Ordinary

Trying something new today. Joining in with Lisa-Jo Baker and many others as we take a topic and write about it for 5 minutes. No edits, nothing perfect, just my raw thoughts on the topic. So today, we are going with:

Ordinary
 

Ready, and go.

I have spent many years telling people I was "just a Mom". Or "I am only human". I have lived believing I am ordinary. And while I do not have self confidence issues, I know that there is nothing special about what I do. Hundreds of thousands of parents stay home and take care of their children. I was not doing anything ground breaking.

Then there was that day that I had a revelation. I am NOT "only human". I am a child of God! A third of the Triune God dwells within me! I am using my everyday circumstances as a crutch. My life is anything BUT ordinary.

I care for our 8 children. Everyday. I make sure my husbands needs are taken care of. And I am doing my best to live out the new creation I am in God. Oh, there are days I am hideous. Far less than perfect. But He has called me to something so much more than ordinary. God has called me to be the EXTRA.

And stop.

AACK! So much more to say!! Join the link-up. See what others are writing. Or get inspired and write something yourself. It's kinda fun!

Where I Admit My Stupidity

So, just a few weeks ago I was pumping up a new blog. New name, new look, new everything. And then, nothing happened. No big give aways, no new site, or pretty design. Nada. And this is where I hang my head.

I paid a so called company to put it all together for me. It was priced much below most sites, and I was thrilled. And to this day, I have gotten two emails from them.  Neither of which was my new design. Both of which are excuse filled. And I am ashamed because I didn't research the group better, and just trusted. So now I am in the middle of a Paypal dispute. So, I have decided to quit wallowing in my shame and self-pity, and just write here until things are settled.  I cannot hire someone else until I get my money back, and this has been my home for years.

I hesitate to link up to the design company, because I don't want to give them unwarranted traffic. However, I do feel the need to warn others of the negative experience I have had with them. If you were asking my opinion for a company to design your blog for you, I would tell you to steer clear of Budding Blogs. It's just been on big disappointment.

And, while we are on the subject, if you know of an affordable designer willing to work with a very small budget blog, I would love suggestions!

What if We Gave all Year Round?

Image source: Teri Lynne Underwood
www.terilynneu.com

Why are we saving it all for Christmas day? This was the perfect time to teach our family, all of us, to be compassionate EVERY DAY. It’s not only at Christmas the world is suffering, dying. And why do we wait until December to cut out extra time for our children and families? We give, sometimes until it hurts, we make sacrifices both in our time and money, and we enjoy the six weeks from Thanksgiving to Christmas immensely. Most of our treasured memories are contained in that time period. But what if we changed that mind set? What if we lived every month like it was the season of giving?

Join me at The Homeschool Village as I share how we plan to change our mind set, and give all year round.

Preparing for Advent - Day 1

This month, I am going through this book, Preparing My Heart for Advent by Ann Marie Stewart.  I had no plans to post about it, but have felt compared to share. If nothing else, it will help to keep me accountable. And please be gracious, I am posting from my notes, and will keep this very raw.

 

Today's main reading comes from Zechariah 7:11-13

11 “But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear. 12 Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the Lord of hosts. 13 Therefore it happened, that just as He proclaimed and they would not hear, so they called out and I would not listen,” says the Lord of hosts. (NKJV)
 

Thoughts: The Jewish people refused to pay attention, turned their backs, stopped listening, and turned their hearts to stone. Because of their actions, God's action was to not listen when they called to Him.

My prayer for today:

Lord, create in me a clean heart. Soften it with your love. Prepare me for Your Advent-Your coming- in my heart, our family, and this time of joy. Draw me to you so I will overflow with Your Grace. Take my fingers from my ears, turn me toward You so I may be fact to face with my Redeemer. Come, Emmanuel, Come!

 

Weary Mom? What's all the hub-bub?

If you have been on Twitter, Facebook, or any other social media outlet, you have had to have seen something about this book called, "Hope for the Weary Mom. Where God meets you in your Mess".  The new expanded version released Tuesday, and in a two day event, over 26,000 ebooks were given away. Apparently Brooke McGlothlin and Stacey Thacker hit upon a nerve among women.  So what is the big deal?



When you look up "weary" it is defined as:

1: exhausted in strength, endurance, vigor, or freshness

2: expressing or characteristic of weariness

3: having one's patience, tolerance, or pleasure exhausted —used with of
 

I looked up this definition after I was included in group of women that were put together to help launch this book.  I began examining this list, praying over it, and meditating on it. Was this really how I saw mothering? Was my pleasure in my children exhausted; had my endurance been exhausted? Had I really gotten to this point?

Can I be honest? I really didn't like the direction I thought this was all going. Doesn't the Bible tell us not to grow weary? Aren't we supposed to run the race well? I began to believe this was going to be a group of women that sat around complaining about their children and husbands, and just commiserate over chocolate. I went ahead and picked up the book and began reading. And I began to see what Brooke and Stacey were wanting to share with all the Moms out there that were tired.

It's not about being weary. This book is about the HOPE.

"Sometimes, I want to run away. But if I turn away from Jesus, where will I go?"

That, my friends is the summary of the whole book. When you think you are weary, there can only be one reason. You are running from your HOPE!  It is in God, through God, and with God only we have the strength and HOPE for our days! It is in Him I have placed my hopes for my children. Him that carries my husband and I's hopes for our future.

This book is a beautiful place to start in your journey. It is the jumping off point to dive back into the presence of Jesus. At His feet will you learn. I loved being reminded where my HOPE was found.

You may purchase your own copy of this book, ebook or paperback, from Amazon.com.