God – Page 5 – The Bless Your Heart Blog

Random Rambles

It’s 6:45 on Friday morning and I’m sitting in bed, blogging and eating a banana. Apparently, the letter of the day is ‘B.’ I kid, I kid.

I mowed and burned tumbleweeds yesterday and my sinuses are paying for it today. Ugh. Wrexy left for work around 5:30 and I was up popping Advil, allergy medicine and Sudafed. At this point, I think I might survive the day.

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We’ve been working on our basement this week. Our house is 100 years old (no really, it is) and we have an outside storm cellar/crawl space that we’ve been wanting to get situated for a while now. You know that I’m hoping that the severe weather season is a mild one, but in case we do have to spend extended time down there, it would be nice to have a clean, clutter-free space. Wrexy framed in a room, installed a door, put up new lights, and we’ve been shop vac-ing 100 year old dirt for days. It’s gone a lot faster than I thought it would and we’re about done!

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Sawyer has recently taken a liking to “chip tacos,” also known as crunchy tacos. (She likes mexican food of about any kind, especially chips and salsa – girl after my own heart!!) We cooked some up for lunch yesterday and I made some pinto beans to go in/with them. I put her beans in the bottom of her taco and as she was eating her taco from the top down, she noticed them in there.

Sawyer: “Oh, look – beans!”

Stef: “Yeah…it’s like a little bean family in a canoe!”

She played/ate her little canoe (what was left of her taco shell for a while) and then I hear…

Sawyer: “There goes momma!”

I look up to see what she’s talking about…and it’s the beans! She grabs two more and says, “Come on, dad, let’s go together!” And another and says, “Wait for me guys!”

She was totally giving life to the bean family and it tickled me to no end! She’s a funny girl!

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While mowing yesterday, it was a little breezy. Every time I headed north, I found myself huddled down in my sweatshirt and when I turned south, I reveled in the soaking warmth of the sunshine. I found myself saying, “I just want to face the sun…” And boy, do I. I want to live a life facing the SON; I want to keep my eyes fixed on Him. I don’t want to be shaken or moved or distracted or pulled elsewhere…I don’t want the world to speak to my soul louder than Him. I want all Him, all the time…..

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Wryder is such a funny little guy. He really does bring us so much joy! He is into everything and it is so fun to watch his mind work and explore and figure things out.

The other day, he had it in his head that this cat was real.

Look at those eyes... — Look at those eyes…

You could just see it in his eyes! He finally finished up lunch and I let him touch it and he was shocked…and a little pleased. We definitely have another animal lover on our hands.

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He got several toy trucks for his birthday and he loves to play with them, of course. I found this construction vest at a garage sale this weekend and I think he looks adorable in it!

He had so much fun dumping legos…until about 12:45 and then he was ready for nap!

Sawyer was, and is, a fantastic sleeper but Wryder takes the cake! Kid naps for 4-5 hours a day and sleeps 13 at night – woooooo hoooooo! (I know, I know…I should never complain about being tired…but I am…and I do…)

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Today is “fun Friday” but I really have no (firm) idea what we’re gonna do to make it “fun.” I suppose we better start with breakfast…I hear little bodies a stirring.

Happy Friday!

Oh Momma

Thank you, Lord, for entrusting these sweet little miracles to me. YOU made me a momma and for that, I’m forever grateful…

Thank you, handsome, for choosing me so long ago (and every day since) to be your wife and the mother of your children. I absolutely love our life.

Thank you, sweet munchkins, for letting me smother you in kisses and dote on you and show you off – I’m so very proud of you, ya know?! Thank you for sharing your days with me and for teaching me so much about the Lord; I could never have imagined His great love for us until I had you.

Just being a mother is the best gift I could receive today, though you have showered me with so much more. It’s an honorable, notable job which I am privileged to hold.

Happy Mother’s Day to all you mommas out there!

…to those of you who’ve prayed to join the ranks, I stand with you in prayer that the Lord would open your womb…and soon!

…to those mommas who have lost little loves far too soon, my heart aches for you, especially today. I pray the Lord showers your day with extra helpings of grace. More so, I pray that you have an intimate relationship with Him so that you may be reunited with those sweeties one day…

…to those of you who are struggling in relationship with your mother, my heart aches for you, too. Relationships are messy and satan comes to kill, steal and destroy them. I’m praying for humility, renewal and forgiveness for both sides…

…and to the special moms, sisters, grandmas, great-grands, aunts and cousins in my life, both of blood and spirit, who have mothered me, mentored me and loved me, I pray that you are remembered near, far and forever for your loving sacrifices. You have my heart…

Step Up

Do you ever wish you could un-see things?

