Dust Bunnies

 I think it's time for a reality check. Not just for me, but for all of you mothers of toddlers or any age children that spend the day destroying your home. So many things have been floating in my head about the reality of motherhood and living a life to please the Lord and being honest all at the same time. I've read blog posts and articles about the stress put on mothers to live up to all of the pictures and statuses on facebook glorifying their day, their children, their activities, and maybe just stretching the truth a little.

 I am guilty of mostly posting positive things on facebook. It's not because I want my life to read like a fairy tale. I just don't like complainers. Therefore, I try not to complain. I really do try to see the positive in my situations and sometimes joke about the trials of being a mom of two under the age of four. For example, some days I only have the opportunity to shower after dinner. Then I put on clean pajamas and call it a day. That's just the season I'm in, and I'm totally okay with that.

 I have a young girl and her friend coming over this weekend to bake. Let me just tell you, my house is a wreck. I mean, it's never in that great of shape, but someone might think a toy store exploded in here. Not only that, but I haven't cleaned the wood floors in weeks. I never knew what a dust bunny looked like until I had wood floors. Now they are everywhere. I also know why they are called dust "bunnies." It's because when you aren't looking, they multiply as quickly as bunnies. I once used the Swiffer to clean under all the furniture and my child asked "Mommy, what are you trying to get?" True story. When I think of the mess these young girls are walking into, I'm a little embarrassed. I want to clean it up, but then a thought crossed my mind. What if I don't clean it up and just live the way I live? They need to be told the truth about being a young mother. It would sound something like this: "When you are a young mom, if that is what you want to be someday, don't believe that other moms are doing better than you. Don't believe that they have it all together and their house is tidy and they spend all day frolicking with their perfectly dressed and well-behaved children. This is reality. Look around. The house is a little dusty and covered in crumbs, but my children are well cared for. The diapers all made it to the trash? Good day. No stitches or broken bones? Good day. Both kids napped? Great day! At the same time? Praise Jesus!!!"

 I want moms and young girls alike to know that what is important isn't your ability to teach your kids their alphabet by age 2. It isn't to spend every day of the summer doing something special. (Although my three year old might disagree, "where are we going today?") It isn't to have an immaculate home that is kept clean (this is impossible, BTW.) The important things to accomplish while being the mother of young children are to spend time with them and teach them about Jesus. That's it. If you have some extra time in the day, pick up around the house. If you don't, that's okay. You might not love every second with your child. That's okay. You might need to let them watch PBS all day so you can take a shower, dink a coke, and read. That's okay.

 I don't believe God wants us to compare our lives to other moms and try to determine if what we see on social media is fake or real. It doesn't matter. Don't let statuses or pins or tweets be the measuring stick for your life. Let Jesus be your measuring stick. It goes without saying, but Jesus didn't always have it easy. Yet he was thankful. He was thankful for what the Father gave him and for his responsibility on Earth.

 The reason I try not to post about my trials on social media is because I aim to keep my eyes so focused on God that the trials seem small. I try to be thankful for what I have and where I am, even if what I have is screaming at 3am and I am in my cozy warm bed. Of course I am far from perfect in these areas, but it is a goal. A positive attitude is born from a thankful heart.

They are taking a nap. In the kitchen.

Quotes I Hate...(don't like, I mean)

Facebook Phrases

I love Facebook to keep up with my out-of-state and formerly out-of-country family. I love to see pictures of kids and dogs and kitties. I like to know when there is a birthday, especially if the year is included and they are older than me. I love the funnies that are posted on there and I love to try to be funny. There are some things...that just...We have a saying in our home. Mostly my husband says it to me, but it's true. "You would probably be good friends with her if it weren't for Facebook." Let me just say, that is so true. Mostly the negatives drive me crazy. But also, the anniversary posts, new job/promotion posts, and the overall 'good people' posts.
 There is a reason why these bother me and it's not because I'm cold-hearted and hate my life. (Although Jesus tells us to hate our life, doesn't He? Luke 14:25-27. Yikes! need to work on that) Anyway, moving on. These posts annoy me because of these three phrases:

1." ________ years ago I married my soul mate!"
2. "Congratulations! You deserve it!"
3. "People are just good."

