Peace (James 3:18)

Chaos.  That's what life feels like sometimes. Especially last week.  For whatever reason, it was a tough week.  I have a few ideas for some of the reasons but I'll spare you.  The greatest reason is just a three letter word that sort of stings the ears when I'm talking about me- SIN.  Put 8 people together (or 7, I won't include my fantastic husband) for a long period of time, and don't be purposeful with that time (Friday off school, especially), and naturally things will deteriorate with unregenerate hearts.  It was a very hard week.  Felt a little out of control and I fell into some "tongue-fire" with my kids.  So this morning, I went to James 3 to receive a little blast on taming the tongue.  
Okay, so my heart has been gripped this morning by a scripture that I don't think I've noticed before. In fact, I don't think I can say that I would've even recognized the verse that gripped me.  When I read it this morning, I almost dismissed it as a little out of context and not applicable to me.  Then I read it again, because I was curious at this little anomaly.  WOW!!!  I am determined now to seek more understanding about it and to pull some commentary off of my husband's book shelf and search this thing out.  God's Word is amazing.
One more preface before I divulge the goods (the amazing verse, that is!).  What is my determined goal in parenting?  What is the ONE thing that I want to pass on to my kids in life?  I want to sow gospel seeds deep in their hearts, seeds that will take root and grow up into righteousness and produce massive fruit for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.  (How's that for a definition of "Christian Parenting"??)  That's it and that's all.  And I think this morning I have found a golden key to unlock that treasure.  Now I'm ready to divulge the goods.  Are you ready for this???
James 3:18  "And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace."  Wow.  This sounds like a parenting golden nugget to me.  I don't pretend to understand in totality the context or meaning of this.  But one thing in particular has struck me.  Seeds that produce righteousness are NOT sown with angry words.  Seeds that produce righteousness are sown in PEACE.  When life feels chaotic, and kids seem out of control, and we want RIGHTEOUSNESS in our children (boy that sounds so nice), then our mission is two-fold.  "Make peace", and "(sow seeds) in peace".  Last week I think I was trying to "strong-arm" my kids into righteousness, maybe to shame them a little into righteousness (shame on ME), but mostly I was just reacting in the flesh in sinful anger rather than walking in the Spirit and sowing seeds in peace.  By this afternoon, this verse will be on my wall somewhere reminding me of the goal and means of parenting.  What a treasure.

Girlies

Just a random pic from this summer.  Two of the sweetest girls I know!  :)

Old Pics

Oh my goodness.  We have been sorting through pictures on the computer recently and have had such a great time remembering when the kids were little.  I can't believe how time passes.  Reilly is a TEENAGER.  Oh. my.  Isn't this precious?  This is from 9 years ago.  Oh, and just a side note.  Yesterday, we measured Reilly and Shea.  Shea now officially has Reilly by about 1/4 of an inch.  It won't last long, but it's pretty funny at the moment.  At least to most of us.

I'm A Slacker.

So here's a wimpy way to update you all since I'm terrible about blogging.  Shutterfly allowed me to put this book that I made of our summer adventures (some of them) onto the blog.  As if anyone is reading this anyway.  Nevermind.

Photo Book

Click here to view this photo book larger

Click here to create your own Shutterfly photo book.

Recent Happenings

 Celebrating mommy's birthday with a little competitive bowling...you can ask Kurt who won.  (Please do :)  I haven't aged out of my competitive spirit. 

 Kurt went on a field trip with Reilly's class to Charleston.  They had a great time!

 "Fanny Packs" were REQUIRED.  Unless your parent was there.  WHEW for Reilly!  The sweet boy on the left...didn't live through the 80's and has no context for understanding the awesomeness of his rockin' pack. 

 Grandpapa came down for a visit and took us all strawberry picking.  Since the kids had gone with Kurt and I a week before, the novelty had worn off, and so Grandpapa and mommy did all of the picking while they ran races down the rows of strawberries!

 We're still working on this.  But I think we're on the home stretch!

 The girls baked a cake for me on my birthday (I know, it's out of order) and I didn't even enter the kitchen.  They did a great job! 

 We spent a day at Hart Square.  A complete, pioneer village that Dr. Hart has put back together from various historic places he's been.  It is absolutely amazing. 

 The homeschool group of kids that we spent Mondays with this year, in front of a Cotton Gin (I think- hey, I'm not a student!)

 The simplicity makes me sort of want to go back in time.  Every home was amazing and unique.

 Sweet siblings.  They do love each other.

Precious Cam-o splashing in the lake in the middle of the village.

Happy Birthday Sweet Baby Dax

Today we celebrated Dax's THIRD birthday!  Wow.  Unbelievable.  Time to take a moment to list a few things that we love about our sweet boy.
1.  The way he grabs your face and pulls it to his for a smooch
2.  How he shouts at the top of his lungs from his bed for mommy or poppy to tuck him in
3.  The way his top lip pooches out when he's sleeping (I smooch it over and over!)
4.  How he snores as loud as Macy when he's tired
5.  How he loves to be "the match!!" with Reilly (clothes)
6.  The precious excitement and hugs he gives and gets every morning when his face peeks into the hallway
7.  The fact that he loves to jump.  Jumping in place, on the trampoline, but mostly off of the tallest thing he can climb up.  Sometimes he makes people nervous.
8.  How he loves everyone.  He runs to greet so many people at church with the sweetest squeezes.
9.  His precious funny faces.  He wrinkles up his nose, furrows his brow, then breaks out laughing.
10.  His love for stories.  He loves to hear any story that you want to tell.  Fiction or non.
11.  His unashamed singing.  He sings to himself and has such a happy way about him.
12.  His love for Disney's "Cars".  He adores all things Lightning McQueen and Mater.  He screamed when he opened his present.
13.  How he loves sports, namely, baseball.  He used to wear two mitts to all of Reilly's games.
14.  The way that he will sit in the corner with his cars and books and quietly play for hours.
15.  The bantering we do regularly when we say to each other over and over, "You're the best, you rock!"  He comes back with, "NO, you're the best, you rock!!"
16.  The fact that he can't pronounce the letter "L" or "R".  It's, "I WUV you."  I think I'll say that to him for the rest of his life.  It's the cutest. 
17.  How badly he wants to be a big boy.  If I call him my baby, he always corrects me and tells me, "I'm a big boy!"  I'm trying to use that in potty training...
18.  The charming way he compliments people- mommy, poppa, the kids, and even my friends at church.  I've heard many stories of how he has been stroking someone's head, then just says, "I wike your hair."
19.  The cute way he runs.  So determined, chest out in front, arms dangling behind him with that cute waddle making his hair bob.
20.  How he loves to be dressed up...by the girls in princess dresses!!  (Kurt doesn't think this is all that funny)  He's been seen in a tutu dancing in circles or riding the pink Barbie car.
21.  His love for "Deedee" his blanket.  He's always concerned to find deedee for bedtime.
22.  The most precious, priceless moments are when you're just sitting together and he snuggles up close, and with all sincerity looks right in your eyes and says, "I wike you, mommy."