Pondering Passages

"Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ."

Ephesians 1:2-3

Disclaimer:
These are my thoughts.  I have NO Bible training.  I have no degree in theology.  I am just talking about what the Lord is doing in my heart and life through this journey.  The only TRUTH here is God's word.  The rest is my perspective.  So PLEASE take all my words with a HUGE scoop of salt!  Dive in and ponder.....but please don't take what I think I'm  learning as absolute truth....because I may not be understanding what he is trying to teach me and I do not want to lead anyone astray!

I never know where to begin with my pondering......so I'll start with the first word.....


GRACE
Have you ever heard a more beautiful word?  Grace....I LOVE IT!  So much do I love it that it is Sophie's middle name.  Little Miss Sophie Grace.  I don't have the words to describe Grace fully.  I think the offical definition is "not getting what I deserve."  I just don't think that quite paints the picture vividly enough.  What do I deserve?  Death. Eternal separation from God.  Sounds harsh but that is what I have earned by my behavior. The wages (what you earn from work) of sin is death.  I have most certainly earned death.  Yet I get GRACE....a gift!  Why?  ONLY because of God and his great rescue enacted through Jesus!!!!!!  It's stunning!  I can't even begin to tell you how wonderful this is.  I have done some bad stuff.  I have thought bad things.  Said terrible things.  Sinned.  Ugly, nasty, horrible sin....and yet I am LAVISHED with his Grace.  How beautifully amazing is that?

PEACE
The peace that passes understanding has certainly become more real to me in the past 6 months.  I am a freak out, need control, type A-ish (not a complete perfectionist.....just a wanna be perfectionist) person.  I am not peaceful.  I fret.  I run numbers.  I worry.  I need answers.  Yet I can honestly say I have experienced a peace that I can not describe to you in these past 6 months.  I have not tried to work it out on paper, which is my tendacy...and praise God I didn't do....because it wouldn't work out and I would just freak out more!  It is ALL GOD.  I have had a few moments....I have had a few early morning freak outs.....but in general peace has reigned....and again this is the gift of God!  What a gift.  An undeserved treasure!

Paul is quick to acknowledge in this passage that these are the gifts of God.  I say Amen!  They have to be.  Experiencing Grace and Peace first hand and having tasted both of these.....they are only God.  I like Paul am led to praise him!  How can we not praise him?  He gives us these gifts.  These beautiful gifts.....because he loves us.  It is so humbling.  It is hard to reseve an undeserved gift from a friend.  It is humbling.  Yet the king of the whole world gives me gifts?  Here's the clincher.  He doesn't know my good side.  My church side.  My Sunday School sweet side.  He KNOWS ME.  He knows my ugly sinful heart.  He knows how mean I am.  He knows how self-centered I am.  Who is this Savior? He not only has rescued me from my own earned destruction but he has poured out these beautiful gifts on me.  What kind of man is he?

When my kids sin.....I don't do that.........What an amazing Father!  I want to know him more.  I want to be like him.

ANYWAY......

So to me those were the key words this week.

Now one other thing really caught my attention:
this phrase "in the heavenly realms" and this one "spiritual blessings"

I live in the "earthly realm".....and he is speaking of "the heavenly realm".
This has got me to thinking a lot about something I knew....but don't think about much.
There is another realm:

WHOOOOOOOOO-HoOOOOOOO (those are my funny ghost noises :)

But seriously....
There is more going on then meets the eye.  I KNOW that intellectually...but it is really happening.  REALLY....There is a spiritual battle raging.  Daily.  I'm reminded of the story of Job.  The devil went and asked permission to test/torture Job.  Guess what.....Job didn't know that part of the story.  That was in the heavenly realm.  We don't know all our story.  There is a realm of reality we can't see from where we are. 

WOW! 

There is more at stake in our daily decisions, actions, attitudes then we may realize.  There is a spiritual battle raging all around us.  I think (REMINDER....I'm just a regular person so this may be totally wrong....) when Paul is talking about God blessing us with every spiritual blessing it may be talking about how he has blessed us and prepared us with what we need for this battle in the other realm.  I'm not sure about this....so before I take this too far off base I would love to hear Shay's take on it so I'm going to check out his post now....Shay's Pondering


Have a great weekend! 
Happy Pondering...
Kim

Update in Pictures

Sweet Lydia!

