Dear Weary Mom~tired & short tempered

Dear Weary Mom,

I know you are looking to me for help but can I confess something to you?

I blew it yesterday. I lost my temper & my coping skills. I was short fused & unwilling to take a deep breath, instead of going into a heated situation calmly I ended up making it worse.

I behaved just as bad as my 6 year old. She didn’t like my answer to a question so she screamed, moaned & groaned, stomped around & slammed doors.

My response? I yelled & fussed & stomped around & made ultimatums. Yep, I was the one in my late 30s acting like a 6-year-old little girl.

Enter in the point when I start beating myself up for being a horrible mom… I felt awful.

I questioned how in the world I was going to break the cycle of yelling & screaming I grew up with if I behaved that way to my daughter.

I beat myself up for being so kind & loving with the 100+ preschoolers in VBS this week, only to come home & lose my patience with my daughter.

It was then that I realized just like my daughter needed a nap I too, was totally exhausted & needed some time to myself.

I took a deep breath & asked God to help me make it through the rest of my day showing her love & grace. I knew I needed Him to help me use the coping skills I have in order to teach her how best to handle a situation.

And then my husband walked in the door and diffused her mood completely.

I took some time to myself & refocused on showing her love & grace.

And now, the morning after a good nights rest I am ready to start the day fresh by apologizing for my behavior & extending grace & love to her as needed.

So, my weary friend, please know there will be days when you both are tired & short tempered. In those days remember to take a deep breath, ask God for help in extending grace. Allow your husband the opportunity to come in & “save the day”. And be willing to “suck it up” and say you’re sorry to your little girl.

I am linked today with the ladies at Hope for the Weary Mom.

In His Calm,

Mary

An Invitation to Revival

I have shared over the last few months that God has called me to help host Anne Graham Lotz and AnGeL Ministries as they bring the revival Just Give Me Jesus to Augusta Georgia. God has worked mightily in the lives of the women I am working with. We are just a few short months away from September 21 & 22, 2012. 

During my prayer time God has gently nudged me to begin sharing with you the blog posts I am writing as we prepare for revival. Do you need a revival in your heart? Do you need to draw near to God? Please join me each Monday. 

I would also love for you to visit our Just Give Me Jesus Augusta website for more information. Just Give Me Jesus is free and open to anyone who would like to attend. You can find information on lodging and any other questions you may have at Just Give Me Jesus August.

                                   

“Come near to God and he will come near to you.” James 4:8

Revival.

When you hear the word revival what comes to your mind? Do have memories of big tents and long hours listening to “fire and brimstone” preaching? Do you envision a church full of people singing and an altar call filled with emotion? Do you think of a time when God quietly called your heart back to Him and you returned to a close walk with your Lord?

Throughout history revival has come in many forms and fashions. The Bible is filled with stories of God calling his people back to him. Over the years books have been written filled with accounts of revival.

If you took the time to read all of the accounts of revivals in the Bible & throughout history you would become very knowledgeable about the ins & outs of revival.

Knowledge is good and necessary but what about your heart. What is your relationship with your Heavenly Father?

The word revive is made of two Latin words: re-which means again, and vive-which means to live. Dictionary.com defines revival as the “restoration of life”. When God calls us back into a restored relationship with Him we return to a renewed love and fellowship with God. Our walk with God is alive again.

Over the next few months we will be talking about what revival is and how we “come near to God” so that he can “come to near” to us.

We invite you to join us on the journey we are walking with God as we work with AnGeL Ministries to bring Anne Graham Lotz to Augusta, Georgia on Sept 21 & 22, 2012 for Just Give Me Jesus Augusta.

Before we close out today I want to share with you a beautiful picture God gave me recently of what revival can look like.

My 5 year-old daughter ,who normally goes to Children’s Church, was sitting in the congregation with us one Sunday morning. She was misbehaving and not making the right choices. I spoke to her and tried to correct her but her actions did not change. After a few minutes and increased misbehaving my husband called her over to him. He bent down to her and whispered into her ear. I couldn’t hear what he was saying but looking at her body language I knew she was being scolded. 

She started crying. 

More quiet talking took place, and my daughter started to calm down. She wasn’t happy, but she settled down and sat next to me pouting. A few minutes later she looked up at me and then looked at my husband. As she looked up at her daddy she leaned in gently laying her head on his arm. Her daddy then reached out and pulled her up on his lap. I heard her quietly whisper, “I’m sorry”. Her daddy then whispered in her ear “Thank you.” As he hugged her I heard him say, “I love you.” For the rest of the service my daughter sat nuzzled up tight on her daddy’s lap.

