March Wrap Up

One fourth of 2010 is now (almost) history! I know I've skipped a few Friday posts lately. Bear with me--I hope to get back on track in April.

Most of my links this month pertain to moms, so if you're not a mom, you may want to skip this post. I guess I've needed extra help and encouragement in the parenting department lately!

A Letter to My Children about Marriage @ Generation Cedar was insightful and exactly the message I hope our marriage conveys to our children.
 
10 Things I Didn't Learn in Homeschool @ Joyfulhelpmeet were the tongue-in-cheek but thought-provoking words of a homeschool graduate.

I Looked into the Eyes of My Children @ A High and Noble Calling was convicting and made me aware of how my own shortcomings affect my children.

I Just Wanna Say to all the Bystanders @ Savvy Little Women brought the "finally someone who understands!" tears to my eyes while leaving me howling with laughter and giving me new purpose to be the "right kind" of bystander someday.

Easter Story Cookies @ Women Living Well is a creative Easter tradition I hope to try this year that combines something the kids love (baking and eating together) with something my kids need (a better understanding of the Easter story).

If you like short ingredient lists like me, you might want to try these recipes I found for a snack, an entree, a dessert, 2 side dishes and a kid-friendly treat:


Homemade Granola Bars @ New Nostalgia
Layered Cheesy Salsa Enchiladas and Easy Butterscotch Bars @ Heavenly Homemakers
Sweet Potato Fries and Oven Brown Rice @ Nourishing Heart and Home
Pudding Pops @ The Simple Wife

Books I Read:

I took a little break this month and did some lighter but still profitable reading.

I laughed out loud many times as I read Matthew Paul Turner's Churched. I grew up in a fundamental Baptist school and could relate to so much of his story on that level. Would I recommend this book to you? Not really. Turner ended the book sounding like he's still searching and like he's thrown out many of the conservative values just because some of them were "out there". Still, he simply shared his story in an engaging and hilarious way that was entertaining if not particularly helpful on a spiritual level.

Ted Dekker's Green completed the Circle series with characteristic surprise elements. Truthfully, most fiction bores me because I think there are so many more lessons to learn from real life. However, Ted Dekker, weird though some of his writing may be, relates the Truth to each story in a way that causes me to think long after I've laid down the book and to hunger after more of that Truth in God's Word. One disclaimer about Green: I don't subscribe to vampires and found that part of the story a little far-fetched. Yet, who can read a Ted Dekker book without the word far-fetched coming to mind at least once?

On the more serious side, I re-read Ted Tripp's Shepherding a Child's Heart and made a decision. This is the most Biblically-based book on parenting I have ever read, and I know if I follow it consistently that I will be on the right track with my children. Reading conflicting ideas from different books just confuses me and my children. If I need parenting help that clarifies the Word of God, I will continue to turn to this book.

I hope your March was beautiful and that you have a blessed Easter week celebrating our Lord's death and resurrection!

Lessons Learned from my Grandmothers

We sat at the table looking at pictures..specifically a picture of an 18-year-old beauty. When I commented to that effect, my feisty grandmother scoffed, "I always hated that picture!" I just smiled. One thing Grandma had always been was opinionated. I had taken my two little ones over to her house to fix breakfast for her and my Grandpa. We had finished breakfast, but lingered, just talking, reminiscing over the pictures. And the stories....how I and my kids loved the stories! It wasn't too many days later that my Grandma left this world. Suddenly, with no warning, she was gone.

Just six months before, the suddenness had stricken the first time. Sitting around another table, eating dinner, we got the call that told us that Gram had just a little while to live. My family arrived at the hospital. We held Gram, cried together, and she, in horrible pain, encouraged us not to be sad. Less than a month later, she was gone.

Why am I thinking about my grandmothers? Both of them would have had birthdays this month. Instead, they are celebrating in Heaven. I thought I had more time to learn from them, to love them and to be with them. In the span of 6 months, with little warning in both cases, I lost them both.

I draw from my memory bank to see the most valuable lessons learned. There were many, but the simplest come to my mind as I think about them on this night.

Grandma was always herself--never did she pretend to be anyone else than the down-to-earth, feisty woman she was. She volunteered all the "numbers" in her life---she wasn't afraid to tell one her age or her weight, and she never stopped to worry about what you would think of the numbers.

Gram always made her grandchildren feel loved. We were always greeted and sent off with a hug, and she would tell us often how intelligent, beautiful, talented, etc. we were. We would smile and chalk it up to grandmotherly flattery, but how nice it is to know that someone believes in you and thinks you're the best!

