Savoring a Cup of Tea: 2 Timothy 3

I am studying Acts in a women's Bible study this year, and tonight I read a passage in 2 Timothy (3:1-5--I read more...) about the "last days" in order to gain a better understanding of the last days referred to in our Acts passage. I titled this post "Savoring a Cup of Tea," but I haven't been "savoring" this passage long since I just read it! However, it brings to mind all kinds of thoughts. I thought I'd copy it here for you and let you savor it with me as I sort of "think as I type."

2 Timothy 3:1-7 (ESV; emphasis mine)
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.

Wow! Does that make anyone else sit up and take note?! So much here to dissect. I am not one of those alarmists that is always going on saying the end of the world is nigh. But the message here is clear: "avoid such people"! A few thoughts on some of the specifics:

• lovers of self: enough said, right? Aren't we all?
• disobedient to parents: another reminder of what, as parents, need to be training our children to do--obedience is REQUIRED by the Lord, not just a convenience
• ungrateful: remember this as Thanksgiving comes around--being thankful is not just a day out of the year, but a constant attitude we should have
  
• without self-control: I've yet to write my final fruit of the Spirit post, but this one is a huge one!!! How many times have you (or I) yelled at your children, eaten something you shouldn't have, skipped doing something you should be doing in favor of something you merely want to do--so many times we don't control our self and give into whatever the flesh would like to do
• having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power: to me, this means we are going through the motions of looking spiritual (church attendance, devotions, etc.), but are not really seeking the Lord and serving him wholeheartedly. Instead, we are just doing things that make us look spiritual....
• always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth: this is worth an entire post in and of itself. There's an information glut out there (which this blog, admittedly, is contributing to) about anything and everything. How many more parenting books do I need to read? Shouldn't I be searching the Bible for answers and seeking the face of God? This applies to all of life!

Thankfully, the end of this chapter of 2 Timothy contains those glorious verses I was required to memorize years ago in my little Christian school:

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man (or woman) of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

Go read that Bible!!!

Bandanas: a Going Green Extension

I wrote a small series on "Going Green" back in the spring and thought 10 posts would be enough! But, I've just discovered a new "must" for the mom of young children who wants to reduce, reuse, and recycle: BANDANAS.

I was fretting over the high cost of cloth napkins and lamenting the lack of time I had to sew any from old fabric to a friend who was visiting a few weeks ago (her mother has made them a bunch of cloth napkins from random calico prints). We have a small stash of "family cloth napkins"--the ones I never stain treat, iron, or barely even fold. They just get dumped in the next wash cycle after each meal. I'm also running dangerously low on bibs and know that as soon as my twins begin using utensils, we'll enter into another massively dirty eating stage: after every meal, the bibs they used will have to be washed because of all the stuff that dripped on it. Finger food can be brushed off, but a bib can only take so much cottage cheese, yogurt, and sweet potato.

Enter the bandana solution: these things are amazingly well adapted to my needs!!!! At Hobby Lobby, I picked up a bunch for $0.87/each. That's cheaper than most cloth napkins. They are bigger and come in lots of kid-friendly prints. They're poly/cotton which means they won't be "bleeding" all over lighter colors in the wash. They don't wrinkle much and don't stain. They work great as bibs--simply pull two corners behind the neck and tie. These "bibs" can't be pulled off by recalcitrant kiddos; cover the entire front, neck, and shoulders of the child; and can be moistened after the meal in order to scrub little hands and faces. I made sure I got at least 3 of each of the fun prints since I have three children. I'm also thinking these will make much more interesting napkins for the kids--and, again, plenty big enough to swab down aforementioned children at the close of the meal. (I'll probably still whip out the plastic backed bibs when I serve something really "wet" like cereal with milk or soup.)

I'm going to put a few in my diaper bag and in the emergency bag I have in the car. What a lifesaver! In addition, when I got home with the new stash, my daughter had great fun "wearing" them and dressing her dolls up in them. We wore them on our heads for a little while and twirled around the room with them. They make great capes for wee ones. Oh, the possibilities....

