Choosing a Gift

Although I still possess many OCD tendencies, I have found myself forced into MOB Survival Mode many times. If its not leaking, overflowing, bleeding, or at risk of death we will fix, mend, clean, or deal with it later. For those of you who don't know what MOB Survival Mode is...let me take a minute to try and explain. It's Mother of Boys Survival Mode. And the key here is the (s) in Boys...multiple boys. When my mother in law found out Logan was a boy she said "It wont be long before you are amazed how quickly two boys can tear down a deck, make plans, and build a fort out of the wood all in the time you take the laundry out of the dryer". Of course I laughed...and I'm still laughing. We haven't had any forts built yet, but we have had 7 sticks of butter exfoliate our carpet and an extra large custom black sharpie mural. I am very thankful for the OCD moments God still allows me to have, but there are things that just don't get done when your in MOB mode. One thing that did not get done for us this year is Christmas cards. If you know me personally you know how big of a deal Christmas cards are to me. I cherish the ones I receive in the mail. I keep them year to year in a flip book so we can enjoy them over the years. I plan months ahead what we will do for our Christmas card pictures, where they will be, when they will be, what we will wear, what the card will say, etc. But alas, they did not get done this year. However, we did have a joyful Christmas. We thoroughly enjoyed all the time Jim was home with us and all the family we got to see. We have thanked our sweet Lord over and over and will continue to thank him for sparing us from the stomach bug this season. The last 4 Christmases we have had the bug so to be able to love on each other celebrating our Lords birth germ-free was a true delight and blessing for our family.

I read on a blog....and I really wish I could remember where so I could give credit so if you know what I'm referencing please leave a comment so I can give appropriate credit. Anyway, I read on a blog where a family was preparing for their Happy Birthday Jesus party when the child looked at her mother and said "Mommy, since it's Jesus' birthday, what are we giving him?" WOW! Once again....the blessing that children are to adults, to have minds like a child. So long story short, the parents got catalogs for various organizations and foundations such as Compassion International. At Christmas time they put out catalogs full of items you can purchase for missionaries, missions, etc. So, now this family sits together and shops through catalogs to see what they are giving Jesus for his birthday....100 mosquito nets, a pallet of food, eye glasses, clean running water. How wonderful! Reading that blog stirred my heart and I think its a great idea. Jim and I plan to incorporate the same "catalog shopping" into our celebration next year. But what about now? What can I give Jesus every day?

A while back, our Sunday School class studied The Five Love Languages which is a fabulous book by the way! (We plan to study it again in our class soon since we have so many new people since we last studied it) Jim and I learned a lot from this book, but one thing that sticks out the most to me still relates to when you give gifts. Gary Chapman suggests that you give people gifts through their love language, what they would desire rather than what you want to give them or what you think they need. This has always been a funny topic in our marriage. Jim is a very practical individual and me, not so much. Jim gives very practical gifts. I like to give sentimental or fun gifts. So......the year I opened 13 bottles of my favorite lotion and 60 of my razor blades for Christmas, I knew it was time for us to read the book! So...if we give based on Gary's suggestion...what would we give Jesus? Are we currently giving him what we think he needs? What we think he wants us to do? What we think he wants us to say? Or are we giving him what he wants? Are we saying what he wants us to say? Are we acting and responding as he desires us to do? Are we on the journey we desire for ourselves or the journey God has created for us?

Sweet Lord as we enter this new year...may my heart, soul, and all my being live to honor you and give you all glory. May your desires for my life become the desires of my heart. Lord I long to take this journey with you, where you lead me I will follow. Amen.

Change of plans

Today we had planned to have a Gender Reveal party for our family. We figured by the 3rd child we needed to do something extra fun to get everyone pumped up about having another little one running around, making a mess, and tearing into everything. Everyone marked their calendars and my sweet sister even took some time off work so she could be here in plenty of time since she was traveling from out of town.  I had my food, decoration, and reveal ideas all organized and fine-tuned. The only thing that needed to happen was have the ultrasound. We didn't get to have our Gender Reveal party today, but we did have a mini party the other day.

Over the last two weeks I have submerged myself in recipe hunting. I have cooked new recipes each night with a wide variety of meals, some hearty and some healthy. I guess cooking is the only thing I feel like I can be in control of right now while my heart and emotions are so out of control. Which is also the reason, I think, that Jim has declined so many meals from our loving friends. Cooking each night has been the one thing I've looked forward to each day. One night, I decided to make the Chocolate Coke Cake. While I was preparing the batter, Parker walked up and said "Mommy...what are you making? A cake?" And before I could even respond, Parker lit up with glee and continued, "OH a BIRTHDAY cake!" I paused for a minute and then answered back, "Yes Parker, do you want to help Mommy make a birthday cake for Harrison?" He quickly answered, "YES YES YES!" The conversation continued and Parker assured me that Harrison wanted a Spiderman cake, but that he couldn't have a monster cake because that was Parker's favorite. We all watched the cake bake in the oven and patiently (some more than others) waited for the cake to cool. I let the boys pick out the birthday candles and decide how many candles we needed for the cake. Without hesitation, Parker said, "3, we need 3 candles". I like to think that Parker chose 3 candles, one for each of them, Parker, Logan, and Harrison. Or perhaps it's because Parker is 3 and he didn't understand it wasn't for him. For whatever the reason he chose 3, in that moment, in that very moment I was reminded of the trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. So thank you Lord for my Parker choosing 3 and reminding me of your love, sacrifice, and grace! And then we sang. We sang Happy Birthday to Harrison. 

Plans change. Whether it be a party being cancelled, baking a cake, or loosing a child...plans can change. Dear Lord, I pray today that in all my planning I seek you first and that your will would be my plan for each and every day. Thank you sweet sweet Jesus for your grace and mercy. I pray God that my heart will bleed for you and that this life you have blessed me with will live to glorify you.