My new blog home........

Hi to all ~ My blog has found it's way to a new address, come on over and visit me there...........

Through the eyes of a mother............

God has been showing me much of himself lately, through my momma eyes. It's delightful to me to get to know him better as He molds this mother's heart. My kids are my world these days, and I am beginning to see the way God must see us, his children, as I raise my boys. 

My kids bring me joy every day in some way or another. Christian, my delightful two year old, has been my constant buddy lately. He has the remnants of the flu still, along with what seems like a cold on top of it. Often he is at my feet. Literally. Or on my legs, shoving his head through, or trying to climb up them. Ha! He just wants to be held, to be loved. Lots and lots of cuddling and kisses have been had by the pair of us, and he is quite the bear hugging boy! I wouldn't trade it for the world, though I do just long for him to be better again. I often swoop him up and tell him that he is the best ever!! 

Clark, my quirky curious four year old, lately has had a nasty cough. It's a sad sad thing for such a skinny little boy to be hacking up a lung all day long. I can only imagine how much his chest and back hurt from coughing like that. He has been a trooper though, whiney, yes, but hanging in tough for sure. He is such a loving child. He loves to tell me he loves me so much at any given moment and will walk into the room with arms spread for a hug and a kiss quite often. Every time he and I part ways, he has this little routine. "I love you too, you're cute and beautiful! Bye! See you later, have fun!"  He then of course insists I tell him also to,  "have fun or have a good day!" And then repeatedly hugs and kisses me. Sadly though, I have noticed this practice is somewhat waning. One day, he won't say goodbye in that way, but for now I will cherish each lingering goodbye, Clark (age 4) style. I often swoop him up as well, while squeezing and tickling him, telling him, that he is the best ever! 

Colby, my artistic and descriptive 6 year old, has been blessing me big time. He comes home from school and immediately does his homework, very eagerly I might add. He is learning how to read more fluently and it is a joy to observe. He is really growing up! Just yesterday, he took on a school project with zeal all on his own. Not long after he had started, and it's not usually like me to not 'oversee' such affairs, he came bounding up to me, eager to share his creation. Honestly, I was impressed. (as all mothers must be I am sure.) Truly, he had crafted a work of art all with his own ingenuity. I was so delighted!!! He was overjoyed!!! I told him that he was very creative and he too, the best ever!!!!!

Caleb, my social networking 10 (almost 11) year old, is getting older than I care to admit. He has become much more independent this year, mainly with his social life. He has embraced public school whole heartedy after having only been home schooled all his life. I am proud! Just Monday however, he came home, crying holding his arm. My momma instincts told me this was serious. I immediately took him to the E.R. and we soon found out he in fact had fractured his wrist. This, was our first ever, broken bone of our family. He was quite the trooper the whole time. Even though it was a trial, he and I bonded in a way that was precious. He seemed to mature a whole ton just through this experience. I was amazed! I truly think he too is the best ever!!! 

Each child delights me so, each child is my favorite! I just see so much of God's heart for me, as I ponder the love I have for my little treasures. I am so grateful to see His heart doesn't change for me ever despite what circumstances or choices I may make. He constantly adores me, and thinks I am the best ever!! I just value the way I see him through mother's eyes..........................!!!

For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.............

I cannot be silent, or the rocks will have to cry out in my place. I told you all at least once before, I have a big mouth. I can't shut up once I get going. So sue me.

I was out in front of my home enjoying the fall afternoon, as my 4 year old played happily with the neighbor girl, and another neighbor's cat. Waiting for my older 2 to walk home from school, I heard a woman call my name. I turned around to behold a lovely woman with whom I used to attend church with. We approached one another and paid our greetings. However, what ensued, was a surprise to me. 

This was yet another one of those times when I had to explain why I no longer attended that church, along with why I no longer attend ANY church. I cut to the chase and didn't mince words. What can I say? I gotta be real. So I just told the bold, honest to goodness truth.If it ain't Jesus plus nothing, I don't want it. Amazingly, she was very receptive to what I had to share, and we ended up deeply engaged in rich conversation. 

I found myself eagerly and passionately sharing many elements of the beauty of the Gospel in it's blatant truth. YES!! I was invigorated, too hot to handle! If you would have touched me you would have sizzled. Ahahaha!! The Gospel really is just such GOOD NEWS!!  I simply cannot help but speak of all that God has shown me. It's compelling for sure, to say the very least. I was simply jazzed that someone actually wanted to hear. Truly sucked up the life in my very words. How cool is that!!! 

