Time

Dear Daughters,

Today was a milestone for our family. Today I went from being the mother of a preschooler and two elementary school children to being the mother of two elementary school children and a middle schooler. Today my years of being a stay-at-home Mom with young kids is officially over. You are all growing up!

P, eleven years ago, I left a career as a middle school teacher to be your Mom. I have never once regretted that decision. It is hard to believe you are now where I was then, but I am so proud of the young lady you've become.

My sweet E, you are a joy. You have loved, delighted and kept the peace for almost nine years, and for that, we are all grateful.

S, you are no longer my baby girl, but are now my big girl. You will rock Kindergarten! You are so ready!

And so I wonder, are your suitcases packed with the right things? Have we spent enough time filling them with what's important? They are already half full and I don't know. I pray so.

Time flies my sweet girls. Everyone says it but no one believes it. I pray that your days in our home are filled with truth, grace and love. Your days do not have to be spent with activities to be meaningful. Jesus is enough for you all day every day. Cherish every minute, remembering what is really important.

"Then our sons in their youth will be like well-nurtured plants, and our daughters will be like pillars carved to adorn a palace." Psalm 144:12

I  Love You,


Mom

Family

Dear Daughters,

This month your great-grandmother passed away. It has been a sad time for me because I was very close to her, especially when I was growing up.

You may not realize this now, but you are very blessed to have the legacy of faith that Nana passed down to you. Your Nana loved Jesus, and she prayed for you before you were ever born. It is because of those prayers, and her unwavering commitment to her Savior that you and your other cousins are here today. You see, she understood the importance of family. She saw the big picture and persevered, even when her life was not easy. God blessed her faithfulness with generations of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren who love and serve the Lord. Generations like this:

Girls, your family is very important. Your relationships with your parents, grandparents, siblings and cousins are relationships that will last when others do not. Cherish and protect those relationships no matter what. One day, when and if God blesses you with a husband, protect that relationship as well. God will honor your obedience and faithfulness!

"...Her children will rise up and call her blessed..,"- Proverbs 31:28a


I Love You,

Mom

Rest

Dear Daughters,

Today as I'm writing to you, I am resting. It has been a busy few weeks and I am tired. Today there were many things to be done, but I made the choice to rest. It isn't easy to make your body slow down when there are piles of laundry to do, a house to clean, drawers and closets to organize, work to finish, and the list could go on. But rest is important, and today I am trying to make it a priority.

We all have the same amount of hours in a day. How we choose to spend those hours is up to us. We may talk with our mouths about what we think is important, but unless our actions match our words, then we really don't have our priorities straight.

There are many, many demands on our time. But sometimes our bodies tell us just to rest. And that's OK. There is no need to feel guilty about resting, or about spending time just being still. As a matter of fact, many times we hear from God more clearly when we are still and quiet.

I pray that you will learn at an early age that taking time to rest is an important part of a well-balanced life.

Psalm 46:10- "Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth."


I Love You,


Mom

Faith

Dear Daughters,

This past weekend we spent time together on a family mission trip. Your Dad and I could not have been prouder of you and the way you boldly shared your faith with others. It was also a lot of fun to simply unplug and spend time together without any outside pressures or influences. The trip was a result of you, E, and your desire to reach the people of Clarkston, Georgia. We are thankful that God planted the idea in your heart and that you allowed Him to use you to serve.

We are very proud of the way all of you share your faith. We are glad you see it as important in your life. S, I will never forget the day you expressed concern about the spiritual condition of one of our neighbors. You overheard a conversation I had, and as we were getting ready to leave the house on a Wednesday afternoon, you asked "Mom, can we go tell ____ about Jesus on our way to church?" Your faith is an example to me!

As you get older, you will be faced with many people who do not share your belief system. You will be challenged about what you believe and you will have to answer hard questions- even from your closest friends. You will take a stand on issues that line up with the Bible, and you will be challenged and criticized. The Bible tells us this will happen.

My prayer for you is that you will keep your child-like faith. I pray you will stand for truth, and never waver from it. I am blessed to be your Mom and to have the chance to learn from each of you. "Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it."- Mark 10:15

I Love You,

Mom

Emotions

Dear Daughters,

Raising the three of you is certainly a roller-coaster ride! Our goal this school year has been to have mornings with no tears. It is sad to say, but we have only made it a few times! We girls love a good cry and although I, as your Mom, understand that, it makes for some tough days when you are all crying at the same time!

