In the Trenches of Motherhood

I am exhausted.

Today makes day 6 of Gabriella running a fever from 101 - 104 and her feeling yucky (with no answers from the doc except that its something viral).

The three days prior to her getting sick we were out of town due to Thanksgiving.

Micah was sick a few days before that with a slight fever and she was extremely whinny.

I am tired . . . .

Prayers are appreciated.

Leaving A Legacy

That is what it is about, right? Leaving a legacy for Christ. Not a legacy of money or fame or a good name - but one for Christ. That's why as parents we are so concerned about traditions, and teaching our kids to memorize scripture, teaching them Bible Studies, and discipling and disciplining them in the Lord. We want our children, and our grandchildren, and our grandchildren's children (all the generations that may follow after us leading up to the return of Christ (if He does not return in our life time)) to be grafted into the family of God through the blood of Christ.


Here is a link to a blog that has three videos of Dr. Voddie Bauchamn preaching about this concept. These are the best I have ever heard on the subject. I will say I love these sermons but I don't know anything about him more than what I've heard on these sermons.

They are well worth your time to listen to. I listened while preparing dinner and his sermon made me laugh at how ridiculous our society is and cry as the Lord used some of the things he said to convict me.

Memorizing Scripture

In my years since having children, I have been extremely disappointed in my ability to memorize scripture. But a few months back I saw a blog about Scripture Memorization with a really neat video on a guy quoting scripture as if he was actually the one delivering the orginal sermon recorded in scripture. Read and Watch This Video - It is incredible.

I put into practice with the girls memorizing passages instead of single verses. I have really seen a difference with Micah and I being able to learn scripture. For those of you with younger children, know that Gabriella loves listening to us do this. She always gets a huge smile on her face and watches us with big shiny eyes.

Micah is also learning a lot of scripture through CBS. If you have young children and have the time to get involved in CBS - I highly suggest it. It is one of the best preschool programs that I have seen on getting kids to memorize scripture.


In the last 3-4 months Micah and I have learned these scriptures through this method. I know it does not seem like a lot - but it is a lot better than I was doing.

Ephesians 6:1-4 (Gabriella has the word "honor" down when we say this verse).

Psalm 139:14 (I know it is only one verse - but we did this because Micah seemed to be struggling with wanting to always be Gabriella and she never wanted to be herself. So we learned this verse to reinforce how special she was.)

Psalm 95:1-5 (We are trying to see how much we can get memorized before Thanksgiving. Micah and I are also trying to learn the verse before Daddy does. I am not doing as well as I would like - but Micah can just start saying parts of it - and is doing way better than I am. )

Through CBS Micah has learned many verses in the last couple of years. They put memory verses to nursery rhyme tunes. I still have to sing the song to get the scripture and verse correct, but Micah does not have to sing it - she can just say it.

Since my children can remember nursery rhymes and little songs like that with out any effort -I see it as prime time to be getting these scriptures ingrained in them. I truly see how they are little sponges soaking up anything I give them. So I want to feed them as much TRUTH as I can.

For all you Joel Olsteen fans out there

I found this audio on SermonAudio.com and just loved it. It's a contrast between the preaching of Joel Olsteen and Paul Washer. It's only about 15 minutes, so enjoy...
http://playmp3.sa-media.com/media/111507142380/111507142380.mp3

Gabriella's Prayer

Gabriella has been saying lately, "Mommy I pray." Then she is listing things to pray for and wants me to say thank you and say whatever she said.

But tonight it went like this:

Thank you God - Jasmine, elephants, Tigger, Colby (I was having trouble understanding what she was saying. I thought she said Cody, so I would ask her if it was Cody and she would keep repeating it over and over. I figured out that it was Colby when Micah finally translated for me. When I repeated after her Colby, she then continued.) Kennedy.

She then decided to jump and asked to get out of the bed.

It is so precious watching them learn to pray.

Christmas Traditions

My friend, Jenna, has started a discussion on Christmas Traditions and Santa Claus. Most of the discussion so far has centered around to do or not to do Santa Claus. She asked us to share our traditions - but since my response about Santa was so long, and I wanted to ask some of you what traditions you have in your homes to keep Christmas Christ - centered - I decided to do my own post on it.


Traditions in our household include:

The lighting of the Advent Candle Wreath.

Unwrapping a "present" which is a book related to Christmas every night preceding Christmas. We read the story to the kids and will talk about the book as much as they want. Some of the books are the story of Christ birth, some are legends about Santa Claus, some tell the truth about Santa, and some are just about how different families celebrate Christmas.

We give each kid three gifts to represent the gifts the three wise men brought Jesus.

Reading of the Christmas story before opening any presents.

This year we are going to try something new. We have been working on memorizing passages of scripture as a family. I have been meaning to post on this subject for several months. But starting after Thanksgiving, we will start reading the Christmas story from the Bible every night at dinner. My hopes are that Clay, Micah, and I will memorize most of it by Christmas and that Gabriella will be familiar with it. I will have to share the key that I have found to getting Micah (and me) to memorize scripture with y'all soon.

