Next Sunday is Mother's Day, so this week I am dedicating my devotions this week to what I have gained by being a mom. I am the mother of four children. One I am step-mother to, one is up in heaven, and two I am raising with my husband. It was never a huge dream of mine to be a mother. I was never much for little ones. I baby sat as a teen, but I never had an overwhelming desire that I had to have kids.
When Mike and I got married, I instantly became a mom. I didn't feel like one. We didn't even see Jaci hardly at all until we had been married six months. I prayed that I could be nice to this child who was all of a sudden a part of a new family. I found out that I really liked this child who looked a lot like her daddy, but was closed up and not happy about being here. It broke my heart at some things that happened and was said. But we all did the best we could.
Jaci and I grew into a comfortable relationship for a while, and she could tell me things. Not a lot, but she was always great and fun. I hope some of her childhood memories include us. We had Easter Egg hunts, we took her Trick or Treat one year. She got to know her cousins. We had a lot of fun times.
Being a step-mother has different rules. It took all of us a long time to figure that out. It wasn't all fun and games and we never spent as much time with Jaci as we wanted. I had to hold back on things and find the balance between her and my children. I am sure that she never thought I did enough for her. I am sure that we were never told half the things that went on with her. A lot of time was lost during her childhood. I know I tried to do the best I could for her. I know she is a wonderful girl and that maybe, just maybe I influenced her in some way for the better. I know she influenced my view of motherhood and how wonderful it could be.
Proverbs 31:26-27
She opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
She looks well to the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
Showing posts with label Mom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mom. Show all posts
Monday, May 3, 2010
Thursday, December 3, 2009
It's Your Birthday
Today is your birthday! Happy Birthday to you! Today is my mother's birthday. It has been a very hard 2009. She has valiantly taken care of my dad during his cancer fight and treatment. I know she felt at a loss, and if it wasn't for a lot of you, her good friends, she would have just sat down everyday and cried. She still is taking care of him. But today, she deserve all the recognition that she probably doesn't want.
My mom is a very giving person. She wants to make sure that everyone around her is doing okay and that if she can help them, she will. She wants her kids and grandkids to do the right thing and be the best Christians they can. She loves her husband with a passion.
I heard a song this morning about a girl who, growing up had a mom who do all the things to help the girl have some of the best days. I have had that with my mom. Mom and I got to share an evening of listening to Ivan sing during this past summer. We spend time together freezing corn. Those are very special times for me. She gave up a lot for my sister and me. I hope that someday my children will know how much she loves them.
Mom can not be described by words. She is the best of a lot of characteristics and those who know her love her. So today, send her an email and tell her Happy Birthday!
Mom, I love you! Happy birthday!
My mom is a very giving person. She wants to make sure that everyone around her is doing okay and that if she can help them, she will. She wants her kids and grandkids to do the right thing and be the best Christians they can. She loves her husband with a passion.
I heard a song this morning about a girl who, growing up had a mom who do all the things to help the girl have some of the best days. I have had that with my mom. Mom and I got to share an evening of listening to Ivan sing during this past summer. We spend time together freezing corn. Those are very special times for me. She gave up a lot for my sister and me. I hope that someday my children will know how much she loves them.
Mom can not be described by words. She is the best of a lot of characteristics and those who know her love her. So today, send her an email and tell her Happy Birthday!
Mom, I love you! Happy birthday!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Being a Supermom vs. a Super Mom
You know it's going to be one of those days when...
1) the food you bought last night at the store was still in the bags on the table this morning. The yogurt and ham are ruined. It was brought in, but never put away. I thought about it at midnight, but thought, surely someone put it away. Nope. So now I need to go buy more tonight.
2) when your boss calls you and says, "I am going to be late." She wasn't very late, but still, she was late. But she stays later too.
3) when you can't think of nothing special to write about for your inspirational devotion.
I am happy that school starts tomorrow. Maybe a better routine for all of us will help. I am in a place right now where I can't seem to motivate myself to do anything. Ever been in a place like that? I get up, get ready for work, go to work, come home, help with supper, do dishes, talk with friends, watch tv and go to bed. I don't have anytime for me, which is fine because I am pretty boring and I don't know if I even want to be with myself. I have done a few things for me lately. I have been reading more. We bought me a "crossover". It's not a car or a SUV, but it's in between. Now that I put this in writing, that is a lot. I mean, wow, a FORD Edge? I'll be paying on it forever. I do love driving it. I still feel, well like I am missing something? I thing it is my routine. It is only going to get crazier starting tomorrow.
Tomorrow, I have to get the kids up and out the door around the time I leave. Luckily, Mike is off tomorrow and Thursday, so there won't be four of us vying for the bathrooms to brush teeth, straighten/comb hair, eat breakfast, pack lunches, etc. Tomorrow evening I will probably have homework. I call all the forms I have to fill out for the kids that.
