Birthday Thoughts

Another Birthday Came and Went!

March 25, 2012 By Courtney 12 Comments

This weekend we celebrated the kid’s birthdays…again!

It wasn’t long ago the kids looked like this:

Alex – 6 months

Alexis 1 year birthday

And then they grew SO fast!

Above – turning 5 and 7. Below – turning 6 and 8.

Years are passing rapidly!

And yesterday we celebrated Alexander turning 9 and Alexis turning 7.

Silence…

The evening ends with wrapping paper, plastic cups, pinata shavings, dirty dishes and toys scattered.

Mommy gulps as she reflects on the memories of her little ones who each day grow a little bigger.

Silence…Reflection

Time seemed so slow during the Barney days.

Tear*

Time is moving so fast she wants to hit the pause button.

Where did the days of binky’s, bottles and blankies go?

Gone.

Completely gone – never to return.

She begins to clean up.

She wonders is she good enough?

Is she doing the right things for her children?

Has she given them too much, too little, enough?

It seems like life is 2 steps forward, one step back.

Signs of maturity sparkle

but then the bubble bursts and ugly messes she never saw coming spill out.

And she wonders – how will this end, will they live well?

She lays her head in the chest of her strong man and says,

“I think this is hard for a reason.

God is making sure I don’t think I can do this in my own strength.

He is keeping me humbled so I will learn to persevere in prayer

It seems I forget to pray on my knees when we take 2 steps forward.

But on days when we are one step back, I am reminded I am weak. He is strong.”

And 2 who are 1, comfort each other as together they look to the future with hope.

Hope in a great God who is faithful.

Hope that in our weaknesses, God will give us strength for the days to come.

Hope that our children will be the next generation to shine like lights in a dark world.

And hope for future generations.

She prays – Lord, have mercy on us – our little family of 4. Help 2 who are 1 navigate parenthood well. Help spiked hair son and dimpled daughter to love you and love others well. Strengthen us. May we be fully committed to you.

2 Chronicles 16:9 “For the eyes of the Lord range through out the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.” NIV

In the midst of fevers, spit up, diapers and dishes we moms can grow weary. We can forget all the firsts and LASTS that our children are progressing through. Don’t wish this season away sweet mamas! Embrace the moments. Live in them – love them and live well!

Psalm 127:3 “Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him.”NLT

Walk with the King!

Filed Under: Birthday Thoughts

My Birthday and the Start of a New Series!

August 26, 2011 By Courtney 99 Comments

I may be on a bloggy break BUT I still love a Party! So let’s keep my birthday party going with Women Living Well’s Wednesday Link-Up Party!!! Join the fun, do a little blog hopping and don’t forget if you join below -please add the Women Living Well Wednesdays button to your post so your readers can find us here! (Posts can include the topics of marriage, parenting, homemaking, finances, recipes, organization and more!)

To find the code go to the sidebar – or right click and “save as” the button and then upload it into your post!

You will find the “link-up” down at the bottom of this post from last Friday!

I’ll be back on Monday with the start of the New Marriage Series! Thank you for your comments and questions so far. Many of your questions have been deep, troubling, heart breaking and are making me think. I am praying for you all and praying over my answers. I’ll be back on Monday!

******************************************************
(Previously posted on Friday, August 26, 2011)

Guess what? I have a birthday twin!!! Today is my birthday AND it’s Janelle’s birthday (from Comfy In The Kitchen) ! Isn’t that crazy? Too fun! So she has the day off from cooking and they’ll be no featured recipe today! The picture above is from when she and I celebrated with friends earlier this week.

I’ve shared in the past that on my birthday, I always read verses addressing the issue of selfishness.

Why address selfishness on my birthday? Because I have noticed in past years – since having children – that the temptation to feel that I deserve a “special” day on my birthday has begun to creep in. Of course – when it actually turns out really special and everything goes my way – I am happy. But oh – if the kids are difficult and my husband has forgotten to buy me a present – I turn into a grouch and for some reason I feel justified – it’s my birthday! But I don’t see an exception clause in the Bible for selfishness on special occasions (like Mother’s Day – for some reason selfishness creeps in on that day too – yucko!).

I Corinthians 13:5 says Love “is not self-seeking” – so whether it’s my birthday or not – my kids should not have to go through the day with a “self-seeking” mommy. Philippians 2:3 says “Do nothing out of selfish ambition” – my husband should not have to go through the day on pins and needles trying to make his wife happy.

Acts 20:35 says, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

This principle is true everyday of the year and on Birthdays too – because God’s word is always true. “It is more blessed to give than to receive” – even on my birthday!

~Originally posted 8/26/09

So it’s a new day and a new year! I’m 36 years old today and feeling blessed! So to kick off my new year, I’m giving myself a BLOGGY BREAK lol! I am taking next week off from blogging but I’ll be around on Facebook and Twitter.

When I return it will be September and I will begin A NEW SERIES ON MARRIAGE. Over the years, I have received hundreds of emails with marriage questions and I regret that I cannot answer them all. So while I am on break, if you have a burning marriage question, would you quietly slip it into the comments section on this post here publicly (not in my inbox). You can post anonymously – just enter your email address as anonymous@anonymous.comI will choose a handful of questions to answer publicly in the month of September.

If you are an older, wiser woman who reads my blog or you have experience in counselling or working with married couples in your church, please feel free to advise ladies in my comments section, as I will not be able to answer all the questions that are posted (if more than a handful are asked). I look forward to this discussion as we journey together toward being the wives God has called us to be. For those who participate in Women Living Well’s Wednesday link-up, it will be on the bottom of this post on Wednesday (I’ll plug in Linky Tools on Tuesday night at 10pmish!)

