:the story::

:

sabbath.
it begins with early morning cries from the boy. our time together has a starting place. he asked for cheerios in a language only mommy can understand. then a follow-up question, always expected, "where's daddy?" this kid is crazy about his daddy.

i start the chocolate chip muffins, a sunday morning ritual of sorts.

then the coffee....always coffee.
while waiting for it to brew strong i mix up cream for topping. my children know this sound and come running for the sweetness left on the beaters. they lick away all that is left and stand with faces covered in sticky goodness.

they not-so-patiently wait for the timer for the muffins to alarm. when it does, each takes their place for the warm-gooey goodness.
they have been served and i have loved serving them.

i sit, finally, coffee in hand.
thoughts about last nights bible reading with eisley flood my mind. the prodigal son and how her bible book pointed out that  jesus told stories so people could know what god is like.

i wonder, does my life tell a story that shows others what god is like?

these are the thoughts that fill my day.
sabbath.


*linking up with heather for life made lovely

::jesus was NOT a theologian::

:photo:

"a friend of mine, a fine story-teller, remarked to me, 'Jesus was not a theologian, He was God who told stories.' Yes. God who told stories."

-madeleine l'engle

i am not a theologian. i often find myself intimidated when people start using words like doctrine and eschatology and apologetics and the "have to believe's" of christianity. i think it can divide and cause discord and end friendships. actually i don't think it can, i know it can. i have seen it first hand.

but a story?
a story unites. 
there is something about someone saying "me too" that brings rest to a weary soul.

i have a story.

i have a story about growing up without a dad.
i have a story about being raised by a single mom that raised 3 kids by herself.
i have a story about being a teenager seeking love making good choices and bad ones.
i have a story about dating the wrong guys.
i have a story about marrying the right guy and still being in love 8 years later.
i have a story about motherhood changing my life forever.
i have a story about a girls bible study in my home that taught me more than it could have ever taught them.
i have a story about church politics and the hurt it causes.
i have a story about jealousy.
i have a story about friendships- some good, some bad, some eternal.
i have a story about discovering god's involvement in every day life.

i have a story.
we all do.
i will share many of mine here over time but today....

i'd love to hear a piece of your story.

will you share??

::thoughts on bullying::

:photo:

More and more I am findng that my little one, four years old now, responds best to gentleness and rationale. If I get down on her level and speak gently to her and explain why she should or should not do something, I often get a much more submissive response than if I am harsh and demanding.

I don't want to bully my children into obedience.

I realized this several years ago and it is a work in progress. I am bigger than my children. I am smarter and stronger. I have the most power. I can force them into obedience through negative consequences. Or I can encourage them to be motivated by their heart and the desire to be loving and kind and all the good things that come from this behavior.

I find on the day to day that if I am kind and go out of my way for them to make their days special, that they do the same for me.

Love and kindness are our motivation.

I'm hoping for the ripple effect in this mindset.
If I teach my children through love and kindness then they will in turn show love and kindness to those around them. If they want a toy someone else is playing with, they will ask nicely and wait their turn instead of just taking what they want.

If I teach my children God is loving and kind, they will be drawn to Him by His love, not for fear of what might happen if they don't follow him.

If I teach my children to work hard and they will be rewarded for their hard work. Then maybe one day if they are decision makers in a company they will do the same for their employees. They will use positive reinforcement instead of negative.

This is my hope and my prayer.

"love is patient, love is kind...."

1 corinthians 13:4

*linking up with heather for just write

:on becoming okay with imperfection::

early morning saturday.
the boy beside me with his little feet barely reaching the edge of the cushion where he sits.
eisley sleeps in from hard play all week.
that sweet man of mine is out camping with friends.

the dryer hums in the background and the house smells like a mixture of marshmallows and fresh brewed coffee.
the floors are dirty. more noticable with the morning light showering in, and the laundry is piled high.

i'm becoming okay with imperfection.
i'm becoming okay with not getting it all done.

i sip my coffee while its hot and breath in Madeleine L'Engle's words of wisdom.
i feel rohen move- another fiesty little girl.
i look forward to three and dream about moments shared.
i soak in this moment, blinking, it's gone.

the floors will be mopped.
the laudry will get done.
but not now.
instead, in this moment, i will praise the slowness.



