Happy Thanksgiving!

Here are a few things we traditionally do on Thanksgiving and some things we are just starting this year.

“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful...." Colossians 3:15–17 (check out the rest, too) 

•  We have a Thanksgiving book that explains the origins of our beloved holiday.  In this book I keep a log of where we spent our Thanksgiving each year and who was there around the table.  Everyone takes turns writing what they are thankful for next to their name.  
•  This year our kids have made the place cards for each person who will attend. 
  
  The cards are “decked-out” with a picture of a turkey, turkey facts and a scripture verse.  Matthew and Jordan have written the names of each person who will be around the table.  Some we left blank as there may be surprise people who show up!  This brings me to my next point:
• We also invite anyone who might not have a family to be with for the holidays.
•  Also, this year my mom made cookies for all the kids to decorate.  This is kind of like a Christmas thing but my sister and family will be moving houses by the end of this year so I guess that’s why we are doing it at Thanksgiving. 
•  I printed off a bunch of festive coloring pages for the kids to do if there’s ever a lull in the entertainment :-)

What are some of your traditions?  Maybe make new ones and make sure to look into your kids’ eyes and let them know how thankful you are to be their mommy!  Make it an every-day tradition.

Seeds in Life

After I cut up an orange for my kids to eat my 3 year old said, “Mommy, this piece has seeds in it.”  I replied, “So take them out.  There will be seeds in life that you’ll have to take out so start to know how to do it now…”  I used to, and still do on occasion, be one of those moms that cut out all the seeds from the fruit and cut the tops off the strawberries.  Our kids will have to learn how to navigate the pits, seeds, strawberry tops (tribulation) of life someday so why not start their navigation learning now. 

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

There are awesome teaching moments like this every day.  Let’s not separate our devotional / Bible study learning from the teaching we could pass on to our little ones.

"But, Just Look at Them..." by Stacey Wooddell Imbimbo

But, Just Look at Them…

This amazing journey that we are on called motherhood is crazy.

Let’s be honest, its like a rollercoaster ride.

Some days are great and you feel like your coasting away with a smile on your face and the wind in your hair, and other moments you are experiencing hard twists and turns while holding on for dear life.

But, just look at them.

Maybe it’s in that moment that you catch them sharing a toy.

You glance over, see it happening, and in that moment there is a little tug on your heart.

Those kids are yours.

It might happen to you out at the park.

They are running around, screaming, laughing, and having so much fun.

You stop, take in that moment, and just look at them.

Its bedtime, and you finally conquered that part of your day, you are ready to move on to another task, but you pause, turn and really look at your kids.

You stare.

They are yours.

They look so peaceful, sweet, almost angelic, all the craziness of the day is forgotten in that moment.

God has given you the most important job of all.

You get to be their mommy.

You get to point them to Jesus.

So take a moment and just look at them.

Psalm 127:3 “ Children are a gift from the Lord, they are a reward from Him”

WOW…

Sweeter than Honey

I was in the kitchen, at the stove stirring something and heard the familiar call, “Mommy” but this time it was different.  It wasn’t demanding my attention, as if there were blood shed or as if the little voice was going to follow it up with, “may I have….”  It was like music.  It was like hearing the holy voice of God reminding me, “You’re a mommy”. 

After having two children, you’d think this wouldn’t be stunning news, but sinking in the fact that I’m a mommy is, for me like digging for China in the sand.  I don’t know when I’m going to totally grasp the fullness of it.  If the voices of our little ones saying, “Mommy” are so sweet like honey to our ears, how much sweeter is the voice of our God through the pages of His word, the Bible? 

Just knowing, I’m saved, going to heaven, REDEEMED, free and secure verses being alone, confused, lost, and without hope... is huge!  Sometimes we don’t live as those saved, redeemed, secure but alas, we have hope, we have life, we have the Holy Spirit helping, guiding and leading us.  Let’s lean on Him, trust in Him and listen to Him through the word of God.

What a gift each mom receives when a little hand holds hers back… that’s like us going along on God’s path for us.

“Help me, O LORD my God! Oh, save me according to Your mercy, That they may know that this is Your hand – That You, LORD, have done it!” Psalm 109:26-27

“…The LORD is gracious and full of compassion. …. Holy and awesome is His name. …The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.” Psalm 111, selected verses.

“As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor – this is the gift of God.  For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart.”  Ecclesiastes 5:19-20

"So Thankful God Asked Me to Be Your Mommy!"

"My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the LORD. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine." - Isaiah 55:8

I guess it was about a year ago that I began a special nightly routine as I would tuck my son, James, into bed. As we prayed together, I would praise God for the wonderful gifts and talents given to my son as well as the positive things I had seen him do that day. This was such a sweet time for James and I because many days were rough and I struggled being his Mommy. I know some say the "Terrible Two's" are bad but when we turned three it seemed like the trials were turned up a notch! Each night after praying I was refreshed though. It always gave me peace to be reminded that there were good parts in our day, even if only a few.  As I would close the door I would softly tell James, "I'm so thankful God asked me to be your Mommy. I love you James Ethan."

On one of my rougher days I can remember crying to a friend who responded with such wisdom saying, "Kate, God chose you to be his Mommy. Only you could be the perfect Mommy for him. He needs you." That is so true...the Lord chose me to be the Mommy of James Ethan and Jack Jack. No one else. Just me. God hand-picked me knowing my flaws. He knew how I needed to grow and be stretched. He knew how it would all work together and cause me to be on my face in prayer more than ever. I have grown in my faith now, as a mother, more than any other time in my life.

This month the boys and I have been focusing (like many of us) on the birth of Christ. We have read Bible stories as well as played with nativity scenes too. As we began to talk about Mary, the mother of Jesus, it got me thinking. God hand-picked Mary too! Yes she was flawed and needed to grow, was stretched in her faith and yet God chose her, no one else to be the mother of Jesus. WOW! What a thought!

The Lord has strung together the perfect personality, intellect, love and charisma in each one of us moms that our little ones need. It is pretty amazing to think that God knows our strengths and weakness and chooses the perfect children in order to refine us through each of them.

I get such comfort as I read that verse. His ways are so much better than my own. He knows the needs of my children and designed me perfectly to match them. What we so often fail to recognize is that in those times we are stretched & confused, it causes us to trust and rely on His strength. Not our own. So thankful for His word that gives such comfort when I am in the midst of craziness!

Challenge: Take a few minutes each day to pray for and with your kids. Allow praises to flow from your mouth to His heart telling about the gift your children are and how thankful you are to be their Mommy.  Allow your children to hear you say aloud, in prayer, the things you love and cherish about them! Then rest in the fact that He hand-picked you to be their Mommy! What a gift! What a treasure!