If I sat still long enough

One of my most precious moments in life is when I get to sing and rock one of my babies to sleep. Maddie has not fallen asleep to my singing and rocking her for a couple years now, Naomi outgrew it at 6 months, and Titus outgrew it shortly after Naomi. But there are moments like tonight when Maddie's allergies awaken her and she struggles with coughing and the sniffles. Nights when all she wants is tylenol and rocking with mommy.

There are moments and nights when I am too tired and I simply escort her back to bed and rub her back for a bit. But then there are other moments like tonight where my mommy heart kicks in and I am reminded that my babes are only small but for a short time. Rocking my babes is one of the most sweetest moments and I don't think anyone fully understands until they themselves are a mommy.

It was tonight as I was rocking Maddie, relishing and soaking up every moment of cuddling with her that I realized. Perhaps this is the very safe, comfortable, relaxed feeling that God wants us to have with Him. To seek my solice and comfort from Him. Also, it causes me to think, does God look at me with the most utmost love, like I look at Maddi with the utmost love. There are moments when I look at my kids and think man, that child is mine. I am in awe that they could have possibly come from my body and are entrusted to me. It causes me to think, does God look at me like that? Does he look down from heaven and smile and say to Himself, wow, that child is mine! I hope so, I truly and dearly hope so! I want a father in heaven that looks at me with the utmost love, that looks at me with awe and wonder and thinks man I created her! I hope that God relishes in the tender moments I share with Him, like the tender moments I share with Maddie.

But it also causes me to think, in the mornng Maddie will not be still enough to sit on my lap and rock a bye. It will actually be the last thing she thinks about as she goes this way and that. This causes me to wonder, am I like that with God? Do I sit still long enough to enjoy be rocked by God, so to speak or am I like Maddie and get busy going this way and that.

For my next quite time I think I shall simply mediate on God's wonders and marvelous ways. Perhaps I will attempt to sit long enough to soak up the presence of God, my Father. Relishing that perhap my Father in Heaven is relishing also in the fact that I have come to sit with him, come to find comfort. Perhaps my Fathr in Heaven will relish in the moment with me, as I relish it when Maddie seeks solice with me! It's an overwhelming thought that God thinks of me in that way and loves me even more than I love Maddie! Now that's amazing and worth sitting still for!

I was reminded today

I was standing at the kitchen sink grumbling and complaining. Grumbling and complaining that I didn't think it was fair that Mark got to go to work and I was the one who had to stay home and get everything ready for our weekend of camping. In the midst of everyday living, I also needed to prepare and get food made and ready for the weekend. As I was scrubbing a dish, God reminded me that Mark is doing his job! That Mark is doing exactly what God wants him to do right now. He also reminded me that I was doing exactly what he wants me to do right now. Not the grumbling and complaining, but scrubbing dishes, getting food ready for the weekend, doing laundry, getting lunch for the kids. God didn't yell at me and smack me, althought I did deserve a good spanking. He spoke to me in a gentle whisper, the whisper that can only be the Holy Spirit. It was as if my eyes had been open to not only the importance of Mark's job, but the importance of my job. I was also reminded that I do not desire to go out into the work force. There are plenty of days that I need a break from the diapers, the dishes, the vaccuming, and the whinny, fussy kids. But honestly, when I think about what other job I would want to do, I can't think of one!

I have been baking a lot today in preperation for our camping trip and while I'm baking I must be quite enough that God is able to speak to me. Because when I'm baking and cooking, God often whispers things and I am receptive to what he is saying to me. Every since I was 16 years old I have worked in missions. Whether it was kids club in the park with Youth For Christ, doing day care at Little Lambs, or working at Camp Redcloud. Full time ministry makes my heart soar! I love it, I love teaching about my Jesus, his love for us, the direct relationship that we can have with God, because of Jesus sacrifice on the cross. Today, God whispered, you have full time ministy. 24 hours, 7 days a week, 365 days a year! He reminded me that I am on a battle field for my kids salvation. He reminded me that he is using me to lay his foundation in my kids lives! Me, he's using me! To build sturdy foundations so that my kids will be able to stand firm and not blow over when life doesn't make sense. I am helping my kids to build strong foundations on the rock, not poorly built homes in the sand. I am not the foundation, I am only a tool being used by God, to help create the foundation. I see this active in Maddie my four year old, as she watches my husband pray over our 15 month daughter Naomi who can't seem to calm down for some reason. As Mark is praying Naomi begins to calm down and Maddie says; "Mommy, it's working, his prayers are working." A stone was laid in her foundation, that when we go to God and pray, He hears us! Not only does He hear us, he answers! When Maddie is angry or scared and we direct her to pray to God about her fears or anger, we are helping her lay another stone in her foundation.

