Wryder – Page 17 – The Bless Your Heart Blog

Thankful Tree

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name. Psalm 100:4

The first of the month kicked off our family’s thankful tree activity. Nothing fancy – just pure, unadulterated gratefulness for the countless blessings we have in our lives.

We ARE a blessed people! We have a roof over our head that is comfortable and climate controlled…we have access to a clean, safe water supply (that can be heated for comfort and cleanliness)…we have the cheapest, safest and most wholesome food supply in the world…we have the privilege to worship how we so choose…we live in a democratic society that although, not perfect, is better than every other alternative… we are healthy and thriving…my husband has a job and one that provides for our financial needs…I have the benefit of staying home to raise our children…we have more than enough food in our cupboards and freezers and stomachs…we have totes of clothes we aren’t currently wearing…we have extra shoes in our mudroom…we own animals for pleasure…we have access to more than one vehicle…we have MORE.THAN.ENOUGH.

Let us not forget from whom all blessings flow.

Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. James 1:17

So, we will praise Him. We will praise Him with our voices and words and blogs. We will praise Him with our attitudes and the posture of our hearts. We will praise Him with our paper leaves.

It’s funny how something so simple can evoke such emotion. To hear Sawyer say she’s grateful for her…

just takes my breath away. She gets it.

Daddy said he was thankful that…

to which Sawyer quickly replied, “No, silly! We live in Holyoke!”

And the past couple of days? I’ve been especially thankful…

The ways in which He provides for us are many and we’re really good at celebrating the gift…but let us not refrain from worshiping THE GIVER.

My heart overflows in gratitude for all He has given…and for the things He took that He knew I didn’t need. Really thankful for those things, too…

Let us cultivate a spirit of gratitude among us, in all things and in all times. It leads to joy. It leads to selflessness. It leads to a greater perspective. It leads to Him.

Splish Splash I Was Taking a Bath

Sawyer LOVES bath time and she’s been begging to take one with brother. Saturday evening, we thought that was a great plan to get everyone wound down and ready to relax before the time change and church on Sunday.

What a strategically placed skillet - ha! — What a strategically placed skillet – ha!

We plopped brother in the Bumbo and away we went. (Honestly, is that not the best baby invention, oh….ever?!)

He LOVED splashing the water and did far better about having water in his eyes than his sister does.

They played and played and played.

We got a little scrubbing in and then it was time to get out, much to someone’s dismay. Wryder cried and cried and cried. We’ve never seen him that upset about something other than being tired or hungry!

Sawyer helped daddy make some baby food, sans clothes, of course…

and then they snuggled up to watch a little Mickey Mouse Clubhouse while mom got supper ready.

These two make bring so much joy to our lives! We are so blessed that Sawyer loves her little brother and wants to spend time with him and play with him and include him. We hope to continue to foster that all of their days, and I’m certain we’ll have more baths like this one…

Trick-or-Treat

Happy day after Halloween! I hope you’re surviving the sugar crashes and runny noses. We had a good day together and I tried to make it fun for the littles, because they are only little once, ya know. I made these for lunch..

and Sawyer got a fun little dessert!

Marshmallows are one of the few sweets she'll eat — Marshmallows are one of the few sweets she’ll eat.

After lunch, brother took a short nap and sister thought she saw a “scary shadow”…which I think translates to, “I’m too excited to take nap.” 🙂 So, we got around, got dressed and headed into Grant to trick-or-treat at the businesses downtown.

Oh, yes, Cubbie bear got to go trick-or-treating, too! (More on that in a future post!)

SO cute...and sooooo windy! — Sooooo cute…and sooooo windy!

Sawyer holding hands with Craton - her self-proclaimed favorite part of the night. — Sawyer holding hands with Craton – her self-proclaimed favorite part of the night.

We did a little speed trick-or-treating down main because it was cold, at least to us. I’m starting to think Sawyer’s about as tough in the cold as I am…which means, she’s not. We hit all the main places and then decided we were just going to go on home and finish partying at our 3rd annual Phipps Family Camp IN. We always set the tent up in the living room on Halloween and eat a fun supper and watch Charlie Brown and just have fun together! She and brother fell asleep on the way home so our party started like this:

I woke her up for some pumpkin pizza but it never got too wild around here.

We did watch this…

You can't NOT watch this — The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown

I just wish there were fewer uses of the word “stupid.” Sigh.

