::thoughts on family [tradition edition]::

we left the house early that morning with great anticipation. we were going to get our CHRISTMAS TREE!! every time we said it, we yelled it, hands in the air, smiles on our faces.

we drove into the mountains, old school santa claus playing on the dvd player, hearts filled with joy. durgin pointed out every moo-cow and tractor he saw while eisley sang christmas songs.

we arrived and headed up the mountain to choose and cut our christmas tree, kids in tow. we searched for the perfect tree while eisley ran round and round each one giggling. i spent my time making sure durgin didn't go tumbling down the mountain head over heels.

we picked our tree and went back down the mountain, hand holding hand, proud of our pick.

traditions: the passing down of customs.

we plan to carry on this tradition every year.
hopeful that they will treasure this time when they are grown.
hopeful they will remember the time we shared, the songs we sang, the time spent as a family.

what are some of your family traditions?

:he's mine in the morning:

eyes that captivate, just like his daddy and blonde hair we both had as tinies. he's full-blast from sun up to sun down. i watch him now as he lays on his belly eating dry cheerios (waiting on his real breakfast) watching seasame street. elmo is every kids best friend. cars lined up under his feet.

crunch crunch crunch.

i take it all in. the view from over my laptop as my fingers taps the keys.
the written word freezes time. saves this moment to the deepest part of my mind.

thankful.

this boy, this blessing that loves his daddy with all his might. daddy's boy to the core. he snuggles with daddy unprompted. he kisses daddy and says things like "you're so sweet." he always greets his daddy first and when i get him up in the morning daddy is the first thing he asks for.

he has something i never had and for that i am overwhelmed with gratitude.

the morning tells a different story.
it's just us.
me and the little guy.
we talk, he is definitely my boy because he loves to talk.
he's silly and i'm silly.
he snuggles and i snuggle him right back.
he is mine in the morning.





*linking up with heather for just write

::its now how much we do, but how much we love::

one of our great hopes as parents is to teach our children to love and serve others through watching us love and serve others.


one way to bless others is to feed them. so we baked a big batch of banana bread, added a little note and headed out to bless those around us.

eisley was the spokesperson. she carried each loaf of banana bread and presented it to each neighbor saying something along the lines of, "thank you for being a good neighbor!" durgin followed behind and would chime in somewhere around "neighbor."  doesn't he look super enthused? he really was into by the end, showing off his trucks and chatting away.

our children were able to chat and interact with our neighbors and see the smiles that this small act of kindness brought to their faces. i'm hopeful that this will encourage many more acts of service and love initiated by the little ones.

"love begins at home, and it is not how much we do....

but how much love we put in that action"

- mother teresa

::how to fight fear::

:photo:

she says the words every night, "i'm scared." tears follow.

fear is a funny thing.
it is paralyzing and consuming.
it keeps us places we don't want to be.
it convinces us of things that simply are not true.

how do you fight fear?

faith.

last night i encouraged her not to say the words out loud any more. i explained that if we say something enough we begin to truly believe it whether it is true or not.

ann voskamp says to "fight feeling with feeling" so i encouraged her, when she is scared, to say, "god is near and i am safe." if you say it and think about these words, you will eventually believe them.

faith.

she's four and i'm trying to teach her a lesson i have yet to learn.

as i typed my resignation to the corporate world i have known for more than eight years the words echoed in my mind, i'm scared. the what if's overwhelmed me. i am stepping back daily to say, "god is near and i am safe."

faith takes time.
so i will give her time to be brave.
i will comfort her when she is scared.
i will assure her that she is safe.
i will journey to faith with her.


*linking up with heather for just write

:handmade christmas:

this weekend i spent some time working on christmas presents. we are doing things a little differently this year and going the handmade route. i have tons of gift ideas swimming in my head and i will share a few as the weeks go along.

i have a couple of pre-teens on my list, so i put together a little bundle of goodies for each of them. it was so fun putting their little package together. picturing their faces when they open it and praying they enjoy having it as much as i enjoyed making it.

when all of my bundles were complete i realized i had a few left over. soooo....to make christmas a little easier for you i have a couple of bundles to offer at a super price.

each bundle includes
a wristlet pouch measuring 6x10 inches  ($15.00 value)
2 button covered bookmarks ($8.00 value)
4 pair of colorful earrings ($24.00 value)


i am offering each bundle for $25 shipped!! that's quite a steal aaaaand it saves you a trip out into the shopping madness that often goes along with holidays.


if you are interested email me which bundle you would like to purchase along with you paypal email and shipping address:: mgb0816@yahoo.com



happy shopping!



