Wordless Wednesday

Happy Wednesday!

Nala...our sweet, bites on everything, 8 month old Rotty

The hoodlums...and all the snow!  We had a ton of fun last week!

My first go at HOMEMADE chicken noodle soup - it was YUMMY!

AND...last but certainly NOT least...this would be Lyrik explaining to me why his "brain" makes bad choices...

I Can't Control My Cheeks

"I can't control my cheeks"

This was the phrase coming from the 8 year old son's mouth while on the way to school AND after being abused and slapped by the 6 year old son because both 'said children' wanted to sit in the 2 year old daughter's carseat WHAT?!?!?!?! {what a wonderful morning this was in our household}

I seized the 'teaching' moment to discuss how hard it is to do NICE to someone that has done something wrong to us using the above example and I may or may not have thrown in "Are you seriously mad about not getting to sit in your baby sister's carseat?"

In my best mom voice..."Max, how should we overcome evil"

"I should overcome evil by slapping Lyrik silly right NOW"

Stern mom voice..."Max is that even close to the way you think you should respond"

"No, but I don't want to do what is right because he really hurt my nose"

{Just a reminder...they are seriously fighting over who gets to sit in a 2 year old baby carseat}

Insert explanation of how we should quickly forgive NO MATTER WHAT...and the bible says that we overcome evil with good...not with getting even {this is a tough one to grasp} and the bible also says that we should "Turn the Other Cheek" - insert the above TITLE

Although this may bring some humor to you, isn't it sad how quick we are to want to get even with someone when we have been wronged or hurt??  We have been in a series at church about offenses and forgiveness. This is something we ALL deal with...we have ALL been offended...we have ALL been hurt...we have ALL been wronged at some point or another and to be honest we have ALL been the one doing the wrong too.

During this season as we approach time with our families and friends, let's choose to FORGIVE.  And it's definitely a CHOICE...we don't forgive because the other person is right, or because the other person is getting away with something they have done...WE CHOOSE TO FORGIVE because FORGIVENESS is a gift we give our self.  When we truly grasp the value of the forgiveness we receive from Jesus...we can then extend that same forgiveness and mercy to those that have hurt or offended us in our lives.

Xx Brittany

What I'm Learning from Eli the Elf

Please meet Eli...

Isn't he adorable???  In case you were wondering...Yes, we do Elf on the Shelf...Yes, we do Santa...Yes, we put a Jesus spin on it...Yes, all of my kids still believe in Santa {Well, Max knows that the Santa's we see at the mall are not real, but the one in the North Pole that Eli visits every night is REAL :-)} Oh and for the record...Eli was super tired last night and he didn't move from this position #oops

I really do believe that the Lord can speak to us in many different ways and show us things in the most creative ways {for some reason mine seem to be more around kid related events...hmmmm}

The other night when I was sneaking around in the quiet of the boys' room looking for army men that would soon take Eli "captive" I noticed the peaceful, heavy breathing, sound sleeping boys and was quickly reminded of how God works in our lives...

He is at work even when we are sleeping...

He is moving on our behalf even when we don't know realize it (sometimes because of said sleep) 

He is preparing and planning a way for us

He has positioned us so that we can bring Glory and Honor to His name

HE IS ALWAYS PRESENT

Our God is so faithful and I really needed to be reminded that He is always working in and through us, even when we may not notice it and recognize it. He has positioned us for this season, for this plot in our story and He knows exactly what we are facing no matter how big or small it may seem! When we continue pressing on with our part {stacking our days with Him} we may not always SEE what is happening, but we can sure TRUST that He is up to something!  And His "up to something's" are always GOOD...

Philippians 1:6 MSG

There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would KEEP AT IT and bring it to a FLOURISHING finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.  

Happy Friday!  

Have a Great Weekend Xx