I also started this last year: I either have everything cooked by Christmas Eve or we eat a pop in the oven pizza for lunch on Christmas Day. I know it sounds silly - and even makes me sound lazy. But if I don't do this - I will spend the whole day stressing on making a big production on a meal. I then miss out on sitting still and giving thanks for the wonder of the birth of Christ and reflecting on Him. Secondly, I miss out on creating special family time with the family. It is kinda like making time stop - by not having to deal with all the normal duties - and savoring the day of Christmas.


Traditions we wish to start this year or as the kids get older.

A night of Christmas Caroling with good friends and hot chocolate.

The telling of the Christmas story on the felt board. I really need to get busy making all those pieces because I want to start this year.

Making a soft bed for baby Jesus (I have been wanting to do this with my kids for over 10 years - when I first read about someone else doing this with their family.). You set up an empty manger somewhere in the house for baby Jesus. You tell the kids that baby Jesus will need a soft place to lay when He comes on Christmas Eve. Then you all draw names of those in your family. Everyone has to secretly do kind things for that person for a week - or how ever long you decide, before you draw different names. But for every kind deed done, the person who does the deed gets to put a single piece of straw in the manager. The hope is that by Christmas it will be filled with hay for the baby that you will lay in the manager on Christmas Eve night.

The reenactment of the Christmas story - complete with makeshift costumes and stuffed animals.

What are your family traditions?

Saving Money While Cooking

As we all know the prices of groceries seem to be going up, and up, and up. I am always trying to think of new ways to save money. I found this tip and thought I would share with you. I have begun using powdered milk for all baking and cooking needs. The website I found suggested using it for drinking. I could not get past the smell. I was also nearly out of milk one day before nap time so tried putting half powdered and half fresh milk together to give the girls. That did not go over well. But it is always something you could try if you would like to. On the site where I got the idea, the lady said her and her kids thought it tasted just fine.

So, though we could not stand drinking it, I have used it in cooking oatmeal, mac-n-cheese, breakfast casseroles, and breads - to name a few. I can not tell the difference and normally I can spot fake from a mile away. Potatoes for instance - I can not stand most powdered potatoes - and I can always tell that they are not the real thing. So, to make things more simple while cooking, I just keep a couple of cups of powdered milk mixed up in my fridge so that it is just as easy as reaching for the fresh stuff. Since powdered milk is half the price of the cheapest fresh milk - I think it is really worth the extra 1-2 min. it takes me to get the stuff out and mix it up. For those of you who just like to use organic - I even noticed that you can buy organic powdered milk.

Have any other ideas on how to save money while cooking? Please share with me because I am all ears.

Pictures from October Happenings

Micah and Gabriella helping Daddy make an angel food cake.

Gabriella licking the spoon.

Daddy, Micah, and Gabriella with the largest pumpkin in Texas.


Mommy and Gabriella

Micah and Gabriella finding their way through a hay maze.

Refining Through Parenting

I have many stories to tell about the benefits of reading to our kids from God's Word and teaching them scripture. But since I have a short time, I will share what has been on my mind tonight. I can see how God is really using parenting to refine me. We have been memorizing scripture with Micah and having Gabriella listen to them as we do so. We also try and use biblical principles in discipling them. We know that it is very important for them to understand at an early age that when they disobey it is sin. So, as we have really been working on that - especially in the last year, I am beginning to see God using that to make her more aware of sin.

Here is just one example of how God is using my children to refine me. I am sitting at lunch with the girls waiting, and waiting for them to eat. We had a really good morning - but about 15 minutes before lunch time they started having trouble sharing with each other, and Micah started having trouble speaking to me with honor and obeying me. We had several discussions as each incident would arise about her being disobedient and how that was not honoring God because she was disobeying His Word. Through those incidents and then me sitting at the table with them trying to get them to eat, I am beginning to get irritated with them. Then the following conversation occurs.

Micah asks me, "Mommy are you happy?"
I ask her "Do you think Mommy is happy?"
"No."
"Why do you think Mommy is not happy?"
"Because Mommy's not happy."
"Well, Micah Mommy was having a lot of fun with you, but Mommy does not like having to tell you over and over to obey and Mommy does not like it when you disobey."
Micah says, "Mommy, you disobey too."
"Mommy does disobey God sometimes. Do you think Mommy is disobeying God now?"
"Yes."
"How is Mommy disobeying?"
"Mommy is disobeying God because she is screaming at Micah and Gabriella."

Ouch! That was convicting. In my flesh I was really wanting to scream because I was so frustrated with correcting them over and over and discipling them and correcting them....but I was not screaming. However, what Micah picked up on was that I was not speaking in tone of love - but I was speaking in a tone that conveyed my irritation. She called me out on my sin. That is humbling to have a nearly three year old point out sin to you. I asked her if Mommy needed to pray and ask Jesus for forgiveness for being mean to them and not showing them love and also ask Jesus to help me be more patient and loving. She said 'YES.' So, I started to pray and she even prayed "Father forgive Mommy for disobeying and screaming at Gabriella and Micah."

I see such a need in my life for someone to call me out on sin. And in someways, who better than those who are with me ALL the time? They see me at my best when I am letting the Spirit reign and they see me at the worst - when I am letting my flesh reign. She knows that Mommy will always love her even if she points out where Mommy is wrong. So, though some parents may see it as disrespectful for their child to call them out on their sin - I am thankful for her childlike faith and that she is beginning to see that sin is through wrong heart attitudes and not just disobeying a direct command.