Stop and See

Every time I pray about my children, or pray about what kind of parent I should be, or pray about not feeling close with my family God says the same exact thing to me every single time- he has for years! One of my very first posts on this blog was about that exact same thing.

The exact same 2 words.

Every time.

"Slow Down".

What a simple request. Why do I keep coming back with more questions about it- when that seems so easy and so direct. I mean it couldn't be more clear. SLOW DOWN. He wants to move slower, speak slower, notice life, take a breath, fly a kite. And sometimes I do, and then I always come back to the rush- the mad dash that is life. Before I know it another week has passed, another month. When will I heed His word? When will I stop the madness and get down on my knees and be still.

Well, I have done just that for the past couple of days. .OK, ONE of those days, I was so still I went directly to sleep leaving my dearest husband to do all the after dinner dishes, and stuff- but still he is amazing like that. Anyways, while being in this "conscious" state of slowness and calmness, which is so much easier said than done, this is what I saw:

Sid has the same size feet as me.
Zoe stretches the exact same way in the mornings as she did when she was an infant.
My family is really funny. We spend most of our evenings just laughing.
I noticed that if you let them work it out- they will.
When Aaron senses me watching him while he is watching TV or doing something else, he will wink at me.
Sid really likes to make random noises. Zip Gobbie Blah
Zoe sometimes talks so much and so fast- she stops to think and get "caught up" on everything she just said.
I think our dog is OCD.
The baseboards in our kitchen could use a good scrubbing.
Zoe doesn't want her food to touch. But will eat it anyway.
Zoe thinks I am beautiful.
Aaron loads a dishwasher like an architect.
Aaron is hot at night- cold in the morning, but always cuddly.
Sid doesn't want me to hold him or kiss him good night.
Sid doesn't mind if I kiss him LOTS and stroke his hair in the morning before he is fully awake.
Sid thinks that knuckles were named after nickels cause there are 5 of them.
My kids have inside jokes with each other.
If Sid studies hard he makes 95's.
Aaron and I have inside jokes and our own language (with only 3 words).
I am so blessed to have these people in my life.

So, I stopped and smelled the roses, and I feel closer to my family. We truly are so blessed to have loved ones in our lives. And God is so amazing to build us to need relationships and yearn to nurture and love one another. I know I can't always slow down- but when I do, I am always better for it.

Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10

Renewing Me while God Renews the Earth

Happy 2009! I realize I have been a really bad blogger. I do not feel as though I have such a huge following that I owe too much of an explanation. If you read this you also talk to me all the time- you know what I have been doing.

I am so excited about the new year I can barley stand still long enough to write about it. This year has started as most have in the past- busy to the brim and crazy Texas weather. But I think this year has big changes for me and my family. I don't want to get into to much of that now, as I am (as always) typing this while doing a million other things- and I don't have time to get into all the details. But more on that to come.

I love the idea of the New Year. I love the idea of a fresh start. Anything that you did horribly last year, or lost or gave up on- here is your chance to make fresh of it! People are all so optimistic this time of year. It is like a do-over! But bigger and better and much more ambitious.

I think about how God wipes your slate clean when you accept him as your Lord and Savior into your heart and vow to follow him. And again and again many times after that. Now that's the ultimate do -over.

This year I wanna renew myself, renew my passion for the Lord, renew my body, renew my outlook, renew my goals. I am ready for a whole new year~!

I am looking forward to sharing so much more! I will try better to update more often.