Mud: A Child's Playground

Mommy Mondays

Mud. Is there anything more fun for kids?

Across the street, some warehouses will eventually invade our country fields, but in the meantime, they're building a "green space" and giant berm that is supposed to block our view. To the kids, it's been an adventure. Giant construction machines fill our kitchen picture window daily.

We'll be in the middle of studying the Shang Dynasty when a child will pipe up, "Look, the excavator is stuck, and the dump truck is coming to the rescue!"

This weekend, we went rock climbing on the berm. Well, mud climbing. It smells a little like manure, but kids don't care. Mud under finger nails. Brown streaks on jeans. Dust in their hair.

It's pretty awesome.

I did this as a kid too. We went in the back fields where a quarry now sits and swam in a swampy mud hole. My mom just hosed us off outside.

What is it about dirt that is so fun for kids and so undesirable for adults? I tried to play a little in it, but after I fell and about smashed apart my hip, I became a strict observer.

Maybe kids remember that we're from dirt, and they're ok with it. But as adults, we don't like to think we're from dirt. Maybe we were fashioned from something more beautiful, like marble. Or granite, that is hard and unmoving. Maybe I've been made of something more modern, like plastic.

I'm glad God remembers where I came from. He created me! He's patient and understanding with me, remembering that I'm from dust. On this Monday morning, I'm thankful for that. For His forgiveness and longsuffering with all my faults. I pray that I can share with others the same grace He's given me.

When my dirty three year old wanted me to carry him back to the house, I lifted him up and allowed his dirt to cover me. Because I love him.

Jesus got dirty for me, because He loves me.

When I get annoyed at the "beep beep beep" of the backing up machines, I'll use it to remind me of this truth. 

Do you have a passion?

Mommy Mondays

My friend asked me yesterday, "What are you passionate about?" I didn't have an answer right away.

The word zeal might be a better word, defined as "strong, enthusiastic devotion to a cause, ideal, or goal and tireless diligence in its furtherance."

I don't know that I really have a passion. Not like other people. Not like you read about. Not a single driving mission.

I said, "I guess that every day, I want to be doing what God wants me to do."


But it isn't as though God says, "Good morning, Sunshine," and hands me a neatly written to-do list.

So that passion is rather vague. I love things -- my kids, my husband, the Bible -- but is that the same as a passion?

Passion. Zeal. Calling. We chatted about Moses in the wilderness as a shepherd for 40 years before the burning bush called him. Most days, we just need to feed the sheep and haul the water from the well.

What about you? Do you have a passion?

Learning to Let Go

Mommy Mondays

Have you noticed how College dorms are starting to look like fashionable mini-apartments? Maybe it's just that Facebook has opened this phase of life up to me in new ways.

I'm grieving with parents who post: "Many tears were shed as we drove away." One sweet teen set-up a beautiful table with candles and a family favorite board game on her last night at home. Talk about tugging at the heart.

My oldest is already wearing my socks. In a few years we'll be hauling all of her belongings in the back of our truck.

How do I learn to let go? 

This idea of letting go expands beyond my children. One man at church whose daughter just left for China said, "I think life is full of hellos and goodbyes." 

As God moves the pieces of my life, I feel like He's asking me, "If everything changes, am I enough?" Does He have 'permission' to arrange them differently than I've planned?

Friendships. 

Traditions.

Relationships. 

Goals. 

Ministries.

Have you heard Francesca Battistelli's song "I'm Letting Go" yet? I love her music & lyrics:

I'm letting go
Of the life I planned for me
And my dreams
I'm losing control
Of my destiny
It feels like I'm falling and that's what it's like to believe
So I'm letting go

Letting go means living with opened hands, open to whatever He gives or brings...  or removes.

Too often I live with one hand mostly open, and the other hand is scurrying around, trying to place everything just so, just as I want it.

From Ephesians 4, into my open hands He also wants to remove:

Anger

Bitterness

Jealousy

Slander

And then to add:

Kindness

Compassion

Forgiveness

God, I want my hands to be open. Ready to receive. Ready to lose. Ready to go or stay. Jump or stand still. I can rest assured that You are in control, and You have a good and perfect will for me and those I love. I do not need to be the orchestrator of my life. You are more than capable. Help me in the process.

What does this look like in your life?

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will."
Romans 12:2

"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Ephesians 4:31-32

Cleaning Up Messes

Mommy Mondays

Do you know how sticky little two year olds can get? 

