Although I know that I wrote how important winter is in our lives a month or so back, I sure look forward to the springtime emerging.
I see glimmers of hope in the green grass that has recently sprung out of the ground in Arkansas. I know this post is relative to where you live, and some of you are still experiencing the tundra like-conditions of the winter, but please know that green grass and daffodils are on their way!
While I usually just find the closest cave and hibernate in the winter, this winter has been very different. I think I finally realized that I can survive winters and that I am not an animal.
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This last month has been challenging.
My son, Samuel, has been sick. Terribly sick. He’s finally been diagnosed with Celiac Disease, but we’re also seeing other specialists to determine any other underlying causes.
My heart hurts.
But this devotional isn’t about sickness. Rather, it’s about joy.
Yes, joy.
I’ve discovered that in the deepest and hardest places of life, there can be profound joy. Here’s the secret: it’s not from one’s self — it comes only from our gracious Father above.
I felt it.
My days of washing dishes and changing diapers and correcting papers and being a normal every day mom will return.
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You have heard the old retort to when a kid asks his parents how he came into the world: “The stork brought you.” I’ve decided that is actually a pretty good response to my nine-year-old daughter and eleven-year-old son. Yes, we have already had the “s” talk, but more than anything I need them to know something even more important… Someone who loves you and will protect you to the death brought you into this world.
I have been stumbling through the book of Job lately. Job has really been difficult for me to glean much from because I just keep going back to the fact that Job’s friends are just jerks dishing out a bunch of twisted truth.
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And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. Luke 2:52 NIV
Earlier this month, we started talking about what it takes to raise godly men. I shared a little bit about how God captured my heart and gave me the desire to be a boy mom. If you have not had a chance to read it yet, then take a minute to go back and read it (Raising Godly Men, Part 1).
I shared about how to get started if your boys are in preschool and now I want to take a minute to talk about elementary, middle, and high school boys.
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It’s past the middle of January.
We’ve had a good three plus weeks to work on those resolutions. Over 26 days. Many hours. Maybe you’re right on track with those goals for 2011. Or maybe, just maybe, you’re like me and haven’t been perfect with those new resolutions. Or you stopped.
That’s okay.
Life isn’t about a one time commitment to change something. Developing a new habit involves persistence and constant diligence. Oh yeah, and faith. Faith? Yes, faith. Because deep down we need to begin to replace the doubts that we can do something with the new belief and mindset that we will accomplish those goals.
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As a mom, I have often sent my children to the “time out” chair or corner. Sometimes it would be 15 minutes, or 30 minutes. It was an opportunity for my children to sit quietly and reflect on their behaviors, attitudes and motives. I cannot say that it always worked, but when it did, I was thankful because their hearts were changed.
Lately, I have been wanting to give myself a time out. Not so much for discipline, but just to simply be alone. I feel an increased need for moments in my day where I can breathe in Jesus and exhale the cares of the world.
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I drove along the unfamiliar road, going maybe 50 mph at best. The sun was quickly setting in the west, much faster than I had hoped. I had left my house forty minutes earlier for the hour and a half road trip, equipped with nothing more than anxiety over navigating country roads by myself and – of course – my trusty GPS.
His name is Walter. You know, the faceless guy who gives you minute-by-minute driving directions. The same one that announces, “You missed your exit. One moment. Redirecting.” Walter and I had made several trips together before this night, and he’d not given me any reason to doubt him before now.
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Written on
January 17, 2011 by
Amy in
Blog
Ever had those days when you felt you were throwing up emergency prayers that seemed unimportant in the big scheme of things? You know the ones. “Lord, please let me find my car keys or I’m going to be late, again.” “Lord, please let me find a parking place close to the door, because I have to get these children and all this stuff in that store quickly in the rain.” “Lord, please let my child sleep through the night, because I have to get some sleep.”
If you are a mom, I’m sure you’ve prayed one or more of these prayers on some occasion.
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