I looked outside to the frosted world that turned the fur trees to sparkling towers in our yard. The world was still. Everything was alive, but bedded down under a small layer of snow.
Nature is amazing, isn’t it? I‘ve seen storms where I was certain trees or plants would surely be destroyed by the cold, but come spring they stretch out green limbs and leaves, alive once more. After the energy and activity of the summer, I am sure their winter rest is well-deserved. We can learn so much from the systems of life that God created. When I watch the winter world I am reminded of the precious children’s prayer: “Now I lay me down to sleep I pray the Lord my soul to keep And if I die before I wake I pray the Lord my soul to take.” I prayed this as a child when thoughts of ghosts and goblins kept my juvenile head full and my eyes from wanting to close. Eventually I always fell asleep, believing God watched over me. Rest in an intricate part of life. Why does our society view it as such a nuisance? Rest restores us. Rest makes us more trusting of God as we sit back and watch Him care for us while our minds and body take a break. Rest helps us stop and refocus. Rest helps us prioritize our lives. I stepped away from the window and curled my fingers around a warm mug of coffee. I’m in a different season now. I’m indoors more and not out in my garden or mowing my lawn. Even the chickens started laying less eggs last fall when the days grew short. Everything rests, as do I. Today I give thanks for seasons that encourage me to change my pace and trust in God. What do you enjoy about the changing seasons? Do the winter months bless your own life in a specific way?
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  I wish I could go to my mom, give her a big hug, and tell her she was an amazing woman. At one point she had four children age six and under. I am sure our house rang with a lion’s share of tantrums, screams, yelling, and tears that came with the territory of raising young children and babies. So, I totally understand why she reached the point where she didn’t tolerate shows of negative emotions. We were told to stop. We were told to be quiet. Later, as an adult, I saw any show of sadness or anger as embarrassing, even rude. To make matters worse, I didn’t really understand how to deal with my own reactions to many situations in a healthy matter. I was visiting a close friend a few years ago. Her son had just turned four. He had a bad case of the “whines”. Instead of getting onto him about his display of emotion, she quickly put an end to the bouts by simply asking him what he was upset about and then giving him some options about how he could deal with his sadness, fear, anger, etc. I wondered if this tactic was not “baby-ing” the boy. Our parents would have bluntly told us to stop crying. However, today, that same little boy is very emotionally solid. He not only deals with disappointments and hurt in appropriate matters, but he also is positive and encouraging to others. Recently, I reflected on how powerful it is for us to acknowledge the feelings of our little ones. The girls and I were in Target and Adela desperately wanted to buy an extravagant beaded and feathered pillow (so weird!). Unfortunately there was neither room in our budget or our vehicle for such an item so I told her, “No”. She immediately fell apart. I remember staring at her red face and teary eyes. The words, “Stop crying.” Were ready to fall off my tongue, especially with half the people in the store staring at us. Instead, I took a deep breath and got down on eye-level with Adela. I said, “Hey, that makes you sad, doesn’t it, that we aren’t going to buy the pillow? I am sorry. We can’t buy that right now.” Adela nodded. I swallowed and continued. “So, sometimes when we are disappointed we can’t have something, then we need to remember to be happy with what we have and that we have other things to look forward to.” I went on to talk about the new school supplies we were buying and that we were headed to her cousins’ house to play. Her tears dried. She smiled. Life went on. Just like that. Acknowledging the feelings of our children is a tough job. It takes an extra level of patience. It asks us to be compassionate. If we simply discipline them and don’t take the time to teach them, then they will never know how to handle hurt at a level of deep maturity. Goodness, even Jesus cried. Jesus was angry. Jesus experienced hurt and disappointment. It is part of life and I am thankful that I have an opportunity now to help my girls grow. What tactics have you used to help your children understand how to deal with their emotions?
I wanted to write a great, fantastic, and helpful post about marriage, but I kept staring, paralyzed, at the screen.
Marriage is too complicated, messy, beautiful, and varied for me to write anything helpful. Not me, anyways. But, I do feel passionate about the subject. God gave us marriage. It isn’t something to take lightly. I love my husband. He is my favorite blessing. He is my biggest fan, my most ardent supporter. He makes me feel strong and beautiful. Because God gave me a man like him, I have become the woman I am. That is my story and my marriage. This month we will have been married 11 years, lived in four countries, welcomed three children into the world, said good-bye to one. We’ve cried together, laughed together, and committed to be a dedicated team with our eyes fixed on God. But what makes a good marriage? How is it shaped and sheltered? I’ve read lots of books and articles and listened to many speeches and sermons on this topic. There is a plethora of advice to choose from. But, the one that sticks out the most for me is that a good marriage has been fought for. A good marriage has been under-siege but has come out stronger. A good marriage has seen dark days but fought hard so that vows and promises wouldn’t fall apart. A good marriage has had to become flexible while still unbreakable. A good marriage has been anchored in love—a husband’s love, a wife’s love, and God’s love. Romantic love is on the minds of many during the lovey-dovey season of Valentine’s. I totally understand. There are few things sweeter, here on Earth, than the love of a good man and a marriage that stands the test of time. If God has blessed you with a partner, I pray He gives you both the strength, wisdom, and love to fight for your life together. Happy Valentine’s Day, my friends!
In your own relationships, what advice have you found to be helpful?
Being the mother of young children is the hardest chapter of my life. I've talked to mothers who have survived this phase and they tell me that motherhood is not easy. They tell me that those years when your children still wear diapers and and live off froot loops are some of the most difficult times to get through, but also the sweetest. They remembered those years of having no breathing room, little sleep, and little voices constantly begging for hugs and fun.
Its rough. But each woman told me they learned more in those difficult years than ever before and the women who emerged were stronger with more inner beauty. Check out the list below and take comfort in the intense training ground that comes with parenting these little ones. This is why beautiful and strong women emerge from motherhood. 1. Singing the words to "If Your Happy and You Know It" for the 100th time that day, because you hurt, too, with the crankiness of teething. Seeing your children hurt makes you empathize on a new level. 2. Choosing to discipline your child though it pains you more than them because you must give your child a better future. 3. Finding inner peace in the middle of the 10th epic tantrum of the day. If you can do that, you can find peace almost anywhere. 4. Connecting with strangers in stores because we understand when their kids are just as grumpy as ours are. Now we know what it means to put ourselves in other peoples' shoes. 5. Learning how to give up pride and accept the love and help of others. 6. Learning the hard way that in order to take care of our families we must also treat ourselves with respect. 7. Giving our own selves mercy as we realize we could do everything poorly or do a few things well. 8. Letting go of plans, ideas, and dreams not because we gave up, but because we realized something sweeter. 9. Being pushed beyond known physical limits as we carried a child, gave birth, then went without good sleep for months--now we know where true strength comes from. 10. The countless days, weeks, and months that went by when you were unable to meet with friends or have long phone conversations undisturbed by crying or dirty diapers, you found a perfect friend in your Savior. 11. Leaving the house with no makeup and a 30-second hairdo because other things were more important made you find you self-worth in something deeper. 12. Learning how to budget, prioritize, and use all resources wisely because there was really no other option. 13. Making a marriage or relationship work and continue to grow even when the demands of home and family seemed to eclipse your life. And lastly, 14. When we finally make it out of this season, we are going to know how to care deeply about and for families with small children. Look at that woman in the mirror and give her a smile. She is much different now. She is stronger, her heart is bigger, and she is beautiful.
My love to you! Thank you for blessing the world as you raise up beautiful children.
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