At a dessert social following our church's prayer service last night, my niece's mouth displayed remnants of vanilla frosting, and her hands bore the evidence of a red velvet cupcake. I'm pretty sure the crumbs of a bag of chips salted the ensemble. Her dad handed her a diaper wipe.

It was a beautiful evening, with the sun just beginning to set and the warm breeze of a lingering summer in the air. People were chatting in various groups, and children chased each other around the newly erected playset.

I glanced at my niece, surprised to find her using her wipe to clean up someone's spilt lemonade on the pavement. It made me laugh.

As my brother knelt down and explained that she doesn't need to clean the ground, we saw that while she had selflessly attempted to use her own wipe on someone else's mess,

she was still a mess herself.

I said to my brother, "Isn't this what God must think when we try to clean up other people's messes?"

It's a modern-day log in our own eye but trying to remove our brother's speck.

What situations are in my circle of influence, that I can speak truth into and be a light in? Oh God, give me wisdom in these!

And what circumstances are outside of my control? What messes do I need to trust that God will clean up Himself?

He says to me:

"Don't worry, Becky, I've got all of that under my perfect control.

Now here's a diaper wipe. Start cleaning your face."

Lesson noted.

Bratwurst & Apples

Mommy Mondays

Don't we all need quick meals, especially when the school year starts? When I don't have the time or desire for the grill, I love pan frying these bratwursts. Most of my kids don't care for the apple/onion topping, but that means there's more for me!

Bratwurst & Apples

Brats

Apple, Diced

Onion, Diced

Garlic or Garlic Powder

Olive Oil

- Place 2 TBS Olive Oil in Pan, heat it up.

- Add brats.

- Add Apples & Onions on top of Brats & Sprinkle with a little garlic.

- Pan Fry each of the 4 sides of the brats, covered, for 5 minutes each.

- Serve on toasted buns or by itself as a dish. I served with baked cabbage slices.

My Mommy-Mood-Plan

Mommy Mondays

Ever have one of those days when you wish someone would send you to Time Out?

Or make you take a nap? Or tell you to go to bed early?

I woke up a little glum one morning this week, and I could afford the luxury of laying around because we’d planned a relaxing day. However, as I prepare to start school in exactly one week, I realized that though I have spent hours planning our academic schedule, I haven’t taken the time to do some mommy-mood-planning.

What do I mean?

Basically: What do I do this school year on days when I feel like I’m walking through sludge or just “draggin’ my wagon?” Because those days will come. Probably on day 3 of the school year.

I need some mommy-mood-planning for the moments when I won't want to listen to my child read another page of Frog and Toad. When I will think, "I don't really need to check her math sheet." When I'm tempted to just stare at my iphone all day and doodle with friends. When I am dreaming of sandy beaches and late night coffee talks and an uninterrupted day with a book and a sunbeam.

Here's the start of my plan, which I will post with my school supplies:

When I'm TIRED.

Legitimately tired. A child woke up during the night. I was struck with sleeplessness at 3:30 AM. We had friends stay late. I'm sick.

I will…

-        Remind myself that it's not an excuse to sin by scolding my children and negating my responsibilities.

-        Plan a 30 minute nap that afternoon, which will give me something to look forward to, a reward for my faithful service even when I'm tired.

-        Have an extra cup of coffee.

-        Read out loud to the kids at the table, knowing that a couch and a pillow is a recipe for disaster.

-        Take everyone on a walk.

-        Drink a glass of water and take my vitamins.

“And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:19

“Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.” Proverbs 20:13

When I’m BORED.

I look at the 'to-do' list for the day and am strictly un-enthusiastic about what it contains.

I will…

-        Remember that I should not make an idol of “fun.”

-        Consider ways to change it up. Read to the kids on a blanket outside. Build a model from history out of LEGOs. Pull out the paints and create something. Start a game of Monopoly.

-        Not sit down by the computer. I will get up and keep moving.

-        Consider Christ – the cross was not “fun.”

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,  since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Colossians 3:23-24

When I’m LAZY.

I simply do not want to do the responsibilities that God has for me that day. I don't want to do the dishes. Or clean up the family room again. Or put away those piles of clothes. 

I will…

-        Remind myself of who I am serving.

-        Obey because I’m supposed to, whether I feel like it or not.

-        Pray for help.

-        Make a to-do list and write down how long I think each item will take. I can set a timer and race to the finish.

-        Not allow myself to sit until a few things are accomplished.

-        Turn on some motivating music.

