This Is Kristin

(Thanks Stephmodo)

I think being a stay at home mom can be challenging at times. It is an “invisible” job a lot of the time, and lacking of excitement, and sometimes can even feel like its lacking in meaning and purpose. But I don’t believe it is those things, it can just feel that way. This quote got me thinking about my attitude toward being a stay at home mom, when those long days hit, or I’m attempting to actually get through that mountain of laundry, I think this is a very inspirational way to think about our jobs, our ministries, our roles as stay at home moms…

“Imagine that you are meeting Jesus on your entrace into heaven. He smiles warmly and says, ‘Welcome blessed child of my Father. Come and enjoy the kingdom I have prepared for you. For I was hungry, and you went to the supermarket and stood in line at the checkout to buy me food, and then you brought it home and cooked it and served it with love. I was thirsty and you went to the kitchen and fetched me a cold glass of water- without my even asking. I was feeling discouraged from a hard day at work, and you gave me a big hug and some time to regroup. I had outgrown most of my clothes and the rest were dirty, but you found something for me to wear. I was sick and you held my head as I threw up and then you stayed up all night with me. ‘

‘ Wait a minute, Lord,’ you might interrupt. ‘I never went grocery shopping, or gave you a hug or held you while you were sick.’

And he would reply, ‘Oh yes you did, whatever you did in loving ministry to the people in your life- on the holy ground of the home I gave you- you did for me.’” (see Matthew 25:34-40)

- Donna Otto

Our sweet Aiden is 6 today! He is our unique boy, quiet yet opinonated, sweet and sensitive. He loves music and drawing and crafts, and he is very good at those things. He likes to be home, and he is a very good friend to his friends, and to his brothers. I love his big brown eyes, and his sweet smile. I can’t believe he is already 6 years old, time has flown! I hope that he has a wonderful 6 year old year! Happy Birthday Aiden…

I love this picture. I love that these boys are so close in age, so different in personalities and yet are friends.

I have been thinking lately about those “longings” in our hearts. Almost everyone I know closely has something they long for, that is something they can’t “force” to happen in their lives. Whether it’s waiting for a spouse, or a baby, an improved living situation, to move homes, to be healed….

While I do believe that the challenge is to have faith and grow through the times of longing, I also believe that God allows us to go through these times of longings, so that when he does bless us with what we hope for, it is an even greater blessing. Maybe we appreciate it more, or have greater joy when that thing does happen. Maybe it’s just not our timing, and the thing we hope for isn’t necessarily all about us.

The other day I was trying to get Cooper to take a nap. We were going to be up late that night, and when he doesn’t get enough sleep he’s miserable, and so is everyone else…. He also tends to get sick more when he’s not getting enough sleep, so it was one of those days I was determined for him to sleep no matter how long it took him. He fought it so badly. He complained, he made excuses, he cried that all he wanted to do was play with his brothers. Eventually he fell asleep. He had to nap, because I was in charge, and I had a plan for that day. He had to nap because it was what was best for him. He had to nap whether he argued, complained, cried or wished his time away- he was going to do it. It would’ve been easier, and quicker if he would’ve just relaxed, and trusted me, and fell asleep. He would’ve had more time to play with his brothers, he wouldn’t have been so miserable.

I really relate to him. I cry and complain, and wish my days away when I am am unhappy with a situation. When I am waiting for the longing of my heart to be filled. What would happen if I let go of my worry, stopped focusing on the things I was unhappy about and instead rested into God’s will, and trusted Him with what He’s doing now, along with where He’s taking me. Maybe the time of waiting is for my health- spiritual, emotional, physical. Maybe it’s for the betterment of someone else. Mostly- it’s not in my hands, I’m not in charge.

I happened to read this the other day, a friend wrote about when we are “unable,” God is able. It offers so much hope, to those who are in those seasons of longing. It’s a great read, and something I needed to hear that day! Go read it at The Simple Day.

So, the other day I ran to the library to grab a book. I’d forgotten my list from Parenting University, and because of little time, I grabbed this book, because I thought the cover looked cool. (don’t judge- I’m visual)

From the moment I started this book, until it’s last words, “God is with you every step of the way.” I was singing it’s praises.

Sometimes when I read parenting books, I get mildly depressed. I feel like there is just no way I can do all that, or change all that, or undo all the ways I’ve already messed up. I feel like a lot of parenting books paint a picture that a home life can be perfect, when the reality is it can not. From the time they are babies to I am sure the time they are adults, we will not be able to have completely perfect interactions. We will all mess up from time to time, and the important thing is how we deal with our own failures as well as our childrens.

