The Two-Headed bug...

     Down a busy highway, through a small town, into the countryside of Florida we drove. The roads we long, and at times empty and barren while other roads were just sand with some really crazy names! We arrived after about an hour and a half long drive outside Orlando while on our honeymoon to our destination of the day.... Bear Claw Ranch! This looked promising! Stephen (my husband) and I were pumped with excitement! Off roading is not something we can really do in Detroit.... unless it's off roading due to a massive pothole (which is very possible!) We pulled into the dusty parking lot, and as we gathered our things together, I looked out our car window.... and what did I see but none other than a two-headed bug! WOW!

     Imagine my shock! I looked at Stephen in disbelief! I said, "Hurry! Give me the camera! I HAVE to get a picture of THIS!" He chuckled at me.... I had no idea WHY he was laughing! Did he not realize how rare this was? A bug with a head on either end of it! WOW! I just HAD to get a picture of this to show the kids! I was SO excited! I said, "Hurry! Come on!!! Give me your phone so I can take a picture! Mine's already packed away!".... he looked at me, and as serious looking as he could be he said to me... "Missy.... it's not a two-headed bug.... they are just mating." 

     Oh, wow..... there went my shot at becoming some millionaire for spotting some super rare two-headed bug! There went my chance to show the kids when we did a science lesson a picture of this bug. My excitement went from "WOW!" to.... "wow...." with a confused and embarrassed feeling. 

    Have you ever had a moment like that? Where you think "Wow! This is it! WOW! Check it out!!!!" just to realize... "oops.... swallow your pride, it's not all that cool!" I don't know about you, but sometimes you just have to love those 'aha' moments from God and you have to say, "thank you God for helping me put it in perspective! For making me realize, I am me... and You are You! You deserve to be praised!" 

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Proverbs 11:2

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, 
    but with humility comes wisdom.

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Bug Poo....

"Beep! Beep! Beep!" the kitchen timer goes off. The kids are finishing up brushing their teeth and going potty before nap..... well most of the kids that is. There at the table was James, finishing up eating onions (he refused to eat his sandwich for lunch but rather wanted a helping of plain onions).... when a fly caught his attention. I did not think too much of this fly nor of James doing anything to it..... that was until I walked back in the kitchen from the bathroom.
     "Mama! Mama! I got bug poop on me! I got bug poop on me!" .... yes, welcome to my world! My 2 year old son caught a fly with his bare hands and squished it together, leaving the remnants of the very flies existence on him. The joy he had of catching the fly was gone and overshadowed with the disgust of the "bug poop" that was now on his hand (it was the fly's wing).
     We went in the bathroom, and David was still at the sink finishing up brushing his teeth. James came over, and David held his hand for him as he helped his little brother get "the bug poop" off of him and helped clean him up!
     What a picture that is of our lives! I don't know about you, but I know there have been times where I have dabbled in this or played with that and my joy of it was suddenly lost when I realized the "poo" I had gotten myself into! No longer was it fun, but rather there was a consequence for my action..... a consequence I much rather would not like to have! I think upon this and think of how my Savior came, and HE washed ME of that "poo" and cleansed me from that "poo" and the remnants of that sin.... loving me and encouraging me through it all.
     I encourage you to step back, take a look at yourself and what you are doing. Is it for man? Is it for God? Do you have "bug poop" on you so to speak? If so, let the Savior take your hand and wash you up!


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Psalm 51 

You are kind, God!
    Please have pity on me.
    You are always merciful!
    Please wipe away my sins.
² Wash me clean from all
    of my sin and guilt.
³ I know about my sins,
    and I cannot forget
    my terrible guilt.
⁴ You are really the one
    I have sinned against;
    I have disobeyed you
    and have done wrong.
So it is right and fair for you
    to correct and punish me.

⁵ I have sinned and done wrong
    since the day I was born.
⁶ But you want complete honesty,
    so teach me true wisdom.
⁷ Wash me with hyssop^[a]
    until I am clean
    and whiter than snow.
⁸ Let me be happy and joyful!
    You crushed my bones,
    now let them celebrate.
⁹ Turn your eyes from my sin
    and cover my guilt.
¹⁰ Create pure thoughts in me
    and make me faithful again.
¹¹ Don’t chase me away from you
    or take your Holy Spirit
    away from me.

¹² Make me as happy as you did
when you saved me;
    make me want to obey!
¹³ I will teach sinners your Law,
    and they will return to you.
¹⁴ Keep me from any deadly sin.
    Only you can save me!
    Then I will shout and sing
    about your power to save.

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Keep watch....

