Revive Us - part 2!!

I cannot say enough about Life Action and the blessing my family is receiving from going.  I can't get enough of them!  I am so thankful that we have been able to attend most of the sessions...it's been crazy around home but God has allowed me to keep up on laundry and dinner for my family...even baths and groceries and writing on the blog! 

If you were unable to attend today (Saturday) to the Home Life Cafe, I ache for you. I pray that it was all because you didn't really need to go as bad as me and my family!  It was such a blessing.  I was so thankful that my hubby was able to give up one of his last Saturdays of no work to attend this.  It will pay us back ten fold...I just know it! 

Lately, I have been watching the Duggars on TV...you know the ones...the ones who have like 19 kids.  I know a lot of people think they are nuts but I really applaud them.  They might have this huge house, but really, they live quite simply and they are debt free.  How many of us can say that?  And what they teach their kids is priceless.  They can do this because they are not selfish with their time...they don't just tell their kids to get out of their hair and go play...or plop them in front of the TV with endless video games and videos.  The parents don't say "I have a show on at 9 so you need to be in bed".  Alot of people criticize homeschooling...these kids are very smart and articulate.  I saw an episode where the dad took all the girls out to the shop and showed them how to change oil and the mom took the boys and showed them how to do laundry and cook.  How many of our parents did that with us?  I think we've made things hard on ourselves by having too many options...especially for entertainment.  If we lived simplier, I think our lives would be much easier.  Having said that....

The main topic for today was The Family...we looked at passages about how we should value life as it is an act of God (Genesis 2:7) and a gift from God (Psalm 127:3) and that we should see our spouse and children as a precious gift of God in which we need to invest life and influence on. They talked about our differences and said "If we were both the same, one would be unnecessary". Very  powerful.  Sadly I have so many times felt like my kids were an incovienence instead of seeing them as a precious gift of God.  I do not think I am alone in this.    I remember when we thought about having a baby...awww...a baby...how hard can that be?  Well, pretty hard, when you are selfish, for one.  I don't know how many times I have thought, if I didn't have a child, this would be easier...or I could go here, or do this, or have money for this (I am being real here, so don't send hate mail).  It's not about just having a baby...it's about being a parent...a  teacher.  I have been thinking about this so much lately and the Lord answered a prayer by going today.  One topic they spoke on was how to "teach well".  Parents are their children's most significant instructor...not their teachers...not their sunday school teachers.  That means me.  When I really began to think about this and look it all...it's very overwhelming.  I can't believe all that entails our job description which doesn't end when they turn 18.  Did any of you know this?!  But I am SO grateful to be learning this at such a young age while my children are so young...while I still have time to change.  The "teach well" section for me was the most powerful part of Saturday.  Here is what I have written in my notes:

Deut. 6:7-9 Fill their days with truth and greatness of God
Eph 6:4 Raise them in godliness by what you say and what you do.

Teach:

• Intentionally - take great effort to get much of God into their mental grid
• Spontaneoulsy - take every opportunity to point your family to Christ
• Exemplary - get real and  be their best example of life-size truth living
• Counter-culturally and culturally revelent - trust truth and use culture wisely (how to be IN the world of not OF the world)
• Creatively - get a pattern and lay the pavement

Don't waste your family life
Psalm 78:4-8 Raise another generation of God seekers

• Understand what is at stake
• Understand that time is short
• Understand that your legacy is already in motion

Don't raise your children to survive in this world...Raise them to CHANGE the world

Isn't that SO poweful?  We have a lot of work to do don't we?  And most of us don't come close to measuring up...I know that I am far from it. 