This book doesn’t so much focus on specific do’s and dont’s, it focuses on our role as parents, and where our focus should lie. It made me feel better about the ways that I have messed up- relaxed because we all do, but it also taught me A LOT.

‘You don’t have the power to be a perfect parent who produces perfect children. You do have the power to create an environment of love, truth and grace that gives your child the greatest possibility to respond to God.”

This is my favorite excerpt from the book-

“when your children come to you they are a bundle of gifts and opportunities. They are designed to fulfill a specific purpose that was prepared just for them. You are to nurture the characteristics God has put within them and help protect them from missing their purposes. Even if they stumble along the way and pursue directions God never intended for them, help them understand how he uses all of their backgrounds to accomplish His purposes. Nothing is waste, not even mistakes. Bring them back to the feet of the Father who made them. Give them a very clear message that they are not what they do; they are to do what they are. They are defined by who God made them to be, and what they do must flow out of that.”

I loved this book and fully recommend it. I will buy it even after I give it back to the library, because I think it will be helpful to re read, and again when the kids are teenagers. Have you read it?

I can not believe that my “baby” is now 4. He has been such a gift to us. He was a surprise from the beginning, and our first baby to be born on his due date. (our other two were two weeks late.) I call him my “sunshine,” because he smiles all the time, and makes all of us laugh with the things he says and does. He adores his big brothers and they can not help to love him back- most of the time. He has grown up so much in the last few months, both in height and abilities, and I am so excited for this coming year for him, where he’ll eventually start pre school. I am so grateful for our Cooper Trey!

I have lived in TN for 5 years now, and I still marvel at the distinctness of each season here. I will always be a California girl, perferring the subtle changes of seasons and less dramatic weather, but I do love seeing the changes happen, and as always at this time of year, the season changes provoke me into thoughtfulness.

It gets so cold here, so quickly, that it is almost shocking to the body. I honestly kind of dread the winter here. It seems like if I get cold, I can not get warm very easily. I also don’t like wearing socks and shoes, and coats and layers- all of which are required for a long period of time in the winter!

I often wonder how plants around here can survive it, so at one point I looked it up, and learned that plants are these amazing and complex systems. They have cycles, and when it gets cold, they stop producing fruit and flowers, and instead work on their root systems. That is such an amazing thought to me, that even when it seems a plant has become dreary and nearly lifeless during the winter, underneath the earth it’s roots are growing strong.

To me, that seems to be what happens with humans. When the cold comes, when the difficult seasons hit, we may stop producing fruit and flowers, and be forced to work on our root systems. We may find that the things our roots clung to were not things that are secure. We may find our hearts are rooted and relying upon something that is unable to truly satisfy us, and when that thing, idea or dream is changed or taken away somehow, it feels like winter, and that is when our roots start growing, and during that time, if we cling to God, and have the roots of our hearts grow in Him, when the spring comes again, we will be even stronger and healthier. When winter comes, it’s time to grow.

And, during that time, we cling to the hope that spring is coming again. We cling to the promise that God is a good God that works all things together for good, and we believe through anything Jesus will give us strength- strength to stand through the cold winds, and freezing rains, to survive the season we dread, and come out on the other side, strong, and grown.

I love this excerpt about seasons of life:

“God, Trees and New Beginnings”

“A change of season is about as routine as it gets. Best I know, it has hapened four times a year, like clockwork, as long as humans have been able to keep track of such things. But each time winter yields to spring, each time summer whispers to us that fall will soon arrive, nature is telling us a story. Nature is telling us the story of a God who is always creating, always remaking, forever crafting new beginnings. No matter how dry the sultry dog days of summer, no matter how bitter the winter death, new beauty, new life is always coming. It is only a matter of time….With God and with God’s people there will always be a new season, where life is infused and fruit blossoms….Jesus came to allow us to begin again.”

~Winn Collier author of “Restless Faith”

We have been using Shutterfly.com for our Christmas cards for the past five years, and we love their service, and especially how the cards turn out. This one is from 2005… look at those little guys! ~

Shutterfly has so many cute Christmas card designs to choose from, and even matching address labels. I love this new design this year, it is so cute with a black and white picture! (we may have to use this design for our Christmas card this year!) Right now, Shutterfly is offering 20% off all holiday cards! (That is a really good deal.)

We really do love Shutterfly.com, they have great prices on picture prints, we buy all our photo prints from shutterfly. We’ve even had a giant canvas family picture printed by them and it turned out beautiful. We have had many mugs printed of the boys for Father’s day, calendars, and photo books. They are a really great company to trust with your family pictures. The pictures and cards turn out great quality, it’s easy to do, their prices are great, and they always ship your order right away. Go and check out Shutterfly.com!