Day Twenty-Nine: Too Busy Not To Pray

I'm behind on writing the last two blog posts (even though I like to re-set them for the correct date :). I've been busy scuffling around the house, purging and cleaning and clearing space for painters who are freshening up our home. It's a fun and rewarding task because it's much needed and it feels so good to pare down. Always. Pray is just like that. It's a way to listen, organize, clear out, simplify. We offer up our junk to the Lord and become open to Him changing our ideas, our hearts, our daily plans and voila--freshened up with new strength and inspiration in place of monotony, anxiety, and hustling. All that good stuff makes us too busy not to pray.

Prayer is not something that is neglected when I'm busy; it's focused time with God. Intimate, intentional time changes our prayers, as I've mentioned in earlier posts. So, although whispering requests and worship throughout the day is necessary, our busy lives warrant the attention that draws us to our knees and into God's Word. I know it because I've suffered without it. There will be days where this is impossible, but making a commitment to return to a daily quiet time pays in copious dividends. In this day and age, we are too busy not to pray!

 Ashanti's third birthday!
Keeping six little girls busy for a couple of hours is no easy task, but with crafts, chalking on the driveway, decorating cupcakes our crazy cat and lots of giggles, the party turned out well :)

 Joella

 Ava

 Clara

Birthday Girl

 Lily

 Love this kid!

"Grandma" Nancy

 With Mommy

 Mommy and Ashanti

 I asked Valerie to bring some Ivorian dishes that would be served at a party--delicious!

 Three years old!

All her besties! (Mayan-second from left)

Day Fourteen: Stuff Gets In The Way

Before my feet touched the floor, I laid in my bed planning out my day and how fabulous I was going to be. I'd already prayed for patience and wisdom, I'd mapped out some solutions to possible roadblocks, and I was determined to check off the boxes of productivity before I laid my head down at night.

But stuff got in the way...

*She pulled her tiny body up, stood on the bed rails beside me and babbled about having a poopy pull-up. Oh man! I was sure we were almost "there" with the training at night. That meant a big clean up and bath would ensue.

*He stared out the window and begged to put the books away. The trail was calling him and there was no way I would be able to wrangle the distant thoughts of my young outdoors man.

*My turn came to spend the day with my sister-in-law, cutting small morsels to eat, administering pain medication, tucking blankets around her weak body. It was my honour and my pleasure, even though it was heart-wrenching to see her so altered. But, not much school that day; my kids were home alone again.

*I was interrupted as I attempted my morning devotions. The girls were clanging dishes, the washing machine timer went off and the odour of burning toast wafted into the room where I had settled in with afghan and the Word of God. Nope, not going to happen. 

But... soon enough, our sprout of a girl went home to be with her momma during the week and now I pick her up on Fridays to come home with us for a mere two and a half days. Sure, the school room is quiet and the work flows easily from the pens of my children, but we miss her. 

*My son needs to read Frog and Toad and write out his spelling words but catching toads teaches him more than any book ever could. 

*Each day with Linda is precious and I'll drop everything, if I need to be with her, memorizing every moment to ensure it's cemented in me. 

*Stuff gets in the way and I can't always sit down and begin my day with God as planned, but thankfully, He still hears me as I go about living and I, Him, as His voice guides me. I'll make that reading happen later in the day this time, and not be discouraged.

I'm so very thankful that stuff gets in the way of my plans. My heart is broken and healed, broken again and then well-taught. Life happens and the Lord keeps me learning and growing and reminding me of His love in the middle of it all.  

Keep Calm, Eh?

December looked a little like this photo for me. I so desired to blog and catch up on recording our lives (it's a place I like to dump at the end of a day). But, alas, the busyness did get the better of me. The Lord and I have had some talks lately about how I let the Christmas season sweep away my joy for awhile. I ached for the Truth to flood our holiday time, for quiet Advent readings and children who willingly set aside their bickering and offered to lovingly pack the Christmas boxes for kids in need. When that wasn't happening perfectly, when the rehearsals and obligations and shopping robbed our time, I begged God to fast forward me to January. Sound negative? I'm ashamed to admit I didn't learn from last year and my attitude was often less than festive... less than godly. In reality, the Truth could have calmed my spirit and changed the atmosphere of my heart and home. I didn't allow it. I preferred the inner tantrum and complaining. It felt good to rant now and then. Kind of good. Not really.

 

Oh, but there were some glorious moments, like the laughter at the in-laws' dinner, the warmth of an open invitation for anyone to come to my mom's, the precious tiny person entrusted to us who relentlessly causes us to evaluate ourselves--and giggle hysterically. I aim to add the photos of some of those gifted moments below, but, I want to be clear to myself and to any reader, that our amazing Jesus, who came as a baby, lived, loved, healed, died and rose again for our eternal life is more than able to redeem lost Christmases. He alone can wipe away the icky humbug feeling and draw us again to His perfect peace.

