Bring on the noise!

Our house is loud.  We joke, we laugh, we wrestle, we yell back and forth up the stairs.  It's just who we are.  There are days though that I fear I just may crawl out of my skin if I don't get a moment of quiet.  I send them to their rooms for a few minutes of nothingness, but I daresay they even breath loudly!

The kids are all spending the week at the farm with their grandparents.  Did you get that?  All four bambinos are somewhere else for the whole week.  They will come back filled with stories of adventure, loaded up on too much sugar and a little sunburned.  It is the best week of their year. 

So now I have the quiet I craved.  I have as much silence as I want.  I have freedom to do what I want to do, when I want to do it.  Today the only thing on my "to-do" list is getting a pedicure.  Sigh.  It has been a relaxing week, but here's the kicker -it's too quiet.

I cleaned everything on Monday, rearranged some furniture and fluffed the pillows. It's still perfectly clean, nothing out of place.  In the midst of raising crazy, amazing kids I craved a little silence.  I lamented the fact that five minutes after cleaning the kitchen it looked like a scene from Iron Chef.  Now that I have a dose of quiet, I realize the noise and the mess is what makes our home alive.  It's what makes it a home. Those are the stuff of memories. 

I don't think the grass is any greener on the other side of the crazy fence called "life".  It may be a little more quiet and even a bit more tidy, but it can't beat what we've got right here in our little patch of family.

Attitude of gratitude

"More is caught than is taught." 

Sigh...sometimes when it comes to parenting that quote scares the heck out of me!

Connor and I were discussing gratitude this morning.  As we talked about how to accept disappointments in life, whether large or small, he wondered how he could be thankful when bad things happen.  How can he be thankful when his best friend moves away?  What is there to be thankful for in such a thing?  I tried giving him examples from scripture and even my own experiences, but he just didn't seem to be buying it.  It's a tough concept.  Maybe we know it in our heads, but living it out in our hearts is a whole different story.

Then it hit me and I saw in my mind the quintessential picture of praise through unimaginable circumstances.  My sweet friend lost her baby who was less than a year old.  There was no warning.  There was no reason.  There were no answers. To our finite minds it seems cruel and senseless.  I honestly still can't wrap my mind around it. 

Was she thankful for the circumstances she found herself in?  Absolutely not.  Her arms ached to hold her little one again, to hear her cry, to feel the softness of her sweet baby skin.  But in the immeasurable depths of her pain, she recognized that her circumstances did not dictate who her God was.  Her circumstances did not change who she worshipped.  I will never forget the picture of she and her husband as they stood in front of the tiny casket, arms raised heavenward, praising their Heavenly Father.  That image is burned into my mind and honestly, it's not one I want to forget.  Though it still brings me to tears each time, it is what I need to keep my own life in perspective...to be reminded to live a life of thanksgiving not affected by my circumstances.

As the tears poured down my face this morning, the light came on in Connor's eyes and I believe in his heart.  Understanding began to sink in as he grasped the kind of faith and sacrifice it takes to truly live a thankful, praise-filled life.

Lord, may my life of thanksgiving be worth catching as my children watch me walk with you each day.

A Mother's Prayer

A friend gave me a card when my first baby was born 14 years ago that I've kept for all these years.  The poem speaks to my heart as a mom and reminds me how quickly the seasons pass.  Though now I'm standing on tiptoes to kiss that "baby" boy rather than bending down to him, it reminds me that every single thing I do is important.  Others may not see, but HE sees. 

A Mother's Prayer

Dear Lord, it's such a hectic day,

With little time to stop and pray.

For life's been anything but calm

Since you called me to be a mom -

Running errands, matching socks,

Building dreams with wooden blocks,

Cooking, cleaning, finding shoes

And other stuff that children lose,

Fitting lids on bottled bugs,

Wiping tears and giving hugs,

A stack of last week's mail to read -

So where' the quiet time I need?

Yet, when I steal a moment, Lord,

Just at the sink or ironing board,

To ask the blessings of Your grace,

I see then, in my small one's face,

That you have blessed me all the while -

And I stoop to kiss that precious smile.

Stylish storage bins and a stress free life

This morning's inbox included a deal for 50% of "stylish storage bins".  Their ad promised  to take you "one step closer to an organized, stress-free life".  Hmmm...so you mean to tell me that's the secret to a stress-free life?  Stylish storage bins gracing my closet shelves will finally end my stress?  Wow...if only I'd known.

Of course there is no magic formula for living stress free in a fallen world.  We can do things to limit our stress level, but simply living this side of heaven brings with it a fair amount of stress.  Just watching the news can make your blood pressure rise considerably and you might find yourself yelling at the TV...not that I've ever done that...just sayin'.

Jesus admonishes us to "take heart" in a stress filled world - "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Peace is found in Christ alone.  Not in self-help books, yoga classes, vacations on the beach or even stylish storage bins.  Knowing our Savior has overcome the world in order to bring us to eternity with Him gives us the eternal perspective necessary to reduce our stress and live at peace.

