This Morning My Heart Gives Thanks For...

* slowly but surely making our way through all the entries on May's calendar

* the belly laughs that surrounded me as we read this together

* children who have worked very hard and made good choices this year

* no school on Monday and the fact that there are only 8 more school days left until summer

* fabulous teachers

* that I am feeling much better - thank you God for health

* learning new things from God's Word

* romance in marriage

* friends to share life with

* relaxation in the midst of the chaos

* contentment at home

* the mug my mom gave me that held my morning coffee and reminded me of this post I wrote nearly one year ago

* that joy comes in the morning

Wild Friday Night

I am typing this in the middle of a wild and crazy Friday night that was spent at...you guessed it...Walmart.  Oh, yeah.  We were getting pretty desperate around here so after reheating some leftover pizza for dinner, I dragged myself out the door headed out to buy a cartful of groceries at my least favorite place in the world the store.  It was funny, I ran into two other Pre-K moms there - I guess we all know how to do a Friday night up right!!  At least we have food in our pantry.  It was so bad Trevor actually dictated a list for me this morning!  Here are the five things he requested....

ketchup

Pop Tarts

cake

milk

fruit

You know, the essentials.  :)

After shopping and unloading all 200 bags of groceries, I was happy to spend a quiet evening at home.  It has been another action packed week around here!

Tuesday night Trevor was a little piggie at his school program.  I could have eaten him up he was so precious!

Wednesday night Jimmy and I were emcees at an SGA banquet for the high school. One of the girls from the youth group asked us to help host and it turned out to be a fun evening!  We got to dress up which is always nice.  I was happy to help out the high school and spend time with my very handsome date.

Thursday night Madi was a bee at her school program.  She was absolutely adorable and I could see her dimple from across the room!  I love that they go to a school that supports music and the arts.

Today my dad and I had plans to accompany Madi on a field trip that she earned to Medieval Times.  Only a select number of students in the school were going on this trip, and Madi was one of three in her class who earned it.  Unfortunately, my dad had a fever last night and was unable to go.  But the unexpected treat was that I pulled Trev out of class at the last minute and he took my dad's ticket.  Both kids loved the experience.  Madi thought the chicken leg was amazing (ha) and Trev was captivated by the epic battles and intense action.  That is right up his alley!  They wore their crowns and waved their flags and cheered on the red knight.

After this week of school activies, this Friday night of groceries and time at home was just right.  Though if I close my eyes, I would love to pretend I am where I was when the week began.  More on that soon...it was bliss.

Mother's Day Celebrations And More

With the busy week we have had, I am finally sitting down for a moment to reflect on the rest of our Mother's Day celebrations!  It really was great having my brother here with us.  Our beach day together was eventful - the kids enjoyed playing with their Uncle J and I loved being part of the fun, but also getting a few minutes to relax in the sun and chat with my mom.

Later in the evening, my brother was excited to rent a paddle board and ended up giving the kids and I rides.  It was just beautiful out, with the sun shimmering on the water.  We definitely made some neat memories.

Jimmy took a turn as well!

The next day in church, my brother and I both shared testimonies of the godly influence our mom had on us.  After church we all had lunch together, but not after receiving goodies the kids brought home from their church classes.  These are the best kind of presents!

However, Jimmy and the kids shocked me with a special surprise Mothers Day/Birthday combo gift - a Kindle Fire!  I am absolutely loving reading on this, and am all about the convenience of ordering books and reading at night!!

For lunch my mom made one of our favorite meals - mojo pork served on toasted bread with homemade mango salsa, avocado, grilled onions, and fresh mangos. Unbelievably good.

Everything was so fresh and delicious, and it was nice eating at home together as a family and having time to visit.

My mom gave me a few Mother's Day treats, including this sun hat which I have great plans for...

Monday I was treated to a very special picnic in Madi's classroom!  We had the best time, and the 1st graders treated all of us moms like queens, serving us with enthusiasm!  Madi gave me this story she had written about me, which is definitely a keeper.

