Monday Mumblings

WOW, it's Tuesday. Yep, it's going to be one of those weeks.


Last week was crazy. We ended up with a total of 9 basketball games in 6 days. I am not sure what else actually happened last week. :-)


We did finally make it through a full week of five full days of school. That was nice, especially in light of our evenings being jammed full. I love routine. I was about to lose my mind with the craziness and inconsistency of the past few weeks.


Thursday evening we thought the girl's team had finished their season, though there was still a slim chance they could make it into regional play. And we found out Friday morning that they did. So the season continues. Though they do get a nice break and do not have to play again until next week.


We had one free night last week and that was Friday night. So after a much needed grocery store run, we had family movie night. We watched "Over the Hedge", which I actually had never fully seen. It was a cute movie but really it was just great to all cozy up on the couch and be together.


Saturday brought the second games of double elimination tournament play for Alex and Jack. Jack's team won their scheduled game and then turned around to play another, which they lost. However, Jack played amazingly well. He scored, made a free throw, got some steals, rebounds and overall played his best basketball so far. We were talking about how much he has improved over this season. He was disappointed to see his season end. Alex's team then played and they too lost. He also played really well and was sad that the season is over.


Well, yesterday was Valentine's Day and I hope that in some form it was expressed to you that you are loved. I received 11 roses. A tradition that Aaron has started is that when I get a bouquet of roses, Emma gets one. She loves it and so do I. It just makes my heart so happy to see her face light up and the pride in Daddy's eyes. I would gladly take the 1 and give her the 11. I am so richly blessed by the love of an amazing man, four wonderful children, and lots of family and friends. But I loved the reminder of the most amazing love I know in the sunrise that He painted yesterday morning. It was the most beautiful valentine! A reminder of God's greatest act of love: John 3:16.

Food For the Soul

James 3: 17 "But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere."

I read these words earlier this week as I prepared for a meeting. I had been praying and asking God to give me wisdom. I did not want personality to be the driving force of the conversation. (It was a confrontational discussion.) I did not want my ego or any individual selfish need to be the reason I was confronting and asking some hard questions. I truly only wanted God to shine through the conversation. I prayed for wisdom, Godly wisdom.

During my prayer time, which involved perusing and praying through a number of passages, I landed on this verse. It is interesting that the beginning of this chapter in James is all about the power of the tongue. So as I was asking God to reign in my tongue for His glory, I ended up stuck on this verse.

Pure wisdom. Peace loving. Considerate. Submissive. Full of mercy. (I am not known for having an abundance of mercy.) Impartial. Sincere.

As I was preparing my heart I really wanted my heart to be heard. My heart that I felt was in tune with God's. As I worked through some of the issues that I knew would be discussed, I prayed for words tempered with peace and kindness. I prayed for a purity of heart, mind and purpose.

I know God heard my prayers. I know He kept my mouth closed when I would have said something unmerciful. You see I realized too that while this was my prayer, I didn't know how the person on the other side of the table would respond. I didn't know how they were preparing themselves. I could only do what God, through the Holy Spirit was prompting me to do. I know that I was able in kindness to suggest other tactics for this person to try as they responded. I was sincere in my desire to work things out, personality aside.

I have prayed many many times for wisdom. The times when I am in tune with God I look back and see that wisdom as being pure. But how many times have I "jumped the gun" and taken sides in my judgement or been unmerciful and unkind? By using my own wisdom I have hurt others and myself in the process.His wisdom is pure.

I love the filters that God has given us in His Word as we seek Him. As we ask for wisdom in our lives, if the end result lines up with the filter of purity, peaceful, considerate, submissive, merciful, impartial and sincerity we can move forward in confidence that our wisdom is of God.

Wordless Wednesday

Monday Mumblings

Oh YEA! The Green Bay Packer's won the Super Bowl. I am ecstatic. There was a lot of yelling and dancing in our home last night. (Even after the kids were in bed.)

This last week was another crazy one. But not a lot to report. Just busy.

The boys were supposed to have games Saturday, but we had a quick system move through overnight that caused some ice so the games ended up being cancelled. We were rather lazy for the morning. It was nice. I headed into work to get some things done before Sunday. (I am amazed at how much I get done when I am the only one in the building and I can crank up my music.)

In the evening we allowed the kids to take some of their Christmas and birthday money as we headed to Toy's R Us and Wal-mart. We realized rather quickly that this was a mistake. First of all, we should have done it with each child individually. Too much, "you should get this or that". Also, we found that a few of our children wanted to figure out how to spend it all. If something only cost $9 and they had $20, then they had to find another $11 worth of stuff. Guess what we are going to working on with our kids? Giving, Saving, and Spending.

This upcoming week is one that will probably fly by. We are looking at a total of 8 basketball games this week. However, at the end of the week we should be just about done with basketball if not completely done. I have loved this season for the boys as well as for Aaron, but I am ready for a break from the crazy schedules.

Have a great week.

Food for the Soul

Well, the past week has been up and down. I have definitely been coming face to face with the fact that my heart had become very hard. What really struck me was how quickly it had happened.

God has been softening me and my heart.He has been gently reminding me of His amazing love for me as well as my great need for Him. It has been much like getting on a bike for the first time in a long time. It's a bit wobbly and unsteady at first, but you've done it before so the ability is still there, it's just a bit rusty.

I have gone to the gospel of John and have begun to work my way through this book again. I am taking just a few verses at a time, but with each group of verses I am asking the Holy Spirit to speak to me. I am asking specifically that He would show me how to live like Christ.

As I write down what I am being shown as well as my thoughts, I am realizing how far I am from reflecting Christ in my life. It would be easy to become bogged down with the reality that Christ is God=perfect and I am human=definitely not perfect. But as I was struggling with those thoughts, God brought to mind the verses of Scripture that speak to "race" we are running, that we are to "press on" toward the goal. I know I will never be perfect here on this Earth, but I will press on and work toward the goal of becoming a reflection of Christ until my time on Earth is done. I want so desperately to hear God say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant." I want to be faithful to Him and His call to walk in Him.

To sum it up here is a verse I read just this morning:

"Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us,

but our sufficiency is from God."

2 Corinthians 3:5

7 (And 1 week)

Stephen Daniel is my favorite Stephen.

Here are my Top 7 about Stephen:

7. His laugh is pure joy.

6. His love of justice and what is right. (Though this can be an issue of bossiness.)

5. His lisp. (While he does recieve speech therapy to correct this, his speech is still distinctly his, especially when he is excited.)

4. His hugs.

3. His love of books.

2. His sense of humor.

1. His smile. (It includes his entire face.)

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Here are some pictures from his birthday party last weekend:

Intently reading his homemade card from Grandpa and Grandma Maxson.

With his football cake.

His stash of presents. Lego's, a basketball, tools, and a Star Wars planetarium. (Plus a bunch of card's with money to spend.)

Wordless Wednesday