Family Life Series Week 4

Today's post in the Family Life Series comes to you from Jackie at Our Moments Our Memories. I've been reading Jackie's blog for quite some time now. I absolutely love Jackie's blog and I think pretty highly of Jackie herself too. Jackie is mom to one adorable little girl, she is the giver of cute flip flops, and she is a blog designer too.



Here is today's Family Life post:

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Every night after dinner, my 3 year old daughter Savannah puts her hand in her daddy's and they walk across the street to the park. She is a social butterfly if I've ever seen one, and the highlight for her is not playing on the swings or slide or monkey bars. No...instead, she cannot wait to go and find her friend, Ash-u-lee. Ashley is 5, but somehow the age difference doesn't seem to bother either of them. Savannah is the little follower, running around after her, and she thinks that Ashley walks on water. Every night she comes home with stories..."Ash-u-lee said I could come to her house....or, Ash-u-lee is going to have a Dora birthday party, Mama!....or, Ash-u-lee gave me a piece of gum tonight! Which, by the way, she promptly swallowed, since she has no clue what to do with gum. So all was well, and they got along famously. Until a few weeks ago. On this night, Savannah traipsed to the park like usual and found Ashley. They gave each other their standard little hug in greeting. And then Ashley turned and ran off with a new friend, a little girl who had come to the park with her and who was her exact same age. It never occurred to Savannah to do anything but run after them, and that's exactly what she did. They screamed and ran away from her, and she chased after them for awhile, trying to figure out why her friend was suddenly not her friend anymore.

Then Ashley looked at my husband and said, "Tell her to stop following me, she's bothering us!"

And Savannah stopped and just stared at her, nonplussed. Oh. my. When my husband came home and told me the story, my mommy heart broke in a thousand pieces. I felt silly, but I was fighting back tears the whole time he was talking. Such a little thing, isn't it? And yet it's so very hard to see your child come face to face with something that hurts their little heart. When they first start to realize that things happen that aren't fair, and they have no clue why.


How I wish this growing up process didn't have to start so soon. But as much as I wanted to scoop her up and protect her from this ever happening again, I know this is the only way she will learn.


She will need to know that life isn't fair, and that everyone isn't always kind, but that her worth is not determined by those around her.


That no matter what she has a mommy and daddy that she can run to, and a Heavenly Father who will love on her when she's feeling sad.


And it's my job teach her that. Oh, what a responsibility!


My husband said that as she watched Ashley run away, she looked up and said quietly, "Daddy, will you go for a walk with me?"


And so they did. They didn't talk much; she was quiet, and he asked her if she was sad. No, she said.


I love that. I love that she knows she can just be with him, without the need to talk, just taking comfort in the fact that they are together. That he lets her know he loves her just by spending time with her.


Sometimes a walk with our Father is really all we need.

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Thanks, Jackie, for being my guest poster today. Your post touched this mom's heart. As a mom, it is so hard to see your kids face disappointment. It is my desire that my kids would know that they do have a Heavenly Father that loves them no matter what!

I'm currently busy carrying out my civic duty by sitting on a jury. Being a member of the jury requires a lot of my time, thus leaving little time for the computer. And in turn, with little computer time, I am completely out of the bloggy loop.

My posting will be sparse for the next couple of weeks. I haven't been able to do much reading either, and I really miss that.

I will, however, have a Family Life Series post up tomorrow. It is a good one, by a great blogger; I know you won't want to miss it.

Family Life Series Week 3

I'm so excited about the guest I have for today's post. She is the brains behind many a brilliant bloggy things; like the "I See What You're Saying" videos (which I was never brave enough to participate in), and she is currently in phase 4 of her 30 X 5 challenge.

I'm sure you all know who I'm talking about, so without further ado, here is Linda from 2nd Cup of Coffee...

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My First Child Graduates College

My eldest, Katie, graduated from Anderson University a couple of weeks ago and is currently in Australia, living one of her life’s dreams: feeding wallabies and holding koalas.

It’s not hard for me to imagine Katie doing that; all I have to do is recall her in a plaid sundress feeding her stuffed animals with a pink plastic spoon about 19 years ago, and I can see it clearly.

