Rain, Beautiful Rain!!

We finally got some much needed rain here and boy did it make a difference. The youngest was so happy I let him go outside and play in it. He loved it!

A Sickly Sunday

Well, my plans for this weekend were ruined by a nasty cold my husband and I got. So we didn't get to see Go Fish - which really upsets me because they got up close and my friends kids got to go on stage. I halfway tried to rationalize that I could make it and just try to sleep a lot today - but my husband was quick to tell me that my friends probably wouldn't appreciate me spreading my germs to their family. So we stayed home. Husband took the day off today and I really have appreciated the time we've got to spend together just him and I and the boys yesterday and today. Even through the sneezing, coughing, fevers and sore throats, it was nice just to hang out in our jammies as a family yesterday. My oldest was so excited today when he got home from school and his dad was already here. Pure joy on that kid's face! It was great to see, and great to have him home. What a difference a dad's presence makes in the life of a family. Especially mine.

Me vs. Rosie

I had a good friend of mine tell me the other day that she used to read Rosie O'Donnell's blog and now she reads mine instead. She said she felt better reading my blog than Rosies. I felt so touched by the fact that she reads my blog at all. My friend is such a sweet person and I love her. So a big shout out "Thanks!" to my friend who shall remain nameless or she will kill me for mentioning her name.

Full Friday

My youngest and I spent the day with my mom as she took the day off from work. It turned out to be a blessing when a routine car service turned into a major one and left me without my car for the day. Bummer. We ate at the Cheesecake Factory (my favorite!) and walked around the mall for a bit. I looked at clothes that hopefully one day soon I will be able to fit into. Not buying anything until I lose a few. My husband gave me great encouragement the other day when I was growing frustrated in not have the time to work out. He said that even on the weeks I don't get much of an opportunity to exercise, I still have 3 opportunities a day to effect my weight loss by what I eat. Good advice, and I have been taking it. So I ate well at the Factory and skipped the cheesecake (I know, seems a waste) but it was worth it just to go and eat the food and not feel stuffed sick. Poor husband is sick with a cold and my sore throat I fear is turning into something greater as my ears are starting to pop. My youngest has already had this junk so I am praying my oldest will be spared. It could be worse, I know. We had a showing this week which is great news and one over last weekend. In this market I am grateful for anything. I am debating whether or not to do something for the neighbors for halloween. I despise what this so called holiday has turned into, but I don't want to miss an opportunity to do something nice for my neighbors. I struggle with this so much. Last year we had those few families we knew on the street with small kids over for pizza before we went out. I'd like to do that again, but don't want to feel like I am excluding the rest of the street. Not sure what to do. The rain today was great but nowhere near the amount they predicted. It sure was great to leave this morning with the rain coming down. Thank you Lord for that! Tomorrow is baseball and Sunday is church then the Go Fish Guys concert in Concord with several of my friends and their kids. My boys are psyched about that! I am too. I love those guys and it should be a fun night. Well, I'm off to take my Tylenol p.m. in hopes of keeping this cold at bay...

Dig deeper

My girls and I have been studying the book of Esther and the other day we had a great discussion on the characteristics in a woman that God can use. We went through Esther's qualities of course, but I asked the girls what image popped into their mind when they thought of a woman God could use. It was interesting all of our responses: one who had lived a Godly life, could speak in public, no fear of social situations, well educated. As I go through this study, it is imperative to me that I erase any image I have of a woman God can use - because it's wrong. Whatever image that's in my head needs to be replaced with my face. Whatever image you have in your head needs to be replaced with your face. When God was forming you in your mother's womb in the likeness of his image, he placed in you qualities that were unique to you. He gave you a family that was part of His plan (whether you agree with it or not). He also allowed certain situations to enter your life - good and bad - that shaped you, and quite possibly are still shaping you. How it must break His heart when He asks us to do something and we so "oh no Lord, I can't do that. I'm not.....____" (good at speaking in public, educated enough, strong enough to handle rejection, pretty enough, thin enough, Godly enough - whatever that means). You fill in the blank with whatever perceived weakness is preventing you from obedience. I think about my 7 year old and what an awesome kid he is. How proud I am of him. He has such wonderful God given qualities that I so admire in him. How it would break my heart if he came to me and said "I can't do that Mom, I'm too short, or too shy, or too soft spoken" or whatever he saw as a weakness in himself. I would immediately contradict him with all of his strengths. How God must want to do that with us. "Oh child" he must want to say to us "you focus on what is wrong with you, but look at all I have placed in you. You have such great qualities - use them for my glory". The beauty of Esther is that it teaches us as women that God can use ANY of us. Esther didn't fit the picture of a woman God could use of her time. She lived with godless people instead of in Jerusalem, she concealed her nationality, she joined a harem and married outside of her faith. But God USED HER to save his people. Stop making excuses for why you can't do it. Ask God to give you strength and show you the qualities in yourself that he wants to use and cultivate them. And when He does, be ready to get your hands dirty. It takes some digging and watering and nurturing to mature that seed in you, and you just may have to step out of your comfort zone a little to do it.

Happy Birthday Rick!

Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband!

Baby Blessings

I had the pleasure of attending our baby dedication service at our church yesterday afternoon. There were 20 babies dedicated including 3 sets of twins! It was beautiful to see that many families who are committed to raising their children in Godly homes, and also so many that are part of our MOPS group. I was honored to be a part of this special afternoon and overjoyed that we are part of a church that helps us in raising our children. My friend Karen and her husband Lee had their little boy Austin dedicated yesterday. They struggled for years to add this sweet baby to their family and the Lord heard their prayers (and the prayers of so many that were praying for them). Austin has had some abnormal brain development since he was still in-utero. It is a wait and see game right now, with many of us praying that his brain will develop normally. The Lord continues to answer prayers and support this loving family. Karen and Lee are so positive and continue to focus on the good reports that come back - and there have been many. God has a plan for Austin and for whatever reason, this is part of it. This weekend I also went to see one of our MOPS moms whose baby is in the hospital. Little Caroline is 3 months old and weighs less than 7 lbs. She is the most alert, beautiful little girl and even with all the tubes hooked up to her, she is content. Her mom says she rarely cries in spite of all she has been through. As I walked into their room and saw this tiny baby hooked up to all this "stuff" my heart silently cried out to the Lord "why?". I secretly wondered where He was. But as I sat there and talked to little Caroline and her mom Kim, as I saw all the doctors, nurses and therapists come in, I felt the Lord's presence. I was so impressed with Kim. How she was so calm as she talked to the hospital staff and knew exactly what was going on with the monitors and i.v's. I asked her if she was a nurse before and she said "no, this is all the stuff I have learned since we've been here". It's hard not to question God when you see families you love go through difficult times. Especially babies. But God is there. He goes before each of us, and with these babies in particular, he cradles them in his loving arms and comforts them in ways we may never know. But sometimes God wants to show himself in other ways. That's what He uses us for. We are to show God's love in our actions and words. Jesus spoke that we are to "let our light shine before men, that they may see our good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (Matt. 5:16). Not that we are to get credit, but that our Father can get credit. We are to hold these families, love them, and lift them up in prayer. In Matthew 7 verse 9, Jesus is also spoke about how we, who are evil by nature, still give our children what they want. How much more will our Father in heaven, who is all perfect and loving, give good gifts to us if we ask. So I pray for these families. That the Lord will hold them and love them, and give them strength and heal their children. I pray that these families in particular will feel God's presence both by what He does and what He does through others.