They did a nice presentation on Loving Reproof...basically how to punish your children for disobedience vs. rebellion...super good stuff, but am really avoiding hate mail on this topic.  I am very passionate about all the topics they have shared and I took good notes...so I am totally up for going through it with you if you missed it.  It won't be nearly as good as what they put together but it's something.  I'm telling you this stuff is so good that it makes me want to be a part of their ministry team...or some ministry team somewhere.  I want to share this stuff with others.  My passion was already stirred for it over a year ago and it gets stronger and stronger.  I want to do the Lord's work...I want to live my life with my arms out saying "you lead....I follow"...I am ready to give up everything and take on anything.  I can't help but think of these adoption clues God gave me and how He keeps setting us up in places where we hear about it TOGETHER...about how I never thought I wanted more than 2 children....and how God changes everything.  It made me sad today that they said something about the Lord opening and closing wombs and how we should "see more children as more blessings"...I remember how ready I was for Brock to go off and have his procedure and what relief I felt when it was done...I had my 2 children...my 2 inconvieneces in life...and how I didn't want anymore of them to screw up MY plan.  How selfish am I?  I purchased a shirt that says "I am the wretch the song refers to".  I think I need to wear it everyday!  I wonder sometimes if we did the right thing or if that was all part of the plan for us to adopt down the road.  I know God plans all things and He wouldn't have us go down that road for no reason.  So I trust...I trust that the words we have been hearing touched my husband.  God has such a big and mighty plan for our lives and I am so tickled by it.  I can't wait to see what He delivers.  Oh, how He has changed my heart...just when I thought I had changed so much and learned so much, He shows me how much farther I have to go. 

"Change my heart O God...make it ever true...Change my heart O God....may I be like You.  You are the potter...I am the clay.  Mold me and make me...this is what I pray"

Revive us!!

Starting on Sunday, Life Action came to our church to revive us!  They will be here 2 weeks!  Their schedule is Sunday mornings, Sunday- Thursday evenings from 6:30-8:30, and Saturdays 9-1.  Just having gone the past couple of nights has been so amazing and convicting...not to mention MATERIAL for the blog.  Just when I think "wow, how far I have come in the past year" God shows me how much farther I need to go.  I have learned that we never stop becoming...never stop learning...mostly because we never stop sinning.  I find it refreshing to know that I will never stop learning.  I am really glad that I have seen this in writing...I've always thought that eventually I would know everything there is to know and be done and "enjoy" life.  Now I feel like enjoyment in life comes from continual learning. 

We have been learning about marriage (Praise the Lord), living and giving, and other topics such as brokenness and grace.  I am learning so much!  Here are a few things that I felt powerful to me and convicted me.

Brokenness
"Brokennes is not an emotion.  Brokenness is a humble and obedient response to the conviction of God's Spirit.  When we are broke, the very life of god flows from us and affects those around us."

I know that if I was not "broken" I wouldn't need fixin'...I know that if I was not broken, I would not be able to open my heart with you on this blog and be transparent with the things that need fixin.  "God wants to meet us and have mercy on us, but we need to voluntarily fall on the rock and acknoweldge that we need Him!  This is first evidenced in our lives through openness" (James 5:16).  It is through Him, that I am able to lay down my pride and throw it all down on paper for the world to see.  I screw up and you like to read about it! :)  And that's okay, I want you to read about it...it helps me be accountable and maybe someone can learn from my dumb mistakes!

Grace
On the topic of grace we discussed what it means to be obedient:
"Doing Exactly what God says...When He says to do it...With a right heart attitude.  Not doing it part of the way, or before he says...or kicking my feet...and with a bad attitude.  The leader gave some perfect examples of these and I know that I have personally fallen under the category of each of these. 

I think the thing that convicted me the most was the part of the session that I had to miss.  Due to a power outage and screaming kids in the nursery (because there were no lights), we had to jet out early.  But God made sure that I received a copy of  "The Heart God Revives" book mark and notes from the session.  I will share it below.  Read through them each slowly...I know that I have been all the characteristics in the left column at one point in my life and even currently struggle some of these.  With God's help I am striving to be all the characteristics in the right column.  This was so eye opening...I had no idea!!

The Heart God Revives
Nancy Leigh DeMoss contrasts characteristics of proud, unbroken people who are resistant to the call of God on their lives with the qualities of broken, humble people who have experienced God's revival.  Read each item on the list as you ask God to reveal which characteristics of a proud spirit He finds in your life.  Confess these to Him, then ask Him to restore the corresponding quality of a broken, humble spirit in you. 