But the storage bins are awfully cute.

Faith in faith

Faith is a funny thing.  Hebrews 11:1 defines it as "being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."  The question we have to answer is are we putting our faith in faith, or in God?  When we pray, do we trust Him to act?  More importantly, do we trust Him if he doesn't?

"...faith in God is not simply faith in what God can do.  But it's the belief that God is God whether he delivers us or not.  He has the final say.  And it's our decision to choose to follow Him through it all."  Albert Lee

Do I trust Him if He never removes the shadow of depression?  Do I trust Him with my relationships?  Do I trust Him if His answer is slow in coming?  There are so many things I pray for on a daily basis; so many people I bring to Him.  I know He can act and I trust Him to, but in His time and in His way.  Our prayers ought always be followed with "LORD, help us to accept your perfect will and not cling so tightly to our own."  Not always easy to pray when it means letting go of what we think is best.

I can't even begin to understand the mind of Christ.  I don't know why some people He heals and some He doesn't.  Why children are allowed to hurt and good people suffer.  I don't know why He allows things to happen that seem so senseless.  His ways are higher than mine.  If I have faith purely in my faith, then these things would be incredibly discouraging.  But faith in God and His goodness means trusting and choosing to follow Him through it all.

So crafty!

One of the things I love about the internet is that it gives me access to so many a-maz-ing people and their creative ideas!  There are some seriously creative folks out there.  Me?  I'm really good at stealing borrowing other people's ideas...that's my claim to fame.

I subscribe to a couple of catalogs filled with things I can not afford - Pottery Barn and Ballard Designs.  I honestly don't think I would pay their prices even if I could afford them.  $59 for a small pillow with a bird on it?  Good grief! So why do I love to peruse their pages?  Ideas people, ideas!  They're filled with inspiration (otherwise known as things I can COPY or find cheaper).

Which is why I was so excited today when I ran across this website called Copycatcrafts - D.I.Y. Designer Knockoffs.  Great ideas you've seen in stores or your favorite catalog for a fraction of the cost.  PLUS, you get the added satisfaction of having made it yourself.  I like that.

Here's one idea I plan to do as soon as I can make a run to IKEA for the lazy susan. 

Pottery Barn price - $49. 

DIY price - $11.50. 
 My little crafter Emma will love this project when it's done and I won't have to break the bank in the process.  Oh yeah... that's what I'm talkin' about.

Blast from the past

Got an e-mail this morning announcing homeschool skate day at a local skating rink.  Skating rink?  I didn't even know those still existed.  Needing to get the kids out of the house I announced, "Kids, we're going skating!"  Blank stares.

We arrived at the skating rink which had probably been around since the turn of the century.  The kids were skeptical to say the least.  "Are you sure this is safe mom?"  Ha!  Once inside I felt like I was in Jr. High all over again, from the once colorful faded carpet to the giant orange toe stoppers.  Oh my.

The kids looked like colts trying to get their legs under them, but before long they'd pretty much gotten the hang of it.  One thing I like about trying new things is the character issues that inevitably crop up.  One nameless child struggles with doing anything they are not immediately good at.  At one point his attitude was just lower than the limbo pole, but by the end of the two hours he had pulled himself up - literally and figuratively.

I don't think I'd been on skates since Jr. high, but was amazed at how quickly it came back. 

And then it happened.

The EPIC fail...or fall.

My skates got tangled up on a corner, my feet flew up in the air and over my head and I landed on my bum...hard.  Falling when you're 12 is one thing.  Falling when you're...well, older, is painful.  I don't think my wrists are quite broken, but suffice it to say typing is painful.  Go ahead and laugh...I did.  It was seriously funny.

The morning ended with You're the Inspiration, an old Chicago favorite.  If you're singing along to the song in your head right now then I know how old you are.  Isn't it the BEST?? 

The kids are already begging to go back next week.  We'll have to see how quickly I heal.  Painful?  Yeah.  Worth it?  Absolutely!

Bodacious Blueberry Muffins

Looking for a new family favorite to add to your breakfast menu? Try these A-ma-zing little muffins packed with loads of fresh blueberries and fluffy flavor. Hint: Don't skimp on the topping. It's what keeps them coming back for more! (Forgive the grainy photo taken with my little camera phone.)

Bodacious Blueberry Muffins
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, cubed
*1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder.

Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture.

Carefully fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.

To Make Crumb Topping:

Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and *1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking. Remember, load 'em up with the topping!

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

* I omitted the cinnamon because, well, cinnamon on blueberry muffins just doesn't sound good to me at all. If you try it let me know what you think.

** I baked mine just 13 minutes as opposed to 20-25, but my oven runs a little hot. Make sure you keep an eye on them and adjust the baking time according to your oven.