His Mercy: Lamentations 3:22-23

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23

The other day I had one of those parenting fail days. I prayed for better rest, renewed energy, and to get out of the house, of which, none happened. Instead I set the fire alarm off cooking lunch, hardly got dressed, and Keith decided not to nap after an early wake time that morning. I was exhausted, frazzled, and running on fumes which made me not engage with my kids. I let them work out most of their arguments, fed them the most unhealthy thrown together dinner, and put them to bed early which made bedtime a battle.

That night I prayed hard for a better tomorrow. I prayed it would be one we made memories, I prayed I could do better, be better, plan ahead. You know what, the next day was no better! However, amidst my frazzled second day in a row of no naps, not getting dressed, and feeling burnt out Shane said "Mom, just make us hot chocolate and sock puppets and we will stick on a puppet show for you." Oh mercy, I love that boy! I was so thankful God heard my prayer and was faithful to love on me through the encouraging words of my son and show mercy but Shane suggesting a totally easy and self entertaining activity for Keith and himself. It was not the day I thought I would have two times in a row but we survived. God is faithful.

Dear God, please help me to remember when I feel I am at my worst as a mother you still love me. You have mercy on me when I cry out to you for help and you are always faithful. Help me to have eyes that see you on the hard days.

Amen.

Love: 1 John 4:19

We love because He first loved us.

1 John 4:19

One day I popped the boys in the car and we headed to the market to get dinner for some family friends who were sick. We piled flowers, popsicles, soup, and some muffins into our cart and popped cards into the grocery bag that we left on the front steps. I was trying to find a tangible way put our weekly Bible verse into action. I was trying to teach my boys what acting in love looked like beyond a hug or phrase.

You know what, that tangible act of dropping dinner off, it worked! Months later and my  boys still get excited if a friend gets sick. They immediately want to head to the market to get food and make cards. It is a repetitive action that may end up putting a hole in my wallet but I never want to miss an opportunity to teach my kids how to love their neighbors, how to care for the sick, how to show Christ love to others. How I actively showed love to my community rubbed off on my kids and not only that, it was a lesson that they are going to carry with them. A little tangible application of the scripture had a lasting impact on the hearts of my sons and now my sons are daily challenging me to show God's love. They did not let it become a weeks lesson but have made it a life goal that now motivates me to keep on loving others.

Dear God, may I always have a childlike eagerness to show love to others. May I never miss an opportunity to love because you love me. I pray, Father, that you would continue to grow in the hearts of my children and myself a deep desire to serve others, to walk alongside them, and to be your hands and feet in this world. Thank you for loving me and my children.

Amen.

Peace: Micha 5:5

He will be our peace.

Micha 5:5

Last week as I cleaned downstairs in the evening I heard the putter patter of little feet. Someone was out of bed. I walked upstairs to find that my smart little monkeys had figured out the code to unlock my medicine cabinet where I keep all sorts of items out of their reach. Shane had Chapstick all over his face, Keith was covered head to toe in lotion, and my heart stopped as I saw my husband Brian's pill box on the counter with not only today's compartment missing but an additional one open and all the pills were gone. Staying calm I inquired if anyone had eaten and little snacks and Keith announced he had eaten daddy's "pillows" and a tube of Chapstick with pride. I had no clue what was in the pill box and Brian was at work. Sigh. I looked up poison controls number and quickly called Brian as my heart raced and I admit, I fought a few tears back as I spoke to a kind woman about what my son had ingested. 

There are moments in life that give rise to our emotion. I felt fear, frustration, confusion, and panic knowing Keith may need to be whisked away to the hospital to have his stomach pumped. Rightly so, those emotions are there but I found the following days I was on edge worrying that the boys were out of bed popping pills and concerned I would need to call poison control again and be ill. However, it was not until another friend let me know her son had chocked and she called 911 the following day that I was reminded that God bring peace. I prayed that day over my friend and myself, that God would calm our hearts and allow us to feel a calmness and assurance in bedtime and mealtime again. I forget in my business as a mother that God has the power to calm my heart if I ask. What a powerful God we serve.

