This...
better than
So many blogs make me feel less than.
Less than enough.
Less than I should be.
Less than.
Blogs are a dangerous format because it’s so easy to paint an idealistic view of our lives, possibly unaware of the fact that we’re making others feel very very small.
It’s rare to read a blog full of hairballs, screaming kids, therapy appointments, anxiety, mildew, late fees, resentment, nightmares, insecurity, lying, exhaustion, debt or sadness.
Sure, many have token mentions of muddy boots, mismatched socks, or burps at the table... but I’m talking about the REAL tough stuff of life.
The dark moments, the fears you can’t shake, the uncertainty, self doubt and weakness of faith.
Some people feel that it’s better to focus only on the “positive”... but, for many moms,
just getting through a day without dissolving into a puddle *IS* a positive.
And it is to those moms that I wish to say:
You are not alone.
You are not the only mom who goes to sleep feeling guilty more often than not.
Feeling like you should have DONE more,
read more,
played more,
sung more,
memorized a verse,
baked a cupcake,
made a memory,
but you were too busy breaking up fights, wading through half truths, calming hissy fits and easing fears
to have the mental energy to frost a cookie, sing a hymn, or glue a popsicle stick.
You made it through the day by the skin of your teeth and all you have left is a
weak prayer, a tear streaming down your cheek, and a migraine.
...And sometimes that’s even BETTER than a hallelujah.
Less than enough.
Less than I should be.
Less than.
Blogs are a dangerous format because it’s so easy to paint an idealistic view of our lives, possibly unaware of the fact that we’re making others feel very very small.
It’s rare to read a blog full of hairballs, screaming kids, therapy appointments, anxiety, mildew, late fees, resentment, nightmares, insecurity, lying, exhaustion, debt or sadness.
Sure, many have token mentions of muddy boots, mismatched socks, or burps at the table... but I’m talking about the REAL tough stuff of life.
The dark moments, the fears you can’t shake, the uncertainty, self doubt and weakness of faith.
Some people feel that it’s better to focus only on the “positive”... but, for many moms,
just getting through a day without dissolving into a puddle *IS* a positive.
And it is to those moms that I wish to say:
You are not alone.
You are not the only mom who goes to sleep feeling guilty more often than not.
Feeling like you should have DONE more,
read more,
played more,
sung more,
memorized a verse,
baked a cupcake,
made a memory,
but you were too busy breaking up fights, wading through half truths, calming hissy fits and easing fears
to have the mental energy to frost a cookie, sing a hymn, or glue a popsicle stick.
You made it through the day by the skin of your teeth and all you have left is a
weak prayer, a tear streaming down your cheek, and a migraine.
...And sometimes that’s even BETTER than a hallelujah.
God loves a lullabyUpdate: My friend Anita posted a very “real” (and hysterical!) response to this. Check it out here!
In a mother's tears in the dead of night
Better than a Hallelujah sometimes
God loves the drunkard's cry
The soldier's plea not to let him die
Better than a Hallelujah sometimes
We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful, the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah
The woman holding on for life
The dying man giving up the fight
Are better than a Hallelujah sometimes
The tears of shame for what's been done
The silence when the words won't come
Are better than a Hallelujah sometimes
Better than a church bell ringing
Better than a choir singing out.
We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful, the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah.
give cookies a chance
Okay, so I’m a bit of a self proclaimed chocolate chip cookie aficionado, 
(I love that word... aficionado... but totally had to google the spelling)
and I personally believe that a plate of THESE served with a smile (and a glass of cold milk)
could potentially bring about world peace.
______________
Best buttery, crispy, yumrrific cookie EVER.
meet my friend Amy
Block Missions Video
I met Amy Block over 11 years ago as we were both waiting for our adopted children to come home.
Since that time we have shared many joys and tribulations along the way and Amy has been a sweet friend. She has been a support in times of questioning, a cheerleader in moments of weakness, and an inspiration to me in countless ways.
Her family has recently felt the Lord calling them to the mission field. Please watch this short video, meet Amy and her gorgeous family, and consider partnering with them as they partner with the Lord caring for the least of these.
Tax deductible giving can be made at:
Commission To Every Nation
Todd and Amy Block
P.O. Box 291307
Kerrville, TX 78029-1307Online giving at : https://www.denarionline.com/DonorServices/TEMPLATEPAGE.ASPX?COMP_REF=_CTEN&CONTENT=MISSIONARY&MISSION_REF=2A5F80D300
Follow their story at http://buildingtheblocks.blogspot.com/
how much wood...
would a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood?
