Among the many challenges this month: Getting Christmas Pictures of my Children

A flu-ridden mommy and kids watching a Christmas show.

Alayna was NOT into taking Christmas pictures.

Daddy and the boys after I said, "David, smile for real, you look like your dad!" We LOVE Grandad. :)

Alayna, in a much better mood in her warm house by the tree.

After the 3rd day of trying I got a few usable shots. They're in our card and I'll post them later. But, seriously, that's after three days of combing hair, donning the red turtle necks and the Mrs. Santa dress, and mommy "nicely" insisting they look at the camera and smile at the same time. Three days!

I also finished the Christmas letter. I love Christmas letters. I love getting them and reading them and catching up on people's lives. Although, the negative aspect of Christmas letters portrayed in comedy sketches (like the one I saw the other night on Jay Leno) can be true for some, I still like reading them. I write ours mainly for us, though. I envision the kids reading back over them someday and seeing how they've grown and how they're likes and dislikes have changed and remembering the highlights of each year. I think someday I might do two though. One with the "real" pictures and one where they look nice - just for fun, and just for us.

So, what do you think about Christmas letters? Yea or Nay?

Big Picture

A great day for me include accomplishing certain things:

1.  A clean house

2. Bible Study

3. A workout with or without a successive shower

4. Preparing a good dinner

5. Quality learning time with my kids

6. Quality time with my husband

So the question is:  Am I being too ambitious here or not?  David and I had a discussion the other day and came to this conclusion: If my day is all wrapped up as a success or a failure according to these ambitions, my ambition is sin.  God is sovereign and has ordered my day according to His will.  While I must plan my day and be organized, Almighty God is the One who directs my steps.  I have to trust that God's plan is better than my own every time.  So, if I don't make it to the gym because my kids are sick - that is God's good and perfect plan.  Maybe He's protecting me from something - I don't know.  "He, whose heart is kind beyond all measure, gives unto each day what He deems best."

So, today, I'm a happy mom (and not just because I'm running on THREE cups of strong coffee).  This morning I acknowledged that my day is the Lord's and not my own.  His will is perfect and "He gives a special mercy for each hour... He whose name is Counselor and Power!"  --Day by Day, by Thomas Moore.  No matter what happens or doesn't happen today, I can be content in God's predestined plan for me.

  

Choose Life

"In Him was life, and the life was the light of men."  John 1:4 

The New Living Translation says, "Life itself was in Him."  

We just started a new Bible study at church.  It's an inductive study on the book of John.  So, here's my question of the week:  how many days of my life do I truly choose Life?  Seriously, half the time I forget to eat breakfast, much less take time in the morning to acknowledge and praise the Source of my life (no wonder I forget to eat).  

So, the last few days I've really purposed and practiced getting up and focussing my heart and mind on Christ, even if it's the boys fighting over something that wakes me up in the morning, or Alayna crying, etc.  (It's rare in mommy land to wake up all by yourself - someone always does it for me). 

I set my alarm for 6 am all week long.  I got up once at 6.  I don't think Satan wants me to wake up early.  One morning Alayna woke up hungry at 4:30 (she never does that).  I got her back in bed by 5 and I almost fell back to sleep when Pierce came wondering in just before 6.  I pulled him into bed with me and laid there with him until he fell back to sleep.  When I finally got up, Hudson was awake and wanting breakfast.  I fixed him breakfast and Pierce woke up.  I fixed Pierce breakfast and made the coffee, then Alayna woke up.  And the morning was gone.  

So, I've simplified my goals.  I may not get an hour of uninterrupted prayer in the morning, but I can acknowledge my Savior who is my LIFE and my LIGHT and know that if in all my ways I acknowledge HIM, He will direct my paths for the mommy days:  days where my feet and my hands never stop moving, when I forget to eat, when I've changed diapers and wiped bottoms and cleaned up messes and broken up fights, when I've offered instruction and applied discipline and wiped tears and blown noses, and given hugs and kisses.  It doesn't mean my days are a breeze or a bed of roses, but I have direction, and peace and joy and hope for the days ahead.