Dear God, some days parenting my children can bring worry and anxiety. I dwell on what could go wrong instead of leaning on you. Help me to call on your promises. Be my peace so I can be the mother you have called me to be for my children. I ask that worry and anxiety don't overcome me and that I may feel a calmness as I go about my work.

Amen.

Comparison Is The Thief Of Joy: I Chronicles 28:9-10

"And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a temp as a sanctuary. Be strong and do the work."

I Chronicles 28:9-10

One of my favorite passages is in 1 Chronicles where God asks Solomon to build His temple. I love this passage because I can identify with Solomon. Building a temple was a HUGE responsibility and  Solomon felt inadequate. How often can we relate with not feeling up to the task? How often do I personally think someone else should be doing what I have been called to do because, lefts face it, I am flawed and not the most gifted gal around. My biggest feelings of inadequacy are centered around  my most important roles as a wife and mother. I often don't feel like I am enough.

However, God reminds us that even when He gives us a huge and seemingly impossible task to do, He will be with us, He chose us, and He calls us. How can I not feel equipped when the creator of the universe promises that He will be with me and all He wants from me is willingness. I might fall flat on my face at times, I might fail, I might succeed but through it all God is going to be there and just wants me to do the work He called me to.

When I put things into this perspective it takes the insecurities of failure and inadiquicy away and let replaces them with an opera unity to delight my God. There will always be a better mom and wife but somehow, knowing God called me to be Brian's wife, and Shane , Keith, and Quinn's mom it just makes me feel up to the task of doing my best. All God wants is a willing heart.

Dear God, on days I don't feel equipped to do the job you have called me to do, please remind me all you seek is a willing heart. Help me to seek you, to work hard for you, and to not compare myself to others. May my focus simple be to do the task at hand and not on others abilities or skills. May I strive to serve you well with a willing heart.

Amen.

Mess Travels: Psalm 51:10

Create on me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Psalm 51:10

On Monday night I took the previous hour of mama time I had and I did what I like to call "spot clean."  I wiped the messy spots off the mirror, and took the broom and mom to the crumbs that were seen by the eye, I picked up the toys. The basic goal was to make my house look good but it's not really what I would call clean. I had company coming the next day and very little time so for now, this had to suffice.

In the past I only cheated on house work when I got a call someone was stopping over in an hour and my house needed a little tune up. These days, as a new mom to now three kids, I found I was spot cleaning a lot more. The challenge was that spot cleaning was not really cleaning at all it just gives the illusion of a clean home. I wanted to have a clean house without really doing the hard work and putting in the time so week after week, as most people with a newborn do, I cut corners and choose sleep, fun, and play.

The trouble with spot cleaning and a lot of sweet little boy feet is they take the little crumbs I miss and spread it in my semi clean spots, the track the outdoors inside on their wild bare feet, and they carried the unseen top of the stairs onto my freshly vacuumed lower stairs. My attempt at making one area clean never lasted long because the filth from another area quickly crept over. I could only maintain the look of clean for a short while before it was dirty again and thought the next day I really should have invested the time in cleaning everything up the right way donut stayed clean.

My head started spinning as the Holy Spirit reminded me this is the same in life. Don't give the illusion of holy, redeemed, and walking right when I still have work to be doing. Sin will spread and take hold of areas of my life if I don't work to keep myself holy, my heart clean. I was humbled how God sought me out to remind me To be walking fully in the light, to strive for our was and holiness in all areas of my life and all through thruong to keep a four walled house clean which He really does not care about.

Lord, search my heart and show me where I need to be making right the wrong in my life, where holiness and repentance is needed. I often, in this busy season of life, simply tidy areas in my life instead of allowing your redeeming and purifying love cleans me and show a change of heart. I want to be holy in your eyes and have a right relationship with you. Thank you for your suffering on the cross for me.

Amen