My list

I missed church again last Sunday. It's becoming a frequent occurrence now, and I really wish it weren't. The first obstacle I have is that there are six people in my house. We leave for church at about 8:45 in the morning, so that gives me two hours after the kids all wake up to make sure everyone is fed, cleaned up, dressed, etc. before we walk out the door (and this includes myself, of course). Usually, what happens is that Nathan and I get everyone through breakfast, bathroom stuff, and we get them dressed, then we look at the clock and realize we only have 20 minutes before we have to leave. At that point, it's pretty common for me to still be wearing pajamas and no makeup. Sometimes, it just doesn't happen. Other Sunday mornings, we all manage to be ready to go on time, and we get there just the way we're supposed to. However, my second stumbling block is Miss Anna. She does NOT like going into the nursery. At all. She hates it, in fact. If I go in there and sit on the floor with her, she's fine (as long as she keeps one hand on me at all times). The few times that I've tried to leave here there have been disastrous. Either she screams her head off until someone comes to get me, or she makes herself sick (she threw up all over one of the nursery workers one morning). If I take her to Sunday school or worship service with me, she gets bored, starts babbling (loudly), and I have to take her out and walk the halls with her until it's time to go home or she falls asleep. Needless to say, even when I'm able to make it into the church building, I still haven't heard a Sunday school lesson or church sermon in months. It's very frustrating.

Anyway, I didn't make it this week - again. A good friend of mine, upon learning that I was at home on a Sunday morning, gave me an assignment. She wanted me to make a list of 50 things that I was thankful for (thankful to God, that is). She told me that I had to be pretty specific - no "stating the obvious," as she put it. At first, I thought, "I have so much to be thankful for! This will be super easy!" Well, I do have a lot to be thankful for, but it turned out to be much more difficult than I originally anticipated when it came to actually writing it all down!

So, here is my list. There are a few "obvious" things on there, but they are truly my biggest blessings. Some are a little silly, too, but if you can't laugh at life, then you're just never going to have any fun.

1. Nathan
2. Ethan
3. Nicholas
4. Zoe
5. Anna
6. My miscarriages - the babies I lost. I loved them, too. They helped to put things in perspective for me and remind me that I should never take my children (the ones I have and any more that may come) for granted.
7. Love - even when my kids make me insane and Nathan and I irritate each other, we always have love here in our home. So, so much love.
8. My family (immediate and extended) - we might be strange, but we're all we've got!
9. Nathan's family - they all accepted me as their own, from the moment Nathan proposed. I couldn't have hand-picked better in-laws!
10. The fact that our entire family (both sides) lives close by and we see everyone so often.
11. Godly examples of marriage that we've been given (and are still given) in my parents, Nathan's parents, and my grandparents.
12. That our parents had us in church from an early age, were continually faithful, and were (and still are) wonderful models of Christianity for us. That they've instilled a knowledge of right and wrong within us.
13. Financial freedom because of Nathan's practicality and frugality, through Biblical principles and the incredible guiding hand of his Dad. We are debt-free!
14. Nathan's business. He is our breadwinner, the backbone of our family, and he did it all himself. If it weren't for his unfailing commitment to bust his butt all day, every day, we wouldn't have the life we have now.
15. My stay-at-home mom status. This is through God's constant provision of work and income through my incredible husband. I might complain sometimes, but I know that I have an incredible opportunity that others don't, and I'm trying so hard to appreciate it (even when the kids are destroying my house and punching one another in the face)!
16. Our home. Not only did we design and build it ourselves (well, Nathan did), it's completely paid for. It really is OURS.
17. Our vehicles. Again, we are debt-free, and we have several working vehicles so we can go where we need to go! So many people don't have a car, or they're slaving away to pay for a car, just to go to work and make more money for the next payment. 
18. My education and my ability to learn. I might be a stay-at-home mom, but I do have a college degree (with honors)! I really appreciate the sacrifices my parents made to help me realize that goal, and I am so grateful that I was able to go learn and better myself.
19. Our health. Neither Nathan nor I have any health conditions or problems, we don't have to take any medications, and we rarely get sick. Our children are also extremely healthy and haven't ever had any major health problems.
20. Fertility. Where so many couples have horrible struggles, we are immeasurably blessed.
21. The ability to carry a baby to term and deliver without medical intervention, and the fact that I've been able to do this four times without any serious problems.
22. Modern medicine (mostly epidurals, although I did have one birth without drugs!).
23. FOOD! Enough said.
24. The fact that I can prepare decent meals for my family, from scratch, without completely screwing them up or killing anyone.
25. Free will. God knows I'm going to mess up, but He lets me make my own choices anyway. I'm glad to know that He's still there, waiting with open arms, when I come crawling back.
26. Mistakes and failures. See above. These things aren't fun, but they've made me the person I am today, and I wouldn't trade that for anything.
27. The fact that God is not done with me yet! I'm still growing and changing!
28. The ability to take control of my health and my body. Here's to making them better!
29. The gift of common sense. Thank you, Lord, that I am not as dumb as others.
30. Our church. It isn't perfect, and we've had our share of trials, but we're part of a family, and it's a really important piece of our lives.
31. Ministry opportunities in church, such as Vacation Bible School, where I can be involved, have fun, and be a servant.
32. My ladies' Bible study group. I'm really looking forward to the next study in the fall!
33. The gift of discernment, and the ability to use it without being judgmental.
34. The internet.
35. My BN's. Those girls ROCK!
36. Friends old and new, near and far.
37. Scrapbooking - instant stress relief.
38. Chocolate.
39. Texas! I love living here.
40. Flip flops, especially the cheapies from Old Navy.
41. My sense of humor.
42. Those that can appreciate my sense of humor.
43. My musical ear, so that when I sing in the car, my children's ears don't bleed.
44. Sonic Happy Hour. Half-priced drinks can never be wrong.
45. Family trips and vacations.
46. The ability to express myself through writing.
47. Bath and Body Works.
48. The ability to use my limited artistic ability to make cool things for others.
49. Pajamas!
50. My mommy body. After seven pregnancies and four babies, it's not the most attractive, and some things don't work like they used to, but every mark and dimple is there for a reason. I'm proud of how far I've come, and that I'm still here to tell the stories!