All in all, a good Halloween. I encourage you to show grace to the littles today, mommas. They probably had too much candy and not enough sleep, but love will cover a multitude of sins. Love is patient, love is kind…it keeps no record of wrongs. They are only little once… Next week, you’ll look back on the halloween festivities with fondness and it will have been worth the tears and meltdowns and incessant disciplining you might be experiencing today. Don’t ask me how I know… 😉

Help My Unbelief

I’m currently doing a Precepts Bible study on Joseph with my church and it is SO good. Man alive. So good. I love these studies because they use the Word to prove the validity of the Word. How can ya beat that?!

The end of last night’s homework had us examine who God is and it’s one of the most well-written lists of His attributes I’ve ever seen. The writer said,

You need to know, in order to trust Him.

So true, yes? I want Sawyer and Wryder to get an accurate view of the Lord. I want them to see Him for all of these good things that He is and oh, how I want them to trust Him! As their mom, I have to 1.) believe those things of Him myself and 2.) act like Him. For a while now, I’ve realized that my view of Him isn’t entirely accurate. I’ve listened to the lies of satan and have succumbed to the (not) fact that He’s a mean, punishing, vengeful, better-be-on-your-best-behavior-or-I-will-kill-you-off, game-playing kind of God. (Just reading that sounds APPALLING. How in the world is that love and how in the world would I ever love Him in return??!?!) Working on that. Because if you search His Word that isn’t Him at all.

When we speak of God’s attributes, we are speaking of His essential being or character. His character is a composition of all His attributes. In other words, when we talk about one of God’s attributes, we are not talking about a part of His being, but rather His whole character. For example, God is love…but not just a part of Him is love. Love is the essence of His being; however, He is also wrathful. One attribute does not contradict the other, rather they make God who He is. Therefore, whenever God acts in any given situation, all His attributes are used simultaneously in perfect harmony. He never suspends one so He can use another.

Great explanation, yes?! Now I just need to drill it into my head and drop it into my heart.

He is omniscient. God knows all. He has perfect knowledge of everything that is past, present or future. (Job 37:16, Psalm 139:1-6)
He is omnipotent. God possesses all power. He is able to bring about anything that He has decided to do with or without the use of any source beyond Himself. (Job 42:2, Psalm 33:6-9)
He is omnipresent. God is present everywhere, in all the universe, at all times, in the totality of His character. (Proverbs 15:3, Jeremiah 23:23-24)
He is eternal. God has no beginning, and He has no end. He is not confined to the finiteness of time or to man’s reckoning of time. He is, in fact, the cause of time. (Deuteronomy 32:40, Revelation 1:8, Isaiah 57:15)
He’s immutable. God is always the same in His nature, His character and His will. He never changes, and He can never be made to change. (Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 13:8)
He is incomprehensible. Because God is God, He is beyond the understanding of man. His ways, character and acts are higher than man’s. Man only understands as God chooses to reveal Himself, His ways or His purposes. (Job 11:7, Romans 11:33)
He is self-existent. God depends upon nothing for His existence beyond Himself. The whole basis of His existence is withing Himself. At one time, nothing but God Himself existed. He added nothing to Himself by creation. (John 1:1-3, Exodus 3:14, John 5:26)
He is self-sufficient. Within Himself, God is able to act, that is, to bring about His will without any assistance. Although He may choose to use assistance, it is His good pleasure, not His need, that governs that choice. (Romans 11:36, Psalm 50:7-12)
He is infinite. God has no limits or bounds whatsoever in His person or dominion. (1 Kings 8:27, Psalm 145:3)
He is transcendent. God is above His creation, and He would exist if there were no creation. His existence is totally apart from His creatures or creation. (Isaiah 43:10, 55:8-9)
He is sovereign. God is totally, supremely, preeminently over all His creation. There is not a person or thing that has escaped His control and foreknown plan. (Psalm 103:19, Daniel 4:34-35, Isaiah 40:23)
He is gracious. God is a God of grace and always operates on the basis of His graciousness. (Exodus 34:6-7, Luke 2:40, 2 Corinthians 12:9)
He is righteous. God is always good. It is essential to His character. He always does the right thing. Ultimately, since He is God, whatever He does is right…He is the absolute. His actions are always consistent with His character…which is love. (Deuteronomy 32:4, Psalm 110:142)
He is merciful. God is an actively compassionate being. He responds compassionately toward those who have opposed His will in their pursuit of their own way. (Psalm 62:12, 86:15, 106:44-45)
He is long-suffering. God’s righteous anger is slow to be kindled against those who fail to listen to His warnings or to obey His instructions. His eternal longing for the highest good for His creatures holds back His holy justice. (Numbers 14:18, 2 Peter 3:9)
He is wise. God’s actions are based on His character. His wisdom causes Him to choose righteous ends and to make the most fitting plans to achieve those ends. (Isaiah 40:28, Daniel 2:20)
He is loving. God’s love moves Him to give Himself for another, even to the laying down of His own life. His love causes Him to desire His creatures’ highest good. This love is not based upon the worth, response, or merit of the object being loved. (Romans 5:8, 1 John 4:8, Ephesians 3:17-19)
He is good. In His goodness God gives to others, not according to what they deserve but according to His good will and kindness toward them. (2 Chronicles 5:13, Psalm 106:1)
He is wrathful. There is within God a hatred for all that is unrighteous and an unquenchable desire to punish all unrighteousness. Whatever is inconsistent with His holy standard must ultimately be atoned for or consumed. (Romans 1:18, John 3:36, Revelation 15:7)
He is truthful. All that God says is reality. Whether believed by man or not, whether seen as reality or not, what God has spoken is reality. Whatever He speaks is truth. (Numbers 23:19, Titus 1:2, John 17:17)
He is faithful. God is always true to His promises. He can never draw back from His promises of blessing or of judgment. Since He cannot lie, He is totally steadfast to what He has spoken. (Deuteronomy 7:9, 2 Timothy 2:13)
He is jealous. God is unwilling to share what is rightfully and morally His with any other creature. (Exodus 34:14, Isaiah 42:8)
He is holy. God is a morally excellent, perfect being. He is totally other than man! His is purity of being in every aspect. (Leviticus 10:2, Job 34:10, Isaiah 47:4, Isaiah 57:15)
He is just. God is fair in all of His actions. Whether He deals with man, angels or demons, He acts in total equity by rewarding righteousness and punishing sin. Since He knows all, every decree is absolutely just. (Psalm 89:14, Numbers 14:18, Romans 9:14)

