TRUST

I wasn't looking for one word for the year.  But it came to me.  And then it was confirmed over and over. So who am I to fight?  This is it...my word for 2014:

source

God stretched me and strengthened my faith in 2013, but I know He wants me to trust Him so much more.  With everything.  Especially my kids.

Just today He helped me to trust Him in a new way with my children...accepting the reality that they will grow up to have various issues (just like I do!!) and that He will be there to faithfully grow them and change them and bathe them in His grace.  So I don't have to carry the impossible weight of trying to get them to make all the right decisions in their years at home that would spare them pain as adults (and don't start worrying that I'm not going to parent to the best of my ability - that's not what I'm talking about.) They aren't going to get it all right now (just like I don't) and He will be there with them in every year to come, helping them as they need it.  Oh, the relief that comes with trust.  May God grow me in huge ways this year as I seek to allow Him to enlarge my trust in Him.

source

Cultivating Grateful Hearts

One of the things that's a REALLY big deal to us as parents is that we cultivate grateful hearts in our children. Ultimately only God can change their hearts, but we are trying to give them as many tools as possible to choose gratitude and trust rather than discontent and unbelief. Last year each child began a journal that they write in several times a week during our Bible time in school. They record gifts/blessings in their life, and then they share them aloud.We pray that the cumulative effect of this exercise produces great fruit in the years to come!

Patience

This photo has nothing to do with patience, but I thought it was precious

I was so thankful when I ran across Ann Voskamp's post today on patience.  I need patience as a mom.  I need patience in every area of my life - with people, with circumstances, with unknowns... You will love the insights Ann (author of One Thousand Gifts) has on patience, so I hope you have a moment to click here and be inspired.

Joyful Parenting

June 2006 - They grow up way too fast!!!

Yesterday morning when we were trying to get out the door for piano lessons, I was not the kind of mom I want to be.  Not the kind of mom God wants me to be.  Not a joyful mom.

I wasn't screaming or threatening, but I was a bit snappy and to-the-point.  I was asking the kids to remember many things at once, and I didn't appreciate the repeating and reminding that was involved.  Even in the moment, I knew that I wasn't responding in a grace-filled way to the normal challenges of being a mom, but I couldn't seem to change the course I was on. 

So I was primed and ready to fully devour Ann Voskamp's 10 Points for Joyful Parenting.  She is the author of One Thousand Gifts which I'm currently reading and deeply appreciating.  For all of my Mom readers, please take a moment to click on this link.  You'll be inspired, and you'll know how to pray for me as I seek to infuse our home with true joy and grace.