I'll Try Again!

One evening while Chris was laying in bed with our kids they were praying. Jonathan was praying for his cousin Ajay. While he was praying he refered to Ajay as a "she." Julia corrected him and said that Ajay wasn't a girl. Jonathan proceeded to say " Okay, I'll try again" and he continued his prayer for his cousin using "he" instead of "she." Very cute!

Our Great Spiritual Time

Recently my husband has been encouraging our congregation to spend 28 minutes reading the Bible as family devotions for 40 days. He has even provided MP3 versions for interested members to listen to together as families. Good idea, right?
Maybe good idea for other families . . .our kids are having a hard time sitting and listening. They are constantly jumping around, messing around, and doing everything but listening. They even have been chanting "shake your booty, shake your booty" and passing gas. It is hilarious because Chris gets really crabby and upset with the kids . . .defeating the purpose of this great spiritual time.
We need prayer for this time since we have 37 days left of this Bible reading experience.

Diaper Rash, Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato and Me

This afternoon I took my kids to Target. I was needing to get out of the house . . .house fever! The kids are pretty good at Target if treats are flowing such as shopping cookies or candy. Tonight it was Starbursts . . .not the candy of choice but it worked to distract my reluctant little shoppers.

While I checked out deals in the children's clothing department, Jonathan spent time looking at the toys. Do you remember being a kid and going into the toy department . . .I do. There wasn't any place like it. I wanted many of the toys I saw especially the Barbie Dolls. Oh, the Barbie Doll aisle . . . it was magical. I see the same light in the eyes of my children. Jonathan longingly looks at the toys in the Action Figure aisle . . Julia looks with great desire at the Barbie Dolls and dress up clothes . . Jocey loves the dollies.

Tonight we bought a Jonas Brothers CD . . .Jonathan really digs their music. We also purchased another CD- Demi Lovato- a singer Julia pretends to be. Their love for music is so fun , , ,we like some of the same stuff. Today Jonathan said, "Lets be the Beatles," I knew his dad would be proud. I remember dancing to their music- loving every song and melody . . .good music does not seem to age. I wonder if my grandchildren will dig "Vanilla Ice Ice Baby to Go."

My kids love to jump on the beds, play air guitar and sing with pretend microphones. Boy do they have the moves.

While out and about it was time to feed my kids. We met up with Chris and a ministry team at Culvers. Jocey was experiencing diaper rash---I am guilty of not changing her regularly---especially after her nap. I don't know when the rash came on but it sure was there at Culvers. Sweet girl was so uncomfortable . . .shortened our dining experience.

I am so blessed to have such wonderful kids---The Dawes Kids!!!

The Good Things that Pile Up!

When I truly examine my life I notice that I am really busy. Busy parenting my children, busy doing housework, busy volunteering in the church's nurseries, busy driving my kids around to dance, gymnastics and school . . . there is a Veggie Tale Song that goes " Busy, Busy, Much, Much Too Busy . . "

Some responsibilites are too important to drop such as parenting the children . . . but the others should basically be optional. We find ourselves too busy with good things to really focus on the "GOOD" thing in our lives. That is our relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It has always been easy for me to commit to activities and outings but hard for me to daily sit at the feet of Jesus. Boy, do I serve Him with my time and my limited talents . . .but He desires for me to spend time with Him.

Could I possibly relate to Jesus missing me? You know when Chris and I were dating we spent almost every single free time we had with each other. We hung out or went out to eat . . . just to be together. It was during those times that I fell in love with him. Now we are married- seven years-and it is so hard to spend one on one time with each other. We both busy ourselves with "good"things- ministry, parenting, relationships . . .but rarely spend time alone together. I miss him. Sadly my lonely feelings come out as anger pushing him further away from me.

Oh, how gracefilled our Lord is. He does not get "angry" with us . . .instead He calls us by His small gentle voice saying, " I miss you, Emily. Come to me, I will give you rest." Wow - - can I learn from Him or what? These gentle leadings draw us instead of causing us to resist Him . . .The more I seek You , the more I find You, the more I find You, the more I love You . . .I want to sit at your feet drink from the cup in your hand, lay back against you and breathe, feel your heart beat . . . this love is so deep it more than I can stand I melt in your peace it's overwhelming . . . .

Change me, Lord, to be like You. Draw me to Yourself . . .make me like You as a wife, mom, friend, neighbor and stranger. Make me like you.

The Trap

I might be 35 years old, but I am still dealing with a problem that I have been struggling with since childhood. My problem . . .the fear of man. Jesus tells us in the Bible that it is a snare or a trap. I have been in and out of this "jail" my whole life.

Fearing what others think of us -holds us in bondage and temporarily paralyzes us. Growing up in Willmar, I tended to "think" that others were unfairly judging me and secluding me from friendships and activities. These thoughts kept me from really enjoying those around me . . .and really enjoying who God made me to be . . .I was too caught up trying to please and "feel" included that my years as a girl were tainted.

This "problem" of mine has led me down many wrong paths in this journey that I am on. My college years were spent making horrible mistakes because of wanting to fit in with the "in" crowd rather than living to please my Father in Heaven. My life is another example of God's great Mercy and Grace to us . . .while we were still sinners Christ died for us. He kept a hold of me and today I see His hand of deliverance by how friends and situations were removed from my life. What a great heavenly Father! A Good Shepherd.

Recently, the "problem" has tried to "trap" me again. My husband is the pastor of our church and I have felt tempted to begin to fear what others think of him and our church. It is hard when good friends decide to leave our church to go somewhere else. I am a firm believer that God can lead others to other churches---but for some reason I feel a burden-like they are rejecting me . . .ick!!! What a trap!

I am writing this now to declare that it is not my responsiblity nor Chris' to keep everyone happy at our church. We can only do what we feel lead by the Spirit to do . . .I know my husband listens to the voice of God----I know that he is placed in the position that he is in because of the call of God on his life. My worrying about what "others" think just paralyzes me and causes me to give control to others . . .when Christ is my Shepherd---He leads me- it's His church . . .I don't do it on my own.

Christ has set me free from this "Trap" . . . the bondage of fearing others and their approval. I am choosing to trust in God for the strength that is needed to live a victorious life in Christ Jesus.