15 months

Blake just had his 15 month appointment he is the following:
In 50% weight and 30-40% height.

He is doing well with walking and learning new words...the doctor said he should be saying at least 6 words, and we are on track or even a bit above that.

He has begun to know how to throw tantrums and also has selective responding. Here is the deal: Blake can respond and do commands like : throw away garbage, shut the door, give someone something, but when we tell him don't touch, he touches something. The doctor said that he is being selective in what he is responding to. That he knows what no means, but continues to do it anyways. That means that Jason and I need to be more consistent in how we talk to Blake...when he is doing something he isn't suppose to do it, we leave it at just saying no and redirecting him. The doc told us not to have lengthy conversations with him when disciplining him because he sees he is getting attention and he will love it. If we just say no, it's not a ton of attention and conversation with him and soon he will catch on to what we are trying to teach him. We'll see....we'll try this and hopefully he will stop touching the TV!

WOW!

I don't think life has ever been as difficult and as crazy as it has been lately. Yes, our marriage struggle was hard...but that only entailed Jason and me. Now what is going on entails Jason, Blake, and extended family. There are many more people to worry about and make sure everyone is taken care of. How does that happen with situations changing so much around you and there being no consistency...I guess the Lord has to be my constant.

Easier Said than Done

i know in the Bible it says if anyone lacks wisdom just ask. i feel like i have asked for wisdom and discernment, yet i still am in the dark in what to do. i am dealing with a hard situation right now where everyday i need wisdom in what to say, what not to say, how to react, or not to react at all. i hope that my life is being lived in such a way that i will be able to hear God's voice leading me during these difficult times.

PS- I could really use some good laughter and some non stressful moments...any takers????

We women....

are emotional. I recently (about a month or so ago) was reading about being led by the Spirit. I was talking about not being a reactive person, but letting the Holy Spirit led and guide me. I today came across an article that helps me to also know of another way the Holy Spirit can lead me. As women, we are emotional beings....we can't help it, it's the most wonderful thing God has equipped us with...yepo..equipped. I believe emotions are a strength for women...however it can be a detriment when not under the control of the Lord. I read this article I am about to post (only an expert from it) and really thought that I need the Holy Spirit to control my emotions too...that's part of walking and being led by the Lord. Here it is...let me know if you agree or disagree????

If our emotions are to be sanctified, if our emotions are to be conformed to the image of Christ, then we must have a grasp on what the Bible says. If we are going to successfully cultivate our emotions for greater godliness and put to death those destructive, ungodly emotions, then we must have a handle on what the Bible says about them. A biblical theology is foundational for us if we ever hope to understand our emotions and grow spiritually. A commitment to the sufficiency of Scripture must undergird our approach. A confidence in the grace of God is a prerequisite if we are to change. Once that commitment and confidence are firmly in place, we can begin the journey with the expectation that God will teach us, prune us, and grow us.

As soon as we start this journey, however, we encounter obstacles and potential detours because there is so much erroneous teaching on the emotions. We need to navigate around the obstacles, avoiding dangerous detours, and cut a clear course when it comes to the emotions and what the Bible teaches. To think erroneously, that is, unbiblically, about the emotions is to be held captive by wrong thinking and to remain powerless to overcome wrong feelings and cultivate right feelings. To have a biblical foundation for understanding the emotions is to think rightly about them.

This does not mean that all emotions are rational. They often are not. But it does identify the fact that the emotions are responses to our perceptions, which may be right or wrong, real or imagined. “Emotions are the language of the soul. They are the cry that gives the heart a voice.”10 This is not to claim that all emotions are easily intelligible and able to be thoroughly analyzed. They often cannot. And yet, we must learn to understand this basic part of our humanity. Sam Williams rightly notes, “God gives emotions for a specific purpose. They are necessary for us properly to know and relate to and glorify God.”11

What's my deal?

I feel like I can't get enough sleep lately? I got nine hours of sleep on Wed. night, yet I felt like I needed more. Same thing today...it's only 11am and I feel like I could go back to bed!

Learning

My little one is learning so much right now. Today I was sitting in his bedroom while he was playing and my legs were stretched out. He went in his drawer and found his shoes and tried to put them on my feet. Ugh...he just melts my heart. He has found his little nose hose and has decided while eating he will just stick his finger in his nose and keep it there. I just laugh and laugh...it's too funny to correct right now. He knows commands like: shut the door, knock on the door, throw something away, get a book, ex. He loves to have all different kinds of bottles (water bottle, milk gallon, ex.) and put the tops on the correct bottle. I find him learning everyday. It's hard because he will not sit still for me to read to him, so I feel like he isn't learning. However, every week he shows me he is learning something new. I love this boy!

Crosswalk.com

I have been reading a little scripture devotional from Crosswalk.com. Today was about faith. There are some levels of faith...1st level is no faith...2nd level I seem to fall into lately... second level of faith is little faith. HEre is the excerpt from the devotional

As we see in the passage in Matthew, little faith is a worried faith, worried about tomorrow and occupied with lack instead of being occupied with God.

While people with little faith believe God cares, their focus is wrong. They are concentrating on, “What am I going to eat? What am I going to wear? How am I going to get by?”

Now, those are all legitimate things; and your Father knows you have need of those things. So rather than focusing on your lack and being worried about tomorrow, pulling tomorrow’s clouds over today’s sunshine, let your focus be on God and His sufficiency, His care, and His abundant love.

Do not live a life of little faith.