Super Star Mom

If I write about my less than brilliant Mommy moments,
I figure it's only fair I share a more shining moment.

Shining like the stars, actually.

Yesterday this article popped up on my browser. 

So last night this morning around 12:30, I spread an old comforter on the ground, grabbed a blanket, and woke up all 3 children (and the dog).  We laid under the stars in our backyard for a good 45 minutes.

GREAT time.  Worth the lack of sleep.  I highly recommend this activity - even without a  meteor shower.

P.S. - Thanks, Papa, for doing this with me when I was a little girl.  What a gift you gave me.  An appreciation for the heavens, and a great activity to pass on to my children.

Genesis 1:16-18:  God made two great lights - the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night.  He also made the stars.  God set them in the expanse of the sky t o give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness.  And God saw that it was good.

Psalms 19:1 - The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.

Wanted: Stay-at-Home-Homeschooling-MOM

Wanted:
Woman in mid 30's to raise, nurture, and teach 3 young children.
Experience Needed:  None. On-the-job training provided (by yourself)
Pay:  $ 0

*Applicant will be able to cook (passably) healthy meals, clean the home (at least when company is coming), coordinate everyone's schedules, chauffeur children to multiple activities, and be involved in said activities.
*Applicant must be able to Band-Aid a cut too small to see, ice-pack a non-existent bump on the forehead, kiss a scraped knee, and enforce "no blood, no problem" policy.
*Applicant must be impervious to whining, begging, and shouts of  "you're just not being fair to me!", or "You never let me have any fun!"
*Applicant must be very patient during spontaneous games of 20 million questions - and be able to come up with clever answers.
*Applicant must be proficient in elementary math and reading.  (Grammar rules are conveniently explained in workbooks).
*Applicant must convincingly fake enthusiasm for elementary science bug projects.
*Applicant must not then become daunted by year-end shouts of, "I don't LIKE school!"
*Applicant must have desire for children to know of God's love, and to teach children to show God's love to others through actions and words.  This includes treatment of siblings.
*Applicant must be emotionally available at all times.  Even when emotionally unstable herself, or at inopportune times.... such as the middle of the night.... multiple times per night.

** This is also an investment opportunity!
Initial investment:  Everything you have
ROI:  Immeasurable.  Will see ROI in 20-25 years.

If interested, please contact Britt.  She is considering taking a 1 year LOA on a non-disclosed tropical island.

(Of course I do NOT wish to give up being mother to my 3 wonderful children.
And this is in no way a slam against work-outside-the-home moms, or those who do not homeschool)

Mommy Fail

Flipping open my Bible this morning, Proverbs 12:18a caught my eye...
"Reckless words pierce like a sword..."

Ouch!  Sure wish I would have meditated on that verse yesterday.

It was the end of a looonnng week of Dan being out of country, lots of activities going on, pain in the neck (literally), and more than enough projects to keep me overly busy. 
Still no excuse, though.  My main job this past week???? 
Being a single parent.  Being a MOM..... and I had  a major FAIL moment.

You see, earlier in the day, my 6 year old daughter, Kaylin, accidentally shut the back door on my 8 year old son's fingers... causing him to cry.  Then, at lunch, Kaylin accidentally shut the utensil drawer on my 4 year old daughter's fingers... making her cry. 
I, in all kindness and wisdom and love (sarcasm) , wheeled on Kaylin, and practically hissed,

"KAYLIN!  This is the second time you've slammed someones fingers today!  You have GOT to be more CAREFUL!!!"

Kaylin, who's love language is words of praise, just wilted and went in a corner and cried.

Makes me cry typing it out. 

How could I blurt that at her?  Kaylin hadn't even done it on purpose!

Anyway, thought I would share.  This blog IS about being REAL.  And I had a real Mommy Fail moment yesterday.

Thankfully, Kaylin forgave me...... and so does God.

I'm so glad HIS mercies are new every morning.

Think I'll go read Proverbs 12:18 one more time......

Stand Firm - Speak Truth continually to Our Kids

Growing up, there are two quotes I remember my Mom pounding into my brain.  Well, besides the usual
"chew with your mouth closed" or "work before play", etc....  :)  Did Mom stop spouting these two quotes when I turned 18? 
Oh No.
Somewhere in a college dorm addressed letter, or tucked into an email my Mom inevitably quoted 1 of 2 Bible verses:
1) 3 John 4:  I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
or
2) Something about "Standing Firm"
I'm sorry, Mom.  I do not remember the verse you used to back that up.  Perhaps that is because there are so many verses on standing firm to be found in the Bible???  (I tried looking up your specific choice verse, and could not narrow it down) 
OR - perhaps it is because I usually just thought, "yah, yah.  Stand firm.  What a weird piece of advice, Mom."
Yes.  I knew some of the references to standing firm found in the Bible, and that it was important to not be swayed as a boat on the ocean waves.  However, it seemed like kind of "blah" advice.
No,  "go get 'em, tiger" or "be all you can be" or "shoot for the stars" or "you can do anything you set your mind to".
Does anyone see a corelation in the phraes I would have picked for myself?
I am a doer.  A planner.  A control freak.
I would like to believe that if I set my mind and talents to any task, well, then I can achieve it.
If you read my last post, you understand I haven't done a very good job of directing my own life on my own power lately.

I forgot to stand firm.  To stand firm in HIS (God's) mighty power.   I forgot to stand firm with the armor of God in place.....and I fell for the devil's schemes.  (Ephesians 6:10,11)

It is kind of ironic that the hoemschool verses I just had my children learn a couple weeks ago were Ephesians 6:10,11 and 6:13-17. 
And this morning, various verses on "stand firm" kept popping out at me.
I think I'm going to reflect on "standing firm" and "resisitng the devil's schemes" the next few quiet times.

Thanks Mom.  Thanks for being wise and pounding Truth into my brain over the years.  I didn't want to hear "stand firm", but it is what I needed to hear - even all these years down the road.

And that reminds me.  As a Mom, I often wonder if the little "darts" of wisdom I try and throw at my children ever stick.  I must remember that God can use those darts to plant seeds of wisdom in my children's hearts.  Seeds that might not grow for years.  And the more darts I throw, the more likely I will hit a bullseye.
Okay, with my aim, I have to throw lots of darts, but you get the picture :)

Here is to standing firm as Moms and continuing to speak Truth to our children!

Bad Mom???

Last night I let my children stay up until midnight, watching movies and eating junk food.
Today I let them eat as much candy as they wanted for "lunch".

Am I a bad Mom?

Before you judge me, let me explain:
Dan and I host a couples Christmas party every year.  On that evening, we let our kids have their own party upstairs with goodies.  They get to stay up as long as they are being good.
Another annual tradition is getting together with friends to decorate graham cracker houses with candy.
It just so happened these 2 traditions fell back to back this year.

So no, I do not normally let my children stay up until midnight or eat as much candy as they want.

This scenario brings a couple of thoughts to mind. 

1) It would be really easy for someone to read the first two sentences of this post and judge me as a bad Mom.  It made me think, how often am I judgemental of other Moms based on what I see at first glance?  Or on what she may allow her children to do that is different from what I do as a Mom?  Heaven forbid another Mom sets different bedtimes or food choice allowances or TV watching times from my holy standard!
Lord help me not be so judgemental.  May I look at the plank of bad Mom moments in my own eye before judging the specs in another Mother's eye!  May I be quicker to offer genuine assistance and support to other moms, rather than condemning thoughts.  Amen.

Interactive Segment:
2)  I was curious what Christmas traditions you ladies may have with your kids? 
        (Especially if they involve something that could be considered "bad Mom")   :)