A Mothers Observation:

Saw a tall very distinguished lady today walking down the side walk in the rain with her 3 small children. One seemed to be about 5 years of age, then 3 and a new born in a stroller. All boys!!!

I looked at her and felt such compassion for her, yet something in me felt very proud of her and I didn't even know her....she had her hands full and she seemed to be totally in love with her task (3 little boys)! She was pushing the stroller with one hand, then with her other hand she was directing the 5 year old to hold the umbrella just right. It was as if every part of her body and senses were in the moment....she seemed together, protective, alert, nurturing and one of the most important things....she didn't seemed stressed in the moment at all.

As I begin to observe what kind of Mama she was....I had to ask myself "what do I look like when people are looking at me from a far off with my girls". Do I at times look stressed out, to busy, not together, unconcerned and frazzled .....or to others do I look like a perfectly fit Mother to my very busy, dependent, demanding beautiful 5 and 2 year old.

Do I look in love with the blessings that have been given to me? or do I look irritated and overwhelmed?

I often remind myself during these very challenging stages of my girls, that I must stay patient, give myself plenty of time when I'm out for any mishaps...because with Brienna there will be plenty of those....be sure to have a whole package of baby wipes anywhere we go. ...but most of all I have to remind myself the way I react and respond to my Aleia and Brienna's needs and demands I am instilling things in them that will affect them for the good or bad for the rest of their lives.

I have to ask myself am I the Mother to my children that when they grow up they will say my Mom taught me what kind of Mother not be....or am I the Mama to my girls that they will say...I want to be the best Mama ever, just like mine was to me....!

My girls are my responsibility and I want to be the best at it.

I want to make it look easy but real, in saying that sometimes real is when my clothes look like bib, I don't always have bio snacks preparred, my diaper bag is not alphabetized and I don't always have the right answer..... but at the end of night when my girls can lay down, kiss me and say I'm the best Mama ever, then I feel I did my job.

I want my responses to be kind, patient, creative, understanding and in every part of Motherhood I want to be teaching my girls what kind of Mama they want to be and not the kind of Mama they don't want to be.

Just a few things that I always have on my grocery list and in the house.

We love Mexican....so every Monday I prepare taco meat and beans to makes nachos, taco's, taco salad and chips and salsa. It always makes an easy snack and a fast meal to prepare if I'm in a hurry. Everyone loves it.

Strawberry jelly and peanut butter is a must...for the little ones and big ones :-)

Pop corn, hot dogs, yogurt and cereal.

For the Summer since we got a small gas grill I've been making grilled potatoes and onions, chicken and hot dogs. We all love to grill and it makes great fun memories to be outside with the girls.

Lately it's been so hot that we have found ourselves on the not so busy days sitting in a small tub outside full of cold water.

It seems that the Summer is fading quickly so we are trying to make the best of what time we have left.

What do you all have planned or have done this Summer?

Set your fear's aside

Could it be the very thing we are afraid of and verbalize that we are fearful of doing when it is no longer there or it is taken from us is the one thing we regret not ever taking the opportunity and even long for it the more.....Fear has an ugly way of ripping what could have been from us if we allow it to.

Knowing that the fear we have now controls our situation, our decisions, our out look, our perspective and what people perceive in us as well.

Fear of the unknown is normal, being worried that you don't know enough or have enough experience to step into that responsibility is normal, feeling inadequate is normal.

The problem is when we put it into our own hands and allow the fear, the insecurity's and the unknown control the outcome of what our purpose is and was suppose to be.

Sometimes there is a set plan, a process of how things are to be, what position you are to take next, things are lined up just accordingly but fear takes control, it causes doubts, questions and eventually takes you out from underneath the umbrella of God's protection and His true will and purpose for your ministry and life.

Often our human nature gets in the way.....all ages of life compete with fear.

Our fear's are the very thing that keeps us from being so great, feeling accomplished or even being fulfilled and ever having a true sense of purpose.