Pretty obvious Madi's Mom likes to eat, huh?  Well, my girl and I do enjoy our desserts.  And our roller coasters.  :)

Tuesday I got to spend the day with Trevor on a field trip to a children's museum, and he had quite the time.  His favorite parts were sliding down the fire pole and climbing the rock wall.  Oh, and digging for buried treasures in the "sand" which was actually made of pieces of rubber erasers!

Wednesday and Thursday were school and church and the usual, but yesterday after Pre-K I picked Trevor up and we headed to Hollywood Studios for Star Wars Weekend where he got to meet Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia.  I know.  And, that's not all...after the Indiana Jones stunt show, we hung around to let the crowds pass and Indiana came out and we got to meet him as well!  Trevor even got to hold his whip!  And then we ate a Darth Vader cupcake!  It was a big day for my five year old.  We left around dinnertime and he conked out the second I pulled out of the parking lot.  Sweet boy.  I love making memories like these with my kids.

This morning I taught a piano lesson, then took Trevor to a birthday party at Chuckie Cheese (madness), ran some errands, and our family went to a graduation party for a girl in our youth group who will soon be moving away to go to college.  I can't hardly bear the thought of it, she is so special to us!  But it has been a joy to see her grow in Christ, and I can't wait to see what God does in her life in this next chapter.

What a week it has been in this very merry (and crazy) month of May!

The Power Of Praise

This morning I woke up at 6:30 am with the weight of the world on my shoulders.

Perhaps it was because I am still not feeling very well.  Oh sure, I've been pressing on doing everything from school programs to field day to beach time to field trips and everything in between.  But I have still been feeling poorly, fighting sinus issues that are wearing me out.  Have you ever noticed when you aren't feeling well physically, you are more vulnerable emotionally?  When my eyes opened and my throat still felt sore and my body weary, my mind also felt cluttered and my heart overwhelmed. Questions without answers surfaced.  To do lists loomed.  Stress tugged at the covers.

After getting everyone off to school, I spent some extra time in Bible study. Interestingly, one of the passages my David study took me to this morning was 2 Samuel 22:1-51, a long chapter where David praises God for His deliverance from the Philistines.  David's song of praise calls God his rock, his fortress, his deliver, He who is worthy to be praised, who saved him from his enemies, who was his support, who is his strength and power, who is the one and only God.

Reflecting on the passage, Beth talked about how we need to celebrate old victories once more and new victories for the first time.  How we need to remind ourselves of God's faithfulness.  She asked us to ponder how we could make celebration a more regular part of our relationship with Christ, a more regular occurence in our life.

I took some time to journal some victories both past and present, some battles the Lord has won in my life.  I thanked Him for those.

Then I turned up the praise music.  I had sheets to wash and laundry to fold and a sink full of dishes to attend to, but I did so to the soundtrack of praise.

The first song my Kari Jobe Pandora station cranked out was her song You Are Good.  Over and over, I heard these words...

Every day, I'll awaken my praise

And pour out a song from my heart

You are good, You are good, You are good

And Your mercy is forever.

Your kindness is forever 

Your goodness is forever

Your mercy is forever, forever.

My mind settled down and became more focused.  My spirits were lifted.  The burden felt lighter.

My initial thoughts which overwhelmed were replaced with thoughts that overcame.

I continued my chores and my day with an intentional spirit of praise and celebration.

It's not that I listened to some worship songs and, zap, all my questions were answered, my body was healed, and my problems were solved.

No, it's not that at all.

What is true is that when I awakened my praise, my focus shifted from my hurts to His kindness.  From my stresses to His goodness.  From my failures to His mercy. From me to Him.

And that is the power of praise.

We're Gonna Make It (Reflections Of A Mom Around Mother's Day)

It's interesting how much I thought I knew about being a parent until I became one.

All the babysitting, teaching, working with young people, books read, and articles considered could not have prepared me for what it would take to care for and nurture a child.