Resource Review: Treasures of Encouragement

Ok, if you have never read this book you need to. We just finished this book as a summer Bible study with my church. Fabulous. After each chapter there are questions to follow on a daily basis as a study. This is why the book is so good:


First: She uses so many real examples...women who have told their stories. The author herself writes from experience, having lost a son at the age of 16.

Second: If you want to learn how to be used as a tool in your church or community, this is perfect. As women we should all be encouragers, but we don't always know how to do it. She gives countless examples, practical advise, and most importantly, how to ask and know how God wants to use you. Each of us have different skills and abilities and God can use that in so many ways.

Third: It shows you how to look and see how God has used others to encourage you. It even tells you how to start a blessing book to journal ways you see him working.

This book is so great for any Christian. It doesn't matter what denomination you are, it just covers the basis of being biblical encouragers.

Be Prepared!

As a M.O.M. (mother of multiples), I've been forced to adopt the Boy Scouts' motto: Be Prepared. It's great advice for anyone wanting to run errands with wee ones in tow. For this momma, here's what "Be Prepared" boils down to:

Running Errands:

• extra diapers/panties
  
• wipes
• snacks
• sippy cups with water
• small car toy
  
• mental readiness to pay for a treat to get us through the line at the cash register
• mental readiness to offer and try every sample we pass in the grocery store
• an actual meal stop at Chick-Fil-A or similar eating establishment if we're going to be gone more than 2 hours
• mental knowledge of every bathroom we may be near--including general state of cleanliness, size of handicap stall (can it take the double stroller, my toddler, and me all in the same stall?), location in store, and whether or not my toddler has actually used that bathroom before (that ups the chances she'll follow through when we arrive there)
• a detailed shopping list, including listing items in the order in which they will appear in any given store--the less time spent perusing the list or searching the store for something I may have forgotten, the quieter the children....
  
• cheerful attitude
• willingness to speak to people in the store (when you're pushing a double stroller full of two kids and pulling a shopping cart with the third, you ALWAYS get stopped and asked RANDOM questions)
• energy (sometimes that means chugging a diet Coke en route to the first store)
• flexibility (sometimes you just have to cancel an errand or buy a substitution to avoid another stop)
  
• Carpe Diem! (yesterday we walked the perimeter of the parking lot to hit up 4 stores--we got some fresh air, my oldest got some exercise, and I didn't have to load three children in and out of the car 4 different times)
• NO OTHER PLANS (we spent all morning in the same parking lot/few stores, but that was a good day's work)
  

If I leave the house with all of that, then our chances of having a smooth morning are much, much greater than those mornings I try something on the spur of the moment....

Teabag Verses for Students and Moms

Ok, lets be realistic. I am never going to get all these verses typed in. So I scanned them in. These are the student verses adapted to fill in your student/child's name as a prayer for them for the year. I noticed some errors from scanning...just remember they all come from the NIV translation if you are confused. My scripture verese for moms is just not coming out....have to work on it. Enjoy.

Scripture for Students

Psalm 119:73·74, 76
Your hands made and formed him/her; give ____ understanding to learn your commands. May
those who fear you rejoice when they see for he/she has put his/her hope in your word. May your unfailing love be 's comfort, according to your promise to your servant.

Ephesians 3:14-19
For this reason I kneel before you, Father, from whom your whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of your glorious riches you may strengthen ____ with power through your spirit in his/her inner being, so that Christ may dwell in 's heart through faith. And I pray that , being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all the saints to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that passes knowledge - that may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Psalm 32:8·11
I will instruct __ and teach him/her in the way he/she should go; Iwill counsel and watch over im/her. (Help me teach ) not to be like the horse or the mule, which have not understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you, Lord. (Let me remind that) any are the foes of the wicked, but the Lord's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him. (May ) rejoice in the Lord and be glad with the righteous. (May he/she) sing with all who are upright in heart.

