A good night

I so often have to remind myself to celebrate the things I can, and not to dwell on the frustrating things. Looking back to yesterday, I have opportunity to practice. We had a rough day here, lots of crankiness and mischeviousness, but you know what, we had a good night. We made it through supper (a supper where nothing burnt!) without anyone getting hurt or being mean to anyone else. We actually talked and laughed and smiled. Some of us got baths, and everyone slept through the night. We had a good night!

The Velveteen Rabbit on being REAL

Sometimes great wisdom comes in unlikely places, like a children's book....

" "What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day...
"Real isn't about how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."
"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.
"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are real you don't mind being hurt."
"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked,"or bit by bit?"
"It doesn't happen all at once, said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

(The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams)

When I was younger I thought I knew so much, and I held those older than me in not as high regard as I should have. As I walk this journey called life, especially this path called mommyhood, each day I feel like I am becoming more and more REAL. I certainly have the worn out parts to show for it!! Sometimes I grumble about the wear and tear I suffer, but I am becoming REAL, and I have children that love me dearly. What on earth could be better?

Reflections of a stressed out mom

So today I actually allowed myself enough time to exercise, have a short quiet time with my Bible, and brush my teeth before everyone woke up. Ok, so I did 1/3 of my little exercise ball routine, did a snippet of a devotional from my Mom's Devotional Bible, and well, I did brush my teeth. How do some moms do this every day? Discipline I guess.... It's a good thing, but I am TIRED!! So today's devotional was aptly titled "When Exhaustion Wins". It used I Samuel 30:9-10, 23-26 for the reading today, and it was perfectly timed. The scripture is about a group of Israelites on a trip, well, a fighting trip, with David, and some of them were exhausted and had to stay back. After the fight and victory, David rewarded those who had fought with the same spoils as those who stayed back to rest. The devotional author pulled out of this, along with a few other Scriptures, the godly, biblical principle of rest. She talked about how it is important as moms to know when we need to rest, and then to do it, how we can come back much more refreshed and effective. Thanks God for that well timed encouragement. Oops - my quiet time for this morning is up!! My little reason for needing extra rest is awake!!

Another day, another chance

I had an opportunity to chat with one of my kiddos today about second chances, and how I really do think that God causes the sun to set and rise each day as a reminder of the chance that each day has a fresh start and another chance. Second chances - we all need them...

Glimmer

I'm really not a gloom and doom kind of person, but when it comes to my kids I can quickly list off about 50 things that I've done wrong in raising them so far, and they're only 7 and 10!   I have so many things that I wish I had done differently, wish I had done, and wish I hadn't done.  I worry about how they are going to turn out, and if little things I see now are going to manifest into major issues later.  I wonder if homeschooling them is helping or hurting.  I just really want to see them turn out okay, and wonder if I'm doing what I'm supposed to as a mom to help that to happen.

 

All too often I see things that give me cause to ask all those questions.  They're squabbling too much.  They're not treating their dad and me the way I think they should, at least not all ofthe time. They're this and that.  If someone followed me with a figurative clipboard like I do with them at times, I'd hate to see the notes!!

 

Well, we had a glimmer moment the other day.  We had a glimmer of hope, of promise, a glimpse into the good stuff going on inside of their heads and hearts.  Yeah!!

 

The kiddos and I were walking to the little corner store. They had coins jingling in their pockets, and were rattling off all of the candy that they were going to be able to buy with their quarters.  Exciting stuff!! The five blocks probably seemed like an eternity to the girls, since they had to slow down for our little foster two year old, but they were troopers, and happily, albeit a little impatiently, they plodded along to the store. 

