After {Five Minute Friday}

Every Friday Lisa Jo Baker gives a prompt and many bloggers like myself take that prompt and write for just five minutes.  It is a wonderful community and if you blog I encourage you to try it.  Writing for five minutes is the perfect way for me to ease back into blogging after an very unexpected gap of three weeks.  In that three weeks much has happened, mostly illness, Easter, and company.  But also, my sweet sister-in-law started her own blog.  Anyway, today's prompt is After!  And here I go:

After
After illness.  After the exhaustion of caring for sick little ones.  After the whole house seems to be falling apart.  How do I pick up the pieces?  How do I care for us all better so one virus doesn't seem to make me lose three weeks. 

After Easter.  After my Lord Jesus died.  How did they pick up the pieces?  Life had changed forever, in a way so much more significantly than the illness at my house.  Jesus died for sins, rose from the dead, and sent the Holy Spirit.  And the early believers transitioned from Judaism to Christianity.

So how do I keep my eyes focused on Him who I cannot see? Instead of on earthly things like the messes and to dos?  And know when to quit doing when the work never ends?  I don't know.  Maybe we can figure it out together.

And my five minutes are up.

I wanna go HOME {Five Minute Friday}

Yeah! It is Friday!  It has been an odd week in Cincinnati with a snow day in the middle of the week, so it feels more like Tuesday than Friday.  But I will take it :)  So, since it is Friday it is time for Five Minute Friday where a whole bunch of us all write about one word, given to us by Lisa Jo Baker.  It is all about encouragement and acceptance, not editing or over-thinking.  The only thing is we can only write for five minutes.

And this week the prompt is: HOME

Home, what can I say about home?  As a kid I was raised in a Navy house.  I think this really changed my attitude about home.  I didn't move as often as some Navy kids, but still to me home is people not a place or a house.  Home is being with family.

I will admit that for a while I thought of my grandparent's house as home.  A great big Victorian home in Montana.  But, that got too big and too hard to maintain.  They sold it and moved to the town where my aunt lived.  And then for sure, there was no physical place to call home.

Now still, even though it is no longer the Navy moving us around, I haven't lived for more than five years in one place.  I am ready to call Cincinnati home.  But really, deep down, I know that God has not called us to call earth our home.  As Christians, our real home is in heaven.  And that is the home I should be longing for.  And indeed I do.

STOP

But our citizenship is in heaven – and we also await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform these humble bodies of ours ³⁰  into the likeness of his glorious body by means of that power by which he is able to subject all things to himself.
Philippians 3:20-21 NET Bible

Ordinary {Five Minute Friday}

It is Friday and I am posting my Five Minute Friday with Lisa Jo Baker.  Actually on Friday this time, instead of Sunday.  Must mean something is going right this week.  This is the time where we all come together and type for just five minutes on a prompt word.  No over thinking, no editing, just come as you are and everyone is welcome.  And this week our prompt is:

Ordinary

GO

Ordinary.  Am I just an ordinary girl?  Of course, so why is it that I don't want to feel ordinary?
My heart desires to be special.  Unique.  Individual.  And of course I am that too.  How can that be?
How is it that both can be so true?  We are all special, unique and individual.
Yet, Jesus.  My Lord and God.  The Bible says he was ordinary.  Well, at least he appeared ordinary.  Yet He was divine.  He was content to give up heaven and live on earth as an ordinary man.  To save us from our sins.  But I struggle with ordinary.  With ordinary tasks.  Ordinary life.
When I think about it, I am convinced that to earthly eyes there is much ordinary.  Cooking, cleaning, little ones to watch, care for, grow up.  But spiritually there is no ordinary.  Spiritually we are on a great adventure with God.  Because He is not ordinary.  We just have to keep our spiritual eyes open and looking at Him to see our lives as He does.
Extraordinary.

Stop

He had no stately form or majesty that might catch our attention,

no special appearance that we should want to follow him.
Isaiah 53:2b

Rejoice Feb 16th- Feb 24th

Feb 16th 3 Gifts in shadows
140  Back pain
141  Interrupted sleep
142  Relationship challenges

Feb 17th 3 Gifts found giving/serving
143  Endless housework; prayer time for me and mine
144  "Mom, where can I serve?"
145  "Yum, this is good!"

Feb 18th 3 Gifts on paper
146  Car title
147  Gratitude List
148  Diploma

Feb 19th 3 Gifts that were plan B's
149  Hot running water and a bath
150  Home in Ohio
151  Change in thesis topic
152  Motorcycle/Bus

Feb 20th A Gift at breakfast, lunch, and dinner
153   Oh, honey!
154  Homemade tortillas with butter and lentil dahl.
155  "Wait, you forgot! What was your best part of day, Mommy?"