This picture is from last spring.
We’re about to have another blasted snow storm
so no self respecting wood chuck has shown his face around these parts just yet...
but my spirit is aching for S P R I N G... so for now this picture will have to suffice.
The Board of Doom
Meet ...The Board of Doom.
This is a big part of how we handle nasty behavior around our house.
On the board are primarily PRIVILEGES (TV, video games, Kinect, and gumballs) and one Mercy Flower for each child. As long as you are good, your privileges stay on the HAPPY side... but, for every act of nastiness, a privilege slides over to the SAD side and you lose it for the day. (The only variance is 10 minutes early to bed is also on there.) For the 1st thing each child does wrong each day they lose their Mercy Flower but nothing else. Every offense after that loses a privilege.
We change it up depending on the season - for example in the warmer months their bikes are on there, sometimes favorite toys, etc.
I like this because throughout the day I notice the kids going and checking their status. Kids have such short term memory and all together different mental perception abilities than we do and being able to SEE that they lost their video game for later that day, but still have their gumball or TV to look forward to, is a great motivator for keeping them on the straight and narrow.
I made this little set up very simply - just a dry erase board, some laminated clip-art and some magnets from the craft store hot glued to the back. I also hot glued the little light weight wooden cup/vase-things (from the craft store) to the board for the flowers (which are silk and also from the craft store).
Works fairly well for us - although the Mercy Flower concept is blatantly abused by the younger two... however Igrit my teeth and explain that that Jesus is gracious, and forgives us even when we don’t deserve it, so we’re giving them 1 more chance before we open up a can of are forced to revoke privileges.
Also there’s an added bonus of a once a week REWARD for anyone who hasn’t lost ANY of the board privileges at least 5 days of the past week. (not including the Flower, since that is almost ALWAYS lost by the littlest 2) The reward is usually some dollar trinket from Target or something.
Would love to hear how YOU guys handle discipline at your houses. Leave me a link if you post about it!
This is a big part of how we handle nasty behavior around our house.
On the board are primarily PRIVILEGES (TV, video games, Kinect, and gumballs) and one Mercy Flower for each child. As long as you are good, your privileges stay on the HAPPY side... but, for every act of nastiness, a privilege slides over to the SAD side and you lose it for the day. (The only variance is 10 minutes early to bed is also on there.) For the 1st thing each child does wrong each day they lose their Mercy Flower but nothing else. Every offense after that loses a privilege.
We change it up depending on the season - for example in the warmer months their bikes are on there, sometimes favorite toys, etc.
I like this because throughout the day I notice the kids going and checking their status. Kids have such short term memory and all together different mental perception abilities than we do and being able to SEE that they lost their video game for later that day, but still have their gumball or TV to look forward to, is a great motivator for keeping them on the straight and narrow.
I made this little set up very simply - just a dry erase board, some laminated clip-art and some magnets from the craft store hot glued to the back. I also hot glued the little light weight wooden cup/vase-things (from the craft store) to the board for the flowers (which are silk and also from the craft store).
Works fairly well for us - although the Mercy Flower concept is blatantly abused by the younger two... however I
Also there’s an added bonus of a once a week REWARD for anyone who hasn’t lost ANY of the board privileges at least 5 days of the past week. (not including the Flower, since that is almost ALWAYS lost by the littlest 2) The reward is usually some dollar trinket from Target or something.
Would love to hear how YOU guys handle discipline at your houses. Leave me a link if you post about it!
taking togetherness to a whole NEW level
I can’t get over how biology just keeps on proving itself to be irrelevant.
2 different continents, 2 different ethnicities, yet our virtual twins do everything together...
including losing their top front teeth on the SAME DAY...
and, a week later, their OTHER top front teeth a DAY APART!
Le-me-tell-ya, the tooth fairy is exhausted.
2 different continents, 2 different ethnicities, yet our virtual twins do everything together...
including losing their top front teeth on the SAME DAY...
and, a week later, their OTHER top front teeth a DAY APART!
Le-me-tell-ya, the tooth fairy is exhausted.
Christian Mom turned Hooker
Hi. I’m Chantelle... and I crochet.
Its been less than an hour since my last granny square.
It’s not really about the ‘finished product’ for me... [cause I’m not really all that into the LOOK of crocheted items]... but I am totally addicted to the MOTION of crocheting. It’s cheap, easy, relaxing, fun... and it’s not even fattening!
I’m posting these pictures partly for Anita. She is a fellow hooker and wanted to see my work.
Be aware that I am JUST A BEGINNER though! Don’t hold that DORKY lookin’ teddy bear against me!!
