My children...they really BLESS me!!

Over the Christmas season, my kids really got into the spirit. Of course, how could you not?? Our tradition is to deck our house out (even the bathroom!) in Christmas decor the day after Thanksgiving. It's lovely...



..it makes me feel warm and cozy!

So, they started giving to each other with little surprises from their bedroom and putting presents to each other under the tree. Such a blessing to see them willingly giving each other their "treasures."

One of our rules in the house is...no toys in the living room. They have a nice big bedroom and play room they are allowed to have toys in, but none in the living room area. One night after finishing up cleaning the kitchen and sending the munchkins off to bed, I noticed a huge lego box next to the tree. Like a grinch, I holler up at the kids "Why is the lego box under the tree? Why are these toys down here?"
Reagan sheepishly comes out and tells me that she needed the lego box to put her present to Heidi in and then placed it under the tree. "Oh," I replied..."So, you dumped all the legos out of the box in your bedroom to use that box to put your gift in?"
..."Um, yeah"...It makes perfect and logical sense to a 5 year old, I can respect that...
"Well," I said, "I have a bag for you to put it in instead, you can do it in the morning, then pick up all the legos and put them away...okay kiddo?"
Giggling Reagan says "Okay mom!" and skips off to bed. Silly kid.
I still didn't know what she had given her sister. I gave her the bag, she put her gift in, taped it up and put it under the tree. Later on, Reagan comes to me and says..."Mom...Heidi asked to play with my Chloe baby doll again..."
"Oh, are you going to let her?"
"I can't, I put it in the bag for her Christmas present, she's going to like her gift, huh?" Reagan says, with her big one dimpled grin and blue eyes sparkling.
Such a thoughtful girl, she took the one thing from her toys that she knew her sister would love and generously placed it under the tree.
My heart melted. I am so blessed, those little ones...they bless me.

Later on in the month, Heidi...who was growing her bangs out, did not want me cutting her bangs. Not even for a Christmas picture. Ugh. She looked sloppy with them in her eyes, all 3 months of length in her face. Yuck. So, Meemaw...(my mom) bribed her with 5 dollars to let me cut her bangs and said she can grow them out after the holiday season. Heidi took the bait...smart Meemaw...why didn't I think of that?

Christmas Eve was spent in Aberdeen with my brother and darling sister in law and my parents, we hadn't seen my parents in almost a year! Heidi had asked on the way down if she could ask Meemaw for her money. I was a little irritated with her, I mean...ugh...so selfish! She hadn't seen her grandparents in nearly a year...why couldn't she just hug and kiss them and tell them how much she missed them? I told her, after a while of visiting, then she may ask. She was very good, and very polite and waited very patiently before asking. Meemaw happily handed her the 5 dollar bill. Heidi came up to me and said, "I'm giving this to Reagan for Christmas mom! I know she will be very happy!" So that is why she wanted her money! I was too quick to judge her. I have to ask...are these really MY children? I feel very undeserving and thankful, and blessed all at the same time.
Children, are truly a blessing from the Lord!


Aren't they JUST the sweetest???!!!

Learning

I've just been thinking a lot about the things that nag at my heart. Wanting to be more like Christ, but not wanting to give up myself in doing so. Today, before the breaking of the bread today in church, I really asked the Lord to search my heart and bring before me the things in which I need to lay down before him, repent and ask the Lord to restore me and make me more like Himself.

As the pastor was talking this morning, he said something that I have been hearing a lot of lately and something that the Lord has been bringing to my attention for a while now. He talked of loving people, and not just the ones that are easy to love...that is easy! But, to build Christ-like character, love the ones that are difficult to love. Okay...okay I give up!! I will work on loving those that are difficult for me to love this year. How though? The people that really get on my nerves, I don't spend time with...obviously...I run into them on occasion at the grocery store or at the orthodontist, and that is about it. I can pray for them, I will pray for them, because that is where it starts, I'm just waiting for the Lord to take away the feeling of irritation when I see them and have a loving and content spirit towards them. I can't change them, but the Lord can change ME!

I was arguing with God today as he was working on my attitude towards these people that get under my skin. Most of the argument really boiled down to me saying to God "But Lord, I want them to see me as equal! I want them to see that I love you JUST as much as they do! I want them to see me as the Christian that I know YOU know I am..." But you see...it really doesn't matter, not one single bit. I do not live for them, or what they think of me. I live for my Lord, and I live for Him to change me and make me a better person.

I am a Bible believing Christian. I love the Lord. I wear pants. I wear make-up. I encourage my kids to go to school to be whatever they want to be. I encourage my kids to first seek the Lord in their decisions. I home school, but I know that many Christians do not, and I am okay with that and I'd be happy to be friends with anyone that didn't. The Bible does not say to home school specifically...pluck whatever scripture you may out of the Bible, but I am sick and tired of pure legalism. Convictions are different than commandments and I realize that everyone has different things they are convicted by. We are under God's perfect Grace!

So anyone who reads this, this is just a sliver of who I am as a believer. No secrets and no hidden agenda. I don't really care anymore what any Christians think of me. My Lord knows me best, I am laying this down at his feet. Through Him I can love anyone, not on my own of course...but with His love through me. No more grudges and prejudices against different types of Christians. It's time we learn to love one another. I am ready to love the ones that seem to be unlovable!