Tag: #fiveminutefriday

His Word, Kids/Parenting, Series

Glue

Michelle

Originally published April 18, 2014

Merriam-Webster defines glue as, “any of various strong adhesive substances; something that binds together.” As I think about the glue in my life…what strong adhesive substances I’m surrounded by, what something(s) that bind me together, my first thought on this Good Friday takes me to my Savior.

John 1:1-2 tells us, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.” Jesus was there. Just as He is here now.

Glue – something that binds together. Oh, like something that binds me together? You mean like on the days when I just don’t want to see one. more. crumpled. up. sock? You mean like on the days when I can’t muster up the strength to put one. more. smile. on. my. face. for the sake of my children?

Or on the days when my world has been shaken to its core and I know that in order to be the glue that my children need on this earth, I have to keep it together. Yes, those days are the day I’m scratching and clawing my way to the cross. To get what Jesus has for me…the rest he promises for the weary and burdened…the peace He offers, not in the way the world gives or offers…the amazing grace He gives…the hope that is found in His name.

Jesus…

His Word, Kids/Parenting, Series

Paint

Michelle

This post is one that I’m republishing. It was originally published on April 11, 2014.

A few weeks ago, I wrote a post about my daughter painting and how I was simply exasperated when she got the set of brushes in the paint…it wasn’t because she was intentionally trying to make a mess, it was because she was just so excited at the brushes I had found.

Last week, I wrote about a sunrise – a true gift from God that day. I wrote about how the colors appeared as though the artist had carelessly just streaked his brush across the sky. When we know that THE artist is anything BUT careless.

I guess what I’m learning from these ‘paint’ scenarios is that not everything in life is going to be ‘perfect.’ And besides, who says that what I think is ‘perfect’ is actually perfect? If I’m not perfect – and I’m not – then how could I have even a remote sense of what perfect it?

When someone sits down to paint, or draw, or be creative and expressive in any way (by the way, I believe writing falls into this category), then there is no right or wrong. There is no perfect. There is no black and white. There are only shades of grey, and colors that blend and bleed, and words that may not fit ‘just so.’

So, from here on out, I’m going to take a step back and just be…be content for things as they are, without worrying that they’re not perfect. Because I’m not. So, how could I expect for things (and people) around me to be perfect?

His Word, Kids/Parenting, Series

Joy

Michelle

This post was originally published on March 21, 2014. Joy – always a great topic for discussion!

YAY! It’s Friday! These are the days that I link up with Lisa Jo Baker on her Five Minute Friday writing challenge.

Today’s word is Joy. Here goes:
Joy. I can think of all of the standard cliches when it comes to Joy. Some of them are true: Jesus Others You (JOY) is the way to find Joy in your life. Joy is an inner state, happiness is circumstantial.
Here’s where I find Joy. My daughter, who is growing up into the most amazing little girl. Am I allowed to still call her that? She’s not still ‘little,’ yet she’s so far from being grown up. She has such a love for others. We were at church last Sunday, and the worship was geared towards children’s church camp. They gave an overview and showed pictures of past years. This little girl of mine, who is generally so timid and shy, looked at me with a sparkle in her eye, and a joyful expression on her face and said, “Momma, I want to go!” She’s never stayed with anyone but family for 3 nights…but she wrote in her journal that night that she so desperately wants to go. She wrote that ‘it seems like kids really meet Jesus there (well, not face-to-face), but they get to know Him better and I want to get to know Him better.’ WOW! This Momma heart was just. about. to. burst. when she allowed me to read her vulnerable words.
My son, who is turning into a young man right before my eyes. When he got home from school yesterday, he mentioned that he had hurt someone’s feelings in school. So, I gave it the attention it needed. We discussed it, then I thought we were done. Later, when he came out of the bathroom after his bath and was in his pj’s and was at his most open, he was crying. I asked him what was wrong, and he said, ‘Momma, I really hurt some people’s feelings today.’ Then he continued to cry. I held him, I prayed over him, we talked about it, and I consoled his little boy broken heart. I told him that God is so proud of him right now for understanding and realizing that he may have hurt someone. I told him that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are for sure living in his little boy heart, for him to be feeling this way. Again, a bursting Momma heart.
These examples are only two of the many that I could share with you. I have so many words I could share about my children. I have so many emotions that pulse through me on a daily basis. I know my kids are far from perfect; I’ve witnessed it. But this Momma is surely joy-filled when events such as these occur under my watch. I’m doing something right…maybe not too many things, but I am pointing them to the one true source of Joy in this world: Jesus. And if that’s the only thing they learn from me, well, then I have equipped them the best I know how.
Have a fabulous Friday! Spring is upon us.
His Word, Kids/Parenting, Series

Crowd

Michelle

This post was originally published as part of #fiveminutefriday on March 14, 2014

TGIF! I’m excited to be here with you again on a Friday; writing the Five Minute Friday Challenge byLisa Jo Baker.

