I've been watching Jonah and his curiosity the last week or so. He is so interested in everything. Sometimes it is a toy. Sometimes it is a cat walking across the dining room floor. Sometimes it is the construction area in the back of our house. His curiosity takes him ALL OVER. The places where the safety is question I've been trying to teach him "no" or "icky" when he reaches for things that are not good. His curiosity spikes and he tests my authority. What will mommy do if I reach ONE more time. What will she do if I get close to it, but not touch it.
So I've been thinking... where has my curiosity taken me over the years? Have I had safe curiosity or have I been careless and risked things in order to just know? Curiosity is not a bad, thing, but there are times when it is not a good thing (especially for cats).
As I go on teaching Jonah things, I am going to try to keep in mind his curious curiosity. He is only exploring and it is my job to teach him that some things are dangerous and it is also my job to help him stay curious and explore things that are good for him. Isn't curiosity curious? :)
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Wednesday, November 09, 2011
Sturggle
Today I spelled the word "struggle" as "sturggle" and it made me think of what this word means - clearly I even struggle with spelling! But really, what does it mean?
I like to have pity parties for myself every once and a while. If you ask Simeon, he would correct me and say, "all the time." I really feel like I struggle with many areas of my life - my faith and consistency in it, my wife-dom and its DAILY duties, my ability to do some tough love so that Jonah knows what the word no means, my weight and how I feel about my body, my friendships and how strong I think they are... Do I need to keep going, because I can!
EVERYONE struggles with something. The song "Someone worth Dying For" comes to mind. "You might be the wife, waiting up at night. You might be the man, struggling to provide. Feeling like its hopeless." Which somedays I do feel like its hopeless. Why do we feel hopeless?
So I looked it up. Struggle: Make forceful or violent efforts to get free of restraint or constriction. Wow. Yes. We are fighting against the evil of the world and the impressions it puts upon us. "You need to have it all together." "You need to have enough money for nice things." "You need to be the center of a friendship circle." We are making a FORCEFUL effort to break free from the constraints of the world. Of course we feel hopeless - its a HUGE task.
So, even though we feel hopeless, we certainly are NOT hopeless. We should be hopeful. We are "someone worth dying for" and that speaks VOLUMES. WE are important. WE are special. WE are doing a good job. WE are loved.
So next time you feel like your struggling, maybe you should "sturggle" and break free from the "struggles" of you fight. Win one for Him - become hopeful.
I like to have pity parties for myself every once and a while. If you ask Simeon, he would correct me and say, "all the time." I really feel like I struggle with many areas of my life - my faith and consistency in it, my wife-dom and its DAILY duties, my ability to do some tough love so that Jonah knows what the word no means, my weight and how I feel about my body, my friendships and how strong I think they are... Do I need to keep going, because I can!
EVERYONE struggles with something. The song "Someone worth Dying For" comes to mind. "You might be the wife, waiting up at night. You might be the man, struggling to provide. Feeling like its hopeless." Which somedays I do feel like its hopeless. Why do we feel hopeless?
So I looked it up. Struggle: Make forceful or violent efforts to get free of restraint or constriction. Wow. Yes. We are fighting against the evil of the world and the impressions it puts upon us. "You need to have it all together." "You need to have enough money for nice things." "You need to be the center of a friendship circle." We are making a FORCEFUL effort to break free from the constraints of the world. Of course we feel hopeless - its a HUGE task.
So, even though we feel hopeless, we certainly are NOT hopeless. We should be hopeful. We are "someone worth dying for" and that speaks VOLUMES. WE are important. WE are special. WE are doing a good job. WE are loved.
So next time you feel like your struggling, maybe you should "sturggle" and break free from the "struggles" of you fight. Win one for Him - become hopeful.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
For the love of...
School started. Hence the reason I do not blog as much any more. It is hard for me to explain how busy and crazy life is with a kid, a husband, and a job away from home. Imagine, you are making supper and every beeper is going off - the microwave is done, the pot on the stove is overflowing, the dish in the oven is done and the timer keeps beeping, and beeping, and BEEPING! Where do you even begin?
On one hand, I feel the most productive I have ever been. I eat lunch, pump breast milk, grade papers and reply to emails all at the same time. Super woman, you say? Yes. The productivity stops as soon as I get home from school. That's when time slows down and I get a moment or several hours with my baby and my husband. Is my house clean? No. (not in any sense of the word "clean") Do we always eat dinner before Jonah has gone to bed? No. Do I care? No. My life and time with my family is my priority.
So why do I do all this? Why do I pump, make my lunch, take a shower, do laundry and do some dishes before I go to bed EACH NIGHT?
For the love of...
Jonah
Simeon
God
In no particular order. I do it for them. I might be going crazy, but I wouldn't want it any other way. The investment now will make payments in FULL later. That's why you have kids when you're young, people!
On one hand, I feel the most productive I have ever been. I eat lunch, pump breast milk, grade papers and reply to emails all at the same time. Super woman, you say? Yes. The productivity stops as soon as I get home from school. That's when time slows down and I get a moment or several hours with my baby and my husband. Is my house clean? No. (not in any sense of the word "clean") Do we always eat dinner before Jonah has gone to bed? No. Do I care? No. My life and time with my family is my priority.