Excitedly perched on the bench in the kitchen with neon green binoculars Tabitha peers out the kitchen window. "I see it! I see a bird!" she exclaims excitedly! She then leaves the kitchen to the back of the house looking again in another window, disappointed she looks out another window anxious to see a bird. After looking through many windows she goes back to her first location, waiting patiently to see if she can see a bird through her 'noculars'.
     This is not just ANY bird she is looking for, any bird she is waiting for, no this is a parrot! She is looking for a walking, talking live parrot to perch itself right in front of her out our kitchen window in suburban Detroit. Needless to say, no parrot came..... but she waited and then moved on with life doing her 'work' of playing with her siblings, cleaning up her toys and finishing up her school lesson.... while in the back of her mind, the bird may come....
     How are we to wait for Jesus? We are to keep our eyes open, our hearts open, to be on the lookout but also we are to be keeping busy with life. Not to let life just come to a stand still, to a full screeching halt, but rather to keep a watchful eye for Him but still 'work'. We are to 'work' in living our day to day life, 'work' in telling others about Jesus, 'work' in so many fashions yet WAIT for His coming.
     I don't know about you, but I know all the waiting will be worth it! I encourage you to keep your eyes up, your ears open and your heart open as you work.... and wait on the coming of our Lord!

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James 5:7-8

⁷ Be patient, therefore, brothers,^[a] until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. ⁸ You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

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Sheriff David a.k.a. Share-wif David

While on vacation my husband and I picked up an awesome gift for our 4 year old son David. The gift.... a badge that reads "Sheriff David". We presented it to David and he was so proud to wear it. We were not surprised considering he wants to be a fireman when he grows up, so anything with a badge just says AWESOME in his mind!

I took the kids for a bike ride later in the day and David amazingly rode without his training wheels for the first time! Sheer joy was the expression of everyone! For the fun of it, I had him try his six year old sister's bike. Joy was not her expression to say the least. The typical arms crossed, disgruntled looking face was what I was met with as she let him try her bike out. David was in an earthly heaven while his sister was experiencing what she felt was torture.... she had to share! He returned her bike, rode his and everyone was happy.... for the most part.

Upon arriving home, David scrambled to his room, grabbed his badge and had me pin it on him. He then ran up to his sister and said "Look Austanne! Look! It says SHARE-WIF David!..... So that means you have to share wif me!"

I had to laugh! Wow! He really thought that was what his badge meant! He really believed if he wore that badge she would have to share her bike with him! Funny thing was, it was not at all what the badge meant! It struck me then, how often do we look at something and say with full belief "THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS!" but yet we are dead wrong? How often do we twist and contort things to look or appear to be a certain way yet they really are not that way at the root? I know I have been guilty of this. It reminds me of a time at summer camp as a teen, when the preacher said "selective obedience is disobedience." That has stuck with me for over 15 years now as its true.

Sometimes we choose to be selective in what we say, selective in how we obey, selective in what we do. I encourage you to be obedient, to share the truth, follow the truth, and keep it real!


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Ephesians 4: 15-16

¹⁵ Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, ¹⁶  from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
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"Mama.... I'm scared..."

Its 2 a.m. and in walks a little lady ... "Mama, I'm scared.... can you pray please?" so the prayer begins to God for my precious little girl that He would ease her fears and take away those bad dreams.
It's 1 a.m. the following night .... same thing....
It's 3 a.m. the following night .... same thing....
It's 4 a.m. the following night .... same thing....

And so goes nearly every night. It's has gotten to the point where when that door opens, half asleep with eyes barely able to see, the precious little one... the prayer begins... "Jesus, be with Austanne. Let her know you are right beside her, hold her, comfort her, and take away those bad dreams! In Jesus name, Amen!"

Yes, praying for my little girl in the middle of the night while I am half asleep... I like to think I am some great wonderful mother who wants to see my baby girl grow to be some wonderful spiritual woman in the Lord.... not that that is NOT want I want (because I do want that)... but in all honesty.... at those early a.m. hours, I am just thinking I want to get some sleep!

But the job of a mother never ends. Whether it's 1 a.m. being up with a child who is scared.... 4 a.m. consoling a child who seen a little too much Baby Einstein and thinks the polar bears are eating her feet ..... or up all night with 5 sick children who are going in 20 minute intervals of turns between vomiting, blowing up the toilet or just crying how miserable they are.... it just never ends!

Sometimes being a Mommy may not be what was envisioned as a little girl! I don't know about you, but I envisioned these wonderful children, who enjoyed their Mommy! Children who wanted to snuggle up and play together! I envisioned children who actually said nice things and looked cute always! I envisioned children who went to bed at 8 p.m. and slept all night until 8 a.m......

Then reality hit.... I have children who cry! I have babies who do not like men, only women (which leaves me stuck with a whiny cranky baby who does not want Daddy!) I had children who tell me when they go potty "Mommy! Go! I can do it!" only to discover they sure did it alright - filled the toilet with a whole roll of toilet paper - or even worse, explored how many washcloths could fit in the toilet before the water came pouring out! Yes, it is not what I had envisioned! Bugger wiped on the wall behind the toilet for the young boy who just could not manage to blow his nose, but rather pick it while he went pee standing.... and left the treat for later! Yes, I have children who I get dressed up all nice and clean who go outside 5 minutes before we leave and look like they just came out of a coal mine because they decided to go dig for worms for the fish...... yes, this is what motherhood has brought me!

