I Define God to My Kids

I have been washed, wrung, and hung out to dry with something that I was re-taught last night.

I DEFINE GOD TO MY KIDS.

Yesterday, we were at Michael's and I accidentally broke a picture frame. Noah knows that they are not allowed to touch things in the stores because they could break something and then I'd have to buy it and that's not how we want to spend our money, etc. So, when he saw me break the picture frame he said, "Oh no...you broke it Mom. Now you have to do the right things and buy it." Yes, I do and yes, I did. Thankfully, it was only $5.

I DEFINE GOD TO MY KIDS.

Last night at our Growing Kids God's Way class (yes, we are taking it again! Trust me, we need it!), we were reminded that Christianity is not a religion of mediocrity. This is HUGE! We are to do things and do things as unto the Lord, and if you do something for the Lord, you naturally WANT to do it well. Christianity is NOT a religion of MEDIOCRITY. I was reminded of the idea of "good, better, and best." It is good that Noah wants to be a witness for the Lord. He could learn to do it better by speaking with more love. Eventually, he could be the best witness ever because he is unashamed of the gospel. I am a good mom. I could be better. For the sake of my kids, I want to be their best mom ever.

I DEFINE GOD TO MY KIDS.

Love is not RUDE. Be COURTEOUS to all men. Another thing I was reminded of, not just during our GKGW class, but also during my Precept study I did earlier that day. This was meant to be a reminder for us to teach our children good manners. Offer your seat to the elderly. Open the door for people (my boys are awesome at this). Honor age by offering them the first plate of food. All these things are done because love is not rude and God asks us to love our neighbor by being courteous to all men. The problem here for me...is that I am rude to my kids. Ouch. I hate to admit it, but it is true. I am sarcastic at times. I also act as if they are bothering me when they ask for something which is not very courteous. I have a bad habit of ignoring them when they call my name. How can I expect them to trust me in big things, like God and Jesus and His saving grace, if they can't trust me in the little things, like knowing I will answer when they call?

I DEFINE GOD TO MY KIDS.

And let's just be real here. I bake bread, make cookies, make granola bars, wash clothes, clean the house, work out, lead a Sunday School class, attend Bible studies, and make signs. People ask me how I do it. I don't. I am a figment of your imagination. I guarantee you the process of my daily grind is way less glamorous than you have it in your mind. You know what I keep thinking? What does all that matter if I have not love? Some days, I am so over-whelmed, I yell at my kids. I yell at my husband. I crash and burn into bed at 8:05pm because the kids have gone to bed at eight. Some days, I go all day without praying or reading the Bible. The hours between 4 and 8pm are the most daunting for our family. I'm trying to cook dinner while the kids are screaming that they are starving and I'm burning the bread, yet again. Dinner is a yard sale because the kids don't like what I fixed...and by that time, I'm exhausted with being nice and kind and not losing my mind that I make up for the whole day of "nice" Mommy with one explosion. Did I mention that my house is not clean?

I DEFINE GOD TO MY KIDS.

And we are here to define God to the world. My kids will one day define God to the world and the picture I want them to have of God begins with me.

I am in prayer for a young wife who is waiting for a double lung transplant. While talking to Nic about her, I have also been in awe of her mom who is as strong as ever in her faith, but also raised an amazing woman of God. What did she do? What was her secret? What can I learn from her? What do I know of her?

I know she was and is a woman of God. I know she was involved with her kids and their friend's parents. I know she practiced what she preached to her kids. I know she was constantly in prayer for them. I know she earned their respect, honor and trust. I know her children will praise her at the gates.

Will mine? That is my hearts desire, but I could certainly do better on the road to getting there because:

I DEFINE GOD TO MY KIDS.

Isaac, it's not even 10am, yet!

He's just too resourceful for his own good.

Um...I think he wants to watch tv and he can't quite climb up on the couch, yet. That's his sister's chair from the breakfast nook.


He's pretty proud of himself.

This is for Becky.