Besides their love for the Lord, I want to carry these two lessons with me and pass them on to my grandchildren:

1. Be the best self I can be with no apology or need for another's approval.
2. Be the fan of my children and grandchildren, so no matter how bad life gets, they know one who is fully "in their corner".

Thank you, Gram! Thank you, Grandma! Your legacy lives on, and although we can't celebrate your birthdays here on this earth again, we look forward to the day when we will celebrate together forever in Heaven! I love you.

Daybook: March 15

I've been so enjoying Sarah's daybook posts over at Wisdom Begins in Wonder, I just had to do one myself. If you get totally bored by these, just skip today's post and I'll do something different on Friday. By the way, she says, "Found the "Daybook" idea here."

::Outside My Window::
It's kind of "grayish"--not as sunshiny as last week--but I hear some birds singing every little bit, so I still have the hope of spring!

::I am Listening to::
My older two listening to online stories.

::I am wearing ::
My white ruffled shirt and a flowered skirt I just got that is way too long. After tripping on it for the rest of the day, I think I will take it to my personal seamstress (aka my mom) to shorten some.

::I am Thankful For::
So much! My husband comes to mind at the moment. He sent me the sweetest text today just when I needed it. I love that man!

::I am Pondering::
How to get back into a routine after a few rough weeks of sickness and exhaustion.

::I am Reading::
I just finished Green by Ted Dekker last night. The kids and I are also reading Little Men as a read-aloud at night. I have a big stack of books to read, but I'm not sure what's next.

::From the Kitchen::

Dishes are done--a big accomplishment lately! I'm planning on meatloaf and cheddar potato strips tonight with some veggies.

::I am Thinking:
Um....isn't this the same as pondering which I answered above?

::I am Creating::
I always hate this one because I'm not very creative. Other than blog posts, other articles and lists, I don't do much creating.

::On my iPod::

My iPod isn't actually working right now. I usually just use Pandora at home or cds in the car. Old fashioned, aren't I?

:: Towards raising hungry learners::
I'm not sure how "hungry" she is about it, but Jessica is valiantly plodding away at learning her multiplication tables, and Jeffery is doing quite well reading the Bob books. Jerrod is learning to communicate a little more clearly. He said "pizza" at lunch today and helped me load all the silverware into the dishwasher.

:: Towards Rhythm and Beauty::
We did the 15 minute clean up in several rooms today in order to restore the rhythm and beauty of our house! Jessica has done better at practicing piano lately--she just started her second set of books which gives a little more motivation. I'm thinking of starting music class with Jeffery on our at-home days.

::To Live the Life :: 
I'm trying to get out more and not be inside as much. Social life is hard for me because I'm more of a detail person than a people person. I'm trying to focus more on people, particularly my family, and friends as well.

 ::I am Hoping and Praying:
For a real revival in my heart and in my church. I don't want to play games or mess around with the superficial. Green has got me thinking again how close Christ's return could be!

 :: In the Garden::

Jeff has been doing some indoor gardening in hopes of getting some things ready for planting around Mother's Day. He is planning a rose garden for me--one of my dreams that I am totally inept at fulfilling for myself.

::Around the House::
The downstairs is picked up and toys are in a box waiting to be put away when the baby wakes up. (No, I will NOT wake up a child even for the sake of a clean house!) I have some laundry loads waiting to be folded when my quiet time is over.

::One of My Favorite Things:
Right now it's a good cup of hot tea! I was out of the habit of drinking it after guzzling morning coffee for so long, but now I can't get enough of Adagio tea!

::The Kids this week::





Jessica - After hearing Dave Ramsey on the Focus on the Family broadcast last week talking about teaching kids about finances, Jessica and I decided we had let the system slip a little. We clarified what jobs exactly are "being part of the family" jobs, and which ones she gets "commission" for. She's making plans for expanding her recycling "business": "I might hire Jeffery to help a little later, but I want to make sure he'll be a responsible employee first." Good thinking! :-)





Jeffery - Coming up from children's church at our church yesterday morning, Jeffery excitedly announced, "I did good at self control today---I kept my hands to myself the whole time!" As I congratulated him, he ran over and tackled his brother to the ground. I guess enough is enough! :-)
 




Jerrod - My little one has been loving on me a lot lately. He started a new habit of standing in his crib with his arms around me, patting my back for a few minutes before he lays down to sleep. And, when I go to change his diaper, he hold up his little chubby arms and says, "Hug?" Sometimes he even throws in a kiss. Ah!





Baby J - He/she hasn't been doing much  but growing lately--at least not that I can report on. Online pregnancy sites are reporting that this little one is the size of a grape right now. Which means my extending belly must be from the cookies and pizza I ate this week instead of a growing baby. Uh oh!

