Tales of a Thankful Mom

  In the shelter of your presence you hide them      from all human intrigues; you keep them safe in your dwelling      from accusing tongues. Psalm 31:20 " Just as I am, though tossed about With many a conflict, many a doubt Fighting and fears within without Oh, Lamb of God, I come, I come"           This has been a tumultuous week. After a long week, the truth of Psalm 31:20 is very comforting to me. I can find shelter in His presence from all human intrigue. I am safe in God's dwelling from all accusing tongues. Intrigue and accusing tongues may not cause physical danger, but it triggers a fight or flight response in me just the same. I am so thankful that God invites me to come and bring him my fears. I can find rest and peace in Him. the Prince of Peace. I can hide my soul in Jesus. I am walking through a season of life, in which I notice how much I seek approval for others. I want to stop chasing after...

​ “Tonight I’m going to fix my eyes on the only hope that satisfies. You are, You are the one I’m running to. Everything that’s good and right true. Jesus I’m coming back to who you are. You are the one I’m running to.”                                           I am not much of a runner. In fact all three of my children can outrun me. This recent Lent season taught me how much I tend to run from my problems. I don’t do this by physically running, but by running to my phone to distract myself, or turning on the tv, or telling myself that I have too much housework or other chores to do than to deal with whatever unpleasant thing that is bugging me right now. When I feel this way I need to stop looking for the world’s comfort and run to my Savior. He is the One that I need to be running to. He binds up my broken heart. He will never leave me or forsake me. When I feel the need to r...

“Why do you spend money for that which is not bread, And your earnings for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight in abundance.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭55:2‬ ‭AMP‬‬                    Our body’s crave nourishment. If I let them my kids would fill up on chips, candy and ice cream. This kind of diet would not be good for them. They need nourishment. They need real food. They need proteins, complex carbohydrates, and fruits and vegetables. I told my Dad that my children are more open to try new foods with their Aunts, Uncles and cousins eating with them. Nourishment is often found in community, when we gather around a table.  This reminds me of my need for spiritual nourishment. Am I looking for things that do not satisfy? Or am I looking to my Heavenly Father and His word and talking to Him through prayer? On days that I am feeling run down, am I running to Him or filling up on junk. May I r...

          The school year is back In full swing in my little corner of Florida. I love hearing from my enthusiastic son about what he learned each day. He even tells me facts that I never heard before. My daughters are a little bit more reluctant to share what they learned in school. As a parent, it is one of my jobs to teach them and prepare for the world around them. Before I had children I never realized how much they would teach me. God uses my kids to teach me about love, kindness, joy and grace. I am so thankful for my not so little teachers, and I hope that we have a wonderful year of learning and growing together. 

                   Accountability saved my life. In the darkest season of my life, I was isolated from everyone that I loved except those who were living with me. If my friends and family did not realize that something was horribly wrong, I don’t know if I would be here today. They reached out to me over and over again. Even when I rejected their attempts out of fear. They never gave up on me even when I gave up myself. I want to be the kind of friend that my friends were to me. I’m so thankful that God knew it was not good for each of us individuals to be alone. He gave us the gift a community and accountability.

In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [draw your strength from Him and  be empowered through your union with Him] and in the power of His [boundless] might.” Ephesians 6:10                                                                         If you asked me to think of words to describe myself strong would not be one of the words I would chose. I am thankful for the truth in the above verse. I do not need to conjure up strength on my own. My strength comes from God. As the hymn says, “I am weak, but Thou art strong” Our Heavenly Father’s might is boundless. He never grows tired or weary. This truth is so encouraging to me as a single Mom. I can rest soundly each evening. My loving Heavenly Father never slumbers. May I remember to run to my Strong Tower and find rest and strength in Him.  The J...