I am still in a state of disarray because choir starts next week. I am not ready for that either. We are going to do an old cantata, which will be fun, but probably not hard enough. In the middle of Wednesday choir practices, the boy's football games will start and be on Wednesdays. I can't do it all and I think that pressure is starting to build in me.
So what's a parent to do? The only thing I know will work. Pray. Look at my schedule. Talk to my kids and support group. I am sure that I will not make all the football games, but I sure am going to try to make as many as possible. I will be there to support the kids in everything they do, but keeping them turned toward God.
Proverbs 15:21 Folly delights a man who lacks judgment, but a man of understanding keeps a straight course.
Lord, help me not to try and be supermom, but a super Mom. Keep me on the straight and narrow so I can keep my kids there too.
1) the food you bought last night at the store was still in the bags on the table this morning. The yogurt and ham are ruined. It was brought in, but never put away. I thought about it at midnight, but thought, surely someone put it away. Nope. So now I need to go buy more tonight.
2) when your boss calls you and says, "I am going to be late." She wasn't very late, but still, she was late. But she stays later too.
3) when you can't think of nothing special to write about for your inspirational devotion.
I am happy that school starts tomorrow. Maybe a better routine for all of us will help. I am in a place right now where I can't seem to motivate myself to do anything. Ever been in a place like that? I get up, get ready for work, go to work, come home, help with supper, do dishes, talk with friends, watch tv and go to bed. I don't have anytime for me, which is fine because I am pretty boring and I don't know if I even want to be with myself. I have done a few things for me lately. I have been reading more. We bought me a "crossover". It's not a car or a SUV, but it's in between. Now that I put this in writing, that is a lot. I mean, wow, a FORD Edge? I'll be paying on it forever. I do love driving it. I still feel, well like I am missing something? I thing it is my routine. It is only going to get crazier starting tomorrow.
Tomorrow, I have to get the kids up and out the door around the time I leave. Luckily, Mike is off tomorrow and Thursday, so there won't be four of us vying for the bathrooms to brush teeth, straighten/comb hair, eat breakfast, pack lunches, etc. Tomorrow evening I will probably have homework. I call all the forms I have to fill out for the kids that.
I am still in a state of disarray because choir starts next week. I am not ready for that either. We are going to do an old cantata, which will be fun, but probably not hard enough. In the middle of Wednesday choir practices, the boy's football games will start and be on Wednesdays. I can't do it all and I think that pressure is starting to build in me.
So what's a parent to do? The only thing I know will work. Pray. Look at my schedule. Talk to my kids and support group. I am sure that I will not make all the football games, but I sure am going to try to make as many as possible. I will be there to support the kids in everything they do, but keeping them turned toward God.
Proverbs 15:21 Folly delights a man who lacks judgment, but a man of understanding keeps a straight course.
Lord, help me not to try and be supermom, but a super Mom. Keep me on the straight and narrow so I can keep my kids there too.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Anxiety Trip
Yesterday, Dad and Mom went to the radiation doctor. He's the doctor who's been monitoring Dad the closest. So I have some updates for you. First, his PET scan will be September 4th. This is the scan that will tell if there is any cancer anywhere else in his body. They will get the results of that on September 11th. Then on September 8th, they will go for either a consult or the removal of the peg tube. I know Dad is hoping they remove it. So this is good news.
Dad ate a six-inch sub Sunday for lunch. That is awesome. The biggest problem he is facing is that because he hasn't really eaten since March, he isn't that hungry and doesn't think about eating unless someone reminds him. The thing is before the cancer, he only ate a couple of cookies with his coffee and supper. Maybe a piece of fruit for lunch during the week. So I am not really worried about that.
Anxiety is a funny thing. It can make you sick to your stomach, it can make you unable to concentrate on the task at hand, and it can leave everyone around you uneasy. In our family, there has been a lot of anxiety in the past few months because of several things. Family members having problems, injuries, and physical and mental health of my parents. But as you all know, I try to hold a strong faith in God and I know that he will carry all of us through these storms.
Psalms 94:14 "When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul."
Pray for Mom and Dad during this time. Pray that God's healing hand is on them and that His will will be done through them.
Dad ate a six-inch sub Sunday for lunch. That is awesome. The biggest problem he is facing is that because he hasn't really eaten since March, he isn't that hungry and doesn't think about eating unless someone reminds him. The thing is before the cancer, he only ate a couple of cookies with his coffee and supper. Maybe a piece of fruit for lunch during the week. So I am not really worried about that.
Anxiety is a funny thing. It can make you sick to your stomach, it can make you unable to concentrate on the task at hand, and it can leave everyone around you uneasy. In our family, there has been a lot of anxiety in the past few months because of several things. Family members having problems, injuries, and physical and mental health of my parents. But as you all know, I try to hold a strong faith in God and I know that he will carry all of us through these storms.