Ephesians 1:16·19
I have not stopped giving thanks for___ , remembering him/her in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give ____ the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that ___ may know him better. Ipray also that the eyes of ____ 's heart may be enlightened in order that he/she may know the hope to which He has called him/her, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe.

Colossians 2:2·3
My purpose is that may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that he/she may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that ____ may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Philippians 2:13·16
(May realize that) it is God who works in him/her to will and act according to His good purpose. (I pray that ) will do everything without complaining or arguing, so that he/she may become
blameless and pure, a child of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which
____ shines like a star in the universe as he/she holds out the word of life in order that Imay boast on the day of Christ that Idid not run or labor for nothing.

2 Thessalonians 2:13,15·17
Iought always to thank God for , loved by the Lord. So then, , stand firm and hold to the
teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage 's heart and strengthen him/her in every good deed and word.

Jeremiah 29:11·13
"For I know the plans I have for u declares the Lord, "plans to prosper him/her and not to harm him/her plans to give a future and a hope. Then __ will call upon me and come and pray to me and I will listen to him/her. will seek me and find me when he/she seeks me with all his/her heart.

Romans 12:1·2
(I pray that my instruction and example will) urge ______ , in view of God's mercy to offer hislher whole body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God •as his/her spiritual act of worship. (Help me to teach_____ ) not to conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of his/her mind. Then will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will.

1 Peter 5:10·11
And the God of all grace, who called to His eternal glory in Christ, after he/she has suffered a little while, will Himself restore and make him/her strong, firm and steadfast. To Him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Psalm 119:33·38
Teach ,0 Lord, to follow your decrees; then he/she will keep them to the end. Give _
understanding, and he/she will keep your law and obey it with his/her whole heart. Direct in the paths of your commands, for there he/she will find delight. Turn ____ 's heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn 's eyes away from worthless things; preserve hislher life according to your word. Fulfill your promise to your servant so that you may be feared.

Psalm 138:7·8
o Lord, though walks in the midst of trouble, you preserve hislher life; you stretch out your hand
against the anger of hislher foes; with your right hand you save . Lord, you will fulfill your purpose for____ ; your love, 0 Lord, endures forever- do not abandon the works of your hands.

Psalm 141:3·4
set a guard over ___'s mouth, 0 Lord; keep watch over the door of ___'s lips. Let not hislher heart be drawn to what is evil, to take part in wicked deeds with men who are evil doers; let not eat of their delicacies.

1 Thessalonians 1:2-4, 7
I always thank God for , mentioning himlher in my prayers. I continually remember before our God and Father 's work produced by faith, hislher labor prompted by love. and his/her endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For I know, -'loved by God, that he has chosen you because the gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power. with the Holy Spirit, and with deep conviction ... And so you became a model to all the believers in _____ (city).

Colossians 1:9·12
I have not stopped praying for _asking God to fill himlher with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. I pray this in order that may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might, so that will have great endurance and patience. Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified____ to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

Psalm 119:65·66. 68
Do good to your servant , according to your word, 0 Lord. Teach knowledge and good jUdgment, for he/she believes in your commands. You are good and what you do is good, teach _
your decrees.

2 Timothy 1:3,6·7
Ithank God. who Iserve, as my fathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day Iconstantly remember _____ in my prayers. Ihave been reminded of ____ 's sincere faith. For this reason Ilong for ____ to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in himlher. For God did not give a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

1 Peter 5:6-9
(0 Lord, please give the grace to) humble himselflherself under your mighty hand, that You may lift himlher up in due time. (Help to) cast all hislher anxiety on you because you care for himlher. (May ____ ) be self-controlled and alert. (Remind himlher that) hiS/her enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. (Enable ~ __ ) to resist him, standing firm in the faith because he/she knows that hislher brothers through the world are
undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

Philippians 1:9·11
And this is my prayer: that 's love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that ____ may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ - to
the glory and praise of God.

