Thankful Thursday

With all the sleep deprivation of a young mom, it's easy to feel depressed and discouraged.  But instead of complaining or mulling over everything that's wrong, today I thought I'd share 5 things that I'm thankful for!

God's Presence:

Too often I try to get through the day on my own strength, but when I slow down and turn my thoughts toward Jesus and rely on him, I'm reminded of what is really important, and I start having a better attitude.

My Husband:

For better or worse, we're in this together, and I'm so thankful to be part of a team.  He challenges me to be better and to keep pursuing my goals and dreams.  He's my primary connection to the illusive world of "adult conversations", and he's a fantastic dad.  I couldn't ask for anyone better!

This Blog:

Somehow, through all of the busy days and sleepless nights, I have still been able to continue writing on this blog.  It's really the only thing I consistently do for myself, just because I want to do it.  I don't even manage to shower consistently, so that tells you how big of a feat that is!  Having a place to express myself and develop more of my skills has helped keep me sane.

Hot Chocolate:

I may not be a coffee drinker, but I sure have been drinking lots of hot cocoa lately....  Also, having pretty mugs to drink it out of makes me happy too!

These Faces:

No matter how exhausting and challenging it is, being mom to these two incredible boys has been completely life changing. I love them to the moon and back, and wouldn't change my job for anything!

You Are Not Alone

Sometimes I feel very alone.  I imagine that you have felt that way too.  It's a side effect of our fast-paced, individualistic culture that we all face to varying degrees. As a stay-at-home mother of a toddler and an infant, my days are often chaotic and overwhelming. I'm tired. And the list of things that I need to do just gets longer rather than shorter. It's easy for me to feel very alone.

But today was a reminder for me that I am not alone. Both of the kids were being extra fussy and demanding attention and I felt like I just couldn't face the after-supper chaos, but a good friend was willing to come without any notice to help with the kids, and I was able to text Jesse at work and ask him to be praying for me. After Steven was in bed, one of our housemates took care of Kenneth so I could have a shower. An evening that I had been dreading became a manageable and even enjoyable evening, because I am not alone.

You are not alone. I promise. There is someone out there that you can call, or text. Maybe they live nearby and can come and help. Maybe they are free to chat on the phone. Maybe a quick text is all they need to start praying for you. Maybe they are there for you in some other way. However alone you feel, I promise you that there is someone who cares about you. Reach out to them; let them hear your cry for help. You are not alone.

Rainy Mood

We had some stormy weather last week.  Lots of rain, and some high winds too.  I like stormy weather.  Ever since I can remember, I've always said that "windy" was my favourite kind of weather.  I also don't mind rain, which is probably a good thing since I live on the wet west coast.

There is something very comforting about the sound of rain.  I can remember camping with my family as a kid, listening to the sound of the rain pattering on the roof of our tent trailer.  When I got older I loved to go for walks by myself, even in inclement weather.  There have been many times when I have been caught out in a downpour and taken shelter under a tree, listening to the sound of the rain and wind rustling the leaves.

A few years ago I was introduced to a website called "Rainy Mood", which plays the sound of a rain storm.  It's one of our favourite things to listen to.  If you haven't heard of it before - you're welcome!  You can use this link to check it out: Rainy Mood

Even more exciting, however, is that you can combine Rainy Mood with YouTube videos!  There are pre-made mixes on the website, or you can make your own by changing the URL from youtube.com to rainymood.com but leaving the rest of the video's URL the same.  I use this feature to listen to music and Rainy Mood at the same time. 

My personal favourite is two hours of Celtic music by Adrian Von Ziegler.  It fits with the sound of the rain so well, and makes me feel like I'm getting ready to go on an adventure.

Listen to it here!

What have you been listening to today?

Faces

When you have a baby you soon learn that there are many people who love babies and will take every opportunity they have to hold one.  Sometimes I'll be at an event and never hold my baby myself except for when he's hungry or needing a diaper change.  On one occasion not too long ago a lady from church was holding Kenneth, and I overheard her talking with someone standing nearby about how babies' faces are so fascinating.  They both agreed that they could just stare at a baby's face all day.  Then one of of them added jokingly that you can't do that with older people, because staring at people like that is kind of weird.