Psalms 94:14 "When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul."
Pray for Mom and Dad during this time. Pray that God's healing hand is on them and that His will will be done through them.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Update - June 15, 2009
Today, I will give an update on Dad. He is slowly recovering. Friday night after supper, we went over to Mom and Dad’s for a visit. I walked in and he said, “Hi.” I was so happy because I could hear him! His voice was stronger. It didn’t last long though. His voice is getting stronger, but the more he uses it, the less strong it is. But for the first time in six weeks, it was more than a whisper! That is enough to give us hope. He is also feeling better. His energy is coming back little by little, his sense of humor is coming back and you can tell he doesn’t feel sick as much. His energy coming back is great, but he doesn’t like that he can do a little and then tires out so quickly. He also is trying and with a little success, eating. He can eat easily tomato soup. He had a ¼ of a pancake and some scrambled egg. That is encouragement.
Immediate results are what is wanted. But he knows that it took 40 days to get this way, and it will take a lot more before he is totally back to his norm. He probably will not be at his norm ever again, at least physically. But he is still Lew, he is still the same man that he has always been. His voice will probably be a bit different. His eating habits may change because of what he will be able to eat and what he can’t eat.
I am just thankful that he is still here. I am grateful that through this whole situation we have not been alone. I hope that we can say we are thankful for our God and the situations he leads us to. He has helped each of us develop a prayer time and a prayer list. Each of you pray for Dad and Mom. You are like this verse from Colossians: “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” You have been watchful and devoted yourselves to prayer and being thankful.
Thank you for your prayers, cards, concerns. It’s not over, so keep it up!
Immediate results are what is wanted. But he knows that it took 40 days to get this way, and it will take a lot more before he is totally back to his norm. He probably will not be at his norm ever again, at least physically. But he is still Lew, he is still the same man that he has always been. His voice will probably be a bit different. His eating habits may change because of what he will be able to eat and what he can’t eat.
I am just thankful that he is still here. I am grateful that through this whole situation we have not been alone. I hope that we can say we are thankful for our God and the situations he leads us to. He has helped each of us develop a prayer time and a prayer list. Each of you pray for Dad and Mom. You are like this verse from Colossians: “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” You have been watchful and devoted yourselves to prayer and being thankful.
Thank you for your prayers, cards, concerns. It’s not over, so keep it up!
44 Years and Holding Strong - June 11, 2009
Today marks the forty-fourth year of my parents life together. There have been many happy times, some sorrow and some times that would have shaken the faith of anyone. There were even predictions before and early on in their marriage that they would never last. Thank goodness those people were wrong!
Marriage is not something to be taken lightly. As most of us know it takes hard work on the part of both spouses. For some couples, doesn’t seem to be effortless? Just watching them you get the sense that they are meant for each other and that they are both giving, caring, and just wonderful? I think each of us know couples like that. I think I pray that no one thinks that of my marriage! I am the first to say that Mike and I love each other, but some days it is not as much fun as others. I know Mom and Dad think that too. I am here to tell you that they are both humans, they love each other more than anything, but that they definitely are not perfect and make messes of each other’s lives as well as their own. The plus is that they have a God who has taught them to love, forgive and repent. But more than that, I believe that God put them together to help each other and help those whose lives they have touched.
How many of you have had some kind of problem and came to both of them for advice. How often do you say just one of their names without the other? I think God looks at these two and smiles when he sees them. They are strong when they need to be, compassionate when it is called for and they let you know when you are out of God’s teaching. They love each and every one of us.
As a child, they were good at keeping their martial differences away from me. But they also didn’t hide the fact that it is one of the hardest things you will encounter. Living with someone else who was raised with a different set of rules, beliefs and morals sometimes make marriage a challenge. Making your own new family rules takes a lot of time. Mike and I are still doing that. Our kids have made new dynamics in that part of our marriage.
The most important words for marriage are trust, faithfulness and love. God does speak on this: Ephesians 5:33 states: “However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.“ 1 Corithians 7:3 says…”The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.”
How is your marriage? Will it stand the test of time? Will you be around for your next anniversary with your spouse? I hope and pray each of us are. But remember, you gotta work at it!
Marriage is not something to be taken lightly. As most of us know it takes hard work on the part of both spouses. For some couples, doesn’t seem to be effortless? Just watching them you get the sense that they are meant for each other and that they are both giving, caring, and just wonderful? I think each of us know couples like that. I think I pray that no one thinks that of my marriage! I am the first to say that Mike and I love each other, but some days it is not as much fun as others. I know Mom and Dad think that too. I am here to tell you that they are both humans, they love each other more than anything, but that they definitely are not perfect and make messes of each other’s lives as well as their own. The plus is that they have a God who has taught them to love, forgive and repent. But more than that, I believe that God put them together to help each other and help those whose lives they have touched.