 People aren't good

 I'll start will "people are just good," because that one is short and sweet and just a very vague comment. Many times these 'good people' posts come about because of a crisis or some situation where the 'good' was seen. Don't get me wrong, there is ABSOLUTELY good in the world. But it only comes from one place- and it's not people. The only good in this world comes from God. Period. How do we know what "good" is, anyway? God. He puts it in our hearts and when we see it, we know. (Romans 3:10-12, Romans 3:23, Mark 10:18, side note-even Jesus loves a little riddle).

 I don't deserve it/You don't deserve it

 We deserve to be punished for our many sins. (Romans 6:23) The marriage, children, job, promotion, material things, food, clothing, etc. We do not deserve that. Those are gifts. A gift can not be earned and it is not deserved. Hmm, that one turned out shorter than I thought. Moving on.

 I did not marry my soul mate

 I know that I will one day. Jesus is my soul mate, and here are a few reasons why:

1. He is my friend  (John 15:15)
2. He died for me (John 15:13, Romans 5:8)
3. His love will never leave me (Romans 8:38)
4. He is perfect (Hebrews 4:15, 1 Peter 2:22)
5. He rescued me from death (Romans 6:23)


 There you have it. The reasons why those phrases irritate me. I think the most important part of this message is this- Although people aren't good, we don't deserve anything good, and we don't have a soul mate on this planet, God can work in us. He can give us good through Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life. (John 14:6) He can give us our soul mate if we ask. And praise God, He can give us so much more than we could ever deserve!

Remembering April 27, 2011

 I've never shared some of these pictures. Mostly for respect of those affected by the tornadoes of 2011. Two years later, I've decided it was time to share a little bit of our story and some of the pictures that go along with it.
 I awoke to tornado sirens at 6am on April 27, 2011. It was the first of many tornado alerts we would hear that day. We all went to our "safe place," which, in all honesty isn't safe at all. But it's what we have. Little did I know that we would be spending the majority of the next 15 hours in that place.
 Around 12pm another warning came through our area. I was alone with my nearly 2 year old son. We again got in our "safe place." This time it was close, I could hear hail. It was so loud that I could no longer hear the weather man on TV. But from what I could hear outside, something was close. Large hail, loud pops of something...transformers? power lines? I didn't know. Then the entire house was quiet. No power.
 Thankfully, my husband had an emergency wind-up radio. I wound and wound it up and listened to the radio for news on the next wave of tornadoes. I watched the radar on my phone. I panicked. We knew they were coming, yet there was nothing to do but wait.
 The next tornado that came through our area was around 6pm. I'm so thankful that my husband was home and by my side with our baby underneath us. You never want to hear that a tornado with a 3/4 mile wide base is headed to your community. After this passed, I felt a sense of relief. I knew we were not in the clear, but I just felt a sense of calm that we had escaped a very large storm.
 These were the two tornadoes in our immediate vicinity. The warnings were constant throughout the day. Every thirty minutes to an hour, another cell would be coming through. It was a record-breaking number of tornadoes in Alabama that day.
 This was only the start of what would be a life-altering week. For five days we were without power. The hardest thing for me was taking an ice cold shower. I have really come to appreciate running hot water. We ate by candlelight at night, mostly pre-packaged food and juice boxes. We boiled water on the grill so that the baby could have a semi-warm sponge bath. We played games and listened to the wind-up radio. One day we went to the park with my in-laws. We also traveled to another town where there were rumors of power. We had a hot meal and then found a place to do some laundry...a truck stop. I often tell others that this was one of the best times of my life- and it was.
 For half of a day, I volunteered with a friend to help a neighborhood near by that had been hit hard. Words can not describe what is seen in these areas, or what is felt. There was thankfulness that it was not us. There was guilt that it was not us. There was an overwhelming feeling that nothing I can do will be enough. We just did what we could do that day, and they were thankful for us.
 April 27th will always be a day that I take time to remember those families that were changed forever. Many things were lost that day, but things don't matter. Many people were also lost that day. I remember the many families who mourn together for the loss of loved ones. I pray for them that God will give them peace and comfort.

Our "safe place"

Where we usually play

We had to wait in line for groceries

having fun at the truck stop