My Big Girl!

I had a few concerns about keeping Lincoln....and one was how Audrey would adjust to having a baby in the house each day.....she LIKES being THE BABY!

Let's just say.....it has NOT been a problem.

She is IN LOVE!

The problem is my kids have something new to fight over....

Who gets to push the stroller.

Who gets to hold the baby.

Who gets to feed him.

Who gets to help lay him down for his nap......

Another big concern is how he would like Mindy (our dog)

and

How Mindy would like him.....

Again....this has not been a problem at all.

They like each other just fine.

They are both so sweet!

Another highlight of the week I missed out on.....while I was out running a few errands

Nanny brought a big box of toys!

These are toys Nanny kept at her house for my kids (and Holly's) when they were younger.

Thank you Nanny!

Lincoln is enjoying them!

We FINALLY got to get outside Tuesday!

We LOVE SUNSHINE!!!!

Whew....and I needed some fresh air....the kids have been bouncing off the walls!

Lincoln is all smiles when Mommy gets home!

He LOVES his Mama and she loves him!!!!

Audrey woke up early and came downstairs for a snuggle with her best friend......

and she fell back asleep....

So Sweet!

Ansewering the Most Asked Question

This is the first email I have done based on email feedback.  I have gotten more email messages and facebook messages and people asking "How do you do so much?" then any other question.  I usually brush it off or say, "I don't" or say "with a lot of help".....all of which are true....

However I keep getting the question....I'm finally realizing that I think it is a practical how to question.

This so this is my response to the often asked question.

1.  I generally (except on Friday) get up early.  My alarm is set for 6:45....BUT I literally pray over my day at bedtime and what "needs to be done" and ask the Lord to grant me the sleep I need and ask him to awaken me when I need to get up.  I like to sleep.....so do my kids.....so this is a biggie for me.  I usually wake up between 4-6 without an alarm.  I usually wakeup very refreshed.  When I get up I usually spend a few minutes pondering a passage and pray a few minutes about what is on my heart and for focus and purpose for my day.  Then I blog, check emails, check facebook.  Then I get ready, make coffee, unload dishwasher, load up school boxes for the day....and GO

2.  I have a weekly and daily plan.   WARNINGThis part of the post is long because it seems to be what people are wondering.....so here it goes.  Over the weekend I make a sheet on my computer listing each day of the week. 
I go through and list the things that don't change under each day first. On my list I include times.

Sunday-
Church
Monday
School
Lincoln
Sophie Odyssey Practice
Guitar Lesson for Andrew
Basketball Practice for Sophie
Tuesday
School
Lincoln
Basketball Practice for Andrew
Dance for Lydia
Wednesday
School
Lincoln
Church
Thursday
Lincoln
Co-op
Audrey Dance
Friday
School
Andrew Basketball Practice
Saturday
Jackson Basketball Practice
Jackson Basketball Game
Sophie Basketball Game

Then I look at my calendar and go back and add variables that have a time for this week but are not always the same....

Tuesday
Birthday Party for Neighbor
Wednesday
Go get passports for kids
Andrew apt. for consult with ENT
Thursday
Randy/Kim Coffee Date with friends
Friday
Andrew Basketball Game
Sophie extra Odyssey Practice
Saturday
Randy Basketball Game
Girls Sunday School Dinner

Then I plan meals based on the day.  This week I knew was busy....so I planned 2 meals for the crock pot and I pre-made spaghetti sauce on Saturday and a huge pot of chili.  I froze half the chili and put half in the fridge for us to have for dinner this week.  So most of my meals are pretty much ready or very close to ready.  I also make sure to take out the meat for the week so I am not caught waiting for something to defrost.

