Pondering Them in Her Heart

"But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart."

Luke 2:19 & 51

I always thought this verse a little strange. What on earth does it mean that "Mary pondered these things in her heart?" Then I became a mother. There are things that have happened in my children's lives that are so precious to me that I purpose to remember forever: the first time I held each one in my arms; the first time Fletcher responded to my voice; the way Sophie kisses me when she wakes up from her naps. These are memories that I don't need a camera or baby book entry to remember. They are treasured deep inside my heart.

The truth that Jesus is fully God is imperative for the message of the Gospel. If He was not fully God, He wouldn't have been a perfect sacrifice. But just as important to the Gospel is the truth that Jesus was fully man. If He was not fully man, He would not have been able to die in the place of man.

 I believe that this passage is one of the ways that God's Word proves the humanity of Jesus Christ. When the shepherds came to see the new baby King, they bowed and worshiped Him. 12 years later, Mary was finally reunited with her son after days of panicked searching. These are the moments that Scripture tells us Mary treasured in her heart. They were so wondrous to her that she wanted to remember them for the rest of her days. This is the response of a real, human mother, proving that Jesus Christ was a real, human son.

As amazing as it is to believe that God Himself would have a mother, what is more amazing is that He chose it. He chose to place himself under the care of not only a mother, but a sinful one at that. This sinful mother would have not always parented perfectly. She would have gotten impatient, angry, and done things out of selfishness. Yet even with this imperfect mother, Christ remained perfect. Because He Himself always obeyed, He was able to fulfill the law of obedience in our place. For those of us who have disobedient children or have ever disobeyed our own parents, we should be overjoyed at the grace of our Savior! He was willing to live and die for disobedience, making a way to be adopted as sons by a loving Heavenly Father.

I also have mommy moments when I can't even remember if I brushed my teeth, but that is for an entirely different blog post!

The Pauper's Gingerbread House

If you love to do projects with your kids but the Christmas season has left you with only (in the words of George Bailey) "a mama dollar and a papa dollar," don't despair. It is still possible to make crafts and memories together!

Here is what you'll need to make an adorable and budget-friendly "gingerbread" house:
~ an empty carton of milk, juice, or whatever you're about to throw away
~ frosting (you could also use glue, but that's not quite as tasty)
~ graham crackers
~ some left-over Halloween candy or surplus Christmas goodies

Cover the carton with frosting and place graham crackers on top. Using more frosting, cover the house with as many delicious treats as you can. While decorating, don't be afraid to sample some of the frosting or candy, but be careful...your children will want to take this step to the extreme! Enjoy!

Weeping with Those Who Weep

Today we have witnessed a horrible tragedy. A tragedy so inconceivable that our nation has been shaken to the core. You will be hard pressed to find a mommy or daddy that has not hugged their children a little tighter or told them "I love you" a lot more.

 I have spent much of my day weeping over the slain and their grieving families. I am reminded again of the brevity of life and the reality of sin. Yet even among this unspeakable evil, our hope can be found in the cross. The reality of sin brings glory to the cross because it reminds us of our need for a Savior. We need someone who will rescue us from this despair, devastation, and fear. That rescuer can be found only in Jesus Christ, the one Who is greater than all heinous acts of wickedness. 

For the precious families who have lost loved ones, the weeks ahead will be long and dark. God wants us to weep with and fervently pray for them. And through it all we can know with confidence that God is still in control. He alone can use the events of December 14, 2012 to draw people to Himself for His glory.

"The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and His ears toward their cry.

The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off their memory of them from the earth.

When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. 

The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit."

Psalm 34:15-18

If you are looking for a godly perspective on this tragedy or are struggling to find answers, I highly recommend Al Mohler's "The Briefing".

Hope for Christmas

Christmas has been called "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year," and indeed it is. However, sometimes it feels like the holiday should be called "The Most Stressful Time of the Year!" We want our kids to be completely happy with their gifts. We want to host the perfect Christmas party. We want that fudge recipe (the bane of our existence) to finally turn out this year. For many others, it can be a season of  empty bank accounts or a painful reminder of loved ones whom they have lost. If this describes you, I pray that these truths of Scripture will encourage your heart:

To you who are overwhelmed, Christ was born to be your peace (Ephesians 2:13-15).
To you who are lonely, Christ was born to be your friend (John 15:12-15).
To you who are living in despair, Christ was born to be your hope (Romans 15:12).
To you who are fearful, Christ was born to care for all your needs and secure your eternity (Luke 12:29-34).
To you who are going through trials, Christ was born to be your comforter (2 Corinthians 1:3-5).
To you who are discontent, Christ was born to be your satisfaction (John 6:35).
To you who are weary, Christ was born to be your strength (Philippians 4:12-13).
To you who are depressed, Christ was born to be your joy (Luke 2:9-10).
To you who are drowning in guilt over sin, Christ was born to be your Savior (Luke 19:9-10).