That conversation I overheard has stayed with me.  I agree, there is something very special about a baby's face. They are so young, so new, taking everything in for the first time with big eyes, or sleeping with a peace that most of us have forgotten.  But babies aren't the only ones with fascinating faces.

Think about children.  Bundles of endless energy, they run through life with an infectious enthusiasm.  Every emotion is given their all and expressed with abandon - whether shrieks of laughter, cries of frustration, or affectionate bedtime kisses and cuddles.

Young adults' faces have a different kind of beauty; a fascinating tension and conflict as the idealism of youth meets the challenges of the world and they fight to keep their dreams alive.

Seniors have beautiful faces too, filled with years of memories, both joyful and sorrowful.  Their eyes carry a wisdom that only age can bring, and every wrinkle tells a story.

Every age and stage of life has its own beauty.  Indeed, every person's face is beautiful, formed by the artist hand of God and shaped through every experience and moment on this crazy adventure we call life.  We may joke about how it's awkward, but really it is a shame that we don't look at others' faces more often.

The more we look at peoples' faces, the more we see their worth and beauty.  Just think of how the faces of your loved ones appear to you, though they may not be counted as "beautiful" in the eyes of the world.  Perhaps we should take more time to look at the faces of those who are different than us - who are from different cultures, different classes, or different ages, as a way of seeing beyond those differences to who they are as a person, and the great worth that they have.  Perhaps we will see them in a way that we haven't before, and learn to love them better.

Let's be the kind of people who see the value in every face and in every person that we meet.

A Shameless Plug

"Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit" - Edward Abbey

I talk a lot about myself and the kids, but I wanted to take an opportunity to share a bit about what my husband has been doing.  He is currently starting up his own business for guiding custom outdoor adventures.  His business is called Further Up and Further In Adventures, and its mission is to enable all people to go the next step further up and further into nature.  He believes that getting out into nature is important for everyone, especially those who often don't have many opportunities because of mental and physical disabilities.  He will be working with clients of all ages and abilities to plan custom trips to fit their needs and goals.  I'm very excited for this new opportunity he has!

You can check out his website here: Further Up and Further In Adventures

If you live in or near the Fraser Valley, Canada, and are interested in guided hiking trips, please consider Further Up and Further In Adventures!

Battle Speech for Mothers

We know the stories well: A small band of soldiers is outnumbered.  The odds are against them.  Everything seems hopeless.  But their brave leader stands and urges them on with a rousing speech.

Whether real or fictional, we know and love these speeches well. From Henry V's "St. Crispin's Day" to Winston Churchill's "We shall never surrender", their words awaken something in us and inspire us to greatness.

Some of my favourite battle speeches come from The Lord of the Rings. One particularly well known moment is Aragorn's speech before the Black Gate. The last army of Gondor and Rohan has walked knowingly into a trap in a desperate attempt to distract the Dark Lord Sauron long enough to allow Frodo to destroy the one ring. In the face of impossible odds, Aragorn urges his men to stand firm and fight.  If you're not familiar with it, give it a quick search on YouTube, it's pretty epic.

I think it's a shame that all these great speeches come in a context of war and fighting. What about other situations in which we need a rousing call to great deeds? For example, what about motherhood? Being a mom can be very challenging. There are days when nothing seems to go right. Diapers explode, food is dumped on the floor, dishes are broken, laundry piles high, tantrums and tears abound. Some days, we need inspiring " battle speeches " too.

So I have adapted one for us. It's based on Aragorn's speech at black gate.  Mothers, as we stand shoulder to shoulder in the face of overwhelming odds: an onslaught of diapers, dishes, laundry, and messes, may we never falter or give up hope.


Mothers of babies, of toddlers, my sisters,
I see in your eyes the same tiredness that would take the heart of me.
A day may come when the strength of mothers fails,
When we forsake the needs of our children
And break our promise of support to our husbands,
But it is not this day.
An hour of despair and shattered dreams,
When the homes we love come crashing down,
But it is not this day!
This day we press on!
By the families that you hold dear on this good earth,
I bid you stand, mothers of the young!