The faith of a child

The Bible does say we should come to him like a little child. Once again.....my son has shown me a real live object lesson of that fact.

I think it was this past Thursday or Friday.....not sure on which day but that I guess doesnt matter.

I had sent Christopher to his room to think about his behavior. Since he was a very young child he would pray and talk to God when he is in time out. Say things like "let mommy and daddy let me out of time out" etc. But that day.....something different happened. Suddenly my son was wailing and crying deep, deep sobs......sobs so heartfelt I went to check on him.

Christopher, what's wrong.

I cant hear the Lord. I just want to hear His voice.

Honey, He talks to us diffently than voice.

But I can't hear Him mommy, I want to hear the Lord....Oh Lord....let me hear you. I want to hear your voice.....Lord. Lord....please let me hear you. Oh , Mommy He cant hear me......why doesnt He answer why cant I hear His voice.

Honey, honey it's okay........He speaks to our heart not in a voice we hear with your ears.

But Mommy....my heart doesn't have any ears. I can't hear him. (as he tried to put his ear on his chest, as he raised his tear stained face and sweet little hands towards heaven. My little boy cried out to God...His Lord......)

Mommy....I need to go to heaven so I can hear the Lord (as he lept with his raised hands toward the ceiling trying to reach heaven)...but I cant reach heaven it is too high. (still crying in earnest with heart felt sobs and his face so sincere and so precious).

Honey...if you went to heaven I would miss you here.

But Mommy....I would come right back.....I promise....Oh , Lord just let me hear you, please let me hear your voice.

I am hugging him now....and trying my hardest not to cry in front of him as my mommy heart is wrenched to its core with this child seeking God so earnestly.....so desperate to hear the Lord's voice. It took an hour and starting a breathing treatment to get him calme enough to listen to me. As he got his treatment he was saying

Lord, hear me, let me hear you......Heal me up Lord, just heal me up.

by this time I was fighting for emotional control so I wouldnt make him more upset.


I read to him from Psalms and I sang to him and I prayed with him. We even called his Daddy during that time at work....and still he did not calm........finally when he did calm down I was able to communicate that God speaks to our hearts.......not with an audible voice. As I read the Word of God to him and prayed with him......his spirit quieted with in him. Our senior pastor came over after my husband called him and told him the same thing I had. Never in my life.....have I seen a 6 year old child seek God so earnestly.....so deeply, so sincerely. I was floored, awed and humbled. My son, my precious son was not seeking attention, he was not trying to get out of trouble....but he truly, earnestly wanted to hear the audible voice of the Lord. The only thing I can figure is that while he prayed during his time out.....he came to the realization he was not hearing an audible voice.

If adults sought God the way my son sought the Lord's voice that day......what kind of Christian's would this world have? Christian's on fire for God. I will never forget my child's tear stained face, face and hands lifted to heaven, voice filled with earnest, sincere emotion and his precious words crying out to the Lord just to hear His voice. My Lord, My Lord.....when will MY FAITH be that strong........when was the last time it was that strong. So today I plead for the faith of a child. I am humbled and awed by what the Lord is doing in my son. My husband, the pastor and his wife were amazed at how earnest my son was seeking the Lord as well. When the pastor came over.......although Christopher was calm by that time.......his eyes were still swollen....but he had peace.......peace brought by the word of God and the Lord ministering to his heart when we prayed together.

All I can say......is Lord let me walk in that faith....the faith of a child.

He's a bug Helper.......

LOL.......my dear son just came to me and said

Mommy I helped that bug.

What bug

The one that was laying on his back kicking his legs, wasnt that nice.

Yeah...(thinking why didnt he just squish it....)

Well Mommy.....I had to help him......I dont have a pet......and I will never get a pet.......(so dramatically).

________________________________________

LOL.......maybe it is time we reinvested in a fish.....if my poor son is trying to make a pet out of bugs.....LOL.

Friday Feast

Fridays Feast!!
Appetizer: If you could take lessons to learn any musical instrument, which would you want to learn?
The piano for sure.......I have always wanted to play the piano


SoupHave you ever mistaken a person for someone else? Yes and it was so embarrassing. And today at the grocery store some older guy said.......well are you just going to keep walking and not talk to me........I guess he must be from the church and I didnt recognize him. Of course at the time I was talking on my cell phone and reading my list.....I thought he was rather rude......but whatever.......LOL. I really dont know WHO he was.......LOL.

Salad: On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how well do you keep secrets? 10..........I am a great secret keeper.......had lots of practice with my sister and my best friend who was my roommate in college.....her and I.........have lots of secrets......LOL.........and we dont choose to share them now.

What's the closest you've ever been to a dangerous animal? Hmmmm well my dad held me over a pit of snakes "to see" once when I was little and still in a stroller........a mass pile of them squirming all over each other and making icky noises.......and I STILL remember.......and my mother freaked......."dont drop my baby and they weren't just your garden variety snake either. She remembers it, I remember it....but he denies it ever happened. I can STILL see those snakes in my head today.......and people wonder why I have a phobia of snakes........LOL

DessertWhen was the last time you lost your patience?