See you in September!

Walk with the King!

Ps. While I’m off, enrollment for the Fall Good Morning Girls session will begin. I hope you will join me for a study in the book of I John. Click here for all the details.

Filed Under: Birthday Thoughts, Women Living Well Wednesdays

Our Weekend Birthday Bash

March 14, 2011 By Courtney 25 Comments

Alex turned 8 last week and Alexis is about to turn 6! So this weekend we had our big birthday bash!

It started out with a massive snow storm! It was breathtakingly gorgeous outside!

Then daddy took Alex on his annual trip to Friendly’s for his birthday breakfast! (Side note: Friendly’s is a chain of ice cream shops in the mid-west. I worked there for 4 years as a waitress! We LOVE Friendly’s in my family!)

The theme for the birthday party was dogs! Alexis wanted 101 Dalmation Dogs.

And Alex wanted military dog fighting planes. The centerpiece was our pinata!

Mommy made 2 pans of lasagna for our relatives, along with Caesar Salad and Italian bread.

Then we took pictures before all our guests arrived!

Sweet!

Cousins! (a couple are missing in the picture)

The cake was from Dairy Queen. Our local Dairy Queen said – “choose any theme and we can google it and put it on your cake!” Awesome huh? They did a GREAT job!

Singing Happy Birthday and blowing out candles.

Lexi’s favorite gift – roller blades! She spent her Sunday afternoon rolling through the house! We need some warm weather so she can use these OUTSIDE lol!

Tired parents! lol!

Silence…

The evening ends with wrapping paper, plastic cups, balloons, new books and toys scattered.

Mommy gulps as she reflects on the memories of her little ones who each day grow a little bigger.

Time.

Time seemed so slow during the Barney days.

Time.

Time is moving so fast I just want to hit the pause button.

Where did the days of binky’s, bottles and blankies go?

Gone.

Completely gone – never to return.

Tear *

She wonders is she good enough?

Is she doing the right things for her children?

Has she given them too much, too little, enough?

It seems like life is 2 steps forward, one step back.

Signs of maturity sparkle but then the bubble bursts and ugly messes she never saw coming spill out.

And she wonders – trembling – how will this end, will they live well?

She lays her head in the chest of her strong man and says, “I think this is hard for a reason.
God is making sure I don’t think I can do this in my own strength.

He is keeping me humbled so I will learn to persevere in prayer.

It seems I forget to pray on my knees when we take 2 steps forward.

But on days when we are one step back, I am reminded I am weak. He is strong.”

And 2 who are 1, comfort each other as together they look to the future with hope.

Hope in a great God who is faithful.

Hope that in our weaknesses, God will give us strength for the days to come.

Hope that our children will be the next generation to shine like lights in a dark world.

And hope for future generations.

Lord, have mercy on us – help 2 who are 1, spiked hair son and dimpled daughter. Strengthen us. May we be fully committed to you.

2 Chronicles 16:9 “For the eyes of the Lord range through out the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.” NIV

Walk with the King!

Filed Under: Birthday Thoughts, Parenting

I’m 35 Today!

August 26, 2010 By Courtney 73 Comments

I woke to a new beginning. The age 34 is behind me and today I’m 35! A lot happened in my life last year – I began my first year of homeschooling and LOVED it! We moved to a new home. The blog grew with the Rachael Ray appearance. The Good Morning Girls groups began on-line and grew to over 600 ladies this past summer! My husband began a new business. We lost two loved ones to death. We made many wonderful memories as a family and have grown spiritually. I grew as a wife, mom and friend. It was one of the busiest years of my life. It was a good year filled with many blessings but we also had our fair share of struggles and sadness.

As I reflect, my heart is filled with thankfulness to God. I sat this morning quietly with the sunrise – alone with Jesus. I looked at the communion cup that I keep by my computer. It’s a reminder to me of why I honor my husband, why I read God’s word daily to my children, why I do this thing called “blogging”. It is my whole reason for living. Jesus is everything to me.

The last time we took communion at church, I was at a discouraging point with blogging. I felt “exhausted”. As I held this cup in my hand there in the pew, I sensed God’s presence. And these thoughts went through my mind – “Jesus is Worthy of all my sacrifice. He is worthy of my complete surrender. He is worthy!” And so when communion ended, I slipped this cup into my purse. And now it sits by my computer reminding me of the blood Jesus shed on the cross that takes away my sins and THAT is what I am MOST grateful for on my 35th birthday.

I don’t know what the age of 35 holds for me. I don’t know what’s going to happen next on my journey. But I know who holds the future and I know “My Redeemer Lives”. I am not alone. And that gives me great hope for the future.

If you do not listen to anything else I say on this blog, this is the one thing I so desperately want for my birthday from you, my dear reader. For you too to experience Jesus in your daily life. He is alive, he speaks through his word. He hears our prayers and answers them. He is worthy of our complete surrender to him. He is worthy of us rising early to meet with him. He is worthy of our sacrifice to serve our family and friends. Don’t let your life slip by too busy to sit down alone with him. One day we will look sweet Jesus in the eyes. We will see his nail scarred hands and feet. Will we have regrets? What we do today in our homes matters. Live it for him alone!

This is my life verse and my prayer for you. Galatians 6:9 “Do not grow weary in doing good, for in due season you will reap a harvest IF you do not give up.”

Persevere sweet sisters. You are not alone – we are in this together! I love you!

Walk with the King!

Filed Under: Birthday Thoughts, Jesus