Little flowers all in bloom...

So, have you heard that Andrew Peterson is coming to Baraboo? That's right! Saturday, April 16th at 7:00pm...I just need to find a babysitter. :) I don't want to ask anyone because I want everyone to go to the concert! You can buy your tickets here. So, while we're talking about Andrew Peterson, let me share a little bit about why I enjoy his music so much. GREAT LYRICS!!! I really appreciate the way his songs bring my focus and attention to the Lord, encourage me in the Lord, and help me align my thoughts with truths from the Bible. I also really appreciate how he writes songs about his wife and kids!! I love that actually! I love it when it is just so evident that people love their spouses and children! What a blessing that he even shares his love for his family with the world through his music because we can relate to those songs with our families. So, want to know some of my favorite lyrics of his? Well, I'm going to share...here they are:
From the song "Don't Give Up on Me" from the album Resurrection Letters, vol. II

Now I wake up in a golden dream: angel voices in the rooms where the children run, all covered in light.

From the song "World Traveler" from the album Counting Stars

Tonight I saw the children in their rooms

Little flowers all in bloom

Burning suns and silver moon

And somehow in that starry sky

The image of the Maker lies

Right here beneath my roof tonight

Don't you just love that? I love keeping these lyrics in mind...it's easy when the kids are acting lovely...it's extremely helpful when they're acting not-so-lovely. It helps me remember what a gift, a blessing they really are. They are so precious. They bear the image of their Maker.

Changing subjects a bit...Recently some friends gave Jude a good size toy fire truck because they had two. He was so excited about it. It wasn't long after that he came to us and said that he wants to be a Fireman when he grows up. :)  Tonight he came and told me, "Mom, you know what I really want to do when I grow up? That God wants me to do? Be a Fireman! I prayed about it and asked God that I wanted to be that, and I heard His voice speak to me and He said yes!"  So cute!! I'm a little nervous about the reality of that right now, but if it does in fact happen, I know I can trust in God's abundant grace to get me through. Anyway, so cute. Had to share. He is having a "cute day" today. This morning (and all day) he wanted to wear his shoes in the house because that's what Daddy does. (They don't understand that we have too because our feet ache if we don't. :)   Then at lunch he said that he never wants "to shoot a Mommy or Daddy deer with his bow and arrow only things that are built." :) He doesn't want to hurt the deer. We'll see if that changes as he grows because you all know that I wouldn't mind the extra meat in the house. :) But if not, that's just fine. 

Well, I better stop. It certainly is nice to enjoy a sweet boy day though...especially after a week of grumpy sick kids (and mama). But, yeah...buy tickets to the concert and I'll see you there!

Multitude Monday

298. Pajama Snuggles

299. Freshly Fallen Snow, all things new

300. Comforting Soup

301. Parades around the living room by children with flags

302. Quiet Saturdays

303. Fevers, aches, pains to remind me how good it feels to be alive and then healthy when health returns

304. Watery bubbles in a silver pot

305. Stamps and pretty papers

 306. Mad baby faces :)  ( I couldn't resist)

 307. Leggos-with-Daddy-time
308. The way Daddy loves to play with leggos

309. Good smelling oils to heal and nurture

310. Good friends, sisters in Christ

311. Popcorn and apples, simple meals

312. News of new life created and formed by God's loving hands

313. Encouragement in the mail

314. Hope in the Word

315. The masterly way he loads the dishwasher or builds a space ship, or holds my hand

316. Strep Throat, and the way the Lord makes us to lie down in green pastures; the way He woos us and bids us to come and rest in Him, wait for Him, live in Him, move in Him, have our being in Him

317. Peanut butter M&Ms

318. The sigh I can breathe when the children are all tucked safe and snug in their beds at night...another blessed day lived...another blessed day to rest and wake for.

319. Medicinal Teas

320. Grace and Mercy
321. Memorized scripture that comes to mind as I pray for others
322. Reflections of His love everywhere we look

323. Thankful that my thankfulness isn't limited to the few spare moments that I find to write posts like this...that thankfulness can continue anytime, anyplace

Learning lessons from little ones...

