Happy Birthday Patterson Princess

Today is our little girls third birthday! We love celebrating birthdays, and one day is not enough. We celebrate that family member the whole week. It is exciting for all of us! These three years have gone by so quickly. It does not seem that long ago my husband and I headed over to the hospital for her delivery. When we left my oldest said, "What a great day to have a baby." My youngest told everyone he knew, she was his little sister! The boys love their little sister very much.

They allow her to accompany them on their many back yard adventures. She may be one of the few three year old girls who know all about Star Wars and can duel with a light saber. She cheers them on in their sporting events, sometimes yelling as loud as me! They have their moments but quickly forgive and are soon laughing again.

Today we are celebrating her third year with a Butterfly Birthday! Happy Birthday to you Patterson Princess!

Dear God,

Make our family a place where Your peace reigns no matter what the storms of life bring our way. Teach us to love each other and to honor each other in Your name. Help us to know what ever the dissagreement or differences we have, our love is strong enough to handle them. Remind us how precious this time is that we only have a few years to build this family so it will last for a lifetime of loving, supporting and being there for eachother. Protect us from taking each other for granted. May we have loving attitudes with eachother instead of gumbling and complaining. Lord keep us close to You, for if our focus is on You I know we will be on the right track. Thank you for the precious gift of our children! What a delight they are to us! In Jesus Name, Amen.

Lamentations 2:19 "Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift your hands toward Him for the life of your young children"

Psalm 127:3 "Behold children are a geritage from the LOrd. The fruit of the womb is a reward"

Colossians 1:9-10 "For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God's will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him as you bear fruit in everygood work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. "

Covered by the grace of God day

Saturday was a "Covered by the grace of God day" for me. Mid morning, we realized our weekend plans needed to be changed. My husband needed to head down to NC to help out a friend, for a unexpected emergency. The kids and I headed out to the soccer fields for the last game day of our Upwards soccer season. On the way I started to fret. We were going to be late for my oldest son's game. Since it was the last game of the season and it was an award ceremony day, parking would be a challenge. Would I be able to find a coach, to replace my husband for my middle son's team? The anxiety was beginning to grow. I am a worrier by nature and I knew I needed to turn this downward spiral around so that it could be a good game day for the boys. I turned off the radio and asked the children to pray. My prayer went something like this. Dear God, Please be with Uncle B as he is in pain, please give him comfort and healing. Be also with Aunt J as it is frightening to see a loved one sick but even worse to be so far from home. Keep Daddy safe as he drives to get the rest of their family and bring them home. Help us to keep what's most important in our minds not the silly trivial matters. You know though that the silly trivial matters are what are causing me worry. May I find a coach for the Mustangs. May both my boys feel your loving presence even though their Daddy can not be at their game. May we have an attitude of gratitude instead of disappointment as our day is not going the way we planned but in the way You needed it to be.
We did have to park in the most furthest outstretches of the parking area. My oldest ran on to his game that had just started. I loaded myself, pack mule style, with blanket for sitting on, backpack full of waters and snacks and we trudged on. I stopped by the information desk to report my coaching woes. The response was not favorable as both directors could not help with the Mustangs game. I did get the teams awards and headed to my oldest son's game. Once I got there things began to look up. A mom reported that when my oldest boy had arrived the whole team cheered! I even saw him score a goal before heading to my middle son's, the Mustangs, game. I started to get nervous because up until 5 minutes before game time not a single parent of a Mustang was in sight. Finally they began to arrive. I told them about our morning and they all rallied to make this game great! One of the dad's coached, and a mom made sure the children did not get to hot. The parents had gotten together a gift for my husband, an autographed by the team soccer ball. They had the children pose around it for a picture, since my husband could not be there to see them give it. The day all came together beautifully.

Dear God,
I thank you for the comfort and peace you offer when we pray. Prayer is a gift and the rewards afterward are life changing. I thank you for holding us all under your wing this weekend. I am thankful we are all home. I am especially thankful for the many people You shined through, showing me how much You love and care for us.

Romans 8:26-27 "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will."

Philipians 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcend all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

I Timothy 2:1 "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone."

Uncle B and Aunt J are home with the rest of their family. He is doing better. :)

Risky Business

My oldest, who is only eight, recently asked a very serious question. A question that I for one have been dreading.
"Mom what does sex mean?"
As I tried to hold back my gasp. I was thankfully saved by my husband who answered the question quickly, and bluntly.
"That is how babies are made and I will be glad to discuss it with you later on tonight."
We were getting all three of them ready for bed and we hoped this would not develop into a full family discussion.
Later on that evening he confessed,
"That's not what the dictionary said."
I am thinking, that we could be in trouble here, but inquired on,
"What did the dictionary say?"
As I am mentally preparing myself for the worst, he said,
"It means if you are a boy or a girl." Of course I was relieved and happily replied,
"Yes, yes that is exactly what it means!" We should have started with,
"What do you think it is?" but we are learning.
We went on to talk to him about how God planned families, starting with a covenant between a man and woman to love, honor and cherish each other for their whole lives. If God so willed, He would give them children to love. Requiring that they teach the children about God.
I think he was bored by this point, as that was not the aim of his question in the first place. I learned some valuable lessons from this encounter. Be prepared for any and all questions and to ask a few probing questions of my own, to better discern how much information he needs for his age.
Dear God,
Help me to be the influence my children need at every stage of their growth. Keep me willing to listen to thier questions and concerns. May I pause, even if interupted, to listen as they may not feel brave enough to ask again. Bring to my attention any morally inaccurate information they may have recieved from peers. May my children feel my door is always open for communication. Do not allow me to neglect praying for them daily, requesting protection, wisdom and for discernment for You will in their lives. In Jesus Name, Amen

Ephesians 4:2 "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love." (NIV)

Ephesians 6:4 "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." (NIV)

Genesis 1:27 "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.