Sit. Sat. Sitting.
No matter how you say it, I don't really like it. I'm not much of a sitter. As far as I recall, I've never been one to sit for too long. I'd rather be standing, moving, or walking. Why? I think I equate sitting with un-productivity. Productivity is the name of my game.
Perhaps that is why a week of sickness in our home was so utterly painful. I was forced to sit and didn't really want to. I recently found myself sitting in the van with a minute or two to spare. I grabbed a wet wipe to clean my steering wheel and dashboard. When that was done, I collected trash. I realized I could just sit and talk to the kids and enjoy the moment. I did.
When Jesus fed the 5000 by multiplying five loaves and two fish he instructed the disciples to have the people SIT down. In John 6 it says the food was distributed to those who were SITTING down as much as he wanted.
Although the highlight of this story has always been the miracle of multiplying the food, I have been perplexed by Jesus' instruction. I wonder if anyone missed out on a meal that day because they wouldn't sit down?
Why not a basket buffet? With 5000 people it seems that would be more a more efficient program. Everyone could have stood on either side of the baskets to retrieve their bread and fish.
Perhaps when the people were seated, they could SEE all the people and SEE all the food and SEE the miracle! What miracles have I missed because I would not sit down for a moment and look around and open my eyes?
Maybe Jesus knew the people needed rest as much as they needed to be nourished physically. They had followed Jesus for quite some time. Mandatory time out for all. Time Out should be mandatory for all mommies!
Sitting down tends to be a posture that says, "I recieve. I rest" Maybe my constant producing and dis-taste for sitting has more to do with trust. Babyboy loves to do everything for himself. At thirty-something I still like to do everything myself. When I sit, I can't produce. I have to trust someone else to do, to produce, and to provide for me.
In the story of Mary and Martha, Mary sat at the Lord's feet while Martha took care of the preparation. I can guarantee you that if I was present, I would have busied myself with the prep work. Mary was commended for choosing what was "better". If Martha spent more time sitting maybe she would not have been so worried and upset about many things. Maybe if I would sit, His peace would cover my to-do list too!
Some people could stand to stand a bit more. I could stand to do a little more sitting. I'm learning.
Sit. Sat. Still Sitting.
Mommyontheboysturf with her three sons
Friday, January 28, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
WIPE OUT!
Have you seen the show WIPE OUT? The contestants are thrown into a larger-than-life obstacle course. More often than not they end up wiping out, landing flat on their back-side!
Our entire family, with the exception of daddy, could be contestants on that show. The flu came suddenly and intensely, and wiped us out one by one. Right now, Oldest and Babyboy are still down for the count while Middleson is in the best shape and almost back to normal. I am somewhere in the middle taking one step forward and two steps back.
It has been at least 5 years since we have faced this kind of sickness. I prayed over and over each day for the strength to take care of my kids and nurture them while they were ill. The Lord enabled me to do it! I am even more grateful for the good health we normally have. Some people live with chronic illness and pain.
We didn't have any official 30minutesontheboysturf under the circumstances. But, there was something to be said for the sickturf. Since my agenda was completely discarded, my only goals were to get my kids better and get better myself. We read stacks of storybooks and just packed into one cozy chair and snuggled. Babyboy, who does not stop these days, is only content if he is laying on me or being held close. After Middleson recovered he made mention that he thought sitting togther and reading books was really fun!
Now, I am not advocating more sick days! I cannot wait until we can all leave the house again. But, the time we have spent wiped-out was put to good use snuggling, loving, praying, and persevering.
Our entire family, with the exception of daddy, could be contestants on that show. The flu came suddenly and intensely, and wiped us out one by one. Right now, Oldest and Babyboy are still down for the count while Middleson is in the best shape and almost back to normal. I am somewhere in the middle taking one step forward and two steps back.
It has been at least 5 years since we have faced this kind of sickness. I prayed over and over each day for the strength to take care of my kids and nurture them while they were ill. The Lord enabled me to do it! I am even more grateful for the good health we normally have. Some people live with chronic illness and pain.
We didn't have any official 30minutesontheboysturf under the circumstances. But, there was something to be said for the sickturf. Since my agenda was completely discarded, my only goals were to get my kids better and get better myself. We read stacks of storybooks and just packed into one cozy chair and snuggled. Babyboy, who does not stop these days, is only content if he is laying on me or being held close. After Middleson recovered he made mention that he thought sitting togther and reading books was really fun!
Now, I am not advocating more sick days! I cannot wait until we can all leave the house again. But, the time we have spent wiped-out was put to good use snuggling, loving, praying, and persevering.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Ready or Not, Here I come!
Yesterday afternoon I retrieved Babyboy from his crib after his nap. We hid behind his rocking chair and yelled for Oldest and Middleson to come and find us. That led to Babyboy's official first game of Hide and Seek! Mommy and Babyboy against Oldest and Middleson. That certainly qualified for some great energetic time on the boys turf.
The game was toned down from the usual suspenseful, in-the-dark, intensely difficult-to-find game that the big boys play with Daddy. Oldest and Middleson used sweet voices and hid in more obvious spots with a limb hanging out to clue Babyboy of their whereabouts.
