Filter of Christ

Recently I have found myself talking to middle school girls, young singles and new moms encouraging them to see themselves as God sees them - beautiful and worthy! And then just today, in God's awesome timing I got an email from Thrive Moms on just this subject and wanted to share it....

We see the world through a variety of filters. If you scroll through your instagram feed, you see hundreds of beautiful images carefully edited, brightened and filtered. Blemishes can be covered and corrected. The messy parts behind you can be blurred out and unseen.

Don't you wish you could wake up and chose a filter to put on yourself of how you will be seen? Maybe you're a bit tired so you'll go black and white. Or you can pick something that brightens your eyes and brings out your skin tone. The way we view ourselves is quite different than all those people liking your latest selfie.

Let's do an excersise together. I want you to grab a piece of paper and go to the mirror.

What is the first word or phrase that comes to your mind when you look at yourself?
What is that nagging lie you believe each time you look at who you are as a mom?
I want you to write that on your paper.
Now comes the fun part: put a big mark through it!

Ask God how He sees you. What are the truths he speaks over you and into your heart? Below the lie you wrote, I want you to write a truth about who God says that you are. He sees you through the filter of Christ. You are covered by the blood and redeemed. You are not that lie that you crossed out. That lie is nailed to the cross. You are His.

Isn't that a beautiful message and image!? I tell my 7/8th grade girls all the time to look at themselves through God's goggles! Just this weekend at our middle school retreat (more on that on another post) we talked about how God made us ON PURPOSE! And how of all creation that God made, He created US (and ONLY us) in HIS IMAGE! How beautiful is that!? And how loved we should feel!   So... Let's do it ladies.... How does God see you?

My Momma

Today is a very special day! Today is my Momma's BIRTHDAY!!! And it's not just any birthday, it is her 50th!!! It kills me to not be able to fly her here and celebrate this milestone bday with her!... SO, this post is my tribute to her. 

Momma, I love you and am SO incredibly blessed to get to call you my mom! I pray my children will look to me as I did you and that I will have such a close relationship with them as we have.  Thankful you are one of my very best friends, not just my mom. Praising God for you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

You are such a wonderful Grandma! Grayson loves you almost as much as I do...

 

 

 

 

   

 

Happy Birthday Mom! 

Plans and Expections

I was going to name this post "Fall Fails" because that is what spurred on this little posting.. but it runs deeper than that... so lets talk about plans and expectations.

If you know me, or have ever played Settlers of Catan with me, you know that I like to make plans... and once they are in my head, I don't like them to fall through or change.  I hope someone reading this can relate to me at all... but I just like to have a plan and stick to it.  Along with making and sticking to my plans, I usually always have certain expectations of how these plans will unfold, look like, etc.

The thing with making plans and having expectations is that we are almost certain to fail or be let down by them. This weekend for example.... I have been waiting for the perfect weather and an open weekend in our calendar to take my little family to Dewberry Farms (if you know me at all I'm obsessed with all things fall and force Tony into fall family fun). So I had planned all week to go on Saturday and I had great expectations of the perfect fall day with my boys and the perfect, cutest pictures at the pumpkin patch! So Saturday we drive all the way there only to find out that it is CLOSED! :(  Wha Wha!.... Imagine my heart break.  Then later that day, in an attempt to get out of my funk, I decided to do a craft I had seen on Pinterest.... I don't have to tell you what happened if it is in this post... Yep, another fail. (Nothing I make from Pinterest ever really looks like it should by the way). Another unmet expectation, another failed plan and another let down for my day.

If I ended this post here, that would be really depressing! Good thing God is on our side!  You know why OUR plans and OUR expectations are always a let down or don't pan out the way WE think they should?... Because they are not GOD's plans for us and we put on these crazy, romanticized expectations on things!  We walk into almost everything with a mental list of expectations, and when those expectations go unmet, we feel let down. So it's only a matter of time before someone or something lets us down in one way or another

After leaving my failed attempt of fall fun, we ended up walking through Hobby Lobby and eating lunch at Cracker Barrel. We all three took a long nap with all the windows down in the house and it ended up being a lovely day with my family. Grayson ended up not feeling well (I think he's cutting another tooth) and had a small fever, so I got extra cuddles which I had been missing since starting work.... God had a greater plan for me and my family this weekend.  I didn't get to experience fall fun in the way that I had planned and I didn't get cute pictures in the pumpkin patch... But I did get some cute pictures of Grayson on the rocking chairs at Cracker Barrel and I got to relax with my family and cuddle with my boys all weekend... which really is what I needed more than fall funitivities! God always has a better plan for me.  HIS plans will always be different than my expectations, but always surpassing my expectations!  Thank you Jesus for searching my heart and filling my cup!