Do I have to tell? LOL......let's see at about 1:45 pm when Christopher was being mean to his sister and all she was trying to do was help mommy.........grrrrrrr made me so mad I got in his face and yelled at him.....the same way he yelled at his sister.......sigh..nope I am far from the perfect Mom.......and make mistakes daily

The wailing and gnashing(well biting of teeth) and other events

Okay so both girls....decided naptime was optional today......Hannah hasn't napped at all. Jennifer very little and now both are cranky, wailing and Hannah bit her brother. She is now in time out. Sigh........why do they pick dinner time to do this...or when I am attempting to cook dinner........? Have you ever wondered......can I really do this? I do some days. Good thing God made them so cute.........cause if they werent so cute........it would be much harder to deal with. CAN you say "I HAVE HAD IT today"........my 3 year old has been horribly behaved today. My 6 year old eggs it on but at least he got his homework today. But got a note home on his paper that he "spends a lot of time staring into space". We had a little talk about staying focused. And if he doesn't clean his room.....that's it.....I am charging him some allowance to do it for him..........I have no idea what other consequence to try......maybe that will get the message across.......okay gotta run...........sigh duty calls. LOL

Nanny 911 or SuperNanny

We enjoy this show for the most part. My son who is 6, thinks it is great cause he sees kids do things and I quote "I would never do that mommy"....LOL. Yet, as I think about it........how many of us really could stand up to scrutiny of cameras in our homes for 24/7. They pull excerpts from hours of taping and put it all together. So who is to say "those" parents really scream at their kids or act the way the show portrays. I know on my worst days, I too have screamed at my kids, punished unfairly, or horror of horrors spanked a bottom firmly. I have yelled at my husband in front of my children and been, well HUMAN. Where in the show does it ever show the mom or dad being normal, loving parents UNTIL after the Nanny does her magic. Don't you think some of these families really are just the average american family, with average Amercian problems and issues of day to day life. Also have you ever seen them do a family that has to struggle for money or to make the bills. NO each of these homes are almost all of them anyway or showcase homes! Homes like I will never live in and the parents make more than we can ever dream of making. So what about us average folk, who struggle and make mistakes in parenting and wonder, am I really doing a good job? Wouldn't we look horrid to if the "Nanny" came in our home. For example, Hannah is 3 years old and NOT potty trained. Well we have tried the whole put the panties on and let her be wet or icky, no go. I am sorry but I dont have wooden floors, nor can I afford to have my carpets cleaned every other day. We live in a home provided by the church since Mike is the associate pastor. It has brand new, wonderful carpet. Frankly I dont want to go to the head pastor and say, "we need new carpet because of potty accidents". I really dont think that would go over well with the church board. The shows dont figure stuff like that in. I really do enjoy the shows but have to wonder how much is for show and how much is real.

Thursday Snapshot

Reading: Saving Grace by Ryan Phillips...and up and coming Christian author. I accidently read the second in the series before the first....It is about a young, african amercian woman who is the daughter of a successful business woman....she was raised by a single mom......and educated in private school and sheltered. Now she has to face the realities of the world. She has affairs and leads her own life. Then meets a young Christian man..but has some devestating losses. She has no one to turn to be God.........it is a great read....and I am enjoying the first novel as much as I did the second.

Music in my head: You are my sunshine my only sunshine.........

Drinking: Ice Cold Dr Pepper.......not on my diet but oh so tasty.

Wishing: I could take a nap. Correction: I wish the girls would take a nap at the SAME time......I could easily go to sleep since I didnt get enough sleep last night.

Considering: if I should skip doing chores today.....and go on strike.....after all it seems as Mommy has become a slave around here and perfectly good capable children have forgotten how to clean their rooms. But alas I can't do that......since the mess will drive me nuts.

Feeling: tired, sleepy, exhausted.....my 3 year old decided sleep was optional last night......sigh.

Goals: To get caught up on the laundry.....yeah right...in this life time? dont think so......hmmmm doesn't laundry breed anyway....when you arent looking.

To Do List: make 100 school days project with son. laundry...like I said before.....bring some semblance of order to the kids rooms.......hmmmm.......did those toys throw a revolt and leap out of the toy bin themselves.....as I am sure my "perfectly angelic" children wouldnt make such a mess.

Hours gloriously spent in bathtub last night: none, but I did get a shower with my dd this morning and bathe the baby....until she turned into a wee little prune cause she hates to get out. I could count that as a bath as she splashes so well for 6 months old.
Things Accomplished: 0

Challenge: PIck at least 3 of the above categories and list your "Snapshot" in the Comments.

