As a parent there is a fine line we walk. We have to demand our children’s obedience without becoming impatient. There can’t be a lacksidaisical approach, at least if you have a two year old like mine who pushes every limit.

Our minister offered a lesson in patience this past Sunday and I’ve been trying to examine my discipline through the lens of that sermon. There are some gray areas. There are times that I must demand her immediate obedience. These are times that it’s hard to determine, even in my own mind if I am being impatient or expecting what is necessary—to keep her safe, the baby’s needs met, etc. There are times I meet her opposition with love and grace. Times that I am completely in control, even when she is out of it. There are other times that I must admit I am impatient. I know I need to discipline her to do as she is told, but that should be done in a sense of love and duty, not frustration. That can be difficult with a hard headed two year old.

He offered that we should each put ourselves in a position to have our patience tested—anyone need some practice? I’ll lend you my two year old for a couple of hours. Just kidding.

Discipline your son, and he will give you peace;
he will bring delight to your soul.-Proverbs 29:17

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. –Hebrews 12:11

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. -Colossians 3:12

Hostage Crisis

So the other day I went to pick up Kate from the child care center at the gym. Someone else opened the door and the little booger took off. She ran the whole length of the gym and back, darting between the equipment every time I got close. People watched and laughed, but no one tried to help. I finally caught her, held her hand firmly and escorted her to the car. There I had a firm talking to. I refused to talk to her the whole way home—a punishment worse than death. Then I took a hostage. Henry, the female lamb, went up on the top shelf. Then I told her next time she could get him back if she stayed with me. She got him back yesterday. Today we have to go to the bank—Henry is up for grabs again. ; )

A Life without Advil

After months and months with pain, I am finally living without Advil. It’s a cause for celebration. Since Gabby’s nursing I could never take anything stronger, even when the pain was at its worst.

I had tried all the stretches that the physical therapist and later the chiropractor gave me. I even tried some online resources, but every time I did those things I felt that my mobility was actually lessened by the pain it caused. I quit them for a few days and noticed a bit of improvement. Then I started dealing with things in my own way. Walking. I didn’t have the ability to stand for more than a couple of minutes and walk for just a couple minutes longer than that, so I started walking for four. Yesterday I walked for an hour on the elliptical at an incline and with the resistance turned up.

I’m not completely pain free, I’ll admit, but I have my life back. The pain is very minimal and I can chalk it up to getting a little older. I can go to the store and wait in a long line without tears springing to my eyes. I can play with my children. I can push them on the swing set. I could walk for hours.

I watched my grandmother loose much of her independence and mobility to sciatica. I was so afraid that I would be in the same place she was, with two little girls who needed and wanted me to be able to move. I am grateful that God has seen fit to heal me.

Independance Day

I took a little time to think about the holiday yesterday. Most of our past 4ths have been spent celebrating with friends, food and fireworks in Evansville. There were 8 years of that for me. Even after Justin’s parents moved away we were able to meet up with friends there for a few years. We enjoyed that, but time has come for a break from that, at least for awhile. Last year we were in the middle of ‘the big move’ and didn’t make any plans, which was to our advantage, since we held my grandmother’s funeral that day. This year I took some time to read The Declaration of Independence. It had been quite awhile since I read through the whole thing—if it’s been awhile for you, you might ought to take a look (here) too. We are truly blessed to be free. It was to be a quiet evening at home.

Well, that was the plan. Just as the potatoes were wrapped to put on the grill we got a call that the new professor needed help unloading. It wasn’t what I had in mind, but we packed up the girls and headed over there. We both helped for awhile and when the girls got tired of waiting patiently I stood with them and waited. We did a Gatorade run for everyone too. Justin invited them out to dinner, unfortunately we didn’t have enough food planned for them too. We were late getting home and collapsed into bed last night.

I hope you had a good Fourth and you had a little time to be thankful for what was done for you.

Kate-isms

Kate loves food, so of course some of her funniest Kate-isms come from food…

This tastes like candy! (While eating watermelon)

I want a cheeseburger for lunch. What do you think about that?

I’m eating Sponge Bob’s house! (While eating pineapple—for all you non-Sponge Bob lovers “…he lives in a pineapple under the sea. Sponge Bob Square Pants!”)

Visiting

We’re planning a short trip to Missouri to visit with some friends. What a blessing to get to see friends, when we’re out here all by our lonesomes (I know it’s not a word.). They are so much fun. They are truly godly people, who have a marriage that really is a blessing to observe. They have two little girls too. It will be fun, since the last time we were together we were expecting our ‘second round’ of babies. Now those kiddos can play together.

Justin met Mike when they were in school together. Some how more than thirteen years later these guys can meet up once a year or so and pick up where they left off. I’m not sure how they do it—there’s a whole group of these guys. They have all been married, some of us have children (six girls, not a blessed boy in the bunch), but we all still keep in contact. We’ve moved several times and we always manage to work it out to see at least some of these guys once a year.

I graduated a couple of years after Justin and I have only managed to keep in touch with one of those girls, and we have only seen each other a few times since I got married. I wonder what the difference is. Really it doesn’t make sense. I’m often the one that talks to or emails the wives. I wonder why it didn’t work out that way with me and my high school girl friends. I just some how left that part of my life behind and I didn’t even mean to.

Well, thanks for letting me join your group guys! I love you all. And I can't wait to visit with you all soon.

Pic

Here's my favorite picture I've taken of the girls lately.