Advent & new PJ's

Today was advent number 22 and our fun stocking said new pj's and a movie. So we stayed up really late and watched The Nativity.

Peace

Normally this time of year if full of stress and chaos, with shopping and visiting and everything that comes up in between.

I feel an over abundance of peace this December and when I think of the New Year coming the words peace, comfort, joy, and love go though my head. I'm sitting in my big chair with a signal candle flickering on the table. All the lights are out but my Christmas tree. I have a hot cup of tazo chai tea beside me. ~Sounds great hey?~ Well I left out that there are 6 children loudly playing at my feet with Christmas music in the back ground. :)

Peace doesn't mean quiet! nor does it mean that everything will be running smooth.

Peace is what is in your heart, two days ago one of my children flushed a handful of baby wipes. If you have been a mommy for any amount of time you know what this means!

20+ towels and a couple blankets later to stop the flowing toilet that wasn't flushed just once and a call to my husband to come home quickly to help me out, 4 loads of laundry I was pretty proud of of myself I kept my cool minus the few yelps for "get more towels"!

Im sure we could avoid these things from happening by having a perfect house but all you would gain is a perfect house. Perfect homes don't change the world and they don't raise godly children. A houseful of children means work and more work but it also means joy, blessing, wealth, and growth in your heart. So as I sit here thinking about things I'm reminded that I can choose to live by my feelings or I can choose to live by Christ who IS in me. I am so thankful today His peace dwels in my heart.

A Wonderful Thing

Being a mother is a wonderful thing,

My bedside alarm, it nevver need ring,

I'm awakened each day with bright cheerful faces,

And soon 'round the table they've all taken places.

Our meal is seasoned with plenty of chatter,

The fruit and the muffins fly from the platter,

There are stories to share and a Bible verse too,

We reverently pray -it's not always a zoo!

The day is so full of a number of things;

First chores, then schoolwork, then song practicings,

ooking and cleaning and book-reading too,

A mom of wee children has plenty to do!

I've heard busy times end as quick as they start,

So I'll treasure these day, store them up in my heart,

Small children grow up-the time goes fast,

The business of mothering soon will be past.

Be cheerful and thankful each day that you've got,

Greater joy anywhere, there surely is not!

As you work through your duties may God hear you sing

'Cause being a mother is a wonderful thing!

Advent Season Again.

We are already on day three of our family advent, Day 1 was looking through old Christmas photo's and telling littler ones stories and memories of Christmas past. They all love seeing pictures of my dad, and the older ones try and remember as much as they can about him.

Day 2 was all climb on the couch and read Christmas stories. We got through about 2 before little ones started wandering off on us. Then today was go see a Christmas Play! This was pre-planned and only the older 3 were able to go.



~~Mothering is not the ultimate goal of being a mom, revealing Christ to the children is.~~


I was wanting to share about a little break through we had with our youngest little treasure. For about 6-7 months he had become a very discontent grumpy boy. We chocked it up to be a number of things, teeth, faze, colds ect..... after a day of just non stop crying and me just not sure anymore, maybe something is really bothering him. I prayed. I don't mean like a quick little 2 second Lord help prayer. But REALLY cried out to my Father. I was starting to let the devil lie to me and fear to creep in and all that ugly stuff that goes with it. After a major melt down at the dinner table, not me but him LOL I put him to bed at 6:00pm and continued to talk things over with Chris. What on earth is wrong?

Baby boy slept 14.5 hours that night straight and woke up pretty happy... for 20 minutes. Then a thought occurred to me. I needed to shut off the mommy softness and deal with this. And #2 get him a drink.. What? Get him a drink? What did that have to do with this cranky child that made this a horrible habit?
I firmly told him stop whining took his little reluctant hand and walked him to the fridge where I made him a sippy cup. In the mean time a melt down was kicking in, so I got down on the floor lifting his jelly 23lbs body to his feet and again firmly told him to stop and gave him his drink. He drank it really fast, I felt in my spirit to fill it up again. So I did and he drank that! But again I felt to fill it up yet again - I gave it to him and he drank more and just walked around with it. Could it of been all this time he just didn't have the words to tell me he was thirsty?
We are on day 3 of making sure he has a drink at all times and let me tell you I have a new child!

Later that night when Chris and I went to bed I was telling him about my days and how this played out and once again I was shown how the Holy Spirit will lead us in our mothering! If we seek Him he is SO faithful to show us the way. We do walk in a mothering anointing! I used to always think the anointing was for those that lead worship or are gifted in healing but that simply isn't true. He anoints you and me in whatever we are doing each and every day. It’s the attitude with which we do things.

I know we will never have an assignment like Jesus had, but we are filled with the same Holy Spirit who will lead us to work and play so that others are drawn to Him. Isn’t that what He did? He came to draw all people to Himself and to a living eternal life He made possible through His death on the cross and resurrection. What is so different about playing with our children? Of course we are still going to have challenging days – no question about it. But we are also blessed with the Holy Spirit. His anointing so we do have the ability to do these things in a way that will impact the life of our families.