1 Timothy 6:11-12,14
____ -', Man (or woman) of God ... Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love. endurance and
gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Motherhood Transcends All Barriers

I've been musing over this lately: it seems that no matter what the backgrounds of the two mothers are, the simple reality that they both have young children is an automatic bond. I attended a Bible study this morning for the first time, and several of the women in my small group had young kids in a similar age range as mine. We immediately had something to talk about--and moved onto other subjects as well, but our children were an immediate common interest.

But what if you can't even speak the same language? Motherhood is still a bond. I went to an Asian grocery store after the Bible study since it's in the same part of town. Once we were in the (very small) store, my almost-3-year-old "helped" me push the double stroller containing her two brothers around the store. We were in the store about 1 minute when a little Asian boy came up and started "helping," too. Now, I need not tell you that it took us a while to maneuver through the cramped aisles, but my daughter and the little boy had a great time. His mother asked me in broken English about the ages of my children (and I reciprocated) and then proceeded to get my daughter a lollipop once we were at the checkout (this is after my boys tipped over a big box of mangoes or some similar fruit and she cheerfully picked them all up for me). It was a delightful reminder that mothers all have similar concerns and loves, even when our backgrounds and language are so different from each other. It was also a sweet testimony that some women are born nurterers and love children no matter whose they are--I like that my little guys had a nice surrogate Asian mother looking out for them in this little store while I picked out my baby bok choy.

Activity Bag Swap

Carrie and I have been busy this week coordinating our first Activity Bag Swap. She found these great books of instructions for filling gallon-size ziploc bags with activities for preschoolers (Activities in a Bag). The books give detailed directions not only for making the activity bags, but for coordinating your own "swap." Basically, we've got 15 ladies who are each going to make 15 versions of 1 bag. At the end of the month, we'll meet up at my house and swap bags, each going home with 15 different bags. These activities are great, and Carrie and I have each made up some for our own kids already. As the school year starts up, you may want/need something for your preschooler to do, especially if an older sibling is off at school for the first time or you are trying to homeschool that older sibling. (Or, in my case, you are trying to entertain two other toddlers at the same time.)

It's worth taking some time to think through how to keep your toddlers and preschoolers constructively occupied. I'm witness daily to the dangers of idle hands...paired with busy bodies and creative brains! My goal this fall is to train my young'un's and to keep them occupied (even if that's with a quiet independent activity)--it helps keep temptation to sin at bay. For a young child, the major commandment they must learn is #5: Obey your mother and father. It's so hard for them to follow through on that commandment if they're bored, unsupervised, etc. My husband and I were talking this through last night: essentially, how can we help our children obey us (and therefore the Lord)? What sorts of things can we put in place to facilitate that? What sorts of commands should we be giving (and expecting obedience in return for) and what sorts of battles are better left unfought at their current ages? I think toddlers and preschoolers can definitely learn to obey their parents (indeed, must learn that), but I'm also trying hard to figure out how I, as a parent, can best show them how to obey me and equip them to do so. One of the cautions given us as parents is found in Paul's epistles: Fathers, do not exasperate your children. Surely that means that we need to evaluate our commands and exercise self control as we interact with our young children (my mother, sister, and husband can all bear witness to my lack of self control this very week...sigh...).

That being said, I hope having a store of constructive acitivities in bags my oldest toddler can pull out to work on will help her stay occupied constructively when I must be dealing with her younger brothers or cooking dinner or even brushing my teeth!

I should give credit where credit is due and thank my sister for discovering these activity bags!!! Thank you, Carrie!!!

What Else Can Go Wrong?

I shouldn't even ask that question since we still have 1 1/2 hours until departure (for yet another trip). Why do things always go wrong when it's actually important that they not? In other words, why is it the day we're about to leave on a trip that the following things happen? (Mind you, it's not even 10:00 a.m.)

