Thursday, January 29, 2009

Craziness


I had almost forgotten about this GREAT picture to share. It sums us up pretty good.... CRAZY!! I guess these three boys were genetically pre-disposed to inherit their mom's goofiness! Have a great weekend...

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

He's Not Finished With Me Yet


Today was Tuesday, but in so many ways, it was Monday. Yesterday was a holiday, so I guess I can blame it on that. I can also blame it on the fact that the inauguration was today, so it was EXTREMELY difficult for me to take my eyes off the television. I was entranced by the history that was unfolding before me. My heart was heavy with so many emotions.

It was Tuesday though... and a school day too. Our history lesson included watching the swearing in and President Obama's speech, but we had our other core subjects to cover, so the television eventually got turned off. Not long after that, Colby and I got into it over some behavioral issues. Before I knew it, I was raising my voice and Colby was sobbing. As we were talking about the behavioral issues, through his tears Colby volunteered to move outside for the time being. We were talking about how we were going to solve the issue at hand, and quite simply his way of dealing with it was to just move out. I took his hand and reminded him that that's not how we solve problems. We never solve problems by avoiding them. We solve problems by confronting them and then making the changes necessary. As I was saying these words to my son, I was thinking about myself. I was finding that I was speaking to MYSELF just as much as I was speaking to him. We prayed together, hugged and our school day continued.

Even as an adult, my first inclination whenever troubles arise is to run away. I try to find other things to occupy my mind, my heart, and my time... so I don't have to think about it. My nine year old son told me he wanted to live outside in these cold winter months (okay, maybe not THAT cold... we are in California) just so that he could avoid fixing the problem. To be honest, I was there myself a couple of weeks ago. There was a day when everything ugly seemed to appear in my life. Everything that I hated about myself surfaced. All the "things" in life that get me down bombarded me like a HUGE brick wall. I wanted to run. The problem wasn't in the fact that I wanted to run, but in the fact that I wanted to run in the opposite direction of the One who loves me most and KNOWS my heart like no other!

I was reminded today,with my own words,while I was talking with Colby, that God's not finished with me yet. It almost sounds cliche, but it's so true! He sees my imperfections and He wants me to run to Him so that He can continue His artwork. THROUGH my imperfections, He wants to make me new everyday. We all have imperfections. The question is, do we just accept them, or do we surrender them to our maker so that He can continue His work in us? Do we run AWAY from our imperfections, or do we run them TO God's miraculous hands?

I sat on my son's bed today and made a promise. I promised him that I will continue to pray about MY issues. I won't let Satan in to make me think that I am better off running away. I promised him that as his mommy, I will be diligent in prayer for him... that he will run to Jesus with his imperfections and hand them over... knowing that God desires to take those imperfections and make him perfect. For we are the ones who view ourselves as flawed. God doesn't view us that way. He views us as his creation... created perfectly for purposes known by Him. Our purpose begins the day we are born and it doesn't end. It lives on... even after we have gone to meet our maker. Isn't that amazing?

Because of this, I know that yesterday, today and even tomorrow... He's not finished with us yet my sweet Colby.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Help for the Harried

I'm about to conquer something here, on my blog, that's been VERY heavy on my heart for awhile now. Oh no... SCARY!

This is an extremely touchy subject, because it has everything to do with these precious little creatures that live with us... our children. As a homeschooling mother, I have many responsibilities. All you other homeschooling mothers are nodding your heads right now agreeing whole heartedly. We teach our children math, how to spell, how to write, reading, history, science, etc, etc.. You get the point, right? HOWEVER.... perhaps the most important reason why I wanted to take on this responsibility myself rather than letting a trained person with credentials do the job was because I wanted to teach my boys how to be GOOD PEOPLE. I wanted to teach them skills such as being polite. I want them to be kids that adults enjoy being around. So much of the time I hear people groan about kids being in public places. They are " Disrespectful beings that are loud and not considerate of those around them. "

While my boys are NOT perfect and I have taken on this training as a long time project (basically until they are grown and out of the house),I do get many compliments. Strangers will come up to us in stores and restaurants and say what a "pleasure" it has been to experience such well behaved children. At first, I would beam from ear to ear at these comments. These days, I say thank you, but inside my heart aches. This is why...