But these children are my children! They are the children God has blessed me with.... some days I wonder why, but yes, these are the ones God gave me! He has a reason, a purpose in WHY He chose ME to be their mother, a reason why He did not choose Jane or Sue down the street..... why He chose to bless me with my children so close in age even though I thought "boy it sure would be nice to make it a whole year without getting pregnant!" Yes I am thankful.....

The days sometimes are long, the hours are not the best, and the pay (in dollars) is not good (I get a penny or dime if I am lucky here and there).... but the days are VERY rewarding! The hours of snuggles, hugs and kisses are amazing! and the pay.... well it may not be in dollars but its amazing! I get paid in drawings, castles made out of legos, and beautiful letters written to me out of the deepest most treasured parts of the heart! I am truly blessed beyond all measure!

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The Lord delights in the way of the man whose steps he has made firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.  Psalms 37:23-24 NIV


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Throw that attitude out the door....

"I DON'T WANT TO!"...... "WHY do I have to do my school?"...... "I ALREADY know how to do that!!" are all statements I sometimes hear in the morning.... well sometimes is actually an understatement. I actually hear at LEAST one of those every morning! You see, I home school Austanne (6 yrs in 1st grade) and Tabitha (5 yrs in Kindergarten). Typically those statements come from Austanne. So today was no shock when she began to whine and complain how its so horrible that she has to sit down and do her work instead of coloring in her coloring book.

Horrible mother I am, I am not enabling the artist within her to achieve its dreams to the fullest. I know... bad mom! Well at least in her world I am! We had a "nice" shall I say heart to heart conversation as I informed her she needed to grab her bad attitude and throw it out the front door.... begrudgingly she did..... she walked to the front door, I opened it and she signaled as to throw it out the door. Funny, she did not really aim. I said, "Austanne, you missed! Now pick that attitude up off the floor and throw it out the door!".... so she bent over, face all contorted in more ways than it should ever be, giving the look that could kill someone, as she reached over, grabbing her bad attitude and then threw it out the door! I said, "good job! Now... let's get your school work done!"

Not a happy little girl I have to say! But things changed in about two minutes when she heard the two best words a girl could EVER hear her age (in her mind at least!)...... bicycle ride! Yes! Today was nice and we can go ride bikes! My my... what a change in attitude! The child whose face was so contorted she looked like something off Ripleys Believe It Or Not was now looking like a beautiful angelic child.... the child I once thought I had bore. My how she completed all her work! My how happy and joyful she was!

How that strikes me as something that I can parallel in my life! When God says, "You need to do this.." I am thinking, "God.... why? I don't want to! It's not on my plans for the day.... I don't know if I can squeeze it in! You see, I have more important things I need to do today... like ___________ and ____________. " My am I SO guilty!

But God has greater plans for us! Greater plans for our day.... greater plans for our week and a much greater plan for our lives! He wants us to grow, just like I want to see my daughter grow in knowledge! He wants us to grow and stretch not only mentally, emotionally, socially... but even spiritually! He wants us to reach to Him, give HIM our trust, give HIM our faith..... give HIM our hearts!

I encourage you to take a moment, step back and think, "What am I doing today..... is this something God has for me to do or is this something I am planning to do just to keep away from doing what God has for me?" I encourage you to take a moment... are you missing out on those opportunities to grow just so you can sit in your room and "color in the coloring book"?

The bike ride was great! She had a lot of fun, racing me (and beating me!) while we played games and had an all around fun time! Was it worth laying down that coloring page to do a little work.... to get to the end goal...... I don't know... you tell me! 

Jeremiah 29:11

New International Version (NIV)

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Rainbows....

     Through the eyes of a child we can see so much! Where did our dreams go? Or our goals as a child? I often wonder about imagination and how the world seemed so full of possibilities and opportunities! On the way home from church last night David was looking at a picture we painted and laminated about a month ago. He was in awe of the rainbow asking what each vibrant color was.Then he excitedly asked if I could go get a rainbow for him.... to which I replied I could not, that I cannot get a rainbow from the sky. In his innocence he said, "that's okay Mommy, I can go climb up to the sky quickly and get a rainbow, and bring it back down!"
     Oh how sweet the innocence of a child! The world has not yet stomped and squashed out that imagination! He is still able to think freely, feel freely and create freely in his mind what it is he wants to do! Oh to have that childlike innocence at times! How often it seems I get caught up with needing to fold the laundry that has piled up for the last 2 weeks, giving the dogs yet another bath due to their love of mud puddles, or washing the walls where the children have decided it's easier to wipe a bugger there instead of blowing their nose and throwing the tissue away!
     I issue this challenge, to let go of the things that don't need to be done, and embrace those moments with those you love and care about, and let your imaginations flow freely! Get creative and do something together..... don't let the world squash those dreams!

2 Corinthians 5:8-10

New International Version (NIV)

⁸ We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹ So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.