• 1 twin dumps dogs' water bowl out...all over kitchen floor, himself (of course, he's already in his travel clothes), and the other twin (also in travel clothes)
• daughter (who's potty trained) poops in her pants (her travel clothes)
• daughter spills yogurt all over her shirt because she disobeyed Mommy and didn't put her bib on first (or wait for it to be put on)
• all three kids get into the plastic wrap drawer: all ziploc bags (approximately 150) were pulled out of their boxes, saran wrap pulled off roll, foil in process of being pulled off roll....
• 1 twin rips two pages out of daughter's favorite Curious George book

I still have booster seats to clean, pac-n-plays to fold down, car to pack, lunch to get, sippy cups to wash and refill..... (sigh)

Just had to sit down and regroup for a minute--thought someone out there might be laughing to herself and knowing that these things happen to other people!

Postscript: We eventually made it out the door in one piece, but Chick-Fil-A forgot the fries I ordered through the drive thru shortly thereafter. Once we made it to our destination, things went pretty smoothly and my daughter was the cutest flower girl ever!

Road Trip!

Carrie and I (bravely) took our five children (need I remind you that they are ages 1, 1, 2, 2, and 5?) in ONE CAR to visit our parents this week. Everyone survived and had a great time (zoo, pool time, parks, reading stories, horsing around, etc.). Everyone is also pooped!

But, we learned something rather interesting to pass on: go to Cracker Barrel for your trip meals if you have young kids!!! We went to Wendy's on the way. It took us exactly 1 hour from getting out of the car to getting back in. The kids ate okay--but the food they did consume included chicken nuggets of questionable origin, milkshakes, mandarin oranges....

On the way back, we hit Cracker Barrel. We spent almost exactly the same amount--pennies different including the tip! And, we ate much more food--we all got breakfast. The kids ate more food than they'd consumed at Wendy's, it was brought to us (and the table cleaned up for us), and it was real food: eggs, biscuits, milk, etc. It took us about 20 minutes longer than our Wendy's stop, but it was well worth it. In addition, unless it's a super peak travel day, most Cracker Barrels I've been in have clean restrooms, and all have a place to change a diaper.

Bonus: we got each kid (that was old enough) a piece of candy for the road. Mmmm.... sugar.

We highly recommend Cracker Barrel for your next road trip!

The Great Gardening Game: the Harvest Continues

From my meager, bare ground beginnings, I'm now reaping a nice little harvest of tomatoes, cucumbers, hot peppers, green beans, and the beginnings of bell/sweet peppers! It's been lots of fun and... family members and close friends may want to sit down for this... I'm learning to like and enjoy fresh tomatoes!!!!!!!

My little garden has necessitated minimal work on my part these past few weeks. I'm only harvesting and pouring over cookbooks to see what new cucumber salad I can drum up or what new tomato sauce we can try. Our current (and very easy) favorite is a simple tomato basil sauce for sauteed chicken, compliments of Joy of Cooking. When I get a chance I'll post that at full tummies. Our cucumber salads and at least one tomato sauce recipe will be posted this week, so check it out!

You might consider putting in a garden next summer if you didn't this year. It's been quite rewarding! It's also been a good reminder that the Lord does indeed provide our food--when I just buy it at the supermarket, that's easy to forget. When I'm hoping for rain and trying to imagine what life would be like were I actually dependent on the garden for my food, then I remember that the Lord is indeed in control of our food and the curse was a real curse! (to work by the sweat of our brow)

The Struggle of Becoming Mom-Part 3

A long time ago, I started my series on the Struggle of Becoming Mom. My idea on part 3 was to talk about the loss of a child. Those that struggle with it. However, it is not always easiest to put into words what you do feel and what happens. And situations can be so different, each of us experience things differently. My hope for each of you is that if you do lose a child (miscarriage or other) that you too would experience God's "peace that surpasses ALL understanding." And would be surrounded by a body of Christ to meet your needs. My Bible study right now is going through a book and there was a story in it of a lady who had lost a baby. Another mother had written her a note, and it was so powerful to me that I thought I would let it speak for me. I don't know who wrote it.

This is the part of the letter:

"At the loss of a child find comfort in the sovereignty of God. There is no lost potential, no purpose unaccomplished, there is only the glorious plan of God perfectly fulfilled in a precious little life. With prayers that God will comfort your sorrow as we await the day when all things will be clearly understood."