Ask and you shall receive. :) Love ya, sis! Hope you like it!

The colors will be slightly more intense once I seal it.

I finally made one for ME!

Here is our "Est." sign:


And can I just say that I'm SUPER excited to start decorating for fall????

If you would like to order an "Established" sign with this design, please visit my sign blog and leave a comment and I will contact you!

It's Dinner Time!

I was given this amazing and versatile recipe from my friend Cindy. Tonight, I'm using crock pot chicken that was "crocked" with celery, bell peppers, carrots, onion, salt and pepper, garlic, and rosemary. I could have been making chicken soup. But I wasn't. I usually use canned chicken, but crock pot chicken is FABULOUS. Just sayin'. Any left over chicken will do.

Chicken Packets
2-3c cooked, chopped chicken
3-6oz cream cheese (I put 8)
1T green onions (omitted because of the onion in the crock)
2T milk
1 clove garlic (omitted again)
salt to taste (yup, you guess it...omitted)
2pkgs refrigerated crescent rolls
1/4c melted butter
1/2c bread crumbs or panko

Oven at 350degrees.
Mix chicken, cheese, onions, milk, garlic and salt together.
Make your crescent rolls into 8 rectangles making sure to press the two triangles together well.
Fill each rectangle with some of the filling and fold over. Press to secure edges.

Dip each packet into melted butter, place on baking sheet, and sprinkle with bread crumbs. *I just sprinkle with bread crumbs and skip the butter*

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

If you add veggies (I add broccoli or mixed veggies sometimes) then it's a one stop shop for dinner.

I usually make it casserole style (and really stuff it full of filling) by laying 1pkg of crescent rolls out in a 9x13 baking dish. Dump your filling on it and then put the second layer of crescent rolls on top. Drizzle the butter and sprinkle the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes.

Dove Tattoo

I wanted something girly. Not colored in. Not too big. Something I could cover up with clothes if I had to. Most importantly, I wanted something that MEANT something to me. Something that represented my faith in Jesus Christ and something that might spark a conversation with someone else who might comment on it.

I have been looking for at least six months, knowing this was my final destination...my reward for hard work and depriving myself, for the most part, of sugar, cake, bread (even the homemade kind!). Pretty much the stuff I love to eat WAY too much of. The stuff that likes to stick around on my body WAY too much. And when I started Insanity...the final ten pounds just melted off my body. Like pouring peanut butter out of a jar. I don't know if you know this, but peanut butter doesn't POUR. It was HARD work and infuriating. But worth it.

So...back to the tattoo.

Some looked more realistic:

Some looked abstract:


Some were like Picasso:


Some did the symbolic olive branch from the Noahs' Ark story in the Bible:


Some....well...weren't doves:


But mine...I knew it when I saw it and it was confirmed with Brooke going "Oh, get that one!!!!" It was a spur of the moment decision to get it THAT day. I was content to wait for another two weeks (cause really..I was scared), but then my cheerleader and confidence booster (read: Brooke) wasn't going to be available. I wanted her to hold my hand, tell me how tough I was and basically, not let me chicken out. She called the parlor. Yeah, that's how chicken I was. It was 6:30 at night. Were they REALLY still going to be open? Yeah. They were. Who knew, but apparently, tattoo parlors keep late hours. Huh. They were open until midnight. Nic said I could go.

We had plenty of time. For me to pee my pants. And no excuses. No real ones, anyway.

We stopped at my moms to pick up the kiddos from their overnight stay where she ended up cleaning up urine for two days. Fun for her....relaxing for me to let someone else do it for a while! Thanks, Mom! (and Dad!)

I told my mom what we were doing. She was very supportive. Very. Did I mention she wants a tattoo? I'm pretty sure she was waiting for me to get one so I could relay exactly how much pain you endure before she bit the bullet. It's alright Mom, I'll take one for the team.

Took the kiddos home and dropped them off with Nic. Headed out to our adventure. At this point, my stomach is getting that nervous gurgle going on.

