I love to chat with sweet, elderly folks we meet in the stores who see the treasure that my children are. I bite my tongue when dealing with the gentlemen who seem to miss the fine art of politeness.  And I wonder what I could say differently to those moms who look at me like I’m crazy to think of having more than one or two.

Loving the snazzy PJs

Our world tells us that children are a burden, an expense, a hindrance….The Word tells us the truth.

¹ Unless the LORD builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the LORD guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain.
² It is vain for you to rise up early,
To sit up late,
To eat the bread of sorrows;
For so He gives His beloved sleep.

³ Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,
         The fruit of the womb is a reward.
⁴ Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth.
⁵ Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;
They shall not be ashamed,
But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.

Psalm 127

I am blessed beyond measure by these children. My days are not boring. I am not dissatisfied. I do not feel that my college degree has been “wasted”. The Lord has allowed me to be the mother of these children and it is such an honor. I treasure my days full of smiles, laughter, dirty diapers, girl talks, messy floors and scribbles on the wall.

What a wonderful calling we have as mothers. I pray that I will continue to strive to glorify God as I mother my children.

 ¹ Oh, sing to the LORD a new song!
         For He has done marvelous things;
         His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory.
 ² The LORD has made known His salvation;
         His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations.
 ³ He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel;
         All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

 ⁴ Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth;
         Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.
 ⁵ Sing to the LORD with the harp,
         With the harp and the sound of a psalm,
 ⁶ With trumpets and the sound of a horn;
         Shout joyfully before the LORD, the King.

 ⁷ Let the sea roar, and all its fullness,
         The world and those who dwell in it;
 ⁸ Let the rivers clap their hands;
         Let the hills be joyful together
          ⁹ before the LORD,
         For He is coming to judge the earth.
         With righteousness He shall judge the world,
         And the peoples with equity.

Tonight, we were running a bit behind schedule. It had been one of those days. A day where I was tired of the little battles with cute little kiddos…a day where the thoughts of issues out of my control were weighing heavy on my mind….a day when I decided to be anxious about too many things…. a day I didn’t spend focused on the Lord and His sovereignty.

By 8:00 tonight, I was done. I made it clear that read aloud might not happen tonight. I wanted to just. be. alone.

Then the Lord showered me with His love and grace. As we gathered together as a family to pray, as I heard the voices of my little ones casting their concerns to the Lord, as I had one cuddled up against me….the Lord opened my eyes to how I had lost my focus today.

Everyone headed to their rooms after prayer; everyone except Sam. He decided to fight sleep. And in a moment, I so weak on my own, was immediately frustrated. Then I saw a hymnal. In an attempt to sing Sam to sleep, I worshiped. Oh, how I sang praises to His name and my heart broke at my lack of faith.

Thank you, Lord, for that sweet, precious time of worship. Of singing to You..about You..thank You for saving me.

What a beautiful picture this scripture puts into my heart. Going into a room….into the quiet…the stillness…the peacefulness.  Moments or hours alone with the Lord, sending praise up to Him, given glory to His name and pouring out the joys and sorrows deep within our hearts. What a precious, sweet time that is….

I know. If you have a little blessing or two or seven running around your house, climbing on you right at this very moment, or…hmmm, I’ll wait while you go find where you 3 year  old is and what she did with the Sharpie.

I understand completely how difficult it can be to find a quiet place to have that time with the Lord. For me, some days it is an accomplishment to have bathroom privileges without a buddy. How will I manage to go into my room and join the Father in the secret place for an hour, 15 min or even 5?

Here is the truth. And I’m not sure how it will hit you, but it hit me hard. I heard the truth come out of my own mouth as I was talking to my children. Guess what I told them? I can’t remember what brought about the conversation, but someone hadn’t completed a task and gave the reasoning that he/she just didn’t have time.  My words of great motherly wisdom? If it was an activity that you truly wanted to do, you would have found the time. If it were a book you wanted to read, you would find the time. If you wanted to create notecards, you would have found the time. In the same way you could find the time to ……

Did you hear that? It was the 2×4 lovingly, encouragingly hitting on the back of the head. If I truly desired to seek the face of the Lord, if I truly desired to lift up praise and thanksgiving to His Name, if I truly desired to fall on my knees and cry out to the Lord for the salvation of my children and the forgiveness of my transgressions, I would make the time. It is that important, is it not?

