A Pooh Bear kinda day

My 3 year old came down with the stomach bug late Wednesday night, so yesterday we spent on the pull out couch in the playroom watching Winnie the Pooh all day. It's days like these that I am reminded that nothing I have to do, or want to do, is really all that important. When one of our children is sick, everything on the "to do" list gets thrown out the window. We did manage to go see my oldest sing in his school musical. They did a great job, as always, and my son was dead center so I got to see him perfectly.

Family Night at Preschool

Last night was Family Night at my youngest's preschool. He and his class sang "Hot Potato" from the Wiggles and it was adorable. All the classes did a fantastic job and it was such a blessing to see how much our children have grown and learned so far this year. Bonus points to my son's teachers who gave them lollipops to keep their mouths busy for the rest of program!

A Proud Daughter

"Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devils schemes." Ephesians 6:11 My son had to recite Eph. 6:13-17 last week in school (yes, the whole thing!). This verse came to my mind a lot this week as I watched my mother go through an unrelenting series of physical, emotional, and spiritual attacks. After being struck with a large kidney stone that wouldn't pass, she went through a series of hospital and doctors visits that are still not over. The Lord was with us through that process as I have written about earlier, but seeing my mother in that much pain was difficult. On top of the physical battles she has waged over the last week, she has had to deal with emotional turmoil as well. Her last annual homeowners meeting was last night. My mother is on the board of this association and they were electing a new board. Being the president of this association for her has not only been a thankless job, but due to one person in her community, it has become abusive. My mother has had to change her phone number due to threatening phone calls, post police officers at every meeting, enlist an attorney to handle the threats by mail; she cannot walk in her community or enjoy the pool. This woman is unstable and her presence has taken a lot of joy out of the home in which my mother has worked so hard to live in. My family has begged her to resign from the board over the last 2 years due to the stress she is under. She refuses. The only reason she gives is because she doesn't want her community to be run by idiots and she made the commitment to be on the board. So last night I watched my mother, so weak physically she was shaking, head out to the meeting. She easily could have let the other board members run the meeting - she had a valid excuse for not being there. But she didn't. She put on her armor of God and headed out - her prayer warriors doing their job by praying for her every moment during the meeting. Other warriors came to her side on cue - my husband showing up to give her support, a friend on the board who stood arm and arm with her, a police officer who told the unstable woman to shut up and sit down when she started getting out of control, and God the Almighty One who gave my mother strength to "extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one". She made it through the meeting, even having to listen to verbal attacks, and cried from relief upon arriving home. The enemy roams this dark world - don't think for one minute that he doesn't. The Lord wouldn't have instructed us so eloquently in Ephesians 6 how to put on the armor of God if He didn't know that we would need it or if He didn't expect us to use it. You don't need the armor if you stay in your house all day and don't get involved. You don't need armor if you say "it's not my problem" and walk away. You don't need the armor if you don't listen to what He wants of you and obey Him - even if it's out of your comfort zone. As I watched my mom last night I was overcome with pride as her daughter. She could have walked away and said "it's not worth it", but she didn't. She has stood strong when most would have given in, and God has honored her for it. She put on the armor the way God intended and set out into battle - and she won. Her victory wasn't met with waving banners, applause, and a victory celebration as it should have been. No, her victory was just in the knowledge that she finished the race God asked her to run. And at this finish line she was met with open arms of a Father who loves her, and an extremely proud daughter who won't soon forget this life lesson exemplified by her mom.

Our Superheros!

Halloween was much fun last night! Perfect night to go out.

Batman and Robin are my two nephews, while the Panther player and Superman are ours!

Eating cupcakes at Grandmas.....

What a stash! Wonder how long it will take us to eat all that?

A clarification of sorts

I have mentioned a few times on this blog about the fact that we are moving and that the neighborhood is part of the reason. I have been burdened by the fact that a comment like that could be construed as something wrong with the neighborhood, when in fact, the problem (if you want to call it that) is really me. I have allowed several things that have happened in this neighborhood to keep me inside and distance myself from others. I'm not saying there isn't a time when you have to do that, because there is. But by my distance, I have missed a lot of opportunities - a lot. Opportunities to overlook the bad and see the good, opportunities to help a neighbor who lost her dad, has a sick child, or just needs a shoulder to lean on. Most importantly, opportunities for people to see God through me. If Jesus looked at me the way I look at my neighbors at times, there would be no hope for me. If Jesus only looked at the mistakes I make, the temper I have or the lack of judgement I possess he would turn the other way. But He doesn't. He loves me - knowing everything, EVERYTHING, He never turns away. He took my cross and carried the weight of my sin and paid the price for me. All He asks is that I love my neighbor - is that so hard? I pray the Lord will forgive me and help me correct my ways, be it in this neighborhood or the next. That's what grace is, right? And where would I be without His grace.

Another thing I've learned

After spending this weekend at the hospital and doctor's offices with my sick mom, I was struck at how compassionate perfect strangers were to us. My mother was so sick upon arrival to the urologist that she threw up several times. Thankfully she made it to a trash can each time, but in each case someone came by to help. One even offered to get her a wheelchair and another offered to sit with her while I got the car. These were complete strangers! I'll be completely honest here, whenever I see someone that sick I run the other way. I immediately think stomach virus and my innate need to protect myself kicks in overdrive. I have learned a lot over this last weekend. It has made me examine my own actions and how I would respond to a person in need. How is God going to use me if I am so concerned about myself? I need to do what God asks of me and let Him worry about the rest.

God's in the circumstances...all of them

I have been studying Esther, which is a great story on how involved God is in our daily lives and how He orchestrates the circumstances of our lives to bring Him glory. I am so thankful that He allowed me to witness this firsthand over the weekend. One of my best friend's and I each have been dealing with a health issue of our mothers this past week - her mother is in rehab after falling and breaking several bones; mine was struck with a large kidney stone that was too large to pass. If you've ever been in charge of the well being of another person, you know you need help in making the right decisions on their behalf. In each of our cases, the Lord helped us. My friend had to visit several rehab hospitals before choosing which would be the best for her mom. She honestly had no idea what to look for and was concerned. The very day she was going to visit these hospitals, 2 of the 3 were unreachable due to large traffic accidents in the area. The only one she was able to visit was the one where her mother is now and is happy with it. She gives complete credit to the Lord for making the decision for her. My mother spent one night in the ER and then was sent home with a doctor's number to call the next day to be seen. As I stood in my mother's home trying to reach this doctor, I couldn't get through. Over and over I tried, knowing how bad my mother felt and that she needed to be seen today. I closed my eyes and asked the Lord silently to help me make this decision as to what to do next. I opened my eyes and called my own doctor. They got her in that afternoon, scheduled surgery for the next day and took complete care of her. My mother had the last procedure to break up the stone this morning. After all she's been through (and it's been a lot over 5 days), she slowly gets in the car whispering "thank you Jesus, thank you Jesus". She has been so grateful through this process to see His work. From the people in the next bed in pre-op who were praying that brought us comfort even if they weren't praying for us, to the nursing staff at Charlotte Urology and Dr. O'Neill's office for their quick actions and compassion, to the numerous strangers who offered to help in any way they could because they could see the pain my mom was in. God works, and often He uses people like us to do it.