New Teabag 1

Scripture for Student (insert their name if applies.)

Psalm 119:73-74
Your hands made ________ and formed him/her; give ________ understanding to learn your commands. May those who fear you rejoice when they see _________ for he/she has put his/her hope in your word. May your unfailing love be ________'s comfort, according to your promise to your servant.


Scripture for Mom

Psalm 145:2-7
Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty and I will mediatate on your wonderful works. They will tell of the power of your awesome works and I will proclaim your great deeds. I will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

Quicky Devotions

I am always learning something new teaching my Sunday school class. Most of you know you can read through a Proverb a day and you would finish in a month. (And they aren't that long!)

You can also do the same with Psalms. You can read one a day and finish in 3-5 months (many of the Psalms are really short). It is a quick read and many hymns are based off the Psalms.

If you want to make them longer, you can write them down in a journal and comment on them, how they pertain to your life, any relevant verses, etc.

New Kind of Teabag

Yeah, I know I have been absent yet again. I have been gearing up and drowning myself in starting homeschooling. Our local group met for a mom's night and one of the mom's there shared something with us. Several years ago, she was stuck in her prayer life and started taking verses from the Bible and using them to pray for herself and children. She would personalize them with their names. This is so great for anyone. It doesn't matter where your child goes to school, you can still have a prayer for them for the year. You know where they are, what they are struggling with and where they need to be. You can also have a prayer for yourself. Something you want to remember about God, his love for us, or how he cares for us.

So I am going to list the verses, one for student and mom each time. Not all will apply for you or your children. Some will. And if none do, find your own! Might be good to dust off your Bible for some extra study right!!

I Used to Say...

I thought it might be fun (and humbling) to start a running list of things I used to say I would never do, my kids would never do, or other edicts I issued along similar lines. I'll just republish this list occasionally with new ones added. I should point out that these charming assessments of the way my life would look once I had a husband and children were usually formed and voiced with my similarly single friends during and after college as we watched our newly married friends become parents themselves. Somehow, pre-marriage and pre-kids, we have all the wisdom of the ages, right? When reality hits, it's often hard to know what was a legitimate (i.e. Biblical) goal and what was just nuts!

1. My kid will never throw a tantrum at someone else's house.
2. My kid will eat her/his vegetables without complaining.
3. My kid will go to bed (or to nap) without issue because that's just the way it will be. We'll raise him/her to be like that.
4. My kids will never eat in the car.
5. My kids won't eat hot dogs frequently--what poor nutrition (I should point out here that I stock up on hot dogs when they're on sale...).
6. My kids will all love to read (thankfully, one does so far and the other two might come around).
7. I will never do natural child birth (before I decided to do natural child birth with my first).
8. I will never have a medicated delivery (after natural childbirth with baby number one and before I got pregnant with babies number 2/3 and had a vaginal delivery followed by an emergency C-section).
9. I will never have a blog.
10. My kids will never watch TV, certainly not until they're at least 2.
11. My kids will be toilet trained easily.
12. My kids will obey me in the park and come when I call.
13. I'll never threaten and not follow through.
14. I'll never bribe my kid to eat dinner by offering dessert as a reward.
15. We'll never have toys strewn about the house--how hard can it be to pick everything up before someone comes over?
16. I'll lovingly guide and nurture my children at all times; no yelling in this house (ha ha ha ha).
17. I won't lower my standards for babies after child #1 (well, let me tell you--the floors didn't get mopped daily when the twins started crawling; the twins haven't been read to every night of their little lives; the twins haven't had any professional photos taken; etc.)
18. I'll only breast feed my babies. (never anticipated twins; tried it and had to give it up)
19. I'll make everything from scratch.
20. I'll regain my pre-pregnancy shape easily because I'll exercise (when? What was I thinking? what's exercise?)

There are lots more! Feel free to comment with some of your own "I used to say..."

Savoring a Cup of Tea: Fruit of the Spirit (Gentleness)

For the other fruit of the Spirit posts, check the series index in the margin.