When it was time for Babyboy and I to hide again, I could feel his little heart beating rapidly and a his face anticipating the moment he would be discovered. When his big brothers found us, he screamed in delight.
After several rounds, we decided to let Babyboy stand on his own two feet. When I requested that he hide, he did. As long as he couldn't see us, he reasoned that we couldn't see him. He layed on the floor on his tummy with his face squished into the carpet and waited for us to find him. Oldest, Middleson, and I used our best acting voices to pretend we couldn't find the one we sought. And at last, with much drama, we found our Babyboy!! Everybody clapped and cheered.
He liked hiding. He liked being found.
This morning when I heard Babyboy singing his morning tunes, I opened his bedroom door to find him laying still with a blanket spread over his face. I quickly understood that he wanted to repeat yesterday's adventures.
As I reflected on the joy we all experienced from a simple childhood game, I couldn't get away from the THRILL it must bring Jesus when we seek Him. We are definitely the lost ones. He isn't lost, yet the Bible instructs us to seek him repeatedly.
Jeremiah 29:13 "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
Hebrews 11:6 "....he rewards those who earnestly seek him."
Psalm 105:4 "Look to the Lord and his strength; see his face always."
Miriam-Webster gives the following definition for "seek".
seek verb \ˈsēk\
sought\ˈsȯt\seek·ing
transitive verb
1: to resort to : go to
2a : to go in search of : look for b : to try to discover
3: to ask for : request
4: to try to acquire or gain : aim at
5: to make an attempt : try —used with to and an infinitive
intransitive verb
1: to make a search or inquiry
2a : to be sought b : to be lacking
— seek·er noun
Psalm 10:4 refers to the one who does NOT seek him. "In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God."
My prayer is that I will seek His face always and train my children to earnestly seek Him. I want to leave room in my thoughts for God and push out the distractions that keep me from seeking Him wholeheartedly.
The game was toned down from the usual suspenseful, in-the-dark, intensely difficult-to-find game that the big boys play with Daddy. Oldest and Middleson used sweet voices and hid in more obvious spots with a limb hanging out to clue Babyboy of their whereabouts.
When it was time for Babyboy and I to hide again, I could feel his little heart beating rapidly and a his face anticipating the moment he would be discovered. When his big brothers found us, he screamed in delight.
After several rounds, we decided to let Babyboy stand on his own two feet. When I requested that he hide, he did. As long as he couldn't see us, he reasoned that we couldn't see him. He layed on the floor on his tummy with his face squished into the carpet and waited for us to find him. Oldest, Middleson, and I used our best acting voices to pretend we couldn't find the one we sought. And at last, with much drama, we found our Babyboy!! Everybody clapped and cheered.
He liked hiding. He liked being found.
This morning when I heard Babyboy singing his morning tunes, I opened his bedroom door to find him laying still with a blanket spread over his face. I quickly understood that he wanted to repeat yesterday's adventures.
As I reflected on the joy we all experienced from a simple childhood game, I couldn't get away from the THRILL it must bring Jesus when we seek Him. We are definitely the lost ones. He isn't lost, yet the Bible instructs us to seek him repeatedly.
Jeremiah 29:13 "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
Hebrews 11:6 "....he rewards those who earnestly seek him."
Psalm 105:4 "Look to the Lord and his strength; see his face always."
Miriam-Webster gives the following definition for "seek".
seek verb \ˈsēk\
sought\ˈsȯt\seek·ing
transitive verb
1: to resort to : go to
2a : to go in search of : look for b : to try to discover
3: to ask for : request
4: to try to acquire or gain : aim at
5: to make an attempt : try —used with to and an infinitive
intransitive verb
1: to make a search or inquiry
2a : to be sought b : to be lacking
— seek·er noun
Psalm 10:4 refers to the one who does NOT seek him. "In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God."
My prayer is that I will seek His face always and train my children to earnestly seek Him. I want to leave room in my thoughts for God and push out the distractions that keep me from seeking Him wholeheartedly.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Sometimes I do cry over spilled milk!
Wow, being a mom is just so intense. It is wonderful. It is more than I dreamed in so many ways. Who could have ever imagined or expressed the magnitude of a mother's love?
But it is constant. For me, as a homeschooling mommy, I am always (always) always (always) with my 3 blessings. Oldest, Middleson, and Babyboy accompany me to the grocery store, bank, dentist (try getting 4 cavities filled with 3 kids running around the dentist's office), gym, library, doctor (no details here), and everywhere. There is no such thing as "time alone" or a quick in-out trip. It is 3 coats on, 6 shoes on, buckled in, unbuckled, in, out, buckle back in, arrive home, shoes off, coats off, hands washed.
I signed up for this. I am not complaining. I am content, thankful, blessed, and everything in between.