 

Perceptions and Reality

This has been on my heart a lot recently and been wanting to post something on this. Can I be real here today? I want to talk about perceptions vs. realities... especially with my last post on (moms) encouraging each other in mind.

I feel like facebook, twitter, instagram, Pinterest, etc. really enable us to live this life on the outside one way, when in reality it's another.  So easily can I look on any one of these given social networks and get caught up in how perfect, or "together" friends/family's life looks. And in that, so easily start to compare their life to mine; feel like I'm failing; get worn down by not having "enough"..... Can anyone relate to any of this? No?... Well maybe it's just me. : /

Let me give some examples of perception vs. reality in my own life as of late....

Perception: Oh how cute! What a fun, family activity! Isn't he adorable!?



Reality: Yes, he is adorable, and yes, it was fun... for the most part. It lasted like 5minutes and then he was OVER IT... and tried to run out of the kitchen with paint splattering everything... lol.

 

 

 

Perception: What a fun daddy to jump in the tub with all his clothes for bath time! SO ADORABLE!

Reality: Yes, completely adorable, and yes, Tony is the best daddy ever and this spontaneous jump in the bath move was awesome and hilarious!  AND, we are also having an issue at bath time where Grayson cries and won't sit down b/c he suddenly hates the bath.  This was daddy's attempt to help that.

 

 

Perception: For some reason many friends that come over have this perception that my home is always clean and neat and tidy.  Friends, I clean up heavily before you come over!

Reality is that it almost always looks like this.... lived in. :) 

 

 

 

 

 

 Perception: Seriously, have you ever seen two boys so cute!! What a pretty little family photo opp!

 

Reality: Yes, we are able to catch some stinkin cute pics!! And I am the MOST blessed momma to have these two adorable boys! But, this "cute family photo opp" happened as we were annoyingly leaving a wedding reception because a certain toddler was past his nap time and didn't want to cooperate. ;)

 

 

 

 

I am not sharing these perception v. realities for you to have pity on me or sympathy or ANYTHING! Not at all! I'm sharing this because I feel burdened to share with you, my friends, some truths about reality vs. perception. It is too easy with social media to have perception of people/situations/etc. and feel discouraged.  It is too easy to go to church and see people who you perceive "have it all together" when you feel like you are unraveling at the seams. It is too easy to be intimidated, or not feel "good enough" when WE PERCEIVE things in others. 

 

 

Two things to note here:

1. WE perceive these things.  We do it to ourselves! This is nobody (no body's facebook status or picture posted on instagram)'s fault, but our own.  While we look at others, we cannot get in to the rut of comparing ourselves or thinking how other's may have it... we don't know what is happening behind the camera... So let's not assume...

2. YOU are GOOD ENOUGH. No matter any one's appearance/status/situation.... you are always good enough.  Do not feel like you don't have it together, in comparison to another. Do not feel intimidated to talk to, pray with/for, do ministry, _____ (name it!)... just because you perceive perfection or whatever in others.

 

We need to get in the habit - especially mommy friends of encouraging one another!  I'm not saying don't post cute pics and statuses (I'm not going to stop), but let's be real with one another!  Let's not put on the show at church or bible study or play groups ... but lets just be real! My prayer of late has been the yearning to have real, raw, relationships with friends.  Friends that I can be me with, that I can pray with and for because I know what really going on in their life.  Friends that I can come to as the mess that I am and laugh and cry with. 

 

I hope I can encourage you the next time you think of perception vs. reality of others; and encourage you to open up, take the filter off and be a little more "real". SO.... Next time you see me post a cute picture of Grayson... no that before that pic that I just posted... I probably have a dozen others of this...."Really mom, another pic"... LOL

Encourage one another daily

I have been so encouraged by other moms and friends the last few weeks as I transitioned to being a full-time working mom. I am soo very grateful for these women who encourage me, pray with me and give me hugs and shoulders to cry on.  Just as I was reflecting on these blessings in my life lately, I ran across this devotion that I wanted to share from Proverbs 31 Ministries that is a reminder and a challenge to us moms and friends...

“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today,’ so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” Hebrews 3:13 (NIV)

I really want to be a great mom. I want to raise kids who love the Lord, are respectful, kind, and smart, and all the other things we want for our kids. So, I pray. I read parenting books. I teach manners, kiss the skinned knees, and help the teen process her first broken heart. I plan the family dinners, the date nights, and the vacations. I keep track of who needs what and when. I set the appointments and the discipline parameters and the alarm clock so we can get up and do it all again tomorrow.

