The best elixir I know...being still

It makes us stop dead in our tracks, forces us to SLOW down and be still like a bitter, winter storm and icy roads frozen solid - wether we like to or not.  It makes me thankful for the times we aren't dealing with this unending bout with sickness.

However, it forces us to stay home and enjoy home. On the agenda...to sit with the sick all the while trying to comfort a throbbing head and the burning ever so hot fever. Just holding sometimes is the only medicine we can offer and sometimes the best elixir for these long days.  

Being summoned by Bitty saying, "I need you mommy" is heart breaking for me, but yet so rewarding to know as a momma and as a daddy - we are the ones who can make it all better.  It forces me to sit and leave the dishes and laundry, toilets and vacuuming for the healthy days - just be. Be with them.

I am reading "Jesus Calling" right now and loving each day. Each day a new reminder of what Jesus wants to tell me.  "I am leading you, step by step, through your life. Hold my hand in trusting dependence, letting Me guide you through this day. Your future looks uncertain and feels flimsy - even precarious. That is how it should be...This, like all forms of worry is an act of rebellion: doubting My promises to care for you." (-Jesus Calling)

So if you haven't figured out by no, I tend to worry. I remember as a child my mom telling me to stop worrying or else I would give my self a heart attack. I am sure you can imagine then what would overcome my thoughts, "a heart attack?!?" The vicious cycle would begin again in my worry-muddled mind. 

This week has been a challenge as I have let worry filled thoughts consume my mind as we have sick little ones at home - trying desperately to keep the littlest one or all healthy -  all the while fearful he will get sick too. So I needed 'Jesus Calling' me this morning to remind me to rest in Him and be still. How ironic that if the sickness isn't enough to slow me down, maybe this slipper, icy, snowy day will.



 

How lovely of my Savior to force me to SLOW all the while sending the beautiful snow is to cover the dark, dreary, muddy mess! A good day to sit and be. A good day for tea and chicken soup. A good day!

Gift of words

Last night we had a dinner with all of the guys Jason works with and for. I had been looking forward to the evening and getting to know all of the wives better. It was a night of dinner, conversation and visiting. I went into it knowing we would have a good time and great food, but what I didn't realize is how we would leave feeling blessed by words...blessed with encouragement and friendship.

eucharisteo for godly employers

I have never been to a work function before where one of the bosses called on some of their clients to write encouragement for the guys working for them. It is easy to say, "good job" but how often do we give encouragement to those around us on a deeper level. Not very! This is exactly what his boss did though and it was truly a blessing!  When he finished giving all of the guys uplifting words he turned to the wives stating he didn't want us to feel left out so he had emailed all of our husbands asking them to write a few sentences about what they love about each of us. Really?! I couldn't believe it - he then went on to read them and the words of our hard working husbands blessed all of us wives immensely. There were moist eyes, laughter and very deep, sincere smiles all around. What an incredibly special night it was!

It made me think and question -
How often do I thank my husband for working hard to provide for our ever growing family? How often do I tell him WHY I love him, WHY I adore him, WHY I cherish him, WHY I am so glad he is the one I am spending this adventure we call life with? How often to I give my kids detailed words of love and encouragement. The words, "I love you" can often become rote. I truly mean them, but they also come out of my mouth mechanically at times...dare I say almost without thought.
As I was awoken to see this evening again, the po
wer of WORDS. The power to uplift, bless - "sweet like honeycomb" (Prov. 16:24).  And on the flip side "death and life are in the power of the tongue" (Prov. 18:21). It is easy to see the hard negative, the "uh-oh" mistakes, the silly forgetfulness and the times of wrong - I have plenty of words to say about those times. Just maybe I need to stop, be still a moment or two and see the good, the helpful, the blessing, the sweet and learning times and say far more about each of those.  Maybe just saying "thank you" would be a good start...it takes me right back to Eucharisteo.

my  adventure partner

Emotional High

Our wrinkly, sweet, tiny, bundle of joy arrived 1 month ago.  And to say we are completely smitten with having a new baby around would be an immense understatement. I love this very short-lived stage in our kids lives. I always have! And with our new little man - each one of our kids have adjusted well (so far) to having him here - for this I am truly thankful.  I was certain Bitty girl would not be very thrilled, but she loves him and is very protective of him already...I am not naive to think this will last forever, but for today I am thankful!

Riggins Jack

6 lbs, 18 3/4 inch

As much as I truly adore this stage, what I forget every time we have  a baby are the emotions that run rampant after I deliver. I forget the fear I feel that something could happen to this little one. I feel it every time. Then once we are home from the hospital it intensifies because now I don't have the comfort and safety of knowing a nurse is at my beckon call. 

Our littlest one, had a few hiccups shortly after he was born...nothing major, but it was the first time for us that we experienced anything like it. To say there was a deep fear in my heart for him...another understatement. I realized during this time how much I try to control with my own, feeble hands, my own decisions, my life - and if I cannot control it, I will find someone that can. I never thought of myself as being a control freak until recently. It was as if God was scraping back the bare truth and I was desperately trying to not let it be revealed. It is scary having truth revealed in your life - especially when you are crazy, after-birth hormonal. But, through the fear He reminded me of the peace knowing my God is great, my God is in control no matter what and these kids we are raising are HIS first and foremost. 

Being a parent just makes me emotional. Being a parent is a fearful endeavor. Being a parent makes me realize I cannot do it unless my God is with me every second of the day. I don't know how many days our kiddos will have on this earth - I pray they long out live me, but the truth is only God knows. The unexpected, unknowing, unplanned happens every second of every day in someones life. So for me, I must lay down my emotions and fears and hormones so I can live in the peace of my Savior.  So my kids will learn to live in that same peace and not fear. 

That, and I have to remember smile and laugh - if not for me, for them! 

 Thank you Jesus for this sweet little man that has graced our lives. Thank you for the GIFT of life - so sweet and precious.  Thank you for your peace that comes even through fear.