We ventured out to the park today because it was so splendidly nice out. I think I’ve written about it before but when I hole up in my little house on the prairie, it’s easy to lose perspective on the rest of the world. I get so used to our daily grind and how we choose to do things…then my naivety kicks in and I start thinking that every family is like our family. Oh, how I wish that were true. Not because I think we have it all figured out – by no means is that the case – but I do know that our children are loved and safe and cared for and fed and nourished and disciplined in love; they are not abused or scared or hungry or alone… It’s not that way for every kid, or even most kids, although it should be.

As a lover of justice (and humanity, for that matter), it’s hard for me to see someone treated poorly, especially a child. While we were playing, a little girl got in trouble for something by someone who didn’t talk to her not one time until it was time to go and they were displeased with something. Obviously, I don’t know all of the details, but I know what I saw and what I saw was ugly. I’m not saying she was physically abused in front me…had that been the case, I would have had no reservations in stepping in and/or calling the police…but she was treated extremely poorly…especially for a child. She was screamed at and handled roughly and shamed. It just makes you wonder what she goes through at home if her caretaker was unafraid to put on this show in public.

I know we all have bad days and bad parenting moments when we don’t always act the way the Lord asks of us (me included). Sadly, I don’t think this was an isolated incident. I was told by a friend, “She’s the kind of girl that will be really happy to get to go to school all day.”

Oh my soul. As a deep feeler, these kinds of things pain me; physically hurt me. My heart feels so shredded and I feel so helpless.

I spent my drive home just pleading to the Lord on behalf of this little girl and for those who care for her. I was begging Him for justice and safety and love for her – is that too much to ask?!

I’m not naive enough to think that what I saw is the worst any child has ever been treated; I know that’s not the case and the fact that that’s not the case intensifies the pain of the situation. We need Jesus. Our world needs Jesus. Our kids need Jesus. We all need Jesus.

Stuff like this makes me just want to hole up in our little house, do what we do and stay away from the crazies and the injustices of the world…but I’m certain that doesn’t solve anything. I don’t know what the point of experiencing that today was but my soul is stirred. I want to be part of the solution, the revolution, that changes the familial unit for Christ. A Bible teacher once preached a mantra that said, “What we struggle with and do not sanctify in ourselves will become a monster in our children.”

Struggle with anger and don’t work to change it? It will be amplified in your children.

Struggle with pride and don’t work to change it? It will be amplified in your children.

Struggle with self-worth and don’t work to change it? It will be amplified in your children.

Struggle with __________ and don’t work to change it? It will become a monster in your children.

As parents, we have got to wake up to the responsibilities bestowed upon us! Whether our children were “planned” by us or not matters not; they are now in our care and it is our duty and obligation to do right by them.

I’m so tired of seeing people/parents thinking they can birth a child and do nothing to actually raise it/teach it/love it/guide it/esteem it…

I’m so tired of seeing people/parents do “what their parents did” because that’s all they know… (Look at this generation…that’s not working (for the most part)!

I’m so tired of people/parents thinking that what they do and what they say has no bearing on the kinds of adults their children will be…

I’m so tired of people/parents putting their jobs, addictions, bank accounts, friends, social lives, etc. in front of their job as a spouse and parent…

I’m so tired of satan killing, stealing and destroying people and parents.

My heart is slivered tonight; I wish I could un-see and un-hear the events of the day…but I can’t…

I can, however, propose a call to action. Step up, parents. You have an enormous, important, future-changing job on your hands – your children. They are worth your time and your effort and your sacrifice. You are raising little adults who will one day be leading their generation. What you say and do today will effect them forever, believe it or not. Treat them with respect and dignity and grace and mercy and love – it covers a multitude of sins, you know. Teach them. Train them. Guide them along. Be slow to anger and abounding in love. Don’t harm them or shame them or abuse them or neglect them or break their spirits. Don’t just revert to what you know or experienced when growing up; refer to the Word of God and make that your standard. Put aside all of the injustices done to you and make life for your kids different. Link arms with other parents and help each other by vowing to do this life together and do this life well. We get one shot with these little guys. I’m not saying that the Lord can’t redeem our shortcomings (goodness knows He does it for me on a daily basis) but we owe it to Him and to them to give them our best; not our leftovers, not our ignorances, not our generational failures…our best.

Pray for children across the city and state and nation and world tonight who aren’t on the receiving end of someone’s best…and especially pray for those getting the worst.

Pray for me…that as much I want to un-see what I saw, that it will continue to spur me to keep seeking the Lord in what He has for me here…because it’s too important to do otherwise.

People Trump Tasks

I don’t have to be tomorrow, who I am today.

The Lord has given us the freedom of choice so I can choose to be different or act different or think different anytime I, well, choose. We have the opportunity to change our futures and to do things differently than the generations before us…for me, that’s a big deal.