This was not an easy exercise for me, but it was one of the greatest things I've done in a long time. I would encourage all of you to sit down and list your 50 as well. It will really wake you up and make you very aware of just how much you truly have to be thankful for, in detail! The funny thing is, I had such a hard time starting this list, but now I can think of lots more! Maybe I'll keep going?

Amanda, thank you so much for making me do this!

**********************************************************

"Count Your Blessings"
A hymn written by Rev. Johnson Oatman, Jr.
Published in 1897.

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings. Wealth can never buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be disheartened, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

A Tragedy: Part Two

Wednesday, September 7th, Day Four: 

The kids and I were seriously stir-crazy, so we decided to go into Austin to visit the Alexanders. Once we walked outside, we were choked by all the smoke in the air. The wind had died down significantly overnight, so the air was filled with smoke and haze. When we arrived in Austin, we could still smell it. It just seemed to be everywhere and there was no getting away from it. We heard reports about people needing to buy masks to wear when they left their houses. Yuck.

We received word that the Alexanders' house was fine, and that was a huge relief. Many of the houses in their neighborhood had burned to the ground, but theirs was saved. We we were starting to hear some good news about the fires. It seemed like there was a chance to try to extinguish some of the flames since the wind wasn't going to be a factor. The only problem with the lack of wind was that the flames could move wherever they wanted. The next thing we heard was that another part of the State Park was burning in the opposite direction, and it was moving back toward the highway, headed in the direction of our subdivision. Of course, these were all random tidbits of information, and we weren't sure about the accuracy, so we didn't know how concerned to be.

The fire in Cedar Creek (near the Alexanders' house) was beginning to be contained by the end of the day, and it looked promising that people could start returning to their homes even as early as the following day. Finally, some good news!

Thursday, September 8th, Day Five: 

More good news. The fire started to calm down a bit, and the fire crews reported some containment! Also, the Alexanders got to return to their house, which was STILL THERE and untouched!

We continued to watch the news, and there was a much-changed attitude around town. Things shifted from "panic" to "saddened." The town took a deep breath and looked around at the aftermath. We started to hear reports of people we knew that had lost everything they had. There were stories circulating of people running from their houses as the flames licked at their back porches, of people driving away from their home to evacuate as fire engulfed both sides of the road. I'm not sure how much is real, as the stories have probably picked up a few embellishments, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were all true, based on the images we've seen.

