I'm a "20-something-year-old" stay at home mom. I am married to the most wonderful man on earth and have a beautiful baby girl with the prettiest brown eyes I've ever seen. (Her daddy's are a close second!) I began blogging as a way to reach out to other moms by sharing the mind-blowing love of God, the ups and downs of motherhood, and a random assortment of tidbits that I personally find to be informative or just fun! Thank you for dropping by. Please come again!
Having a child of my own is deepening my understanding of my place as a child of God. Romans 5 took on a whole knew meaning this morning. I love my little girl more than I can express and there is absolutely nothing she could ever do to make her more or less deserving of my love. I love her because she is mine. He loves me because I am His. Because of His love, I can firmly and safely stand before Him. If you are His, so can you!
Therefore, since we are justified (acquitted, declared righteous, and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us [grasp the fact that we] have [the peace of reconciliation to hold and to [enjoy] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). Through Him also we have [our] access (entrance, introduction) by faith into this grace (state of God's favor) in which we [firmly and safely] stand. And let us rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God. Romans 5:1 & 2
There is a certain moment each day that I cherish. It's the moment when I peer over the side of my daughter's crib and our eyes meet for the first time each morning. Her expression melts my heart all over again every time. I know she won't always be so eager to see me at 7:00 a.m. but for now I'm eating it up. I wonder if that's how my heavenly Father feels about me? I wonder how He feels when I jump out of bed without even noticing that He's right there smiling down at me, waiting to give me just what I need to get through the day. I wonder how different my day would be if I slowed down just long enough to speak to Him before I jump out of the bed. Just a thought...
Is it just me or does chaos always erupt when you're trying to prepare your home for company? It's always then that the baby starts crying for no apparent reason, I discover we're out of toilet paper and the dog decides he can't digest the twenty-seven mushrooms he ate in the backyard. As a stay-at-home mom, I tend to get my pride all wrapped up in the appearance of our home. Since I'm here all day, it should look like something out of Southern Living all the time, right? Well, as anyone who visited lately can tell you, it doesn't. Not even close. You're lucky if there's a hand towel hanging in the bathroom and you don't trip over the diaper genie log by the front door. The Lord has been dealing with me on this issue a lot lately. I kind of wish He'd stop bringing it up. The question He keeps asking me is "Is this your home, or Mine?" I had to stop and ask myself this last week when I was tempted to turn into a screaming banshee because our guests were due momentarily and there was dog fur on the kitchen floor. The truth is that my guests will be here for a few hours, but my family lives here (with ME) all day, every day. If I make them miserable in order to impress someone else, what have I accomplished? I'm not advocating living in a pigsty but I'm learning to reevaluate my motives on this issue. Maybe someone else can relate. I'm praying I will learn how to "walk in my house with a blameless heart". (Psalm 101:2)
Sometimes I wonder who smells more like sour milk…the baby or me? She has this amazing knack for missing her own darling sweater while dousing mine. Even though it’s just a phase, last night as I traded in my poor shirt for some pj’s, I found myself wondering, “will I always smell like this?” I catch myself asking the Lord a similar question when I struggle with the same weakness (typically fear) over and over again. Paul could relate to my struggle but he found freedom in this truth: “My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me!” (2 Cor. 12:9) If you’re feeling weak AGAIN today, let those words strengthen your spirit.
As a new mom, one of my greatest struggles is making time to spend in the Word on a daily basis. There is always something (or someone) else squealing for my attention. I’m embarrassed to say that I have sometimes gone for days without opening my Bible and even when I do there are times when it’s just a formality…something else I can check off my “to-do list” before I get on with my day. Don’t get me wrong. I have good intentions. I’ll do that after I…(fill in the blank). But so many times I fall into bed at the end of the day purposing that tomorrow will be different. Over the past week our mornings have taken on a new rhythm. Rather than waiting until my sweet baby is sleeping peacefully, all the laundry is done, and my kitchen is spotless (which never happens simultaneously), we’re bouncing through Romans together. After breakfast, I plant on the kitchen floor in front of her while she bounces in the Tigger seat that hangs in the doorway and I read aloud while she spins around and shrieks at the dog. An outside observer would be hard pressed to call it a “quiet time”, but it works for us. If you’re having trouble finding time to refresh yourself with the Word, consider including your little one and make it part of your daily routine rather than waiting for that perfect moment of solitude. You might not have one today!
As the mother of a five month old, I continue to teeter between fear and faith when it comes to caring for and protecting this little person who has been entrusted to me. At times I've been overwhelmed by all the information that the media bombards me with on a daily basis...another product recall...another lead-tainted toy. It seems there are decisions to be made at every turn: glass bottles or plastic...vaccinate or don't vaccinate...commercial household cleaners or homemade alternatives...organic food or just whatever is on sale this week. The list is endless and it's hard to know where to turn for answers with so many political agendas muddying the water. On top of all that, I have absolutely no idea where my car keys are or what we're having for dinner. Can anyone else relate? I sing "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" to my daughter but then spend half my day worrying rather than resting in the knowledge that her heavenly Father knows what she needs even when her mother is clueless. When I decided to join the blogging community, I was going in another direction, but thanks to the Lord's gentle leading and a phone call from my own mother, I'm pursuing a different path. I hope to provide a forum for moms to discuss some of these issues, as well as to provide a "one-stop shop" of helpful resources for those who would like to spend more time simply enjoying their little ones. I'll post regularly and would like to know what topics interest you. If you have a moment, please take the short survey and give me some feedback. I hope you'll visit often. If you'd like to receive email notifications when this blog is updated, please let me know by sending an email to notesfrommynest@gmail.com . When you have time, I'd encourage you to read this article by Julie Barnhill. It blessed me tremendously.