The very thing you were afraid of is then taken from you, and you wish it was back, you wish the opportunity would present itself again, you wish you had never expressed that you felt inadequate. Instead you wish you would have trusted that you were strong enough to do the task at hand.

You live with a life full of regrets because you let fear take control!

It is not bad to express your feelings of doubts, fears and inadequacy! Just don't allow the verbal part of it be what sets you back and keeps you from your greatest dreams.

So often I have seen as I am offered opportunities, I'd like to decline and take the high road from the responsibilities that have been presented to me but knowing if I go beyond my fears, go beyond what I think I can accomplish and do what seemed impossible is when I see the big picture and find that I have even more strength in me then I ever knew.

Facing my fears..... Has given me boldness, it has given me experiences I may not have other wise had, going beyond my fears has given me confidence, it has taken me out of my comfort zone and prepared me for even greater things I felt I could never do or accomplish in my life.

Set your fears aside and see what you can do if you just trust and take the opportunities that are given.

Conquer your fears TODAY!

1. Go back to School
2. Teach a Bible Study
3. Except that position in ministry
4. Have a baby
5. Mentor a young person
6. Do street evangelism
7. Get a job
8. Do something in your community
9. Be consistent and faithful
10. Start something new....cake class, learn a language, go sky diving, lose weight, take up an instrument, give up an addiction.....what ever it is set your fear's aside TODAY!


You are not a failure if you try and don't succeed, you are a failure when you don't try at all!

When you don't try to overcome your fears you not only fail and disappoint yourself but ultimately your fear affects your family, your ministry, your walk with God and eventually interferes in every aspect of your life.

SET YOUR FEAR'S ASIDE!!!!

Independence Day-2005

Here is our little Aleia on her very first 4th of July. She was amazed by the fireworks, they were loud and bright and she was fascinated by it all.

It was the best 4th of July.

This picture is a special reminder of that great day....Aleia was showing us she loved it too by giving us the peace sign.

Tomorrow is the 4th of July....Independence Day!!!! My favorite Holiday ever.

A firework reminds me of life: Fire=Trials of life, Boom=Anticipation of what is to come, Crackles=Potential of greatness, Color=Richness of life, Illumination=Great expectations.

All in one little firework....such brightness and possibilities.....and most of all FREEDOM!

bubble fun

Such a unique present Aleia was given for her Birthday. The whole family has enjoyed a little bubble fun.

We also took the bubble set to our recent church in the park picnic and it drew in many other little children from the surrounding area of the park.

Bubble time, Bubble fun! Aleia has a bed time story she loves for me to read it goes like this:

Dirty fingers, dirty toes,
Dirty shoulders, dirty nose
All my dirty deeds are done.
Time to have some bubble fun.

Yellow Ducky, “Quack, quack, quack.”
Hello Froggie! Now I’m Back!
Dip a finger, dip a toe~
No more waiting, in we go.

Bubbles, bubbles in the tubbles,
Splashy, splashy, splooshy scrubbles.
Glimmer, glitter through the air.
Bubbles, bubbles everywhere

Scrub the tummy, scrub the knees,
Scrub the elbows, if you please.
Bubbles on my shinny shin.
Shasaam! They’re on my chinny chin!

Rubba-dubba pink shampoo,
Make a scary, hairy do.
Bubble moustache, bubble wishes~
Blow a million soapy kisses.

Bubbles, bubbles in the tubbles,
Splashy, splashy, splooshy scrubbles.
Glimmer, glitter through the air.
Bubbles, bubbles everywhere.

Squeaky Ducky, leaky Frog,
Everybody’s waterlodgged.
Flippy flappy, slippy slosh~
What a fishy, wishy wash!

Twinkle fingers, twinkle toes,
Shiny shoulders, shiny nose.
Give a shimmy, give a shake~
Bring a towel, for goodness sake.

Dry the tootsies, dry the mop.
Squeaky clean from tush to top.
All the water’s disappeared~
Raise a scrubbly, tubbly cheer.

Flannel bottoms, flannel shirt~
Good~bye bubbles, good~bye dirt.