How to Know Where Grace Lives

Several months ago, I was given a book. I love to read, but this book went directly on the bookshelf without even a quick scan through the chapters. I thought maybe I'd have time to read it 'one day', but it wasn't high on my book list simply because of the title:Tender Mercy for a Mother's Soul. I enjoy reading books that challenge me and help me grow in my spiritual journey with the Lord. This book just looked too fluffy and instead of reading cotton candy, I prefer to read real food. I confess, I was judging this book by its cover! wink!

However, I finally picked it up. I began consuming the chapters and I quickly realized that I had made a mistake! One of my favorite chapters discusses how to know where grace lives. Here are just a few of the ways to spot a home where grace and joy reside:

"*You can see people dancing where grace lives, because moms hang up the phone, turn up the music, and dance over the victories of their children. Sometimes the children just watch from behind their cereal and "catch" the grace of a silly mom.
*The eyes of the children where grace lives shine with joy and anticipation. They have not been wounded by impossible expectations. They have note been distanced by rejection. They have been embraced and accepted and loved.
*You can hear things like 'Please forgive me, I was wrong... I'm disappointed but I love you... You are my treasure...You are my blessing... Let me pray for you.'
*The moms at the house where grace lives are just regular, every day moms, but God lives inside them. By His power, they are becoming holy and righteous and good. They stumble but recover quickly. The make mistakes but say, "I'm sorry." They get blown by the winds of heartache and adversity, but their hearts remain tender toward God."

I thank the Lord every day for the grace He lavishes on me. I pray that our home will always be a place where grace can be found!

"Test me, O Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind. For your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth."- Psalm 26:2-3

Wordless Wednesday

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. "- Hebrews 11:1

More meMOOries

Since yesterday was 'Cow Day' at Chic-Fil-A, if you dressed like a cow, you recieved a free meal! We decided to load up our little herd and head out for dinner. Here are some pictures of the fun!Here's our first born cow! Wubs loves animals, so this was definately her idea of a good time!

Bella loved the face paint! She laid across my lap and giggled the whole time I was applying the black paint onto her sweet little cow nose! Daddy and the girls in the playland. Daddy was willing to wear spots, but a little black nose is where he drew the line! wink!The sweet Campbell herd, minus one cow. It was SO busy at Chic-Fil-A that seats were filling up quickly. Ryan and Christy graciously offered to save a spot for us since they had already finished their meal. It was 'utterly' kind of them! Wubs and her precious friend, Katelyn. (We enjoyed 'chewing our cud' with you, Weber family!)

Wubs and Katelyn in 25 years.

"But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers."- Psalm 1:2-3

Chewing

This is the typical bedtime routine at our house:
1. Help the girls put on their jammies.
2. Time to go potty and brush little teeth.
3. Mommy reads a bedtime story.
4. Daddy reads from our devotion book.
5. We pray together.
6. Snuggles and kisses, lights out.

This routine works super well! However, the Holy Spirit really convicted me the other morning about our devotion time with the girls. You see, our devotion book is designed for conversation. Each devotion includes open ended questions, a scripture, and cute poem about the topic of that day. We are all pretty tired in the evenings, and by the time we are ready for devotion and prayers, well... we don't usually have much conversation about God's Word. That's no excuse, but it is the truth.

Yesterday morning, as the girls were in and out of the kitchen during my quiet time, the Holy Spirit reminded of my dependency on God's Word every day. I need to read the Truth each morning and cling to it all day long. It was about that time that Wubs came to ask me for some tortilla chips. (Normally, I don't dish out chips at 9:30am, but I needed those chips for a little lesson! wink!) I got up from my seat, put down my Bible, and poured a few tortilla chips in a bowl. Then I asked Wubs and Bella to join me in their room.

"Wubs, what if I gave you those chips, but you had to just *gulp* them into your tummy? You had to put them in your mouth and *gulp* swallow them up?"
(Wubs and Bella giggled at my pretend gulps. )

"Wouldn't you enjoy those chips a lot more if you chewed them up? I know I like to -mmmmmm- chew my chips, and I like the crunch crunch crunch, and to taste the salt on them. Well, I was thinking this morning about our devotion book. Maybe we should read our devotion in the morning! Instead of *gulp* swallowing our devotion at night before bed, why don't we read it in the morning and enjoy God's word all day long? It will be just like -mmmmm- chewing those chips... we can chew on God's word all day! Would you girls like that?"

"Yeah! But can I still eat my chips?"

So for the last few days, we have been reading and discussing our devotion every morning. Then at night, we are able to discuss the ways we applied God's word throughout the day. (For example, yesterday's devotion was about gentleness and letting your gentleness be evident to all. The girls did their best to use gentle hands, give out hugs, and chose gentle words.) Wubs made me laugh though, because this morning, when it was devotion time, I called the girls to come join me in their room. Wubs said, "Are we going to go chew on our devotion now?"
David and I are praying every day for our girls, as they grow in their understanding of Jesus, His love, and His gift of salvation. And we pray that long after they have grown up and left our home, they will continue 'chewing'. wink.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."- Dueteronomy 6:5-7

Our 4th of July fun!

What a wonderful 4th of July holiday weekend! We enjoyed many activites, such as being a part of the Wake Forest kids parade, sparklers, fireworks, swimming, and relaxing together! Here are just a few of the many pictures we took over the weekend. ( I had to save some of the extra cute or funny pictures for Wordless Wednesday blogs to come!) Wubs got a little confused about this holiday, though. While we were going for a walk to see some of our neighbors set off fireworks, she asked, "Is this the day we sing, 'Oh, yeah- we love you South America, so much'?" David and I burst into laughter, which only made her want to sing her new jingle even more! Needless to say, once we start homeschool in August, we will be focusing on geography. wink.

"I can do everything through him who give me strength." -Phillipians 4:13

Detour

I have no sense of direction. None. I drive the same familiar routes, even if it's not the most direct path, just for the security of knowing I will indeed arrive. wink.

The other day, the girls were in the car with me as we were driving to drop off a little treat for a friend. ( We made homemade boiled peanuts. They were yummy!) We were driving our well-known route when I began to see bright orange detour signs. Wubs saw them too.

"Mommy, do those signs say 'Don't go this way! It is dangerous!' ?"
"Well, they say we need to try to go another way. I think some men are working on the road to Miss Shonna's house." I turned our car around and began to try to navigate another path to our friend's house.

"Mommy, we have never been this way! This is the wrong way! Oh, man. We are getting so lost. I think we should go back home. Maybe we need a map. This is bad."
"Wubs, it's alright. Just trust mommy, okay? Why don't you look out the window? Maybe you'll see a dog."

Later as I was thinking back through the events of the day, I thought about Wubs' anxiety about that detour. Even though we arrived safely, she was distracted by the new, unfamiliar, unwanted route. It made me think about the many times in my life, when I have heard myself asking God, "Are You sure this is the right way? Because I have never gone this way, and well- it's not what I had in mind. Can't I just stay right here?" I am so thankful the Lord is in control of my life and He has determined the path for me. I would have missed out on all God has revealed to me about His tender love and amazing grace, because I would have never taken the detours He had planned. I am praying that the next time I find myself questioning God's path for my life, I will simply trust Him completely and enjoy the comfort of being in the backseat!

"I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness."- Jeremiah 31:3b