Thursday, April 12, 2012

On my mind today...

It's been a while since I've posted anything.  I go through times like that.  Not that I don't have something to say (anyone who knows me knows I ALWAYS have something to say).   It's just been busy around here and I haven't felt inspired to share.  Most the time this blog is really just a journal for my random thoughts and today that is definitely the truth.  I have thoughts floating around in my head that I want to get out...  I guess for me it's therapeutic!  So here it goes...  the things that I'm thinking about today.

1.  I got up this morning and the first thing I always do is go to the fridge to get a glass of water.  When my mom passed away I put a collage of pictures up so I could see her face all the time.  This morning I looked at those pictures and I was filled with longing to see that smile in person, to feel her arms around me, to see that knowing look on her face.  There once was a time when I thought "Lord, let me live a good long life before you take me to heaven", but I don't think that anymore.  There are some faces there that I long to see... hers being the main one.   I miss her today. 

2.  For Christmas we bought our kids 2 puppies.  They are adorable, but they are a lot of work.  So, I began to pray for the Lord to deliver me from this extra burden.  I prayed for a good family that didn't have as much going on so the pups would get the attention they deserve.  Someone who NEEDED them.  One of the pups is very active and needed a lot of attention...  With 4 kids and homeschooling this wasn't gonna happen around here.  So, one day last week I posted them on Craigslist.  I got an email from a lady who loved Jack (the hyper ones) face and she wanted to come see him.  When she got here we talked and she was looking for a pup who wanted to love and cuddle and needed attention.  She wasn't working right now and she has a 9yr old son.  A perfect description of my prayer.  We were able to keep the other pup because he is more like a cat in that he wants to be left alone most the time.  He has the cutest face and a sweet personality.  He also has been training very well which has made it alot more peaceful for me.  I feel like a huge burden has been lifted.  I know it's a really small thing, and that there are a lot bigger prayer request than that.  I'm just thankful for a God who listens to our little and big prayers...  I'm thankful for a God who cares about a stressed out mom of 4 who doesn't have time to worry about another thing.  This morning Jack's new owner emailed me with an update and a picture.  He's doing great and he's a perfect fit for their family.  What a relief.

3.  We have gone to church in another town for years...  It was about a 30min drive.  Not that that matters if that's where God wants you to be, but a while ago God began to move in our hearts to get closer to home.  Join a local church and really get involved in our community.   When people in our neighborhood asked where we went to church when they found out it was 30min away that would be the end of the conversation.  We started to see that this was a big deal.  So, we prayed and God finally gave us clearance and direction.   It's funny to me that I personally have made a full circle.  God led us back to the church where I gave my life to Christ.  The church that I have always felt was home.  My husband had never gone there, but this is where I was "born and raised" in the faith.  The awesome thing is IT STILL FEELS LIKE HOME!!!  I'm excited about what God is doing here and what He is going to do in our community. 

4.  I read a book about 6 months ago called Large Family Logistics.  Written by a Home-schooling mom of 9, it is filled with good advice and practical tips to help your large family (or any family) run smoothly.  For a while I put the tips in practice and it worked and life was less stressful, but as humans do I started slipping until eventually things around here got out of control with no order, schedule, or routine.  Chaos ensued and I have been stressed.  Thanks be to God that he reminded me of those things that worked AFTER I called out to him.   So, I have gotten back to things like: getting up early, staying home, sticking to a schedule, cleaning up kitchen immediately after each meal...  One of the key things for me is having the kitchen cleaned at night so when I get up in the morning I don't already feel like I'm running behind.   There are a few other things that make a huge difference for me...  One is eating right, drinking water, and taking vitamins when I do these things I don't feel tired and overwhelmed.   Another thing is I have been praying for wisdom with discipline.  He began to show me that I am a reactor...  I am not a trainer.  So, I have to learn to TRAIN my children in the way they should go.  I cannot expect my children to make right decisions if they have never been trained to do that.   A very big part of training my children is being at home and concentrating on behavior.  The last thing that helps me so much is scheduling my life (which is not my strong point), but it's necessary for our success!!!

Well, thanks for stopping by to find out what is on my mind.  Let me know if you relate or have any good tips.  Hope you have a great day!!!

5 comments:

  1. Glad to have you back home :-)

    And I can totally relate to the puppy thing. I was so not a dog person, so I guess the boys knew praying was the only way they would get one. They prayed for a puppy for about a year. They would pray for God to give them "just the right puppy to complete our family." So now I'm a reluctant dog lover, of our little Missy anyway. I can count on one hand the number of accidents she's had, she's never chewed on anything other than her toys, and maybe a stray tissue here and there. She really has been a perfect fit for us. It's just comforting to know He cares even about those seemingly unimportant details of our lives.

    I've never been a morning person, total night owl. One of the best things I've done here lately is learning wake up early. And I agree it is much more beneficial to be proactive in child training and discipline rather than reactive.

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    1. Thank you Sharity... seeing your face every Sunday is one of my favorite things about coming back home!!! I agree with you about the details... God is really good at giving us just the right fit... I wish I would always seek him FIRST!!!!

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  2. Great thoughts, Angela. It seems our minds have been on the same things this week. I read Large Family Logistics when I was pregnant with Elijah and I've also gotten away from some of the routine things that were working for me. It's been on my mind this week and I'm going to pick it back up and refresh my memory and get my life back in order now that I'm feeling better. Also, I've been trying to be more intentional in training one of my children whose behavior has been argumentative and sassy. If I don't stop each time and correct, I feel like we'll be in a worse place a year from now. Let's pray for each other that God would give us wisdom and diligence to make this a priority above our To-Do lists!

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    1. You hit it on the head... To-do lists always seem to come before the things that are really important. I agree behavior does not get better and I have found that when I do address the action every time it begins to go away... funny how that works. I will be lifting you up. Love ya!!! Glad you're feeling better!!!

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  3. Really a good blog with great posts.
    I write and maintain a blog which I have entitled “Accordingtothebook” and I’d like to invite you to follow it

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