Hiding spots

We were just finishing up lunch this afternoon, when I decided it was time for a surprise. "Boys, I said, as soon as you do your chores, Mommy has a surprise for you!"

"YAYYYY!" was their response.

"But what is it?" asks my 4 year old, Isaiah.

Deciding to give him a hint, I say, "It has something to do with your train table"

"Oh," he responds, "is it the new train tracks you have hidden underneath your bed?"



Wow. I guess I better come up with a better hiding spot for new toys. Smart kids.

Nonetheless, today, I'm thankful for children that are smarter than their mother... and children that can make me laugh.

January Reflection: Compliments

This month I'm going to participate in with January Reflections hosted by The Glorious Impossible. Take a look!
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Like most of us, I love compliments.

Not in excess. And not with false flattery. But true, pure, well meant compliments that bring delight to the soul.

This week with January Reflections, we were asked, "what was the best compliment you received this past year?" and the more I contemplate, the more I wonder.

It's not that I received an extraordinary amount of compliments... at least not free lanced compliments that came without prompting. (I may have forced my family to compliment my superb cooking skills now and then). But nonetheless, it's hard to single out a favorite beaming smile, approving glance, or voiced word of praise.

After gaining 35 pregnancy lbs this last year, and successfully losing it all again, I loved to received the  "You look great!" and "You're so slim!" compliments.

After having a 3rd child, and a third son at that, I delighted to be encouraged with "You seem to have it all together" and "Your boys are so well behaved."

I also found the, "You're the best nurse I've ever had" job related compliments, and the "You and your husband are so happy together" marriage compliments to be especially nice.


But I think, if I'm really honest, really really honest, the best compliments I've received are the ones that have brought praise to my Savior...and not to me. "The Lord is doing a mighty work in you!" and "God's grace is sufficient!"



Before I sound "holier than thou," let me admit that I was more than a bit begrudging when the realization first crossed my mind. Must the best offered praises spoken to ME, pass me up and instead go straight to the Lord? Does HE always need to receive the glory, even if I'm the one who did the work?

Sigh.

Though I know that it is God working in me, I still struggle. I wrestle. I begrudge. Even for the works that are clearly His, I desire the credit. Yet what an honor it is to be sanctified by God's grace, and to have the Lord, God Himself, working in and through me.

Lord, less of me, and more of thee, I pray! May I never skip the opportunity to turn down a compliment and to pass it up to you.

Laziness, and a few books

Remember last January, when I challenged myself to read a book a week? Well, the stats are in, and while I didn't make the 52 books I aimed for, I did read FORTY-SIX books this past year.

Woot Woot!!

It was so fun to put this post together, and to see all the books I've read this year. If only I hadn't fallen off the bandwagon at the end of the year though...

But more confessions after you view this large pile of books. Click on the month for the specific blog posts.

 

January

February

March

April

May (we moved)

May, June & July... for real

August

September

October, November, December (minus a few that didn't get pictures, and I can't remember what they were anyway).

As previously alluded to, I fell off the book reading bandwagon in November.

And in a really bad way.

I was recently encouraged to be more transparent **okay, so it was in a sermon to the whole church, but I think we all know what I mean when I say that I'm CERTAIN our Pastor was talking to ME** so without further adieu, I'll confess that I became extremely overwhelmed, overworked, and overtired in November.

Part of this has to do with my husband being gone for an entire month... but in all honesty, I can't blame my failure to his absence. I think the larger part of my exhaustion was my own laziness.

Wait? What?

How does laziness fit in with being overworked?

Well, I was lazy in the things that really mattered.

I got slack with keeping a household schedule, disciplining my children and reading my Bible. Instead of doing the "one thing needful" I busied myself with other activities. And I was so busy too! In hind sight, it is easy to see why I became so overwhelmed and tired though: I did everything on my own strength.

I did keep reading a little here and there, and I did do my devotions on occasion, but not with regularity or purpose. It's quite humiliating that among all the other books that I did read this year, I failed to complete my Bible reading plan in 2010, after staying on track for 10 1/2 months and having a newborn in the house. Yes. It's that sad. 

I still groan at my laziness, at how the Devil triumphed in convincing me I didn't have time, at the excuses I made up, but never really believed.

L-A-Z-I-N-E-S-S

But as I mentioned the other day... in Christ, we always have the opportunity to start afresh and anew. I'm so thankful that getting back on track is only a prayer away.

Growth in Grace

Every year I come up with a list of New Year's Resolutions.

I admit that part of me just likes to follows the Jones' (gulp!) because a New Year does seem like the perfect time to make resolutions... but I'm also thankful to realize that I do not need to wait for a New Year for a fresh start. Truly, in Christ, any and every moment is an opportunity for forgiveness and a chance to start aright.

While I think I will still compile a personal list of goals to include "exercise" and "no desserts" (well...I'd better just keep the "no desserts" as a potential candidate), I was recently challenged by our Pastor to seek resolutions that God has promised to bless-- like daily devotions and attending worship services.

This past Sunday, during Sunday School, our Pastor gave us a great list and another (humbling, yet encouraging) reminder to seek to grow in grace this next year.

Enjoy this abbreviated list from his lecture. For full content click here.

1. Read your Bible before you read your email, log in to Face Book, turn on the radio, etc.
2. Start attending the church events you normally miss
3. Begin and stick to a pattern of daily Family Worship
4. Start reading systematically through the Bible
5. Read at least two Christian biographies this year
6. Start keeping a prayer log
7. Start meeting for fellowship and accountability with other Christians
8. Begin reading about and praying for the persecuted Church
9. Start praying that the Lord would give you opportunities to share your faith with others
10. Don't do anything you couldn't ask the Lord to bless in prayer!

Whew!! Isn't that a challenging list staring you in the face?
 
I didn't know whether to jump for joy at the clear exhortation to fight the good fight... or to cry in sorrow at my perpetual failure to focus on things above rather than things below.
 
Lord, work in me, I pray!

Christmas Wishes

It's been too long since I last wrote. After being caught up in the whirl of food, presents, family and snow... my feet are just now back on the ground.

As I put away the last of our Christmas decoration this afternoon, in my childishness, I wished that Christmas wasn't over..

And to still be able to still sit by the glowing Christmas tree and delight in it's beautiful sparkle...

to imagine what fits inside the pretty boxes nestled carefully beneath it...

to smile at the thought of surprising my husband with things he both needed AND wanted (which is no easy task)...

to revel in the Lord's mercies and the joy of giving gifts, celebrating with family, and the blessing of having everyone home for the holidays.

Am I the only one that wishes it didn't have to end?

 

I know that half of what makes it special, is that it only happens once a year, but I'll tell you... as I took down the tree today, I found myself wishing that I'd find a forgotten gift hidden under the tree skirt.

And they say Christmas is for kids! Ha!