So, me and Ree.
Pioneer Woman and Milpitas Mom.
Turns out we have a lot in common.
Well, a few things in common. We both like to eat. We both like to cook. We both like photography, although you'd never know it by the looks of this blog. BEGIN RABBIT TRAIL: This is not because I don't take an insane number of photographs. Because I do. It's because I've never learned (hangs head in shame) to get the photos from the camera into the computer. There. I said it. I rely on my former teenager to do that. Which brings me back to my original post idea. END RABBIT TRAIL. We both homeschool our kids, although she has been blessed with a bigger brood than I. We both like...well, you get the picture. We have stuffs in common, PW and I do.
Therefore, I shouldn't be surprised upon learning that she feels the same way about her kids growing up that I do, given that we're practically twins and all. In a nutshell, she's gonna miss them. Misses their babyhood already, in fact.
Ree, I feel your pain.
Why am I telling you this?
Because I got a little comment-spanking on my April 2nd entry. Just a little one, mind you, from friends I love dearly (Hi, KM! Hi, SN!). And it's my fault. I wrote an incomplete and slightly depressing entry about (picture my face melting a little here) My Baby Growing Up. And sort of ... left out all the good parts.
I intend to remedy that. But I have a few other things on my full plate that need attention first, so the editing will have to wait it's turn in line. The "good stuff" will be in another color, for your reading enjoyment ;) You are welcome, my friend. You are welcome.
And while you're waiting, please read how Ree--and about 5 billion other moms--feel when their babies gwow up a wittle:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/blog/2013/04/seven-years/#comments
"Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from Him." Psalm 127:5 (NLT)
Monday, April 8, 2013
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Best. Song. EVAH.
Been playing or singing this nearly nonstop for 4 days now.
We're attending a Cleansing Stream Retreat this Saturday. This is the time the enemy of our souls likes to mess with us, tries to separate us from our God, tries to cast doubt upon His greatness.
This song helps me remember that I'm on the winning team. I read the book, I know who wins. I will not be shaken. I will not renounce the name of my Lord and my Saviour, my best friend, the lover of my soul, Jesus Christ.
He overcame death for me, and for you. You don't have to earn it--it's done. You don't have to deserve it--none of us do. You don't have to "clean yourself up" before you let Jesus lead you--that's His job.
The only thing He asks is that you follow Him, the One who wears the Victor's Crown.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2nBOGA6X2g
"...they will receive the Crown of Life that God has promised to those who love Him."
James 1:12 (NLT)
(The Crown of Life refers to a Believer's reward at the judgement seat of Christ, mentioned as various images in the Bible, including those of precious metals, garments and crowns. (See Rev. 2:10, 2 Cor. 5:10, Rev. 22:12, 1 Cor. 3:8-14, Rev. 3:5, 18, 19:7-8, and for crowns, see 1 Cor. 9:25, Rev. 2:10 and 3:11.) None of us, no matter what we do or how "good" we believe we are, can get to Heaven on our own merit. Jesus grants us His Victor's Crown when we believe on Him and follow His ways. Go to www.biblegateway.com to look up specific verses if you do not own a Bible. Then call me--I will buy you one ;)
We're attending a Cleansing Stream Retreat this Saturday. This is the time the enemy of our souls likes to mess with us, tries to separate us from our God, tries to cast doubt upon His greatness.
This song helps me remember that I'm on the winning team. I read the book, I know who wins. I will not be shaken. I will not renounce the name of my Lord and my Saviour, my best friend, the lover of my soul, Jesus Christ.
He overcame death for me, and for you. You don't have to earn it--it's done. You don't have to deserve it--none of us do. You don't have to "clean yourself up" before you let Jesus lead you--that's His job.
The only thing He asks is that you follow Him, the One who wears the Victor's Crown.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2nBOGA6X2g
"...they will receive the Crown of Life that God has promised to those who love Him."
James 1:12 (NLT)
(The Crown of Life refers to a Believer's reward at the judgement seat of Christ, mentioned as various images in the Bible, including those of precious metals, garments and crowns. (See Rev. 2:10, 2 Cor. 5:10, Rev. 22:12, 1 Cor. 3:8-14, Rev. 3:5, 18, 19:7-8, and for crowns, see 1 Cor. 9:25, Rev. 2:10 and 3:11.) None of us, no matter what we do or how "good" we believe we are, can get to Heaven on our own merit. Jesus grants us His Victor's Crown when we believe on Him and follow His ways. Go to www.biblegateway.com to look up specific verses if you do not own a Bible. Then call me--I will buy you one ;)
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
My Baby's Birfday
Today is my precious first-daughter's birthday.
I can't believe it--it seemed just yesterday it was her birthday, and here it is, her birthday again.
And for some reason, I always get a little cryish on my kids' birthdays. Memories of when they were fuzzy-headed, helpless and toothless flood my mind, and if I'm honest, mistakes I've made enter in as well. There's a sense of wanting to go back in time, wanting to "do it all over again", to avoid the wrongs that I've committed in raising them.
