The Morning Madi and Trev Made Me A "Thomas Muffin"

I had the sweetest morning.  Before I share it, I want to clarify that this is not our typical school morning!  Our mornings start in the dark and we have to be at school early, even earlier on the days I teach.  Even though I do my best to stage and prep everything from uniforms to backpacks to lunches the night before, it can still be hard to get my troops (and myself) out of bed!  

The last two mornings have been different though.  Yesterday I was still hitting snooze on my alarm when two excited little 1st and 3rd graders ran in my room and yelled, "Surprise!!!"  They had already gotten themselves up and dressed before I had even come in to wake them, and were awfully pleased with themselves!  I made a big deal out of how responsible that was and what a nice morning we had because of what they did.

This morning I was about to get up to wake them when it happened again - they ran in squealing, pleased as punch that they were already up and fully dressed.  There were smiles and whispers, then instructions that I was to stay in my room.  I heard noises in the kitchen and let them do their thing.  At one point Trevor popped his cute little face in and informed me, "Mommy, I'm using your toaster to make you a Thomas Muffin." 

A "Thomas Muffin." Seriously -  melt my heart.  I love his Trevorisms!

A few moments later the door burst open and in came Madi and Trev, proudly serving me breakfast in bed.  Orange juice, cereal, and a Thomas' English Muffin, all displayed on one of my little trays.  They even put honey butter on the English Muffin because they "noticed you like that."  "Homemade by us!" Trevor exclaimed as they delivered my breakfast.  

Best breakfast I think I've ever had.

This motherhood thing can be a tough gig.  Many mornings we feel like we have to nag and rush and rush and nag.  We don't start the day like we had hoped.  We wish it had gone better.  We try to redeem it on the way to school or when they come home.  But these moments....these "Thomas Muffin"moments...these are the moments you tuck away in your heart forever.  These are the moments you know motherhood is an exquisite gift.

And you eat your muffin and soggy cereal, and drink your mug of orange juice, knowing nothing in the world could be better.

Ribbon Runner And Ribbon Scrap Wreath

I have been wanting to learn how to sew for a long time now, but I have to be honest - when I see a sewing machine there is something about that little contraption that intimidates me!  Knowing that I had been wanting to learn, my mom bought me a sewing machine the Christmas before last.  I finally opened it this May.  I still have to have Jimmy thread the bobbin and help me when something goes awry, but I've done a few simple projects and am slowly teaching myself to sew!  My last project was a ribbon runner which turned out very cheerful and fun!

I saw the idea for this in one of my mom's magazines when we were at the beach.  It was so pretty and looked easy enough, so I gave it a try.

I picked out a variety of colorful ribbons when they were 50% at Hobby Lobby, cut them to the length I wanted, and followed the instructions in the magazine to first glue the ribbons together with Liquid Stitch glue, then sew them together.

The magazine article gave instructions to cut a fabric backing and sew it to the runner wrong sides together, then turn out and finish off. I tried that and let's just say it didn't go well...at all!  I had to rip out every.single.seam. but I was determined to save the project.  Instead of backing it with fabric, I just pinned down the edges and used a double seam to finish it off.  It worked out fine and was tons easier!

The colorful ribbons looked very cheerful in my kitchen!

And since I had just enough ribbon left, I made a coordinating wreath by wrapping a styrofoam wreath form and pinning the ribbon with floral pins.  A lace flower, two homemade flowers, and some baker's twine later, I had a matching wreath and loved how it turned out!

If you like simple, easy projects, give these a try!  You could use seasonal ribbon for the upcoming holidays for some pretty, homemade additions to your home!

Good Gifts

We have a surprise planned for our children this weekend.  An opportunity caught my eye, I looked into the details, and God provided.  Jimmy and I were talking earlier today about how excited we are to surprise them tomorrow.  Why?  Because they are our children and we love them!  And it's a joy to spend time with them and do something special for them, because they are special to us!

This morning's Bible study took me to Matthew 7:11 where Jesus says, 

"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!"

The other afternoon I was driving to school to pick up Madi and Trev and my heart felt full to overflowing.  I was talking to God out loud in the van, just thanking Him for all the gifts He has blessed us with.  I was struck by so many little details that reflect His love and intimate concern for us.  When I read that passage from Matthew this morning, I realized that He delights in blessing us, just as we get so much joy from blessing our children.  Why?  Because we are His children and He loves us!

One of the passages I put around my relationship with Jimmy when we first started dating was James 1:17...

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning."

I am so thankful for the good and perfect gifts from my Father in heaven.  I am blessed to know He delights in giving good gifts to His children.  I delight in blessing my own children, hopefully being a reflection to them of His love and care.  I look forward to this weekend, knowing the surprise we have for them is ultimately from Him.  He is the giver of all good things.  And oh, how I thank Him!

These Things He Says

He's growing up on me, but he still says the most precious things.  He's always had a unique way with words, and often the adorable or profound will come out of nowhere.

Like two weeks ago when we were driving home from youth group.  Jimmy was in his car and the kids and I were making our way around the lake in our old van when out of the blue my son says, "I just love Daddy.  Mommy, you picked a good husband."

I had to agree.  I am ever so thankful for the man who leads our family on this journey. I appreciate more than ever his kindness, integrity, faithfulness, and unwavering love and commitment to God and our family.  I am beyond grateful for the godly husband and father his little eyes are watching.  I sure am glad I "picked" him ~ and that he picked me!  God has been so gracious.

