November 3: Daylight Savings

Daylight Savings. A time of year I used to look forward to, because who couldn't use an extra hour of sleep?? Fall back, get an extra hour of sleep in and recharge. Now, it's the "crap, the kids woke up an hour early" Day. And I boycotted it. 

I heard them get up. They aren't particularly quiet. Think, herd of small elephants {mind you, even the small elephants aren't really that small}. A little while later, they brought the baby up and informed us that they'd eaten an entire package of cookies. But don't worry, they divided it up amongst themselves and even gave two to the baby because they didn't want her to feel left out. So I stayed in bed and snuggled the baby. 

Then I heard running and laughing and screaming and vacuuming. I decided that it wouldn't be THAT easy for them to kill each other with a vacuum, so I stayed in bed a little longer. I came down to find that they had created a gun with the vacuum parts, but they were all still alive. Just curious, does anyone need someone to teach a course on Delinquent Parenting 101? Cause I think we would nail it.

Just wondering.

Vanilla Chia Pudding

If you're a fan of tapioca pudding in the slightest, then you will LOVE this Vanilla Chia Pudding. The fat in the coconut milk makes it rich and creamy, and with the Chia Seeds and other real ingredients, it's a pudding that's actually good for you! Chia seeds are tiny but pack a lot of nutritional power, and they are an excellent source of fiber, Omega-3's, Calcium, Manganese, Phosphorus, and protein. Chia seeds also stabilize blood sugar and help regulate appetite, sleep, and improve mood. Make this pudding the night before for a quick and delicious breakfast in the morning or to snack on throughout the day.

Vanilla Chia Pudding

1 can full-fat Coconut Milk

1/3 cup Chia Seeds

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in a pint size mason jar. It will be filled to the brim--you'll be sure that it won't all fit, but it will. Trust me.

Note

: In order for it not to overflow, you must measure

lightly

{i.e., no heaping tablespoons or cups}. Or you can just remove a tablespoon of the coconut milk initially to give yourself some wiggle room. Screw the lid on and shake to combine. Refrigerate overnight.

Enjoy!! It's great by itself or mixed with fruit. As you can see, it's a much healthier {and I think tastier!} option then the store bought pudding, pictured below. Try different flavor combinations by swapping the vanilla out for cocoa powder or caramel.

October 24: Moments of Silence

The storm is brewing outside on this chilly day again, and the house is quiet. A little boy down for a nap and the two bigs at school just leaves me, typing on the computer, and the baby, toddling about and playing. There are a million things that need to be done--laundry that needs folded, dishes that need loaded and washed, floors that need picked up and swept--but I find myself lost in my thoughts in the peace and quiet. The clanging dishes would ruin the silence, surely.

But it's not total silence. I hear the dryer spinning clothes that will come out smelling wonderful. I hear the fire crackling ever so slightly in the fireplace. The occasional rumble of thunder, the dog snoring. And then there's Eva. I hear the pitter patter of her little jammied feet as she walks around under the kitchen table. She fits perfectly under there standing up, which will only be the case for a short while. I hear her sweet little voice saying, la-la-la and da-da. She brings me a plastic spoon and her shoe, little treasures that she's been carrying around. Her smile is contageous and her little cheeks are so soft. She's completely content just milling about, exploring this and that, unloading, unpacking, touching, tasting, and moving on to the next thing.

I love days like this, and I've been so blessed to be able to be home with her and watch her experience the world. Life will be so different at some point without a little one roaming about. I wonder if I'll know what to do with myself? My eyes are tearing up at the thought of it. I know that there are blessings in children growing up. Being able to witness and experience the shaping and development of people who will grow up to make a difference in the world is awesome.

I think part of me will miss the moments of silence, because, let's face it, the older they get, the LOUDER and more crazy they seem to get. Silence helps me to reflect, enjoy, think and focus on the blessings in the moment. After 4:00 when they get home from school, I feel like life is in fast-forward. The moments are there and gone before I have a millisecond to ponder them. We talk about the day, do homework, make dinner, do baths, read books, and then it's time for bed. There's normally running and screaming and fighting and playing and laughing intermixed with me trying to get things done or picked up, but not much silence. Probably no silence. In fact, if you asked the kids what silence is, I'm sure they'd have no clue.

Since moments of silence or peace don't naturally seem to exist in my house, I suppose I need to make an effort to create them. But not total silence. Quiet enough to hear small voices as they share details about their day. To notice the excitement or hurt in their voice as they talk. Peaceful enough to enjoy their laughter as they play on the floor or run around in circles. Still enough to sit on the edge of their bed when I tuck them in, praying with them and listening to whispers of secrets, hopes & dreams. 

To be still in my soul, doing only what God has for me to do in this moment and nothing more.