Our house was still without electricity, so we stayed with my parents one more night. Nathan had returned to the house several times throughout the week, just to check on things and make sure that there weren't any problems. We were also in touch with our neighbor, who was keeping an eye on the house and waiting for power to be restored to our neighborhood.

Friday, September 9th, Day Six: 

We learned that our house finally had power late Thursday night, and we were super excited to get home! Mom and Dad said that the kids could stay with them for one more night to give us a chance to unpack, minus distractions. I also had a massive amount of food to return to the freezer and refrigerator. Packing up everything to go home was a project, let me tell you. However, while I was thinking about how great it would be to get to sleep in my own bed and shower in my own bathroom, I was reminded that many of our friends were no so fortunate. I felt so guilty.

The kids and I went out to see the Alexanders, and I brought my camera. This is the street leading to their home. The house is situated almost directly behind the unburned area on the right side, at the back. So close.

Nathan and I were able to go home that evening, and it was really good to see that everything was okay. I was still a little paranoid about being there, but it turned out to be just fine, and we managed to get a good night's sleep.

Since then, the fire situation has continued to improve, and people are gradually being allowed to visit their neighborhoods and survey the damages. My heart really goes out to them as they are grieving, and I wish them the best as they decide how to rebuild their homes and their lives.

When photos and maps of the damaged areas began to surface, I realized just how close we came to being a part of this tragedy. If the wind had shifted just the slightest, our house would have seriously been in jeopardy.

See the red circle off to the left? That's where our house sits.

The latest summary I've seen (dated 9/13/11):
Acres: 34,068 Total 

Start date of fire: September 4, 2011
Cause: Under investigation 

Location: 6 miles northeast of Bastrop, Texas
Containment: 70% (Bastrop Fire), 90% (Union Chapel Fire)

Fuels: Timber/residential area

Total personnel: 1210
Resources: 21 crews, 131 engines, 4 helicopters, 8 water tenders, 9 dozers

Even though this fire is over now, Texas is still in a great deal of danger. We haven't had any rain, and the weather forecasts don't really lead me to believe that we're getting any soon. Flash fires and hot spots continue to flare up around town, and other fires are burning throughout the state. What do the next few weeks hold? We need to pray for rain. We really, really need to pray for rain. I don't think anyone wants to see something like this happen again.

A Tragedy: Part One

I was reminded this past week just how easily our lives can change. In a split second, everything that you have can be taken away, and you’re left with fragments of memories. It was a good lesson in prioritizing and in realizing what is really important in life. 

Bastrop, Texas is now a topic on the national news. We’ve made history here, having just survived one of the largest wildfires in history. It was truly terrifying, and I hope I never see anything remotely like it again in my life. I’ve seen way too many movies, and they can’t even begin to scratch the surface of the horror my town experienced. It’s much worse in real life than on a screen, trust me.

Sunday, September 4^th, Day One: 

Nathan was invited to go to a cook-off at the Fayette County Fair, so he wasn’t home. The kids and I had been at my parents’ church for a visit that morning, and then we came home to take naps and wait for Daddy’s return. While they were sleeping, the phone rang. It was my associate pastor, wanting to know if Nathan was home, and if he could ride a motorcycle. Apparently, there was a fire near a church member’s house, and he was out of town. Someone was needed to try and rescue his motorcycle, because it was very likely that his house was not going to be saved. I made a couple of phone calls, and then my pastor said he would try to get someone, so I put it out of mind. I had no clue that incident was just the beginning.

A few hours later, the horror began to unfold. People started posting updates on Facebook, and I started getting e-mails about the fire’s location, and the fact that it was burning rapidly and out of control. I also realized that it was only miles from my house, and I started to panic. I was home alone with four kids, and there is only one exit from our subdivision. My neighbor came over and told me that it would be a good idea to get some things together in case we had to evacuate our home. My brain raced. What should I grab? What couldn’t be replaced? I make a habit of backing up all the pictures and data on our computer to an external hard drive, so I did another back-up, just to make sure everything was there. Then, I grabbed two boxes full of photos, all my scrapbooks and albums, and my box of keepsakes that my mom saved from when I was younger. I had some clothing for myself and for the kids, and chose one stuffed toy for each of them to take. I’m surprised I was thinking clearly enough to do that well, considering how terrified I was.