 If we depend on the presents, decorations, cookies, and parties to make the season bright, we will be sadly disappointed. Christmas is wonderful because it is a time to remember Jesus Christ. A time to be amazed that God became man, dwelt among us, and fulfilled the law in our place, making Him the only One who could rescue us from our sin. There is no greater reason to celebrate than that.

Decking the Halls

One thing I love most about the Christmas season is all of the beautiful decorations. It is so much fun to turn my home into what I like to call "a magical, Christmas wonderland." In the past 2 years since Fletcher has been born, I have chosen to decorate during his nap time. This year I decided to do the bulk of the decorating while both Fletcher and Sophie were awake and full of energy.

The Christmas music in the background was drowned out by Sophie blowing raspberries as she played at our feet. The stockings could not be hung until they were first put on Fletcher's feet and strewn around the living room. Every ornament had to be touched. Every decoration had to be investigated. The giggling was as abundant as the twinkling lights. In short, we had a blast.

Did the decorating take twice as long as usual? Yes. 

Was it ten times more fun and memorable? Absolutely. 

Will I do it this way for every Christmas to come? You bet.

Potty Training Gone Wild

Potty training has been somewhat of an adventure as it is very uncharted territory for me. Since the day we started, I have been waiting for the inevitable: that moment when the trainee becomes confident of his abilities before he is actually ready. Yesterday, that moment came.

After church on Sunday morning, I had been keeping a close watch on Fletcher. All of a sudden, he vanished. I looked everywhere from the auditorium to my husband's office. Soon a member of our church walked up to me with a sheepish grin on his face. "Fletcher is walking around the church with his pants off," he said. As you can imagine, I quickly roamed the church in search of my pant-less son. "Please let him still have his diaper on," I prayed.

I looked up, and there, waddling in penguin-like fashion, was my sweet little boy with both pants and diaper clinging to his ankles. Yes. My son was streaking through church.

I couldn't help but laugh at both the situation and the proud smile that shone on his face. I whisked him away into the bathroom while instructing him on the importance of modesty. "Mommy! I went potty!" Fletcher said with a laugh. "Where did you go potty?" was my wary reply. He led me to the nursery, and sure enough, he had taken care of his need. His only problem was what to do when he was finished. Hence, the streaking.

I have a feeling that he will have a hard time living that escapade down with the church family that were witnesses. Poor buddy.

Giving Thanks

"Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, and His love endures forever." Psalm 107:1

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving praising God for all that He has done!

Top 10 Reasons I'm Thankful To Be a Mommy

Alright, I must confess. My Top 10 quickly became a list of 15. I just simply could not narrow it down!

Top 15 Reasons I'm Thankful To Be a Mommy

15) always having an excuse to shop in the baby section

14) experiencing with my children things that I loved to do as a kid 

      (swimming in the pool, getting ice cream, playing chutes-and-ladders)

13) hair bows and sweater vests

12) that unparalleled, delicious baby smell is always at my disposal

11) watching my wonderful husband transform into "The World's Greatest Daddy"

10) little arms around my neck in a fierce hug

  9) kissing chubby cheeks

  8) laughing with my husband as we witness the hilarious, unexpected antics of our 2 mini comedians

  7) reading books together

  6) seeing my children grow and learn new things

  5) being called "mommy" by a voice that couldn't get any sweeter

  4) the unconditional love of my two little people

  3) loving those same little people so much, my heart could burst

  2) praying over my children as I tuck them into bed for the night

  1) the sobering privilege of sharing the gospel to the greatest mission field I could ever be given...

      the hearts of my little boy and baby girl

My Heart Is Filled with Thankfulness

Here are the lyrics to my favorite Thanksgiving hymn. It praises God for the most important thing that I am thankful for: my salvation through Jesus Christ.

My Heart Is Filled with Thankfulness

Words and Music by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend

My heart is filled with thankfulness

To Him who bore my pain;

Who plumbed the depths of my disgrace

And gave me life again;

Who crushed my curse of sinfulness

And clothed me in His light

And wrote His law of righteousness

With pow'r upon my heart.

