My job is important

Sometimes I'm still not convinced of that! Isn't that sad? I spent so much time in world...this world that tells us that women should work...this world that tells us that you're wasting your education if you don't have a career...that my spongy character soaked up the message. It's taking more than a few years to wring out my sponge and let me soak up the truth.

The truth! My babies show me every day. And I see it more as they become more in tune with their surroundings. Maybe if I didn't care what worldview they grow up with, it wouldn't matter. But I do care! They are looking all around them every waking moment for information! I am their source! That is an important job!

Hush, world!! You don't know what is important anymore! Your priorities are upside down!

I will continue to stay home with my babies. I will be there to witness every bit of it. I will be there to introduce them to Jesus. I will be there to answer their questions. I will be there. It's my job!

My sweet babies. Why would I want to be anywhere else?

Mother's Day

I love my family. My sweet girls bring me so much joy, a joy I didn't know existed before they were born. We had a really nice family day together on Mother's Day. My hard-working husband made the trek to be with us. We lingered over breakfast, snuggled in our jams long after morning, wandered around town with the only goal to enjoy, and then had a delicious dinner at my favorite restaurant.

I felt very aware of the blessings in my life. To be a mother is a privilege and a reward.

Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. (Psalm 127:3 KJV)

A Sponge

I have always been a sponge. Wherever I am, I soak up the attitudes, feelings, and sometimes worldviews of those around me. To a certain extent, I shift with the wind.

I didn't recognize this when I was younger, but looking back over my life, I see it clearly.

I. Don't. Like. It.

I KNOW this is not good! I recognize the trait in other people and dislike it in them. But oh the plank in my own eye.

I also know what it stems from. I desperately want to be accepted and liked by those around me. I hate rocking the boat. I want to be in the boat where everyone thinks I am just dandy! I would rather lose "me" to gain them.

In school, I was teacher's pet. I got good grades because I wanted to be the good student and daughter.

At play, I rode horses at a barn. After I began to know Jesus, it was probably hard for anyone there (none of them Christians) to know the difference.

At my Christian college, I bonded immediately with the outgoing girls in my dorm and morphed into a somewhat jaded Christian. I lost my new passion for Jesus.

When I graduated, I began work at a hospital where I struggled desperately just to do my job. My whole purpose in nursing (to serve the hurting as Christ would) was smothered by my inexperience and desire to not look a fool in front of those crusty, sassy nurses.

Getting married was a very, very good thing. My husband has challenged me to think beyond the obvious! He is out of the box and is just fine with that. And since marrying him, I have started to look at that sponge tendency in my life.

I've tried in my own strength to resist it! I want to remain true to the TRUTH...to Him! ...no matter where I am or who I am with. I want to be filled with and secure because HE loves me! It should not matter if others even like me!

But my efforts fail.

Just tonight I had a simple revelation that probably should have come sooner. I could ask Jesus to help me not be a sponge anymore! And so I did.

Even as I write this, I wonder what people will think of my words and how they will view me. I wonder why I feel the need to blog this at all.

Oh that my Lord would quiet my heart to hear Him. I want to be healed of this "fear of man."

What is my Blankie doing at the fabric store???

...says Libby. Or at least she must have thought that!! Look at the love! Oh, it was so funny to see them both lean over with magnetic attraction and bury their little faces in the comforting pink fuzz. Such contented coos and exclamations of delight! That one Libby is snuggling happens to be the very same fabric I made her favorite blanket out of! She was overjoyed to have such a pleasure in the middle of our day of errands. :)

Fizzy Fun

I think may have enjoyed today's craft more than my kiddo. And that's saying something, because she loved it!

Ingredients:
Pan O Baking Soda
Eye Droppers
Food Coloring
White Vinegar
Eager Children

:)

I'm really enjoying Evelyn reaching an age where she can not only be trusted somewhat with messier activities, but where she really gets into them! Thank goodness for pinterest as the never ending source of fun ideas!

Perhaps we'll repeat this one again in a few years when we're working on chemistry! (yikes! Chemistry is in my future again!!)

Bleach Pen Shirt Art!

This was one of those projects that I just wanted to keep doing! I could have done it to ALL my shirts and been happy. :) but I may have regretted that later. Thus, only 3 after all. I found the directions here:

http://ladywiththeredrocker.com/2011/07/25/bleach-pen-shirts/

Then I bought my bleach pen.

Then I started the art!

This is how they turned out.

(of course, I only took one picture of the process, because I was too wrapped up in the fun!)