*linking up with life made lovely

::sunday stand-outs::

:photo:

happy sunday friends! just wanted to share a few posts that i read this week that really stood out and encouraged me. i hope they do the same for you!


thoughts on community:: by laura of along for the ride found at sashes for the merchant

in which this is their time:: by sarah of emerging mummy

the truth {about fine} will set you free:: by lisa-jo of the gypsy mama

we're all just lovely messes:: by stephanie of keeper of the home

the cut of forgiveness:: by elora of elora nicole


grace & peace friends,

:friendly friday [on tuesday]:

months ago my husband and decided we wanted to intentionally reach out to others and build relationships. this thought process gave birth to...

{{friendly fridays}}

on fridays, or whatever day of the week works best, we invite a family over for dinner or dessert. it is never anything fancy just something simple, since food and decor are not our focus. though, if the truth be known i do run to pinterest for new recipes and inspiration.

our guests come over and we serve them and love them through food and conversation. our children are present and encouraged to interact as well. eisley is forever more trying to steal away our guests to play in her room. she gets as excited as we do about having company.

this week we hung out with some of our old youth, that are grown and newly married, that we now call friends. we caught up on life and shared laughs and words of encouragement. as i sat on the couch, tea in hand, my heart swelled with contentment. peace. breathing in this moment of blessing, of fellowship, of jesus with skin on.

i am one of those people that really really really wants my house to be clean as a whistle in order when company is coming. however, through this simple act of service, i am slowly but surely letting go and becoming okay with imperfection and just enjoying people that have been placed in our lives.

"love begins at home, and it is not how much we do, but how much love we put into that action"   -mother teresa

:: thoughts on marriage [no.2]::

a couple of weeks ago i started a little series: thoughts on marriage where i light heartedly encourage new wives, to live simply, consider the heart and for heavens sake just pick up his underwear when it's left on the floor!

i had a great response to the post and the following comment so resonated with me::

The advice that I have to remind myself is to "be best friends." My husband is the man that I chose to be closest with for the rest of my life, so I have to remember to treat him like my best friend, not a roommate, a handy to-do man, or my pin cushion.

so how can we "be best friends" with our husbands?


1. praise him

be his biggest cheerleader and supporter.  when he dreams, dream with him. encourage him. we have chosen to journey the sometimes difficult road of marriage with this person for our whole lives do it with praise and you will have 41 years, longing for more.

2. show him

think of a way to show love to him every day. my husband goes to work at a craaaaazy hour of the night and one thing i do with great joy is make his coffee and set the timer so it will be ready when he wakes. it's not much, but i do it out of love for him. some other things you could do:

• write him a love note (or send a love filled email).
• leave him a gift card for lunch to his favorite place.
• make his favorite dinner.
• plan a date night.
• buy a special treat like his favorite candy. (i bought my sweet fella a bag of the mini reese cups to surprise him. it was a warm day so instead of a bag of mini reese cups, he got one large melted together reese cup. he was thankful all the same)

:photo:

3. listen to him

women speak more than 16,000 words per day and men speak about 7,000. so obviously we have a lot to say. i personally am never at a loss for words. there is always something to talk about in my book. he, on the other hand, doesn't talk quite like i do. but when he does talk and converse, i listen, engage and hang on every word. ask his opinion about things and more importantly listen to his response. being heard makes us feel valued. so hear him and hear him well ladies.

"it is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages"

-fredrich nietzsche

okay ladies, lets hear how you keep friendship in your marriage?

::thoughts on motherhood: boy mama edition::

:

he wakes up early now.
time change is no good for little ones.
he asks for breakfast as soon as he wakes, then daddy.
juice with the lid off he says, so big.
he eats in his dinosaur pajamas, mickey by his side.
he talks and talks but i only understand half of it.
though i cannot understand every word, i love the talks we share, the time we spend together.

he will be small for just a minute.
he will only say hold me a few more times.
he will only say mommy for a little while before i become mom to a man.

present.
i want to be present for every last little boy moment.
involved.
making memories with every stride.

when he's a super hero i want to be his side-kick.
when he rides horsey's through the house, i want to ride along.
when he rides his bike i want to be his spotter.
when he learns something new, i want to be his cheerleader.
when he laughs, i laugh.
our hearts blending to one.

this is me....mama to a boy.


