Teaching teenagers ALWAYS rocks my world!

A couple of weeks ago I had the privilege to speak to about 100 teenage girls. It was a BLAST!

My message to them was about putting things before God.... ultimately selfishness.

I am ALWAYS floored by the fact that when I go to teach them....... God teaches me!

It was pretty short and sweet and to the point but the last 2 points have been pounding me in the face for 2 weeks.

The first of those 2 being that we have to " know our weapon". We read in Ephesians that the Bible is a weapon. It's our sword. I illustrated to the girls that my brother is a marine and had served his country by going to Iraq. I asked them how comfortable would I be if my brother went to Iraq having NO IDEA how to use his gun? I would have been terrified! I was anyway but it would have been so much worse if I knew that he had no way to protect himself.

That's us and the Bible! See, we have the weapon we need to protect ourselves. My brother spent MONTHS learning how to load and unload that gun. He knew it forwards and backwards. He was comfortable with it. THAT IS HOW WE SHOULD KNOW SCRIPTURE.

Ouch! It was a great lesson to teach but it just keeps coming back to my mind over and over. I have memorized loads of Scripture but how much of it has changed my life? That weapon changed my brother's life..... do I let my weapon change mine?

The second point was about accountability and wise counsel.

I feel like they are 2 different things.

Accountability is typically people in your peer group. The people who see you everyday and aren't afraid to come talk to you when things seem a little off.

Wise Counsel... these are the line backers in your life. The people that will literally knock you over if necessary. These people will risk your friendship and even their own safety to make sure that you are making good choices.

The part of this that is sticking with me, is that I have excused away the accountability.

I rationalized my behavior by saying " I am too busy" or " I have the kids and no quiet time to talk" or my personal favorite " My husband can keep me accountable" BAHAHAHA!!!

Let me explain that my area for needed accountability is diet and exercise...... IT IS NOT A GOOD IDEA TO MAKE YOUR HUSBAND KEEP YOU ACCOUNTABLE! It might work for you but it only ended in tears in our house.

So I am looking for solutions.

I need to memorize scripture and let it change my world.

I need to allow someone close enough to my life that they can ask me about my diet and exercise.

I am not sure I have a plan but I'm pressing on towards a solution.

Feel free to add any thoughts you might have :)

Just some thoughts...

Words....

I can barely form sentences to speak them, let alone write them down.

I am not sure if it's because I am tired or because God is moving in my heart again.

I was listening to some music while relaxing

"I'm weak, I'm poor, I'm broken Lord but I'm Yours, Hold me now"

I feel like these lyrics ring true for me.

I am tired, parenting and everyday life isn't as easy as they make it look on TV.

I am scared at the idea that I am not sure how we are going to pay our bills.

I am broken by the battles I have fought in my life.

BUT

I have accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior and I am so much more than a broken, scared, poor lady.... I am a treasure, a jewel.... you're laughing right? Me too... A jewel, a treasure? I don't feel that way when its 2:30 in the afternoon and I haven't even showered for the day yet. When my hair is a mess and one of my children just barfed on me.

When I am weak and broken it's in that moment when I cry out to Him for strength that He gives me all I need. He comforts me and gives me the strength I need to keep moving forward... shower or not!

Sickies!

The last few days have been well... germy.... I guess is the best way to put it!

The biggest of our littles had the "barf nasty"(that's what we call the stomach bug) earlier in the week and the littlest of the littles has been fighting a cough and stuffy nose for about a week.

I was comforting one in my arms while my amazing hubby comforted the other....... BUT then he had to go to work. Both little boys wanted to be held but I didn't want either of them to be that close to each other (in case they shared).

In that moment I started to feel really overwhelmed. I thought " AHHH NO, I CAN'T DO THIS"

I wanted to panic. I even started to!

I really started to just plain freak out.

I wish I could tell you that my first thought in the moment was to pray.

I wish I could tell you that I didn't let my frustration out a little on the kiddos.

It was when the oldest reached over to grab the baby and give him a kiss that I screamed NO!!!!!! He had no idea he was doing something wrong. He knew his baby brother was sick and he just wanted to make him feel better.

But when all was said and done I had not handled that right. Poor guy cried and that's when it hit me.... I need to relax. At that point I did pray.

I needed to be reminded that my kids will get sick :( And as much as I hate it when they're sick, God has blessed me to be in their lives and take care of them.

So so so many children wake up everyday sick and have no Mommy to hug them. No one to cradle them after they've thrown up. No one to wipe their nose and give them a kiss on the forehead. This day when they are sick.... it's not a curse.... it's a blessing :)