I want to get this and to believe this. Not just say it. Not just memorize it. Not just agree with it. Not just type it out on my blog. I want to believe it. I want to have confidence in the fact that this IS who my God is…and I want to live in a fashion to reflects that. I want my children to be witness to a mom that loves the Lord and who tries her best to mirror His attributes; a mom who is loving and trustworthy and merciful and gracious and long-suffering and truthful and wise; a mom who lives under the authority of the One who is perfect in all things and in all ways and who loves her despite her shortcomings and who desires GOOD for her; a mom that trusts Him explicitly…..because He’s worthy of our trust…and He’s worthy of their trust.

There it is, your immutable God who never changes. His character can never be altered – nor His response; God never acts contrary to Himself. What peace, what security, what confidence this should bring to your heart and mind. Therefore, anytime you meet a biblical doctrine that you cannot fully understand or explain, or anytime you come across a situation in life that is difficult to understand, run to the shelter of the character and sovereignty of your God and rest quietly in these solid, immutable, eternal truths. Rest and order your affairs accordingly.

We will believe, Lord…me and my children and my children’s children and to a thousand generations…we will believe and we will live like we believe.

**All quotes and list of attributes are from the Precept Upon Precept study on Joseph – Keeping Your Focus When Your Dreams are Shattered**

One Little, Two Little. . .Indians

After a friend sent me this overly adorable costume for little Wryder (thanks, Emily!!)

This is not Wryder. ;) — This is not Wryder. 😉

I knew I wanted Sawyer to be an indian with him. Our church’s harvest carnival was this afternoon and we found her costume…….yesterday. (Phew.) Nonna let us borrow one she had and I was just gonna take it and add a little fluff/beads/fringe…until Wrexy came across this little number at the thrift store.

It was PERFECT (and needed no extra work, mind you!) I threw together a head dress, painted a couple of stripes, threw on a bow and arrow……and the CUTEST little indian I’ve ever seen made her debut!

I thought the carnival started at 3:00, so we ate an earlier lunch with the thought that the kids would still get a decent little nap in before we had to leave. I fibbed (oopsie!) and told Sawyer that Mr. Russ (our pastor) said that all the kids had to take a nap or they couldn’t come to the carnival, so she snuggled right down! Then, I decided to check the official start time. Good thing I did! It started at 2:00! So, no nap for Sawyer. We got up and got around and dashed out the door. As we were driving, she said, “Will you still tell Mr. Russ I slept good?” HAHAHAHA Oh, geez.

Pretty sure anybody would let this face into the carnival.. — Pretty sure anybody would let this face into the carnival, nap or not.

Daddy fixed Wryder’s costume so I could wear him in the baby bjourn but have it look like an actual papoose.

He was thrilled - really! — He was thrilled – really!

I love these 2 little indians... — I love these 2 little indians…

Sawyer played A LOT of games and got A LOT of loot!

ANY game with Kenyon is fun in her book!

She won a root beer! IS there a better prize? Not in her world!

She got to help drive Mr. Koop’s horses, Rose and Ruby!