I make the time to blog. I make the time to sit up until 2am reading a book of no eternal value. I make time to sit and drink my daily dose of Dr. Pepper. I make time to update my Facebook status. I make time for all these shallow, temporal things and can’t find 5 minutes behind a closed door with the Lord? Oh, Father forgive me for me blindness. Laziness. Forgive me for being satisfied with the stale and shallow.

I need to make meeting the Father in a secret place of top importance. Will I not become a better wife and a better mother because I have become a faithful daughter of my heavenly Father?

Will it always be easy? No. And how much more will I treasure that time when it was harder to come by. How will I find that time with seven children? Maybe I will rise up early and in the stillness of the morning, seek a quiet place to meet with the Lord. Maybe I’ll let my shower time  take an extra 10 minutes to hide behind that door. I am blessed with older children who can handle things while I step away for 15 minutes…or 30…. I have a husband, who if I just tell him that I haven’t had time to pray behind the door today that he will tell me to run, right then while he watches over the children.

If it was important to me, I would find a way, wouldn’t I? If it was important, I wouldn’t let anyone come between that precious time. I’d find a room, a couch, a corner to have a moment “behind the door” and meet the Father in that secret place. I encourage you to do the same.

It is easy to see the potential for strength in “never meeting a stranger”. Sometimes it might be a bit more difficult to see the strength.

Sarah Bear was 2 when Sam was born. There was great concern voiced over her “not getting to be the baby long enough” or “how jealous she would be”. Those concerns were quickly proven to be false. Sarah fell in love with Sam immediately. She could not get enough of him.

Once, when Sam was  a few weeks old,  he woke up from a nap. Sarah heard him first and she is quick! She went into the room and moved a laundry basket full of clothes to the pack -n – play. Then grabbed him out of the bassinet and placed him in a football hold to take to Daddy. She is really quick! Thankfully both of them survived the incident. However, Sarah still enjoys putting him a football hold.

She can’t help it. She loves him. Completely. Without restraint. He is her Sam and if he is around, she is with him. He does not always appreciate her devoted attention. I spend a great amount of time directing her to other activities besides Sam. There are days I get frustrated that she won’t just leave him alone!

Today, a thought hit me. What an amazing, devoted love she has for him. My older girls joke about Sarah calling Sam when he is grown and married. They think she will still call him her booger bear. She probably will.

I pray that her focused devotion turns to Christ. What an amazing strength that will be. To be so devoted to Christ that all those things trying to pull us away have no appeal. From the time we get up until we lay down our heads, we are looking for the Savior. Maybe I need to pray that I can be as determined to be with my Savior as Sarah is to be with her booger bear.

Blessed are the undefiled in the way,
Who walk in the law of the LORD!
Blessed are those who keep His testimonies,
Who seek Him with the whole heart!
They also do no iniquity;
They walk in His ways

Psalm 119: 1-3

Doesn't that look cold?

And there are days when I allow myself to get really stressed out about all I’m not getting done.

Snow Swimming...the newest Olympic event

Those days I am so thankful for a husband who helps me remember that most of the items on my to do list are not eternal.

Snow Angel

So maybe I don’t get the kitchen floor scrubbed with a toothbrush. And the laundry didn’t all get folded. There is still toothpaste on the mirror.

Together

Nothing is more important than conversations shared while making bread, a quiet time together sharing a love of reading, quiet interrupted by fingers learning to play hymns on the piano and mighty yells as snowballs hit me again. And again.

The Walk Home

God has called me to be a mom to these amazing children. I am blessed.

Deuteronomy 6:4-7

Hear, O Isarael: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God wtih all your heart and with all your sould and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Psalm 30:4-6

Sing praise to the Lord, ye saints of His.

And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.

For His anger is but for a moment,

His favor is for life,

Weeping may endure for a night,

But joy comes in the morning.

Some of my children have grown a bit tired of me photographing everything. Hannah Joy, the sweet child that she is, loves the camera.

She always has a smile, a goofy look or a striking pose when I point the camera in her direction.

The Lord provided the perfect name for her. Joy. She is a joy and a delight.

She finds pleasure in the simplest of things and has boundless energy. The day of our fall walk, she was begging for the attention of the camera. I will treasure these photos!

But even Miss Boundless Energy must rest now and then.

Praying you all have a bit of joy in your day.

When you know you would just feel better…

If for just a brief second let out a little…

But mighty yell?