*linking up with life made lovely

::thoughts on mothering {kissing edition}::

:photo:

yesterday i heard the words come out of my FOUR YEAR OLD daughters mouth that i thought i wouldn't hear for at least another 10 years (of course hoping for 20).

"i kissed a boy on the playground today."

what. the. heck. (i thought to myself)

first response: eyebrows up, typical mommy face, followed by, you did what?

"i kissed a boy on the playground today."

why?

cause he likes me and i like him.


again. what. the. heck.

you see... we do not encourage boyfriend-girlfriend mushy stuff. we want her to be a kid while she is a kid with no thought for kissing and such until the time is appropriate....when she's 30!!!!

okay okay, regroup.

we don't kiss boys eisley.

yes i can. if i like them i can. (honestly, where does she get this stuff?)

no, no you can't. that's not appropriate and i don't want you doing that (eyebrows still up, followed by dead stare).

then in the back of my mind i hear gravel spinning as the punk teenage guy that i liked  at 16 years old was leaving my house. this was after coming to collect his birthday present that i spent my hard earned money on and he didn't even thank me.

to which my mother says: you are not to see him anymore.
to which i respond from behind tears, with all the drama of a daytime soap opera,  yes i can!!
the following day i saw him and many after that. i didn't even like him anymore. she was right. he was a jerk but that ol' rebellious spirit encouraged my will to be lived out.

YIKES!


so later eisley and i sit on the couch side-by-side.

mind you i have been praying to myself all evening on how i should handle this. i know you are probably thinking it's not that big of a deal, it's just kids kissing on the playground. and you might be right.

then i remember sitting at the lunch table in the 6th grade while all my friends who have kissed, and french-kissed at that, are telling me to practice on my hand so i'll know what to do. so there i am in the middle of the lunch room making out with the side of my thumb.

so, ahem, back to the couch.
take #2.

eisley, i want you to save your kisses.

why, mommy?

because one day you will meet someone like daddy that you will love like mommy loves daddy and you will want all of your kisses for him.

i could see her processing.

that's when i started tickling her all over and said: you'd better save those kisses. don't you give my kisses or daddy's kisses away. we want them all because we love you so much. lots of giggles and snuggles followed. and that was that.


heaven help this little mama.

::Crafty McCrafterson {fall edition}::

in need of a fall treat?

this one is super cute and super cheap!

{supplies}

1 case of mason jars

3 bags of reese's pieces

3 bags of mini marshmallows

2 large boxes of golden grahams cereal

ribbon

note: supplies above make 12 full jars

simply layer each ingredient and tie off the top with a ribbon.

a fall treat that eveyone will enjoy!

happy fall!

what are you crafting these days?

::what makes a happy family::

"A happy family is but an earlier heaven"

-George Bernard Shaw

saturday we took some time to just be a family.
we took a stroll outside, noting the most beautiful blue sky.
we gave ample hugs and kisses.
we shared nilla wafers and chocolate milk.
we watched as the children ran and played and made new friends.
we watched as they discovered.
we encouraged.
we basked in all that is family.

and today......i am thankful.



*linking up with life made lovely

::Sunday's Stand-Outs::

{Just a few little links i've really enjoyed this week- hoping maybe you will too!}

The Simple Mom Podcast:: Get the job done : I've listened to this episode at least three times.
Emerging Mummy:: In which I am an uneasy pacifist : I love everything Sarah writes!

The Gypsy Mama :: Maybe the best way to get over yourself : This one really speaks to my mama heart.

::ladies and gentlemen, may i have your attention::

i am currently pregnant with our third child.
my husband and i always like to make a big deal out of announcements that come along with pregnancy and the gender.

we found out what we are having september 29th. but due to scheduling conflicts we were unable to get our entire family together until this past monday, october 10th. we told eisley right after we found out and she did a fabulous job keeping our little secret.

for our special announcement we invited both sides of our family over for dinner. everyone wrote down what they thought we were having. i think there ended up being 5 guesses for girl and 4 guesses for boy.

we had all of the adults sit around the table and gave each of them a scroll with a little something inside that would be a dead giveaway.

ready. set. go.
they raced to open their scrolls which i had tied with jute. tricky. tricky.
inside they found a PINK cakepop.
not sure who opened theirs first but it was a close race and they all relished in the news that
we are having a {GIRL}!

we are thrilled. eisley is double thrilled that she is getting a little sister. durgin doesn't quite understand but he will celebrate for sweets.

our precious family has grown tremendously over the last five years. we look forward to adding this little darling to the bunch!