*linking up with heather for just write

::grace enough::

the sun goes to bed earlier now.
darkness leads to an unavoidable slowness.
a yearning to be still and know.

the early morning sun calls us outside to enjoy the last few warm days of fall.
i sit and soak in the rays warming from the inside out.
i watch them, hoodies in place, explore the changes of nature.
crunching leaves.
smells of woodburning fill the air.
exploration takes on a new form as they discover the small patch of woods behind our house.

she makes her way through the trees and brush like she's been there 100 times. the little one gets stuck and calls for her. she runs to show him the way. she becomes his rescuer.

rescuer.
a term we have been using a lot.
we are teaching them about another rescuer.
one who rescued zacchaeus from a life of theft and emptiness.
one who rescued the adulterous woman from a life of insecurity and searching.
one who rescued people from a life of rule following to a life of love.
one who rescued the world from good enough to grace enough.


*linking up with life made lovely

::thoughts on trust::

i find it difficult to trust.
to trust the provision of sacrifice.
to trust the walking on water.
to trust the healing of a sick loved one or bringing them back to life.
to trust the hungry will be fed.
to trust the provisions for tomorrow like the lillies and the birds.
to trust the good things that are working out around me.

then i read something like this and see provision.
then i talk with this person and see healing.
then i discover this and this and see the hungry fed.
then i talk with this person

and she tells me that we should make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and feed those that don't have any food. that we should give them some of our toys. that we would share our clothes and she is jesus with skin on.

then i remember
"there is much that we cannot understand, but our lack of comprehension neither negates nor eliminates it" written by madeleine l'engle and i find comfort.

whether i trust or not god is at work.
providing.
healing.
feeding.
loving.
so today i will trust that which i cannot understand and rest in gratitude as i soak it all in.

i'd love to hear your thoughts on trust.

::a season of slowness::

the leaves fall and the sun goes to bed earlier now.
the season invites a slowness of sorts.
the cold weather makes me want to hunker down under blankets with babies snuggled near, coffee in hand and books to be read.

i love the slowness.
i love the moments to sit and watch my little ones be little.
i love the moments to engage in the story eisley is telling in her mind.
i love the moments of little man driving his trucks, playing drums and air guitar.
i love the moments when jacob lays his head in my lap so we can breathe them in together.

the season also invites chaos with holidays to celebrate, family gatherings, baking, making presents and the running here and there.
even in the midst of choas, i will choose slowness.
i will choose to enjoy this fleeting season.
i will choose to take opportunities to teach and learn.
i will choose to bless and be blessed.


what will you choose for this season?

::thoughts on friendship::

the sound of rushing water soothed as we approached the cabin in the pitch black of night, only our headlights to guide the way.
finally inside, fireplace blazing, pj's on, games commence and laughter emerges.

laughter is healing and breaks down walls.
bonds are built through laughter.
comradery established.
laughter joins hearts and minds, overshadowing insecurities that lurk in the darkness.

friendships treasured.
knowing each other more deeply through shared hugs and conversation.
receiving them whole, in love, no judgement or criticism.
a safe place to be a mom, a wife, a woman.
solidarity.

*linking up with heather for just write

::thoughts on comparison::

:photo:

recently i was taking a drive and found myself stuck in traffic. a drive that should have taken 45 minutes turned into an hour and a half. as i moved further down the road i realized that there was a car that had hit the guard rail. he was fine- outside of his vehicle talking with the police officer. he was also completely off the road.

the only reason traffic was so delayed was because everyone was watching what was happening on the side of the road.

as i drove by, and took my turn rubber-necking, i realized that this is exactly what we do in every day life.

we often get caught up in what she is doing over there.

how is she parenting her children?
is she attachment or parent-led?
does she spank or gently guide?
does she stay at home or work outside the home?
does she keep her house clean and laundry caught up?
does she homeschool?
does she exercise? is she skinnier than me?
does she cook every night?
is her home decorated and maintained?
are her children wild or obedient?
do her clothes have puke and snot on them too?

we spend so much time evaluating what everyone else is doing that it slows us down in our journey to the destination we have been called to.

it happens to everyone.
we compare and then because of those comparisons we self-loathe.
we spend time criticizing ourselves and get caught up in the- but i can never be like her- mindset when we should be pushing forward.
god did not call us to mimic those around us.
god called us to live like him and that may look a little different from one person to the next....and that's okay. press on dear friend. press on.