So
Sunday-
Taco Salad
Monday-
Roast beef in the crock pot
Tuesday-
Chili with baked potatoes
Wednesday-
Rigatoni
Thursday-
Pulled chicken sandwiches (meat cooked in crock pot)
Friday-
Out
Saturday-
Pancakes for dinner for kids/Randy.  Kim Out

Then I plug in the rest of what needs to be done each particular week:

Sunday-
NAP (This is a need)
Get all laundry put up
Monday-
Call about finding a new speech therapist for Jackson
Call about getting Andrew into a ENT doctor.
Go to bank
Fill cars with Gas
Run to pickup stuff: dog food, printer paper, coffee filters, kid shampoo
Drop off stuff: at Goodwill, Library books, and Redbox movie
Tuesday-
Color hair....PLEASE!
Wednesday-
gather supplies and load stuff for co-op
get gifts for Sunday school party.
Thursday-
I rarely plan extras for Thursday because that day is full and exhausting enough with co-op
Friday-
Clean House
Saturday
Grocery store
Plan for week

FINALLY
I plan any fun extra stuff I just want to do:  This doesn't go on a list....it just happens if I find any extra time.
Finish reading Kisses from Katie....I HIGHLY SUGGEST NOT READING THIS BOOK UNLESS YOU WANT TO HAVE YOUR WORLD ROCKED.  OH MY WORD.......Best gift ever Marci Bailes....I LOVE YOU!
Write thank you note.....
Make double batch of chocolate chip cookie bars to share......

This is what it ends up looking like:

Sunday-
Church
NAP
Taco Salad
Put away all laundry with kids help
Monday
School
Lincoln
Sophie Odyssey Practice
Call about finding a new speech therapist for Jackson
Call about getting Andrew into a ENT doctor.
Go to bank
Fill cars with Gas
Run to pickup stuff: dog food, printer paper, coffee filters, kid shampoo
Drop off stuff: at Goodwill, Library books, and Redbox movie
Crock pot Roast Beef
Guitar Lesson for Andrew
Basketball Practice for Sophie
Tuesday
School
Lincoln
Basketball Practice for Andrew
Birthday Party for Neighbor
Chili and Baked Potato with Chocolate Chip Bars
Dance for Lydia
Color Hair!
Wednesday
Passport for kids
School
ENT for Andrew
Lincoln
gather supplies and load stuff for co-op
get gifts for Sunday school party.
Rigatoni
Church
Thursday
Lincoln
Co-op
Audrey Dance
Pulled Chicken Sandwiches
Coffee Date with Randy and friends
Friday
School
Clean House
Sophie Extra Odyssey Practice
Andrew Basketball Game
OUT
Saturday
Jackson Basketball Practice
Jackson Basketball Game
Sophie Basketball Game
Plan for Week
Grocery Store
Randy Basketball Game
Kim Sunday School Ladies Dinner
Randy make pancakes for him and the kids
If I have extra time:
Read Kisses with Katie
Make bows
Make chocolate chip cookie bars
Write thank you note.


Then....On a separate sheet of paper.I do a school plan for each child for the week and a plan for Lincoln which includes: craft, special toy for the day (he has a set of toys but I also add one toy each day for variety), story, and special activity....

Whew....so now everyone knows what needs to be done.  I do not schedule Randy :)  Although he knows I would be happy too :)

3.  I give myself a  lot of grace....an example would be my hair.  If it doesn't get done....I just move it to the next day and hope it gets done then.  I try to focus on what I do accomplish....instead of what I do not accomplish.  I do not always usually get everything done.

4.  I prioritize....must get done.....school.....need to get done....appointments.....want to get done.....fun.

5.  I rest...I say no to things I want to do because I need down time.  I don't talk on the phone much.  I don't go out a whole lot.  I don't visit much. I  TAKE A NAP EVERY SUNDAY AFTERNOON SO FEEL FREE NOT TO CALL ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON! :)  LOVE YOU!  When my head hits the pillow at night.....I sleep! I am also VERY strict about room time.  Andrew is the only child who no longer has room time....but he does practice guitar and read during room time so I still get a break!  HAHA!

6.  I have a high tolerance for mess....especially upstairs.  My kids have to clean up every Friday.  I like them to pickup after room time each day....but I don't care much....except on Friday.  I pick up each night before bed downstairs....but i do not obsess....except on Fridays.....which helps!  If I had to have everything just right all the time.....it would NOT happen and I would be a mess!