Isn't it amazing how much we can learn from children? Or from children's stories that we've heard a hundred times before? Do you know the story of the three little pigs? Remember, where they each go off on their own and build houses? If not, here is a little reminder:

Well, last week, Tyson was reading the kids this story and tucking them into bed, while I stayed downstairs trying to get Selah to sleep. I was listening to him read to them....we have a baby monitor set up so that we can hear the kids upstairs at night, in case anyone has a problem or bad dream or something...back to my story...so because I wasn't actually reading the book to the children, I had a chance to think about and reflect on the story again. I know the main point is about working hard and doing your best even if you don't really feel like it at the time because in the end it will pay off. The Holy Spirit was speaking to my quieted heart at that time though and I began to see this story in a different way. It reminded me of the parable of the wise man who built his house on the rock from Matthew 7:24-27. Perhaps you've thought the same thing before too, but I'll just keep going since this is my blog. ;)

When we build our lives, or rather hide our lives, in Christ, we need not fear the storms or the big bad wolf (Matthew 7:15). The Bible says that the Lord is like a strong tower and the righteous run to Him and are saved. Many, however, have their own ideas about how to build their homes (lives) they trust in the world or in their own vain and futile ideas. They end up with houses of straw or stick, which won't stand at all when the storms of life come or when the big bad wolf threatens.

We can all have that strong tower as our fortress? Which home are you running to? Which little pig are you? The big bad wolf may be out there trying to blow our house down, but we do not need to be afraid, the Lord can be our sure and strong foundation.

Scrapbook Sunday???

We had a busy day last week and I missed sharing...so here are a couple shots for this week:

Foto Friday

Will you be my Valentine? Well, this little girl ADORES her Daddy...so do I! I'm not going to write and tell everyone how he spent all of Valentine's Day taking care of his sick wife and four children, or how he took three of the kids and did all the grocery shopping, or how he did the laundry, made me a delicious bowl of Ramen noodles (the only kind of chicken noodle soup that he knows how to make), drove me to the doctor, got my medicine, fed and cared for us the whole day and following days until I was well, took the day off work just to help and take care of me...I'm not going to tell everyone that because I might embarrass him. He gives up so much for us and in my opinion he puts many to shame by the way he gives up his life for his bride, except for the Lord Jesus who is our greatest example.
 Thank you Tyson! I love you so much!

Next week's challenge is hands...hmm...I might have a good one for that!

Foto Friday

Warming...this certainly was a challenge for me. I had a few ideas and here are my best attempts. I have to admit that the first photo, while I set everything up and made sure the angle and everything looked good, I had to have Lucy push the button for me. :) The second was all on my own. So...when I thought of warming, I mostly thought of books, blankets and knitting. The top photo is of my first ever attempt at knitting socks which when finished will keep my feet very warm. :) I've only just cast on the toes and knitted a few rows. I'm excited to keep working on them. The second photo captures my favorite rocking chair, a blanket that I crocheted (in college) and some books I'm looking forward to reading...and the lovely bright winter sunlight shining through the many windows in our warm and cozy home.

Next week's challenge: Valentine. Hmm...I'll have to be thinking about that one.

Multitude Monday

my growing gratitude list:

The weight of sleepy bodies both large and small

teeny tiny knitting needles and the hope of knitting socks

homemade bread

toboggans, filled with family fun 

Grandpas to climb on and photos snapped by children

little girl dreams of preparing to a be a flower girl, bridal dresses and pretty shoes, preparing for a wedding, a doorway to walk through to begin a new chapter of  life, the rest of your new life together

childhood memories reborn and created anew

new stages

 pink sunglasses

 sweet faces

silly faces

children who miss each other when they're apart

quiet moments to snuggle and read together

growing hunger for God's Word

fresh snow

icicles

warm winter boots

abounding grace

lavished grace

undeserved mercy

smiles

noisy children

the unending song of God's Love for me

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