Mama Loves

This was about one year ago.  It goes so fast!

I love that Lila, at age 7, still wants me to sing to her at bedtime.

I love how Mara likes to tell me all the details of her days.

I love when Cody pats me and says "Mommy" in that reassuring way to himself and when he says, "Hugga," and squeezes me tight.

I love when Kyle says "Hugga" too - which he does.

I love squeals of delight over the simplest things like silly faces or noises, seeing construction vehicles, daddy coming home from work, saying goodnight to the moon, a favorite song or rhyme.

I love when Lila wants me to watch her dance routine.

I love the homemade & spontaneous notes of love from Lila.

I love the thoughtful help around the house from Mara when she sees I'm having a hard day.

I love that Kyle likes to tell all his plans and dreams for his life, and that he wants me to watch his new favorite tv show with him.

I love that the kids know my favorite songs and will call me in to listen to them when the songs are playing.

I love baby feet.

I love seeing who each one is growing to be - the special talents and gifts that God has given them.  And how God put us together to grow us into who he made us to be.

I love how they gently encourage me in ways I need to grow.

I thank God every day for making me their mama!

 

Linked with Top Ten Tuesday, Family Time Tuesday, Works for Me Wednesday, Women Living Well, Raising Homemakers, Winsome Wednesday, and Better Mom.

February Joys

February 2012

February 2011

1.  A mild winter so far.  (I'm still recovering from last winter.)  Although our driveway and yard are icy - which is not good for playing outside.  So, we have a little bit of cabin fever.  But, it's just nice knowing that spring is around the corner.

2.  Longer days of sunlight - always helps the spirits.

3.  Homeschool moms night at Panera.

4.  Finally finishing Lila's adoption story for her with Mixbook.

5.  Planning upcoming vacations.  I love thinking of possibilities for family fun.

6.  Hot tea.  I love starting my day with hot tea (one of Cody's first words).  And I drink it all day.  It is comforting  and relaxing to me.

7.  Watching Good Luck, Charlie with Lila, Cody, and Brad early in the mornings on Netflix.

8.  Birthdays and Valentine's Day - My birthday is in February, along with Lila and several other extended family members.  Many years I had a heart shaped cake for my birthday and now make them some years for Lila.

9.  It's a short month - again, closer to spring.

10.  Thinking about ideas for homeschool next year since this year is on the down slope.  Conventions are coming up, and I plan to look for new curriculum and ideas for Lila and Mara.  I need to get excited about some new things!

February seems like a good month for planning and dreaming of new seasons of life coming.

Linked with Top Ten Tuesday

Theme word for 2012: JOY!

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  Romans 12:12

I have been praying about what to focus on this year.  Since I was hopeful last year, I thought I would follow that up this year with JOY!  Joyful in hope because I am still hopeful.  It's funny how God adds to what he teaches us each year.

So, I then decided to look up some other verses on joy as I prayed about a word.  It seems that joy and hope are often found together.  And I decided to look up REJOICE because isn't that what you do when you are full of joy?


May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Romans 15:13 

We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.  Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance character; and character hope.  And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.  Romans 5:2b-5.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perserverance.  Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. James 1:2-3, 12.

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

And one of my favorite verses: 

Philippians 4:4-8  Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

**GENTLENESS.  Let your gentlenss be evident to all.  I know I am not as gentle as I would like to be.  Maybe that should be my word too.  I feel convicted by God as I write this to make this a focus this next year.  I'll have to follow up with another post as I pray about gentleness!

One last scripture I wrote down was Psalm 37.  I wrote it down because I was looking up the word DELIGHT!  A friend of mine said she was going to try to delight in her children more this year.  I like the word delight.  Doesn't delight mean to take great pleasure or JOY?  When I looked up delight in my Bible I found that it referenced delighting in God's law, delighting yourself in the law of the Lord.  It made me think of the song  Trust and Obey.  I've always loved this song.  Here are the lyrics:

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,

What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be HAPPY in Jesus, but to trust and obey.


So, I will be JOYful and hopeful, REJOICE always, DELIGHT in the Lord, be HAPPY in Jesus, and  hopefully grow in GENTLENESS too!  I think this year I will regularly post a JOY UPDATE - and maybe a GENTLENESS UPDATE!  That will help me see how God uses joy and gentleness in my life to show me more of Him this year.