Feb 21st 3 Gifts white
156  Resume Paper
157  Fluffy clouds
158  Flour
159 Jujube's half birthday!

Feb 22nd 3 Gifts that changed today
160  Job referral
161  9mo Well Baby visit
162  Date night
163 Delayed start on school day off
164 Sleepover with friend
165 Brother's birthday

Feb 23rd A gift of tin, glass, wood
166  St. Patrick's Day door plaque
167  Antique beveled glass powder box from great grandma

168 Grandmother clock from hubby's grandpa

Feb 24th 3 Gifts before 11am
169  Coupons in the paper
170  Coffee with cream and sugar
171  Good Sermon on respectable sins: Apathy

Five Minute Friday...on Sunday

I think it goes without saying that life has been a little busy if I miss the Five Minute Friday Twitter Party and I don't get to my Five Minute Friday post until Sunday night.  Let's just say that hubby is out of town, I am writing resumes and looking for a job.  Oh, and Miss Froggie had water spilled all over her laptop.  Which means I am sharing this one with her.  All that adds up to very little time left over with a computer to write on.  Thanks for hanging in there with me.

So, the prompt for this week is: What Mama Did
GO

What Mama Did
My Mama was a Navy wife.  To me that means she did it all.  Sometimes with Dad gone for six months or more at a time.  She ran the daily round, got it all done, packed us up and moved us to a new town all by herself.  Friends called her Donna Reed.  I think that is because we had family dinner and she always had a smile on her face.

But, you don't really know what Mama did until you have been with her on a trip!  Trips with Mama require a vacation from your vacation!  Also meticulously planned with activities that each person would enjoy.  And the only "down" time was the time it took to drive there in a car!  And oh the vacations we took.  By the time I started college I had been to all but three of the United States.  And I had been to France and Italy!  Sometimes it helps to have a dad in the Navy...an excuse to visit.

We drove across country, went spelunking, hiking in Yellowstone, swimming in the ocean on both coasts.  Train trips, car trips, and airplane rides.  Only boat trips were left to dad.  That is what my Mama did.

Rejoice February 10th- 15th

February 10th-15th

10th- 3 times you heard laughter today
122.  Martian Mold
123.  Ellen and Amy "Hello?  Is it me you are looking for?"
124.  Pillow fight

11th 3 Gifts in Working
125.  Avodah my work is also worship
126.  My work is a prayer for me and mine
127.  My work is exercise and allows rest

12th  Hard Eucharisteos
128. Friend's baby in the hospital
129. Friends preschooler with brain cancer
130.  Tight finances

13th  Gifts behind a door
131.  Friends
132.  Restaurant kitchens
133.  Ash Wednesday service

14th 3 ways you feel the love of God
134.  Flowers
135. Creation
136.  Music

15th A gift in losing, finding, making something
137.  Losing weight
138.  Friends and sleepovers
139.  Dinner

Beloved {Five Minute Friday}

I always enjoy writing for the Five Minute Friday link up with Lisa-Jo Baker.  And this week is no exception.  Every week we write for 5 minutes flat on a prompt word.  No over-thinking, no worries about editing or typos.  One of the reasons I love it is because of all the friends I write with and how accepting and encouraging they are.  If you have blog you should join us next week.  This week the word is:

BELOVED

Beloved.  Don't we all just long to feel beloved.  That most important person in the world to someone special.  Cherished and adored.  And in the wake of Valentine's Day, it is especially clear whether feel beloved or not.

Usually I do not think of Valentine's Day as a religious holiday.  And yet this year it fell right after the beginning of lent.  And so I am struck that even with my beloved husband and children and family, none of them are the ones who love me best.  It is as I tell my Jujube,  "I love you so much, but Jesus loves you more."

Why is that so easy for me to tell my children and so hard for me to really feel.  To really accept that I am Jesus' BELOVED?  I know he must of loved me very much to leave heaven and die for me.   I relate to him as friend, servant, disciple.  But BELOVED?  What an intimacy that implies.  Oh how I want more and more intimacy with Him.  I am reminded of what I recently read in Luke 20 in the Message.  "Those who are included in the resurrection of the dead will no longer be concerned with marriage nor, of course, with death.  They will have better things to think about, if you can believe it.  All ecstasies and intimacies then will be with God."

All I can do is stand amazed and hope you feel BELOVED by him as I do this weekend.

