When Feelings Overwhelm {Choose Truth}

Days of one disaster after another. Misunderstandings, calendar errors, a string of bumbles where people are scratching their heads and wondering where mine has gone.

Humbling.

The library calls to tell me I have a book more than 14 days overdue. The pharmacy calls to tell me I forgot to pick up a prescription.

I open the oven to bake a treat for my kids and the handle falls off.

And I'll tell you, during weeks like that I find myself fighting hard the urge to sob "I give up!"

But even when I feel like this...

in Christ I am this...

See, the feelings... they come and go.

No matter what, I'm really always a bit of a mess. Sinner saved by grace.

But the feelings, sometimes they are messy, sometimes not. Sometimes cheery, sometimes blue, sometimes just plain defeated.

What feelings never are is permanent.

And that is why when my emotions start to rise like tsunami waves, I have to choose.  Am I going to believe the feelings or am I going to believe the truth?

The truth about who I am, the truth about my situation... the only place to find the real Truth... is in the Word.

So I stop. I sing. I read. I soak myself right up to the chin in God's Word and remember who I am.

Our gifted pastor has compiled a two page list of scriptures entitled "The Believer's Affirmation: Our True Identity and Calling in Christ." He has graciously allowed me to make this available to download. Just click on the picture above to download the pdf.

Linking with Michelle's Thought Provoking Thursdays at Intentional Me.

Kitten Cuteness Extravaganza

It's spring. Kittens on the farm. My husband laughs at me (it's just so cliche) but I can't help myself. I have to write a kitten post. With lots of kitten photos. 

Lots and lots. 

These little guys make me laugh every day. So much cuteness. They are about 6 weeks old.

Newly born

It's a jungle out there!

A little to the left, ahhhhhh...

Life is an endless wrestling match

Kittens + pan of milk = mess!

Bathtime

Air guitar!

He was singing her a lullaby "to help her sleep"

Hey, you're not my mom!

Yikes! I think I'm afraid of heights!

Love those blue eyes

Found a kitten-sized observation point

Sometimes life is a little overwhelming

But when danger comes, you'll be surprised how brave you can be

Just stand your ground!

 

Why You Should Join Me and Get Up Early

Last week I posted about not getting up early, not setting my alarm.

This week I am posting about getting up early.

I promise I am not going crazy.

Just living a regular life. It ebbs and flows.

For several weeks there I was struggling. I had gotten sick and just couldn't get well. I suppose I could self-analyze and blather on about stress and such, but... I just wasn't well.

At the urging of my sweet husband, I started going to bed earlier. And getting up later. It was what was needed.

And now what is needed is for Mama to go back to her early morning routine, not because of some incredible to-do list that must be begun at o'dark thirty, but because Mama needs her time with Jesus before everyone else gets up.

So Mama can be a joyful mama.

It's a simple truth but hard to swallow: you can't have it all.

I can't have a quiet time before my kids get up and wake up to the sun streaming and a little one crawling into bed with me. 

And that's okay.

It ebbs and flows. It's recognizing the season. Sometimes the season seems long (can anyone say toddlerhood?) and sometimes short.

And as much as I love sleepy snuggling with my little one in the morning, sleepy snuggling in the afternoon and evening are just as delicious. I don't have to give up snuggling. I won't give up snuggling!

So, because I love my family, and want them to actually have a joyful mama, I am so happy to be joining the Summer 2012 Hello Mornings Challenge.

I have been a part of Hello Mornings off and on since October 2010, and it has been a huge blessing in my life in so many ways. I've gone solo, have been part of accountability groups through twitter and email, and this time around I'm keepin' the motivation up via facebook.

You can look over there in my sidebar ----> and see a link to Kat's free ebook.  That has been there almost the whole time I have been blogging at Joyful Mama. I am not exaggerating when I say that it changed my life. Read it and be inspired to wake up early and get your day off on the right track!

How about you? Do you want to be a joyful mama? Do you want your first interaction with your beautiful children each day to include a smile on your face and a loving word?

Starting your day with the Word is how you are going to take control of your words. Starting the day soaking in the truth that you are loved is going to make that smile on your face natural.

So how about it? Join me? Just leave a comment on the Joyful Mama facebook page, and I will add you to the group. Or you can go right to our group (Rising to Shine... we rise early so we can shine for Him!) and request to join.

I can't wait! Seriously, I started today! :-)


public domain art by Johnny Gruelle

 

New Life...

bluebonnets in the sunset along our fence line

Spring is here on the farm in a burstingly glorious way this year.  All that death and drought last year? The rains poured and poured and poured starting in November, and boy howdy has the earth made up for lost time!

We're just all about new life right now... babies everywhere, flowers exploding from every cranny, butterflies dancing and swirling across waving fields of grasses.

So how appropriate that my topic over at Do Not Depart today is new life! Here's a snippet...

New life is pressing out with a passion, from what seemed dead.

I look at that hungry caterpillar and see it too. In all that hunger and wriggliness I see a promise for the future, a promise of new life. And I see my old self.

Here is the amazing thing… 

Click over to read the rest!