everything to someone

A good reminder for me:  

"When people begin to talk about this domestic duty as not merely difficult but trivial and dreary, I simply give up the question. For I cannot with the utmost energy of imagination conceive what they mean. When domesticity, for instance, is called drudgery, all the difficulty arises from a double meaning in the word. If drudgery only means dreadfully hard work, I admit the woman drudges in the home, as a man might drudge [at his work]. But if it means that the hard work is more heavy because it is trifling, colorless and of small import to the soul, then as I say, I give it up; I do not know what the words mean… I can understand how this might exhaust the mind, but I cannot imagine how it could narrow it. How can it be a large career to tell other people's children [arithmetic], and a small career to tell one's own children about the universe? How can it be broad to be the same thing to everyone, and narrow to be everything to someone? No; a woman's function is laborious, but because it is gigantic, not because it is minute. I will pity Mrs. Jones for the hugeness of her task; I will never pity her for its smallness."

--G.K. Chesterton (bold mine)

April Update

April update! 

Daniel was 3 months (4 at the end of April!) and he is growing like a weed.  He is a chunky solid boy, which is great.  Different for us, but so good.  I don't worry about him eating at all.  He is a sweet boy, smiling and "talking" to us. He likes to be around us and he can tell when we've left the room.  His sisters LOVE him, sometimes a little too much. 

Rebekah is almost 4 and Hannah is almost 2.  Crazy.  We can't believe that we have 3 kids and have been married 7 1/2 years.  Time is flying. 

I've decided that Hannah is in that toddler phase where its hard to get good photos of her.  Almost all of the photos I take of her are action shots (not looking at me) or they are blurry because she moves so fast.  She's too busy to look at the camera!  I got some good ones in this bunch though.  In the close up one of her, she is saying "smile" with her cheesy grin and cute squinty eyes.  I love that photo. 

Rebekah, on the other hand, does know how to look and smile at the camera, so she is "better" at taking pictures.  She is hilarious, and remembers SO much.  She is loving her Sunday School songs and actions, as well as books and videos and people.  She has a tender, feisty little spirit that I love.  

We're in the thick of parenting right now - basically, we have a 4 year old, 2 year old and 4 month old.  Lots of little kids with lots of needs.  It is good - challenges everyday, as well as plenty of chances to laugh and smile.  I'm thankful for each one of these kids, and can't imagine life without them!  I am being pushed to serve (and serve and serve again), even though I'm tired.  Thankfully, I'm learning (trying to learn again?) to rely on God's strength, instead of my own weak "strength" that does not work. 

I read this last week: Galatians 2:20 ESV

²⁰I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

The life I live in the body, I live by faith in Jesus.....ah ha!  That's the key!  Not by my works (that fail) or my pride (in my works, that fail) or not in guilt (when my works fail), but by faith.  Trusting Jesus. 

I wrote this in my journal this morning: 
"May all the "living" I do, just the daily ordinary stuff of life, be living by faith.  May the meals, baths, laundry, cleaning, training, disciplining, loving, snuggling, reading, feeding, playing, walking...be by faith in Jesus Christ.   ....  I pray for a peaceful home and peaceful heart today that is relying on Jesus in this ordinary, simple day.  Doing that, would be a profound victory for me, for which you deserve all the praise." 

Just writing this reminds me of how much I need God's grace to be victorious in any area, and I must confess, that I had to apologize to a child for getting frustrated, yelling and being harsh.  However, with repentance, comes times of refreshing from the Lord. Praise Him. We had a sweet moment of Mommy apologizing and asking for forgiveness, and my child saying, "Yes Mommy, I forgive you."  

So, this is a long post.  But its real and honest.   And real and honest is good.  May I (and we) live by faith in Jesus!