Listening when Someone talks

(My apologies in advance for hijacking Third Day's song for my illustration. LOL)

Tell me to slow down if you think
That the road that I'm on's goin' nowhere
Tell me to slow down if you know
That I'm goin' too fast for my own good.
Tell me to slow down
If the way is leadin' to a dead end
Tell me to slow down turn around
Let me change the way I'm goin'.

I would like to think someone would stop me before I crashed. I would like to think that there's someone who would care enough about me to step up to me and say "hey, slow down!" It's comforting to know that in most cases the person most likely to do that for me is DaHubby.

DaHubby has an uncanny ability to read situations and the people in them. He's constantly putting words to and making sense of my unending yet unspoken internal angst. It's like that when you say someone really *gets* you, ya know? LOL Like finishing my sentences.

Hindsight being what it is, I've learned that about 95% of the time I should have listened to him because the situation (in which he might be involved or just be observing) turned out exactly as he said it would.

Tell me to slow down if you see
That I'm runnin too fast in the wrong race.
Tell me to slow down if you think
That I can't keep up with my own pace.
Tell me to slow down 'cause you know
If there's ever any question
Tell me to slow down, turn around
Let me change my direction.

Not to minimize how valuable DaHubby's skill is to me, I was thinking how much God is even better than him at it! LOL So, when God send His "nudges" as I call them, why don't I listen to Him as often as I listen to DaHubby?

Prayer is funny that way. We pray for direction, for patience, for guidance, for strength but are we listening when God answers? Do we run off our laundry list of concerns but not take any time to just *sit* and *LISTEN*?

Do we ask God to come and change us, mold us, make us better but then don't take the time to hear what He has to say about how to DO it!?

Oh, I don't want to let go
Of all the things that I know
Are keepin me away from my life.
Oh, I don't want to slow down.
No, I don't want to look around,
But I can't seem to work it out,
So help me God.

Now, my life (especially with little ones) can be as crazy as the next person. My schedule's packed with ALL sorts of things (real and imagined) that I think need to be done. Repeatedly this week I heard people pray for help because they are letting their quiet time with God slip away into the hurried-ness of life. People (including myself) often just rush through our God time and check it off our to-do list. We punched our clock so God will be happy with us.

And, I got to thinking...how would our kids feel if we just punch a time clock with them? How would we feel if our spouse simply "clocked time" with us. More than once, DaHubby's teased me saying "hey, can you add ME to your to-do list?"

And, again, how much more must God feel when we just clock in with Him instead of spending serious time in His presence?

Be still, and know that I [am] God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! Psalms 46:10 NKJV

God WILL be exalted - are you gonna be there, waiting, listening when He is?

Thursday Thanks Tank

There have been so many things going on and issues flying around here that I *really* need to consciously do my thanks tank today. It's my "mind focuser" for the week...

So, in no particular order:

I'm thankful (and THRILLED) that the kids appear to mostly healthy again...FINALLY!

I'm thankful that my "offline" time has provided a chance to step back from & re-assess my online life on Facebook and Twitter.

I'm thankful for an "early" Thanksgiving. My mom and step-dad will be here Sunday and she's bringing the food with her! LOL All I have to make is desserts which will be a surprise - (one) because one of them is a favorite of the Vikings and DaHubby and (two) the other is a first-time recipe I'm attempting. LOL

I'm thankful for a brilliant, patient, and understanding hubby who doesn't blow his top when I locked us outta the house when we walked down to our neighborhood park this past week. He just shrugged and started popping off the screen of one of the new windows he's installed. Flicka was at first very upset...until she realized that Daddy was gonna be putting HER through the window to unlock the front door. I'm also thankful for neighbors with a sense of humor who came out to watch "the show" LOL

I'm thankful my first-ever trip to our local Panera which turned into a wonderful unexpected morning of visiting with 3 ladies I really like but I don't get to spend nearly enough time with. Mel, Melissa, and Shelly - you made my day!

I'm thankful for a locally-run bank who was able to work with us (again) when our current financial situation found us short (again) for the minivan payment. Praise God for these folks who listen first and don't assume folks coming to them for help are just bad with their money. Within 48 hours, we're breathing easier with a new arrangement. I'm also thankful that this new arrangement allowed us to better participate in our new church's food drive as well as keep the few dollars we've saved up for the Vikings' Christmas presents in the bank!

I'm thankful for our YMCA scholarship. Those of you who donate to your local Y for situations just like this...THANK YOU!! It's because of people like you that my babies are still in swimming lessons, still going to family gym nights, and family swims with Daddy...not to mention the child care so Momma can spend some time getting some much-needed exercise and stress relief as well.

I'm thankful for choir...I guess I'm just a big ol' music/band/singing geek but there are few things I have more fun doing than singing - particularly for church. By Wednesday, my bee-hind is starting to drag but choir practice ALWAYS makes me glad that I persisted through my day and went. We have an anthem on Sunday to open service...praying that it goes well.

I'm thankful for the 4 hours I spent in prayer and fasting with some local Moms In Touch International folks. Thinking about leading a group at Flicka's school.

I'm thankful for being able to go on the second of Flicka's school field trips last Friday. This one to the local nature center.

For more TTT, stop by Pam's place and see what she's got filling her thanks tank.