 

We were one block from the store when we saw a young man with Down syndrome walking towards us.  I said hello, the girls smiled, and we kept on going.  Then, we heard a noise and turned to see the young man lying in the road.  He had tripped in one of upstate New York's famous potholes while crossing the street, and lay with his ankle twisted, looking quite uncomfortable.  I saw the girls glance at the store and glance at me.  I braced myself for fussing about getting to the store, but went to the young man and helped him to the curb, checking to see if he was okay.  We called his mom for a ride, and stayed with him for a little bit to be sure he was okay, and you know what, never once did I hear a peep about getting to the store.  No one whined, fussed, or even said a word!!  My girls stood with me in helping someone else, and I was able to catch a glimmer.  My girls delayed their own gratification for the sake of another, one who was not going to do anything for us in return, and I saw a glimmer.  I saw a glimmer of hope and of good, and I was able to exhale.  It's sinking in....  Things are going to be okay :).

The Good Book for free

I was doing a little digging on line and found a neat article that talks about places where you can get Bibles for free. I thought it was a really neat resource for folks who would like to check out what the Bible does have to say but aren't able to spend the money that they do cost at the bookstores and such... I'm cuttting and pasting it here, but the link is also http://christianity.about.com/od/practicaltools/ht/freebible.htm

How To Obtain a Free Bible
From Mary Fairchild,Your Guide to Christianity.FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!

At first I thought a better title might be, "How to Get a Free Bible without Stealing it from a Hotel Room." But, I didn't want to offend anyone, especially my Gideon friends. The truth is, the Gideons don't mind if you take those hotel Bibles. They are actually placed there for travelers who might need one. (It's a good idea, however, to ask the hotel for permission before you take the Bible!) So, there's one very easy way to obtain a free copy of the Bible. Here are several more:
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: Varies
Here's How:

Contact a Local Church. One of the easiest ways, and actually the very best way to obtain a free Bible is to call a local church. Most large churches have a surplus of "left behind" Bibles in their lost and found. My church has so many unclaimed Bibles that we ask a local prison outreach to come and distribute them to prisoners. Some churches will even give away a new Bible if you don't have one. Don't be shy! If you truly need a Bible, most Bible teaching churches will be happy to set you up.

Download Free Bible Software. Here are a few options for free Bible software programs to download: • E-SWORD • BiblePro for Windows - Download or request a free CD. • Theophilos Bible Software - Download or request a free CD. • The SWORD Project
Use a Free Online Bible. • BibleGateway.com • CrossWalk.com • BlueLetterBible.org • SearchGodsWord.org

Request a Bible from FreeBibles.net. FreeBibles.net promises to send a new or gently-used Bible to anyone in the U.S. who cannot afford to purchase one. Requests are limited to one per person and one per address, but other than these simple rules, there are no catches! Most ministries will only send a New Testament, or the "free" offer comes with strings attached. Not only does FreeBibles.net send a complete Bible, they also cover shipping and promise not to contact you with any solicitation. They cannot guarantee a specific translation and they only mail Bibles to the needy and imprisoned. • FreeBibles.net

Philippines and Africa Residents. GetYourFreeBible.com promises to send a New Testament Bible in the English, Tagalog of Hiligaynon language to anyone in the Philippines and Africa who cannot afford to purchase one. Requests are limited to one Bible per person. GetYourFreeBible.com will also take requests from small churches or ministries (Philippines & Africa only) who need Bibles for their ministry. And the best part? Absolutely no strings attached! • GetYourFreeBible.com

Sign Up for a Free Bible. Some sites offer free Bibles, but proceed with caution! There may be strings attached: • USA Bibles - Free King James Version • Shop Here Free - Free King James Bible

Contact a Bible Society. If you're looking for a large quantity of Bibles for ministry distribution, consider one of these societies. They offer reasonable pricing for bulk quantities. Obtaining free Bibles may be possible, however, not guaranteed. • International Bible Society • American Bible Society • The Gideons accept requests for Bibles in the following areas of need: hotels & motels; hospitals, nursing homes & domestic violence shelters; schools, colleges & universities; military, law enforcement, firefighters & EMTs; prisons & jails. • Visit UBS Fellowship for a complete list of national societies.

A Good Reminder

This popped up in our family quiet time the other night - what a timely reminder for all of us...

"Anyone who takes care of a little child like this is caring for me! And whoever cares for me is caring for God who sent me. Your care for others is the measure of your greatness."
Luke 9:48, The Living Bible