HIDING

When do we learn to hide? My sweet little Lucia is a mess when it comes to eating. No better, she likes to walk around while she eats, usually leaving a crumb trail behind her. Time and time again she is sent back to the table, usually by me scooping her up and placing my disgruntle little girl in her seat.

 

The other day during breakfast, while I wasn't looking she snuck away and found a nice little hiding spot to enjoy her yogurt and make whatever mess she could, in secret.

She cracks me up and I couldn't help but laugh and be a little proud of her effort. However, the event left me thinking. How is it that so young, we already know to hide the things we should not be doing. Is it in our human nature to cower and leave sin in a hidden place? Do we instinctively know right from wrong, but still often choose wrong, when it can be hidden? I know, I know...a lot of serious thoughts from my sweet baby girl's little yogurt hijinks.

 

Let me leave you with this,

 

"There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs."

-Luke 12:2-3

 

No matter what I do to hide things, they are found out. And like I was able to know when Lucia was trying to hide something, even more easily does God see the things I am trying to hide. Thank goodness, for God's grace and love and for him continually scooping me back to where I need to be!

 

OATMEAL EATERS

The other day I was having oatmeal with my little girl. We've been working on big girl things, sitting at the big girl table, eating with a spoon by herself...you know 'big girl' things. I'm watching her shoveling up the oatmeal, way too much, she begins to move the loaded spoon in the direction of her face, but not quite to her mouth, "plop", oatmeal lands on her pjs. Another couple of failed attempts and she begins to get a little anxious for oatmeal and decides to ditch the spoon and just go with what she know...

I decide to step in and show her the mechanics of using the spoon. So like many moms before me have done, I take her spoon and begin to mime my eating an invisible bowl of oatmeal. And before I can even exclaim how great my oatmeal is she YELLS at me! She yells at me in her little way and then takes the spoon from me. She then in a way to show me she can do it, begins to try again...

The oatmeal ended up just about everywhere else except her mouth...

 And I'm looking at this oatmeal covered little girl of mine, determination in her eyes, determined to do it on her own and it hits me...that's exactly what I would do.  She is just like me! What some would call stubborn, we affectionately call determined, or strong willed. I'm looking at this little smaller version of me, proud of the genes I've passed on, then suddenly a flashback of everything I've ever put my parents through floods back to me and I think "What have I done?"

I will tell you this...she did finish all that oatmeal. 

 

Today's Reflection:

I love my little girl. In all honesty I'm not scared about her being a little strong willed, I find it quite endearing. If this is a trait God decided she would need or should have when he molded her in my womb, when he designed her, wonderfully created her I can't help but find it endearing. If you think about how intricate the human body is, how amazingly God put ever piece of us together, how could he overlook the traits he would give us from each parent? He made each of us for a purpose.

 

Sometimes we look at ourselves and our traits that others might not quite get and think that they are bad traits or habits. Instead, why not see how we could use them purposefully? It's like when you find a screw on the floor, some might want to just toss it, but some might say "Wonder, what this is for?"

 

I'd like to think it has a purpose...better not toss it!

 

Lord, thank you for my little girl, for knitting her together and forming every little bit of her.

 

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

-Psalm 139:14-15

CALLING IN SICK

They say that laughter is the best medicine...I could use a little right now!

 

I've been a little under the weather the last couple of days. Sorry for my absence. My littlest love was sick all last week, so after a week of trying to keep everyone else healthy, I ended up being the one to get sick. What can you do? Thankfully my saint of a husband has been helping me with all my usual 'mommy' duties, while I slept off this bug.

 

Today, I was back on duty. The day was filled with cartoon watching, catching up on laundry, resting and most of all trying to get back to 100%. Not much to report my friends. Thankfully, the weather has been what one would hope for, if one wanted to lounge around the house in a blanket. I also made my favorite 'sick day' pick me up. Some home made abondigas...basically for those unfamiliar with this wonderful treat, it's a Mexican meatball soup. It's yummy, my mom makes it the best, my husband a very close second, but what I love about it is that I usually have the ingredients on hand.

 I hope your week is off to a much healthier start than mine dear friends!

 

Today's Reflection:

Thinking healthy!

"Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers."

-3 John 1:2

MY LITTLE PUMPKINS

I think a time comes in every parent's life when you have to make tough choices...

 

Do I grab them and love on them and tell them everything is okay?

 

Or do I risk scarring them for life, by desperately trying not to laugh out loud while snapping a picture?

 

I chose the latter...

 

Classic!

 

They were not feeling the sibling pumpkin patch photo.

 

However one day I think they'll laugh about this picture, or at the very least their future children and I will.

Today's Reflection:

^"And the Lord God prepared a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be shade for his head to deliver him from his misery. So Jonah was very grateful for the plant. But as morning dawned the next day God prepared a worm, and it so damaged the plant that it withered."

-Jonah 4:6-7

 

I read this scripture and I laugh a little. If you're familiar with the story then you know that Jonah, complained about this. But God used the plant to prove a point. Is that a parenting technique Lord? Either way, it's pretty G. Sometimes they don't always like the choices we make for them and cry a little, but as parents we've got to show them because we love them.

 

Do you think he snapped a picture of Jonah whining too? I bet you he did!

THESE FEET

Lord, bless these feet.

As they walk, as they discover new places.

Bless the places they enter and the places they leave.

Keep them safe.

Let them learn to stand on their own.

Let these feet run to happiness, run to love, run to where ever you are Lord.

Lord give these little feet the strength to carry whatever load you will one day give them.

Lord make these adventurous feet, let them see things that I could only imagine.

Let them walk in fields covered in your beauty,

Dance in streets filled with your praise

and stand still in all your grace and glory!

Let them always remember their way home.

and Lord, please please, don't let them grow up too fast.

Amen.

We are working on walking. She's getting close, and I'm beginning to see my baby, turn into a little girl more and more each day.

Let me take in these moments just a little longer. 

 

Today's Reflection:

"Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.”

-Genesis 28:15