Wordless Wednesday: Looking Back

On this day in 2004:



On this day 2006:
For more WW, go here or here.

Enduring

Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See [how] the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end [intended by] the Lord -- that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful. James 5.7-11

To endure: "to hold out against; sustain without impairment or yielding; undergo"

I will endure.

Mama Bears and Jehovah Nissi

I've been spending a lot of time lately thinking about this "mama bear" instinct. It keeps coming up in different circumstances - and not all of them related to the Vikings.

In my Bible study group which was reading Esther, we talked about how in chapter 9, Esther asks King Xerxes for another day for the Jews to defend themselves against Haman's decree. We talked about why she would make such a request. Possible bad reason? She was getting used to being in power and was wielding it rashly. Possible good reason? She was feeling a little "mama bear-ish" about her people and wanted to make sure all the enemies of the Jews were annihilated.

Then, there's a well-meaning friend of the family that has taken to teasing Pojke lately. Asking to see his ever-present "beep beeps" (aka toy trucks) he carries everywhere with him and occasionally his lovey, "Susie". The man has taken the toys and/or Susie when left unattended and wants Pojke to give him a hug to get it back. He's called him a sissy and a mama's boy when Pojke turns to me for help. He's called him a baby for having Susie at all. Things like that.

Initially, it wasn't bad but it crossed the line somewhere and now is very upsetting to Pojke. Since this is a friend of the family, I've hesitated to say anything so far. But, as it has continued, I find my "mama bear" rising up in defense.

And, lately, there have been friends of DaHubby's who poke fun at him. For being "too smart", for going to school while working, for allowing me to handle the finances, for not doing more of the typically man-like things in which they feel DaHubby should be participating. And, again, I feel my "mama bear" bearing her teeth.

Then, while attending my last Beth Moore session for that study of Esther, she mentioned the following verse of Scripture:

To the woman He said: "I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire [shall be] for your husband, And he shall rule over you." Genesis 3:16 (NKJV)

Beth Moore talked about how we should pay less attention to what society says about beauty, femininity, and being desirable and focus more about what God say about our value and beauty as well as what our hubbies think. We should be desiring after THEM not society.

My desire should be for DaHubby - and it is. My desire to love and defend him flows naturally from that. And, those little sweet Vikings, I love them that dearly. Thus, I also feel the need to defend and protect. All things come from that love...even that mama bear instinct. The challenge is to reign it in so as to still remain Christ-like.

Jesus loves us ever-so-much more than we love our hubbies and children. How much MORE "mama bear" feelings does He have towards us? While we refer to God as "Abba Father", I think it would be good to remember that He also has a large dose of "mama bear-ish" feelings for us as well. We need to remember that He is standing between us and those things which would hurt us.

Jehovah Nissi - My Banner and Protector!

And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-LORD-Is-My-Banner; Exodus 17:15 (NKJV)

(Belated) Wordless Wednesday: Vikings at Rest

Two days of couch snuggling due to sickness haven't really been all that bad:

For more WW, go here.

Thursday Thanks Tank

Without further ado...

...thankful that DaHubby's still working - even if his hours have been cut and we don't know week-to-week how many hours he'll be able to work

...thankful for DaHubby's scholarship which covers his textbooks - especially when I hear him say he's taking chemistry (*ching*), physics (*ching, ching*), mechanical operations (*cha-ching*), and pre-calc (*KA-CHING*) winter semester.

...thankful that DaHubby's emergency root canal Monday morning relieved his pain and that our dentist was able to get the tooth into such a state (albeit temporary) that the remaining procedures can wait a few weeks 'til (hopefully) we're more financially able to deal with it.

...thankful for all our healthiness...so far.

...thankful for the roof over my head, my utilities, a working furnace, and "warmer" (i.e. better insulated) windows.

...thankful for a fridge full of food including 2 drawers of produce and a freezer with several containers of chicken stock and gallons of milk.

...thankful (OH so thankful) that we went through Financial Peace University in the fall of 2007 because, as a result, we've been able to keep up on our payments in spite of DaHubby's hours fluctuating between 24-45 hrs/week for the last 9 months.

...thankful for my almost four-year-old "littlest man of the house" who has begun to open and hold doors for me.

...thankful for my big girl who can make me cry when she can already recite her Pledge of Allegiance perfectly thanks to her AWESOME kindergarten teacher

...thankful for the small moments - like when Pojke receives a treat and says "I'm gonna save some of this for (Flicka)" or when he starts spontaneously singing "oh no, You never let go...through the calm and through the storm..." or spouts out "I can do all things through Christ...flip-ee-ans four dot, dot thirteen"

...thankful for kids who are "getting it" and are thrilled with simply spending time together with a $1 DVD and some ice cream.

...thankful for the shower of comments this week about how cute, how well behaved, etc. the Vikings are. I *really* needed to hear that lately. A little validation goes a long way in my momma world.

...but most of all this week I find myself in wonder and utterly thankful for all the wonderful women God has placed in and around my life lately. The ladies from my Bible study group, MOMS Club, choir, my sisters-in-law, and online buds have no idea how they have lighten my load this week. So, a shout out to the Wednesday morning "Esther" ladies, Melanie, Amy, Melissa, the alto section, Susie, Peg, Heather, Shellie, and all my sweet friends/family on Facebook. THANK YOU!!

For more TTT, stop by Pam's place.