How many of you have had some kind of problem and came to both of them for advice. How often do you say just one of their names without the other? I think God looks at these two and smiles when he sees them. They are strong when they need to be, compassionate when it is called for and they let you know when you are out of God’s teaching. They love each and every one of us.
As a child, they were good at keeping their martial differences away from me. But they also didn’t hide the fact that it is one of the hardest things you will encounter. Living with someone else who was raised with a different set of rules, beliefs and morals sometimes make marriage a challenge. Making your own new family rules takes a lot of time. Mike and I are still doing that. Our kids have made new dynamics in that part of our marriage.
The most important words for marriage are trust, faithfulness and love. God does speak on this: Ephesians 5:33 states: “However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.“ 1 Corithians 7:3 says…”The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.”
How is your marriage? Will it stand the test of time? Will you be around for your next anniversary with your spouse? I hope and pray each of us are. But remember, you gotta work at it!
Conversations, June 4, 2009
I talked to my parents a little bit this week. Dad has been to two doctors. The first was the heart doctor. This doctor told him that there was a blockage and one of the valves has a small leak. But he called that minor, compared to what Dad is going through right now, and they are just going to watch all of that for a while. The second doctor was the chemo doctor. He told dad that he is now in the lowest part of the valley, but just starting to slowly start making his way out. He can start trying to eat solid food in a week or so and hopefully his voice will start getting stronger, he will begin to have a bit more energy.
One thing my Mom has missed over the past four weeks is the conversations they had. That is hard for her. It takes a lot of energy to talk, especially when you are trying to talk loud and it only comes out as a whisper, so just a short conversation is enough to wear him down. He still tries, but his throat still hurts so much from the radiation that no one will ever understand unless you have been through it.
But have you ever wondered about your best conversations? I was thinking on this the other day. I have had some conversations that I don’t want to end. I have talked on the topics of customer service, family dynamics, emotions, illness, friendship and love. I speak of my faith in God and my beliefs. But speaking is only half of what a conversation is. The other half is listening. Not only listening, but letting the other person know that you are really hearing them by your body language, facial expressions, as well as your response. In my line of work, I have to be able to hold a conversation with strangers every day. If I am not listening, I could misdirect someone and that could be disastrous.
What about your daily conversation with God? Do you have one? Most of us pray everyday. Do we pray help this person, that situation or do we pray that God’s will be done? Do we sometime throughout the day let God speak? I like to think that is what my Bible reading does for me. During that early morning quiet time, I like to read and see what God has written just for me. It may be a praise, it maybe a warning, it may be a story that will help me someday. I find that if I read early in the day, then I can think about what God is saying to me all day.
God speaks to us in so many ways. It could be His Word, a song, someone else. Do we listen? We should. God listens to us. Our preacher always says that maybe God gave us two ears and one mouth is so we will listen twice as much as we talk. The Psalmist has said, “I will listen to what God the LORD will say; he promises peace to his people, his saints— but let them not return to folly.” Psalm 85:8. So have a conversation. Do your part to talk and to listen. It may be enlightening or even bring peace to you, His people.
One thing my Mom has missed over the past four weeks is the conversations they had. That is hard for her. It takes a lot of energy to talk, especially when you are trying to talk loud and it only comes out as a whisper, so just a short conversation is enough to wear him down. He still tries, but his throat still hurts so much from the radiation that no one will ever understand unless you have been through it.
But have you ever wondered about your best conversations? I was thinking on this the other day. I have had some conversations that I don’t want to end. I have talked on the topics of customer service, family dynamics, emotions, illness, friendship and love. I speak of my faith in God and my beliefs. But speaking is only half of what a conversation is. The other half is listening. Not only listening, but letting the other person know that you are really hearing them by your body language, facial expressions, as well as your response. In my line of work, I have to be able to hold a conversation with strangers every day. If I am not listening, I could misdirect someone and that could be disastrous.
What about your daily conversation with God? Do you have one? Most of us pray everyday. Do we pray help this person, that situation or do we pray that God’s will be done? Do we sometime throughout the day let God speak? I like to think that is what my Bible reading does for me. During that early morning quiet time, I like to read and see what God has written just for me. It may be a praise, it maybe a warning, it may be a story that will help me someday. I find that if I read early in the day, then I can think about what God is saying to me all day.
God speaks to us in so many ways. It could be His Word, a song, someone else. Do we listen? We should. God listens to us. Our preacher always says that maybe God gave us two ears and one mouth is so we will listen twice as much as we talk. The Psalmist has said, “I will listen to what God the LORD will say; he promises peace to his people, his saints— but let them not return to folly.” Psalm 85:8. So have a conversation. Do your part to talk and to listen. It may be enlightening or even bring peace to you, His people.
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