^“30 I went past the field of the sluggard,
    past the vineyard of the man who lacks judgment;
³¹ thorns had come up everywhere,
    the ground was covered with weeds,
    and the stone wall was in ruins.
³² I applied my heart to what I observed
    and learned a lesson from what I saw:
³³ A little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to rest--
³⁴ and poverty will come on you like a bandit
    and scarcity like an armed man.”

Proverbs 24:30-34

When I’m UNDISCIPLINED:

I see the school plan I so diligently created, but I feel somehow strangled by it. My mind wants to wander to new and exciting things before I'm even a month into my schedule. I begin to inwardly rebel at cleaning lists, food charts, and daily routines. The plan says I need to take a nature walk with my kids, and I think, "No, I really don't want to today." And slowly, day by day, my plan erodes into more normalcy.

I will…

-        Practice faithfulness.

-        Prayerfully evaluate the activity in question. My plans can be set in pencil, not stone, but I don’t want to form a habit of jumping off the ship.

-        Remember my goals for the year. I prayed over the list and what God wanted to accomplish through our family.

-        Push away from the habit I have of being "all talk and no action." This leads to poverty of our home, and I need to view it that way.

“In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.” Proverbs 14:23

 “Whoever is slothful will not roast his game, but the diligent man will get precious wealth.” Proverbs 12:27

When I’m Selfish.

I want to do something fun for me. Spend extra time on Facebook. Browse that internet sale someone tweeted about. Dive into a book when I should be making dinner.

I will…

-        Repent of my selfishness and ask God to help me live for Him.

-        Practice self-control. There is personal time built into the schedule. I need to have patience and wait.

-        If my mind is preoccupied with other thoughts, I will jot them down on a list so I don’t forget them, but I will cease thinking of them and focus on the task at hand.

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” I Cor 9:24-27

When I am Interrupted.

I have a plan, and I'm trying to follow it, darn it! Then a child wets his pants, he hits his sibling, or she spills her bowl of cereal. My husband calls with a favor. A neighbor stops in to say hi. Something legitimate needs immediate attention.

I will…

-        Trust His plan for my day.

-        Thank Him for never giving me more than I can handle.

-        Take this opportunity to show faith to my kids.

-        Not use this as an excuse to snap at my children or punish everyone around me with my bad attitude.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

So help me out. What other moods do I need to add to my Mommy-Mood-Plan?

Recipe Chicken Pot Pie

Mommy Mondays

Today I'll share a family favorite recipe, passed along to my by my sister-in-law, Andi, from someone in her family.

Recipe: Chicken Pot Pie

When I made it this month, I cooked split chicken breasts I bought on sale in the crock pot overnight and then shredded them. Next time, I'm going to make two pies. My kids' appetites are getting bigger!

Oh, but I can't fit two in the toaster oven, and we hardly use the oven in the summer. I wonder if I could bake them in the grill.

Ingredients:
Refrigerated pie crusts
1/3 c. butter
1/3 c. chopped onion
1/3 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
2 C. vegetables (I used frozen california medly)
Chopped Carrots and Celery
1/4 t. pepper
1.5 c. chicken broth
2/3 c. milk
3 c. cooked chicken

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425

      1. Melt butter over medium heat.  Saute onion, celery, carrots. 
2. Add flour, salt, pepper and gradually stir in broth and milk.  Whisk until thick and bubbly. 
3.  Add chicken, frozen veggies and remove from heat.  Spoon into crust. 
4. Add top crust and slit.
5.  Bake for 30-40 minutes.  (check after 20-25)

Enjoy! Yum!

VBS Memories

Mommy Mondays

Today starts my favorite week of the year:

Vacation Bible School!

The name brings back childhood memories of red Kool-Aid mustaches and sandwich cookies on napkins. I remember our church would have a contest between the boys and the girls: who brought in the most money. Kids came in with sandwich bags bulging with pennies, their hands smelling like spare change. One year there was a train in the front that moved across the stage on a string as the money came in.

I get to work in the 1st grade class tomorrow with my son. It's a nature park theme, and our room is called "The Foxes." I considered getting myself a red shirt and writing on it "Foxes," but then decided against it...

I've realized in this post that I really don't know how to spell the word "sandwich." Auto Correct is certainly my friend.

What about you? What comes to mind when you remember VBS as a child? What do your kids look forward to?

VBS 2011

Big Words, Big Laughs

Mommy Mondays

"Mommy, your phone is evaporating."

Memory Lane: At 3 Years Old

My 6 year old son has always had a way with words. For example, he hardly uses contractions. Especially when he was learning to talk, he'd say "cannot" and "did not." Even with songs, he'd replace contractions with the full words. "I am in a fight not physical. I am in a war, but not with this world."

