my in-laws! God is so perfect and good. His protective hand watched over Ben Ben like nothing else and for that I am forever thankful.

Failure number two against my child was today. I won’t go into detail, but my worldly, selfish, ungraceful, sin drenched side got the best of me. Once again I failed as a mom and won’t forget for a long time.

I fail every day as a mother, wife, minister, friend, to my self, etc. I am naturally a want-to-succeed person. I rarely settle for not making it, and failure bothers me more than anything. Usually when there are isolated incidents of failure, I can pull myself up and realize that I am wallowing in self-pity. A form of pride. Thinking about myself. Whether that is in a positive or a negative light, I’m allowing the glory to be taken away from Christ and placed upon myself.

I am thankfu today for the overflowing grace I receive from my Savior. As I try to lavish it upon my children,  I need to remember to allow a little grace for myself and the failures I constantly struggle through.

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