This is not the "norm" anymore. My boys find it difficult sometimes to be in relationship with others because a lot of other kids just don't have these skills. They are not saying that they are better than these kids, but they feel stepped on. They feel like door mats instead of pals. My boys (and myself) have seen manipulation of these other kids' parents before our eyes. We have heard some of these other kids talk to their own parents with total disrespect. If they talk to their parents this way and treat THEM the way they do, then of course it isn't hard for them to treat "friends" the same.

This past Sunday I consoled my youngest as he sat crying on his bed before going to church. When I asked him what was wrong, he admitted to me that he doesn't like his class at church. I asked him what the problem was and he went on to tell me
that the kids were mean to other kids in there (he wasn't even talking about them being men to HIM... just other kids). The example that he gave me was that one of the boys in there has walking sticks. He has had them since he learned how to walk. Caleb saw a kid come up and yank the sticks out of his hands and run off with them. This kid proceeded to make fun of the boy with the walking sticks in front of the class. Caleb went up to this kid and grabbed the sticks back and said "That's not nice" while walking the sticks back to their owner. I pretty much knew the answer before I asked the question, but I asked what the teacher said/did. The teacher didn't say/do anything because that kind of behavior is the norm, and it is accepted. To further explain what I'm talking about, I can tell you that my husband and I were talking with a junior high school teacher yesterday at the park. He told us how the school that he works for no longer suspends kids from school because they were losing too much money due to kids' low attendance... due to suspension. Can you believe that? Instead, they have the kids bring their school work to the office and they sit there and do their work. So.... basically, there's nothing encouraging the parents to train their children any differently because there are no consequences for their children's bad behavior. UGGGGHHHHH... I guess I'm pretty "old school" here... and feeling alone.

As you have probably guessed, I'm feeling really passionate about this. If I were going to write a book right now, it would be about this "epidemic". That's what it is too... and it's getting pretty out of hand. The problem with me writing this book is, I wouldn't have any answers. I'm looking for help here. Anybody have anything to offer? I just wish there were a few more parents out there who wanted to be a parent instead of their kids' BFF!

I guess I can get off my platform now. I'm done for now. I can't make any guarantees that I won't be back though...

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Beautiful



Today I'm thinking of all things beautiful again. It's been a crazy start to our new school semester, so sometimes it just helps to STOP and think upon all things beautiful in life. Here are just a few...

1. Playing in perfect snow on a GORGEOUS day near home.

2. Having a cozy fire in the stove (it's even MORE beautiful when I'm not the one who has to start it). :0)

3. Lucas preparing dinner... The WHOLE thing... I didn't lift a finger!

4. Seeing my hubby walk through the door at the end of the day. LOVE THAT!!

Share a few things... I'd love to know what you think is beautiful today too!

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

He knows EVERYTHING... doesn't He?


Okay, so I'm coming out of my long holiday break... in more ways than one. It was a beautiful Christmas. The boys are more and more fun each year! Their excitement puts me on a high that is almost uncontrollable. This morning was a real eye opener since it was the first morning in more than two weeks that I have actually been awake to see the sunrise. UGH... God help me through this day!

I debated on where to pick up here. Do I post pictures of our Christmas? Do I fill in everyone on all the details of this season.... OR do I just pick up where I left off and share something that SPECIFICALLY blessed me? Caleb helped me answer my own questions. This is a conversation that took place in my bathroom the other night while I was trimming his hair:

Caleb: "Mom, do you know how many hairs I have on my head? I'd really like to know." (Caleb is obsessed with his long curly locks these days.)

Me: "Well, no I don't. There's only one person who knows the answer to that question."

Caleb: "Oh, yeah... I know who that is... it's God. He knows everything!"

Me: "Yep... He sure does."

Caleb: "You know what else He knows right now, Mom?"

Me: "What?"

Caleb: "He knows we need toothpaste."

Oh my... have I told you lately how much I LOVE these boys of mine? Really though... it got me thinking about life. It got me thinking about the message that we received at church this last Sunday. It's true, He knows EVERYTHING! There's no point in making resolutions for the new year. God knows what 2009 holds for our family. It's good to have goals, because a lot of us find motivation there. As for planning though... that's another story. The older I get, the more passionate I feel about living each day for what it is. I put more importance in just enjoying my family and surroundings and letting God take over the planning.

There's such comfort in that, isn't there? So, if there's any resolution that I make this year... it will be to keep these thoughts close. I will let God be my personal planner. I will NOT fall easily to stress caused by me trying to plan my own life and what is to come next. I will savor each day. I will remember that He knows EVERYTHING... He even knows we need toothpaste! :0)