One Little Thing at a Time

I know the beginning of this blog entry is going to sound like I'm complaining about all of my ailments but please stick with it. I promise there is a point to it all. :)

I woke up Tuesday morning feeling horrible. My head was pounding. I felt nauseous. I had a bunch of junk in my nose/throat. My hands were KILLING me. I could hardly walk, hardly stand up. At the rheumatologist on Monday the doctor had been pressing in certain areas to see if they were painful and when she pressed my lower back she ignited a fire- a problem that happens once a year or so. Couldn't bend or get comfy. Not to mention my shoulder was aching. I knew it would all go away eventually- everything except the hand pain- but in that moment I felt like a mess.

Our co-op was going on a HIKE that day and since I'm a leader I really felt like I should be there. I was gonna just deal with all of my struggles and go anyway but THANKFULLY Ethan was sick and I was able to stay home. (Mike was off work and he took the other four kids without me.)

After Mike & the kids left I was walking towards the bathroom, hunkered over, imagining this is how an older person might feel. As I looked from room to room I realized that the house was a total mess. The bed/couch/recliner was calling my name really loudly but how can I possibly sit when the house looks like this. If I cleaned while the kids were gone I might get things done more quickly. But HOW can I clean? I can't bend down to pick stuff up, or load the dishwasher, or make beds, or sweep the rugs. Sigh.

I am determined to get the job done though or else we won't be productive around here. How will I get it done? I will ask the Lord to help me do it and He will!! One little thing at a time. Slowly.

As I finally reached the bathroom (actually this was a quick thought process cause my house is tiny) I started thinking about how this messy house was like a relationship I'm struggling with in my life. It's a mess. A real mess. Sometimes it seems hopeless. I want to give up. I want to close my eyes and just forget about it. I want to complain about it. I want to feel sorry for myself and ask why I'm the one who has to do all the work. This "job" is too big. I can't do it. Excuse. Excuse. Excuse.

But like trying to clean my house with a messed up body, I am determined to get it done or else I won't be productive in serving the Lord. And I can't expect my relationship to be 100% perfect just like that. I have to ask the Lord to help me and He will. One little thing at a time. Slowly. It's going to take a lot of work. There will be pain and struggles. It might even get dirtier before it gets clean. But just like the house there will be peace and rest and love.

Do you have something you are struggling with and you are feeling like it should come together faster than what it is? Ask the Lord to help you and He will. One little thing at a time. Slowly.

But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31

April 2012 10 on 10- Ethan Edition

At the beginning of the year I decided to spotlight each of my children when it was their birth month. Since I have two boys with birthdays this month I'll be focusing on the other one next month. This month is ETHAN'S turn.

Ethan was labeling his LEGO guys (in a hot wheels holder on the back of his bedroom door.)

Breakfast

Math Video

Still working...

In the downstairs bathroom getting water for the cats.

Playing Wii

 Dinner

Too cold for soccer practice- especially with an upset tummy. Playing on Mom's ipod in the back seat of the car while we wait for Abigail.

Bedtime.

Soccer Cleat.

Bonus 11th Pic cause this boy is so stinking CUTE!!!!

 

Click here for other 10 on 10 blogs.

Useless

When I was a teenager a friend gave me this HUGE, soft, thick, very warm blanket. The colors were bright, though a little tacky. It came in a plastic bag with a handle. Whenever I wanted to get warm and cozy I'd get the blanket out and wrap myself up in it.

I took the blanket to college with me- keeping it mostly in the bag- and I remember whenever I'd have a migraine I'd get the blanket out and wrap myself up in it. The darkness and the warmness usually helped me sleep off the migraine.

I got married and decorated our place with normal stuff wanting everything to look pretty. The peacock blanket didn't really match and our apartment was on the third floor and we had NO a/c. We were warm enough without a thick blanket.

Fast forward to NOW. I was searching for a place to put sheets/blankets away in the hall closet a few weeks ago when I looked up on the top shelf and saw the peacock blanket in the bag. I started thinking about that blanket and realized I hadn't taken it down from that top shelf OR gotten it out of the bag in almost 12 years. That's a little longer than I've had children. I was so afraid that one of the kids would spit up, throw up, spill, potty, poo, or whatever else on my PRECIOUS blanket that I kept it up and away to protect it.

For 12 years that blanket has been useless to me. It has been as good as gone. There is no sense in having things and not using them. So what if they get dirty? So what if they get ruined? It's better to have the memories of warmness and coziness with my kids and enjoy that blanket then it is to keep that blanket in a bag in the closet. After all, it's JUST a blanket.

I ♥ Cherry Blossoms

It's no secret that I love cherry blossoms and I can't get enough of them. I decided to bring my love into my living room and "spring it up" a bit in there. I got myself a cute helper and we got started. :)

Here is what we had when we were finished:

 

 First we chose our tissue paper colors and cut them out into a 5-petal shape. They don't need to line up or anything. It's fine if they are different cause then they'lll show up more when they are put together.

 Next we took one of each color, put a dot from the glue gun in between, and pinched them in the center. Some were pinched into the petals being UP and close together. Others looked more like open flowers.

 When we finished we had LOTS of cherry blossoms.

After collecting a few branches from my yard we glued the cherry blossoms on and VOILA!

And we had many leftovers. I can use them on my Spring Tea table but for now I have them around my kitchen table.