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise" Psalm 51:17

*I had this all typed out in columns and it looked perfect as a draft, but then when I published it, the columns were all off.  The blog doesn't allow you to copy from word, make column, or even use "tab"...so I resorted to just scanning my copy of the book mark.  Click on the picture to see the print larger or go here to see the pdf*

Wow...I know that a lot of you are sitting there agreeing that I have lived a lot of my life on the left side...that is true, but maybe you should re-read it!  :)  (See points 1-3 on left side). I know I sort of set myself up when writing about my failures on a public blog, but please don't be too hard on me.  I've made mistakes and am trying to become all God wants to me.  Not to mention that God is the ultimate judge and I don't think he needs help :) Of course I am open to to recieving criticism with a humble open spirit (see #18 on right side)!  There were some on here that just broke my heart...how long I have lived life that way!  And others I felt relieved that I was doing at least something right!  Again, we will all continue becoming and it's sources like this one that keep us in check.  I know I sure need it!

Some of you may have read my facebook status this morning asking how I could give grace to my child who was refusing to sleep longer this morning (when he really needs it).  Even though I cried out to God, "please put him back to sleep, we have such a long day".  He had a different plan for my day.  He knew if he got up early that I could put him down for a nap this morning.  He's been alseep since 9am (it's now 10:46) and that has allowed me to share on the blog!  It will also refresh him for a few hours at church while I attend the Ladies lunch...otherwise he would have been a mess for those poor workers.  Thank you God for your BETTER plan for my day!  You really do know what you are doing and I am sorry I question you and try to do things my way...which FAIL me everytime.  Only in YOU can I succeed...extend grace, be broken...be REVIVED!  Amen to that!

                                                                     

Reecey's 3rd birthday party

Reecey had her 3rd birthday party on Sunday (the date on my camera was set wrong...it says 6/11 and obviously that is not right...it was 4/11).  We did a candy shop sytle theme this year.  M&Ms are her favorite candy and used over the past year when we began potty train.  We have also called her "Reecey Piecey" since before she was born so we thought the theme was fitting. 

Here is some of the candy that was at her party:  m&ms, gumballs, twizzlers, peanut m&ms

Reese's pieces (easter colors was all I could find) and skittles

Fun suckers for all the kids

Cupcakes designed to look like m&ms but with r's on them, favor boxes, and mini candy dishes for the kids

Mini candy dishes with a cute mini chrome scoop

More suckers in with jelly beans

The pinata that Reecey and I made

more candy, stickers, fruit snacks, and confetti

I dressed up as a big m&m and took pictures with all the kids.  Miss K knew what to do when the camera came out

Singing "Happy Birthday"

Get in line, Girls!

I found this shirt last year on clearance and got it for my little man!

His personality is not quite that way...he's a shy guy.  I can tell he's thinking, "get in line behind my sister...no one comes to me but through her"

"Get in line, girls...I'll even pick you up on my sister's pink 4-wheeler"

The kids had their check ups today.  Reece had her 3 year check up with no shots!  She is in the 75% for height and 50% for weight.  Brody had his 18 month appointment and he is 45% for height and 55% for weight.  Both are healthy and their development is on track!  No more shots until kindergarten for either one of them!  YEA!!

Spring has Sprung

Taking time to stop and smell the flowers...

Looking for the fish...and throwing rocks on them...

They are laughing but mommy is not...it's not real cool to kill the neighbor's fish!

Edible fruit arrangement

A couple of days ago Reece carried this into the house from daddy's truck when he got home.

She was very excited to present this edible fruit arrangement to me from daddy.  On a day when I was feeling very overwhelmed, this was a nice surprise!  Daddy said it was "just because" which mommy really liked!  Reece couldn't wait to get her hands on it...especially the chocolate ones!  MMMM...it sure was good and it sure is gone already!