I have also wanted a job where if I needed to I could spend the whole day with Jesus. A job where I could curl up with God's word, my journal that I use to talk with God, and a cup of tea. I have that kind of job! I can post scripture all over my house, allowing me to meditate on God's word all day. During nap time I can feast on God's word and feast on prayer and talking with the father.

I'm very blessed in that I love baking and cooking! Nothing gets my enegines going more than experimenting with supper or concoting a new culture, fermentation, or who knows what else!

I am thankful for a God, who sends his Holy Spirit to remind me to get my attitude in check. Who reminds me to repent and be right with Him. It's a heart attitude, one that when I release to the Lord, when I cry out to Him, He comes and gives me the very exact thing I need. But I have to ask, I have to cry out.

I'm thankful for a God who gives me what I need, when I need it, when I don't even ask for it! I was reminded today!

God even provides Ballet lessons

We put Maddie in ballet not knowing if she would like it. We didn't know if we would be able to afford it. We had no idea how it would go with the twins in tow (for the record, transporting a four year old and young twins is a very difficult task!). Maddie not only likes ballet, she loves it! She loves dancing with her friends, it's a great outlit for her dramatic personality, and she loves dancing with Ms. Bridget.

God not only allowed us to afford it, we had all the money for the whole year by the third month. They had the opprunity to sell papa murphy pizza cards. I wasn't going to do it, because the last thing I wanted was one more thing on my plate. My mom came with to some of Maddie's lessons and heard of this. She took it upon herself to take some and sell some. They sold so well we ended up going back for more of them and sold those as well. Thus dance lessons were paid for, plus as sweatshirt, and her recital costume. I tell you this not to brag, but to share with you God's amazing provision.

I was hesitant and leary of taking the twins with me to ballet. To begin with my mom came with to most of her lessons, thus giving me an extra pair of hands with the twins. Then Mark started school and I was able to leave the twins with him while he did homework and they took naps. Even today I wasn't sure how it was going to happen, but I knew God would provide. Either allowing the twins to do well while I was alone with them or he would bring help. He brought help in the form of Anna, a cousin, who came with us to ballet lessons.

God even provides ballet lessons! He knows what each one of us needs, he knows what will help shape us and mold us closer to Him. He has shaped and molded Maddie, he has shown Mark and I provisin in many ways. Yes, God even provides ballet lessons!

The Magic Tree House

I have been on the hunt, for the book or the series that would trigger Maddie's interest. The kind as Maddie would say, "doesn't have anything on it." In other words there are no pictures or few of them. My sister Emily and I went rummaging one Saturday morning and low and behold we found the whole series of "The Magic Tree House". Emily, being a kindergarten teacher was excited to find it, trusting her judgement I bought the series. At first Maddie wasn't into the thought of them, then I explained it was about a magic tree house in the woods. That caught her attention and we cracked open the first one, we read a couple chapters, then had lunch. After lunch she brought it to me on her own and asked if we could read some more. Some more turned out to be reading the whole thing in less than half an hour.

Kid tested, mother approved!

Leftovers?

One of my favorite things in the kitchen is being able to use leftovers in a way that doesn't seem like leftovers. Using leftovers is a great way to save money and it's a wonderful time savor. They are fantastic to turn to when you are in pinch, tired from a long day, or simply haven't had time to give supper a second glance. I had one of these moments the other day. We had gone out of town visiting someone in the hospital and I wasn't sure if we would eat at home or not, so I didn't have a plan or anything thawed out. I did what I usually do, I pray and ask the Holy Spirit for creativity.

