It's been awhile since I've written a blog... but the last time I did, I shared with you all that I was learning to seek after Christ with my WHOLE heart. I often felt like I was so unfocused and our everyday was a bit crazy. Thankfully I can tell you today that I feel like the Lord has really worked on me in this way. Nothing major has changed, yet the Lord has given me a calmness that I've been praying for.
One of the biggest changes I've made is that I now set my alarm for 5 a.m. Yikes! But, now that Cora is sleeping through the night (YAY!) I've decided that I need to make a valiant effort to spend some time with Christ before my day begins. The first couple of weeks it took a major effort to get up and moving, but now it is getting easier and I really look forward to it. I used to try to set aside time during naps, but it was so hard to tune out the dishes, laundry, toys, work.... you get it. So, getting up in the morning seems to be the best time to dig into the word.
Which leads me to the next thing... DIGGING into the word. I love to deeply study the bible, and yet I fail to do so often. I seem to go in spurts where I just simply read the word, and then in spurts where I want to really dive in deep and fully understand the background. And, I am praying that the Lord helps me to consistently yearn the deep study of His word. Awhile back my dad said in one of his sermons that we can only know God's will as well as we know His word. So that is what I am praying for.
SIDENOTE: Jensen's Survey of the New Testament is a great resource for studying the bible (There is an Old Testament one as well). I'm also doing a precepts study through church on Philippians and LOVING it. That study is also teaching me how to better study the bible.
And, does anybody do a Bible Art Journal?! Search it on Pinterest and be amazed. I'm thinking about starting one!
Anyways, let me update you all on my kids...because if I don't write it down, I'm bound to forget it!
Rhett is amazing me with his kind heart. The Lord continues to teach me SO MUCH through this little guy. He loves memorizing verses (no, really, he LOVES it!), doing crafts, going to Kids 4 Truth and making up songs about combines... see below to hear his latest hit. (yikes...)
Case is finally getting teeth. Case got his first tooth in at 14 months, and by 20 months he only had 3. We nicknamed him snaggle tooth for quite awhile as he sported one tooth on top. Now he seems to be getting a couple teeth in each week. Makes night time and diapers not so fun... but YAY for teeth. He loves to watch the most boring show on Netflix called Mighty Machines, which pretty much just videotapes large machines and has random voice overs for them. But he dances and laughs and ooo's and aaaah's over it. He can make some great car sounds, cow sounds, and his personal favorite is the monkey sound.
Cora is sleeping through the night (YAY!). And, I feel like she is sooo close to giggling... its right around the corner. She has been pretty content and is always full of smiles. The little stinker doesn't take bottles well, though. We are working on that because I want to know I can leave for a couple hours without her starving! Something strange about her... she has a birth mark on her right eyelid, and there is a fairly prominent vain above her left eye that tends to look like a bruise. I get asked all the time if she has a black eye... Guess she's gonna have to rely on eyeshadow when she grows up! And, she is 4 months old as of yesterday, so please enjoy these pictures of my precious little peanut.
Heard around the house:
After a seemingly long day with the kids, when I couldn't wait for Grant to get home from work so that I could get a break, and felt a little bit like I was at the end of my rope of patience... Grant walked in the door and Rhett ran up to him and said "Dad, thanks for working so hard for us." Heart melted, frustrations gone. Lord, help me to think that way.
Rhett's favorite (made-up) song... "Nudey Combine, driving in the dark" in his best rock and roll voice. No, I do not have any idea where nudey came from... but he is very fond of that word.
In his best mom's voice "Cora, not right now, please!" .... I don't know where he gets that from...
Siren sounds... all day long, siren sounds....
A conversation after a huge meltdown outside of Hobby Lobby (sorry Mollie!)
"Rhett, how come I couldn't buy you glitter?"
"Because I made Jesus sad"
"What does Jesus want you to do?"
"Children, obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. Honor my mother and my father..."
One of the first times that he has quoted scripture without any prompting. He loves to work on verses so I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was! So much to learn through this little man.
And, last but not least (sorry about this one. Grant wanted me to add it..) As Grant pulled out these big gloves that go up to your armpit Rhett asked "Dad, are you going to stick your arm up a deer's bottom today?"... Happy hunting, Grant.