My heart is filled with thankfulness

To Him who walks beside;

Who floods my weaknesses with strength

And causes fears to fly;

Whose ev’ry promise is enough

For ev’ry step I take,

Sustaining me with arms of love

And crowning me with grace.

My heart is filled with thankfulness

To him who reigns above,

Whose wisdom is my perfect peace,

Whose ev’ry thought is love.

For ev’ry day I have on earth

Is given by the King;

So I will give my life, my all

To love and follow Him.

A Week of Thanksgiving

As hard as it is to believe, Thanksgiving week is here! I have been thinking a lot about thankfulness in regards to being a mom, and I hope to share some of those thoughts with you in the days leading up to Thursday. The following is a quote by Carolyn Mahaney that has been a great encouragement to me on those days that I am tempted to not be so thankful.

"Thankfulness drives away the clouds of weariness, self-pity, and impatience that overshadow the joys of motherhood. If we find that we have lost our joy of mothering, it may be because we have neglected to consistently thank God for our children."

What a challenge! Even in the mommy moments that are the most difficult, it is important to remember that thankfulness will always be the more joy-filled option.

Tortellini Soup

Soup is on the menu for this chilly November day. Served with a side of cornbread, this simple and delicious meal will please even the pickiest of little boys! Anyone want to join us?

You will need...

~ 1 lb sausage or chicken                                           ~ 6 or 7 carrots, chopped
~ 32 oz chicken broth                                                ~ 1 bag tortellini
~ 1 can tomatoes                                                       ~ a pinch of pepper and garlic powder
~ 1 can green beans

Brown the sausage or chicken. Mix meat with broth, tomatoes, green beans, carrots, and spices in a pot (I like to use my Dutch Oven). Simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally. Add tortellini during the final 5 minutes. This recipe also works great in a crock pot on low heat.

Just Like Daddy

"...Be imitators of God, as beloved children." ~Ephesians 5:1 

For almost 3 years Fletcher has been watching and getting to know his mommy and daddy. He knows how we talk, act, and what our interests are. Now that he knows us, he tries to imitate us every chance he gets. It is not uncommon to see him talking on the phone like me and walking around the house wearing my shoes (please don't tell him I told you!). He loves to tinker around with his tools and work on "projects" like Daddy. And he is forever making us laugh by saying phrases that we use all the time. Because Fletcher love us, he wants to be just like us.

I believe that Christ has paid the price of my sins through His death on the cross. He bore the wrath that should have been mine, making it possible for a holy God to forgive me. Because of this, I have the privilege of being God's child. He is my Father and loves me with an everlasting love.  Just like Fletcher wants to be just like Daddy,  I too should love my heavenly Daddy enough to want to be be like Him. I must imitate His character by showing love, kindness, compassion, grace, holiness. I need to grow closer to Him and allow the Spirit to transform my heart, making me more like my Savior.

May God give me the grace to know and be just like my own Abba Father.

Abounding in Steadfast Love

I am thankful for every day that the Lord gives me with my children. However, not every moment is a walk-in-the-park filled with roses. No, much of my day is spent disciplining and working with a certain 2 year old who is disobedient, rebellious, selfish, and VERY good at the whole temper tantrum thing.

But this is not about a 2 year old little boy. (He is dead in his sins and enslaved to them until he comes to know Christ.) This is about a sinful mommy who has been greatly humbled by her own sin when these difficult situations surface in her home.

With each act of defiance, I am quick to lose my patience. The thoughts of my heart go something like this, "How dare he!" or "Why doesn't he ever do what I want him to. do?"  My flesh is always ready to be angry, resulting in a response that is neither godly nor focused on truth. It is sin.
But with each of my sinful responses, God has graciously brought this verse to mind:

"The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love." ~Psalm 103:8

Before Christ, I was a disobedient enemy of God. I was rebelliously running away from Him as fast as I could while never looking  back. But because Jesus Christ both obeyed perfectly and died in my place, I can know God's abounding, steadfast love. He is so merciful and gracious to me no matter how many times I mess up. He is slow to anger; patient with this mommy for whom Christ died. How can I respond in anything but that same love for my own children?

So even though these days have been full of challenges, I am thankful because God has used them to crush my sin and drive me to the cross.

Beyond Bath Time

If the life of a mom could be summed up in one word it would be "busy." Our days are quickly filled up with  scrubbing chubby cheeks, making peanut butter sandwiches, tying shoe laces, and preparing baby bottles. It is so easy to get caught up with these little tasks that we forget that being a mommy is actually a ministry.