The Lord has been saving me from a life of mediocrity for about twelve years and counting. He has soooo much more for us than just surviving, ya know? I have chosen to raise my children differently than I was raised and to have a marriage that’s different than what I witnessed growing up and to base the foundation of my being on Jesus and nothing else.

Those are some of the biggies and they are all things that have come easily for me. I love being a wife and a mom and it doesn’t feel like work to attempt the things He asks in those areas with excellence. There are, however, so many more things that the Lord keeps bringing to my attention that He desires for me…things that I know won’t be easy (for me) but things my heart is longing to attempt.

I want to be more about people and less about tasks. I’m sure to some of you, that sounds easy. For a type A, black-and-white, meticulous planner? Not so much. I’m wired in a way where the to-do list trumps all and being prepared for anything and everything is my mantra. My mind is always looking ahead…what do I need to pack or get ready? What’s next on the agenda? What might cause a problem/throw a wrench in our plans or our peace? How do we avoid that problem? What do I need to do now to make things easier later?

Honestly, those things are constantly on my mind and it’s not even exhausting! Dare I say it’s sort of enriching for me? (You’re worried about me, aren’t you?) Don’t be…about that anyways. 😉

Sadly, things like stopping to talk to people for extended periods of time or jumping in to lend a helping hand or investing in something other than wifedom/motherhood doesn’t always make the cut. To an extent, that’s ok; my family IS my priority, but I know myself enough to know that those priorities aren’t always the reason for my lack of engagement. I’m an introvert and a doer and that doesn’t leave a lot of room for people.

Jesus was a people person. He was a doer, yes, but He cared infinitely more about hearts and souls than He did any physical deficiency or any task that warranted His attention. I’m married to a people person who comes from a line of people persons and they are leaving a legacy of the fear of the Lord because of the time they take to sincerely invest in people. It’s a beautiful, beautiful thing.

When I think back on all the times in my life that I was affected in the deepest ways for Christ, it wasn’t by someone who worked their tail off at a task…it was by someone who took the time to invest in me.

Oh man, I wanna be like that! It’s not something that’s going to come easy for me; it’s going to be something that takes work (I should like that then, yes? Ha!)…something that will require a new mindset and array of habits…but the reward is great and the consequences of not changing are greater yet.

I don’t know what this looks like for sure yet and I’m sure I’ll be stumbling through it for a while…or forever…but I’m determined to make attempts towards that goal. Thankfully, I have that choice and thankfully I have a Father that I know will reward my efforts to be more like Him.

****** People trump tasks. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. *******

Until Next Year, Cubbie Bear

And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:6-9

I am a lover of Jesus and believe the Bible to be the inerrant word of God. It is completely whole, lacking nothing, and it is the foundation for which my family and I base our life and make decisions. As followers of Christ, we have chosen to stake our lives and our futures on the fact that we believe in Him and His word and we receive His gift of salvation…not because of anything we’ve done (or will do) but because of His graciousness.

In so doing, I’m also in love with His Word (which is also Him). A Bible teacher once told us that “time IN the word was time WITH the Word.” It’s timeless and true and it’s pages overflow with the love and wisdom and grace and mercy and justice of Jesus.

Sawyer loves to “read” her Bible and it delights my soul! She’ll sit and repeat stories and lessons she knows to me or Wryder or to herself. Sometimes they get a little discombobulated but that’s ok…I have no doubt that the Lord is delighted with her love for His word.

We’re big fans of the Awana programs and Sawyer’s been a member of Cubbies this year. Last night, she had her Cubbies award ceremony and it was so heartwarming to see so many kids who have taken the time to go through these programs and hide the Lord’s word in their hearts. Some of these kids come from non-Christian homes and some from homes where parents don’t have the most intimate relationship with the Lord, yet they work to memorize Scripture together. It’s a beautiful thing…

These leaders and teachers take time every week to help these kiddos grow in their relationships with the Lord by helping them learn Scripture and apply it to their lives.

With her leader, Ms. Rochelle... — With her leader, Ms. Rochelle…

Goo Goo is definitely leaving a legacy of the fear of the Lord with her family... — With Goo Goo, who is definitely leaving a legacy of the fear of the Lord with her family…

Cubbies has been a huge blessing to our family and I pray that if you are in area that has an Awana club that you would sign your children up!

One last hug until next year... — One last hug until next year…

Sweet Sawyer, I pray your love for the Word and your love for Jesus never waiver…that your thirst for His truth would never be quenched. I am so incredibly proud of all you’ve accomplished and learned this year. You inspire me to dig deeper and memorize more. I love you, sweet pea!

