Because Comfort Has No Motivating Motion

The older I get the more I notice life around me. The more I notice God surrounding me.......And I wonder where would I be if He hadn't given it all for me? Where would we all be with out the selfless act of love and sacrifice? The birds of the air, how they sow not or reap and store away in barns, and yet our Heavenly Father feeds them...How much more important are we then they?

How he hangs the sun and drenches the clouds with it's light. How the beams stream through the glory holes. Only He can paint this way.......

If we never take the moments to slow things down, breathe in deep, all of this....

Little boy in Daniel Boone mode, growing fast and learning lessons, some hard and some come naturally.....And as he grows I'm growing to. Being stretched and molded right along with him. And I know sometimes he wishes I would love on him more. He wishes I would put that "next thing" down and spend more time with him. More than just instruction and demands...More of me. Love takes action. Love is a verb. Love is sacrifice......

And I have to wonder am I sacrificing enough? Or am I a little bit too comfortable? Because comfort has no motivating motion. Leads you no where but, to the place of self.......That's not where I want to be....that's not what I want them to learn from me.....

And it seems my thumb may be ever so slightly turning green....the garden is a humble size small...And I am thankful to be learning the growing. And Good Lord willing, My garden will expand and feed plenty.....Because what He gives no matter what the size is always bountiful. Always just what I need, daily.

It's things like this that make me grateful for a man who patiently and silently believes in me. Oh how I love this man of mine! His actions are what speaks volume. Words never really meant much to him. They never mean anything unless you move and prove what you say is true......Real......He is Real... And I'm all about REAL and WORDS. I love words. That's how I communicate. He's all about ACTION. In all my crazy schemes and dreams I find he always provides for me and I am blessed with so much more than I have been giving back......And I wonder does he know? Does he truly know what he means to me? Am I showing him enough through my actions? Because I can write and talk all day long and I know it really wouldn't mean that much to him......

And these pictures may seem very random to you....But to me they are more than just a picture. They speak loudly of this life I'm living. These random shots are what I notice. They tell a story. They make me look up and look around at all that's been given. They make me remember I need to give more of me and less of what will never really matter in this life.......I need to put more love into my actions. I need to be in motion. I need less words and more LIVING. Because when we are living we are truly LOVING and GIVING back just a portion of what's been given us...........

If we all just gave a portion back of what's been given? Oh beloved would there be any need?

Oh My Goodness! Chocolate!!!

Okay I have to be honest, I was a little skeptical before I tried this recipe. If you are a woman then you already have the grand title of Chocolate Connoisseur.  And this my friends, is chocolate to die for! Well I may be exaggerating just a bit, but it is really, really good. The kicker? It's even healthy for you. Now I am not saying you won't get pudgy eating it, but there are health benefits eating it in moderation. Ah there is that M word again.......

So who knew that you could make your very own decadent chocolate and I'm not talking about the kind you make from semi sweet chips. That would not really be considered homemade chocolate, now would it? All you need is 5 ingredients:

Raw Cacao powder: (Full of antioxidants, iron and magnesium)

Vanilla extract: ( Full of Vanilla bean and yes vodka but you only need a tsp or two.)

Raw organic honey: ( Now honey is loaded with natural sugars, so this is where the moderation comes in. I suppose you could use stevia YUCK! Nasty stuff! Leaves a horrible after taste and I've tried several brands.  and to no avail I can not wrap my brain, taste buds or any thing else that has to do with my senses to get myself to like this stuff!)

Raw organic Coconut Butter: (Full of everything good for you! You can read up on 101 uses for coconut Here.)

Raw Unrefined Coco Butter: Mmmmm Smells wonderful! I get my Coco butter Here.

Take 1 cup of Coco Butter melt in a sauce pan on very low heat. Add 1 Cup of Coconut Butter, 1/2 cup of honey and 1/2 cup Cacao powder. stir until melted and combined. Lastly add a tsp. or two of Vanilla.

Pour into a baking dish and let it set in the fridge. Mine looks melted because I was too impatient and could not wait to try it. You will want to store this in the fridge because it will turn to a thick syrup if you leave it out, although that would probably be great for an ice cream topping! It tastes just like an Almond Joy!

And this Chocolate is kid tested and Mama approved! They loved it and so did I!

Just Another Iron In The Fire

When you feel your days are all blurred together and nothing seems as it were, it's best to look up and hold on tight. This morning I had to break away from being inside and all the thoughts that seem to hold me captive. The ones that never let go and seem to suffocate and strangle hold until you think you can't breathe, til you feel stuck fast in pain knee deep.

You see it's always the pain of letting go. And little boys and little girls they seem to grow so fast. The days they come and they fly.  The days that are all wrapped up in anticipation of spending the night at grandma's house, they flee all too quickly. All too soon the little boy's best stuffed animal will be packed away in a box and put in his closet because at the time of packing he just can't seem to let it go.

And Mama she remembers........She always remembers little things like this.

Mama remembers the nights she stayed up with her 4 year old son in her lap making sure he drinks every half hour and checking his temperature and praying the numbers stay down......She remembers a little girl that could only be rocked upside down. It was the only way she could fall asleep. She remembers flowers being picked by her little man and watching him run across the field in his cow boy boots just to give them to her.

She remembers holding their little chubby hands and kissing their sweet smudge up faces. She remembers being on her knees praying and asking for forgiveness when she just knew she had screwed things up. She remembers a little girl that would be calmed down by the sweet song "You are my Sunshine" and she would smile wide and her face always seemed to glow just as if the Son was always shining down upon her.

She remembers her little man always asking her to marry him. And she remembers having to tell him that she was already married to Daddy. She remembers his eyes when she told him no........