The fire jumped Highway 71 a little later, and I heard that they had closed the road completely to traffic. Nathan was on the other side. I wondered how he was going to get home, and started to be really worried. I needed him with me, to help calm me down. When I finally got in touch with him, he told me that he was headed back another way, and that he would be there soon. Once he got home, we decided to send the kids over to my parents’ house (which is in the middle of town), just to keep them safe and make things a lot less hectic for us if we ended up having to leave the house quickly in the middle of the night. We waited it out. 

When we went outside after dark, the whole sky was burning orange. We could literally see the glow from the flames spanning the landscape, and the smoke was intense. It was terrifying. 

Not from my house, but this is what it looked like outside.

Nathan went to bed, but I couldn’t sleep. What if they came to evacuate us and we didn’t hear them? Would they know we were there? I sat in my recliner, next to the front door, and barely dozed the whole night long. We didn’t really know what was going on outside, other than the scattered reports we were getting online.

Monday, September 5th, Day Two:  

I headed over to my parents’ house to be with the kids. Unbelievable. It literally looked like the town was burning to the ground. The wind was so strong I couldn’t imagine how the firefighters could even begin to get control. We kept watching the news, hearing about more and more evacuations and neighborhoods on fire. Reports were coming in that the firefighters couldn't do much to contain the blaze because of the high winds, and that they were just letting it burn rather than getting in front of it and dying.

The Cedar Creek fire broke out that day, while Nathan was working out at his parents’ house in Bluebonnet Acres. I was talking to him on the phone, telling him that I would feel more comfortable if he left the area, he told me that the State Troopers were driving through the neighborhood at that very minute, evacuating everyone. I think the Alexanders had less than ten minutes to gather some things and run out the door. We were scared, not only for their house, but for their garage, in which resides Nathan’s entire cabinet business: all his tools and equipment, everything. The Alexanders went to Austin to stay with Nathan's aunt, and we all just waited some more. It seemed pretty certain that they were going to lose their house. Nathan came to my parents' to be with us.

I told Nathan that I was too afraid to go home. He went back to the house to make sure everything was okay, and ended up spending the night there (with no electricity). That was only the second night we’ve spent apart in our entire married life.

Tuesday, September 6th, Day Three: 

I had a doctor’s appointment in Austin in the afternoon, and Nathan had to go look at a possible cabinet job, so we all piled into the car and headed out. We had some time to kill, so we took the kids to Chuck E. Cheese’s and let them play a little. It was nice to feel almost “normal” for a few minutes, and then the phone rang. We heard a rumor that our subdivision might be evacuated soon, and Nathan freaked out and wanted to go back home. We literally grabbed the kids and ran out to the car so we could speed back to Bastrop. Nathan dropped us all off at my parents’ and went to our house. He was gone a long time, getting some more things out of the house and moving vehicles and trailers. We never got an official evacuation, but at least we were very ready, just in case. I cancelled my doctor’s appointment. We just waited some more, watching for any news that it might be heading our way.

At one point, the wind was so bad that the smoke looked like it was boiling in the sky. I managed to get a short video from my parents’ driveway. It really seemed like the fire was going to be at their house at any minute because it was so huge. I was thinking about all the friends that we had whose houses were in danger, or who had already lost their homes. Absolutely heartbreaking.

We were never evacuated, and were so thankful, but it was still too close. Until the firefighters were able to get some control, I wasn't comfortable returning home with my kids. Also, we had no power. No electricity meant no hot water, no appliances, no air conditioning, and no lights. Nathan pulled all the food out of our freezer and some of the things from the refrigerator and brought them to my parents’.

More waiting. This was, by far, the worst day of the fire. I saw so many incredible pictures popping up online, and I stole saved a few, since I wasn't brave enough to get out and take my own.

The Austin skyline.

Our local fire department.

Truly horrifying.

