Why the Change?

So, I decided to change the name and look of my blog.  I want this blog to remain focused on the Gospel and how it impacts my life. But I also wanted to incorporate a few other things as well. I guess I want to kinda give my blog a few more "splashes" of me.  I want to add baking and cooking posts, crafting posts and just everyday snippets. I have renamed it "My Joyous Mess". When I told my husband the new name his response was "Well, that is completely fitting for our life now."

The new blog name sums up life as I know it now. My life is fun, busy, and yes, it can get messy but it's mine. It's the life I have the joy of living. In good and bad, this is the life God has planned for me.  I have two kids, a husband, an ever mounting pile of laundry, dishes in the sink, and the list goes on and on. But I am striving to live my life filled with joy and thankfulness in the midst of it all. Am I very good at that? Nope. It is a day by day (sometimes minute by minute) choice to enjoy the life I am blessed to have.

There you have it... so here we go! :)

Look Up

It had been a bit of a hard week for me. One of those, " I'm doing everything wrong as a wife/mother," 

"I just can't keep up with the laundry, dishes, and house work," 

"Am I doing anything right?" kind of weeks. 

Everywhere I looked around me I saw something I needed to tend to. From kids dirty pajamas thrown across the floor to a sink piled full of dishes to be washed. I was overwhelmed! It seemed the to do list in my head was a mile long. 

As I stood in my kitchen trying to decipher where and what I needed to turn to for help. The thought popped into my head, "Just look up!". So I did just that... 

This picture is of a sign that hangs above the window over my sink. It struck me. I had been so busy looking out and around  myself that I had neglected to look up. Of course, this had a double meaning. I didn't need to just look up and see those words on my sign. I needed to look up and see Christ. It's in Him I find my comfort, rest, and solutions to my crazy life problems! It's in Him my hope is found!

So remember the next time you feel the tasks closing in on you, look up! You may not have a sign hanging above your window. But you have a Savior in whom all hope is found! 

P.S. I had this sign made by a friend of mine. Her business is called Bushel & A Peck. Check her out on Facebook. She is super talented! https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=142524789262545

Don't Blink

Over the years I have heard many parents tell me how quickly time flies by when you have children. I always believed what they said was true but never fully understood it until I had children of my own. 

Recently in things that I have heard and read I am reminded of the importance of spending time with my kids. Sadly, I don't do it as often as I should. I always think that once the laundry is folded, the dishes are done and the house is clean I will be free to spend time with them. But in this current season of my life, the tasks I listed are very rarely all completed. So I put off time with my kids for another day so I can get caught up.

 I allow the demanding and never ending "voice" of household chores drown out the sweet voices of my littles who are asking me to come and play. My heart is deeply saddened by this! But instead of living in condemnation of falling short of the idea of the "mom I should be". I choose to repent of wrong doing and live in the freedom of the "mom I am". 

I know that the time I have with my children living in my home is limited and I want to cherish my time with them. So I am making myself a plan to set aside at least 5-10 minutes per day for quality time with my kids. I know this sounds small, but it all starts with baby steps, right?!

I know that the laundry and dishes will always be here demanding my attention, but my young children will not be. In fact it's my job as their mother to be training them for when they leave my home. This special time with them will go by in the blink of an eye. And I want to make the most of it.

I love this picture of my kids:) Photo credit: Shae Steffensen 

Identity

 I have been reading "Who Do You Think You Are?" by Mark Driscoll. 

Though I'm not even through the first chapter yet, I am reminded of my sinful tendencies to find my identity in someone or something other than who I am in Christ.

One section of the book stood out to me today and I wanted to share it. In speaking of Adam and Eve he wrote:

"And here is the lie: we will be 'like' God if we'll base our identity upon someone or something else other than God and the grace God bestows upon us. Adam and Eve fell for it. Rather than simply believing that they were already 'like God' because God made them in his 'likeness,' our first parents disbelieved their God-given identity and instead sought to create their own apart from him. The result was the first sin and the Fall. We humans have had an identity crisis ever since, seeking to construct an identity ourselves while forgetting about the one God has already given us. " 

All too often I forget that I have already been given an identity in Christ. I try to find it in being a good mother, wife, friend, church member... Which are all good things to strive to grow in. But if I'm not firmly rooted in the truth that my identity is in Christ, and his finished work on the cross. Then all my striving is in vain! Anything done in my own power will falter. But if I see myself as God sees me (in Christ). I will be a great mother, wife, friend and church member all to His glory! 