The days leading up to an empty nest, they come whirring in like a funnel cloud. This funnel cloud, it comes down upon you and sweeps all your memories up and you search frantically through the debris and the rubble of it all. And some how it just doesn't make sense to you and you wonder if it ever will....

You wonder through all the confusion of having to let go if you will ever be normal again.....Will you stop feeling so empty?........

It's just another iron in the fire....

I ask my dear Mama friend if I could help with "The letting Go" Her baby boy is graduating ....I told her I can feel her pain. And she types these words out for me...."Just fill in the gap with me and pray. God is doing a wonderful work in me, burning all the earthy flesh can be quite painful. Love you my friend."


And this is what makes us Beautiful in God's eyes.....The refining fire. The only fire that can burn away the need to hold on and the pain that comes with letting go. It's the iron in the fire that makes the earthly flesh melt away. Prepares us for a new season. Prepares us Mamas for the Mentoring and the Matriarching...

Oh Holy God, I lift all my Mama friends up to you that are going through the fire. I pray that you hold us tight, because honestly sometimes the pain of letting go is just too much to bare.......

But our hope is in you and your plans are BIG. And you know all about "The Letting Go"......

Your love proves more powerful than even the love of a Mama.....And as the change takes place  and our wings are drying, waiting and ready for the beauty to be revealed, please hold close, because this Mama she remembers the little things. She hurts and she's trying to let go gracefully......We need your mercy and grace to take flight to the next season of this life......

The Question I Get Asked The Most........

Their questions they come and they go. Having a large family tends to make them curious. The question I hear most often? It's this, "How do you do it?" "Because I certainly would never have the patience to do what you do!"

Most times I just smile and say something like...."I do it because I love doing it!" "And yes, I have those moments when I question myself and if I will ever get through the hard parts and the loud, crazy, messed up days, and those moments the really hard ones, you just do it!"

But the more I think about my answer the more I feel I'm being too vague. I want to share with you something that you already have if you are a Christ follower......If the Holy spirit dwells within you.

You see I sometimes forget and I'm writing this not only to share with you, but also to remind myself that I have all those qualities it takes to raise 6 children, to homeschool, to be a faithful wife, to keep a home and make the meals with out complaining...Without raising my voice. I have to be honest I'm still a work in progress. I don't always get it right. BUT I never give up! I keep moving forward....

This power that you and I have? He is called the Holy Spirit. And when He takes up residence in your heart He gives you The Fruits of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22

That means you and I have the power to LOVE with JOY, PEACE of mind and with PATIENCE to pull through the hard moments. We can teach and serve with KINDNESS. Show them GOODNESS and FAITHFULNESS. We have the power to do all OF THIS LIFE with GENTLENESS and SELF CONTROL. We only need to trust and ask Him to lead our lives, because with out Him, we are none of these things! Because when we say we can't or that we have no patience...We are denying His dwelling and refusing His power.

Dear Sisters in Christ, I encourage you today, to dig deep and pull up faith. He has planted the seed....Are you reaping the harvest?

I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

You and I, we have what it takes! WE. CAN. DO. THIS! Because "THIS" is so IMPORTANT! Remember where our priorities lie....Remember who our priorities are..........Remember you were called to the Highest of callings!

Heart Strings

And this Mama She feels the slight pull on her heart strings early on in the week. She tries really hard not to notice them. She blows them off and digs deep till the tightness goes away.

I slip into bed with my man who was already there a few minutes before me. I breathe deep and tell him I hate this part about being a Mama. And he asks "Why?" as if he didn't know........ Sometimes I really believe he asks the obvious just so that I can talk myself through the tight tugs and pulls that seem to stretch my heart a little bit further, a little bit more each time......

And moments like this?....My Mama never told me about. She never told me how the heart hurts as it's being stretched. And I know it's because you could never possibly explain the love of a Mama....Never really quite understand until you become one yourself. And Mama if your reading this I want you to know how much I understand and feel the growing and stretching pains that you have endured yourself..... And I'm sure you would tell me those growing pains, they never seem to stop......

They leave all packed and ready to go at 7 a.m. And the little boy that used to ask me to marry him is now 6 foot tall asking me not to cry in front of him. I hold it in the best I can....If he could only see, if he could of witnessed these years and how fast they flew by...for me.

And Sunshine comes up all pucker lipped ready to plant one smack dab on my lips. The way she does when she's all goofy and lovable. And I believe if there was a way to stop time I would of right there at that moment until I was ready to let go. Because letting go always seems to sneak up on you. You can prepare yourself all you want......I must tell you, you are never completely prepared.

I had a talk with God last night and as I was asking Him to prepare my heart, I told Him the only way I know how to get through the letting go is to know that He loves them so much more than I ever could....And that gets me through......

I want to share something with you that you probably already know...... Hold onto each an every moment. Accept them all as blessings. Say "Yes" more often. Dig deep and find patience....These forever moments never last forever! Give in, be goofy, laugh more than you already do.......hold on tight but not too tight to where you can't let go. Love them out loud so they never have a reason to doubt you love them! Pray boldly with them, in front of them and when they are not even around.

Because Mama they leave way too soon and you will find that you were never prepared to let go this early!

Sunshine girl told me not to cry until they left because she didn't want to cry with me....Well Sunshine I'm still doing okay...A few tears here and there. But I bathed you all in prayer and WE serve an Amazing, Almighty God who loves you both more than I ever could. And I'm still learning, still trying to figure out how to let go.......I must tell you my hearts strings are being pulled and at times it feels like they are going to snap! I love you both with all my heart! Forever and For Always!

Love,
Mama