Spiritual Gifts Assessment

A few weeks ago, our Sunday school class took a spiritual gifts assessment. It was 140 questions to help determine which of the 28 spiritual gifts an individual has been given. I had always wanted to take one of these tests; I was curious to see what it might reveal about my personality. I had some preconceived ideas about which gift or gifts I might have, but was open to learning more about myself and the areas in which I should be concentrating and serving.

My top three (actually, four):
1. Discernment/Distinguishing Spirits (score: 25)
2. Teaching (score: 20)
3. Helps/Service and Administration (score: 19 on both)

Okay, so this basically means that I'm a nosy, bossy teacher. I already knew that! Okay, that's being a little too harsh, but it made me laugh. Seriously, let's look at this... (Note: I'm taking the analysis from the same website that offers the assessment. I would recommend that you all go and take the test, because it offers a lot of insight and will allow you to check out your gifted areas in more detail.)

****

Discernment/Distinguishing Spirits:

The special ability God gives to some to know with assurance whether certain behavior or teaching is from God, Satan, human error, or human power. The divine enablement to distinguish between truth and error, to discern the spirits, differentiating between good and evil, right and wrong.

People with this gift:
- distinguish truth from error, right from wrong, pure motives from impure
- identify deception in others with accuracy and appropriateness
- determine whether a word attributed to God is authentic
- recognize inconsistencies in a teaching, prophetic message, or interpretation
- are able to sense the presence of evil. 

Teaching:

The special ability God gives to some to explain the truths of the Word of God clearly and to apply them effectively so that those taught understand and learn. To instruct others in the Bible in a logical and systematic way so as to communicate pertinent information for true understanding and growth. The divine enablement to understand, clearly explain, and apply the word of God causing greater Christ-likeness in the lives of listeners.

People with this gift:
- communicate Biblical truth that inspires greater obedience to the word
- challenge listeners simply and practically with the truths of scripture
- focus on changing lives by helping others understand the Bible better
- give attention to detail and accuracy
- prepare through extended times of study and reflection.

Helps/Service:

The gift that enables a believer to work gladly behind the scenes in order that God's work is fulfilled. The special ability God gives to some to serve the church in a supporting role or to invest their talents in the life and ministry of other members of the body enabling them to increase their effectiveness. The divine enablement to accomplish practical and necessary tasks which free-up, support, and meet the needs of others.

People with this gift:
- serve behind the scenes whenever needed to support the gifts and ministries of others (without having to be asked)
- see the tangible and practical things to be done and enjoy doing them
- sense God's purpose and pleasure in meeting every day responsibilities
- attach spiritual value to practical service
- enjoy knowing that they are freeing up others to do what God has called them to do.
- would rather do a job than find someone else to do it.

Administration:

The special ability God gives to some to steer the body toward the accomplishment of God-given goals and directives by planning, organizing, and supervising others. The divine enablement to understand what makes an organization function and the special ability to plan and execute procedures that accomplish the goals of the ministry.

People with this gift:
- develop strategies or plans to reach identified goals
- assist ministries to become more effective and efficient
- create order out of organizational chaos
- manage or coordinate a variety of responsibilities to accomplish a task
- organize people, tasks, or events.

 ****

It's interesting to see that my highest score was discernment, because I wouldn't have guessed that about myself. Then again, I have a tendency to be judgmental, which isn't always a good thing, but there might be some truth at the heart of it, I suppose. I can usually peg a person pretty well based on initial impressions, and I am able to figure out their intentions pretty easily. My new personal goal is to try to use that gift in a good way, and to be careful not to judge. It's that whole finger-pointing thing. You know, the one where you need to be careful when you point your finger at someone, because there are three fingers pointing back at you? Yeah, that's Biblical. "How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." - Luke 6:42  OUCH.

Teaching was something I expected to see on my list, and I have used that gift. I started when I was young, and always knew that was the career I needed to have. What I should probably be doing is using this gift at church. I'll have to think and pray about that one.

Ha...administration. Yep, this is my first-born nature coming out, that's for sure. I do like to lead and organize, but I need to be careful with this one for a lot of reasons. The most obvious reason: I'm female. Again, something I need to think and pray about.

Wow, this turned into a really long post. Sorry! Hope you guys didn't give up about halfway and close the window. Anyway, the test we took can be found HERE. There are many others out there...let me know if you find one you like better! I hope those of you still reading have a great day! 