And through every minute, I am hyper aware of my frailties and faults. My heart wants to be incredibly patient and organized and excited about reading books out loud. But then I get tired. And overextended. And suddenly my day finds me getting snappy, losing track of all those papers sent home from school, and skipping pages to hurry to the end of the book that started off with such promise. There is a gap between my desires and my reality.

I bet this is true for many moms, so we should all understand those hard places, right? But somewhere in the day-to-day, we can forget how important it is to support each other as moms and sisters in Christ. We can forget the need to foster a sense of community. And as soon as we forget these things, it’s much easier for thoughts of judgment to creep in. In those moments, it’s crucial to remember that being a source of encouragement for others is biblical. Our key verse, Hebrews 3:13 tells us to “encourage one another daily” so that we aren’t“hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” which causes us to judge.

So, I was just wondering if we might all make a little pact together today. To build each other up. To not judge one another. Ever. Even when we parent differently. Even when my kids act like I never taught them manners.

Might you give me the benefit of the doubt? Just assume it’s a bad moment, but this isn’t an indication of all our moments. And then I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt when your child messes up. Or I hear you snap in Target and make threats to your kids that betray every good intention you had that morning. When you prayed. And read the parenting books. And taught manners, kissed skinned knees, planned the dinner, and all the other zillions of things you did so well.

Instead of judging you, I will love you. ... And maybe you can love me too.

Yes, I think we moms should pledge to encourage one another each day. And never judge one another. We’re all desperately trying to do this mothering thing right.

Dear Lord, forgive me for not extending grace at times to others. I am a woman who desperately needs it, so I should be a woman who freely offers it. Help me to build others up and to love them as You love us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Isn't those such good words of encouragement and challenge!? I hope you got a little something from that as I did...
Blessings!

Happy Birthday Nana!

Today is a very special day! It is my sweet momma-in-love's  BIRTHDAY!!  I am so grateful, thankful and blessed to have her in my life; and Grayson is such a lucky first grandchild to get the best Nana EVER! Just wanted to give a birthday shout-out and leave some favorite pics of her and her sweet grandbaby! ;)

Grayson loves his Nana!!

 

Happy Birthday Nana!!! We love you!

New name, new look, same ole' blog!

I keep saying I'm going to stick with this, but I just keep failing! :(  So maybe a fresh new look and new name to represent our new little family will help me want to keep on blogging away... maybe. ;)

Last I shared we were awaiting for our house to be built! We moved in Aug 1st and couldn't be happier! We absolutely love the house and as the neighborhood is being built we hope and pray we can meet some neighbors to one day call friends. In the meantime, we pray for our new mission field as it's being built.

It seems as thought so much has happened since my last post! Grayson is growing SO much and we just cannot keep up with him!! He is such a handful (both in a good and bad way, depending on the day) and it is so fun to watch his little personality grow with him! There is so much of him that is so much of me and/or Tony, it's been entertaining to see who's personality comes out and when! (I'll let you guess who is the ornery one and who has the temper) ;)

In August/September, after a LOT of prayer, we decided it was time for me to go back to work full-time for a while... Or until God says otherwise. ;)  This was probably the hardest decision I've had to make as a mom thus far! I've enjoyed 18.5 blessed months with this sweet boy as a stay-at-home mom and have LOVED getting to be with him, catch all his firsts and not miss anything!  But the Lord is good and I know that he will sustain us and provide for us! I rely on HIM daily for my strength and endurance. He has been just SO good to me and my family - we are completely blessed!

Last Monday was Grayson's first day of "school" (that's what we're calling it) at Spring Branch Presbyterian Academy.  I completely expected tears, both me and Grayson... and to my surprise - and God's work in us (me) - But it was a wonderful day! Grayson's teachers told me that he never fussed once and they thought he had been in daycare before!  Him being so great there definitely helped this momma get throught the work day/week! I am so thankful!

And since Tony is a minister and his weekends are Fri-Sat; Tony gets to be stay-at-home dad on Fridays while I work! I am so excited for this chapter for him G to get to have more time together! As you can see, they have lots of fun together! ;) 





 If you've read my blog in the past - you know my love for all things fall! So it should be no surprise how much fun we had painting pumpkins together!  We stripped G down and sat on the kitchen floor painting our own pumpkins ... and of course we had to paint G too! ;)  Expect more pics to come when we (hopefully) visit a pumpkin patch!  And of course I upload TONS of pics on Facebook for you to oogle the Grayson cuteness!!