worm drama

Little girls are so funny! We went fishing yesterday and we were trying to convince Abby that it was ok to touch a worm. In theory she agreed with this, but when the first cast resulted with a sunken bobber and a live fish on the other end, she totally changed her mind and wanted nothing to do with either fish or worm. We did progress with Ben's coaxing her to touch a plastic worm, so maybe this is a step. It was so funny, and just one more great example of the drama that girls bring.

valleys and mountaintops

I'm still soaking in all of the messages from my Women of Faith weekend. Today I was reflecting on this talk about how we spend most of the time in our lives, even as believers, living in the valleys of life; busy, hectic, yet ordinary valleys. Of course, occassionally we get the joy of a mountaintop experience;
but also just because we're believers and following God, doesn't mean life will be all perfect, mountaintop moments.
We will struggle and be tested. Testimonies of God's greatness come from our being tested; and then how during those tests we can still find God in it and how He brings us through, growing us along the way.
I hope that as I internalize all I heard that I'm able to apply that concept in my own life more - that in everything life brings my way, valleys or mountaintops, that I am able to look to GOd and find my peace in Him and not my circumstances or surroundings.
What a good reminder.

the joy of laughter

I had the opportunity to go away this weekend, to a women's conference called Women of Faith.
It always surprises me going to events like this; I contemplate whether or not I should go each time, and then when I'm there I am totally overwhelmed by the feeling of how badly I needed to be there.
Each time I go, it fulfills a different need; some years it's more emotional than others, sometimes the messages hit me hard, convicting me about a particular struggle I've been having....
but EVERY time, I learn a little more about God's word, and even though sometimes it may only be on one small passage of text, it impacts me for several things I'll face ahead and the soverignty of my having heard that exact text that applies to so many future situations always humbles me.
Anyway, a huge part of what impacted me most this weekend was the reminder to praise and celebrate and LAUGH. Like the song, "if you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance."
As a parent especially, one of my favorite things is my children's laughter. You know, when they are just altogether tickled about something, and are cracking up. Imagine our love for them multiplied to incomprehensible amounts and figure that's how God feels when he sees us be joyful. Psalm 100 :1-2 says 'make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth. worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.'
This weekend was such a refreshment and a great reminder of how much I love to laugh! And in this season of motherhood, one of the things that a speaker said that stuck with me, and my controlling self who has a tendency to snap the joy right out of myself and my kids was, "choose hilarity or insanity." I'd so rather laugh about it all!

Days Like This

Probably a common thought for mom is the somewhat regular conviction about spending time with your kids. Not just with them, but really engaged with them. Well I've been feeling that alot lately, especially as they get older and are able to play on their own, it's easy to let them and then I can do my own thing.
Well, who would have thought that I would have been reminded of this conviction by Van Morrison. Last night Abby and I were dancing around the kitchen, to a song of his I've loved for a long time, Days Like This. But it was the lyrics that I heard that struck me and were so perfect for the moment I was enjoying with my daughter:
when you don't have to worry, there'll be days like this,
when no ones in a hurry, there'll be days like this....

technology is so cool!

wow! I can't believe I've entered this world of cyberspace! My friend is really the one who introduced me to it; I had heard about blogs and all, but who really knows what that is, and I never went hunting to find out. And then I did.....and boy, is it fun to read about the daily trappings of other peoples' lives. A strange but super addictive past time recently.
But really, what fun for friends and family near and far to keep tabs on the crazy life that has become our normal.