*linking up for instafriday

::he is involved [take 3]::

:photo:

as we were driving to meet with him my friend said in passing, "he couldn't even walk a few years ago. he only got around on a scooter."

it baffled me for a minute, having encountered him once before, and he seemed like the picture of health.

later we sat and he spoke with his thick southern accent, reminding me of a football coach, with deep blue eyes that became misty at times.

he explained the degenerative neurological disorder that has eight descriptive words in the entire name- that i could not repeat let alone spell. he shared how it revealed itself his last year of medical school and progressed over the following twenty years. every pressure point on his body caused excrutiating pain. he described it as the pain you have when you hit your funny bone, magnified by one million.

he couldn't walk.
he had to sleep with several pillows tucked into various places to relieve the pressure. just as he would get settled to fall asleep he would have to use the restroom. however, his body would not function properly so he had to catheterize himself. then go back to bed and repeat the process of tucking pillows here and there to get comfortable. finally, passing out from exhaustion for at most, two hours at a time.

he had been to every specialist.
he was taking the most pain medication he could without stopping his breathing and it didn't touch what he was feeling.
there was no cure.
there still isn't a cure.
people do not get well with this disease.

the words he spoke brought tears to my eyes.
"i bought a gun. it was going to be my last christmas."


i sat perched on the edge of my seat hanging on every word he said. i'm captivated by medical mysteries. i asked, "so how did you get better?"


he hesitated with his response. squeezing lemon into his tea. eyes fixed away, remembering.
he was vague.
careful with his answer.
"it was from above."


i didn't move. i needed more details.

i am constantly looking for god's involvement in every day life. in my search, i have learned that he is involved when i am involved and that he might just need my help to accomplish all he desires. but this....this is different. this is the healing recorded in the bible. this is the type of thing i question if it still happens.

he went onto say that a family member had been asking him to come to a prayer meeting. he is a believer, still hesistant, he resisted for a long while. as a last resort and to the brink of breaking with pain he could no longer endure, he said yes.

by the end of the week after the prayer meeting his nerve function showed 25% improvement.
within two weeks it had improved 50%.
within a month it had improved 75%.

he is walking.
he no longer feels pain.
he is healed.

how are you seeing god's involvment in every day life?

*linking up with heather for just write

::crafty mccrafterson {pumpkin edition}::

“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”
― Pablo Picasso


my children love art. they love to create, imagine and make simple things beautiful.  as a mom, it's my pleasure to encourage and nurture their love for all things creative.

the kiddos aquired several small pumpkins from their recent trip to the pumpkin patch at Patterson Farm. in an attempt to create art with both of my little ones  (ages 4.5 and 2), the following project came to life.

supplies:
pumpkin
white paint
paint brushes
black felt
mod podge

the little darlings painted the pumpkin white. they did it with brushes and it was a little streaky so when it was dry i spray painted it white to cover the blemishes. they didn't notice- they were busy riding their horsey's around the yard.

then i cut out felt pieces. eisley carefully applied mod podge and stuck them on our newly painted pumpkin.

voila' a ghost pumpkin to grace our porch. 
(ignore the light spots- the glue wasn't quite dry when i took this photo. it dried completed clear)

the kids love it and talk about it as they go in and out of the house.

what are you guys crafting these days?


*linking up with life made lovely

::love looks like... ::

::photo::

laying in the grass on his blanket from childhood made by his grandmother that they will never know. head propped against his leg. the girl beside me drawing a picture to her far-away-friend. the boy riding big vrooms on the driveway. he softly strokes my hair and we talk about our day.

pushing the little guy on the bike because those darn short legs he inherited from both mommy and daddy just won't reach.

helping her get her name just right on her picture to her friend. embracing her enthusiasm by stuffing it, stamping it, and putting it in the mailbox same day.

horsey races round and round the island in our kitchen.

holding hands for prayer with the only word you can understand the little guy saying is AAAAmen! but a prayer still, he is learning.

the embracing of the every day.
the embracing of every happy, sad, difficult, fun and joyful moment.

what does love look like for you today?