Things I've learned

A friend of mine now has three children under the age of three living in her house (Stacy, you are AWESOME!). I've been there, and I feel her pain! Thinking about what she's experiencing right now caused me to reflect on all the things I've figured out since my kids were born. I know I still have lots to learn, but I have some things I can share right now that might help another mom (or even a daddy...I'm not sexist!) reduce her stress level a little. Reduced stress is a good thing.

• Kids are going to get sick. It's just a fact of life. They will also pass the illnesses around to the other kids within 48 hours. The probability that the doctors will actually be able to help you is minimal ("It's just a virus and it has to run its course. That will be $75, please."), so your best bet is just to keep your stressed booty at home and give them Tylenol and Motrin.
• An occasional Happy Meal is not going to cause a three year-old to have a heart attack. Sometimes mothers just don't want to make lunch. You're having a bad day, the kids are being brats, and you all need to get out of the house before someone is murdered. Go for it. They call them "Happy Meals" for a reason.
• Diapers are a good thing. Whoever tells you that potty-training your child is a great thing probably has only one child, or their kids are many years apart in age (and they don't count). Yes, it's nice...sometimes. When you're trying to nurse a baby and your three year-old suddenly needs your help in the bathroom, it's not nice (only two hands...count 'em!). Or when you have all three kids with you in a crowded store and someone urgently needs to go potty, it's not nice. You start to wish you had left all your kids in diapers so you could just finish what you were doing before the milk spoils.
• Being a "stay -at-home mom"  doesn't necessarily mean you should always stay at home. It's so much easier to be a recluse with all these goobers running around, but they need to get out, too! Also, kids need to be around other kids. You'll be glad you left the house, even if it seems like more trouble than it's worth (and sometimes it is!).
• Never pass up free child care. This goes with the above statement. I cannot tell you how nice it is to go to my ladies' Bible study on Fridays and be alone with other adults for a couple of hours, knowing that my kids are being cared for and I don't have to worry about them. I will forever be grateful to the Methodist church for allowing me to have that small stress-free moment each week.
• Coordinate nap times. Every afternoon, at about 2:00, all three of my kids take a nap. This gives Mommy about two hours (usually) of peace and quiet. Yay! I am a huge nap time advocate.
• Teach your kids to fight their own battles. At least five times a day (minimum), one of the kids comes up to me, crying, because one of the others pestered/hit/bit/pushed/kicked/poked/pinched/stole from them. I will usually go and deal with the aggressor and dole out appropriate punishment, but I try to get them to work it out themselves. It doesn't always go smoothly, but they're going to have to learn to fix their own issues at some point.
• Bribes work. Yes, I know...it's mean. Hey! Sometimes reminding the kids that if they're good they'll get to go to Grammy's house and swim is the only way to ensure good behavior for the next thirty seconds. Or less.
• Do laundry every day. (Note: this only applies when you have more than four people in your house.) Otherwise, it will multiply and come to get you while you're sleeping. Beware.
• Shop at consignment and thrift stores, go to pawn shops, and check out garage sales. You have no idea how much awesome stuff I've managed to get for very little money! Toys are the best - just clean them really well before you let the kids have them. Clothes are also a good deal, because kids grow super fast and that stuff gets so expensive!
• Kids need to learn to clean up after themselves. I am a huge neat-freak, as most of you already know, so I like my house clean. Some people don't care as much. I personally think that it's about more than just a clean house...it's about character. I'm trying to teach my kids to take care of the things they're given and to be grateful. So many people take things for granted these days, and I don't want my children to be like that.
• Don't use baby talk. Speak to your children as if they were adults, and encourage them to explain things to you. And use big words. They understand more than you think they do. It will improve their vocabularies and increase their ability to express themselves. I've seen an exponential increase in vocabulary knowledge in each of my children by their first birthday. Ethan knew a lot of words, Nicholas knew more than Ethan, but Zoe knew the most. As kids hear more conversations, they'll pick up words, obviously. If you only have one child, talk to them all the time, about everything. You'll be amazed at the difference it makes.
• Ask for stories and songs. Ethan makes up things on the fly, and they're so fun to hear! He makes me laugh. I know his imagination works, that's for sure! I get him to "read books" to me as well, even though he can't read yet. There's always an interesting story to be told.

