Finally my blog is set up on my site!

I love Les Mis!

Now I'm not just staff

I'm paid staff!  WOOHOO

A few weeks ago I went to our Church leadership and told them that I needed to be bringing in a certain amount of money each week in order for our family to make it and they said they would discuss it and get back to me.  When I showed up for services yesterday they handed me my first check and in a month I will be making what we need  

God has been SO good to us--carrying us through a very difficult financial time that I can't explain how we got through except God carrying us, and now step by step bringing us into blessing after blessing.  There is no way that anyone looking at or hearing about the last 5 years of our life could do anything but see God's fingerprint and signature all over it.  To GOD be the glory!

Now dh is getting another pay raise in a few weeks and we are moving in a positive direction.  We're armed with Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace information and owe nothing but our home which we will pay off as quickly as we can (I'm going to look into the automatic withdrawels every other week and when we can we want to refinance to a shorter term loan).  In the meantime we are taking things one day at a time, weighing our purchases, taking control of our lives in a positive way.

The other great news right now is that Ronan's surgery is scheduled for June 14th and that will be the last one he should need.  After that he will have no greater risk for melanoma than anyone else.  I'm so grateful to the Lord for preparing me for all of this and sustaining me through it and I'm so appreciative that his pediatrician knew immediately what we were dealing with and referred us to the top plastic surgeon in the state.  He has been wonderful--and Ronan gets excited when we go to see him

This is just such an amazing year!  Praise the Lord!

So here's what I've been thinking about for a few days

Let's say that all the negative, unpleasant, unwanted children's behavior *is* sin.  I don't for one second believe that it is, but just for argument's sake . . . the wages of sin is death.  And sin isn't against another person, it's against God.  So, if I really believe that my baby is sinning against God by wiggling for a diaper change then . . . Are you already seeing all the theological holes in this line of thinking??? . . . and then the question becomes, "Did Jesus, or did He not, take care of sin when He was on the cross?'  If He didn't then it doesn't matter what we do because we're all doomed.  But if He did, then doesn't the sin He took care of include anything my child can do?  I mean, we don't have the option, according to Scripture, to atone for our own sin if we don't have Jesus' blood covering our sins yet.  It's not like Jesus' blood is the way to atone for sins we didn't atone for ourselves during our growing up years.  It makes no sense!

I mean, all real sin is an offense against God.  All of it!  And HE chose to forgive it ALL!  That forgiveness may not be applied to everyone's sins, but it was enough to cover it all. And yet some parents choose to not forgive the horrible slight of a child throwing food because he's preverbal and can't say he's done eating.  Now, we're not God--which is, of course, why we shouldn't think ourselves right to punish for offenses against us (when sin is an offense against God) and why we should realize that when we do punish we are being unforgiving--which is, ironically, a sin.

Rising up and calling my mother blessed

As we approach Mother's Day I want to take a moment to honor mine.  Right now she is in another state with my daughter (who went to be her company and helper) and the fact that I have allowed her to have my daughter in another state could say it all

My mother was devoted to motherhood--her own and others.  She was a La Leche League leader in the 70's and I grew up at her knee. She introduced me to natural living and natural eating and laughs at me because I've so far surpassed the lengths gone to by the woman I used to call "Granola".

When I was a young adult she represented all that I knew was expected of me and I shut her out because her presence was convicting even when she said nothing.  Then I got a little older and realized it would have been so much better if I'd listened to what she didn't say.

As a young mother she became my mama bear so that I could become my son's. Then she sat behind me and held me while I labored to bring my daughter into the world at my mother's dream home water birth.

My third was born and she was there--watching then helping.  Both grandmother and mother.

My twins were born and she met me at the ER where I was being treated for double mastitis and I was crying in full blown PPD and moved my entire family into her home for a month.  She was there--as she'd been for me in my infancy she was there for my babies and me.  Round the clock--as we pumped and fed and put my preemies to the breast she supported me until I was ready to stand on my own and walk.  I think it was duirng that month that any wounds I had from my own childhood healed in my rebirth under her care.

And now she is my best friend.  My confidant, my cheerleader, my helper, my fan . . . and I am all that for her.

I love my mother.  We have a good, honest, loving relationship.  Someday this is what I want with my own children.  Now that I've experienced it with her I think I've got a much better hope for that.