Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Seek the Lord Sunday - On Wednesday




What a beautiful entry my friend Daquirie had on Saturday December 20th. Read her blog at http://www.calledblessed.com/


My husband said a beautiful prayer at breakfast on Christmas morning that was so thought-provoking for me... He said that Jesus was not born on December 24 on a cold night in a stable, layed in a manger for all of us, he came for each of us. It is hard to believe that something like changing the words can change so much. God did come for each of us individually because He loves us each individually. He was born human to die on the cross for our sins ... each of us, not just all of us.... but each of us individually.

Christmas is a celebration of our Father's birth and means more to me every day that I grow closer to Him.

Merry Christmas, Friends in Christ. May 2009 be filled with Christ's blessings overflowing in your life.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Am I the only parent in my house?

I feel that way about 80% of the time. My mom tells me that that is the way a lot of wives feel. I don't know, I seem to know so many women who have wonderful husbands. I read my cousins blog and realize she has an amazing husband and how I just wish that my husband loved me the way hers does. We are in completely different places in life. She is a new mom of a 3 week old and I have been married for 17 years and a mom for almost 13. I have been so angry with him for a long time and tonight it occurred to me that I was mad at him because I have to deal with all the adult stuff, cleaning and cooking while he watches tv and tells the kids to do stuff when he could and should be helping too. I know we compliment eachother because he is a great disciplinarian. I do not discipline good at all. I really don't need to much, but John handles it when it is appropriate. He used to be really tough on the kids and I didn't agree with his parenting on most issues, but God seems to have worked us in to a happy medium. I am thankful for that.

Anyway, I have been angry with John and I think it is because money has been so tight and he doesn't help me with it at all. I carry all the burden. I try to tell him when things need to happen and he says, we need to go over the $$... but then we never do. Honestly I am glad for that because it upsets me to talk money with him. We have had to put a lot on the credit cards this year, usually we pay them off every year with our tax refund, but our tax refund won't pay off more than 50% of them this year and he has no idea. I think if I sat down and wrote down everything he would realize it. But he just doesn't handle it at all and so that seems to be my burden. I don't spend foolishly... well most of the time. I do not feel that I purchased anything that was completely out of line that he isn't aware of. But I know it is going to be a very difficult conversation.

I know better than to pray to God for a way to get us out of this much debt without John knowing because I feel that ultimately He does not want me to carry this burden on my own, he wants me to grow with John in this area... I just have a feeling it is going to be painful to go over this with John. Don't get me wrong, not painful in that he will get violent or anything, just painful for my heart.

Another area that I feel that I am resentful in is that he won't choose the kids over his stuff when I think he should. That isn't really fair either. But the situation for tomorrow night is this... we only have 1 vehicle right now and he has choir practice tomorrow night at 5:45, he promised Luke he could start wrestling tomorrow night at 6:00 and Courtney has gymnastics until 6:00. So John says that Luke will just have to miss wrestling. Poor kid has been promised for 3 weeks and it has been put off for 3 weeks and I just don't understand why he would say he could start this week and not keep that promise. So he can go do his thing... I will take all the kids with me to gymnastics, we will leave 10 minutes early and I will take Luke to wrestling. John thought that was a great solution. Of course he did, because I am doing it all. Then I pray about it and I realize that this is the kind of mom/parent that I want to be, bending over backwards for my kids, just because that isn't the kind of parent John wants to be, does that make me better? I don't know and I Don't think it matters... all that matters is that is what I want and I shouldn't expect that is the way John wants to be. He spends a lot of time with the boys, he teaches them good lessons, he expects them to participate at church and demands respect. He isn't a bad father.

I need to keep praying about this because it feels horrible to be angry all the time.

Monday, December 8, 2008

I'm telling you... God is Good and Faithful!

I have given over all of my lost items to God. I will not stress or feel panic when I cannot find a missing item and it is my mission to teach this to my children. I have been looking for my favorite winter coat, which is like new because in Southern California how often do you need a winter coat? I think mine is about 3-4 years old. Also, as I blogged about earlier, I could not find Luke's stocking. Well I am happy to report that both lost items have been located. My coat is exactly where it should be and I must have missed it when I was looking for it last week. And Courtney came walking around the corner tonight holding Luke's stocking all innocent-like. I gave her a big kiss on the cheek and thanked God once again for being faithful in His love for me and my cherished lost items.
I said something that really surprised me tonight. I told John that I hate my job. I didn't plan on saying it, I thought I actually liked it. For almost 13 years this job has allowed me to be at home with my kids, be around when they get home from school, be at their school when my schedule allowed. I have always said Medical Transcription is the road to take for SAHMs. I have been trying to adjust to my new work schedule for months, since the kids went back to school. Sometimes it takes me a month or 6 weeks, but it has been almost 4 months, I should be used to it by now. There have been some changes at work that are going to make it difficult for me to make what I was making so that has me down.

Before I had kids I never suspected I would be a SAHM, I always thought my kids would be in daycare and I would work, I like working. But the minute Luke was born that all changed. I wish I knew I would want to stay home before he was born so I/we could have prepared differently.

Now I am stuck in a job making very little money and needing every penny of it. I work 39 hours a week and still take care of my home the best I can, volunteer in the kids classes once a week, keep them busy in after school activities, help at church. I am just exhausted. I have been considering letting my position go at the church on the youth action team and I am not hearing anything from God that says, no don't. I am not making any rash decisions. But I am trying to simplify my life. I just need to pray about my life because I don't feel like God could possibly be happy seeing me the way I am right now... I certainly am not doing his good works this way, at least to my full potential. I know prayer is the key and that is where I will start.