I could go on forever, but this is getting long now. I hope something in here is helpful to another parent in some way. Having kids is an adventure!

Perseverance

per-se-ver-ance [pur-suh-veer-uhns]

-noun

1. the act of persevering; continued, patient effort
2. the quality of one who perseveres; persistence

3. steady persistence in adhering to a course of action, a belief, or a purpose; steadfastness.

We have a bird feeder directly in front of our living room windows, about ten feet away. The kids love to watch the birds come and go, and I try to make sure it's always well-stocked with birdseed. When we purchased the feeder, I made sure to get one of the more expensive, "squirrel-proof" models, because we do have quite a few of the furry critters out here and I didn't want them stealing all the seed. Also, we have lots of those giant horse-sized birds that would probably chase away all the smaller, prettier ones if they discovered they could get to the food.

About a month ago, I noticed that there weren't many birds visiting the feeder, but the seed level was still dropping pretty steadily. One morning, Ethan called me into the living room to show me something. "Look, Mama! There's a squirrel on the bird feeder!!" Sure enough, there was a fat, fluffy-tailed creature doing a balancing act and trying to get the seed out of the little holes in the feeder. We watched it for a while, and it seemed like the poor thing was never going to give up! Finally, it ran up into the tree and stared at the feeder with contempt.

We've seen our little friend multiple times over the past few weeks. Just this morning, I walked by the window and noticed that there was a furry tail dangling from one side of the feeder. I grabbed my camera and big zoom lens, and was able to snap a few pictures before the squirrel took off, raced up into a tree and fussed at me from an overhanging branch. Upon closer inspection of the pictures, I realized that my "squirrel-proof" bird feeder is no longer doing its job properly. Our little buddy somehow managed to find a way to attach to the feeder without causing the little open feeding areas to close up. The spring system on the feeder is supposed to be weight-based, and a creature that's heavier than, say, a cardinal is not supposed to be able to get any of the seed out. Somehow, after days and days of plotting and practicing, this squirrel figured out a way to trick the feeder. See for yourself...

Why am I blogging about a stupid squirrel? Well, it made me think. There's a life lesson here for all of us. You don't think so?

Let me ask you a question. Have you ever had a problem? I don't even have to wait to hear the answer to that. We ALL have problems...lots of them sometimes. Those of us who are Christians are never promised that life is going to be easy. In fact, the Bible tells us that we're going to be tested and we're going to experience difficulties, but that we should face them with a positive attitude (James 1:2). That is SO hard (well, for me, anyway). Every little (or huge) thing we go through takes a lot out of us, and sometimes we don't even want to get up and face each day.

There is a reward for us, though! Several, actually. Each trial we face has the potential for strengthening our relationship with God, depending on how we choose to handle the situation. We can let our frustrations overtake us, give in to our human nature and try to change/control it by ourselves, or we can realize that God is bigger than we are (and the problem) and give it to Him. Prayer and humility = a closer walk with God. Hebrews 10:36 tells us that we need to persevere so that when we have "done the will of God," we will "receive what he has promised."

What else do we have to look forward to? How about maturity? That's a good thing, right?

"Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

- James 1:4

"...but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope."

- Romans 5:3-4

Character...that's a big one. And hope is always a good thing.

As I said before, God never promised that our lives as Christians would be easy (big, fat bummer). We are targets for persecution, especially today. Putting all that aside, though, life is just hard sometimes. People are, by nature, evil, and sometimes I think we exist just to frustrate others. I know I'm a frustrating person! Just ask my husband! :) Christians are called to a higher standard, and the world is watching us, just waiting for us to screw up. Therefore,

"...let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." - Hebrews 12:1  

And just wait until we get to the finish line! WooHoo!!

Let's keep it together, because we have an audience. When it's all said and done, we want them to be saying, "Wow! How can they be so strong and faithful when everything's falling apart? Whatever they've got, I need it!!" What an incredible witness!

So, again...I'm looking at our little squirrel friend. Fuzzy had a problem, and instead of giving up after a few failed attempts and retreating to a tree branch to whine about how unfair life truly is, the little ball of fur kept trying. His ultimate reward: FOOD! 

Perseverance. I think the squirrel definitely has the right idea.