That is about it.....

Get up early, Plan a lot, Give yourself a lot of grace, Prioritize, Rest, and Realize it is messy!

Hope that answers the questions....cause that is all I've got!  This is not meant to be discouraging for those who don't feel they do as much....you do....it is probably just different.  If you wrote it all down you and I would be impressed too!  This is simply a response to a question I get at least 2 or 3 times a week......hope this helps!

Love,
Kim

Whew...this took much longer to write out then I expected....2 days.....I don't spend that long scheduling....I was just trying to make it clear.

Things that made me laugh this week!

I have a house full of funny people.  So even weeks that turn out pretty crazy....we usually have a few good laughs.  Here are some snippets from this week:

Jackson kept touching his pants and looked concerned.  He said....."I don't know if this is apple juice or pee....Mommy smell it...."  

I looked troubled and said...."Uhmmmm.....I'll pass....just change!"

WOW!

Then in a tender moment while Audrey is "fixing" my hair during one of Andrew's 800 ball games.....she screams (my kids do not know how to talk quietly) "Mommy Why is your hair brown and white and gray?"

"Uhmmmmm........guess it's past due for a color!"

It's on my too do list.....it's actually been on it since Christmas...but keeps getting pushed off......THIS IS THE WEEK!

Today at church my kids are marveling in a certain pregnant woman's belly.  They are questioning where is the babies head....feet....bottom....

Then Jackson......has a question....."Does he fart?"

OH BOY I'M GOING TO HAVE MY HANDS FULL WITH THIS BOY!

The Father Load

So I write here primarily about my life, my kids, my role, what the Lord is doing in my life.  HOWEVER one of the main purposes I write is to leave a record for my kids.  I want them to be able to look back when I am gone and not just have pictures and memories and maybe a few birthday cards.....but a record.  I want them to know how much I loved them in my own words.  I want them to know my heart for the Lord and the journey of life and the ups and downs.  Not because I think I have some great wisdom to impart but simply because I don't ever want them to wonder.  I am not good at speaking my heart and so I write.  In this writing process I have become better at vocalizing my heart but it is still not an area of strength. I think words spoken are important but they can be forgotten.  They can be remembered differently then intended. They can be taken out of context.  So this post is another one for the record:

I want my kids to KNOW that I love their Daddy. I want them to KNOW that I think he is an outstanding father.  I want them to KNOW that I think they are sooooooo blessed to have him in their lives and that not everyone has been so blessed.  I want them to appreciate what they have been given in Randy.

It has been a rough 6 months for Randy.  He has had lots of emotions and felt the squeeze of life.  When life squeezes you-the inside becomes apparent.  No Randy is not perfect-but he is wonderful.  During this time his heart has been revealed. 

He has a heart for his God.  He has a heart for his wife.  He has a heart to provide.  He has a heart for his kids. 

His influence has been wonderful for our boys (and girls) over these last 6 months.  Particularly Andrew.  Kids need their Dads.  Not just money.....not just a ride here and there.....not just someone to enforce discipline.  They need a relationship.  Dads have so much pressure and so much pulling on them and so little time.  Randy has always been a great Dad.  He has always made time for our kids and they have always had a close relationship.  When Andrew was a little boy he used to want to change his name to Randy Jr.  He adores his Dad.  He still beams when people say he's just like his dad.  My kids all adore their Dad.  I believe one of the biggest blessings of this time of joblessness has been the enormous amount of time Randy has been able to pour into Andrew.  We would not have chosen for Randy to lose his job.  We are anxious for a new job.  However I see the fruit in Andrew from this time Randy has had extra time to walk throughout the day with him and to teach him.  It is not easy being a 13almost 14 year old boy.  Randy has been good for him.  He is sooooo much nicer then I am.  He extends sooooooo much more grace then I do.  He listens better.  He judges less.  He is much better at basketball and video games, and algebra, and Spanish.....and the boy needed that.  He is funnier and shares an interest in females and an understanding of the male brain, which is a total mystery to me!  Randy can correct him and deal head on with areas he struggles with in a way that brings redemption rather then condemnation.  Randy has that boys heart and his ear because of the investments he's made into his life.  For that I am eternally grateful.  He can reach him and teach him and lead him in ways I am not able.  What has been a loss to us financially has been an investment in Andrew on his journey to manhood.

