the best part to my day...

Sorry for the lock down! From last week:

I'm taking a class on Monday nights offered through our church. Gabe is taking one too, different from mine. We call it date night! And it's fun. We may only talk while riding to and fro (5 min) BUT it's still fun. Except when Lem gets super heavy and doesn't want to nurse and doesn't want me to sit down anymore, but we're making it work. I discovered some baby lovers who will happily love and dote on him during their class. It's been a nice break.

I'm also learning, lots.

4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice is the name of the class and it's been such a blessing to me.

Shortly after the first class I heard the Lord say to pass onto these babies of mine exactly what it is I'm learning.

The HOW, He said. They're not too young.

I want them to know how real and present His voice is. How easy it is to hear it and how easy it is to miss it.

So right along with the kids we have been...

~Quieting ourselves down
~Praying with Jesus as our vision
~Tuning to spontaneous thoughts

The last step is

~Journaling (what you hear)

The kids aren't great writers AT ALL so we share aloud with each other. I journal on the side by myself at a different time, when I can. I'll admit that's been a bit tricky for me but I see the benefits of doing so to 'test' what I hear in the future. When I have made the effort there really has been much fruit. Little did I know how quickly they would come on board with the idea and actually run on a head of me a few steps. I have been so amazed and encouraged by what they are hearing! Right on down to Liam.

For them, it has simply made this God they know to be real, even more real, to them, personally. WOW!

Note: If it lines up with a Biblical truth, it's God. If not, then it's not God. If it builds encourages etc... it's God.

The best is when they have messages for each other. "Chunky, God loves you!" "Sophia, God will never leave you." "Liam, you're going to be a Dr. someday!" "OK! We'll put that one in the books to 'test' later!"

Today, I sent the bigger kids outside to play while I tackled our bedroom. It was bad. I won't go into anymore details!

Up and down the stairs getting reorganized and putting odds and ends where they REALLY belong, allowed me the occasional conversation from the door. I was hot from the push to finish or at least get as far as I could, therefore the window on the door was slid down to allow the screen to pass just the right amount of breeze through. I could hear the kids playing just fine. And if needed was just a hop, skip, and a jump away.

"Mom!"

"Hey! Mom!"

"I was walking to 'the rock' (Asher's special spot he envisions in his mind when we do this exercise inside) and Jesus met me half way! We walked the rest of the way together. I held his hand. Then we sat down and he hugged me. He told me how special I was to him and that if I ever left Him or went lost, He'd always come looking for me. Always."

I choked a bit on his words.

God is faithful! Thank you God! Thanks for speaking to my kids.

Best part to my day? That right there. More than the much needed deep cleaned room I had? Yes! It already shortly thereafter looked like a dump again anyways. [*note: since writing this last week I divied up some chores to Asher and Sophia once a week to help me 'maintain' my room. Best decision in a while! Not to mention how weird my kids are. "Mom, this is SO fun. I'm never in this room but it's like...SO fun!" Now the laundry isn't being moved from the bed to the dresser so Gabe and I can crawl into bed at night thereby turning into mini Mt. Everests and toppling over.]

And this! Lots of chitter-chatter and banging from inside the garage to fill the crisp air. The Grand Reveal! It stands outside the door  in the corner now as this statement, 'Jesus lives in this home!'

we like a good fight...

Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.

Galatians 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

1 John 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

These verses among others, but these in particular, have been simmering in the slow cooker now for weeks. Weeks which have turned into months. And months for me, equals a whole entire season. What I'm learning is simply put into words for our morning devotions, just the kids and I. There has been more opportunity for Gabe to follow up at night and isn't it funny how when the Holy Spirit speaks, it's to the whole family? There's something He wants to impart.

It might be a season of repetition and reiteration again and again and again for them and even carried into their daily copy work for school, but for me, it's been life to my bones. And I'm in need of the reminder, often. As in, every hour and sooner.

I'm a bit of a slow learner. Sometimes things take a while for me to grasp in understanding. Whether that's because I'm acting like a fool or because I'm too antsy for the next round of events to allow what needs to soak in, soak in and take deep deep root before moving on, or both!, I suppose depends on the state of my heart at the time.

Lots of times I do need to be hit pretty hard over the head. But I am grasping. Not at air this time. Not out of desperation as a last resort, but in the fullness of Truth. And it's been wonderful. And I think, what better thing to pass on to my children: that in Him, we have everything we need to fight this daily battle and win.

Every.single.time.

That work on the cross transcends time, generations, and cultures and it's made for the most mundane day and the most rotten of attitudes and motives, today.

So...baby kiddos, get your swords along with me (these verses we're learning and repeating and repeating some more and talking about throughout our day again and again and again) armed and ready, again!, and see victory in the name of Jesus!

daughter...

Two days ago I taught you how to make bread. You've only been asking for months and months and months. Today, I stood and just observed. I took pictures too of course because today was a big day, a lot less guidance, and you were so excited! I gave direction when needed but you are well on your way to completing the process from start to finish (minus lugging the flour bin out and then back into the cabinet, preheating the oven, putting the bread on the rack and taking it out when finished). I'll remain mama for all of that for just a little while longer.

You are 5. And you are beautiful. Though charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting but a woman who fears the Lord is worthy to be praised. You want to be a mama like me when you grow up, so... in little ways I can think of now, I am reminded I am the one to show you and prepare you for such a calling. Sometimes I pray you are nothing like me as a mama, but then I remember you were put with me for a reason. Through my weaknesses you can see just how strong He is and you can walk in grace too.

While it's all fun and interesting now, because it's new and exciting, what I hope to pass onto you (or rather allow the Holy Spirit to impart to you) is joy that comes from serving, day in and day out after it has lost its charm. This bread recipe as easy and mindless as it really is (no kneading!) can become burdensome to make. When we're out of bread and I'm tired, even the easy 'throw it together method' can become brutally inconvenient. And that's when duty must take over. But, it doesn't have to unaccompanied from joy!

But even that takes a heart of intention.

I want to be intentional with you. I want you to be well equipped from our little bread making days and responsibilities so that when you are a mama you'll know where your joy, strength, and worth comes from. I want you to know who satisfies and fulfills like none other. That there is rest for the weary and His presence easily tapped into even in the confines of your own little four walled cozy and yet crazy haven. That walking in His Spirit is the only way to not fulfill the lust of the flesh. The ones that will make you painstakingly aware of your need for Him and yet will remind you of the power over sin you hold through Jesus Christ. You will no longer have to choose sin, and yet should you, with repentance comes no condemnation! How good is our God, little lady?! You'll have scriptures stored up and ready to rage war with, yes, even when you make a simple batch of bread for your hungry little brood someday.

You know, all the things being revealed to me by His Spirit too that I'm privileged and called to share with you.

That's what I pray you catch.

Fleeting...

 Because your childhood just isn't complete without the bathtub and strategically placed washcloth photo!

Look at that chub!

  If I was allowed the time, I'd easily be able to do the same!

 Dad, he's still the funniest!

Mom in the making.

 *sigh*

babylove

Teach me to number my days, that I may gain a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 90:12