Hide and Seek

Here is a link to a cd we LOVE.

Today, the girls and I went to Wednesday evening service...we don't get to go very often because little H thinks she has to be in bed at 7:45; and with 2 little ones who don't sit through service, and only one car...well, you get the point :) Anyway, we were on our way to church tonight, listening to Walking with the Wise. The song was I don't have to Hide. Here are the lyrics to the chorus:

"If I confess my sins, I'll find mercy...Blessed is the one who fears the LORD, and admits his sin. Blessed is the one who trusts the LORD, who alone forgives. JESUS died so I don't have to hide anymore."

Lily asks me: "Mommy, why would we want to hide from Jesus?" Here's how our conversation went on...

Me: "No, we don't have to hide from Jesus. Lily, do you remember what we learned about Adam and Eve in the garden? Adam and Eve sinned and ate of the fruit. What did they do next?"
L: "They hided from God."
Me: "Why do you think they hid?"
L: "Because they sinned, and they was afraid."
Me: "You're right. They knew they had done wrong, and they were afraid, so they hid from God. But Lily, what did Jesus do?"
L: "Jesus died for our sins."
Me: "Yes, he did. Jesus died to pay for our sins. Because of what Jesus did, we can confess our sins to God, and he will forgive us. If we trust in Jesus, we don't have to hide because of our sin anymore!"
L: "Oh I understand, mommy!"

:)
Ohh this little girl.

Lord, bring her to a saving knowledge of you!

Trunk or Treat @ FBC

Here are some pictures of my Curious George with the Man in the Yellow Hat, and my little butterfly with Mommy (the butterfly catcher ;)

(if that isn't the face of a three year old...I don't know what is.) :)

Sisters!

I love how these girls love each other :)

My little baby girl

Little Baby Girl

5 months 3 weeks

My little Holly is getting SO big! I am in complete denial. Sure she can roll over...what she really wants to do is crawl, and it looks like it could happen soon! She sits up really well on her own. In the last few days she has really made a leap in her interaction with people. She laughs and smiles a LOT and does NOT cry very much at all. Holly is a great sleeper, she goes to bed around 7:45 in the evening, and doesn't wake up until 5:30 or 6, goes back to sleep and doesn't get up for the day until around 8:30 (most days). She is my happy happy baby :) And OH MY how Lily just loves her. I think Lily would seriously just play with her all day long if I didn't make her take a break (so Holly can have a break). We are SO in love :)
Here are some sweet pictures of our little love...

My big baby girl...

Catching up with some pictures and news for my two beautiful baby girls. First, let me just say, I feel so very blessed. Through the laughing and crying (and all the crazy emotions that come with having 3 females in the house) I truly wake up each day (even on the most tired days!) and say "Thank you Lord for my wonderful family!" These girls bring joy to Brandon and me that we couldn't have imagined before they were here :)

Big Baby Girl

3 years and 4 months

Lily...this girl cracks me up. She is always trying to be funny; she talks constantly...and when she isn't talking, she is knocking on something or sticking her tongue out or making some other silly face. Need some energy? This girl's got plenty!
Some of my favorite things Lily has said lately:

• "Mommy, Lily is my short name. I'm a big sister now, you may call me Lillian."
• After startling Holly: "Oh wittle Howee, I scawe you because I wove you." (did you catch that? ;)
• How did you sleep Lily? "Mommy, I slept very well. I had dreams that you were hugging me and kissing me all night long."
• Pretending to 'get married': "Mommy, meet my boy, Carlito Ball. We just got married at Silver Dollar City."

Lily is learning how to read, and progressing along really well! She has known all of her letters and sounds since last December (at 2 1/2 years old). She can quote scripture like nobody's business :) In an upcoming post I'll include a video of her quoting ALL of Psalm 23.

In the meantime, here are some pictures!
(Click on the collage to open in a new window, press ctrl + to make bigger, ctrl - to make smaller, and ctrl 0 to get back to original size)

My plan for the next 2 weeks

I have been feeling pretty lost in my alone time with God lately. Between waking up in the middle of the night to feed my precious baby, changing diapers, fixing dinner, wiping noses (you get the idea)...my time in the word, which should be what starts my day, finally enters my mind as I'm going to bed at night. Well, starting tomorrow, I'd like to do a 'sweep' through God's Word. Something to help me see the big picture, and reaffirm my love of the Word! This set of reading is 2 weeks long...the plan is to rise early, and start my day (like I should already be doing) spending time in the word with my Savior.

Who'd like to do this with me? :)

Week 1- August 31

Wednesday - Genesis 1-3
Thursday - Genesis 12-17
Friday - Exodus 1-3, 12
Saturday - Exodus 14, 19-20
Sunday - Joshua 23-24; Judges 1-2
Monday - 1 Samuel 8, 16; 2 Samuel 7, 11; Psalm 105
Tuesday - Isaiah 7, 9, 11, 35, 52-53, 65

Week 2- September 10th

Wednesday - Jeremiah 30-33; Ezekiel 36-37, Zechariah 9; Malachi 3-4
Thursday - Matt. 1:1; Mark 1:1-15; John 1:1-18; 5:39-46; Luke 24
Friday - Mark 14:1-16:8
Saturday - Acts 1-2; 13:13-49
Sunday - Rom. 1:1-6; 16-17; 3:9-31; 5:12-21; 8:18-23; 1 Cor. 15:1-23
Monday - Heb. 1:1-4; 10:19-12:2
Tuesday - Revelation 1; 20-22

Note from a weary mother...

Here's another old post from August 2010. Feel encouraged - you CAN preach the Gospel to even your littlest ones!

Proverbs 19:18...

"Discipline your son, for there is hope; Do not set your heart on putting him to death."

I read this verse in my quiet time this morning...and was really thanking God for having a sense of humor. Oh my, I have to say, the moment I read this couldn't have been more perfect....I really had a good laugh, and I think God knew I needed a laugh.

You see, things with Lily have not been all that easy lately. Wow, that's an understatment, huh! What is ever 'all that easy' with a toddler. I can see some progress lately...but it seems like a lot of days, I want to break down in tears at some point!

Thank you, Lord, for tears in laughter today!

Now, Now, I have no desire to bring harm to my daughter, good grief! I think you mommies out there surely know where I'm coming from here. :)

So, after looking at this verse several times, and smiling...Here's the real scoop:

"Discipline your son, for there is hope; Do not set your heart on..." him being spiritually dead.

I have been thanking God lately that His word does not return void. I am trying every day to use scripture when I am disciplining Lily...but I just feel like I'm not very good at it. Thank God He is the strongest when I feel the weakest!

A very good friend of mine reminded me of this promise last week: Galatians 6:9 "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

For all you mommies out there that feel like you are barely hanging on by the end of the day - take heart! Keep working God's word into the soil of your child's heart each day, and don't give up! You and I both want our babies to come to the saving knowledge of our amazing Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. YOU are the one planting those seeds right now.

If you ever need encouragement, please talk with me! I would love to pray for you - and I would love for you to pray for me too!

In the mean time, check this post out over at the girltalk blog :)
http://www.girltalkhome.com/blog/strength-for-a-weary-mom