The previous evening we had had fish packets consisting of Sweet potatoes, onions, asparagas, with lemon butter fish on top. The fish was fine but the left over veggies were mushy and I wasn't sure what i would use them for. I got the idea to put both the fish and mushy veggies in my kitchen aid mixer and mash them together. I threw in one egg and enough bread crumbs to make it come together. I formed them into thin patties and fried them in left over bacon grease. Yummo! They were the best ones I had ever made and they were from left overs! Awesome!

What creative left over do you have to share? I would love to hear your ideas!

The Glass Slipper

I chuckle as I watch my daughter run around in her dress up princess dress. She runs down the hallway with only one shoe, while the other one is down the hallway. She has lost her glass slipper! Not only that but the wicked step sisters are closely on her tail. I have to admit the women inside me, who longs to actually be a princess gets excited! I'm excited because for right now she truly believes she is a princess, she would have a hard time grasping that she really isn't a princess.

I am excited! I am excited because my baby(s), my Madeline Grace Russell has a chance to be a real princess. The God of the universe has made it possible through His son Jesus Christ, to be a child of the one true, mighty king! She is Princess Madeline Grace Russell, daughter of the King of the universe, the founder and creator. The one who commands the stars and seas. The one who gives her breath and the very same one who will welcome her into the heavens. Oh Father God, capture my kids hearts. I pray they get an excitement that they belong to you!

I pray one day my kids will accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour and their titles will then become:
Princess Madeline Grace Russell, Princess Naomi Abilgail Russell, and Sir Prince Titus David Russell
Children of The King!

Pineapple desert!

I have been watching pantry raid on netflix. A show about a chef that stops someone in the market, asks if he can go home with them to prepare a meal for them. You would have to be nuts to say no! But that's my personal opinion. On one episode I saw he did this dessert. Since I had a pineapple, a fresh one, I had to try it!

1 fresh whole pineapple, halfed and cored
3/4 cup sugar (or to taste)
1 stick butter

Melt the whole stick of butter in a dutch oven pan, when butter is about half melted put the pineapple in the butter mixture and swirl it around the pan to coat with the butter. Then sprinkle your sugar over the top of your pineapple and butter mixture. Stir until sugar starts to melt into the butter. I put my oven at 350 degrees. Then I put the pineapple into the oven to carmalize. I turned the pineapple a couple of times to get the pineapple carmalized all the way around. It's done when you can put a fork or knife through it or it flakes easily apart. That's easy! Super easy, smells great, tastes amazing!

Frugal living at it's yummiest!

Excitement or Grief?

After I got my kids breakfeast, cleaned up, and ready for the day. I jumped on facebook, to "check in" quick and see whats circulating. After scrolling for a bit, there was no doubt something had happened. Something big, Osama bin Laden had been killed, his body put in U.S. custody, and U.S. people were rejoicing. It's one thing to rejoice at a man who has been captured who may have killed thousands of people. A man who directed people to purposely blow themselves up, with the intent to kill others.

Yet, as I read the posts of fellow family and friends cheering and "walking" the streets of FB excited that the man is dead. I have to be honest, I am torn. My personal excitement is short lived for two reasons. One, because there will be another Osama, as long as we live on earth there will be evil. Another terriost will be as bad or worse than the one who was just killed. There are others who believe as Osama did, if not stronger. Who knows what the next Osama master mind has planned. On another note, Osama, as evil of choices as he made was created by God, loved by God, and God desired for Osama to come to him and find eternal life. Osama's sins by earthly terms was worse than mine. In God's eyes (whos eyes in my opinon are the only one that matters) Osama was not worse than me. Osama for whatever reasons in his life was lied to by the deciever of lies, Satan. I need to be sadden that Osama was for destruction, not peace. That he choose a life living apart from God and now in death, he may be parted by eternal death. I don't ever want to rejoice that a fellow human, a fellow human loved by the creator, is apart from the Creator forever.

I will be praying for God to give me compassion for the lives on this planet. I will be praying for hearts to turn towards Him and find everlasthing peace. The only way war can end is by stopping sin, until you stop sin, you cannot stop wars or any other kind of evil. But I can pray and I will continue to do so.