And then, I remember that they are who they are as the sum total of their raising, their experiences, their own personalities, which were shaped by their raising and experiences. And I get happy again.
Happy Birthday to my precious, sweet, God-loving, gorgeous, intelligent, funny and talented daughter. I don't know if you'll ever realize how precious and special you are to me. Words can't really do the feelings of this mom justice.
I love you. I always have, and I always will.
"I will put my trust in Him, behold, I and the children God has given me." Hebrews 3:13
I can't believe it--it seemed just yesterday it was her birthday, and here it is, her birthday again.
And for some reason, I always get a little cryish on my kids' birthdays. Memories of when they were fuzzy-headed, helpless and toothless flood my mind, and if I'm honest, mistakes I've made enter in as well. There's a sense of wanting to go back in time, wanting to "do it all over again", to avoid the wrongs that I've committed in raising them.
And then, I remember that they are who they are as the sum total of their raising, their experiences, their own personalities, which were shaped by their raising and experiences. And I get happy again.
Happy Birthday to my precious, sweet, God-loving, gorgeous, intelligent, funny and talented daughter. I don't know if you'll ever realize how precious and special you are to me. Words can't really do the feelings of this mom justice.
I love you. I always have, and I always will.
"I will put my trust in Him, behold, I and the children God has given me." Hebrews 3:13
Monday, April 1, 2013
My change of heart over swaddled feet
I've had a meh-affair with Tom's shoes since they first became popular. I'm not overly fond of the style, although I'm all for comfort. When I heard someone refer to them as "Foot Diapers", I couldn't stop laughing. That is exactly what they look like to me.
My 8-year old daughter is getting her first pair of Tom's shoes soon. She's paying for them herself, with Birthday money and other money she's saved, as these Foot Diapers don't come cheap. They're ordered and on the way, and she is so excited :) My 19-year old has bought several pairs of Tom's, liking both the comfort and the fact that Tom's gives away a pair of shoes to a needy child for each pair sold.
But today, my skeptic's heart wondered: what kind of shoes are being given away? What if Tom's takes the money for these (seriously overpriced) shoes, and instead of giving away a similar pair, gives $5.00 flip-flops to impoverished kids? How awful would THAT be?
So I found this video...
http://youtu.be/7MV3HWQHl1s
...and can't stop crying.
All those little faces...all those little toes...they're so like my own kids, in so many ways.
All children love to play; all children love hanging out with friends, having fun.
But so many kids around the world have never had a pair of shoes of their own. While my 8-year old is excited that her new shoes are on the way, it's hardly the first pair she's received. She doesn't have to worry that a cut on her foot may lead to gangrene or tetanus or other life-threatening diseases. A new pair of shoes for us means something very different than a new pair of shoes for a child in extreme poverty. Here in the United States, we live with proper sewage facilities, free of diseases that children in third world countries succumb to every single day--diseases that could be prevented by protective footgear. We've got to stop thinking of "those" kids as people who are somehow different than us, happy to be shoeless, not bothered by the fact that they aren't protected against disease. Their little faces tell us they are exactly like us, like our kids, like we were as kids.
It's enough to make me want to purchase a pair of Tom's.
"Stand, therefore, having your ... feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace..." Ephesians 6:14-15 (KJV)
(This video not cooperating on Blogger. Please cut and paste to view--sorry. I promise it's worth 2 minutes of your time!)
My 8-year old daughter is getting her first pair of Tom's shoes soon. She's paying for them herself, with Birthday money and other money she's saved, as these Foot Diapers don't come cheap. They're ordered and on the way, and she is so excited :) My 19-year old has bought several pairs of Tom's, liking both the comfort and the fact that Tom's gives away a pair of shoes to a needy child for each pair sold.
But today, my skeptic's heart wondered: what kind of shoes are being given away? What if Tom's takes the money for these (seriously overpriced) shoes, and instead of giving away a similar pair, gives $5.00 flip-flops to impoverished kids? How awful would THAT be?
So I found this video...
http://youtu.be/7MV3HWQHl1s
...and can't stop crying.
All those little faces...all those little toes...they're so like my own kids, in so many ways.
All children love to play; all children love hanging out with friends, having fun.
But so many kids around the world have never had a pair of shoes of their own. While my 8-year old is excited that her new shoes are on the way, it's hardly the first pair she's received. She doesn't have to worry that a cut on her foot may lead to gangrene or tetanus or other life-threatening diseases. A new pair of shoes for us means something very different than a new pair of shoes for a child in extreme poverty. Here in the United States, we live with proper sewage facilities, free of diseases that children in third world countries succumb to every single day--diseases that could be prevented by protective footgear. We've got to stop thinking of "those" kids as people who are somehow different than us, happy to be shoeless, not bothered by the fact that they aren't protected against disease. Their little faces tell us they are exactly like us, like our kids, like we were as kids.
It's enough to make me want to purchase a pair of Tom's.
"Stand, therefore, having your ... feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace..." Ephesians 6:14-15 (KJV)
(This video not cooperating on Blogger. Please cut and paste to view--sorry. I promise it's worth 2 minutes of your time!)
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