Giving Up On Good: My Time With Jesus

Linking up with Jessi at naptime diaries for her series Giving up on good:) She's my new-best-friend-who-doesn't-really-know-me-at-all-but-seems-like-we-could-be-great-friends. lol. Check out her blog and her etsy shop...its awesome and inspiring and just....just a true reflection of Jesus! Here's my Giving Up On Good contribution!

I really do love Jesus.
I really love sitting down with the Word and my journal and talking to Him.
I really love having my little blocked out hour(s) with Jesus.
With one child it was completely doable everyday. But I have 2 kids:)

And the truth is, I RARELY get that blocked out time anymore.

With 2 kiddos-- one who is still nursing -- that BLOCK just dosn't fit in anymore.
Hosanna--my 14 month old little beauty- takes ONE nap a day, for one hour.
In that hour, there are so MANY things to be done -- housework, etsyshop upkeep, emails, phonecalls, laundry folding, toy pickup, reading with Karis...etc.

The block doesn't work.
So I say, I'll just get up early. Everything will be quiet.
It can be just me and Jesus.
Nobody will need their bottom wiped. Noone will need lunch. Noone will be asking any questions.
Well-- it's was great idea, in theory.
And it WOULD work EXCEPT that Hosanna still sleeps with us and nurses to go to sleep and nurses several times through the night.
This littl snugglebug does not like when I get up...or she wakes up! Glorious.
Scratch that idea- at least for now.

So I have given up on my "block" with Jesus,
but what I have found in its place are some sweet moments with Jesus.

When I am washing dishes, I talk to Him.
When I'm folding laundry, I pray over the kids and my husband.
When I am cleaning the toilets I ask Jesus to come and clean me up again.
When I am changing diapers I pray over hosannas feet, that she woul walk in paths of righteousness and that she would walk with the Lord all the days of her life.
When I am making beds, I pray that He would send revival.

My relationship with Jesus is more than a block of time anyway.
Its about how I respond to Him each moment.
How Iopen my heart to Him in the mudane, everyday, normal life.

And to be honest, my best Bible reading usually happens when I'm in the bathroom...lol
I know you can relate as a mom!

It is a freeing thing to not be trapped by the idea that my time with Jesus has to look a certain way.
He just wants my whole heart. All the time.
All I want is more of Him.
All I want is to hear whats on His heart.
All I want is to be a mom that my kids can say, I know she loved Jesus because she talked to Him all the time.

Do I fail? Yes.
Do I get too wrapped up in life some days?? Oh yes.
But His grace is sufficient for me to walk out being a mommy and a lover of Jesus andan incredible wife!!

One prayer at a time. One moment at a time.
The season of the block has ended...Thank you Jesus!

To the mommies....

Hello my lovely friends....

I really am trying to keep up with this thing!

Between the kiddos, house, rental house and etsy shop, I seem to be busy. Imagine that.

This week both of the girls have had the flu. Yuck.
Have I ever mentioned that HATE the flu.
Eww. It's just gross.
Enough said.

For those who don't know- we are collecting cloth diapers to send to haiti for babies with NO DIAPERS.  I can't imagine the messy messy mess. But Jesus is faithful to provide! If you want to give money toward this, heres the link. We'll also take diapers, covers, inserts, snappi's... etc! Basically whatever Jesus puts on your heart to give. Heres the event page link on facebook with all the info!

This weekend is mothers day. Thankfully growing up I had a mom (and dad) who loved Jesus and raised my brother and I to love Him with all of our lives. She gave up nice clothes and nice cars to stay home and raise us. If you stay at home with your children, you know what a sacrifice it is, but what a return you receive on your investment. And yet, at our best, on our greatest days as moms we fall so short of the glorious standard.

I think parenting was and is Gods way of teaching us
selflessness, patience and utter dependance on Him.
I'll never have enough on my own.
I'll never give enough out of myself.
I'll never be able to fulfill the standard of Proverbs 31.

But with Him all things are possible.
Through Him my weak and feeble attempts leave a mark on my childrens life.

I am learning day by day that the greatest ministry impact I could ever have is right here in my home.
If children truely are a reward from the Lord, what an honor to have been given the two that I  have here on earth, and the one thats with Jesus.

Maybe you are raising the next Leonard Ravenhill. Mike Bickle.
Tim Tebow. Misty Edwards. Karen Wheaton. David Brainerd. Billy Graham.
Maybe you're raising a son that will change a nation.
A daughter that will prophesy and bring healing to her school.
Maybe your raising a Joseph who will impact where He works with the favor of the Lord.
Maybe your raising a daughter who will adopt children who are abandoned.

They aren't inconveient. I'm just selfish.
They aren't expensive. He provides everything we need.
They aren't too little to understand. They see and hear everything around them and take it in.
They don't take my time away from Jesus. They teach me to walk with Him each moment.

I have much to learn from them and from Jesus about them.
Thankful to be a mom and to be surrounded by women  who embrace their role as one that is great.

It's not small. You're not insignifcant. You're not invisible.
What you are doing will stand through eternity.
Heaven is cheering you on as you wipe faces,change diapers,
spank bottoms and repeat Jesus loves me.

You are making an impact.
Believe it and give your life to teach your kids chase Jesus.
It's worth it.

Covering Bottoms

I have a friend who lives in Haiti.

She helps take care of orphans. She cares for the sick.

She shares Jesus with people who have no hope.

Who have little food.

Who have few clothes.

My sister in law recently went to visit  her in Haiti. 

Since you can not mail things there, she packed a suitcase FULL of things that Krista needs there.

 I wanted to send diapers because they are 

few and are between there in Haiti.

They use strips of cloth to cover the babies .

I didn't send the diapers but since then  each time I pray for my sweet friend, I think, she needs diapers.

Holy Spirit truly knows all things.

How often does He speak that I completely miss it.

Ignore it.

Dismiss it as just me.

Yesterday I posted a new print in the shop.

I got a post from Krista in Haiti asking for one when she comes into the states in June.

I asked her if there was anything we could collect for her that she needs there--since you can't mail anything.

Diapers.

And so, I am  collecting cloth diapers. Any kind. All sizes.

If you have some you want to donate,

that would be INCREDIBLE.

If you want to donate money to purchase the plastic covers or diapers you can give through my etsy shop thats linked to paypal. There are buttons to give $10, $20 and $50.

All the money will go to diapers to cover baby bottoms in Haiti.

It will help so much to keep things sanitary and they will be REUSABLE!

If you want to help, heres the link to the facebook event page and it has all the details.

Thank you so much for your help ahead of time.

Let's show how Jesus loves the babies in Haiti.

HE EVEN PROVIDES DIAPERS!!