          My children are spending some quality time visiting with their father this Summer. Whenever they visit with their Dad, it gives me time to reflect on my parenting. Am I actively being the mother they deserve? Am I doing my best to be the mother to them that God has called me to be? Each time I have the opportunity to reflect, I realize that I need to look in their eyes more and I need to look at my phone less. I need to show them love, kindness and grace. They learn so many things by following my example, and I want to make sure that I am setting a good one. I want my children to know that they are loved, valued and heard. My prayer can be summed up from a song lyric by the group Sanctus Real, “Father, lead me because I can’t do this alone.”

          My house has been quiet since Sunday morning. Too quiet if you ask me. This boy and his sisters are currently spending several weeks with their Dad. So, for now a house that is usually quite noisy is very quiet. I love hearing about my children’s adventures each night when I talk to them on the phone. Some evenings like tonight I hear fun and excitement in their voices. My children were calling me from a trampoline park this evening. They were having the time of their lives. I am so thankful that they are having fun with their Dad, but I will be glad when instead of sitting in a quiet house, the house will be full of laughter and chatter of children at play again.  

    I am blessed with a wonderful community of dear friends, brothers and sisters in Christ. They encourage me and pray for me. My people get me laughing when I feel like I am about to cry. When I do need to cry they support me. My friends live out the verse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; Weep with those who weep.” They ask about and pray for my children. They remind to lift my eyes, when I feel like I am in over my head. These individuals extend an extra measure of grace right when I need it. I am so thankful for my circle of friends. #fmfparty

           I have family members who think I am a too involved parent. They think that because they did not take their children on walks daily, read bedtime stories or play board games with their children that I’m spoiling my children by focusing on them. I disagree. Enjoying my children’s company is not spoiling them. My goal is not to smother them, but to be a person that they feel safe to be their truest self around, and to point them to the One created them to be the unique individuals that they are becoming. I need to be present, involved, and ready to listen whenever they want to talk. As a mom, I receive a lot of advice much of it unsolicited. I now know I don’t have to second guess myself just because someone disagrees with me.

         I have to admit that I am not the most patient person. I like things happening on my time table, and I have been known to tell my children, especially my day dreamer youngest daughter, to hurry up quite often. This is ironic since I hate feeling rushed. I want to be able to move through life quickly and efficiently. I want to make the most of time. I often become frustrated with myself, when I misplace things that I was just using a few minutes ago. "I\"m sure that I had it right here!" I also get frustrated when I am interrupted by my kids and lose my train of thought, "Now, what was I doing?" Since multitasking is not one of my strong suits, I know I need to embrace a slower pace, even if I feel like I should be doing better at remembering things. My children appreciate when their mother isn\"t running around stressed out asking them if they have seen my phone. I need to remember that my people are far more important than my schedule. I need to ...

I am good at making excuses about why I get aggravated with my kids. The house is really noisy, or my youngest daughters room is messy. The kids are bickering over something silly again. My kids spend a significant chunk of their Summer vacation, with their Dad, and each Summer I miss the noise. The house is much to quiet. I miss seeing the happy evidence of my daughter playing. Her plastic ponies are not all over her Florida bedroom floor in the middle of July. I even miss the sound of my kids bickering because it is a part of the sounds of life. I am learning it is natural to get aggravated. Frustration and irritation are a part of life. I don’t want aggravation to be an excuse that causes me to forget how very blessed I am to be my children’s Mama. My mom has an angry Mama microwave cleaner. You put water and a little vinegar inside the plastic angry mama. You place it in the microwave, and turn the microwave on. The heat from the microwave will  turn the water and vinegar into ...

This is the the kind of messy middle that I am accustomed to. My children destroying- I mean playing-in their room. It doesn’t matter whether it is a middle of a play date, the middle of an art project, or the middle of making dinner, middles can be messy. In the midst of the messy middle, I need to remember that God promises to never leave me. He is right there with me in the mess. I can call out to him and ask Him for grace and peace. “Twas Grace has led me safe thus far and grace will lead me home.”  I am sharing this as a part of the#hopewriterlife challenge and a #fmfparty prompt.