The Bloomberg Boys

Oh, friends…are these guys cute or what?!?!

Brenhem and his stuffed cow... — Brenhem and his stuffed cow…

Berwick and his stuffed cow... — Berwick and his stuffed cow…

I am so in love and can not WAIT to meet these little miracles!!

My sister has started a blog that they will update from time to time to keep friends/family/prayer partners up to date on what’s going on with the boys. Check it out (link below), hear her story and pray for this family.

The Bloomberg Boys

These little warriors are having heart surgery today. Please join me in praying for them and their momma and daddy. The Lord has been so incredibly faithful to them and we have no doubts that He will continue to be. We love the Bloomberg boys!

Easter Advent: Sunday

He is RISEN, friends! He carried our sin and our shame and our death to the cross and the grave and it is no more! He is so worthy of our love and our allegiance. I pray you have had a blessed Easter Sunday worshiping our Savior together!

Easter Advent: Saturday

Busy days and bad internet connections have made me a bad blogger. Forgive me. Regardless, I pray your Easter weekend has been full of Jesus and full of those you love and who love you back!

Buried in a Tomb

Read: Verses in activity below or Matthew 27:57-66 Mark 15:33-47 Luke 23:50-56

Do: Make resurrection rolls!

Ingredients:	Supplies:
1 cup pecans	Ziploc bag
1 tsp. vinegar	wooden spoon
3 egg whites	wax paper
pinch of salt	cookie sheet
1 cup sugar	tape
	Bible

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300^oF (this is important to do before you start the mixing).

Place pecans in Ziploc bag and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break them into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Romans soldiers.
Read John 19:1-3.

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into a mixing bowl.
Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink.
Read John 19:28-30.

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life.
Read John 10:10-11.

Sprinkle a little salt into each child’s hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl.
Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus’ followers, and the bitterness of our own sin.
Read Luke 23:27.

So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar.
Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him.
Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed.
Explain that the color white represents the purity in God’s eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.
Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet.
Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid.
Read Matthew 27:57-60.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door.
Explain that Jesus’ tomb was sealed.
Read Matthew 27:65-66.

Go TO BED!
Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus’ followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed.
Read John 16:20 and 22.

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! He is risen!
On the first Easter, Jesus’ followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.
Read Matthew 28:1-9.

Pray: Thank you for bringing hope to the world! Thank you for loving us! We worship you!

Easter Advent: Thursday

***Find previous Easter Advent entries here, here, here and here.***

As Jesus was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, He was full of sorrow. He knew the excruciating pain he was about to suffer as we would take the punishment for every wrong thing anybody had ever done (or would ever do). He knew the weight of what His shoulders would hold and of the heartache that stemmed from all of the sin, brokenness and pain in people’s hearts.

With death awaiting Him, He could’ve prayed a thousand different things – most, probably selfish in nature. Wouldn’t you? If you knew death was knocking on your door, wouldn’t you be pleading or screaming or flat out running away? In that moment though, Jesus prayed with a heart full of trust and submission…“Not my will, but Yours be done.”

Wow. So often we pray differently, don’t we? Our sinful nature likes to pray things that we deem ‘best’ for us, not necessarily what the Lord has for us. His way is always best and we should trust that truth, just as Jesus did.

Garden Prayer

Read: Mark 14:32-42 Luke 22:39-53

Do: Memorize scripture.

—Not my will, but yours be done. Luke 22:42

—Sing it, eat a piece of candy for each word, create a hand motion for a set of words – whatever it takes, memorize it!

Pray: Lord, thank you that we can pray to you about everything. Help us to pray for Your will to be done in every situation.

Easter Advent: Wednesday

We’re on day four of our Easter Advent series and I hope you and your family have been blessed by this experience. Parts 1, 2 and 3 are still up so feel free to go back and do them or just pick up here!

A Time to Remember

The Last Supper was a beautiful symbol of what was to come in the life and death of Jesus. He knew His death was imminent and even though His disciples didn’t quite understand, He wanted to make sure they would always remember Him and His sacrifice.

While they were eating the Passover meal, Jesus took bread and blessed it. He broke it and gave it to the disciples saying, “Take it and eat, for this is my body.” Then he took the cup and gave thanks. He gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, for this is my blood poured out to forgive the sins of many.”

This same act is a wonderful reminder to each of us of Christ’s sacrifice and love…

Read: Matthew 26:17-30 Mark 14:12-26

Do: Have a time of remembrance.

— Break bread and drink juice together and talk about how Jesus’ body was broken and His blood poured out for us.

—Really take time to remember how Jesus has saved us eternally and how He’s saving us daily from our sinful selves.

Pray: Lord, thank you for loving me enough to die for me. Help me to always remember Your body that broke and Your blood that was poured out.