Several weeks ago we had tucked in covers and said prayers and I had barely left the room when my little guy called me back in.  "What do you need?" I asked.  
"I just need to snuggle you because you're my mom.  And I want to snuggle
 God in my heart."

What he doesn't know is how tightly I want to hold on.  Or how thankful I am that he is in the grip of Grace.  Or how much I pray he will always cling to God with all his might, and "snuggle Him" forever in his heart.

I want to remember these things he says because no one says them quite like him.
He has a view of God and life and love all his own ~ it is unfiltered and pure and a breath of fresh air to my soul.

I Helped Madi Make A Tutu For A Water Bottle

Before I became a mom, I would have never guessed that would one day be in my job description.  But sure enough, when Madi's second grade reading class was assigned Biography Bottles, she chose Maria Tallchief, America's first major prima ballerina and first Native American to hold that rank.  So make a tutu for a water bottle we did!

We also made Saturn for her planet project.

And did all that stuff I was telling you about the other day and more.

Now there are four days left.

I'm volunteering all day tomorrow then subbing two out of the final three, so this home stretch is bound to fly by.

I am so ready!!

I can't wait to just enjoy my kids.  

Stop rushing them out the door and hopefully stop nagging so much.

I am tired of hearing my own voice drone on and on about agendas, homework, uniforms, signatures, forms, bedtimes, etc.  (When did I start sounding like that?)

We have had the best school year!  I cannot say enough about their teachers, their school, their progress.  God has generously blessed above and beyond.  We could not have asked for more!

It's just time.

And I'm excited to be home more and say yes more and start slow and end late and just take in the sight and sound of these people I love.

Four more days.

Summer, we are almost ready for you!

Morning Light

This past weekend during a blissful break from routine, we were walking to breakfast when everyone else got a few steps ahead of me and I caught this moment, this snapshot of my daughter walking, bathed in the sparkle of morning light.

I am enraptured by morning light, how it makes the ordinary glisten and breathes life into a day. How it reminds me that He makes all things new and if we blew it yesterday, well, today is a new day.  A brand new chance.  A fresh start.

His mercies are new every morning.  Do you ever let that truth sink fully into your heart?

Joy comes in the morning.  Joy that may not make sense in light of our circumstances or the state of this broken world.  Joy unspeakable.  Joy unexplainable. Defiant joy.

It's a new day!  Let His love flood your life like the morning light floods your home.  Let it invade, cast out the darkness, reflect His glory.

Morning has broken, like the first morning. 

Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird. 

Praise for the singing, praise for the morning, 

Praise for them springing fresh from the Word.

Eleanor Farjeon

Paper Houses and Strong Foundations

This morning after a blissful rest...well, make that a rest interrupted by the beeping of a dying smoke alarm battery that had to be dealt with in the middle of the night (bless my husband's heart)...I was up earlier than I was hoping because of this tickly cough that loves early mornings.  I made a delicious cup of coffee (promptly spilling a good portion of it on my shirt) and settled in with the new Bible study I've been working through.

I'm sitting here now with a second cup, my shirt still smelling like hazlenut, pondering a passage in Luke from this morning's study that my husband and I were just talking about a few days ago.

The passage starts with these words of Jesus...

But why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say? 
(Luke 6:46)

Wow.

Jesus goes on to compare a man who hears His words and does them to someone who builds a house by digging deep and laying his foundation on the rock.  When the heavy storms come through, they "could not shake" the house because of its firm foundation.

Then He compares a man who hears His words and does nothing to someone who builds a house right on the earth without a foundation.  When the storms came "immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great."

It is very easy for me to picture this scenario because we had our home built here in Florida a few years ago, and live in a newer neighborhood where homes are still going up.  We saw the very foundation of our home laid, and just this past week have been watching two more homes being built from the foundation up.  Florida's soil is very sandy, and in there is a stretch during the summer and early fall where thunderstorms come through nearly every afternoon.  Sometimes tropical storms and hurricanes can threaten.  I can't imagine building a home right on the sand without a strong, solid foundation.  Yet so many do this spiritually speaking.

My husband and I have been talking about a lot.  It's a genuine burden on our hearts. We see this epidemic where people want to "like God" as he says (call him Lord, Lord), but don't want to read and obey His Word or listen to godly counsel or wisdom. Life's storms come and they start sinking fast, then start grasping for the world's answers.  The world's answers don't work like they thought so they sink further.  God offers them all the wisdom they need but it will require some obedience.  On the other side of obedience there will be rich blessings, but often many are unwilling to even try things God's way. So they build what we call "paper houses" from what the world has to offer. They'll stand for a few minutes but the slightest breeze will knock them over. Without a strong foundation, those houses simply cannot stand. They will sadly experience great ruin when all the time there was another way.

Life is undoubtedly going to hold its storms.  The winds will surely blow.  We want our life and home to be built on the foundation of God and His Word, and we want that for everyone we know!  Because thanks to God we have victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!!!  Makes me think of this old song...

On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand.

This morning I am reminded of the importance of not just giving God lip service but building my whole life on Him. God, I pray this fervently for me and my family. 
Help us build our lives on you.  And friends, I encourage you to do the same!  It is a foundation like no other!  It is a foundation that offers peace and hope and joy and victory and a steadfast strength.

The rains came down and the floods came up
The rains came down and the floods came up
The rains came down and the floods came up
And the house on the rock stood firm!