If What God Says About Me is True, Then What?

Y'all remember If-Then statements from Geometry? Maybe you'd rather drink hot sauce then remember Geometry, or maybe you're geeking out right now at the mention of it, thinking yes I do!! I loved Geometry, and Algebra for that matter. All the logic, rules, & equations. I could do proofs All. Day. Long. Once you learned all the rules, it was so simple. I loved the challenge of figuring out how all the pieces of the puzzle fit together to form the correct solution.

a+b=c

There's only one solution, & there's a way to find it. Every time. Numbers don't lie or change like the shifting shadows. 1+1 doesn't decide to equal 3 today because 2 is PMSing & they'd really rather not be around her. 1+1 will always equal 2.

In an If-Then Statement, the first part after the "if" is called the hypothesis, and the second part after the "then" is called the conclusion. The If-Then statement is considered true if the conclusion is true. Stay with me, I'm getting to the point...

I'm doing some personal research for an upcoming event and would like to know how you would complete this If-Then Statement:

IF what God says about me {listed below} is really true, THEN what?

My {Identity} in Christ

I am a child of God. {John 1:12}

I am a branch of the true vine, a conduit of Christ’s life. {John 15:1,5}

I am a friend of Jesus. {John 15:15}

I have been justified and redeemed. {Romans 3:24}

My old self was crucified with Christ, and I am no longer a slave to sin. {Romans 6:6}

I will not be condemned by God. {Romans 8:1}

I have been set free from the law of sin and death. {Romans 8:2}

As a child of God, I am a fellow heir with Christ. {Romans 8:17}

I have been accepted by Christ. {Romans 15:7}

I have been called to be a saint. {1 Corinthians 1:2, Ephesians 1:1, Philippians 1:1, and Colossians 1:2}

In Christ Jesus, I have wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. {1 Corinthians 1:30}

My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells in me. {1 Corinthians 6:19}

I am joined to the Lord and am one spirit with Him. {1 Corinthians 6:17}

God leads me in the triumph and knowledge of Christ. {2 Corinthians 2:14}

The hardening of my mind has been removed in Christ. {2 Corinthians 3:14}

I am a new creature in Christ. {2 Corinthians 5:17}

I have become the righteousness of God in Christ. {2 Corinthians 5:21}

I have been made one with all who are in Christ Jesus. {Galatians 3:28}

I am no longer a slave, but a child and an heir. {Galatians 4:7}

I have been set free in Christ. {Galatians 5:1}

I have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. {Ephesians 1:3}

I am chosen, holy, and blameless before God. {Ephesians 1:4}

I am redeemed and forgiven by the grace of Christ. {Ephesians 1:7}

I have been predestined by God to obtain an inheritance. {Ephesians 1:11}

I have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. {Ephesians 1:13}

Because of God’s mercy and love, I have been made alive with Christ. {Ephesians 2:4-5}

I am seated in the heavenly places with Christ. {Ephesians 2:6}

I am God’s workmanship created to produce good works. {Ephesians 2:10}

I have been brought near to God by the blood of Christ. {Ephesians 2:13}

I am a member of Christ’s body and a partaker of His promise. {Ephesians 3:6 & 5:30}

I have boldness and confident access to God through faith in Christ. {Ephesians 3:12}

My new self is righteous and holy. {Ephesians 4:24}

I was formerly darkness, but now I am light in the Lord. {1 John 1:5-7}

I am a citizen of heaven. {Philippians 3:20}

The peace of God guards my heart and mind. {Philippians 4:7}

God supplies all my needs. {Philippians 4:19}

I have been made complete in Christ. {Colossians 2:10}

I have been raised up with Christ. {Colossians 3:1}

My life is hidden with Christ in God. {Colossians 3:3}

Christ is my life, and I will be revealed with Him in glory. {Colossians 3:4}

I have been chosen of God, and I am holy and beloved. {Colossians 3:12}

God loves me and has chosen me. {1 Thessalonians 1:4}

Sound off in the comments or on Facebook!! If it's not too much trouble, I'd appreciate it if you'd share this post--the more answers the better! I'd love as diverse a response as I can get. Thanks for your time and answers!

October 20: Just Keep Walking, Just Keep Walking...

Tomorrow Eva will be 11 months old... Hard to believe!! And there was something different about her today: she'd take a few steps & fall, same as usual for the past few weeks, but instead of admitting defeat and crawling the rest of the way, she GOT BACK UP and took a few more steps. Just stood up, right where she was, without holding onto anything, & kept right on going. Kept going until she made it. Perseverance. 

There's a great life lesson for ya there, folks. Let's all get back up & keep going. God can use all the broken pieces, broken hearts, broken dreams & broken people for His glory if we let Him.

Will you?