His favorite adjective for years was steaming. He ran steaming fast. His Popsicle was steaming cold.

Lately, he's been using very large words, in the funniest way! He's told me a few times, "Mommy, your phone is evaporating" when he meant vibrating.

Recent, 2012

Just last week, he was looking in on the hermit crab and assured me, "Don't worry, mom, he's still dehydrating." Ummm... hibernating?

And after learning about WWI fighter pilots and the dangers they faced, he explained to my husband that they used "ketchup gas."

I hope he knows that when we laugh, it's because we think it's hysterical - and not that we're laughing at him. It's just so hard to hold it in sometimes. And he has the greatest laugh that causes his eyes to shine, and I love when he joins in with us on the fun.

Kids are so funny. What are some funny things that yours have said? Did you laugh, or hold it in?

All Grown Up - Now What?

Mommy Mondays

In 3^rd grade, I wanted to be an executive secretary for IBM. I loved filling out my pink “While You Were Out” forms and taking imaginary phone calls for my brother.

Other career aspirations were: Hollywood Actress, Singer on Broadway, Famous Author, Voice of a Disney Heroine, Missionary.

But the number one settled desire of my heart was to be a mom. When I imagined myself all grown up, I was living somewhere nice with 4-6 kids, playing games, making lunches, and going to parks.

And last week it hit me – I’m there.

~*~*~*~*~

Our girls, 11 and 8, just came back from their first week-long summer camp, and even though they crawled in at 10 PM, we sat and talked in their room until well after midnight. It was enchanting, seeing their faces light up as they shared the hilarious, embarrassing, inspiring, and entertaining events of the week. I went to bed with a contented smile.

Our four kids are all potty trained, we’re past the constraints of nap time, and I usually get a full night of sleep. (Hallelujah!) They love being together. Games have moved beyond Candy Land and into those that stimulate my brain cells. We draw together, paint together, read together, do laundry together, jump on the trampoline together… it’s a memory-every-moment kind of life right now.

I’m not talking perfect – we’re still on this side of eternity – but you get the idea. This life, where I am right now – underneath the laundry and dishes and Cheerios on the floor - has been my definition of “all grown up.”

~*~*~*~*~

The question posed before me this morning is:

“Now what?”

Pastor Nate Irwin spoke this week on Psalm 39, Show Me the Measure of My Days.

⁴  “O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days;
      let me know how fleeting I am!
⁵   Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, 

and my lifetime is as nothing before you.
Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath!     

  

And to quote Benjamin Franklin:

“Dost thou love life?

 Then do not squander time, 

for that is the stuff life is made of.” 

It’s time for some vision planning. Hmmm… will this require a trip away to a cabin in the mountains, a luxury I often imagine that all writers indulged in? Ha, not a chance. It will consist of a cup of coffee, my Bible, and the early morning before they start to stir.

I don’t know what my next phase of growing up will look like, but in the now, I can prayerfully make the most of every moment. "God, what do you have for me today?"

What does this look like in your life? Have you ever reached a point of being all grown up?

At a Family Reunion

When Cleaning is Frightening

Mommy Mondays

Cleaning can be a very frightening task. Trust me, I know.

While calmly wiping down the bathtub last week, I pushed away the shower curtain to find something brown staring at me. Not even sure of what it was, I screamed, dropping my cleaning supplies and jumping back. Another quick glance showed it was a frog, so I dashed away, screaming out my oldest daughter’s name. She’s a brave girl. She could handle this problem.

She probably thought the bathroom was on fire, the way I hauled her to the location of the critter. When she saw that it was a frog, she got all ewwy-gooey on me. “Awww, a frog! It’s so cute!” And my 3 YO son was full of excitement. “A baby frog!”

Shivering with disgust, I said, “Please get it out of here,” which they did, to play with it in the backyard. (After I took a picture, of course.)

My daughter knows I mildly tolerate animals and bugs for her sake. She asked, “You mean, you don’t even like frogs?” 

I replied, “I don’t like anything that moves.” 

“Not even me?” she asked while batting her long eyelashes at me, using the sarcasm she got from her father. 

I gave her a gentle shove and clarified, “Only humans.”

There are animal lovers in the world, and I’m glad I have one in my home. I don’t know what I’d do without her. I imagine myself calling her home from college to rescue her mom from a frog. She’s such a blessing. 

As long as her pets are kept outside.

"A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal." Proverbs 12:10a