Man, am I thankful it's not up to me to earn my place with God. That work was accomplished on the cross! 

So, here is to starting off another week with a renewed mindset. I don't need to try to construct a new identity for myself. I have one... It's in the finished work of Christ on my behalf!! 

Bits and Pieces

As a wife and mother, most times I feel the pressure of keeping my household in perfect order. The pressure to present my family as "all-together" with every piece of our lives in place. The truth is, we live in a fallen world! The possibility of my family and house being perfect is never going to happen.

I was reminded of this in the middle of the night. I had been up with my son a couple of times and my daughter had woken up at least once, as well. All with a sick hubby lying next to me. The Lord graciously reminded me that in my own strength I'm not able to keep it all going. I may be able to put a few pieces together, here or there. But the overall, complete result is up to Christ. It's not my job to prefect my family. It's my job to serve them, care for them and continually point them to the only One who can keep things all together. 

It was was a freeing reminder for this tired momma! Hope it encourages you as well:)   

                            

A Happy Heart

"It's my way or an angry fit will be thrown!" I'm pretty sure this was my son's motto for the day. He may not have voiced those exact words, but his actions and attitude were stating it very clearly. Time after time I went through these steps: Correct, Discipline, Remind him to change his attitude/behavior.

After what seemed like the 5000th time of repeating these steps, it dawned on me! I was leaving out the most crucial and exciting part of the "formula".

Was correction necessary? Yes! Was Discipline necessary? Yes! Did he need to be reminded to change his attitude/behavior? Yes! But the part I forgot to share with my boy is the fact that none of the change can come from him just trying harder!!

I went in to my upset son and talked with him and prayed with him that Jesus would change his angry heart to a happy heart. It was there, kneeling beside a toddler bed, that I finally took the time to explain to him that he can't do it on his own. Jesus died on the cross to take away all of his sins, sins like an angry heart.

We can't just have a "try harder" attitude toward our sin! It will never be enough. But what is enough... Christ's sacrifice on our behalf!!! I'm not going to say that it wasn't a very hard day for my son (and me). But I am so very grateful that the Lord was faithful to remind me of my need for Him. And that I was given an opportunity to share that with my son as well.

Laugh About It

My kids have wanted to get pet fish for quite some time now. I knew that fish were super easy to care for and I also knew my kids would love it. But I just didn't feel like adding on another responsibility (even a little one).

But on Saturday I decided to surprise my kids and let them each pick out their own fish. They were so excited and to be honest, I was too. We went to Petco and they made their selections. My son chose a black and orange fish and my daughter chose a small pink one. We bought some colorful rocks and of course food.

I have very little fish raising experience. I have owned a few in my lifetime, but was not ever very knowledgable. I did know that fish will die at some point. So I decided to tell my kids that sometimes fish die and we don't always know why. I told them that if anything happened to these ones, we would just get more.

The kids were thrilled! They named them "Cupcake" & "Basketball". I felt like the best mom. My kids were pet owners and the fish were still alive after 24 hours!

The excitement was short lived though. We woke up to two dead fish on Tuesday morning. So much for my best mom award I was hoping to receive:) I figured my kids might have a hard time and be sad. I was wrong. When I told my daughter that the fish had died and we have to get new ones, her response was "Ok!" No tears, no sadness, just "Ok!" My son, when I told him, said "Ok, can I get a blue one?"

I just had to laugh! I felt like I had let my kids down and there response showed me otherwise.

So, here we go again! Second round of fish was purchased today. Hopefully we can keep these ones alive a little longer. Lesson learned: sometimes you just gotta laugh! Life can be so overwhelming and serious. It's nice to take the time to laugh and enjoy the moment! Even if that moment is spent buying and re-buying fish.

Meet "Football" & "Lemonade" :)