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus...  phillipians 3:14

::thoughts on marriage::

:photo:

what feels like a lifetime ago i hosted a community girls bible study in my home. girls came from all around to eat, play games, hang out and learn about jesus. it was a special time in my life. it was a time to give them what i did not have at their age. a safe place to be themselves.

the first time i went to youth sunday school no one welcomed me except the teacher which was one of my classmates dad. can we say obligation? i was a shy, introverted, awkward kid and treated as such. except by a few select boys that were my friends from school which did not help my situation when it came to the girls in the class. oh and please don't think it was because i was pretty and competition for them. i wasn't...either of those things. i had braces and was in that transition phase of having the top of my mouth widened, ya know with the key you turn every night. so i had rather large and unattractive gap between my already crooked teeth. i apparently hadn't looked in the mirror in months because in my school picture, i can now look back on and laught at, i had a perm that started about midway down my head due to non maintenance. so needless to say i did not become the most popular girl in youth group. i actually hated youth group.

so with that said....community girls bible study was a place that anyone and everyone could come and be welcomed. i loved those girls and they loved me. i respected them and shared their burdens and helped them sort through their drama. it felt like, and still does, just yesterday that i was in their shoes, going through the same struggles. i could relate.

several of those girls that attended have graduated high school, college and are now married and a few have children.

since i am a lifestage ahead of these girls i thought i would share a few things with the newlyweds that may encourage them in this season of their lives.

:photo:

1. live simply.
you will be tempted to buy a new car, new furniture, new everything. you just will. it's called instant gratification and our society has been saturated with the idea that you must have whatever you want RIGHT NOW. it's a lie. you don't. i promise you will be happier if you will save save save. jacob and i lived in a tiny one bedroom apartment and bought second hand furniture when we were first married and it was wonderful. it was a lovely start to our lives together. also, read organized simplicity by tsh oxenreider for great perspective on living simply.

2. consider the heart.
did your new husband just say something stupid that either cut straight to the heart or totally ticked you off? yeh that. ignore it. ask yourself, was his intent to cause me harm? if the answer is no, and it most likely is, just ignore it and know that you are loved.

we were with friends a few weeks ago and the wife made the comment about not being able to lose weight (although she totally doesn't need to- she looks like a model- seriously...and yes i'm talking to you-serious eyes). ahem, anyway, the husband says something like" if you would just... blah blah blah."  jacob and i both looked at each other and simultaneously said something like "dude! what are you doing?" he's a super guy. loves his wife. doesn't care if she loses weight (again she doesn't need to) but he just spoke without thinking. we all do it. excuse it and move on. life will be sweeter if you do.

3. if his underwear is in the floor just pick it up.
i don't know why but men just like to leave their underwear, and other articles of clothing, on the floor, or chair, or windowseat. geez. yes, it drives me bonkers too. and yes, i occasionally say something like, "babe! i pick up after the children i shouldn't have to pick up your stuff too." but then i pick it up anyway and either put it away or give it to him and move on. afterwards realizing the moments following would have been  much sweeter without saying a word. in the broad scheme of things does it really matter? just pick up his draws (is that how you would spell it?) and move on. don't waste precious moments of your life together on petty matters.


this concludes todays lesson on being newly married.

please add your thoughts and humor if you like.

::thoughts on firsts::

:photo:

i love firsts.
beginnings.
fresh starts.
a new year. a new month. a new day.
feels like a clean slate.
the busyness of last month is gone.
new goals have been set.
refocus.
the month of thankfulness.
my One Word celebrated by all.
thankful.
thankful for the blank pages i have been given to fill. i can write beauty and love and grace. i can write justice and forgiveness and simplicity.
these are my pages to fill.
my days to live.
my legacy to leave.

will it point them to Him?


*linking up with heather for just write