The Joy of the Lord is my stength!

I love reading other blogs.  It so inspires me and encourages me that I am not alone in this thing called life because there are days that I feel that way!  I know none of you would ever admit to feeling alone. Especially since this world puts on the facade of being such a powerful, strong, and in charge people we should be.  Alone-ness is not at all feelings we should have, right? 

Last week was the first official week of summer for us and I actually took my first day of summer yesterday.  Funny how that works. Ha!  The boys had baseball camp all week and their last tournament for the season last weekend.  Madison had cheer practice every day and left for cheer camp last Friday.  We packed our bags and took off Saturday for the baseball tournament with a boat in tow.  I'm not sure how the boat fit in but we dropped it off at Lake Fork on our way, if you call that on the way. Ha!  A few hours after Madi had left on Friday we realized we had forgotten to give her spending money for camp so we also had to swing by SMU to give her some money, which was totally not on our way either.  Finally we arrived in Allen for baseball.  We played a couple winning games and retreated to our hotel. The next day was another whirlwind of playing ball and back to SMU to watch Madi try out for All American cheerleader and final evaluations the next day.  And can I just add that along the way and through it all my children were NOT angels, bad attitudes, fighting, ungratefulness.  Now if all that doesn't make you gargle for air then you must be one of those powerful, strong, never lonely, have it all together people, and I'm jealous. 

When I finally had a moment to think straight my heart was heavy and I was feeling very alone and defeated.  A phone call to my dad to wish him a happy fathers day helped put things in perspective.  He reminded me that Satan comes to STEAL our joy.  He reminded me that happiness is only from our happenings but that God's joy is a constant.  We can choose to be filled with that joy or we can choose to let Satan steal it.  While I was trying to bless his day, he blessed mine. 

Life will never be always like we want it.  It will be lonely, hard, tiresome, an up hill battle, disappointing, and heartbreaking.  It will take from us things we never thought we could live without.  And it will prove it's power by our response.  God never said walking this journey would be easy nor will it always be enjoyable but He did say that living for Him and choosing His joy is
rewarding!

I look back over this last week and I see many ups and many downs.  Many good happenings but also many not so enjoyable ones.  I pondered on the conversation with my dad and was able to get even more good advise from my mom. Oh how thankful I am for their Godly wisdom and perspective.

Learning to let go and watch your kids mess up and letting them figure it out is probably one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life.  Learning to know when to step in and correct them and rebuke them is also another lesson I am learning.  Learning to be consistent in my discipline yet giving them room to live is one more to add to my lists of learning's.  And yet remaining in the joy
of the Lord through it all is also one more mark of learning!!  What a challenge and what a goal!

I wish I had some fairy tale ending to tell you or some incredibly funny story but all I can say is even on the worst days the Lord is faithful to bring joy.  We had a "family meeting" a few nights ago and brought some perspective back to the table.  You know what I'm talking about???...those times you as a parent have let things slip and you have to reel everyone back in to get on the same page.  That's the kind of family meeting we had.  My kids whined about it at first, of course.  "What? Why do we always have to have family meetings?"  But those "family meetings" have been some of the most treasured times for me; praying together, laughing together, playing games together and even crying together.  The Lord has those moments with us as well.  My mom was so gracious to help me to see that.  The Lord graciously brings us to the table, sees us where we are and loves us through discipline and correction and still brings joy!

 

Nehemiah 8:10b "This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."

There are days I wonder if I will survive parent hood!  And then God sends me the sweetest love note through a conversation with someone.  Yesterday, I had one of the best compliments about our family from a family that I would describe as my Godly hero's!  I have to say that makes my heart swell and gives me hope!!  It's just the encouragement you need to keep on keeping on! Though we are FAR from perfect, me especially, being a mom is exactly what God has called me to be!

Encouraging you today on your journey, to remain in His joy for it is your strength no matter what life brings to the table!!

Keep your eyes on the ball!

Today was the day, I drove my oldest child to her first home away from home experience.  For the next four days she will be sweating it out, learning like never before, being stretched and pushed out of her comfort zone, and most likely people will be getting on her nerves while she gets on theirs.  She loaded the bus without a single look back and I almost lost it.  As several of the mothers stood outside the bus waiting for them to depart my big brown eyed girl looked out the window at me and waved her farewell.  I blew her a kiss and she reciprocated!  Oh how my heart fluttered and I fought back the tears.  It seems like only yesterday that I myself loaded a bus off to a college campus for a grueling several days at camp.  What an experience it always was for me and now my daughter is doing the same.  I couldn't help but pray hard that she would survive and blossom during this time. 

My boys have been playing baseball lately like nobodies business.  So it is no surprise that I have baseball on my brain!!  It's funny how life throws those curve balls at you and sometimes the pitch may get a little wild and you have to move out of the way.  I feel like I have been in that batters box for a long while.  I have seen some balls, made a few strikes, and foul tipped several times.  The pitches have been coming and coming.  Life has thrown some wild pitches and not many things seem to be like I thought they would be.  I am quiet appalled that I am old enough to have a child entering the 9th grade.  Lol!  I remember Janet White, our song ministers wife, always saying that by the time your child has reached the age of ten they have already begun to form their own little selves.  You as a parent will mostly likely not be their idol any longer and their desire to be their own person is beginning to flourish.  My heart aches as I now have an eleven, twelve, and fourteen year old.  How in the world did this happen?  And where in the world has time gone?  I look back and see so many of those wild pitches that were thrown and I just stood there and let them smack me in the face!  And boy the consequences of that have left some scars.  Those are the times I wish I could have had a DVR on life to rewind those moments and play them again as to maybe react differently.  You know what I'm talking about...your child that is just like you in so many ways and you clash on numerous occasions, but instead of being the "adult" you chime in and then before you know it, it's too late, there's the ball hitting you hard where it hurts! Or maybe it's three strikes and you're out!!  You haven't seemed to learn what it is that pitcher is throwing or how to react? Whose following me?

All those mess ups, pitches that were thrown and I reacted not so great, as a parent seem to have flooded my mind today as I watched my little girl get on that bus.  Oh now don't get me wrong, I refuse to let Satan win any battle in my mind or defeat me in my sin but, the Lord wanted me to see those things so I can be reminded how precious each moment is, to not sweat the small stuff, to stay focused on Him, and learn to react well.  I believe God wants us all to stay focused.  Just as a batter is on the pitcher, watching his every move as to know how to react.  If we don't act quick enough or wise enough we may just suffer consequences. And if we do react in the right way, well, we might just knock the ball out of the park....we may just make that lasting impression on our kids that are life changing, those ones that help them to become their own person for the Lord!!

Oh how I pray that my reactions to life will draw my children to Him.  I know that ball has smacked me between the eyes on too much of a regular basis lately.  Thankfully, we get to bat again after getting out.  I pray today my eyes will stay focused on the pitcher, MY GOD, so that He can show me what needs to be my next move to soar!  Encouraging you today that as each moment passes with your children or in life in general that you can keep your eyes on the One that controls the game of life! That by His movement, His speaking, you will be ready to react in a way that will be life changing for yourself and all who are watching on!!

Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.  Psalm 86:11