Needless to say, when all was said and done, I was quite HIGH. I came into my house quite elated and began to dance around as happy as a clam. This is what Peter and John must have felt like when they shared all that they had seen and heard. Totally compelled by an fire that burns within. I am bursting with life to share with the world, aren't you?!!!!!!!!!!

Our trek through the woods......

What a blissful day it was in these here parts! It couldn't have been a more glorious day in November. We have this fabulous arboretum near our home that we like to go to and hike. This year they had built various tree houses all about the property that you could go and visit. So after having been cooped up in the house for nearly 2 weeks, I gathered my ducklings (and one extra) and we headed out to trek in the woods. (I only wish wish wish, I had had a camera.) 

I love this place, it holds much mystique and wonder, yet familiarity as well. I grew up going to Tyler Arboretum. We'd often go on a Sunday afternoon just for a pleasant walk in the woods. I thought about how one day maybe my kids would treasure the memories of our many visits. I sure hope so, sometimes these days it feels like pulling teeth to get everyone on the same page for a family outing. I truly hope one day they will treasure it like I do now. 

I remember, as a child,  upon getting there, we would go to this hollowed out tree stump where people would leave sticks perfect for walking with. That no longer exists, but my kids love to go into the little registration house, full of delightful trinkets, books, bird guides, and animal paraphenalia just to get THE MAP.  Specifically, my middle two, all of 4 and 6, love to look at the map and then guide us on our journey. Hee hee, good thing there are signs along the way with arrows. 

Many local sponsors and carpenters rallied together to create a delightful array of treehouses. The first one I don't like to go into, it's steps are too steep with a rope railing and I have steep stair issues. The boys tease me, but I don't mind. Then on to the next one, which is the ideal dream backyard treehouse for every boy in America. I personally like this one the best. It has two levels, and the second level (which I also will not go up) has a spiral staircase up to a tiny platform with a flag, like a lookout. It's so cool!!! I just know they feel like they are on top of the world up there! Then after I get over my anxiety as they finally descend the last teeny tiny one of the steep steps, we head on through the woods to the next exhibit. Crunch, crunch, shuffle, shuffle. Leaves are piled up pretty deep, and we all get to do the honorary fall leaf rustle march. ( I LOVE crunching and shuffling through fall leaves, I feel like a kid every year in the fall!!!!!!!) Our next stop is at a house, made out of a tree in the shape of a guitar that you can go inside and actually play music. It's rather ingenious! Although more for the littler kids enjoyment, I must admit I'd love me one of these in my backyard!! 

Next is what the older boys say is for girls. It's like a place to have a woodland tea party. Clark and Christian would gladly sit and play for awhile, but since big boys are along, we hurry past that site this time. Headed this time, to the tallest of the tree houses, certainly not for the faint of heart (when it comes to heights that is.) Oh yes, I have climbed this one before, but not this time. I just chill out with Christian as the older boys do just what older boys do. Run. On a very tall tree platform, as their mother pretends not to notice and not to have a heart attack. 

Five boys safely down the tree, on the path, we head to MY FAVORITE, the vegetable garden. The most dreamy garden ever, that only suits exactly what my imagination has contrived all these years. If I ever have a garden, this is exactly what I want. Think Hobbits. Think the Shire. Yes, it's that dreamy!! But alas, it is November and the garden is being put to bed for the winter. Sigh. The boys do not seem to mind however. As we tread on down the path past the garden, the boys hop along the tree stump play area toward the pond. 

Right along the outskirts of the pond lies Thoreau's cabin. Yes, a replica of the cabin he built himself long ago. It's delightfully cozy inside the tiny one room cabin with a tiny loft, and smells delightfully of wood. I do believe the boys would die to have such a cool little cabin to play in everyday. In and out though, we have places to go, as we continue to march along to the POND. 

Boys and water, are a curious combination. It's a miracle no one has delved in those murky, lilly pad infested waters. 

No more geese, must be on their way south for the winter.........or maybe not yet perhaps, but just out and about. The turtles were, however, basking happily on their logs,  faithful to not disappoint us. Somehow, several boys came upon sticks that made their way into the water. Perhaps an attempt to fish, or to just get in there, as if looking into the water weren't enough. Finally satisfied with what the pond had to offer, we carry on, this time up a hilly path. Our destination, the meadow maze. 

