Wordless Wednesday

I am cheating on my very first (but probably not my last) Wordless Wednesday to say that I am switching Wednesday Web to Wordless Wednesday. It will be a way to keep me taking photographs, and showing them to you.

Also to say this, "What a difference a few hours make!"

Ice covered tree...

now covered in ice and snow!

Tuesday Truth

Excerpt from Daily Wisdom for Mothers:

"I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand." Isaiah 42:6

Even now, I instinctively grab Abby's and Allison's hands when we cross the street. At ages ten and eight, my girls do not think this is cool, but I can't help myself. By taking their hands, I feel I am protecting them from traffic, strangers, and all other dangers. I bet you do the same for your children. As I often tell my daughters, it's a mom thing.

I'll probably be reaching for their hands until they leave the nest. But you know what? That's not such a bad habit. In fact, if I could get in the habit of reaching out to God and taking hold of His hand more often in day-to-day activities, I'd be farther down the road in my faith walk.

I'm not sure why I neglect to reach for His hand when I'm crossing the busy streets of life. I guess, like my daughters, I think I'm mature enough to handle it on my own. Or, as my mother would say, I get "too big for my britches." I'm so thankful that we have a loving heavenly Father who reaches down to take our hands when we need Him the most. If you haven't taken hold of God's hand in awhile, why don't you grab it today?

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When I was in college, Scott and I broke up for a little while. It was during that time that we both did a lot of soul searching and faith searching. I remember one evening when I was feeling particularly emotional, confused, and scared. As I lay down on my bed, I physically lifted my hand up to the ceiling and begged God to take hold of it. As I held my hand up, I prayed that God would take it and lead me in the direction that He wanted me to go. I prayed that as He held my hand, He would hold me and comfort me during that difficult time.

I remember the peace I felt in that simple act. He did hold my hand, and He did hold me, and we danced together (in my mind I often picture myself dancing with my heavenly Father, and I know that when I see Him one day, we will dance) and He whispered that He knew the plans He had for me, and that I would be alright.

It shouldn't take that much to get me to give Him my hand, though. It should come as easily as breathing. Oh, we would all be much better off if we weren't so stubborn.

Give Him your hand, let Him lead you, or just love on you, and be renewed!

Monday Menu

No pictures of yummy snacks this time. I'm fasting for bloodwork tomorrow morning. I'll dream of those cinnamon rolls from last week. Yum.

I didn't get as much dinner made as I wanted to this past week because I was holding Hudson all day, so a few of the meals will be repeats these next two weeks.

Here is what I have planned for this week:

Monday: Marriage Monday (I'm taking homemade pepperoni rolls)
Tuesday: Hearty chicken and noodle soup w/ garlic rolls
Wednesday: Dinner in a package (burger, potatos, and carrots all cooked together in aluminum foil)
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Split pea and potato soup
Saturday: General Tsao's chicken
Sunday: Leftovers

Have a great week, friends! Grow (yes, grow!), and be renewed!

Friday Fam part deux..... some pictures!

I realized today that I haven't taken any pictures the last several days, mainly because it would be all snot and drool. But, with the beautiful sunshine coming through the windows this afternoon, I just couldn't help but capture some of the creativity.

For example: henna shmenna, who needs fancy henna ink when you have markers? If you enlarge this picture you will see the beautiful artwork on miss Libby's hands, and some on her face as well.


And then after the art session, Libby decided that it was her birthday today, so she made her own cake, put her own candle in it, and sang her own birthday song.



And then blew out the candle.



When I asked her how old she is on this birthday, she told me that she is 1.



And 5.



And throughout all of this fun, Hudson looked the same as he has looked the last several days..... pathetically adorable. Ps. that's not drool on his shirt, he moved when I was trying to have him drink his probiotic and I spilled it all over him. That is a tear in his eye, however. And, yes, snot in his nose.



And just because he's the family clown, no illness would keep him from giving me a smile or two...


or hitting the camera. Yes, he's a hitter.


And now, have a wonderful, renewing weekend!

Friday Fam...... Our week

Remember this chair? This week has sort of slipped by for me, because I have spent most every minute of every day in that chair. I am so thankful for my mom, who has come over to help hold Hudson so I could get some things done, and she helped to get some of the clutter picked up. Thanks, Mama!

Hudson is starting to feel better, though nights are still hard and he still has some congestion and coughing. Hopefully in a few more days we will all be free from illness and we'll all feel good for the first time since Christmas! We've had a little break from the frigid weather (it got up to 40, I think, yesterday, which is about 40 degrees higher than it's been), so we've been able to breath a bit.

I hope you have had a good week!

Wednesday..... Right now...

A break from Wednesday Web, because my day is consumed with right now...

cuddling: a sick baby boy

nursing: a sick baby boy and his sister who has done a very good job of entertaining herself but still needs some moments with Mama

rubbing: my feet together trying to get them to finally warm up

dreaming: of snow melting and soil warming and seeds that are beckoning to go into the ground

smiling: at my little guy who, though he feels miserable, still wants to laugh at his sister

loving: this cuddly, snuggly, comforty, healing moment here right now

Tuesday Truth

I meant to post the recipes that my friend Jessie asked about yesterday, but I ended up holding and rocking and nursing Hudson for about 10 hours straight and didn't get anything done. He and Libby both have had runny noses and coughs, but Hudson's turned infectiony and he had a fever and wanted nothing but Mama. So, I will get to the recipes soon (sorry, Jessie!).

Now, for some truth!

Excerpt from Daily Wisdom for Mothers:

"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life.'"
John 14:6

Do you ever get lost? I am what you might call "directionally challenged." My children think it's pretty funny, seeing their old mom talking to herself in the front seat, repeating directions in chantlike manner, and praying quite a lot. Still, it seems that no matter how I try, I get lost on a regular basis. Of course, in my defense, Texas is a big place, and you can never return the same way you arrived. It's never a matter of simply reversing the directions.

Getting lost used to really frustrate and frighten me. Now, I consider it more of a fun adventure. I find that something good usually comes from it. For example, recently when I lost my way, I discovered this great garden shop with the most beautiful iron bench. Now that bench adorns our yard - it was meant to be! Other times, these extended trips in the SUV give us more family time - precious moments to laugh and share.

You see, it's all in the perspective. I no longer worry when I'm lost. I just enjoy the journey. Life is the same way. There's no sense worrying your way through each day - just enjoy the trip. After all, if we know Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we're on the right road because He is the Way!

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Boy, this really spoke to me. I am not a good passenger when I get lost. I get impatient and I get snippy and I just want to get back on track. It is especially annoying that my husband thinks it's funny if we get lost.

When I really think about it, this is true even in our everyday lives. My husband is the one who is cool as a cucumber, and I am, well, the opposite of that. I get stressed out when my day doesn't go as planned, when the house is messy, and when the kids are grumpy (so, I have basically been stressed since before Christmas). I have been really trying, on this renewal journey, to focus on life, on my children, on my husband, and on Jesus (and, of course, on me!). After all, He is the way and the truth and the life. And, oh, the life that he gives is so sweet, isn't it? It is so sweet, when you allow Him to make it be.

I encourage you today, to go to Him, and see what He can do in your life.

Be still, enjoy today, and be renewed!


Oh, and my blog is being featured over on Crunchy Mama's blog today. I couldn't get the link to work right, so I'll just post the address here: http://www.crunchymama.co.uk
Go over and check it out! It's the second one down.
(Okay, I can't even get that to work. I guess her site is having some trouble. Try it, and if it doesn't work, try it again later.)