The never ending journey it would be.

The way my heart would indeed walk outside of my body from that first cry on.

I would not realize the complexities...how I would strive to make them feel like one in a million and engrain in them what a special, unique creation of God they are, all the while trying to teach them the world does not revolve around them.  Not to mention the other thousands of intricate lessons that are part of the mosaic of character we are trying to help them piece together while they are under our wings.

I would not realize the extremes...how I would experience the greatest of joys and the deepest of frustrations, give out boundless energy and sometimes feel exhaustion all the way to my bones.

I would feel the delight of glowing teacher's reports and various accomplishments, but also remember the humiliation of dragging a tantrum throwing toddler out of the store (with a full cart of groceries and carrier bound infant in tow).

I would know love like I have never known, love that would actually draw me closer to God and help me understand Him better, but a love so deep that it would make me ache at times.  When you love someone to their core, when pieces of you take on lives of their own, your souls become intertwined.  You feel their hurts.  You pray like you never have before.

I love being a mom.  I love my children.  They are the greatest gifts God has ever entrusted to me, and the time I have spent investing into their early years has been worth more to me than any worldly possession or dream.  We have had some of the best times together.  Magical memories made.  Joy in simplicity.  Laughter that comes straight from the belly.

We have also had fussy days where I have gone ahead and cried right along with them.  Days where I felt like throwing in the towel.  Days where I was convinced I was a failure.


Grace has covered me.  It has filled in those gaps.

When I meet God in the mornings, I am more equipped for what the day may bring.  I still fall short, but His Word is there to help me rise up.  To teach them His precepts. To build their character.  To help shape their hearts.  To wrap them in love.  To draw boundaries that will protect them.


To not grow weary in doing good.

We spent the Saturday before Mother's Day at the beach as a family.  As I looked at some of our snapshots by sea, lyrics immediately came to mind.

If love is an ocean wide

We'll swim in the tears we cry

They'll see us through to the other side

We're gonna make it.

When love is a raging sea

You can hold on to me

We'll find our way tonight

Love is an ocean wide.

Moms, listen to me.

We're gonna make it.

If today is bad day, go ahead and have a good cry, say you're sorry, and move onward. If today is a good day, laugh with everything you have.  Enjoy the moment. No matter what today is, give your kids a hug and tell them how much you love them, how important they are to you, and how you wouldn't trade anything in the world for the gift of being their mom.  Those words are water to my children's souls.  I can see it in the way their eyes glow when I tell them.

And no matter what tomorrow holds, find a few moments to draw strength for your journey from God's Word.  We can't do this in our own strength.  But we can do anything He has called us to do in His.  Spend some time with a friend or two, friends who love you where you are and who nurture your faith and motherhood journey.  We don't want to try and do this alone.  We need each other. Don't give up.  We are in this thing together.

Leaving you with a quote my dad shared in his message Sunday morning...


There is no more influential or powerful role on earth than a mother’s. Stay at it, dear lady. Never doubt the value of your calling. Without your positive supportive partnership, the family could not survive.

Charles R. Swindoll

*lyrics from song Ocean Wide by The Afters

Sweet Delivery (And An Easy Lemon Cookie Recipe)

A few days ago, I got a sweet delivery from our friend Karen.  She knows I love Lemon Blossoms, and brought over a freshly baked plate of Lemon Cookies.  They were absolutely delicious and when I asked her about the recipe, she said it was unbelievably easy - and it was also a Gooseberry Patch recipe, which she knew was where I have found many of my favorites.

These little cookies are apparently as easy as 1-2-3...or should I say 3-2-1.  Because that is what they are called... 3-2-1 Lemon Cookies!

I looked up the recipe and found the link here.  I enjoyed one two several this afternoon with a cup of Blueberry Green Tea in my favorite teacup.  Along with the apples and grapes I had enjoyed a few moments earlier in Madi's classroom (more on that later), it was the perfect snack to brighten up a cloudy afternoon!