So why do I do all this? Why do I pump, make my lunch, take a shower, do laundry and do some dishes before I go to bed EACH NIGHT?
For the love of...
Jonah
Simeon
God
In no particular order. I do it for them. I might be going crazy, but I wouldn't want it any other way. The investment now will make payments in FULL later. That's why you have kids when you're young, people!
Tuesday, August 02, 2011
Two for Tuesday
1. Here's a quote for you today. It is in honor of Jonah eating his awesome solid food.
I always wondered why babies spend so much time sucking their thumbs. Then I tasted baby food. ~ Robert Orben
2. The next quote is logical to me and so I say bring on the kiddos - but not right now :)
My mom used to say it doesn't matter how many kids you have... because one kid'll take up 100% of your time so more kids can't possibly take up more than 100% of your time. ~ Karen Brown
I always wondered why babies spend so much time sucking their thumbs. Then I tasted baby food. ~ Robert Orben
2. The next quote is logical to me and so I say bring on the kiddos - but not right now :)
My mom used to say it doesn't matter how many kids you have... because one kid'll take up 100% of your time so more kids can't possibly take up more than 100% of your time. ~ Karen Brown
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Two for Tuesday
1. Note to self: do not compare your knowledge of babies to those with multiple kiddos. You will just feel like the dumbest person there could ever be. Do I know what I'm doing? NO. Will I figure it out just like they did? YES. Thank you for listening self.
2. Next week = August. This cannot be. I will be leaving my kiddo every day to go "mold the minds of youth" every day. More like pull my hair out trying to pass on the idea of subtracting to high schoolers that cannot even add without a graphing calculator. I am NOT ready to go to school. I am ready to spend one more AWESOME month with Jonah :)
2. Next week = August. This cannot be. I will be leaving my kiddo every day to go "mold the minds of youth" every day. More like pull my hair out trying to pass on the idea of subtracting to high schoolers that cannot even add without a graphing calculator. I am NOT ready to go to school. I am ready to spend one more AWESOME month with Jonah :)
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Thoughtful Thursday: Feeling Full
Family is the most fulfilling thing to me. A sweet kiss from my husband. A big hug from my baby boy. A word of encouragement from my parents. I could go on. They bring me SUCH joy!!
With that said, lately I've been examining my friendships beyond my family. The people on a daily basis that I fellowship with and build community with in this life. I think about how much I absolutely LOVE my family and how with friendships I desire to feel that full. That sense of belonging no matter what. When I do this, I find that some of my friendships I have now do not always feel this way. We moved to Reedsburg following God and waiting for Him to show us what he wants us to do. We desire meet a group of people that want to share God with one another and others with fun and a sense of adventure and urgency.
Lately I feel like I'm searching for this connection with other women here in Reedsburg. My mom always said that I'd find it when I had children. Well, I have a kid and I haven't found it. Now they say that its when my kids are in school. Okay. I'll be ready then. I'm not sure if its because I'm not from the area, and I haven't found others not from the area, but I feel left out of this infamous loop of women that have magically found an amazing connection. Is it me? Should I be doing or saying something else?
I know its just not God's time yet. There is a beautiful song out right now that helps me to refocus and wait for God's lead just like he did with meeting my husband, with giving us a beautiful little baby, with coming to Reedsburg. The song says,
"What if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the achings of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst
This world can’t satisfy?
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise?"
God's mercies are new every morning and I wait each day to find out how God will lead me that day. God had big things in store for me. That's why He gave me family to encourage me, love me and help me along my path. That is why I feel full right now and every day. Thank you Lord.
With that said, lately I've been examining my friendships beyond my family. The people on a daily basis that I fellowship with and build community with in this life. I think about how much I absolutely LOVE my family and how with friendships I desire to feel that full. That sense of belonging no matter what. When I do this, I find that some of my friendships I have now do not always feel this way. We moved to Reedsburg following God and waiting for Him to show us what he wants us to do. We desire meet a group of people that want to share God with one another and others with fun and a sense of adventure and urgency.
Lately I feel like I'm searching for this connection with other women here in Reedsburg. My mom always said that I'd find it when I had children. Well, I have a kid and I haven't found it. Now they say that its when my kids are in school. Okay. I'll be ready then. I'm not sure if its because I'm not from the area, and I haven't found others not from the area, but I feel left out of this infamous loop of women that have magically found an amazing connection. Is it me? Should I be doing or saying something else?
I know its just not God's time yet. There is a beautiful song out right now that helps me to refocus and wait for God's lead just like he did with meeting my husband, with giving us a beautiful little baby, with coming to Reedsburg. The song says,
"What if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the achings of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst
This world can’t satisfy?
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise?"
God's mercies are new every morning and I wait each day to find out how God will lead me that day. God had big things in store for me. That's why He gave me family to encourage me, love me and help me along my path. That is why I feel full right now and every day. Thank you Lord.
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