We can have that same beautiful picture of forgiveness and return to a close relationship with our Heavenly Father. Just like my daughter turned from the bad choices she was making and received forgiveness from her daddy, God wants us to turn from our sin and ask for His forgiveness.  

Our Heavenly Father wants us to crawl up into His lap. He wants to hold us tight and tell us He loves us!

What do you need to do today in order for revival to begin in your heart? Do you need to sit down with your Heavenly Father so that He can quietly whisper to you where you need to change?

Thankful Thursday ~ This Little Light of Mine

 

This little light of mine I'm gonna let it shine

This little light of mine I'm gonna let it shine

This little light of mine I'm gonna let it shine

let it shine

let it shine

let it shine

Thank you so much for your prayers for my daughter Caroline. The strength we have had this week has been because of your prayers. I am very happy to say Caroline has been cleared of the possibility of a brain tumor!! We are now looking at the possibility of a seizure issue or atypical migraines. Either one is ok with us because we know it is so much better than the other possibility.

Caroline loves the song This Little Light of Mine! She really is a light to our family. Yes, she has her moody moments like most females :) but, she is a very happy child. So, I guess it shouldn't have surprised me how well she has handled the last few weeks. But, it did. She has been such a trooper. Only once did she complain about having to see another Doctor but that didn't last long. She even watched as the nurse put the IV in her hand before her MRI/MRA on Tuesday. There are adults who can't do that!

As much as she impressed me by how well she handled everything I am even more impressed by what a light she is in our family showing the love of Christ. She is very quick to remind us she has two Daddies ~ her Daddy here on earth and her Daddy in Heaven. She tells me several times a day how much Jesus & God love her. I love her childlike faith. 

On Monday I was struggling with fear of what Tuesday might bring. I clung to God's promises but, there were times I was weak. At an especially difficult moment Jeff told me of a comment Caroline made to him. She said, "Daddy I'm ok. As much as I would like to go to heaven to see Grandmama & Jesus I'm not going anytime soon.  God has more for me to do hear on earth." It was just what I needed. She reminded me of what I have told her even before all of this came up when she would talk about missing her Grandmama. But this time I think God used her to tell us she was ok. 

Thank you Lord for loving us and for loving our little girl!

A sweet friend shared this song with me today. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Counting One Thousand Gifts #212-#224

• resting on God's Promises
• listening to God's nudging
• leaning on His Strength
• the light in my little girl's eyes
• acceptance without questioning
• prayers from so many...even those I don't know
• a little girl who is braver than most adults
• catching up with old friends
• ability to pray for others even when we are hurting
• Doctor's who genuinely care
• friends who help out even when it inconveniences them
• childlike faith
• perfect MRI/MRA

Counting 1000 gifts with Ann at A Holy Experience 

In His Calm,

Mary

Thankful Thursday - Gazing Upon His Beauty

"One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple." Psalm 27:4

note: this is a picture I took, not my sister, she does a much better job :)

Today I visited my sister's photography studio. As I walked into the room my eyes took hold of it. On the wall hung a canvas with yellows, greens, oranges & reds. The image wasn't clear but there was something about it that touched my soul. When I inquired about it I was told it was the reflection of a mountain top in a lake.

Ah, the mountains, it's where I feel closest to God. I gaze upon the creation of His beauty in the mountains. I am in His Presence in the mountains.

But, I don't have to go to the mountains to be in His Presence. In my heart I can "dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life." Living eucharisteo I am reminded of His Presence. When I seek Him I am in His Presence.

#72 - #82 of living eucharisteo

• celebrating G's birthday
• cheering for G in divisional swim championship
• seeing a boost in G's self-confidence when he won his heat in area swim Allstars
• genuine excitement & gratitude for a homemade cake
• celebrating the birthday of my country where I am FREE to worship My LORD & SAVIOR
• all 4 of us piled into bed together watching fireworks from our Nation's Capital
• a husband who helps me wash & detail my very dirty car
• daddy/son bonding time at camp
• mommy/daughter bonding time
• light pink onsies & little lovies
• sweet bedtime prayers

I am counting God's blessings today with multitudes on mondays @ A Holy Experience.

In His Calm,

Mary