Ten Things to be Thankful for Tuesday

1. It is going to rain today........we need the rain.
2. The kids are healthy for the most part. No one has a fever, no one is puking etc. LOL. Dont have to worry about pulling out the Lysol can today.....LOL.
3. Our daily needs are met......after all God promised to meet our needs.
4. Hannah really is liking to watch Little House on the Prairie.......this makes me happy cause I loved it as a little girl and now it is something I can share with her. I think I will invest in the little house books and start reading a bit each night to the kids.
5. Christopher was called a bad name at school yesterday......another child called him and I quote "a little idiot". The other kid got in trouble but Christopher handled it so maturely and even agreed maybe his friend was just mad and said he would forgive him no matter what. Made me really proud.
6. Jennifer is growing up strong and healthy and beginning to get into mischief. Yes.......I am thankful for that....cause it means she has a bright, inquisitive mind and she is learning fast.
7. My husband is a hard worker and a devoted husband and father. HE loves his wife and his children.....and though he gets cranky at times.....we never doubt that.
8. I am thankful.........gasp.........for my chores...but dont let my family hear me say that.....LOL. It means I have a happy, healthy home where my kids can make messes and they are well enough to make messes and it keeps my day from EVER being boring. Now about the mess in the kids bathroom.......not so sure I am THAT thankful for that....but at least I have the strength and ability to clean it up....LOL.
9. I have a Lord that is helping me grow as I am learning to be thankful in the daily things instead of JUST the big blesssings. He is helping me see there is much more to life than the big blessings because sometimes miracles and blessings are truly hidden in everyday happenings.
10. I am thankful for prayer. A way I can let out my deepest feelings and thoughts to someone who JUST listens and I dont have to be anybody but me......I can say it just like I feel and not have to worry about HIM thinking it sounds dumb or silly or not important......because HE cares about everything.

My little heartbreaker

Jennifer PULLED up in the crib today

and Hannah wearing MY makeup...LOL. Yep she got into the makeup.....isnt she pretty and dont you want a makeover? LOL

Lazy Saturday

We are having a lazy Saturday after a busy week of sickness, kidney stones for my husband, a game night for the group we run at church and so much more. I am sooooooooo tired. Just feel lazy and letting the kids wear their jammies all day.......so........that is just what I did. Mike had to work and is now showing signs of the flu we all had last week....that is he didnt have it last week........so I guess it is his turn. Not much to say today.......and this is probably very boring....but since I have had trouble getting in lately thought I would post something to show a wee bit of activity......LOL.

Thirteen Things I learned from my Three year old

1. Anything can be turned into a game......the messier the better. And messes always clean up.
2. Feeding your baby sister can be a great game and while it is messy again messes can be cleaned up.....cute lasts forever.
3. Sweet potatoes CAN be spread from one end of the kitchen to the other and back again.
4. Bugs can be your friends if you watch from afar and they do AMAZING things.
5. Water is fun to throw......especially in mommy's just cleaned bathroom.
6. Baby sweet potatoes and chicken does NOT taste good to anyone BUT babies.
7. When children help you......it make take twice as long to do the chore but it is 100 times the fun.
8. It is okay to walk slow and enjoy the sunshine.....you never know what you might see........like a leaf blowing in the wind, or a bird chasing a lizard.
9. Hugs never get old and they dont run out and they dont expire.
10. I love you .......the 3 best words in the whole world.
11. 2 am makes a good snuggly time......all is quiet and it can be just you and your child.
12. Naps are overrated.......there is too much to do and see to take time for naps.
13. Art is in how you see it and the fun of creating it.......not necessarily the completed project.

What is a Proverbs 31 Mommy

This is based on Proverbs 31:10-25 from the Bible. I will paraphrase the things a Proverbs 31 Mommy does:

• She is virtous in her actions, deeds and thoughts.
• Her husband can trust her in all things.
• She does good things for her husband and supports him. She encourages him and helps him to grow by being a helpmate. This doesnt mean being a doormat or a servant, but it is a partnership. Because when she treats him with the love God has given her for him and by the guidelines of Christ.....he cherishes her.
• She puts her relationship with Christ first.
• She puts her marriage before the children, house, work etc.
• She cherishes her husband and her children.
• She works hard to make her home a happy, safe place of comfort and love.
• She works hard to nourish her family both physically, emotionally and spirtually through feeding them real food and praying for them and with them.
• She knows how to help her husband increase the income if needed.
• She fills in where she can to help take the load off of her husband.
• She makes sure to take care of her body, mind, and spirit so she can be strong in all ways for her family.
• She teaches her children to love the Lord and plants good seeds in their hearts and souls.
• She encourages them AND expects them to obey and respect parents elders etc.
• She keeps on going even when she doesnt feel like it.
• She takes care of her body and her appearance.
• She helps the poor and needy.
• She is prepared for unseen circumstances.
• She helps provide for her family by buying clothes economically or sewing or whatever method that makes her agood steward of the family income.
• She prepares her heart and mind for her day before her family awakes through prayer and Bible study.
• She serves her Lord to the best of her ability.
• She seeks to increase her knowledge and her faith.
• She is honorable.
• She treats her family like they are treasures

I have a long way to go before I MEET all these goals.......but it is a life long process of growing, loving and learning. Some days I am strong and some days I am week. But the Proverbs 31 Mommy does not let mistakes are failure keep her down. She picks herself back up and keeps on going. This is not to say she doesn't struggle.......she does. But the Proverbs 31 Mommy knows who to go to to help her through...that person is Jesus. For through a personal relationship with Jesus she finds strenght and encouragement and so much more.