Rejoice Jan 27th - Feb 9th

Well, its been too long since I updated my Joy Dare List so I have included it today.  I have also been wrestling with God on going back to work. I don't really have it all worked out in my mind yet, although I know God does.  I previously wrote about why I am now a stay at home mom.  I still believe everything I wrote there.  Honestly, I wholeheartedly agree that moms should be home with their babies. I do.  But I wouldn't be able to prove it by my past actions.  I cannot explain this belief alongside the knowledge that God called me to work before and that He is calling me to go back to work now.  I have been resisting.  I'd like to pretend that I am all on board now.  But some days I am and some days I am not.  The funny thing is, once I do it, I know I will love it.  I love serving kids and families through my work.  I do not know exactly where He is sending me to work.  But right now I am praying that it is part time and/or that I get off work by the time the girls are out of school.  And so, I have been updating my resume and soon will send it out.  Depending on what happens, my blog may take some turns.  But I do plan to keep blogging and I am excited to see where God is taking me, and us.  I am honored that you read my blog and stuck with me to hear my struggle with returning to work.

January
27th Three Gifts in the kitchen
80.  San Francisco Sourdough culture
81.  Bulgarian yogurt culture and yogurt maker
82.  Candles

28th 3 Graces found in friends
83.  Encouragement
84.  Motivation
85.  Energy

29th A song heard, a soft word, light seen
86. Hallelujah
87. "I love you  mommy"
88.  Mission Statement hard to write if avoiding God's call

30th 3 old things seen new
89. New Testament in The Message version
90. Eucharist
91. my calling

31st A gift on paper, in person, in a picture
92.  48 days to a job you love
93. Job contact
94.  Granny

February
1st 3 Gifts Red
95.  Red breastfeeding dress
96.  Valentine's Welcome door decoration
97.  Red frosted sugar cookies

2nd 3 Gifts on paper
98. Photographs
99.  Jujube's artwork
100.  Coupons

3rd 3 Gifts in writing
101.  Blogging friends
102.  Scripture memory work
103.  Self discovery

4th 3 Gifts found while bent down
104.  Money in the laundry
105.  Full drawers of baby clothes
106.  Baby crawling

5th A gift stitched, hammered, woven
107. Stitched jeans
108. Bookshelves
109.  Warm blankets

6th 3 Gifts outside
110.  Pure White Snow
111.  Bright Red Cardinal
112.  Bare Trees

7th Gift at 1130, 230, and 630
113.  Lunch with Jujube and Baby
114.  Miss Froggie home from school
115.  Dinner as a family

8th A gift broken, fixed, thifted
116.  Precious Moments figurine
117.  Car
118.  Dresser

9th  3 Surprise gifts- unexpected grace!
119.  State Income Tax return early!
120.  Guest for dinner
121.  Blue sunny sky

Bare {Five Minute Friday}

It is Friday and after having a blast at the #FMFparty twitter party, I'm writting along with many others on the one word prompt that Lisa-Jo Baker picked for us and I'm linking up with them again.  The beauty of it is that it is midnight I only have 5 minutes and I'm told not to edit or over-analyze.  Often in these times it seems God speaks more clearly, at least to me.  Tonight I am one handed and joined by baby.  So here it goes:

BARE

Jesse Bear what will you wear in the morning? Jesse Bare what will you wear at night?

You can't go outside, you have bare feet.  "Silly mommy, I don't have bear feet.  I have Jujube feet".

Oh, the things the word bare brings up in me.  Mostly silly fun things.  And yet I know, there will be a time when I am laid bare before Him!  And He was laid bare for me on the cross.

Why is it that as kids being bare is silly and fun, no cause for shame at all?  But as we grow, age, mature, being bare is uncomfortable, embarrassing, shameful, painful? 

What is it that I am covering up?  I know I cannot really hide anything from Him.  But I am often successful at hiding things from myself.  At least temporarily.

I came into the world bare and I will return to Him bare.  I might as well get comfortable that way.  But oh, He will cover me.  And that will be the day.

Blessed ⁸  are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 
Romans 4:7 NET Bible

Afraid {Five Minute Friday}

It is Friday, so I am linking up again with Five Minute Friday over at Lisa-Jo Baker's website.  We write for just five minutes about a prompt that she gives us.  No over thinking, no editing. Just my style.  And this week's word is AFRAID.

GO

Afraid.  Am I afraid?  Do I even allow myself to think about my fear?  Isaac and Jacob called you the Fear.  Yet, I am not usually afraid of you.  Maybe I should have more fear of the Lord.  And less fear of the world.  Fear of what happens if I do go back to work.  And what happens if I don't. 
Fear of relationships, pain, and ...

And, I guess the rest of my fear comes from protecting my pride.  Not exactly something to be proud of.
Does that come from years of making sure that no one sees when I am afraid?
And how to I cease striving and just let You make me into what you want me to be?

