NEW BEDS

After all the presents were opened, we sent the kids upstairs to put their new comforters on their beds!  They were very surprised to see new beds in their rooms!!  So fun to surprise little ones!  

 She's thrilled about her princess bed.  (And so am I...much more comfortable to have a double bed to read to her or snuggle with her! )

 And the boys...equal amounts of jumping commenced when they saw their bunk bed.  We've all been dreaming of this for a while!

 He slept in his Ninja Turtle gear the first night!

Judah, our dear third child, has spent many many night in bed with us.  Thankfully he's mostly sleeping in his own bed these days.  But he still loves when Mommy and Daddy snuggle him to sleep.  Something I never did with my other two....but sooo wish I would have!  Happy snuggling to us!

Two going on five

On most two year old's Chirstmas wishlist:  legos, a scooter, and a soccer ball. 

 On Judah's:  A barstool.

Yep,  A barstool!  When you have older siblings and you think you are five rather than three, it seems cruel not to have your own little spot at the bar!  A barstool means eating at the bar which means no more high chair!  He'd thrilled...and we are bracing ourselves!

He's Happy

This man is happy...he's wanted a swing for a while and the kids got him one for Christmas.  Think there will be many lazy Sunday afternoons putting this to good use!

The Good Gift from the Good Father

6:30 am. Pour the cereal. Give a hard-to-wake child a gentle foot massage to start the morning.  Shout hooray out the back door for a wild boy running touch downs.  Strip the sheets, just like yesterday and the day before. Start the wash. Change a diaper. Help the sleepy child get dressed.  Warm leftover beans and rice for lunch.  Correct the spelling on his last minute homework.  Brush tangled hair. Pour cinnamon in the oatmeal. Scramble to find all the folders and misplaced homework.  Tie the shoes. Read a Bible story. Peel an orange.  Referee an argument over the small football.  Make sure curious little ones stay in the driveway as the trash truck arrives.  Speak soothing words over the anxious child, nervous about school.  Look into their eyes and pray a blessing over these little people fast becoming big people. Kisses. Out the door.

Light a candle.  Find my favorite blanket.  Ask the Lord to show me his heart of love for me.  I am empty, days spent far from him.  My heart has begun to doubt his Father's heart, which often happens when I stray away from his word, from trust, from love, from him. I read these words:

 Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he?  Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” Luke 11:11-13

It's true.  I am evil, a chief of sinners, my heart proving it over and over.  Yet somehow I know how to give good gifts to my children.  This morning I gave them food, attention, help, guidance, prayers, cinnamon and a loud hooray, good gifts to meet their needs.

 How much more will my Father in Heaven, who is NOT EVIL, but good, and perfect, kind, and generous, give me a good gift, yes,  the Holy Spirit.  As I meditated on why the Holy Spirit is the good gift Jesus mentions here, I thought of two scriptures:  

And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love Romans 5:5

Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." Galatians 4:6

The good gift is the Spirit who sheds the Father's love in our hearts, connects us to the Father, teaches us to call him Daddy. In giving the Spirit he is giving us himself.  And this is the gift our souls need the most: CONNECTION WITH GOD

If I who am evil can give provision and protection, cinnamon, and discipline,  how much more will  he who is kind and generous graciously give me Holy Spirit, yes give me himself!    

I blow out my candle.  Take my last sip of tea, now cold from these moments of quiet and head into the day. I've got a God who gives good gifts, yes, the best gift.  I am strengthened once again to graciously dole out good gifts to my people.  

No. Well, sort of....

A friend asked me recently if I had any new year's resolutions.  It was easy for me to answer her as I had already been thinking about the subject.  The answer: No.  Well...sort of.

I have had a wonderful year of naming gifts each day(my 2014 resolution) , but this year when I think about making some sort of resolution or goal I immediately feel tired.  I am pretty sure I have never fully kept a resolution in all my life and on top of that I have areas in my life where I am already wanting to grow, needing and trying to grow.  But to add a plan or to pile something new on just makes me weary.

More than that, I know myself:  it's not the resolution itself in these areas that can change me.    A person can change me, but a plan, nope.

I had already decided that my new year's resolution would simply be to depend more.  Instead of mapping out a new eating plan or an exercise routine, or charting a course for self recovery in my pride, and materialism, I am just gonna depend.  I am going to draw close to the one who can change me and will change me in his timing.  Right now, that's all I've got and the good news is, that's all he wants from me anyway.

The reason a plan won't change me?  My sin patterns and bad behaviors have deep roots. A plan focuses on my behavior, but I need someone who can transform my heart...the root of all of my bad behaviors.   I need a person, yes Jesus, who knows the depths of my heart, to show me what I am loving in place of him, to teach me to drink from his well instead of the broken cisterns I choose each day.  And this Jesus is so capable.

As I have mulled over this idea the past few days it's been really freeing.  Are you tired like me?  Are you at the end of yourself and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that a new plan ain't gonna cut it?  I don't have anything in me to muster up...which is right where my Savior wants me...so instead I will draw close to him, crying "Lord have mercy on me, a sinner" each and every day, and watch what he does.

Instead of being better, I want to be closer.

Instead of walking in my strength, I will walk in dependence on him.

Instead of a call to behave, I will heed the call to behold.

In place of a plan, I will put prayer.


For 2015,that's all I've got folks.  Thankfully, it's more than enough.

GRATITUDE 243 Mountaineer Time!!

Jack and Andy share a love for football (esp the Mountaineers), so many Saturday afternoons are often spent watching games! And Judah is growing to love the Mountaineers as well!  Thankful for the sense of belonging that comes with being a part of a family.  Thankful for common interests and loves.  Thankful for Daddy time!

GRATITUDE 242 Christmas Performance-Judah Style

So grateful for this little class and for the kind teachers!  Judah's Christmas performance was cute...I would have posted a video, but Judah didn't sing the whole time.  Instead he picked his nose and cried...so not to much to see!  HEHE.  But it was delightful.  He loves school and I am grateful for the way these sweet ladies point our kiddos to the gospel.  They are reading through the Jesus storybook Bible, which is one of our favorites.  Our kids are soooo blessed to hear the gospel from such a young age.  God is so kind to our little family!