For her graduation, I wrote Katie a letter, excerpted here, that I’d like to share with moms and graduates:

Author Marilyn Ferguson said, “It’s not so much that we’re afraid of change or so in love with the old ways, but it’s that place in between that we fear. It’s like being between trapezes.”

That’s where you are right, now, letting go of the bar behind you, anticipating that second swing to take you to your future. Right now, in this split second of your life, you’re precariously suspended in air, hoping all of the preparation you’ve done won’t fail you when your big moment arrives.

Don’t be afraid to grab the incoming bar and swing away! You’re more capable than you know. When you’re apprehensive, remember that the power of Christ is in you, giving you his wisdom, helping you accomplish his purpose in your life: “For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Phil. 2:13). When you surrender your life to Christ, the task ahead of you is never greater than the power in you (1 John 4:4b).

CS Lewis said, “We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad.”

Well, no one wants to see you “go bad!” I’m glad you’re not in diapers or braces anymore, although I miss my little girl so much sometimes. But it’s been fun watching you hatch into such a great young woman.

When you were small, I tried to save you every bump and bruise, believing that as long as you were an arm’s length away, nothing could harm you. You didn’t even go to the mailbox unwatched by my loving eye.

When you started driving and filling out college applications, I realized that from then on, you would be farther than my arm’s reach or eye’s sight for the rest of your life.

I was forced to recognize that not only was I not in control of every influence and circumstance around you but that I never was. Moms only like to think we are in control, which is silly because the truth is that Someone much greater and wiser is in control. And as Emerson said, "All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen."

And so I learned to let go of you bit by bit, which is what’s supposed to happen in families. I let go of my own trapeze, believing that God would see both of us through to what lay ahead knowing, “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion” (Philippians 1:6).

So congratulations to my college graduate—to all graduates.

You were born to fly for His glory--swing away!

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Thanks, Linda, for sharing with us today. This was a timely post for me. It so encouraged me to continue trusting my Creator, knowing that "He who started the work, will be faithful to carry it on to completion."

10 Things on a Tuesday

1. Long weekend – It was absolutely delightful. This weekend was a perfect combination of relaxing and productive. I’m a bit sad that it has to come to an end.

2. Home improvement store – We made a couple trips there this weekend. If we weren’t adhering to such a strict budget I could have spent a ton of money. It was fun to dream a bit though, while we purchased our 2X4’s.

3. Family barbeque – We had the fam over for a barbeque this weekend and it was super enjoyable. I love living so close to all my family!

4. Grandbaby – That precious Carsen is now 2 months old and he is unbelievably adorable.

5. Rabbits – These are an upcoming addition to our household. My horse lovin’, 4H doin’ daughter is now getting into show rabbits. She would rather be showing horses, but due to family budget cuts, the horse budget was nixed. So she has spent some time convincing her parents that she should do rabbits. The convincing came complete with a power point presentation she did with the research she compiled.

6. Garden – We have added to the garden a bit this year and I’m really excited about it. I’m a bit nervous at this point though, because I planted most everything from seed and there are still several things that have yet to sprout. It may end up being a really small garden.

7. Summer – The weather has been beautiful this weekend and it makes me so eager for summer. I’m looking forward to a looser schedule and more family activities (free ones of course).

8. Sitting outside – With this beautiful weather, I spent some time just sitting outside this weekend. My husband and I drank our morning coffee in the rocking chairs on the front porch; and later in the day, I sat on the back patio and read a magazine.

9. Beach – I’m really hoping for a trip to the Oregon Coast this summer. We will have to get creative to make this happen, but I really think it can work. More on this topic later.

10. Winner – I won! That giveaway that I talked about for the 30 Day Shred DVD, well, I won! Thanks, Michelle!

There you have it…a few things that I have been doing and thinking about lately. How about you? What have you been up to?

Check This Out

I've read about it all over blog land...seems that lots of people are doing it. I've got to admit, it looks a little intimidating to me.

Michelle over at Raising Little Women is giving a copy away. Go check it out and if I don't win maybe you will. And if I win, check my blog in a few weeks because I just might be giving my copy away. I'm only kidding. I'd like to give it a try, and maybe if I do it faithfully, 3 times a day for the next 2 years, I'll have abs like Jillian Michaels.

Thanks Michelle for offerring a great giveaway!