::things i love thursday::

{{watching my children grow in their friendships}}

these girls are the daughters of my closest friend (the one in the middle is mine). i met their mother, krissy, in college and didn't give her a second thought. she was cute with the roundest cheeks and sweetest smile and freckles to boot. i was snobby and self-absorbed, finding my way. little did i know she would become my dearest friend.

or that her husband would become my husbands great friend. or that our girls would share secrets and play chase and dress up for hours on end. or that god would bless us with baby boys to pal around and balance it all out.

we are teaching our children to be good friends through our friendships.
we are teaching our children to push through the difficult moments and conflicts by keeping peace ourselves. they will become good friends to each other and others if they see us being a good friend to each other and others.
we are teaching them by living it out.

how are you teaching your children about friendship?

::crafty mccrafterson::

at the first sign of cool weather i sat down with eisley and did our first fall craft of the year. durgin still takes a rest time in the mornings in his crib with books for about an hour. this allows for one-on-one crafting with my little art lover.

"every child is an artist. the problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up"

-pablo picasso

eisley has a deep love for the arts. she loves painting, sewing, reading, drawing and story-telling. i have memories as a child of writing stories on our living room coffee table and drawing pictures to go along. in my tween years i took time to sit on my grandmothers rusted yard swing under a dogwood tree sketching wedding dresses like i was a top designer. as the years went on my desire for artist endevors lessoned as sports and boys and responsibility came into the picutre. however, i am now revisiting my love for art and all things crafty and finding that it is a truly a gift from the Creator that we too can create.

supplies:
felt
embroidery hoop
mod podge

i simply covered the hoop with a cream 8x10 piece of felt and then trimmed the edges. i cut out a tree with limbs and eisley glued it to the cream felt. i also cut out all the leaves free handed. i gave the supplies to eisley and she added little dab of mod podge on the back of each leave and meticulously placed them all around the branches.

we talked about fall and how the leaves change colors and {fall} to the ground. so she made sure to demonstrate by having the one little leaf falling. such an eye for detail here. once all the leaves were attached and dry we placed it near our entry way for all to enjoy.


what have you been creating lately?


*linking up with Supermom : wordish wednesday

::he is involved [take 2]::

i am constantly looking for god's involvement in my life and the lives of other people. i question almost daily why he doesn't step in and do something about the children being sold into slavery and sex trafficking? why doesn't he make food fall from heaven in the horn of africa? why doesn't he heal those children that fill brenners hospital from cancer?

then i have conversations like the one i had with krissy. she didn't say anything new but she said exactly what i needed to hear.

last night i was reading traveling mercies by ann lamott and came across this passage:

Again and again, I tell God I need help, and God says, "Well isn't that fabulous? Because I need help too. So you go get that old woman over there some water, and I'll figure out what we're going to do about your stuff." Maybe Rick [who has stage four cancer in this story] had told God (as he understands God) that he needed some energy that morning, and God had said,"Well great, because Sam Lamott needs a ride to school. Could you do that for me? And I'll be getting your some strength."

another example of how when we get involved, god gets involved. or maybe i should say his involvement becomes evident.

i am processing these thoughts.
i am aware and looking for opportunities for when god might need my help.
for i am convinced, when i am involved, god is involved.

i'd love to hear your thoughts. when and where do you see god's involvement?

::he is involved::

she sat next to me, coffee in hand, listening as i asked the question i always ask.

why isn't he involved?
where is he in this situation?

she knows my heart. my struggles of belief and doubt.
she spoke wisdom.

he is involved.
this is when god says, i am waiting for you to to love this person. i am waiting for you to step into this situation. i live in you. when you are involved, i am involved.

my defenses grew.
i thought to myself, look at the circumstances of her life. couldn't he just step in and do something.

later i thought about her words of wisdom when my defenses and need to be right had ceased.

if his involvement is evident when i become involved then...