Two little tired boys make our hike a bit challenging, but one on my back and one in his umbrella stroller chariot escorted by two 1o year old boys, and we reach the peak of the hill, all a bit panting, yet eager to enter the maze. The meadow maze is now at it's most fun, as the grasses are as tall as I am if not taller. The boys eagerly trod along the mown path hoping to figure out the secret way into the center of the labyrinth. I decide to let them choose their own path, for adventure's sake of course, as I decide to cut to the chase and let my momma instincts guide me directly to the heart of the maze. Once there, I walk up the plank of the woodland meadow maze exhibit and wave to the boys to lead them on in. Not long after they all race their way to me, and enjoy running along the carefully crafted wood plank exhibit. Displaying various animals in their habitat, all made out of nature.  Quite artistic I must say. Jake, my boy's friend, assures me that he knows the way out and to follow him. So off we go again back to the path that will this time lead  us toward our journey home. 

I simply cannot describe the satisfaction that comes with experiencing a day like this with my family. I am full of joy just being able to share such a special place like this with my boys. I treasure each memory, each curiousity, each discovery, they all bring me back to when I was a kid and they also take me into the future as I wonder how my boys will recall such times one day. Such blissful days are the days we have with our young ones!!!!!!

Technical Difficulties.............

What can I say? I am having 'technical difficulties' at the moment. Unfortunately, my blog was deleted the other day, much to my dismay.  Now I am forced to redo much of the work I have done on it over the years. Also, my last post keeps 'disappearing' on me. Rather frustrating I must say. 

So please bear with me as I face these complications..................................................

Progress.....

The christian who spends their life focused on their 'progress' (can you say most christians version of sanctification) are like children who are in a rush to grow up and always want to be bigger and older, but then one day they get older and realized they missed out on enjoying the journey, and all the moments that come day in day out, and they regret it and wish to do it all over. Our christian walk is not about progress, it's about living the life we have been given. Enjoying all the moments the highs, the lows.......in no hurry to become better with age. Seeing life through the lens of progress can rob you of the very life you are meant to indeed enjoy, and to benefit from the actual process. 

We don't need to focus on growth or progress, it will happen. My kids often come down in the morning and I noticed that they look bigger to me. They actually grew overnight, but had no thought of growing, nor did they try to grow or worry about the fact that they would grow. It just happens as a natural outcome of being a child that will grow to maturity into an adult. So too, will the christian who Christ inhabits grow up into who they are in time naturally. No amount of worrying about growth will help their growth. 

So people, in the words of one of my favorite preachers, just chill out, relax and enjoy your Daddy God!!! 

Peace to all who may stop by!

Dead men moral??

This was Matthew's status on facebook the other day, "What good is it to make a dead man moral?"  A very appropriate question to ask I'd say...

I think we all learned at an early age (that is if we grew up in a good christian home), the very basic truth about how we were dead in our trespasses and sins. I mean that was the precursor verse to present the Gospel to people, was it not? However, I think we focus on the sins part and don't look at the part about how we were DEAD. (Dead man walking should be the title of our life's journey, until we encounter Christ, 'eh.) Oh, anyway, I certainly never understood that I was dead. All my life, I was dead in my trespasses and sins, had I known I was dead, I think I'd want to know how to get the life I needed to be ALIVE. Well, wouldn't you? 

Instead, all my life, I tried to figure out how to make my life work, all my life, people tried to tell me how to be a better christian, mother, wife, daughter, person, friend and so on. I tried and miserably failed. I couldn't make my life any better, cause I didn't understand my core need. LIFE!! Not my own life, one whose life was capable of pleasing God perfectly - Christ's life. 

Just today I read the following portion of a quote in someone's facebook status; "To grow as a Christian is to have this new life increase in strength & energy, making daily conquests over the old nature, extending itself and expelling the evil, ultimately bringing these affections, feelings, desires, and thoughts of the heart into subjection to Christ." 

Here's the problem, if we know we were dead in our trespasses and sins, our very nature was spiritually dead, and when we come to Christ and receive new life in Him and become a new creation - is there room for the old nature? No the bible tells us, that the old is gone and the new has come. He removed our heart of stone (dead, not alive) and gave us a heart of flesh (alive). We no longer have the old we have the new. We are certainly not walking around with 2 natures, trying to let the new nature stomp out the old one. The old one is gone, there is no battle of the natures going on inside us. DUH!!! 

^{Colossians 2 ~ 9}For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, ¹⁰and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. ¹¹In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, ¹²having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.

 ¹³When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, ¹⁴having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

²⁰Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: ²¹"Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? ²²These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. ²³Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence. Col. 3 - ¹Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. ²Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. ³For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. ⁴When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Folks we do not live to be good, moral or better. We live to express the life of Christ that has been deposited within us, who is now our very life, our very identity.