Your Dad has always said when the three of you are teenagers he is moving next door to the neighbor's basement. He thinks we will need the extra bathroom space, but I think he's just scared!

The Bible has a lot to say about emotions. In Galatians 5:22-23 we learn the kinds of emotions that honor God. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."  As hard as it is to practice these, they reflect a life that is pleasing to God; a life controlled by the Spirit and not the flesh.


As girls, you will blame a lot of bad behavior on your emotions. While there are times this cannot be helped, there are also times it can be controlled. I can tell you that you will save yourself a lot of heartache if you learn to control your emotions, and not let them control you. Better yet, give God control, and enjoy the peace that comes from living a life submitted totally to Him.


I Love You,


Mom

Sisters

Dear Daughters,

I am so thankful that God gave me girls to raise. Many years ago I thought I wanted a house full of boys, but the Lord knew what he was doing by giving me the three of you.

One of the things I like the most about having girls is the "sister" relationship. Since I grew up with a sister, I know how much fun it is to share things, be silly, and of course do what sisters do best-argue! And since you girls are all closer in age than I am with my sister, I suspect you will argue even more. It is part of growing and up and to be expected, but I want you to remember one thing. Your sisters will be your very best friends in this world.

My best advice to you regarding your sisters is to love them unconditionally. Stand up for them, fight for them, and defend them. P, you recently told me that people did not understand when you said your sister was your best friend. I am so proud of you for recognizing this truth in your relationship with E. And E, you have been such a wonderful big sister to S. She looks up to you and treasures the times that you play dolls together and spend time "pretending."

When you do argue, let it be short-lived and ask forgiveness quickly. Many times we do not realize how harmful our words can be, or how deeply we can hurt feelings. Remember that your sisters will be there when no one else will. Treasure each other and lean on each other. You will need each other, even if you don't realize it now.

And lastly, enjoy the gift of being "girly" with your sisters. Laugh, giggle and play together. Share each other's hurts and cry together if you need to. Don't be stingy with your "stuff." Let each other hang out in your rooms. Share your clothes, toys, books and games and be generous whenever you have the chance. If you do these things, your "sister" bond will be strong and your memories happy.

"I thank my God in all my remembrance of you." Phillipians 1:3

I Love You,

Mom

Grace

Dear Daughters,

Grace can be defined as "God's unmerited favor." In other words, grace is getting what we do not deserve. This year at our church we are studying grace and it is such an important topic. It is also one I believe is often misunderstood.

Here is the take-away for you: There is NOTHING you can do that will make God love you more than He does right now. And there is also NOTHING you can do that will make God love you less than He does right now.

This past year has been tough for our family. As you know, Daddy losing his job has made 2010 a very difficult time. We have had to learn to accept grace from others. We have had to come face to face with our belief system and decide whether we really believed what we said we believed. Guess what we found out girls? His grace is enough for us.

This is the truth from God's word. You can count on it.

I Love You,

Mom

Friendship

Dear Daughters,

God has truly blessed me in the area of girlfriends. I have old friends and new friends. I have friends I can call at the last minute that would drop everything to help me out and friends I don't see often but that are my fervent prayer warriors. I have college friends, church friends, neighborhood friends, friends that are the Moms of your friends, beach-buddy friends, long-distance friends, and many more. There are friends in my life who now have daughters that are your friends. I don't know how I could walk this life without my friends.

As in any area of life that God blesses, the enemy is constantly on the prowl seeking to kill and destroy. As awesome as friendships between girls and women can be, they can also be extremely challenging. Life can get hard and girls can be mean. I know you have each experienced this and you will throughout your life. As you navigate this process, I challenge you to ask yourself what kind of friend you are to others. Do you seek to build up or tear down? Do you follow the crowd and gossip or do you stand up for those who need it most? Do you follow the example of your sweet Savior who was the ultimate friend to those in need of Him? My best advice to you concerning friendship is to be consistent. Be the one that stays the same. Love others even when they are unlovable. Choose your closest friends wisely and carefully, understanding that true intimacy comes when Jesus is central in your relationships.