In her book Beyond Bath Time, Erin Davis gives a fresh perspective on mothering that is both comical and inspiring. It gets to the heart of what moms struggle with on a day-to-day basis while offering hope that there is more to this job than dishes, diapers, and drool. This book will encourage the weary and challenge the brave to view the role of  "mom" with an eternal, kingdom perspective.

For more information, visit http://www.beyondbathtime.com/

Blessings, not Burdens

It is October baseball season! The time when baseball fans anxiously await the crowning of the new World Series Champions. Our house is abuzz with excitement (and stress!) as we watch each game that our St. Louis Cardinals play during this postseason. Daddy cheers, Mommy runs around the living room, Fletcher imitates the players, and Sophie is just happy to be along for the ride!

Why is this Fall Classic such a big deal, anyway? What makes Americans sit on the edge of their seat, laugh, cry, and jump up and down? It is because the reward is sweet. There is nothing like seeing your favorite (or second favorite!) baseball team storm the field in victory, hold up that trophy, and win the ultimate prize of "Champion."

For those of you who don't have any interest at all in baseball, I apologize! I will move on and get to my point: the thrill of winning the World Series is nothing compared to receiving the reward that comes with having children.

"Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward." ~Psalm 127:3

I don't know of a single baseball player or fan that would say, "I think I'll pass on that World Series thing. Winning would be too much of a hindrance for me." In the same way, I do not see my children as an interference to my career, a crimp in my lifestyle, or a financial burden. I get excited when I think about them! I love spending the day playing, hugging, and providing for them.They  are gifts given to me by a gracious God. They are my rewards.

God has blessed me beyond belief and brought such joy through the lives of my two little people. It is my prayer that as I invest my time, energy, and love into their lives, God will draw them to Himself and make them lovers of their Savior. I couldn't imagine having a higher career, ministry, or heritage than that.

And as for the World Series, we will have to wait and see!

A Little Pain, A Lot of Gain

My precious baby girl received 3 immunizations this week, 2 of which were given through the needle. With each poke her eyes widened in surprise and what followed was a piercing, heart-wrenching cry reserved only for the most traumatizing of situations.

As I held her hand, stroked her cheek, and kissed her forehead, she looked up at me with eyes that seemed to ask, "Why is this happening, Mommy?" The pain she was going through made absolutely no sense to her. But she doesn't know what I know. She doesn't know that without these vaccinations she is at risk for all kinds of horrendous illnesses like seizures, blood infections, brain damage, paralysis, or even death. She doesn't realize that I chose for her to go through this pain because I know what's best for her. I chose this because I love her.

Every time my children are vaccinated I am reminded of God's love. There are times when my heavenly Father puts me in painful situations that don't seem to make sense from my earthly perspective. When I am given a trial, I often say to God, "Why is this happening?" But I don't know what He knows. I don't understand how this pain can "work out for my good" and ultimately make me more like Christ. But God does.

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness." ~James 1:2

When the time of tribulation comes, we do not have to face it alone. Because of Christ's work on the cross we have complete access to the God of all comfort Who has promised to never leave us or forsake us.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our afflictions...For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too." ~2 Corinthians 1: 4a & 5 [emphasis mine]

How encouraging to know that throughout any trial we may face, it is not because the world is spinning out of control and God is powerless to stop it. He actually chooses them for us because He knows what's best for us...because He loves us.

From Toy Story to God's Story

Joe and I try to share the Gospel with our children as much as we can. If they sin, we tell them that they need a Savior. If they are upset because they don't get something they want, we teach that the only way to true, lasting happiness is by being saved through Jesus Christ who died so sinners could know Him.

Meanwhile, the Toy Story movies (particularly numbers 2 & 3) are the entertainment of choice around our household. Fletcher loves to watch them, play with the characters, read books about them, and even have imaginary conversations with them.

As funny as is may sound, the Gospel and Toy Story collided today in the most interesting of ways. Fletcher was watching a scene from the 3rd movie where Barbie is mourning the loss of her former owner, Molly. Fletcher looked up at the TV and said, "It's OK, Barbie. Jesus died!" My heart melted and became a puddle on the floor.

He's listening to what we're teaching him! He's starting to get it! He saw someone who was hurting (regardless of the fact that she is not real), and knew that she could find happiness because Jesus died on the cross. Although he doesn't fully understand the gravity of his sin or the need to repent of it, today I saw a glimmer of hope that he is beginning to see the correlation between Christ and living a life of forgiveness and  pure joy.