I only started crocheting a few months ago, but I LOVE IT. It’s actually one of the few things on earth that relaxes me.
I learned how to crochet from Teresa and her completely awesome FREE tutorial videos!!
Some of these patterns are from her Youtube page and website. The others are from:
- flowers: 100 Flowers to Knit and Crochet
- granny bunting: Crochet with Raymond
- granny star: A Happy One
And here are some ‘out takes’ from my efforts to photograph my work...
Crochet = Yum.
Missionary Day (aka St. Patricks)
At our house we celebrate St. Patrick's Day bigger than some... only my 8 year old daughter (from India) insists on calling it "Missionary Day". :) The reason is because on that day we have a special dinner in honor of foreign missionaries who, like Saint Patrick, make sacrifices in order to 'go into all the world' and preach the gospel.The kids bring out the pictures they have of their individual missionaries (we support a different missionary for each child in the family so that they can feel connected to "their missionary" in a unique way and be responsible for praying for "their missionary" etc.), we read Patrick's life story at the table before we eat, and then we go around the table saying a prayer for each of the missionaries. We also either write letters of encouragement or collect special donations or needs for 'our' missionaries.
See, Patrick was born around 385 A.D. somewhere in England. His father was a Roman soldier and a deacon in the village church. His mother came from a local Christian family. He was raised in a wealthy family and took little interest in religion while he was growing up. When Patrick was 16, raiders attacked his village. Patrick was captured and taken to Ireland where he was sold as a slave. While a slave, Patrick turned back to the faith he had largely ignored as a child and this helped him to deal with the blow fate had dealt him. After 6 years of slavery he escaped, making his way first to England and then to France ...where he studied and became a priest. He then returned to Ireland (where he had been kept in slavery!) with the dual mission of ministering to the small Christian community in Ireland and hopefully converting the rest of the island to Christianity.
The Church leaders first choose St. Palladius for the job, but, after spending a couple of years struggling unsuccessfully against the entrenched Druids, St. Palladius, first bishop of Ireland, was forced to flee the island. St. Patrick was then sent to the island as its second bishop with the mission of converting Ireland to Christianity. With the knowledge of the language and people gained from his years as a slave, Patrick succeeded where Palladius had failed. (Isn't that just like God to have a bigger plan all along? And to use what we consider "needless pain and suffering" in our lives for a greater good? Much like Joseph in the Bible... what they intended for evil GOD used for good!) St. Patrick devoted the rest of his life to cultivating Christianity in Ireland. Patrick knew th
e Irish language and preached to them in that language. He also knew the culture and traditions of the people and he used this knowledge to preach and teach in terms of the images they knew and loved. One of his more famous uses of traditional Irish imagery in his preaching was the shamrock - a clover with three leaves that grows abundantly in Ireland. Patrick used this plant – a single stem with three leaves – to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity which is One God in three divine persons. Using this plant he enabled his flock to visualize and understand this difficult theological concept. By the time of his death, he had succeeded in banishing the Druid cults and converting most of the population to Christianity. This is his greatest legacy.
e Irish language and preached to them in that language. He also knew the culture and traditions of the people and he used this knowledge to preach and teach in terms of the images they knew and loved. One of his more famous uses of traditional Irish imagery in his preaching was the shamrock - a clover with three leaves that grows abundantly in Ireland. Patrick used this plant – a single stem with three leaves – to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity which is One God in three divine persons. Using this plant he enabled his flock to visualize and understand this difficult theological concept. By the time of his death, he had succeeded in banishing the Druid cults and converting most of the population to Christianity. This is his greatest legacy. So, for us, this is just another "excuse" (if you will) to be reminded of the Great Commission and to further instill in our family the importance of missionaries. I consider many of us who live our lives in 'full time ministry' or outreach as "missionaries"... but on this day we give our attention to those who give up the 'comforts of home' to spread the gospel and show Christ's love to the forgotten and unreached all the world over. My sweet friend April (American but now working as a missionary in the jungles of PNG) greatly misses the ease of our lives here. She longs for just the chance to stroll through Wal-mart and pick up things for her kids or to grab a cheeseburger at McDonalds. In my mind, foreign missionaries make the ultimate sacrifice and deserve a day of focus and prayer! :)
I hope you all have creative and inspiring ways of celebrating Missionary Day. :) Please share any ideas! (and, if you're short on missionaries to support or pray for, please consider the ones we'll be focusing on this year... Jeremiah & April Markley in Papua New Guinea, GFA's native missionaries in Asia, or Sarah's Covenant Homes in India.
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