 

I bought my Canadian friend, who lives in the U.S., a candle with the label, "Keep Calm, Eh?" She loved it since she's sprinkling her cottage in Canadian décor. It certainly made me think how simple the message truly is for the Believer: keep calm! Jesus offers peace to those who sit and ask and receive it without running off and absorbing all the demands and negativity and then wondering why He hasn't delivered. I'm stopping the crazy now and resting in Him. A little late for Christmas, but never too late for my life.

 

Gratitude (because thankfulness always results in joy):

  

1686. for nativity reminders like this camel and other animals at our nursery during the Christmas season

1687. for toddlers who are learning to share

1688. the way she loves the last of our Barbies

1689. the pancake audience

1690. for first snowballs

1691. finding lost items :)

1692. when the weather report says it'll all be gone tomorrow... we must build!

1693. for this book's inspiration

1694. the way she walks and walks, to keep up her strength, even if it hurts

1695. glorious snow!

1696. how she tries on every outfit, costume, tu-tu we own

1697. squeezing into one chair together

1698. impromptu selfies--constantly around here :)

1699. making winter memories for this tiny being

1700. weekly library visits

1701. how she thought I needed a new tea mug and took it into her own hands :)

1702. actually attaining that biggest of icicles

1703. new Sunday dress and her saying, "Oh! Tangtoo!" (thank you)

1704. bringing home other people's kids nearly every Sunday after church

1705. how she thinks she's so hysterically funny--she's right!

1706. giving her every little moment my own children enjoyed

1707. various ways for keeping little hands busy

1708. slumber parties with cousins

1709. the way they lovingly care for her and give me a break

1710. swimming lessons for homeschoolers during the day (Oliver's level using vests for rescue practice)

1711. how he takes pleasure in calming her with a bedtime story

1712. visit with Julie to growing Ali and her new little brother, Jonathan

1713. reunions with Mommy

1714. dinner out with my oldest girls

1715. how these three play hard, cry hard and love deeply

1716. how she loves to carry this little "sister" everywhere

 1717. peeking at big sister's dance class through the window and how she tries to copy what she's seen

1718. smiles simply due to mutual love

1719. going many more times around when no one's there because you're the owner's son :) 

 1720. how she's waited for this moment since riding in the summer

 1721. yelling to our girls as they happily jumped and danced in the parade for two hours

1722. how she found him--when I had no intention of finding him--and leaped into his arms

 1723. how I returned to this after taking a break from looking for that perfect item

 1724. the way we snuggle more when we're all sick (and that face behind)

 1725. dropping her off for the youth retreat and how excited she was 

1726. for future staff :) 

 1727. for great youtube videos in dealing with this crazy, beautiful hair

 1728. for this concert that made it feel a little bit like Christmas

 1728. how he fell off the couch and stayed asleep

 1730. the way she delicately placed the ornaments rather than the usual toddler way

 1731. finally getting the tree up (later than usual)

 1732. attending her short film premiere downtown

 1733. another year of the great-aunts' and uncles' reading The Night Before Christmas and signing their name to the inside cover

1734. finding pics like this one on my phone 

 1735. Meg's guy friends from church and their respectful, helpful, worshipful qualities

 1736. Meg's girlfriends from church and their fun-loving, loyal, encouraging qualities 

 1737. how he still wraps up homemade things and how she's still excited to receive them

 1738. windy December walks

1739. how this one is growing up quickly after a lovely late blooming time (both gifts)

 1740. building together

 1741. how he brought home gifts for all of us after his trip 

 1742. and how she carried hers around for a long time and shoved everything she could fit in there  

 1743. yearly photo holding stockings knit by Great-Mama

 1744. soon-to-be sisters-in-law and how our nephew proposed by her dad's grave, recording him asking for her hand (all of us in tears during the story) 

 1745. helping her momma with her first tree

 1746. for meeting these two--God's hand in it all

 1747. the joy of toddler play all over again

 1748. gym time with some homeschool families

 1749. how she pretends she doesn't like it but then continues to lick the bubbles

 1750. how Grandma and Grandpa took a whole load of grandkids to see the Snow White play (with dwarves here) 

1751. third Christmas with this momma

1752. how her partner went on a trip and she was brave enough to sing alone 

 1753. clown cartwheels from a natural

 1754. how the little ones never fail to entertain

1755. for her sweet, soft voice and how she's never nervous

1756. catching up on Advent reading through the busyness (so worth it, even if it's off schedule)

 

Hmmm... with all this gratitude, I'm beginning to think it was a fabulous Christmas season after all.