When I think of gentleness, I think of women tenderly nursing sick children (or their husbands), older children gently leading younger children, young adults patiently listening to the elderly tell their stories...in short, I think of areas or tasks that involve a great deal of patience and kindness mixed together. I think gentleness includes these two traits, but it must be more or it wouldn't have its own separate place in the list, right?

I think gentleness ultimately reflects quiet spirit. When I am truly seeking the Lord, spending time before him in prayer and reading Scripture, being still and knowing he is the Lord, then I begin to gain a small understanding of gentleness. As a parent, I have unlimited opportunities to demonstrate gentleness to my children--opportunities at which I fail usually. It seems to me that gentleness comes when we are quiet before the Lord and take that quietness and serenity into every area of our lives. When my oldest toddler spills her milk on the floor while she is practicing drinking out of a "big girl" glass, I can react gently when I correct her and clean up the spill (instead of overreacting and fuming at her and the general situation). When we are running late (usually my fault in the first place), I can gently nudge my three charges to the door rather than ranting and raving. Why do I want to rant and rave (besides my lack of self control)? I think it is because I haven't been quiet before the Lord; I'm letting the circumstances of my day "get to me" and fretting, fuming, stressing about it all. Instead, if I'd left my burdens with the Lord, ceased striving and rested in the knowledge that he is the Lord, then I probably wouldn't get bent out of shape as much. I'd be more equipped to be gentle in my interactions with those around me.

Gentleness also seems to come into play when we must correct someone or share some hard truth with someone we love. This occurs frequently when we are mothering young children; less frequently, we must correct an adult whom we love--perhaps a husband or family member. Rather than "blowing up" or reacting in the heat of the moment, we should pray about the issue and seek the Lord's guidance. Then, we should gently seek to restore that soul to Lord and/or to fellowship. We should let gentleness pervade our attempts at all reconciliation, no matter who the offended party is.

As I've reflected on parenting this year in particular, I've come again and again to the conclusion that if our goals are truly to grow more Christlike, to know him better each and every day, and to see those whom we love also come to know Christ better, then our actions will no doubt reflect the fruit of the Spirit more and more. This may sound obvious, but I think the more subtle fruit of the Spirit, like gentleness, will become more and more noticeable. The fruit of the Spirit often involve dying to self and looking to another's interest and to the glory of God. Keeping this perspective helps us be gentle when we might otherwise be frustrated, angry, or simply self-centered.

I think I have a long way to go in understanding and demonstrating gentleness. It's something I think about often--especially in connection with self control! When I pack my day too full of events, write a to do list impossibly long, create a list of unreachable expectations, start focusing on what others think of me (perhaps because of the way my children are acting), then gentleness goes out the window. In short, whenever I am trying to control my own life instead of seeking the glory of the Lord and the edification of my family, then it's nearly impossible for me to maintain a gentle and quiet spirit. As I pray for this fruit of the Spirit, I'm realizing that I can set myself up for failure by not recognizing the sacrifices I must make in certain areas of my life. So instead of merely praying for gentleness, I also need to pray for wisdom and the ability to set aside activities and interests which are cluttering up my life.

You Can Buy Coupons!

I had a whole post devoted to saving money on groceries without using coupons (haven't posted it yet). I figured that I couldn't be bothered with buying the Sunday paper, flipping through for the one or two coupons I might actually use, and then keeping up with those one or two coupons.... We just don't use many products that we need coupons for, and I can often beat the deal with the in store specials on generic products.

Or so I thought. Enter the new coupon clipping system: you can buy the coupons you want over the internet! Someone else is clipping all those coupons, organizing them, and selling them for about a dime apiece. When the coupon you want is for $1 off a certain product, you're still coming out ahead after you've forked over the dime. Both of these sites I'm going to link below also charge roughly a dollar or so extra for the total order by the time the shipping and handling is factored in. Not a problem if you're ordering a lot of coupons.