You will have many friends in your life. Some will stick around forever and some will be there only for a season. Love your friends for who they are and accept them where they are. And always remember that there is only one "friend who sticks closer than a brother" - Proverbs 18:24

I Love You,

Mom

Busyness

Dear Daughters,

Today has been a wonderful day. Today we stayed home. All day. There were no carpools, activities or errands. No one left the house- not even Daddy. A day with nothing to do is a rare gift and one that should be treasured.

In today’s world, it is very difficult to steer clear of busyness. If you ask people how they are doing, a typical response is “We’re fine- just busy!” There are many things that keep us busy that we cannot control. As children and teenagers your lives will likely be filled with activities, lessons, parties, and time with friends. As young adults you will be busy working and possibly raising families of your own. Your life will be full, but it is important to learn to manage your time well.

One of the most important lessons you can learn about busyness is that you CAN control it to some degree with one simple word- “NO.” Saying no is difficult and it takes maturity. The world will tell you that you can do it all, but I can tell you from painful experience that you cannot. Many times when you say “yes” to too many things, you end up doing none of them well. The most peaceful times in your life will come when you keep your schedule free with plenty of time for God’s word, your family and time alone.

It is especially difficult to say no when people ask you to do things you are good at. One of the best pieces of advice I have ever received from your Daddy is “Don’t say yes just because you are flattered they asked you.” My prayer for you is that you will keep Micah 6:8 at the forefront when you wrestle with how God would have you spend your time. “…and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"

I Love You,

Mom

Commitment

Dear Daughters,

Commitment is important. I pray that you will all grow up to be responsible, committed people that can be counted on. I pray you will recognize the importance of keeping your word and of being trustworthy. As you get older, your commitments will increase. It is at that point you need to make sure what you are committing to is really worth it.

P, you have been involved this past year in a sport that requires a great deal of commitment. You excel at it and you enjoy it. It has been fun to watch you find "your thing" and see you accomplishing your goals. God created us to enjoy using our gifts and abilities for His glory and I am glad you have chosen something where you can shine for Him. Unfortunately, as is the nature of many sports schedules, the commitment requirement is constantly changing. Many times practices are called and held at times that conflict with our commitment to church. It has been tough to watch you miss out on things, but we know that Jesus wants us to make Him our first priority.

The lesson I hope you will take from this is that your priorities and commitments must be firmly set early in your life. The world will challenge them and try to make you second-guess your decisions. But I encourage you to make biblical choices and stick to them no matter who or what else is vying for your time and attention. You will be in the minority and will miss out on some things that seem "fun" and "good." But God's best for you is so much more than what the world's best is. Seek Him above all else and the rewards will be greater than you can imagine!

"Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act."- Psalm 37:5

I Love You,

Mom

Wisdom

Dear Daughters,

The description of this blog implies that I want to impart my wisdom to you through my writing. While this is true to an extent, please let me clarify. Any bits of wisdom I have picked up along the way that have any worth at all come straight from the Word of God. I have spent most of this past decade wrapping my brain around the fact that the Bible is the ONLY authority and standard for living, and that it is completely without error. That's where the only true wisdom comes from, girls!

I actually started this blog for you almost three years ago, in March of 2008. At the time, you were 7, 5 and 3 and I was a tad overwhelmed with life in general! I posted only four times from 2008 to today so obviously I wasn't quite ready to write down my thoughts daily! Hopefully now that we are almost out of the preschool years, I can reflect on those sweet times while sharing things the Lord has taught me through them.

In Romans 3:10 scripture tells us "..none is righteous, no, not one.." That includes me, your father, your teachers, your friends, and anyone else that might have influence over your life. You will hear many messages loud and clear from the world, but the reality is that you can't trust a single one of them; not even the ones from me. But rest assured that your Heavenly Father is more than able to offer you truth in every situation. "..to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ!" - Romans 16:27 

I Love You,

Mom

Introductions

Introducing.....my three daughters P, E and S!! My prayer is that this blog will be a way for me to document our life together. The responsibility that comes with raising these girls is sometimes more than I can bear to think about! But I know that God will give me the grace and strength I need, and that He will be the perfect parent when I am not. I love you girls! I am thankful for the opportunity to know you and am blessed to be called your mom.