A Daily Process: What we've been up to!

Friday, August 12, 2011

What we've been up to!

I would have to be honest and say, most days are good around here...we are able to find our blessings and remain positive; but, there are some days that aren't so good. OR, let me be more specific, they can start off good, and then we can allow the enemy to steal our joy (John 10:10).

For the past week, we've been progressing well...we know our way around town now (for the most part), we have a house to move into (not until the 27th; but, the promise is there), the rash that the kids had is pretty much gone (only to be replaced by mosquito bites...oh well), we have a contract on our house in CO! Hallelujah for so much blessing!

I then wonder why a childish meltdown, or a loss of power, or a fuel strike can get me down. Why, and how, can I so quickly go from blessed and content, to grumpy and having a personal pity party? I really need to pray more about this and continue to make choices to be thankful in ALL circumstances (1 Thes 5:8), to do EVERYTHING without complaining (Phil 2:14), to be the wise woman and BUILD UP my house and not tear it down with my own hands (Prov 14:1).

You know the old saying "If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy"....it really can ring true in most homes I think. We, as wives and mothers, are daily responsible for setting the tone. I can quickly turn and blame my children for the bad attitude that abounds, they are arguing, or fussing at each other and I get angry in response. I have to remember that I'm the adult, I have plenty more years of experience than they do, I can't get sucked into their immature responses to change and being tired and not getting what they want,and then respond in kind.

Last night was a prime example of this phenomenon.

We had a wonderful day at South Beach with the Porter family and Holly...we had a BBQ, spent time playing in the surf on a private beach, celebrated Joshua's 8th birthday, it was super fun! We came back up and hit quite a bit of traffic in town. At first, I was good, I got out my Kindle and opened it to Proverbs and we spent about 30 minutes going over about 20 or so proverbs. I would read them, ask the kids what they thought they meant, and then we would come up with examples from our own lives and what we could do to be the "wise man." It was super pleasant.

We dropped the Porter family and Holly off at their house and set off for our own house. The traffic wasn't good, it was 6:30, the kids were hungry, tired from a full day in the sun, and still had some sand on them. Sissi decided she was itchy from the sand and began to scream and cry at us...it wasn't pretty. Now granted, no nap (second day in a row), sun tired, hungry...I get it. I was patient (at first), we chanted our Fruits of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23), we tried to play games, I even let Sissi come up front (something I would never have done in the US) and sit in my lap and I tried to cuddle her as she continued to alternately whine and then kick and yell at me. I sang her songs, lullabies, prayed with and over her....we got home FINALLY at 8pm. We raced through a quick shower and I got them some sandwiches, apples and chips. Then bedtime...it wasn't fun at all, she was so overtired at this point. I won't go into the details, but it went on until almost 11. By about 10, I had lost it, I was now tired, grumpy, had other things to do, and just wanted her to be asleep.

The bad mood carried over to my sleep and I woke up this AM tired, still grumpy, and wondering why I felt this way. Over the course of the morning, I made pancakes and got some quiet reading time in. Indy and I sat on the bed and had a talk while the kids played and he said something that I've heard from so many other friends....sometimes, you have to make a CHOICE to be happy, you have to pray to the Lord that He will CHANGE your heart and allow you to make that CHOICE more easily. I want to be happy with what I have, to be content in my circumstances. Today, on the way to the grocery store (by myself, Indy kept the kids), I did just that....I prayed for God to change my heart, to help me to be happy where I am, to remind me when, and why He called us here! Honestly, I feel better already!

Here's a devotion I found, from Joyce Meyer, about enjoying our life!
http://www.voiceofafricaradio.com/daily-devotions/125-we-are-meant-to-enjoy-our-lives-.html

And here are a few pictures of what we've been doing!