I ordered coupons for products I actually use--brands I'm committed to and such. Now, I'll wait for them to go on sale at the local stores. If they haven't by the time the expiration date is nearing, I'll just use them on the regular priced product. Every coupon I ordered was either $1 off or more, once doubling was factored in (Kroger doubles up to $0.50). Pretty neat, huh? I even ordered 12 coupons for my favorite organic peanut butter which I never, ever buy because it's too expensive. Just so happens that the local co-op has it on sale this month plus my new $1 off coupons! Brings it down to the price I normally pay for the inferior store brand!!! Hooray!

Here are the sites in case you're interested in computer-style coupon clipping:

The Coupon Clippers
The Coupon Master

I thought The Coupon Master was a bit pricier, but they have different stuff. So, check them both out! You can probably search your local grocery store flyer online as early as Saturday, then order corresponding coupons and have them by the end of the week.

Transition to Toddler-dom

We've arrived!!!! I no longer can say my "babies" because I now technically have three toddlers!!!! The dynamic duo has begun walking in earnest; their sister will graduate to "preschool" category soon since she turns three in October. But, for now, I have three toddlers with all that connotes. This is why I do nothing other than referee, rescue my house from the toddlers, and rescue the toddlers from the house (today's favorite scenario: twin B trying to play with a plug that was plugged into an outlet while big toddler sister tries to push him over and twin A is toddling over rapidly to see what all the fun is about....). It's a wonderful life (and never, ever boring).

What's for Dinner?

Published simultaneously at full tummies

School days are just around the corner! Many moms work these days, but even if you don't, chances are good that you are just as swamped with homework help, running errands, and taking care of your family; it seems that almost everyone needs help with healthy, affordable meal planning.

If you don't want to utilize the drive-thru, the processed grocery store food, or take out, what are your options for quick meals? You can cook for you freezer like I've been discussing at full tummies. Or, you can opt for a service that tells you what to cook and gives you your shopping list. These two websites are worth checking out if you're interested in a prepared menu and shopping list:

Saving Dinner (See my earlier review)
E-Mealz (Not tried yet, but intrigued by its link to grocery store deals!)

However you choose to go about it, feeding your family healthy food is important, but not the only thing in life. Try to find a plan that enables you to enjoy dinner time with your family, not spend all day in the kitchen, and works for your budget. Sometimes, shortcuts are worth paying for--especially if you are in a major life transition (new baby/babies, new job, recent move, etc.).

The Emergency Bag and the ER

My friend Lisa came up with this idea initially, but I have stolen it and used it as well! For 1 year old birthday gifts, she creates an emergency bag for the mom: a large tote bag into which is unceremoniously dumped an assortment of odds and ends the mother might need for a toddler emergency (don't get too organized with this because the bag won't stay that way). The idea is to leave this bag in the car. When you are stranded in traffic and need an extra snack...emergency bag. When Jr. has a "blowout" in the car on the way to the beach...emergency bag. When you suddenly decide to eat out and don't have a bib...emergency bag. When you decide to stop at the park without advance warning and it's 100 degrees outside...emergency bag. You get the picture.

A sampling of items to include:

Extra wipes
Extra diapers
Extra onesie or t-shirt
Extra plastic bag or two
Old handtowel or something similar
Travel size sunscreen
Travel size bandaids
Travel size neosporin
Travel size hand sanitizer
Snacks (packs of crackers, pretzels, etc.)
Small juice boxes
Bibs
Bottle of water (to use in clean up)
Index cards and pen (in case you have to call the doctor and need to write something down)

The tot's mom should replace everything they use as soon as she gets home. We've come to depend on ours and use it all the time--even when it's not an "emergency."

That being said, I had to help my friend (visiting from out of town) take her 5-year-old to the ER on Friday night. I grabbed the equivalent of an emergency bag for us: caffeinated drinks and a big bag of animal crackers. Since we left at 1:20 a.m., we certainly needed the caffeine and the little girl appreciated the animal crackers while we sat and waited in the ER (she clearly wasn't in life or death straits since we were thinking of vittles on our way out the door). It's worth taking a minute or two to think of these things if you can!

Happy Emergency Bag Packing!