Thank you Miss Karen!  Your sweet delivery made my day!

Call Her Blessed

She raised us in the shadow of the nation's capitol.  A few years earlier, she'd married a sailor who had met Jesus, and this young wife helped put her husband through Bible college and seminary.  I'm sure she had other dreams at one time, but somewhere along the way her dreams became us and she nurtured those dreams.  She pinched pennies and did without but we never did.  Because she was always there.  We were rich in her love.

She would be a rock in our home.  Strong and steady.

But she would also be a pebble.  Smooth and gentle.

She would spend years giving us a peaceful childhood.  One that was without excessive conflict, one where there were no fears of anyone leaving, one where mom picks you up from school to bring you home for your afternoon snack at the kitchen table.  Every night she would put a meal on that same table, a table she bought at a garage sale and would paint many times over the next 30 years. I learned much about life and God and relationships around that table.  I learned much from her.  Not just from what she said.  But from how she lived.

She lived with joy and purpose.  Her easy laugh filled our home and she was our biggest fan.  She even loved us when we looked like this, and still denies that we ever went through an awkward phase!

I had to break it to her that we did, a long and painful one at that.  But in her eyes we have always been and always will be nothing but beautiful.  And now that I am a mother, I know exactly why.

My brother and I would find our way in life in a home filled with hand-me-down furniture and my mom's creative touches that would change every few years.  A home that might smell of homemade apple crisp or peach cobbler, depending on the season.  It is the only home I remember.  I walked out the same front door, down the same sidewalk, and past the same azaleas bushes for kindergarten and my wedding day. There is a lot of security in that.  I would not realize just how much until later in life.

During my teenage years, my mom and I had our share of disagreements like anyone else.  We didn't always see everything the same way.  Generations do not.  But she was determined that we would talk it out, and would stay up until the wee hours of the morning with me doing so.  Those late night tearful conversations would keep us close at heart.  I never did choose rebellion.  I thank God for that.  And I thank both my parents, including my mom and her willingness to choose conversation over sleep to try to understand and nurture her teenage daughter.

I was sixteen when her world turned upside down.  The doctor would call a few days after Christmas and say that the lump in her breast was indeed cancerous.  She would lose that breast, and her hair.  But she did not lose her joy.  Though I cried many tears during that time and saw her cry a few, I remember that being a time of much laughter in our family.  There is something about my mom that finds joy in the journey, no matter the circumstance.  I know it has to do with the way Jesus shines through her.  The way her heart rests in His.  The way she chooses to see His goodness.

This weekend, my brother flew into town to surprise my mom for Mother's Day.  He and I would be able to walk part of the survivor's lap at a Relay for Life with our survivor.  God, we thank you for that walk.  We wore caregiver pins she gave us.  But in truth, she has always been our caregiver.

She daily cares for her own mother as age has begun taking its toll on her mind and body.  I marvel at what she gives.  She has cared for all of us through any health encounter we have faced.  I remember toast and tea on trays when I was sick on the couch as a child.  Then meals and anything we needed when HELLP syndrome wracked my body and Madi came into this world a month early.

From the moment our dimpled girl's first cry rang into the middle of the night, my mom has been the most extraordinary Grammie anyone could ask for.  My kids have grown up wrapped in her love and care.  She is a safe place for them.  She is comfort and understanding and fun.  They have mentioned a few times they wouldn't mind moving in with her.  It makes me laugh.  I understand.

She has meant more than any words could say to our little family of four.  She is generosity to its fullest extent.  Joy and laughter that brighten the toughest of days. Understanding that gives us a soft place to land.  Wisdom and grace on the journey.

She thinks we are amazing.

But we know she is.

Her worth is far above rubies.  The investments she has made and continues to make surpass any worldly investments she could ever have made.  She is a woman of great value.  We need her.  We love her.

And we rise up this Mother's Day and call her blessed.