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A Bundle of Myrrh

"My beloved is unto me as a bundle of myrrh." Song of Solomon 1:13

Archive for the ‘In The Trenches’ Category

Gaudete

Sunday, December 11th, 2016

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The third Sunday in Advent, Gaudete Sunday, the Sunday of “Rejoice.” The Sunday to prepare for Christ’s coming with a heart that rejoices with thanksgiving for His saving mercy, love and forgiveness.

Today for me the Sunday of Rejoicing became a Sunday of one battle after another with three of my babies and ended in me covered in Martha barf scurrying home from church just after the first hymn. Lily calls Martha “Marth Barf” for a reason.

Today I could only think that it is truly a miracle that moms of littles go to church at all. It is no easy thing to do this week after week. Most Sundays are hard then there are these Sundays that are harder than hard and it seems the Devil works overtime to discourage us from ever stepping foot in church again.

But today I was thankful. So thankful for the people who came to my aid. Who watched the other seven babies while I ran home to wash. Who cleaned up the carpet and brought the kids home.

Today I grieved my sin and the sin that makes babies disrespectful, disobedient and sick. Sins that make us poor indeed. Even though I was sent away in grief, embarrassment and weariness I have reason to Rejoice, for:

The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.” Matthew 11:5

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How great is my sin but, “The good and happy news is that Christ has paid for our sin, and through his suffering has redeemed us from eternal death.” ML

God does not leave us wretched but sends His Preacher to, “Relieve them, give them comfort, and fill with joy their fearful hearts, which before were weighed down in heaviness and sorrow.” ML

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee O Isreal.

 

When Motherhood Is Killing Me – Part I

Wednesday, September 16th, 2015

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From time to time I need to write down the lessons God is teaching me in this life so I don’t forget. Well, I know I’ll forget and He’ll have to keep teaching me but I want to try to hold on to some of this knowledge as it comes. I’ve done this before, but here are some more thoughts on the struggles and lessons I’m continually taught in this vocation of Mother.

Most of us are familiar with the joys of motherhood and the satisfaction of fulfilling our call that this particular vocation provides. In being a mother God has blessed me again and again with the many gifts that come in this calling.

But boy are there some not very joyful parts too.

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Going To Church

Tuesday, September 1st, 2015

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We all have been there right? At church with a sickling, worried that it’s gonna happen. Been there several times myself. And I’ve always been so relieved when the service is over and it didn’t happen.

Well it happened Sunday and I can finally join the ranks of you on the other side of the worry. Poor Clara tossed her cookies during the sermon, in the third pew from the front. Thankfully her dress and beloved blankie caught all of it and we made a discreet exit right down the very loooong middle aisle of the sanctuary.

It was going so smoothly until I saw her sandal flapping around her dear little ankle. Since this was already going so well I just scooped her up and made a nice production of the whole thing the rest of the way out.

All that for our first official week to church on my own. Until we’re in the parsonage Sunday mornings will require me dressing the babies, loading everyone into the Econoline, buckling them in and making the drive sans Phil.

I had done it though. We got there. Clara sick and me a sweaty beast of glamorous frustration, but, I’ll say it again, we got there. And on time I’ll add.

I cleaned Clara up as best I could, sneaked back into the sanctuary during communion and gathered what other babies and bags I could so we could just leave already. By 10:45 it had already been a long day and we wearies needed some rest.

You win some, you lose some.

And sometimes you’re somewhere right in the middle of both.

 

Keeping It Real

Friday, June 12th, 2015

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There are days when I look around and tell Phil,

“Our life is ridiculous.”

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The house has been mess bombed. The kids are in the back yard, which has also been mess bombed – one is naked the others are screaming at each other. The baby is in the play house banging her head on the wall.

You just can’t seem to get anything done.

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And then the back door falls off.

Its just so ridiculous you have to take pictures.

Laugh or cry. Or both in my case.