Thankfully, they take your money before you get the tattoo. Once I had paid, it was a done deal. I'd rather keep something that kind of doesn't work the way I thought it would than go through the pain of returning it to the store. I paid. I was getting what I paid for.

After I watched Brooke let the piercing lady drive a stake through her nose, dangle a cork on the end of it and stick a light blue rhinestone stud through the hole, it was my turn. By the way...Brooke has a nose piercing now. She's adorable. I wish I had a picture to show you. It's funny how it fits her face.

My tattoo artist was VERY nice and Brooke and I decided he had a sad quality about him that has kept him in my prayers since I've been there. Is that odd? I can't help it. Some people I meet make profound impacts on me in very short periods of time and I can't get them out of my head. I know the best thing I can do for them is pray for them...so I do.

Sad Guy asked me if it was my first time. Yeah. *Blush*

Then he said, "It feels like a cat scratch, but it's not constant because I have to get more ink periodically, so you get a break."

Cat scratch. Ok. I can do that. I've had those before. But this time I couldn't curse the "cat" giving it to me. I was the cat. And Sad Guy was my claw.

Cue disinfectant. Antiseptic. Carbon copy of my tattoo. Cue LOUD NOISE!!!! What the heck is THAT?!!!

"Oh, yeah. Don't let the sound scare you. They are kind of loud."

By 'they' he means the machine that works the needle. It's loud. Thankfully, it's bark is REALLY worse than it's bite.

Ten minutes later (yes TEN MINUTES) and I was checking out my new tat in their mirror. My cheerleader was chanting "You're awesome! You're tough! You're awesome!" Gorsh...thanks.

Yes, we probably are going through some kind of "Mommy mid-life crisis." At least what we're doing isn't permanent. Ok, so mine is. Eh. Like my brother in law would say, "Our body's are perishing anyway." Sometimes, I really love his logic.

And now I feel like the biggest weenie because it really wasn't a huge deal. Small price of minimal pain for something I've wanted to do my whole life. Done. Where's that bucket list???

And here it is:


A dove. The Holy Spirit that lives within me, now also is pictured ON me. Tattoo-style.

Noah thinks it's a bald eagle. Humph. I'm pretty sure I could have gotten a picture of a flower and he would have said it was a bald eagle. Stinker. But I love him.

And then, he promptly asked when he gets to have a tattoo that will never go away. I told him when hell freezes over like any good mom would. Naw...just kiddin'.

Nic has been amazing helping me clean it, put creme on it, stalk it...'cause he really LOVES it and has to stop himself from touching it. I love that man.

It's really not sore. Luke touched it and Nic just about made us all jump out of our skin when he yelled at him to not do it, but the actual touch didn't hurt at all. My little Luke. He has to touch things. I love that about him.

I thought I might have buyers remorse. Body remorse. Pain remorse. Or tattoo remorse that I didn't get what I really wanted. No remorse, whatsoever.

Did I mention I want another one?

Tattoos

Do you love 'em?

Hate 'em?

I personally don't like them when they are all over the body, on the front of the neck, the chest, all the way down the arms, etc. But on backs, no biggie. My sister-in-law has one on her foot and I love it on her!!

Some tattoos are just down-right FREAKY. Yes, these are TATTOOs!!!!


My boys would LOVE this one:
Sorry, boys. It's not happening. Ever.

Some more questions for ya!

Where would you get one and why that spot?

What would it be and why?

If you have one, do you regret it and why?

Here's the most important question. WHERE DID YOU GET IT??? I obviously want to go somewhere reputable!

Most people have told me to make sure it has meaning for you personally, not just to get one rashly and without reason. I've been stalking different tattoos for MONTHS and think I have what I want, the question is just where.
And for those of you who are wondering: my husband has a silent love for them. Don't try to deny it, honey. By that, I mean...he smiles when I talk about getting one, asks me where...and then offers suggestions. Yup, he's on board. And I think he's looking forward to me having one. Just sayin'.

*None of these tattoos are what I'm getting....just in case you were wondering.*