::A Few Plans for the Rest of the Week::
Revival services every night, giving piano lessons one afternoon, zoo class for Jessica and play group at the zoo with the boys, gym and piano lessons for Jessica, and a party for a friend. We have to fit school in there somewhere, too. Whew! Just typing that makes me tired!

Hope you all have a great week as well! If you decide to do the daybook, please give me a link in the comments. I'd love to stop by and read yours!
 
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Seasons Change....

The changing of seasons is nothing short of miraculous in my eyes. Although here in the northeast US we have an official "First Day of Spring" and a "First Day of Winter" on the calendar, we all know that seasons change much more gradually than that.

Cold, snowy winter days with frost on the windowpanes gradually get warmer and the snow begins to drip and melt. Trees still looking dead and bare, begin to change inside until we see buds popping out; and shoots of green grass poking through the mud left behind by months of snow give us hope of spring. One day we look around and realize that yes, spring indeed has come. Then we go a few days here and there without wearing a jacket and realize suddenly one day, that we are in the middle of a hot summer. And so goes the changing of the seasons. They are ever changing, but most changes aren't seen until they are past.

This is the way my mothering has been. When in the midst of sleepless nights with a colicky newborn, it seemed that "spring" would never come. Then, one morning I woke up to realize that I had gotten adequate rest....for a while. Of course, there was always a new stage to come like teething or baby's first sickness, then temper tantrums, crawling mishaps, a baby that likes to toddle off of high objects and potty training. However, each season fades more quickly than we realize into the next until we look at our baby and realize that he or she is no longer an infant but a child.

Lord, help me to enjoy THIS season! Help me to keep ever before me that this child is ever changing, though I may not be able to see it, tomorrow I will wake up and realize that I am alone with my husband and my children are off watching the seasons change in their own offspring.

Photo Credit

The Paradox of "Mine!"

"Mine!"

His chubby little hands grasp at the toy his brother is holding.

"Mine!" He repeats, more insistently this time.

Not far behind the mastering of the word "No!" in any child's speech development is the mastering of the word "Mine!"

I chuckle at first, then I sigh. Yes, it's a lesson to be taught and I hope, in time, it will be learned. This lesson of unselfishness.

I thought I had it mastered when I got married. Then "my life" became "our life together" and the lesson began.

Then, I reached the next level. It's one thing to share a house with someone else attempting to learn to be unselfish. It's quite another to give birth to a child that has the idea of "Mine!" internalized long before the word is vocalized.

I reach for my secret treat stash in my beside drawer. I find crumpled paper and a few crumbs.

I curl up for a few minutes of "me time" and find it soon becomes "we time".

I sit down to eat my dinner and feel a tug on my skirt. It seem someone else feels entitled to the food on my plate regardless of the fact that his plate, though smaller, is identical to mine.

I stretch out in my bed to enjoy those last moments of sleep before the alarm goes off, and I feel a bounce and a thud against my side as a wiggly little body claims his spot on the pillow.

I won't even go into my privacy which used to include my shower and other necessary functions in that room.

Before I get too wrapped up in what of mine has become shared, I must remind myself that Someone else left the throne He called Mine and came to the world He called Mine to find it was taken over by the very people He had created to be His as well. They not only called it theirs but excluded Him from it in the process.

Which suggests to me that perhaps all those things I call mine really never belonged to me at all.

February Wrap Up

I can't believe two months of 2010 are already gone! Life just flies by when one is having fun. :-) Here's what I've found around the web during the month of February:

For Wives: 

• Becoming A Better Helpmeet: The Most Important Thing @ Heavenly Homemakers

• Dealing with the Winter Blahs in Your Marriage @ Blissfully Domestic

For Moms:

• I Don't Want My Children To Be Happy  @ Jill Savage

• The Paradox of Parenting Boys @ Outnumbered Mom

• Keeping Children's Toys From Overwhelming A Room @ Unclutterer

• What Does A Stay-At-Home Mom Do All Day? @ Generation Cedar

• Me Time for Moms: The Dailies @ A High and Noble Calling

For Women:

• Intentional Cleaning @ Steady Mom 

• Rapunzel's Resource - a tutorial for women with long hair

For Health Care Providers (yep, that's YOU--and me):

• Nutrition Checklist for Little Ones @ nurturebaby.com 

Books I Read:

• Don't Make Me Count To Three by Ginger Plowman

This is a practical, easy-to-read guide to heart-oriented discipline for kids. I got a lot of help out of it.

• All The Way Home by Mary Pride

While many of her ideas are radical, they do give a lot of food for thought. I gained some help in my attitude towards my roles in general.

I hope you had a productive, happy February!