Most giving person I know Opens her heart and her home Tells it like it is, because she cares so much Helps me anytime I need her to Encouragement and laughter on hard days Reminds me that when I am with her I am home. Mom, you have always said that I will always  have a home. Thank you for welcoming me and your grandchildren back home, and for everything that you and Dad have do for me and your grandkids every day. You are an amazing Mom. You encourage me and inspire me. I love you very much, and I hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day. I am thankful to be home spending the day with you.

          I want a remedy for my problems. I want a way to make things easier. I have been a follower of Jesus since I was seven years old. I know Jesus is the answer. It doesn’t stop me from trying to handle things my own way, or trying to pretend the problem doesn’t exist. Maybe it will go away. I am prone to procrastination. I will thank about it tomorrow. In reality, I need to bring my cares to Jesus. I need more and more of Him. I need more of Him than I need more time, more energy, more quiet, or more peace. He is my Peace. He holds all things together. When I need a remedy may I remember to run to my Savior.

          As a mom of three children, I remind my children to try to reach a compromise concerning some form or fashion of disagreement with each other almost every day. I tell them, and try to remember myself that many things that seem important in the moment will not even be remembered days or weeks later. My Dad used to ask me as a teen, "Is this a hill you are willing to die on?" If it is not something critically important to me, than I need to be willing to compromise. I want to teach my children to be empathetic with others and to be willing to meet in the middle. I want to teach them to think of others and be mindful of perspectives that are different than their own. Choosing to work together to work out a compromise is an act of love. I know that if these are the values that I wish for my children to learn, than I need to model these values in my interactions with them and with other people. They need to see that I am willing to liste...

          My children and I studied one of my favorite Bible stories this morning. We studied the story of Ezekiel and his vision of dry bones coming to life. There have been times when I felt like my circumstances were hopeless. I was dead in my sins and shame. Jesus rescued me and brought me out of my despair. He set me free, and put me on a new path. I have been reminded this week of God's rescue mission on my life. The enemy wants me to look back on my story with shame. I believe God wants me to walk in victory, and share my testimony of God's faithfulness to encourage others. What steps forward could you take toward victory today?            

                        The song "It Won't Be Like This For Long" popped up in my Facebook memories earlier this week. It reminded me that what I viewed as normal has changed a great deal over the past almost eleven years. Ten years ago, I was walking the floor late at night with my Princess hoping that if I walked with her around the house long enough that she would get sleepy, so that we could both go to bed. Ten years later, I am now up late at night typing this post in a quiet house as late at night is the easiest time for me to find time to write. What we view as normal can change from one season to the next. There have been times in my life when what felt normal to me was not something that I should have accepted as normal. I had brave friends who told me that the life that I was living was not normal or healthy. They helped me make the changes that I needed to make. I remember staying a night in ...

          I sometimes feel guilty for the way that my decisions impact others. I play the "what if" game and wish that I could make life better or easier for my family, specifically my children or my parents. My choices have cost both my parents and my children. My parents gave up their empty nester life to provide a home for my children and me. My children had to move from the only home that they ever knew to a different state in part because of choices I made. I realize that I was not the only one involved in the decision that created this situation. It still makes me feel hesitant to make decisions at times. I do not want to cause anyone I love anymore pain.Avoiding decisions is not the answer. I have learned that I can not live my life in limbo. I need to count the cost of my decisions especially the important ones, but then, I need to pray and then do the next right thing in love.

          I am not very comfortable with unknowns. I like to have a plan. I don't like winging it. I crave predictably. I love it when all the pieces of my life fit together as I believe they should. Whether or not I like the unknowns in life, there is a purpose in the unknowns. The unknowns teach me to trust God. They teach me to surrender my plans to my All-knowing Father. May I put my trust in God, no matter what unknowns I am facing.