Oh, you don’t? Right. I don’t every think about doing that either. Nope, not me. Happy, serene homeschool mom. *quietly whistles as I walk out of the room*

Ok. I’ll be honest. I get frustrated. I do. Yes, I do. My day doesn’t go as plan. The baby wants to play at 3am and the 2 year old wants to be up before the sun. Suddenly the 11 year old forgets fractions and the 6 year old is almost in tears over reading. And exactly where are the missing scissors and why is the floor wet in the very spot I just sat down in?

Hmm, maybe I’ll add some tears in with the scream. Yes, I think I will.

Or maybe I won’t.

Every morning I gather up the children for time together in the Word and working on scripture memory. For the months of May and June we read through the book of Proverbs. For the month of July, we have been in Philippians. Yes. The whole month. 4 chapters. We read one each day and have just kept cycling through. There is so many wonderful things to study and pray about in Philippians. I have come to love the words of this book so much during this month.

And tonight, I was sharing with a friend how I just felt like crying. Life isn’t going the way I want it. I feel frustrated. I’m tired. I’d like to just scream and let it all out. And I came to blog about that and make myself feel better by throwing my little online fit.

Then the Lord placed His firm but gentle hand on my shoulder and drew me close. He brought the words we have been studying to my mind and comforted my heart.

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your won salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in both you to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining or disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.”

Philippians 2: 12-17

“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4: 4-7

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things. The things you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you”

Philippians 4: 8-9

I needed to be reminded of these words tonight. I want to focus on what is true and pure and lovely. I don’t want my children to see me as a mom who is constantly grumbling or frustrated with life. I want them to see that I can rejoice in all circumstances. Will I always succeed? Nope. I won’t. But they will see that I keep trying. Keep pressing toward the goal.

I can’t wait to see how the Lord is going to speak to me in August.

The bigger kiddos have gone with their daddy to prayer meeting. I am stayed behind with the little ones who need a bit of extra sleep. They are sleeping at this very moment.

We are house sitting for friends this week. Since we are in a “strange” house and her room buddies are not here, I grabbed a pillow and blanket so Sarah could snooze on the couch this evening. (I’ll move her to bed later.) She was cuddled up on one end of the couch and I was nursing Sam to sleep on the other end. Every now and then she would look at me and smile, I’d tell her I love you and I watched her eyes getting heavier and heavier.

In a moment she was asleep. I watched her for a bit. Still and quiet. Those two words are not often associated with Sarah.

Before I know it, I hear Sam’s little snores. He has fallen asleep as well. I hold him a bit longer. Yes, I know. I spoil my babies. I’m ok with that. I love to cuddle them to sleep. The time can pass so quickly. I want to savor those sweet baby smells and sounds.

Sam is now in his bed. Sarah is beside me on the couch. I have a kitchen that needs to be cleaned. My clean up crew was running behind and had to dash out before we were done. But I want to enjoy the stillness, the quiet just a bit longer.

Thank you, Father, for this moment. For reminding me to take time to be quiet. To be still and know that You are God. Father, I thank you for this moment to remember how You have blessed me beyond measure. Amen.

Lydia and Sam enjoying the shade. Bekah napping?

After a while, we feel a bit tired. Maybe a change of pace or scenery would be good. We stop to get out and stretch our legs. We notice a newer map. Wow, it shows a different way to go. Hmmm, maybe we should go this way. It looks like it will be faster, more scenic or just more fun!

Breaking news….Mr. Cuteness has some fuzz on his head. Guess what color it looks like?!!?!?

Back in the car with our new map and we are on our way. At first it is great. The sky is blue; the grass is green and no bumps in the road. We round the curve and bam! things aren’t looking so great anymore. We suddenly realize that we haven’t gotten as far as we thought. The new map that seemed so wonderful just had us going in circles. Why did we buy the new map? Why didn’t we just stay on the road we were on?

Are you wondering what in the world I’m talking about?

Homeschooling. When we began homeschooling we had a clear direction in site. We knew exactly where we wanted to go and how we were going to get there. For some crazy reason, I couldn’t be content with the road we were on and decided to get a new “map”. Let’s try this method or that curriculum. Now there is nothing wrong with finding that a new method works better or that a certain curriculum is a better fit for one of your children. I am not saying that at all. But when you allow yourself to be pulled away from the foundation, the core, of what you desire for your children, well that is bad. At least it is for us.

So many thoughts run through my head for this picture.

We have been talking about how we have veered off the path we set out no and how to rectify that. In the next few weeks, we are going to be working hard to our focus back. I have a few books that I’m going to read and some long-term planning to do. Since I blog mainly for me, I decided I’d keep a “journal” of sorts on here to help me flesh everything out. You have been warned!