Sweet Sophia

Capturing my children’s growing up years through pictures is special to me, and Sophie turning 3 months old was no exception. All her pictures turned out great, but this one is hands-down, bar nun my favorite! I love how it perfectly captures her smile, chubby cheeks, and dimpled hands. But I think what I love most is that she is not looking at the camera, the photographer, or a stuffed animal being furiously waved in her face…she couldn't tear her gaze away from her mommy.

Keeping Track of Time

"So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." 
~Psalm 90:12

I read somewhere that we only have approximately 935 Saturdays with our children from the time they come home from the hospital to when they head off to college. That might sound like a lot, but even if your child is only 2 years old, over 100 Saturdays are already gone leaving you with only 831 left to giggle over bowls of cereal, play tag in the yard, or snuggle on the couch watching a fun movie. 

Having that number in mind does nothing less than motivate me to spend every one of those Saturdays (and Tuesdays, Thursdays, and everyday!) fully investing myself into the lives of my sweet kids. It may seem silly or monotonous to keep track of how much time we have, but that is exactly the kind of mind-set that God wants us to have.

However, there are days when I am definitely guilty of doing the exact opposite! I tell myself, "I'm too busy for that," or "I can do it later," and on the excuses go. The fact that the author of Psalm 90 asks God to "teach" us  this practice proves that it does not come naturally. I think this is especially true for those of us who are young. The less time we have spent on this earth, the more we see ourselves as immortal, having all the time in the world. This perspective can lead to laziness, apathy, and recklessness. 

God has something better for us. He wants us to learn how to "number our days," remembering that our life on earth is short. We only have so many days to live, and once one of those days is over...POOF!... it's gone for good. Numbering our days will help us gain a "heart of wisdom." We will use our time more wisely, making every moment count. The more we keep track of time, the more earnest we will be in sharing the Gospel, teaching, and loving on our kids.

Let's make every last Saturday count with God's strength and for His glory!

Fun Family Day

We were blessed to be able to take the day and spend it with one of our favorite teams, the St Louis Cardinals! It was so much fun to bring our own little baseball pro to his first Cards game ever. We all had a GREAT time.

When Sin Comes Knocking

“And the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.’”  1 Samuel 8:7

Ah, the Israelites. They give us some of the best illustrations in Scripture of how not to live. In this

account, God’s people are dissatisfied with the fact that He is ruling their nation as king. They looked around and said to themselves, “Look at all those other nations. They have a real king to rule them, and see how happy they are! What we have isn’t good enough. We want our own king too!” So off they marched to their prophet, Samuel, to make their demands. “Give us a king!” they shouted. Samuel tried reasoning with them, but they could not be calmed. They stomped, cried, and maybe even threw themselves to the ground in a heap, all the while frustrating the life out of Samuel.

                                                                                                                                                                                       Has a scene like that ever taken place in your home? It has in mine! And much like Samuel, watching my child’s temper tantrum does not exactly make me skip for joy. I get angry that he has disobeyed me and made our day much more difficult than it should be. But is that the right view of my child’s sin?

After the dust settles, God tells Samuel that the Israelites have not rejected Samuel, but have actually rejected God Himself. The same is true in my own situation. For the sake of the Gospel, it is imperative to teach my children that when they sin, they are ultimately sinning against a holy God whom they have rejected as King. Their sin has separated them from God, and it must be punished. But, praise the Lord that's not how it has to end! There is a Savior who has been punished in their place so that if they believe on Him, they can be forgiven.

How very detrimental it would be to discipline out of prideful anger instead of taking an opportunity to preach Christ and His cross.

Mommyhood and the Cross

I love being a wife and mom. It thrills my heart to have the privilege to serve my husband and two precious children. But even above my family, I have a greater love. That love is for my Savior, Jesus Christ. He gave His life on the cross so that I could have my sins forgiven and make Him my joy forever.

These two loves do not negate each other. In fact, the very opposite is true. It is because of my relationship with Christ that I can love my family selflessly and joyfully. I could not be the mother that He desires me to be without Him mightily working in my life. On the other hand, my relationship with my family has proven to  mold me into the image of my Savior more than I ever thought possible. Time and time again, situations with my children have revealed my sinful heart, drawing me to repentance and a closer intimacy with Christ.

It is my prayer that this blog will be used to illustrate the love God has for His children and magnify His cross through the many victories (as well as challenges!) that come while being called "mommy." I hope that as you read, your heart will be encouraged and refreshed, and that together we can glorify God through the adventures of mommyhood!