 

Maybe I am too afraid to let go?  Things for me to meditate on in Your presence.

Again

It is Friday again already.  And while I can't believe it the last Friday in January, I am super excited to link up again with Lisa-Jo Baker for Five Minute Friday.  This is where we all link up our posts on one word.  We have just five minutes to type about whatever word Lisa-Jo chooses.  No editing, no over thinking.  And this week it is:

AGAIN
Again I fix breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Again I wash the dishes.
Again I try to tidy the house, nurse the baby,  pick up the kids.
Again I work to settle the arguments.
It seems I get nothing lasting done.

Much like my prayers.  Again I failed you Jesus.  Again my tongue ran wild.  Again I did what I did not want to do.  Again you gave me grace.  Again you pay the price.

And then, my Jujube answers the question.  Who is your favorite super hero?
He says "Jesus, Jesus is my super hero"
And He is mine too.
It seems maybe Jesus and I are getting something lasting done.

Rejoicing in this weeks gifts

It has already been another week in January.  I cannot believe how fast the weeks go by.  I have still not gotten the daily habit of each days gifts.  But even naming them in fits and spurts has been a blessing and cause for rejoicing!  But a do believe that the best growth happens slowly and consistently, not by fits and spurts, so I will try again to do better this week at naming my gifts daily. 

12^th Something above below beside

35. Hardwood trees

36. A yard

37. My husband

13^th  3 things about yourself you are grateful for

38. Petite

39. Discernment

40. Compassion

14^th 3 startling graces of God

41. He gave up His Son for me

42. I can start new every day

43. I am not too much for Him

15^th A gift worn given away shared

44. Bracelets

45. Time for a friend

46. Necklace, handheld blender, computer, kindle

16^th 3 witnessed blessings

47. Another year of life

48. A child finding friends at church

49. Celebrations large and small

17^th A gift bringing laughter prayer quiet

50. Pillow fight with kids

51. Blogging friends

52. MOPS day out

18^th 3 gifts from God’s word

53. Song of Songs 4:7

54. Proverbs 18:24

55. Matt 5:4

Cherished

Every Friday I link up with some wonderful ladies and type for just five minutes about a word that Lisa-Jo Baker chooses for us.  And this weeks word is Cherished.

GO

Cherished.  What every little girl longs to be.  Cherished.  Noticed.
Look at me.  Watch me.
Look at me twirl daddy.  Do you like my dress?  How about my make-up?
Let's have a fashion show.
We grow up.  We learn that not everyone cherishes us.
We become wary of showing our sparkle to just anyone.

But our daddy in heaven, He watches. And waits for it.
Did you see me daddy?
Yes daughter.  And you are so beautiful.
And I cherish you.
You are altogether beautiful, my darling! There is no blemish in you! (Song of Songs 4:7 NET)

STOP

 For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. He has chosen you to be his people, prized above all others on the face of the earth.  (Deu 14:2 NET)

Accountability time

The second weekend in January and time for me to post on how I've been doing with my goals.  In case you missed what these goals are I will relist them here:

Relationship with God
1.  Scripture Memory
2.  Joy Dare
3.  Read Bible in a Year
4.  Learn to pray without ceasing (in the midst of doing life)

Relationship with others
1.  Schedule time
2.  Be intentional
3.  Pray for more ideas

Other stuff
1.  Exercise 90 minutes a week
2.  Get enough sleep
3.  Pray about job

Breastfeeding Goals
1.  Breastfeed baby (the entire year Lord willing) and then wean early 2014.
2.  Write a weekly post for the breastfeeding bloghop.
3.  Take one continuing education class on breastfeeding.
4.  Explore ways to support or encourage a culture of breastfeeding.
5.  Pray about my long term goals related to breastfeeding.

OK, so wow!  15 goals.  I hadn't really written it out this way before.  So here is the update.
I am on track for  memorizing Romans Chapters 1, 8 and 12 this year, which means I memorized Romans 1:1-4.  So far I am keeping up with Bible reading.  I have been praying a little more, so I guess I am on track but not where I want to be. Now, here is my Joy Dare for the week, but I got behind and had to catch up.  I haven't really made this a habit yet.