This week the prompt is ‘crowd.’

To my Emma: my one prayer is that you be strong enough to stand up to the crowd. That you are able to pave your own way and know in your core what’s right and wrong. I just read this morning of a 16 year old that ended up so close to death because she decided to raid her father’s liquor cabinet with her cousin. She had 2 beers and 6 shots…her blood alcohol level was high enough to kill a grown man. I pray you will know and understand that at 16, you have no business messing around with things which can impair you in this manner. She followed the crowd.

I also read of a young girl who decided she didn’t want to follow the crowd. She had taken her younger sister bra shopping and was so disgusted at the ‘options’ available to her sister, that she decided to create her own bra for the preteen and teenage girls who aren’t looking to have their cup sizes ‘enlarged’…there’s enough time for that…trust me. She didn’t follow the crowd.

To my Elijah: my one prayer is that you have a voice that others will follow. That others will be drawn to you and you will lead them on the path of righteousness. That you will not succumb to the society’s objectification of women; that you would see we are all beautiful in our own right. That you will be a Godly man in this God-less world and you will stand up for the ‘weaker’ sex.

I pray that you will understand what it really means to be a superhero. That it’s not about the glory received, but rather the glory given to our Creator that really matters.

My overwhelming desire in life is that I show you both what it means to stand out from the crowd. To go after what you desire, but all the while, showing kindness and compassion to those around you. To fight for your beliefs and never. give. up. while being a voice of encouragement. The world needs more of that.

My prayer is, in its basest form, that you will recognize the crowd for what it is and remember that God made you to be unique. We aren’t all meant to be alike and following along the same path.

I’ll love you forever. I’ll like you for always. As long as I’m living, my babies you’ll be…

Love,
Your Momma

His Word, Kids/Parenting, Series, Soul Relationships

Willing

Michelle

Originally published as part of #fiveminutefriday on March 7, 2014

Today’s Five Minute Friday topic is willing…so here goes, 5 minutes straight of writing, no questioning, no second guessing, no stopping and reading…

Willing – am I willing to do all of the things I need to do to be effective and good as a person and especially as a mother? Am I willing to be changed and molded into what Jesus has for me?

One thing that sticks out in my mind is the phrase, “Who you are at home is who you are.” Well, I can honestly say that I don’t like that person from the past few days. Two nights ago, my children were being their creative selves. Elijah was working on his Pinewood Derby car and Emma wanted to paint as well, so I found a little wooden crate for her to paint.

Now, let me tell you that Emma has expressed an interest in art. Me? Not so much; sure, I can appreciate art, but I am not creatively inclined. So, as she is painting and being creative, she gets excited about some paint brushes I found. After she pulls out the one she wants, she puts the case down…right in the paint…oh BOY was I frustrated!

So, naturally, I expressed my frustration in exasperated sighs…which she saw and heard. And then, when she got up, I noticed a blob of green paint right where she was painting…again, exasperated sighs…which she saw and heard.

Now, fortunately (for me AND her) this was as bad as it got. There was no yelling, no temper tantrums (from the momma)…just exasperated sighs.

I felt God convicting me…so, the following morning, I apologized to her. I apologized for making her feel as though her mistakes were the end of the world. For making her feel as though she’s not ALLOWED to make mistakes (never mind the fact that I make about a gazillion of them DAILY – that’s another topic for another day). I apologized for stifling her creativity by making her feel that her work space had to be perfect. I even shared with her that it was so easy to wipe up, since the paint was still wet. And even if it hadn’t been, it was WATER-BASED PAINT!

And then I gushed about how incredibly awesome her creation is. I told her that I wanted to start seeds in it…and put it on display for all of the world to see. And I shared with her that I love her creativity and how I wish I had some of it!

Then I began to think about the phrase “Who you are at home is who you are.” I don’t want to be the one who is so bent on the rules and things being ‘just so’ that my kids can’t express themselves.

So, today, I’m going to be a little more WILLING to bend. A little more WILLING to just let. things. go. A little more WILLING to focus on the relationship and a little less focused on the rules. Because that’s who I want to be…at home and in the world.

What about you? What areas do you feel the Lord calling you to be more willing in? I’d love to hear your thoughts!