Don't forget to pray!

Today my girls both reminded me to pray. 

At breakfast this morning I was eating a banana. Faith LOVES bananas. Although she had already eaten hers she was trying to beg me to share some of mine. I said, "No, this is mommy's banana." She then folded her hands and began to say, "Nana Nana!" I asked her if she was praying and she replied, "Yes!" (with much enthusiasm) I couldn't resist I shared my banana with her. How simplistic and yet awesome a child's view of prayer. If you need something , or event if you really want something, you can simply ask.

Then we had a little situation at Walmart today. An embarrassing situation if you are a mommy! We had finished our shopping and I took my debit card out and swipe, swipe. But there was no magical reply asking if I would like cash back. After entering my pin twice I realized something was up. I looked down to see a shiny new debit card. 

Let me back up a little. A few weeks ago we received a letter saying our information had been compromised and we would need to get a new debit card. What a pain. Well the cards arrived and I had the new ones, my old ones, and my wallet all sitting on my desk. I had been hoping to sort everything out, activate the new ones, cut up the old ones, etc. Well, we got ready to leave for WalMart and I found my debit card had once again been compromised but this time by the little people who live in my house and like to play grocery store. I located my wallet, stuck my card in, and decided I would go ahead and use the old card one last time so we could leave for the grocery store.

Back to me in the check out line. I looked down to see a shiny new debit card sporting Jeremy's name. Oh, no I had stuck the wrong card in my wallet! Our pin number had also been changed to a random number so I couldn't activate the new card. I now had absolutely no available resources to pay for my full cart of groceries. Have mercy!! So with my very concerned toddler (she had got to pick out chocolate ice cream and she was afraid it might melt at the suggestion of the cashier) I threw the kids in the van and quickly headed to the church to get Jeremy's card. Now this is when the story gets spiritual. I was very flustered and on a time crunch. And then Grace piped up from the backseat. I had to ask her to repeat herself. She said, "Maybe we should pray and ask God for help." Oh, how I love when God uses my children to teach me something! Especially when its something I've been trying to teach them. And so we prayed. And we picked up our slightly melted ice cream. And I'm so thankful God reminded me today that prayer is always available through the vessel of my precious children.

These are the days!

You know how people tell you these are the days you will look back on and long for... Well, some days I seriously don't think those people actually remember what it is like to have a toddler (and a strong-willed one at that!) Grace has really been pushing the boundaries lately and in the process wearing me out. Here is one example. Last week we desperately needed to go get groceries. This is one of Grace's favorite things to do. I had picked this particular day because it was 50 degrees and that sounded like a lovely time to get out. When we arrived at the store I gave Grace her cart to push. I then instructed her to come close behind my cart. She refused. I gave her several chances to obey then I took her cart away. She then threw herself on the floor of the Aldi and began to lament (loudly I might add) her distaste for my decision. I ended up putting her cart and her into my cart and leaving without getting a single grocery. What a bummer! Everyone was starring at me with that, "You poor thing" look as I attempted to push my screaming toddler out of the store. But she did much better when we attempted the same task the next day (thank you Love & Logic). Although it wasn't nearly a fun for me getting groceries when the temperature was below freezing! I have found that Grace tends to go in cycles. For example last summer was a very difficult season. Then things will improve and I start to think I was crazy for thinking she was strong-willed at all. (almost). And then she gets back onto a defiant kick and I seriously have to punish her to get her to do everything! So I once again am searching for a good discipline book and hoping my next pregnancy (whenever that is) coincides with a more lovely part of the cycle!

If you would like to read about our holiday I blogged about it here.

Learning about God-from the Grocery Store

Well, yesterday the girls and I had quite a little adventure. If you have young children you know that anything can be an adventure, even the day to day. For sometime I have been wanting to let Grace take her shopping cart and do her own grocery shopping when we went to the store. This summer Kristina told me her sister-in-law had done this with her neice that is close to Grace in age. As soon as she told me about it I knew Grace would love it. She already makes her own list and wants to put each item in the basket & on the check out counter. But my immediate response was, "I could never do that with both the girls-Grace would run away, or break something, or..." So my plan was to try and find a time when Faith could stay with someone and Grace and I could go together. Well, this opportunity wasn't coming along since I go shopping during the day when my babysitters are mostly unavailalbe. That is just the way my personality works. I like to do things in an undercontrol and organzied manner.

But yesterday something inside told me to throw caution to the wind and just let her try it. I just knew how much she would love it so I decided it was worth the risk. On the way there we talked about what we were doing and what I expected. That she would only be able to operate her cart as long as she could listen & obey. (with a HUGE emphasis on staying next to mommy's big cart). She even told me if she didn't listen she would get her bottom spanked! I assured her that she was correct if she did not listen when we got home she would face a spanking and her cart would be taken away.

I am overjoyed to report it went wonderfully!!!! She stayed right next to me putting the instructed items in her cart. She had so much fun. She put all her items up on the belt to check out. At the end the cashier even printed her her very own receipt. We were shopping at Aldi so I had brought her own Barbie trick-or-treat bag to load her groceries in. She really thought she was big stuff. It was a blast! I came home really thankful for such a fun time because the truth is I don't think she could have handled it this summer. (we had a very rough time with obedience this summer!) I think we will even try it again sometime.

So what did I learn about God from this little adventure? Well I started wondering how often God wants to bless me with something: financial blessing, a ministry oportunity, a challenge, etc. But he thinks, " I don't think she can handle that she won't obey, or get off course, or break somethig!" But he longs to give it to me because he knows the joy it would bring. And I'm thankful for the times God blesses me even if he is uncertain, but I'm also thankful for the times when he waits till I'm ready. Grace finally got her special trip to the grocery store because she was willing to listen to my instructions and obey. Right now I am praying about stepping out of my comfort zone into a new ministry opportunity I have felt God prompting me towards. It would utelize my passion for great marriages and families. I hope I too can listen & obey!