I am seeing glimpses of the man Andrew is becoming....and I like what I see.  I am not foolish enough to think that he may not stumble....I KNOW he will.  I KNOW that kids can make dumb choices in an instant that can affect the course of their lives.....I am so thankful for grace and for the gift of prayer and for forgiveness and mercy beause my boy will need them just like his Mama and his Daddy have.....I am thankful for the Heavenly Father....because there will be holes...no earthly father is perfect!

However I am thankful that even in the tough hard times of life my husband is a man who loves his children and invests in their lives and that I can watch and learn how to love them better by his example.

So kids.....when you look back and read this one day.....I want you to KNOW that I love you.  I love your Daddy and I think he is the BEST Dad on earth and you are the luckiest kids to have him!  I also want you to KNOW that when the world doesn't make sense God has a plan.  "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives"
Genesis 50:20


Love,
Mama

The Days go slow but the Years go Fast.....

"The Days go Slow....but the Years Go Fast"

I had this quote that I heard from my Mama posted on my refrigerator for YEARS.  I love this quote.  It is soooooo true.  It brought me so much encouragement when my kids were all bitty.  When Audrey was a newborn, and Jackson and Lydia were 13 months old, and Sophie was 4, and Andrew was 9......I was worn out.

Some days felt like they would literally NEVER end.  Diapers......feedings......laundry........baths.......screaming.....messes........exhaustion.......NEVER ENDING! 

Yet....it has.....

My kids don't wear diapers....the bottles are gone.....they pretty much bathe themselves...they sleep!
There are certainly still hard days....for sure....fighting.....fussing......timeouts.....temper tantrums.....sin......
But it is a different kind of hard.

The days are not as excruciatingly long as they were not so very long ago.....

Now they are busy.....classes, activities, parties, errands, events.....

As I thought about that quote today.....I realized the years do go fast.  Very fast.  4 more years and Andrew is done with high school.....4 more years with him under my roof and then my influence in the daily sense.....will be over.  WOW.....not much longer.  4 years is nothing. Audrey is almost 5.....and it seems like she was born just yesterday!

It is wonderful watching them grow and mature and yet it is fleeting.  The hard and never ending days....are going to end. 

Yes Mama was so right...."The days do go slow....but the years go so very fast!"

Meet our Newest Buddy.....

Meet Lincoln!

He's our newest little buddy!

He is my very first Daycare kiddo.  His mom and dad are long time friends of Randy and I.  We've known his Dad since high school and his mom....since they got married!  Love them!

Lincoln fits right into the mix!

He is such a good boy!  He is so happy.  He is very sweet.  He sleeps well...and a lot.  He eats well.....and a lot! He is low maintenance....that is my kind of guy!

I was most nervous about him meeting Mindy....Mindy gets very excited when she meets new people and I wasn't sure how she would be around a little person....but Audrey has Mindy pretty well broken in and they were fast friends.

We've been finger painting (that is why he is half naked in all the pictures....I didn't want to mess up his shirt)

Enjoying the BEAUTIFUL weather.

Fighting about who gets to feed Lincoln.

And getting all his sugar!

Today Randy even took us out for lunch!

Lincoln liked his dessert best!

Frozen Yogurt....YUMMY!

Then we went "baby shopping" and bought a couple fun toys for Lincoln to have at our house.

I also got an umbrella stroller....because tomorrow he gets to join us at co-op!  So I need wheels!

It's always an adventure!

But I can tell you this.....we sure are enjoying it!

Another bonus.....the kids are so excited to see Lincoln that they are very diligent in getting their work done so they can play with him.  They have finished by 3:00 both days!

I'm sure the novelty will wear off....but I'm taking advantage of it while I can!

Loving that Sweet Boy!