7th Three Graces From People You Love

19.  Jujube saying grace

20.  Birthday presents from my mom

21.  Mamamama with a toothy grin from baby

8th Dusky Light Surprising Reflection Lovely Shadow

22.  Bedtime routine with Jujube

23.  A walk to the dentist

24.  Marriage = shadow of Jesus and his bride

9th A gift held passed by sat with

25.  The baby

26.  The kitchen

27.  Jujube snuggles and toy room play

10th A gift sour, sweet, just right

28.  A friend couldn’t come to MOPS, but it allowed me to get to know others better

29.  Chick-fil-A sauce on nuggets

30.  Lunch with new friends while littles play

11th 3 yellow gifts of fresh mercy

31.  Safety on the road

32.  Encouragement for courage and bravery

33.  Exercise and Fun at the Zoo

34.  Embracing my “yellow” personality

I guess I scheduled time for friends and Jujube this week with MOPS and the Zoo.  But I need to schedule time for Dear Husband and the girls.  And I have lots of work to do to improve being present and intentional during the times we get.  It is way to easy for me to be multitasking because of all there is to do. Between the zoo and the walk to the dentist I got all the 90 minutes of exercise in.  I think this counts. I did NOT get enough sleep.  Usually because I went to bed too late.  I breastfed the baby and wrote my post for the breastfeeding bloghop, but that is all I did for breastfeeding goals.  Please pray for us and God's will for me and a job.  We are at a place where we will have to cut some more from the budget for me to continue to stay home.  Most of the easy cuts have been made.  So now the only left to do is cut kids activities or start bringing in more money. And cutting gymnastics is so hard...

Dive

Well, it's Friday again.  And you know what that means.  It's time to link up with Lisa-Jo Baker and Five Minute Friday!  We take one word and write for just five minutes.  No over thinking, no editing. And today's word is DIVE

GO

Dive.  Dive in.  Take the plunge as MOPS says this year.  But am I really willing?  To dive I have to take my feet off the ground.  I have to jump.  Jump in head first.  I should be able to.  I like adventure.  I get bored with routine.  But, I like controlled adventure.  Like a good roller coaster or a scary movie.  I know how its going to end.

Of course, really we know how this life is going to end too.  Jesus already won when he stayed on the cross and conquered death.  He is good and He will rule over all.  This physical life it is just about whose side I am on.  His or not. 

O why is it that I find it so hard?  Why does momentary suffering and pain bother me so much?  The Bible says that I am to count it all joy.  To consider myself blessed to suffer for Christ.  Sometimes I am not sure if I suffered for Christ, or for my own selfish self-centeredness.  Or some of both.

But the memory keeps me here.  Not willing to dive in.  Not willing to risk again.  Not moving forward in growth.  And so He waits.  Because He is full of grace.  He has time for me to get brave enough to try again.  He is Good.  And in the end He will perfect the thing He started in me.

STOP

Thanks for stopping by today for Five Minute Friday.

Rejoice in this week's gifts

I am participating in the Joy Dare this year and posting it on my blog to keep me accountable.  The Joy dare gives three prompts for each day of the year.  Sometimes it will be very clear how my gift relates to the prompt, and sometimes it may not seem to relate at all.  I plan on posting it on the weekend and linking up with Ann Voskamp on Mondays.

January

1st Three Gifts Heard

 1. The Baby starting to babble.

 2. Jujube saying "Thank you, you are my good mommy”.

 3. The noise of a bustling house full of happy kids. 

2nd Outside inside on a plate

 4. Snow on trees and grass but not streets

 5. Central heating

 6. Strawberry cheesecake

3rd 3 graces overheard

7. Passion 2013

8. Not sick in December

9. FMFParty

4th A gift old new blue

10. A (old) car that works

11. Healthy kids

12. Sun and a blue sky

5th Something you are reading, making, seeing

13. EntreLeadership by Dave Ramsey

14. Mimosa soup and homemade yogurt

15. Life slowed down

6th One thing in your bag, your fridge, your heart
16. Coupons
17.  Cultures for health (San Francisco sourdough and Bulgarian yogurt cultures)
18.  Jesus and that he saved me

Doors of Opportunity

Lisa Jo at The Gypsy Mama gives us a prompt at midnight every Friday night and then we write for just 5 minutes.  No editing, no over thinking.  And we all get together for a twitter party at #FMFParty for a couple hours before the prompt is given. But we took the month of December off.  And oh how I have missed it.  I am so glad it is back.

Today's prompt is: Opportunity

Opportunity
Wow.  What a word to write about now.  Just now while the baby us crying and wants to nurse and I'm typing with one hand?  Do I get twice as long with one hand?

Opportunity.  What we all want for our kids.  What I want for myself this year.  But only God can give the opportunities that matter.

The opportunity to share with another abut Christ.  To disciple a child.  To effect eternity.
I'm tempted to focus on the opportunities of this world instead of His kingdom.
But Lord, let me instead focus on Your Son and the opportunities You are bringing for me to share in Your Work.