But, sometimes I cry over a spilled glass of milk. It is those silly little things that almost put me over the edge. Bread crumbs on the floor. Lots and lots of them -- glued together they just might make another sandwich. How about an "I'm still hungry" when the food has been put away and the last dish is cleaned and put away. Last but not least, in a house full of boys I can normally expect a few dribbles on the toilet EVERY single time I enter the bathroom.
I am finding it helps to include Oldest and Middleson in the cleaning and chores routine. I light a scented candle and turn on some worship music. I take a deep breath. I stand back and ask myself what a proper response would be -- in other words, should I REACT or gracefully RESPOND? I tell myself that my children are a blessing from the Lord and I have been chosen by HIM to be their mommy.
I wipe up the milk and and dry proverbial tears....and life goes ON!
But it is constant. For me, as a homeschooling mommy, I am always (always) always (always) with my 3 blessings. Oldest, Middleson, and Babyboy accompany me to the grocery store, bank, dentist (try getting 4 cavities filled with 3 kids running around the dentist's office), gym, library, doctor (no details here), and everywhere. There is no such thing as "time alone" or a quick in-out trip. It is 3 coats on, 6 shoes on, buckled in, unbuckled, in, out, buckle back in, arrive home, shoes off, coats off, hands washed.
I signed up for this. I am not complaining. I am content, thankful, blessed, and everything in between.
But, sometimes I cry over a spilled glass of milk. It is those silly little things that almost put me over the edge. Bread crumbs on the floor. Lots and lots of them -- glued together they just might make another sandwich. How about an "I'm still hungry" when the food has been put away and the last dish is cleaned and put away. Last but not least, in a house full of boys I can normally expect a few dribbles on the toilet EVERY single time I enter the bathroom.
I am finding it helps to include Oldest and Middleson in the cleaning and chores routine. I light a scented candle and turn on some worship music. I take a deep breath. I stand back and ask myself what a proper response would be -- in other words, should I REACT or gracefully RESPOND? I tell myself that my children are a blessing from the Lord and I have been chosen by HIM to be their mommy.
I wipe up the milk and and dry proverbial tears....and life goes ON!
Friday, January 7, 2011
HOME ALONE!
I was given the advice to NEVER EVER post being home alone. Not on Facebook. Not on a blog. Don't do it! I didn't. I refrained.
Now, I can say I was home alone. Daddy traveled to Florida for a business trip. Oldest stepped up to the plate to be the "man of the home". Middleson and Babyboy stepped it up a notch too. I feel like super-mom having gone from Daddy home for two weeks to flying solo after the high of Christmas, New Years and too much sugar! I made it!
When daddy is gone we always camp out in the master bedroom at night, with the exception of Babyboy who needs the confinement of the crib. Oldest and Middleson look forward to being on my floor in sleeping bags.
While I couldn't wait for Daddy to safely arrive home, there are some perks in his absence.
First, the boys are easy to feed. They request sandwiches for every meal. And, we eat much earlier than our traditional 6:30 supper and multiple afternoon snack sessions.
Second, since we eat earlier, the evening feels longer. I made it a point to play with the boys each evening. Jenga, Tic Tac Toe, and Rocks, Paper, Scissors filled our evenings. I call this "30minutesontheboysturf". I made a conscious decision to hold each boy and affirm each son. It is too easy to let a day go by without a snuggle or a hug or words of affirmation.
Third, everybody in the home gets a new appreciation for daddy! Babyboy's expression was priceless when daddy came through the door last night. "Daddy, Daddy, daddy!" he squeeled begging to be picked up.
That's it. Three is enough. I can't possibly begin to list the reasons he is missed or why I am so glad he is home. Can I just say, I am so glad I am no longer HOME ALONE? Everything feels just right now. Home sweet Home.
Now, I can say I was home alone. Daddy traveled to Florida for a business trip. Oldest stepped up to the plate to be the "man of the home". Middleson and Babyboy stepped it up a notch too. I feel like super-mom having gone from Daddy home for two weeks to flying solo after the high of Christmas, New Years and too much sugar! I made it!
When daddy is gone we always camp out in the master bedroom at night, with the exception of Babyboy who needs the confinement of the crib. Oldest and Middleson look forward to being on my floor in sleeping bags.
While I couldn't wait for Daddy to safely arrive home, there are some perks in his absence.
First, the boys are easy to feed. They request sandwiches for every meal. And, we eat much earlier than our traditional 6:30 supper and multiple afternoon snack sessions.
Second, since we eat earlier, the evening feels longer. I made it a point to play with the boys each evening. Jenga, Tic Tac Toe, and Rocks, Paper, Scissors filled our evenings. I call this "30minutesontheboysturf". I made a conscious decision to hold each boy and affirm each son. It is too easy to let a day go by without a snuggle or a hug or words of affirmation.
Third, everybody in the home gets a new appreciation for daddy! Babyboy's expression was priceless when daddy came through the door last night. "Daddy, Daddy, daddy!" he squeeled begging to be picked up.
That's it. Three is enough. I can't possibly begin to list the reasons he is missed or why I am so glad he is home. Can I just say, I am so glad I am no longer HOME ALONE? Everything feels just right now. Home sweet Home.
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