Super fun time with super fun people – how do ya beat that?! Thursday, we’ll head back to Grant to trick-or-treat downtown and then head home for our annual Phipps Family Camp In! Until then, we’ll attempt to get a little rest under our belts…

I’m a Puddle

I’m calling this one a “win” for the mom column!

Click on the link below for a cuteness overload…

IMG_2866

Sawyer’s first word was “moo” (totally not kidding) followed by “dada”…and then, 3 months later, “momma.” (Hey, at least she said it!)

ALL day today he’s been murmuring it over and over and not just when he cries. I’m a puddle.

It’s Sick Season, Eh?

Yep. It’s here. In full force. Ugh.

Sawyer had a runny nose this week, but we didn’t think to much of it…until she woke up crying Wednesday night saying her chest hurt. By Thursday morning, she was ILL. Poor baby has a pretty nasty case of bronchitis. Having a sick kiddo is really hard on a momma’s heart.

We let little miss snuggle with us yesterday morning because she was flat miserable and struggling to breathe. She ended up falling in and out of sleep and I snapped this picture as I clung to the edge of the bed for dear life. (How do such small things take up so much space?!?)

This one of many reasons we don’t allow kids in the bed. HA!

If you read this, pray for her healing and for protection for little Wryder Roo.

Sickness flee, in the name of Jesus! Breathe Your breath into her, Lord.

Weekend Update

I let this happen…

Paint the cat got to come in the house under the condition that she didn’t let him go. And she didn’t. Poor cat. They did do a little snuggling in bed, to which he purred quite contentedly.

Wryder ~~had~~ got to play dress up with sister. This is her rendition of King Wryder. I think he looks quite dashing.

I learned that I need to be a little more specific about what it means when I tell Sawyer to put her cup in the dishwasher. I couldn’t get on to her, because she DID put her cup in the dishwasher…

We checked out a school auction on Saturday and came home with some fabulous finds, including quite a few old-school, pull down maps for $1!

And we got 36 of these beauties (for $0.11/each!) that can’t WAIT for me to paint them some fun, vibrant color.

WD looked quite dapper sporting orange and blue for the Broncos. His auntie got him this CA-YOOT vest and we broke it out for the brisk fall day.

We did a little makeup. And a lot of lipstick. A looooot of lipstick. Thankfully, momma spared Wryder from this activity.

I celebrated a #10 showing for the Red Raiders in the BCS standings! They’re playing some really good ball right now! I can’t even begin to tell you how glad I am that Kliff Kingsbury is back in town as head coach. He played for Mike Leach in the air raid glory days and he’s putting his spin on that style which seems to be working well for us. Plus, he’s not too bad to look at it…

We mourned a Bronco loss. 🙁

I’m not worried about them regarding their standings the rest of the season, I just really wanted Peyton to have a little taste of redemption.

All in all, a really good weekend! We have a CRAZY, busy week and then this weekend………I get to celebrate my bestie and her sweet baby girl!

Can’t wait to see her/them! Why-oh-why can’t Denver be in my backyard?! And why-oh-why can’t the weekend last all week?

WDP is 6 Months Old

Wryder Douglas Phipps is 6 months old today!

How, how did this happen SO fast?!!

It feels like these 6 months flew by WAY faster than Sawyer’s first 6 months did. Oh, it’s hard on the heart to be a mommy, ya know it?

At 6 months…

you roll all over the house to get around.
you have two, CUTE little teeth.
See ’em?!
you LOVE your sister. You will just about break your neck to catch her glance.
She loves me
you are a GREAT eater! Sweet potatoes are your favorite…carrots, not so much…but I trick you by mixing the two. 🙂
you are the smiliest, giggliest baby I’ve ever met! Extrovert perhaps?
you are incredibly dexterous! (Pretty sure you’re gonna be a lot like daddy in that department.)
Let me at that camera!
you’re a REALLY easy going baby…as long as you’re not hungry…or overly tired. Again, a little like your daddy – ha!
you “talk” A LOT but no real words have come out yet. (I’m still hoping for “momma” to be first…)
you LOVE to jump or stand (on someone’s lap) and don’t much care for lying down.
you still attempt to suck your thumb when you first go to sleep but we just keep putting that paci in. (Lord help us in a few months…)
you have the softest, sweetest little head and face.
No more pictures – I’m gonna go blind!
you’re wearing 12 month clothes and weigh around 20 pounds.
you delight me more than I EVER imagined that a little boy could!

I love you, Wryder Roo! Sawyer thinks we should celebrate you tonight…with a candle and a happy birthday song…and I’m guessing she’ll get her way. You are most worthy of a celebration, indeed!

Tag: Wryder